Day of Doom (18 page)

“Yes, I will,” she said sharply. “A lot higher than Six.”

She glanced at Sandy, who was still snoring peacefully.

“In fact, higher than him.”

“Have you heard from her?” Casper asked warily.

Cheyenne   shook  her  head   and motioned to Sandy, who was now moving around a bit before settling back in his seat.

Neither one of them noticed that

when Sandy had moved, he had adjusted the volume on the recorder hidden in his

pocket. He smiled inwardly. He had

always been so good at feigning sleep. It was a useful skill, now paying huge dividends.

In the rear of the truck, Fiske was urgingthe others on.

All the hostages were slapping theside of the truck where the bolt was

located with their length of chain. The floor  was   littered  with  wood  and

composite chips carved out of the truck wall by their energetic thrusts.

Fiske said, “Keep going. We’re almost there. Once we work the bolt out of the wall, we’re free.”

Jonah, who was wearily hitting his section of chain against the wall, said,

“Free? Bro, we’re still locked in a truck.”

“True,” said Fiske. “But now we’re chained up in a locked truck. When we’re no longer chained and they have to open the truck to let us out, the truck is no longer locked. Get it?”

“Got it.” Jonah started whacking the wall with renewed energy.

Even Nellie, with her wounded shoulder, was taking her turn with the wall. She grimaced every time she hit the wall with her part of the chain, but she doggedly kept going.

Hamilton and Reagan were the most aggressive of all. They were slamming their chains against the side of the wall so hard it seemed like they were in danger of knocking the truck over on its side.

Fiske finally grabbed Hamilton and

said, “Appreciate the max effort, son, but we are trying to do this somewhat on the sly.”

A sweaty-faced Hamilton said, “Oh,right. Sure.”

They proceeded, but at a somewhatmoderated pace.

Fiske stepped back and studied theloosening bolt and then the rear door ofthe truck. It was locked, that he knew. Hehad heard the lock slide into place when Casper had lowered the overhead door.

He ran his gaze along the distancebetween the bolt and the door. He made

some calculations in his head. Things might come together nicely. He was very much looking forward to knocking Casper Wyoming right on his butt. He figured he could just run Cheyenne over with the

truck. Sandy he would string up to the tallest pole he could find, wrapped with metal, and let a stray bolt of lightning finish him off. These thoughts made him smile.

And they also gave him hope. Andenergy.

He picked up his length of chain andbegan gouging at the wood.

Nellie looked at him and smiledweakly.

“Do you think we have a chance?”she asked.

He smiled grimly back at her. “I’lllet you know as soon as we get this boltout. When we do, then I think it’s time forsomething.”

“Time? Time for what?”

“Payback,” said Fiske grimly.

He and Nellie beat the sides of the

wall harder than ever.

Then Fiske suddenly stopped and

listened.

“Quiet, everyone. Stop what you’re doing.”

They all froze and stared at him.

Fiske listened more closely.

Ted Starling had sensed it before anyone else.

“We’re slowing down,” he said. “I think we’re almost at our destination.”

Fiske roared, “Go! Go! As hard as you can. Do it.”

They all started smashing the wall as hard as they could. The bolt started to come out of the wall.

The truck started slowing down

more.

“Go! GO!” shouted Fiske.

Hamilton reared back and gave the

bolt one more mighty whack.

It fell to the floor.

They all looked at one another.

“We’re free,” gasped Nellie.

“Not quite,” said Fiske.

The truck had stopped abruptly,throwing them all forward.

“Now what?” asked Ian fearfully.

They all heard it.

Doors opening and then thumpingclosed.

“They’re coming,” hissed Natalie as she drew back from the door.

“What do we do?” Nellie asked, looking at Fiske.

Fiske took charge. “Listen to me and listen very carefully. We only have one

shot to get this right.”

They all drew around as he began to

explain their plan of attack.

In the darkness, bodies flew around andcrashed into walls, furniture, and oneanother. There was a lot of yelling,groaning, and panting as the fightingcontinued.

Dan took a fist to the head and yelled

out.

“Sorry,” said Jake, and he swung his fist the other way and knocked one of Isabel’s guards into the window. The man

slid down, stunned.

Amy was kicking and lashing out at anyone who came near her. Her foot collided with someone’s stomach, and she was gratified to hear Isabel gasp. She kicked out even harder, but Isabel was no longer there.

The shot rang out so loud that everyone stopped fighting.

Dan instinctively ducked and rolled to his left. On the floor he spotted Amy and Jake, on either side of him.

Amy said, “Are you hit?”

“No,” replied Dan.

“Jake?” she said frantically. “Are you hit?”

“No.”

They heard something hit the floor.

“That   doesn’t   sound   good,”

whispered Dan.

Ten long seconds passed.

Then the lights came back on.

Amy, Dan, and Jake jumped up,

ready to continue fighting.

There was no one left to fight.

But there was someone still there.

One of Isabel’s henchmen.

His coat was bloody. His face wasgray. He was not breathing.

“Omigosh,” exclaimed Amy.

She dropped to the floor and checkedhis pulse.

She looked up.

“He’s dead.”

This did not come from Amy.

They all glanced at the doorway as Sinead stepped into the opening with a gunin hand.

Amy said furiously, “You killed

him!”

“Before he shot you.”

“It was dark; how could he see to shoot?” countered Amy.

Dan piped in, “And you’re the one with the gun.”

To their amazement Sinead put the gun down, came in the compartment, and shut the door.

“Look more closely at him,” she

said.

They did.

Dan was the first to spot it. “Hey,he’s wearing glasses.”

“Not just any glasses,” said Sinead. “Pick them up.”

Dan did so. He put them on. “They’renight-vision goggles.”

“I wrestled the pistol away from him right before he was about to shoot you, Amy. It went off while we were fighting. I actually didn’t mean to shoot him.”

Jake picked up the gun and looked at Amy. “She’s telling the truth. This was the gun the guy was holding. I saw it when he was next to Isabel.”

“But why?” Amy asked Sinead. “Why would you help me?”

“I won’t lie and say it’s because I love you, because I don’t.”

“Yeah, that I get. You tried to kill me, after all, using your little gun. And you would have if I hadn’t knocked it out of your hand.”

“All true. Although I really didn’t want to kill you back then. And I don’t want to kill you now.”

“Right,” snorted Dan. “And I’m actually Harry Potter, only I’ve misplaced my wand, lightning scar, and glasses.”

“So why?” Amy asked again.

“I love my brothers. That’s why I’ve done all the terrible things I’ve done.”

“What does that have to do with us?”

asked Amy. “We’ve been trying to rescue Ted and the other hostages.”

Dan snapped, “And you helped them get kidnapped.”

Sinead said, “I knew they were going to be kidnapped, it’s true. But I didn’t help them do it. It was a way to provide me with an alibi in case you got suspicious of me.”

“But Ned got away,” pointed out

Dan.

“That was his own doing. Vesper

One promised me that he wouldn’t hurt

Ted.”

Amy said, “And you believed him?”

Dan added, “If you did, you shouldhave your head examined.”

“ I
 
did
 
believe him. Until he sentthose pictures of the hostages. I know that Alistair is dead. And the others looked so . . . so hurt. Including Ted. I begged him tolet him go, but he wouldn’t.”

“Coulda told you that a long timeago,” barked Dan.

“So, why are you here?” asked Amy.

“I have no other choice,” said Sinead, looking miserable. “I have noother place to turn. Ted is not doing wellas a captive. And Vesper One has made itquite clear that he will not be releasing Ted. He says he knows too much.”

“Nice little communication you’ve been having with old Vesper One,” said Jake in disgust.

Sinead looked at him. “I don’t blame you for not understanding why I’ve done what I have. But let me be clear. I’m not looking for your forgiveness, either.” She directed this last comment at Amy. Then she eyed Dan again. “Do you have the serum? I was around you long enough to know that you had a heightened interest in it. And your little excursions? Those were to get the necessary ingredients, right?”

Dan involuntarily looked over at his knapsack and caught a breath.

It was gone.

Then   Jake   screamed,   “Atticus! Where is Atticus?”

They all looked around. In all the

confusion they hadn’t realized Atticus was no longer there.

Amy said, “Isabel must have him. And she took your knapsack, too, Dan.”

Sinead said, “As I was struggling with the guy, I felt people rushing past me and out into the corridor.”

Jake looked sick. “I was just standinghere and didn’t even realize my brotherwas missing? What kind of older brotheram I?” he added miserably.

He suddenly snatched up the gun andrushed out of the compartment yelling for Atticus.

“Jake, wait,” cried Amy, but he had already disappeared down the corridor.

She turned to look at Dan and Sinead. “They must still be on the train. We just have to find them.”

“What about him?” asked Dan, pointing down at the dead man.

Amy said, “There’s nothing we can do for him.”

Sinead added, “He deserved what he

got.”

Amy  eyed  her   severely.   “Thatapplies to you, too.” She turned to Dan. “The serum? Was it in your bag?”