The Cult of Osiris

by Andy McDermott

  Flanked by the soldiers, Nina went to the ladder. Diamondback ascended, then waved for her to follow. She scaled the rungs to the next deck. A steep flight of metal stairs rose to another level. At the top, a short windowless passage led to the bridge.

  Shaban was waiting there - as was Eddie, a soldier holding him against the rear wall near the open port wing bridge hatch. 'Nina! You - oh, for fuck's sake,' he said, joy at seeing her

  turning to dismay as he realised she had brought the cose containing the canopic jar. I told you to smash that thing!'

  I'm trying to save your life, Eddie,' she said. Just like when you rescued me from Jack Mitchell's ship.' He looked confused. When you came into the hold?' she went on, trying to make her meaning subtle in case her captors picked up on it.

  It was too subtle. His expression was still one of befuddlement. Shaban's look was of greed, however. Tut down the case, Dr Wilde,' he said, indicating the plotting table. ' Very carefully. Dr Hamdi!'

  Hamdi bustled in, chest swelling with self-importance. He squeezed round the table to stand between the pilots, facing the others as Nina eased the case off her shoulders. It doesn't look damaged,' he announced as she put it down.

  Move her back,' said Shaban. Diamondback pushed her across to the starboard bulkhead. She saw Berkeley in the weapons room and glared at him; he looked away, ashamed. 'Now, open the case.'

  With great care, Hamdi unfastened one latch, then the other. His audience leaned closer. Nina looked across the bridge at Eddie, hoping to make eye contact and give him a silent hint, but a soldier was in the way.

  Hamdi took hold of the lid with a theatrical flourish, then lifted it.

  There was a metallic clack. A ragged-edged hunk of memory foam sprang from the case, a curved piece of metal popping out from beneath it to spin to a stop on the table.

  Eyes went wide as they recognised the object: the spoon of a hand grenade. The piece of foam had held it in place while Nina carefully removed the pin before fully closing the case -with the pressure gone, the spring had been released.

  Activating the five-second fuse.

  Four seconds.

  The bridge suddenly became a mad whirl of movement. Shaban, closest to the case, spun to find an exit. Diamondback flung him into the weapons room, diving on top of him. Khaleel ducked under the sturdy metal table, clapping his hands over his ears. One soldier ran for the stairwell, the man holding Eddie abandoning his charge and diving to the floor.

  Three.

  Nina and Eddie shared a millisecond look across the room - then both leapt in opposite directions, through the hatchways on to the wing bridges.

  Two.

  Hamdi's shocked brain finally registered the true nature of the dull green ovoid where he had expected to see the canopic jar. He whimpered, turning to flee, but found his escape routes blocked by the panicked pilots as they tried to get out of their chairs.

  One-Eddie hit the wing bridge's railing, seeing the broad circular vent and spinning blades of a lift fan almost directly below. Not a good direction to jump. Instead, he rolled over the aft-facing section of barrier. Arms still fastened behind his back by the plastic tie, he had no way to cushion his fall as he slammed painfully down.

  On the other side of the bridge, Nina vaulted the railing— The grenade exploded.

  28

  25 -

  The reinforced case channelled the blast upwards and outwards at waist height. The two pilots were killed instantly, torn apart by razor-shards of metal. Hamdi was catapulted backwards, smashing through a window to slam brokenly on the main deck below.

  The soldier trying to reach the stairwell only got as far as the door, hit in the back by a swathe of jagged shrapnel. The others in the room escaped the direct force of the blast, but were still left near-deafened and disoriented by the detonation.

  The port wing bridge hatch was blown off its hinges. It cartwheeled downwards - and was sucked into the gaping maw of the lift fan.

  The jet engine-like vanes shattered as the hatch was chewed up, jagged blades flying in every direction. Eddie rolled to flatten his face against the deck as shards clashed against the superstructure above him. The mangled hatch whirled through the vortex inside the vertical shaft -and then there was a horrific deck-shaking bang as it jammed the fan's driveshaft, the torsional force of machinery going from forty thousand revolutions per minute to zero in a millisecond ripping the entire thing apart.

  The damage didn't stop at the fan.

  The smashed driveshaft was directly connected to one of the gas turbine power plants in the port-side engine room. The effects rippled back along the hovercraft, tearing more equipment apart and fdling the engineering spaces with lethal fragments. The turbine blew up, a fireball blasting hatches open.

  A quarter of its lift gone, the Zubr wallowed, nose dipping to port. It began to slide off course.

  And with the pilots dead and the controls wrecked, there was nobody to stop it.

  Body aching from the fall, Eddie struggled to sit up. He was no longer a prisoner, but his hands were still tied behind his back. He had to get free . . .

  There was a pointed hunk of metal nearby, a torn piece of insulation burning at one end. He fumbled for it with his left hand.

  He felt his skin burning os he gripped it. The metal was still hot. But he grimaced and fought the pain, pressing the flaming end against the plastic tie.

  In the weapons room, Diamondback pushed himself off his boss. Berkeley clutched his ears in a corner. The weapons officer was slumped over his console, a shard of flying debris embedded in a neck wound.

  Diamondback retrieved his revolver, then helped Shaban up. 'Are you okay?'

  I think so,' Shaban said dizzily - then his face twisted with fury. 'That bitch tried to kill me! Go after her, kill her!

  What about the jar? She musta—'

  Kill her!' Shaban screamed. Diamondback flinched, then hurried back into the bridge.

  The room was filled with smoke, the consoles on fire. Coughing, Khaleel crawled out from under the table. It was buckled, but had been sturdy enough to protect him from the blast. The soldier by the port hatch was barely conscious, bleeding from several shrapnel wounds. Khaleel moved to check his injuries, but Diamondback jabbed a finger at the opening. Go after Chase - I'll get the woman.'

  But he needs—'

  Shaban appeared in the doorway. 'Tarik, I will double your money. Just kill them!

  Khaleel hesitated, then went to the hatch as Diamondback ran to the starboard wing bridge and looked out.

  Nina was on the deck below by the lift fan. Just as he snapped up his gun, she saw him and ran. A bullet twanged off the foot-high lip of the circular air intake behind her.

  The deck was a blank expanse of metal, the only cover the Gatling gun's turret towards the bow - and she would never reach it before being shot in the back.

  Only one way to go ...

  She dived for the railing at the deck's edge as Diamondback fired again. The shot cracked off the floor, spitting paint chips at her face as she rolled under the railing and slammed down on the narrow walkway below. Another bullet zipped past; she pushed herself painfully back into cover.

  Diamondback lost sight of her. 'Shit!' he hissed, running for the stairs.

  On the port wing bridge, Khaleel looked down at the gaping vent of the smashed lift fan. He saw Eddie, grabbed for his holstered gun—

  Skin blistering, Eddie pressed the metal harder against the tie. He felt it give, the plastic stretching, then snapping. He jumped up - and caught movement in his peripheral vision, someone aiming a weapon on the jutting balcony above.

  Instinct and training kicked in. He flung the lump of metal upwards, running for the stern as a startled cry confirmed that he'd scored a hit. If he could round the superstructure before Khaleel recovered, he would be temporarily safe—

  Shots!

  Bullets spanged from the deck, cutting off his escape route. He dived beside the aft lift fan, scrambling round
the intake in a desperate attempt to find cover. But it was too low to shield him. Khaleel lined up his sights on the half-exposed figure, and squeezed the trigger.

  The bullet flew at Eddie - then suddenly veered downwards, sucked into the huge fan. Eddie raised his head, feeling the powerful suction of air being pulled into the shaft. As long as the vortex was between the two men, Khaleel had no chance of hitting him.

  The general realised it at the same moment. He jumped down to the main deck. Eddie scrambled round to make a run for the superstructure, but Khaleel already had his gun back up, covering the gap as he advanced.

  He was trapped.

  Groaning at the pain from her hard landing, Nina struggled upright and saw she was close to the hatch through which she had first entered the hovercraft. Someone had unlocked it, the heavy door swinging lazily.

  She checked that the passage was empty, then entered. The crew quarters were also unoccupied; she went to the bed where she had hidden the canopic jar after booby-tropping the case. With Eddie free, she now had all the cards - once they were both safely off the Zubr, she could destroy the jar's contents and end any hope Shaban still cherished of carrying out his insane plan.

  All she had to do was find Eddie.

  Still charging across the desert towards the canyon, Macy looked back at the pursuing hovercraft - and was startled to find it was no longer behind her. It had angled away to one side. Something had gone badly wrong - the massive craft was trailing smoke, on fire near its stern.

  Nina and Eddie, she knew. Their kind of chaos.

  But there was no sign that they had got off the speeding giant. And, she realised, if the hovercraft stayed on its new course it would miss the canyon and continue across the plain.

  To the high cliffs at its far end.

  Oh, crap,' she gasped.

  Berkeley staggered on to the bridge, looking in horror at the pilots' shrapnel-torn bodies. Jesus! What happened?

  Never mind,' said Shaban. 'We've got to find Wilde - and the jar.' He had already deduced that she couldn't have rigged the grenade until after boarding the hovercraft - the risk of the

  spoon's beingjolted loose when she jumped from the 4x4 would have been too great. Which meant. . . 'She must have hidden it. Come on.'

  I, ah ...' The archaeologist couldn't tear his gaze from the corpses. T don't feel too good.'

  Shaban shoved him against the bulkhead. If you want to stay alive, you'll do what I tell you,' he snarled, pulling him to the stairwell.

  Still hunched behind the lift fan, Eddie glanced over the edge of the deck to look for an escape route. No luck. Wind-whipped flames from the damaged engine room were lashing from a hatch forward of his position, the heat and toxic smoke cutting the walkway off from the rest of the vessel.

  Khaleel jogged towards him, automatic raised. In seconds, he would have a clear line of fire. Eddie didn't have many options left - but any action was better than waiting to get shot.

  He ran for the stern. The three huge propellers towered above him, blades a buzzing blur inside their circular shrouds. He might find cover behind the pylons supporting the engine nacelles, even a way back inside the ship to search for Nina . . .

  Too slow. Khaleel cleared the lift fan, taking aim—

  A shrill, ululating siren blasted from the superstructure. Someone had finally decided that the engine room blaze was out of control and sounded the alarm to abandon the hovercraft. The piercing wail made Khaleel flinch as he fired. The bullet seared past Eddie, close enough for him to feel its heat.

  The gun's slide locked back. Out of ammo. The Egyptian reached for a fresh magazine, but Eddie was already charging at him. Not enough time to reload—

  Instead, his hand went to another weapon.

  Eddie jerked to a stop as Khaleel jobbed a knife at his chest. The soldier struck again, slashing at his face. Eddie tried to grab his wrist - but he turned the blade to slice through Eddie's sleeve into his already wounded forearm.

  The Englishman pulled away in pain, and took a vicious kick to his stomach. Winded, he stumbled backwards, crashing against something at waist height.

  The bottom of the propeller shroud.

  Eddie swayed back, his head almost sucked into the giant blades. He shoved himself away -as Khaleel stabbed the knife at his heart—

  He grabbed the other man's arm, arresting the attack just before the tip pierced his chest, but the force of Khaleel's charge drove him back against the shroud. The gale whipping round them forced both men to squint, eyes fixed on the knife.

  Khaleel forced it towards his opponent's throat, the double wound to Eddie's forearm weakening his hold. He tried to push it away, but the most he could manage was to twist it to one side. The tip dug into his jacket - then cut deeper as Khaleel forced the knife down.

  Eddie cried out as the point ground against his collarbone. Khaleel grinned and pushed even harder, leaning closer—

  Eddie whipped his head forward. He wasn't at the right angle to score a solid blow with a headbutt - but instead he clamped hisjaws tightly shut on Khaleel's nose.

  The general screeched, pulling out the knife as he tried to draw back, but Eddie had too firm a hold. There was a hideous wet scrunch of cartilage as he ground his teeth. With both nostrils crushed shut, the only place the sudden gush of blood could go was into Khaleel's throat. Choking, he spat blood across Eddie's chest, the knife all but forgotten in his desperation to escape the pain.

  Eddie refused to let go, worrying the flesh like a terrier. There was another revolting squish - then Khaleel lurched back, a bloodied hole where the end of his nose had been. Eddie spat the chunk of gristle into his eye, then with a roar shoved the Egyptian's arm over his shoulder.

  Into the propeller

  There was a clang as the knife was knocked out of the soldier's hand - followed by a swat as his forefinger was sliced off at the first knuckle, exposing a jagged spike of bone. Khaleel screamed. Eddie slammed two powerful blows into his stomach, following them with an uppercut that sent him reeling.

  They were right by the side railing. The quickest way to end the fight would be to toss the Egyptian overboard—

  He seized Khaleel - and was almost blinded as the other man unexpectedly struck back, stabbing at Eddie's eye with the end of his severed finger. Sharp bone slashed across his eyebrow as he jerked his head away.

  The finger stabbed again, cutting his cheek - and Khaleel's other hand clamped round his throat, tendons tight as metal cables. He spat out more blood and a foul Arabic curse. With one arm wounded, Eddie needed both hands to avoid getting the finger in a horribly literal way, giving Khaleel the chance to push him back towards the propeller.

  I'll kill you!' Khaleel gargled, eyes bulging with demented fury. Til kill you, and my dogs will eat your balls, and then I'll fuck your wife before I—'

  Eddie let go with one hand, taking the spear of bone across his temple as Khaleel overpowered his wounded arm - and swept up his good arm between the Egyptian's legs to grab him by the crotch. Khaleel's eyes bulged even wider as, with his own rage-powered burst of strength, Eddie flung him upwards.

  The gale-force suction dragged him in. Khaleel's skull was instantly pulped by the rapidly spinning blades, a red mist painting the inside of the metal shroud. The headless body slid back down over Eddie and slumped to the deck.

  Eddie lowered himself out of the wind. 'Keep your head, mate - oops, too late,' he wheezed, checking the corpse. The Egyptian had bolstered his gun after kicking him; he drew it, taking an extra magazine and reloading the weapon.

  Wiping blood from his face, he looked round. Some of the crew were on the deck, but none were interested in him or their late commanding officer; they were instead attempting to get off the runaway hovercraft. One man climbed over the railing, trying to slide down the skirt to the ground - but instead he bounced off it, cortwheeling into the dust storm at a neck-breaking angle. His comrades decided they needed a new plan and hurried back into the ship.

 
Hefting the gun, Eddie searched for his own way inside.

  Macy was just about keeping pace with the hovercraft - but through the heat haze she could now see a distinct line cutting across the landscape ahead.

  The cliff.

  The Zubr was only minutes from destruction.

  She had seen people on the deck, but none was Eddie or Nina. Come on,' she said, bringing the Land Rover closer, 'get off that thing!'

  Clutching the canopic jar, Nina looked into the hold, and saw to her horror that a fire was spreading from a door at its port-side rear. Several men were in the large space, keeping well away from the flames as one operated a control panel. The front and rear ramps lowered, the gritty rush of wind through the hold sweeping the smoke out of the stern - but also fanning the fire.

  One man ran towards the hold's rear. Jumping out of the hovercraft's stern offered more chance of survival - were it not for the blaze. The ramp was narrower than the hold, offset to port, and the growing flames were whipping down it. The crewman shielded his face - then sprinted for the square of daylight.

  He mistimed it. A swirling gust of fire swept from the hatchway, setting him alight. The burning figure's limbs flailed as he vanished into the sandstorm.

  The remaining men were no happier with the forward escape route. One brave - or foolish -soldier took a running jump off the ramp, trying to reach the skirt and climb along it to the side. The reactions of the others made it clear that he wasn't successful. But faced with a choice between slipping off and being dragged under the enormous vessel or the fire, they opted to take their chances, leaping from the ramp one by one.

  The last man gone, Nina entered the hold, moving to the dune buggy to check its restraining straps. If she could untether it, maybe it would be fast enough to drive out of the rear ramp without catching fire . . .

  She heard feet clanking down the ladder. No time to return to the hatch. She scrambled underneath the earthmover behind the buggy, peering out to see Shaban and Berkeley descend into the hold. 'Find the jar,' Shaban ordered, gesturing stern wards.

  Berkeley baulked. There's a big fire back there.'