Blood Prize (20 page)

T
om heard voices and looked away from Uta towards the source of the sound. SRP commandos hid higher up the track and he could hear their whispers floating in on the wind.

They’re close. It’s time to go.

He took one last look over his shoulder at Uta’s silhouette and stopped short.

No … How did she retrieve it so quickly?

Uta held the spitter in her hands; its barrel aimed in his direction. She could kill him any time she wanted.

Tom didn’t dare move. You never knew what this woman might do.

“Piss off, Fox. I’ll keep to my end of the bargain.”

He saw her turn the gun away and he exhaled in relief.

The G11 group moved off, walking as quickly as the conditions allowed. Noah led them, but instead of silence, he fed them a constant brew of positive encouragement. Tom felt warmer as a result of the man’s courage. No matter how unreasonable, he could see the possibility of a life forming beyond the abyss and it focused his spirit, forcing him on.

They heard the clamour of gunfire, several minutes into their march. After a constant barrage, the firing became sporadic and eventually stopped.

It’s over … She’s probably dead by now.

Tom wondered if he should feel sorry for her. Could redemption be possible for someone like Uta?

He shook his head.

No. Probably not, but she did give them a chance to escape. That must be worth something.

They continued their march for another ten minutes before halting and taking a brief rest. Noah pulled them in close and spoke in low tones.

“We’re nearly at the bottom. It’ll begin soon.”

He sighed in the middle of his speech. His breath forming a deep resonate note that Tom associated with grief.

“Listen you two. We can’t allow ourselves to be caught in the middle of their forces, so we’ll have to shoot our way out. It’s our only chance.”

Tom hardly recognised Isobel’s voice when she spoke. It quivered from cold and fear.

“Noah, won’t they hear us coming and be ready?”

“There’s no other way, Isobel. We can’t get around them. The blackberries are too dense near the bottom. The only way is through and we can’t waste time either. Vogel’s coming. He’ll be hard at us now.”

Noah reached over and grabbed Tom by the shoulders; the action so violent that his head flew backwards.

“Before we do this, there’s something I have to tell you.”

Tom stiffened. Even the low light couldn’t hide the anger in Noah’s expression.

“I’m sorry. This isn’t easy to say. If things get bad down there and we’re going to be caught, I’ll have to take action.”

“What does that mean exactly?”

“There’s only one way to say this. I can’t let them take you alive. Do you understand me, lad?”

Tom’s stomach contracted as the statement became clearer in his mind. The man he trusted most, needed to end his life while his enemy needed to keep him alive.

“No. No way.”

Isobel flung herself at Noah; her bony fists striking his upper body.

“You bastard, Noah. You leave him alone.”

Tom pulled her to him, restraining her in his arms. He felt the fight in her soften and her breathing return to normal.

“Iz, Noah’s right. These people killed our parents and God-only-knows what they’ll do, if they get this Prize; if they get me.”

“No. That’s bullshit, Tom.”

“No it’s not, Iz. Once they’ve got what they want, they’ll kill me anyway. If it’s necessary … He has to do this.”

Noah gently prised them apart and tilted his head towards the track.

“When I start firing, you run and you keep running until I tell you to stop. Alright?”

Noah grasped Tom’s hand and shook it with passion.

“Good luck, Tom. Godspeed.”

He reached over and pulled Isobel into a hug.

“Good luck to you too, lass. You’ll be alright. We’ll all be alright.”

Tom turned towards Isobel and tried to smile. He felt vulnerable and hesitant. This could be their last moment together and he might never get another chance to tell her how he really felt.

“Izzi … I …”

“No … Just hold me.”

Tom’s arms enveloped her and he could feel her tiny body trembling. She reached up and pushed her cold lips against his.

“Tom, Isobel. I’m sorry, it’s time.”

They set out with caution, slipping and sliding around a sharp turn to the west.

“Noah.”

Just as Tom noticed the track beginning to flatten, he saw movement to his left and his heart pounded with a rush of adrenalin.

“Noah, behind you.”

A dark figure sprang from the scrub and before anyone could react, he jammed a gun into the small of Noah’s back.

The man turned and Tom glimpsed his features in the moonlight.

“My God, it’s you.”

U
ta lay in the bracken; so close to Vogel’s advancing troops that she could hear their breathing as they approached. She sat back against a log and utilised the cover to make an assessment of her situation.

Damn crappy luck.

She felt empty. Dying a useless death on this mountain so far from her cardinal and her sister, didn’t feel glorious. Even the pain couldn’t stop the sensation of feeling hollow.

“What are you doing? Get up. Get going.”

Uta slapped away her self-pity; the blow from her open hand stinging the wounds on her face. She rolled onto one elbow and made herself a promise.

I’ll never heed pain again. I’m Uta Cel Rău. I’m the master of death and I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way.

Uta moved back towards the Bungalow Spur trail in time to see Vogel’s troops creeping forward for what looked like a front on assault; their positioning implied gas.

Why and why here? Why stop pushing them towards the bottom? And why no air support?

She didn’t understand his tactics, but he must be worried. If the G11’s got too far ahead, he may not be able to contain them at the trail’s end. Noah could fight his way through without the worry of attack from behind.

She considered Vogel’s other major dilemma. If the G11’s didn’t have the Prize, he needed Fox alive.

Yes. Gas. They won’t risk any hurt to Fox.

This suited her purpose. She crawled into the area between Vogel’s men and the targeted gas zone and waited.

_____________

The captain gave the signal and Vogel watched the small group of masked men ease their way forward. Ten seconds later he heard a hissing sound as the gas canisters flew over his head towards the enemy.

Good. No breeze, they’ll be unconscious in seconds.

Muffled explosions erupted in the surrounding forest, but instead of the silence of his perceived victory, gunfire filled the air. Several flares lit the area like daylight and for the first time he viewed the target area.

Frederick recognised the captain as he rushed forward with the backup team, but they stopped well short of their goal.

What the hell’s going on?

The captain retreated, shouting orders as he came.

“Fall back. Everybody back. Now.”

Frederick knew that an attack like this depended on surprise, the wind effectiveness of the gas and a good knowledge of the enemy’s position, but the unmistakable sound of the spitter amongst his forward placements told him that they held none of these elements.

Damn it, Uta.

Frederick thought it strange how people reacted when death raced at them. He raised his head above the protection of a fallen tree as wraith-like figures crashed through the smoking scrub; projectiles zinging around him. In this dream-state, he felt no fear. Nothing seemed real.

He felt strong hands grab his shoulders and push him back below the level of the tree trunk. The shaking action cleared his state of mind and life raced back; the volume on high.

“Captain
.
What’s happening?”

“Someone got inside our forward perimeter. That’s what’s happening. The gas went right over them. When our men went forward they got slammed.”

“There’s not that many of them. How could you get this wrong?”

“There’s no time for this now. Uta did this alone. The G11’s are gone. They left before the attack even started.”

“For God’s sake do something. They’re getting away.”

Frederick felt anger thump in his temples. Instead of bringing the men to order, his captain rolled onto his back and stared at the moon.

“What are you doing?”

“These people are good, very good. There’s no way in hell, I would count on the two men you have below.”

Vogel’s bowels clenched at the mention of his missing men.

“I’ll ask you again, captain. What-the-hell are you doing? What’s your plan?”

“We need air support and we need it now. There’s not a cloud in the sky down here. So, for God’s sake, call in your damn helicopter.”

T
om tried to maintain his hold on Isobel’s hand, but sweat ran down his arm and into their intertwined fingers. When the two of them became extended by the terrain, they slipped apart.

After each fall he tried to contain his frustration.

That’s the reality. We’ve only got a lunatic’s hope of survival.

His existence seemed like a ridiculous topsy-turvy ride to oblivion. He looked over at the dark shape beside him. She probably felt the same sense of exasperation.

She must be scared.

In the last few minutes he heard Isobel moan with each step on the steeper terrain. He supposed the muscles around her knees hurt as much as his.

“Iz. Try to stay strong.”

He felt the need to comfort her, even though his words sounded stupid and demeaning.

He heard the dreaded priest call for them to stop and he let go of her hand.

“We’re almost at the bottom. From here on, I want you to run.”

Tom felt confused. The clergyman’s order didn’t make sense.

Why would they need to run from the Assembly, when they’d just been captured by them
?

They started off at a trot and almost immediately Tom began to slip and slide; the characteristics of the track changing from rocky and firm to mud. As he sloshed along he noticed the lower-altitude eucalypts towering above him. About one in every twenty having a massive white trunk, which seemed to glow in the moonlight in comparison to its darker, shadowy cousins.

The priest’s bellowed commands tore him from his thoughts.

“Pick up your speed, we need to go faster.”

They rounded a sharp turn in the track and the township of Harrietville became visible below them; its lights twinkling with what should have been a measure of relief, but instead it represented a depressing reminder of what awaited them.

The priest raised his hand, signalling another stop. In one motion he utilised the same hand to usher them into a small grove beside a swiftly running creek.

“I have a vehicle not far from here. We can rest for a few moments. Then we’ll make a run for the car.”

Tom sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. It made a noise like a snarling dog.

“No … If you’re going to kill us, do it here.”

The priest turned and Tom could see his teeth in the moonlight. It looked like a smile.

“Who said anything about killing you?”

“You’re the Assembly. You’re the enemy.”

The clergyman began to chuckle.

“Here then. You take it.”

The priest thrust the butt of the gun forward in offering.

“I hope you’re a little more experienced with it than I am. I’ve never actually fired one.”

“What …? Why? I could kill you.”

“This is no place for lengthy explanations. Kill me and Vogel’s men will definitely do the same to you. Take a chance and you might just make it out of here alive.”

Tom reached forward and took the weapon from the priest.

“Where are Vogel’s men? The one’s placed below us. You must have come up that way, so you have to know.”

“Come. I’ll show you.”

The priest left the track and pushed his way through damp bracken before entering a tight clump of tree ferns. At his feet, two men sat, gagged and tied to a branch.

“I suggest we make a run for it. We have to get to my vehicle before their helicopter arrives. I’m surprised it’s not here already.”

They began to run with renewed vigour. The kind that is fuelled by hope. Tom felt almost joyous, as he raced towards the end of the forest. In only a few more minutes they could be out, but then he heard the whirling of spinning rotors approaching from the west.

Noah stopped and threw out his arms as a barrier to the others.

“Everybody get down. Into the bush. Hide yourselves.”

Tom ignored him and remained on his feet. He felt the weight of the gun in his hand and this time it didn’t feel out of place.

“No … I’ve had enough of this rubbish.”

At that moment, he felt he would rather die than be dragged another inch.

“I’m the one you all want. So … from now on, I’m in charge. You either agree, or Isobel and I are gone.”