“Actually you lost it, but I have another one, so it does not matter. Before, I needed you. Now I can just as easily go hide in the tree and take care of this myself. So maybe the question is, are you coming with me?”
Rook groaned, but he knew Fossen spoke the truth. The two of them in that tree together could get tense in a hurry. But he didn’t trust that Fossen could pull this off by himself, plus Rook had invested enough energy in this fight that he wanted to see it through. “Fine. Just don’t get in my way.”
“Do not worry, we make a good team.”
“So you say. I won’t wait for you if we have to run.”
Fossen’s eyes appeared as intense and cold as they had that first day when Fossen had told Rook to leave town. “I would not have it any other way.”
The wolves returned to the clearing at two in the morning. Edmund Kiss followed. The wolves didn’t stop this time, they just kept running, but Kiss slowed to a jog at the clearing. From the tree, Rook could see the huge limbs rumbling to a stop. Knowing the truth behind the creature changed everything, and Rook couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
He looked down at the AR-15 and shook his head. Sorry or not, Kiss needed to be put down. There could be no justification for tearing apart a helpless old woman like Thorsen’s wife, Greta, no matter what she had done in prior years.
Kiss glanced at the tree, and for a moment, Rook became aware of the exposed position he was in. Next to him, Fossen shifted, and Rook wanted to slap the man to get him to keep still. They had enough firepower to keep Kiss out of the tree, but it could get pretty hairy if it came to that.
Rook let out a breath when Kiss turned and started to the embankment. The instant he disappeared from view, Rook jumped from the tree and started running. He heard Fossen behind him do the same thing, but he no longer had the luxury of focusing on anything except his target.
At the top of the embankment, he stopped, raised the AR-15 and looked down the slope. His headlamp picked up Kiss reaching for the trap door. Rook let off a dozen shots, and he knew some of them had to have hit, but during the barrage, Kiss had disappeared down the ladder, letting the trap door close again as he did.
Fossen came up behind him. “Stanislav, did you get him?”
Rook shook his head. “He’s not dead, I’m sure of that. Looks like we follow him down.”
They half slid down the hill and hurried to the bush. Rook yanked it open while Fossen aimed his rifle down the hole. They waited a beat, but heard no sound.
Rook slung the strap for the AR-15 over his shoulder, pulled out the Desert Eagle, and went down the ladder. He reached the bottom and whistled for Fossen to follow him. A few seconds later, Fossen reached the tunnel.
“I had no idea this was here.”
“Yeah, well, Edmund Kiss did. Stay behind me.”
They started moving through the tunnel. Knowing his way now, Rook moved more quickly than he had earlier. About halfway down, he heard a thud from Kiss opening the door to the lab and letting it slam shut. He picked up the pace. Soon they arrived at the door, and he turned to Fossen. “Know why this place was called Ragnar?k?”
Fossen looked at the chipping paint above the door, his face blank and unreadable. “No idea.”
Rook sighed. Getting straight and honest answers from these people is like pulling teeth from a Neanderthal. He turned back to the task at hand. “Here’s the drill. You open it. I’ll lead with a burst of fire and you stay right behind me.”
“What is behind the door?”
“One of the two main labs. Do you remember it?”
“I am sure I was in it, but it was so long ago. Having seen it today already, you know it far better than me.”
“OK, here goes. Whenever you’re ready.”
Fossen yanked the door open from the same upper corner Rook had used to lever it earlier. Rook opened fire with the AR-15 and jumped into the room. Fossen followed. Rook sprayed to both sides, obliterating cabinets and lab equipment with a cacophony of destruction. He saw no sign of Kiss, so he took more steps toward the door into the main lab.
A roar erupted from above him and he cursed at himself for not thinking of it. He whirled, knowing what he’d see. Kiss had managed to hang on the ceiling and drop directly onto Fossen.