“Abraham!” shouted Piotr from the quarry. His voice was deep and smooth and carried easily, barely diminished by the wind and distance. “While I applaud the gesture, you know that’s not how this ends. An impersonal bullet fired by someone else? Not very satisfying, is it?”
The overpowering urge to slam my baton into Piotr’s skull returned, but I fought it down before I lost control and charged down the hill. He was taunting me, trying to goad me into attacking him. If I gave in, Anne and Chuck would be down the hill right behind me, and we’d all be torn apart by Piotr’s bags.
Five minutes ago, each of us had been prepared to make that sacrifice. But after seeing that shotgun slug drop harmlessly at Piotr’s feet? Now it seemed futile.
Self-control won out and I regained my composure. Gravel trickled down the face of the hill where I had kicked it loose by taking two or three involuntary steps.
Piotr’s smile slipped as he saw me master myself. His voice sounded angry now, less smug. “I’ve waited all this time for you to be ready, prepared every step of your journey-” Now it was his turn to fight for calm. “That’s fine. It won’t be long now. We’re drawn together by a higher purpose, you and I. Trust in that. Our time is coming. You just need another push.”
All but one of his guards had entered the van, taking the rejected prisoners with them. Piotr pointed at the one that remained by the water, and it turned to look at him. Some unseen communication passed between them for the briefest of moments, and then Piotr smiled at me and jumped into the van and slammed the door.
The last guard reached down and effortlessly picked up two of the dozen or more captives at his feet. He dangled them by their upper arms over the dark water of the quarry lake.
I drew my baton and broke into a run. Maybe I didn’t know how kill Piotr just yet, but that didn’t mean I had to stand by while his pet bag murdered all those captives.
The guard slammed the first two men together. Bones cracked audibly under the impact, and then there was a splash as he let them drop into the water. The entire surface of the lake shuddered.
Instinct slowed me as the entire surface of the lake began to heave, slopping water over the edge of the quarry and over the feet of the bag standing there.
The van’s engine roared to life.
The bag spread his arms wide and threw his head back as the surface of the lake exploded.
I heard but didn’t see the van leave, as my eyes were fixed in horror on the thing that was emerging from the churning water.