The Cult of Osiris

She hoped it was the five-second type . . .

  The Land Rover lurched, reaching the top of the dune and ploughing through its ridge. The LSV dropped out of sight behind the crest.

  Nina reached through the broken window - and dropped the grenade into the Land Rover's tracks.

  She rolled down the cargo bed to hit the seat backs as the 4x4 slithered downhill, picking up speed. She didn't know if the rear door would protect her, but it was all she had . . .

  The LSV burst over the crest of the dune, engine howling - and landed right on top of the grenade as it exploded.

  The buggy was launched back into the air, flipping end over end amid an eruption of grit and razor-sharp shrapnel. It hit the ground upside-down, driving the gun turret and its lacerated occupant into the sand like a tent peg.

  Nina uncovered her ears and looked back. The LSV was a burning wreck - but the second buggy was still very much in the game, vaulting over the top of the dune.

  And her trick wouldn't work twice.

  27

  2SJ

  Shaban stared at the pillar of smoke rising on the monitor. 'What happened? What was that?' 'That/ said Eddie, grinning, 'was my wife.'

  The Egyptian's face tightened, and he punched Eddie in the stomach. Go after them!' he yelled to the pilots in the bridge, before turning back to the weapons officer. 'Tell them to aim only at the driver. If they destroy the jar, I'll kill them myself!' The officer, glad that he worked for Khaleel and not Shaban, relayed the instructions

  Everyone lurched as the hovercraft turned to follow the Land Rover. 'Full speed!' Shaban bellowed. Catch them!'

  Climbing back into the front seats, Nina saw the LSV rapidly gaining, following a parallel course. The buggy had a clear shot - but something was staying the gunner's finger. They're not shooting.

  'You make that sound like a bad thing,' Macy complained.

  'It will be in a minute,' she realised. 'They're trying to get closer - so they won't just be shooting at the truck, they'll be shooting at us!'

  'Oh, great! I love the personal touch!'

  Nina spotted the hovercraft powering after them, but ignored it. There was a much closer threat. The LSV drew level, machine gun at the ready as it angled towards them, narrowing the gap—

  The Land Rover and the LSV were side by side on the targeting monitor. The weapons operator nudged a joystick. The cursor over Nina and Macy's vehicle turned red, the radar automatically tracking the 4x4.

  Eddie forced himself to look away, at the room's other occupants. Shaban's eyes were fixed on the monitor with eager anticipation, while Diamondback's expression suggested that he was watching a game of American football, waiting for his team's quarterback to break through the lines and score a touchdown. Hamdi appeared pensive, and Berkeley's head was turned, as if he were unwilling to observe the results of his choice of sides. Khaleel and the weapons officer both watched with professional detachment.

  Which meant. . . nobody was watching him

  With his hands secured behind his back, the others didn't consider him a threat - and the weapons room's cramped confines had forced Diamondback to lower his gun as everyone crowded round the monitors.

  He glanced sidelong once more at Diamondback before making his move—

  No matter what Macy did, the Land Rover wasn't quick or agile enough to escape the Light Strike Vehicle. The buggy was less than a hundred feet away, still closing, the gunner lining up the M-60 machine gun on the driver . . .

  The LSV's gunner was a silhouette against the desert on the screen. He took aim, body language shifting as he prepared to fire—

  Eddie clenched his hands together - and shoved himself backwards against Diamondback, slamming his fists into the American's groin.

  Before anyone else could react, he smashed a knee into the side of the weapon's officer's head, bowling him from his chair. He whipped round and pushed the joystick with his bound hands - then spun back and banged his forehead down on one set of buttons.

  The firing controls for the Zubr's AK-630 Gatling guns.

  He had switched the targeting cursor from the Land Rover to the LSV when he hit the joystick - and now both the Dalek-like turrets on the brood main deck obediently locked on to their new prey.

  And fired.

  Even inside the windowless weapons room the noise of the guns was almost painful, an earsplitting chainsaw rasp as both six-barrelled weapons spat out over eighty 30mm explosive shells every second. The storm of metal didn't merely wreck the LSV - it obliterated it, the buggy and its occupants shredded as the AK-630s kept blasting, waiting for human confirmation that their target had been destroyed.

  It took several seconds to arrive as Eddie kicked and struggled, trying to keep the room in chaos for as long as possible. Diamondback finally flung him against a console, cracking his head on the metal. The guns' piercing buzz stopped as the dazed weapons officer slapped a hand on the controls.

  Diamondback pulled Eddie upright, shoving his revolver under his chin - only to jerk it away as Shaban smashed several punches into the defenceless Englishman's face, shrieking with frustrated fury. He delivered a final blow to Eddie's stomach, then threw him through the doorway to collapse on the bridge's deck.

  The Egyptian stormed after him, kicking him in the chest before jabbing a hand at the windows. 'Follow them!'

  Macy gawped at the blazing wreckage of the LSV. 'What the hell was that?'

  Eddie!' Nina looked back at the hovercraft with a surge of new hope. He was still alive!

  That the Zubr's guns hadn't simply been turned on the Land Rover proved that Shaban was determined not to damage the canopic jar. Which gave her a chance to rescue her husband.

  A small chance - but she had to take it.

  Turn us around,' she said. Macy looked at her uncomprehendingly. Turn round, go for the hovercraft!

  Are you nuts?' Macy gasped. Didn't you see what just happened to that buggy? I've got thongs that are bigger than what's left of it!'

  They won't shoot at us.' I hope, she didn't add. Go on, go back!'

  Macy unhappily brought the Land Rover round in a sweeping curve. 'You know how I thought you were really smart? Hope I wasn't wrong.'

  Nina ignored her, trying to assemble all the pieces of her makeshift plan of action. She regarded the grenade, the sheathed knife - then unfastened the case's clasps.

  ' Now what' re you doing?' Macy demanded.

  Nina opened the case to reveal the jar nestling in its bed of memory foam. Without the lid's pressure holding it down, the jar rose as the lower block returned to its original shape. She drew the knife and sawed away one corner of the foam, ending up with a ragged cube four inches to a side, then closed the case. 'Evening the odds.'

  They're coming back at us,' reported the Zubr's pilot.

  What?' Shaban glared through the bridge windows. The Land Rover was indeed heading straight for the hovercraft. She's going to attack us]'

  With what?' asked Khaleel.

  The grenades she took from Hashem!'

  The pilot made a sarcastic sound. A grenade won't hurt us. The hull's armoured - the most she could do is tear the skirt, and that's compartmentalised. It would only deflate one section, not the whole thing.

  Then what is she doing?'

  Hamdi leaned through the doorway. Perhaps she's seen sense and wants to surrender?' he suggested hopefully.

  Shaban looked at Eddie, who was still curled in pain on the floor, flanked by two soldiers Khaleel had summoned. If she is anything like her husband, I doubt it. Get him up.' Diamondback hauled Eddie to his feet and shoved him against the aft bulkhead.

  Khaleel looked at the approaching 4x4. 'We could shoot out the engine, force them to stop.

  Shaban shook his head. 'We might damage the jar. If she wants to come to us willingly, let's see what she has in mind. If it's a trick, she'll pay for it with her life.' A menacing look at Eddie. 'And his.'

  The hovercraft was a slab of black and grey ahead, its superstructure rising
above the flat main deck like a submarine's conning tower. Getting larger very quickly. Oh, God, what are we doing?' Macy moaned, seeing its guns.

  Nina donned the webbing, carrying the case like a backpack. 'Just swerve when I tell you.' She crouched on the passenger seat. Get ready . . .'

  That thing's huge1.' Macy protested. 'What if it runs us over?'

  I'm kinda counting on you to not let that happen.

  Oh, no pressure!' The Zubr loomed ever larger, more like a building that had somehow torn itself from its foundations than a vehicle. The roar of its propellers shook the air.

  Nina drew the knife. The hovercraft was rushing straight at them, artificial sandstorms blasting out from beneath its skirt. Ready, ready . . . now!'

  Macy turned the wheel sharply, swinging the Land Rover past the oncoming Zubr's starboard side. Nina poised, waiting for the right moment.

  Shaban watched the Defender veer from its seeming suicide run. 'Turn, follow her!' he shouted as the 4x4 disappeared into the cloud of sand to his right.

  Khaleel opened the hatch to the jutting ledge of the starboard wing bridge, gesturing for a soldier to do the same on the port side in case the Land Rover tried to get round behind them. I can't see them, they're in the sand!

  Find her!' Shaban yelled. The pilot turned the wheel, the rudders below the three huge propellers at the stern swerving the floating craft hard to the right.

  Sand swept in through the broken windows, grit scouring Nina's skin. She held her position, squinting through the swirling cloud.

  The hovercraft was a dark mass to the right, swinging to follow them. Keep turning!' she shouted. 'Catch up with it''

  Though part blinded by the spraying sand, Macy spun the wheel, bringing the Land Rover in a tight turn towards the Zubr. The 4x4 had a far smaller turning circle than the giant transporter, cutting inside the larger vehicle's arcing course - and drawing alongside.

  The noise was appalling, the sandstorm physically painful at such close range. But Nina needed to get even closer. The hovercraft's side skirt loomed, a rippling black wall of reinforced rubber. She shoved open the door, the blast of air pummelling her.

  She raised the knife—

  Even with his face pressed against the bulkhead, Eddie couldn't hold back a smile at Shaban's rising frustration. Where are they?' the cult leader yelled, running from one wing bridge to the other, hunting for his foes.

  The din was worse than ever, but partial respite came from the sandblasting effect as the Land Rover drew right alongside the hovercraft, most of the escaping air sweeping below it. Nina had a clear view of the black rubber five feet away, four—

  She jumped.

  Springing from the Defender, she slammed against the skirt - and stabbed the knife into it.

  Air gushed out round the blade with a whistling shriek, but it held firm as Nina dangled from the hilt, the tendons in her arm straining. She kicked at the skirt, which gave just enough for her boots to gain a little traction and let her pull herself up to grip the knife with both hands.

  She glanced back. Although she had protested Nina's plan, Macy had done as instructed and retreated into the dust cloud to get as far from the hovercraft as possible.

  The ground rushed past below. Even turning, the Zubr was still doing over thirty miles an hour. And only Nina's hold on the knife was keeping her from falling.

  She strained to pull herself up, feeling the layers of rubber and fabric warp under her weight. The bottom of the hull was only a couple of feet above her. She was halfway along the hovercraft's length, nearly level with the bridge three decks above. About six feet to one side, metal rungs led up to the narrow side deck.

  Gripping the knife tightly with her left hand, Nina stretched up her right arm and tried to reach the lip of the hull. Her fingertips fell six inches short. She dug her feet into the curved rubber for extra grip, clasping both hands round the hilt and forcing herself higher. The knife shifted, its edge cutting through the skirt.

  Shit!' she gasped as the rushing wail of air grew louder. If the hole got much bigger, she wouldn't be able to hold the knife in it - and would fall.

  More desperately, she again reached up for the hull - but was still a couple of inches off.

  There!' cried the pilot, pointing. Shaban sow the Land Rover emerge from the cloud and speed east across the desert.

  Go after them,' he ordered. The pilot brought the Zubr on to a pursuit course.

  The skirt rippled beneath Nina as the hovercraft turned. The knife jerked again, lengthening the slit. She could feel it slipping.

  Straining, she hauled herself up on the hilt and lashed out with her right hand—

  Her fingertips found the edge of the hard metal. Gripped it. She released the hilt, reaching up. The knife was blown out of the hole. She clambered sideways towards the ladder. A final stretch, and her hand clamped round the bottom rung.

  The co-pilot noticed a flashing warning light. 'Sir! There's a leak in the skirt.' Where?' demanded the pilot. Starboard side, centre section.'

  Khaleel looked down from the wing bridge - to see Nina climbing the ladder to the side deck. 'Wilde's on board!' he shouted, drawing his pistol.

  Shaban ran to him. Don't shoot!' Khaleel gave him a surprised look. 'She's got the case - if she falls, it might break the jar. Send your crew to catch her.'

  Nina reached the top of the ladder, disappearing from view beneath the edge of the main deck. Khaleel cursed, then moved to issue orders over the public address system. Shaban turned to Eddie. 'She actually thinks she can rescue you.'

  She's a smart lass,' Eddie replied.

  She ain't that smart,' snorted Diamondback. Comin' aboard this thing with no way to get off again? That don't exactly make her look like a rocket scientist.

  It's not like she's up against MENSA,' said Eddie, a comeback that earned him a kidney punch. But even though he was outwardly confident, his thoughts were worried: Nina was unarmed, and outnumbered. What the hell was she planning?

  Nina stood on the side deck, getting her bearings. The narrow walkway ran almost the hovercraft's full length; several hatches led inside, the closest right beside her. Another ladder went up to the Zubr's huge main deck, but the open expanse of metal, almost half the size of a football pitch, would offer her almost no cover, and she wanted to avoid being seen for as long as possible—

  A door at the stern swung open and two men emerged from the engine room. They ran towards her.

  So much for not being seen!

  She darted through the nearest hatch, slamming it shut to find herself in a narrow and very noisy hallway. There was a locking mechanism on the inside of the hatch, Cyrillic instructions stencilled on the painted metal - with a sticker bearing both Arabic text and the English words NBC Seal' below. She knew from Eddie that the acronym was not a TV network but an abbreviation of Nuclear, Biological, Chemical - the vessel's interior could be sealed to protect the crew against weapons of mass destruction. She pulled a lever, a heavy bolt sliding into place, then tugged down a smaller, red-painted handle to lock it.

  The thunder behind the aft bulkhead told her she was right beside one of the hovercraft's lift fans. She quickly went to the other end of the passage. A door in the forward bulkhead opened into a room full of closely packed bunk beds - crew quarters. Considering the noise it didn't seem like the best place to sleep, but that was far from her greatest concern as she saw another hatch leading to the side deck.

  Banging from behind as the crewmen reached the door she had just entered and tried to open it. It would only take them a moment to realise it was locked, then they would move on to the next—

  Nina ran across the bunk room and yanked the bolt, slamming down the locking lever just as someone rattled at it from outside.

  The nearest unlocked hatch was back by the engine room. She had the time she needed.

  Unfastening the webbing, she placed the case on a bed and opened it.

  Khaleel listened to a report over the intercom. S
he's in one of the starboard cabins,' he told Shaban. 'She's locked the outer hatches, but there aren't many places she can go.'

  Shaban nodded. 'Hamdi, as soon as we have the case, I want you to check the jar for damage.'

  Hamdi came into the room. I'll need some space.'

  There was a small metal plotting table behind the two pilots' stations. Shaban swept the maps off it. 'There.' He turned to Diamondback. Go and get her. Don't do anything that might damage the case - just bring her here.' Diamondback didn't appear pleased at the implicit order not to shoot her, but he nodded, handing Eddie over to a soldier and leaving the bridge.

  The cult leader picked up the PA system's handset. 'Dr Wilde!'

  Carrying the case on her back, Nina cautiously opened a hatch and peered into the hold. Right in front of her was another dune buggy, an unarmed civilian model, secured to rings in the deck between a couple of grimy caterpillar-tracked excavators.

  She was about to move out when Shaban's voice boomed from loudspeakers. 'Dr Wilde! I know you can hear me. Give yourself up and hand over the jor. If you do not, I'll kill your husband/

  There was a muffled noise, then Eddie spoke. 'Ay up, love.

  Despite the tense situation, Nina couldn't hold in a brief smile at the sound of his voice. The hope on which she had based her gamble had paid off; Shaban was indeed using him to force her hand.

  How much longer he - and she - stayed alive depended entirely on Shaban's anger. If he decided to settle his scores before checking his prize . . .

  Forget about me,' Eddie quickly went on. 'Just smash that fucking pot and—' There was a dull thud, followed by a gruff grunt of pain.

  Bring me the jar, Dr Wilde,' said Shaban. Now.' The PA clicked off.

  Nina steeled herself, then entered the hold, stepping out from behind the vehicles and raising her hands as members of the hovercraft's crew burst through a hatch. They ran over and grabbed her roughly.

  Cowboy boots clanged down the ladder at the cavernous compartment's centre. Diamondback.

  Well, shit,' he said as he swaggered towards her, I was kinda hoping you'd put up a struggle. I always like puttin' bitches in their place.' He leered, then gestured with his gun at the ladder. 'Now move it.'