“So, what do you think the treasure is worth?” She said as she jiggled her chest alluringly for him.
“I only took a small portion of the gems that day,” he replied. “I used them to buy this estate. I have never had to go back for more.”
“Give me round numbers,” she pleaded seductively.
“Well, it’s probably worth somewhere in the neighborhood of two billion dollars. But several of the artifacts are priceless. One is very special.”
“Wow!” she exclaimed with a smile on her face.
“But you will have to do a little work for me before the treasure truly becomes yours,” he told her.
Brenda didn’t hesitate. “Bernard, sweetie, do you think we have time to go to the barn one more time before we leave?”
“It’s not that kind of work,” Bernard laughed. “But thanks for the offer.”
Chapter Forty-Four
M
eanwhile, Colton Banyon was wrapping up his conversation with the spirit. Wolf had continued talking for another five minutes. He gave Banyon the information he needed to possibly stop the Effort’s plans and ways to find the connections. Banyon tucked it all in his memory.
“Where is Bernard Schultz right now? Maybe we can send some agents and nab him before he starts his plan,” Banyon asked Wolf.
“He is currently on the back patio of the horse farm, but the authorities will never get there in time.”
“Why not?”
“He is in the process of leaving for another secret location. He’ll be gone in just a few minutes.”
“Why leave the horse farm? Didn’t you tell me the facilities to make the nanobots are under the barn at the farm?”
“That is only his test lab. His real manufacturing facility is located elsewhere. He is headed there to supervise the operation and hide,” Wolf replied evasively
“Well, where is he headed?” Banyon asked directly.
“Colt, you must let him get there before you go after him,” Wolf pleaded. “Otherwise, we won’t be able to connect the manufacturing operation to him. We need to expose the complete plot. There are many people involved.”
“So, you want me to let him get away?” Banyon knew Wolf often worked in mysterious ways.
“Yes,” the spirit replied. “His plan is to land in Laughlin, Nevada later today. The facility is near there.”
“How is he getting there? Can we track him?”
“Schultz has chartered a rather notorious pilot and plane. The pilot has promised to deliver him to Laughlin, Nevada undetected.”
“But can’t the authorities track him on radar? We can have some military planes shadow him.”
“The pilot has been flying illegal cargo all over the United States for many years. They will be invisible until they land. But don’t worry Colt. He cannot escape my vision. I will keep track of him for you and let you know when he reaches Laughlin.”
“Laughlin is just down the road from Las Vegas,” Banyon said with excitement. “Taking the highway, we could drive there in about an hour,” Banyon said. “We could beat him there, couldn’t we?”
“I’m not going to give you the exact location until he is there at the facility. Then you can let the authorities capture him. Besides, you’re going to be busy doing something else tonight.” Wolf cryptically told him.
“What’s more important than stopping Bernard Schultz from killing millions of people, Wolf?”
“His secret treasure,” the spirit replied. “You need to get to his hidden treasure before anyone else gets to it. He will be sending people there late tonight.”
“Why, I’m already rich?”
“Because there is an artifact in the treasure which could have a large impact on the current world crisis,” Wolf told him.
“What is it?”
“It’s a talisman which has special powers. It is part of his plot,” Wolf answered. “Schultz has known about it since he murdered his brother, Karl, in the nineteen forties.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“It is not dangerous by itself, but it affects people around the person wearing the talisman. If someone wears the talisman around their neck, they would be able to plant suggestions in the minds of all people around him. It is a mind control talisman.”
“Where did his brother get it?” Banyon quickly asked.
“It was sent over from Germany in 1935, but the history of the item goes way back to antiquity. I have yet to finish researching it.”
“But you’re sure we need to capture it, right?”
“Positive. You need to steal it and hide it forever,” Wolf said with emphasis.
“I’ll need a lot more information,” Banyon warned Wolf.
“I’ll supply it when you are on the road,” the spirit replied. “You should leave now.”
“But can it wait until I get the ball rolling on stopping these killings?” Wolf was not always concerned about collateral damage. He just wanted his tasks to be completed.
“Of course, but you can’t do this with just Loni. You will need the help of the rest of your team, the Patel clan. I suggest you get them to your home in Las Vegas as soon as possible.”
Chapter Forty-Four
“S
o, what do I have to do then?” Brenda was perplexed. Sex was the only thing that Bernard ever wanted from her.
“Later tonight you will go to the treasure vault in the desert and retrieve a talisman. It is in one of the crates buried there. You will then bring it back to me immediately. The rest of the treasure is yours.”
“Is this some kind of a weird test?” Brenda asked suspiciously.
“Hardly,” Bernard replied. “The talisman has special powers which my son will need to take over the government. I intend to get it into his hands tomorrow, right when the mass killings start and chaos erupts,” he said fanatically.
“What powers? What are you talking about?”
“This is my last secret, my dear. It was told to me by my dying brother shortly before he succumbed.” Bernard replied. “I couldn’t tell you about it until I was sure you would help the cause. I only trust my son and you with this knowledge. That is why you must go yourself and get it tonight. I’m too old to go myself.”
“I know what a talisman is, it protects or gives good luck,” Brenda recalled. “Many people believe a talisman has magical powers, but it has never really been proven, of course. A talisman is sometimes often used like an amulet and worn on the neck. And let’s see, what else do I know, oh yeah!” She exclaimed. “A Talisman is usually created by someone, while amulets usually have natural magical powers.”
“You are correct, my dear.”
“But it is all just fairy tale stuff,” Brenda replied in disbelief. “No one has ever seen one of them actually work.”
“This one works,” the old man roared. “German scientists tested it many times before they decided to include it in the treasure.”
“Interesting,” Brenda responded as she thought about that.
“This one is natural, but they called it a talisman anyway,” Bernard continued with a snort. “No one alive knows where it came from, but Nazi occultists found it in a cave in northern India and it was sent to America to help in building the spy network my brother was charged with starting.”
“Okay, we’ll call it a talisman then,” Brenda grudgingly agreed. “Now tell me what it does?”
“When worn by an individual, they can insert thoughts into anyone’s head who is nearby. Its power can affect all the people in a large room, for example.”
“Wow, I could use it to get major discounts on shoes and stuff,” Brenda gushed.
“No,” Bernard roared. “My son needs it to control people in the government. You must promise me you’ll bring it to me,” he fanatically yelled with clinched fists.
“I was just joking,” Brenda replied with a hint of sarcasm at his outbreak.
“Once you deliver it to me, I will have it sent by secret messenger. My son will have it tomorrow
morning. He will then be unstoppable.” Bernard clinched his bony fist and raised it to the sky as he said it.
“So what does this talisman look like, so I know what I’m looking for?”
“It looks like a red swastika.”
Chapter Forty-Five
W
hen he was finished with Wolf, Banyon made a quick call to Previne Patel, back in Chicago. She was the head of the Patel clan.
“Hello, Colt,” she purred with her precise English accent. “I’m so glad you called, I was just thinking about you.”
He could almost feel her desire for him emit through the phone. She almost died a year ago and Banyon had made the mistake of telling her he loved her while she was on her death bed. He meant it — but believed she would die. She miraculously recovered and remembered what he had said. She felt it was just a matter of time before he jettisoned the pesky Loni and came to her for good. She was a patient woman.
“Listen, I haven’t much time,” he said urgently. “You need to collect the rest of the clan and get to my house in Las Vegas as fast as you can.”
“Sounds like a party to me,” she cooed happily. “Maybe I’ll have a chance to belly dance for you there.”
“Previne, please, this is very serious, I’m not fooling around right now,” he reprimanded her. “We are going treasure hunting late tonight and need to grab an artifact before anybody else gets it.”
“An artifact, you say,” the suddenly excited archeologist replied. If there was only one thing in life Previne loved more than Colton Banyon, it was artifacts.
“Yes, and it’s connected to a major crisis which will be hitting America tomorrow. The Effort is involved and many people could die,” Banyon explained.
Previne was all business now. She had also dealt with the Effort before and realized Banyon needed her help. “Well, let’s see,” she thought out loud. “Pramilla is watching over her friends jet plane while he is still in prison, so we have transportation. We have a nanny who can stay with Maya’s baby. Eric just came home from shopping. Yup, we can go,” she said.
“How soon can you get here?”
“If we leave within the hour, we could be at your house before eleven o’clock tonight. Does that fit your timetable?”
“I’ll fill you in on everything then,” Banyon promised.
“Will we be staying overnight?” Previne quickly asked. She was hoping she could stay in his bed like she had done before. Loni had slept between them, but Previne had completely enjoyed the experience.
“I’m sure it’ll be daylight before we will be done, but you’re always welcome to stay for as long as you want. You know that,” he reminded her.
“Pity,” was her answer. It confused Banyon.
“Oh,” he added. “Come prepared to trek in the desert again. Buy some shovels too.” Banyon told her.
“Do you need anything else? Should we get some flashlights?” Previne quickly asked as she made some notes.
“I think that will do it. I have everything else at my house. But when you get to my house, go in stealthy and grab the scanner in the middle draw of the kitchen island. Scan the place for bugs. I think you might find some.”
“Who would be bugging you, Colt?”
“It’s a complicated story. I’ll fill you in later on that too.”
“Don’t worry, we will make sure your place is clean.”
“I’ve got to go now.”
“Oh poop,” Previne said as he hung up the phone before she could ask any more questions. She had been involved with several desert adventures with Colton Banyon — some that they barely survived.
The Patel clan had been a big part of Colton Banyon’s life for several years now. They along with Loni formed a potent team that had solved many mysteries and collected many artifacts. Some were hidden in a museum where Previne worked in India, some were in Area 51, and some were just hidden. Along the way they had become rich.
The clan consisted of Previne, who was actually a curator for a museum in her home city of New Delhi, India. Then there was Pramilla, who was an identical twin of Previne and also a high ranking diplomat with the Indian government. Next was the younger, nearly identical sister, Maya, who was an archeologist and a new mother. And finally there was Eric Grey. He was actually Wolf’s grandson and was married to Pramilla. He had surfer boy good looks and was an ex-SEAL with survival training skills.
The whole clan was currently living in Chicago, near Banyon’s home there. They wanted Maya’s baby to be born an American and Previne wanted to be near Colton Banyon. Their home in India was managed by servants while they were gone.
The Patel women were tall, beautiful, smart, resourceful, and, at times very lethal. They all had long dark-brown hair, mocha-colored flawless skin, and figures that were usually found only in magazines. The three of them often used their oozing sexuality to achieve their goals. They were masters at seduction. Each of them was intimately familiar with Colton Banyon too. He had known them before he had met Loni. This, of course, did not sit well with the insanely jealous Loni, but the women of the clan stayed far enough away to prevent her from killing them, so far.
The six of them formed Banyon’s team. They held many secrets and an incredible bond which could not be broken by any outsider. The father to Maya’s baby, Special Agent Gregory Gamble, of the FBI, had worked his way into the group, but had been tragically killed during one of their adventures.
Chapter Forty-Six
B
anyon finished his calls and was in the process of jogging back to the Dewey & Beatem conference room. There were many thoughts swimming around in his head. He had just reached the front door to the building when his cell phone rang. He stopped and looked at the caller ID, it was Timmy.
“Hey dude,” Timmy gushed with the youthful enthusiasm of his age. “I’ve got some news for you,” he said like it was bait.
“Timmy, I’m very busy now,” Banyon calmly said. “Quickly, tell me what news you have uncovered.”
“I’ve got him,” Timmy responded.
“Got who?” Banyon responded with a question. He had no idea who Timmy was talking about.
“I know the name of the dude you are chasing — the nanobot scientist guy you’re after — that’s who, of course.”
“How do you know I am after someone, especially a scientist, Timmy?” Banyon wondered out loud.
“Oh, please, oh great one, don’t insult your biggest supporter. When someone your age is interested in nanobots, there is a reason.”
“Okay,” Banyon admitted, the kid was right. “You say you have found this guy? How did you find him?”
“I am the world’s best hacker, man,” Timmy exploded with excitement. Banyon suddenly remembered he had asked Timmy, almost out of courtesy and to keep him in the dark about the crisis, to find out who was the resident expert on nanobot technology.
“Who is he?”
“His name is Carl Catfish. I talked to several of my buddies on the internet and they all agreed that this Catfish guy is way ahead of the field. If someone was able to make a working model of nanobots, it would be him.”
“Are you sure?”
“He’s the guy,” Timmy responded emphatically. “But he has been off the work grid for a couple of years now,”
“Then how do you know he is the guy?” Banyon questioned.
“I said he’s off the work grid, but he is all over the internet. He’s asking questions, blogging, and betting on horses.”
“I see,” Banyon said as he, once again, realized how skilled Timmy was at digging out information on the internet.
“Anyway,” Timmy continued. “He claims he solved the energy source problem and says his nanobots really work. He’s been bragging about it in several chat rooms for about a year now.”
“I never heard of him. Or even heard of anyone who has actually made a working nanobot,” Banyon told the geek.
“You just haven’t heard of him because he hasn’t published the r
esearch yet. No one in the scientific community is taken seriously until they publish, man.”
Quickly thinking, Banyon asked. “Can you track his IP address and find out where his is located right now?”
“I’m way ahead of you there, buddy. I’ve already got his IP. He has been blogging from some horse farm in Vernon Hills, Illinois, but he has not been on the internet for the last two days. He could be sleeping or changing locations or something, I don’t know. But I promise you, as soon as he comes on the net, I’ll get his exact location and then you’ll have it too. Does this help?” Timmy was clearly proud of himself.
“What’s the address of the horse farm?” Banyon quickly asked.
“I’m sending it to you as we speak,” the geek replied.
“Good work, Timmy,” Banyon responded. He didn’t really need the address of the horse farm, they were about to raid it, but now they knew who to look for when they got there. He also knew Bernard Schultz was headed to his actual manufacturing facilities someplace in Nevada. He was sure Carl Catfish was going with him. Once they got there, he was also sure Mr. Catfish would access the internet and they would get the location of the facilities without Wolf’s help. Things are looking up, he thought. The Nazis have made another mistake because of their immense egos.
“Now, are you going to tell me what this is all about dude?” Timmy pleaded like a small boy.
“No!” Banyon said and ended the call.
Chapter Forty-Seven
“W
hat happens to me once I turn over the talisman to you?” Brenda asked selfishly.
“You are then free to leave. You can go anyplace you wish,” Bernard said expansively. “But I would not suggest you head back to the Mid-West. It will be complete chaos there. You’ll need a new identity too.”
“That’s not a problem. I’ve got several in my bedroom on the estate. I am a spy, remember,” she chided Bernard.
A Dubious Device: The Nanobot Terror (A Colton Banyon Mystery Book 10) Page 16