The Project 02 - The Lance

the cup was almost full, Greenwood stepped away. Blood continued to flow down her arm and over her breast. It ran down her side, down her leg, dripping on the floor. She was getting dizzy. She fought it.
    "Bind her wound," Greenwood said. "We don't want her to die yet."
    Smothers taped a compress over the bleeding vein. He wasn't gentle. Greenwood went to the edge of the circle of the black sun. He dipped the Vienna Lance into the chalice of blood and began to draw the blood along the circle. He moved counter-clockwise, chanting in the grating rhythm of the Old Germanic tongue as he moved.
    The air turned freezing cold. Selena blinked, blinked again. A darkness was forming in the room, a thin, black cloud near the ceiling. It had to be an illusion, brought on by the wavering light of the torches, the loss of blood. She fought to stay conscious.
    She wasn't going to give up, no matter what. But she hoped the others had figured it out and were on the way. She didn't think she had much time left.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

    There were thirteen steps. At the bottom, a short corridor paved with stone led to an arched door of thick, heavy oak. The hinges were of hammered iron, the black iron handle shaped like a snarling wolf's head. The door looked medieval. There was a faint sound beyond the thick door, a rhythmic chanting, harsh and guttural, rising in pitch.
    Nick shifted the selector switch on his MP-5 to semi-auto.
    "Lamont, you pull the door open, we go in. On three." He signaled with his fingers. The door opened and they stepped into the room.
    The first thing Nick saw was a group of men dressed in white robes, standing in a circle in a stone room lit by flaming torches. The room was freezing. The next thing he saw was Selena, naked and slick with blood, bound to a pole set in the middle of the room. A man stood in front of her. He was chanting. His back was toward the entrance. There was a strange darkness hovering around him. He raised both his hands high over his head. Between them he held a long, dark blade, pointed down toward Selena.
    Nick's bullet took him somewhere between his shoulder and spine, spinning him away from Selena. The blade flew from his hands and clattered against the polished floor.
    An older man in the circle reached for something inside his robe. Lamont shot him in the chest. He staggered and crumpled over, the front of his robe bright with blood. The rest of the circle froze in place.
    Nick slung his MP-5 and ran to Selena. He reached up and cut her bonds. She slumped into his arms. He caught her and laid her down. Ronnie and Lamont kept their weapons trained on the others.
    Blood oozed from under a crude bandage on her arm, dark red against her pale skin. He felt her pulse. Strong, but erratic. Lying on the floor not far away, the man he'd shot groaned. Nick recognized Greenwood.
    "Ronnie, get me one of those robes."
    Ronnie walked over to the Vice-President. "Take it off."
    Earlston drew himself up to his full five foot nine. "Do you know who I am?"
    Ronnie put the muzzle of his gun on Earlston's forehead and pressed.
    "I don't give a shit if you're the Queen of England. Take it off."
    Earlston stripped off the robe. Ronnie tossed the robe over and Nick wrapped it around Selena. Her face was white. She opened her eyes.
    "Nick."
    "You're okay now. It's all right."
    "It took you long enough." She closed her eyes.
    He picked her up and carried her across the room, sat her down in a fancy carved chair. That was when he noticed the Nazi flags. He looked around the room, at the swastikas, the torches, the words on the wall. He looked at Selena, pale in the light of the torches. He wanted to hurt someone. He wanted to hurt someone badly.
    One of the robed men started toward the figure groaning on the floor.
    "Don't move," Lamont said.
    "That's my father, he's hurt."
    "Tough shit. Don't move."
    "You wouldn't dare shoot us."
    Lamont looked at the speaker. Admiral Lang, Chief of Naval Intelligence.
    "Do you know who we are? Do you understand what is going to happen to you if you harm us? I am your superior officer. I order you to drop those weapons, now."
    Ronnie and Lamont looked at each other and began laughing. Lang looked confused.
    Selena opened her eyes. "Take care of this, Nick. I'm fine." Her eyes were clear.
    He walked over to Lamont. They stood with their backs to the open door.
    "Nick, what are we going to do with these shitbirds?"
    "Damned if I know."
    " You will do nothing. Drop your