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； flushing them toward open ground。 His clip empty； he paused to slam another in。 As he ran； he heard； through the foliage ahead； the crash of the Broadbents in their flight in exactly the direction he hoped they would go。
He had them now。
77
Tom was already halfway back across the plateau when he heard the staccato fire from Hauser's gun。 He instinctively ran toward the sound； fearful of what it might mean； knocking aside ferns and vines； jumping fallen logs； scrambling over wrecked walls。 He heard the second and third bursts of gunfire； closer and more to his right。 He veered toward it； hoping in some way to defend his brothers and father。 He had a machete； he'd killed a jaguar and an anaconda with it…why not Hauser？
Unexpectedly he burst out of the foliage and into sunlight； fifty yards away lay the edge of the precipice； a sheer drop of more than a mile into a dark coil of mists and shadow。 He was now at the edge of the great chasm。 He looked to the right and saw the graceful catenary of the suspension bridge dangling over the canyon； swaying gently in the updrafts。
He heard more gunfire behind him and glimpsed movement。 Vernon and Philip appeared out of the trees beyond the bridge； supporting their father； running as fast as they could。 Borabay appeared a moment later farther back； catching up to them。 A raking fire came past them； snipping off the heads of the ferns behind them； and too late Tom realized that he； too； was trapped。 Tom ran toward them as another staccato peal of gunfire came out of the trees。 Tom could now see that Hauser was several hundred yards behind； firing to their left and driving them toward the edge of the chasm and the bridge。 Tom ran toward the bridgehead and reached it at the same time as the others。 They paused； crouching。 Tom could see that the soldiers on the other side； alerted by the gunfire； had already taken up covering positions and were blocking their escape。
〃Hauser's trying to drive us out on the bridge；〃 cried Philip。
Another burst of gunfire tore some leaves off a tree branch above them。
〃We've no choice！〃 Tom cried。
In another moment they were running out on the swaying bridge； half…carrying； half…dragging their father。 The soldiers on the far side dropped to their knees； blocking their exit； guns pointed。
〃Just keep going；〃 Tom shouted。
They were about a third of the way across when the soldiers in front of them fired a warning volley above their heads。 At the same time a voice rang out from behind them。 Tom turned。 Hauser and several more soldiers were blocking their retreat at the other end of the bridge。
They were trapped in…between； all five of them。
The soldiers fired a second volley； this one lower。 Tom could hear the bullets passing like bees above their heads。 They had reached the middle of the bridge； and it was now swaying and jouncing from their motion。 Tom looked back； looked forward。 They stopped。 There was nothing more they could do。 It was over。
〃Don't move；〃 Hauser called out to them； strolling out on the bridge with a smile； weapon trained on them。 They watched him approach。 Tom glanced at his father。 He was looking at Hauser with fear and hatred。 The expression on his father's face frightened him even more than their situation。
Hauser stopped a hundred feet from them； steadying himself on the swaying bridge。 〃Well； well；〃 he said。 〃If it isn't old Max and his three sons。 What a nice family reunion。〃
78
During the twelve hours Sally had lain behind the tree trunk； her thoughts had； for some reason； turned to her father。 That last summer of his life he had taught her how to shoot。 After he died； she had continued to go down to the bluffs to practice shooting apples and oranges； and later pennies and dimes。 She had gotten to be an excellent shot； but it was a useless skill…she had no interest in petition or hunting。 She had simply enjoyed it。 Some people liked to bowl； some liked Ping…Pong…she liked to shoot。 Of course； in New Haven it was the most politically incorrect skill of all。 Julian was horrified when he found out。 He made her promise to give up shooting and keep it a secret…not because he was against guns but because it was déclassé。 Julian。 She pushed him out of her mind。
She shifted her cramped thighs and wiggled her toes； trying to limber up the stiffened muscles。 She gave another handful of nuts to Hairy Bugger； who was still sitting grumpily in his vine cage。 She was glad he had been there to keep her pany these past hours； even if he was in a foul mood。 The poor thing loved his freedom。
Bugger gave a squeak of alarm； and Sally was instantly alert。 Then she heard it： some distant shots from the White City； a faint burst from an automatic weapon； then a second。 With the binoculars she scanned the forest on the far side of the gorge。 There were more shots； and still more； growing louder。 A few minutes went by； and then she saw movement。
It was Tom。 He had appeared at the edge of the cliffs； running。 Philip and Vernon emerged out of the jungle ahead of him； supporting a wounded man between them…an old man in rags； Broadbent。
Borabay was the last to appear； closest to the bridge。
There were more shots； and she now spied Hauser corning out of the trees from behind； flushing them out and driving them like game toward the bridge。
She lowered the binoculars and raised the gun； watching the drama through the scope of the Springfield。 It couldn't be a worse situation。 The Broadbents and Borabay were about to be trapped on the bridge。 But they had no other choice； with Hauser behind them and the chasm to one side。 They hesitated at the bridgehead； then ran out onto the span。 Hauser was out of the trees and shouting to the soldiers on the far side； who kneeled and fired warning shots。
In a moment all five of the Broadbents； including Borabay； were trapped in the middle of the bridge； with Hauser and four soldiers at one end and four at the other。 Totally trapped。 The firing died down and all was silent。
Hauser； with a grimace on his face； now began walking along the precarious bridge toward them； his weapon leveled。
Sally felt her heart hammering in her chest。 Her moment had e。 Her hands were shaking； sweating。 She remembered her father。 Calm your breathing。 Allow your airflow to stop。 Find your heartbeat。 Shoot in between。
Sally aimed at Hauser as he strolled along the bridge。 The bridge was swaying； but she felt her chances of scoring a hit were better than fifty…fifty。 They would be even better once he stopped walking。
Hauser advanced to within a hundred feet of the Broadbents and paused。 She could kill him…she would kill him。 She centered his torso in her crosshairs； but she did not squeeze the trigger。 Instead； she asked herself： What will happen after I kill Hauser？
The answer wasn't hard to figure out。 This was not The Wizard of Oz； and the Honduran soldiers on each side of the bridge would not lay down their guns saying； 〃Hail； Dorothy！〃 These were brutal mercenaries。 If she shot Hauser； the soldiers would almost certainly open fire and massacre all the Broadbents on the bridge。 There were ten soldiers…four at her end and now six at the other…and she coul