Free The Bloodline Cipher by Stephen Cole Page A

us!’
    â€˜I’m sorry!’ Patch shouted back, trembling.
    Maya stepped gingerly over the glass to help Tye move Con over to the door. ‘
Are
they coming back?’ she asked quietly.
    â€˜I’ll see.’ Jonah crossed to the window, a sick feeling building in his belly. The ripped curtains twitched like the night was breathing in on them.
    He saw the pick-up unharmed, parked in the gateway to the drive, well away from the blazing wreck of the limo. But Heidel stood watching him from the other side of the flaming wreck, half-obscured by the thick black smoke, his features rippling in the heat haze. Jonah watched, uneasy and transfixed, as the old man produced the Guan Yin manuscript, the book they’d come so far to get from his pocket.
    And then threw it into the blaze.
    Jonah was too stunned to react. He watched Heidel slowly turn and walk back to the waiting truck. The passenger door was opened and the old man climbed inside. Then the pick-up drove slowly away, no wheel-spins or
screw-you
theatrics. Jonah found himself thinking of a hearse leaving a funeral. The flames billowed a brighter orange, flaring up as if feasting on the new morsel thrown to them. When they died back down there was nothing to see beyond save the huddled shadows of the dark landscape and the star-splashed indigo above.
    Tye spoke just behind him; he hadn’t heard her approach. ‘Tell me that wasn’t the manuscript he just burnt to ashes.’
    The sting of smoke caught Jonah’s eyes and he rubbed them. ‘It was so dark, I couldn’t see clearly. It could have been a trick.’
    She looked at him, her dark eyes reflecting the fire. ‘Who are you kidding?’
    â€˜At least now we know what the Bloodline Cipher is,’ said Patch bitterly. ‘It’s toast.’
    A book of dark magic, followed by bad luck and flames
. Jonah shivered and looked to where Patch was slumped between Motti and Con, over by the door. Con was breathing more normally now. Maya hovered uncertainly beside the desk in the corner.
    â€˜
Are
they coming?’ she whispered again.
    Jonah shook his head. ‘Gone. Like the manuscript.’ He slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. ‘Except that’s gone for ever, and Heidel and his crew will be back, won’t they? Back for us.’
    â€˜Who are you?’ Maya pressed one hand to her bloodied cheek. ‘You came for the Guan Yin manuscript too. Why?’
    Tye ignored her. ‘We’d better get out of here. That explosion will have carried for miles – maybe all the way to the nearest neighbours. They’ll be dialling 911.’
    Patch sighed. ‘D’you think they could spare an ambulance for Mot at the same time?’
    â€˜This place’ll be full of cops,’ said Con hoarsely, tugging the high neckline of her black top away from her throat, turning to Maya. ‘What about her?’
    Maya took a wary step backwards. ‘What about me?’
    â€˜She was Blackland’s librarian,’ Tye explained.
    Con’s eyes had narrowed. ‘She can ID us.’
    â€˜God, you’re right,’ Patch realised. ‘That old git used our full names.’
    â€˜I won’t tell anyone anything,’ said Maya quickly,her grey eyes wide and frightened. ‘I don’t want to get involved.’
    Jonah looked queasily at Blackland’s body. ‘Bit late for that.’
    â€˜I won’t talk to the police,’ Maya insisted. ‘Listen, those people may have taken the manuscript, but there’s a copy. It’s been scanned, every page. All stored on a DVD upstairs. You can have it, just … just don’t hurt me.’
    The glitter returned to Con’s sub-zero eyes as she turned to Tye. ‘Is she lying?’
    â€˜Seems on the level,’ said Tye slowly.
    â€˜It’s why that bitch Bree was beating me up,’ said Maya, her fingers straying to the welt on her