Rogue Angel - Polar Quest Part 37

"We'll need two," Zach said. "Plus the tow hitch for the generator."

Annja laughed bitterly. "Yeah, you guys are going to be low profile towing that thing back to McMurdo. You going to kill everyone who happens to see you pulling that thing behind your convoy?"

"Only if we have to," Zach said. "But once we get to the harbor, it won't matter. It's going on board a freighter registered out of Liberia and no one will even know about it once it's safely stowed."

Annja shook her head. "What about the ice floes blocking the harbor?"

Mitch paused before leaving. "Nothing that a good couple of portable charges can't break up."

"Somehow, I doubt the marshal will appreciate you mining the harbor."

Mitch grinned. "Oh, didn't you hear? Poor Marshal Dunning and his deputy are dead. Terrible accident, really. Guess they weren't paying attention to things and wound up dead from carbon-monoxide poisoning. I hear some replacements are flying in when weather permits. Of course, we'll be long gone by then."

Annja watched him leave and then turned to Zach. She had to find a way to stop him. "It's not too late, you know. You can still change this," she said gently.

"And why would I want to?" he asked.

"To do the right thing?"

Zach laughed. "Doing the right thing is exactly why I'm in this position right now. You ever notice how the worst people in the world-the liars, crooks and cheats-are always the ones that gain the most? And that the naive fools who try to live an honorable life are the ones who have to skimp and save and live paycheck to paycheck. Why is that?"

"I don't know," Annja said.

"Exactly. All around there are these idiots telling you to have faith that things will work out in the end. Wrong. Things don't work out in the end. You die a miserable fool who spent his whole life wishing and hoping-all for nothing. That's not how I'm going to spend my life. Not a chance. I'm doing this because I can get away with it and live to spend a G.o.d-awful amount of money."

Annja tried her hands, but the knots were indeed tight. "Were you ever promised an easy path, Zach? Did G.o.d come down and tell you it was going to be easy? Did he renege on that promise?"

"If there was a G.o.d, why would he make so many people struggle and suffer? You ever think of that? Why would he permit these other sc.u.mbags to have all the money they needed and more and yet never see fit to give some to the good folks who actually deserve an easier life?"

Annja shook her head. "I don't know."

"Two for two," Zach said. "You aren't exactly convincing me to give up my plan here."

"You're going to kill an awful lot of people," she said.

"Yes. I am."

Chuck walked past Annja. "You're wasting your breath. If I were you, I'd spend more time trying to find G.o.d and see if he's going to help you get out of those knots."

Annja eyed him. "You're not nearly as funny as you think you are."

"Nothing comedic about it,' he said. "You're dying soon. I was actually trying to redirect your focus so you could make peace with that fact."

Annja tried to head-b.u.t.t him but he jumped back out of the way, laughing. "Wow, she is a tough one."

Annja smirked. "A killer who does public-service announcements. That's refreshing."

Chuck glanced at Zach. "How much time?"

Zach chewed his lip. "Thirty minutes. That should be enough time."

"You sure?"

Zach nodded. "Do it."

Chuck walked to the detonator and Annja watched him as he punched in the time until the explosives detonated. Annja needed them to clear out if she was going to get out of this and warn the camp.

"So that's it, then," she said to Zach.

He nodded. "I wish it could have been different, Annja. But I won't lose sleep over this."

"I know it," she said sadly.

"Goodbye." He turned to Chuck. "Let's go."

Annja watched them leave the cavern. As soon as they cleared the entrance, she immediately closed her eyes. It was tough reaching the sword with her hands bound.

But she was sure she could do it.

In her mind's eye, she reached out with her hands and wrapped them around the hilt. She visualized the sword being in her hands so strongly that she could feel it against her skin even before she opened her eyes again.

The sword was behind her, its blade touching the first of the knots. It cleaved through them easily and Annja had to be careful she didn't drop the sword by accident. The sound of that could carry and bring Zach and Chuck back.

She leaned forward and cut the ropes binding her to the boxes.

She took a breath and rushed to the detonator near the explosives. The digital readout blinked as the scrolling numbers flew past as it counted down from thirty minutes.

She knew nothing about deactivating bombs. She had only basic skill with making them, and that had come from long talks with friends over lots of beer. Her mind was hazy when it came to actually doing it for real. Someone in camp would have to know how to deal with this.

Hawk!

The demolitions guy who had attempted to disarm Annja's computer might be able to handle the job. If she could get to him without being seen.

She had to try.

Annja turned and raced out of the cavern. With the sword held before her, its energy rushed through her, making her feel powerful and capable of stopping Zach and his goons.

At the fork, she turned and kept going. Ahead of her, she could see the lit shelter by the entrance. She had no doubt that if Zach, Chuck or Mitch saw her, they would simply open fire on her and then try to escape.

Annja knew she needed Garin. No one would listen to her unless Major Braden ordered it.

She paused by the door leading outside and waited until she felt it was safe to proceed. She ducked out and instantly felt the blast of frigid wind slam into her. At the same time, all the lights in the camp were extinguished.

Annja rushed through the snow toward Garin's shelter. At the door, she banged on it and then tore it open. An emergency lantern hung near the door, and Annja turned it on.

Garin lay slumped on his bed, a giant welt on the side of his head. His shelter had been thoroughly ransacked.

Annja slapped his face. "Wake up!" she urged him.

He moved sluggishly, groaning as he did so. "Annja?"

"You've got to pull it together. It's Zach who is behind this. Dave's dead down in the caves and he's not the only one."

Garin's eyes fluttered open.

"There's a bomb rigged to explode in less than thirty minutes. It's going to bring down the entire mountain on top of us unless we can get it deactivated. But I don't know how to do that."

Garin was mumbling. "They came in here. Too many of them to stop them. They nailed me before I knew what hit me. Hard hit, that guy. b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

"Garin. You've got to pull it together," Annja said.

Garin frowned and tried to sit up. Annja helped him into a sitting position and he pointed. "You really think you should be running around here with that thing? Some of those soldiers might shoot you just for seeing that."

Annja nodded. "All right, fine." She closed her eyes and willed the sword back to the other where. When she opened them, Garin was smiling at her.

"I never get tired of seeing that," he said.

"We don't have time for this, Garin. I need Hawk," she said.

"Right. The demolitions guy."

"Yes. He can dismantle the bomb," Annja said.

Garin shook his head. "He couldn't do squat with your computer. What makes you think he can deactivate the bomb?"

"He's the only one. You've got to make him try. He won't listen to me if I ask him."

Garin nodded. "Help me to my feet."

Annja got her arms around him and helped him up. Garin struggled into his parka and then led them outdoors. As they came outside, Annja looked behind his shelter. "They've already got the generator," she said. "That's why all the lights are out."

Garin looked. "How did they manage that so fast?"

"Zach had a plan. And two capable men with him. They knew what they were doing and how long it would take to carry it out. We've got to stop them."

Annja nudged him through the cold night. "We need Hawk first, though. We can always catch up with Zach. Right now, the lives of everyone in camp depend on us stopping that bomb."

Garin pointed. "Steer me over there to that shelter."

Annja helped him walk. The wind tore at them both, and Annja had to grunt and push her way through the bitter blasts to reach the shelter. She yanked on the door and then Garin stepped through to the other side, which was illuminated by several emergency lanterns. Annja could see they were in a barracks. Garin removed his hood. "Where's Sergeant Hawk?" he called out.

"Here."

Garin nodded. "Get your gear and your crew, Sergeant. I've got a job for you."

"A job, sir?"

"Yes. Earlier today, you weren't able to disarm the laptop bomb."

"That's right, sir. Bombs aren't my specialty."

Garin laid a hand on his shoulder. "Well, they are now. Because there's a bomb down at the dig site. And if you can't figure out how to deactivate it, the mountain is coming down on top of all of us in this camp. We'll all be dead."

37.

Annja stepped out of the shelter and watched as Hawk and his team ran toward the entrance to the dig site wearing headlamps. She wished them luck. They were going to need it.

Garin came up behind her. "How much time do they have?"

"No more than twenty minutes. At the most. Then this whole place is going to be leveled."

"Look!"

Annja spun and looked in the direction that Garin pointed. She saw the bright headlights of Sno-Cats coming out of the parking area. One of them had a tow platform on its back, and she could make out the tarp covering what must have been the nuclear generator.

"They're already leaving!"

Garin put a hand on her shoulder. "Forget them for right now. Let's make sure everyone gets out of here first."

"You're right, we've got to get people out of here."

Annja moved from shelter to shelter telling the soldiers to get packed. Most of them didn't believe her until Garin addressed them and told them it was not a drill. They started moving quickly after that.

"Forget anything that is not immediately necessary for your survival," Garin said. "Team up on the Sno-Cats and plot your course back to McMurdo. We need to evacuate the area as soon as possible."

There wasn't a lot left to do. Garin looked at Annja. "We need to reserve a few Sno-Cats for us and for Hawk and his team."

"You take care of that and I'll head down to see how they're doing," Annja said.

Garin nodded and rushed off.

Annja checked her watch.

Fifteen minutes.

Maybe.

She hustled back to the entrance to the dig site, grabbed a headlamp and ran down to the cavern. Operating with the light from emergency lanterns and their headlamps, Hawk and two of his men had the detonator box open, but they didn't look happy at all.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

Hawk frowned. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing here?"