MANO

CHAPTER 19

It fell to Nui to take Nuhallah.

Perhaps it was appropriate that the two giant should end up facing down one another. Nui had already sprung first blood, his calloused hand catching Nuhallah on the bridge of his nose,a vicious, backswipe. Nuhallah was dressed in the uniform of a naval petty officer but there was nothing petty about the way he came towards Nui on balanced feet, a killing lust visible in his darke yes.

Nui watched him warily, recognizing the latent dangeri n the man. He'd been a cop for too long and he knew how to read danger. Both men knew it would be a fight to the finish. Both were willing to do whatever it took. Nuhallah caught the big cop in a bearlike hug andbegan squeezing his opponent hard, perhaps hoping to crush the life out of the man. Nui broke the lock with ease and swung his right hand, the finger extended in a certain way, catching Nuhallah in the throat at the Adam's apple. Panic appeared in Nuhallah's eyes and he flailed backwards, trying to gulp air into his shattered larynx.

Nuhallah realising he needed a moment to recover and suddenly changed his tactics and slammed a blow into the side of Nui's head that felled the big cop. Nui had seen the punch coming and had tried to parry, but Nuhallah was just a shade too quick. For such a big man h could move like lightning if warranted and he certainly caught Nui by surprise. If Nuhallah had moved to finish things there and then, Nui would have been finished, but the man was still struggling to draw breath and he retreated.

The retreat enabled both men to recover.

But Nui was about to gain the upper hand. He had a knowledge of certain martial arts as practiced by the Japanese and he had been taught to fight by some of the best men in the business. It was a far cry from the back alleys of Riyadh where Nuhallah had learnt his tech-niques. The superiority was about to manifest itself.

Nui drew himself up, aware that he had to finish this quickly. He could hear Mano fighting with Hakim, and seconds earlier the sound of gunfire. As Nuhallah came at him again, his hand rigid at his side came sweeping around and the force of the blow stopped Nuhallah in his tracks. It was a karate blow to the side of the neck and it was paralyzing. Nui gave the Saudi man no chance to recover. Both of his hands moved this time, in tandem with the rest of his body and his clubbed hands hit the nape of Nuhallah's neck with a deadweight sound. The Saudi man collapsed in a heap, and Nui wasted no time in handcuffing the prone figure to a nearby rail.

The fight was over.

Another one raged nearby.

* * *

Hakim was dressed as a naval commander. It was smart because he was figuring he'd outrank

anyone who dared to question him or his men. The security was making him nervous. He could tell that it had been stepped up a notch. In fact, it was more than a notch, it was top heavy. For a moment, he considered aborting but he'd come too far now. The paperwork was all dated for today.

It was today or never.

Once again, he cursed his earlier folly at not having taken care of Mano - personally. He was convinced that if he hadn't left it in the hands of Batul, then the very real threat of Mano and his people would have diminished like a retreating tide. But it was too late for such thinking.

Time waited for no man, and it certainly wasn't waiting for Hakim. In fact, time was now his enemy. It was running out fast.

* * *

Mano was checking things with various HPD and security checkpoints. He approached the one that had admitted Hakim and his team. It was manned by ordinary security. "Anyone through here?" he queried.

The security guard shook his head. "No, sir. Except those naval guys."

Mano had started away, but he turned sharply back.