The Revelation Code (Wilde/Chase 11) Read Free Page A

somewhere to the south-east. He couldn’t see the aircraft, but with night-vision gear, its pilot’s view of the lake would be as clear as in daylight. ‘We need to get away from the ruins.’
    ‘You sure? The walls’ll give us cover—’
    ‘Not against rockets. The moment they see the truck, they’ll assume we’re inside and blow the hell out of the place! Spread out and try to reach Kerim’s people.’ He started to move, then caught sight of what Cross was carrying. ‘What the hell are you doing?’
    ‘I can’t leave it behind,’ Cross replied.
    ‘Put it down and take up your weapon! That’s an order, Cross!’
    The two men glared at each other, neither willing to back down . . . then the deadlock was broken by Arnold’s cry. ‘ Incoming! ’
    A flash of fiery light in the sky – and something streaked overhead. The CIA agents threw themselves flat—
    The rocket hit the Toyota, the truck exploding in a dazzling fireball. Two more missiles hit the temple itself, shattering stonework and causing the roof to collapse with a crash that shook the surrounding sands. Then the gunship blasted over the ruin, swinging into a wide loop above the lake.
    ‘Is everyone okay?’ Rosemont called. His two companions responded in the affirmative.
    ‘We lost the truck,’ said Arnold unhappily, looking back at the burning wreck. ‘How are we gonna get out of here?’
    ‘We’ll walk if we have to,’ said Rosemont, ‘but let’s worry about staying alive first.’ He glanced towards Kerim’s position. ‘We’ve still got two LAWs over there. We might be able to bring down that chopper.’
    Arnold was not convinced. ‘It’d take a miracle.’
    ‘God’s on our side,’ said Cross, unshakeable conviction in his voice. He held up the angel. ‘We found this for a reason. The Lord won’t let us die now.’
    ‘We need firepower, not faith!’ said Rosemont. ‘Leave that damn thing here – we’ve got to get those rockets.’ Cross gave him an affronted look, then reluctantly placed the angel at the foot of the pillar. ‘Okay, Gabe, find Kerim. Cross, with me.’
    The agents set off at a run. Rosemont searched for the Hind over the dark water, but saw nothing. He could tell from the changing pitch of its engine note that it was turning around, though – another attack could come at any moment—
    More fire in the sky – and dusty geysers erupted as cannon fire ripped across the shoreline. The gunner had spotted the Ma’dan and opened up as the Mi-24 swept in. The Marsh Arabs returned fire, muzzle flashes bursting from the reeds, but the AKs were useless against the Hind’s thick armour. Tracer rounds homed in on the gunmen and hit home, screams rising over the helicopter’s clamour as bodies were shredded by a storm of explosive shells.
    Cross and Rosemont dived to the ground. The gunship roared over the shore, then vanished into the blackness once again. Kalashnikovs crackled after it in futile rage.
    Rosemont raised his head. ‘Jesus Christ!’ He felt Cross bristle at the blasphemy, but had no time or inclination to consider anyone’s religious sensitivities. ‘We’ve got to get those LAWs before these bastards cut us to pieces.’
    They ran again, men racing past them in the other direction; fear of whatever haunted the temple had been overpowered by an instinctive urge to seek cover behind solid stone. The two agents vaulted the torn remains of several Ma’dan. ‘There!’ said Cross, spotting the campfire’s still-glowing embers.
    Rosemont picked out the two crates in the moonlight. ‘We only get one chance at this.’
    ‘We’ll do it.’ Cross snatched up the LAW from the open case as Rosemont retrieved the second weapon from the other. Both tugged out the pins to release their launchers’ rear covers, then pulled hard to extend the firing tubes—
    ‘ Incoming! ’ Arnold cried.
    The agents dropped again as the Hind swept in along the lake’s edge. Rockets lanced from its wing pods,