Red Centre

by Chris Ryan

  He looked at Holly. Her mane of hair was clogged with red dust. He squeezed her hand and mouthed at her, ‘You OK?’

  Holly nodded.

  Alex put his finger to his lips: Stay quiet. A little light was coming from gaps in the rock far above. The air was thick with dust. He moved and particles danced like red smoke. Around him was a chaos of smashed rocks and splintered pit props. A large piece of the floor above had collapsed, as though a car had been dropped through a house into the basement. When he looked more closely he saw why: it was concrete supported by wooden pit props - probably made to cover a natural hole in the floor. The parts that stayed standing were solid rock. Still, it looked as though nothing more was going to collapse.

  He got to his feet. Holly followed. She was covered in grazes but seemed to get up OK. Nothing broken, then. Alex looked around. Where was Pirroni? There was no sign of him. Maybe he was behind some of the heaps of rubble. Maybe he was knocked out or injured. Alex’s heart beat faster. Could they be free? And if they were, how would they get out?

  Alex looked up at the entrance. It was a wide ledge, about five metres deep and five metres above him. It looked safe, but how would they climb up there?

  Perhaps that wasn’t the only way out. He looked at the debris around him. There were a few substantial boulders but beyond it was dark. If there was a way out there, it would take time to find it.

  Holly leaned close to Alex and whispered, ‘Where’s – er – you know . . . ?’

  ‘Hmm,’ answered Alex quietly. He was keeping his emotions under iron control. It would be so easy to relax, say or do something unwise and get shot. All this time he had been co-operative and harmless, a perfectly behaved, compliant hostage. Now he boiled with excitement; they might be free. No, get a grip, he told himself. They couldn’t just run away; climbing out would take time and they would be very visible. Pirroni could be watching from behind a rock and shoot them. Better make sure they were safe before they did anything else.

  So where was Pirroni? He had definitely fallen with them. Alex had kept hold of Holly, which is why they had ended up together. Pirroni must have been swept in a different direction. Alex picked his way cautiously towards the biggest mound of debris.

  How ridiculous, he thought. I am tiptoeing around looking for the man who has been holding me and Holly against our will. We should just turn and run for it. He picked his way around one boulder. Nothing. He stepped around the next.

  Pirroni was slumped against the other side, unconscious.

  Alex stared. It was like finding a vicious predator asleep in front of him. This might be a ruse. Did he dare go closer? Where was Pirroni’s weapon? Look for that first.

  Alex couldn’t see the gun at all. He stepped closer. Yes, Pirroni was breathing. His water bottle lay smashed on the ground. The terrorist had a cut above his eye and his right arm was scraped where he had shielded himself from the pounding rocks. But there was no bleeding from the nose, mouth or ears, which would be signs of a serious injury. He had probably hit his head and been knocked out. Or was he bluffing?

  Then Alex saw something. Suddenly he was sure Pirroni wouldn’t be getting up and walking away. The terrorist’s left hand was trapped underneath the boulder. Alex stared at it: the whole hand was under a rock the size of a demolition ball. Alex cautiously pushed it but it didn’t move even a millimetre. It might as well have been cemented there.

  Alex’s mind raced. Should he try to get his knife? He couldn’t see it, but Pirroni had been wearing it on his left side so it was probably jammed against his body. Did he dare touch the terrorist to get it?

  No, this wasn’t just about him. There was Holly to think of too.

  He straightened up. As he made his way back to Holly, he allowed himself a smile.

  21

  TRAPPED

  Hex, running through the wood with Amber, Paulo and Tommy, heard the crackle of the flames behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and wished he hadn’t. Orange flames licked through the bush, racing along the line of trees like liquid. Whatever it touched caught in a billow of light. A wave of smoke rolled over him. He put on a spurt.

  Tommy led the way. He weaved between the trees with the poise of a world-class rugby player on his way to a try. Hex fixed his eyes on him, let his legs carry him and ran for all he was worth.

  Smoke caught in his throat; it was like inhaling a blanket. Hex started to cough, then the coughs possessed him like a demon. He doubled over, hacking the irritation out of his lungs. He kept putting one foot in front of the other, but once he started coughing he only wanted to cough more. Amber and Paulo flailed along beside him, hacking and spluttering, slowing like broken machines.

  In front of them, Tommy had ripped off his shirt and was squatting down. He dug down into the earth with his knife and brought out a large frog. Cupping his hands around the creature’s body, he squeezed gently. A stream of water came out of its mouth and hit the shirt.

  Amber started to speak but her words caught in her throat and she spluttered instead.

  Tommy turned the fabric until it was thoroughly soaked, then put the frog gently back on the ground. It hopped away, unharmed, back to its burrow. Tommy tore the shirt into four strips and handed them out. ‘Put this over your face and breathe normally,’ he said.

  Hex felt a surge of heat like a blast from an oven. He clasped the soaked fabric around his nose and mouth. Immediately the air going into his lungs cleared. He saw Amber and Paulo’s expressions change as their breathing became easier; their eyes peering over the masks looked less desperate.

  Hex jumped to his feet and they were all running again. He could barely see - he just kept following the tireless black figure that threaded through the bush with such certainty. A burning tree fell with a great crack in front of Tommy but he was already hurdling out of the way. He seemed to be able to predict where the flames would catch next.

  Suddenly there were no longer trees around them. Tommy stopped. He squatted down. ‘We rest here.’

  Hex’s eyes met Paulo’s and Amber’s, darting nervously above the masks. They were thinking the same as him. Surely they had to keep running.

  ‘Do this,’ said Tommy. He rolled into a ball, his arms holding his head tightly, like a tortoise withdrawing into its shell.

  Amber, Hex and Paulo rolled up, closed their eyes and waited.

  Amber felt her breathing get easier. She blinked. Her eyes stung, but they stung less. She looked around. They were on a flat patch of ground. It gleamed brilliant white in the sunlight for miles around them; it was like being in the middle of an old, cracked satellite dish.

  Tommy had brought them to a clearing. The flames had come close but where they had sheltered there was nothing to burn and so they were safe. In the distance the fire crackled, but it was moving on.

  Hex scratched at the ground with his fingers. It left white under his nails. He licked it cautiously. ‘Salt,’ he said, looking round at the others.

  ‘Must be an ancient lake bed,’ said Paulo.

  Tommy stood up. ‘My spirit ancestors are in this white lake.’ He started walking. ‘Come.’

  Alex stood looking up at the ledge where the entrance to the cave was. Getting up there looked no easier close to. There was a solid, smooth rockface like a cliff wall.

  Holly was beside him. ‘I don’t know about you,’ she said, ‘but I couldn’t climb up that.’ They were speaking normally now and her voice echoed in the large chamber.

  Alex moved closer. There were chisel marks in the rock, as though it had been hewn by tools, but they didn’t offer much in the way of foot- and handholds. ‘Maybe it’s better further over,’ he said. He ran his fingers over the rock in case the dimming light was making it look more difficult than it was. But his eyes weren’t deceiving him. He let out a sigh, gazing up at the roof of the cavern in exasperation. Think: what could they do?

  A slight figure was silhouetted against the light. ‘You guys OK down there?’

  Alex’s h
eart skipped a beat. ‘Li?’ he shouted.

  ‘The one and only. What’s up?’

  ‘We’re stuck. We can’t get out.’

  Li called out, ‘Where’s Pirroni?’

  ‘Immobilized. Have you got any rope up there, or something we can climb?’

  ‘Stay there. I think I saw some.’

  When she reappeared, she was swinging something nonchalantly from one hand, like a catwalk model drawing attention to an expensive accessory. She posed at the rim of the ledge.

  ‘Li, you’re a star!’ exclaimed Alex.

  Li looked down. ‘Yep, it looks long enough. I’ll find something to fix it to.’ She disappeared again.

  Alex saw Holly’s puzzled expression and started to explain that Li was his friend, that she had been hiding in the plane, but Li returned moments later.

  ‘Are you ready? Rope coming down.’ She tossed one end down to Alex and Holly.

  Alex caught the end of the rope. He steadied it and held it out to Holly. ‘Can you climb a rope?’

  Holly grasped the end. She had never climbed a rope in her life but Li and Alex seemed to think it was easy. ‘I’ll have a go.’

  ‘I’ll give you a leg up,’ said Alex. He clasped her around her waist. ‘On a count of three: one two—’ He launched her up.

  She caught the rope and wrapped her legs around it. It was harder than she’d thought. When she moved, she swung about and it felt very unsafe.

  Alex put his foot on the bottom of the rope to steady her. ‘Is that better?’

  Holly nodded and started to clamber up. The rope was rough, like a steel cable. Gripping it seemed to take off a layer of skin. Her thighs started to cramp from propelling herself upwards. But she made progress up the rope. She forced herself. If she couldn’t, how would they get out?

  ‘That’s it,’ called Alex. ‘You’re doing fine.’ She stopped halfway up and Alex gave her some more encouragement. ‘It’s OK, Holly, take your time. You’re doing well.’

  But there was something wrong. Holly stayed where she was, clinging to the rope. Alex peered up at her. Her sides were going in and out like bellows, as though she was having trouble breathing. He caught the telltale sound of a wheeze, like when they were in the dust storm, but worse. ‘Li,’ he called, ‘pull her up! She’s got asthma!’

  Li seized the rope and pulled, but Holly was heavy. Li’s feet skidded on the loose stones on the floor and she started to slide towards the edge. She had to let go.

  Alex called from below. ‘She’s stuck, Li! Quick, get her up!’

  I need to ground myself, thought Li. She squatted down so that her centre of gravity was as low as possible and grasped the rope. Letting out a great roar, she pulled for all she was worth. Holly emerged over the lip of the shaft in a cloud of dust. Li caught her under her shoulders and dragged her clear, then untangled the rope, checked it was still firmly fixed to the steel cabinet and threw the free end down to Alex.

  Li knelt down next to Holly. The girl was on all fours. She was trying to breathe, but every time she did, she wheezed painfully. Li peered at her face. ‘Holly, listen. Do you have an inhaler?’

  Holly shook her head. Li glanced at the girl’s lips and hands. They were pink, not turning blue; that was a good sign.

  Alex clambered out of the shaft. He dropped the rope and rushed to Holly’s side.

  ‘Quick, let’s get her outside,’ said Li. ‘There’s too much dust in here.’

  They hauled the stricken girl to her feet and walked her to the entrance. Outside, the forest was smoking, the trees visible as charcoal silhouettes. Embers still glowed but most of the flames were gone. Some smoke drifted over towards them. Holly wheezed all the harder.

  ‘No, we’re better inside,’ said Alex. They turned back.

  Li peered at Holly’s lips. They were starting to look purplish. That meant her body was lacking oxygen. What should she do? ‘Holly, speak to us,’ she said urgently.

  Holly managed to gasp a few words. ‘I’m not usually asthmatic’ The effort was too much and she couldn’t say any more.

  ‘Must be the dust storm,’ said Li. ‘I’ve heard they can cause asthma.’

  Alex looked up. ‘What was that? It sounds like a truck.’ He looked in the direction of the entrance.

  The three froze where they were.

  Hex clambered in through the hole in the wire gate. Amber and Paulo squeezed in after him.

  ‘Well, you took your time,’ said Alex.

  ‘Are you all OK?’ asked Hex. ‘Where’s Pirroni?’

  ‘He’s a bit stuck right now,’ said Alex. ‘Paulo, can you help here?’

  ‘Her name’s Holly, she’s having an asthma attack and she hasn’t got an inhaler,’ said Li.

  In seconds Paulo was by their side. ‘Here, let me . . .’ He slipped his arm under the shoulder that Alex was supporting. Li stepped away on the other side.

  Paulo was far from certain what he was going to do. He’d read about a way to stop an asthma attack on an alternative medicine website and had no idea if it worked. But Holly’s lips were turning blue. If she didn’t get more oxygen she could die.

  ‘Hi, Holly.’ He gave her his most dazzling Latin smile. ‘I’m Paulo. I’m going to make you feel better, and all you have to do is concentrate on what I say. If you do, you’ll be fine. OK?’

  Her chest heaved and her eyes looked desperate. He could see that the only thing she could think about was how she couldn’t breathe.

  He dug his nails into her arm. Her eyes flicked to his. She looked like a frightened deer, but at least he had her attention. ‘Holly, I can help you. Will you let me help you?’

  Holly made a hoarse, desperate noise. Paulo forced himself to stay calm, to take control, but she looked so distressed. Could he really cure this? ‘Holly,’ he repeated patiently, ‘will you do as I tell you?’

  She nodded.

  OK. On to the next stage. ‘What we’re going to do is walk slowly and count. It will help you relax and breathe normally.’ Dios, thought Paulo, this’ll never work. That website must be mad. Did it say anyone had ever done this?

  But Holly had no other chance. Stop doubting, Paulo thought. She has to believe I can cure her or she won’t do it. And I have to believe it two hundred per cent. ‘Holly,’ he said firmly, ‘this will work. Walk with me; keep in time with my steps. Say “One” every time you put your left foot down. Here we go.’

  Paulo began to take slow steps. Holly walked beside him, making a high-pitched, whining sound. Her body was rigid with tension. Believe it will work, Paulo told himself. She will start to relax and she will be all right.

  Paulo took the girl in a big circle around the cave. ‘One,’ he repeated every time she put her left foot down. Holly tried to count too. Instead the words came in short gasps. It sounded horrible. Stay calm, Paulo told himself. She’s frightened; she has to relax. Just keep encouraging her. ‘That’s great,’ he said. ‘One; one.’

  Her shoulders loosened fractionally. She was trusting him more. Her voice joined his more loudly, more surely. ‘Hey,’ said Paulo, ‘that time you did it louder than me! Good girl.’

  Li glanced at Alex. ‘That looks like what you’d do with an old horse.’

  ‘Yes, but it seems to be working,’ said Alex. Holly looked calmer. She was smiling again and even managed a laugh.

  Li looked around. ‘We should get her away from here. The dust and smoke can’t be helping.’

  ‘We have the truck outside,’ said Hex. ‘I e-mailed the co-ordinates of the Aboriginal outstation to Sergeant Powell. It’s a couple of hours’ drive away so he’ll probably be there by the time we get back.’

  Tommy had come into the mine entrance to see what was going on.

  Amber introduced him. ‘This is Tommy - we wouldn’t have found you without his help. He would probably like to get home before dark.’

  Tommy was watching Paulo. ‘He has a rare healing touch,’ he said.

  Alex got up. ‘If we’re going, I’d
better check on our guest. I don’t want to leave him for the rats before Sergeant Powell can pick him up. Besides, he’s got something of mine.’ He jogged to the rope and began to climb down.

  Li jumped to her feet. ‘I’m coming with you.’

  Hex remembered his watch. He hurried after them. ‘Oi, Alex,’ he called, ‘you’ve got something of mine too.’ He shinned down the rope. When he hit the bottom he saw Alex and Li staring at a boulder in the gloom.

  ‘Is he dead?’ asked Hex, approaching quietly.

  Alex shook his head. He was looking down. ‘No. He’s gone.’ His voice was clipped with barely controlled anger.

  Hex looked at Li in dismay. ‘I thought we had him.’

  Alex squatted down on the floor. ‘We did.’ His voice was anguished. ‘He was trapped by this rock. He can’t have got out. How could he move it from down on the floor?’

  He squatted down to look more closely at the dusty ground. There had to be an explanation. It just wasn’t possible . . .

  Li stepped towards him. ‘Alex, he’s gone. No-one expected you to catch him—’ Something caught her eye and she leaped back with a strangled scream. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Oh my God,’ said Hex. ‘Alex, it’s down by your boot.’

  Alex looked at his right boot. He recoiled.

  Li felt sick. ‘It’s his hand.’

  Where the rock had trapped Pirroni’s hand, they could see a bloody stump. A pool of red oozed from it.

  Alex steadied himself against the boulder. It was a moment before he could speak. When he did, his voice was hoarse. ‘He freed himself,’ he said slowly, ‘by sawing off his own hand.’

  22

  BLOOD IN THE SAND

  Alex waited for the waves of nausea to pass. Li kept her hand over her mouth for several minutes.

  ‘He must have used my knife,’ said Alex eventually.

  Hex swallowed and looked around the shadowy cavern. ‘Where can he have gone?’

  ‘He must still be here somewhere,’ said Li. She knelt down gingerly. ‘Where’s his gun?’ She tried not to look at the gruesome thing poking out from under the rock.