Pirate

Fifty-four

Sam took Remi by the arm, leading her back toward the upper chamber, running one hand on the wall to feel their way in the dark, until they reached one of the side passages off the main tunnel. He and Remi stepped in, Sam taking up a position closer to the opening, with Remi right behind him.

A moment later, the bright beam of a flashlight flickered across the stone walls and the ground. Sam noticed the very obvious footprints they’d left that led right to them. He aimed toward the tunnel entrance.

There was only one man, and Sam relaxed his trigger finger as he continued on and the passageway grew dark once more.

They were about to step out when a soft scrape alerted Sam that whoever it was — Victor or Rogen — had probably doubled back and was now standing just outside the tunnel entrance. Sam felt the slightest movement of air as the man brought his gun upward, then turned on his flashlight, calling out, “Vic—”

Sam grabbed the guy’s collar and swung him around, ramming his head against the cave wall. The flashlight went flying.

Gripping his Smith & Wesson like brass knuckles, Sam smashed him in the face. Rogen staggered, grabbing at Sam’s shirt with his left hand, swinging his gun toward Sam. Sam grabbed the semiauto by its slide, the metal cutting into his hand as Rogen tried to pull the trigger. Sam dropped his Smith & Wesson and grabbed the gun with both hands to keep Rogen from firing. He leaned in, twisting the gun with all his strength. Bones snapped and Rogen’s grip suddenly gave way. Sam freed the gun, crashed it down on his skull, stepped behind him as he swept his arm around his neck, squeezing in a chokehold to finish him off.

Remi picked up both guns while Sam dragged the body into the side tunnel. One down, five to go.

“If he was calling for Victor,” Remi whispered, giving both guns to Sam, “where is he?”

“Good question.” There was only one reason Sam could think of as to why Victor wouldn’t have come down with Rogen.

Someone had to stand guard in the main cavern.

Sam pointed in that direction, and Remi nodded. They started up, turning the light off before they reached the cavern. A light, its glow reflecting into the tunnel. Remi waited as Sam continued to the end of the tunnel.

Not only was Victor standing guard, he had one arm around Nigel’s neck, his flashlight pointed toward Sam, and, in the other hand, his gun to Nigel’s head.

“How’d you get past my brother?”

“Oh. That was your brother down there?” Sam kept his gun pointed at the guy, sidestepping around the circumference of the cavern. Victor turned with him, careful to keep Nigel between him and Sam.

“What’d you do to Rogen?”

Sam didn’t answer. Just kept moving so that Victor followed until his flashlight was no longer pointed Remi’s direction.

“Where is he?”

Just as Sam saw the barrel of Victor’s gun edging from Nigel toward him, Remi stepped out of the tunnel, took a deep breath, then threw her knife.

Victor cried out as the knife hit him square in the back. His gun and flashlight flew from his hands. His head dropped back as he crumpled to the ground, dragging Nigel with him. Nigel scrambled away, his gaze fixed on Victor’s body.

“Nicely done, Mrs. Fargo. Let me guess — you thought I could use a hand?”

“It crossed my mind.”

“I had it under control,” he said as Nigel moved closer to Remi.

“Is — is he dead?” Nigel asked, his face pale.

“Or paralyzed,” Sam said. Remi’s Buck Knife was imbedded up to the hilt against his spine. The man wasn’t going anywhere. Nigel, however, looked about ready to faint as he gave wide berth around the body. “Exactly how did he get you?” Sam asked, more to take Nigel’s mind off the body than anything else.

“I was hiding in one of those side tunnels. I think they saw my footprints.”

Sam eyed Remi’s knife. “Don’t suppose you want that thing back.”

“Not really. But I’ll take his gun.” She reached down, picked it up, then shoved it into the back of her waistband.

“What do you say we get out of here?”

“Splendid idea, Fargo.”

As luck would have it, Fisk and his crew raced into the chamber at that exact moment.