Chapter 69
Using this confusion, Duncan shoved to his feet. He turned his back to the soldiers, who continued to rustle and look for instructions. He stared up at the flaming menorah, as if casting a prayer, trying his best not to look like a threat.
Instead, he planned to follow Sharyn’s example.
He had already silently shown her his intent, getting a nod from her and a whispered, “Wait for my signal.”
Surely burning the book was that, a distraction if ever there was one.
From inside his half-zipped parka, torn and ripped by the rocket blast, he tugged up the yellow tube of the avalanche charge. The last of Russo’s supply. He silently thanked the biologist for this hope, for this chance.
Earlier, he had tucked the tube into his parka when he had climbed up the tower to his sniper’s roost. It was his last resort, his final means of defending the castle.
He had intended to light its fuse and drop the kilo of TNT on top of the soldiers clearing the cliffside trail—if they ever got too close.
And they’re bloody well too close now.
Keeping as hidden as possible, but moving quickly, he pulled the charge higher and wiggled its fuse up to the menorah’s lowest branch. The incendiary cord burst into a fiery eye that quickly began eating down the line to its explosive core.
He spun back, knowing this threat would quickly be recognized.
In that fleeting moment, with adrenaline sharpening his focus, he took in the room.
—Archie gaped wide-eyed at him.
—Laurent still held Russo’s body, as if disbelieving she was dead. Still, he stared to where Sharyn knelt, her gaze fixed to the flaming book behind the table.
—Julian ran toward her, close to reaching her, but Laurent thrust out a leg as the man passed and sent him sprawling.
Duncan yanked his arm back. With all the strength left to him, he threw the charge. A gunshot—coming from Captain Ferhat’s pistol—struck his wrist, shattering bone. The charge flew wildly, making it only halfway across the chamber, landing some distance from the spread of soldiers.
Once again, his Hail Mary pass had failed.
The yellow tube struck the floor and skittered to the only man sitting there, still bent over after being shot in the back.
Kier Marchand picked up the tube and stared back at Duncan.
Their eyes met.