The Becket Approval by Falconer Duncan (best big ereader .TXT) 📗

pushed up the bar disconnecting it from the bed and swung it across his body to block the saw. Sparks flew wildly as the teeth struck it. Gunnymede heaved up with all his strength, snapping the other end of the bar from the bed post and pushing the chainsaw upwards. Ashio’s foot slipped on the plastic sheeting and he fell back, losing his grip on the chainsaw which fell onto his neck, cutting into it. His scream lasted but a second as blood filled his throat. He threw the saw aside but the damage had been done. Blood gushed through his fingers as he held his neck in an attempt to stem the flow.

Krilov was the other end of the room and unaware of what had happened at first. When he saw Gunnymede sitting up and struggling to release his feet he ran towards him.

Gunnymede could see he wasn’t going to free himself before the Russian arrived. He grabbed up the roaring chainsaw and swung it over his body to sever the bonds securing his feet. As Krilov closed in, Gunnymede sprang off the bed and extended the chainsaw to meet him but as he made his lunge the plug popped out of the socket, killing it. Encouraged, Krilov closed the gap with malice in his eyes. Gunnymede threw the chainsaw at him, looked around, grabbed the interrogation water and as Krilov came at him he squeezed the trigger sending a jet of liquid into the Russian’s face. It glowed fiercely for a few seconds. Krilov screamed like a banshee and fell to the ground as the liquid bubbled his flesh. He shrieked as he held his face, the liquid covering his hands, adding to his pain. Gunnymede picked up the headboard bar and raised it to bring it down hard on Krilov’s head. At that very moment, somewhere in Gunnymede’s consciousness, he was aware of movement at the building entrance. He paused long enough to look and saw Bethan, her taser in her outstretched hands aimed at him. Before he could process another thought she fired and a dart flew into him on the end of its fine wire. The shock tore through his body and he dropped the bar and fell to his knees as he went into spasm.

Krilov scurried away on his hands and knees until he could get to his feet and stumble through the room, bouncing off shelves and boxes and out the door.

Gunnymede ripped the dart from his body with a shaking hand as he fought to recover. ‘What are you doing?!’ he shouted.

‘Stopping you from killing him!’

Gunnymede fought to get to his feet. ‘Jesus Christ!’ he yelled at the top of his voice, as much to deal with the pain as well as his frustration.

‘You need to calm down.’

‘He was killing me!’

‘That’s not what I saw.’

Gunnymede looked for Krilov. ‘He got away?’

‘This is not the way to solve this, Devon.’

Gunnymede tottered towards the entrance.

‘Don’t, Devon. I’m prepared to stop you,’ she said, reloading her Taser. ‘Frankly I thought better of you.’

Gunnymede ignored her.

‘I’m warning you,’ she called out as she brought the taser up on aim.

He reached the doors.

‘Stop right there!’ she called out.

He stopped. But not because she told him to. The pair of Rottweilers were bearing down on the entrance at full speed. Gunnymede grabbed the door and only managed to slam it shut as the beasts threw themselves at it with a heavy thump, snarling and growling in murderous frustration. He pushed against the door, barely keeping it closed while he looked for a way to lock it. There was a bolt at the top. He threw it across.

Bethan held her fire, confused by his actions.

He stepped back. The door was holding. He hurried to his clothes and pulled on his shirt and jacket. ‘We have a problem.’

‘What’s going on?’ she asked.

‘We need to get out of here. What are you doing here? Doesn’t matter,’ he said, grabbing his phone.

‘I’m sorry, Devon, but I’m going to have to arrest you.’

‘He’s coming back and with friends.’

‘Are you surprised he’s angry? I’ll talk to him. He’ll be fine when I explain I’m taking you into custody.’

‘He’s coming back to kill us,’ Gunnymede said in exasperation as he grabbed a pistol off a shelf. ‘You and me both. Can you see any 9mm ammunition?’

‘Put that down! Are you insane?’

‘Listen to me. That is not an ordinary man.’ He continued to look through the shelves.

She followed him, trying to get his attention. ‘No, you listen to me. It doesn’t matter who he is. We’re not in a war zone. This is England. You can’t solve your problems this way. Oh my God!’ She exclaimed as she almost stepped on Ashio’s lifeless body. Ashio’s hands were around his throat, his eyes open wide and blood everywhere.

‘That would’ve been me seconds before you got here,’ Gunnymede said as he considered some grenades and changed his mind.

‘Who is he?’

‘I didn’t catch his name.’ Gunnymede found a box of magazines that fitted his pistol and continued to look for bullets.

‘You killed him?’

‘Are you taking anything in?’

‘Dear God! You’re out of control!’ She aimed her taser at him. He grabbed it, tossed it away and held her shoulders to face him. ‘Take a look around you. This isn’t a normal man cave. Krilov is Russian special forces. He probably works for the GRU. And he’s coming back here with friends to kill the both of us. Am I getting through to you?’

Bethan took a closer look at a shelf packed with guns and explosives. The penny dropped. She pulled out her phone. ‘I’ll call my people.’

He stopped her with a raised hand as he tried to listen.

‘Let me call my boss,’ she insisted.

‘Shh! The dogs have stopped barking.’

The sound