Nick Carter: The Omega Terror

As I moved toward him, Zeno struggled for a hold on the end of the seat, and I saw he was reaching for something in the vehicle. As he turned back toward me with it in his hand, I saw that I was in trouble. He had found my other weapon, the stiletto Hugo. He flashed it at me, as he struggled to his feet, his body filling the open door of the car.

I could not allow him to get at me. Not after what he had put me through already. Before he had gotten clear of the door, I threw myself bodily at it. He fell. His head was caught between the edge of the door and the frame as it slammed closed. I heard the skull crack distinctly under the impact, and then Zeno’s eyes went very wide as a muffled grunt escaped his lips. The door swung back open, and Zeno slid to a sitting position on the ground beside the car, his eyes still open, a slim trickle of red edging down his jaw from his hairline. He was dead.

I slumped against the Land Rover, near him, taking my weight off my ankle. I heard footsteps running toward me and then Gabrielle’s frightened voice.

“Nick, are you…:

She stopped beside me and looked down at Zeno. Then she looked at my ankle.

“I’m okay,” I said heavily.

Gabrielle kissed my cheek, then got Wilhelmina and Hugo for me. We started back to the Citrõen, with me leaning on her shoulder.

“This is getting to be a habit,” I said.

“I like helping you, Nick.”

I looked down at her green eyes. “Like last night?”

She actually blushed. “Yes. Like last night.”

I grinned as we moved back to the car. I was picturing Hawk’s expression if he could see the lovely girl who was so concerned about my well-being. “I don’t know how you do it,” he would say with a wry face.

We had arrived at the car. “How long a drive is it back to Tangier?” I asked Gabrielle.

She shrugged her shoulders. “We could be there tomorrow.”

“Really?” I said, raising my eyebrows. “In this broken-down old crate?”

She looked at the dusty Citrõen. “Nick, this is practically a new car.”

“But a new car can get us to Tangier tomorrow,” I argued. “And then I must contact my superiors immediately, and they may want me to fly out on the next plane. On the other hand, if this car is old and decrepit, then it ought to take us two or possibly three nights on the road to reach Tangier.”

The bewilderment in her face dissolved, and a smile replaced it. “Ah. I see the validity of your judgment,” she said slowly. “It has been through a great deal recently, and it would be dangerous to drive it recklessly.”

I patted her backside affectionately. Then I hobbled to the door and got in, and Gabrielle climbed into the driver’s seat.

“To Tangier then, driver,” I said. “But, please. Not too fast.”

“Just as you say, Nick.” She smiled.

Taking one last look at the inert figure sprawled beside the Land Rover, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I settled back on the soft seat, closed my eyes and anticipated the trip back to Tangier.

I expected it to be a memorable one.