by Alex Lukeman
"Shit," Lamont said, "he's not looking too good."
They moved him up against the cliff face by the entrance to the cave, away from the edge.
Ronnie groaned and opened his eyes.
"What..."
"Hey, amigo, welcome back. You know where you are?"
"No. Yeah. The anchor gave way."
"You took a bad hit and it was lights out," Nick said. "Can you sit up?"
"Yeah."
Ronnie sat up and reached toward his head. Selena took his arm and stopped him.
"You're bleeding, Ronnie. Let me get you cleaned up."
"I've got a hell of a headache," Ronnie said.
Nick knelt down in front of him. "Watch my finger," he said.
He moved his finger from side to side, watching to see how Ronnie tracked the movement.
"Looks like two fingers," Ronnie said.
"You've got a concussion. Don't try to stand up."
"Are you dizzy?" Selena asked.
She broke out a first-aid kit and began cleaning Ronnie's wound.
"Yeah, some. Ow. That hurts."
"It looks worse than it is," she said. "It's a scalp wound. They always bleed a lot. I'm going to put a butterfly on it, but you'll need stitches."
"You just used up one of your nine lives," Lamont said.
"Hell, I used those up a long time ago. You got any aspirin, Selena?"
"In a minute, when I'm finished."
She put the bandage on the wound, broke out four aspirin and a water bottle.
Nick said, "Lamont, you stay out here with him. Selena and I will go look in the cave."
"Keep an eye on him," Selena said. "Ronnie, let us know if you feel sick."
"I'm all right."
"Great, but don't try to do anything yet."
She stood and followed Nick into the cave.
This cave was larger than the first, large enough to stand upright. It went back fifty or sixty feet. It was dark inside, but like the other, appeared empty. Fresh footprints in the dust on the floor of the cave showed where someone had walked about.
Selena cast the beam of her flashlight around the cave. She walked deeper in. She turned to look at the side of the cave and felt a light touch against her leg.
"Selena, don't move," Nick said. His voice was tight.
Selena froze.
Nick shone his light at her feet. The light glittered off a thin filament that stretched across the cave at ankle height..
"You're up against a tripwire," Nick said. "Whatever you do, don't move."
"I'm not moving," she said.
Nick followed the wire with his light to a small pack placed behind a pile of rocks against the wall of the cave. He knelt down by it. A faint odor like sweet candy hovered about it.
"Semtex. I'd guess about a half kilo. Enough to blow this cave out of existence."
"I'm glad you figured that out," Selena said. "Now would you mind doing something about it? I'm getting a cramp in my leg."
"Hang on."
Nick studied the pack. It was a universal desert khaki color, with a flap. The tripwire ran under the flap. Using the tip of his knife, Nick lifted the flap and exposed a detonator hooked to the tripwire. With infinite care, he teased it out of the plastic explosive, releasing the tension on the wire. He set it down on the floor of the cave, away from the pack.
"You can move now," he said.
Selena bent down and began rubbing her calf.
"Bastards," she said.
"Must be a reason they left it," Nick said.
On the wall at the far end, Selena found another set of Hebrew characters cut into the wall, in the style used when Solomon was King.
He came and stood beside her, shining his light with hers on the writing.
"What does it say?"
"The words translate as 'the place where the king's ships sail.'"
"A port?"
"Duh. Where else would ships sail from?"
"Okay, a port. Which one? There must have been several, even back then."
"There's one port that's always been associated with Solomon, called Ezion-geber. It's where his ships left for Ophir and Tarshish, to pick up silver and gold."
"That sounds right. Where is it?"
"Well that's a problem," Selena said. "It was on the Gulf of Aqaba at the tip of the Red Sea, near present day Eilat. It doesn't exist anymore. A couple of spots have been proposed as the location, but no one knows for sure where it was."
"How are we supposed to find a place that disappeared thousands of years ago? You see anything else in here?"
"No."
He picked up the pack of Semtex and they went outside. Ronnie had regained his normal color and his eyes looked clear. Nick crouched beside him and held up two fingers.
"How many?"
"Six? Nah, just kidding. Two fingers. I'm fine."
Nick stood. "Can you stand up?"
"Sure. Except for the headache, I'm good "
Ronnie stood. He swayed a little.
"A little dizzy," he said.
"What have you got there?" Lamont asked.
"Half a kilo of Semtex. Selena almost set it off. If she had, we'd all be singing with the angels about now."
"We found the next marker," Selena said.
"Where are we going next?"
"South, to the Gulf of Aqaba."
Nick looked at the sun. "It's getting late. Let's figure out how we're getting down."
"I wonder how someone got up here to make those marks," Selena said. "They didn't have climbing gear like we do three thousand years ago."
Lamont looked out and down over the edge. The base of the mountain was far below.
"I think I know how," he said.
Nick came over. "How?"
Lamont pointed to the left.
"You see that old rockslide over there? Look below it. You can see what might have been a path coming up to this ledge, before the rocks buried it. It's steep and it's narrow, but someone could have walked up here."
Nick said, "If we could get over to it, past those rocks, we might be able to walk down to the bottom."
"Be quicker to keep going the way we have been. Ronnie shouldn't try that."
"Yeah, you're right. We'll keep him roped up between you and me. Selena, you lead. I'll take the rear."
"I'm all right," Ronnie said.
"I believe you, but there's no point in taking chances. Besides, you need a doctor to check you out, in case you broke that thick skull of yours."
"Take more than a cliff wall to do that," Ronnie said.
They started down, taking their time. By the time they neared the bottom, the sun had disappeared behind the mountain. It was as if they'd stepped from day into twilight. Selena's foot slipped and kicked a rock loose. It tumbled off to the side and triggered a second trap.
The explosion sent a pillar of yellow and orange flame up the side of the mountain. If they'd been directly over it, it would have turned them into human torches. Nick felt the heat singe his face. The blast shook the side of the mountain. Rocks and debris showered down and bounced off their helmets.
They clung to the mountainside and the rope, stunned. A final waterfall of pebbles rained on them from somewhere above.
Lamont let out a long breath. "What the fuck was that?"
"I'm beginning to really dislike Iranians," Nick said. "Ten feet to the right, we'd be fried like Sunday bacon."
"Let's get off this mountain," Ronnie said. "No telling what might come loose up there."
They made it the rest of the way without incident. Standing on the floor of the canyon, Nick looked back up at the cliff face. In the fading light, it was black and menacing.
The sound of a car engine echoed from the canyon walls.
"Sounds like our ride is coming," Lamont said.
CHAPTER 33
Ari Herzog and an unsmiling man in a rumpled blue suit listened as Nick described what they'd found and what had happened on the mountain. Herzog d
idn't introduce his companion.
Nick handed him the pack with the Semtex.
"Has to be the Iranians."
"Mmm. And you are sure about the inscription."
"Selena thinks it refers to the port of Ezion-geber."
"Ezion-geber is lost. You saw no sign that anything had been hidden in those caves and removed?"
"No. I don't see how any significant amount of gold or anything else could have been hauled up to those caves in the first place."
"Then the Iranians will already be following up on what was written."
"That's what I'd do," Nick said. "As soon as we get someone to clear Ronnie, we'll keep going."
"That won't be necessary," Herzog said. "I have my instructions. As of now, you are no longer involved in this. I'd advise you to go home."
"With all due respect, Ari, you can't keep us from being involved. You can ask us to leave Israel, but you can't stop us from pursuing this on our own."
"Don't be stubborn, Nick. This is an Israeli matter. We're grateful for what you've done, but it's our show from here. The Iranians complicate things. This is now a matter of national security and political concern."
"So that's the way it is?"
The man standing next to Herzog spoke for the first time. "You would be wise to heed his advice, Carter," he said. His voice was flat. "Further interference in this matter will be considered an unfriendly act. Understood?"
"Perfectly."
"I'll be waiting at the helicopter, Ari." He turned and walked away.
"Who's the asshole?" Nick asked.
Herzog said, "I apologize for his rudeness, Nick, but my hands are tied. You're welcome to see the sights of my country before you go home. You might enjoy the beach at Eilat."
"Eilat?"
"I think you would enjoy it. You should go there."
Nick was about to say something when Selena placed her hand on his arm.
"That's a wonderful suggestion, Ari." She turned to Nick. "I think we could all use a few days on the beach. Ronnie needs to rest and I'd love to have a real vacation for a change."
"But..."
"Trust me, it's the best thing we can do."
"Excellent," Ari said. "I'll have a vehicle brought to you. It's only a few hours drive from here. I can recommend a good hotel on the beach. In fact, why don't you stay there as a guest of our country? I'll make the arrangements. You have my number, Nick, if you run into any problems."
"Problems?"
"I mean with the hotel, of course. Tonight, we'll put you up in Ein Gedi. You can get cleaned up and a night's rest before you drive south."
"Ronnie should see a doctor," Nick said.
"I'll arrange it. Someone will drive you all into town from here." Herzog looked at his watch. "I have to get back to Tel Aviv. It's been a pleasure to see you again, Nick. I wish it had been less exciting for you. Perhaps we'll meet again in the future."
When Ari and his companion were gone, Nick turned to Selena.
"What was that all about? Why did you interrupt when I was talking to him?"
"He was giving us a double message. He had to tell us we were no longer allowed to search for the gold. Those are his orders and the man standing with him was there to make sure they were carried out."
"Okay, we're supposed to lay off. What's the other part of the message?"
"Eilat is close to where Ezion-geber was located. He was telling you that he wants us to keep looking."
Lamont walked over to them. "Our ride's waiting to take us into town. Ronnie hasn't said anything, but he doesn't look so hot."
"First stop is a hospital to get him checked out," Nick said.
"You talk to Harker yet?"
"No. I'll do it when we get back in town."
CHAPTER 34
Elizabeth looked at the display on her satellite phone and picked up.
"Yes, Nick."
"We found another marker. The Iranians had been there before us and left a couple of surprises."
"Is anyone hurt?"
"No. Ronnie's got a concussion, but that was from a fall. Director, things are getting complicated. The Israelis want us out of the loop. I was told in no uncertain terms that any further action on our part was unwelcome."
"Who did you piss off this time?"
"No one that I can think of. They handed us the old national security line. But we know more or less where to go next. It might even be the location of the treasure."
"Go on."
"The next stop is an ancient city called Ezion-geber, down at the tip of Israel. The problem is that no one knows where it is. Selena says it was just south of Eilat, on the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba. After I got warned off, Herzog told me we should go hang out at Eilat. He wants us to keep looking even though his bosses don't."
"South of Eilat is close to the border with Jordan or Egypt, depending. If you have to go into either one, that's a new ballgame."
"So you want us to keep looking?"
"Of course I want you to keep looking," Elizabeth said. "Whatever the Israelis are doing, the Iranians will be doing it faster. If this place still exists, they'll be on it right away."
"First they have to find it," Nick said. "So do we."
"How do you propose to do that?"
"I was thinking you could run a ground imaging satellite scan of the area. If there's anything there under the sand, it will show up."
"Wait one," Elizabeth said. "Freddie?"
Yes, Elizabeth?
"Do we have any satellites with ground penetrating radar capability over southern Israel right now?"
USA 223 will reach the horizon for surveillance of that area in seventeen minutes, thirty-four seconds.
"Nick. I can get something in about twenty minutes."
"The town used to be a port, so there ought to be some indication of that."
"I'll call you back as soon as I know anything," Elizabeth said.
"Copy that," Nick said. He broke the connection.
Stephanie came into the office and went over to the coffee machine. She put a fresh filter in and turned it on.
"We ought to get one of those new machines," she said. "You know, the ones with the little packets that make one cup of coffee. Then we wouldn't have to wait for a pot to brew."
"I thought about it," Elizabeth said. "I guess I like the smell of fresh coffee brewing."
"Do you want a cup?"
"Please."
When the coffee was done, she made two cups and brought one over to Elizabeth. She sat down on the couch.
"I think Burps needs to see a vet."
She looked over at the corner of the couch, where the big orange cat lay sleeping.
"Why? What's the matter?"
"He needs to have his teeth cleaned. His breath is really stinky. Also, he doesn't seem as lively as he used to, and he's getting kind of fat. I think he needs to be checked out."
"It could be he's getting old," Elizabeth said. "We don't know how old he is."
"Maybe."
USA 223 will breach the viewing horizon in four minutes, thirteen seconds. Would you like me to initiate a scan at that time?
"Yes, Freddie."
"What's Nick looking for?" Stephanie asked.
"A port on the Gulf of Aqaba, from the time of Solomon. He's hoping a ground scan will tell us where it is."
"Sounds like a long shot."
"Everything about this is a long shot," Elizabeth said.
The two women sat together for a few moments in companionable silence, drinking their coffee.
Elizabeth set her cup down.
"You look tired, Steph. Are you getting enough sleep?"
Stephanie laughed. "Sleep? What's that? I'm lucky if I get an hour before Matthew wakes me up. I can't wait till he's old enough to sleep four or five hours at a time."
"How's Lucas handling it?"
"He's exhausted. We take turns with the feeding, but neither one of us gets enough sleep."
"It will pass
," Elizabeth said.
"When it does, I'm going to sleep for a week."
Scan initiated. Would you like me to display it on the monitor?
"Yes, Freddie."
The monitor filled with the random lines and shapes of a deep penetrating ground scan. The difference between the landmass and the Gulf of Aqaba was distinct.
"Freddie, what track is the satellite following?"
It is currently over the east coast of Egypt and moving north. The landmass of Saudi Arabia is to the right of the Gulf. Egypt is on the left.
"This could be difficult," Stephanie said. "There are towns, settlements, ruins. How are we going to know which is the right spot?"
"Most of the area is empty desert," Elizabeth said. "There shouldn't be too many possibilities. Once the satellite moves past the target area, we'll have Freddie analyze the recording. We're looking for the remains of a town and docking facilities buried under the sand or mud. Wharves, buildings, something like that. It could be on either side of the Gulf, in Jordan or Egypt. It could even be at the very bottom of Israel."
"What if it's underwater?"
"We'll deal with that if we have to."
Twenty minutes later, the satellite passed over Eilat and headed north over Israel and Jordan.
"Freddie, that's enough. Please analyze the scan for any sign of a buried seaport or town near Eilat."
Processing.
There was a brief pause.
I have isolated a section of the scan which meets your criteria.
"Please display."
The image appeared on the monitor. A distinct shape like the teeth of a comb appeared among the random lines comprising the scan.
My analysis indicates that the shapes are the remains of a docking area. They are buried twelve feet below the surface. Further analysis indicates that the Gulf once extended to the area. It has since receded.
"Are there any other structures indicated in the area?"
Expanding image.
The monitor picture widened to include a larger area. Now it was possible to see rectangular shapes buried under the surface of the earth, the remains of a town.
Two point three miles to the east there is another structure. Would you like to see it?
Elizabeth resisted an urge to sigh. "Yes, Freddie, we would like to see it."