First Strike by Jack Higgins Read Free Book Online Page B

grabbed the edge and hauled herself out, reaching back for Rich.
    Just then, there was another shout from below. Moments later, a bullet pinged off the walkway.
    â€œI think,” said Mr Chang drily, “they have detected our ruse.”
    Rich watched from on top of the roof as Chance raised his rifle and took careful aim—not at the rebel soldiers but at the wall of the silo, where the walkway was fixed.
    The sound of the shot was deafening.
    The rebel soldiers charged along the walkway, not daring to fire in case they hit the warhead.
    Chance fired again, this time a burst of automatic fire. The huge hinges broke away from their fixings, and the walkway lurched to one side. Mr Chang jumped back from the edge as the walkway tipped.
    Further along, the effect was more pronounced. The metal was twisting, ripping apart under its own weight now it was no longer attached to the silo wall. The rebel soldier fired. But as he loosed off the shot, his feet skidded from under him and he pitched over the side of the walkway with a cry.
    Gunfire pinged off the rim of the hatch. There was more shouting. Rich reached down and grabbed hold of Mr Chang’s arms, helping to pull him up through the open hatch.
    Then there was a grinding sound as the hatch began to close again. Rich hurried to help Jade, who was reaching back down into the silo for their father. He was firing at the oncoming rebels, now approaching from the other direction where the walkway still held. They ducked away as bullets ricocheted off the side of the missile.
    Chance let off a final burst, then flung the rifle up and out of the closing hole in the roof. He leaped after it. His hands grabbed the edge of the hatchway. Jade and Rich struggled to secure his arms and pull him up and through.
    The hatch was closing fast. Tonnes of metal sliced towards Chance as he desperately tried to haul himself out of the way. Finally—just as it seemed he was too late—he managed to heave himself up and out. His foot came clear of the hatch just as it closed.
    â€œThanks,” he gasped. “I thought for a moment I was going to be de-feeted!”
    Getting away from the silo was relatively easy. The rebels were busy dealing with the last of the Chinese army troops, or down in the silos looking for nuclear warheads that were no longer there.
    â€œWe’ll head back to Mr Chang’s sister’s,” Chance decided. “The extraction team can pick us up there, and we can make sure Yoshi is all right.”
    â€œHe’ll be fine,” Mr Chang assured them. But his smile looked forced and Jade knew he must be worried about the boy.
    The trouble started just as they were leaving the base. One of the rebel trucks was starting up. Its headlights picked out Jade and the others as it swung round on to the main roadway and headed for the gates.
    There was a shout, followed by gunfire.
    â€œThey’re telling us to stop,” said Mr Chang.
    â€œWarning shots. They’re aiming to miss,” said Chance, “which is good.”
    â€œThey think we know where the warheads have gone,” Mr Chang told him, after listening to shouts from the rebels. “Which is bad.”
    There were more shots, which again went wide. Chance pulled a mobile phone from his pocket. Jade could see the display showed a crude map, with two flashing symbols. She guessed one must be the phone itself. The other was a small graphic of a helicopter.
    â€œTwenty-two minutes,” Chance announced. “Keep running!”
    He turned as he ran, loosing off a burst of gunfire. One of the truck’s headlamps exploded into fragments and went out. Answering gunfire chewed up the concrete close to his feet.
    â€œThis way!” said Mr Chang as he headed off the road, into the thick undergrowth to one side and into dense woodland.
    Jade followed, aware of her father and Rich close behind her. They kept running. There was the sound of people following. Some of