Kane went over the plan of the building in his head. He and Tom had studied it in meticulous detail when he had been reviewing the flight of various emergency routes presented by his team. He suddenly remembered that there was a fire escape stairs on the outside of the building running down from the first floor service stairwell. He started feeling along the wall until he found the fire door. He banged down hard on the metal bar meant to open it. Nothing. It was stuck.
He told Connor and Tom what he was doing and to keep everyone back until he could get the door open. He had to make sure it was clear and safe to proceed first. He pressed down on the bar with as much force as he could muster as Tom came to help him. They each banged their shoulders hard against the door. On the third go it gave way and swung open.
He aimed his semi-automatic at the metal stairway while blinking in the bright hot sunshine suddenly assaulting his vision. Satisfied it was clear he stepped out onto the stairs and aimed below them. Clear. He instructed Tom and Connor to bring the others out.
Kane ran down the stairs and jumped that last few. He radioed to the rest of his team to bring the cars around. He aimed his handgun, searching for any signs of the assailants as the small group began to make its way down the stairs. The two hospital staff that had travelled in the lift with them were in a panic. They tried to push past Connor and Rebecca. Kane heard a sudden shot ring through the air.
A bullet penetrated the skull of the man in front of Rebecca. He hadn’t stood a chance. Kane watched blood splatter backwards over Rebecca’s face. Connor reacted with lightening speed. He reached down and pulled Rebecca backwards and up the stairs, practically lifting her into the air by her collar. He pinned her behind him back in the doorway and began opening fire. Kane heard the dead man’s body slide and bump down the metal stairs and fall to the ground.
Kane tucked the semi-automatic away and swung the Uzi round from his shoulder. He covered Tom as he dragged Charles behind him back against the wall. There were four men coming around the corner and once more Kane felt like they were sitting ducks. Luckily help was at hand. Three black BMW X5s were being driven at speed towards him from behind the building. The first of the cars swung in front of him at an angle and screeched to a halt. The middle car stopped near him. Stuart got out and Miles exited the third, each carrying a HKG36 assault rifle. They ran to assist Ramsay and Miles who were both opening fire having got out of the first car.
Kane told Connor to bring Rebecca down. Kane lifted Rebecca away from the last part of the stairs and away from the dead body. He lowered her to the ground. He ran for the middle X5 pulling her with him. He made her get in the back, in the middle seat next to Charles and fastened her seatbelt across her.
“She stammered at him, “My brother? Where’s my brother?”
Kane glanced at the first car. He could see Michael straining to look out of the back window.
“It’s okay, he’s safe with Miles and Ramsay.”
He ran to the driver’s side. The engine was still running. He heard the car doors in the back slam and found Tom next to him in the passenger seat. He radioed on the mike for everyone to return to the cars, they were moving out. He watched them all quickly obey. All present and correct. If we all get out of this alive there will be a bloody good bonus for every man.
Kane heard Connor order Rebecca and Charles to keep their heads down as they moved off behind Miles and Ramsay in the first car. Connor and Tom leant out of the windows and shot at the assailants as they passed. The car careered past what was left of the team sent to kill Rebecca.
They raced out of the hospital’s service drive and out onto rubble strewn streets, swerving around debris from the bombs. Dazed people quickly mounted the pavements to keep out of their way. Kane told Miles, driving the front car, to take the route they’d planned to the airport but Kane warned they would have to be ready to improvise. He called out to Connor, Rebecca and Charles in the back as Tom took the map out of the glove box.
“Is everyone all right? Rebecca, are you okay?”
Connor and Charles answered him immediately. Charles sounded quiet, there was a tremor in his voice. In his mirror Kane saw Charles sitting back in his seat, rigid and pale. He was staring into space. Shock was taking over.
Connor was still leaning out of the window checking on the situation behind. He told Kane that two unknown cars were following. Rebecca hadn’t answered. Kane shouted her name again, frustrated and worried by her silence. He glanced at her in the mirror before swerving the car to avoid some debris. She was sitting forward staring at her raised hands. They were shaking. It was the blood and dead flesh on them that was disturbing her. It was from the man who was shot in front of her on the stairs. It was also covering her face. She appeared to be lost somewhere dark in her mind.
Kane wondered if it had triggered some disturbing memory. He called her name again. This time he spoke softly, with patience. She answered him quietly. Her voice sounded far away, horrified. She almost whimpered, “I need to wipe my face and hands. I need to wipe my face.” Another glance in the mirror told him she still couldn’t tear her eyes away from the bloody mess. She continued and this time he could hear angry hysteria playing under her words. “Why do people keep dying around me?” He wondered how much more she could take. How much anyone could.
Kane shouted to Connor, his voice on the verge of desperation. Connor knew instantly what was happening when he moved his attention from the window. He assured Kane, “It’s all right. I’ve got it. I will sort her out.” Kane looked back in the mirror to see Connor gently wiping away the blood from her face and her hands with his handkerchief. Kane could hear him talk softly to her, telling her that he was around her and he had no intention of dying. He was attentive and tender. He held her shaking hands steady in one of his own and smoothed his thumb over them to subdue her anxious agitation. The whole scene was almost loving.
Kane found himself narrowing his eyes at Connor through the mirror. He turned his attention back to his driving. As he did so he caught Tom watching him with one raised eyebrow. Tom shook his head amused and put his head down to study the map again. Kane wished he could stop the car and drag Connor out. He wanted to know what the hell was going on.
Alastair’s strong London accent suddenly sounded on Kane’s mike. He was driving the car behind Kane’s. “Sir, the two cars that were following us are dropping off. I don’t like it. I didn’t expect them to give up that easy.
Kane had to suddenly apply the brakes. He swerved to a sideways stop behind the first X5. Ramsay calmly related the reason for stopping. “The road is blocked. Emergency services are in attendance. There is no passage through. We have to back up.”
Tom shouted new directions as the three cars started to back up the road in uniform formation. Kane answered Alastair. “I agree. They probably knew this road was blocked. It’s more than likely they are setting up an ambush. Everyone stay alert.” They raced along the clear stretch of road that Tom had directed them to. It led out of the city into a poorer area and into the countryside. Kane was searching for signs of ambush on every corner, every turn. They weaved through the small roads that ran through the middle of the rice fields.
They approached a small village. To Kane it had all the hallmarks of enabling a classic ambush. Only one road through, but then plenty of places to hide vehicles ready to pounce on their prey. He asked Tom, “Is there another way round? We are asking for it here.”
“Yeah, I know, but there is no other route.”
“Maybe we should try off road.”
Rebecca jumped in. Her voice was stern, anxious, “No. That’s what I did. They came out of nowhere. They anticipate it. They...”
Kane cut her off. “It’s different this time. Rebecca, we are trained and we know how to out run them. We know what we are doing.” He immediately regretted the way he snapped at her. It was a put down. He knew he was feeling agitated because of Connor.
She was quick to snap back, clearly hurt. Sarcasm was heavy in her weary tired voice. “Yeah, I know nothing. I just managed to get myself out of South Bundhara on my own when they were chasing me down. And I wasn’t even trained. How the hell did I manage, Captain Caveman?”
It was the familiarity in her voice as she finished her sentence that startled him more than her words. There was a sudden silence from the others in the car. Tom was trying to contain his amusement. Kane stared at her wide-eyed in the mirror and couldn’t help but smile to himself. She sounded more like the Rebecca he knew.
He told her graciously, “Point taken. But we are going to have to take a chance.” He looked in the mirror once more. Her green eyes were narrowed, flashing anger at him. For one moment he saw the real Rebecca. Then it faded as quickly as it had appeared. Her eyes dulled, went blank, sad again with pain and loss. He watched her sit back between Connor and Charles. She stared at the floor.
He couldn’t resist a second glance wondering if what he had seen was an illusion. But this time he saw Connor trying not to laugh. He was rubbing her shoulder. She looked up at Connor and gave him half a smile. Then she turned to Charles to ask him if he felt okay. Charles didn’t look too good. He looked ready to throw up. Damn it Rebecca. What the hell is going on between you and Connor?
Kane kept looking for another route. Off road was probably the way to go but if there was another way they had to find it. Rebecca’s injuries needed to be considered. He doubted she would be able to stand the constant jolting that came with off road. The road they were travelling on was narrow and houses lined them on both sides. The small voice persisted in demanding he get off the road now. There were too many side streets. It was perfect for them to hide a car and pounce.
But there didn’t seem to be any safe way to exit the village. His fear was confirmed when Miles suddenly yelled down the mike. “Ambush. Ambush.”