“Hey!” said Finn Delaney.
Both gunmen spun around to see Delaney, who had materialized within a foot of them. He reached out quickly and slammed their heads together. They both collapsed to the floor.
“That was a little tight there, Doctor,” said Delaney. “Another foot closer and it would’ve gotten messy.”
Darkness shrugged. “How was I to know that they’d be standing there?”
Gulliver shut his eyes and almost sobbed with relief. “Delaney!”
Finn glanced down at the figure sprawled out on the floor. “Well, well,” he said. “Look what we’ve got here. I believe we’ve recaptured an escaped prisoner.”
“Damn you, Delaney, get me loose,” said Hunter.
“You know this man, Delaney?” Darkness said.
“I knew his twin,” Delaney said. “Dr. Darkness, meet Capt. Reese Hunter, of the Counter Insurgency Section of the Special Operations Group.” He bent down over Hunter and cut his bonds with his commando knife.
“You look like hell,” he said.
“I feel like hell,” said Hunter. He got up to his feet and winced. .
“Where’s Andre?” said Delaney, using his laser to burn through Gulliver’s cuffs.
“Drakov took her,” Gulliver said.
“Yeah, you just missed ‘em,” Hunter said.
“Damn! What about Lucas?”
“Lucas?” Hunter said, rubbing his sore wrists. “Lucas Priest? I thought he was dead. “
“It’s a long story,” said Delaney. “I don’t suppose you have any idea where he took her?”
Hunter shook his head. His gaze fell on Darkness and he stared. “Say, pilgrim, am I still punchy or am I actually seeing through that guy?”
“Yeah, well, that’s a long story, too,” Delaney said, taking the two guns from Dr. Darkness. One was a Browning Hi-Power, the other was a Czech CZ-75. “Premium hardware for this time period,” said Delaney, examining the pistols. He glanced at Hunter. “You know how to use these?”
“9-mm semiautos?” Hunter said. “Yeah, I can manage. Why, don’t tell me you’re actually going to arm an escaped prisoner?”
“I’m going to take a chance,” Delaney said, handing rum the Hi-Power. “Now you can shoot me in the back with that thing or you can help. It’s up to you. Drakov isn’t just our enemy. he’s yours as well. I figure any business we’ve got between us can wait till this is finished. What do you say?”
“All right. I’m in. I’ve got a score to settle with that man.” “Truce?” Delaney said, offering his hand.
“Truce,” said Hunter. They shook.
Hunter hefted the Hi-Power in his hand. He jacked out the magazine and checked to see that it was full, then slapped it back in. He tucked the gun into his waistband in the small of his back.
Delaney beckoned to Gulliver. “Lem, come over here. Take this one,” he said, handing him the black CZ.
“I have never seen such a gun,” said Gulliver, dubiously.
“This one’s a lot easier to shoot then anything you might have seen,” Delaney reassured him. “It has two different carry modes, double action or cocked and locked. You’re only going to worry about one, the double action. If you want to shoot, all you do is point the gun and squeeze the trigger, simple as that. You can fire fifteen shots without reloading.”
“Fifteen? Without reloading?”
“As fast as you can pull the trigger,” said Delaney. “But don’t fire all fifteen. It’s better to shoot in groups of three. Now the trigger pull on the first shot is going to be a little stiffer than on the succeeding ones, so be ‘prepared for that. And use two hands, like this.”
Delaney demonstrated a proper combat stance and showed him how to sight.