She ducked back in under cover as, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jabez clear the room right behind Sean. A few seconds later, the two men were sliding the massive desk through the opposing archway. Adriana gave a quick check back at the professor to make sure he was okay. He was still tucked away inside the alcove, clutching his small bag with both hands like a helpless child. Sean and Jabez were almost back to the middle of the room. To give them additional cover, she stuck her pistol around the corner of the pew and led out with a few more volleys before taking aim with the last two. This time she hit closer to home and saw the sniper jumping out of the way, at least for the moment.
It was all the time the movers needed to get their makeshift barricade in place. Both men jumped around behind it and flipped it up on its side, making the top a protective shield. They ducked behind it in the nick of time as more rounds pounded into the thick wood from the sniper’s gun. The bullets were coming faster now, most likely because the men outside had converged on the opening to the chapel to double their efforts.
The flurry of bullets ceased and she could hear a deep grinding sound resonating off of the ancient sanctuary stones. She crawled back around to the other side of the chapel and could see around the desk that Sean and Jabez were slowly inching the altar to the side. Firth was still gripping his bag in the alcove, obviously not about to lift a finger to help so, she tucked her weapon away and slid behind the new obstruction to help pull on the heavy altar. An opening began to reveal itself underneath where the foot of the object was. Adding her strength to the task made the thing slide much faster, and a few moments later, there was a gaping hole the size of a large person in the middle of the floor.
Sean inspected inside it but couldn’t see anything. It was completely dark. He retrieved a small flashlight from one of his pockets and shone it down into the abscess. A dusty smell wafted up from inside a roughly hewn passageway.
“Looks like this is our only way out,” he looked up at Jabez then Adriana.
The Arab didn’t wait for orders. He withdrew his weapon again and readied himself to fire through the entryway. “You three go on. I will be right behind you.”
Sean knew there would be no winning that argument. But he would at least let Firth and Adriana go first. “Professor. Time to move.”
The older man had a terrified look on his face. He shook his head vigorously. Right on cue, a chunk of the desk was blown away near the top edge. Sean had a bad feeling the man would be tough to coax out of his hiding spot. Now that more bullets were flying, he imagined it would be nearly impossible.
“Professor, if you stay there, they will kill you. This is our only way. Duck down and crawl over here as fast as you can. It’s your only option, Doc,” Sean re-emphasized. Firth’s face still seemed uncertain.
He must have realized that he was running out of time. And there weren’t really any other means of escape. It was either, die there in the chapel, or suck it up and get to the secret passage as fast as he could. Adriana held out her hand, beckoning him to hurry.
More rounds shattered the stone around the altar. One of the crucifixes behind the presbytery was quickly becoming a mangled piece of wood, filled with splintered holes.
Firth moved cautiously over to the edge of the alcove and got down on one hand and his knees. He scurried quickly over behind the altar where the other three were taking cover. Adriana dropped down into the opening first then reached up, ready to steady the professor as he descended into the corridor. The older man carefully lowered his legs down into the darkness one at a time.
Jabez and Sean gave each other a quick glance. The Arab motioned towards the hole with his eyes, reminding Sean once again that Jabez would be the last one standing in the chapel.
“Go,” he ordered in his thick accent. “I will be right behind you.”
Sean eyed him suspiciously. “Ok. But next time, you go first.”
Jabez’s eyes narrowed, accompanied by a mischievous grin. “Deal.”
Sean holstered his weapon within his jacket and dropped down into the hole like he’d done it a thousand times before. He looked back up at their companion who still had the same grin on his face.
“Go!” Jabez yelled down at them.
Adriana and Firth took off, disappearing into the darkness, their flashlights bouncing off the walls as they ran. Sean waited for a second then darted after them.
Jabez took a deep breath then let it out long and slow. He turned his head to the left and stared at his friend Sarmen whose body lay in pool of blood on the stone tiles of the chapel just a few feet away. The Arab gripped his Desert Eagle with both hands, holding it close to his nose. He closed his eyes and whispered a few prayers in a hushed tone. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes, but he clenched his teeth and squelched them. Jabez was not afraid to die. He’d been taught not to fear death. And when one worked for the Almighty, the end was not a concern. But his heart was heavy for his friend. The monk was innocent, and it was the Arab’s fault the man had died.
His thoughts turned to Sean and his companions. They were truly good people, seeking to do the work of God whether they knew it or not. But they would need time to reach the SUV’s. If the attackers didn’t believe they were still inside the chapel or were already dead, their escape might be cut short.
He took another deep breath and sighed. “For the honor of God and the brethren,” he said with conviction. Jabez spun around and stood up, unleashing a hail of bullets at three men in black outfits, forty yards away on the outside of the chapel. The first one fired his rifle but his barrel was aimed too high, giving Jabez a second to line him up and plant a round directly into the man’s chest. The impact of the .45 caliber bullet sent the sniper a few feet backwards, knocking him into the other two. Jabez didn’t stop firing, sending bullets into the dirt and walls around the remaining gunmen. They tried to recover, firing off some random shots, but their aim was panicked, confused by the sudden offensive by the tall, dark-skinned man in the nomadic clothing.
Jabez’s weapon clicked, signaling he was out of ammo. He twisted back around and ducked behind the desk to reload. He only had a few spare magazines. It would have to be enough. At least he hoped it would. The empty one clanked on the floor next to his feet and he slipped one of the fresh ones into grip. It clicked, and he pulled the slide back, chambering a new round. Just as he did, a new onslaught of bullets poured through the entryway of the chapel, splintering the desk, and sending rounds ricocheting dangerously around the room. He ducked his head, afraid for the first time since he was a little boy.
He forced the fear to the back of his mind and leaned around the corner of his tattered shield. The desk wouldn’t last much longer. Jabez took aim at one of now four men who were positioned in a side-by-side line in the courtyard. He let out another long breath and squeezed the trigger again.
Chapter 29
“What is going on?” DeGard asked in a panicked tone.
Lindsey glanced over at him with disdain. The two men were standing at a safe distance, watching the battle unfold before their eyes. One of his men had been shot in the chest and was lying on the ground; Lindsey assumed the man was dead.
“Relax, DeGard. Will knows what he is doing. There is only one way in and out of that chapel.” His finger pointed at the entrance. “And they won’t have enough ammunition to hold out for very long. We have plenty. It is only a matter of time until they surrender or do something desperate.”
DeGard looked back at the entrance. Lindsey had five men in position now, firing bullets precisely through the small entryway. Whoever was inside must have also had the added danger of rounds bouncing off the walls, creating a cauldron of metal projectiles. The Frenchman nervously glanced around, seemingly fearful that the authorities would show up at any second. He reminded himself that they were in the middle of nowhere, and there probably were no authorities nearby.