“You have some balls to bring up what Nina did. It's entirely different--”
“Purdue...” Nina cut in, putting a hand on his arm. “We don't know for sure...”
Purdue couldn't hold back all of the negativity flowing through his mind. He didn't know what to believe. Galen's ambush had sent this whole expedition into disarray. Purdue should’ve dealt with that Irishman immediately instead of letting that threat linger. Of course Galen was going to still be a thorn in Purdue’s side. That's what Galen had always been. That egotistical little bastard excelled at trying to ruin Purdue's life.
If Purdue had another chance to stop Galen for good, he wouldn't hesitate this time. Galen may not have been as dangerous as Julian Corvus or some of the other enemies over the years, but he was much more vindictive than the rest. Galen wouldn't stop until he was standing above everyone else, and they were all complimenting him on his greatness. That kind of pettiness was dangerous, because it would never stop and wouldn't hesitate to throw some low blows.
Purdue was angry at everything. He was pissed at Galen and Oniel for daring to show their faces anywhere near him again. He was furious with August for seemingly and most likely being part of whatever their scheme was. He was even a bit mad at Nina for trying to rein in his wrath. Most of all, he was livid with himself for letting any of this happen. As leader of the Black Sun, he was one of the most powerful men in the world, yet he couldn't stop one man who barely had anything to do with all of this from dying. Of course he was angry, because nothing in the world was going the way he wanted it to right now.
“We need to get our heads screwed back on straight,” Nina advised, looking mostly at Purdue. “We can't let that little shit get into our heads that much. That is what he wants. Galen loves throwing wrenches into things, just to see how much of a problem he can make. That's what this is. He has been obsessed with you for years, Purdue. He just wants your attention.”
“Well, then he's got it!” Purdue yelled, pointing at Shin Wo. “We have to stop him.”
“Sure, but we don't have any idea where he is,” Nina argued. “Not a single idea. You know what we have an idea of? Where the tomb of Genghis Khan is. We have the writing on the bow to utilize. That's far more than we have for Galen. He could literally be anywhere. He says he's coming for us? Let him. Let him try. We don't need to worry about finding him because he's already going to be gunning for us. So let's get back on track and get our work done. If he wants to follow, he can; and we’ll deal with him then just like we have dealt with him every other time that prick has tried to hurt us.”
She was making a lot of sense and Purdue ease just a little bit. He still wanted Galen found and addressed, but her plan was probably best way to get to that end. Purdue slowly nodded and she rubbed his arm.
“I know this is a crap hand we've been dealt, but we've survived worse. Galen isn't Julian. We can play him much more easily than we could Julian.”
“Okay, we'll let him come to us...” Purdue conceded.
He looked past Nina at August. The big man still looked uncomfortable after the blowout, but Purdue wasn't sure if August was playing it up or not. August might just be trying to look as innocent as possible. No matter what Nina said about sticking together and not let Galen get into our heads, the facts were still valid. There were very few people who could have or would have helped Galen get to them, and the one that made the most sense was August.
“So am I going to be carted around in handcuffs the rest of the trip?” August asked belligerently. “Or are you going to leave me here? How are we going to do this?”
Purdue was tempted to give a spiteful reply, but Nina intercepted before he had the chance. “You will be coming along, August. You're innocent until proven guilty as far as I'm concerned. Things are...this is all complicated, but we need all hands on deck with this one.”
Purdue wanted to start arguing again. August wasn't exactly an essential part of the team's search. He was meant to just be there for the physical support. There was no reason for him to come if they couldn't rely on him to protect them; they especially had no reason to bring him along if there was a chance he could kill the rest of them in their sleep.
Nina turned to Purdue and gave him a hard stare. “Right?”
She practically impaled his rib cage with her elbow.
Purdue played along, but he wasn't at all pleased. “Right. Innocent until proven guilty.”
Galen thought his reunion with Purdue went fairly well. Actually, Galen was surprised by just how upset Davy looked...and some of his remarks hadn't made much sense. Something else must have happened with Purdue, because usually he was much more full of himself and wasn't so emotional. Those accusations about ripping some old man's throat out were curious, to say the least. Galen looked to Oniel who sitting across from him. It crossed his mind that maybe Oniel went ahead and did something without letting him know?
“You kill some old man who was with Purdue?”
Oniel shook his head. Oniel was a great many things, but he wasn't a liar. He would’ve told Galen, especially now after confronting Purdue. There was no reason to hide what he did at this point. So there was more going on with Purdue's expedition than it seemed.
Oniel looked down to his note pad and started scribbling down frantically, so hard that Galen thought the paper would rip apart or the pen's tip would snap right off. When he was done, Oniel ripped the paper off of the pad and slammed it in front of Galen.
Why’s he still alive?
Galen was only just starting to get used to Oniel's new way of communicating, but it was grating on him already. He preferred when Oniel could just shoot him a glance or make some face to let him know how he was feeling. Now he was...a bit too chatty.
“He's still alive because we haven't killed him yet, of course,” Galen retorted facetiously. He didn't need to be questioned by a man who couldn't even speak. Oniel should’ve realized by now that Galen was in charge of the plans and Oniel's only job was to use his knife well when they needed it. “Obviously, eh? We haven't done the deed.”
There was more aggressive notetaking and then another slip of paper was placed in front of Galen. Oniel's cold stare was transfixed expectantly on Galen, like Oniel wanted particular answers. Galen looked down at the new piece of paper.
We should have.
Galen understood Oniel's confusion, but it wasn't his place to be demanding answers from him.
“No, my friend...we could have. There's a difference. That wasn’t the proper time or place that we should have killed him. That part is still to come, eh? Trust me.”
The next note was written quickly but with even more aggression than the previous two. There was only one word written on it,
NOW.
The three letters were practically carved into the paper, nearly shredding it completely. Galen read the word, shook his head and looked up at Oniel. “Do they not have patience back where you're from? Did the Wharf Man have no sense of timing? I've been waiting a long time to get back at Davy...a hell of a long time. I'm not going to waste it and ruin it by rushing the whole thing. This needs to be perfect. And I want to get as much victory from it as possible. He and the new Black Sun are looking for Genghis Khan's tomb. Knowing Davy, that bastard going to find that tomb...and when he does...we swoop in...we rip that win away from him. That's when we kill him and his friends...and that's when we take Genghis Khan's remains for ourselves.”
Oniel didn't blink. He stared straight at Galen with those hateful, spiteful eyes and Galen just looked back without backing down. Galen had known and hated David Purdue far longer than Oniel. If anyone was going to decide how to end Davy's life, it was going to be Galen. Oniel's hand was still on the pen and Galen half-expected him to drive that writing utensil into his throat. An experienced killer like Oniel easily could...but then Oniel dropped the pen. He didn't touch his note pad again.
There didn't need to be anymore conversation, the argument was over, but Galen wasn't qu
ite done yet.
“I know you have that itch to kill things...to be honest, it's one of the things I like most about you. It's probably why we're such good friends, you and me, but there's really something you need to work on. You want Purdue dead, so do I...and he will be, but we're going to do it properly, eh? You worry me sometimes.”
Galen snagged the notepad and pen off the table. At first, Oniel looked livid and ready to murder Galen right then and there for the theft. Losing that notepad must have been like squandering his lips or losing his tongue again. Oniel wouldn't be able to make his thoughts known as easily now, but Galen had no intention of keeping the pen and paper. Galen jotted down a few words and then slid the paper back to Oniel and rolled the pen back to him across the table. Oniel looked at the scribbles and then nodded. Galen's note was brief and to the point:
Be Patient. You have no sense of poetry.
INTERLUDE: THE SMILING GIRL WHO WANTED TO BE REMEMBERED
Riley Duda no longer expected to do anything important with her life. She never thought that she had some sort of higher purpose in the future. She never believed that she’d ever really offer any impact on the world at large, or even leave any real lasting impressions on other people. She didn't expect to ever be remembered like the historical people in her beloved books. Her name wouldn't be remembered like theirs. She’d just be one of the billions upon billions of forgotten names, for people that weren't significant enough to even be remembered at all.
Joan of Ark. Anne Boleyn. Amelia Earhart. Cleopatra. Queen Elizabeth. Harriet Tubman.
Those were women that wouldn't be forgotten. They’d carved their names into the fabrics of history. Riley would never be among them, no matter how hard she tried. She’d even come to accept that. She’d grown accustomed to just reading about the exploits of far more influential people. It took something special to do something great and often required being part of something bigger than just yourself; being a voice in something that actually affected the rest of the world.
Riley spent most of her youth trying to make a name for herself. She was always at the top of the class academically. She was typically involved in all kinds of extracurricular activities and had done an incredible amount of fundraisers and charity work. She’d tried to go through life with a thirst for knowledge and ensure she always had a positive outlook. Letting herself think negative thoughts would only inhibit her progress, so she pushed through those whenever she could. She wanted to make a difference in any way she could, even if she could only make small changes. She had high hopes, but as she entered adulthood, she gained a more realistic perspective and accepted that she wouldn't be one of those names that would be solidified in the history books.
She didn't think that purpose and destiny were something that was meant for her—but then she met David Purdue.
Suddenly, she saw that it might even be possible to actually make a real difference in this world. There was potential to actually be remembered. David Purdue wasn't just a good looking man but also an incredibly charming and persuasive one. He presented her with a very convincing pitch that captured her interest and had no chance of letting go of its hold.
According to him, she was being invited to join something called the Order of the Black Sun. It was a weird name, but Riley had experience being a part of clubs and organizations. They just usually weren't secret societies. This Order of the Black Sun was apparently trying to find artifacts that had been lost in time and were trying to protect history and the memory of mankind. It all sounded great but Riley spent a good portion of the time wondering why she was even getting the invitation. After the proposal seemed to be winding down, she voiced that very question.
“Why me?”
David Purdue smiled pleasantly. “Because you have potential, Miss Duda. Lots of potential. Tell me, haven't you ever wanted to do something important in your life?”
It was like he could read her mind.
She nodded, and in that moment, began what she hoped would be a life changing adventure. Maybe there was such a thing as purpose, because this really felt like it could be hers? If everything this Scotsman said was true, then she really might be able to join the ranks of all of those remembered names someday.
Riley Duda couldn't stop smiling.
9
THE ONES LEFT BEHIND
Sam Cleave felt a bit excluded. He was fine not being assigned to go find the tomb of Genghis Khan; it was just part of how their new version of the Order of the Black Sun was going to be operating. People were going to go certain places based on their experience and helpful qualities to that particular assignment. He didn't have anything in his skillset that would make him particularly useful when looking for Genghis Khan's resting place, so he understood why he was left behind. He tried his best not to take it too personally.
Still, it was a bit strange to see Purdue and Nina leave for an adventure without him. The three of them, despite being separated by circumstances sometimes, had worked together for so long and on so many different expeditions. They’d traveled all over the world together, faced death countless times, and done very well for themselves even in the face of incredible adversity. They were a pretty great trio of collaborators and they were great friends, too. Of course Nina would be a great help in most ventures. She had a vast knowledge of history that would be beneficial in most situations. Part of Sam wished that he had something as valuable to bring to the table. All he really had going for him was his aptitude for getting information as well as his tenacity. That was it.
He wasn't a huge fan of Purdue's decision to repurpose the Order of the Black Sun and had continued to try and get used to the idea, but it was taking a lot of adjustment. The Black Sun had been nothing more than their enemies for so long that it was tough to realize that he was now a fully-fledged member of their ranks. It didn't matter how much the society was changing. It didn't matter that it might be something great at the end of this metamorphosis. For now, it was still in its transitional face, and still at least partially the old Order of the Black Sun that he remembered. Sam had initially suggested to Purdue that they just let the Black Sun fall apart after they beat Julian; to let it burn to the ground until there was nothing left but Purdue wanted to redirect the power of the Black Sun instead. He didn't want all of their great resources go to waste. Only now, Sam was starting to see Purdue's point, but it was still a struggle, especially after how much damage Julian Corvus and the old Black Sun had to done to Sam’s life.
In times like this, left behind at the Black Sun compound, Sam had plenty of time to contemplate his new role in life. Some of the faces he passed by in the halls were fresh faced rookies who had no idea how dangerous getting involved in this kind of business could be. The others in the hall were people that had already been with the Black Sun at the time of Julian's defeat. He was pretty sure that he’d punched a few of them in the face before during one of his more hostile encounters with the order back in the day. HE hoped that they remembered that, and he also liked to think that was why they were keeping a fair distance from him in the compound's corridors. He didn't even remotely consider them allies yet. He couldn't. He still looked over his shoulders here and there, waiting for one of his old enemies to decide to make a move. Some might call it paranoia, but he preferred to be cautious in such a strange situation. Purdue might have been fine letting those old grunts make the jump to their side, but Sam wasn't quite as forgiving.
Sam went into the deep vaults, one of the only places that he actually felt comfortable in at the Black Sun headquarters. That was partially thank to the enormous metal doors that cut him off from the rest of the order when he was inside, and partially due to Elijah Dane, who had already proven that he could be trusted despite having been the Black Sun's curator. Elijah was an awkward and cold, but there was peculiar charm to the man and he could at least hold an interesting conversation.
When Elijah saw Sam enter the room, Elijah pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose ambivalently
. It was the usual greeting that he gave people, nothing overly welcoming, but Sam was getting used to Elijah's inept social skills.
“How is it going in here?” Sam asked. He’d been visiting Elijah at least once a day, realizing that it was a good way to pass the time while the others were off on their grand adventure to find Genghis Khan. “Given anything interesting lately?”
“Since yesterday?” Elijah asked with a yawn. True enough, there hadn't exactly been a lot of time since they last spoke; probably not enough time to have been presented with anything good to put away in the vaults. “No, Sam. Nothing of note. I've been too busy looking a bit more into Genghis Khan in case Purdue calls again needing more information. They've been a bit stumped of late, I'm afraid.”
A very small part of Sam was a little glad that they weren't having a super easy time without him. Maybe they would bring him along next time? Then again, if Purdue and Nina were stuck on something, then it probably was something Sam might even be able to help them to accomplish.
“Where are they right now?” Sam asked.
“They were in Mongolia but that proved unsuccessful like Purdue knew it would. Now they are on their way to China. Oh...and Galen is after them.”
Sam thought he misheard for a second but then the name sunk into his skull.
“Galen!? The hell does he want!?”
Elijah didn't appear very concerned. “What Galen always wants...attention. I was here when he was part of the order, remember? Every single thing he did was for validation from his peers. He’d bring me a relic to put away and spend the whole time waiting for me to praise him. I never did. I don't partake in unearned praise, especially if I’m expected to give it to dimwitted men-children.”
That cold logical way that Elijah had about him sometimes upset people, but Sam enjoyed hearing it in moments like that. Sometimes Elijah seemed so robotic; it was nice to know that there were people that he felt so strongly about, even if that feeling was disdain.
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