Tira was firing more frequently and with longer bursts, but didn't seem to have inflicted any serious damage. 'They're still coming," she whispered to Chaney.

"Keep shooting. Pick your targets."

"Pick my targets," she said. "Right. I wish I didn't have such a selection to pick^rom." Taking a deep breath, she thought suddenly of the many times her brother had come after her with a water pistol. Her eyes focused, her finger squeezed, and a Treasury guard went down. A new predatory gleam came into her eye and she relaxed, the way a cat does just before springing.

"Watch out!" she yelled at Chaney. A Cemian poked his head around the switchback.

Chaney fired; the slug went in through the shoulder and came out south of the ribs. The Cemian collapsed on the switchback, providing a barrier.

The other Germans made a run at the bottom of the shaft, forcing both Chaney and Tira to use ammunition keeping them at bay. Chaney was sharply aware that they had no spare clips for the A7mark923.

"It doesn't look good," whispered lira, need- ing no denial or confirmation from Chaney.

50.

"There're too many of them." She fired and one of the Treasury men screamed. She kept her aim steady with an effort of will, for she was getting very tired as well as growing queasy at the slaughter above and below her. There had been too much dying for one day.

From the sub-bas.e.m.e.nt came an ominous clang, as if iron doors were being torn off their hinges. Chaney had to hold back a groan of despair as he heard it, for the Cemians took courage at the sound and once again pressed for- ward,

Trra shot another Treasury man.

Two Cemians surged into the stairwell, mov- ing quickly and efficiently, one giving covering fire to the other as they reached the first three steps.

Then there was a sharp explosion, and the whole stairwell shuddered. The Cemians froze;

above, the Treasury men faltered.

*'What was that?" Tira whispered, the sound echoing unintelligibly through the stairwell.

T don't know," said Chaney, hating to admit it.

"What are we going to do?"

*Ylay it by ear," he advised, not telling her that he still had two shots reserved for them if they were required.

The noise in the sub-bas.e.m.e.nt grew louder

51.

Chekea Quinn Yarbro

and then came the sharp report of a Kanovsky 40-09 Antipersonnel riot control gun.

"What the devil?" said Chaney aloud. He was pretty sure that none of die Germans were carry- ing Kanovskys.

On the floor above the Treasury men moved back to more secure cover.

The Cemians were fighting again, but no longer with Chaney and lira. They had turned to face a more formidable opponent.

Four Kanovskys were firing now, directly into the Germans. Technically designed to wound rather than kill, the weapons were usually loaded with plastic riot control cartridges. But these guns had a more lethal purpose, and the Cemi- ans paid full measure against their might.

In a matter of seconds only five Germans were still standing, two of them wounded. They held their weapons reversed for surrender, and waited with the dumb amazement of defeat as a detachment of Marines in body armor came into view at the base of the stairwell.

"Lieutenant Chaney?" called one of the Marines, his voice hollow in the stairwell and body armor.

"Yes," said Chaney, lowering his gun.

"Sorry we didn't get here earlier," said the Marine to Chaney; he ignored Tira completely.

52.

"So are we," said Chaney with real feeling, and turned to give his hand to Tira. There are Treas- ury men above and - "

'That's been taken care of," said the Marine, then coughed. "It would be best if we get mov- ing, Lieutenant. Right now." He waved his arm to indicate the carnage around them. "Don't you think?"

"Yeah," said Chaney as he felt Tira's hand close around his,

"Hurry" The Marine was already moving away.

Chaney turned to escort Tira down the stairs.

"It's the cavalry. Well, the Marines, anyway." He offered her his arm.

Tira's fingers shook as she tucked the Samtoe- poe A7mark923 back into her reticule. "About time." Her voice shook, too. She took Chaney's arm with as much dignity and poise as she could muster.

They were bundled into a closed unmarked car. Three of the Marines climbed in after them.

A Navy officer, a commander, was driving. None of the men had anything to say to Tira, despite her repeated questions.

Their silence made Tira uncomfortable. She could feel the lack of respect the men had for her.

53.

Chelsea Quinn larbro

"I don't suppose you know where we're going?" she whispered to Chaney, not wanting these silent Marines to hear her uncertainty.

"Well, no," Chaney admitted as he adjusted himself against the padded seats. "But it's better than where we were."

"For the moment." It was late in the day and fatigue was catching up with her; it showed in the way she sat and the low level of irritation that possessed her.

The journey seemed to go on forever. The road narrowed as it climbed into the foothills.

Outcroppings of boulders loomed up in the darkness like giants, and the left side of the road fell away into ravines and dry creek-beds.

"Pretty inhospitable," said lira as she peered out the window. "What land of installation is out in a wilderness like this?" She had not often been out of the city, and when she had been it was to patrolled and groomed recreational lands, not this forbidding section of the continent.