was simply a lying, cheating bastard.
Fortunately, when the lip suction came to an end and Valerie closed the door, Chester headed away from him. Alex watched until he headed down the stairs out of sight, then turned and continued along the corridor.
He’d gone ten feet before it occurred to him that Valerie wasn’t in the same room as where he’d seen her from outside. Maybe Chester wasn’t the only guard she was keeping company.
He’d gone another ten feet before it also occurred to him that Chester might be going to the kitchen. Worried, he picked up speed.
The hotel was arranged in a square around a central courtyard and Alex found room fifty-eight close to the next corner, facing the outer edge of the building. A faint light filtered from beneath the door. Alex pressed an ear to the wooden surface, but couldn’t hear anything. When he tried the handle, there was no resistance.
Skull-spiker ready in his right hand, he pushed open the door quietly and slipped inside, closing it behind him.
The room was empty, a candle burning on the bedside table the only source of light. The covers on the double bed were turned down. In the en-suite bathroom a toilet flushed and a tap ran. Alex barely had time to flick out the spiker and look threatening before the door opened and Harvey Boot walked into the room.
He froze, staring at Alex in shock. His eyes jumped to the door.
“You’d be dead before they reached you,” Alex said.
The surprise slipped from Boot’s face and he drew himself up to his full four feet and change. “If you kill me, you’ll be dead when they reach you .”
Alex shrugged. “After what you’ve taken from me, killing you will be worth it.”
Boot looked confused for a moment. “Oh, you mean Dr. Sanderson. Yes, I can imagine you were upset about her turning.”
Burning rage flashed through Alex’s chest. He lunged at Boot, grabbing his throat and slamming him up against the wall. Boot’s eyes widened in terror, his feet scrabbling for purchase against the smooth plaster.
Alex raised the spiker. “This is for Hannah and everyone else you’ve murdered.”
Boot clawed at Alex’s hand. “Stop,” he rasped, desperately trying to draw in more oxygen, “you can’t... she’s not...”
The door to the corridor exploded inwards.
Chester stood in the opening, a pistol clutched in his hand.
Alex dropped Boot and dived behind the bed, a trail of bullets following his movement and slamming into the mattress above him. He pulled his pistol from its holster and blindly aimed over the bed, firing five times in quick succession before raising his head. Both Boot and Chester were gone from the room. The corridor outside filled with shouting voices and running footsteps.
Alex leaped up and ran for the door. In the hallway, guards were running towards him. Beyond them, Boot was running away, Chester behind him. Alex raised his gun. Seeing him, the guards stumbled to a halt, their huge forms blocking his aim as they raised their weapons. Cursing in frustration, Alex darted back into the room as a salvo of bullets blanketed the corridor behind him.
Dashing for the window, Alex grabbed a chair and heaved it at the glass. The panel shattered and he leaped through without slowing, plummeting the fifteen feet to the ground and dropping into a roll. Bits of glass dug into his exposed hands.
Faces appeared at the ruined window above him, searching the darkness. Someone swept a torch back and forth across the ground and the beam passed across him. By the time it snapped back he was on his feet and running. Bullets followed his progress until he rounded the back corner of the building a couple of seconds later.
He reached the door into the kitchen and stopped, panting for breath, wondering what to do. Would Boot try to leave after his attack, or stay and wait for his guards to find and kill Alex? Should Alex go in and find him, or stay outside and wait for him to come out?
Alex wanted to scream. He
Fortunately, when the lip suction came to an end and Valerie closed the door, Chester headed away from him. Alex watched until he headed down the stairs out of sight, then turned and continued along the corridor.
He’d gone ten feet before it occurred to him that Valerie wasn’t in the same room as where he’d seen her from outside. Maybe Chester wasn’t the only guard she was keeping company.
He’d gone another ten feet before it also occurred to him that Chester might be going to the kitchen. Worried, he picked up speed.
The hotel was arranged in a square around a central courtyard and Alex found room fifty-eight close to the next corner, facing the outer edge of the building. A faint light filtered from beneath the door. Alex pressed an ear to the wooden surface, but couldn’t hear anything. When he tried the handle, there was no resistance.
Skull-spiker ready in his right hand, he pushed open the door quietly and slipped inside, closing it behind him.
The room was empty, a candle burning on the bedside table the only source of light. The covers on the double bed were turned down. In the en-suite bathroom a toilet flushed and a tap ran. Alex barely had time to flick out the spiker and look threatening before the door opened and Harvey Boot walked into the room.
He froze, staring at Alex in shock. His eyes jumped to the door.
“You’d be dead before they reached you,” Alex said.
The surprise slipped from Boot’s face and he drew himself up to his full four feet and change. “If you kill me, you’ll be dead when they reach you .”
Alex shrugged. “After what you’ve taken from me, killing you will be worth it.”
Boot looked confused for a moment. “Oh, you mean Dr. Sanderson. Yes, I can imagine you were upset about her turning.”
Burning rage flashed through Alex’s chest. He lunged at Boot, grabbing his throat and slamming him up against the wall. Boot’s eyes widened in terror, his feet scrabbling for purchase against the smooth plaster.
Alex raised the spiker. “This is for Hannah and everyone else you’ve murdered.”
Boot clawed at Alex’s hand. “Stop,” he rasped, desperately trying to draw in more oxygen, “you can’t... she’s not...”
The door to the corridor exploded inwards.
Chester stood in the opening, a pistol clutched in his hand.
Alex dropped Boot and dived behind the bed, a trail of bullets following his movement and slamming into the mattress above him. He pulled his pistol from its holster and blindly aimed over the bed, firing five times in quick succession before raising his head. Both Boot and Chester were gone from the room. The corridor outside filled with shouting voices and running footsteps.
Alex leaped up and ran for the door. In the hallway, guards were running towards him. Beyond them, Boot was running away, Chester behind him. Alex raised his gun. Seeing him, the guards stumbled to a halt, their huge forms blocking his aim as they raised their weapons. Cursing in frustration, Alex darted back into the room as a salvo of bullets blanketed the corridor behind him.
Dashing for the window, Alex grabbed a chair and heaved it at the glass. The panel shattered and he leaped through without slowing, plummeting the fifteen feet to the ground and dropping into a roll. Bits of glass dug into his exposed hands.
Faces appeared at the ruined window above him, searching the darkness. Someone swept a torch back and forth across the ground and the beam passed across him. By the time it snapped back he was on his feet and running. Bullets followed his progress until he rounded the back corner of the building a couple of seconds later.
He reached the door into the kitchen and stopped, panting for breath, wondering what to do. Would Boot try to leave after his attack, or stay and wait for his guards to find and kill Alex? Should Alex go in and find him, or stay outside and wait for him to come out?
Alex wanted to scream. He
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