The Shadow 193 by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII

TWISTED BATTLE

As The Shadow found his feet and started in pursuit of Lana Luan, a piercing shriek came from a spot above. Long, shrill, like a voice from some wild, forgotten region, it drowned out the roar of the fire. Instinctively, The Shadow turned, looked upward.

At a window of Selsby’s house he saw the freed naljorpa. His leering countenance reddened by the flames, the devil man looked like a creature that had found some chosen hell. Red, too, was the dagger that the assassin wielded.

The Shadow fired with his only gun. His footing shaky, he reeled from the recoil of the gun, his bullet missing, just as the naljorpa launched the knife. But the hand from the window had lost its usual skill, as a result of the recent fray; it was less capable than The Shadow’s.

Scaling wide, the knife missed its cloaked prey by half a dozen feet. Stretched from the window, the naljorpa uttered another shriek, this time from sheer terror. Trained though he was to forget all fear, instinct overcame him, for he realized what was coming.

Before the foiled assassin could pitch himself to the paved court below, a cascading wall descended on him, bringing a great cataract of hot flame. Carried with that deluge, the servant of Shiwan Khan was buried in a fiery grave, more terrible than any pit in the imaginary bardo he had visited in his trances.

The first cry had been heard. As The Shadow swung from scorching heat to follow Lana Luan, the shriek was answered by others. Posted naljorpas were springing out from cover, hoping for revenge upon The Shadow.

Weaving a quick course, The Shadow demonstrated a timely return of his skill. His shots were quicker than the knives that scaled in his direction; flingers were lurching, clipped by bullets, as they flung their weapons. There were others who might have found their chance to knife The Shadow, but they were suddenly pressed by a new attack.

Submachine guns were talking, with naljorpas as their targets. The explosion of Selsby’s house had brought in the Feds ahead of schedule. Spotting the scrawny men who hung from roofs and windows of houses all about, the Feds knew them for enemies.

The Shadow had settled three of the assassins. The Feds accounted for half a dozen more. The rest of the tribe - they were thick upon the scene tonight - were quick enough to bound for cover and get away through passages too narrow to be illuminated by the vivid reflection of the fire.

The Shadow had opportunity to reach the passage that Lana Luan had taken. Speeding through to the street, he reached there just in time to see the girl reach the opposite curb, where a taxicab was waiting.

Lana Luan did not get into the cab. She was too late; she had been spotted by stationed Feds. Sighting this mystery woman from the Selsby premises, the Feds called upon her to stop.

Wavering at the cab step, Lana Luan suddenly rallied to the situation.

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