They’d located two lorries nearby that had been in decent shape. Both of them remained capable of carrying big loads. The dry goods wouldn’t necessarily be heavy, but they took up a lot of space. After making sure the engines worked and there was enough petrol to get them at least to the edge of London, they’d pushed both of the lorries less than a mile to the tube station. A band of survivors watched from hiding, but there was no sign of demons.
In short order, they loaded the first lorrie and worked on the second. The buttoncams picked up movement aboveground.
“Alert,” the suit’s AI said. On the HUD, a square melted down and showed a nearby street corner.
“Nathan,” Simon called.
“Got it, mate.”
“Carry what you have, and let’s get it loaded. Everybody out of the tunnel.”
Once everyone was out of the storeroom, Simon sealed the hatch, replaced the wall, and screwed it back into place. Sword in one hand, case of nutrient bars in the other, he headed back up the stairs.
Dawn remained hours away, so full dark lay over the city. The eternal pall of black smoke blocked out whatever moon there might have been.
“Load the lorrie,” Simon said. “If we can get out of here in one piece, that’s what we’ll do.”
Before the Templar had the loading finished, an amplified voice announced, “Stop what you’re doing and step away from the lorries.”
Simon’s team bristled with weapons. He sheathed his sword and held his hands up. “Everybody just relax.”
“It’s going to be hard relaxing,” Nathan said, “knowing we’re looking down gun barrels now.”
“This is Simon Cross,” Simon said. “I—”
“We know who you are,” a harsh voice replied. “Step away from the lorries.”
“I’ve got people who need this food.”
“That belongs to the Templar. To us.”
“Since when did the Templar own anything that they weren’t prepared to give to the first person they saw who needed it?” Simon asked. “My father, Lord Thomas Cross, taught me that we’re knights first and foremost. Our duty in this life is to make the burden of others easier to bear when we’re on the road together.” He pointed at the lorries. “That food is going to women and children who will otherwise starve without it.”
“That’s not our problem.”
“It should be,” Danielle said. “You should be embarrassed to call yourselves Templar.”
Not exactly what I would have said at this point, Simon thought ruefully. But he let it stand and waited to see how it would go over.
“High Seat Booth gave orders that you’re not to be allow—”
“Enough,” a deeper voice growled. “You’re givin’ me a headache, you are.” One of the Templar stood and walked out of the shadows. His armor was gray matte and olive, sleek and rounded. He carried a two-handed battle axe.
“Get back here, Sergeant Harstead.”
“No sir, I won’t,” Harstead replied. “Not when there’s hungry people waiting on those supplies. You won’t catch me taking food out of the mouths of babes and women. On nobody’s orders. Including the High Seat’s.” He laid his massive axe over his shoulder and looked back at the other Templar taking shelter there. “Is that how the rest of you want to handle your duties here?”
A chorus of nos rang out.
Simon’s gut unclenched a little.
Harstead turned back to Simon. “Is there anything else you’re gonna be needin’, Lord Cross?”
“No,” Simon said. “We’ve taken almost as much as we can carry, and we’ve overstayed. We’ve locked up inside. Thank you.”
“Have you got safe passage out of the city?”
“We’re going to find out. I’ve got armored vehicles waiting for me at the city’s edge.”
“Perhaps we could ride along,” Harstead volunteered. “We’ve got four armored units. If you get into a sticky wicket on your way out of the city, maybe we could lend a hand.”
“That would be appreciated. If you’re sure you’re not going to get into any trouble.”
“I’m a Templar, Lord Cross. Maybe some of these other men and women have forgotten what that is, but I haven’t. I knew your father. I would have died with him if I could have.”
“I’m sure he would have wanted you to live,” Simon said.
Harstead yanked a thumb over his shoulder at the first speaker. “That’s the High Seat’s cousin. We’ve noticed that a lot of positions have gone to Booth’s family within the House of late. This one has brains and is good with a sword, but he’s still in the process of learning to think for himself. Still busy kissing his cousin’s boots.”
“Keep a respectful tone, Harstead,” the younger man replied.
“I will, Lieutenant, just as soon as you give me something I can stomach, let alone respect.”
“You can’t just take over this patrol.”
“Do you really want to put it to a vote, Lieutenant?”
The officer was quiet for a moment. “No.”
“Good. Then I’ll let you come with us instead of tying you up and shoving you into the back of one of the vehicles.”
Behind his blank faceplate, Simon grinned. With the extra security, travel across the city would be safer, but it was still a long way to get through the city.
THIRTY-NINE
A painful slap woke Leah. Agony ripped through her face. She blinked through a haze of tears up at the monstrous demon above her. Automatically, Leah tried to grab her weapons and blast it, but she couldn’t move her arms. In fact, none of her moved. She’d been strapped naked to one of the modules in the machine.
The demon above her had an elongated head and a curved proboscis that looked as if it could strike through palladium alloy. The thin frame looked too weak to support the bulbous head.
“Are you awake now?” the demon demanded. It spoke English haltingly.
Leah didn’t reply.
A grin curved the demon’s lipless mouth. “You’re close enough.” It reached back and took out a collar. His thick fingers manipulated it for a moment, then it sprang open.
Leah fought as the demon encircled her neck with the
