DropZone

Ethan knew there was no more time to lose. He started climbing again, powering upwards as fast as he could go – foot… hand… foot… hand…

He felt no fear now, only determination. Just because the men had headed down to the beach didn’t mean they wouldn’t be coming back up again in a few minutes’ time.

At last Ethan could see the top of the cliff. A little further and then he was pulling himself up over the edge and onto the flat ground. He didn’t give himself a moment to think about what he’d just done or get his breath back; instead he jumped up and ran as quickly and quietly as possible to the top of the path.

He was only a few metres from it when he saw movement up ahead. It was just a blur, a shadow moving quickly through other shadows, but he instantly recognized Joh

He jumped, the weight of the bergen on his back adding momentum.

For the split second that he was in the air, Ethan felt like every sense was heightened. He could hear the waves crashing on the beach below. He could taste the tang of the sea in the air around him, even smell the damp rock he’d been climbing.

Then he crashed into Joh

Joh

‘It’s me,’ he hissed. ‘Where the hell have you been?’

He felt Joh

‘I had something to do,’ said Joh

‘Two x-rays on the path,’ replied Ethan, and he knew he sounded pissed off. ‘I had to do something to stop you ru

Joh

‘Not the point,’ said Ethan. ‘We work as a team, remember? This isn’t the goddamn Joh

Joh

‘The x-rays came after you went,’ said Ethan. ‘I had to climb over them to reach you.’

‘So they’re still down there now?’

Ethan nodded.

Joh

‘They’re armed,’ said Ethan, the images as clear as day in his mind, ‘so we don’t want to take them on. I think we need a diversion – something to draw them away so that we can get down to the beach.’

‘Like what?’ asked Joh

As if in answer to his question, an explosion ripped through the air, lighting up the night around them as flames and shockwaves blasted across the island.

‘That’ll do,’ said Ethan, and he could feel himself smiling.

30

A second shockwave hit them as another explosion followed the first. Ethan had never heard anything like it in his life. He could smell burning in the air, his ears were ringing, and he could feel his teeth tingling, as if the shockwaves were jarring every last part of him.

‘What the hell are they using?’ he hissed. ‘Are the explosions supposed to be that big?’

‘Sam wants a diversion, that’s what he gets,’ said Joh

Ethan heard the sound of ru

The two x-rays shot up from the cliff path, racing towards the explosion.

‘You really have to stop hugging me,’ said Joh

‘And you’ve really got to start taking this seriously,’ Ethan replied. ‘I can’t be arsed with getting killed tonight.’ He looked around. ‘The path’s clear. Let’s go!’

Without giving Joh

Another explosion lit up the night, followed by the sound of gunfire.

‘Come on!’ shouted Ethan.

They took off down the path.

‘You climbed up that?’ said Joh

‘You didn’t give me much choice,’ said Ethan as they raced onto the beach. The crunching of the pebbles and sand underfoot sounded like they were ru

Ethan took off his bergen, dropped it to the ground and opened it. He pulled out two large square packages and handed them to Joh

But there was no time to think about that now. Ethan turned to see Joh

‘These are the canoes,’ he said. ‘Rip that one open, will you?’

Ethan knelt down and tore open the other package. He pulled out what looked like a bundle of tightly packed, rubberized canvas. ‘Please don’t tell me we have to blow these up ourselves,’ said Ethan.

Joh

Ethan looked where Joh

‘Cool, eh?’ said Joh

He handed Ethan a pouch and opened another himself.

‘Paddles,’ he said. ‘They clip together like tent poles. See?’ He held up a finished paddle.

‘You look so proud.’ Ethan watched his friend clip together the remaining poles from the pouch to form a second paddle.

‘It’s the little things that keep me happy,’ said Joh

‘Are they the Claymores?’ Ethan asked, having clipped together the poles in his own pouch to make two further paddles.

‘Yes. Nasty mix of explosive and ball bearings. If anyone comes in as we’re escaping, they’ll trigger them. Just be sure to look the other way if they go off. It’s not a pretty sight.’

‘Thanks for the advice,’ said Ethan, hoping he wouldn’t get to see one of the things in action.

Joh

‘Down!’ Joh

Only then did Ethan hear the gunfire. ‘Someone’s shooting at us!’ he yelled.

‘Just keep your head down!’ Joh

Another strafe of bullets zipped past, and Joh

Ethan could smell the tang of the bullets smashing pebbles as the crack of gunfire ripped the air apart. He could hear the rounds thumping into the sand – and feel them too, the shockwaves from the impact making the ground ripple like it was alive underneath him.

‘Too bloody close,’ screamed Joh

Ethan saw him glance up and down the beach to see where the shooting was coming from. The sea was behind them, the path somewhere in front.

‘Follow me,’ said Joh