by Alex Lukeman
It was silent for a moment, the quiet strange against their ears after the noise of the guns.
"Americans," a voice called from above in English. "Give Antipova to us and we will leave. You cannot escape. Give us the traitor and we will leave you alone."
"If you give me up, they will kill you," Valentina said.
"I know," Nick said. "They can't leave witnesses."
They kept their voices low.
"We need to take them out," Ronnie said.
"Sure. You have an idea how we're going to do that from down here?"
Ronnie held up his packet of C4.
"I used to pitch softball, back in the day," he said. "I still have a good arm. I'll make up a charge, toss it up there, no more problem."
"Like a satchel charge."
"Right."
"Americans," the voice came again. "Do not be stupid. You have five minutes before we kill all of you. I begin counting now."
"Don't answer," Valentina said.
Ronnie began packing the charge together. Nick looked up at the ancient beams supporting the floor above.
"When that goes off it will bring everything down on top of us," Nick said.
"Can't be helped," Ronnie said.
"I don't like it," Lamont said. "No way we can be sure we get all of them with that."
"You got a better idea?" Nick asked.
"Blow a hole through that wall behind the tomb, where the entrance to the cave was. At least we'd be out in the open. Down here, we're fish in a barrel."
"Lamont is right," Valentina said. "We are trapped here. We will have a better chance to kill them outside."
Lamont pointed at a corner of the room away from the opening, where the chests were piled four high.
"We could ride it out behind those chests."
"We'll do both," Nick said. "Lamont, you set charges against the wall. Ronnie, put your softball together. Valentina, help me make space behind those chests."
"Americans. Two minutes. You cannot win. Surrender and you will not be harmed."
While Nick and Valentina cleared a space behind the chests, Ronnie molded the plastic explosive into a round ball and inserted a detonator. It was a lot of C4. The explosion would be large. Lamont set charges against the wall behind the tomb.
"Ready," Ronnie said. "We've got five seconds once I toss it."
"Lamont." Nick's voice was soft. "Set the timer for thirty seconds, then get your ass over here."
Lamont set the timer and ran to the corner where Nick and Valentina waited.
"Americans. Do not be stupid. One minute."
Ronnie activated the timer and hurled the ball of explosive into the room above. He ran for the corner and dived behind the chests. Above them someone was yelling.
Ronnie's improvised charge detonated. The floor above collapsed in a waterfall of stone and wooden beams, crashing down on them. Then the second explosion went off. The room filled with light and sound.
Everything went black.
CHAPTER 35
Nick lay on his back, covered with debris. He felt like he'd been hit by a truck. Everything ached. His legs were pinned under a slab of stone. Everything was sore. His ears were ringing. From where he lay, he could see through what was left of the roof. A carpet of stars blazed across the night sky. The air was thick with drifting smoke and dust.
Most of what had remained of the roof was gone. The far wall behind the tomb was open to the night air, breached by the second charge. He turned his head and saw Lamont sprawled against the wall next to him, unconscious. His face was covered with blood from a gash in his scalp.
He heard coughing, then Ronnie's voice.
"Nick. Where are you?"
"Here."
Ronnie was covered with white dust. He looked like a ghost in the moonlight.
"The Russians," Nick said.
"I don't hear anyone. Maybe we got them."
"Lamont's hurt. Help him."
As he said it, Lamont groaned and tried to sit up. He fell back against the wall.
Ronnie went over to him and reached for his medical kit.
"Take it easy, man. You got hit on the head."
"I can't see," Lamont said.
"You've got blood all over your face. I'll clean it up."
When he'd stopped the blood flow and bandaged the cut, Ronnie came back to Nick.
"He took a bad hit on the head. I cleaned up the blood but he still can't see."
"Where's Valentina?"
"Over there, under a beam."
"The Russians?"
"No sounds from up top. I'm going to get this off your legs. You think you can roll if I lift?"
"Yeah."
Ronnie had spent hours in the gym at Project headquarters, working with weights. Now was the time for it to pay off. He squatted down and reached under the edge of the stone slab.
"Ready?"
"Go for it."
Ronnie grunted and lifted. Nick rolled to the side and Ronnie let the slab fall back with a heavy, thudding sound. Nick got unsteadily to his feet. His legs were bruised and sore. His left ankle hurt like hell.
Valentina lay nearby. A heavy wooden beam rested on her chest. A dead Russian lay sprawled in the wreckage a few feet away. His face was a red smear over white bone showing through.
"Valentina," Nick said. "Can you hear me?"
There was no answer. She was pale, unconscious, her face marked by cuts and scratches. Nick and Ronnie bent over her and lifted the beam away. Nick's foot slipped and he looked down. The explosions had shattered some of the ancient wooden chests. Hundreds of gold coins lay scattered under his feet.
"She's still breathing," Ronnie said.
Her eyes opened.
Nick bent over her. "Valentina. Talk to me."
She coughed. Her face twisted in pain.
"Something is broken. In my chest."
"You had a beam lying on you. Valentina, we have to check on the Russians."
"Go. I will be fine."
Their found their weapons and picked their way through the rubble toward the opening behind the tomb. Every step sent jolts of pain shooting up Nick's leg. Russian bodies lay buried in the debris, fallen into the room when the floor collapsed.
The tomb was broken open. The side of the stone coffin was shattered, the lid fallen in on the bones. A skull gaped at Nick from where it had rolled out onto the floor.
"Sorry, partner," he said.
He pushed it out of the way with his foot.
The opening let them out onto the side of the hill at the base of the ruin. They moved silently up the side of the building. One of the Russians lay on his back near the entrance. He was still breathing. He was covered in blood and bits of flesh and brains.
Ronnie took a quick look inside the entrance.
"Nobody left. The whole floor is gone."
Nick knelt by the man. One look told him the Russian was dying. His eyes were open. His face was bleeding from a dozen cuts. Blood trickled from his mouth. Nick slipped his hand under the Russian's head and raised it from the rocky ground below.
"You... American..."
Nick's voice was gentle. "Take it easy, my friend. Don't try to move."
"My Sergeant...was in front of me..."
"He's gone."
The Russian grabbed Nick's hand, his grip like steel. He focused on Nick's face. His breath was foul with the smell of blood as he spoke.
"This is shit."
"I know."
"Stupid... die like this."
He choked. A bright stream of blood burst from his mouth.
"Should have..."
His eyes rolled back. A harsh, gurgling breath died away. His fingers relaxed. Nick let go of the hand.
They went back down the hill and through the breach in the wall. Nick went over to Valentina while Ronnie headed for Lamont.
"You might have broken ribs. I'm going to take off your shirt. I have to look."
Valentina coughed. "Nick. I didn't know you
cared."
Nick smiled and began unbuttoning her shirt. "Don't tell Selena."
A dark, ugly bruise spread across her chest.
"How does it feel when you breathe?"
"Like knives. If I don't take a big breath, not too bad."
A little while later they sat together on the floor. Lamont's vision was blurred and unclear.
"Man, I got the mother of all headaches," he said.
"Probably a concussion," Nick said. "That would explain why you're having trouble seeing. It will clear up in a while."
Nick wasn't sure it would clear up but he didn't say anything. He figured Valentina had two or three broken ribs. He was worried about internal bleeding or a punctured lung, but there wasn't anything he could do about it here. He looked at his watch. In less than two hours the Ghost would come back for them. They had to get out of the ruin and down to the beach before then.
He thought about the box they'd come to find. If it was here, it was buried under the rubble with the Templar treasure. Valentina and Lamont needed a hospital. They had to get down to the beach There was no time to look for it.
He tried the communication link.
"Director. Do you copy? If you read me, respond."
There was nothing but static.
Two dead Russians lay nearby. Ronnie went over to them and went through their pockets. He came back with documents and showed them to Valentina.
"This is not good," she said. "These men are MPR, naval special forces."
"Navy?" Nick said. "There aren't any Russian ships in these waters that I know of."
"They are probably from a submarine," Valentina said.
"Great," Lamont said. "That's all we need, a Russian sub on our ass."
"Time to boogie," Nick said. "Let's get Valentina up first. Then we'll help Lamont."
She gasped with pain as they lifted her to her feet.
They made their way down the steep hill to the beach. Nick limped and struggled to keep his balance. Every step sent electric shocks through his leg and spine. Lamont held onto Ronnie's arm and shoulder as they descended. Valentina stayed with Nick, one hand on his shoulder, holding her other arm tight across her chest.
They reached the beach and sat down on the sand. Twenty minutes later, the futuristic shape of the Ghost appeared out of the darkness and glided toward them.
Nick looked up at the ruin of the Templar outpost. Ronnie stood next to him.
"We failed," Nick said. "The thing Adam wanted us to find is still up there."
"Maybe it was destroyed by the explosion."
"Yeah, maybe."
A small voice inside said, maybe not.
CHAPTER 36
Dubois phoned Payne from New York.
"Russians? What were Russians doing there?"
"It's unclear," Dubois said. "Whatever the reason, they got in a fight with the Americans and lost. Our men counted nine dead."
"The relic?"
"It's been found."
Payne smiled, his lips an open wound in his desiccated face. Soon things would change.
"All right, come home."
Dubois caught the redeye to Dublin. The weather was miserable. He drove from the airport through heavy rain and sleet. When he reached the keep, he pushed the heavy door closed against the storm raging outside. He shrugged off his coat, glad to be out of the car and off the narrow Irish roads. Water dripped from his coat onto the stone floor. He hung it near a suit of armor standing by the door and made his way to the library.
Payne sat in a leather armchair in front of the fireplace, watching the fire. A glass of whiskey and a decanter sat on a small table beside him. He glanced around as Dubois came in.
"Shite weather, isn't it Alan?"
"That's an understatement. Makes it easy to understand why everybody drinks in this country. Speaking of which..."
"Help yourself, Alan. Then tell me about Croatia."
Dubois poured himself a large drink and sat down.
"The Templars built their outpost over a cave. The floor over the cave was destroyed, but the Americans blew out a wall below. That made it easy for us to get in and retrieve the treasure."
Dubois paused and drank from his glass. He wiped his lips and continued.
"The brethern recovered almost all of the Templar gold. Some is buried under the debris, but what they found was significant. They concealed what was left. It will take heavy equipment to get to the rest."
"And the relic?"
"Safe. A courier is bringing it here."
"Has anyone opened the reliquary?"
There was a hint of warning in Payne's voice.
"No. They wouldn't dare."
"You said there were Russian soldiers on the site. Dead ones."
"Yes. It must've been quite a battle. There were nine bodies, altogether. None of the Americans were among the dead."
"Pity," Payne said. "Something will have to be done about them. Then again, perhaps it doesn't matter. There's nothing they can do, now that we have the relic. I wonder why the Russians were there?"
"I suspect they were after the woman, Antipova. I don't think they knew anything about the legacy."
"You removed the bodies?"
"Of course," Dubois said. "If the Croatian authorities happen to look at the site, they won't find any traces. They'll assume the interior of the building collapsed of its own accord. There's no reason for them to explore further. Nothing is visible."
"I would never have guessed the treasure was in Croatia," Payne said. "No matter, it's now on the way back to where it belongs. When will it arrive?"
"Everything was loaded onto the Athena. Officials in Croatia were paid to ignore her presence in their waters. I estimate ten days if the weather is good."
The Athena was Payne's ocean going yacht.
"We will hold the ritual at the next full moon," Payne said. "I want you to obtain a suitable subject. Be sure you don't choose someone from around here. In fact, get someone from up north."
"A Protestant?"
"Yes."
"Leave clues pointing to a Catholic abduction, something to stir up the old hatreds."
"As you wish," Dubois said.
CHAPTER 37
Lamont placed a gold coin on Elizabeth's desk. It looked as though it had been newly minted. One side of the coin showed an angel kneeling before the Virgin Mary. The obverse showed a triangular shield bearing stars, a cross, and three fleur-de-lis.
"I didn't know you had that," Ronnie said.
"I thought it would make a great souvenir," Lamont said.
He reached in his pocket and took out six more.
"One for everybody."
"I'll be damned," Nick said. "Director, can we keep these?"
"I don't see why not. We were never there. But somebody else was. They went in there and cleaned the place out after you left."
"They did? Who?"
"A private yacht showed up after you left the site," Stephanie said. "We have satellite shots of the boat. Freddie identified it. Freddie?"
Yes, Stephanie?
"Tell everyone what you discovered about the boat."
You are referring to the yacht in Croatia?
Stephanie pursed her lips. "Yes, Freddie, that boat."
The yacht is named Athena. She is registered to Geoffrey Payne.
When it was apparent Freddie wasn't going to say anymore, Stephanie said, "Freddie, please tell us about Geoffrey Payne."
Geoffrey Payne is the founder and owner of Payne's Pies. He manufactures frozen dinners featuring meat and vegetable pies.
"I don't know what's wrong with him today," Stephanie said. "Sometimes getting information out of him is like pulling teeth."
Valentina looked puzzled.
"Pulling teeth? What is this, please? Computers do not have teeth."
"It's an idiom," Selena said. "A metaphor for something that is difficult."
I am not being difficult. You asked me to tell you about Geoffrey Payne. I tol
d you.
"Don't sulk, Freddie. It's just that we would like you to tell us more than what he does for a living," Stephanie said. "For example, we'd like to know where he lives. If he has a police record, any unusual characteristics, that sort of thing."
Geoffrey Payne lives in a castle on the eastern coast of southern Ireland. He renovated the structure some years ago at great expense. There are no records of an arrest. He believes he is descended from one of the Templars accused of blasphemy in 1307.
"There's the connection to the Templars and Dubois," Nick said.
"The satellite shots show crates being taken from the ruins and loaded onto Payne's yacht," Elizabeth said.
"The treasure," Selena said.
"That's the logical conclusion."
"Payne has to be the one who sent Dubois to Selena," Nick said. "If he has the treasure, he has the relic. Adam said Dubois was working for someone who had to be prevented from getting his hands on it. That's Payne. Now that we know he has it, we have to do something about it."
"We don't know if he found the relic, whatever it is."
"We have to assume he did. We have to get it back," Nick said.
"Freddie," Elizabeth said, "do we have pictures of Payne's castle? Satellite shots? Anything?"
The castle was at one time a noted tourist attraction. The area is now closed off to visitors. There are many photographs. Do you want me to display them?
"Only the ones showing overall views of the building."
Processing.
A dozen photographs appeared on the monitor.
"Must've been something in the old days," Ronnie said.
"It still is," Nick said. "At least the outer walls aren't a problem. Are there any satellite pictures, Freddie? Overhead shots?"
The image on the screen changed to a satellite picture taken on a clear day. It showed the distinctive cross-shaped structure of the keep and the ruined outer walls surrounding the original compound.
"What part of Ireland is that?" Selena asked.
The castle is located in County Wicklow.