Using the statue for cover, he placed his rifle on top of the ledge and focused his sights on the boulder. He visualized the sniper on one knee a little to the left. Zane squeezed the trigger. A loud crack echoed across the plaza. Two seconds later, a rifle tumbled down the stairs.
“Beautiful.” Pratt pumped his fist.
They had to take advantage of the opportunity he’d created. If they were going to launch a counter strike, now was the time. He formed a plan for dealing with the gunmen on the other end then motioned for the others to gather around, including the Swiss Guards. The group would divide into two teams. One would provide covering fire, while the other would sprint to the multi-tiered fountain in the center of the pool. Once there, they would climb to the top and fire down on the gunmen hidden at the other end. While they might not have a clear shot at the attackers, the angle would probably be good enough to at least flush them out.
Stegmann listened intently, then nodded. “I like it.”
Zane, Pratt, and two Swiss Guards would comprise the assault team that would run to the fountain. Stegmann, Carmen, and the remainder of the Swiss Guard would remain behind and provide cover.
There were no questions, so Zane told everyone to divide into their respective teams. Once they were in place, he gave the signal to commence. Stegmann and his team rose and directed a volley of fire toward the other end.
“Go!” Zane shouted as he led his team over the wall. While the distance to the fountain wasn’t great, it seemed to take an eternity. They scrambled up using the tiered basins. Zane and Pratt stopped on the one closest to the top, while the two guards set up just below.
The covering fire ended.
Zane looked toward the far end of the pool. He counted eight gunmen hunkered behind the wall. Either Pratt’s count had been wrong, or perhaps others were somewhere out of sight. As seconds passed, the gunmen stirred. A couple rose up and peered over the wall, completely unaware they were being watched. At some point, one of them would look up, so they needed to act now. Zane and Pratt would focus on the gunmen to the right, while their Swiss counterparts focused on the left.
Zane gave a low whistle. Four shots rang out, and four targets died instantly. Not wanting to give the others a chance to recover, they continued to squeeze off shots, aiming for exposed body parts. Those still alive realized the wall no longer afforded any protection, so they scattered, firing as they ran.
Zane brought down one on the left, and a Swiss Guard brought down another on the right. The last two gunmen escaped down a street. As they disappeared, Zane and his team climbed down. When they reached the bottom, the others met them.
“Shall we give chase?” Carmen asked.
Stegmann shook his head. “They’ll probably set up inside a building. That will give them an advantage. We need to head for the surface.”
“I second that,” Pratt said. “We need to be thankful we didn’t suffer any more losses. Let’s get everyone to safety then worry about who else might be down here.”
“There could be others waiting in the tunnel,” Carmen said.
“It’s always possible,” Stegmann said. “But I think most of their team was here. My bigger fear is they’ll seal off the entrance before we can get there.”
With the matter settled, Stegmann sent several men to collect the bodies of their fallen comrades. He sent two others to make sure none of the gunmen were trying to slip back and cause trouble. Once they returned with word all was clear, the group set out.
As they mounted the stairs, Zane couldn’t ignore the feeling the fight wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Keiko took the lead, illuminating the tunnel with her soft blue light. Zane marched behind, his rifle at the ready. He doubted the rest of the order had simply fled to the surface. They were probably waiting somewhere along the path, ready to ambush them if the trap failed.
“Zane,” Carmen called from the back.
He turned to see Emily bent over with her hands on her knees. The long trek in the heat was finally overwhelming her. They had all taken some water along the way, but it hadn’t been enough to hydrate her system. Stegmann approached and gave her more from his canteen. She turned it up and drank in gulps until it was gone then wiped her mouth.
“Better?” Zane asked.
She nodded and gave him a smile. “I’m sorry, I—”
Zane placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t apologize. You’ve been amazing.” He looked at Stegmann. “Let’s take a quick break and hydrate a little more.”
The men carrying the bodies seemed to appreciate the idea.
Carmen stood next to Zane. “Where are we?”
“If my bearings are correct, the cut-through should be just ahead.”
“That means another half hour to the top,” Carmen said.
Zane looked at Stegmann. “I’m assuming you have a phone with you?”
“I do, but unfortunately, I won’t have a signal until we get out of here.” He patted the rock wall. “It’s too thick.”
“As soon as you get a signal, let me know.”
Stegmann nodded.
A few minutes later, everyone collected their things. They were all ready to finish the trek back. Pratt took over for one of the soldiers carrying the bodies. As Zane had guessed, they reached the cave-in shortly after they resumed walking.
Only one could go through at a time, so Zane motioned Keiko forward. As she was about to enter, a bright light shone on them from the other end. It was so bright, Zane was forced to lift his arm to shield his eyes.
A familiar, laughing voice carried down to them. “I always suspected you were one who liked being in the spotlight.”
Lawson.
Zane backed away and pointed his rifle in the direction of the sound.
“That would be monumentally stupid,” Roger said. “That is, unless you want your beautiful partner’s brains blown out. Now, toss your gun down.”
Zane didn’t have to look to know he was talking about Carmen, who stood next to him. He had little choice but to comply. Lawson was likely hunkered down behind one of the boulders, making it virtually impossible to hit him.
Zane tossed his rifle to the tunnel floor. “What do you want, Roger?”
“What do I want? What could a loser like you possibly have that would interest me?” He chuckled.
As Roger spoke, Zane noted his position on the left side of the tunnel. At this point, there weren’t many options, but he realized it might be useful. If Zane could somehow signal the rest of the team, they might be able to fan out and fire toward the light. But that would only be as a last resort. There were two civilians in their midst, and Zane couldn’t do anything that might put their lives in danger. For now, his goal was to let Lawson keep talking and hope a better plan came to mind.
Zane stared down the tunnel. “If you don’t want anything, why are you here? You should be miles away by now.”
“You embarrassed me earlier tonight, and in so doing, you almost cost me a fortune. It’s time for a little payback.”
“Then take me with you, and leave the others here. I know you have something special planned for me. If you were going to shoot me, you could’ve already done it.”
“Shooting you would be much too easy. In some sense, it would be letting you off the hook. Your life would be snuffed out in a second, and that wouldn’t provide me much enjoyment.” Roger laughed. “No, you’re going to die slowly.”
Zane had no idea what he had in mind, but in the end, it didn’t matter. Whatever Lawson had up his sleeve, it was obviously going to take more time than pulling a trigger. And if that was the case, it meant he had more time to figure a way out.