Order of the Black Sun Box Set 11

by Preston William Child

  “Thank you, my friend,” Galen maintained with a nod, still staring at the note. “This may be exactly what we need right now.”

  7

  THE WELL-TRAVELED ROAD

  The parts of Mongolia near Genghis Khan's birthplace had long been rumored to be the place where his bones were hidden. They’d been searched over time and time again by people from all over the world, but none of them had any luck. Their excavation of that area wasn't likely to yield any better results, but it was the best way to start...to be sure that no one else ever missed anything important. It’d be just Purdue's luck to not search there and have that be Khan's resting place the whole time.

  Yusuke stood beside him and let out a long exhale.

  “I’m surprised you never found the tomb, Purdue. You have such a good track record. If anyone was going to find it, I think it would’ve been you.”

  “And it still might be,” Purdue said with a wink. “I'm honestly more surprised that you never did. You mostly stuck around this part of the world while I was distracted gallivanting all over the place. I would’ve thought that the famed Purveyor of the Pacific would have found it by now.”

  “I still might,” Yusuke echoed Purdue's jab from a moment earlier, capping it off with a wink.

  Yusuke was great and had lived up to his impressive reputation. Not only that, but he and Purdue got along splendidly, to the point where Purdue felt like they were sharing the same brain. He reminded Purdue so much of himself, just a little younger and less jaded...and less wealthy. He was glad to have brought Yusuke into the new Order of the Black Sun.

  The next day, Yusuke used some of his own connections to enlist the help of one of Mongolia's chief experts on Genghis Khan and his conquest. Shin Wo was happy to help, and was very excited by the prospect of working with famous archaeologists and historians—he was ecstatic to be working with Yusuke most of all. Shin was very clearly a major fan.

  Shin didn't speak English very well, but Yusuke was happy to translate since he was fluent in most dialects that were spoken in this part of the world—one of the perks of traveling all across Asia on his expeditions.

  Purdue listened to Shin Wo addressing him, but since Purdue couldn't understand what Shin was saying, Purdue focused on the man's body language instead. Shin’s disclosures made him move with the giddy excitement of someone much younger than him. He waved gestures through the air as he spoke, gave a reenactment of a battle by wielding an invisible bow, and smiled the whole time.

  Despite not understanding Shin’s actual words, Purdue could still hear the cadence, the tone, and the thrill in the man's voice as Shin explained more about the history of Genghis Khan. Shin Wo's enthusiasm for the topic was so vibrant and palpable, despite having to be translated through another language and another man's voice altogether. Shin spoke with the energy of a master storyteller, getting to each part of the tale at the perfect moment, and leaving just enough suspense to make the listener want to transition to the next part of the story. When Purdue listened to him, Purdue felt like he was sitting around a campfire or cozily tucked into bed listening to a great audiobook.

  Shin discussed so many of Genghis Khan's great deeds. 'Great', however, didn't always necessarily mean anything good. It was more that these great acts were important and impactful to the history of the land. Yes, there were some actual positives to what Genghis Khan accomplished besides the conquest and bloodshed. The Great Khan established the Mongolian script, thus bringing writing to his people. Khan made sure that there was freedom of religion, something very rare at the time. In turn, those freedoms lasted long after his death during the Mongol Empire's existence. It wasn't just all about war with him after all, despite his lofty reputation as nothing more than a violent conqueror. Violence was part of making change to the rest of the world, and maybe that's all it was to Genghis Khan as well? Like most figures who had been dead for centuries, however, it was hard to know for sure. Shin Wo just made it all sound so heroic. He sort of reminded Purdue of a grandfather telling romanticized war stories.

  Shin was obviously very passionate about all of this. If by some miracle, they did end up finding the tomb of Genghis Khan, Purdue wanted Shin Wo to be one of the first people to see it. Purdue would love to see Shin’s reaction.

  The excavation wasn't producing any leads, but Purdue wasn't too surprised. All of the places they’d been so far were places that were thoroughly dug up and searched formerly. They were just giving those places a final sweep for safety, to look them over with their own eyes. Purdue never expected to find much there, but it was best to be absolutely certain. If Genghis Khan's remains were there, they would’ve been found by now.

  Shin Wo walked up beside him and smiled. He spoke, but Purdue could only watch bewilderingly. Purdue must have looked ridiculously confused. Luckily, Yusuke was close to clarify what Shin was saying.

  “You know there isn’t anything here, don't you?” It was like the old man was reading Purdue's mind.

  “Aye, I know,” Purdue said and his words were repeated to Shin by Yusuke. “I just prefer to be safe instead of sorry. Don't want to miss something without being absolutely certain that we can move on.”

  Shin spoke again and his message came through Yusuke. “It would be impossible for this to be the right resting place.” Yusuke chimed in with his own thoughts. “I searched all over this area one of my attempts. If it were this easy, Khan's bones would’ve been found a long time ago.”

  “Aye,” Purdue said with a nod. “As for where we should go next, all we have to go off of is that bow that Riley found. Those riddles. The farthest reach at the end of the red line. Mean anything to you, Shin?”

  The old man listened as Yusuke translated and then shook his head. Purdue didn't need any translator to know what that meant. That would make things far too easy. He didn't want to rely solely on the writings on that old bow; but if it was all they had to go on, then that's what they’d use.

  “We'll give a few final checks here...then we're going to really consider those etchings on the bow.”

  INTERLUDE – THE PACIFIC PURVEYOR

  During his childhood, Yusuke Sanada wanted to be a baseball player as an adult. He spent so many years in his childhood swinging around baseball bats and catching balls in his gloved hand. He imagined himself playing in front of a crowd of thousands and maybe someday would even travel to the United States and join their professional league? That was how he envisioned his future. He never thought he’d be diving into ancient ruins and unearthing priceless relics that most people had never even heard of. It was a far cry from hitting a home run or pitching a perfect game.

  His dreams of baseball had started to fade during his teenage years, and he began paying extra attention when learning about the world’s history from his teachers. Baseball was a great game built with rules and regulations. There was a specific order to events and in how people acted toward one another. There were only so many different things that could happen. Balls would be thrown, bats would be swung, and people would run around in circles, trying to do it more times than their opponents. It was clean and predictable. History was different; it was messy and there weren't any rules to strictly follow, no set way of doing things. There weren't three strikes or foul balls. It was so much more than that.

  History won his heart against the great game of baseball. He put down his bat and his glove and picked up textbooks and shovels. His homeland, Japan, contained so much rich history that he wanted to uncover, so many hidden secrets that had faded from view with time. Internally, he couldn't completely get rid of his love of the sport as he liked to view his archaeological work as something of a game sometimes. It was that mindset that kept him going.

  Within a few years’ time, he became very famous traveling throughout Asia. There were things that he found in places that shocked local governments. There were discoveries that he wished he hadn't unearthed. There were finds that surprised him but made him all the more grateful that he was doing
something he loved.

  As a result, his passion and his expert ability to dig up lost treasures drew the world’s attention. He quickly gained a name for himself on a global scale. They nicknamed him all kinds of titles. His favorite was 'the Indiana Jones of the East' as he loved those films. However, the one that seemed to stick the most was 'the Purveyor of the Pacific'. It was a fine enough name, but he really wished the other was used more. He was content playing his game, hitting his personal home runs, and touching home base with a new relic in his hand after the end of a long journey.

  Yusuke Sanada hadn't expected to see David Purdue in his home, yet there Purdue was. There had been so many stories that even reached Japan. Some said that the billionaire explorer perished in a tragic accident when his house burned to the ground. Others talked about how Purdue's accounts had all been drained until he didn't have a single cent to his name. Critics speculated that he’d been deliberately assassinated by some secret group. There were articles in the news, headlines on papers, and an incredible amount of speculation. Then there was nothing. David Purdue was dead for some time, but now that corpse was greeting him in his own house.

  “Mr. Sanada.” Purdue approached, offering an open hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you at last.”

  Yusuke hesitantly accepted the handshake but felt beyond confused. “You’re David Purdue?”

  “Aye, I am.”

  “I believe you’re supposed to be dead.”

  “That's what everyone has been saying, but I'm not the type of man that likes going along with what I'm supposed to do. Truth is, I’ve had something of a rough period in my life, but things seem to be taking a turn for the better as of late. I wasn't dead, but I was bloody close to it. Now, though...now I've got more life than ever. You obviously know who I am, and I know who you are, too.”

  Yusuke nodded but still looked uneasy about his visitor.

  “I’m starting a grand new venture, and I’d love for someone like you to be a part of it.”

  “What is it exactly? This new venture of yours...”

  “A group. Have you ever heard of the Order of the Black Sun?”

  Yusuke shook his head. It was a strange name, whatever it was.

  “Good,” Purdue said. “I was wondering if they’d ever tried to recruit a big name like you before.”

  “They?”

  “It's a long story, but the short of it is this...the Order of the Black Sun is a secret society dedicated to looking for all kinds of artifacts and relics strewn about the world. They were run by...well let's just say that they were some real evil bastards. But now, I'm the one calling the shots and I want good people on my team. Given your impressive resume, I thought you’d be a good fit. The Order of the Black Sun won't be full of egomaniacs and lunatics this time. It’ll be staffed by some of the smartest, most skilled, and experienced people on the planet that want to see history protected.”

  Yusuke had always been a solo act. Even during his jobs, he only ever asked for help when there were literally no other possible options left. He wasn't really looking for any kind of group to join since it would feel like he needed the assistance. He didn't.

  Then again, baseball was a team sport and there were benefits to having allies to help you in the tough plays. He could have more financial backing, additional moral support, and an extra hand or two might be helpful rather than piling everything onto himself. It was a lot of responsibility for one man to have, and a lot of stress to carry. There wasn't anything really wrong with being on a team. It just wasn't something he’d really considered before. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as it seemed like it’d be?

  “Maybe,” Yusuke said. “And you will kill me if I say no?”

  “Not at all,” Purdue said. “That isn’t how we do things in the Order of the Black Sun these days. If you’d said no to the previous people in charge...yeah, you might have ended up in a ditch somewhere with a bullet in your head or strangled to death and dropped in the ocean. But if you say no to me, to us, then you just go about your business. Your life will go just back to the way it always has been, and I'll still admire the work you do. But you’ll be doing that work without any assistance from us. On the other hand, if you say yes and decide to join up with us, we could give you all kinds of resources to help make your life easier. Believe me, I know from experience how horrible it can be to be trying to find the world's treasures without much help.”

  That didn't sound so bad—surprising coming from a secret society. Groups like that were usually paranoid about making sure those secret societies remained incredibly top secret. Yusuke had gotten invitations to group before but those were prestigious gatherings meant to just stroke their own egos and flash their own awards to one another. This didn't sound quite like that. The way David Purdue described it was very intriguing. Protecting history was all Yusuke really cared about; and if that was what this group would focus on, then maybe they were the right people to align with right now?

  Yusuke nodded in agreement. “I’ll see what it is like.”

  “Brilliant,” Purdue said. “it’ll be great to have someone as respected as you joining the team. If you thought you were having success now, just wait. We're going to be able to salvage so many lost wonders together.”

  Yusuke liked the sound of that. He’d play ball again, at least as long as he still enjoyed the game.

  8

  THE MURDEROUS GHOSTS FROM THE PAST

  The sun hadn't risen yet, but Purdue was already up and ready for the next day of their expedition. It was exhausting, but he was pulled awake by the need to make some progress. He walked toward Shin Wo's tent. They were wrapping up their search in this part of Mongolia. Just as Purdue had expected, there wasn't anything of value here and there never had been. People before him had scoured this area and experts probably still would after, hoping to find some remnant of the Great Khan's life, but there was nothing. As they brought this leg of the journey to an end, Purdue wanted to speak with Shin Wo. The man's passion for the subject was infectious and he wanted to bring him along to wherever they headed to next to search. He’d be a valuable ally to have when it came finding Genghis Khan's remains. Purdue just had to ask and hoped that Shin Wo would agree to come along. He just needed to make sure that Shin understood what he was asking from him.

  “Hey Yusuke!” He called over to Yusuke who looked like he was still barely awake. “Meet me in Shin's tent in like two minutes, aye?”

  “Will do,” Yusuke yawned.

  Purdue entered Shin Wo's tent, calling out to him, but there was no response. He peeked more into the tent and saw a mound beneath sheets. The history expert must have needed the rest because he was in a very heavy slumber. That was a bit surprising since Shin Wo had been the first to wake up every morning since he’d been helping them. It was weird to even see him sleeping. Purdue had kind of figured that the man just ran on renewable energy and never had to recharge.

  “Shin? Time to wake up.”

  That man was apparently an incredibly deep sleeper. Nothing stirred under the blankets. Not even a single muscle moved. There wasn't even a twitch.

  Purdue gently nudged him. He expected some kind of a response; a groan, some muttering, or even a fist to be thrown. There was no reaction, nothing happened at all. Shin Wo remained completely still and silent. Purdue pushed him some more, trying to rustle him awake but no amount of commotion was enough.

  The sheets on top of the sleeping man were sticky. That was when Purdue noticed it. The mattress and blankets were standing with it.

  Blood.

  It had come from an enormous tear that ran across Shin Wo's neck.

  There was no waking up him up from death.

  Purdue screamed as loudly as he could and within seconds, Riley and August hurried into the room. Riley threw her hands over her mouth as she spied the grisly scene. Yusuke followed close behind, then rushed to Shin Wo's side, but quickly discovered, just as Purdue had, that it was far too late to help Shin. August let out
a great big sigh and crossed his massive arms.

  Although Purdue hadn't known Shin Wo long and they only shared on word of English, Shin had become a big part of their excavation efforts and more importantly, Shin was a kind and gentle man. He didn't deserve to go out so atrociously. He didn't deserve to be murdered—and by who?

  This mission wasn't supposed to be this dangerous. All of the terrible violence and suffering was presumed to stop after Julian Corvus was beaten. It was all allegedly to improve once the Order of the Black Sun had changed. None of this made sense. Why kill Shin? Who killed him?

  The image of Shin Wo's bloody corpse started tilting in Purdue's eyes. Purdue was starting to suffer from a bit of nausea in that tent. This was all just too much to comprehend. This venture had been going fairly well so far. It hadn't been nearly successful yet, but there hadn't been any real perilous incidents like Purdue was used to during the former days.

  “Who could have done this?” Yusuke asked respectfully closing Shin Wo's eyes with his fingers. “Who could have done something this terrible? To him? Why?”

  They were all looking at Purdue. That was part of the burden of being the leader and of being in charge. He was supposed to know everything. He was supposed to have all of the answers and be able to make sense for them. But in that moment, he couldn't do that. He had no real answers to make everything seem a little better. An innocent man was dead, probably because Shin was involved with them. That was on them, whether they liked it or not.

  Purdue ignored all of the weary faces of his new colleagues and stormed out of the tent. If he stayed in that place any longer, he was going to pass out or vomit. It was a truly sickening sight to see someone who was once so serene brutalized in such a violent way. It wasn't right. None of it was just.