Helix Nexus, Chris Lofts [best android ereader .txt] 📗

you shut up. Your constant jabbering is getting on my bloody nerves. We’re going to cross Hyde Park, then Green Park, over St James’s and then on towards Lambeth Bridge.’

‘Why not Westminster Bridge?’

‘What’s at Westminster?’

‘Parliament.’

‘Exactly. Is that where it’s hidden?’

‘No.’

‘Good. I thought not. It’s a relief to know even you’re not that fucking stupid.’

Helix stepped out, switching his right eye between night vision and thermal, scanning the paths and shadows ahead. The few pedestrians cutting through the park were more interested in getting out of the rain than in them. Wheeler had fallen silent. Helix side-stepped a puddle, the gravel at the edge of the path crunching under his boots.

A faint beep in his ear announced a call. The absence of a number on the screen set into his jacket sleeve added to his impatience. He tapped the screen, hunching his shoulders against the rain. ‘Helix. Hello.’ The line remained silent. The hairs on his neck rose. He disconnected the call and turned, half expecting Wheeler to be gawping back at him, but he wasn’t there.

A flood of adrenalin hit him. He instinctively unholstered one of his guns, scanned left then right. Wheeler was nowhere. He extended the range, the night vision and thermal overlays overwhelmed by the lights and traffic on the Bayswater Road. Four lanes of slow-moving AVs filled the road. Pedestrians dotted the pavements, heads down, umbrellas up. Helix zoomed and scanned what faces he could. A duo of umbrellas sprung apart, repelled by each other, a small disturbance in the rain-drenched trudge. Another two. The same. Two more. A distinctive fedora bobbing and weaving. Wheeler.

Helix chose the shortest route between him and his quarry. Sprinting over the muddy grass he made for the low metal railings. Leading with his left foot he hurdled the barrier. The pavement was greasy. He slipped as he landed, cannoned off the trunk of a tree. With his footing regained, he craned his neck looking over the glistening procession of vehicles filling the road. He ranged the distance to Wheeler. Ninety-eight yards. A junction ahead of him.

Horns sounded, tyres screeched as they fought for grip as Helix plunged through the traffic. Umbrellas and pedestrians scattered as he mounted the pavement like an out-of-control juggernaut. What the hell was Wheeler doing? Helix wiped the rain from his face and ploughed on. Wheeler hesitated at the junction, conditioned to obey the signals, distrusting of the vehicles’ collision avoidance systems.

Helix accelerated. ‘Wheeler!’

His target froze, looked around towards the sound of his name.

‘Stop.’ Helix yelled, closing the distance.

Wheeler bolted. A large AV blocked his path. He rebounded off the smooth bodywork, stunned. The door slid aside. Two cropped heavy-set men lunged from the interior, hands outstretched.

Helix changed gears, his arms and legs pumping as he sprinted towards the junction. What was unfolding before him wasn’t road rage. The men weren’t disgruntled passengers. Helix slid to a stop, dropped to one knee and fired two rapid shots. The first shot knocked one of the men back inside the vehicle. The second man fired back. Helix rolled aside as he heard the shots. Wheeler fell. ‘Shit,’ he cursed.

The standing man moved towards Wheeler’s slumped form. Helix exploded forward, swapping his gun from his right to his left hand. The blade sprung from between his knuckles as he fell upon Wheeler’s assailant. Driving forward with his right shoulder he plunged the blade into the man’s chest. He was dead before Helix crushed him into the pavement. Terrified pedestrians screamed and scattered. Helix rolled away. Shards of cement exploded from the ground beside him. He swung his weapon up, painted the target and squeezed the trigger. The top of the man’s shaved head exploded.

Helix lunged at Wheeler, ripping his coat open. No blood. Wheeler groaned.

‘Wheeler,’ Helix said, slapping him. ‘Come on, you idiot.’

Wheeler’s eyes sprung open. ‘Helix?’ he moaned.

‘They only stunned you. Stop whimpering.’ He wanted to ask him what the fuck he thought he was doing, but there wasn’t time and there was a growing crowd of onlookers. He climbed to his feet, flashed the ID on his sleeve display. ‘Police,’ he said with authority. ‘We have back up and ambulances on the way, clear the scene, please.’ He paused a beat and then simplified the instruction. ‘Move!’

Shaken from their collective stupor, the pedestrians began to disperse. Wheeler was sitting up. Pulling a halo-cuff from his pocket, Helix leaned down and clamped it to the side of his head. ‘Get up,’ he said.

Wheeler complied, his eyes fixed somewhere in the distance.

Helix glanced across the road towards the park. ‘Follow me,’ he said, threading through the stationary traffic.

One hour later, Helix stopped on the south side of Lambeth Bridge, snatched the halo-cuff off of Wheeler’s head and shook him.

‘My head,’ Wheeler groaned, clamping his hands over his ears. ‘Bloody hell.’

‘That’ll be the halo-cuff. It’ll pass.’

Wheeler staggered, blinking at the surroundings. ‘What happened? Where are we?’

Helix’s rage had diminished during the dash across the parks, but not by much. ‘Why did you do that?’ he spat.

‘Do what?’

‘Try to make a run for it. Do you remember that?’

Wheeler nodded. ‘Who were those men?’

‘I have no idea. There wasn’t time for introductions, but they were after you.’ Helix pressed his hands on his hips. ‘They might have been Lytkin’s men,’ he said, waiting for his words to penetrate Wheeler’s malaise.

Wheeler clutched a hand to his forehead. ‘Lytkin?’

‘Maybe. They obviously wanted you alive. That’s why they stunned you. Do you not remember what I told you about her? About Ethan? She wants you as much as she wants me and Gabrielle and it’s not for the pleasure of your company.’ He ran his hand through his hair. ‘Or it might have been Ormandy. I don’t know.’ He laughed. ‘You were going for your stash and you thought you’d give me the slip.’

Wheeler shrugged. ‘I’m sorry to say this, Major, but I don’t trust you.’

‘That must be the first honest thing you’ve ever said.’ Helix snorted. ‘The feeling’s mutual and for