Scarecrow Returns

BUT THEN abruptly the Antonov lurched to a shuddering stop.

With an ear-piercing shriek of metal on rock, the big plane came to an unexpected halt right on the lip of the waterfall!

It was an incredible sight: the big cargo plane, with its right wing belching fire and smoke, perched on the edge of the mighty Arctic waterfall, its nose tilted dizzyingly downward, its outstretched wings hanging low over the surging waves of the river, waves that rushed past it before launching themselves out into the void and falling 300 feet into the ocean far below.

On the nearby runway, the pursuing force of Army of Thieves vehicles skidded to a halt while on the opposite bank, one could see the two Strelas: Mother’s still with the cement mixer embedded in its bow, the other guarding the cliffs.

Everyone inside the plane was thrown forward by the sudden lurch.

Gripping Champion, Schofield was hurled forward and slammed against the wall, while the two berserkers—milliseconds away from killing him—were both flung by the inertia back into the downturned cockpit.

It took Schofield a second to figure out what had happened.

The landing gear.

The Antonov’s rear landing wheels must have caught on the lip of the waterfall and were now preventing the plane from going over.

This wasn’t how I planned this at all, Schofield’s mind screamed. We were supposed to get across the river, then I’d get to the cliffs where I would throw the spheres into the sea. Now I’m hanging off the edge of a waterfall in a plane with two insane attackers who in about two seconds are going to try and kill me again.

His searching eyes found the side door, only eight feet above and behind him. Did he have time to clamber up there and toss the spheres out—

Movement in the cockpit. The berserkers had regathered themselves. They’d be coming in seconds.

“Fuck it,” he said aloud, aiming his pistol through the cockpit doorway.

Only it wasn’t aimed at either of the berserkers.

It was aimed at the landing gear retractor lever that hung from the ceiling above the pilot’s seat.

Blam! He fired and a spark pinged off the landing gear lever and the lever swung forward.

The result was instantaneous.

With its landing gear retracted, the plane went over the waterfall.