by John Sneeden
Carmen frowned. “If they end a hundred yards in, what are we doing here?”
“There are several branches of the tunnel that all end about a hundred yards in, but we know from your map that’s simply an illusion. I believe there is a false wall or a cave-in of some sort… and tonight, we’re going to find it.”
Another strong gust of wind swept down off the mountain, sending snow swirling through the ruins. Zane and Carmen kept their eyes trained on their surroundings. The snow was heavier now, indicating the heaviest clouds had moved directly overhead. At this point, the only thing visible was the ring of cedar trees around the site.
A minute later, Lawson slowed. Just ahead, yellow warning tape encircled four largely intact columns. The columns formed a rectangle—all that remained of an ancient temple. As Zane stepped closer, he saw several pieces of plywood lying inside the perimeter.
After setting the ladder down, Kimberly approached one of the boards and grabbed it with both hands. “Let’s move these aside. Watch your step.”
Reid and Pratt moved to help, as did Zane and Carmen. Several minutes later, all of the covering boards had been cast aside, exposing the mouth of a pit. Zane probed the darkness with his light, illuminating sides of mortared stones and a dirt bottom. It was a good thing Lawson brought the ladder. The pit was at least twenty-five feet deep.
“Good heavens,” Carmen whispered.
Emily pointed to the north end. “There’s the tunnel.”
Roger shifted his beam in that direction, exposing a stone archway. “That’s where we’ll begin our search.” He looked at Kimberly. “Do you mind bringing over our stairs?”
She and Pratt stepped away then reappeared with the ladder, which they extended to full length.
“How deep is it?” Zane asked Roger.
“A little over twenty-nine feet, which is why I brought my thirty-two footer.”
Over the next few minutes, they went down, one at a time. Zane told Amanda, Keiko, and Carmen to go down first. He would go after them, followed by the Lawsons and Kimberly. He asked Reid and Pratt to remain at the surface. He was still concerned about unwanted company, and it made him feel better to have two former soldiers keeping watch up top.
When it was his turn, Zane descended carefully. The rungs were already slick with moisture, so he grabbed each one tightly, not releasing until he was sure his foot was safely on the next one down. As he neared the bottom, the smell of must and dirt rose up to meet him.
“You’re almost there.” Carmen trained a light on his feet.
After stepping off, Zane turned and splashed his flashlight around. Amanda and Keiko were already at the far end, examining the tunnel entrance.
“I’m down!” Zane shouted to the top.
Carmen grabbed Zane’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, old man.”
“Let’s see how well I do going back up. Something tells me the temperature is going to drop another ten degrees before this is all over. It’s going to be like holding onto icicles.”
“I told you to bring gloves, but you wouldn’t listen.”
Zane turned back to the ladder, tucking his flashlight into his coat. The next person should have been on their way, but the ladder wasn’t moving. Nor did he hear the sound of feet on the rungs.
Frowning, he lifted his head again. He could see the dim outline of silhouettes at the top, but they weren’t moving.
“Roger, come on down.”
There was a bit of movement, then the Australian’s voice carried down to the bottom of the pit. “I’m afraid we won’t be joining you.”
There was something in his voice that seemed odd, a tone Zane hadn’t heard before. Was this a joke? If so, now was a strange time to horse around.
Carmen stepped back from the ladder and directed her beam upward. When it reached the rim, Zane’s blood ran cold.
Reid and Pratt were both on their knees with their hands in the air, guns pressed to their heads.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Mount Hermon, Israel
TWO BRIGHT BEAMS stabbed down into the pit, forcing Zane to cover his eyes with a hand.
“Put down your flashlights, or I’ll blow your friend’s brains out,” Kimberly barked from the rim. “And don’t reach for your guns either.”
Zane had little doubt she’d pull the trigger if necessary. He’d discerned her toughness from the moment he first saw her, and he wasn’t about to test that assessment now. He and the others complied, tossing aside their lights.
“Very good,” Kimberly said. “Do as I say, and your friends won’t be hurt.”
“What’s going on, Roger?” Zane called. “Why are you doing this?” He didn’t expect a helpful answer but thought it might buy some time.
There was a short pause before the Australian replied. “I’m afraid we have another appointment, and this one is at the actual tunnel.”
“So this was all a ruse? There’s nothing in the tunnel?” Zane positioned his hand near the bottom edge of his coat, just an inch or two away from the Glock tucked into his waistband. It would be virtually impossible to hit a target with a light in his eyes, but if Lawson tried to shoot Reid or Pratt, he wasn’t going to sit and watch.
Roger chuckled. “It goes back about twenty feet. As best we can tell, it was a storage room for the temple.”
“He’s right,” Amanda whispered from behind him. “Keiko and I looked a moment ago and were just getting ready to warn you something wasn’t right.”
As the words sank in, Zane thought back over the last twenty-four hours. He remembered Lawson taking a picture of the map the night before. It’s what he wanted all along, and it’s why he’d so readily accepted the meeting. It all seemed clear now. But what about Reid and Pratt? Was he going to kill them? While he couldn’t be sure, Zane guessed they were probably safe, at least for the moment. Right now, he needed to buy some time. “Are you a member of the order?”
Lawson chuckled. “You disappoint me. Do I look like the kind of person who would be involved in a cult? You might say we have a symbiotic relationship. Their purpose is a spiritual one, while mine is more… professional.”
“So you’re in it for the money?” Zane asked.
“If the legends are right, we’re going to find things that will make Tutankhamen’s tomb look like a pile of dirty arrowheads in Oklahoma.”
Carmen spoke at Zane’s shoulder. “You’re committing murder to get your hands on a few relics. You’re better than this, Roger.”
“How many people have you killed over the years? I haven’t killed any. That’s the thing. As long as you get what you want, you imperialists think your killing is sanitary, reasonable, even righteous.” He laughed again. “And then you squeal like little pigs when others kill in order to advance what they believe is a righteous cause.”
“We’re not imperialists,” Zane said. “We’re trying to help a family—”
“Shut up. You’re not on some sort of moral mission. We know exactly who you are and why you’re here.”
Does he really? At this point, it was hard to tell whether he was telling the truth or just trying to project control. In the end, it didn’t really matter what he did or didn’t know. At this point, what mattered were the two pistols pointed at his men’s heads.
“Throw your guns up here,” Kimberly called down. “Nice and easy. Don’t be a hero. If I see your finger anywhere near that trigger, your friends die.”
At this point, they had no other choice than to comply. Zane was a skilled marksman, but with light shining in his eyes he had no chance of hitting anything at the rim. He was just as likely to hit his own men as intended targets.
“Now!” Kimberly yelled.
Zane pulled out his pistol, making sure to dangle it between his thumb and index finger to show he had no plans of firing it.
“Now throw it out of the pit. Remember, if I see any strange movement, your friend dies.”
Zane flung it as hard as he could, hoping it would travel
so far Lawson would decide not to retrieve it. Unfortunately, the pit was so deep it only traveled a short distance.
“Now you.” Kimberly ran her beam up and down Carmen’s body.
Carmen looked up. “I don’t have—”
“Throw it now!”
“Just do it,” Zane whispered.
Reluctantly, Carmen pulled her Beretta from her carry holster and threw it out.
“Everyone empty your pockets.”
After they complied, the ladder was pulled up into the darkness. Kimberly then had Zane and Carmen throw their phones up, as well as their knives.
“Get on your knees,” Roger said.
What was he going to do? If they planned on killing them, they could’ve already done so. Zane lowered to the ground, as did the others. He looked up. Despite the blinding light, he saw Camilla moving around behind Reid and Pratt. He guessed she was handcuffing their wrists. A good sign.
A couple of minutes later, Roger’s voice carried down again. “And with that, I thank you for your cooperation.”
“Get up,” Kimberly barked.
Reid and Pratt rose to their feet.
“This is not going to end well for you, Roger,” Zane shouted. “You haven’t hurt anyone yet, so there’s still time to give this up without spending the rest of your life in jail… or worse.”
“Said the man at the bottom of a pit without a weapon.” Roger laughed.
“What are your plans for us?” Zane asked.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be back. We have important business to take care of right now, but we’ll return later with some friends. They’re looking forward to finding out more about you. And if you’re not in the mood to talk, they have a remarkable ability to make that happen.”
His words gave Zane hope. He had no idea how they would get out of the pit, but at least they had a fighting chance. “What are you going to do with my men? I’m holding you responsible for their safety.”
Roger ignored the question. “Make sure you bundle up. It’s getting cold.”
“Move it,” Kimberly said to Reid and Pratt.
Seconds later, they disappeared from view.
“Roger?” Zane shouted.
There was only silence.
Zane held up a finger, indicating everyone should remain silent. He didn’t want to discuss anything until he could be sure they wouldn’t be heard. A breeze whipped around above, shaking the trees. A few minutes later, an engine started in the distance.
“I can’t believe we didn’t figure them out,” Carmen said. “I keep trying to think of something we missed.”
“I found their agreement to meet with us inconsistent with their biographical profile,” Keiko said.
Carmen looked at her. “Well, thanks for the heads up.”
A cloud of snow made its way down into the pit. Emily crossed her arms and shivered.
“Now isn’t the time to second-guess ourselves.” Zane picked up a flashlight and moved toward the nearest side of the pit. After clicking it on, he ran the beam over its surface.
“What are we going to do?” Emily asked.
“We’re going to find a way out of here.” Zane ran his hand across the stone, looking for any imperfections that might indicate they could climb out.
Amanda joined him at the wall. “I looked at the masonry when we got down here. The craftsmanship is actually quite good, so unless we can find a few imperfections, it’s going to be too smooth to climb out.”
“Well, it won’t hurt to have a look around.” Zane nodded toward the south end. “Let’s take a look inside the tunnel. Make sure Roger was right. Something tells me he doesn’t know this place as well as he claims.”
Keiko walked beside Zane. “I thought of constructing a human pyramid in order to get to the top.”
Zane lifted an eyebrow. “And?”
“Unfortunately, our combined height wouldn’t be enough to reach the rim. Not only that, I don’t believe we’d be coordinated enough to construct it.”
“Lovely.”
The tunnel was narrow, so Carmen and Amanda went in alone. After climbing in on their knees, they used their flashlights to examine the walls. Amanda had experience with ancient tunnels, so Zane hoped she’d find something to give them hope. Several minutes later, they crawled out. Their expressions indicated the news wasn’t good.
“Nothing.” Carmen stood.
“Lawson was probably right,” Amanda said. “There’s a good chance it was used for underground storage.”
“The back wall seems to be caved in. If, by chance, it was a tunnel, we’d need a stick of dynamite to blow through it,” Carmen added.
Zane swiveled around at the word dynamite. “Wait a minute. That’s it…”
Carmen’s brow furrowed. “That’s what?”
Zane stared at the tunnel, his mind making a series of calculations.
“What are you thinking?” Amanda asked.
He faced Carmen and shone his flashlight on her pants. “Where’s the device?”
“Huh?”
“Brett’s device. The explosive. You should still have yours.”
Carmen patted her pants.
Zane was already moving toward the other end, playing his beam around on the ground.
“If you detonate that in the tunnel, the whole thing is going to cave in,” Amanda said. “It’s not going to get us anywhere. And we’ll have wasted our last grenade.”
“I’m not trying to get us further down the tunnel.” He continued to search.
“There!” Carmen rushed forward and retrieved the device, which had come to rest against one of the walls.
“Excellent.” Zane took it from her and walked back toward the tunnel.
“You mind filling us in on what you’re thinking?” Carmen asked.
“Give me a sec.” Zane leaned forward and examined the arched stonework. A moment later, he stuck his finger into a crevice where mortar was missing. “Perfect.”
“So you do want to cave in the tunnel,” Carmen said. “You’re not making any sense.”
Keiko stared at the arched entrance then shifted her gaze toward the rim. “I believe I know what Zane Watson is trying to do.”
“I’m glad someone does,” Amanda said.
Zane patted the stone archway. “Think through what will happen if we trigger the device here.”
Carmen ran her eyes up the wall. As they neared the top, a look of understanding spread over her face. She gave him a little smile. “You’re going to bring down the whole wall.”
He nodded. “And in so doing, create a slope of stones to climb out on.”
“You really think it will work?” Emily asked.
Keiko tilted her head. “I think he may be on to something. I calculate at least a fifty-percent chance.”
“And that’s fifty percent more than we had before.” Zane nodded toward the other end. “Get down there, and huddle in one of the corners. Keiko, position yourself in front of them.”
Carmen grimaced. “I remember the fireball in Venice. This is crazy, Zane. Let’s try something else first.” She nodded at the entrance. “We’ll use this as a last resort.”
“There is no other way. Not unless you have a thirty-foot ladder on your Swiss Army knife.” Zane waved them off. “Just go. Everybody on the other end.”
There was a moment of hesitation, then the group moved off. Zane could tell Carmen wasn’t happy, but he knew this was likely their only chance to get out alive. Once everyone was settled in a corner at the far end, Zane turned his attention to the device. It was wet from lying in the snow, but he doubted it was enough to disable the mechanism. They’d find out soon.
Zane located the crevice and scraped out a few loose pieces of rubble. Thankfully, there was plenty of room. The bigger concern was going to be getting away in time once the device was triggered. Carmen was right. The blast in Venice had been ferocious. He remembered thinking he wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere near it when it went off.
&
nbsp; Unfortunately, they had no Plan B. It was either bring down this wall, or face certain death in a few hours.
Pushing aside his concerns, he focused on the task at hand. He twisted the head until the notch aligned with the green indicator. He popped open the cap at the end then slid the device into the crevice headfirst. Thankfully, it was almost a perfect fit.
Zane took a deep breath. A vision of Katiya flashed in his mind. It seemed significant he was thinking of her at the very moment his life was on the line. He’d address those thoughts later…if there was any later.
After taking another deep breath, he pressed the button, turned, and sprinted toward the other end. He had only taken two long strides when his foot caught an imperfection in the stone floor, causing him to lose his balance.
He tumbled forward.
As a bright light appeared, he realized he wasn’t going to make it out of the blast zone in time.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
AS ZANE STUMBLED forward, instinct overruled cognition. Somehow, he managed to plant his right foot and push into the air. As he launched, a bright flash filled the space, followed by a clap so loud it would’ve ruptured an eardrum a few feet away. The blast wave hit Zane full on, sending him spinning across the space. His body smashed into the far wall, knocking the air out of his lungs and dropping him to the ground.
Rocks and debris fell out of the sky, peppering his body. He remained on his side, trying to determine if all his appendages were still there. A hand grabbed his shoulder. With a groan, he rolled onto his back. Pain seared down the arm that had taken the bulk of the impact. A flashlight clicked on, and three faces appeared above him.
Amanda’s lips moved. It was like she was speaking underwater. Finally, her voice broke through. “How do you feel?”
“Please tell me I have two arms and two legs.”
Keiko hovered over him, her eyes taking in his body. “All of your appendages are intact, sir.”
“I don’t think he was serious,” Amanda said.