Soft Target (Major Crimes Unit Book 2) (29 page)

“
Then
what the hell do we do, luv?
”

Sarah stood up and looked around
the cabin before scrambling back into the cockpit. 
“
Mandy, is it safe to get above the other chopper?
”

Mandy nodded. 
“
It
’
ll keep us out of the line of sight, but they
’
ll also be out of ours.  We won
’
t be able to do anything.
”

Sarah knew that. 
“
I have an idea,
”
she said. 
“
Take us
right above them.  Then, when I give the word, bring us out ten feet on their
right, tight as possible to their top.  You understand?
”

Mandy didn
’
t question her, he just nodded.

Sarah headed back into the
cabin and knelt.

“
What
you doing?
”
Mattock asked her.

“
Ever
see Tarzan?
”

Sarah picked up the nylon
rigging and straightened it out.  There was about twelve feet of it.  She went
to Mattock
’
s seat and reached
underneath him.

“
Aye
up, love.  I
’
m married.
”

Sarah rolled her eyes. 
“
So am I.
”
 
She looped the nylon rope around the fitting beneath Mattock
’
s seat, yanking it tight.  It
’
d only have to be strong enough to hold her
for a second.

Mattock gave her the strangest
look then.
“
You
’
re not about to do what I think you are,
are you?
”

Sarah grinned. 
“
I
’
d never try to understand the mind of a man, so who knows what you
’
re thinking.
”

She wrapped the other end of
the nylon rope around her waist and made sure it was secure.  Then she stood in
the open hatch and stared down at the whirling propeller blades of the other
chopper. 
“
Mandy,
”
she shouted,
“
take us to the right, just like I said.
”

The chopper started moving. 
Slowly, the whirling blades beneath Sarah shifted away until there was an
opening gap between the two helicopters.  The one-handed woman was unaware that
Sarah was hovering above her, which was why she was getting set up to take her
shot at the Queen.  She was no longer holding the high-powered rifle she had
been firing at the Griffin, but a Javelin Missile launcher.   She was going to
take out the entire barge.

Sarah took a deep breath. 
“
Here goes nothing,
”
she said, then jumped out the side of the helicopter.  She
immediately regretted it.  She kicked at thin air, the wind rushing to meet her
and lethal propellers whirling beneath.  She fell within mere inches of the
deadly blades and carried on falling.

The nylon rope caught and went
taut.  Sarah
’
s body jolted and
she was thrown forwards.  The rope hit the propellers and snapped in two. 
Suddenly she was flying, held in place by nothing but gravity and momentum. 
Her swing threw her forward, right into the side hatch of the other chopper. 
She landed on top of the woman in the burkha, and the Javelin launcher
clattered against the floor.  Sarah kicked out a leg and booted it out of the
cabin and into the Thames.

A fist hit Sarah
’
s jaw and sent her rolling across the
floor. 

The woman in the burkha was
like a wild animal, clawing and hissing, punching at Sarah
’
s face with both her right fist and left
stump.  Sarah saw stars as she tried to find an opening into the fight.

Sarah grabbed the woman
’
s headdress, using it as leverage. 
Eventually, the burkha came free and Sarah was face-to-face with the woman who
had blown her friend, Sergeant Miller, to pieces.

The woman glared at Sarah,
teeth bared like a monster.  Her eyes were a deep brown and small scars
criss-crossed the weathered skin of her nose and cheeks.

“
Fucking
‘
ell,
”
Sarah said. 
“
You
’
re uglier than I am.
”
 
She whipped her SIG out of its holster and smashed the
butt against the woman
’
s nose, breaking it with ease.  The woman sprawled away from Sarah,
hitting the bench against the far side of the cabin.  Sarah prepared to fire
her SIG, but was halted by the sound of a gun cocking behind her.

Sarah turned to find Hesbani
in the cockpit, aiming a gun at her face. 
“
I believe you and my sister have met before.  What a reunion this
is.  Aziza, are you okay?
”

The woman clutched her broken
nose but grunted in affirmation.  Sarah kept her SIG aimed directly at the
woman
’
s head. 
“
You have a lovely family, Hesbani.  I didn
’
t know inbreeding was so prevalent in Afghanistan.
”

“
I
have very little family,
”
Hesbani
replied. 
“
Thanks to the
immoral West.
”

Sarah rolled her eyes. 
“
God, you terrorists are boring.  Always the
same serious, doom and gloom, end-of-the-world bullshit.  Don
’
t you people ever crack a joke?
”

Hesbani started to squeeze the
trigger.  Sarah adjusted her aim at Aziza. 
“
Don
’
t do something you
’
ll regret, Hesbani.  You pull your trigger, I pull mine.
”

Hesbani released the pressure
on his trigger, but seemed no less angry.  His upper lip curled. 
“
Allah
’
s influence has turned your people against you.  Jeffrey
Blanchfield, Caroline Pugh.  Your own citizens are beginning to realise their
own wickedness and repent.  Things are changing.  What I have done will matter
always.
”

“
I
remember when Madonna mattered.  Things change, don
’
t get over-excited.
”

“
Your
empire will crumble.  Your monarch will bleed.
”

“
Hate
to tell you, but sis dropped her rocket launcher.  Your mission is FUBAR.
”

“
The
mission has only just begun.  I am just one man.  Allah
’
s will is infinite.
”

“
Your
dagger tattoo is backwards.
”
 
Sarah
noted the henna on his exposed wrist.  The truth was she was stalling for time
while she thought about her next move.  If she lost her aim on Aziza, Hesbani
would gun her down.

Hesbani smiled. 
“
Al-Sharir wished to die for Allah.  I wish
to kill for him.  Only death
—”

“
Can
ensure life.  Yeah, yeah, I
’
ve
heard it before.  God, no wonder Al-Sharir kicked you loose.
”

Hesbani glanced ahead for a
moment and adjusted the chopper
’
s trajectory.  Mandy was swooping in and out of view, trying to
unnerve him, but when Hesbani turned back to Sarah his expression was cold and
inhuman. 
“
Al-Sharir is a
short-sighted man.  He treats war like a tea party.
”

“
So
why use his name?
”

“
Because
his name means more than mine.  The Muslim nations will rally behind
Al-Sharir.  He has become a false idol, but one that can be used to achieve
Allah
’
s goals.
”

“
Perhaps,
”
Sarah said,
“
but we have one advantage you don
’
t.
”

“
What
is that?
”

“
We
have the ability to change.  You might hurt us, but we
’
ll always get back on our feet and do whatever we have to do to beat
you.  If we can
’
t win now, we
’
ll learn how to win later.  You
’
re not fighting infidels.  You
’
re fighting the future; you
’
re fighting progress.  Change frightens small men like you and Bin
Laden.  I
’
m sorry Hesbani, but
you
’
re going to lose.  No one
can stop the human race from evolving.
”

Aziza started for Sarah. 
Sarah took one look at her and shook her head. 
“
If you want to keep the hand you have left,
sit
.
”

Aziza looked to her brother,
who nodded almost imperceptibly.  She sat back against the wall. 

“
So
…”
Sarah said. 
“
Where do we go from here?  You shoot me, I shoot your sister.  I
shoot your sister, you shoot me.
”

Hesbani smiled. 
“
We
’
ve been in a similar position once before, I remember.  Who lives
and who dies?  I believe you chose yourself last time.
”

Sarah nodded. 
“
I did, but that didn
’
t work out so well for me.  Maybe this time
I
’
ll try something different. 
And it
’
s
Captain
, to
you, dickhead.
”

Sarah pulled the trigger and
executed Hesbani
’
s sister.

“
N
ooooo!
”
  Hesbani screamed and let off a shot, but Sarah had already leapt
out of the way.  Aziza clutched her chest in shock, bleeding out.

Hesbani repeatedly fired,
filling the cabin with ricochets.  Ping, ping, ping!  Sarah dove behind the
seat and prayed for Hesbani
’
s firearm to empty.  She soon heard a familiar and reassuring sound.

Kik Kik!

Hesbani
’
s gun ran empty and he threw it to the ground.  Sarah rose over the
back of the chair and was just about to shoot when she realised she
’
d dropped her own weapon while diving for cover. 

Hesbani glared at Sarah, but
softened when he glanced at his sister.  Aziza was not yet dead, and with her
final breaths she spoke to her brother. 
“
Brother,
finish
…
our mission.  I will see you
…
at Allah
’
s side.
”

Hesbani was breathing heavily,
but slowed as his sister slumped into death.  He whispered something:
“
Allahu Akbar.
”

Aziza didn
’
t respond.

Hesbani shoved forward on the
yoke.  The helicopter
’
s nose dipped down and they picked up speed.  Sarah was thrown,
hitting the floor behind the cockpit.  She cried out in pain as she realised
that one of Hesbani
’
s ricochets had lodged in her thigh, right above her old shrapnel
wound.  She dragged herself towards the cockpit. 
“
Hesbani,
it
’
s
…
it
’
s over.  Just give up.
”

“
Nothing is over.  I wanted to kill you in Afghanistan
—
Al-Sharir should have let me
—
but this will serve a greater purpose.
”

Sarah realised what Hesbani
was doing and her whole body shook, despair spreading like wildfire.  He was
going to dive bomb the royal barge.  This was the final suicide bomb, and Sarah
was going to be part of it.

“
Don
’
t do this,
”
Sarah pleaded. 
“
Your mission is a lie.  No god wishes for innocent blood to be
spilt.  Allah doesn
’
t want this!
”

Hesbani cackled. 
“
You know nothing of Allah
’
s will.  You are a
woman, a whore.
”

Sarah clenched her fists.  The
pain in her thigh was forgotten for an instant as she lunged into the cockpit
and rammed into Hesbani.  The man was strapped into his seat, which held him in
place as she straddled his lap.  He was about to protest when she silenced him
with a swift headbutt.  He struggled to fight her off of him, but she had his
arms pinned beneath her thighs.

“
Here
’
s your choice,
”
Sarah snarled. 
“
Either I snap your neck, or I gouge out your eyes.  Your choice.
”

Hesbani glared at her. 
“
Fuck
…
you
…
whore.
”

“
Alright, both.
”
  Sarah drove her thumbnails into Hesbani
’
s
eyes, ignoring the sickening feeling of yielding flesh and blood vessels
rupturing.

Hesbani wailed, bucking in his
seat like he was having a fit.  His panic made him stronger and he managed to
free one of his arms. 

Sarah wrapped her hands around
Hesbani
’
s neck and twisted as hard as she could. 

SNAP!

Hesbani went still.

Sarah sat there for a few
seconds as all of the pain from her past, all of the regrets, death, and
bloodshed, came flooding to the surface.  Sarah let out a gut-wrenching
scream.  She screamed so madly that it felt like her insides were going to
explode.  It was only Mattock
’
s voice coming over the radio that snapped her out of it. 

“
Sarah, are you there?  Speak to me.
”
 

Sarah glanced out the cockpit
window and saw the Thames rushing up to meet her.  Directly in front of her was
the royal barge.

“
Shit!
”

“
Sarah, are you okay?  What
’
s the situation?
”
Mattock asked frantically.

Sarah grabbed the yoke and
yanked it towards her.  She had no idea how to pilot a helicopter but she
prayed to motherfucking Allah that she could pull it out of the nose dive it
was in.  The yoke resisted her and the entire cockpit vibrated.  The helicopter
continued plummeting towards the water.

Sarah kept a hold of the stick
as best she could.  Slowly, more of the horizon began to appear through the
cockpit window.  The city of London tilted back and forth, almost like it was
moving around her.  She closed her eyes and hoped for the best.

When Sarah opened her eyes,
she saw the console fizzing and sparking.  The helicopter had come out of its
nosedive and levelled out, but now someone was firing at her from below.

Tatter tatter tatter.

The helicopter rocked back and
forth as its interior lights flashed.  The sounds of the engine grew weaker,
coughing and spluttering.  The steering became heavy in her hands and she
thumbed the button on her lapel radio. 
“
Mattock. 
Shit, Mattock, that goddamn frigate is firing at me.  I can
’
t fly this thing and it
’
s falling to pieces.
”

“
Sarah!
”
  It was Mandy on the line. 
“
Keep
a firm but loose grip on the yoke.  Let it move freely, but keep it under your
control.  Guide it gently where you want it to go.
”

Sarah did as she was told. 
“
Okay.  Okay, it
’
s working.  Now what?
”

“
Try to level off.  Keep her steady and facing forward.
”

“
Okay, I have her steady.  Now what?  I can
’
t
land this thing.
”

“
No, you can
’
t,
”
Mandy agreed. 
“
You
’
ve lost your landing skids and your petrol tank is leaking.  You
’
re going to fall out of the sky.
”

Sarah felt her heart sink. 
“
So what the hell do I do?
”

“
Jump.  Get the chopper lined up to go down in the river, and jump.
”

Sarah didn
’
t bother responding.  She knew the helicopter was falling apart, it
might even explode; she had no way of knowing.  There was only one way out that
gave her any hope of surviving.  She stumbled into the rear cabin.  Her thigh
bunched in pain as shock began to lock her muscles.  Even if she survived the
long drop to the water, she was pretty sure she couldn
’
t
swim with all her injuries.  But it was the only chance she had.

There was an orange life
jacket stuffed beneath one of the seats, and Sarah put it on.  The chopper was
losing altitude fast and she was confident it would end up in a clear stretch
of the river.  If there were going to be any casualties, it would be her.

Mandy flew the Griffin nearby,
as close as he could get.  Mattock was in the co-pilot seat.  The two men
looked over at her and saluted, as much a sign of friendship as respect.  She
saluted back at them, something she thought she
’
d
never do again after leaving the army.

“
We
’
ve got you, luv,
”
came Mattock
’
s voice across her radio. 
“
Soon as you hit the
water I
’
ll be down to get you.  You
’
ll get through this,
Captain, I promise.
”

“
I know I will,
”
she said. 
“
And it
’
s Sarah.
”
  She wrapped her arms around herself and jumped.