Page 43 of London Has Fallen
“You’re out here to kill me and make sure I never make it to the finish line.”
I curse. “You pumped him for information before you killed him.” It's not a question.
“I stole his clothes and map, I’m making it out of here, Artemis, and when I do, I’m killing your father.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, little demon.”
“After I kill him, I’m going to kill you and make Nos the head of the Greeks. You want to stop me, then come find me, baby, because I’m a sore loser.”
“I’ll find you, baby, and when I do, I’m going to fuck you right before I kill you.”
“Hmmmm, now that sounds like a good time, pretty boy, except there's a problem with that.” I frown.
“What’s that?”
“Look down.” I do as she says and my eyes snap wide when I see the red laser pointed at my chest. “I didn’t just steal his clothes and map, I took his rifle and started a hunt of my own.”
“You gonna kill me?” I ask, then gulp loudly, my life is in her hands right now.
“Goodbye.” I slam my eyes closed and wait for her to end it all, when the shot rings out I wait for the feeling of numbness to overcome me but when a thud comes from behind, I spin around to see Cooper in a crumpled heap on the ground with a hole in his forehead. The sound of footsteps behind me draws my attention. I watch as London saunters toward me in clothes way too big for her, she has her rifle cocked and aimed at me.
“You missed,” I tease.
She scoffs. “I never miss, you weren’t my target, pretty boy, he was,” she says cockily while I frown.
“What?” She moves past me and crouches down next to Cooper, she pulls something from his ear and that’s when I notice it’s a com. She cleans it off on her pant leg before placing it in her own ear. “What the fuck are you doing London?”
She rises and turns to face me. “Surviving. If you want to do the same thing then I suggest you follow me because I have already taken out four men and there are more scattered throughout the woods.” I stare at her in shock, shaking my head.
“There are only three men out here hunting aside from me.”
“No, Artemis, there are at least a dozen more. The first fucker I took out squealed like a pig before I gutted him. From the information he supplied, you should have killed me within the first hour of me waking, they are going after your brothers now to teach you a lesson.” My blood runs cold. “Pull yourself together, I don’t like the little fuckers but I also won’t allow your father to get what he wants, so for the next twelve hours you have my word we are on the same side.” She turns to leave but I snake my hand out and grip her wrist, halting her escape. She glares up at me.
“You aren’t doing this for the triplets, what’s your real reason?” Her upper lip twitches, I can see she is pissed off that I saw through her mask but I know better than to believe she would do anything to help those three, she has made it clear she hates them.
“Your father has Cronos.” Those four words change everything. I release her and nod. I make no complaint as she begins to jog, I keep pace with her and follow her lead, too stunned by the fact Costa knew I had Cronos out here guarding the triplets. It should take us hours to cover the ground we have but we do it in half the time. I loathe to admit it, but she is clearly in better shape than I am. The sun is shining but it does nothing to force the chill from my bones, dread churning inside me. I need to get to the triplets and then go after Cronos.
London is a couple feet in front of me when the sight of a red laser shines on her back, I don’t overthink it as I leap forward and tackle her to ground just as the shot rings out. She rolls beneath me but I don’t move, using my body as a shield. She grabs the handgun from my side and lifts it, a deafening shot rings out sending a high pitched ringing through my ear.
“Fuck,” I roar as she pushes me off her and runs back the way we came to scout the area. I rub my ear but it does nothing to ease the ringing. I spot the body of one of Costa’s men a few feet away. “Mother fucking cunt,” I snarl as I punch the dirt and push to my feet. I snag the gun from the dead guy just as London comes back into view. She rushes to me and grabs my face between her hands, turning my face to the side so she can inspect my ear.
“You’ll be deaf for a while but your eardrum didn’t burst,” she says loud enough for me to hear. I mimic her move and clasp her face between my hands and bend at the knee so we are eye level.
“You saved my life.”
“Don’t mention it,” she says as she steps back.
“You could have saved yourself a lot of problems and let me die.”
“And you could have killed me while I was knocked out but you didn’t. We’re even now.” I stare at her for a moment before nodding stiffly.
“I would never have hurt you.” I’m surprised at how much I actually mean that.
“Yeah, you would have if it meant saving your brothers and I respect that but right now, if you don’t shut the fuck up and run, your brothers will be dead soon.” She turns to leave but my question stops her.
“Why do you care about Cronos so much?” She keeps her back to me as she answers.
“Because he sees through the bullshit and doesn’t care who I am beneath it. He’s a realist and I respect that.” I say nothing because what the fuck do you say to that? She hates me but continues to allow me to touch and fuck her but she loves my brother. I check my watch, it’s ten in the morning, we only have two hours left to get back or she loses and… I won’t be able to pull the trigger.