Sean put his hands on his hips. "I have to say, I expected there to be something, anything."
"You don't think there was something in there before and somebody came along and took it, do you?" Adriana's question was the same one Reece was considering.
"No," Tommy said. "You can tell from the ground around the lid that it hadn't been touched in a long time, several decades at the very least. I'd say the last person to see this thing was Mathews himself."
"So why is it empty?" Reece asked.
Sean took his eyes off the chest and looked back at the chasm entrance. Darkness was settling across the land to the east. They were running out of time and needed to get to Alice Springs for a warm meal and a comfortable night's rest. He rubbed his eyes at the thought, the fatigue finally catching up to him.
As he was returning his attention to the disappointment at hand, he glimpsed the lid lying a foot or so away from the chest. He was standing close to it but hadn't noticed anything unusual when the top fell over. How could he have? An eruption of dust had blocked his vision, and their focus instantly switched to what might be inside the box.
Now he could see clearly. Something was written in the stone on the lid's underside.
"Guys," he said.
The others followed his gaze and realized what had caught Sean's attention. They looked at the lid and saw the words cut neatly into the surface.
In the royal valley the boomerang's water flows into the underworld, another secret kept.
"Royal valley?" Sean said. "What does that mean?"
"No idea," Tommy answered.
The only symbol that accompanied the words was the outline of a boomerang etched into the stone just above the cryptic sentence.
"Underworld?" Adriana spoke up. "Perhaps it's referring to a cave. Many native religions believe caves are the gateway to the underworld."
"Good point," Tommy said. "But we still need to know where it is." He turned to Reece. "You have any ideas?"
Reece had been more silent than usual. He stroked the scruff on his face with a forefinger as he considered the riddle. "Nothing comes to mind. Never heard of a place called the royal valley. Sounds like a place that I'd remember." He stopped himself.
"So you've never heard of it? You've been all over the place down here."
"I know. I'm racking my brain to recall if I've ever heard anybody else talking about it. Sorry, guys. Afraid I'm not much help on this one."
"No worries," Sean said. "We can figure it out when we get back to the hotel."
"Or over breakfast," Tommy added. "I'm wiped."
Reece thought for a second. "Right. Maybe a good night's rest will jog my memory. We can do some searching online and see if there's anything like that in the region."
"Fair enough. How far back to Alice Springs from here?"
"Not too far. It's just east of here. I'm including our walk back to the car and all. The staff at that hotel is really good. I've used that place before to stage some tours for travelers."
"I can't wait to get into a nice comfy bed," Tommy said. "That's going to feel amazing." He leaned closer to the lid and took three pictures with his phone. The LED light flashed brightly in the rapidly darkening chasm.
Again, Sean surveyed the area. Something had him on edge. He wasn't sure what it was. Things were too quiet.
"You okay, Sean?" Reece asked.
"Yeah," Sean tipped his head up. "Just thinking...and keeping my eyes open."
After the group put the lid back in its place and kicked some loose dirt and sand over it they walked back out to the chasm entrance. To the west, the sun dipped behind the horizon beyond Uluru.
"That's an incredible view," Adriana said.
"Sure is," Reece agreed. "Looks like we're getting out of here just in the nick of time."
A sudden rustling sound in the bushes ten feet away nearly caused Tommy to jump out of his skin. Before he could climb Reece's back, a little lizard appeared on the edge of the trail. The reptile looked around as if deciding which way it should go next. Humans, apparently, were no concern.
Tommy leaned over to get a closer look at the almost cute animal. As he bent down, a loud boom echoed across the plains. A huge chunk of rock exploded from the monolith in a burst of debris and sparks.
Sean and Adriana dove to the ground. Reece took an extra second before he reacted and dropped as well. Tommy was already hunched over and simply dropped to the dirt.
"What was that?" Tommy said.
"Someone shooting at us," Reece answered.
"Thank you very much. Yes, that much I get. But who is shooting at us?"
"Not sure," Sean said. "Thought I saw something earlier."
"Wait a minute." Tommy was incensed. "You thought you saw something? When were you going to tell us about it?"
"I figured it was nothing. No need to get you all worked up over something that isn't there. Besides, you'd have blown it off anyway. Probably called me paranoid."
"Now when was the last time I called you that?"
Sean started to respond, but Adriana cut him off. "Would you two mind terribly if we figured out a way to get out of here alive?"
"Yeah," Sean said. "I doubt the shooter is where he was before. We'll need to figure out his position and then flank him."
"What if there is more than one of them?" Tommy asked.
"One thing at a time. Reece..." Sean extended his hand. "Give me your hat."
Reece didn't question the request, though he wondered what Sean had in mind. Ten seconds later, he found out. Sean took one of the spades and stuck the tip inside the hat.
"Everybody stay down," he whispered. Sean held the tool at the tip of the handle and eased it up to mimic someone raising their head. He propped himself up on his elbow to make sure the hat would come into view.
Another gunshot rang out. The round tore through the hat and knocked it to the ground. Sean turned his head in the direction the sound had come. "Got you."
"Tommy, you three head back toward the car. Don't go all the way there. Just go that direction. Stop halfway. In five minutes, I want you to snap another picture with your phone. Make sure the shooter can see the flash."
"Then he'll start shooting at us again," Tommy protested.
"Stay down, and he won't hit you. The flash will draw his attention. All I need is one more shot to pin down his location."
"So you're using us as bait?"
"Would you prefer to go after the sniper hiding in the weeds? Maybe there's another snake you can make friends with?"
Tommy hesitated for a second and then answered. "Fine. But I still don't like the idea of being used as bait."
"Remember. Five minutes, and then hit the flash."
"Yeah, yeah."
"I'm coming with you," Adriana said.
Sean drew a deep breath, ready to deny her request.
"It wasn't a question," she said before he could respond. "If the shooter sees you, you'll need someone else to flank him."
He knew better than to suggest she could get hurt. Adriana was fully aware of how much Sean cared for her. She didn't need any chivalrous demonstrations. She was correct, too. Having one more person to flank the shooter wasn't a horrible idea.
"Fine," he said. "Go around that way. I'll take the center."
She gave a nod and scurried off in a low bear crawl. Sean looked back at the other two and shrugged. "What can you do? She's stubborn."
Reece's eyebrows were high on his forehead. "Good to see she's got you right where she wants you, mate."
He chuckled quietly and crawled down the path with Tommy tucked in right behind.
"She definitely does," Sean said to himself.
He looked out toward the coming darkness. There was no sign of the sniper—not yet.
As soon as the gun fired a second time, Sean had pinpointed the general vicinity of the shooter. He'd done the drill enough times blindfolded to be able to zero in on someone's location to within about fifteen feet. And that was in
pitch darkness.
He crept forward into the bushes, saying a silent prayer he didn't encounter any more snakes like the one Tommy accidentally discovered. Gunmen he could deal with. Snakes hiding in the dark were something altogether different.
Sean kept his back down as he moved like a lion stalking its prey. The clock was ticking. He knew that Tommy would be on time. Sean figured the shooter was close to a hundred yards away from their position at the front of the chasm. Five minutes was more than enough time to cover that distance at a bear crawl. Sure, it would be exhausting, but he'd done it before. The problem was that he wasn't able to bear crawl the entire distance.
In several places, the ground elevated to the point where he had to get down and belly crawl, slithering forward a few inches at a time. The earth was rocky, too, and several times a jagged stone stabbed at his knees and hands.
His muscles started aching, especially his legs and abs. While he kept in good shape, it had been a long time since Sean had done anything this grueling.
Four minutes in, he'd only covered about seventy-five yards. He'd have to hurry if he was going to get to the area he believed the shooter was hiding. Of course, there was the possibility the sniper had moved. It's what Sean would have done if the circumstances were reversed. Sure, he never wanted to give up a good spot, but if you took a shot and missed, it was imperative to get moving.
Based on the proximity of the two shots the gunman already took, Sean figured the shooter had no plans on leaving until all his targets were dead.
He slowed his pace with twenty seconds left on the clock and crept forward, focusing on making sure his movements were silent. As far as he could estimate, he was within twenty to thirty feet of where the sniper had taken the other shots.
The sun was completely gone in the west. The dark sky to the east began sparkling with stars and a crescent moon in the distance. Sean waited, crouching like a predator about to pounce. He didn't know the exact position of the shooter. As soon as Tommy flashed his light, that would change. Sean just hoped he hadn't misjudged things.
Something shifted in the dirt about twenty-five feet away. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, like a shoe grinding on pebbles in the dirt.
The next second, a searing bright flash burst through the area from fifty yards away. There was a quick movement, and then the shooter fired.
18
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
The muzzle erupted in a burst of flame. It was farther away than Sean had anticipated but still within the general area he suspected. He moved forward toward the silhouette that now stood against the starry backdrop. The long barrel of the rifle remained motionless, pointing out toward where the flash had come just a moment ago.
Sean closed the gap fast, keeping low as he rushed at the target. The shooter suddenly swung his weapon around, aiming right at Sean. The American dove to the ground and watched as the gunman's weapon suddenly jerked upward as he fired. The round sailed harmlessly into the night.
The sniper shook his head and grabbed the back of his skull with his free hand. He kept his senses enough to spin around and locate the person who'd thrown the rock at him.
Sean used the moment.
He lunged forward and plowed the man in the back with his shoulder. The shooter grunted and dropped his weapon. Sean felt his own gun dangling in the holster, but he didn't dare fire the weapon. Adriana was there in the dark somewhere. A stray bullet could hit her. This fight he'd have to win with his fists.
The gunman rolled over and swung at Sean's midsection. Sean straddled him for a moment. He slugged him with a right and then a left. The shooter's face was broad. In the pale moonlight, Sean could see the guy was strong—the type that hit the gym five times a week just because he enjoyed pain. The third punch was caught by a strong fist. The man's fingers wrapped around the back of Sean's hand and pushed it back.
Sean desperately threw a hammer fist. The gunman caught his wrist and squeezed with a vise-like grip. Sean felt himself struggling to push back. Then, with a big heave, the shooter kicked his legs up and caught Sean in the upper back with a knee.
The blow sent a deadly surge of pain through Sean's spine. He grimaced and felt his muscles weaken for the briefest of moments. The next thing he felt was his body being tossed through the air as the shooter flung him across the open space.
He landed in one of the nearby bushes, breaking little branches that scratched his skin on his drop to the ground. He winced again and tried to roll over, but the gunman gave no respite.
The man stalked over to the American. He started to reach down to grab Sean by the foot when another rock struck the man in the back of the head. He wavered for a second and then turned around. Adriana stood at the edge of the clearing in a fighting stance. The gunman's right eye twitched as anger coursed through his veins. He charged her with no warning, running full speed at the woman who'd just delayed his kill.
Sean reached for his pistol, but it wasn't in the holster. It must have fallen out in the struggle. He scrambled to his feet, desperately looking for the weapon.
"Honey?" he said. "Shoot him."
It was too late. The assassin surged at her with a roar. Her right hand whipped forward again at the last second, flinging another stone at the big man's face. The projectile struck true, hitting the attacker squarely in the nose. Now the shooter's size worked against him, and his momentum carried him forward even as his head rocked back. He lost his balance and tripped—knees skidding on the rocky soil.
Adriana coiled to the side and then unleashed a swift roundhouse kick to the side of the guy's head. The top of her foot made a sickening sound against the man's skull just above the ear. He fell sideways, still grabbing at the wounded nose with one hand and covering the new wound to his head with the other.
She didn't wait for him to recover.
Adriana leaped into the air, bending her feet underneath her body and leading with her knees as she fell. The kneecaps drove deep into the gunman's back. He gasped at first and then started coughing hard, desperate to catch his breath again. Adriana spotted a rock sticking out of the ground a few inches from the shooter's head. She grabbed his thick black hair and smashed the man's skull against the stone.
The gunman's body went limp. She released his hair and let the head drop to the ground.
Sean had scrambled his way out of the bush and rushed over to aide Adriana, but she'd already finished the job.
He noticed his pistol lying on the ground and picked it up. "Thing isn't supposed to come out of its holster that easily." His comment was more for his own benefit than hers. He motioned at the unconscious gunman. "You think he's dead?"
Adriana pursed her lips as she evaluated. "No, I don't think so."
"If he's still alive, he's gonna have a massive headache tomorrow." He checked her over. "You okay?"
She laughed and raised a dubious eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm fine. But you look a little beat up."
"That's what happens when you get your butt kicked." He stepped closer to the shooter and bent down. A quick search of the man's pockets only produced a thousand dollars in cash and a car key with a remote entry device."
"No ID?" Adriana asked.
"No. But he had to get his car somewhere. Only question is where he would have parked it."
Sean pressed the unlock button on the fob. He didn't notice anything right away, so he hit the lock button and spun around. That's when he saw the yellow lights flash another hundred yards or so away. The car was nearly invisible, especially in the cover of night. The gunman clearly wanted to stay as low profile as possible.
"We should check it out, see if there's anything else that might help us solve this whole case."
"Yeah, but what about him?" Adriana jerked her thumb back toward where the man's body had been just a moment before.
Now he was gone.
"What the?"
A dark silhouette jumped out of the shadows, lunging toward Adriana from behind. Sean shoved her out of
harm's way as the big man plunged a knife down over his shoulder.
The blade missed Adriana's shoulder by inches. She rolled to the ground from the force of Sean's push and got up to see the knife that almost caught her off guard.
The gunman's momentum carried him at Sean. Keeping his balance, he reversed the attack and slashed the knife's edge upward to rip Sean's abdomen, chest, and throat in one deadly move.
Sean did the only thing he could. He fell backward, letting the blade's tip pass harmlessly by. He hit the ground—flat on his back—and kicked his right foot up as the attacker stumbled forward. His shoe caught the guy squarely in the groin. The gunman doubled over and groaned in agony. Sean kept driving his foot upward—now lifting the guy like a shovelful of dirt. He used the assassin's momentum and managed to get him off the ground, effectively tossing the guy eight feet beyond where Sean lay .
The would-be killer crashed to the ground in a clumsy roll. A fresh roar of anger escaped his lips. Sean pushed himself up off the ground and charged. The gunman regained his composure and stood up. His knife's handle protruded awkwardly from his side. Sean realized he must have fallen on it. The wound wouldn't be immediately mortal, but being so far away from medical attention...it might do the trick.
The big man yanked the knife from his body. He grimaced as fresh blood spurted out and splattered on the ground. His head trembled, and his face filled with rage. He roared again and raised the knife in defiance, motioning for Sean to come at him with his other hand.
"You know," Sean said, "I'm too tired to keep doing this."
He drew his pistol from its holster and fired a single shot into the man's chest.
The assassin took a step back and then another. He looked down at the new hole in his body and touched it with his index finger, almost as if he was curious. Then he winced and collapsed onto his back. His eyes stared up at the stars as the last few gasps of life passed through his lips.
Sean and Adriana rushed over to where the dying man lay and stopped a couple of feet short.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me who sent you," Sean said.
The Sean Wyatt Series Box Set 4 Page 13
