The Storm (NUMA Files 10)

Kurt was moving down the hall as more gunfire rang out. The others were rushing to catch up with him.

“That explains why his men were snapping to attention,” Paul suggested. “They thought someone was coming back.”

“So where did they go?” Leilani asked.

“I can only think of one place,” Kurt said.

JINN STOOD IN AQUA-TERRA’S control room shocked by what had occurred. Zarrina, Otero and Matson surrounded him, along with the radar operator and another one of his men. The rest were scattered, perhaps ten or less now, fighting Marchetti’s crew and what looked like U.S. Marines.

“How? How is this possible?” he asked. “There are no patrol boats or helicopters here. Where did they come from?”

“We have video from the detention level,” Otero said, studying a laptop. “I hate to say this, but it’s Austin.”

“It can’t be,” Jinn said. “He’s dead. I’ve killed him twice.”

“Then he’s come back from the dead,” Otero said, turning the laptop toward Jinn. “Look.”

It was Austin. Jinn could not imagine how. It was as if Austin had appeared in his midst like a ghost. An appropriate thought as Jinn had been certain he’d

been sent to perdition.

The shooting was growing closer. From the observation deck a few of Jinn’s men could be seen running toward Marchetti’s central park. They didn’t make it.

“We have to get out of here,” Zarrina said. “This battle is lost.”

Jinn studied the layout. They would never make it to the dry dock, where the flying boat was moored. Even if they did, a few well-placed bullets or the missiles he’d brought in would take them down.

“We can’t run,” he said.

“And we can’t win this fight,” Zarrina replied sharply. “There are only five of us.”

“Silence,” Jinn snapped.

He was trying to think, trying desperately to come up with a way to turn the tables. He looked to Otero. “Access the horde and energize the transmitter.”

Otero began tapping away on his laptop and then pushed it across the table to Jinn.

“You have access.”

“What are you going to do?” Matson asked.

Jinn ignored him. He began typing. Slowly at first, making sure he was in the right area of the system, and then faster.

Gunfire in the hall spurred him on.

He selected a command from the menu and hit enter.

The door to the room flew open and shots were exchanged, with shells ricocheting around the room.

Jinn took cover as Matson and the radar operator were cut down. A few seconds later Jinn’s other guard was killed as he tried to get off a shot.

“Give it up, Jinn!” Austin’s voice called out.

Jinn found himself behind an island in the center of the control room with many of the vital controls on its surface. Otero and Zarrina crowded in behind with him. “And if we do?”

“I’ll put you in chains, deliver you to the proper authorities.”

“You expect me to believe you won’t kill us?”