275

The clansmen dive aside as you crash through their barrier and accelerate across the open ground towards the safety of the southern ruins. They recover quickly and soon the staccato hammering of their assault rifles is echoing in your wake. With twenty yards left to go, five bullets rip their way through the jeep’s rear tyres, which explode with a tremendous bang. For a moment you lose control as the vehicle slews sideways, rises on two wheels, and then comes to a sudden halt. Quickly you abandon it and run for cover.

Ahead, you see the ruins of a fire station. You shout to Kate and point at the building; immediately she acknowledges your message with a thumbs-up. Then a string of bullets ricochets off the rubble-strewn ground around your feet, kicking up a cloud of dust that engulfs your whole body. Kate looks over her shoulder with fear stark in her eyes, but when you scream that you are OK, and tell her to keep running at all costs, her expression relaxes and she obeys your command willingly. More shots ring out, but they fall short of their mark and you reach the ruins of the fire station unscathed. Inside, you discover that much of the roof has collapsed, although you can see that one vehicle, a paramedic truck, has survived the devastation virtually intact.

If you wish to search this vehicle, turn to 232.

If you choose to ignore it and press on with your escape, turn to 148.