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adbents on the bridge。 There were ten soldiers…four at her end and now six at the other…and she couldn't hope to pick them all off； especially the six at the far end； who were virtually out of range。 The chamber of the Springfield held only five shots； and when those were done she would have to pull back the bolt and manually reload five more； a long process。 And she only had ten rounds anyway。
Whatever she did had to be done in five shots。
She felt a sense of panic。 She had to think of a plan； a way to bring about an oute where they all survived。 Hauser was swaggering toward them with his rifle； and he clearly intended to kill them。 Yes； she would have to kill him； and then it would be all over for the Broadbents。
Her mind reeled。 There would be no misstep here； no second chance。 She had to get this right。 She played every option she could think of through her head； but they all ended the same way； with the Broadbents dead。 Her hand shook； the figure of Hauser jittered in the scope。 If I kill Hauser； they're dead。 If I don't kill Hauser； they're dead。
She watched helplessly as Hauser aimed his weapon。 He was smiling。 He looked like a man about to enjoy himself。
79
Tom watched Hauser walk down the bridge； an arrogant smile of triumph on his face。 He paused about a hundred feet from them。 He swiveled the muzzle of the gun toward Tom。 〃Take off the pack and lay it down。〃
Tom carefully took off the pack but； instead of laying it down； held it over the gorge by a strap。 〃It's the Codex。〃
Hauser fired a round from his gun that snipped a piece of bamboo from the railing less than a foot from Tom。 〃Lay it down！〃
Tom did not move。 He continued holding the book over the gorge。 〃Shoot me and it goes over the side。〃
There was a silence。 Hauser moved the muzzle of his gun toward Broadbent。 〃All right。 Lay it down or Daddy dies。 Last warning。〃
〃Let him kill me；〃 Broadbent growled。
〃And after Dad there are your two brothers。 Don't be stupid； and put it down。〃
After a brief moment Tom laid it down。 He had no choice。
〃The machete next。〃
Tom eased it out of its sheath and dropped it。
〃Well； well；〃 said Hauser； his face relaxing。 He turned his gaze on their father。 〃Max。 We meet again。〃
The old man； grasping his sons to help him stand； raised his head and spoke。 〃Your quarrel is with me。 Let the boys go。〃
The smile on Hauser's face took on a frostier look。 〃On the contrary； you're going to have the pleasure of seeing them die first。〃 Broadbent's head jerked a little。 Tom tightened his grip。 The bridge swayed slightly； the cold mists drifting upward。 Borabay took a step forward but was stayed by Philip。
〃Well then； who's first？ The Indian？ No； let's do him later。 We'll go by age。 Philip？ Step away from the others so I don't have to kill you all at once。〃
After a brief hesitation Philip stepped to one side。 Vernon reached out to him； grasped his arm； and tried to pull him back。 He shook it off and took another step。
〃You'll burn in hell； Hauser；〃 roared Broadbent。
Hauser smiled pleasantly and raised the muzzle of his rifle。 Tom looked away。
80
But the shot didn't e。 Tom looked up。 Hauser's attention had suddenly been diverted to something behind them。 Tom turned around and saw a flash of black： An animal was bounding along one of the cables of the bridge toward them； a monkey racing along with his tail up…Hairy Bugger。
With a screech of joy Bugger leapt into Tom's arms； and Tom saw that he had a canister almost as large as himself tied to his midriff。 It was the aluminum bottle of white gas from their backpacking stove。 There was something scrawled on it…
I CAN HIT THIS S。
Tom wondered what the hell it meant； what Sally had in mind。
Hauser raised his gun。 〃Okay； everybody calm down。 Everybody keep still。 Now： Show me what it is the monkey just brought you。 Slowly。〃
All at once； Sally's plan came to Tom。 He untied the canister。
〃Hold it out at arm's length。 Let me see it。〃
Tom held the canister out。 〃It's a liter of white gas。〃
〃Toss it over the side。〃
Tom spoke quietly。 〃There's a sharpshooter on our side who's got a bead on this bottle as we speak。 As you know； white gas is explosively flammable。〃
Hauser's face showed no trace of emotion or reaction。 He merely raised his gun。
〃Hauser； if she hits this can； the bridge burns。 You'll be cut off。 You'll be trapped in the White City forever。〃
Ten electric seconds passed； and then Hauser spoke。 〃If the bridge burns； you'll die； too。〃
〃You're going to kill us anyway。〃
Hauser said； 〃It's a bluff。〃
Tom did not respond。 Seconds ticked by。 Hauser's face betrayed nothing。
Tom said； 〃Hauser； she might just put a bullet through you。〃
Hauser raised his gun； and in that moment a bullet struck the bamboo bridge surface two feet in front of Hauser's boots with a snick！ sending a spray of bamboo splinters up into his face。 The report came a moment later； rolling across the chasm。
Hauser hastily lowered his gun muzzle。
〃Now that we've established this is not bullshit； you tell your soldiers to let us pass。〃
〃And？〃 said Hauser。
〃You can have the bridge； the tomb； and the Codex。 All we want is our lives。〃
Now Hauser shouldered his weapon。 〃My pliments；〃 he said。
Tom； with slow movements； took the canister and； using a loose piece of twine from the bridge； tied it around one of the main cables。
〃Tell your men to let us pass。 You stay where you are。 If anything bad happens to us； our sharpshooter shoots the canister and your precious bridge burns with you on it。 Understand？〃
Hauser nodded。
〃I didn't hear the order； Hauser。〃
Hauser cupped his hands over his mouth。 〃Men！〃 he called in Spanish。 〃Let them leave！ Do not molest them as they go！ I am releasing them！〃
There was a pause。
Hauser shouted； 〃I want a response to that order！〃
〃Si； se？or；〃 came the reply。
The Broadbents began walking off the bridge。
81
Hauser stood in the middle of the bridge； his mind having accepted the fact that a sharpshooter…no doubt that blond woman who had e with Tom Broadbent…had him in her crosshairs。 A useless old hunting rifle； the soldier had told him。 Right。 She had placed a bullet at his feet at 350 yards。 To think that she now had him in her sights was an unpleasant and yet oddly thrilling feeling。
He looked at the bottle tied to the cable。 The distance from where he was standing to the bottle was less than one hundred feet。 The sharpshooter was shooting from more than three hundred yards。 The bridge was swaying in the updrafts。 It would be a difficult shot； hitting a target moving through three dimensions。 An almost impossible shot； in fact。 In ten seconds he could reach the bottle； tear it off the cable； and drop it in the abyss。 If he then turned and ran back toward the far end of the bridge； he would be a moving target rapidly going out of range。 How likely would it be that she could hit him？ He would be running fast along a swaying bridge…again moving in three spatial dimensions relative to her firing point。 She would not be able to draw a bead on him。 On top of that she was a woman。 Obviously she could shoot； but no woman could shoot that well。
Yes； it could all be done quickly； before the Broadbents escaped； and she would never hit him or the canister。 Never。
He crouched and sprang toward the can of white gas。
Almost instantly he heard the snick！ of a bullet in front of him and then the report。 He kept going and reached the can just as the second report reached his ears。 Another miss。 This was too easy。 He had just put his hand on the can when he heard a pop！ and saw a brilliant blossoming of light erupt in front of him with a whoosh； followed by a searing heat。 He staggered back； waving his arm； surprised to see blue flames crawling all over him； his arms； his chest； his legs。 He fell and rolled； thrashing around； beating at his arm； but he was like a blazing Midas and everything he touched seemed to turn to fire。 He kicked； shrieked； rolled…and then suddenly he was like an angel； soaring on wings of air； and he closed his eyes and allowed the long； cool； delicious fall to happen。
82
Tom turned just in time to see the fiery human meteor that was Hauser streaking into the bottomless chasm； flickering dimly and silently as it hurtled down through layers of mist before disappearing； leaving nothing behind but a faint trail of smoke。
The entire midsection of the bridge where Hauser had been standing was on fire。
〃Get off the bridge！〃 Tom cried。 〃Run！〃
They ran as best they could； supporting their father； advancing toward the four soldiers； who quickly retreated to terra firma but remained blocking the far end of the bridge。 The soldiers looked confused； uncertain； guns raised； liable to do anything。 Hauser's last order had been to let the Broadbents pass…but would they？
The leader of the group； a lieutenant； raised his weapon and cried； 〃Halt！〃
〃Let us pass！〃 Tom cried in Spanish。 They kept ing。
〃No。 Get back。〃
〃Hauser ordered you to let us pass！〃 Tom could feel the bridge trembling。 The burning cable was going to go at any second。
〃Hauser is dead；〃 said the lieutenant。 〃I am now in charge。〃
〃The bridge is burning； for God's sake！〃
A smile crept up on the teniente's face。 〃Yes。〃
As if on cue the whole bridge jerked； and Tom and his father and brothers were thrown to their knees。 One of the cables had parted； sending a shower of sparks into the abyss； while the bridge whipsawed under the sudden release of tension。
Tom struggled to his feet； helping his brothers raise their father。
〃You must let us pass！〃
The soldier answered with a burst of fire just above their heads。 〃You die with the bridge。 That is my order！ The White City is ours now！〃
Tom turned； smoke and flames streamed from the bridge's midsection； fed by the updraft from below。 Tom saw a second cable start to unravel； spilling burning bits of fiber into the air。
〃Hang on！〃 he cried； gripping his father。
The cable parted with a violent lashing； and the entire deck of the bridge fell away like a curtain dropping。 They clung to the two remaining cables； struggling to hold on to their weakened father。 The bridge was whipsawing back and forth like a spring。
〃Soldiers or no soldiers；〃 said Tom； 〃let's get the hell off this bridge。〃
They began edging along the two remaining cables； their feet on the lower one； their hands on the upper one； helping Broadbent along。
The teniente and his three soldiers advanced two steps。 〃Get ready to fire！〃 They dropped to a stable firing position and took aim。
Tom and his family were now only twenty…five feet from land； and the soldiers would be firing at them from almost point…blank range。 He knew they had no choice but to keep going toward the men who were about to kill them。
The third cable parted like a spring； sending a recoil through the bridge that almost knocked them all off。 The wreckage of the bridge hung from the single remaining cable； swinging back and forth。
The teniente pointed his gun at them。 〃You die now；〃 he said in English。
There was a hollow thud； but it was not from his gun。 A surprised look came into the teniente's face； and it was as if he were bowing down before them； a long arrow sticking out of the back of his head。 This struck momentary confusion in the other five soldiers； and in that moment a bloodcurdling yell went up from the edge of the forest； followed by a huge shower of arrows。 Tara warriors poured out of the jungle and raced across the flat area； leaping and shrieking； firing arrows on the fly。 The remaining soldiers； caught by surprise on the flank； out in the open； threw down their guns in a panic to flee and were instantly transformed into human pincushions； struck with dozens of arrows simultaneously； they staggered about wildly like drunken porcupines before falling to the ground。
A moment later Tom and his brothers had reached land just as the final cable parted in a great cloud of sparks。 The two blazing ends of the bridge swung lazily toward the canyon walls and crashed into them with a shudder and a cascade of burning debris。
It was over。 The bridge was gone。
Tom looked ahead and saw Sally stand up out of the brush in fr