Emma squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before she popped them open. She groaned. “Uh, yeah,” she mumbled. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Do you feel any pain anywhere? I don’t see any blood from your head.”
Emma struggled to sit up. Maggie helped her, pushing more sand aside to free her abdomen. “Easy,” Maggie cautioned. Emma glanced upward. “What is it? Do you feel faint?”
Emma shook her head. “No. The sky,” she answered. A smile crept across her face. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen! We did it!”
Maggie smiled at her, then glanced at the cloudless blue sky. “We did!” She hesitated for a moment. “There’s only one problem. That exit hole is pretty high.”
Emma frowned and glanced at her legs. “Help dig me out so we can figure a way out of here!”
Maggie dug the sand from around Emma’s legs as Emma dusted sand from her hips. They freed her within minutes. Emma climbed to her feet with Maggie’s cautious eye on her. “Do you feel faint at all?”
“No,” Emma answered. “I’m okay. My head is a little sore, but I’m okay.”
Emma gazed up at the cavity. She reached up with her arm, trying to gauge the distance. “Do you think you could get up there with a boost from me?”
“No, no way,” Maggie argued. “I’ll boost you up. You’ve been the base too many times.”
“It’s fine,” Emma countered. “I just want to get out of here! And you’re the best one of us to climb up there then pull me out.” She cupped her hands. “Step in, I’ll boost you up.”
“Okay,” Maggie answered.
She placed her foot in Emma’s hands and leapt up. On the first try, Maggie failed to grasp the edge of the opening. With Emma’s assistance, she made it on the second try. Maggie grasped the edge. Sand spilled into the chamber as she struggled to crawl out.
Emma grabbed Maggie’s feet and pushed. With the extra assistance, she tumbled through the opening, rolling down the sand bank outside. Maggie breathed a deep sigh of relief as the morning sun beat down on her.
Maggie scrambled to her hands and knees and crawled to the edge. She peered inside, spotting Emma shielding her eyes as she stared out the hole.
“Come on!” Maggie shouted down. She shimmied to the edge, allowing her arms to dangle inside.
Emma reached up but could not grab hold of Maggie’s hand. “Jump!” Maggie instructed.
Emma held her arm up as she leapt off the floor. After four jumps, she gave up. “It’s no use. I can’t make it,” Emma said with a sigh. “Go for help. Just hurry.”
“No way,” Maggie argued. “I am NOT leaving you.” Maggie inched further toward the opening, allowing more of her body to hang into the hole. “Try now.” She dangled her arm into the hole, stretching it as far as she could.
Emma leapt up with her arm outstretched. On her third try, she connected with Maggie’s hand. Maggie tightened her fingers around Emma’s wrist. “Hang on!” Maggie shouted. “Give me your other hand!”
Maggie rolled onto her stomach, reaching her other hand down to Emma. Emma clung with both hands to Maggie’s arm. She released one hand and swung it toward Maggie’s other arm. Emma clasped her wrist, then worked to steady herself from swaying too much by bracing her feet against the wall.
Maggie tightened her grip on Emma and inched backward. After a few feet, Emma released her grip on Maggie’s arm and grasped the edge of the opening. Maggie kept hold of her and continued to pull her over the edge.
Emma crawled up and out of the tomb. The two women sprawled on the hot sand, gasping for breath. “Ugh,” Emma groaned. “Thank God!”
“Yeah,” Maggie answered, still gulping air. “Told you I’d get you out!”
“You did!” Emma admitted.
They laid for another moment in silence as they recovered. Maggie poked her head up and scanned the area. “Where are we?”
Emma picked her head up and glanced around, her forehead wrinkling. “Couldn’t have come up right in the middle of the encampment, could we?”
They pushed up to sitting and scoured the horizon in all directions. “There!” Emma exclaimed, pointing behind them.
Maggie followed the direction of her finger. A smile crept over her face. She climbed to her feet. “Race you to the camp!”
Emma rolled her eyes as she climbed to her feet. “Let’s just walk it.”
“Okay, fair. It’s further than I thought. It didn’t seem like we went that far!”
They began their trek across the sands toward the encampment.
“Whew!” Maggie exclaimed after only a few steps. “I’m glad you talked me out of running! It’s HOT!”
“Yeah, no kidding. Welcome to summer in the desert.”
“Ugh,” Maggie groaned. “I can’t wait to get back. I want some breakfast. Those horrible, powdered eggs even seem appealing.”
“Yeah, that granola bar really didn’t last as long as I hoped.”
“And a big glass of water,” Maggie continued.
“And a shower,” Emma chimed in.
“And a nap,” Maggie added.
“Yeah, a nap. And when we wake up, Ollie’s found the library’s location and we make a huge find!”
“Yes!” Maggie agreed with a laugh.
“Almost there.”
“Thank heavens!”
Emma crinkled her brow as they approached. “They must have called for help to rescue us,” she commented.
“Why do you say that?”
“There’s a helicopter here,” Emma said as she motioned to the chopper on the outskirts of the camp.
“Oh, yeah! Wonder if they made any progress. Boy, will they be surprised to see us come strolling in!”
“Yeah, I bet!”
They reached the edge of the encampment. Maggie lumbered past the first tent before she ground to a halt. Emma, trailing behind her, bumped into Maggie. “Hey, what…” Emma began.
Maggie’s jaw went slack, and her eyes widened. Slowly, she raised her arms up in the air. Next to her, Emma swallowed hard and followed Maggie’s lead.
Across from them, a bulky, bearded man held a large weapon pointed at them. He smirked at them. “That’s far enough,” he barked in a crisp British accent.
Chapter 22
The gunman continued to sneer at them. Another man dressed in khaki appeared, rounding the corner of the tent in front of them. His brow furrowed as he came across the scene.
“What have we here?” he questioned, his accent British, as well.
Seconds later, two more men came into view. They dragged a man between them. Maggie recognized two of the men immediately. James Michael Dean, with the help of his associate, strong-armed another man.
“Uncle Ollie!” she shouted.
“Maggie!” Ollie gasped.
“Came across these two on my way to the chopper,” the first man stated. “Should I tie them up with the others?”
The man in khaki shook his head. “Load them onto the chopper with the professor,” he instructed. “They may prove useful to us as we proceed.”
The armed man nodded his head. He waved Maggie and Emma toward the chopper with his gun.
The other two men shoved Ollie into the helicopter before they turned to grab Emma and Maggie. They bound both women’s wrists with zip ties before they forced them onto the chopper.
“Uncle Ollie!” Maggie exclaimed as she collapsed onto a seat. “Are you okay?” Blood oozed from a cut above Ollie’s left eye.
“I’m okay, Maggie. How are you? How did you get out?”
The men climbed aboard. The rotors began to spin overhead as the engine wound up. Their cabin mates coupled with the chopper’s noise silenced any further conversation.
The helicopter began its bobbling climb into the air. Maggie, sandwiched between two of the armed thugs, peered out the window as they rose away from the camp. The helicopter spun in the air, circling to face a new direction.
Maggie glanced back wistfully as they spe
d away from the camp. She fought to keep the white tents in sight as they decreased to specks on the horizon behind them. As they threatened to fade from her vision, a loud explosion boomed. The force bobbled the small helicopter even at this distance.
Maggie leapt from her seat, lunging across the man seated next to her to stare out the window. “HENRY!” she screamed. Black smoke poured into the sky from the encampment.
“Sit down,” one of the thugs yelled. He grabbed Maggie and roughly shoved her back into her seat.
Tears filled Maggie’s eyes as her stomach turned over. Perhaps everyone else had evacuated the camp before their assailants arrived, she ruminated. Not likely, her mind corrected. Had she just lost her boyfriend and friends? She swallowed hard. Probably. Given her current predicament, Maggie could only hold on to the hope they somehow survived.
The group remained silent for the remainder of their ride. The helicopter approached a city Maggie did not recognize. They flew toward a tall building. The helicopter slowed and descended until they landed on the roof. The whir of the engine quieted as the blades slowed to a stop.
“Out,” the man in khaki ordered. Emma climbed out first, followed by Maggie. James Michael Dean and his armed companion followed before Ollie and the man in khaki stepped out.
They led the group into the building and down a flight of stairs. Maggie, Ollie and Emma were marched to a door leading to a large penthouse apartment. Maggie scanned the space as they entered. The apartment was lavishly furnished.
Across the room, a large window overlooked the city. Bright light shined in silhouetting a man standing near it. The man turned as they entered. He raised his glass to them. “Ah, Mr. Bryson, I see you were more than successful. You’ve brought the professor and some unexpected guests.” Another Brit, Maggie noted.
The man in khaki responded as he circled around the group. Two of the other three men took posts near the door, their guns at the ready. James Michael Dean glared at Maggie with a smirk on his face. “Yes, sir. My apologies for the professor’s unforeseen companions. They appeared out of nowhere at the last minute. The professor told me they were not on site. Clearly, he was being untruthful.”
“No matter,” the man answered. “We still hold all the cards. What about the ankhs?”
“We only recovered two,” Mr. Bryson answered. “The professor claims they do not have the third.”
Bryson swung the strap of a small, padded bag over his head and plopped it on the table. He opened it, revealing two of the ankhs.
Maggie slid her eyes sideways toward Emma. Emma glanced at Maggie, swallowing hard.
“And what of the others?” the man inquired.
“Disposed of,” Bryson answered.
“Good,” the man answered. “Now, professor…”
Maggie interrupted. “Who are you?” she demanded.
“Maggie!” Ollie hissed. “Shh!”
“A wise suggestion, Ms. Edwards,” the man answered. “You should listen to your uncle.”
Maggie raised her eyebrows at him and squared her shoulders. “You just killed my friends and shoved me, Emma and my uncle into a helicopter at gunpoint. You clearly know us. I think it’s only fair we know who you are!”
The man returned Maggie’s expression, raising his eyebrows at her. He poured himself another drink before he spoke. “You’re either very brave, Ms. Edwards, or very stupid.”
“Well, I’m not stupid. Now, who are you and what do you want?”
“Ah, now the second question I will answer. I’d argue the first is immaterial.”
“Agree to disagree,” Maggie retorted. “But I’ll take the answer to the second question. And I’d like to have these removed also!” Maggie waved her bound wrists in the air.
The man chuckled and smirked at Maggie. “Search them and remove their restraints.”
“Hey!” Maggie objected as one of the man’s goons patted her down. He pulled her phone from her pocket, tossing it on a nearby table. He moved on to Ollie and finished with Emma. As he patted her legs, his hand struck something in her pocket. He pulled open the flap and extracted the ankh.
“Well, well, well, what have we here?” Bryson questioned as he pulled the item from the man’s hands. He delivered it to the other man.
The man accepted the item, and a smile crossed his face. “You’ve been holding out on us, professor,” the man said.
“He hasn’t,” Maggie contended. “He had no idea we found that.”
“Maggie!” Ollie warned again.
“Really? You mean to tell me the good professor didn’t know his prized assistant and his niece were in possession of the third ankh?”
“No,” Maggie retorted. “He didn’t. We didn’t exactly have time to catch up and share the good news with guns shoved in our faces.”
“I’m sorry you haven’t enjoyed your time with us so far, Ms. Edwards,” the man answered. “But this is encouraging news, regardless of who was aware of it. Now we can move along to the next phase of our plan.”
“Which is what?” Maggie demanded.
“None of your concern,” Bryson countered.
“Au contrare, my dear Bryson,” the older man corrected. “It is very much Ms. Edwards concern. You see, Ms. Edwards, her uncle and her secretive little friend are imperative to our next phase. In fact, it rests entirely on their shoulders.”
“What do you mean?” Ollie interjected.
“I mean, you are going to tell us the location of the library.”
“We don’t know it,” Maggie responded.
“She’s right,” Ollie added. “I haven’t even seen the third ankh. And with the previous two I made no headway on identifying the location.”
“No matter, we’ll give you a few hours, professor,” the man answered.
“A few hours?” Maggie inquired. “This may take years of research.”
“Then you had better work fast,” the man suggested.
James Michael Dean approached them and herded them toward another doorway across the room. Maggie glanced at Emma and Ollie. Ollie gave her a quick nod, signaling her to follow their instructions.
“Now, if you wouldn’t mind stepping into your new work area. I think you’ll find all the materials you need to complete your work.”
Maggie allowed herself to be shown into the next room. She glanced around as she entered. A round table with a stack of paper and pencils sat in the middle of the sparsely furnished room. A few armchairs were placed around the room’s edges. A large whiteboard on a stand stood near the table. A bulletin board with a map of Egypt hung on the opposite wall.
Mr. Bryson followed them in. He set the ankh retrieved from Emma’s pocket on the table. He opened the bag he carried earlier and laid out the other two.
“There you are, professor. As my employer proposed, I suggest you work fast. He’d like an answer by 6 p.m. this evening. Which gives you about,” he said as he checked his watch, “eight hours to solve this.”
“Or what?” Maggie questioned.
He set his gaze on Maggie, narrowing his eyes. “Or we shall take action designed to speed your work,” he growled.
“What exactly does that mean?” Maggie pushed further.
“Use your imagination, Ms. Edwards.”
“So, in other words, it means nothing. Idle threats,” Maggie retorted.
Mr. Bryson smirked at her. “I assure you it’s anything but idle.”
“Really?” Maggie countered. “Then what action will you take. Surely you can answer that.”
“Oh, I can, Ms. Edwards. If you don’t provide an answer by 6 p.m., only two of you will continue to work on the project. The other will join your unfortunate colleagues in leaving this world sooner than they expected.”
Maggie set her jaw. The mention of her friends’ demise coupled with the threat made her blood boil.
“Eight hours?!” Ollie exclaimed. “This may not be solvable in a mere eight hours.”
Mr. Bryson shrugged his shoulders. “A
s I’ve already stated, I recommend you work feverishly, professor.” He strode to the door. Before stepping through, he spun to face them. “Oh, and if you are considering lying about its location, I’d reconsider. Late or wrong answers pay the same price.”
Mr. Bryson pulled the door shut with a slam behind him.
Maggie whirled around to face Emma and Ollie. “What are we going to do?” she whispered.
“I’m not sure there’s anything we can do,” Ollie responded.
Maggie scanned the room. She raced to the large sliding glass door leading to the balcony beyond the room. Maggie grabbed the handle and tugged. She fiddled with the lock and tried again. The door didn’t budge.
“It’s stuck,” Maggie grunted.
“I’m sure they didn’t leave an exit open,” Emma answered. “Besides, it doesn’t help us. Are we going to parachute from the top floor?”
“I don’t know,” Maggie said with a sigh. “Climb to the balcony below? We’ll figure something out! We can’t stay here!” Maggie pointed to the table. “What about the pencils? Are they sharpened?”
“Yes, why?” Emma inquired.
“We can wait for them to come back and stab them with the pencils and escape.”
“Did you see them?” Emma asked. “I don’t think that’s going to work. We’ll likely end up with a broken hand, wrist, arm or worse.”
Maggie’s shoulders sagged. “What if we don’t solve this in eight hours?”
“I don’t want to think about that,” Emma answered. She sunk into a chair near the table.
“We can’t think about it,” Ollie answered. He approached the table and studied the ankhs. “We must focus all our energy on solving this puzzle.”
Maggie crossed her arms, her lips forming a pout. After a few moments, she stalked to the table. “Fine,” she answered. “Any ideas?”
Ollie stared at them. “Afraid not,” he answered.
“Emma?” Maggie inquired.
Emma shook her head. “This is the first I’m seeing these,” Emma responded. “I’ve got nothing.”
Maggie sighed. She grabbed a marker from the whiteboard’s tray. “Okay, we need to brainstorm. Any ideas, shout them out, I’ll write them here and then we’ll work on each one.”
Secret of the Ankhs: A Maggie Edwards Adventure (Maggie Edwards Adventures Book 2) Page 25