The Fall (The Strain Trilogy 2) - Page 104
When no such order came, he rolled right up to the gate and stopped. He exited the Hummer with the engine running, checking the first truck. Empty. The second as well. Empty but for splashes of red blood on the windshield and dashboard, and a dry puddle on the front seat.
Gus went into the back of the truck, lifting the canvas. He waved over Angel, who came limping. Together they looked at the rack of small arms. Angel strung one submachine gun over each of his considerable shoulders, cradling an assault rifle in his arms. Extra ammunition went into his pockets and shirt. Gus carried two Colt submachine guns back to the Hummer.
They pushed around the trucks through to the first buildings. Getting out, Setrakian heard loud engines running and realized the plant was operating on diesel-fueled backup generators. The redundant safety systems were operating automatically, keeping the abandoned reactor from shutting down.
Inside the first buildings, they were met by turned soldiers—vampires in fatigues. With Gus in front and Angel limping behind, they moved through the revenants, shredding bodies without any finesse. The rounds staggered the vampires, but they wouldn’t stay down unless the spinal column was obliterated at the neck.
“Know where you’re going?” said Gus over his shoulder.
“I do not,” said Setrakian.
He followed the security checkpoints, pushing through doors with the most warning signs. Here there were no more soldier vampires, only plant workers turned into guards and sentinels. The more resistance Setrakian met, the closer he knew they were to the control room.
Setrakian.
The old man grabbed the wall.
The Master. Here…
How much more powerful the Master’s “voice” was inside his head than that of the Ancients. Like a hand grasping his brain stem and snapping his spine like a whip.
Angel straightened Setrakian with a meaty hand and called to Gus.
“What is it?” said Gus, fearing a heart attack.
They hadn’t heard it. The Master spoke only to Setrakian.
“He is here now,” said Setrakian. “The Master.”
Gus looked this way and that, hyperalert. “He’s here? Great. Let’s get him.”
“No. You don’t understand. You haven’t faced him yet. He is not like the Ancients. These guns are nothing to him. He will dance around bullets.”
Gus reloaded his smoking weapon and said, “I come too far with this. Nothing scares me now.”
“I know, but you can’t beat him this way. Not here, and not with weapons made for killing men.” Setrakian fixed his vest, straightening. “I know what he wants.”
“Okay. What’s that?”
“Something only I can give him.”
“That damn book?”
“No. Listen to me, Gus. Return to Manhattan. If you leave now, there is hope that you might make it in time. Join Eph and Fet if you can. You will need to be deep underground regardless.”
“This place is going to blow?” Gus looked at Angel, who was breathing hard and gripping his bad leg. “Then come back with us. Let’s go. If you can’t beat him here.”
“I can’t stop this nuclear chain reaction. But—I might be able to affect the chain reaction of vampiric infection.”
An alarm went off—piercing honks spaced about one second apart—startling Angel, who checked both ends of the hallway.
“My guess is the backup generators are failing,” said Setrakian. He grasped Gus’s shirt, talking over the horn blasts. “Do you want to be cooked alive here? Both of you—go!”
Gus remained with Angel as the old man walked on, unsheathing the sword from his walking stick. Gus looked to the other old man in his charge, the broken-down wrestler drenched in sweat, his big eyes uncertain. Waiting to be told what to do.
“We go,” said Gus. “You heard the man.”
Angel’s big arm stopped him. “Just leave him h
Source: readsnovelonline.net