rr (ON HOLD)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Hitch gave a groan. His hands were covered in blood. He looked down and saw that his white shirt had turned bright red, soaked with blood. He tried not to gag; the smell was insufferable. He looked around and saw Clancy, knocked out. The man groggily checked Clancy's pulse and gave a relieved sort of sigh when he felt it. The kid was alive, that was good. Hitch continued to search the lone, dim-lit corridor with his eyes, and at the far end of it, his eyes fell on a phone.
Now, he reckoned he had about twenty minutes to live. If he could get to the phone, he could call LB, call Spectrum, and then the kids would be safe. Hitch knew there was no hope for him; the Australian had shot him near the hip area, it had been a fatal shot, Hitch would die soon and he'd just have to accept that.
Slowly, so slowly, he crawled to where the telephone was. After much struggling, he tried to call Spectrum.
"Hitch? Is that you?" it was LB's voice, and she sounded furious. "Where are you? You should have been at the debriefing two hours ago! This isn-"
"Shut up, LB," Hitch interrupted. Then he paused. "Sorry. But listen - trace this phone call, don't know where I am, but I'm here with Ruby, Kaina and that Crew kid. Von Leyden, the Australian and the Count are here. I've been shot  - I'm dying."
For one brief moment, LB said nothing. Then she asked, her voice tight, "Marnie Novak is alive?"
"Yes. She shot me. LB, we need back-up now."
"I'm on it."
LB hung up. Hitch rested against the wall; when would they be here?
"Oh dear," chimed in a voice. "Poor Agent Hitch. Dying and no one to save him. Spectrum will be here soon, but not soon enough. Why don't I end your suffering?"
He looked up, confused, and his gaze fell on Lorelei von Leyden, who was standing in front of him. She had a gun in her hand. Hitch took another look at the gun and frowned. Wait - was that Nine Lives' diamond revolver? Where the hell did she get that? he thought. He wasn't even concerned by the fact that he was cornered by a psychopath and most likely about to die.
"You know, I'm not going to waste time talking to you. You're no fun. Best to end it now," Lorelei's voice quite suddenly became a snarl. "This is for Valerie."
"Stop!" shouted a voice. "Put your hands up in there and don't do anything; don't even think about shooting!"
Lorelei turned around sharply and found herself surrounded by at least twenty Spectrum agents. She glanced at the telephone, bewildered. How'd they get there so fast?
"Drop the gun," demanded a recognisable voice, and Hitch looked up to see Blacker. Von Leyden's revolver clattered to the ground, and she was arrested. Blacker hurried over to where Hitch was. His face was one of sorrow and shock.
"Hitch? You OK? What happened?" he rushed.
"I got shot." Hitch's voice was becoming fainter now.
"What? How? Why? Nevermind - we have to take you to a hospital."
"No," snapped Hitch. "I'm dying, Blacker, that is my fate." The man suddenly grabbed the other man's hand. "But listen to me, my good friend. You have to find Kaina and," his voice tripped, "and Ruby. Before I die, let me see Redfort one last time, please. I - I want to thank her. For being the most wonderful kid I've ever met."
Blacker struggled to hold his tears. "Of course."
By this time, Clancy had woken up. He gave a weary shout. "Blacker! Your name is Blacker, right? Ruby and Kaina, they're in that large room, take a left and you'll find it! Hurry, Rube's in danger!"
"I realise," called Blacker, and he ran down the corridor. He found the door and slowly edged it open - it was unlocked, Blacker didn't know why. He stifled a gasp as he saw the Count standing in front of Ruby, his eyes narrowed.
"And now," he announced, "you shall meet your death."
Blacker took his chance. He ran into the room, and with no hesitation, raised his gun and shot the Count square in the leg. Taken by surprise, the Count lost his balance, albeit only for a second. He fell to the floor, wounded.
"How the," he muttered, then looked up at the approaching Blacker. The agent was trembling. The Count gave a thin smile.
"That," hissed Blacker, "that was for Adam."
"Who?" the Count sneered.
"My brother, you arse! You killed him!" Blacker was shaking uncontrollably. "I've waited so long, so many years, and now this is finally it! You'll pay for what you did to Bradley, to Adam, to them all."
The Count gave a shrug.
"Good luck."
For a moment Blacker stumbled on what he was about to do. Why didn't this man care? He wanted immortality, in fact he longed for it, yet he wasn't bothered by the fact he was going to die?
"Blacker!" shouted Ruby. It was too late; Blacker turned around just in time to see a woman shoot the lights out. Once again Blacker was trying to arrest criminals in darkness. He'd forgotten to bring his night-vision goggles - he didn't think he'd need them - so he went up against a wall and brought out a dagger.
He felt for his communicator and pressed it.
"Need help, track my location."
"Are you with Redfort?" it was LB.
"Yeah, Rube and Kaina. The Count's in here."
There was the sound of very heavy breathing from the communicator, then the door was suddenly flung up. LB held up a torch, a dozen Spectrum agents behind her. They entered and lit up the room. Blacker squinted and looked around.
"No..." whispered Ruby. She too was looking around, and as her gaze met Blacker's, she felt fear shoot through her.
The Count and the Australian were gone, disappeared from a room no one knew how.
And Kaina had vanished with them.