“No, Riley’s next. Beth needs to sort out his arm.”
“Dammit Rachel,” he bellowed, making her scowl. “If he goes next then you’re straight after him, even if I have to throw you out myself.”
She nodded and got to her feet.
“Finally,” he huffed. He looked down at Riley. “Can you stand?”
“I think so,” he said, slowly getting to his feet, Ryan supporting him on his arm when he staggered.
“Can you make it through with one arm?”
Riley nodded. “I can do it.”
“Good.” Ryan glanced up at the water pipe, the stream getting stronger, the leaked water meandering towards the spitting electrical cable. The floor wasn’t flooded yet but it soon would be.
Battler felt the vibration in the pillar gain in intensity. Looking down he saw the base of the pillar starting to crumble. The pressure on his back increased so he pressed himself back against it harder.
Riley lay on his back, his left arm laid across his chest and began using his feet to push himself backwards. Jules, Leah, Mikey, Beth and Alfie had gathered at the other end, encouraging him on.
There was a violent creak and Jules leapt up to examine the car jack, which was starting to bend beneath the strain. Looking up, she saw masonry starting to tumble. The building was about to collapse.
“Riley, you’ve got to hurry,” she called to him.
“I’m trying,” he said, pushing himself along, his face just a couple of inches from the huge weight of the door.
“You need to try harder. Seriously Riley.”
“What is it?” Beth asked her.
Jules nodded at the car jack. Beth’s eyes widened and she bellowed down the tunnel. “Move your arse Riley, for God’s sake.”
Alfie returned with the jack from Mark’s car, who helped him set it up under the opposite side of the door. The moment it was jacked up the metal started bending, crushed beneath the weight of the building.
Jules ducked under the door, holding out her hand. “Take my hand.”
Riley held out his good arm, which she caught and she tried to pull but she didn’t have the strength.
“Mikey,” she called.
Moving aside to give him access, Mikey reached under, grabbed Riley’s hand and pulled.
“Christ he’s heavy,” he groaned.
Jules grasped onto the handle of the jack and pulled, desperately trying to keep it in position but the metal continued to buckle regardless. “Get him out of there,” she yelled. “Now.”
“Alfie,” cried Beth when he ducked under the door too.
Alfie grabbed Riley’s t-shirt and pulled, dragging him towards the end of the tunnel. Riley’s upper half emerged from under the door, which shook and groaned, masonry bouncing down around them. Mark joined them in hauling Riley out.
“Jacob, it’s going to go,” called Jules, putting everything she had into keeping the jack handle raised.
Alfie, Mark and Mikey pulled Riley out from under the door seconds before it finally gave way, the jack breaking with a crack, the tow rope snapping, everyone ducking as it whipped through the air just above their heads. There was the roar of an engine and the car shot forward down the embankment, Jacob wrestling with the wheel.
“Shit,” he cried as the car plunged towards a large tree on the bank of the river. He turned the wheel at the last minute and the tree slammed into the passenger side of the car.
“Oh Christ, the tunnel’s collapsed,” said Ryan, jumping back as masonry and bricks tumbled down around it, blocking it off. Realising he was standing in the water, he leapt out of it, pulling Rachel with him. “It’s going to come down any minute,” he said as more rubble rained down on them, the entire building creaking and groaning, showering them in dust, making them all cough.
The water pipe finally burst and the trickle turned into a gush, pouring down the side of the wall, joining the ever-widening pool, which was rapidly approaching the hissing, writhing cables.
CHAPTER 23
“Katia,” said Hayden into the mouthpiece. “The barn’s collapsing. Rachel, Ryan and Battler are still inside.”
“Good,” came back her satisfied voice. “They will die.”
“Is it time?”
“Yes. Do it.”
He pressed a button on the headset linking him to the others. “We’re on. Hit only the targets we’ve already agreed on. No one else.”
It was a relief the waiting was finally over. Hayden raised the rifle and stared down the sniper scope as the rest of their men started to move in.
“Bugger,” he muttered. The wind had changed direction, blowing dust and smoke right his way, making his job a lot harder. He smiled when a figure homed into view down the scope. But not enough to save their lives.
“No, Rachel,” cried Mikey when the building began to collapse.
“Get back,” said Jules, hauling him away by the arm.
“Mum, Dad,” screamed Leah, tears rolling down her face as the building appeared to concertina in on itself, clamping her hands down over her ears, trying to block out the horrible rumble as it caved in on her parents.
When the horrific noise eventually ceased she slowly removed her hands. Absolute silence reigned, a huge amount of dust floating through the air around her.
Something warm splattered her arm. Looking to her right she saw her Aunty Jules swaying on her feet, face frighteningly pale, her chest covered in blood.
“Aunty Jules?” she murmured, sounding like a lost child.
All she could do was watch in horror as her Uncle Mikey pulled Jules to him and spun round, his body jumping twice, blood spraying from his back. They fell together, landing in the grass, Mikey’s body on top of hers.
“Sniper,” yelled Mark, tearing his way towards them. “Get down.”
He threw himself at Leah and Alfie, pushing them behind the limo. “Jesus,” he hissed when he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder.
“Jez,” yelled Beth when she saw his body jerk, the impact of the bullet hitting him knocking him sideways. Shane bravely put himself in the line of fire to drag him behind the shelter of a large tree, the second bullet that just missed him slamming into the trunk of the tree inches above his head.
Beth and Riley stumbled towards the limo, ducking down behind it with them.
“You’re hit,” Beth told Mark.
“Just a nick, I’ve had worse,” he said, peering out from behind the limo.
Leah trembled, tears streaming down her face as she looked from the collapsing building to Mikey and Jules lying prone on the ground, both looking dead.
Bruiser, hearing the screams and yells had run back towards the barn, leaving Daina alone in charge of the children. She had gathered them in a tight circle around her. The youngest of them, not really understanding what was going on were playing the stick game Cathy had so ingeniously devised for them with bracken retrieved from the forest floor. Only Archie, Ethan, Aaron and Ruby were tense and silent.
Hearing the tramp of feet she looked round, hoping to see Cathy returning telling her she’d managed to fetch help. Instead she saw a very large, threatening-looking man carrying a gun.
“Get down,” she whispered to the children and they all ducked down behind the foliage to watch the man tramp towards the barn.
Archie and Ethan, despite their animosity, looked at each other and nodded.
“Where are you going?” whispered Daina. “Get back here.”
They ignored her and vanished into the undergrowth.
“Oh no you don’t,” said Daina, grabbing Aaron’s arm when he tried to follow, refusing to let go when he attempted to shake her off. “I’ll tell your mum.”
This threat caused him to go still, although he looked wistfully in the direction his brother and cousin had gone.
Desperately Ryan looked around the disintegrating room, half of which was no more than a heap of rubble, the single remaining pillar keeping them safe. After all they’d survived no way was
he going to allow them to die here, like this.
“The windows,” he said, pulling Rachel tighter against him to shield her from the debris falling around them, the entire building shaking.
“We couldn’t break them before,” said Rachel, having to yell to be heard over the noise.
“They’re cracking beneath the pressure of the building coming down. The centre is the weakest point. We break one we can get out.”
“Or they might be all that’s stopping the building from falling down on us.”
“It’s our only chance.”
She nodded. “Let’s do it.”
While Ryan snatched up a rock to smash the window, Rachel looked to Battler. “Come on, we’re leaving.”
“You two go. I think I’ll stay here.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The windows aren’t the only thing that’s stopping everything falling down on us. This pillar is too.”
Finally Rachel realised he wasn’t just leaning against it, he was holding it up, like a modern day Hercules. “We can all still make it. Together.”
“If I let go everything will collapse before any of us can get out.”
“You’re not staying behind.” Tears filled her eyes. “I won’t let you.”
“You have to.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“I’ve had a good innings and a good life.”
“And you’ve still got years ahead of you.”
He raised a hand to touch her face. “The daughter I never had,” he said in the gentlest tone she’d ever heard him use. “You brought so much to my life.” He wiped the tears from her cheek with his thumb. “A father does what’s right for his daughter and this is right for you.” When the pillar violently shuddered he straightened up, gripping onto it with both hands. “Get her out of here Ryan.”
Ryan hurled the brick at the centre of the window, hitting the spot where the spider web of cracks met, smashing the window.
“No,” screamed Rachel, struggling to free herself as Ryan dragged her towards the window.
“It’s alright love,” said Battler as she continued to fight her husband. “This is the right thing to do.”
“Battler,” she cried, reaching out for him as Ryan shoved her through the window and outside.
Ryan paused to look back at him and nodded. “Thank you.”
Battler nodded back. “No problem. Go.” He watched him leap out, relieved they were safe. “You’re family,” he whispered.
The window frames finally broke, masonry slamming into the gap they’d occupied, blocking out most of the light. Battler looked up at the disintegrating pillar then down at his feet, which were saturated with water and then to the spitting cables. He was proud of himself when he felt no fear, merely a resigned acceptance.
“If I’m going out, I’m going out with a bang,” he said, grabbing the cable, which writhed in his meaty hand. “Take this you hissing bastard,” he said before shoving it into the water.
Ryan hopped out of the window and without stopping dragged a struggling Rachel away from the collapsing building.
“Battler,” she screamed, voice echoing across the countryside.
Beams of light shot out of the building, accompanied by a disturbing sizzling noise, which was silenced by the roof of the barn slamming into the base.
Rachel’s knees went out from under her and she fell to the ground, sobbing. “Battler.”
Ryan halted, the world seeming to stop, everything going silent, a high-pitched whine in his ears when he saw Mikey and his sister on the ground, neither of them moving, blood pooling around them.
Suddenly everything snapped back into focus.
“Get down,” he heard a voice scream.
Ryan just managed to pull himself and Rachel down to the ground as a bullet whizzed overhead.
“Don’t stop,” he panted, hauling her to her feet. “We’re being shot at.”
They ran for the cover of the limo, keeping low.
“Mum, Dad,” said Leah, throwing herself at them.
“Are you okay?” Rachel asked her, cupping her face in her hands.
Leah nodded, trying not to cry.
Ryan peeked out from behind the limo. “Jules?” he called.
No movement.
“Oh my God, are they dead?” sobbed Beth.
“No fucking way,” snarled Ryan. It was not going to end like this. Taking another look he saw three men converging on them, armed with handguns. A fourth figure was rushing down the hill towards them, a sniper rifle raised to their shoulder. His blood boiled. Hayden fucking Brody.
“Have you any weapons in your car?” Ryan asked Mark.
“No, none of us have any.”
Ryan could only look on in horror as his eldest son snuck up on one of the gunmen exiting the tree line, a large chunk of wood in his hands, accompanied by Archie, who brandished a similar weapon. Whereas Ethan looked serious and concentrated, Archie was positively gleeful as he raised the log, bringing it down on the side of the man’s head. At the same time Ethan knocked the gun from his hand. The man staggered forward, too astonished to react. The boys took the opportunity to hit him again, knocking him flat on his face. While Ethan snatched up the gun, Archie raised the log and repeatedly hit the man, his body jumping grotesquely.
“Not to worry,” said Ryan proudly. “Ethan’s got a gun.”
“What?” said Rachel, peering around the side of the car. “Oh my God, we have to get that off him before he hurts himself.”
“Wait,” said Ryan, holding her back when she tried to go to her son. They watched Shane race over to the boy, keeping behind the bushes to avoid being seen and take the weapon from him. They both looked at Archie, who was still hitting the man they’d taken down. One of the other men, seeing what had happened to his comrade turned and fired, Shane shoving Archie down and firing back, hitting him in the stomach.
“Oh thank God,” said Rachel when Shane sent Ethan and Archie back into the trees and they vanished from sight.
Hayden turned with the rifle, aiming at Shane, who ducked down behind Mark’s car, unable to fire back as the three surviving gunmen concentrated their fire on him.
Jacob was woken by a loud banging noise. When he opened his eyes he found himself slumped in a car, his face in the deflated airbag. He sat up straight, wincing at the pain that shot through his head, frowning out of the cracked windscreen. At the top of the embankment he glimpsed a man with a gun. The sight jolted him in his seat. The bombs had only been the first part of the attack. This was the second.
For a moment he was tempted to stay where he was. He’d done his bit and none of the family would expect him to put himself in the line of fire. But this was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to him. Besides, that man could be trying to hurt Leah and that he would not allow.
Throwing off his fatigue he started the engine, praying the car wasn’t too damaged to move. It set off slowly, the back wheels having got snagged on a tree branch. He revved the engine and it freed itself, charging up the embankment. Jacob braced himself as the car sped towards the man he’d seen with the gun. He glimpsed the man’s surprised face before he ploughed into him, his body hitting the windscreen, cracking it even more before he rolled off, disappearing over the side of the bonnet. Jacob was tempted to hit the brakes but the sight of the man with the rifle to his shoulder and aimed at him caused him to slam his foot down on the accelerator instead. He ducked as two bullets came through the windscreen, shattering it entirely. Jacob threw open the driver’s door and flung himself out, hitting the ground hard and rolling.
Hayden threw himself aside as the battered Mercedes came at him, so close the wing mirror brushed his shoulder. The car kept on going, slamming into Ryan’s Range Rover, which was rammed into the limo, shunting it forward several feet, leaving Rachel and Ryan exposed while the others were thrown down the embankment by the force of the collision.
Seeing two of his targets were si
tting ducks Hayden raised the rifle, his sights set on Ryan’s head. He hesitated as he recalled what good friends he and Ryan had once been. But Ryan would kill him without a second thought if he got the chance. Determined to finish off one of his deadliest enemies, Hayden started to squeeze the trigger.
“Ow,” he said when a rock hit him on the arm.
The boy who had driven the car at him was peering around the side of the demolished barn, hurling debris at him. He’d no idea who he was but already he had a begrudging respect for him. Looking back at Ryan and Rachel he saw they’d taken cover behind the far side of the barn. Shit. The boy was only young, late teens, neither was he on the list but he was giving him no choice. He was too much of a pain in the arse to leave alive.
Beth, Riley, Leah, Alfie and Mark peered over the top of the embankment, protected from the gunfire by the natural trench.
“They’re not interested in you lot,” said Mark. “They only want those of us who are in the business. They’re trying to take out all the inner circle in one fell swoop.”
“Jules is still alive,” whispered an excited Beth. “She’s moving.” Her eyes filled with sadness. “Mikey isn’t though.”
“Oh hell, she needs to keep still,” said Mark. “If Hayden sees her he’ll shoot her again.”
“What do we do?” said Leah, feeling helpless.
“I’m going for the limo,” said Mark.
“They’ll shoot you,” said Beth.
“Someone has to do something. Shane’s the only one with a gun and he’s caught up with him,” he replied, indicating the man Shane was shooting at, the only one left standing, except for Hayden. “And soon he’ll run out of bullets.”
“You’re staying right here,” said Beth, grabbing onto Riley when he moved to follow Mark in scrambling over the top of the embankment.
“I can’t just sit here.”
“You’ve had a dislocated shoulder and you’re in pain and sweating. You’re not going anywhere. Please,” she begged, taking his hand.
“Okay,” he sighed, knowing he would probably be more of a liability if he tried to help. Besides, he didn’t want to leave his wife and stepson undefended.
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