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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 sho