by John Sneeden
“Yes, I was.” He rolled back on his side and tried to push up.
“Whoa, cowboy,” Carmen said.
“I’m fine. I’m fine.” He looked toward the other end. The intervening space was filled with snow, dust, and smoke. Nothing was visible. “Help me up.”
Carmen seemed concerned. “Zane, I don’t think—”
“I feel fine. Honestly.”
Keiko lifted him easily. Once on his feet, he took an inventory of his body. He was sore all over but didn’t think he had any broken bones.
“Look.” Emily pointed to the far end.
Everyone turned. The smoke was beginning to drift away, slowly revealing the far end. What used to be a wall was now a massive pile of stone. It would be a steep climb with some tricky steps, but they should be able to make it out. Amanda was already moving in that direction.
“Yes!” Zane pumped his fist.
“Easy… be careful,” Carmen warned Amanda as she stepped onto one of the stones at the bottom.
Zane tested one as well. It wiggled but wasn’t going anywhere. “One step at a time.”
After cautiously testing the pile, the group began their ascent. The steps were much too precarious to walk on, so they all crawled. Ten minutes later, the entire group stood on the rim.
Zane told Amanda to remain with Emily behind some nearby bushes. He took Carmen and Keiko back to the trail, where the humanoid used her enhanced hearing to listen for any sounds. Despite doing so for several minutes, she failed to detect anything. At this point, Lawson and the others were probably miles away.
Confident the coast was clear, Zane used his flashlight to signal Amanda and Emily to join them. Once the group was together, they made their way back down the trail. When they arrived back at the road, the van was exactly where they had left it.
Carmen looked at Zane. “You do still have the keys, don’t you?”
“I should.” He reached into his pocket. “They were the first thing I picked up after they left.”
“If he doesn’t have his key, I can start it without one,” Keiko said.
Zane held up the key.
Amanda moved toward the panel door at the back. “I can’t wait to get out of this place.”
As Zane got in, he remembered what Roger had said about coming back. It was likely too soon for that, but he wanted to be prepared in case they did. They had no weapons, so if they met someone on the way down, they’d have no choice but to scatter into the woods. That was all the more reason to drive out as quickly as possible.
After sliding into the seat, Zane inserted the key and turned it. Nothing. Not even a cough. The temperature was dropping fast, but it wasn’t cold enough to disable the ignition. He returned the key to its starting position then tried again. Still nothing. Even the dash lights remained dark.
“Don’t tell me.” Carmen put her head on the dash.
Zane rubbed his face in frustration. Somehow, Lawson had sabotaged the van, an insurance policy in case they managed to escape. Zane should’ve known it was too easy.
He turned toward Keiko. “Let’s have a look.” If it was something simple, she could probably fix it. Unfortunately, his gut told him it wasn’t going to be simple.
After popping the hood, he shook his head. Cables dangled over the battery platform. Roger had taken it with him. Zane slammed the hood.
Carmen and the others came out. “What’s the bad news?”
“They took the battery.”
“Do you think they might have hidden it somewhere close by?” Keiko asked.
“No, it would stand out in the snow. Roger Lawson is too smart for that.” He looked down the road. It was dark and silent. Foreboding. “We’ve got a long hike back, folks. Get what you can out of the van.”
Fortunately, there were some spare clothes in the back of the van. Amanda found a second coat, and they all donned gloves. Zane even found a couple of tactical knives in the cabinet. Guns would’ve been better, but at this point, he’d take anything he could get. Once they retrieved as much as they could, they set off down the mountain. The wind blew strongly, tossing the tree branches back and forth. The temperature had dropped as well, so in some ways, it was better to be walking than standing still.
Carmen fell in beside Zane. “What now?”
“First and foremost, we try to stay alive. Second, we look for any signs of Roger because finding him is our only way of finding Connor and James. Although I don’t think it’s likely, the other site could be somewhere close.”
“Something tells me he’s miles away.”
“You may be right, but he did say he’s coming back. That tells me they’re not more than ten or twenty miles away.”
After reaching the bottom, they followed the highway south. Zane reminded them to stay on the shoulder and enter the woods if they saw headlights. He’d briefly considered flagging someone down, but at this point it, would be too risky. As long as they could keep warm, he was certain they could make it back to one of the towns by morning.
“Any idea where the other site might be?” Emily asked Amanda.
“I’m wondering if it might be the Grotto of Pan back at the Banias Nature Reserve. He told us there was nothing there, but in looking back, that answer seemed too convenient.”
“Guys, look,” Carmen said.
Zane followed her gaze. Ahead, another road turned off the highway. It looked like a mirror image of the one they’d just come down.
“I say we stay on the highway,” Amanda said.
“No, that’s not what I’m talking about.” Carmen hurried forward and trained her beam on something in the road. A set of tire tracks was visible in the snow. It was clear someone had come through within the last half hour or so.
Carmen looked at Zane. “You think it was Lawson?”
He crouched and studied the marks. “I’d say it’s likely.”
“Who else would be up here this time of night?” Emily asked.
Zane shifted his gaze further out in the road and saw more tracks. These had turned in from the opposite direction. “And it looks like Lawson wasn’t the only one.”
“I think it’s the order,” Carmen said. “They’re all here.”
Zane’s eyes followed the tracks up the slope. She was right. This was where they were all gathered. Somewhere up the mountain was the real tunnel entrance. He looked at the others. “Ladies, I think it’s time to crash the party.”
After having everyone extinguish their lights, Zane led them up the road. The terrain was mostly bare during the first stretch, broken only by a few small trees and boulders. Keiko should be able to hear an approaching vehicle, but what bothered Zane even more was someone approaching on foot—perhaps a sentry watching from higher ground. If the order were on the mountain, they’d surely have a security perimeter in place.
A short time later, woods closed in on either side. Zane felt less exposed, although he realized the trees could also provide cover for others.
Keiko held up a hand and stopped. She tilted her head, turning her auditory receiver toward the higher elevation. “I heard a car door close.”
“How far?” Zane asked.
“Approximately a quarter mile away.”
Zane nodded toward the trees. “We’ll take the woods from here. Let us know if you hear anything, and I mean anything.”
“Yes, sir.”
They walked parallel to the road. At this point, Zane didn’t have a plan except to approach as close as possible and conduct due diligence. Roger had admitted there were tunnels, so perhaps most or all would already be underground.
About five minutes later, Keiko tapped Zane on the shoulder and pointed through the maze of trunks ahead. Zane squinted but saw nothing.
“I can see a line of vehicles along the road,” she whispered. Along with her hearing, Keiko possessed advanced eyesight. Brett often said she made hawks seem myopic.
“Let’s get closer.” Zane signaled everyone forward. If they could find Lawson’
s Land Rover, they might find their weapons.
They saw the line of cars through the trees. Zane led them to a group of saplings near the first vehicle.
“I see the Land Rover,” Keiko said.
“Any sign of security?” Zane asked.
Keiko shook her head. “No movement of any kind.”
“Okay, come with me. Everyone else, stay here.”
The two moved slowly through the trees until they drew even with the Land Rover. Seeing no one around, Zane crossed to the vehicle and carefully tried the doors. All were locked. Not only that, he couldn’t see any weapons inside. He was mulling the possibility of breaking a window when he noticed a van parked two cars ahead.
Just the kind of vehicle you’d keep weapons in.
He motioned for Keiko to follow him forward. Having the humanoid with him was like having a permanent security team in place. If someone approached, she’d know it.
Zane grabbed the van’s back door handle and pulled. To his relief, it was unlocked. The interior light came on. He immediately hopped in and turned it off manually.
He looked back at Keiko. “Give me some light.”
She extended her hand, and a soft blue beam shone from a finger. Not only would it allow him to work with both hands, but the dim luminescence would draw less attention than a flashlight. He opened a metal cabinet. Bingo! Half a dozen pistols were stacked inside, as well as ten or so magazines. He grabbed four of the guns and two magazines for each. He handed one of the pistols to Keiko then scooted out and closed the door behind him.
After slipping back into the woods, Zane signaled the others to come forward. When they arrived, he passed guns and magazines to Carmen and Amanda.
“From here on, we only speak when necessary,” he whispered. “If you see or hear anything, let me know.”
As they slipped through the trees, Zane watched for movement. He was concerned they hadn’t come across any sign of security. He’d seen the order’s assault team operate in Venice and in Menaggio. They were professionals, and professionals always established a perimeter. They needed to find it before it found them.
Ahead, Zane saw the woods coming to an end. A clearing opened just beyond.
Keiko leaned her head close to him. “I hear voices, but they’re still some distance away.”
“Can you pick up the conversation?” Zane asked.
She shook her head. He’d figured as much. Zane led the group over to a clump of bushes. It was a good place to take cover while they determined their next move.
Carmen crouched next to Zane. “Let’s you and I get closer and see what we’re dealing with. Keiko and Amanda can stay here and watch Emily. No sense in getting her in too deep right now.”
“Excellent point.”
After informing the others of their plan, Zane tapped Carmen’s shoulder and pointed to several large pines. “Let’s rendezvous there and scan the clearing for patrols.”
“Copy that.”
After giving the signal, the two walked forward in a crouched position. Zane settled behind one of the pines and peered around the trunk. The clearing opened up in front of them. There was no movement of any kind. Still no security. The whole thing smelled like a trap, but there was nothing substantive to justify those fears. At least not yet. For now, he was going to have to rely on his senses to keep him safe.
Zane gave Carmen the signal to proceed. He would give her a few seconds then follow. She rose and stepped out from behind the tree. As she started forward, something caught Zane’s eye—a soft light low to the ground. His brow furrowed.
Then he realized exactly what it was. He called out for Carmen to stop, but he feared it was too late.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CARMEN FROZE AT the sound of Zane’s voice. Was a patrol coming? She turned her head and looked back at him. He seemed to be staring at something on the ground in front of her. Maybe she was about to step into a hole. She faced forward but saw nothing that would indicate trouble.
“Down and to your right,” he whispered.
While keeping her body still, she turned her head to the right. She saw a flash of bright color through the foliage. As her focus sharpened, a tiny red light appeared on the trunk of a nearby pine. Motion-sensor detector. No wonder there weren’t patrols walking through the woods.
Carmen eased back as Zane came and stood next to her. He crouched and drew a line in the thin layer of snow. After he finished, he stood and leaned in close to her. “The laser should be about six inches in front of that line and two feet off the ground.”
“We going over or under?”
“I’m going under,” he answered. “Too easy to slip in the snow.”
“I’ll go first.” Carmen lowered onto her belly and slithered forward through the snow. Just to be safe, she continued for several feet before standing.
After Zane came through, they both crept to the forest edge and settled behind two bushes. Carmen parted the branches. The land sloped downward from there, forming a bowl-shaped ravine. At the bottom of the hill were the crumbled ruins of another temple complex. It almost seemed like a carbon copy of the last one.
“Look.” Zane pointed past the ruins.
Carmen lifted her gaze. A row of thick cedars stood on the other side, and beyond it, a towering rock wall. Between the two, she saw the faint glow of light.
“That must be where the tunnel entrance is.”
“If we can somehow get over to those cedars then—”
Zane grabbed her shoulder and pulled her down. Carmen remained still. The sound of voices carried up from the ravine.
“Ten o’clock,” Zane whispered.
Carmen looked up. About thirty yards away, she saw the red glow of a cigarette. Two men with rifles slung over their shoulders walked past the ruins. Their conversation continued as they disappeared to the right.
“This might be our only chance for a good look,” Zane said. “Let’s go.”
The two rose and sprinted down the slope. As they passed through the ruins, Carmen kept her eyes peeled for movement. That might not be the only patrol. In fact, the ruins would be the perfect place to set up watch. A minute later, they entered the row of cedar trees on the other side. Now out of view, they dropped on all fours and crawled through the tangle of limbs. The light was brighter here, and the sound of voices reached their ears.
When they reached the other side, Carmen’s eyes widened in surprise. A large camp was assembled on the plateau in front of the rock wall. Dozens of men and women in gray ceremonial robes moved around under portable pole lights, hoods pulled over their faces. Many gathered around tables stacked with an assortment of caving gear: helmets with headlamps, rope, picks, oxygen tanks, and ladders. Armed guards walked the perimeter.
Zane tapped Carmen on the shoulder and pointed. Men with lights and equipment moved in and out of an open crevice at the base of the wall. Carmen found herself staring at a group of men at the right of the entrance. One man towered above the others. His hood was off, exposing wispy blond hair and thin, sallow face. While the others talked, his cold eyes surveyed the activity around him. At one point, he seemed to look toward the trees. Carmen drew back.
“Do you see Connor and James?” she asked.
He shook his head and pointed at a tent off to the left. “If I had to guess, I’d say that’s—”
He was cut off by a voice bellowing out of a bullhorn. “Please make your final preparations. We enter in thirty minutes.”
“They’re going in,” Carmen whispered.
“I’m guessing they’ll take the prisoners in with them, which means we need to enter as well.”
“No chance.” She nodded toward the guards hovering around the entrance. “I count at least two dozen security personnel, and all of them are heavily armed. My guess is they’ll leave a few outside to make sure the entrance is protected.”
“That won’t matter,” Zane said, “because we’re not going to use force.”
Carmen frown
ed. “Then how do you suggest we get in?”
“Follow me, and I’ll show you.”
***
Carmen and Zane slipped back through the ruins, taking cover behind a crumbling wall as the patrol appeared again. Once the guards disappeared from sight, the two sprinted into the trees and slid under the motion detector. Zane flashed his light twice at the line of bushes ahead.
“Back already?” Amanda asked as they moved out of hiding.
“Only for a few minutes. Then we’re all going back.”
Amanda looked at Carmen. “What did you see?”
“The order is massed by the mouth of a cave, which they’re getting ready to enter.”
Zane checked his watch. “We have about twenty minutes.”
“Did you see Connor and James?” Amanda asked.
“No,” Zane said, “but we think we saw where they’re being held. I have to assume they’re going to take them into the cave.”
“So how do we reach them?” Keiko asked Zane.
“By following them in.” Zane looked at the confused faces. “I have a plan. It’s risky, but I think it might work.” He looked up at the snow sifting down through the trees. “And I think this weather is going to help us.”
“Let’s hear it,” Carmen said.
“Follow me.”
Amanda looked at Carmen and lifted an eyebrow. The Italian shrugged. After Keiko checked for sounds and movement, Zane led them back to the van where he’d found the pistols. While the others waited in the trees, Zane and Keiko entered again. They emerged a minute later. Zane appeared to be holding a pile of towels. Carmen frowned. What on earth is he thinking?
“Voila.” Zane held out the pile. “Our new attire.”
Carmen saw they weren’t towels at all. They were robes, the same hooded, ceremonial robes worn by the members of the order. A covert infiltration using their own attire. She loved the idea.
“So you saw these in the van before?” Carmen asked.
“I remembered seeing stacks of gray clothing at the top of the cabinet, but I didn’t know what they were. After seeing the order, I put everything together.”
“Let’s see how they fit.” Amanda pulled hers over her head.