Sean Wyatt Compilation Box Set

by Ernest Dempsey

  He looked up at her. “She says that it will make the Spanish Flu epidemic look like the common cold. Worst case outcome, ninety percent of the world’s population could be eradicated.”

  “How could she predict that?” Jabez had to ask.

  “I don’t know. But I know that Jenny knows more about that stuff than anyone I’ve ever met. She must have run some tests in her lab. It goes on to say that the World Health Organization has been alerted, but no one is going to take any action until the morning. They think she’s overreacting.”

  Adriana was clearly concerned. “Someone has to stop that company from sending out any of those vaccinations.”

  “Yeah,” Sean agreed. “She said Emily is sending a team down there to blockade the building. But the world authorities need to take over. And Axis can’t just hold a building siege for long. Eventually, the authorities will be called in, and her team will have to stand down.”

  Firth’s demeanor changed to one of being unnerved. “So, it’s true about the virus?” His voice was filled with disbelief.

  Sean turned his head and faced the professor. “Seems that way, doc. If it makes you feel better, I wish we hadn’t been right about it.”

  “It sounds like we may not have much time,” Jabez interjected. “We must hurry to the canyon. If we can get there in time, we can destroy the chamber permanently.”

  Chapter 47

  Cartersville, Georgia

  The cold steel barrel continued to press hard into Helen’s skull while the man get a firm grip on her throat. He was much stronger than her so, struggling was like trying to push a three-ton boulder up a hill.

  “Don’t make me say it again!” he yelled, painfully loud in her ear. “Drop your weapon and come out with your hands up. I know you’re sitting there in the front of the house with your gun aimed at those trucks. If you don’t come out right now with that vial and your hands in the air, I will execute your wife, and we will come in and kill you next.”

  Helen never feared much in life. She’d been raised in the country, and as a country girl she had faced all kinds of things that would have caused most people to wet themselves. But now, knowing that she was five inches away from a bullet that could end her life, a twinge of fear entered her mind.

  She didn’t want to die. But she wasn’t about to beg, either. Whoever the man was holding her neck would not get that satisfaction.

  “You may as well shoot me,” she forced the words through clenched teeth. “He’s not going to give up that vial.” If the men believed the virus was in their possession, no reason to let them think otherwise. And she certainly wasn’t going to tell them where it actually was.

  “Don’t worry, lady. We’re killing both of you anyway.” The gruff voice had a sinister sound to it.

  The man was probably former military gone mercenary. Killing, for those types, was second nature. When the armies of the world no longer needed their services, those people still needed to get their fix. Their bloodlust would never be quenched, so it seemed. She’d met several in her line of work. While she spent most of her time in an office, there were occasions when Helen had bumped into people like that. She didn’t understand how they could enjoy something as wretched as killing other human beings. She had done it out of necessity, but never enjoyed it. Not like the man holding the gun to her head probably did.

  “You may kill us both,” she said, “but there is no way my husband is coming out of that house and giving you that vial. You will have to pry it from his cold, dead hands.”

  Taking a cue from her statement, he yelled out again. “This is your last chance! Come out with your hands up or your wife dies!”

  Helen could feel the man tense as the finger on the trigger tightened slightly. She didn’t say a word. Instead, she closed her eyes. Memories of her life began to drift into her mind’s eye. Events and people from her childhood swept by. Christmases, Thanksgivings, weddings, funerals, school, graduation, and her own wedding day all came to her in a rush.

  The last caused her to think about Joe. He’d been a good husband. He was always loyal, always caring. She wished she could have told him more about her previous life. He may have found it intriguing. Helen doubted he would be mad at her for not previously revealing some things. That was another things she loved about him. He always seemed to understand. In the darkness, she imagined his smiling, bearded face. The vision brought a strange sense of peace.

  For a second, she wondered if Joe would drop his gun and come out with hands in the air, like her captor had ordered. But Joe was no fool. He would know that the second he did that, the mercenaries would kill them both. If she were going to die, Joe McElroy would do whatever it took to avenge her death, even if it meant dying.

  She opened her eyes again, flicking them toward the SUVs that still sat running near the end of the driveway. The people inside them were still awaiting the order to exit and push forward.

  “I guess your husband doesn’t care if you die or not, lady,” the man grunted. “Personally, neither do I.”

  A solitary tear formed in the corner of her eye. She knew that wasn’t true. Joe loved her very much. The tear rolled down her face and fell to the dry leaves below, making the subtlest of pats as it hit, just before a booming gunshot rang out through the woods.

  Chapter 48

  Armenian Mountains

  The night had been uneventful except for the constant flapping of the wind against the inflatable tent. The room had stayed surprisingly warm, thanks to the heaters in the corners. Alexander Lindsey had known the devices were supposed to have eight hours of power, but usually claims like that were somewhat exaggerated.

  The sun was beating down on the white surface of the tent, causing the room to be naturally illuminated. Lindsey sat over a hot cup of coffee, reading through Drake’s diary, scanning it for anything that might prove helpful on the final leg of what had been a tumultuous journey.

  Will entered the tent, followed closely by Kaba. “The snow didn’t last long,” he reported. There is a layer of it still on the ground, but down in the valleys it’s already melting. Looks like it will be a clear day, so as soon as we refuel, we can begin the search again.”

  “Excellent,” Lindsey nodded at the younger man.

  “Would you like us to take the bird back and fill it up then return, or do you want to come along? The nearest airstrip is about twenty minutes away.”

  “Thank you for asking, Will. I believe I will stay here until you return. I am still weary from all this travel and I need to continue my research. When we find this place, it is essential we understand how to make it through the three tests.”

  Will could tell his benefactor was exhausted. The toll evidenced itself under the older man’s eyes, and in the color of his skin. He didn’t appear to be in good health. Will had never been a big believer in whatever it was Lindsey was looking for. But he did believe he owed the man his life, despite the quirks. More than that, Will hoped his benefactor would leave his vast fortune to him. With the incredible amount of money Lindsey had at his disposal, Will could finally leave a life of danger behind. He and Kaba could buy a small island somewhere and drop off the grid completely. It would be an amazing turnaround for a boy who had been given such a rough start by life.

  That difficult period made him strong, though. And it made him ruthless. Will was willing to do whatever it took to get what he needed. When The Prophet had found him, he redirected that combination of resourcefulness and diligence into something greater.

  Initially, when Will had met Lindsey, his first inclination had been to simply kill the old man and take whatever he could off him. But something inside the back of his mind thought better of it. It was a decision that could reap enormous benefits in the future. The Prophet had already been extremely generous. Will had no doubts that generosity would continue in the foreseeable future.

  “Kaba,” Will turned toward the black haired woman. “You and two of the men stay here while we go back and refue
l. If you need anything you can reach me on our SAT phones.”

  She gave a quick nod and disappeared back out the entrance of the tent. Even in a heavy coat she was beautiful. Will watched her leave, letting his eyes linger for a few moments.

  “You two are my only legacy,” Lindsey spoke with a rattle in his voice.

  Will’s head snapped back to the old man. His tired eyes were looking up at him with a sense of pride.

  “You have done much for us, Sir.”

  Lindsey looked down to the rocky ground then back up again, deep in thought. His breaths were coming in labored efforts. “If we do not find the tree, my time here on this earth will be short.”

  “No,” Will disagreed, shaking his head. Though, inside he knew the old man could very well be dying at that moment. “You will be around for a long time, Sir.”

  A twinge of guilt stuck through Will’s chest. He’d been snippy with his benefactor during the escapade in Atlanta. Now that he could see the man was dying, Will realized how much he actually cared.

  Lindsey coughed a few laughs. “I appreciate the sentiment, Will. But we both know I don’t have much time. If we do not find the tree in time, I want you to keep looking for it. The only thing I ask of you is that you complete the mission. It is all that matters. It must be seen through. You must give me your word, that if I die, you will finish what we have started.”

  “You have my word, Sir,” Will answered after a few seconds of thought.

  “This world has become a desolate place. The cities are a shambles, and filled with corruption. Crime is rampant, and those who lack, steal from those who have. The world has gone too long in this degenerated state.”

  Lindsey reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. On it was a phone number, and another sequence of numbers. At the bottom was a name Will didn’t recognize.

  “What is this?”

  “That,” Lindsey explained, “Is the direct line to the man in charge of our Biosure facilities. He will carry out the order to ship the vaccinations. You will need to give him that number to verify the order.”

  Will stared at the paper for a few long moments. In his hand was the order to execute billions of people across the globe. The weight of that thought wore heavy in his mind. He’d killed more people than he could remember over the course of his life, but billions? That was a strange thing to think about.

  Lindsey could sense the apprehension on his apprentice’s face. “The world has needed a new beginning for far too long, Will. Soon, there won’t be enough food for everyone. There won’t be enough space for everyone. And when those things happen, chaos will ensue. It is better to send them all to their rest and start anew. We will bring about the New Jerusalem that Revelation speaks of. We will start over with a new Earth, free of crime and depravity.” He decided to give the younger man one more incentive. “You and Kaba will be the King and Queen of this new world.”

  The last part certainly did appeal to Will’s ego. He and Kaba could rule the world. They would gather in the few survivors and bring them under a common rule.

  “But if we don’t find the tree, we will not be able to survive the virus.”

  Lindsey smiled weakly. “You will find it. We are so close, now. I know you will.”

  “You will find it,” Will corrected, though he didn’t really believe it. “But, I have to ask. What if we cannot locate the last chamber? It’s been hidden for several thousand years. What will happen if it remains undiscovered?”

  The old man’s eyes narrowed. “I have a backup plan for that contingency. The mission will go on as planned, whether we find the Garden of Eden or not.”

  “A backup plan?”

  “In my mansion, I have built a bunker where we can wait out the epidemic as it sweeps across the world. There are enough supplies there to sustain us for several months. By then, the virus will have run its course.”

  Will appeared confused. “If you have that in place, why go through all the trouble to find the tree of life? You could just wait it out in the bunker.”

  Lindsey smiled feebly. “Because, Will, if I don’t find the chamber and the tree of life, I will die. When you get older, you will understand what that means. If I find the tree, I can lead this world into a new age, free of chaos and crime. That bunker is meant for you and Kaba, in case I don’t make it to the tree in time.”

  In a sick way, it was the greatest gift anyone had ever given Will. His benefactor had provided him and Kaba a way to survive even if they didn’t find the last chamber. It was a gesture that motivated him to see the task through to the end and find the lost Garden of Eden.

  “Sir,” Kaba rushed in through the entrance of the tent, interrupting the intense conversation. “You need to see this.”

  Lindsey got up out of his chair, energized by the young woman’s enthusiasm. He knew she wouldn’t burst in like that unless it was something significant he needed to see. Kaba was also not very excitable. Since he’d met her, Lindsey had never seen Kaba lose her cool over anything.

  The three stepped outside into the chilly, mountain air. A thin layer of snow remained on the ground, but it was melting fast. The temperature had risen in the early parts of the morning, returning the region to its more typical climate. Above, the sky was clear, producing the brightest sun they’d seen in a while.

  They all slipped on sunglasses to protect their eyes as Kaba led the small group to where some of the other men were standing near the edge of the ridge. DeGard was with the men, staring down into the valley at something.

  “What is all this fuss about?” Lindsey demanded as he reached the drop off.

  No one needed to answer the question. He saw what the ruckus was about. A thousand feet below, a narrow road wound its way through the mountains. On the road, two SUVs were making their way slowly through the mountain pass.

  “Wyatt,” Will realized out loud.

  “Get everything ready,” Lindsey ordered, still staring at the vehicles below. “They may lead us right to it.”

  Chapter 49

  Cartersville, Georgia

  The shot echoed through the woods behind the McElroy cabin. Helen stood stiffly in the darkness for a moment. The hand on her neck slid off, and the one holding the gun to her head dropped instantly as the man’s body collapsed to the ground. She felt something warm and wet on the side of her face and neck, and reached up to touch it with her finger. Blood.

  She looked down at her attacker, but quickly turned her eyes away. A large hole penetrated the man’s forehead, and the back of his skull was completely obliterated. Before she could say or do anything, the men in the SUVs quickly exited and began opening fire on the cabin.

  Joe had shot the man in the head. It was a gutsy thing to do, but it had saved her life. Now, though, he was in trouble. She grabbed her bow and hurried along the edge of the woods, back around the rear of the tool shed and farther up the property, closer to the driveway. In thirty seconds, she was behind the men firing from the protection of the SUVs.

  “Sit tight, Joe,” she whispered to herself and pulled her own AR-15 around to her shoulder. “Mama’s got you.”

  Inside the cabin, Joe had taken a huge gamble. He knew he was a good shot with the assault rifle, but his target was only a few inches from his wife’s head. Any slight movement and he would have shot her instead of the mercenary. Fortunately for both of them, he hadn’t missed.

  As soon as he’d seen Helen was okay, he dove back into the laundry room, knowing there would be repercussions from the action. Sure enough, bullets started zipping through the shredded remains of the house. Fortunately, the thick logs the walls were made from withstood the barrage. As long as Joe stayed down, he was okay. The problem was when the men decided to come into the house. He needed to get to the trap door again. If he could get outside, he could take up a position in the tool shed and flank the men as they approached the house. They would be sitting ducks. Getting over to the trap door was a dangerous proposition, though. Even
with the walls stopping most of the projectiles, he didn’t want to risk one getting through.

  Suddenly, he heard the familiar sound of Helen’s assault rifle outside. The men attacking their cabin all used sound suppressed weapons. Joe and Helens were all natural. The thunderous boom of the gun shook the remaining glass fragments from the windows, sending them clacking to the floor. He smiled from his hiding place. It sounded like his wife was pissed.

  From the edge of the woods, Helen picked off three of the men who were closest to her. She crouched on one knee, taking down one, then another. The men were dead before they realized what was going on. There were still several left, though. And her line of sight was blocked by the one of the vehicles. The men’s legs on the other side, however, were not.

  Helen got down on her belly and lined up the first attacker. She let out a deep breath and squeezed the trigger, sending the round through the man’s kneecap and dropping him to the ground. The next bullet ceased the man’s sudden screaming permanently. By the time the mercenaries had realized what was happening, Helen had already picked off four of them.

  The rest of the assault team redirected their fire to Helen’s position. She rolled behind a broad oak just as bullets began to splash the leaves and dirt around her. The men’s voices carried into the woods, barking out orders. She quickly loaded a fresh magazine into the base of her weapon and cocked it, ready to go on the attack again.

  She stuck her head around the edge of the trunk when more rounds whizzed past her face, causing her to withdraw back to cover. More booming shots rang out from the front of the cabin, and she smiled. Joe was still alive.

  When Joe heard Helen’s gunfire, he knew the men in the SUVs would be immediately thrown off by the flank attack. That was the chance he needed to rush over to one of the windows and take up a position. He heard their return fire, but when no more rounds were zipping through his living room, it meant they were shooting at Helen.