The Belial Guard (The Belial Series Book 8)
Page 19
“She is Samyaza,” Jake said. “Which means she’s seeing things from an angle or angles we’re not privy to. It’s like learning chess one week and going against a grandmaster the next.”
Laney wanted to be insulted by the comparison, but she knew it was probably accurate.
“We do have eyes on her,” Matt said. He typed something on his computer, and a satellite feed appeared.
Laney leaned forward. “Where is she?”
Matt pointed to three SUVs driving through traffic. “There.”
“How long will it take them to reach the bunker?”
“I’d guess about an hour.”
And we land in fifteen minutes, Laney thought. “Okay, let’s make sure there are some choppers waiting for us when we land. Whatever’s going on with her, we need to make sure we beat her to the priestess.”
Mustafa stood. “I’ll see that it’s done.”
Laney met Jake’s concerned gaze and turned away. A sinking feeling was forming in the pit of her stomach. Samyaza was up to something, and yet again they had no idea what.
Jake placed his hand on Laney’s shoulder. “We’ll stop her.”
She nodded, but she knew that for both of them, the sentiment was only a hope—not a promise.
CHAPTER 79
Laney had never visited Australia, though it had always been a place she had dreamed of getting to one day. She’d seen the incredible images, like everyone else—the opera house in Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, the Blue Mountains, Ayers Rock. And then there was Perth, the capital of Western Australia, sitting along the Indian Ocean. It was known for a lot of things, including its incredible beaches, but Laney had always wanted to go to Numbing National Park and see the Pinnacles, rock spires that seem to push out of the of the desert floor right along the coast.
As they flew over the land around Perth—in choppers loaned to them by the Australian police force—she felt she could appreciate the appeal of the rugged landscape. She could see what drew people to it. And the fact that Hugh Jackman was from here didn’t hurt, either. Australia was only slightly smaller than the mainland United States, but with less than a tenth of its population, it was regarded as a place full of tough, adventurous people.
Laney remembered an article she had read on all the animal species in Australia that could kill you. There was the box jellyfish, which had millions of nearly invisible stingers that dealt lethal doses of venom; the Easter brown snake, which was responsible for most snake deaths in Australia; the poisonous but gorgeous blue-ringed octopus; the saltwater crocodile, which had the strongest bite of any living reptile; and the bull shark, which liked to swim in shallow waters. They even had giant stinging trees whose painful effects could be felt for months after the initial encounter. And then there was the flying fox. It was basically a bat the size of a fox, and was known to hang from people’s porch roofs. Laney imagined opening your door one morning and having that greet you. Not the way to start the day.
But of all the horrifying creatures that might live in Australia, none was as dangerous as Samyaza. She had arrived just ahead of them and should still be en route to the priestess.
They had no new reports on the priestess—everything was quiet out at the shelter—but she must know by now that her plan had failed. The woman had tried to start World War III. Who does that? What was she vying for most evil Bond villain?
But you stopped her, a voice whispered at the back of Laney’s mind. And she wouldn’t change that, but if there she could have changed the how….
Laney cringed at what the world response to her actions was going to be. She had intentionally not checked any news reports; she didn’t need that crowding into her mind when she needed to focus. But she knew it was going to be bad. The response to the bridge had been bad enough. She should probably go hide out for a while until everything died down.
Maybe I’ll go stay at the SIA facility in West Virginia. I could help out the SIA, visit with Cain, and stay out of the spotlight. Wait—was she actually thinking of voluntarily placing herself in government facility? Oh, yeah, my life is on the right course.
“Five minutes,” the pilot said in her headphones.
Right, head in the game.
Laney looked ahead for Samyaza’s caravan. If their estimates were correct, they should be arriving at the Honu Keiki’s underground facility at almost the same time Elisabeta did. Matt’s best guess was that each of the three SUVs held four Fallen—whereas even with the SIA agents, Laney had only six Fallen on her side. She hoped she could turn some of Elisabeta’s men, to help even out those numbers. Plus, they had an additional four guns, including Jake and Mustafa.
Still, she did not have a good feeling about this. Talking Samyaza out of something seemed highly unlikely, which meant it was going to get bloody.
“Up ahead,” Jake said.
Laney could just make out the caravan now. They were at least a half mile from the nearest bomb entrance.
“Let’s get in front of them,” Laney ordered.
The chopper put on a burst of speed, and tingles ran over Laney’s skin, letting her know that Fallen were below. She threw open the chopper door and focused on the cars, willing a wall of wind to slam against them. The SUVs immediately slowed, their back wheels coming up as they tried to continue forward.
A flash from one of the other choppers indicated a rocket had been launched. Jake launched another from theirs.
The Fallen leapt from their cars, narrowly avoiding destruction. One SUV was engulfed in flames, and the other slammed to a stop and just missed being destroyed as well.
Laney stepped from the chopper.
“Laney!” Jake yelled.
But Laney was already heading down, using the wind to soften her landing. Matt jumped out of the other chopper, hit the ground with a roll, and raced toward her. He assumed a protective position in front of her, and she placed a hand on his shoulder.
Matt began firing at the Fallen, while Laney ordered the two Fallen within shouting distance to remain still and not fight back. More SIA agents leapt from the choppers and engaged the Fallen or sprinted after the ones that were trying to run.
Chaos and gunfire surrounded Laney, but she ignored it all, looking only for Samyaza. But she was nowhere to be seen.
Surprisingly, the fight was over in seconds. All the Fallen were incapacitated, and none of the SIA agents were harmed.
Laney looked around. “What the hell?”
Matt met her look. “That was way too easy.”
“There!” Mustafa yelled, pointing at a lone figure running in the distance.
Matt took off at a sprint.
“Matt, no!” Laney yelled. “Damn it!” She jumped into one of the SUVs, which the Fallen had left running. Slamming the car into gear, she took off after Matt, really wishing super speed was part of her bag of tricks.
CHAPTER 80
By the time Laney had caught up with Matt, he had tackled Elisabeta to the ground. The two were trading blows that would have pulverized a mere human.
Laney bolted from the car. “Stop!”
Elisabeta paused in mid-swing, and a look of disbelief crossed her face. Matt stopped as well.
Approaching them, Laney said, “Matt, you’re released.”
Matt shook out his shoulders. “Well, that’s an awkward feeling.” He looked over at Elisabeta. Her hair was disheveled and the sleeve of her blouse was torn. But what really stood out was the look in her eyes—there was murder in them. “You got her?” Matt asked.
“I got her,” Laney said, meeting Elisabeta’s gaze. She smiled. “It’s over, Elisabeta.”
Elisabeta raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you think so?”
“Why are you even here?” Matt asked. “Why do you care what the priestess does?”
Elisabeta’s eyes narrowed. Her voice was cold. “She disobeyed. That must be punished.”
“You know, there are greater things at risk here than your ego being tarnished,” Laney said.
Laney waved him away. “No problem.”
Matt blurred and disappeared from view.
“It’s not, you know,” Elisabeta said softly.
“Not what?” Laney asked.
Samyaza’s face showed no sign of defeat. No concern for her predicament. “It’s not over.”
A feeling of dread crawled over Laney. “What do you mean?”
Elisabeta laughed. “You really don’t know who I am, do you? You think this was my final move? I’ve already made it.”
Laney stepped forward. “What are you are talking about? What move?”
The struggle to stay silent played across Elisabeta’s face. Her lips became a tight line. But she couldn’t fight the compulsion. “Three days ago, I set bombs around the shelter. They will detonate within the hour.”
Laney’s mouth fell open. “There are innocent people in there.”
Elisabeta shrugged. “Not really my concern.”
Oh my God. Laney turned to the SIA agents. “You stay with her.” To Elisabeta she added, “You will stay with these agents. You will not attempt to escape them or harm them in any way.”
Elisabeta glared, but Laney paid it no mind. She was already running for the SUV and pulling out her radio. “Jake, there are bombs around the bunker! We need to get everybody out!”
CHAPTER 81
Laney raced toward the facility in the SUV. There were four entrances into the facility, which they theorized extended underground for a minimum of two acres. How are we going to cover all of that in time?
She pulled to a sharp stop at one of the entrances, dust rising around the car. Jake and Mustafa pulled to a stop behind her in the second SUV. They joined her while two agents hopped out and began pulling climbing gear from the back of the vehicle.
“Jake?” Laney said.
Jake scanned the facility. There were no guards, no sign of life. “I’m going on a bomb search. The other SIA agents and the Australians are already searching, and the bomb squad has been mobilized from Perth. One of our guys already found one of the bombs—it’s set to go off in forty-five minutes.”
One of the agents handed Laney a harness, and she started to climb into it. “What about Honu Keiki? Has anyone tried to reach them?”
Mustafa nodded. “I’ve tried. I have someone continually trying. Oasu is with them. Hopefully he can convince them. But so far, no one has answered.”
“We’re not even sure that the phones are working yet,” Jake said. “Laney, are you sure about going in?”
“There’s no choice. We’ll open the doors as soon as we get down there.”
The agents, a man and a woman, were already harnessed, a rope slung over their shoulders.
“Laney, these are Agents Parks and Felix,” Mustafa said, nodding to the woman and man respectively. Laney got a reading off Parks, which told her she was a nephilim. Felix wasn’t, but the way he held himself told her he was former military.
“There are two vents near the closest entrance,” Parks said.
“Set up the anchor,” Laney said. “Mustafa and I will take one vent, you two head down the other. We’re going as soon as you’re set.”
The two agents jogged to a spot about two hundred yards away.
Mustafa looked at Laney. “We need to hurry.”
“I know. I’ll be right there.”
He jogged over to join the agents.
Laney turned to Jake. “Well, this feels familiar.”
“You stepping into danger while I stand back and watch?” he asked lightly.
“Jake.”
He shook his head. “I don’t mean it like that. I know this is your job. The same way I have mine. But I won’t ever stop worrying about you.”
“Right back at you.”
Jake pulled her close and kissed her forehead. He held her for a moment longer than necessary, and Laney’s breath went quiet. With a pang, she realized this was not just a going-into-danger goodbye. It was much bigger than that. Jake was saying goodbye to them. To them as a couple. She could feel it. It was time.
Jake pulled back. “I’ll be at the door waiting for you. If it’s getting close, get yourself out of there. And please be careful.” He paused. “I love you, Laney. I always will.”
She felt tears press at the back of her eyes. “I love you too, Jake.”
He got into the SUV and pulled away.
Laney felt his loss, but she knew it was the right thing, even if the timing was beyond horrible. She had to live this life, just like he did. And he couldn’t handle being her partner in her destiny and in love. He wanted her to choose one.
And I guess I have.
She took a deep breath to clear her head, knowing she had no time to dwell on it. Then she turned and headed toward Mustafa.
Besides, if Jake doesn’t find those bombs, I won’t have much time to be heartbroken anyway.
CHAPTER 82
The five-minute climb down the vent was nerve-wracking. It was pitch black, and the vent was only about three feet by four feet. Laney had a small light attached to the band around her head, but it did nothing to illuminate what was below her. To add to the claustrophobia, she kept imagining a bomb going off and burying her alive. And for some reason, she also couldn’t help but imagine rats scurrying around and dropping on her head from vents above her. Not that she had passed any vents, or had any reason to believe they contained rats, but her imagination was in overdrive right now. She could not reach the bottom soon enough.
“Laney, how are you doing?” Mustafa asked through her earpiece.
“Um, good. I think I’m reaching the end.”
A few seconds later, her feet touched something solid. “I’m here,” she whispered. “Hold on.” She disconnected the rope from her harness. “I’m disconnected. Start making your descent.”
“On my way,” Mustafa said.
Laney crouched down, feeling along the wall. Just below the bottom of the shaft she found the horizontal vent that would lead them inside. She shimmied inside, then crawled on hands and knees. It was only about ten feet before she reached the grate.
“At the grate,” she said. She peered through it; on the other side was some sort of storage room, and there was no one inside. “I’m going in.”
Saying a quick prayer, she pushed on the grate. It didn’t budge. Damn it. With some difficulty, she managed to turn herself around so her feet were next to the grate. She kicked hard, and the grate popped open and crashed to the floor. She grimaced at the noise and lowered herself into the room.
“I’m in.”
“I’m almost there.”
A few minutes later, Mustafa was lowering himself down next to her. “Anything?” he asked.
Laney shook her head. “No. It’s quiet out there. You ready?”
“Let’s go.”
Laney eased the door open. The hallway was empty. So far so good. She stepped out, with Mustafa right behind her, and they crept silently down the hall.
Mustafa tapped Laney on the shoulder. “Do you think we should—”
“Halt!” A guard had stepped around the corner ahead of them, flanked by three others. Laney whirled around and saw another four guards appear in the hallway behind them.
She put up her hands slowly. Oh, crap.
CHAPTER 83
Samyaza studied the men Laney had left to guard her. Such a silly girl. She really is going to have to get a little more seasoned if she ever intends to beat me.
She recognized one of the agents, the man. His name was Turel, and he had at one point been one of her men. He had jumped every time she said jump. He had even made the ultimate sacrifice to demonstrate his loyalty. And now he guarded her as if he was more po
werful than her.
The other agent, the woman, was only a nephilim. Samyaza thought she might be the child of Gadriel, but she couldn’t be sure. As generations passed, it became harder and harder to recognize the offspring.
Neither paid her much attention, and Elisabeta bristled at the lack of respect, but at the same time she knew it was exactly what she needed. Laney had disappeared fifteen minutes ago. Off to save a bunch of people she had never met, who would never even know all she had sacrificed for them. What a waste. When you did something, you should lay it at the world’s feet to have them praise you. Apparently the ring bearer hasn’t learned that little lesson either.
Ah, so many lessons this one needed. Too bad she didn’t have much time left.
Speaking of which. Samyaza rolled her wrists. It had been a while since she had done her own fighting. She was a little excited at the prospect.
She waited.
When the nephilim turned toward the bunker, no doubt wishing to be part of the action, Elisabeta sprang forward. With one move she broke the neck of the Fallen first, and then, when the nephilim spun back around, Elisabeta kicked her in ribs, grabbed her by the hair, and plunged her hand into her chest. Ribs cracked as she reached inside and ripped out the woman’s heart.
She dropped it to the ground with distaste. Fighting was always so messy.
She wiped her hands on the woman’s jacket and took the knife from the sheath on the agent’s leg. She turned as Turel began to stir.
“Eh, eh, eh.” Elisabeta plunged the knife into his heart over and over again. His eyes flew open, and he grabbed at her. “You really should have stayed loyal.”
The light dimmed from his eyes, and he went still.
Elisabeta dropped the knife and once again wiped off her hands. Carefully, she reached into her ear, pulled out her earplug, and then reached into the other ear for the second one. She dropped them on Turel’s chest. Like lambs to the slaughter.