almost didn’t see what was waiting ahead。
He was rushed by two traitors； one from each side。 He sidestepped the first； and greeted the
second with his lasgun butt； striking his jaw。 As the traitor reeled； Grayle grabbed him by the
shoulder； and spun him into his comrade。 While both were off…balance； he stepped back； brought up
his gun； then thought about the noise it would make； the attention it would draw； and thrust his
bayonet instead through the first traitor’s kidney until he choked on his own blood。
The second traitor made to run； but Pozhar — following Grayle’s lead in not firing his gun —
brought him down with a low tackle。 The traitor opened his mouth to yell out； but Pozhar filled it
with his fist。 Then he drove his gun butt repeatedly into the traitor’s head until he was quite certain
that he was dead。
“Quickly； in here！”
Grayle whirled around； brought up his gun； and saw a slim； fair…haired young man in its sights。
The man was wearing a basic blue worker’s smock； he certainly didn’t look like a traitor or a cultist。
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Still； Grayle wasn’t the only Ice Warrior to be suspicious； and the new arrival blanched as he found
himself staring down two lasgun barrels。
The man threw up his hands to show that he was unarmed。
“I can help you；” he said； 'but you have to come now。 We don’t have long。”
“How do we know this isn’t some trick？” demanded Pozhar。
“I don’t know how to convince you；” said the man； 'but I am loyal to the Emperor； praise His
name。 I am one of the few men left in this city who is。 And the Traitor Guardsmen are moving to
surround you again。 If you stay out here； you’re dead for sure — you may as well take your chances
with me。”
Grayle looked at Pozhar； and could see that they were both thinking the same thing： that the
stranger was right。 He was their best hope。 So； Grayle turned to him with a nod； and said； “Okay；
lead the way。”
“But if you are lying to us；” Pozhar hissed； “it won’t matter how many friends you have waiting
back there； what sort of a trap you might be leading us into； I will fight my way to you and I will cut
your throat — with my dying breath if I have to。”
Steele was running with Anakora； Barreski and Mikhaelev when he heard the bike roaring up behind
them。 It came screaming past the Ice Warriors； skidded to a halt in their path； and its rider was
already in mid…leap towards them。
They greeted him with las…fire； but they may as well have been shining flashlights in his face for
all the effect it had。 Steele ducked beneath the Chaos Space Marine’s chainsword； while Anakora
drove her bayonet at him。 She was aiming for an armour joint but missed； and the tip of her blade
snapped off。 The Chaos Space Marine grabbed her by the greatcoat； lifted her and flung her away
like a piece of trash。
Barreski took the opportunity； while his foe was distracted； to attempt to drive his power fist into
his stomach。 The Chaos Space Marine caught Barreski’s hand and squeezed； and the gauntlet broke
with a shower of sparks。 Barreski was barely able to pull out his hand in time to spare it the same
fate。
Steele was aiming his laspistol； looking for an opening； when the chainsword lashed out at him
again。 He could smell the engine oil on its whirring teeth as he stumbled backwards away from it。
The Chaos Space Marine was focusing his attacks upon him。 He must have seen the rank
insignias on Steele’s coat； identified him as the leader。 He had chosen his victim； the other three Ice
Warriors were just an inconvenience； a minor one at that。 Steele offered up a prayer to the Emperor
— not for his own life； because he knew this was lost； but that he could occupy this monster long
enough for his comrades to get clear。
He ran； knowing he would not get far； hoping that he could get just far enough。 He could hear
the jackhammer footsteps of the Chaos Space Marine behind him — it had taken him less than a
second to cast Barreski and Mikhaelev aside； to set off in pursuit of his true prey — and then he
heard the whine of a jump pack。
Steele threw himself onto his stomach； and the Chaos Space Marine hurtled over him； having
not expected such quick reflexes from a Guardsman。 Scrambling to his feet； Steele raced for a litterstrewn
alleyway； slipped through a gateway； hauled himself into a burnt…out building through an
open window； and ran out through the main door。
He ducked behind a statue of a great Imperial general； and tried to control his breathing； not to
make the slightest sound。
And the statue exploded； shredded by the explosive payload of a bolt pistol。
The Chaos Space Marine was upon Steele again； marching through a cloud of dust and debris；
and for the third time Steele only just avoided being sliced in two by his chainsword。 There was no
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running now； no one to get between him and his attacker； and no hope of matching him for sheer
strength。
He drew his power sword anyway； and triggered its energy field。
He was in this fight to the death； and he had no doubt that he would be the one to die。 But by the
time Colonel Stanislev Steele went down； his killer would be left in no doubt that he had just gone
toe to toe with an Ice Warrior。
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Time to Destruction of Cressida： 16。24。39
“The Chaos worshippers don’t come down here；” said the man in the worker’s smock。
“I can see why not；” muttered Grayle。
They were picking their way along a dark； dank tunnel； lit only by the yellow glow of their
lamp…packs。 Their guide； who had introduced himself as Tollenberg； had led Grayle and Pozhar
through a concealed manhole in the basement of an office building。 The foul smell had been the first
thing to hit Grayle。 He had been wading ankle…deep in cold； rank water before he realised what this
was： a sewer pipe。
“Oh； they’ve tried a time or two；” Tollenberg went on。 “Mangellan knows we’re here； even if he
underestimates our numbers and our fortitude。 He’s sent cultists to find us。 I don’t think he knows
how extensive these tunnels are； doesn’t realise it’s a maze down here。 It’s all too easy to get lost；
easier still to walk into an ambush。”
They climbed up onto a crumbling ledge； and slipped through an iron door that had been left
rusted half…open。
Then Tollenberg led them down a long ladder； its rungs made slippery by a continual dribble of
the foul water。 At its base； they found another tunnel； apparently identical to the one above。
“We’ve had time； you see — those of us still loyal to the Emperor； still free。 We’ve had time to
find our way around； draw up maps； scope out the best hiding places。 We can get from one side of
the hive to the other now； from its top to its bottom； without leaving these pipes for more than a few
strides。 We can—”
Tollenberg came to an abrupt halt； fell silent； and held up a hand for the Ice Warriors to do
likewise。 They switched off their lights and stood waiting in the darkness； in the quiet； and they
could all hear it： footsteps； sloshing towards them from behind another opening in the brick wall。
Footsteps that now fell silent； as if the people making them had also realised that they weren’t alone；
were also standing and waiting。
Cautiously； Tollenberg tapped his lamp…pack against the wall； three times； paused； then tapped
twice more； each knock echoing along the tunnel behind and ahead of them。 A moment later；
answering knocks came； four in quick succession； and Tollenberg relit his pack。
“It’s OK；” he said。 “They’re friends。”
They met at the tunnel junction； Tollenberg embracing a middle…aged woman with tied…back red
hair； who wore a blue smock like his； while Grayle and Pozhar were delighted to find her
accompanied by two comrades： Gavotski and Blonsky。
“We have people searching the whole of this sector；” explained Tollenberg。 “With luck； they’ll
find a few more of your fellows yet。”
“But why？” asked Pozhar impatiently。 “What do you want with us？”
“Where are you taking us？” asked Blonsky。
“Somewhere safe；” said Tollenberg。
Anakora was alive。
Her encounter with the Chaos Space Marine had lasted all of about three seconds； and was a blur
in her memory。 She only knew that she had hit the ground hard； been winded； and now she could
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hear the growling of a chainsword blade。 It filled her ears； seeming to come from right beside her —
but as she picked herself up； as she made herself look； she saw that she was alone in the gutter。
She could hear the retort of las…fire； too — from a pistol； if she was not mistaken。 Colonel
Steele！
She didn’t stop to think。 She pounded down the street； heedless of the risk to herself； of the
possibility that more traitors might be lurking between the buildings。 And she wasn’t running away
from the sounds of battle； as would have been the sensible thing to do； the right thing； as Barreski
and Mikhaelev must have done already。 No； Anakora ran towards them — and she realised as she
did so that those sounds ought to have ceased by now； that no human opponent of a Chaos Space
Marine could have survived this long。 It just wasn’t possible。
Rounding the next corner； she saw that the impossible was happening。
Beside the Chaos Space Marine in his black power armour； Steele looked small and helpless。
Still； somehow he was managing to go toe to toe with him。 He ducked each blow almost before it
was thrown； or parried it with his blue…flaring power sword； making his foe look clumsy。 He aimed
the majority of his thrusts at the Chaos Space Marine’s face； and some of them had got through。
Even as Anakora watched； Steele drew blood again； scoring a red line across the bridge of his
opponent’s nose； a fresh scar to add to his collection。
The Chaos Space Marine didn’t flinch； hardly seemed to register the shallow cut； his system no
doubt flooded with painkilling drugs。 Anakora knew that； in contrast； one punch from him would be
enough to break Steele’s neck； one hit from his chainsword enough to decapitate him。 Steele’s
reflexes； or his augmetics； only had to let him down once and he would be dead。
Her first las…beam glanced off the Chaos Space Marine’s armour。 She had been trying to find a
joint； hoping to blow it open； but with Steele in her line of fire she had to err on the side of caution。
The Chaos Space Marine didn’t even look； never took his eyes off Steele。 He simply drew his bolt
pistol with his left hand and loosed off a short burst in Anakora’s direction。 For a blind shot； it was
horribly accurate； and she was barely able to leap back around her corner as a chunk of the wall was
blown out behind her head。
She tried two more beams； each provoking an answering burst of bolts； before she decided that
she needed something bigger。
A big green truck was parked on the street； a few metres away。 The door to the cab hung loose；
and Anakora yanked it open so hard that she wrenched it from its hinges。 She hadn’t driven a
vehicle since her training； she was hardly a specialist； but she could remember the basics and she
had seen Grayle at work。
She hauled herself up into the driver’s seat； closed her eyes； muttered a fervent prayer to the
engine’s machine…spirits and almost brimmed over with gratitude towards them when they came
alive for her。
The frame o