The Lost Spear

by N. J. Croft

  Tarkhan came to stand at her shoulder. “Any mention of the monks?”

  “No. Or the Spirit Banner. But that makes sense. Otherwise, we would have picked it up previously. All records in the database were checked for flags of interest. But the timing and placement are spot on.” And she knew she’d found her warrior monks. “There was a fight, four in the group were killed, and the last was seriously injured but escaped. They followed, but lost him in the mountains.” Had he taken the Spirit Banner and made it to his final destination? Or had he died from his wounds? Was the Spirit Banner, the soul of Genghis Khan, lying rotted on some mountainside? Never to be found? She wouldn’t believe it.

  So what would he have done? He’d been badly wounded, probably dying. He would have gone to safe ground. Somewhere he could disappear. She needed eyes on the area. More than eyes, she needed to actually see beneath the ground and discover what secrets the mountains were hiding. Without digging.

  She tapped a message into her laptop.

  Eve: Are you there?

  Star had promised to be available but had a habit of getting so immersed in her work that she forgot the outside world.

  Star: I’m here. What have you got for me?

  Eve: If I send you some coordinates, can you get me eyes on the area? I’m looking for where a badly injured man would hide. So it would be close by, probably in a radius of no more than five miles.

  Star: That’s a big area.

  Eve: Too big?

  Star: Nothing’s too big for the Star.

  Eve: How long to get results?

  Star: Depends on what satellite activity is in the area. Whether I need to reposition. I’ll do a search and get back to you.

  Eve: Thanks.

  She closed her laptop and sat back. She was so close she could taste it.

  Just a couple more days and she would be there. The culmination of twelve years of work. She glanced around the room; Yuri was still missing.

  Then her gaze snagged on Zach. He was staring into space, seeming oblivious to the world around him, a frown line between his brows. A pent-up sort of energy emanated from his brooding figure.

  She got up and walked across the carpeted floor, took the seat next to him. “Has something happened?” she asked in a low voice.

  He glanced at her. “Sorry?”

  “You seem a little distracted. I just wondered if you’d…found something out.”

  “Just that they switched off my partner’s life support machine this afternoon.”

  She rested a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry.”

  “I knew it was—”

  He broke off as Yuri burst into the room. Eve’s heart stuttered and she shot upright. Blood streamed from a cut above his eye and he was cradling his right arm against his chest.

  She hurried across to him, Zach close behind her. “What happened? Are you okay?”

  “Two men jumped me as I was walking back to the hotel. They had knives. I was sure…” He wiped blood from his eye with the back of his left hand. Tarkhan handed him a towel, and he held it against the cut. “Someone came by and the attackers ran off.”

  “That was lucky,” Zach said.

  “Damn right. If they hadn’t, I’d be dead.”

  Chapter Ten

  Something woke her.

  The beep of her laptop.

  Eve was sprawled face-down on the bed, still fully dressed. She’d fallen asleep waiting for Star to get back to her. They’d chatted again. Star had said there was nothing in the system, and no satellite currently in position. Which didn’t surprise her.

  Star had come up with a plan to hack into one of the nearby satellites and realign it. It would depend on finding one with the capabilities to take the ultra-high definition images they needed to see beneath ground level. Eve didn’t want to know the details; she had no doubt it was totally illegal.

  That had been around midnight. It was now six in the morning. She flipped the lid on her laptop open and read the message.

  Star: Got them. Don’t ask and I won’t tell, and you might not end up in the cell next to me. I’ve attached what I think you’re looking for. Let me know if it’s not and I’ll try again. xoxo, Star

  Star’s talents not only lay in obtaining the images, but also in analyzing them, spotting the minuscule details other people missed that often held the answers to big questions.

  There was a file attached, and Eve clicked to download it. It was huge and slow to open, and she drummed her fingers against the laptop.

  The file contained three images.

  The first showed the whole area she’d asked Star to look at. There was very little detail at that level, just a blur of shades of gray showing the vague topography. She could tell it was a mountainous area, the blue of a lake just off-center, but little else. Star had marked a red circle around an area about a mile east of the coordinates Eve had given her, approximately ten miles inside the Great Taboo. The next image had the exact coordinates along the top and presumably showed that marked area in much greater detail. A group of ocher granite outcrops rising from the green mountainside, with the lake to the left. Eve magnified the image and saw what had caught Star’s attention. The central outcrop had a darker, shadowy area at the base. The entrance to a cave?

  She opened the third file. Star had taken ultra-high definition images of the area and interpreted them into a 3-D representation that penetrated below ground level and showed what was hidden beneath the mountains. In this case, what appeared to be an extensive cave system. A network of tunnels and chambers. She examined the scale; the tunnels were big enough for a person to crawl through. She shuddered a little at the thought. But wasn’t this whole trip about facing her fears. And at least there wasn’t water involved.

  There was that tingling in her stomach again. This was it.

  She typed a message…

  Eve: Perfect! You’re a star, Star!

  Flicking her gaze back to the image, she sat, legs stretched out in front of her, her finger tracing the tunnel beneath the mountain. Was it there, hiding beneath the rock? Pointing the way.

  She smiled.

  She’d been right to come here. Everything was going to work out. She felt like her old self. The fearless one from before the kidnapping, before she’d realized that safety was an illusion. The last of her fears were slipping away from her, leaving her mind clear.

  The incident on the way from the airport had been carjackers.

  Yuri was the victim of a local gang; they hadn’t intended to kill him, just steal his money and his watch and anything else they could get.

  And Zach was wrong. There was no terrorist connection. Even if her funding had originated from the same account that had paid for terrorist activities, that didn’t mean they expected anything from her other than finding the spear. Though, perhaps the same person could be responsible for both? Would discovering who wanted the spear lead Zach to his terrorists?

  Maybe, and she would do what she could to help.

  But first she would find the Spirit Banner of Genghis Khan. And that would lead her to the ultimate archaeological find of modern times. The lost burial place of the greatest leader who ever lived.

  Chapter Eleven

  Eve was packed and heading out to the vehicle when her phone rang. She glanced at caller ID.

  “Hi, Peter.”

  “Eve,” he said. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to contact Noah yet, but I have that information for you. Or some of it at least.”

  Well, the Noah part was no surprise. If he was undercover, they wouldn’t want to jeopardize that for the sake of a conversation with his ex-wife. “Go ahead.”

  “Zachary Martin is who and what he says he is. An operative with MI6 in London. Only thing is right now he’s on a leave of absence.”

  “What?” That didn’t make sense. “Why?”

  “I spoke to someone over there. Apparently his partner was injured in a suicide bombing three months ago and Zach didn’t take it well. Also, he�
��s been coming up with some pretty wild conspiracy theories, so they told him to go take time off. Clear his head. That was a week ago.”

  Just after he’d first come to see her. “So he isn’t working for the government right now?”

  “No. He’s officially on leave.”

  Something else he hadn’t mentioned. Perhaps he was just taking a vacation in Mongolia. Pretending to be a journalist. Or was he working for someone else? Christ, maybe making up conspiracy theories was contagious. But why had he implied he was here on official business? Or had he? Perhaps she had just presumed.

  “Eve?”

  “Yes, sorry, I was just thinking. Thanks.”

  “The other man you mentioned, John Chen. I haven’t found anything out of the ordinary—we have no files on him. He has no criminal record. He checks out as a translator working for The Mongolian Historic Society.”

  “I’m not surprised. He’s a good man. I like him.” He saved my life.

  “How are you doing out there?”

  “Good. I should be heading home in a few days.”

  “And you’ve been…okay?”

  Peter knew about her problems. “I’m fine. It’s done me a world of good, being out here. I should have done this years ago.”

  “I’m glad. Give my love to the children, and I’ll let Noah know you’ve been trying to reach him as soon as I get the chance.”

  “Thanks, Peter.”

  She shoved the phone into her pocket. Should she confront Zach with what she knew? Ask him what the hell he was playing at? But what was the chance of him telling her the truth? Was he just following up on his own or was there a more sinister explanation? Maybe he was working with the terrorists. But then why come to see her? None of it made any sense.

  Their vehicle was parked out front, and she dumped her bag in the back and stood waiting for the others to arrive, tapping her foot, impatient to be off. They were heading to the Khentii Mountains. Unfortunately, the vehicle would only take them so far. They would need to make alternative arrangements for the last leg of the journey.

  John appeared in the doorway, saw her, and headed over.

  “Is it done?” she asked.

  He nodded. “I’ve arranged for the guide to meet us as close to the Great Taboo as we can get by automobile. We’ll do the first part of the journey this evening. Camp out overnight and then continue tomorrow. We should be there by midday.”

  “And we really have to go on horseback?”

  “It’s pretty rugged where we’re heading. I could organize four-wheel drives or ATVs, but it would take longer. You prefer me to do that? Might take a few days.”

  “No. I don’t want to wait.” She had a feeling time was running out.

  “Do you ride horses?”

  “I did. A long time ago.” Hopefully, it would be like riding a bicycle—you never forgot. And despite her griping, she was actually quite looking forward to it. Somehow it seemed right to ride across the land as Genghis Khan had all those years ago, under the same eternal blue sky.

  “I’ll go pay the bill,” John said. “And we can be on our way.”

  She leaned against the vehicle as she waited. Another clear day. Yuri came out the door and caught sight of her. He had a plaster across his forehead. She’d wanted him to go to the emergency room, but he’d said he didn’t need to see a doctor. John had patched him up using the medical kit in the car. The cut was apparently superficial. His hand was bruised not broken. He’d live.

  John had spoken with the hotel staff, and they’d told him there was a gang in town that was notorious for similar attacks. Yuri hadn’t been convinced.

  Now, he came to a halt in front of her. “I think we should take a step back,” he said.

  “From what?”

  He frowned as if she was being slow. “The expedition.”

  “Why? We’re so close.”

  “Something just feels off to me. Your mishap on the way from the airport. Someone jumping me last night. I have a bad feeling. We’re hurrying this thing. Why not go back to Ulaanbaatar, reassess the situation? Get some security, someone we trust.”

  She considered what he was saying, and she could see his point, except it wasn’t going to happen. If they went back to Ulaanbaatar, it could take days, maybe longer, to get security sorted. And she didn’t have days to spare. Her week was nearly up. If she failed, she would lose not only the Spirit Banner but her chance to find the burial site itself. That would go to someone else.

  And truth? She needed this so badly, she could taste it.

  “Yuri, you don’t need to come with us. Go back, if you’d rather. I know last night shook you up.”

  Anger flashed across his face. “You’re being obtuse. It’s you I’m worried about. I know what you’ve been through in the past.”

  Her own anger rose. “Let me worry about my past. I’m going. You can come with us or you can head for home.”

  They were saved from arguing further by the arrival of the others, and she heaved a sigh. No more flings with men at work.

  This time, Yuri sat in the front with John, and she sat behind with Zach.

  “Lover boy giving you a hard time?” Zach asked in a low voice.

  She just snorted, folded her hands across her chest, and stared out the window.

  John rode as if he was born to do it, a part of the horse. Tarkhan, despite his eighty years, was almost as good. Yuri was competent. Zach had clearly never been on a horse in his life. But so far he’d managed to stay on. The horses were small and muscular; at least Zach wouldn’t have far to fall. Hers was a dark bay with a cropped black mane. The guide, a wiry little man John had introduced as Gansukh, had told Eve her name, but it was unpronounceable.

  She felt at peace. As though she was in the right place. And this was meant to be. Fate.

  Late afternoon and the air held a crisp bite. Luckily, they’d stopped at a clothing store on the way through town and bought boots, warm coats, and hats—apparently even in May the nights in the mountains could be freezing. And sleeping bags, as they planned to camp out that night.

  The horses made good progress. These were some of the oldest mountains on the planet; they had eroded over the years to smooth, rolling forms and the going was easy. They trotted up a gentle rise, and Eve came to the top and looked out over the mountains. It was a land of blues and greens. Vast and empty but for an eagle hanging in the sky above them. They could be the only people on the planet.

  Far ahead, she saw Bhurkhan Khaldoon rising up. When he was only a young man, Genghis Khan had said he wanted to be buried on the sacred mountain. And during his lifetime, in times of uncertainty or trouble, he’d climbed the mountain to pray to the Eternal Blue Sky for guidance.

  Below them, a wide river wound through the land. They rode alongside the water until they found a shallow place to cross, and the horses splashed through and lurched up the opposite bank then broke into a canter.

  Her ass was aching by the time the guide called for them to halt. But they were much closer to the high mountains now. Tomorrow they would reach their destination and she would find out if her research had paid off. They set up camp in the lee of a rocky outcrop, hobbling the horses’ front legs so they wouldn’t wander while they grazed on the sparse grass.

  This scene probably hadn’t changed significantly in the eight hundred years since Genghis Khan had ridden these mountains.

  As the sun went down, the temperature dropped dramatically, and Eve shoved her hands in her pockets and let the peace soak into her soul as she let go of the last of her fear, at least for this day.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Zach said as he stood beside her. He held a bottle of scotch, and he handed it to her almost as a peace offering. She took a swig and warmth radiated out from her stomach.

  “Are you glad you came?” she asked.

  “I don’t think I’m any nearer catching my terrorist, but yes, I’m glad I came. It’s cleared my mind. I hadn’t realized how screwed up I was.” />
  “Me neither. Though that’s not true. I knew my head was a mess. I just didn’t know how I could change things.” She turned to study him in the dim light. “So I hear you’re currently on leave from MI6 and not here in any official capacity. Don’t you think you should have mentioned that?”

  “Who told you?”

  “I have my sources.”

  He snorted. “Your ex-husband, I presume?”

  “His uncle, actually. Noah hasn’t been around. He told me they think you’re seeing conspiracy theories where they don’t exist. Are they right about that?” She really hoped so.

  He shrugged. “That my conspiracy theory isn’t real? No, they’re not right. It’s fucking real. I believe there is a group coordinating terrorist attacks and I believe it’s entrenched in every facet of our society. Including MI6.”

  She blew out her breath. Not the answer she’d been hoping for. “So what’s next?”

  “You find this magical spear and we follow it. Whoever wants it is right in the middle of all this. You’re my only lead, Eve, don’t let me down.”

  “Super.” Around them, night had fallen, and the stars came out above them. The smell of smoke and food cooking drifted over the night air, and her stomach rumbled. “Tomorrow, we’ll find the spear. Now, it’s time for dinner.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Zach waited a minute after she left, staring out into the darkness, listening to the stamp and shuffle of the horses.

  His legs ached, his balls were squashed from hours in the saddle, and his ass felt like he’d been sitting on a bonfire. But despite all that, he actually felt good. There was something about this place… Maybe it called to the primitive side of him. He felt closer to nature than he’d ever felt in his life.

  He’d watched as Eve had grown stronger with each hour. She was totally different from the diminished, almost timid woman he had met in Cambridge. She’d looked good on the horse—a hell of a lot better than him—and her expression had been serene.