Andy McDermott - The Hunt For Atlantis

Hajjar brought his gun around for a lethal shot.

Two fists, and one head -

Chase pounded a crunching head butt straight into the Iranian’s face, crushing his nose flat in a rosette of blood. “Stitch that!”

More smoke belched from the chopper, the crackle of flames rising even above the howl of the engine.

Still gripping Hajjar’s wrists, Chase pulled his dazed opponent upright. “Hajjar!” he yelled. “Hands up!” He lifted Hajjar’s arms into the air-

Hajjar realized what was about to happen, but too late.

His good hand and the Ingram it was clutching disintegrated in a shower of gore and shattered steel as Chase thrust them into the spinning rotor blades. His knife-hand fared no better, the eight-inch blade snapping like a lollipop stick before the whirling rotor took another two inches off the stump of his wrist.

Hajjar stared in horrified disbelief at the blood gushing from the ends of his arms. Then he looked down as the Englishman swung him around-

Chase’s huge fist delivered a pile-driver blow square in the middle of his flattened, bloodied face. Hajjar staggered back, falling into the cockpit as Chase snagged the strap of his satchel, pulling it from him.

The impact rocked the helicopter, which creaked ominously as its weight shifted.

Chase turned and ran, seeing Castille already racing away for the cover of the stairs with Kari right beside him.

The first lick of flames escaped the battered fuselage, curling around the top of the engine casing as the helicopter toppled completely onto its side. What was left of the rotor blades plowed into the concrete and shattered, torque grinding the chopper’s nose into the helipad. Fuel spilled from the ruptured tanks, raining down on to the burning engine-

Hajjar screamed, but the sound was completely obliterated as the helicopter exploded.

Castille and Kari threw themselves into the arched doorway at the bottom of the stairs. Chase, some yards behind them, could only dive for the ground.

Burning debris rained down, but the fuselage had contained most of the blast. The largest pieces landed well short of him. That didn’t stop a few smaller chunks of mangled metal striking his back and legs. He yelled in pain.

“Edward!” Castille shouted, running back to him.

“Shit!” Chase said, standing painfully and clutching his leg. “Feels like I got kicked by a fucking horse!”

Nina ran down the stairs to Kari. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine!” she said, eyes wide with gratitude. Both women hurried over to Chase. “Did you get the artifact?”

“Are you all right?” Nina asked at the same time. They exchanged smiles, then hurried over to him.

“You see? Helicopters!” said Castille, waving a hand at the burning wreckage. “Twice in five minutes one has almost killed me! Vehicles of the Devil!”

“Hugo? Shut it,” Chase told him wearily, limping to pick up his Wildey.

“The artifact?” Kari asked.

He handed her the satchel. “Here. Hope it’s worth it.”

“It is,” she said, opening the bag and carefully lifting out the metal bar. The nearby flames reflecting from its surface gave it even more of a glow. “This is it,” she said, passing it reverently to Nina. “This is the path to Atlantis.”

Nina took it, examining the symbols scribed into the metal. At once familiar, yet different , mysterious. Then she looked back at Kari. “Not wanting to put a downer on things, but before we go looking for Atlantis, we are still stuck in Iran.”

“I wouldn’t say we’re completely stuck,” said Chase. “I saw something that might be handy…”

Hajjar’s other men were either dead, or had decided that survival outweighed loyalty to their late employer and run away. The group encountered no further resistance as Chase led them to the main courtyard.

In the northeastern corner was a set of large doors. He swung them open.

“Hajjar’s taxi service,” he proclaimed, sweeping an arm at the rows of expensive vehicles parked within. “Not quite as good as your collection, boss, but it’ll do. So, what do you want?”

“I don’t think we’ll get very far in a Ferrari,” Castille noted of the yellow F355 near the doors, “not on the local roads. And it may be a little… high profile.”

“A Hummer isn’t exactly hard to spot either,” added Kari, examining a bright green H3 disdainfully.

“You got any preferences, Doc?” Chase asked Nina.

“Please stop calling me that. And I just want whatever gets us out of here as quickly as possible.”

“Well in that case,” he said, eyes lighting on a particular vehicle, “might as well do it in style. Maybe Hajjar wasn’t so bad after all…”

A few minutes later, a silver Range Rover charged down the twisting road from the fortress, then with the throaty roar of a V-8 engine headed away into the mountains.

France

Iran was a long way behind her. And thank God for that, thought Nina, as she gazed out from the hotel balcony over Paris. From the penthouse suite, she had a clear view across the city. Landmarks like Notre-Dame and, farther away, the Eiffel Tower stood out in their floodlit glory against the clear night sky as if placed there for her personal pleasure.

But sightseeing would have to wait. She had work to do first. And she didn’t seem to be getting anywhere.

Someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” she called, turning away from the balcony. Kari entered.

“Are you ready, Nina?” she asked.

“I don’t know…” Nina shot an aggrieved look at the Atlantean artifact, which was surrounded by her notes beneath an illuminated magnifying lens. “I’ve done as much as I can, but it’s not enough. I still can’t translate some of the symbols. Why, is your father waiting for me?”

Kari nodded, then smiled. “But don’t worry. You’re one of the few people in the world he’s willing to wait upon.”

“Well, I’m honored, but it doesn’t make me any less nervous.”

“There’s no reason to be nervous. You’re already closer to finding Atlantis than anyone since the ancient Athenians.”

“Yeah, and look what I’ve been through-what we’ve been through-to get there! I still don’t think I’ve got that horrible stink out of my hair.”

“Come on,” Kari said reassuringly, “let’s tell my father what you’ve found out.”

Nina picked up the artifact and Kari led her into the adjoining room, a lounge at the center of the suite. Chase lurked near the door, his jacket off and his Wildey’s shoulder holster in plain sight. Castille was absent; Nina suspected he was guarding the corridor outside. “Hi, Doc,” Chase said cheerfully. He nodded at the top-of-the-line laptop sitting on a table. “Hope you’ve got your makeup on, you’re going to be on camera.”

“Oh, we’re videoconferencing?”

“My father likes to talk face to face, even when he can’t do so literally,” said Kari. “Come on, sit down. Do you want anything?”

“No thanks.” Although she wouldn’t have minded a drink to settle her nerves.

Nina sat in front of the laptop, Kari joining her and tapping a key on the computer. The screen came to life, revealing Kristian Frost in his office. “Dr. Wilde! I’m glad to see you again!”

“I’m glad to be seen!” Nina told him. “It was a bit more… well, violent than I expected.”

“So I heard. Were there any problems getting out of Iran?”