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A, but Pitt was gone

He rushed to the rear opening again Aquarters inside the cliff tomb discovered by Giordino and Shannon sat beside theHe laid the s outside and sat on it He cast aside the rifle, gripped the knives in outstretched hands, and glanced apprehensively at the ground 20 ee-jumped into a canyon on Vancouver Island in British Columbia

Leaping into space, he ainst all huhts abruptly ended when a fourth rocket s the heels of his sneakers into the steep slope and jammed the knife blades into the stone blocks for brakes Without a backward glance, he launched hi the an/sled

Giordino, with Shannon and the students trailing behind hi up the rear, cautiously cliround to when the helicopters landed Giordino paused, raised his head slightly over a fallen stone wall, and scanned the landscape The helicopters were sitting only 50 ht crews cal the assault on the temple

Shannon moved beside Giordino and looked over the wall just in ti down the arched entrance of the upper palace "They'll destroy the artifacts," she said in grief

"No concern over Dirk?" Giordino spared her a brief glance "He's only risking his life for us, fighting off an army of mercenaries so we can steal a helicopter"

She sighed "It pains any archaeologist to see precious antiquities lost forever"

"Better yesterday's junk than us"

"I'm sorry, I want him to escape as much as you But it all seems so impossible"

"I've known the guy since ere kids" Giordino smiled "Believe me, he never passed up an opportunity to play Horatius at the bridge" He studied the two helicopters that sat in the clearing in a slightly staggered formation

He selected the one in the rear as a prime candidate for escape It was only a fewseen, and more important, it was out of easy view of the crew seated in the forward craft "Pass the word," he ordered over the sounds of battle, "we're going to hijack the second chopper in line"

Pitt shot uncontrollably down the side of the te boulder on a path that took hi fro walls with only centimeters to spare

His hands gripped the knife handles like vises, and he pushed with all the strength in his sinewy aran to throw out sparks of protest froes of the rubber heels on his sneakers were being ground sh surface of the wall And yet he accelerated with dis forward and turound or striking with such force that he broke a leg Either calamity and he was finished, dead meat for the Peruvians ouldn't treat hi their officers

Still fighting gris a split second before he struck the ground with appalling force He let loose of the knives on impact as his feet drove into the ooze of rain-soaked soil Using his momentum, he rolled over on one shoulder and tu He lay in the mud for a fewexperie

One ankle slightly sprained, but still in working condition, a few abrasions on his hands, and an aching shoulder appeared to be the only dae The damp earth had saved him from serious injury The faithful mattress was in shreds He took a deep breath, happy at still being intact Having no ti as much of the ruins as possible between hi for an assault up the temple stairs