Vanished

by S. L. Menear

  Ross gave Derek an almost imperceptible nod. “We were there briefly.”

  “Good. Tell me about the obsidian pyramid.” His eyes shifted between Derek and Ross.

  Ross shrugged. “It was destroyed by an American submarine.”

  “Really?” Sweetwater twisted the dagger as he turned to Derek.

  “It’s true. The USS Texas fired several torpedoes into it. It’s a big pile of rubble now.”

  “That was to destroy the Atlantean weapon known as Poseidon’s Sword?”

  Ross exchanged another quick glance with Derek and nodded. “It was the only way to ensure the weapon would never be fired.”

  Sweetwater pounded the table, and the metal tray clattered. “Months of work wasted!” He held off a moment, regaining his composure. “Legends say a giant diamond, about two feet long and in the shape of a rhombus, was part of the weapon. Was the diamond recovered?” His dark eyes filled with intense interest.

  Ross shook his head. “Time was critical. America was more concerned about saving its eastern seaboard than preserving a giant gem. The jewel is buried under tons of obsidian rock.” He gambled his captor didn’t know that Sam had carried the diamond out of the pyramid before the submarine destroyed it. He’d risk everything to keep her safe.

  Sweetwater held Ross’s gaze, searching for a hint of deception. Then he looked at Derek, his tone tight with frustration. “Is the diamond buried under rubble two thousand feet down?”

  Derek nodded. “I guess you could try to dig it out, but that would be expensive with no guarantee of success.”

  Sweetwater’s face reddened, but he maintained control. “My researchers found scrolls in a submerged temple near Santorini that described Poseidon’s Sword and three enormous diamonds capable of storing tremendous energy.” He bit a small chunk of sandwich off the tip of the dagger and swallowed it. “One diamond was in the Atlantean enclave in the Himalayas. I know the U.S. military destroyed that entire village and everything in it. And they probably destroyed the giant diamond undersea in Atlantis. That leaves the third power diamond, known as the Blue Dragon, hidden somewhere in Africa.”

  Surprised, Ross shook his head. “I don’t think either America or my country knows anything about another diamond.” He paused. “Is it part of a weapon like the other two were?”

  “It had better be.” Sweetwater glared. “I’d hate to miss out again.”

  “Africa’s a big place,” Derek said.

  “True, but I have a research team on it twenty-four seven.” He scrutinized their faces. “You’re certain you’ve heard nothing about the Blue Dragon Diamond?”

  Ross nodded. “Positive.”

  “Not a whisper,” Derek said.

  “Good.” Sweetwater smiled. “That means no one will be looking for it. Now you can eat.”

  Three

  Somalia, 10:00 p.m.

  Mike greeted us as we exited the C-17 into hot, humid air. He drove us to a large building in Camp Baledogle where we followed him into an air-conditioned conference room.

  “You all know MI6 agent Lisa Atwater, and this is SAS Lieutenant Bryce Manning.” Mike thumbed at a slender redhead and a tall, broad-shouldered man.

  I knew Lisa from our recent South American adventure where she and Derek had rekindled their romance. A few weeks before South America, Bryce and I had battled Lord Sweetwater’s mercenaries in a dense forest near Duxford.

  “Hello, Lisa.” I gave her a quick hug and turned to Bryce. “It’s good to see you again. Thanks for joining our team.”

  “Anything for Ross and Derek.” Bryce’s sky-blue eyes blazed with intensity. “After Ross helped us survive the attack in the forest, I promised I’d help him nail Sweetwater if we ever got a chance. I never dreamed he and Derek would be kidnapped by ISIS.”

  Lisa’s emerald eyes moistened. “I hope to God Derek and Ross are still alive.”

  I squeezed her shoulder. “They’re alive. I saw them in a vision.”

  Lisa glanced at Mike. “I know, but that was hours ago.”

  “Let’s get started.” Mike motioned for everyone to be seated. “Any ideas, sis?”

  I pointed near the top right side of the wall map of Africa. “I need to go to Luxor.”

  Mike’s eyebrows shot up. “Why? Ross and Derek are nowhere near Egypt.”

  “True, but there’s a hidden artifact in the Temple of Luxor that might help us find them.”

  Bryce crossed his arms. “How do you know that?”

  I closed the door and lowered my voice. “Some of you know about a thing from Atlantis that I keep locked in my safe. Before I left, I put my hands on it and received a message.”

  Bryce and Lisa dropped their jaws and looked at me like I was from another planet.

  Lance shook his head. “Considering all the things I’ve seen her do, I’m not surprised.”

  “What was the message?” Lisa leaned forward.

  “I saw a vision of Luxor Temple and heard words in Atlantean that said, ‘Pass tests, find the Blue Dragon in the Dark Continent, save them.’ Then the image vanished, and there was silence.”

  “What do they mean by Dark Continent?” Lance asked.

  “Explorers have always referred to Africa as the Dark Continent because so little is known about the diverse landmass, and it still holds many mysteries,” I explained.

  “What tests?” Banger arched a brow. “Not spears, I hope. I don’t want to be ventilated like Crenshaw and Ace were in that underwater pyramid.”

  “Sorry, Banger, but I won’t know until we get there. The tests are probably designed to ensure only the Queen of Atlantis finds the Blue Dragon.” I shrugged. “That seems to be me.”

  Banger tapped his smartphone. “Google says the Luxor Temple is a huge complex. How will you find a hidden artifact, assuming it’s still there?”

  “It’s there, and the dragon currents, you know—ley lines—will lead me right to it.”

  “Wait,” Bryce interrupted. “What are ley lines?”

  “They’re rivers of concentrated electromagnetic energy that crisscross Earth.” I scanned the team. “Unless the military has solid intel on Ross and Derek’s location, we need that artifact.”

  Lisa sat back. “What does it look like?”

  “It’s probably small, like the medallion key I found in the Taj Mahal.” I pulled out the gold pendant, which was hanging on a long chain under my shirt, and cradled it in my palm.

  “The Taj has been there for centuries,” Bryce said, shaking his head. “How is it possible no one found that before you got it?”

  “It was in a secret compartment that popped open when I touched a tiny gold trident that marked the spot.” I fingered the pyramid-shaped diamond embedded in the medallion, and it lit up. “When I removed the key, the compartment closed and blended with the wall again. It was the first time I had ever found anything hidden like that.”

  “That’s a key?” Banger leaned in for a closer look.

  Lance nodded. “I saw her use it to open hidden doors in Petra. It mated with a mirror image of itself embedded in the rock.”

  “Interesting stuff, but what does it have to do with Ross and Derek?” Lisa looked at me.

  “Atlantean technology is two hundred thousand years ahead of ours. That item in my safe must’ve been programmed thousands of years ago. I’m probably receiving help now because I’m the last Atlantean queen.” I slipped the medallion under my shirt. “My gut tells me the artifact hidden in Luxor will help us save Ross and Derek.”

  “What if the Blue Dragon turns out to be something similar to what you found underwater in the obsidian pyramid?” Mike paused. “We could be on the trail of another WMD.”

  Banger frowned. “We need more info. Maybe the artifact in Luxor will provide the answers.”

  “It’s worth a try.” Bryce shrugged. “We don’t have a clue where Ross and Derek are.”

  Lance looked into my eyes. “Just be careful you don’t open another can of worms like you
did on that charter flight last fall.”

  “The Atlanteans and the Black Sun cult are out of the picture.” I looked at everyone. “We should be in the clear this time.”

  Mike arched a brow and murmured, “Unless Sweetwater surfaces and sticks his nose in.”

  “Sweetwater?” My gut tightened. “I thought he died in a helicopter crash last month.”

  “His body was never found, and our military has intel that he’s hiding out somewhere.”

  I let out a big sigh. “Just when I thought I was finally rid of him.”

  “Back to our mission.” Mike glanced at the wall map. “Any idea how long it will take to find the artifact?”

  I checked my Africa guidebook and measured the flight distance on the map. “I estimate five hours en route to Luxor in a jet, ten minutes from the airport to the temple, and maybe thirty minutes or less on site.”

  Mike stood. “Then we’ll plan twelve hours for the round trip. General Ryan is on base and knows Sam’s history with Atlantean artifacts. Hang tight while I check if our team can borrow his jet.” He strode from the room.

  Banger looked at me. “Based on past experiences with Sam, we should be armed for this.”

  Everyone chuckled.

  I glanced at my teammates. “He’s right. Sweetwater hates me, and he must have moles in the U.S. military.”

  Lance frowned. “But how do we get the weapons into Luxor?”

  “MI6 might be able to help us with that.” Lisa pulled out her cell. “Maybe they can arrange a diplomatic mission.” She stepped outside to make the call.

  I paced the room while I waited for Mike and Lisa. Every minute mattered for Ross and Derek.

  Sweetwater’s Hideout

  Sweetwater paced as he spoke into his satellite phone. “How’s the search for the Blue Dragon coming?”

  A voice on the other end said, “The ancient scrolls I found say it’s in Africa in a cave bordered by water. We’re researching caves along the African coasts, looking for ones that haven’t been explored.”

  “That could take years,” Sweetwater fumed. “You need better intel.” He paused. “I’ve got a team headed to Atlantis in my new submarine. If they can find the Hall of Records, there might be a map there that leads to the blue power diamond.”

  “We’re running the scrolls’ info through a computer, searching for keywords that might help us locate the artifact.”

  “If it’s in a cave on a coast, find out which coast.” Sweetwater clenched his fist. “The Atlanteans wouldn’t have hidden it with no way to find it thousands of years later. There must be clues that mention nearby landmarks. Keep looking.”

  “We’re doing the best we can, but this could take a while.” He was silent a moment. “Don’t forget I’m an archaeologist. There could be a reason it hasn’t been found in millennia.”

  Sweetwater stopped pacing. “You made your point. I know someone who has a knack for finding ancient artifacts. Keep searching while I arrange to add her to our team.”

  He hung up and dialed again. When a man answered, Sweetwater said, “Where is she?”

  The man replied, “Camp Baledogle in Somalia. She probably flew in to help search for her boyfriend.”

  “Perfect.” Sweetwater smiled. “Grab her when she leaves.”

  Camp Baledogle, Somalia

  Lisa returned with a smile. “We’re good to go. A courier from our embassy in Mogadishu will deliver diplomatic passports for us. First I have to email them our photos.” She led Lance to a blank wall. “Stand here while I get your headshot.”

  “Good, now take one of me.” Lisa handed Lance her cell.

  He took her picture and handed back the phone. She motioned for Banger and Bryce.

  Mike returned just as Lisa snapped my picture. “You’re next, Mike. Stand right there.”

  He paused while she took his photo. “What’s this for?”

  “Diplomatic passports from the UK for the Luxor mission, so we can carry concealed weapons.” Lisa checked his photo. “Did you find us a ride?”

  Mike glanced at his watch. “We can borrow the general’s Gulfstream jet tomorrow morning as long as we have it back by 8:00 p.m. local time. Luxor is one hour earlier. If we leave here at zero-four-hundred hours, we’ll arrive around zero-eight-hundred. The temple opens then, so we’ll have plenty of time to grab the artifact and fly back. How soon can we get the diplomatic passports?”

  Lisa checked a text message. “A courier will be here in two hours.”

  “Good,” Mike said, “because we’ll definitely need weapons. General Ryan just told me Sweetwater is alive and has informants in our military and in the UK’s. And he has a small army of mercenaries working for him. Let’s go grab some firepower.” He led us to the armory.

  We chose Sig Sauer P365 9mm pistols and included extra ammo magazines. They’d be easy to conceal and give us ten rounds in the mag plus one in the chamber. I hoped we wouldn’t need them, but it was better to be prepared.

  A courier arrived early and handed Lisa a pouch with our diplomatic passports under fake names. She handed them out, and we checked them to ensure everything was in order.

  “All right, let’s grab some chow.” Mike took us to the mess hall. “Eat up. We take off in four hours.”

  Sweetwater’s Hideout

  Sweetwater received a call on his encrypted satellite phone. “What? She’s going where?”

  “Luxor, early tomorrow morning in a military Gulfstream jet.”

  “Makes no sense. The U.S. military knows her boyfriend isn’t in Egypt. Wait a second—she might be in Africa for a different reason.” Sweetwater thought a moment. “Luxor is on the Nile. It could be the water mentioned in the scrolls. She might beat me to the Blue Dragon. Follow her, but don’t grab her until she’s on her way back to the airport. I want whatever she finds in Luxor.”

  “I’ll take the team there now. We’ll be ready when she arrives.”

  “Good. I’m counting on you.” Sweetwater paused, then added, “Don’t hurt her. I might need her help with the artifact.”

  Camp Baledogle

  At 4:05 a.m., our team buckled their seatbelts and settled in for a five-hour flight to Luxor on the general’s jet.

  When we reached cruise altitude, Mike stood and briefed us. “Expect an ambush in Luxor. Informants in Egypt reported that a small mercenary team arrived there last night. They bribed local officials to let them enter with weapons. Sam’s the obvious target, so stay tight around her. Questions?”

  “Rules of engagement?” Banger looked at Mike.

  “If we’re attacked, shoot to kill and get the team back to the airplane.” Mike glanced around. “No one gets left behind.”

  “Understood.” Lance, a former USAF fighter pilot, rechecked his Sig.

  “Our diplomatic passports mean they can’t search us. Just keep your weapons out of sight and let our two Brits do the talking. Let’s make this quick and clean.” Mike sat down and closed his eyes.

  Five hours later, we arrived at Luxor International Airport.

  An Egyptian official boarded and checked our passports. I tried to look calm as he spent way too much time studying our photos and info. Finally, he handed back our documents and headed for the open door. He glanced over his shoulder. “You may disembark now. Enjoy your visit to our beautiful city.”

  I slung my purse’s shoulder strap diagonally across my chest and followed the team to the rental counter inside the terminal. In line, I glanced around, looking for possible attackers, even though I doubted anything bad would happen at the airport.

  In keeping with Egypt’s male-dominated culture, Bryce took the lead. “We need a vehicle big enough to seat six people,” he said in his crisp British accent.

  “Sorry, sir, we only rent small cars. You’ll need to hire a van driver.” He pointed. “Over there.”

  As we approached the taxi stand, Mike said, “Grab the guy with the minivan.”

  Bryce beckoned the van driver. “We’d
like to hire your vehicle for the next hour or two.”

  “Where would you like to go?” The middle-aged guy slid open the side door.

  “Luxor Temple.” Bryce scrutinized the driver. “And we’d like you to wait for us.”

  “The temple is only six miles from here.” He rubbed his thumb against his forefingers. “You’d save a lot of money if you just hire a couple of taxis when you’re ready to return.”

  “I know, but we don’t plan to stay long, and we prefer to ride together.” Bryce climbed into the front passenger seat and negotiated a price with the driver as we slid into the van.

  I scanned the area, looking for people who might be watching our group, but everyone seemed to be concentrating on their cell phones. No mercenaries lurking around.

  We pulled into the temple parking lot ten minutes later. Bryce gave the driver a deposit as we exited the van.

  The scent of the Nile River dominated the calm, early morning air as I glanced around at the awe-inspiring site that was once ancient Thebes.

  After Bryce purchased the expensive tickets for our group, we headed for the entrance to Luxor Temple. Built from Nubian sandstone around 1400 BC, the temple complex stood on the east bank of the Nile. My guidebook explained the east side of the river had been dedicated to the living and was where many Egyptian kings had been crowned.

  Mike nudged me as he looked across the river. “Are you sure it’s not somewhere over there?”

  I paused and turned. “Yep, that’s the Valley of the Kings, and it’s dedicated to the dead. According to my handy guidebook, the west side of the river was once called the Great Necropolis of Millions of Years of Pharaohs and has sixty-three magnificent royal tombs.”

  “Millions of Years seems like quite an exaggeration,” Lance said as he gazed across the water.

  “Or maybe they knew something we don’t.” Lisa looked at both sides of the river. “Too bad there isn’t time to see it all.”

  I glanced around as we walked toward the temple complex. What secrets did this ancient site hold? One of my inherited abilities allowed me to sense energy contained in objects and also the presence of strong electromagnetic energy, like the concentrated power that flowed through ley lines, also called dragon currents. I felt it here.