Alex Hunt Adventure Thrillers Box Set
Books 1 - 3
Urcelia Teixeira
Contents
The RHAPTA KEY
Special Thanks
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Thank You
Meet Alex Hunt
About the Author
Disclaimer & Copyright
The GILDED TREASON
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Thank You
Behind the book - Author notes
About the Author
Acknowledgments
The ALPHA STRAIN
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
BONUS FREE DOWNLOAD
Behind the book - Author notes
About the Author
Special Thanks
To my husband Ricardo for the umpteen
mugs of coffee and shoulder rubs, and to
my three boys for being satisfied with
peanut butter sandwiches three times a day!
Preface
Based on the true legend of Rhapta
About 2000 years ago, Rhapta was speculated to be the first real metropolis of Africa. The lost city was substantially known for its abundant produce of tortoiseshell and metal weapons amongst traders.
Rhapta soon became one of the wealthiest cities in the world and was mentioned in the Greco-Egyptian writer, Claudius Ptolemy's book "Geography."
The fact that he captured his findings in his writings proves that they knew of the city's existence as far back as 50AD.
But approximately 1600 years ago, at the peak of its existence, the entire city suspiciously disappeared.
The city vanished without any trace and with it took bounds of artifacts and architectural insights.
For years, archaeologists, scholars, and divers have been baffled by its disappearance.
The exact location is not known. However, it is believed to have been somewhere off the coast of Tanzania, near Mafia Island.
A recent accidental discovery by a diver in 2016 has the world excited with the prospect that he found Rhapta.
At present they are in search of artifacts or any proof that the suspected ruins are conclusively ruled to have been The Lost City of Rhapta.
Map of Tanzania, Africa
Chapter One
ALEX
"Dad! I can't hear you! The line isn’t very clear. Dad? What's going on? Hello? Dad are you there?"
The crackling noise on the other end of the phone stopped for a mere second. Alex listened as the single gunshot resounded over the phone line.
"Daddy? Dad! Please say something. Dad? Hello?"
Her legs went numb beneath her body. With her phone still in hand, she fell to the floor; unable to breathe.
"Please no. God, please?”
Her mind was a wicked flurry of questions. She had no idea what just happened. Convinced it was all in her head, she raised the phone to her ear again.
"Daddy?" she called out again with a trembling voice.
"Hello? Alex? Is that you?"
"Hello? Who’s this?" Pressing the phone firmer to her ear.
"Alex, it’s Eric. What did your father say to you?"
"What? Nothing, what do you mean? Where is he? I need to speak to him!"
"They took him, Alex! You need to find help! They shot me, and—”
"What? Who took him? Eric! WHO TOOK HIM? Hello? Are you there? Eric! Dad! Is anyone there?”
The all too familiar crackling sound at the other end of the phone echoed in her ears again; blocking out any chance of hearing anyone speak. The sudden click and deafening silence confirmed the line was dead.
Her heart pulsed in her ears. The sequence of events that had just taken place was too hard to digest. With the phone still gripped in her hand she slumped to the floor, her legs folded numbly beneath her body. Paralyzed with fear not knowing what had just happened, tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped onto her phone’s screen. Her shaking fingers scrolled through the menu on her phone as she searched for the last incoming number. Her heart dropped into her stomach when her eyes read the words number unlisted. Unladylike words forced its way between her tightly pressed lips. She banged the phone against her head and muttered to herself. Think, Alex. Think! In a moment of clarity she realized who she should call for help.
Her fingers fumbled with the phone as she dialed the only person she could think of. Several times the phone threatened to slip through her trembling hands that were now shaking uncontrollably. Just calm down Alex. Keep it together.
"Archaeology Faculty, how may I direct your call?"
"Hello? Professor Keating please? It's an emergency."
"Who may I ask is calling?"
"Alexandra … Alex, Alex Hunt, Professor Hunt's daughter. Please, I need to speak to Professor Keating now! Please hurry. It’s a matter of life and death."
Pacing the small room, Alex swallowed hard in an attempt to wet her parched throat. She waited anxiously as the call transferred.
"Alex? What's wrong?"
"Professor! I don't have the faintest idea what to do. I— they, they took him, and Eric got shot and—“
"Whoa! Stop for a second. Calm down Alex. Take a breath. You're not making any sense. Who was taken, and who shot who?"
"My father, they took my father, and I can't make out if they shot him or, maybe they shot Eric, but I heard a gunshot and, and—”
"Okay slow down Alex. Where are you?"
"I'm at home. Dad called but I couldn’t hear him clearly, and then Eric spoke saying they took him and then they shot him. You have to find him Professor!”
"Bugger. I knew your dad was up to something. Okay, make a cup of strong tea and sit tight. Let me make a couple of calls and see what I can find out, but for now try to keep it together. I'll get to the bottom of this as soon as I can."
"But Professor, I— “ The line went dead in her ear.
"Hello? Professor?" She repeated, but he had already put the phone down.
Irate, she threw the phone against the door. The back shot off and the battery slid underneath the couch.
“Great!”
Bent under the couch her fingers fumbled with the battery and cell phone cover as she popped it all back together.
“What the hell are you into, Dad, and where the hell are you?“ she said o
ut loud.
She chewed her thumbnail as she walked circles around the room. All of a sudden her clothes felt too tight and she fiddled with her now constricting medical bracelet on her wrist.
The thought of losing her father was too much for her to handle. Memories of her mother’s death whirled through her mind. She frantically searched her desk for her pills and swallowed two, closing her eyes as she waited for the bitter sting to disappear and the medication to take effect. The prescription bottle in her hand stared back at her. These pills have become her lifeline.
Outside the rain gently tapped on the windowpane. She walked over and traced the soft raindrops down the cold glass.
How could this happen again? She thought. When her mum died, her entire world fell apart. It had been so long since she felt the rain on her face. If her father never returned she would have no choice but to go outside again. The thought left her cold. She couldn’t face that. She wasn’t ready.
She paced the room again, and fought against her taunting thoughts. She couldn’t breathe. Not even with the exercises Dr. Jones gave her when situations like this called for it. Her chest felt tight, and her body appeared to be doing its own thing.
She reached for her phone and checked if she might have missed a call or message alert. She didn’t. There were no missed calls and no messages. Disheartened she realized she’d go crazy waiting for the professor to get back to her. She hurried over to her father’s large messy desk in the corner of the room. Her hands hastily thrust the piles of papers onto the floor.
She rummaged through the desk with vigor. He always left her a note or a clue when he left on a mission. It had to be there somewhere. She paused taking a couple of deep breaths as she continued the silent conversation in her head. He left three, maybe four days ago. He couldn’t have gone far.
With trembling fingers she sifted through the loose papers on his desk but her search returned no note or anything else of significance. Nothing but some term papers from his students, a couple of unopened letters and a map.
Annoyed she paced the room back and forth between the door and the desk trying to convince herself that he was fine. She recalled their last conversation.
He had made a flippant comment about setting off to find the truth that will set them both free from the past.
But there was no truth to be found. The reasons would never be clear, at least not to her.
Feelings of him being in serious trouble gnawed at her insides. Something was wrong. She was certain of it.
A loud knock jolted her back to reality. She scrammed towards the front door almost tripping on the loose rug on the floor. She barely had the chain off and a drenched Professor Keating pushed past her into the house.
"Professor Keating, did you find him?" But instinctively she already knew the answer to her overzealous question. Why else would he be there in person?
"No, Alex I'm afraid I haven’t, at least not yet. I did make some phone calls. My connections said he boarded a flight to Africa.”
"Africa? What would he be doing halfway across the world! Are you sure?"
"I'm certain. We also found an email in your father's office from the University of Dar es Salaam requesting his help on a matter. They think they might have found the lost city of Rhapta."
"Tanzania? That’s absurd, ‘found Rhapta' what rubbish. Everyone is fully aware Rhapta is merely a myth. A fabled maritime city that disappeared off the face of the earth nearly 1600 years ago! It’s nothing but a story some wannabe writer concocted to gain fame. This stupid city doesn't exist! Everything is a ridiculous myth, nothing more. No one has ever found any factual evidence of—“
"Apparently this time someone did find something. They claim to have found some pieces of ancient pottery and gold coins and some human fossils dating back two thousand years. The tests came back positive confirming the fossils are most likely from Rhapta. I think your father must have found something really significant and was kidnapped.“
He paused briefly taking a deep breath before he continued.
"Alex, considering your mother lost her life chasing after this exact lost city, I realize this must be rather hard on you, but what if this is all true? What if all the facts and fables are true and Rhapta lies somewhere hidden or buried under the sea? Do you honestly think your parents would have spent their entire lives chasing after a phantom if they didn't believe any truth might lie within the legendary tale? Your father must have found something new that put him in this dangerous position. He’s always had a nose for these things and he may finally be close to completing what your mother dreamed of doing all her life. She died trying, Alex."
"So he jumps on the first plane chasing this stupid fairytale only to land up dead like Mum? And what about me? What am I supposed to do without both my parents?“
Alex felt her sweater tighten around her neck again as she struggled to breathe. She pulled at the neckband, which proved futile and provided little relief.
"Alex, perhaps you need to sit down for a moment."
In an instance of insanity she tried ripping the sweater’s neckband open. It was suffocating her and she fought to keep her emotions at bay.
”Alex, please? Sit down and try to stay calm. You will have to be strong now. We only have one way of finding your father."
She knew exactly what he was thinking and didn’t like it one bit. Still tugging at her neck, she pre-empted his next sentence.
"You have to go to Tanzania and find him, Alex. You going is the only way."
She felt her body surge out of control. She was cold, no hot. Her heart beat fast and her lunch threatened to push up into her throat. The room spiraled out of control. Her stomach churned uncomfortably and a short moment later the room went black around her.
"Alex it’s Dr. Jones. Can you hear me?"
Alex winced at her aching head as she tried opening her eyes. Dizzy and confused she groaned.
"Ah, welcome back. Try to relax for a bit. You fainted so just lie still for a moment. Here, have a sip of water."
The heavily sugared water left her tongue feeling furry.
"Better? You had a pretty hard knock on your head when you fell so don't try to stand up just yet."
"Alex, I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I —"
“Perhaps not the best time to apologize, Professor. I’d wait for her to find her bearings first. She'll be okay."
Alex rubbed the back of her head and propped her elbows underneath her body as she recollected the events that led to her fainting.
“Absolutely not! No, not going to happen. I CAN'T GO!" She ranted, catching the two men off guard.
"Okay calm down. You’re confused.” Dr. Jones responded.
“I am not going anywhere!” She repeated.
“Go where Alex?" The perplexed physician replied turning a questioning gaze at Professor Keating who had a suspiciously sheepish look on his face.
"Go where Professor? What's she talking about?"
"Africa, Tanzania to be more precise as a matter of fact."
"Africa? Have you lost your mind? To do what if I may ask?"
"To find her father. He's gone missing, and she's the only one who is equipped enough to find him."
"Oh no. No, no, no, no! No way on earth she can go gallivanting off to Africa! I'm afraid that is pretty nearly not going to be possible at all Professor Keating. Out of the question! Let me explain. She—"
“Yes, yes, Dr. I understand. She's still traumatized after having lost her mother much the same way and now the added upset of her missing father will be too much for her. I get it."
"No, as a matter of fact, I believe you do not. Unfortunately, this is a bit more complicated than a simple case of trauma. Alex has Agoraphobia. She can't leave the house. She's a clinical Agoraphobe."
"Agora what?"
"Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by an intense fear of certain places and situations, in normal circumstances set off by severe trauma. Alex hasn
't been out of the house since her mother's death; apart from our exposure therapy sessions that is. Something like this would require an immense amount of courage and willpower for her to leave the house much less fly across the world in a cramped airplane."
Unimpressed by the textbook diagnoses, Professor Keating wasn’t about to give up his fight.
”Alex, you may not have much of a choice in the matter. You would have to go. One of the archaeologists called me a short while ago. The people who captured your father are under the impression that he told you where the key is. If you don't go, they'll kill him. In short, they could blackmail you.“
"That is absurd! It’s ridiculous. Don't you understand? The key doesn't exist. Never did. There is no key!” Raising her voice more than she intended.
Alex shook her head. ”I’m afraid you're going to have to send someone else or go yourself, Professor! I can’t do it. It’s not that I don’t want to, I simply can’t. You’re going to have to help him, Professor.”
“Alex, I wouldn’t ask this of you if I wasn’t convinced you’re the best option we have right now. You know your mother's work inside and out. You've done all the research on Rhapta, and you speak the language fluently. That day, the day that your mother... you might have found Rhapta at that very moment and didn't even realize how close you were. Look, I understand this is going to be terrible for you but finding Rhapta was your mother's dream. The two of you were on the cusp of one of the world's most significant discoveries. We can't let her dream all go to waste. Don't allow her death to have been in vain. Your mother wouldn't have wanted you to pine away, locked up in this house forever. Archaeology is in your blood. It’s your very DNA. You’re a Hunt, Alex. It’s your legacy.“
The Alex Hunt Series Page 1