"Oh my God, Mark. Shall I pull it out?" asked Sophie, squatting next to him.
Mark didn't know. Were you supposed to pull them out? Would he bleed to death if she did that? Mary would know, but… Mary was out of it at the moment. Better than dead, he reminded himself, as he'd told Robert she was. Imagine, thinking the woman you loved was-
That's why Mark acted when he saw Tanek pointing his crossbow at her. The same reason he'd protected Sophie back at the castle, and even when they'd first met. At least he'd had a chance to tell her. At least if they bought it, she knew. He looked into her eyes. Now she was really looking at him, and all the panic, the fear he saw in her eyes was gone. He saw only one thing. One thing that made him want to fight. That made him want to survive this and keep Sophie safe.
"Awwwwwgghhhh!" he cried out, the moment broken.
The bolt was being pulled, and he thought, to begin with, it was Sophie going ahead with the makeshift operation regardless. When Mark looked down, he realised his mistake.
There was Tanek, not only pulling, but twisting the bolt then shoving it back in. "How does it feel, boy? What you did to me?"
It felt bad, really bad. Not because of the pain, or because he'd shot Tanek back on that platform. Mark was actually regretting not being a better aim, not having another chance.
Tanek didn't look like he was going to give it to him. The big man had finishing playing with the bolt, and had slung his crossbow over his shoulder. He grabbed Mark by the scruff of the neck, dragging him round and hoisting him up.
Mark felt like he was on a very small, very intimate fairground ride — Tanek whirling him around like he weighed nothing. He lashed out, his fist catching the side of Tanek's head, but Mark suspected it probably hurt him more than it did the giant. Where was Jack when you needed him?
As if reading his mind, Tanek suddenly said: "First you, then the farmer… Nostalgic. Pity your tall friend is not here, but I think I broke him during our torture session."
Having been on the receiving end of one of those, Mark could well understand how. So, on top of everything else, he was worried about what this sadist had done to Jack.
"Now, boy, I break you."
Tanek lifted Mark up sideways, facing the sky. Although he couldn't see it, he knew Tanek had also lifted his knee, in preparation for dropping Mark across it. A thigh wound he might be able to get over, but a broken back? No chance.
"Yah!" Tanek let out, and Mark thought it was a cry of victory before letting him fall. Yep, he was being dropped, sharply, and Mark braced himself for the impact… which never came. Instead, his whole body fell and smacked flat against the concrete of the car park. It winded him, but at least he could still move.
For some reason Tanek had let him go. As Mark raised his eyes he saw the figure of Sophie on the giant's back, riding him like he was giving her a piggy-back.
She was clawed the sides of his head, raking his eyes with her nails. Tanek shouted again, "Gah!" Mark bet it was the closest they'd ever get to hearing him scream.
He was reaching up to grab Sophie's wrists, to prevent her from doing any more damage, but she was holding on like a rodeo rider. Desperate to keep Tanek away from Mark.
Saving him.
Though it was complete agony, Robert hefted his sword aloft, threatening to tear the rough stitches in his shoulder wound.
But he caught the other twin's blade just in time. Robert twirled, still locked with her blade, but she did the same and disconnected them. Then she took a swipe at his midriff, which Robert only just stepped away from. She was definitely pissed at their treatment of her sister. So much so that she'd left her master's side to come to her aid, probably fearing Robert would kill the sibling. It was no more than she deserved, but only as a last resort.
Probably should have, though, he thought when he saw the first twin getting up again. Not only that, but retrieving the sword and turning this on Tate. He blocked it with his stick, which was just about thick enough to take it — but splintered nevertheless.
They had to end this, and quickly, before either he or Tate wound up being skewered.
Meeting the blows of this twin's sword which, if anything, were harder than her sister's, Robert tried to manoeuvre her around. He hoped Tate could see what he was trying to do, but didn't have time to make sure. He was too busy trying to keep himself alive.
Clang, clang. Robert blocked another swing. Clang! And another. He couldn't keep it up for much longer.
He felt something press against his back. "Reverend, time for evil to face itself again."
"Agreed," panted Tate.
"On three… One…" Robert lashed out at the twin in front of him, expecting Tate to do the same on his side. "Two…"
"Three!" shouted Tate.
Robert dived to the left — he had no idea whether Tate was going that way or the other. It didn't really matter. The result was the same. Both twins had gone in for the kill, lunging in retaliation to Robert and Tate's swipes. Their blades entered each other at the same time — the one Robert was fighting taking hers slightly higher than her sister, just beneath the ribcage. They remained like that for a moment or two, eyes wide, staring at each other. Perhaps they couldn't believe they'd been caught out by such a simple trick. Or perhaps they were relieved they'd die together?
Simultaneously, both pulled their swords out. And, simultaneously, they fell.
Robert looked over to where Tate lay. The Reverend nodded that he was all right. Switching his attention to what was happening in front of him, Robert spotted that Mark and Sophie needed help. But his main priority was Mary.
He gestured for Tate to help with Tanek, while he made for Mary and Adele… even as he heard the Peacekeeper go off.
Robert feared he might already be too late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
From his position inside the AFV, The Tsar had witnessed everything.
The death of his men, the execution of his precious Xue and Ying, killed by their own hands. He'd warned Xue not to follow her sister. Now they were both dead, and who would protect him?
You've spent too long letting people do that anyway, he told himself. Why, even now he was hiding inside this hulking metal beast while others fought. What had happened to the warrior who'd fought in Afghanistan? Who'd been one of the Mafia's most dangerous men? Who'd gone onto the streets armed only with a pistol and machine gun (all right, a fucking huge PK machine gun!) and built his own kingdom from the ground up? Was he hiding inside The Tsar?
If so, he wasn't coming out right at that moment. Ordering his driver to put the AFV into reverse, The Tsar set about giving the players in this little drama a leaving present. There was nobody left out there he cared about. Even the woman Adele was a delight he would have to do without savouring. She would probably have remained loyal to Tanek anyway.
The Tsar could still remember how to load up a shell.
He would blast them all to high heaven, then return to the castle where the rest of his army was waiting.
It was a grand plan, sure to succeed.
Bill shook himself.
It felt like a rhino had hit him at full speed, throwing him up and over into the trees. For a few seconds he'd flown without the aid of his helicopter. Might even have broken some ribs if it wasn't for one of those vests Robert had given him. That Tanek was as strong as he was fast, and he was mad as hell. Hardly surprising seeing as they were responsible for almost killing him.