Phantom Prospect

by Alex Archer

  The display still showed the clock running down. She frowned. There must have been a secondary power supply for the clock. But would it still initiate the detonation if it wasn’t connected? She didn’t know.

  “What’s going on?” Cole called.

  “I cut the clock’s wires, but the timer’s still counting down.”

  “So, what’s that mean?”

  “I have no idea. A nuclear scientist I am not,” Annja said. “I think this is going to be one of those times when we have to do a wait-and-see.”

  “Well, climb the hell back up here and hold me until we either die or live,” Cole said. “I’m feeling very vulnerable just now.”

  Annja smiled and scrambled back up to the top of the lip. Cole held out his arms. “I know this flies right in the face of the extremely macho persona you’re used to with me, but dammit, I need a hug.”

  Annja wrapped him in her arms and felt him squeeze her back. “You’re adorable when you act like a little kid.”

  “Oh, great, thanks,” Cole said. “That’s a fair thing to go off to the afterlife with, huh?”

  “I could have said worse things.”

  “Forget about it. How much time is left?”

  Annja looked down and checked. “Ten seconds.”

  Cole looked at her. “It’s been fun. Seriously.”

  Annja looked into his eyes. “Likewise. Thanks for the good times.” Then she bent forward and kissed him on the lips, feeling him press back into her with whatever emotion he had running through his heart at that moment.

  They stayed that way for far longer than ten seconds. Annja finally broke away from Cole and took a breath. “Wow.”

  Cole frowned. “Shouldn’t we be dead?”

  Annja nodded. “The clock should have finished running down by now.” She peered over the lip of the shaft and saw that the clock read nothing but zeroes. She glanced back at Cole. “Clock’s finished.”

  “And no boom.”

  “No.”

  Annja came back up and sat beside Cole. “Well, that’s interesting.”

  Cole took a deep breath. “I don’t know if I want to ever come that close to being blown up again.”

  Annja looked at the lid of the bomb. “What the hell is that?”

  “What?”

  Annja pointed. “On the underside of the lid. Looks like an envelope.”

  Cole scrambled over and pulled the small envelope off the inside of the lid. It had been taped down securely. Cole held it up. “Think we ought to read it?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  Cole ripped open the envelope, read the note card inside and then a big smile broke out on his face. “Well, this is interesting.”

  “Give it here,” Annja said.

  Cole handed it over to her and Annja read the few lines.

  I knew you would double-cross me. So, instead of giving you a nuclear bomb, I’ve given you a big dud. If you’re reading this, then I’m dead and you think you got the better of me. You didn’t. See you in hell.

  Annja shook her head in disbelief. “I love it. Henderson thought he was pulling one over on the guy who built this, and instead, he got cheated in the process. Fantastic.”

  “That whole thing is just a big dud?”

  “Seems to be.”

  Cole laughed. “Well, that’s the first bit of good news we’ve had all day. How about that?”

  Annja looked around and took a deep breath. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

  Cole groaned. “Oh, don’t tell me that, Annja. You’re spoiling the good mood I’m in.”

  Annja shrugged. “Can’t be helped. Henderson thinks he’s getting a big bang. And when he doesn’t, you know what that means.”

  “He’ll give up his life of crime and go raise organic vegetables or something?”

  “Not a chance. He’ll come back here to find out what went wrong.”

  “So, let’s get the hell out of here, then. We can leave now, right?”

  Annja frowned. “I don’t know. If Henderson comes back and we’re not here to stop him, then he might get away and be free to just do this all over again someplace else. And this time he won’t let himself be fooled.”

  Cole sighed. “So, you mean we have to stay here and take him down, huh?”

  “We should.”

  “Why can’t we just let the cops handle this?”

  Annja shook her head. “People like Henderson don’t get captured by the police. They’ve got too much money to ever do any time no matter how heinous their crimes. Henderson will get his high-powered attorneys to bail him out. He won’t serve a bit of time despite almost killing thousands.”

  “Well, when you put it like that.” Cole frowned. “How long until he comes back?”

  “I’d guess within a few hours.”

  “He’ll have a lot of people with him, won’t he?”

  “I’d guess,” Annja said. “He won’t come back here alone. And if he thinks we’re still alive, he’ll want to make sure we don’t make it out alive.”

  “We need help,” Cole said. “It’s too much for us to handle by ourselves.”

  Annja nodded. “Take the shark and get back to the Seeker. Tell Hunter, Jax and Dave what’s going on. See if they have any ideas.”

  Cole stood. “You’ll be all right by yourself?”

  Annja nodded. “I’ve got some things to get ready for our visitors. Just don’t waste any time. Get up there and get back. We might have the element of surprise right now, but it won’t last if Henderson comes back first.”

  Cole nodded. “I’m leaving.” But he leaned in and kissed Annja again. “Just in case.”

  She kissed him back. “Who knew shark guys were such good kissers?”

  Cole smirked. “I’m the exception to the rule.”

  Annja watched him hurry away and then turned back to the shaft. She would try to get the bomb to look as if it hadn’t been tampered with. That way, it would draw them all over to the shaft. She could count on that much at least.

  But she knew the surprise would be short-lived. Once they got the lid off they’d know what was going on. And then they’d be even more on guard.

  Annja tossed the lid down and then scampered back into the shaft. In two minutes, she had the lid secured tightly again and climbed out. Looking down, it seemed as if nothing had been touched.

  She turned back to the two dead guards. She had to dispose of their bodies. She dragged them into the corridor where the prison cells were and hid the bodies there. Then she tried to mop up the blood and gore as much as possible.

  She set about exploring the rest of the facility. The control room turned out to be a big letdown. The only thing inside was surveillance equipment for the prison cells. Aside from that, there was very little. They didn’t even have a radar screen set up so she could see if Henderson was on his way back to the cavern or not.

  Annja spent the rest of her time setting up several choke points leading away from the dock. If she could funnel Henderson and his men into a variety of kill zones, then they stood a chance at making this work.

  She ran around the complex collecting guns and ammunition. She’d need it for the rest of her crew when Cole brought them.

  But how long would it take Cole to get back? She had to imagine that once he got out of the cavern complex, he would be able to find his way to the surface and then locate the Seeker.

  But how would they take to seeing him again? They might even have pulled up anchor and gone back ashore.

  Annja tried not to focus on that possibility. If she was going to be the only one facing Henderson and his gang, she wanted to make sure she had the maximum advantage possible.

  To that end, Annja positioned guns and ammunition at each of the choke points. She created a series of fallback options. She could stage closest to the dock and take out a few of the guards before giving that up and falling back to the next control point. By staggering her attack that way, she hoped to whittle their numbers down until she wou
ld eventually have to close in and do close-quarters battle with them using her sword.

  The ammunition wouldn’t last forever.

  And they might get a lucky shot off.

  Annja would need all of her skill and cunning if she was going to make it out of there alive.

  She thought about Cole. That had been some kiss. But had there been any real feeling behind it, or had it just been a function of almost dying together? They’d never really had much of a relationship before and to think that a simple kiss would change that seemed a bit naive to her.

  But then again, she’d enjoyed the kiss.

  And, in retrospect, she supposed there might be some potential. If she wanted there to be.

  Annja frowned. First things first, she decided. There’d be plenty of time to ruminate on whether she and Cole had a future once Henderson and his gang of thugs had been dispatched.

  Until then, Annja had to keep her head on straight.

  She fully expected Henderson to show up at any time. More than an hour had passed since Cole had taken the mechanical shark and traveled back to the Seeker.

  Annja wasn’t convinced there was enough time for Cole to get reinforcements down there before Henderson returned.

  This was going to be up to her.

  Again.

  She heard a noise down by the dock. A motor sound was coming from the interior part of the cavern.

  Someone was coming down the tunnel.

  Annja moved to the first position, picked up a submachine gun and yanked the charging handle to put a round in the chamber.

  Showtime.

  36

  Annja watched as the submarine motored into the mooring area. She couldn’t see anyone on the conning tower, but that would have been too much to hope for. Besides, she wanted to let them all get out of the submarine before she started firing. If she attacked too soon, they’d simply retreat in the submarine. Henderson would abandon the complex and live to destroy mankind another day.

  Annja couldn’t let that happen.

  She watched the submarine idle up to the dock. She heard a hatch open and watched as four men emerged, weapons at the ready. Two of them secured the submarine to the dock while the other two covered them.

  Annja waited.

  The four guards made their way to the gangway and then crossed over. One of them held a radio and Annja heard him mutter something into it.

  A moment later, Annja saw Sheila’s head poke out of the conning tower. Henderson and three more guards followed her.

  Annja frowned. Nine-to-one odds were definitely not in her favor. But she had to hold them off for as long as possible.

  Henderson strode onto the gangway. “I want this area secured. Find the other guards and Annja Creed. Kill the woman on sight, but I want them all found. Drag their bodies here if you have to.”

  The guards started up the slope while Henderson, Sheila and the other three guards remained behind.

  Annja opened fire.

  She took out one of the guards on the first volley, but the others returned fire a lot faster than she expected them to. She had to remind herself that they were primed for action and knew they were probably coming into a hostile situation.

  The return fire obliterated her cover behind the crates. Annja fell back to her second position amid shouts from the guards and Henderson to flank her.

  Annja took out another guard at the second retreat point, her bullets ripping him across the chest. He went down and started to get up again until Annja squeezed another double-tap that caught him in the middle of his forehead.

  But the others were gaining on her. The two remaining guards of the first patrol split up and got positioned on either side of her in a pincer movement that would cut her apart if she let them.

  She opened fire on her right flank and then charged the guard positioned there. She caught him flatfooted and, as he realized his mistake, she squeezed the trigger.

  But nothing happened.

  Annja didn’t waste time trying to get the gun to fire. She dropped the weapon and jumped on the guard, using her elbows and knees to pummel him. He fought back, scrambling to punch her and drive her away so he could use his gun, but Annja refused to be thrown. She got her hands around his throat, squeezing as if she was holding on to a rope for dear life.

  The guard’s eyes bulged out and he gurgled, fighting desperately to get her off him. Annja held on until his body went limp.

  A shot ricocheted off the wall close by. Annja rolled and grabbed the dead guard’s gun, bringing it up and squeezing off rounds as she rolled over.

  She caught the approaching guard across his thighs as he bore down on her. His feet were blown out from under him and he went down hard, his own gun firing as he dropped. Annja winced as one of the bullets grazed her forehead and she felt the flow of warm blood down her face.

  With no time to look after herself, Annja got to her feet and fell back to her last defense position. She dropped the magazine out of the gun and checked it. Seeing only a half dozen rounds, Annja picked up the last remaining magazine she had and slapped it home.

  She heard movement and poked her head out. A single bullet exploded near her eyes and Annja jerked back, blinking away tears and the splinter that had lodged under her eyelid.

  “Did I get you, Annja?”

  Sheila was obviously back.

  “No.”

  “That’s a shame. I won’t miss again.”

  “Maybe that broken wrist is slowing you down some. Maybe you should just walk out into the open and let me finish you off,” Annja called out.

  “Keep dreaming, sweetheart.” Sheila laughed. “And I’m a crack shot with only one hand, anyway.”

  “How nice for you.”

  Annja took a deep breath and tried to figure out from which direction Sheila would come at her. Annja could see off to her left. A stack of crates there would give Sheila cover. But the pile of machinery on the right would also offer a good vantage point. Sheila wouldn’t be able to advance until she knew for certain where Annja was. And if she suspected that Annja might move, it would make things tougher on her.

  But Annja didn’t have anywhere to retreat to. She’d built three fallback positions, thinking that she and the others would have had plenty of opportunity to destroy the attackers before it got to this point.

  Annja on her own, however, was at a far greater disadvantage than if she’d had help.

  Beggars can’t be choosers, she decided.

  She poked out and squeezed off a single round at the area where she hoped Sheila was hiding.

  There was no return fire.

  “Oh, I’m not over there,” Sheila said. Her voice floated around the cavern and Annja frowned. She couldn’t get a bead on where she might be.

  In the next instant, gunfire raked the back of the crate Annja huddled near. She dived and rolled out from behind it, her body taking over so her slower conscious mind didn’t waste time trying to consider all its options.

  How did Sheila get behind her?

  Annja rolled and came up squeezing off two more rounds. Annja saw Sheila duck and run across the catwalk for cover.

  There must have been another way to get up to the second level without being seen. And of course, Sheila knew all about it, Annja realized.

  If she stayed up there, Sheila would be able to get the drop on Annja and this thing would be over far sooner than Annja anticipated.

  A gunshot from behind her told her that the remaining guards were now advancing on her. Idiot, she thought. Sheila had distracted her while they got into a better position.

  Annja caught movement out of the corner of her eye and instinctively fired at the retreating shadow. Her bullets scored a hit and the body of one of the guards went sprawling out all over the floor.

  “Not bad, Annja.” Sheila seemed to be laughing at her. “You’re a better shot than I gave you credit for. I won’t make that mistake again.”

  “Why don’t you come down and play? No guns, ju
st the two of us,” Annja said.

  Sheila laughed. “You forget that I’m handicapped. Only one good wrist. I can’t throw a punch right now. Besides, I like shooting at you better.”

  Annja twisted as the rounds bit into the area just above her head. If she hadn’t already been moving, she would have died.

  But she ran for the corridor that led to the prison cells. If Sheila was on the upper level, Annja planned to be there, too.

  She scooted past the bodies of the guards she’d killed earlier. She gained the upper level and ran into Sheila coming down to meet her.

  Sheila fired first, her bullets raking up from the floor and cutting across Annja’s body. But Annja was already diving for the wall and, as she did, the rounds struck her gun, splintering it into several pieces.

  Annja tucked, rolled and came up with her sword in hand, already charging Sheila before the startled attacker could gather herself for another offensive strike.

  Annja leaped high and brought her sword straight down.

  Sheila did the only thing she could by bringing her own gun up and trying to deflect it. The blade bit into the submachine gun and Sheila got her back behind the block. Annja gritted her teeth and the two of them stood there, locked together.

  “I won’t be easy to kill, Annja.” Sheila’s face broke into a sweat and she tried to push forward.

  Annja grimaced. “I never expected you would be.” She put her own weight into her move and grunted as she tried to jerk her sword blade free of the gun barrel.

  “You’re trapped. Give up the blade and we’ll go unarmed,” Sheila said.

  Annja stepped and used her hands to throw the sword and the gun away. But as she did so, Sheila whipped out a Bowie knife and slashed across Annja’s abdomen. Annja clutched at her stomach, but knew the cut was very shallow.

  It still hurt like hell.

  “Did I say unarmed?” Sheila laughed. “I must have forgotten to tell you about my knife skills.”

  Annja backed away from Sheila and scowled. “I never trusted you, anyway. Your word means nothing.”

  “Unfortunately for you, it seems like you’re out of time.” Sheila stepped in and slashed high at Annja’s face before ducking low and stabbing right at Annja’s heart.