The Temple Covenant

by D C Macey

  ‘He stroked the young man’s face. His hands were gentle, but when Helen glanced up to his eyes, they were full of anger.

  Sam turned his attention away from the runway and back to the walkie-talkie as it squelched and crackled. ‘Well this is a turn up. I hadn’t thought you would give up the girl so easily,’ said Ro.

  ‘Butt out, Ro. Don’t even think of harming her or believe me there are no rules of engagement anywhere that will protect you, ever.’

  ‘A raw nerve, I see. Well, before you make any threats, you’d better understand just what power I wield now I have ACE active. I’m watching the scanners, it won’t be long now.’

  Sam glanced at Bob, ‘What does he mean?’

  ‘There are scanners in the control vehicle that display the Rollers’ progress around the grid. The Rollers can be left to clear and defend the grid independently. They can also be directed to complete specific tasks; once given a task the Rollers will work independently to achieve it. He must have instructed the Roller that just left us to do something …’

  The reports of controlled gunfire from deeper in the bush suddenly dominated the environment. The firing stopped as abruptly as it had started and was replaced by the cries of wounded men. It was immediately clear that the group of morani who had set off with their wounded comrade for the vehicles had not made it.

  Sam and Bob turned and gazed in the direction of the noise.

  ‘Hell, it’s caught up with the morani.’

  ‘What are their chances? Will any survive?’

  ‘Oh, they’ll still be alive - listen to the cries. The Rollers are programmed to put two rounds into their target’s lower leg. Bang, bang; rapid fire and certain hits. Sure as hell, puts the target down. Immobilises them. If they manage to get up and walk, they’ll get another two rounds.’

  ‘Why the lower leg?’

  ‘Practicality and efficiency. The Roller is working on information from the mote network; at any given moment, it knows exactly where a biped’s feet are and hence its lower leg. So, it targets what it knows. No point in going for body shots or headshots unless it knows how high above the ground the man is and that’s entirely unpredictable from the information available to them. Plus, heads and bodies are invariably well armoured these days. Might even miss, depending on the way a man is leaning or facing. Go for the lower legs, a certain hit every time. Then your victim’s out of the battle and perfect ambush bait to draw in rescue parties - more targets.’

  ‘This is one sick weapons system, Bob. How the hell did you get involved in it?’

  On the runway, Charles could hear Sam and Bob’s voices, but he ignored them as he stood and gazed back over the bush line towards the more distant cries of his morani. He knew exactly what it meant. Angel stood in silence beside him. Helen remained on her knees and continued to patch up her patient.

  The radio squelched. ‘Colonel Prentice. You know what just happened. Eight men down, and by the way, one made the mistake of getting up - now he’s got four bullet holes in his legs. Now, can I expect your co-operation, or do I need to issue more instructions?’

  Just as Bob raised the walkie-talkie to reply there came the sound of gunfire close by on the runway, it was followed by suddenly familiar cries of pain. A more distant sound reached them as a 4 x 4 engine revved and tyres screeched. Sam and Bob hurried to where the bush gave way to the runway’s edge.

  Charles and Angel were both down with bullet wounds to their lower legs.

  A 4 x 4 raced across the runway, halting beside the downed morani. Two Koreans leapt out and snatched Helen. She was struggling, fighting to get back to the wounded moran who was once more motionless on the ground.

  Bob caught Sam’s arm and forcefully checked him, preventing him from leaving the bush line.

  ‘Let me go, damn it,’ said Sam.

  Bob kept tight hold and threw his gaze out across the runway. ‘Don’t go out or you’ll be downed, look.’

  While still struggling, Sam followed the direction Bob had indicated. No more than ten paces ahead was a Roller - motionless, its gun barrel facing towards them.

  ‘It must have come across the runway while the first one was shooting up Charles’ morani back there. They can move very fast on a flat surface.’

  In frustration, Sam looked beyond the Roller to where the guards were manhandling Helen. Each man had taken a grip of one of her arms and they were propelling her towards the open door of their 4 x 4.

  ‘Let me go,’ said Helen. ‘That man will die without attention.’ The Koreans ignored her. She continued to struggle, wedging a foot against the doorframe in an attempt to avoid being forced into the rear seats. Her head banged against the opened door slicing a wound above her temple and blood started to trickle down the side of her face. She still pushed back with her foot, refusing to enter. ‘No! No, I’m not going in there.’

  She leaned forward and bit one guard’s hand, hard, kept biting harder to force him to release her. The man cried out as her teeth drew blood; she gagged slightly but bit on, even as the taste of iron in the man’s blood registered on her taste buds. Then she felt a blow to the back of her head and everything went black.

  Sam shouted in anger and, once again, struggled against Bob’s restraining arms while an unconscious Helen was bundled into the 4 x 4 and driven away across the runway.

  Sam and Bob stood at the bush line alone. Out on the runway, the Roller was motionless as Angel and Charles lay on the ground bleeding. It was clear that Angel had no intention of moving, lying curled up so he could hold his now blood-red shirt pressed against his leg wounds. He was losing a lot of blood.

  Charles rose to his knees; the anger on his face had not been diminished by the pain he felt.

  ‘Don’t stand up!’ Sam’s warning cut over Angel’s gentle moaning. ‘Charles, do not stand up. The Roller shoots at legs. Don’t give it a target.

  ‘What the hell are we going to do, Bob? This is your monster.’

  ‘There’s nothing we can do; the little blighters are pretty well invincible when …’ Bob fell silent as Sam shook his arm.

  Out on the runway, Charles, still kneeling, had drawn his rungu from his waistband and lifted it above his head.

  ‘He’ll never hit that little thing from there,’ said Sam.

  They both watched spellbound as the chief took careful aim. He drew his arm back then flashed it forward to let the rungu fly. It hissed through the air and caught the Roller squarely on its side. The little machine rocked and then toppled over.

  ‘Yes,’ said Sam, starting forward to help Charles and Angel.

  ‘Wait.’ Bob gripped Sam’s arm for a second time, holding him back. Then he stepped close beside him before shouting across to Charles who was struggling to his feet. ‘Stay down, it’s not safe.’

  Sam could just see what was causing Bob concern. From the sides of the Roller, little rods had started to extend out - like telescopic aerials. In seconds, its side lying on the ground was tilted, angling off the surface, until finally enabling the wheels to fall back onto the ground. The rods protruding on the other side prevented any continuance of the roll and the Roller was upright again. The rods withdrew back inside the Roller, then the machine executed a neat little circle, reorienting itself before halting exactly where it had started.

  ‘Self-righting, really? Didn’t you think to build in a failsafe?’

  ‘I’ve already told you what it is,’ said Bob as the walkie-talkie squelched again.

  ‘I’m afraid the time for games is over. I’ve got a flight to catch. So, here’s the deal. I have the girl here. If you want her to survive, I need Colonel Prentice to walk over here now. Otherwise there’s going to be a bloodbath …’

  Ro’s voice from the walkie-talkie was lost to the roar of a big cargo plane’s engines as it flew low overhead, attempting to reconnoitre the runway that now lay beneath the heavy black blanket of cloud that had continued to build and lower. As the plane passed by, the bush rippled, and Sam felt th
e air thrust back towards him, having to brace himself to keep his footing, seeing the red cloaks of the dead morani fluttering on the runway.

  The aircraft banked and came round, lining up to land. They watched it touch down, thunder along the runway, smoke trailing behind from tyre burns, and slowly, the monster came to a halt.

  ‘Bob, go with me on this one.’ Sam pulled the pistol from his pocket and pressed it against Bob’s temple and the two men moved clear of the bush at the runway’s edge.

  One hand holding the pistol, the other holding the walkie-talkie, Sam called Ro.

  The reply was instant. ‘I hear you, Mr Cameron. I see you have my prize under guard. Please, do not harm my goods.’

  ‘I want a trade, Prentice for Helen. No clauses, a straight trade.’

  Sam heard a laugh come over the walkie-talkie. ‘You are in no position to negotiate. If you kill Colonel Prentice, there is a two-minute close-down sequence before the grid and equipment self-destructs. Plenty of time for the Roller to shoot you and those remaining morani guarding the vehicles, oh yes, I’ve seen them on the grid. And I’ll still be taking this female with me. Believe me, Cameron; she will live long enough to pay for the harm you have done me a thousand times over. Every time I punish her, she will wish for death, but I will never grant it. She will linger and suffer and be cursing your name to hell before I let her die. Now give me the colonel.’

  The plane had taxied to a halt beside the warehouse. Its great tail door lowered to form a rear access ramp. Sam saw the control vehicle manoeuvre to the rear of the aircraft, line up on the ramp and stop. He saw the little ramp on the rear of the control vehicle lower again, watched as the two Rollers that had remained near the warehouse whizzed across and up the little ramp to their housing inside the control vehicle.

  ‘He’s right; you are going to have to let me go over there. The Rollers won’t shoot you right now because they can’t differentiate between your legs and mine. Remember, they are programmed not to shoot me. But we can’t run forward or back, if we do we will separate and your legs will immediately become target practice. Believe me, you cannot outrun the Rollers. They’ll put you down in moments. And for me on the grid, there’s no hiding place, Ro’s men can take me easily.’

  The undergrowth rustled close by and the first Roller that had shot down the retreating morani appeared; it took up station a few paces from the second Roller.

  ‘It’s Hobson’s choice, I’m afraid. I’ll just have to go over there,’ said Bob. ‘Fact is, even now he could just send his men over here. I’m betting he’s got one or two left who are good shots. They could pick you off even while you’re holding that pistol to my head. I’m guessing the only reason he hasn’t sent them over is he wants to get on that plane now. Air traffic control up at Arusha will certainly have been watching the flight. I’m sure it will be an unauthorised entry from Burundi. Now it’s just dropped off the radar, they will be sending out an investigation flight for sure. Ro won’t want to be caught on the ground.’

  Sam lowered the pistol. Immediately, the walkie-talkie started up.

  ‘Well done, Mr Cameron. I can deal with you another day. In fact, take that as a promise, I’ll look forward to it. Now send Colonel Prentice across at once. And don’t try anything silly. I’m going to leave one of the Rollers on the ground. I’ve programmed it to shoot anyone who steps onto the runway. All I’m prepared to promise in return is that the woman won’t be killed. Now hurry along please, we have a plane to catch and I don’t want to waste any more time.’

  ‘He’s not kidding, Sam. Remember, once activated the Roller doesn’t need the control vehicle. It will function autonomously on the grid.’ Bob shook Sam’s hand. ‘I’m sorry it’s come to this. If I get the chance, believe me, I’ll make sure Helen can get away.’ Bob stepped out on to the runway as drops of rain started to fall.

  Sam watched Bob walk away. One of the Rollers broke off and matched Bob’s pace for a few moments, providing an otherworldly escort. Then it rushed ahead and disappeared up the control vehicle’s rear ramp where it self-stowed beside the other Rollers. The remaining Roller seemed to bristle slightly, its little gun turning to scan along the bush line; it came to rest, pointing at Sam. He took a pace back from the runway.

  The raindrops began to fall more frequently. The first shower of the year’s Little Rains. He knew from past experience that the word little was relative. Relative to the Big Rains, which should normally come in the springtime. After a few preliminary showers, the clouds would burst, and everything would be soaked. He thought about their vehicles, parked up on this side of the river. If they weren’t moved back across the river this afternoon, it would flood, and they would be stuck for the duration. He put the thought to one side. There were other more pressing things to deal with.

  Across the runway, the control vehicle was driven up the airplane’s rear ramp into the cargo bay and then Helen was hustled onto the ramp by two of Ro’s men; though still groggy, she had resumed her resistance. He watched Ro step down the ramp to where his men struggled with her.

  Ro raised his walkie-talkie and beat Helen on the back of the head, she was stunned for a moment and Ro pushed her hat off. Reaching his free hand behind her head, he gripped her ponytail and jerked it. Sam could see Ro shouting at her, could not hear the words. Ro let go of her hair, and as she was hustled onto the plane, Ro continued down the ramp to join his remaining men who were waiting for Bob to reach them.

  Sam turned his attention back to Bob, who for some reason had turned round and was walking backwards towards Ro and his men. With every step now, he was hit by another huge individual raindrop, the wetness darkening the silver of his hair to black. The first proper shower wasn’t far away now. Then Sam saw why Bob was walking backwards - he was discreetly signalling. Pointing towards the sky, then waving wiggly fingers towards the ground, he pointed at the stationary Roller and gave Sam a thumbs up.

  Bob pointed skyward again, and Sam traced the direction. Nothing, just black clouds and raindrops. He knew the sun would be high now, but the cloud was too thick for even an equatorial sun to burn through. He had no idea what Bob was signing.

  He watched Bob being seized, his hands bound and then pushed towards the ramp. One of his guards kicked him to encourage speed as Ro hurried ahead up the ramp. Halfway up the ramp, Bob resisted, stopped and turned again to Sam pointing his bound hands into the air then giving a thumbs up. The signal was brought to an abrupt end as the guards forced him onto the plane. Immediately, the ramp began to close and the aircraft started to taxi for take-off even while the ramp was closing. The signal meant nothing to Sam.

  By the time the aircraft had reached the far end of the runway the first shower had commenced. In moments, Sam was soaked. He looked despairingly at the aircraft as it prepared for take-off. There was nothing he could do.

  Out on the runway, Charles and Angel lay unable to move to shelter as the deluge developed. First wounded, now soaking. Around them, the heavy raindrops were splashing back up off the surface. The two wounded men raised their heads to catch some of the falling drops of rain in their mouths.

  A little beyond lay the shot morani. Sam didn’t know if the moran Helen had patched up had survived, but the others were dead for sure. The rainwater was beginning to flow in little rivulets across the surface, pausing at the fallen bodies, then building and flowing round them.

  He glanced down at the malevolent Roller that had sat motionless waiting to intercept any intrusion. He thought it moved, just a little jerk backwards, a hand’s width, no more. Sam looked again, saw it move forward. Then back. Suddenly the Roller was trundling backwards and forwards in larger and faster sweeps. He watched it for a few moments more then, as the sound of the airplane’s engines began to grow to a roar at the far end of the runway it came to him. He knew exactly what Bob’s signals had meant.

  Sam took a breath then sprinted out onto the runway. At once, the Roller’s gun barrel turned to align with his legs, only to
jerk backwards again, the gun barrel rotated wildly before nuzzling down into a neutral position while the Roller moved off to describe an ever-widening spiral.

  As Sam ran past Charles and Angel, he shouted at them. ‘It’s safe to stand. The rain’s washing the motes off the runway, the network’s breaking up. The Roller doesn’t know where it is any more.’ He saw Charles struggling up and heading towards Helen’s first aid kit.

  The airplane was starting to roll down the runway as Sam reached the warehouse. Without hesitation, he jumped into the abandoned 4 x 4. Thankfully, the keys were still in the ignition. Starting up, he gunned the engine and tyres screeched as he forced the vehicle into a hard U-turn inside the warehouse, emerging at full throttle as the aircraft continued its take-off run.

  Sam flicked on the windscreen wipers while he drove the 4 x 4 out into the centre of the runway and turned to face the oncoming aircraft. Gripping the wheel tight, he prepared to charge, to play dare with the pilot. He could see the plane racing down the runway. It was now or never; he had to make the pilot abort the take-off.

  Pressing the accelerator to the floor, he felt the 4 x 4 jump ahead with the engine’s full power being released. The sense of exhilaration it generated was lost at once as, up ahead of him, the plane began to rise, struggling into the sky, its engines obliterating every other sound as they roared an agonised protest at the early lift off. Crawling higher into the air, the plane seemed to hang for a moment and then it pulled up and away, almost immediately disappearing into the black cloud that lowered across the runway.

  Sam lifted his foot from the accelerator allowing the 4 x 4 to glide to a halt. He banged his fist on to the steering wheel, three, four times. Then let his forehead rest on the wheel, where he remained still for a long moment.

  Sam gave himself a shake. He couldn’t help Helen now, but there were men down here he could help. Then he would track the plane down, and whatever it took, he swore to himself, he’d find Ro and Helen, and Bob. Once she was safe, he’d make sure Ro could never hurt anyone else again.