by R. D. Brady
Laney laughed. “How about we find our permanent hiding spot before we add any more members to this ragtag crew?”
“Fair enough.”
Laney squeezed his hand. “You are one good daddy.”
Cain jolted but then smiled, squeezing her hand back before heading toward the living room. Laney watched him swing Victoria—No, Nyssa—into his arms.
“Well, little one, what do you think of Nyssa?” She started babbling away again. Cain hugged her before settling her back on the ground.
Laney never would have imagined when she’d first met Cain that they would reach a point where his joy became her joy. But they had. Somewhere in all this craziness, he’d become family.
Patrick leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “And you are one good daughter.” Patrick took her empty mug, heading to the kitchen.
Pushing open the screen door, Cleo wandered in, and after rubbing against Laney, she headed for Nyssa and lay down right next to her. Nyssa turned, leaning her back against Cleo with a smile. She pushed her book toward Cain with a look of expectation.
Cain picked it up and began to read aloud. “Piddle puddle was a little duckling.”
Laney looked from her uncle at the sink to Cleo stretching as she lay next to Cain and Nyssa. All of them had been through the fire. Yet somehow they’d all found one another and made something incredibly special.
An image of Elisabeta slipped into her mind. Laney shuddered while promising herself she’d protect them from whatever storm was on the horizon.
Her cell on the table rang. Her uncle glanced at the screen before handing it to her. “It’s Henry.”
Laney frowned. She’s just spoken with him this morning. “Henry? Is everything okay?”
“Yes. In fact, I would say things are better than they’ve been for a while. I just spoke with Brett.”
Laney pictured the tall, distinguished lawyer whom she’d met just before she’d gone on the run. “And?”
She could hear Henry’s smile through the phone. “And the charges against you have been dropped. You can come home.”
Laney’s mouth fell open. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. It’s over, Laney.”
Chapter 10
Over the Atlantic Ocean
The plane had lifted off from the runway with barely a bump. Noriko ran her hand over the smooth leather of her chair. Gerard had a plane already at the small airport, but for some reason he had chartered a different jet to take him to Egypt. When she’d asked why, he merely shrugged and said convenience.
Noriko had drifted off shortly after takeoff. She woke up with a start, not knowing where she was at first. She was lying in a bed. She lifted the shade on the window. Clouds were outside, looking close enough to touch. She wiped her eyes, then walked a little unsteadily toward the door and peeked out.
Gerard looked up from where he sat working on a laptop. “Ah, Sleeping Beauty awakes.”
Tugging self-consciously at her wrinkled shirt, she nodded back to the bedroom. “Thank you for letting me use the bed.”
“Not a problem. There was plenty of room for both of us.”
Noriko’s jaw dropped open. Heat flared across her face. “Both of us?”
He nodded, then smiled. “Just kidding. I slept for a little bit out here. Your virtue is quite safe.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, so she looked around the cabin, inspecting everything to avoid his gaze.
“There are some drinks and food in that little galley to your right.”
Happy for an excuse to step away for a minute, she ducked inside and took a breath, not sure why he always made her so nervous. Okay, well, everybody made her a little nervous. But with Gerard, that nervousness was a little different.
She found a glass, poured herself some orange juice, and then managed to make herself a ham and cheese sandwich on a croissant. A little fruit on the side, and she had a meal. She peeked back into the cabin. “Um, would you like anything to eat?”
He kept his gaze on the laptop. “I’m good.”
Grabbing her plate and glass, she headed back out to the cabin, taking a seat two rows away from Gerard, where she could see him between the seats, but could easily shift so she couldn’t be seen. She raised the shade on the window near her, watching the clouds go by as she ate, lulled into an almost trancelike state by the engines of the plane.
She wasn’t entirely sure why she was here. She did think she was supposed to be here, but she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. She hadn’t had a vision of where they were going or where the Omni was hidden. She just felt this certainty that she was supposed to be here and that the answers they sought would be in Egypt.
She felt a little thrill at the idea of actually going to Giza. To see the Sphinx, to touch the Great Pyramid. She’d never really wanted to have visions, especially since that one with Elisabeta. But what if she had one that showed her how the pyramids had been built? Or who had created the Sphinx? That would be amazing.
“Any answers in clouds?”
She looked up, surprised to see Gerard sitting next to her. She hadn’t heard him move.
“Um, no. No answers, just a little daydreaming.”
“So you said you are supposed to be here, that we’re supposed to find the Omni together. Do you know where it is?”
When she shook her head, his jaw tightened. Realization hit her. “You don’t know where it is, either.”
He sighed as he leaned back. “Not entirely true. Like you, I have a very strong feeling that it is in Egypt. And being I once lived in Egypt, I think I’ll start there.”
Noriko knew Gerard had once been Barnabus, the adopted son of the King Proteus, who had ruled Northern Africa in the time of Helen of Troy. Proteus was known as the ruler of the seas. Even though he had a sumptuous place on the mainland, he preferred to spend his time on the small island of Pharos off the northern coast of Africa. Pharos, of course, was famous the world over for housing one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The 350-foot-tall lighthouse had been covered in mirrors that were allegedly used to set ships that illegally entered Alexandria Bay on fire. The Lighthouse was reported to have been visible from as far away as thirty-five miles. At the time, the only taller structure in the world was the Great Pyramid at Giza.
Until 1994, it had only been a legend. Then divers found remnants of the Lighthouse. Now it was known that the Lighthouse had survived up until the fourteenth century. It was damaged by an earthquake in 1303 and completely destroyed by a second earthquake in 1323.
“You think it’s at the Lighthouse?” Noriko asked.
“No. The Lighthouse wasn’t built until the third century BCE, a thousand years after Barnabus lived.”
“After you lived,” she corrected.
He nodded.
“So it must have been hidden somewhere that existed at the time of Barnabus.”
“And hopefully it still exists today.”
And that was the problem. Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza was all that was left. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympus, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse were all gone. They had all disappeared into the mists or sands of time. Some people even doubted they had ever existed. But if those amazing structures failed to survive, what hope did they have to find the Omni buried in some less important location thousands of years ago?
“Do you think it’s still there?” she asked. “Do you think we’ll be able to find it?”
Gerard smiled. “You’re the one who said fate thinks we’re a great team. So who are we to question fate? So yes, it’s there. And we’ll find it.”
Chapter 11
Galeton, Pennsylvania
After grabbing a shower, Laney was just finishing up drying her hair when her cell phone rang. Matt again. Probably with another short but sweet report. “Hey, Matt. How
’s the flight to India?”
“We had a change of plans. I was on my way to India when I got a call telling me that one of Elisabeta’s men was seen in Turkey.”
“Turkey? What would—” Laney went still. “Göbekli Tepe.”
“That’s what we think, although we don’t know why. I was hoping you might have an idea.”
“I don’t. Have you gotten any more details about what’s happening in India?”
“Well, I told you about that report about diving activity in the Bay of Cambay. Whoever it was wasn’t authorized to be there. When officials moved in, there was a firefight. Most of the law enforcement officials were killed. One managed to get back to shore. He said the assailants had incredible strength and speed.”
“Fallen.” The Bay of Cambay was off the western coast of India. For years, people along the coast had spoken of an advanced civilization that had disappeared below the waters in the distant past. Mainstream scholars had blown off the talk as the imaginings of a primitive people.
Then the ruins had been found. “I think they were trying to find Dwarka.”
“That was what I was thinking as well, although I can’t figure out why.”
A chill ran over Laney as she recalled her dream. “The Omni. She’s going after the Omni. The priests of Dwarka created it.”
“Do you think they were able to find it?”
“No. Samyaza attacked Dwarka, and the priests submerged the city to destroy him. He died there.”
“Is there any chance the Omni or clues to its location could be found at Göbekli Tepe?”
A chill ran over Laney as she remembered the crazed look in Jagrav’s eyes from her vision. “I don’t know. I mean, the site dates to 12,000 BCE, so the timing is right. But Göbekli Tepe has been only monoliths. They haven’t even found a belial stone yet.”
“Do you think that might be what she’s looking for?”
“She likes power, but unless one has been discovered I can’t see why she’d go in now. Only a small percentage of the site is uncovered. And it’s been buried for thousands of years. Unless she knew exactly where to look, I don’t know how she’d find it.”
“Okay. Well, I’m on my way there. Mustafa is already on his way with a team. He was in Egypt visiting his parents.”
“Wait, isn’t his sister working at the site?”
“Fadil has been there for a year.”
“Has Mustafa spoken with her?”
“He’s been unable to get through. The cell reception in that part of the country is dicey.”
A sense of foreboding fell over Laney. “Oh.”
“Hey, none of that,” Matt said quickly.
“None of what?”
“You are finally going back to the land of the living. This could all be a wild goose chase. Enjoy your freedom, Laney. Only worry when you need to. And right now you don’t need to.”
She smiled. “You’re right. Just be careful.”
“I will. And you—have some fun. You’ve earned it.”
After they hung up, Laney held the phone for a few moments. Göbekli Tepe. That couldn’t be. What did Elisabeta—
“Everything all right?” Drake asked from the hallway.
“Um, yeah.”
“Well, that was completely unconvincing.” He was leaning against the doorway, his blue eyes watching her. His lean frame was accentuated by the washed jeans and perfectly fitted T-shirt. She wasn’t sure how he did it. He literally rolled out of bed looking drop-dead sexy. He’s not human, he’s—
She paused in mid-thought, realizing she was right. He was an archangel, one who’d been in love with her for thousands of years.
And the sight of him made her feel light-headed and muddled her thoughts. Yet despite feeling in her bones that he was hers and she his, she couldn’t quite take that next step.
Nyssa started to cry from down the hall. Maybe because we are currently living with a toddler, a priest, an immortal, and a psychic leopard.
“Laney?
“Um, sorry. What did you ask?”
“Are you all right?”
Laney smiled. “Yeah, sorry. Elisabeta’s making some moves, but I can’t quite see what her endgame is.”
Drake frowned. “Do we need to do something?”
“I don’t think so. Besides I don’t know what to do. Matt is on it.”
He reached down and pulled her up. “Good. Then let’s get you on that chopper.”
Tingles ran up her arms from his touch which she ignored as usual. “You sure you’ve got everything here? I can stay.”
“Go see your brother. I can babysit for an afternoon.”
“I’m sure Cain and my uncle will keep an eye on Nyssa. I’d ask you to go, but I’d feel better knowing you were here with them.”
“And I will keep on eye on them.”
Cleo roared from the hallway.
Drake rolled his eyes. “Along with your pushy pet. But it will cost you.”
“And what is that?”
“Just some of your undivided attention for at least an hour, as soon as circumstances allow it.”
“Deal.” She wrapped her arms around him.
He returned the embrace, leaning his chin on her head. “It will be all right Laney. Whatever Elisabeta is planning, we’ll handle it.”
Laney just hugged him tighter, visions of violence floating through her mind. I hope so.
Chapter 12
Casablanca, Morocco
The CNN anchor stared straight at the camera, her expression serious. “The search for Elisabeta Roccorio, the wealthy famed philanthropist and now alleged terrorist continues.”
Elisabeta snorted. Alleged. Please.
“Roccorio is believed to be behind an attempt to start a conflict in the Middle East by an attempted bombing of the Temple Mount. Experts vary in their opinion about the impact such a move would have had, but all agree the effects would have ranged from violent to catastrophic. Roccorio has not been seen since FBI agents attempted to apprehend her at one of her Chicago homes. She escaped in a helicopter and has not been seen since.
“Roccorio is also believed to be the mastermind behind the attempt to paint Dr. Delaney McPhearson as an enemy of numerous states. McPhearson is perhaps best known for her flight over Jerusalem, when she removed the bomb from the Temple Mount, allowing it to explode in the Mediterranean Sea without any injuries or casualties. McPhearson is now being hailed as a hero for her work as more and more people step forward to defend her.”
With an angry punch of the remote, the screen went blank, and Elisabeta tossed it on the couch. Hero of the people. The scared, pathetic people.
Walking over to her desk, she rifled through the paperwork there. The incident in Chicago had been expected, and Elisabeta did not regret it. Although she had to admit losing Hilda, who was in the FBI’s custody, was a blow. Hilda had been loyal, tried and true. From the reports she’d received, Hilda had remained loyal while inside. Elisabeta was considering rewarding that loyalty with an extraordinary gift once her plans were realized. Perhaps I still will, she mused.
Hilda was a concern for another day, though. There was much to do before her aide could be made a priority. Right now, Elisabeta was on the cusp of greatness. She had spent too much time in the shadows, hiding who she was. She was done with that. Now she could be exactly who she was. And who I am meant to be.
She frowned, not seeing the report she wanted. She punched the intercom button on the phone.
“Yes, madam?”
“Where is the report from the retrieval team?”
“Um, it is . . . Ah, yes, it was just emailed to you. Would you like me to print off a copy for you?”
“Yes.” She released the button. A minute later, a knock sounded at her door. “Enter.”
Artem crossed the room quickly, his face its usual mask. During her search for the Tome of the Great Mother, Artem had overseen Elisabeta’s overseas interests. He had made contacts across the globe and infiltrated the g
overnments she would need in the upcoming weeks. He had laid the groundwork for the days to come. Now that Elisabeta had arrived, he had been shifted back down to executive assistant. But if the demotion bothered him, he did not show it.
Elisabeta took the paper from him. “Have you read it?”
“No, ma’am. That is not my place.”
She nodded, her eyes scanning the report. A smile crossed her face as its contents revealed their success. They found it.
“Good news?”
“The best.” She placed the report in the table. “Now, what of our other projects?”
“The teams are almost all in place for the U.S. situation. And the plane is ready.”
Elisabeta raised her eyebrows. “What about General Vasiliev?”
“An unfortunate car accident last night has taken the general’s life, along with his family’s.”
“How unfortunate indeed. Be sure to send flowers.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Artem gave a small bow before exiting the room. Elisabeta watched him go. He had been with her for ten years. Always reliable, always willing to do whatever was necessary. Sometimes having a psychopath on the payroll was quite useful.
She turned back to the report, reading the final lines. Box was uncovered this morning. Pictures attached.
Elisabeta moved to the computer and quickly pulled up the first image. A dusty box made of ivory appeared on the screen. She zoomed in and could just make out the carving of a woman, her hands thrown to the sky, her hair streaming behind her. For the first time, she smiled at an image of Victoria.
But it was the other image that truly brought her joy.
Ah, the Dwarka priests were not so bright after all, were they?
She immediately sent a note to her team, who had been waiting patiently to be called in for duty.
Target acquired. Details attached.
She forwarded the note along with the contact information for her source.
Eliminate source once target is acquired.