Survivalist - 21.5 - The Legend (44 page)

She started to climb.

“If John and Michael don’t realize this is what we’re up to, you and Annie pull out,” Paul ordered. Til go in, and you back me up with some of those missiles. Make a real mess and then get the hell out of here before they send up some more choppers after us!”

As much as she didn’t like the idea of being protected, Paul made sense. If they were all captured or killed, then there would be no chance for any survivors to be freed-or the dead to be

avenged.

They had grossly miscalculated the manpower of die Land Pirates, but there was no intelligence data to indicate that Martin Zimmer was about to start a war.

She banked the helicopter to starboard in a long arc, checking the arming of her weapons systems. “Paul, help me up here! Annie, be ready by that door if we go in!”

Tm ready!” Annie called back.

Paul slid into the co-pilot’s seat beside her. “What do you want me to do?”

You read the same raptured manuals I did. Try to arm the missiles.” “All right.”

She could see die courtyard now, a crowd of figures that were indistinguishable at her current altitude corning out of the main structure within the courtyard. “Annie! Be ready with that machine gun!”

“Ready!”

“Paul, hurry those missiles.” Tm trying!”

She started descending, coming down in a tight circle over die courtyard. There were men on the walls, armed men, but no one was shooting at her.

Through the chin bubble, she could make out something about the figures below her. Some women, mosdy men,

She thought she could see John or Michael. It was Michael, and he was limping.

Now she could see details clearly. About two dozen women were in the courtyard, dressed in tattered rags, herded together, Michael urging them along, it seemed.

And there was a veritable army of Land Pirates and Eden personnel, and some in black uniforms as well.

She saw John, but blinked.

She looked back, saw Michael.

John and Michael and someone John had a gun on, who looked just like both of them.

“Who is that?” Annie shouted forward. “He looks like-ohh, my God.”

Natalia said, “Just be ready with that doorgun!” “Missiles armed. Tm going aft.” “Right, Paul.”

She let the machine turn a full 360 degrees on its main rotor.

Then sheeased slightly forward on her control stick and skated the machine down about twenty-five yards from the women.

“How many people will this thing hold?” Paul shouted forward to her.

“Supposedly two fully equipped squads with light weapons,” Natalia answered. These raggedly dressed creatures were some of the captured women. It would be tight, getting them aboard, but she wouldn’t leave any of them behind.

She saw Michael clearly now, saw him limping but otherwise seemingly unhurt. She wanted to get out from behind the controls, run out to him, hold him. Natalia stayed where she was.

John Rourke’s left forearm was clamped tight over Martin’s neck, his left hand knotted on Martin’s right ear, the muzzle of his gun against Martin’s right temple.

Paul and Annie were in the fuselage doorway, Paul helping the women inside, Annie behind the doorgun, ready to use it.

Through the cockpit bubble, he could see Natalia.

Michael limped past him. “Come on, Dad.”

John Rourke knew what he would do, if he could do it. It would be the only way to save Sarah’s life, to bring her back.

He was grateful that this offspring of their bodies didn’t know rum any better. As John Rourke edged himself and Martin back toward the gunship, Martin tried to break away and John Rourke told him, “Do it and ITl blow your brains out!” He would never have shot any man that way, least of all this man.

“I got him!” Michael shouted, the muzzle of his revolver going to Martin’s head as Michael and Paul hauled Martin up and into the machine.

John Rourke jumped aboard.

“Get us out of here, Natalia!” Michael shouted.

The machine lurched, rose, slipped to port a litde and was airborne.

They wouldn’t be followed, because they had Martin, and Martin was their leader.

The enemy-the Armed Forces of Eden, the Nazis who aided them, the Land Pirates-would expect a deal, a bargain.

John Rourke remembered the words of Winston Churchill when Churchill commented on making an alliance with Stalin to >. defeat Hider. John Rourke would not make an alliance with the ‘ devil, but he would bargain for the devil’s life. Michael said, “We made it.”

John Rourke said nothing, just reached out and took his son, Michael’s hand, for a moment. His son…