Sacred Ground

“You’re what?”

“Just wait and see.”

Annja looked out the back window. The truck wasn’t even honking its horn at them. Whoever was behind the wheel didn’t seem to care that they were a few hundred feet from rolling right over the smaller truck.

“Here he comes!” Annja shouted.

6

Godwin gripped the steering wheel with both hands as he tried to coax any last bit of power out of the SUV. The speedometer cranked slowly higher, but it wouldn’t be enough. He glanced at Annja and shook his head. “Any more and we’ll spin out and crash.”

The front grille of the lumbering rig grew ever larger out of the back window. Annja thought the truck looked like a hungry shark bearing down on a wounded prey. She could hear the engine of the truck surging as it burned more gas and chewed up the ice as it sped toward them.

“Can’t we do anything?” Derek asked.

Godwin shrugged. “Like what? It’s not like you’ll find a cop waiting to bag you for speeding. No one drives this fast out here except for us.”

“And him,” Annja said. “Except he’s driving even faster than we are. How is that possible?”

“Bigger engine,” Godwin said. “Plus, he’s got cargo that gives him added weight and therefore force.”

“Great,” Annja said. “And we aren’t big enough to slow down that force by much.”

Godwin shook his head. “I’m trying to keep us ahead of him, but I think we’ve got about two minutes before he runs over us.”

Derek had the map open on his lap, running his finger over the entire area. “There’s got to be something out here we can use.”

“I’m open to suggestions, Mr. Wainman,” Godwin said.

Annja stabbed at the map. “What’s that?”

Derek peered closer. “Looks like a small turnoff, actually. Probably not much more than an uphill slope if these contour lines are accurate.”

Annja nodded. “Should be about a mile from here.” She glanced at Godwin. “Can we make it?”

“Don’t know. I’ll try.” The truck surged ahead again and Annja felt the whole thing slide for a moment before Godwin steered slightly left and regained control. Behind them, the truck continued to loom large.

Through the bright sunlight, Annja could see the snow scattering in the slipstream of the truck as Godwin tried to pour on more speed. Annja stared out of the windshield, trying to spot the turnoff.

Derek shook his head. “He’s gaining on us!”

“We’re not going to make it,” Godwin said. “There’s not enough time.”

“We’ll make it,” Annja said. And then she pointed. “Look!”

A few hundred yards ahead, she could see the turnoff. It was a slope arcing up to the right off the ice road like some sort of higher bank on the frozen river. “Aim for it now, Godwin.”

The distance shrank between the huge rig behind them and the back of the SUV they drove. Godwin grunted as the mighty giant brushed their back bumper and sent them zipping farther ahead.

“Now!”

Godwin jerked the steering wheel and the SUV fishtailed onto the slope, carrying them off the ice road onto the turnoff. He slammed on the brakes and the SUV came to a rest. Behind them, the giant rig let out an angry horn blast and thundered on past them, soon disappearing in the brilliant sunshine.

Godwin took a deep breath and released his hold on the steering wheel. “Well, that was a bit too close for my liking.”

Derek clapped him on the shoulder. “That was a great bit of driving, my friend. I’ll make sure you’re given your due when we get back.”

“Thank you,” Godwin said. He glanced at Annja. “Are you all right?”

Annja nodded. “I’ll be fine as soon as we get the hell off of this ice road and I’m somewhere where I can control my own destiny.” She almost chuckled aloud at that thought. She hadn’t felt in control of her destiny ever since she’d come into possession of Joan of Arc’s mystical sword. But no one else needed to know that.

Derek looked out of the rear window. “The question is, did that big rig leave us or is it waiting somewhere farther down the ice road to ambush us?”

Godwin took the map and studied it. “Well, unfortunately, we’re going to have to get back on the road and follow it until our turnoff. There’s just no other way to reach the dig site.” He glanced at Annja. “I know, I know, I’m not crazy about this, either, but there’s no alternative.”

Annja nodded. “I know it.”

Godwin slid the truck into gear and backed down the turnoff until they were once again on the road. Then he slid the truck into Drive and started off again. “If it makes you feel any better,” he said, “I don’t think we’ll see that guy again.”

“Why not?” Annja said.

Godwin shrugged. “I’m not sure. Just a hunch.”

“Your hunches ever pan out?” Annja asked.

Godwin shrugged. “If they did, I would have won the lottery by now and retired to some place warmer than this.” He eyed her. “What about yours?”

Annja smiled. “Sometimes.”

“And you think that rig is waiting for us?”

Annja looked out of the windshield at the road ahead of them and calmed her breathing. She felt okay. And she thought that perhaps they might get through this part of the journey unscathed now.

“Actually, I think we’re good.”

Derek heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, that’s a twofer, so I’ll accept it as gospel now.”

Godwin smirked and continued to drive. “Maybe that was another warning for us, huh?”

“Do you really think so?” Annja asked.

He shrugged. “First the assassin’s dagger, and then we almost get run over on the ice road. I’d say someone is trying very hard to keep us from reaching our destination, wouldn’t you?”

Annja sighed. “Maybe. But it’s only because I don’t have a better theory at this point.”

“Neither do I,” Derek said. “But who would be behind it?”

“Traditionalists in the Araktak perhaps,” Godwin said. “Maybe they’re less keen on seeing this deal go through than we realized.”