The Battle for Earth by Darrell Pitt

Author:Darrell Pitt [Pitt, Darrell]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery
Publisher: Smashwords
Published: 2012-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

I could not pull the trigger.

My throat was dry. My vision had a sharpness of clarity I had never before experienced. I focused on the Russian leader. The gun shook in my hand until it sagged in my grip. I had come so far. I had sacrificed so much. Brodie’s life depended on me firing the weapon at the Russian Premier. Yet I could not pull the trigger. The Premier saw my hesitation.

“You are a boy,” he said. “You do not wish to –”

“Shut up!”

It sounded like my words had been spoken by a stranger.

Alexi Kozlov clamped his mouth shut. I stood there with the gun in my hand, undecided as to what to do next. If I did not pull the trigger and immobilise the Premier, I would be condemning Brodie to death.

But I could not fire.

A sound came from behind me. I spun around to find Chad stumbling through the undergrowth. He had a bruise under his eye and a streak of blood ran down the side of his face.

“I thought I saw you land over here,” he said.

“Are you okay?”

“Peachy. I feel like I’ve just gone ten rounds with Rocky.” He nodded toward the Premier. “So you haven’t put the freeze on the Russian?”

“Not yet.”

“I knew you wouldn’t.”

“How would –”

He stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Axel. You’re just not the Stonekiller kind of guy.”

Tears filled my eyes. I struggled to speak. “But Brodie –”

“We’ll find another way,” he said. “I promise.”

We stood silently in the Russian forest. “How far away is the Flex?”

“Some distance.” He studied me. “What are you thinking?”

“The closer we are to Graal, the closer we are to Brodie.”

“If they even bring her,” he said. “This whole gig with the Premier and the Stonekiller may just be a scam. Maybe he was intending to lead you on forever.”

“I know.” I shifted my eyes to the Russian Premier. He looked like he was ready to jump to his feet and attempt an escape. I hoped he wouldn’t make the attempt. Whilst I might not use the Stonekiller on him, I was more than prepared to subdue him. “Brodie could already be dead,” I continued. “This may have just been a big waste of time.”

“Not a complete waste of time,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to see Russia. Great place for a holiday –”

“You’re an idiot,” I informed him.

The Premier looked up at us as if we were crazy.

He was probably right.

We took the Russian Premier with us back to the Flex. Fortunately Chad was able to locate it in the midst of a wood several miles away. Climbing aboard, we located restraints in one of the compartments and handcuffed Alexi Kozlov to a seat in the rear. He looked none too pleased about being treated like a prisoner.

“What is this all about?” he demanded. “Am I being held hostage?”

“Uh, yes,” I replied.

“What are you after? Money? Is this a political protest?”

“It’s about those dolls,” Chad told him.

“Dolls?”

“Those Russian babushka dolls. The ones where you fit one doll inside another.

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