The Solomon Scroll

CHAPTER 37

A flying chunk of stone gashed Selena's scalp. Blood streamed down over her face and into her eyes. She couldn't see. Next to her, Nick fired into the camp. A few of Al-Bayati's men began returning sporadic fire. She wiped her sleeve across her eyes, raised her rifle and shot at blurred shapes running through the campsite.

Ronnie's weapon began chattering. Diego, she thought, where's Diego?

A Land Rover wheeled crazily through the debris of the campsite and stopped while someone clambered in. It took off down the valley. Nick emptied his magazine after the fleeing vehicle. It kept going, leaving a billowing trail of dust in the moonlight.

The sounds of the firefight died away. Selena wiped blood away from her eyes.

"You're hit," Nick said.

"No, it was a rock. It's just a scalp wound. I'm all right."

She looked around. Diego sat on the ground, holding his right arm by the elbow. He looked like he was in pain.

Nick gestured. "Ronnie, with me."

The two men walked through what was left of the camp, looking for anyone left alive. Someone raised a rifle toward them. Ronnie shot him. The man fell back against the hard earth.

"Stupid," Ronnie said. "If Al-Bayati was still here I'm sure he'd appreciate the loyal gesture."

"He was in that Land Rover?"

"Yeah, I saw him get in. Rhoades was driving."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

There was no one left alive. They walked back to where Selena knelt next to Diego. She'd cut his sleeve away past the elbow. The forearm was bloody, the flesh ripped open.

"Que pasa, hombre?" Nick said.

"People shooting at me for years and the worst hit I've taken is from a rock. I can't believe it."

"I don't think it's broken," Selena said. "It's a nasty wound just the same. I'll bandage it up, but you need antibiotics and stitches."

"I heal quick. If it's not broken I'm not gonna worry about it."

Nick looked up at the hill. The moon was sinking. There was still enough light to see a jagged stump rising up out of the ground where the column had stood.

"You could have used a little less C4," Nick said.

"I wanted to be sure," Ronnie said.

Nick activated the encrypted satellite comm link.

"Director, you copy?"

"What's your status Nick?" Elizabeth's voice came back with an echoing delay.

"The stone is gone. So is Al-Bayati. Get us out of here."

"Is everyone all right?"

"Diego is injured. Selena got hit with debris. We're at the foot of the hill below the columns. Send the chopper here."

"What debris?"

"The column went down when we blew up the stone. She was cut by a piece of flying rock."

"The Arabs are going to love that," Elizabeth said. "Wait one."

Nick heard her talking in the background. She came back on the satellite link.

"Extraction is on the way. ETA forty minutes. Keep the link open. Out."

Selena finished wrapping Diego's arm. She stood.

"You want morphine?"

"Nah. We're not out of here yet."

Nick squatted down next to him, his MP5 cradled across his chest.

"Now you've been on a mission, what do you think? Exciting enough for you? I wouldn't want you to get bored."

"Well," Diego said, "it's not the Rangers. I guess it will do."