The Nostradamus File

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Selena fired at movement in the churchyard and heard a cry. "Three out here," she yelled. She saw a man run toward a large mausoleum. She fired again, two rounds. The dark shape fell to the ground. "Make it two."

Nick crawled over to her. Ronnie was shooting into the interior of the church. The shots echoed in the stone space. Bullets fired from the graveyard ricocheted around the stone vestibule and sent fragments flying through the air. The shooters couldn't get a clear shot, but they were doing a good job of keeping everyone occupied.

"You cover me while I run for that big tombstone over there." Nick pointed at a large, weeping angel, gray in the cold light. "Ready?"

Selena inserted a fresh magazine, nodded. She began squeezing off rapid shots. Nick got to his feet and ran flat out for the angel. Bullets kicked up dirt around his feet and caromed from the memorial, whining away into the night. One struck the heel of his boot and sent him sprawling. He rolled behind the monument and squatted down. His foot was numb. The heel of the boot was gone.

Lights were coming on in the rectory. Someone would be calling the cops. They didn't have much time. He darted a glance around the base of the angel, saw movement, fired. The figure collapsed. He saw no one else. There was a pause in the firing while Selena reloaded. Ronnie had stopped shooting. Was he hit? Nick put the thought aside.

He heard a vehicle start up. A dark van shot out from the other side of the church, past the main entrance and onto the road leading to town. Nick stood and fired after it until the slide locked back on his gun. It disappeared into the night. He reloaded and ran limping toward the church.

Selena got to her feet. Ronnie came out of the vestibule. "They kept me pinned down," he said. "They left and took the altar with them."

The rectory was ablaze with light. Nick thought he saw a curtain move at a window.

"Time to boogie," he said.