Into The Jaws Of The Lion (The Arkana Archaeology Mystery Series Book 5)

by N. S. Wikarski

  If the leasing agent was right and Continental Movers had only been in business for a month, then they couldn’t have handled the antique lady’s move. Their operation was a front to throw him off the trail. They had to be on the payroll of the Somebody who had vanished Miz Rhonda and little Hannah. And they weren’t the only ones. The wino who had steered him to Continental Movers in the first place had lied to him. That meant the bum was part of the cover-up as well.

  After Leroy had reached these unnerving conclusions, he recalled another oddity that had been nagging at him. He remembered the “For Rent” sign lying on the grass in front of the bungalow in Phoenix. On a hunch, he decided to dig up some facts about that property’s rental history. He burned up a few more hours on the phone and the internet trying to track down the owner of the house. When he reached the right party, his suspicions were confirmed. The property had only been rented a week before he arrived to ask questions. That meant the old lady who lived in the bungalow was in on the scheme too.

  Leroy sipped his beer and considered what all these facts meant. He wasn’t swimming in the shallow end of the pool like he’d thought. It was more like the deep end of the ocean. This Somebody had bottomless pockets and a network of connections that would give the Nephilim a run for its money. Hunt still didn’t know who Somebody was but his detective work today had led him to one inescapable conclusion. The cowboy wasn’t only being watched by agents of this invisible Somebody who had tapped his phone and vanished all his leads. He was being played—jerked around like a puppet on a string. Somebody was deliberately sending him on a wild goose chase from one end of the country to the other. Even as he seethed inwardly, he knew he didn’t have enough intel yet to cut himself loose from those puppet strings. He’d have to dance in the wind a little while longer. He planned to follow up on every fake lead that Somebody threw his way in the hopes that he could dig up a paper trail that would lead straight back to the puppet master. He now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that everything and everybody was connected. The trio of relic thieves, Miz Sybil, Miz Rhonda, and even little Hannah. If he could find that invisible Somebody, he knew the preacher’s runaway bride couldn’t be far away. Find one and he’d catch the other. This wasn’t just a simple missing persons job anymore. Leroy despised being played. Somebody was going to pay.

  Chapter 27—Snow Fun

  “There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you two.” Griffin trotted toward Cassie and Erik as they ambled up to the hotel entrance. After dinner, the Scrivener had sent them off in order to immerse himself in research. He said the pair distracted him so they went out to explore the extensive grounds of the Regal Hotel in Bhuj. In an effort to kill time, they’d strolled around the perimeter of the golf course for half an hour and loitered next to the giant outdoor chess board for half an hour more. Erik eventually suggested a dip in the pool. He and Cassie were on their way to their rooms to retrieve swim suits when Griffin came rushing through the main entrance to meet them.

  “I’m guessing from that wild-eyed look on your face, you figured something out?” Cassie asked archly.

  Griffin took no offense. Instead he treated his teammates to a wide grin. “I have indeed. Wait until I tell you.”

  Erik quickly assessed their surroundings. Eyeing the porter helping several guests unload luggage near the front doors, he said, “We might want to take this discussion somewhere off the beaten path.”

  “How about sitting in the gazebo?” Cassie suggested. “Nobody seems to go there.”

  The resort featured an open air structure which belied its name since it was shaped more like a Chinese pagoda than a gazebo but it contained benches and a good view of the city lights beyond the hotel grounds. Given that it was a warm night and their rooms were stuffy, Cassie’s idea met with instant approval.

  The Paladin immediately struck off toward the rear of the building with the other two trailing behind.

  Fortunately, nobody else was strolling the grounds when they claimed seats inside the wooden pavilion. Griffin took one bench while Cassie and Erik seated themselves on the opposite side.

  “I’ve solved the riddle,” the Scrivener announced, his eyes dancing with excitement.

  “Way to go, Grif!” Erik patted him on the back.

  “You are the bomb!” Cassie added enthusiastically.

  The Scrivener allowed his colleagues to fuss over him for a few moments before holding up his hand for silence.

  They settled down, barely suppressing their elation.

  Griffin glanced from one to the other. “Let me begin at the beginning.”

  “That’s a lot better than trying it the other way around,” Erik murmured dryly.” We were confused enough already.”

  Cassie jabbed the Paladin in the ribs and shushed him. “Go ahead,” she said encouragingly to Griffin.

  “When we left Dholavira, I had a hunch that the Pleiades might hold the key to solving the riddle so I began my research with them. I was able to confirm my theory that the stars were once described as a flock of doves. The Greek word ‘peleiades’ quite literally means ‘doves’ and the constellation name is sometimes spelled that way as well. That was proof positive that the ‘kindred’ of our African bird referred to the Pleiades. Mythology aside, I discovered that the star cluster held great meaning to the ancients. Are you aware that the entire street system of Mohenjo-Daro is oriented toward the heliacal rise of the Pleiades?”

  “Is that important?” Erik asked doubtfully.

  “No, I just thought it was a fascinating bit of trivia,” Griffin replied, ignoring the groan from his colleague. “However, I did find a relevant clue in the achronical rise of the star cluster.”

  “The who of the what now?” Cassie scowled. “I know that the heliacal rise is when a star is on the horizon at the same time as sunrise but what’s an achronical rise?”

  “It’s just the opposite—when the star appears above the horizon just as the sun is about to set. I looked up the date of the achronical rise of the Pleiades in 1000 BCE when our Minoan friends most probably visited Dholavira. It occurred on October second which was also the date of the autumn equinox at that time.”

  “But what does that mean for us?” Cassie urged impatiently.

  The Scrivener paused to consider the question. “I believe the Minoans employed the Pleiades as a secondary method of emphasizing the importance of the autumn equinox in case we failed to understand the clue of the western-facing lily. After I realized how much the star cluster factored into our riddle, I delved further into its astronomical significance. The course of the Pleiades between heliacal rise and achronical rise once marked the beginning and end of the both the seafaring and farming seasons. For that reason, many different cultures around the world identify them as the bringers of rain. The color blue is frequently associated with the Pleiades not only because the cluster appears blue to the naked eye, but also because they are said to control the flow of waters.”

  “I thought you said rain,” the Pythia objected.

  “Not merely rain. At the beginning of the planting season, at least in the northern hemisphere, melting snow is also a phenomenon which would fall under their influence.”

  Erik rubbed his head wearily. “I don’t see how all of this connects together.”

  “Nor did I at first,” Griffin agreed. “I searched for links among all the subjects I’ve just mentioned and eventually discovered the missing piece of the puzzle.”

  Both Erik and Cassie leaned forward, all ears.

  “The combination of rain, melting snow, and seafaring led me to consider the subject of rivers and that’s when I found it.” The Brit paused for effect, obviously enjoying the suspense he’d created.

  “Griffin, if you don’t spill the beans I’m going to kick you in the shins,” Cassie threatened. She was only half-joking.

  The Scrivener laughed. “Alright. I imagine I’ve tortured you both enough for one evening.” His face took on a sly expression. “Long ago
, before desiccation set in, the Indus River flowed directly into the Rann Of Kutch.”

  “Since the Rann of Kutch surrounds Dholavira, that means the Indus must factor into the riddle too,” Erik speculated.

  “Oh, yes indeed.” Griffin’s voice sounded fraught with portent. “Though the overlord name for the river is Indus, Tibetans knew it by an entirely different appellation. They called it the ‘Lion River’.”

  Cassie blinked once as the implication struck her. “The Lion River!” she echoed. “Then the Lion’s mouth—”

  Griffin completed the thought. “Doesn’t refer to the king of beasts at all. It refers to the headwaters of the Indus.”

  “So what’s that business about a flock of doves opening the jaws of the lion?” Erik sounded suspicious, as if he wasn’t entirely convinced that Griffin knew what he was talking about.

  The Scrivener remained unflustered. “As I mentioned earlier, the Pleiades are frequently associated with the advent of spring rain, the melting of snow, and the opening of navigable channels for sailing vessels.”

  Cassie nodded, comprehending. “I get it. The doves would bring the rain that would melt the winter snow that had frozen the headwaters of the river. In riddle-speak, the doves fill the jaws of the lion with water.”

  “Quite right.” Griffin agreed.

  The Pythia frowned as a new thought struck her. “Wait a minute. Let’s not forget where we are. In this part of India, the average temperature is about a hundred degrees all the time. I can’t see any reason why the headwaters would freeze at all.”

  “They wouldn’t,” Griffin paused. “If the headwaters were actually in this part of India.”

  “I don’t like where this is going,” Erik muttered.

  “OK, I’ll play,” Cassie said. “Where are the headwaters of the Indus?”

  “In Tibet, of course,” the Scrivener answered smoothly. “Hence the relevance of the Tibetan name for the river.”

  The Paladin clenched his jaw. “Now I know for sure I don’t like where this is going.”

  Cassie’s reaction was just the opposite. “You’re kidding!” She smiled. “We get to travel to Tibet. For real?”

  “As you would say, ‘for real’.” Griffin chuckled.

  The Pythia gave a knowing smile. “Now it all makes sense. The Minoans wanted us to wait at the tower for six months until the spring melt. Back in the day when they were at Dholavira, it would have been suicide to start a journey to Tibet right before winter.”

  “Fortunately for us, we live in the age of air travel. Since it’s only mid-October, we ought to be able to fly there, retrieve the artifact and be on our way before the first snowflake falls.”

  Erik still appeared troubled. “Where in Tibet are the headwaters exactly?”

  “They flow from the slopes of Mount Kailash which is one of the holiest mountains in the world. According to Hindu mythology, it is the abode of Shiva and Pavarti. Buddhism considers it the home of the Buddha Of Sublime Bliss. In Jainism, Kailash is the site where the founder of the faith attained liberation from rebirth. The Tibetan indigenous religion of Bön considers the mountain to be the seat of all spiritual power because it is the home of the sky goddess Sipaimen. Thousands of believers from all four faiths travel to Kailash each year to circumambulate the mountain on pilgrimage. Knowing the Minoan affinity for sacred peaks, I am confident we’ll find the artifact hidden there.”

  “I know all about Kailash.” Erik’s tone was ominous. “Too much in fact. I arranged a retrieval in Tibet a couple of years ago and had to travel there. It’s part of the Himalayas—not the kind of place you can breeze through in a couple of days. Getting there is an ordeal all by itself. The biggest commercial airport is in Nepal and the only way to get to Kailash is to fly to Simikot, take a chopper to the Tibetan border and then travel overland by ATV to a base camp at Darchen. From where we are now, it would take almost a week to get there and that’s if we’re lucky. At this time of year, the weather’s unpredictable. Helicopters won’t even make the trip after the first week in October. There’s a good reason why fall isn’t tourist season in the rooftop of the world.”

  Both Cassie and Griffin regarded him with surprise.

  “Surely, you’re overstating the obstacles,” the Scrivener objected. “After all, this is the twenty-first century.”

  “Last time I checked, it still snowed in the twenty-first century,” the Paladin countered. “Blizzards can spring up out of nowhere around Kailash. The roads could be blocked before we even get there. Or worse, we could get to the mountain and get snowed in after we found the artifact. It might take weeks to dig our way out again.”

  His negative reaction left his teammates flummoxed.

  “What are you saying? You think we should wait until spring like the riddle says?” Cassie asked incredulously.

  Erik stood up and glanced from one to the other. “No, I’m not saying that. You should go. Both of you. I just won’t be going with you.”

  Cassie jumped to her feet. “Are you crazy? We need you to pull this off!”

  The Paladin sighed with exasperation. “That’s the thing. You don’t.”

  Cassie and Griffin exchanged baffled glances.

  Erik continued. “Griffin, you’ve got the biggest brain in the Arkana. You’re the go-to-guy for figuring out puzzles. Cassie’s the Pythia. She’s got the woo-woo side of the operation down cold. You need both those skills to get the job done.”

  “We still need security back-up,” the Pythia insisted.

  “Remind me again who saved us all back in Africa?” the Paladin asked sardonically. “That was your doing, toots. Not mine. And when we were in Spain, Griffin tackled Hunt and took a bullet while I was off somewhere spraining my ankle. I’d say you both know how to take care of yourselves.”

  “So you’re ready to leave us high and dry because you haven’t had a chance to play action hero guy lately?” Cassie challenged.

  “I’m not gonna leave you high and dry,” Erik protested hotly. “I’ll get a security team to meet you in Kathmandu and they can help with the retrieval the rest of the way.”

  “And just what will you be doing while we’re at Mount Kailash battling blizzards and dodging the Nephilim?” Griffin’s tone was sarcastic.

  “Something useful. Something only I can do.” The Paladin abruptly turned on his heel and strode back to the hotel.

  “Where are you going?” Cassie called after him.

  He paused and looked over his shoulder. “To pack. I’ll be catching the next plane back to Chicago.”

  Too shocked to move, his teammates watched him retreat across the lawn. They made no effort to stop him.

  After he’d disappeared, Cassie spun to face Griffin. “What just happened here?”

  The Scrivener pensively gazed off into the darkness. “You’ll recall our chat about Erik’s odd behavior when we were in Karachi?”

  Cassie nodded mutely.

  “Unless I’m much mistaken, we’ve just heard the sound of the other shoe dropping.”

  Chapter 28—Timing Is Everything

  Cassie tapped gently on Erik’s hotel room door. No sound came from the other side. She hesitated, wondering if he would let her in. She had a key card of her own and was about to use it when he answered.

  “I thought it might be you,” the Paladin murmured. He swung the door wide to allow her to enter before retreating to the interior of the room. Clothes were heaped in the middle of the bed, waiting to be folded and packed.

  He picked up a shirt and shook out the wrinkles. “My mind’s made up, in case you came here to talk me out of going.”

  She pulled up a chair beside the bed and sat down, watching him silently as he continued rooting through his belongings. “Didn’t come here for that,” she remarked curtly.

  Intrigued, he paused to gaze at her. “So what did you come here for?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve got a theory. I thought I’d run it past you.”

  He place
d a shirt into his duffel bag and then picked up a crumpled pair of jeans. “I’m all ears,” he said, smoothing out the pants legs before folding them.

  She slid back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling as she gathered her thoughts. “I’ve been feeling this coming for a while now. I knew something was bothering you but I didn’t know what.”

  He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. “I’m not interested in whatever name you have for it. I’m not even going to ask what you think you can do back at the Vault that’s more important than this. None of that stuff matters.” She paused. “What really interests me is the timing of it all.”

  He stopped sorting and peered at her. “Timing?”

  “Yeah,” she continued conversationally. “Why have a meltdown tonight instead of last week or the week before that?”

  “I already told you,” he muttered. “Twiddling my thumbs while we wait out a blizzard is a bad use of Arkana resources. My skills on this mission are replaceable. Yours aren’t. I can do more good back at the Vault.”

  Cassie nodded. “That’s a good reason. And it sounds really noble too when you say it out loud but that’s not why you’re leaving.”

  He impatiently stuffed a half-folded tee shirt into his bag. “Then what else would it be?”

  “Fear,” she answered softly, turning to stare him full in the face.

  His expression went blank. “Fear?” he repeated skeptically. “Of what?”

  “Of us,” she replied simply. “Oh, you’re not afraid of any of the usual stuff—flying bullets, steep cliffs, armed smugglers. You could shrug all that off and never break stride. No. What really has you scared is the idea of being shut up at close quarters with me for a couple of weeks.”

  “Griffin would be there too,” he countered.

  “Not twenty-four-seven he wouldn’t. In the wee hours, it would be just you and me. No distractions. No planes, trains or automobiles for a quick getaway.” She rose and wandered aimlessly around the room. “So here’s my theory. Over the past six months we’ve gotten close. So close that I might actually slip over that ginormous wall you built around your heart. That’s why the very thought of us being stuck together for who-knows-how-long gives you a raging case of cabin fever. Up til now, you’ve always been able to dodge your demons by hopping a plane before you got in too deep. But not this time.”