by Rob Jones
“More Westerners than I expected,” Lexi said.
At the top of the steps were two massive bronze statues of Khan-era Mongol soldiers, sparkling in the brilliant, clear sun.
“They look like they mean business,” Lea said.
“Those were the days,” Scarlet said, stroking a bicep. “When men were men.”
Hawke rolled his eyes and pressed onwards.
Inside was larger than he had expected, and he wondered where to start.
They split up and made a tour of the complex, keeping their eyes out for anything referring to the Secret History of the Mongols, but found nothing. Moments later, Scarlet returned with a smile on her face. She noted with amusement that if you walked through Genghis Khan’s crotch you could go outside and climb up his horse’s neck and look out across the plains.
“Anything of interest?” Hawke asked.
“Grass.”
They moved on.
“Ask that guy,” Lexi said, pointing to an old man with wispy white hair and a baggy jacket. “He looks promising.”
“He looks like he’s a hundred and forty years old,” Scarlet said. “Maybe he knew Khan personally.”
“Keep your voice down you tool,” Lea said. “He’ll hear us.”
“We’re looking for Professor Bayar,” said Hawke.
“Then you’re in luck,” said the old man. He shuffled forward and held out his hand. “I am Bayar. May I help you?”
“We hope so,” Hawke said, smiling warmly. “We’re here to talk about the Secret History of the Mongols.”
The professor smiled. “I’m afraid we’re closing shortly. If you can come back tomorrow I’ll be happy to show you around and...”
“We want to talk about the Thirteenth Chapter, professor, and a man named Sheng Fang.”
Bayar narrowed his eyes and evaluated the group of foreigners for a few moments.
“The Thirteenth Chapter, you say? Perhaps I might have five minutes to spare. Please follow me.”
Moments later, the professor was gently closing the door of his office and shuffling slowly back to his desk.
“You will know, I am sure,” he began, “that Genghis Khan was obsessed with immortality.”
“As a matter of fact,” Hawke said, “we’re just learning that today.”
“He had who was essentially a Taoist monk by the name of Changchun summoned to his court in order to help him locate the secret elixir of eternal life. However, when Changchun arrived he patiently explained to his leader that there was no such thing, and that talk of immortality had always been metaphorical, referring not to actual physical longevity but the immortality of the soul.”
“And is that what you believe?” Hawke asked.
Professor Bayar ignored the question. “Changchun told Khan that he could achieve immortality by purifying his soul, and in return Khan gave the monk the official title Spirit Immortal, but...”
“But what?”
“It’s possible that the monk was lying. Giving a man like Genghis Khan the power of immortality would have proved to be one of the most dangerous and reckless acts in human history – any man would be bad enough, but Khan was one of the biggest killers in the world – he even killed his brother when he was just a child.”
“Nice,” Lea said.
“You must remember that Genghis Khan believed he was the son of the sun – that he was divine and that his destiny was pre-ordained by the heavens themselves. He was a very determined man, and as I say, he killed his own brother when he was a child to secure his own future.”
“Sounds like a great guy,” Lea said.
“Then I will tell you an old Mongolian proverb favored by Khan himself - return what people give to you.”
“At least the monk never told him the truth.”
“Exactly. The monk would obviously have been very wise and well-read. I think it’s pretty unlikely he would offer the secret of eternal life to a man like Genghis Khan, and that if he knew of a way to achieve immortality he would probably have lied to Khan about it to stop him from getting that power.”
“I can see the logic in that,” Scarlet said. “It would be like giving a man like Hitler immortality.”
“Precisely,” Bayar said. “A deeply religious man like Changchun was hardly likely to give up such a power to Khan.”
“But where does this leave us?” Lexi asked.
Hawke said: “Was there a thirteenth chapter to the Secret History, Professor Bayar? I saw your eyes when I mentioned it to you – I know that you know something.”
Bayar shifted uneasily in his seat. His fingers drummed against the edge of the desk and time seemed to slow down. “For a long time I thought I would take this information to the grave with me, but now I can see it is more important to speak the truth. You mentioned the name Sheng Fang – I know what kind of a man Sheng is and if he were to succeed...”
He got up and looked out of his little window.
“Professor, we’re kind of pressed for time,” Scarlet said as patiently as she could.
“I can confirm that the Secret History of the Mongols has thirteen chapters, not twelve as history has recorded for the last eight hundred years. The last chapter contains the truth about the Great Khan’s quest for the Philosopher’s Stone – the secret of eternal life!”
Hawke wondered if he could really be hearing these words. “And where do you keep this document?”
Bayar spun around, faster than any of them would have thought he was capable of. “Where do I keep it?” He laughed until he had to sit back down at his desk again.
“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Lexi said.
Hawke’s heart began to sink. “It’s not in your possession, professor?”
“Of course not! You’re talking about a manuscript which the entire world considers has been missing since the thirteenth century! It’s not something I could keep here in a drawer or even behind a glass case. The Secret History of the Mongols is not here, no... it is with the two Keepers of the Truth...”
“Who are they?”
“Two people who pass the secret along to the next generation. One guards the manuscript, and the other can read it.”
“But it’s not here?”
“Of course not, and I’m not certain I should tell you where it is.”
“But you’ve already admitted that it exists and wasn't lost all those centuries ago like the history books tell us,” Lea said. “So where the f...”
“Lea...”
“Sorry – where on earth is it?”
Bayar thought for a long time before replying. “You will find the truth where it has been since the Great Khan died eight hundred years ago, at Genghis Khan’s tomb.”
Hawke narrowed his eyes. “Hold on, I might not know very much about Genghis Khan, but I do know that people have been trying to find his tomb since the day he died.”
“That is correct!” Bayar exclaimed.
“Even I know this one,” Lea said. “This is the legend about how everyone who saw Khan’s body as they took him to his grave was killed, right?”
Bayar nodded. “All of them! And those who buried him were also killed, and those who killed the men who buried him were then killed themselves.”
“Must have been a hell of wake,” Scarlet muttered.
“But the tomb of Genghis Khan has been missing for eight hundred years,” Hawke said. “Not even brand new satellite technology has been able to find it. No one knows where it is!”
“That,” Bayar said confidentially, “is where you are most certainly wrong.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me...” Scarlet said. “First Poseidon’s tomb now Genghis Khan’s lost grave. We should go into the tomb recovery business, Joe.”
“Do you know where it is, professor?” Hawke asked, lowering his voice.
“I do not know precisely. But I do know it is in a temple high in the mountains of northern Mongolia.”
“Ryan’s going to wet his pants when h
e hears about this,” Scarlet said. “I do hope he has a fresh nappy on when you tell him.”
“What I tell you now,” Bayar continued, “is of the most confidential nature. The tomb of Genghis Khan has been a secret for eight hundred years, maintained and guarded by a tiny number of people, mostly Taoist and Shaolin monks. There is an ancient, sacred order known as the Temple of the Golden Light. They are few in number, today mostly Shaolin.”
“Aren’t those the best martial arts fighters in the world?” Lea asked.
“Yes,” Lexi said coolly.
“They are sworn to keep the unmarked grave a complete secret from the world, and I know they have killed in the past to meet their vows. You must tread very carefully from now on.”
Hawke suddenly was all business. “Professor Bayar, you just told us you know what kind of a man Sheng is, and now you know he is doing everything he can to track down that missing chapter. If you care about anything or anyone at all, you have to tell us where the temple is.”
Bayar studied them for a long while, thinking through the options. After several minutes he leaned over his desk and slid a piece of paper over to himself and began writing. “You have honest eyes, Mr Hawke,” was all he said.
After watching Bayar leave the complex and drive away, Hawke and the others made their way toward the exit. They now had the location of the Temple of the Golden Light in their hands, but it was a long way and they had no time to waste.
Then, as they made their way to the exit in the near-empty complex, they heard a voice.
“Just hold it right there!”
The voice was behind them, but before Hawke had a chance to turn around, he heard the familiar sound of a safety catch being flicked off an automatic pistol.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The man stepped out of the shadows, a gleaming Sig Sauer P226 in his right hand. He had suspicious eyes, a wide jaw, and a crooked smiled which spread to reveal a gold tooth.
“And who the hell are you?” Scarlet said, sighing.
The man held up his hand to signal they should keep away from him. “The name’s Bradley Karlsson and I’ve been watching you since Hong Kong – and don't even think about getting any of those shooting irons out.”
Hawke placed his accent as American, probably California. He was well over six feet tall and built like an industrial refrigeration unit. His hair was cropped low but looked dark blonde. He looked like he’d have made a pretty solid nose guard back on the college football team.
“Since Hong Kong?” Scarlet said. “Impressive.”
Karlsson nodded. “Gee, thanks honey.”
Scarlet raised an eyebrow.
“You lie!” Lexi said.
Hawke stepped forward. “Whoever you are, tell us what you want and why you’re pointing a gun at us.”
“I’m happy with that. I’m CIA, originally a Navy SEAL. These days I work for a small covert unit run by a man named Eddie Kosinski. I know you’ve heard of him.”
Hawke’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. The last time he’d seen Kosinski was on the side of a mountain in Switzerland when he flew away with the contents of Poseidon’s tomb. “I know Kosinski, but how the hell did he know where we were?”
“Not hard for a man like Kosinski. He tapped Eden’s office with a laser and that’s how we worked out you were going to Hong Kong. From there it was a piece of cake to tail you to the airport.”
“But how did you know we were in Ulan Bator?” Lea asked. “I know no one followed us to the private airfield.”
“We didn’t follow you to the airfield. In fact, I was waiting for you in Ulan Bator before you even landed. That’s when I hired Altan – you broke his jaw by the way and he says hi.”
Scarlet took a step closer to Karlsson. Hawke noticed she appeared to be evaluating his biceps. “You’re not a magician, darling. So out with it – how did you know we were coming here?”
“The answer is simple, but I’m not at liberty to tell you at this time. Perhaps when we know each other better.”
“Dream on, suntan,” Scarlet said flatly.
Karlsson smiled. “All I can tell is you is that we have assets all over the place and you’re not alone in the fight against Sheng.”
“So we were betrayed by someone, then?” Lea cast a derogatory glance at Lexi Zhang.
“You were not betrayed, and you were not followed, but that’s all I'm saying right now. We have work to do.”
“We?” Hawke asked. “How’d you work that out?”
“Look, Kosinski isn't the villain you think he is. He’s serious about bringing Sheng down and has been ever since he got hold of your little Greek treasure trove...”
“Yeah, about that...” Scarlet said. “When do we get our cut?”
Karlsson laughed, but dodged the question. “Certain elements within the US Government are now of the opinion that what you located in Greece is only half the story, and that the other half is in real danger of being secured and controlled by Sheng Fang.”
“We’d worked that out a long time ago,” Lea said. “Good to see you guys finally caught up.”
Lexi flicked her hair back. “But if you think we’re going to trust you, then you’re even more stupid than you look.”
Karlsson scratched his jaw. “Now that’s not playing nice, honey. I can bring a lot of influence into this situation, not to mention some pretty impressive gear.”
“We’ve got what we need,” Hawke said flatly.
“Maybe, but don’t forget I was a SEAL for over ten years. I have skills.”
Hawke nodded. He happened to rate the US Navy SEALS. They were almost as good as the SBS, but not quite, he thought.
“Then you won’t mind if I do this,” Lea said, and snapped his picture with her phone. “We’ll see if that face of yours turns up on any of our databases.”
Hawke watched her send the picture while Karlsson kept everyone covered with his pistol. Moments later her phone buzzed and she read a short text. ‘He’s good – as far as we can tell. His story checks out with Eden, anyway.”
“For whatever that’s worth,” Hawke said.
Lea looked at him sharply. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” said Hawke. “Let’s get on with our job.” He walked slowly to Karlsson and squared up to him, ignoring the gun. They were about the same size, but Hawke had confronted enough SEALS to know he would get the final word in any disagreement. “Listen, Karlsson. For now, I’m going to trust you, but any funny business and we’ll have words, got it?”
“I think he likes me!” Karlsson said to the others, laughing.
*
Sheng Fang held the candle in his hands while he lowered himself to the floor. He smiled as he considered how close he was to achieving his destiny and finally fulfilling the prophecy of the Thunder God. No one understood what it meant except him, and he alone would pursue it until he brought the world to its knees.
Now, sitting alone in the dim light, the room filling slowly with the scent of pungent incense, his mind was as clear as a mountain lake, and his focus sharper than ever. Things were going well. It was true the Lotus had disobeyed him in Paris, and perhaps she would pay for that, but now was not the time to dwell on such things.
Neither was it the time to let his mind wander to Mr Luk, his right-hand man. It was also true that Luk sometimes frightened even him, and that was not an easy thing to do. Luk was unpredictable and dangerous, but Sheng was certain he could control the monster hiding behind the man. All men had such a monster, he considered, but Luk’s was fiercer than most.
He thought about the Russian, now on his way from his dacha on the outskirts of Moscow. Could he be relied upon to deliver the awesome destruction he had planned? Yes, he was confident he could. He could be very persuasive when the occasion called for it. When the Russian completed his mission, the people of the target city would be the first to pay, and they would pay a very heavy price, Sheng thought, smiling in the candlelight.
; A quiet knock on the door.
Sheng’s eyes narrowed, and he cursed under his breath.
“Who?”
“The professor is here.”
It was the Lotus’s voice. She had brought him news.
“He may enter.”
The Lotus opened the heavy door and an overweight, middle-aged Western man stepped nervously inside the darkened room.
“You have something to tell me?”
The man nodded. “Yes, sir. I have finished translating the Reichardt Papers.”
Sheng studied the man as if he were watching a praying mantis.
“And?”
“They confirm that there was an additional chapter that was kept from the world.”
Sheng felt his heartbeat quicken.
“Continue, professor.”
“Reichardt even claims to have organized an exploration before the war, and writes that it was guarded for centuries by monks. He says it was written in code.”
“Then we must take possession of it immediately.”
The Lotus stepped forward. “It’s too late. The Englishman and his team are ahead of us. They are already there.”
“Where?”
“According to your contact in the Ministry, they are now in the mountains north of Ulan Bator.”
Sheng considered the situation for a moment. “Then you must fly to Beijing.”
The Lotus looked confused. “But Ulan Bator is in Mongolia.”
“I know where Ulan Bator is, but you are flying to Beijing.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Hawke and the missing chapter are in Ulan Bator right now!”
“Yes, but they will be in Beijing before the dawn.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The journey from Ulan Bator to the Temple of the Golden Light took them through the Gorkhi Terelj National Park and high into the mountains far to the north of the city. It was late now, and the sun was almost below the horizon.
They drove for another hour after dark until emerging from woodland into a broad valley cloaked above by a grove of bright, white stars. Then they saw it, nestled in a corner of the valley, with a view taking in most of the western sky.