Gwen knew it might be the only thing that saved her child.
The lead cultist was staring at Clive Jr, dark eyes fixed on him. But other one was about to finish her off. If Gwen didn't do something now, it would be too late. "No, please!" she screamed.
"Wait!" ordered Skullface. "Look."
The machete hung in the air above her like the sword of Damocles. But then, slowly, it began to drop.
Gwen didn't have time to relax, though, because there were more Russian troops suddenly at the top of the stairs.
The cultist pulled Gwen and Clive Jr around, putting himself between them and the guns. Seconds later, she heard the rat-ta-tat of automatic weapons, and the man who'd protected them was toppling over, his body riddled with bullets.
Skullface rushed forward, waving his arms for them to stop — which they did, too late for the Morningstar who'd given his life to save them. Gwen looked down at the man, unable to figure out what had just happened. It was one thing for them not to be able to take a mother and child's life — though that still didn't tally with what Robert had said — but it was quite another to protect them from the Russians.
Why would they do that? she asked herself, and would keep asking herself, even as she was taken away.
Taken prisoner again in this castle.
The Tsar surveyed the devastation and laughed.
The battle, if you could even call it that, was over. They had crushed what was left of Hood's 'Merry Men' in less than twenty minutes. It was what they were best at, crashing in and stamping out all resistance. He stooped to pick up one of the arrows that had been used against them, turning it over in his hands. Now this place was his and, he had to admit, it felt good. He was glad he'd listened to Tanek, even to the point of coming over here himself to be involved in the final stages. Back in Russia, his empire was being run by underlings who knew that if they put even the merest hint of a foot wrong, they could kiss their private parts goodbye once he returned victorious from English soil, leaving similarly loyal subjects to rule here in his name.
Which he would, as soon as he had confirmation that Bohuslav had done the same thing to the rest of Hood's forces. Once he knew that The Hooded Man himself was dead. Maybe they'd put his head on a spike outside the castle walls, just as a reminder to others that The Tsar was now the great power in this region. And, in time, the greatest power in this country.
Then, perhaps, once he had more soldiers drafted in from England, and even Europe, they could think about turning their attentions to the US. Their real enemy.
The Tsar waited while his troops brought him progress reports on the mopping up operation, which included disabling Hood's people at the hotel prisons and assessing which of the prisoners might be of use. The twins were, as ever, by his side as he looked down on the grounds below. He'd feared he might lose them during the confrontation with the man with the staff — one of Hood's lackeys named Jack, he was reliably informed (who'd been taken away for Tanek to have his fun with a little later). But they'd been saved by an unexpected new ally.
De Falaise's daughter, who had gone off with Tanek to look for the other members of Hood's inner circle. The Tsar had to admit she was as deadly as she was desirable. When this was all over, he would seal their newfound alliance in the bedroom — in spite of how much that might pain Xue and Ying. Yes, she definitely looked like a woman who would respond well to his particular appetites.
It wasn't long before the pair returned, descending the steps to the Middle Bailey with a prisoner in tow. A woman being held up by a couple of his soldiers.
"There is no sign of the holy man, Tate. Nor of Hood's adopted son Mark and his little girlfriend," Adele said in that accent The Tsar found oh-so sexy. "But your men did manage to dig out this whore from the rubble." She looked at the woman being held up and spat on her. "I thought I'd killed the cow when I blew up the caves."
"Who is she?"
"Hood's woman," Tanek replied.
Hood's woman did not look very well. She was unconscious for a start, her face and arms battered and bruised, blood pouring from several wounds. One of her legs looked severely twisted. If she was still alive, then she wouldn't remain that way for long.
"She needs medical attention," Tanek confirmed, "if she is to survive."
"And why would we want her alive?" The Tsar said. "I thought the intention was to kill all those close to Hood, including the ones that you have clearly let escape."
"She might yet prove useful," Tanek retaliated.
"The big man will tell you where the others have fled, will he not?"
"Possibly."
"If your skills are lacking, my friend, then I'm sure Bohuslav will oblige upon his return."
Tanek shot him a contemptuous look. "I was thinking more in terms of leverage… against Hood."
The Tsar laughed. "Hood? I would not worry about him. He will soon be dead, if he isn't already."
"Don't underestimate the man."
"He's right," Adele said, siding with the brute who had once been her father's second. "Not that I want to save her, but I've seen the man fight, my lord."
The Tsar smiled. He liked the way that sounded coming from Adele's lips: my lord.
"Nonsense," he said. Then he gazed down and saw people being herded in through the castle's entrance, the first batch of prisoners from the nearby hotel, under armed guard in case they had any stupid ideas about fleeing. "We let her die. Look at her, she is well on her way already. She might even have died as we stood here talking about it."
Tanek looked her up and down and The Tsar was satisfied he'd made his point. Apart from anything else, there weren't many men with medical knowledge amongst his troops. If one of his men was injured, then he was of no use anymore and would either be left to die or shot right there and then. And The Tsar himself relied on Bohuslav to see to his personal health needs. With his detailed knowledge of anatomy, he was better than any doctor. But Bohuslav wasn't here, and even if he was The Tsar wouldn't waste his talents on this whore.
"Sire, sire!" This came from behind and The Tsar whirled around. It was the radio operator from the AFV they'd travelled in. "I have news of the other skirmish."
"Ah, excellent." The Tsar's smile intensified.
"Our… our forces have been…" The Tsar expected the next words out of the man's mouth to be 'successful', but instead the man said quietly: "Defeated."
"What?" The Tsar grabbed the messenger by his collar. "Repeat that, man."
"I… They have been defeated, sire."
"You lie!"
The man shook his head. "One of the remaining vehicles just checked in. Commander Bohuslav's."
Remaining vehicles? What the fuck was this cretin talking about? The Tsar had sent enough firepower to lay waste to an entire city. And what did Hood's men have? Sticks and stones! They didn't even fight using guns. How was this possible? Bohuslav. He was to blame. Oh, when he got his sorry hide back here The Tsar would personally punish him.
"He himself is reported to be extremely badly injured," the man blurted out, still petrified. "Near to death, in fact."
"Bohuslav?"
A nod from the mouse he was holding by the throat. The Tsar looked across at Tanek who was not only nodding in an 'I told you so' kind of way, he was also grinning, probably at the thought of Bohuslav's fatal wounds. "Impressive," commented the giant, "even for Hood."
The Tsar shook his man again, tightening his grip.
"They… they suffered heavy losses as well, majesty," he blurted, probably hoping this might spare him The Tsar's wrath, "including The Hooded Man himself."