Paul Kane - Arrowhead

"We 'aven't been shot down yet. That's a good sign," Bill commented. He kept low until dawn had broken completely, then he lifted the helicopter up above the rooftops and began their run.

By the time they reached the castle, everything was kicking off. "Looks like the party's already started." Bill pushed the chopper forward, dipping the nose to gain more speed.

Robert had his face pressed against the glass, looking down at his men attacking on several fronts – Jack from the north; Granger and Tate from the south; the rest from the east. It was the latter who were encountering the most resistance from the soldiers on the walls firing at them. Robert also saw the crowd and the gallows, making out the figures of De Falaise, a huge man who had to be Tanek, a smaller figure who was undoubtedly Mark – and a person dressed in his clothes. "Mary," he said.

Even as he watched, he saw Jack tackle Tanek – quite possibly the only man who could stand a chance against him at close range – then De Falaise and Mary's duel begin.

There was a heavy ping as a bullet ricocheted off the side of the Sioux. "That were too close for comfort!" Bill exclaimed. "Looks like we got our man there's attention."

Robert took his eyes off the scene below and refocused on the castle rooftop. There was the sniper Granger and the others had told him about, and he had his weapon trained on them.

"Think you can keep us alive long enough for me to take him out?" Robert asked Bill.

"Aye."

Bill zigzagged the chopper and Robert saw now what the man meant about manoeuvrability. If they'd attempted this in any one of the planes from the museum they'd have crash-landed.

Robert opened the door of the helicopter, wrapping one thigh around the safety belt and using it to hold him while he leaned out. He didn't dare look down, and kept his mind totally on the job at hand. This was a tricky shot, especially while the chopper was moving, and with the sniper still firing at them, but Robert shut everything else out apart from the gunman and the threat he posed. Time slowed down; he was back in the woods, in the forest, hunter versus prey. Robert slipped an arrow into his bow, drawing it back as far as he could.

Bill helped him by bringing the chopper sideways on, though he couldn't hold the position for long. It would be a case of who fired first, and who was the most accurate shot.

"Now! Y'have to take it now!" Bill shouted.

Robert let out the breath he'd been holding, then let go of the arrow. At the same time the sniper fired off another shot.

The sniper's round grazed the back end of the Sioux, but it was Robert's arrow that had the most impact. It rocketed through the sniper's scope and straight into his eye. The man let out a howl that could be heard above everything else. Flailing around, his hip caught the edge of the roof's wall and he went over.

"Shot!" Bill clapped Robert on the shoulder as he eased himself back inside.

The helicopter made a strange noise that sounded like a cough. That cough turned into a splutter and Bill wrestled with the controls.

"What's happening?"

"Must've nicked somethin'," Bill told him, stating the obvious.

"Can you get us in lower, I need to help Mary and put those soldiers on the wall out of commission."

"We'll be goin' in lower, all right," said Bill as the chopper took a turn downwards.

It was the speed they were coming in at that Robert didn't care for. He glanced at Bill, who threw a look back, and they both focussed their attention on the ground that was coming towards them fast.

They saw no more soldiers on their way up through the caves. Only when they reached the exit did some of De Falaise's men begin shooting.

Granger and his group returned fire, picking them off with bullets and arrows alike. It was Tate who pointed out that the men on the walls needed to be incapacitated first. "Try just to wound or injure if you can. The fewer deaths the better," advised the Reverend.

"Tell that to them," replied Granger, nodding at the soldiers with machine guns. "They're not holding back on our men outside." But they took it on board and, where possible, fired to debilitate rather than kill.

Gwen ran off ahead on her own, desperate to reach the Middle Bailey and find De Falaise. Tate limped after her, knocking one soldier out with his stick and taking another one down with a series of simple judo moves.

"Gwen, wait! God will provide his own revenge," promised the Reverend. But just then he got caught in a crossfire of bullets and was hit in the shoulder. Gwen turned and doubled back to check on him. She pressed his own hand against the shoulder and told him to keep pressure on it.

"I have to go," she told him firmly.

"Gwen…" mumbled Tate, but she was already on her way to stop De Falaise.

Gwen strode through the grounds of the castle, spraying bullets from her rifle as if she was dealing with a bug infestation.

She was out of ammo by the time she reached the Middle Bailey where the bulk of the action was taking place. So she cast the rifle aside and took out her pistol – the one she'd used to murder Javier.

No, she hadn't simply killed him outright in the end, had she? Appropriately, it had been more by accident than intent. Just as she'd been wrestling with what to do, gunfire had echoed through the caves: Granger and Tate attacking the south side entrance. It had proved enough of an interruption for Javier to make a play for the gun, spluttering that he mustn't die, couldn't risk what would happen to him if he did.

Javier had grabbed the weapon and they'd wrestled with it. He'd almost turned it around on her when she summoned strength from somewhere, jostling him back against the wall. His hands had closed around the pistol, forcing her finger on the trigger and the sudden bang had made them both jump. Her because of the noise. Javier because the bullet had entered his chest.

She backed away from him as he clutched at the wound – tried to stem the blood pouring from it – then he reached out with one of his shaky hands. "You… You must forgive me, senora… please… before it's too late."

Gwen shook her head firmly. "Damn you."

He smiled, though it was more of a grimace. "I… I am already damned…" The light went out in his eyes, and he slumped to the floor.

Gwen stepped over the body. "For you, Clive," she whispered. Then the sound of gunfire came again, snapping her out of her daze. The castle was under attack. It had to be Hood's men, an attempt to stop the executions. She had to go and help.

Holstering the pistol, she'd unslung her rifle and followed the sound to the fight. Before long Gwen came upon the soldiers defending the lower cave entrance. They'd turned in her direction, but before they could fire she'd pulled the trigger of her own rifle, filling the cave with light and sound.

It had paved the way for Granger and his men to enter, for them to begin taking down De Falaise's regime. Whether or not Granger could be trusted still remained to be seen – he hadn't lifted a finger to help her when she was being held captive – but she'd deal with that later. Right now, she had a mission… a promise to keep.

And absolutely nothing was going to stand in her way.

Jack wrestled with Tanek on the platform. He tried using some of his moves on him, but the olive-skinned man had a few of his own.

A swift elbow in Jack's stomach saw him releasing his grip. In seconds, Tanek was up and had a dagger drawn. He was just about to plunge it into Jack when he paused, his eyebrows twitching. Then he looked down.

Jack's eyes followed and discovered what had made him hesitate. There was a bolt from a crossbow sticking out of his calf. Tanek scowled, but before he could do anything, another bolt hit him – this one in the side. Jack traced its trajectory to Mark lying on the floor. Resting on his stomach, the boy had the crossbow propped up and was shooting at Tanek.