The Tomb of Genghis Khan

by J. Robert Kennedy

  Dawson grunted in agreement. If he knew the professors, they were already up to something. “If I were you, I’d be letting the US and British embassies know they should be expecting them without passports.”

  Leroux chuckled. “Already done. They’re waiting for them, and they’ve both sent reps to the airport just in case they’re still there.”

  “And what about Jack?”

  “Him, they’re not acknowledging. They know who and what he is, so that’s expected.”

  Dawson frowned, not liking what he was hearing. “Are we just abandoning him?”

  “No, but right now we’re not making any waves until the professors are secure.”

  “And that mining operation? What about the kid that disappeared? Any sign of him?”

  “Negative. We scanned the route and didn’t pick up any heat signatures. There’s no point now that it’s daytime, the body will be cold by now. We did find something interesting, though.”

  Hope was piqued. “What’s that?”

  “The loader you said was used to scoop up the tomb?”

  “Yeah?”

  “It’s missing.”

  His eyes widened. “What?”

  “It’s gone.”

  Dawson shook his head, holding up a hand to cut off the questions the others were about to ask. “What about the contents of the bucket?”

  “No idea. We can’t tell if it was dumped or taken with it, but the loader is gone.”

  Dawson thought back on the situation. “There were a lot of miners there that were curious. Do you think they could have stolen it after everyone left?”

  “Possible, though what would they do with it? It’s a million dollar piece of equipment and there’s not much of a market for it in the area. It would probably get traced back to its original owners fairly quickly.”

  Dawson smiled as a thought occurred to him, a thought he had a feeling the far cleverer Leroux already had. “You think the kid took it.”

  “It’s a possibility. You said you never actually saw him get in the helicopter with Stander.”

  “None of us did.”

  “So, if he managed to escape at the mine and hide, he might still be alive. And with his feelings about the situation, perhaps he decided to take the body and bury it somewhere else.”

  “Should we try to find it?”

  “No, I think we just leave it be. It’s an internal Mongolian matter. If they want to find it, they can. As far as we’re concerned, this operation is limited to getting the professors and Jack out of the country.”

  Dawson regarded the others. “Well, let the powers that be know we’re all willing to go back right now if they’ll let us.” Three heads bobbed in vigorous agreement.

  “They already know. And Sergeant Major?”

  “Yes?”

  “Please stay put. I’ve already got one rogue Interpol Agent who’s off doing God knows what. I don’t want to have to worry about you guys too.”

  Dawson grunted. “I make no promises.”

  76 |

  Genghis Khan International Airport Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

  Kane pushed the broom, sweeping the dust and detritus of the windswept parking lot, his head down, his shoulders rounded, a six-foot Caucasian sticking out like a sore thumb in Mongolia, especially when disguised as a manual laborer.

  He had flown in commercial from Beijing minutes before, and all indications from Langley were that Acton and Laura were still in custody at the airport, diplomatic games underway.

  But no one had any idea where, and running about secure areas trying doors was one surefire way to get oneself shot in the process.

  Though there was one person who might know, and according to the observers on the ground from the embassy, he should still be inside the building.

  Jack.

  The airport was small by international standards, with few ways in and out, all being watched, all having had nothing resembling police or military leave since shortly after Delta had been forced out of the country.

  That could have gone south in a hurry.

  He had been a member of Bravo Team years ago, recruited out of the Unit by the CIA, and had few regrets about his decision until he met Fang. She was the first woman he had loved, and the first woman who knew what he really did for a living—and understood the sacrifices, as she had been Special Forces herself.

  Just for the wrong team.

  But now that he was in a serious, committed relationship, he sometimes wished he were back in Delta, mostly stateside, deployed with a group of buddies who always had your back.

  Instead of out here, alone.

  Or worse, like Jack, wondering if someone had been sent in to save your ass, or if you had been disavowed to avoid the embarrassment of an international incident.

  Fortunately for Jack, he was his secondary mission objective, though to achieve his primary, he needed intel that he was certain Jack had.

  A secure door opened nearby and four soldiers emerged, two holding Jack between them, heading directly for a group of military vehicles to his left. He shoved the pile of dirt ahead of him, turning into their path, one of the soldiers shouting at him, probably to get out of the way.

  Kane rose to his full height as his foot pressed down on the end of the broom. He twisted the broomstick loose as his smile spread. Jack’s eyes widened slightly. “Howdy boys.”

  He snapped the stick forward with his right hand, catching the nearest guard on the chin, and as he did, he advanced, swinging the other end forward, impacting the side of the head on one of those holding Jack.

  Giving the trained operative an opportunity.

  Kane ignored the other soldier holding Jack—he was now Jack’s responsibility. Kane whipped the stick high then down, cracking it over the fourth guard then snap-kicked the first in the neck, sending him to the ground coughing. He grabbed the fourth in a sleeper hold and had him out in short order as Jack engaged his man, the other two still down and out for the moment.

  Kane dropped his target, unconscious, then stepped forward and placed a shoe on the carotid artery of the second man, rendering him unconscious as Jack finally took his man down.

  “Took you long enough.” Kane booted the first man in the head, knocking him out cold.

  Jack held up his zip-tied hands. “I did have a handicap.”

  “Excuses, excuses.” Kane drew a small knife and cut the bindings. “Let’s get these guys out of sight.”

  They dragged them between the parked vehicles, rolling them under, then Kane surveyed the area.

  “What’s the plan?”

  “First things first. Where are the professors?”

  Jack gave him a look. “How did I know all this effort wasn’t on my behalf?”

  “You know Langley. They only come for one of us if they need something.” He pointed toward a service entrance and they jogged toward it.

  “That’s why I always try to have something they need.”

  Kane laughed. “Yup, always hold something back, and make sure they know.” They reached the door and Kane picked the lock. “So, where are they?”

  “Last I saw them, they were in Room 108. Through that door they took me out of over there, go straight then take your first right then second left. That should put you in the right corridor.”

  Kane pulled the door open. “Okay, first right, second left. Room 108. Got it.” They stepped inside and headed deeper into the complex until Kane found what he was looking for.

  The baggage sorting area.

  He checked the tags on one of the already loaded baggage carriers, then pointed. “In you go. Get yourself on the plane. The cargo hold will be pressurized, but you might get a little chilly.” He patted one of the bags. “I’m sure you can find something comfy to snuggle up in.”

  Jack shook his head. “Some plan!”

  “Hey, if you wanted upgraded seats, you should have asked beforehand.”

  Jack shook his hand. “Thanks for this, whoever the hell you are.”


  Kane grinned. “Just get your ass out of here, and maybe someday I’ll tell you who you owe half your pension check to.”

  Jack climbed on top of the carrier. “Pension check? You actually plan on living that long?”

  Kane shrugged. “When you have the right reason.”

  Jack regarded him for a moment. “You’re a lucky man.” He dropped down, pulling a couple of bags overtop him. “Now get your ass out of here and save those professors. I don’t want their lives on my conscience.”

  “Good luck!”

  Kane made a beeline across the building, eventually reaching the corridor that led to the door he had seen Jack escorted out of. He soon found room 108 and tried the door.

  It opened.

  A little too easily.

  He checked inside, finding it empty, then noticed the gum on the door, blocking the bolt.

  That’s got Jack written all over it.

  He cursed as he shook his head, heading quickly back toward the public area of the terminal. There was little doubt the professors were attempting their own escape. If the guards had tried the door, they would have discovered it wasn’t closed properly, and then found the gum. It would have been removed, along with the professors.

  But the fact the gum remained, suggested they had escaped, and the fact nobody seemed excited by that, meant no one knew.

  Where the hell would they go?

  Langley had told him they were booked on a flight that would be leaving in under an hour, though there was no way they’d be able to board. They wouldn’t have their passports, and they’d be caught if they attempted to board without them.

  And they’d know that.

  If they had stayed put, he could have given them the passports he had on him, and slipped them on board using the two tickets Langley had purchased under their new identities. Before the Mongolians could have figured out what was going on, they’d be halfway to Seoul.

  But all that was moot now.

  Where are you two heading?

  There was only one possibility he could think of.

  Well, two.

  The US or British Embassies.

  It’s where he would go, and he had learned long ago that those two thought like spies.

  Too many movies.

  He merged into the public, the terminal fairly busy now that the sun had been up for hours and flights were moving in and out. He scanned the crowd, but saw nothing.

  Suddenly someone shouted something, then another. Screams broke out to his right and the crowds sprinted toward him, panic on their faces. He headed toward the excitement, dodging in and out of the crowd, remaining at the periphery and not obvious to any who might be watching.

  Then cursed as he saw the source of all the excitement.

  James Acton and Laura Palmer, standing near the exit, their hands held high, surrounded by nearly a dozen armed men.

  If only you had waited.

  Laura raised her hands, trying to remain calm and not panic. This wasn’t the first time guns had been pointed at her, and it wouldn’t be the last. Though these security personnel did not seem happy, and too many were practicing poor trigger discipline.

  Too many fingers were on the triggers.

  One false move, one nervous tick, and they were dead.

  “Perhaps trying to escape wasn’t such a wise move.”

  James stood with his back pressed against hers, his hands high. “Now you tell me?”

  She suppressed a chuckle, not wanting to piss anyone off with the notion she wasn’t taking their predicament seriously. “I didn’t mention it before?”

  “Who can remember these things.” James turned so he could see her. “There is one good thing, though.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “There is?”

  He nodded past the soldiers. “Look.”

  She turned to see what he was talking about and smiled. Scores of people were gathered, hugging walls, cowering behind pillars, and hiding behind the screens of their cellphones as they recorded their fifteen minutes of fame.

  “They can’t shoot us. Not now.”

  Laura wasn’t so certain. “Well, they can, but at least we’ll make the news.”

  “Out of my way!” shouted somebody through the crowd to their left. “I said, out of my way!”

  They both turned to see the source of the commotion, but she already knew. She would recognize that voice anywhere. Her face brightened at the sight of the burly Reading shoving through the crowd as he waved a sheaf of papers over his head.

  “We don’t know him,” hissed James, and she wiped the elation off her face.

  “Who’s in charge here?” demanded the Interpol Agent and their good friend. An officer stepped forward, snapping his heels together, the man nearly a full foot shorter than Reading, who inflated his barrel-chested frame the moment he saw the man.

  Reading was double his size.

  Easily.

  “Do you speak English?”

  The man nodded, though still hadn’t spoken a word of it.

  “Bloody wonderful.” He showed him his Interpol ID. “I’m Agent Reading of Interpol.” He shook the pages. “I have international arrest warrants for these malcontents.”

  A grin almost slipped.

  Malcontents?

  Reading stabbed a finger in their direction. “James Acton and Laura Palmer are wanted for international wire fraud, money laundering, and a whole host of other criminal acts in the United States and the United Kingdom. Per international treaty and convention, I hereby request you hand them both over to my custody, so that I can return them to their respective homelands for immediate prosecution.”

  The officer stared at the paperwork, leaving Laura to wonder if he could read or even speak English.

  It didn’t matter.

  The paperwork was shoved back in Reading’s hands and orders barked. Four men advanced then holstered their weapons. They cuffed her and James, then pushed them toward Reading.

  Reading took them each by an arm and bowed his head at the officer. “Thank you for your cooperation.” He led them toward the gate their regularly scheduled flight was to depart from in less than half an hour, and were allowed on board after a hasty discussion between the officer and the poor women manning the gate. Three seats together were made available, and Reading none too gently pushed James into the window seat, helped Laura into the middle, then sat in the aisle seat. He leaned over as if to check James’ lap belt then gave them both a look.

  “Keep your bloody mouths shut until we land.”

  77 |

  Incheon International Airport Incheon, South Korea

  The flight had seemed interminably long, but Acton had kept his mouth shut the entire time. He figured if it was okay to talk, Reading would. And their friend didn’t.

  How he had become involved, he was dying to know. They hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Kane, though obviously his message had got through, since the Delta team had arrived just in time to save the day.

  Or most of the day.

  Arban was dead, and they had nearly become prisoners in a country not known for a model penal system.

  All in all, it had been a bad two days.

  Dawson had told them during the long chopper ride from the mine that Tommy and Mai were safely out of the country, the one thing that had gone right, though apparently there were issues there as well.

  Too many were dead, including innocents. Lives had been destroyed, and he would live with the knowledge that their meddling had cost a young man his life.

  We should have just stayed home and let Dylan deal with it.

  If they had waited, then perhaps Kane’s contacts could have done something to save Arban, yet even if they couldn’t, all indications were that Arban might have been allowed to live.

  Yet that wasn’t true. If he and Laura hadn’t gone to Mongolia, then Jack would have never paid a corrupt Mongolian officer to use his helicopter to catch up to them, would never have been double-crossed, and never have
taken them to the mine, putting a dozen Mongolian soldiers on the scene.

  And if those soldiers hadn’t been there, and Bravo Team hadn’t arrived, the private security would have been the only ones with the guns.

  Once Elbegdor realized what the find was, he had changed his mind on how things should proceed, and Stander and Conrad would surely have killed him along with Arban, then destroyed one of the greatest archaeological finds in history.

  He closed his eyes and sighed.

  No matter what, Arban would have died, and it wasn’t their fault.

  Yet guilt still consumed him, guilt he hoped would fade with the perspective time brought.

  The door to the Korean Air flight finally opened and the flight crew had everyone remain in their seats as Reading led them off the plane and down the jetway. They were met by South Korean police and escorted to a secure section of the building and put into a room. Reading remained outside for a couple of moments, then entered and closed the door.

  He tossed the handcuff keys on the table. “I should have left you two there.”

  Laura unlocked her cuffs then did the same for Acton. “You would have never forgiven yourself.” She rose and gave the big man a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Acton rose and gave the man a thumping hug and leaned in for a kiss. Reading recoiled.

  “Don’t you bloody dare.”

  Acton laughed, winking at Laura, then everyone sat. Acton regarded his friend. “Care to explain what the hell just happened? How did you pull that off?”

  “Well, I’ll probably lose my job for this, but I had Michelle create fake arrest warrants.”

  Acton spun a finger backward. “Whoa whoa, just back up the truck a second. How did you find out?”

  “Rita.”

  Acton’s eyes narrowed. “Rita? Rita Perdok?”

  Reading nodded. “She called me yesterday, told me that Tommy and Mai were trying to get some GPS coordinates to Dylan, and they didn’t know how. Rita reached out to me, I passed them on to Dylan through the app, and then booked a flight here. When I arrived, Leroux told me you had been arrested. Before I left, I had Michelle prep the fake warrants. I called her, had her put them in the system, I printed them off at an Internet café here, then got on the first flight to Mongolia. I waited for some disturbance that I was sure you would make if things went wrong, and you know the rest.”