Once Richard ran out of room, he crossed back into the tomb and the shaking stopped. So had the gunfire. For a moment, Richard wondered if the Reichswehr unit had vanished since they got what they came for. Poking his head around the corner, he peered into the chamber and toward the doorway. Two more bullets whistled past Richard’s head.
“Come on out, Richard,” Wilhelm said. “I hear a bullet to the head is far better than being buried alive.”
Two more Reichswehr members followed Wilhelm’s orders to pursue Richard. Unsure of what do to next, he eased inside the chamber, which began to shake again. The pair of soldiers lost their balance and fell as a couple of columns toppled onto the men and flattened them.
Wilhelm fired several shots into the chamber again, desperately trying to hit Richard as he bunkered behind some debris on the floor.
“Have fun being buried next to a king,” Wilhelm said before dashing away from the entrance.
Richard eyed the soldiers again to make sure they were dead. Neither of them moved. As the ground finally stopped shaking for good, all Richard could hear in the distance was Elizabeth screaming.
Two more gunshots ripped through the air, followed by silence.
Richard leapt over the soldiers’ bodies and tried to yank the rocks away from his only way out. But the stones wouldn’t budge.
Chapter 38
DUST FLITTED FROM the ceiling of the chamber as Richard darted around in search of an exit. His initial scan revealed that the only way out was the way he came in, but he took a second look. Standing inches away from the wall, Richard placed his hands flush against it and crept his way along. Checking the full breadth of three sides including the one that connected the two rooms, he didn’t find the slightest crack or ridge that would indicate the presence of an opening. But there was still one wall left.
As Richard eased his way down, his index finger caught a small trough running near the bottom. He knelt and brushed away the surrounding debris. Stepping back, he illuminated the area with his flashlight and noticed the distinct outline of a space about three feet wide and two feet tall.
While reading up on the tombs, Richard remembered about how young boys were trained to finalize the burial chambers after the walls had been sealed. Once they finished, a boy would slither out through a small passageway. Due to its size, potential thieves would have a difficult time smuggling out the bulk of a king’s treasures, discouraging such attempts. Between the presence of the Medjay lurking around the Valley of the Kings and the numerous other fail-safes built into the sites, raiding a tomb would likely result in certain death.
Richard figured he would be able to shimmy his way through the tunnel, though it would be a tight fit. He just didn’t know where it led—or how to open it. Pulling out his dagger, he scraped more dirt out of the edge of the stone door until it loosened. The next painstaking process included inching the piece from side to side while pulling on it to displace it from the front of the shaft. After several minutes, he managed to free the block.
After a brief inspection of the area with his flashlight, Richard scooted inside, his stomach against the ground while propping himself up on his elbows. He guessed he had a clearance of maybe two inches for his head and half that on either side. With his knife in one hand and light in the other, he wormed his way along. The dust stirred up as he moved, drying out his mouth. When enough particles filled his lungs, he broke out into an unpleasant coughing fit, which kicked up more dirt. The whole journey took about ten minutes until he came to a dead end.
Richard reached forward and cut around the edge of the block. Satisfied that he sufficiently cleared the edges, he nudged it forward. After another couple minutes, the small doorway slid forward into a larger space until it wouldn’t move any farther. In order to get out, he slid the rock to the left. Inhaling the blast of fresh air, Richard worked quickly to get out. Once freed, he stood and shined his light around and realized the place looked familiar. It was the antechamber of King Ramses VI’s tomb, which had been excavated twenty-four years earlier and was a popular site for tourists. Richard could only assume that the pillar positioned in front of the tunnel was glossed over by archeologists searching for Ramses’s burial chamber, unaware of what was underneath their noses.
After catching his breath, Richard returned the stone to its position, re-sealing King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Convinced no one would notice the disturbance near the base of the wall, he raced outside in search of Elizabeth. Richard hustled down the side of the hill and over to the dig site that was virtually abandoned. The tent, the tools, the workers—everything was gone. He shined his light against the area where he had dug with Sherif. Nothing but a pile of rocks.
Richard hustled to the top of the ridge and peered out across the sea of darkness in an attempt to spot Wilhelm. For a few seconds, he surveyed the valley below and didn’t see anything. Then he stopped when a glint of fire moving quickly in the distance caught his eye.
Wilhelm.
Richard raced down the hill and found his and Elizabeth’s horses where they’d been left. As he was untying his steed, Richard noticed two men lying on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood. He rushed over to check on them. One man was dead with a bullet hole in his forehead, while the other one was clutching his chest.
When Richard knelt next to the man to help him, he shook his head.
“It’s too late,” he said in a whisper. “The Germans—you must stop them.”
Then he exhaled his final breath.
Richard shut the man’s eyes before standing back up and scanning the area once more. There was no doubt that the small caravan racing across the valley floor was the Reichswehr unit. Richard mounted his horse and tore off across the desert. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to catch the Reichswehr entourage before they reached the ferry, but he had to try, if not for the sake of the treasure, for Elizabeth.
When Richard reached the dock at the Nile, the ferry was gone, already halfway across the river. Richard’s only chance of catching them was to ride a couple kilometers up the river, cross the bridge, and chase them down in Luxor. He dug his heels into the side of his horse and raced to the bridge.
As he rode, he pondered the best approach to fighting off the entire Reichswehr unit, despite the reduction in number of troops. He needed to reach them before they arrived at their hotel and regrouped.
The breeze created by the swift jaunt along the sandy path sent a chill over Richard. With the moon beaming brightly above, he would’ve preferred to stop and admire the scenery. Galloping across the Egyptian desert beneath a starry sky is the kind of moment he knew his grandfather would have wanted to experience, though likely in a different scenario. The winding road that led Richard to Egypt and ultimately the Valley of the Kings was unexpected in many ways, but he chose to embrace his assignment and count it a unique adventure. Such a perspective was the only way he kept from wondering if he’d actually gone mad.
Hoofs thundering across the bridge echoed in the still of the night, interrupted only briefly by the shrill train whistle in the distance. Richard guided his horse back toward the hotel where the Reichswehr had been lodging. When he arrived, he dismounted and then sprinted toward the entrance, stopping short on the veranda when he heard a familiar voice.
“They’re gone,” the man said.
Richard swung around to see Jabari slumped against the wall, applying pressure to his right bicep with his left hand. Trickling blood glistened in the faint light.
“I tried to stop them,” Jabari said. “But one of the men I was fighting surprised me and slashed my arm.”
“Are you going to survive?” Richard asked.
“I’ll live, but your lady friend is in grave danger. They plan on using her as a pawn until they get out of the country.”
“Do you know where they were going?”
Jabari shook his head. “I’m guessing the train depot. Once they leave, they’ll be nearly impossible to catch.”
Another wh
istle broke the otherwise serene evening.
“Better hurry,” Jabari said again.
Richard leaped up to jump onto his horse. He rode hard and arrived at the station several blocks away in a matter of minutes only to see the train pulling away from the platform.
“Do you speak English?” Richard asked one of the nearby attendants.
The man nodded.
“Did you see any Germans board that train?”
“There were quite a few. And they looked like they were in a hurry to leave.”
The lights on the caboose dimmed as it rolled away. Richard darted back toward his horse before saddling up and charging down the tracks after the train. He managed to catch the train before it reached full speed and grabbed on to the handrail. Pulling himself aboard, he steadied his feet and took a deep breath. Then he eased inside the cabin, which was little more than a rolling supply closet, littered with train parts, dry goods, and luggage. He also found several attendant uniforms hanging from a rack. Without hesitating, he suited up in one, figuring it would give him the best chance to maneuver throughout the train without drawing suspicion.
Upon exiting the caboose, he leapt across the coupler links and entered the last passenger car. He smiled and nodded at some of the passengers who made eye contact with him as he flitted down the aisle. Richard went through both second and third classes on the train without the slightest hint of the Reichswehr presence. For a moment, he wondered if the man on the platform had been intentionally misleading. Then Richard reached first class.
The first thing he saw when he stepped inside the dining car were two familiar German soldiers sitting at the bar, drinking. Richard pulled his hat down low across his brow and eased past them without earning even a glance. He hopped across another set of couplers and into the first class sleeper cabins. Moving steadily down the corridor, he tried to determine which ones belonged to the Reichswehr. As he sauntered past each one, he strained to hear any conversation inside. Based on previous observations, Richard knew that Wilhelm would likely have a compartment all to himself. And with only seven other soldiers and Elizabeth, the group required a total of three rooms.
When Richard neared the end of the car, there were only three rooms left.
This has to be where they’re staying.
He leaned in to hear a snippet of the conversation. The combination of German along with Elizabeth’s voice confirmed his suspicions. Richard spun and headed along the corridor. When he reached the bar, he grabbed a napkin and scribbled a note on it. Then he ordered a drink and billed it to what he presumed to be Wilhelm’s room.
Upon gathering the cocktail, Richard strode back down the hallway and knocked on the door. He kept his head down when one of the soldiers answered.
“For the lady,” Richard said in his best thick English accent.
The man rolled his eyes and took the glass along with the napkin positioned underneath before sliding the door shut. Richard headed toward the dining car to lie in wait.
The instructions were simple: Go to the restroom in the dining car right now.
Richard clung to the rails on the outside of the car as he waited. Less than a minute passed before the door from the dining car slid open and the two soldiers jumped between the pair of cars. One of the men glanced at Richard with a furrowed brow, but he quelled any suspicion by wishing the men a good night with a thick English accent.
Almost immediately, the train headed across a large ravine that had a sizable tributary branching off from the Nile. Moments later, the sleeper cabin door opened and Elizabeth stepped through, leaping to the other side. She gasped as she looked down. Then her eyes widened upon noticing Richard.
“Go to the caboose, and wait for me there,” he said.
She nodded and didn’t hesitate. Then a Reichswehr soldier followed after Elizabeth. But as he was in mid-stride between the two cars, Richard rocked back and drove both his feet into the man’s midsection, knocking him off balance. He grasped for the railing and came up empty before he plummeting into the ravine.
Richard sighed then poked his head back into the sleeper cabin. With the hallway clear, he moved to the next part of his plan. He stole down the corridor and exited through the front of the car before climbing on top of the roof. Lying prone, he looked down and lined up his target: Wilhelm’s window.
With a thunderous crack, Richard kicked through the glass and tumbled into Wilhelm’s room. The sudden interruption caught the German unit chief off guard as he scrambled to his feet. Richard kept Wilhelm on the defensive, landing a flurry of punches before spotting the golden mask.
Richard snatched it and headed back toward the window. With Wilhelm staggering to his feet, the other Reichswehr members rapped on the door, which was locked. After not getting a response, they tried to kick the door down.
Richard worked quickly to knock the stray fragments of glass out of the frame before climbing back through and onto the roof. And Wilhelm followed.
* * *
WILHELM GRABBED HIS GUN and tucked it into the back of his pants before scrambling after the thief. Still woozy from the pounding, Wilhelm closed his eyes and shook his head to rid himself of the dull ache. The move didn’t work, but there wasn’t time to worry. The treasure was no longer in his possession.
“I’ll handle this,” Wilhelm shouted to his men, who were still trying to kick down the door to his room. His wolfsrudel were certainly capable of handling the job, but this was personal. He underestimated the American and had failed to eliminate him not once but twice, a mistake Wilhelm wanted to correct on his own.
When he reached the roof, he saw a silhouetted man sprinting across the tops of the cars. Wilhelm pursued without hesitation. His training had prepared him for a moment such as this. With the opportunity to make a sizeable deposit into Germany’s future war chest, he couldn’t let this expensive gift vanish into the Egyptian night along with the pesky American, Richard Halliburton. Wilhelm had invested too much into this expedition, both from his own personal finances and the skimpy Reichswehr treasury.
Using his long, lanky steps, Wilhelm almost overtook Richard before tackling him from behind. The mask slid toward the back of the car, farther away from the grasp of both men. Richard swung first, but Wilhelm had wised up from the earlier beating. The order of punches seemed rehearsed and predictable as he dodged every one. Then he went on the counterattack, slamming his fist into Richard’s face repeatedly until the American was left bloodied and sluggish.
Wilhelm staggered to his feet before spitting onto Richard and then stepping over him. With the treasure just a few feet away, Wilhelm staggered toward it before looking up to see a fast approaching tunnel. Diving back down, he remained prone on the roof and hoped the clearance was high enough to keep him from suffering a life-ending head injury.
The darkness seemed to last an eternity as he lay still. At last, the moon illuminated the rooftop again as they emerged from the tunnel. But when he looked toward the spot where the treasure had come to a rest, it was gone.
And so was Richard Halliburton.
Chapter 39
RICHARD STASHED THE golden mask in a chest tucked away in the corner of the caboose. He glanced up at Elizabeth, who was shaking. Taking her hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“Just stick with the plan,” he said. “It’s all going to work out.”
“Are you sure?”
Richard shrugged. “It’s like roulette. Red or black? Someone has to win.”
“You’re not exactly instilling me with much confidence.”
Before he could respond, a thud hit the platform just outside the door.
“Get ready,” he whispered.
Seconds later, the door flew open as Wilhelm stormed inside with his gun trained straight ahead on Richard.
“You’re a sly fox,” Wilhelm said. “But you won’t be able to get away from me again. Now, hand it over.”
Elizabeth swung an iron skillet at Wilhelm, connecting with his arm a
nd knocking the gun out of his hand. Richard dove for the gun as did Wilhelm. In the scuffle, it skidded across the floor and slipped out of the door.
Wilhelm put his knee into Richard’s chest and pinned him to the ground. “I guess we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.”
The German got off two more punches before Elizabeth wielded her skillet again in a fit of fury. However, Wilhelm ducked as the iron collided with the wooden door, splintering it and sending shards flying in all directions. Wilhelm grabbed the pan and ripped it from Elizabeth’s arms.
Seizing his opportunity to regain the upper hand, Richard wriggled free from Wilhelm amidst the bustle and scrambled to his feet. After backing up a few feet, Richard took a run at Wilhelm and drove him against the wall. Wilhelm groaned as his back slammed hard into the wooden siding. Richard proceeded to punch Wilhelm several more times, bloodying his face.
“It’s time for you to leave,” Richard said as he backed up and surveyed the damage to Wilhelm’s face.
“Not without my gold,” Wilhelm said.
The Reichswehr leader spun to his right and dug a gun out of his shoe before attempting to get a shot off on Richard. However, Wilhelm had become so engrossed with Richard that he didn’t see what was happening to the side. Elizabeth drew back and smashed Wilhelm in the face with the skillet, knocking him out.
Richard sighed in relief before springing into action. He grabbed Wilhelm beneath his armpits and dragged him toward the door.
“Can you get his ankles?” Richard asked.
Elizabeth nodded and then hoisted his feet off the ground.
Richard shuffled back and outside to toss the body onto the third class train’s platform.
“Why don’t we just kill him?” Elizabeth asked. “You know he’s a bad man.”
“I’d prefer not to have the full weight of the Reichswehr chasing me down the rest of my life,” Richard said, pausing before he hoisted up Wilhelm and flung him to the third class train. “It’d be a short one if that was the case.”
The Secret of the King's Tomb Page 21
