Which left no-one to patrol the back of the building.
He hoped.
He raised himself on his haunches until he could peer over the window ledge to the ground below.
A sheer drop of several metres yawned before him.
He glanced over his shoulder to the unmade bed, an idea forming.
‘Ever read the Famous Five when you were a kid?’ he asked.
‘Who?’
‘Never mind.’
Dan crawled across the floor, pulled the sheets from the bed and knotted the two lengths together. He tied one end to the leg of a solid wooden dresser that bore the pock-marked scars of cigarette burns across its surface, and then stuck his head out the window once more.
‘All right,’ he said, turning to Anna, ‘you’re out first. When you get to the ground, stay low. I’ll be right behind you.’
He wrapped a length of the material around his forearm, then guided Anna over the sill and held her by the arm until she had a firm grip on the sheet.
Before she began her descent, he leaned over her shoulder, checked the route was still clear, and then nodded.
‘Go.’
She dropped from sight quickly, hand over fist, using her feet to walk down the outer wall. Within seconds, Dan felt the sheet go slack and peered out.
Anna was already scuttling towards the shell of an abandoned car in the shadows.
Dan pulled the sheet to test the knot around the leg of the dresser, then eased himself through the window opening and began his own climb.
He had passed the empty bedroom below Anna’s when he heard a shout.
Above his head, the door to Anna’s bedroom crashed open, a single shot ringing out as the first man burst across the threshold, and Dan realised he was out of time.
He peered down, gauging the drop.
It was only a few metres, but he could still risk breaking an ankle.
‘There’d better be bloody lashings of ginger beer after this,’ he muttered through clenched teeth.
He swore under his breath, and let go.
CHAPTER 40
Dan hit the ground with a grunt and rolled, taking the impact away from his body.
He didn’t wait to see if the attackers had spotted him; he crouched over and ran to where Anna waited, took her by the arm, and pulled her away from the hotel.
‘Move!’
A shout rang out from behind them, and he urged another spurt of energy from his body as gunfire rang out in the street.
Dan pulled Anna into an alleyway two blocks away from the guesthouse and slipped behind a pile of stinking refuse that had been dumped next to a well-secured door. He motioned to Anna to join him and then froze as something ran across his foot.
He gritted his teeth, not wanting to alarm the woman next to him, and kicked out at the furry creature, a loud squeak confirming his aim was true.
‘Was that a rat?’ hissed Anna.
‘Large mouse,’ murmured Dan. He motioned to her to hunker down behind the debris and tried not to think how many more of the rodents were in the near vicinity.
He had bigger issues to worry about.
He peered round the corner of the building and checked the progress of the armed Russians; after they’d fired shots in Dan’s wake, the two men clearing the guesthouse rooms had returned to the ground floor and were now standing in front of the building, arguing with a taller man who appeared to be their leader.
Dan’s eyes narrowed, and he cursed under his breath as the man turned away, his face falling into shadow before Dan had managed to get a clear view of his features.
He gave himself a mental shake. First priority had to be getting Anna away from danger. Once that was done, he’d allow himself to track down the Russian leader, but not before.
He jerked his head back as a bright light illuminated the street beyond the alleyway from the direction they’d just run from, closely followed by engines roaring.
‘What’s going on?’ whispered Anna.
‘I think the major found out the gatehouse has been compromised,’ said Dan. ‘Come on – this could work in our favour.’
He realised their chances were perilously few, but if the UN troops were going to exit the compound and approach the guesthouse with force, he wanted to take advantage of the situation.
He grabbed Anna’s hand and led the way back along the wall towards the street, then peered round the corner.
Sure enough, the UN compound was ablaze with floodlights that hung from gantries, illuminating the two large trucks that were being readied.
Dan inched forwards a little further, trying to see where the Russians were.
A dark form flashed past the entrance to the guesthouse, closely followed by another, and then the sound of engines being started at the back of the property reached his ears.
‘Shit, they’re going to get away.’
‘Won’t the UN troops chase them?’ said Anna.
‘They’re probably not allowed to,’ replied Dan. ‘I’d be very surprised if they did.’
They hung back as one by one, three black four-wheel drive vehicles sped past them, heading west out of the small community.
As the dust settled on the road, the UN troops emerged from their vehicle, fanned out, and began taking control of the situation at the guesthouse.
Patrons gradually emerged from the building, visibly shaken by the assault, while soldiers performed triage duties and shouted into radios over the noise of the crowd that had gathered in the aftermath.
‘Let’s go,’ said Dan.
He led Anna away from the alley entrance, waited until a second UN vehicle passed, then crossed the street in its wake and pulled her into the shadows with him.
‘Not a word,’ he murmured.
Anna nodded in response.
He waited until the replacement guardsmen’s attention was taken by a third vehicle exiting the compound and then slipped past and led Anna towards a row of UN vehicles parked beside the four-wheel drive they’d taken from Salim.
There was no point in trying to escape in the same vehicle they’d arrived in – the Russians would be instantly alerted to their presence.
Instead, Dan hurried past each of the UN vehicles until he found one that met his requirements.
The door was unlocked.
‘At the rate I’m going this week,’ Dan muttered, ‘I could always have a new career as a professional car thief.’
‘Why this vehicle?’ Anna demanded. ‘Why not take something a little less conspicuous?’
‘Are you kidding me? Next time you watch the news, check out the vehicles Al Qaeda and the like are driving around in – they’re always stealing old UN vehicles. No-one will take any notice of us, trust me.’
Dan inched the door open and followed Anna through the narrow gap.
Anna crawled over the handbrake and settled in the foot well of the passenger seat, her eyes wide as Dan hunched over the steering console and smacked the ignition cover with the heel of his hand.
After the third time, the casing fell away, exposing the wiring, and Dan squinted in the poor light until he located the ones he needed.
The sound of his heartbeat thudded against his eardrums, making it harder to gauge what was happening outside the vehicle. He raised his head above the dashboard and peered through the windscreen.
The major was nowhere in sight, and the only men left at the gate looked young and inexperienced, their faces reflecting the horror of the cold-blooded execution of their colleagues.
Dan’s eyes found Anna’s. ‘We don’t stop once we start,’ he said, ‘so brace yourself. Things could get messy if they try to stop us.’
She nodded and reached out, seeking hand-holds to wedge herself firmly in place.
Dan pinched the wires together; the starter motor coughed once, and then he hit the accelerator, releasing the handbrake at the same time.
Dan switched up through the gears in rapid succession, the young guardsmen’s eyes opening wi
de as they turned to see what was going on within their own compound. The men jumped to one side as Dan roared past.
He spun the wheel hard left, the back of the four-wheel drive sliding over the uneven surface of the road outside the compound, and then accelerated past the guesthouse.
‘They’re not shooting at us,’ said Anna, peering over the sill of the window next to her. She glanced over her shoulder at him. ‘Won’t they try to stop us?’
‘Not with force,’ said Dan. ‘Like I said, most UN compounds like this one have orders to maintain a watching brief, nothing else.’ His mouth quirked. ‘Plus they might feel a bit awkward about shooting at one of their own vehicles.’
As Dan flung the wheel to the right, taking them further away from the guesthouse, Anna climbed out of the foot well and fastened her seatbelt.
‘Shouldn’t we have asked the major to help us?’
Dan shook his head. ‘I’ve got a funny feeling about the major,’ he admitted. ‘Okay, the Russians would have worked out for themselves that we’d head to Mahbes – it’s the only community around for miles, let’s face it – but that fast? And who told them we were at the guesthouse? For all they knew, we could’ve been in the compound.’
‘You think the major told the Russians where we were?’ Anna’s tone was incredulous.
‘Or one of his men did,’ said Dan. ‘Or someone at the guesthouse. Maybe.’ He shrugged. ‘I figure we’re better off putting as much distance as possible between ourselves and Mahbes.’
As the last buildings fell away at the side of the road, Dan increased his speed.
‘So, now what do we do?’
‘Aim for the border and our meeting point,’ said Dan. ‘And hopefully our contact is on time.’
***
The sun was cresting the horizon as Dan steered the UN vehicle up onto the asphalt and joined the main road that bisected the Moroccan-Western Saharan border.
A faded green sign pointed the way, although Dan could already see the towers and wire fencing that divided the two territories. A small crowd gathered at the Western Saharan side in front of him as he pulled the vehicle over and opened the door.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘We’ll walk the rest of the way. The major can send someone to come and get his truck.’
The asphalt was already starting to bake as they climbed from the vehicle and began to walk towards the border post, and despite their having freshened up at the guesthouse the previous evening, Dan knew they looked bedraggled.
He trusted that David’s contact would bring passports for Anna and himself, as well as any other documentation to ease their passage from the territory.
He glanced over his shoulder, the hair on the back of his neck prickling.
‘What’s wrong?’
He turned at the note of panic in Anna’s voice and forced a smile. ‘Nothing. Being paranoid, that’s all.’
They fell into a companionable silence as they joined the back of the pedestrian queue. A weather-beaten truck belching diesel fumes rumbled to a standstill next to them, and despite the stink from the exhaust, Dan was grateful for the shade the vehicle provided.
He waited until Anna turned to face the front of the queue and then checked the road behind them once more.
He unclenched his fists and forced himself to relax. He moved his head from side to side, a satisfying crack emanating from his neck muscles, and moved closer to Anna as the line of people shuffled forward.
He stared at his feet, rehearsing his words to the border guards, when a low whistle reached him from the front of the queue.
He raised his eyes and grinned.
A familiar figure leaned against the border post, his arms folded across his chest and a relieved expression on his face.
‘About time,’ said Mitch Frazer, and checked his watch. ‘What the bloody hell took you so long?’
CHAPTER 41
Dan opened the back door of the four-wheel drive, waited until Anna had climbed inside, and then took the passenger seat, allowing his colleague to take the wheel.
After everything that had happened, relief flooded his tired body that he and Anna were in capable hands, although he wouldn’t let his guard down completely until they were far away from the border crossing.
Mitch accelerated away as Dan closed the door, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.
‘We got word of the attack at the UN compound and the hotel a few hours ago,’ Mitch explained as he guided the vehicle around a pothole in the worn asphalt. ‘Figured it’d be something to do with you two.’
‘Russians,’ said Dan. ‘Although whether the person funding this whole attempted coup was amongst them, I don’t know – I’m presuming he was. I didn’t hang around to ask.’
He shuffled in his seat until he could see the road behind in the wing mirror, the border post receding in the distance.
‘Do you think they’ll follow us?’
Anna’s voice carried from the back seat, and Dan caught Mitch’s eye as he twisted round to speak to her.
He swallowed and then figured it’d be best to tell her the truth.
‘Yes. I do,’ he said. He reached out and squeezed her hand. ‘Don’t you?’
She nodded, her eyes downcast. ‘It’s too important to them, isn’t it?’ She sighed. ‘I mean, they didn’t put all this effort into their planning and the theft to simply walk away, did they?’
‘No.’
‘How do you want to do this?’ said Mitch. He jerked his chin at the narrow road in front of them, the traffic already beginning to thin out as merchants returned to their communities along the route. ‘Another half an hour, this road is going to be empty, and we’ll be on our own. Nothing but sand dunes for company.’
Dan mulled it over for a moment. ‘The only thing that will work is to lead them to us on purpose, but make sure we have the advantage somehow.’
‘I might be able to help there,’ said Mitch.
‘How?’
‘Wait and see.’
Forty minutes later, they’d reached the dunes.
Mitch pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, drove towards the base of the dunes, and put the four-wheel drive into neutral.
‘They’ll be here soon. Come on,’ he said, opening his door. ‘I’ve got something to show you.’
He led the way round to the back of the vehicle, wrenched open the door, threw the water canisters onto the back seat, and then tugged the carpet underneath away.
Dan’s eyes opened wide at the sight before him. ‘You came prepared.’
An array of weaponry glistened under the sun’s glare, including assault rifles, 9mm pistols, and plenty of ammunition.
‘What do you fancy?’ said Mitch, unable to supress the grin on his face.
Dan pointed at the one of the assault rifles. ‘That for a start,’ he said, then pushed a blanket aside, revealing the dull sheen of a rifle favoured by snipers. He raised an eyebrow at Mitch. ‘How the hell did you get your hands on that out here?’
Mitch winked. ‘Contacts,’ he said, and handed the weapon to Dan. ‘Okay, you take that – I’ll provide cover fire,’ he added, picking up another rifle.
He turned to the others. ‘Six of them, three of us,’ he said, his eyes finding Anna’s. ‘Reckon you can do it?’
Anna nodded. ‘Yes.’ She suddenly looked weary. ‘If we don’t stop them, they’re never going to stop until they kill us, will they?’
‘No,’ said Dan. ‘They won’t.’ He turned and surveyed the empty landscape. ‘There’s no-one around for miles to help us.’
Mitch pointed to a low rise. ‘We can position ourselves there. Leave the vehicle behind the dune to act as a bit of protection. Anna can cover our rear flank while you and I pick them off as they approach.’
Dan squinted in the bright light as he mulled over Mitch’s plan, then nodded. ‘Let’s do it.’
CHAPTER 42
Dan slammed the door shut, and they climbed back in the vehicle, Mitch expe
rtly steering it through the dunes before doubling back and braking to a halt behind their intended position.
They piled out, and Dan waited while Mitch selected a rifle and pistol for Anna before he slammed the door shut and locked it, handing the keys to Anna.
She took them from him, a frown creasing her brow.
‘In case something goes wrong,’ explained Dan. ‘We need to know you can get away from here without us.’
She swallowed, pocketed the keys, and chambered a round in her gun before making sure the safety was on. She tucked it into her waistband, and then readied the rifle. She cleared her throat and eyed them both. ‘Better make sure nothing goes wrong then, right?’
Mitch laughed and began to climb the dune.
Dan closed the gap between himself and Anna and pulled her into a hug.
‘Keep your head down and your eyes open. They will try to outflank us.’
‘I know,’ she mumbled into his chest. She stepped away and looked up at him. ‘Go on – go. They’ll be here soon.’
Dan turned on his heel and followed the tracks of Mitch’s footsteps up the dune, the soft sand sinking under his weight as he climbed, making progress slow.
Mitch had already taken a position on the crest of the dune by the time he reached him, his body splayed out above Dan, his rifle aimed at the direction from which they’d travelled. He glanced up as Dan dropped beside him.
‘You realise if word gets out about this, we could be responsible for an international incident?’
The corner of Dan’s mouth twitched. ‘Best keep it quiet then.’
Mitch shook his head. ‘Here they come,’ he muttered, and jerked his chin towards the vehicle below them. ‘Do you think she’ll be okay?’
‘She can shoot, that’s for sure,’ said Dan. ‘Even if she manages to hold them off enough for us to halve their numbers on this side, it’s going to help.’
Behind the Wire (A Dan Taylor thriller) Page 17