Gonzalez seemed to be enjoying himself. He nodded at Sam and smiled. Sam smiled back, determined not to show fear or pain. He knew that the human body could survive fifty per cent blood loss, removal of several organs and limbs, and blinding pain, but the real killer was shock. Sam gritted his teeth hard and prepared for the pain.
Steel-like fingers dug deep into the muscle of his upper arm and grated on the bone. The only thing that prevented them piercing flesh was the tough synthetic suit he wore — but Sam knew that wouldn’t hold for long.
Shots rang out from behind him: Aimee. Sam saw bullet holes pit the black-clad torso. They distracted Gonzalez and he turned towards their source, giving Sam a few seconds. He’d dropped his sidearm, but was able to swing his blade up and into the nexus between the man’s neck and shoulder, deep into the trapezius muscle bunching. A good strike — fatal if deep enough, and certainly debilitating in combat.
Gonzalez didn’t even flinch. His attention remained firmly on Aimee and the boy, as if he’d remembered what he really wanted all along.
Sam tugged the knife free. No blood spurted from the deep rent in the dead flesh. He drew his arm back again, this time planning to drive the laser-sharpened blade into the creature’s face. But, as if tiring of his antics, Gonzalez shook him hard to disorient him, then, in a blur of strength and speed, threw him backwards like a discarded bag of trash.
As Sam hit the tree line, he regretted he hadn’t give Aimee her time. Gonzalez hadn’t taken his eyes off her.
Alex burst from the undergrowth, enraged by the way the priest had knocked him aside so easily, causing him to leave those under his protection exposed. He was just in time to see Sam’s large body flung into the jungle as if it were weightless. Smallarms fire rang out, and he saw Aimee firing point-blank into the chest of this thing that looked like a man but wasn’t.
Alex raised one arm, pointing the gauntlet at the monster’s chest. Gonzalez lifted Aimee and Saqueo, one in each hand, and held them close to his face and body. Alex didn’t know if he was shielding himself from the ice gun, or savouring the smell of their sweating flesh.
Almost faster than Alex’s eyes could follow, the priest was at the door of the small stone building. He looked back once over his shoulder, his dark eyes issuing a challenge, then vanished into the darkness beyond the opening. There was a deep grinding sound, and by the time Alex had made it to the top of the steps, a giant stone blocked the doorway. The priest was sealed inside — with Aimee and Saqueo.
THIRTY-FIVE
Alex struck the stone with his shoulder but it didn’t move. He placed both hands against its surface and strained. The granite block weighed many tons and resisted his herculean efforts. He examined it, wondering at its thickness and searching for points of weakness.
‘Boss.’ Sam had struggled back to his leader’s side. Abrasions covered one side of his face and his suit was torn to shreds, like Alex’s. He had recovered his ice gun from the jungle where the priest had thrown it.
‘We need a plan.’
‘I’ll get them out; don’t worry.’ Alex stepped back, preparing to charge at the block of stone again.
Sam repeated his words a little louder and grabbed hold of Alex’s arm. ‘Boss — we’ve got to have a plan. We just shot and stabbed at that thing and it still knocked us outta the park. It’s quicker and stronger than both of us.’
Alex didn’t answer; he just shook Sam’s hand off and threw himself at the granite. His body shuddered at the impact, but the stone remained in place. He stepped back, ready to continue hurling himself at the rock until he or it gave way. Aimee was trapped in there with that monster. He wouldn’t stop until he’d got her out.
Sam knew that look on his leader’s face; that single-minded focus: it meant logic was seeping away and the rage was taking over. He also knew that with Aimee sealed off behind that stone, Alex’s only priority was to be in there as well. Nothing else mattered. But if Alex did manage to gain entrance, the priest would have him right where he wanted him. It would be sure suicide.
His mind jumped back to the private briefing the HAWC commander, Jack Hammerson, had given him before they left on this mission. Sam had sat in stunned silence while the Hammer told him about Alex’s medical history, the treatment that had saved his life, and how uncontrollable rages were now threatening his control over his enhanced abilities. He had also explained what lay in wait for Alex if he was ever delivered back to the Medical Division.
Hammerson had a task for Sam: to make sure Alex didn’t fall. If he did, and was disabled or couldn’t be quickly revived, then he was to be terminated. The HAWC commander was determined the Arcadian would never see the inside of a military hospital again, anywhere, anytime. It had taken Hammerson all afternoon to convince Sam to be Alex Hunter’s executioner should the need arise, but the thought of Alex ending up as so many slices of tissue in a test tube had finally convinced him. They had agreed on one concession, however: if the Arcad ian’s full recovery was anticipated, and they could locate a safe place to conceal him, the termination would be deferred. They shook hands on it, both men knowing such a concession was potentially meaningless. In the twenty-first century, US surveillance technology meant there was no such thing as a safe place anymore.
This was exactly the type of situation Hammerson had explained to him, and Sam had feared, where the rage his leader suffered could push him beyond rationality and control. He would never be able to stop Alex physically, but he could at least try to persuade him to rethink actions that were plain suicidal — like the one he was attempting now.
‘Alex!’ Sam stepped in front of him.
Alex yelled in frustration, not even looking at him. ‘Move aside, soldier.’
Sam didn’t move; instead, he pushed hard into Alex’s chest. ‘What is the plan?’
‘To get her out!’ Alex roared, pushing back hard on Sam’s chest.
Sam’s entire 250-pound frame staggered back uncontrollably. He stepped forward again and grabbed Alex’s wrist.
‘What is the plan?’ he yelled into Alex’s face. ‘Arcadian — without a plan, she will die.’
Alex screamed and punched his free hand into the granite block beside Sam’s head. Sam felt stone chips strike the side of his face. Thank God the blow hadn’t been directed at his skull.
He yelled louder. ‘Arcadian — insertion, engagement, extraction. What is the plan?’
Alex blinked and shook his head, the words seeming to puncture the rage that had overtaken him. He rested his hand and forehead against the cool stone. Sam watched as the bones in his smashed hand slid around under the skin, lifting back into place. He recoiled slightly at his leader’s unnatural ability.
Alex stood straight and looked into Sam’s face. ‘She won’t die today.’
He seemed to have stepped back from the abyss of fury, but Sam could see his eyes still burned with an intensity that bordered on the insane.
He said quietly, ‘No, boss, she won’t die today. Now, what’s the plan?’
Alex’s eyes bored into Sam. ‘The plan? I’ll take Gonzalez; you get Aimee and the boy out of there and head to the rendezvous point. If anything goes wrong, you will not wait for me. Clear?’
Sam looked at Alex for a long moment, then shrugged. That was probably as good as he was going to get right now. He rested his hand on his recovered sidearm. ‘All right, boss — let’s get ’em out of there.’
THIRTY-SIX
Aimee kept one arm around Saqueo and held the other over her lower face. The stench in the dark, airless space was almost a living thing.
