"After them!" cried Spartan, who still believed he was our commander.
But I paid no attention to him. Following a routed and disordered enemy and cutting him to pieces may be a sound military precept, but we were no army and we were outnumbered hundreds to one. It would have been plain stupidity to pursue.
Axel's gun was reloaded now and he emptied it again at the retreating foe. Each bullet, whether it hit a Martian or a rock or the desert sand, increased the terror of the retreating host.
Then his gun was empty.
To my surprise I saw Axel half turn. Then his knees seemed to give way and he fell to the ground, clutching his side.
Turning my head, I saw Spartan with an automatic in his hand, starting to level his gun at me. There was an ugly grin on his lips. He had shot Axel.
As he fired, I dodged behind the barricade, on the opposite side of which Gail crouched. She had not heard the shots, of course, and had not seen Axel fall. I shouted, "Gail! Come here! Around on this side!"
She couldn't understand me. She was puzzled, thought I was crazy, because her side was safe from Martians.
I raised my rifle and aimed at Spartan as he came running toward Gail.
I pulled the trigger, but it didn't fire. The rifle was empty. I'd sent my last bullet after the retreating Martians.