Biowar

35

The Crow saved her. Its path took it back from the direction to the guards’ right, and the two men stopped in their tracks at the comer of the building, watching it.

Lia leaped forward, dashing across the lot toward the cars about twenty feet away. She jerked up the Mac 11 as she ran, then held it close to her body as she spun and dropped down between the cars on her butt. There was barely three feet of clearance between the bumpers, but the close space helped hide her as she sidled to the left, sliding behind the small VW sedan.

The guards watched the Crow flutter away, then resumed walking, checking the fence line and jabbering in Austrian-accented German so quickly that Lia couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“That was close,” said Rockman as the two men turned the far corner, walking by the trailers.

“Why the hell didn’t you warn me?” asked Lia.

“They came up out of the basement entrance at the side. We never saw them.”

“Don’t let that happen again,” she told the runner. “You’re supposed to be watching for me!”

“Really, Lia, recriminations are unnecessary,” said Rubens in her ear. “I’m sure we can all find plenty of areas for improvement.”

“Just make sure they’re improved before I get fried,” said Lia. She pulled out her handheld. She had a sit map but no visual from the Fokker. “Where’s Eyes?” Lia asked.

“The helicopters are too close. We have to keep the Fokker back,” said Telach.

“Yeah, but I’m here, damn it.”

“Your language, Ms. DeFrancesca, is hardly professional,” said Rubens. “Focus on obtaining your objective. Mr. Dean is now entering the compound. Once he’s inside and the helicopters back off, we should have an easier time of things. You’re not in any danger.”

“What sort of guns do the guards have?”

“Excuse me?”

“Those were Steyrs, right?”

“Very possibly.”

“Just wanted to make sure they weren’t cap guns.”

“They’re coming back,” said Rockman.

Dean followed Hercules into the building they had stopped at earlier, walking down the corridor next to him. His head hurt too much now for him to keep track of where he was going, let alone to anticipate what would happen next; he wasn’t quite to the point where he didn’t care anymore, but he was getting close. Sweat poured from his body, and he felt as if he’d been pummeled by a dozen heavyweights.

“Through that door,” said Hercules as they came to the end of the hall. A large metal door with a panic bar stood at his right.

Dean pushed outside. A wave of cold hit him; his teeth began to chatter.

“You really aren’t feeling well, are you?” said Hercules.

“No,” said Dean.

“Well, come then. This will be over quickly. One way or the other.”