Cloud Dust: RD-1 (R-D #1)(30)

They still outnumbered us, and one of them shouted that information at us as his fellow assassin dropped to the floor.

"Fuck off. I don't care how many of you there are," Maye shouted back.

"Stop being an American," I hissed in her direction.

*

Corinne

I imagined that a heart attack awaited as I struggled up endless steps. Keep going, I chastised myself. I only carried myself. August and Ken carried a wounded man between them. Even the Secretary was doing better than I was, and he was in his sixties. When we reached the door, I almost collapsed next to the doorframe.

"Prime Minister?" Edward turned to the PM. The door was there, and it was armed. Not just with a keypad, either. This one had a retina scanner, too.

"Try your radio, Edward," the PM nodded at his guard.

"Still not working, sir," Edward said after making the attempt. I figured the tunnels had stymied the technology, but here, we were close to the surface. The PM turned to the apparatus next to the door.

"Keeping secrets, eh?" the PM sighed and shook his head. "Well, I have an eyeball and a code. Let's hope both work."

*

Ilya

Two minutes passed before another assassin made the attempt. He leapt from his hiding place, firing his weapon indiscriminately while his three fellows moved forward behind him. By the time his weapon was empty, they were much closer than they had been.

I took him down the moment his ammunition ran out, but had to duck behind the generator again when the others fired at me. If they continued to do this, they'd be on me before the last man went down.

*

Corinne

A part of my mind knew, even as tired as I was, that the PM could get through the door. I just hoped the rest of us would also be allowed through. The moment the door swung open, six men, armed with semiautomatic weapons, waited for us.

The PM was not happy.

*

Ilya

Two more committed suicide, leaving one in a position very close to mine. I'd taken down his predecessors when their ammunition was depleted, but every time, this one moved forward.

I figured he was the best of the lot—or the worst, where I was concerned. He intended to kill Maye and me, no matter what it took. He fired several rounds in my direction, just to see what I'd do.

Bullets hitting metal from that close is always a frightening experience. I preferred to be farther away, as any one of those bullets could kill me instantly if they struck my head. I had plans for the future, and they certainly didn't include dying in an abandoned tunnel in Britain.

Another round of bullets hit around me. Maye shouted—one ricocheted, hitting her in the arm. Leaping up, I fired at the assassin's position with the Glock, emptying it before lifting one of the semiautomatics and firing it as I walked forward. He was four feet away from me and I dared him to fire back. I'd waited for the last one; they'd instructed me to hold back unless there was no other option. I grinned as I emptied the gun and he rose from his hiding place.

Time to employ the shield.

*

Corinne

"Sir, there's gunfire in the tunnel," one of the armed guards informed the Prime Minister. "Ours are on the way, but they may not arrive in time."

I held my breath.

Dave was receiving medical care nearby while an ambulance was en route. We'd ended up in the Government Actuary Department, which had been built over the old Tooks Court entrance into the tunnels. All records indicated the shaft to the surface had been sealed off.

All those records lied. I assumed the lie held a purpose; I was too terrified for Rafe to consider the reasons.

We'd been led to a comfortable office after the Prime Minister threatened to have all six armed men sacked if they didn't allow us passage, once he got the door open. They couldn't help us fast enough after that.

"Corinne, he and Maye are very good. If there's any way," August sat heavily beside me.

"August, don't give me platitudes," I whispered, attempting to shove down the panic attack.

"Water, mum," a bottle was placed in my hands.

"Drink it, Corinne," August said, taking the cap off the bottle he was given and emptying it in six swallows.

"This is insane," I mumbled, struggling to remove the cap on my bottle. August took it and did it for me. I drank. Until that moment, I hadn't realized how thirsty I was—or how shaky. I could barely hold the bottle steady to drink.

"Save any for me?" Rafe knelt beside my chair.

I spilled water on him, giving him a grateful hug.





Chapter 8

Corinne

We heard about the theft of the Imperial State Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre from the Tower of London on the drive to our hotel. The Secretary was with us; the PM had an appointment at Buckingham Palace.

What did it matter that it was after two in the morning? Maye's wound was a graze, and the ambulance crew that arrived to take charge of Dave had patched her up. "Do you think the two incidents were connected?" Kevin asked.

I was much too tired to speak, and almost too tired to listen. I huddled into my corner of the limousine and listened while the others talked.

"We can't rule that out," August said. He and the Secretary of State had been on the phone almost from the moment we'd gotten out of the tunnel. Rafe dispatched the last of the assassins after Maye was wounded, so all eight were dead.