Black Harvest

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Korov followed Gelashvili and the Americans to the church of St. George. The church was well back from the paved road, isolated on the side of a hill. It was reached by a long gravel drive in poor repair. Abandoned buildings dotted the slope above it. He parked a hundred feet away and considered his next move.

His phone vibrated. Only General Vysotsky had that number.

"Yes."

"Things have changed. What is your situation?"

"Gelashvili has followed the Americans. They are all in a church outside Bankya. He will try to kill them."

"You will prevent that. Kill Gelashvili. Protect the Americans. Do not reveal yourself."

"Protect the Americans?"

"At all costs. Repeat your orders."

"Kill Gelashvili. Protect the Americans."

Gunshots echoed inside the church.

"Sir. Shooting in the church."

"You have your orders."

The connection terminated.

Arkady put the phone back in his pocket and drew the Drotik from his shoulder holster. He ran to the church, pulled open the door and slipped inside.

In the rainbow light coming through the stained glass window, Korov saw Gelashvili and two of his men halfway down the main aisle. They crouched behind pews, firing in bursts toward the front of the church. Two pistols answered from behind the altar. As he watched, a woman come up out of the floor and rolled forward behind the altar, firing three shots as she went.

One of Gelashvili's men crawled to a side aisle and moved toward the front. A large, life-like painted statue of Mary decked in a blue robe and golden crown shielded him from the altar. In a moment he would have an angle on the Americans.

The Drotik was an accurate pistol. The 5.6 mm rounds were high velocity, flat trajectory. Korov was an excellent marksman. It was an easy shot. He raised the pistol, flicked the selector to full and touched the trigger. The sound ripped through the air like tearing cloth. Zviad's man cried out and sprawled lifeless on the church floor.

Behind the altar, Nick turned to Ronnie.

"What the hell was that?"

"Don't know. Not an Uzi."

"Shit."

More shots. The ripping sound again, a cry of mortal pain. Nick looked out from behind the altar. A large, bearish man rose between the pews. He screamed in rage, firing at someone in the back of the church. The ripping sound came again, accompanied by a brilliant second or two of muzzle flash. The bearish man looked down and put a hand on his chest. He swayed. He fell forward, crashing into the pews.

Someone ran to the entrance and disappeared outside.

"Hey!" Nick yelled after him. He heard a car start, tires spinning on gravel, an engine fading into the distance.

The church was silent as the crypt below. They stood and walked down among the pews. Ronnie pointed at a body spread eagled on the floor.

"That one over there. Would have had a clear shot if someone hadn't interfered."

"Yeah. A good Samaritan. With a high end auto pistol."

"Not American or European."

"Something we haven't heard before."

Selena still had the Glock in her hand. She looked down at the dead men. "Who are they?"

"I don't know. Looking at the clothes, I'd say it might be the same bunch that tried to grab you in Greece."

He pushed at Gelashvili's dead bulk with his shoe. "Lousy cut. Someone ought to clue these people in about their tailor."