Page 114 of Triple Threat

“Dead man switch?” I asked.

“I’m going to set that, yes. But I will set a delay on it, long enough for us to get out.”

“What are you talking about?” Sadie said, her voice rising.

“Poppet, there is a Soviet surplus bomb under the house, a 700-pound fuel-air explosive warhead. When triggered it will produce a blast so big it will reduce the house to flinders, all of those bastards out there will be pulped like oranges.” Her eyes were saucers.

“There’s a…Russian bomb… under the house? It’s always been there?” she asked.

“Yes, and it’s armed now,” he said.

“Oh my God.” She covered her mouth.

“Yes, giant bomb, now that’s why you need to pick up that case and go through that tunnel.” he said. Sadie grabbed him in a tight hug, and I could see tears in her eyes. She whispered something in his ear and kissed him on the cheek.

“C’mon, Shady,” I said. “He’s right. He’s professionally right.” She was hesitant but started moving. Roan handed us what we needed to carry, and then shouldered the P90 again, slamming a fresh magazine home. There was a chatter of bullets against the steel door.

“They’re here, now bloody well go!” Roan shouted.

“At the boat?” I asked. I could see Sadie scurrying down the tunnel, cussing as the case holding the Javelin launcher banged against her shins. I pulled the strap of the ammo bag over my shoulder, hefting nearly a hundred pounds of missile.

“At the boat, everything’s been made ready.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I said.

There was another tremendous bang, and the door almost came out of its frame. The second came on the heels of the first, and then the door came crashing into the room, crushing through Roan’s gaming chair and computer station.

“Go!” Roan shouted and strong-armed me back into the tunnel.

The last thing I saw, as the door to the tunnel was closing, was her. Kaijin, carrying a Steyr AUG. Roan raised his gun, and there was a roar of gunfire. Then the door slammed, and the gunfire was muffled. Then silence.

I choked back a sound and grabbed the lock bar and dropped it in place.

“Goddamnit.” I turned and started dragging the missiles as fast as I could down the tunnel. I could feel tears starting to burn at my eyes.

“Where’s Conan?” Sadie demanded as I heaved the missiles over the gunwale of the Rum Runner.

“He’s not coming.” I fell into the boat. “And if we don’t go, we aren’t going to make it either.” Her hand went to her mouth, and I saw her eyes look from the tunnel, to the gun, and back to me. I shook my head. “Start the boat, I’ll figure out how to use the missile thing.”

“This is insane, Kyle, this is fucking insane.”

The engine coughed to life. I was thankful for the noise because it covered the sound of me coughing out a half sob.

Chapter Thirty-One

Sadie…

“Don’t youdarebe a fucking hero,” I whispered fiercely. “I love you too much, and I need you.We.Need. You.”

Roan’s hands slid to my elbows, and he put me back but I saw it. I saw it in his keen green eyes, the calculations, the weights and adjustments, his precious paradigms. I saw it but I didn’t want to believe it.

He’s not coming…my mind whispered.

I’ll die without him, without him and Kyle both…my heart cried.

“Go, I’ll be right behind you, I promise,” he said. I nodded.

I made my way down the tunnel cursing as the large case banged my shins and the tears burned my eyes, my vision blurring. I dug deep and deeper still for every reserve of emotional strength I had ever held as my soul rendered itself in two. Half here with Kyle, the other half staying behind with Roan.

---