The Spear of Destiny

Chapter ELEVEN



The black Lancia sped through Rome’s crowded streets. Dennis was calling out what he saw on the satellite navigation’s screen. The voice was naturally in Italian and neither he nor Bauer spoke it. Dennis had tried to change the language to English but couldn’t work it out. Instead he shouted instructions to Bauer as quickly as he could.

They blasted over the ponte Victor Emmanuel, the bridge dedicated to the first king of a united Italy, and raced down the Victor Emmanuel road. The traffic they encountered was heavy and the blue light and siren bought them some time. On and on they sped through red lights. Dennis found a map in the glove compartment.

“Ah this will help,” he said reaching up for the lights in the roof of the Lancia, “Can you cope with a light on?”

“Yes.”

The traffic was thick and Bauer commented on it as he wove the Lancia in and out of motorists trying to avoid him.

“It might be better if we get off these main roads and onto quieter ones,” Dennis said looking from left to right down side streets, “What do you think?”

Bauer didn’t know Rome. It was the first time he’d been. The main streets seemed to be the better option but the traffic was getting heavier.

“There seems to be a lot of heavy traffic heading into Rome. I wonder if that’s usual for a Wednesday evening?”

“I don’t know,” Dennis replied. Then a thought struck him.

“There’s a champions league football match on tonight. Between Lazio and Roma. It’s a local derby. I saw it advertised this morning on television. It’s being played at the Olympic stadium which is home ground for both teams. It’s on the other side of Rome from the church. That’ll explain why there is so much traffic heading in from the south and east. The game doesn’t start for a while but I guess like most cities the traffic starts early.”

“I think we should take the side streets,” Bauer said weaving in and out of slower moving vehicles.

“It’s your call,” Dennis said.

Bauer could see the traffic ahead was slowing. The road a mass of brake lights.

“Well you have the map.”

“Okay. Okay. Let me just think. We are somewhere here. I can’t see any of the names of the side roads….”

Dennis kept glancing at the sat nav looking for road names to appear on the little five inch screen. Then he spotted one to the left.

“Via De Gesu. That means we are here. On the via Dellia Plebiscito. These roads here,” Dennis said talking more to himself, “Are no good and some will double back on us.”

Bauer raced down this road frantically sounding the Lancia’s horn as he dodged in and out of traffic. A bus pulled out of a bus stop in front of him and he sounded the horn cursing. The bus driver saw the blue light and stopped.

“Turn right here,” Dennis ordered.

Bauer swung the steering wheel and with a squeal of tyres the Lancia changed direction and careered off down the via Dei Fori Imperiali.

“Hey there’s Trajan’s coloumn,” Dennis shouted excitedly. Then he looked ahead. “Oh shit there’s the Colosseum!”

Bauer looked ahead at the massive building dominating the Roman skyline.

“So what?”

“The colosseum is one big roundabout.”

“Then get us off.”

“There’s nowhere to go. These roads to the right double back on us. This is ancient Rome. Over there is the Palatine hill.”

“What’s to the left?”

“There’s one more road and then nothing until we get to the Colosseum.”

“Where does it lead?”

“Hang on,” Dennis said turning the map this way and that.

“Too late,” Bauer said turning at speed down the road to the left. Dennis fought the g-forces to hold onto the map.

“Which way?” Bauer asked.

“I don’t know. Hang on.”

Bauer looked across at the map as Dennis turned it and held it closer to his face to read it. Bauer spent a second too long looking at the map. Movement ahead caught his attention. A refuse lorry had pulled out into the street they were now on regardless of the other traffic it forced to stop. Bauer was a hundred metres from it and gaining fast. He sounded the horn as he caught up to the tail end of the jam. The driver of the refuse truck heard the horn being sounded and ignored it. He looked into his mirror and saw the blue flashing light and heard the siren. He shrugged and continued to watch in his mirror for a bit longer. Other road users were doing their best to move out of the way. Bauer nosed through stationary vehicles until he was close to the refuse lorry. The truck driver leaned out of his window and shouted his innocence at the situation. Bauer pulled the parking brake on and threw the driver’s door open and flashed his police I.D. The refuse lorry driver continued to protest his innocence and begrudgingly moved out of the Lancia’s way. Dennis was listening to the police radio as Bauer squeezed through the gap now provided by the lorry. He pointed his finger at the driver who was still unconcerned. Dennis now pointed at the radio.

“That was De Luca,” he said, “They’ve lost contact with the unit stationed at Santa Croce.”

“Are we still heading the same way?”

“Yes. Take the next right. Follow ahead,” Dennis said as parked cars whipped by in a blur, “Take the next right….”

Bauer was encouraged by the time they were now gaining. The streets Dennis was taking them down were much quieter. Then suddenly Bauer had to slam the brakes on as a large group of football fans in red shirts, Roma followers, were crossing the road for the metro station. By the look of them they had been drinking and the last few raised red and yellow scarves and chanted a football song at Bauer as he raced away.

“Football is a passion in Italy,” Dennis said helpfully.

“The next person who gets in my way will get run down. You would think that a siren and flashing blue light would be enough.”

“This is Rome. Everything here happens at a fast pace.”

“I suppose.”

A carabinieri police car with flashing blue lights and siren sounding went racing past in the other direction.

“Get on the radio,” Bauer said, “See if they’re sending back up.”

Dennis got through to Sonnenburg.

“As soon as we can,” was the reply.

Dennis went back to the map. To their right were the Terme de Traiano, the baths of Trajan. Next Dennis saw a large sign for the national museum of oriental art.

“Turn right here!” he shouted as Bauer spun the wheel.

They were now on the Via Merulana.

“Follow this road, straight, for about one kilometre.”

The traffic was heavy on this road but Bauer was able to weave in and out without much difficulty. Three public buses in convoy stopped for him as they fast approached the end of the road.

“Left at the end!” Dennis shouted.

They raced past the Lateran palace. Once the home of the popes until their residence was moved to Avignon in France in the fourteenth century.

Now the Lancia was on the Viale Carlo Felice road.

“The church is at the end of this road,” Dennis said, “It’s just over a quarter of a mile.”

Bauer turned off the siren and reached out and plucked the flashing blue light off the roof and switched that off also. He looked into the rear view mirror. The sky behind was still bright but ahead it was getting dark. Bauer slowed the Lancia to a more appropriate speed as they completed the last few hundred metres. He brought the Lancia onto the piazza in front of the church and pulled up under a tree. A carabinieri Alfa Romeo was parked ahead also under the trees. Dennis and Bauer got out of the Lancia and headed towards them.

“Stay behind me,” Bauer said unclipping his gun holster on his belt and resting his hand on his gun.

Dennis could see the officers moving about inside the car. One of them suddenly glanced in the door mirror and saw the Austrian and the journalist approaching. Both doors on the police car opened and two uniformed officers stepped out.

“Can we help you?”

Bauer released his grip on his gun and showed them his I.D.

“They’ve been trying to radio you from the Vatican,” he said, “They said they’d lost contact with you. Do you have a problem with your radios?”

The two officers looked guiltily at each other. Dennis peered into the police car. There was a small portable television on the seat. On the nine inch screen were three men in suits in front of an empty stadium talking. Dennis reached in and took the television out and showed it to Bauer.

“Tonight’s game?” Dennis asked.

Bauer frowned at them.

“We turned the car radio down to hear the commentary,” one of the officers said.

“And your lapel radios?”

“Switched off,” the other officer replied.

“What are your names?”

“Officer’s Bossano and Angelo sir. Will you be reporting this matter?”

“Probably.”

For the first time since arriving Bauer now looked at the church. He noted the large double doors were closed.

“Is the church closed?” he asked the carabinieri officers.

“Yes inspector,” Bossano replied.

“When was this?”

“Possibly half an hour ago Inspector.”

“You saw it close. The doors were open before then?”

“Oh yes. Like I said it was about thirty minutes ago.”

Bossano looked at his colleague for approval. Angelo nodded.

“The priests closed the doors when, presumably, the last visitors left.”

Bauer looked at his watch. It was just after seven o’clock.

“What time does it usually close?”

“Usually at seven thirty.”

Bauer showed him his watch.

“Yes sir but sometimes the church does and has closed suddenly and without warning before. All churches in Rome have been known to do this.”

Bauer was concentrating on the church still.

“And you definitely saw the priests close the doors?”

“Yes sir.”

Bauer continued watching the church for another minute.

“Well it does appear to be quiet.”

“Yes Inspector.”

“Have you noticed anything else unusual?”

“No.”

“How long has that Hummer been parked there?” Dennis asked.

“I beg your pardon signori.”

They all turned to look in the direction Dennis was pointing.

“At the far end of the church near the wall there is a black Hummer. How long has it been there?”

“I don’t know signori.”

“You didn’t notice it arrive?” Bauer intervened.

“No.”

“It’s definitely not a car a priest would drive,” Dennis said.

“You. What was your name again?” Bauer pointed at the quieter of the two policemen.

“Antonio Angelo Inspector.”

“Angelo you stay here. Bossano you come with us. Mr Dennis stay at the back please. We’ll check that Hummer out and have a quick look around the church before we disturb the priests.”

They’d only gone a few paces when Bauer turned back.

“And Angelo….”

“Yes sir?”

“Turn that television off.”

It took them less than a minute to reach the Hummer. Reluctant to set off any alarms Dennis peered into the blacked out windows. They were too dark to see anything inside. Dennis saw a small torch on Bossano’s belt.

“Can I use that?”

Bossano clicked it on and handed it over. Dennis shone the torch in the windows but the beam of light only reflected back. Dennis put the slender torch between his teeth, pressed one hand against the driver’s side door and pulled gently on the door handle. It was locked.

“Excuse me,” Bossano said making Dennis look around.

“This vehicle has a proximity locking device that is not activated by a normal key. The owner will have a smart key with a transducer that unlocks the vehicle when the device is anywhere within two metres of the car. As you can see there is no door lock on this vehicle.”

“Dennis shone the torch again just to convince himself. He circled the vehicle slowly while the other two watched. The radio on Bossano’s lapel suddenly crackled into life. A split second later they heard the distant sound of an explosion. They all turned their attention towards the Vatican two and a half miles across Rome. A ball of orange fire was ascending into the darkening sky. It slowly changed into a black cloud.

“Inspector they’re saying it was a car bomb somewhere near the Vatican..”

Bauer nodded.

They all looked towards the church as the sound of muffled machine gun chatter came from within.

“Mr Dennis get back to that police car. Get Angelo to call for back up. Bossano you’re with me.”

“I think I should stay with you.”

“Mr Dennis this is no time for heroics. Allow us, the police, to do our job,” Bauer said breaking into a run. Bossano following closely behind. Dennis watched them until they got to the church wall and began to move along it using the wall as cover, Bauer remembering there was a small wooden door near the rear, then he sprinted back to Angelo.

“We’ve just heard gunshots from inside the church,” Dennis said to the startled Italian policeman, “Bauer’s orders are for you to stay here, call for back up and to give me your gun.”

“Give you my gun? Bauer said this?”

“Yes,” Dennis said holding his hand out for the weapon.

Angelo stared into the Englishman’s eyes.

“You are sure of this. Are you a policeman?”

“Sort of,” Dennis lied, “In London,” he added.

Angelo pondered over this for a moment. Then not taking his eyes of Dennis he reached down to his belt, unclipped his holster and offered his gun.

“Are you familiar with this weapon?”

“Kind of,” Dennis said taking the Beretta.

“Look. You push this, point and shoot. Understood?”

“Sure. Point and shoot,” Dennis said. He began trotting backwards, “Call for back up.” then he turned and sprinted for the church. He moved silently to the small wooden door that Bauer and Bossano had disappeared through, pressed down gently on the latch and moved inside the church with the Beretta held ready in front of him. He closed the door as quietly as he could but as the metal latch connected with its counterpart it gave a small click which sounded deafening to him inside the empty church. At the foot of the stairs Bauer spun around and pointed his gun straight at Dennis who froze. Then Bauer raised his eyebrows and lowered his gun. Dennis moved silently across the rows of pews then stopped and tiptoed to the high altar. The bodies of three priests, blood staining their white robes, lay flat on their backs in front of the altar. Shot dead without mercy as they prayed to their God. Blood had splattered the altar, defiling it. Apalled Dennis made his way across the church. At the main doors was another dead priest. Bauer and Bossano waited at the foot of the stairs that led up, they waited for Dennis. Bauer saw the Beretta in the journalists hand.

“What are you doing here?” he mouthed silently.

“You need me,” Dennis whispered back.

The sound of smashing glass came down to them from the rooms above.

Bauer put his finger to his lips and then pointed up the stairs. They moved silently up, the Inspector taking the lead. At the top they stepped over the body of a monk, blood trickling from his mouth. Bauer bent down and placed two fingers to the man’s jugular. He waited for a few moments and then moved on, hugging the wall. Now they could hear movement and the sound of more glass smashing coming from the holy relics chapel on the left. Suddenly a man in black military fatigues came out of the chapel carrying a black holdall.

“Stop Police!” Bauer shouted.

The man dropped the holdall and went for the machine gun across his chest. Wasting no time Bauer dropped him with two shots to the chest. He kicked the man’s hands away from the machine gun. A burst of bullets from the relics rooms splattered off the far wall sending Bauer diving for cover. He, Dennis and Bossano crashed into the shroud room. More bullets sprayed the far wall accompanied with shouting. Dennis couldn’t hear what was being said but thought it sounded eastern European, maybe Russian. Bauer pointed his gun around the corner and fired back. Then amidst another burst of machine gun fire he realised the intruders were on the move. The muzzle of a machine gun appeared at the door and another burst of bullets sprayed the shroud room. The three of them dived for the floor. Dennis put his hands over his head as glass splintered around him and plaster rained down from the walls. The person firing the gun was retreating. They could hear them moving along the corridor and down the stairs.

Bauer and Bossano got to their feet and followed once again hugging the walls. Dennis stuck his head into the relics chapel. All cabinets holding relics had been smashed, the treasures within looted. He gave pursuit quickly catching the other two. They got to the bottom of the stairs and threw themselves into cover behind benches. The gunmen were retreating backwards towards the main doors. Dennis motioned to Bossano and together they pushed the bench they were crouching behind over to give them better cover, the wood being thicker on the seat. This was met with more gunfire. As the gunmen reloaded Bauer ran, bent over double, and took cover behind a thick stone pillar. A burst of fire followed him. Dennis got himself into position so he could see towards the main doors. There were three of them moving backwards. One fired a burst at Bauer who dodged forward two rows of seats and took cover. Two of the gunmen kept up the gunfire as the third lifted the heavy bar that locked the front doors of the church. He swung the massive double doors open with tremendous strength. They were going out the front way. Bauer gave Dennis a signal to stay put and he gestured for Bossano to follow. They got up to move forward when three hand sized orbs came arcing into the church. One landed spinning next to Bossano. Bauer threw himself down flat on his face. Bossano, not so quick was staring at the object when it exploded, throwing him into the air in a spray of his own blood. His body landed with a soggy thud and Dennis looked into lifeless eyes as the other two M67 grenades exploded deafeningly inside the church.

“F*ck,” Dennis said, “Grenades now! They’ve stepped up their game.”

Bauer got up from the floor. A quick glance at Bossano told him the policeman was dead. Then he pressed forward, moved into cover at the door, peered around as he heard more machine gun fire, saw Angelo’s body fall to the ground, saw two of the gunmen shoot the tyres on the police car as the black Hummer raced up to them and they got in. Bauer rushed out into the open air.

“Bauer wait!” Dennis shouted rushing to the doors.

He watched in horror as the back window of the Hummer was lowered and the barrel of an MP5 poked out and sprayed Bauer with bullets. He crashed heavily to the ground as the Hummer sped away. Dennis ran out onto the piazza in front of the church. Bauer was face down and Dennis turned him over. He was still alive, his shirt soaked in blood. He tried to speak to Dennis but only blood bubbled from his lips.

“Don’t talk,” Dennis said reaching into his pocket for his mobile phone. He dialled the emergency number and asked for an ambulance. Bauer was struggling to try and move.

“Bauer stay still. Help is on its way.”

Bauer tried to speak again. Suddenly his body went into spasms then went still. Dennis watched as the eyes glazed over. The sound of the Hummer bouncing off the pavement and striking a parked car got his attention. It zigzagged across the road as it sped away. Dennis fished around in Bauer’s pockets until he found the keys to the Lancia. He let Bauer’s head down gently onto the road and stood up.

“Goodbye Thomas,” he said.

He rushed over to the Lancia. The engine roared into life as Dennis stomped on the gas pedal and he had to swerve around Angelo’s body as he roared away back the way he and Bauer had come. The Hummer’s tail lights easy to see in the growing dark.

Dennis got his phone out again and selected dial and rang Sonnenburg. The phone rang five times before it was answered.

“Sonnenburg,” the voice said.

“It’s Dennis. I’m in pursuit of a black Hummer which contains three armed men. They’ve attacked the church and killed the priests, two carabinieri and Bauer.”

“Understood Peter. Are you able to follow long enough for us to get a helicopter to you?”

“I think so. I’m in the Lancia driving down the Viale carlo Felice. Hang on! They’ve just swung onto the Via Appia Nuova. Jesus they nearly just ran a group of girls over.”

“Hold on Peter I’m just getting a lock on the Lancia. We’ve got our problems here.”

“I take it that explosion was the car bomb.”

“It was.”

“Anyone hurt?”

“We lost the bomb disposal guys. The blast killed them.”

Dennis swallowed hard. Not wanting to ask the next question.

“And Hutchinson and my girlfriend?”

“They’re both fine Peter. They are right here beside me.”

Dennis closed his eyes with relief for a moment.

“Keep me updated Peter. Where are you now?”

“I’m trying,” Dennis said struggling to see the sat nav now he was driving, “I’m approaching a large, what must be a roundabout. They’ve just gone round it the wrong way. Now they’ve hit another car. It didn’t even slow them down.”

“Large roundabout,” Sonnenburg was saying, “All right I think you’re at the piazza De Re Di Roma.”

“I don’t know. I can’t see any road signs.”

“That’s because they’re up high on buildings Peter. I know exactly where you are. We’ve got a fix on the Lancia’s tracker. You’re heading for the Grande Raccordo Anulare….”

“The what?”

“It’s the motorway that encircles greater Rome. Now we’ve got them.”

Dennis didn’t answer. He was busy swerving around cars that were frantically trying to avoid the Hummer and the Lancia. Then suddenly a car was hit broadside amid a burst of sparks and it rolled onto its roof and onto the pavement until it tumbled to a stop. Two more Hummer’s burst onto the road to join the other one in front of Dennis.

“Holy crap,” Dennis shouted into the phone whilst performing an emergency stop, “Two more Hummer’s have joined the chase and by the looks of it these two are armour plated.

Dennis watched in his rear view mirror as the crashed car stopped moving.

“Two more Hummer’s,” Sonnenburg replied, “Well they’re not ours. Peter I need you out of there now. We now have air support. Leave it to our ground forces.”

“Understood.”

Dennis put the phone down and ducked his head down to look out of the top of the windscreen as a police helicopter whooshed past overhead, its bright searchlight on the road. He watched in the rear view mirror again as a group of bystanders rushed to the upturned car to help its occupants. Ahead, the helicopter banked and disappeared from view, blocked from his eyesight by tall buildings. Dennis reached down and picked up the blue light and put it on the roof of the car. He flicked it on then flicked the siren switch.

“Peter what the f*ck are you doing?” he said out loud as he stomped on the accelerator and the lancia roared away once again in pursuit.

It didn’t take him long to catch up to the trail of destruction. There were smashed and dented cars and mopeds. He passed what was obviously an outdoor pavement café. The tables and chairs were smashed to pieces along with the barriers displaying the café’s logo. Dennis saw a group of people crowded around something laying on the ground amongst the destroyed furniture. Then he saw faces turn towards him as the people responded to the siren and blue light. He saw some of them stand up from crouching and move back. Then he saw the pools of blood in his headlights.

“Bastards!” he said as he raced past.

The phone on the passenger seat began to ring. Dennis picked it up and pressed the green telephone symbol.

“Mr Dennis I told you to stop your pursuit and yet I can see on the screen that you are still following….”

“They’ve just run down some innocents who were enjoying an evening out for f*ck’s sake,” Dennis shouted down the phone at Sonnenburg, “I’m not going to let them get away with it.”

Sonnenburg glanced at Natalie who along with Hutchinson was standing next to the police chief. He saw the look of concern on her face. Then he turned back to the monitors.

“All right Mr Dennis. You have just entered the A91 motorway. This road takes you to the Fumicino airport. It is also a toll road. They have made a mistake leading you onto this. We will be able to set up a road block at the tolling station.”

“They must also know this. Why would they take a road you can block?”

“This is the motorway that leads onto Tarquinia. For them it is the quickest route if they’re planning to escape this way.”

“Well if you ask me it all sounds too easy.”

“Relax Mr Dennis. We’ve got them now.”

Sonnenburg ended the call and nodded at Natalie.

“Don’t worry miss. Everything’s under control.”



Dennis had the Lancia at 140KPH as he sped in and out of traffic, changing lanes, overtaking and undertaking, always gaining on the three black Hummers. They were speeding and chopping and changing lanes also. Dennis turned the blue light and siren off, hoping to catch up to them without giving himself away. What he was going to do once he caught up to them he had no idea. He eased off the accelerator and maintained a fairly large distance. He saw headlights in his rear view mirror and heard the sirens at the last moment as two police motorcycles blew past him and closed on the Hummers and Dennis watched in horror as men holding machine guns leaned out of the windows and sprayed the motorcycles with bullets. The first rider was killed instantly and fell from his BMW which slid on its side for a short distance before stopping, motorists frantically swerving to avoid it. The other one exploded when the fuel tank was hit and the rider was thrown clear. Dennis turned his head and closed his eyes for a moment as the body of the policeman went under the wheels of an articulated lorry. He opened them in time to see the back axles of the vehicle bouncing as they crushed the man.

“Jesus,” Dennis muttered.

He had to brake hard and swerve as motorway users performed emergency action to avoid the carnage and now the traffic was slowing ahead. Two police cars raced past headlights and blue lights ablaze. Dennis switched on his siren and blue light again and changed lanes until he was on the hard shoulder. He raced the Lancia’s engine through the gears and hammered down the middle lane now the road in front clear as far as the Hummers. The two police cars were keeping a safe distance. Dennis could hear their conversation with control over the Lancia’s radio.

The Hummer’s were back in traffic now. They raced past the junctions for the Fumicino airport. The traffic here slowing into two lanes. The telephone on the passenger seat began ringing again.

“We’ve got you on the scanner,” Sonnenburg began, “We’re setting up a road block. As you pass each junction more police cars will join. The idea is to box them in and slow them down, eventually stopping them.”

“You’d better tell them not to get too close,” Dennis replied, “They’ve got machine guns and they’ve already killed two of your motorcyclists….”

Dennis read the road sign ahead.

“Civitavecchia,” he said, “Is that the port where the big cruise ships dock?”

“It is. Tarquinia is just beyond it and if you maintain the speed you’re doing you’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Sonnenburg was right Dennis was thinking as he and the police cars tailing the Hummers raced past the exit for the port. Above, the helicopter kept a distance from any potential gunfire. Dennis was at the back of the carabinieri cars which were keeping a formation to stop any vehicles from behind in overtaking. Then ahead in the distance in the fading light Dennis saw the unmistakeable bulk of a transporter plane flying low. The flashing lights on the aircraft drawing his attention. Even from this distance Dennis recognised it as a C130 Lockheed Hercules. Dennis was going to dismiss the aircraft but it suddenly occurred to him that it might be heading for the airfield bought by Von Werner. What was it called? Tarquinia?

Then Dennis saw the sign for Tarquinia and he knew that must be where the transporter was heading. He picked up the phone to ring Sonnenburg to warn him when the unthinkable happened. Almost as if in slow motion Dennis saw the Hummers pass a coach full of tourists. As the last Hummer passed a man leaned out of the back window, aimed his gun and fired a burst of bullets at the front wheel which exploded in large lumps of rubber. Dennis imagined the driver fighting for control and then suddenly it was swerving across the lanes without slowing. The twelve ton coach ploughed into the central reservation, destroying a few metres of it before the vehicle mounted it. The front end of the coach rose into the air, the chassis clearly visible, before it came crashing back down on its side in a shower of sparks and broken glass. The coach slid along the carriageway for a short distance and then completely stopped. The first two police cars were unable to stop in time and they ploughed straight into the wreckage. The third lost control and slammed into the central reservation. Another police car slammed into the two already embedded into the coach. The last was able to stop. Dennis in the Lancia was also able to stop, the Lancia’s tyres squealing black smoke. Then Dennis was throwing open the driver’s door and he was out running to the scene.

He got halfway when one of the police cars exploded, picking him up and throwing him through the air. Dennis landed in the road, his ears ringing. Then slowly he was able to get up and he groped past the other police car that had stopped. The driver of this car also slowly getting to his feet. Dennis helped him then moved forward. Three police cars were burning and he shielded his face with his hand as he got closer. A sickening pall of black smoke rising. Then Dennis was running for the coach knowing it too would catch fire at any moment. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating and Dennis saw the burning policemen sitting upright in their car seats and he fought the urge to vomit. He swallowed the bitter tasting liquid that had found its way into his mouth.

A window on the coach exploded and he heard the screams of the passengers trapped inside. Dennis made his way round to the front. He could see the coach driver was dead. Then the vehicle began to burn and the screams intensified. Some of the passengers were scrabbling through the smashed window and they crawled along the side which was now the roof of the coach. One man was struggling and he fell back twice. Willing hands outside tried to pull him up and then suddenly the flames leapt and he was consumed. Those trying to help him scrambled to safety. Dennis ran around to the back of the coach knowing there would be an emergency exit, the back window. He could see there was no outside handle to open it. It required a special hammer to break it. The hammer was inside. The back window like all the other windows was tinted and he could see hands frantically thumping at it. Then he saw a child’s face appear at the glass and he began kicking the toughened glass. He kicked it repeatedly but it wouldn’t break. A policeman suddenly appeared alongside him and together they tried to break it. Still to no avail. Other faces appeared at the glass now, panicking. Then Dennis grabbed the policeman’s gun and he banged hard on the back window.

“Move back! I’m going to shoot the glass!” he shouted.

He knew he probably couldn’t be heard so he banged the gun on the window a few times then moved back and pointed it. The faces disappeared and he fired. The first three bullets travelling so fast just punched holes in the tinted glass. The fourth one shattered it into millions of cubes. Dennis knocked as much of the glass in as he could. Desperate hands reached out and Dennis grabbed the child and pulled her to safety as the policeman began pulling people from the wreckage. He carried her to the Lancia and opened the back door and placed her inside. She was crying and he bent down and brushed her long hair away from her face.

“Shh. Shh. You’re safe now,” he said.

A woman came hysterically running to the car. Dennis moved out of her way and she reached in and scooped the little girl up. She kissed the child repeatedly on the side of her head, the hug so intense.

“Grazi! Grazi! Signori!” the woman said, then, realising Dennis may be English she said, “Thank you for saving my little Rosa. Thank you.”

Dennis placed his hand gently on the woman’s shoulder and they exchanged a smile. The sound of another small explosion came across to him and he was running back to the coach. The policeman was still plucking people from the back window and Dennis rushed in and was helping to pull them out. Then his T-shirt was getting wet and he tasted the sweet water on his lips and he couldn’t understand how it could be raining when the sky had been clear all day. Then suddenly the firemen were there and kind hands grabbed Dennis and helped him back, to safety. He saw the hose that was held by two firefighters that was already dousing the flames that now hissed and he realised that this was his rain. The fireman who helped him was checking him over for injuries and Dennis shook his head.

“I’m all right.”

The fireman nodded and rushed off to help others. Dennis looked at the woman still cradling the small child her eyes never having once left him. He half smiled again and then a dark thought crossed his mind and he walked across the carriageway to see past the coach, to look for the Hummers. The road ahead was completely clear. The Hummers were gone.