“If I allow this, we must leave well before daybreak tomorrow to avoid the warmest part of the day,” Fahad said.
“We’ll be here on time, I promise,” Richard said.
“Make it three pounds each, and I’ll do it.”
Richard would’ve forked over more since there weren’t any other options, but he was pleased that Fahad didn’t gouge them any more than he did.
* * *
THE RIDE THROUGH Khyber Pass was long and far hotter than advertised. Richard and David listened for most of the trip as Fahad delivered passionate soliloquies regarding the English occupation of Pakistan and the history of the treacherous stretch of road they traveled. He pointed out several locations where people were killed by bandits or died when their vehicle careened off the edge. While the stories were entertaining, Richard found himself wondering whether or not they would actually make it to Afghanistan.
“How long have you been driving this route?” Richard asked.
“About three years, ” Fahad answered. “I’m one of the more experienced drivers on this route. Most men can’t handle the demands of navigating this path each day.”
The road narrowed to a one-lane passageway as it curved around a corner, though Fahad maintained his speed.
Richard glanced at David, who was clawing at his seat. Lines creased his forehead as he stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding through the windshield. Turning toward the front, Richard saw what appeared to frighten David—another cart hurtling toward them with nowhere else to go.
Fahad stomped on the brakes and shifted into reverse.
“Hold on,” he said as he began driving backward. Once he reached a spot where the road widened enough to accommodate two vehicles at once, Fahad parked and waited for the oncoming traffic to pass. Once there weren’t any more cars, he re-entered the one-lane path.
“Are you sure it’s safe to travel this way again?” Richard asked.
“This is why so many drivers quit,” Fahad said. “This job isn’t for those with a weak constitution.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” Richard said.
“We’ll be in Torkham soon enough.”
Richard spent the rest of the trip drinking in the view near the top of the pass and praying that another car didn’t smash into them head-on whenever the road narrowed. After a couple hours, they finally arrived at the border and entered Pakistan just outside Torkham. Fahad dropped off Richard and David near the center of the city, giving them directions to the market.
Richard and David meandered around the market for a while, acting as if they were interested in some of the goods being sold there. Eventually, they sauntered up to the area where Fahad told them they’d find the art shop. It was open, but there was nobody inside.
The woman in the booth across from them eyed them carefully.
“Are you interested in purchasing something?” she asked as she walked across the aisle separating the two businesses.
“Perhaps you can help us,” Richard said. “We’re looking for Dalir Abassi. Have you seen him today?”
The woman shook her head. “He’s been gone for five days now. We’re all very worried that something happened to him.”
“Did you see anyone stop by here and talk with him?” David asked.
“The last time I saw him, a couple men came by and asked him a few questions. He didn’t look happy, but he left with them and asked me to watch his store while he was gone. I haven’t seen him since.”
“Do you know where he lives?” Richard asked as he waved a pound note in front of her face.
She nodded and smiled. “I’ll take you there in a half hour when we close for lunch.”
When lunchtime arrived, the woman escorted Richard and David to Abassi’s house located less than a five-minute walk from the market. Situated on the ground floor of a two-story complex, the home was cozy and decorated with an array of Afghani art. The layout was open with the kitchen, living area, and dining area all in one spot. There was a toilet with a bathtub and two other rooms, one being Abassi’s bedroom while the other was a study.
“May I ask what your interest is in Dalir?” the woman asked.
“We want to know about the men who visited him,” Richard said. “We believe they’re very dangerous, and we need to speak with them.”
“I doubt they’re still here,” she said. “Someone would’ve told me by now. Everyone around the market has been worried about Dalir.”
Richard and David searched for a half hour and couldn’t come up with any actionable lead on where Dalir Abassi might have directed the Germans.
“I need to return to my store,” the woman said. “And I need to ask you to please leave now. You haven’t found anything, and I don’t feel comfortable letting you stay here any longer.”
Richard offered the woman another pound, but she shook her head.
“I won’t ask again.”
Richard was about to leave when he spun around and hustled over to Abassi’s desk. Pulling open the drawer, Richard tapped the bottom of it, which emitted a hollow sound.
“Find something?” David asked.
“Now,” the woman said as she narrowed her eyes at Richard.
He refused to look at her, ignoring her pleas while investigating the clue he thought he’d found. After several seconds, he found a latch on the side that released the top portion of the drawer and revealed a hidden chamber beneath.
“Would you look at this?” Richard asked.
Inside was a weathered map of the region with only one location circled.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” David asked.
Richard nodded. “That’s got to be where the treasure is.”
“Please return Dalir’s possessions to his drawer and come with me right now, or else I will go get the authorities,” she said.
“Coming,” Richard said, replacing everything but the map in the drawer and then reassembling all the pieces.
Richard and David hustled outside, thanking the woman profusely as she pulled the door shut and gestured for them to walk in front of her back to the market.
“Thank you for your help,” Richard said.
“I hope what you found helps you bring Dalir back to us,” she said. “We all miss him.”
Richard and David waved goodbye as they peeled off onto a side street.
“Well, at least we know where we’re going next,” Richard said.
“It’s still a guess,” David warned. “Just playing devil’s advocate here, but that could be a family heirloom of sorts or hold some other sentimental value to him.”
“Not hidden like that,” Richard said.
“If you’re wrong, we may give the Reichswehr unit an insurmountable head start that may ultimately cost us our ability to capture them.”
“I’m not concerned with that at the moment,” Richard said. “Right now, we just need to figure out the fastest way to Jaipur, India.”
Chapter 14
Jaipur, India
RICHARD AND DAVID had to bribe their way back to India, burning through a substantial amount of funds in the process. After finding a man willing to make a late afternoon run back through Khyber Pass, they found a produce truck heading to Peshwar and used the railway to finally arrive in Jaipur three days later. They checked into a hostel, and Richard collapsed on the bed.
“I’m convinced the only way to travel is in first class,” he said.
“How do the paupers do it?” David asked, needling Richard. “It’s difficult to believe they are tougher than a trained spy who travels the world as a profession.”
“I can do it, but it’s not my preference.”
David chuckled. “Well, you better get up because we don’t have time to lay around with the Reichswehr out there. They have a big jump on us, and for all we know, they might already have absconded with the treasure.”
Just outside their window, a goat bleated, followed by the cackling of hens. Richard scrambled to his feet and peered into the co
urtyard, which apparently doubled as the hostel owner’s barnyard.
Richard closed the window and then rubbed his face with his hands. “Can’t I at least shave? I feel like I’m turning into an actual vagabond.”
David sighed. “Make it snappy. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”
After Richard freshened up and removed his three-day scruff, he joined David outside. They started their search by canvassing the area near Fort Jaighr, which was the supposed location of one of India’s most infamous treasures. To the two agents, that seemed like the most logical place to begin.
For a couple hours, they entered local hostels and restaurants and asked the staff and other regular patrons if anyone had happened to see a small group of men with German accents. However, each business led to a constant refrain of customers and employees alike shaking their heads and shrugging. With each failed attempt to find someone who’d seen any members of the Reichswehr unit, Richard grew more frustrated.
“Why don’t we just go up to the fort and see if we can find them?” he suggested after questioning the last person in a pub. “It’ll be better than wasting our time around here.”
David looked at his watch. “The fort closes in half an hour, and it’ll take us longer than that to make it up there. We’ll go first thing in the morning.”
Satisfied with the change in tactics, Richard nodded and returned to the hostel with David before the two men fell asleep.
* * *
ADVIK, THE INDIAN MAN tending the bar, glanced at the piece of paper his brother gave him before sliding him a few coins and winking at him. Once things slowed down a bit, Advik asked his boss if he could take a short break. Upon getting approval to step out for a few minutes, Advik raced down a back alley and hustled up a flight of steps where the German man had told him to go.
“What is it, Advik?” Hans Reinhard asked after answering the door.
“They were just here,” the Indian man said.
“Who? The Americans?”
Advik nodded. “There were two men, and they were asking everyone about you.”
“What did you tell them?” Reinhard asked.
“The same as everyone else: that we haven’t ever seen any Germans in our city and that we wouldn’t forget them if we did.”
“And where did they go?”
Advik handed Reinhard a piece of paper with the address scribbled on it. Reinhard dug into his pocket and passed Advik a handful of coins.
“That should cover it,” Reinhard said. “Thank you for this.”
* * *
RICHARD BOLTED UPRIGHT in bed and looked at his watch. It was just past 2:00 a.m., and he sensed something was wrong. With goats bleating in the courtyard, he eased over toward the window and slowly drew back the drapes to see if he could detect any movement. As he did, he saw a chicken skittering away from one of the goats.
Richard rushed across the room and shook David. “We’ve gotta move. They’re here.”
“The Reichswehr team?” David asked.
“Yes, now get your shoes on and grab your gun. We need to be ready for them.”
“Did you see them?”
“No, not exactly,” Richard said. “But I’ve got a feeling they’re out there.”
“Maybe they’re just trying to frighten us to come out of our room to confirm it’s us.”
Richard eyed David closely. “Is that a chance you’re willing to take? Now grab your gun, and let’s get going.”
Once they were both ready, David grabbed Richard’s bicep. “What’s your plan?”
“We’re going to run.”
“That’s not a plan—that’s an escape strategy.”
“Fine,” Richard said. “Let’s use the railing for the stairs to get up onto the roof. We’ll have an advantage up there.”
David nodded. “Lead the way.”
Richard eased the door open and peeked through the crack. Satisfied that the steps leading to their room were clear, he yanked the door open. Before he could get any farther, a Reichswehr agent slammed into Richard, hitting him first with a body blow followed with a swift kick to his chest. Richard staggered into the room and fell onto his back.
The operative pounced on top of Richard and raised a knife to kill him. At the same time, another Reichswehr agent burst into the room, also wielding a knife. However, both men froze when the click of a gun echoed off the walls.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” David said.
The German on top of Richard slowly stood with hands raised, still clutching a knife.
“Place the knife on the table,” David ordered, gesturing with the barrel of his weapon. “Both of you.”
The man put his blade down with his right hand, while keeping his left hand raised. However, before he let go of his dagger completely, he whipped it toward David and dove aside. David dodged the knife and took aim at the German. But the gun jammed.
Richard went on the offensive, punching the closest agent in the face. He staggered backward but spun around and exited the room. In an instant, Richard followed them as they scrambled toward the roof of the hostel. The first agent climbed up and reached down to help his colleague. But Richard latched onto the man’s leg and pulled downward.
Caught in a human tug-of-war, the agent thrashed his foot back and forth, kicking Richard in the face. But his grip held fast. Moments later, David rushed outside and started tugging on the agent’s other leg. Richard could feel the man inching toward them as his grip slipped.
The man on the roof squatted before yanking upward again to gain more leverage. When that strategy failed, he reached in his pocket with his right hand and pulled out his knife before hurling it at David.
The blade slashed David’s bicep and fell to the ground. David instinctively reached for the cut as he groaned. When he did, he let go of the agent’s leg, allowing the German on the roof to pull his fellow soldier to safety.
Richard didn’t hesitate to pursue the two men, scrambling up onto the roof after them. However, instead of running away, both Reichswehr unit members crouched low and prepared to strike. Glancing over his shoulder, Richard saw David fighting through the pain and trying to climb up.
One of the German’s gestured for Richard to engage. However, he hesitated as David struggled to join the fracas on the roof.
Not wanting to lose the men and knowing that they were unarmed, Richard made a run at them. He recalled his training from Dr. Knapp and began to fight with the nearest Reichswehr agent. They traded punches before the other agent assisted, forming a double team against Richard.
As he struggled to land a knockout blow, one of the agents put him in a headlock.
“This is the end of the line, Mr. Halliburton,” the agent said. “You have overstepped your bounds for the last time.”
Richard strained to see over the edge to locate David, whose hand was soaked in blood. He grimaced as he peered up toward Richard.
“I’m sorry,” David mouthed.
Richard looked back toward the other agent, who was smiling satisfactorily. “It’s over.”
Chapter 15
RICHARD TRIED TO RESIST the German, but the hold was too tight. Despite struggling to break free, Richard realized his brash dash onto the roof was a mistake that he was about to pay for with his life. He thrashed back and forth until the two men subdued him with their death grip. Closing his eyes, Richard prepared to accept his fate.
He wondered if he’d hear his neck crack seconds before he died. Instead, he heard another kind of crack.
A gunshot ripped through the night air, setting off a flurry of activity in the makeshift barnyard below and among residents in the surrounding area. Richard didn’t move as he felt the hands of one of the men drop off.
Then another shot followed by the remaining agent slumping to the ground in a heap.
Richard opened his eyes slowly, hoping that he wasn’t next. Instead, the hostel owner was standing in front of Richard, wearing a big grin.
�
��It’s safe now.”
Richard glanced down at David, who was tending his shoulder while leaning against the handrail below.
“How did you know?” Richard stammered as he directed his attention toward the armed owner.
“I saw those men earlier,” the owner said. “I knew they were trouble.”
“Thank you,” Richard said. “You have no idea how much trouble they are.”
Richard and the man both ignored the buzz from the neighbors calling out to find out what happened.
“Are you all right?” the man asked Richard.
“I think so, but I know my colleague isn’t.”
Richard eased off the roof and jumped onto the steps in front of their room. He knelt down and helped David stop the bleeding. The owner joined them moments later.
“Do you need medical attention?” he asked.
“I think I’ll live,” David said. “I just couldn’t get up onto the roof with my arm bleeding like that. My grip strength was gone.”
“No need to apologize,” Richard said, “especially when we have the Indian Buffalo Bill looking out for us.”
The owner grinned. “I read about your wild west in America. It’s why I bought a gun and learned to shoot.”
Richard smiled and shook his head. “It’s probably not like anything you read about, but at the moment, I don’t care. You saved my life.”
“You get cleaned up. The police are on their way. I’ll take care of them.”
“Are you sure?” David asked.
“Yes. It’s no problem, no problem.”
“Thanks,” David said.
Richard waited until the owner left before retreating inside the room.
“Well, they’re obviously here,” Richard said as he helped patch up David’s wound.
“Which means they haven’t extracted the treasure yet,” David added.
“At least we have a chance of beating them to it.”
“Yeah, but now we don’t have any leads since the gunslinger took them out. I was hoping he’d just frighten them away and we could get them to lead us back to Wilhelm. But no such luck.”
“Don’t mock the owner,” Richard said. “Did you see that grin on his face? He was so proud.”
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