13 King Solomon's Curse by Andy McDermott

Author:Andy McDermott [McDermott, Andy]
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

22

Even hurrying, it took several minutes to make the ascent. There had been no gunfire, so the Insekt Posse hadn’t attempted an assault, but the documentary crew’s concerned expressions told them that something was going on.

‘Where’s Paris?’ said Eddie. ‘And Howie?’

‘They’re with Fortune, at the entrance,’ Fisher told him.

‘So what’s happening?’ asked Nina, breathless.

Rivero raised his camera to record her and Eddie as they headed for the passage. ‘Probably easiest if you see for yourself.’

‘This isn’t a movie,’ she sniped. ‘You don’t have to keep things from us for dramatic tension!’

Fortune and Paris were maintaining their watch over the ruins, Howie nervously holding the third Kalashnikov behind them. ‘What’ve we got?’ Eddie asked.

‘A visitor,’ the tall Congolese replied. ‘Your friend Mr Brice.’

‘And you haven’t shot the fucker?’

‘He has a white flag,’ Paris clarified.

‘So? He can use it as a bandage.’ The Yorkshireman peered into the daylight. There was indeed a white flag, a piece of material on a branch being waved from behind a broken wall.

Nina looked cautiously past her husband. ‘Somehow, I don’t think he’s here to surrender.’

‘Flag of truce,’ Eddie rumbled. ‘He wants to talk. It’s definitely him?’ he asked the defenders.

‘Yes. He came alone,’ Fortune confirmed.

‘Great, so the others could be anywhere…’ With their position set back inside the palace’s thick wall, there was no way to see if anyone was stealthily creeping up from either side – unless the defenders exposed themselves to fire from the jungle. ‘All right, better see what he wants.’ He took the AK from Howie. ‘Brice! I’m here!’

The other Englishman cautiously raised his head. ‘About time, Chase. I just want to talk to you.’

‘Go on, then.’

‘I meant talk, not shout. I’d rather do this face to face. Preferably not with a gun pointed at me.’

‘I’m sure you would,’ said Eddie, who had fixed the rifle’s sights unwaveringly upon the ex-MI6 officer. ‘Convince me. And start by convincing me not to blow your head off.’

‘I’m offering a deal,’ Brice replied. ‘One that will get all of you out of here safely. But it’s an offer I can only make to you, Chase – because you’re the only person there who’ll understand why I’m making it.’

The shouted exchange had drawn the attention of those in the first chamber, Fisher leading them to the entrance to hear more. ‘Wait, now you’re in charge of negotiations?’ the director asked Eddie. ‘You’re not even an official part of the team!’

‘You’re not making any deals behind closed doors,’ Lydia said forcefully. ‘We should all be there. It’s our lives you’re bargaining with!’

‘Dissent in the ranks?’ called Brice. ‘I’ll make this clear for everyone – your only chance of staying alive is by dealing with me, and the only person I’ll talk to is Chase. I’m not going to explain myself; that’s just how it will work. Either I deal with Chase, in private, or I leave and let the militia handle things their own way. Believe me, theirs will be a lot more bloody.’

Worried looks were exchanged.

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