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soon as the post…percussion fire was under control。
Tori estimated they had five minutes； any more would be stretching it。
They hit the lab at once； smashing in the door； hearing bursts of semiautomatic fire and answering with their Uzis。 Six guards went down in a hail of bullets； shards of glass； wood； and metal。 A dozen lab workers stood cringing with their hands on their heads。 The chemical stench was almost overpowering； even though the line of windows at the back of the lab was open。
Tori posted Estilo at the open doorway； where he could cover the workers while she and Russell roamed up and down the aisles。 Zinc…topped trestle tables were filled with huge metal buckets of cured cocaine； but all the ''cooking〃 was being done in vats outside。 This was the end product。
On another table plastic bags were being filled with refined coke。 〃There's something odd here；〃 Tori said。
At that moment Estilo came up。 Keeping his eye on the workers； he said； 〃Did you take a look at the guards？〃
Tori shook her head。 〃No time。〃
〃They're all Japanese。〃
〃Japanese？〃 Russell went over to where two of the guards were sprawled。 He turned one over； looked at his face。 〃Japanese；〃 he confirmed。 Then he pulled back the man's sleeve。 〃Yakuza。 What's this all about？〃
〃Protecting their investment？〃 Estilo offered。
Tori didn't think so。 She took a look at the irizumi； the body tattoos on the man。 She saw from the intricacy of the irizumi that this man was an underboss。 He had been very powerful。 That wasn't the way the Japanese Yakuza worked。 The underbosses did not like to be so far from home。 He'd be here only for the most vital of reasons。 Coke was coke。 He could just as easily have checked it at his end of the pipeline； or sent a trusted underling here to make certain of the quality。 Then what was he doing in the middle of nowhere？ What was so important…
Estilo gave a shout； then opened up with his Uzi。 A worker who had drawn a pistol was thrown backward against the zinc…topped table where he had been stuffing cocaine into the plastic bags。 As he collapsed； two of the ten…kilo bags fell to the floor。 One burst open； and Tori made a sound deep in her throat。
She and Russell went over to the opened bag。 Within the coke； something dark was just visible。 Using the tip of her knife blade； Tori pushed aside the white powder。
〃What the hell is that？〃 Estilo said。
〃A soft cell；〃 Russell said。
〃What？〃
Tori said； 〃It's a method of smuggling； unusual but invariably effective。 It takes a convoluted brain to think of it。 Contraband inside an altogether different type of contraband。〃 She had uncovered a glassine tube。 It was filled with pellets。 They were of a metal that was almost black； almost totally without shine。
〃What are they？〃 Russell said almost to himself。 He took the glassine envelope； hefted it。 〃Heavy。〃
Tori was already slitting open the second ten…kilo bag。 In its center； hidden by the powder； was an identical glassine envelope filled with the same metallic pellets。
〃This must be why the Japanese are here；〃 she said。
〃This isn't about cocaine smuggling at all。〃 Russell was staring at the pellets。
〃No。〃
''But what is it about？''
At that moment Estilo said； 〃They're ing。〃
〃Shit！'' Estilo shouted at the workers； herded them out of the lab building。 He took a look into the pound。 〃The goddamned army's arrived。〃
Russell looked at Tori。 〃Now we've had it；〃 he said。
Tori said； 〃Take the pellets。 Let's get going。〃
Gunfire began； and Estilo jumped away from the doorway； began to return the fire。
〃Forget that way；〃 Tori said。 〃Use the windows！ When you get out； head for the airstrip。''
They climbed onto me trestle tables； launched themselves through the windows。 They emerged high up on the corrugated tin wall； but the underbrush cushioned their fell。
Immediately； more firing started； and the foliage around them began to fly apart。 Estilo was nicked in the fleshy part of his arm； shouted a curse in German； pulled Russell backward to safety behind a tree。
There were shouts； and Tori moved in； Estilo and Russell behind her； fanning out； firing in short； accurate bursts。
Then they were through the hastily thrown…up cordon of guards； racing away from the pound； toward me airstrip where the Twin Otter waited； gleaming in the are lights like an oasis in the blackness of the night。
They were halfway to the airstrip when the firing began again。 A Jeep was careening out of the pound； heading toward them in a vector that would cut them off from the runway。 The driver gunned the engine； and the two soldiers in back readied a machine gun on a swivel mount bolted to the side of the Jeep。
〃Christ；〃 Russell said。
〃Keep going！〃 Tori called。 She stopped； began to fire her Uzi with the blunt shock jammed hard against her left side。 The Jeep did not veer toward her as she had wanted it to； but the machine gun swiveled in her direction。 It began to fire。 With her right hand Tori pulled the pin on a phosphorus grenade tied to the bandolier she wore across her chest。 She ripped the grenade free； lofted it toward the Jeep。
The driver saw it； pulled hard on the wheel。 The Jeep screamed； skittered on the rutted dirt track； lurched； bounced； came down just as the grenade made contact。 The white…green explosion peeled back the nearside fender； impaled the wheel on hot metal； tore into the engine housing。
The Jeep bucked； shot upward； passing vertical； crashed down on its top。 No one moved underneath its bulk。 Flames began to lick upward； then the ammunition ignited。
Ducking the flying debris； Tori ran in a zigzag pattern； heading toward the airstrip where the others had gone。 And ran right
into a pair of soldiers who had burst at a full run from the underbrush surrounding the back of the lab。
One hit the point of her jaw with the stock of his machine pistol； the other kicked her legs out from under her。 She fell to the ground； and one of the soldiers smashed the toe of his boot into her stomach。 Tori doubled over； gasping for air； struggling for equilibrium。
Then she was hauled over on her back and one of the soldiers placed the muzzle of his pistol against the side of her head。 His sweat dripped onto her forehead； into her eyes。 He stunk from cordite and male sweat。
He grinned at her； and she could see the gaps between his teeth。 〃Adios； puta；〃 he said。
Tori heard the crack of the pistol and she jerked。 But when she looked up； she saw the soldier with a stupefied expression on his face。 Blood drooled from the center of his forehead。 Then he toppled out of her line of vision； and she rolled into the second soldier； who had lifted his machine pistol。
Tori unsheathed her knife； drove it upward in a shallow arc； into the soldier's lower belly。 He gave a cry； his machine pistol sprayed the air； then he fell to his knees。
There was plenty of life still in him。 He smashed his fists into her side； and she grunted； twisting the knife； dragging it through his viscera。 He hit her again in the kidneys and her strength momentarily left her。 Then； gathering herself； she drew the knife upward and across； disemboweling him。
In a moment Russell was at her side。 He put his 。45 against the soldier's head； pulled the trigger。 He hauled Tori to her feet。
〃You okay？〃
She nodded。 ''Nice bit of shooting。 Right between the eyes。''
He had to help her a little until the running could work out the soreness in her abdomen and side。 Her jaw still ached from where she had taken the shot with the stock of the machine pistol。
They caught up with Estilo on the edge of the tarmac。 The Twin Otter sat waiting； closer than ever。 They trotted out onto the airstrip。
The airplane loomed up； and Tori thought； We've made it。 Just then they saw another Jeep careen onto the tarmac。 It headed for them at full speed； machine pistols blazing。
〃Around the other side！〃 Estilo called。 〃Get the plane between us and those guns！〃
They ducked beneath the wing of the Twin Otter。 But as soon as they did； they could make out an advancing column of troops appearing from out of the jungle on that side of the plane。 They were caught in a tightening net。
〃The plane's our only hope now；〃 Estilo said。 〃We've got to get inside。〃
〃But the moving stair is on the other side；〃 Russell said。 〃Those machine pistols will cut us to ribbons if we show ourselves。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 Tori said； 〃Estilo's right。 If we don't take off in this plane； we're finished。〃 She checked her Uzi。 〃Reload；'' she said。 〃Make sure you've got a full magazine。 Okay。'' She looked at their faces； pale and grim in the reflection of the sodium are lights。 〃Let's go！〃
They began to fire even before they came around beneath the gleaming belly of the Twin Otter。 The Jeep was closer than they expected； the fusillade from the soldiers withering。 Already； they could hear the pop…pop…pop of semiautomatic rifles from the column of soldiers on the other side of the plane。
''We'll never get the moving stair in place！'' Russell shouted over the din。
Tori saw that he was right。 〃Quick！〃 she shouted back。 〃In there！〃 she indicated the open cargo doors。
Russell grabbed Estilo； shoved him into the cargo bay。 Tori got off a quick burst a