Everyone sat for a moment, pondering Maggie’s plan. “Could this actually work?” Piper asked after a moment.
“Uh,” Charlie murmured, “in theory, yeah. Yeah, I think it could.”
“You can trigger the alarms?” Henry queried.
Charlie nodded. “Yeah, I could set them off.”
“We need to make sure they don’t come searching the gallery while we’re in it.”
“There’ll be no reason for them to,” Charlie answered. “They’ll see nothing on the cameras, and we can keep them plenty busy searching all over.”
“The last place they’ll check is the second floor. Set alarms off all over the museum, but make sure a bunch of them are on the ground floor. They’ll search there first,” Maggie said.
“Good idea,” Charlie agreed. “I can do that.”
“This could work, Maggie,” Ollie agreed.
“We don’t have many other options,” Henry said. “We’ll make it work.”
“All right, we have our plan!” Piper exclaimed. “When do we leave?”
“It might be best for you to stay here with Ollie and Maggie,” Henry suggested.
“Wait a minute! No!” Maggie exclaimed.
Piper chimed in at almost the same time. “What? No way! I’m not getting sidelined with the prof! Besides, we’re sitting ducks alone here!”
“We need to get in and get out with no complications,” Henry countered. “Just Charlie and I will go.”
“You never know what could happen,” Maggie argued. “Or if you’ll need backup. And Piper’s correct! We’re sitting ducks here. We’re better off sticking together.”
Henry weighed the argument. He sighed. “All right,” he admitted, “you make a decent point. We shouldn’t split up given what happened in London.”
“They couldn’t have followed us, could they?” Piper queried.
No one answered. “Okay, it’s really bothering me that no one is answering right now,” she continued.
Maggie shrugged. “They followed us to London,” Maggie answered. “It’s just better safe than sorry.”
Piper’s eyes widened. “So, you suppose they followed us.”
“I didn’t say that,” Maggie began.
“Maggie’s right,” Henry interrupted. “Better safe than sorry. And the sooner we have our hands on that ankh and are moving out of here and on to the next place, the better. Once we have the ankh, we go on to Cairo and from there to the tomb. We’ll head out around eleven tonight.”
Maggie checked the time on her phone. “A few hours to go.”
“We’ll pack our stuff in the meantime and be ready to move out,” Henry said. “Be prepared not to return here.”
“Okay,” Maggie answered. “That’s probably best. I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to after London.”
“I agree a million percent,” Piper said. “Although I don’t think I like the sound of ‘on to Cairo and the tomb,’” Piper confessed.
“Oh, you’ll love it there!” Maggie answered. “We’ll be perfectly safe! Right, Uncle Ollie?”
“That’s right. The tomb site is secured by the military,” Ollie confirmed.
“Still secure, no issues?”
“None so far,” Ollie answered.
“That’s good,” Henry answered.
“See, Piper? Nothing to worry about!” Maggie exclaimed. “Once we’re done here, it’s smooth sailing!”
Maggie shrugged her hoodie tighter around her as the boat zipped down the canal. The cooler night air chilled her along with the prospect of the task that lay ahead. Despite her confidence earlier, doubts raced across her mind. What if they were unable to pull this off? They needed the ankh. The people chasing them wouldn’t stop until they recovered all the puzzle pieces. They had proven that.
The night’s lights waltzed past them in a dizzying display as Henry aimed their rented boat toward the museum. Next to Maggie, Piper’s leg bounced up and down. Despite not wanting to be left behind, Piper’s nerves were getting the better of her. Maggie attempted to calm her own nerves. If things went to plan, they would soon have the second ankh in their possession, and they’d be on to Cairo.
The prospect excited Maggie. She missed the beauty and solitude of the desert. The chance to explore the tomb while not being held at gunpoint enthused her. Soon, she mused, soon. By the wee hours of the morning, they’d be moving on from Venice.
Maggie inhaled deeply and squared her shoulders. She convinced herself everything would work out.
The boat’s motor quieted as they approached the museum. Henry swung the watercraft into the canal alongside the museum. They’d hide in the boat there while Henry entered the museum to retrieve the ankh.
Charlie pulled his laptop from his bag and popped it open.
“Let me know when you’re in and I’ll get in place,” Henry said.
“Will do,” Charlie answered as his fingers flew across the keys.
After a moment, he stopped. He stared at the screen. He cracked his knuckles and began furiously typing again. He stopped again, growling at the screen.
“What is it?” Henry questioned.
“Something’s wrong,” Charlie answered.
“What do you mean ‘wrong?’” Maggie inquired.
Charlie clacked across the keys again. “Something’s blocking me from the system,” Charlie groaned.
“What? Blocking you how?” Henry asked.
“Yeah, I thought you were in this afternoon. You said it was child’s play!” Maggie followed up.
“I was! It was!” a frustrated Charlie exclaimed.
“New system?” Ollie inquired.
“Nah, they couldn’t have changed it this fast,” Charlie countered. “It’s something else.”
Maggie glanced up at the museum beside them. “But what?” she murmured.
The boat rocked in the canal as Charlie battled with the security system. “Huh?” Charlie murmured as he glared at the screen.
“What is it?” Maggie asked.
Piper peered at the screen from her seat next to Charlie. Maggie repositioned herself to stare at Charlie’s screen over his shoulder. “Something’s weird,” Charlie answered.
“Can you fix it?” Henry asked.
“I’m trying, mate,” Charlie answered, “but it’s like something has me locked out.”
“Didn’t you say this was a breeze earlier today?” Maggie questioned.
“It was, but…” Charlie answered, his voice trailing off as he pounded the keys on the laptop.
“But?” Maggie pressed.
Charlie stopped typing and narrowed his eyes. He cocked his head to the side and slammed the keyboard wildly. A smile spread across his face. “There you are.”
“Who?” Maggie queried further.
Charlie shrugged. “No idea,” he answered, “but whoever it is got into their system before me and put up a block.”
Maggie screwed up her face. “Why would someone else be hacking into the museum’s security system?” Maggie inquired. Henry’s eyes darted around after he learned about the development.
“Good question,” Charlie mumbled as he continued to type. “If I can get around their block, I can take a peek at what’s going on in there.” He paused a few moments. “Almost… there… and…”
Charlie ceased speaking; his eyes wide as he stared at the screen. A frown formed across his face and he balled his hands into fists. With her jaw hanging open, Maggie gaped at the screen. “What is that?”
A skull appeared on the display. The open windows melted behind it. A deep, robotic laugh emanated from the laptop.
“NO!” Charlie exclaimed. “No, no, no, no, no, no!” He typed hurriedly.
“What is going on?!” Maggie exclaimed.
“Let him work,” Henry cautioned.
Charlie continued to clack across the keyboard. Within a few seconds, the skull disappeared. In a flash, Charlie reopened several windows. They flew around the screen as he used
keyboard shortcuts to open, close and toggle between windows.
Maggie gawked at the screen with little idea about what, if anything, Charlie was achieving. Charlie’s frown began to turn into a sly smile. “Almost,” he said. “And… got you!”
“Got who?!” Maggie cried in frustration.
“The hacker who thought he could run all over Charlie Rivers like a treadmill. Black Death, as he calls himself. Didn’t realize who he was toying with.”
“Black Death?”
“Yep. The laughing skull is his signature trademark. I’ve got him on the run now. And within a few seconds, I should be in the museum’s security system.” Charlie paused for a moment. “And… cameras coming up now.”
“Why would someone named Black Death be hacking into the museum’s security system?”
Interior cameras from the museum flashed on across the screen. They showed an empty lobby and several empty galleries. A small square in the top right corner blipped on last. It showed the gallery containing the ankh. Maggie gasped. Piper’s jaw went slack. Charlie pointed to the screen. “There’s your answer.”
“What is it?” Ollie asked. He and Henry grouped around Charlie, both of them peering over his shoulder.
“They’re robbing the museum, that’s what!” Maggie exclaimed.
The group stared at the screen as two masked men pulled the ankh from the display cabinet. One dropped it into a small backpack-style bag before the other slung the bag over his back. They crossed the room to a window and began to crawl out.
Henry cursed under his breath as he raced to return to the boat’s motor. Another boat’s engine whirred to life further down the small canal. Their boat rocked as a second boat sped past them. Maggie collapsed onto a seat as the boat swayed violently.
The second boat fishtailed around the corner before it halted in front of the museum. Henry fired the boat’s engine. It roared to life, and he started the boat moving toward the other watercraft.
As they rounded the corner, Maggie spied two men slide down two ropes. They landed in the waiting boat below them. Henry raced toward the craft. He aimed for center of the boat. Maggie winced and braced herself for the impact.
Chapter 13
“Hang on,” Henry shouted over the din of the engine. Maggie clutched the seat. She glanced across the boat. Piper clung to the side; her knuckles white. Ollie grasped the side of the boat, his eyes fixed on the other boat ahead of them.
The other craft throttled its engine. The front end of the boat lifted from the water before the boat shot forward. The sudden movement propelled the craft diagonally. Instead of a full collision, they only glanced the side of the other boat. The motion shoved their boat to the side, spinning it to face the museum entrance.
The driver of the other boat took advantage of the temporary setback. As Henry swung their boat around, the other watercraft increased speed. The gap between the two crafts widened. It whizzed away from them and veered into a side canal.
Henry revved the boat’s engine. The craft shot forward in pursuit.
“TO THE RIGHT!” Ollie called. He clasped the boat’s side as he peered into the darkness, attempting to follow the other boat’s course. The boat’s engine issued a high-pitched whine as Henry urged it faster. They shot across the Grand Canal as Henry aimed for the smaller canal on the right.
Henry swung the boat into the narrower waterway. Maggie tumbled to her side as their craft slid sideways before Henry righted it. They picked up speed, flying through the water and down the canal.
The other boat came into sight ahead. “THERE!” Ollie shouted as he pointed to the dark craft.
Henry nodded. Their boat maintained its high-speed. They closed the gap. An object whizzed past Maggie. “GET DOWN!” Ollie shouted over the engine’s roar.
Maggie ducked and focused her attention on the boat ahead. Muzzle flashes signaled gun fire from the fleeing boat. Despite the danger, Henry showed no signs of yielding. He crouched at the rear of the boat, still aiming the rudder for the other craft.
Buildings and parked watercrafts flew past them as they continued their chase. The distance between them shortened. “Maggie!” Henry called. “Come handle the engine!”
Maggie crawled across the boat’s bottom and traded spots with Henry. “Keep the speed up and aim just to the side of the boat.”
Maggie nodded as Henry crept forward to the middle of their boat. Within seconds, the boats were only feet away. Maggie urged more speed from the engine. She swung to the right. Their boat pulled alongside the other.
Henry leapt from their boat to the other craft. His jump caused the craft to swerve. Maggie failed to correct for his movement and struggled to maintain their course. The boat grazed another parked on the side of the canal.
Maggie grimaced. “Oops!” she called as she winced.
“KEEP GOING!” Ollie urged. Maggie swung the boat back toward the other. In tandem, they sped down the canal. Maggie struggled to focus on navigating the craft as she witnessed the chaos ensuing on the other boat.
Henry wrestled with one of the boat’s passengers. Their hands clutched a gun. Henry struggled to aim it away from their boat. A second man jumped on Henry’s back and attempted to pull him from his associate.
Ollie picked up an oar from under one seat. He swung it toward the other boat. After two missed swings, he connected with one of the boat’s passengers. The oar struck the man square in the back. He yelped in pain before he recovered. He grabbed Henry by the shoulders and readied to slam his head into the boat’s bottom.
Ollie swung again, this time connecting with the man’s head. The man stumbled two steps before he pitched over the side of the craft. Maggie glanced behind them for a moment, spotting the man flailing in the water.
Three men remained on the other boat. One manned the boat’s engine. The other clung to the boat’s side with white knuckles. The third still engaged in a battle with Henry.
Maggie called to Piper. “PIPER!” she screamed over the roar of the engine. “PIPER!”
Piper whipped her head in Maggie’s direction. Maggie motioned for Piper to approach. Piper crawled to Maggie at the boat’s rear. “Take the engine.”
“WHAT?!” Piper exclaimed.
“Handle the engine. Keep us alongside that boat!” Maggie placed Piper’s hand on the tiller. She nodded to Piper, then crept forward.
“I can’t get a good crack at this one!” Ollie shouted, referencing his inability to strike the man with the oar without striking Henry at the same time.
“I know!” Maggie shouted. “I’m going over.”
“WHAT?!” Ollie exclaimed.
Maggie put a foot on the boat’s side. Her hair whipped around her face and the wind whistled through her ears. She swallowed hard as she judged the distance between the two boats. Piper kept them close, a fact Maggie appreciated. With another gulp, she steadied her nerves.
Maggie flung herself from her boat to the other craft. Her top half landed on the starboard side of the other boat. Her legs trailed in the chilly water. She clung to the boat’s side as she attempted to climb aboard.
Across the boat, the man who clung to the side spotted her. He glanced at her, then to the other two men. The man at the stern focused on navigating the tight canal. The other’s attention remained on Henry. He punched Henry in the jaw before Henry struck back.
Maggie pulled herself higher and attempted to swing her leg into the craft. The white-knuckled passenger pulled himself away from the boat’s side. He crawled on his hands and knees across the boat, approaching Maggie.
Maggie hooked her foot on the side and tried to roll into the boat. The man pushed her foot back over the side. Maggie moaned as her lower half toppled out of the boat, but she managed to maintain her grip.
The man picked up an oar. He swung at Maggie’s arms. Maggie released her grip on the boat, clinging to it with only one hand as the oar cracked against the boat’s side. Maggie swung her right arm back down as the man attempted
to smack her left arm.
A quick zigzag motion from the boat’s helmsman to increase the distance between the boats sent the man sprawling. He pitched over and dropped the oar as he attempted to stay aboard. Maggie used the interruption in his attack to finish climbing aboard. She rolled into the boat, gasping for air from exertion.
The man regained his footing and retrieved the oar. He straddled Maggie and raised the oar overhead. He aimed for Maggie’s head. Maggie pulled her legs to her chest and kicked them both out. She struck him square in the chest with all the energy she could muster.
The force was enough to drive him backward two steps. The oar flew from his hands as he again flailed his arms to steady himself. Maggie heard it crack off their boat before being pulled under the water.
As the man struggled to regain his balance, Maggie reeled back again. She thrust her legs out a second time. She struck the man again. In this instance, he failed to maintain his footing. He toppled over and pitched into the water.
Maggie sat up, spying the man bobbing in the boat’s wake. She stood and retrieved the second oar. She lumbered across the boat, finding it hard to maintain her balance. The boat waggled as the helmsman attempted to toss Maggie from it.
Maggie planted her feet and swung the oar. She hit nothing. Henry landed another punch, and the man stumbled backward a step. “Now, Maggie!” Henry shouted.
Maggie swung again. The oar connected with her mark. She smacked him across the back. He doubled over. Maggie swung the oar again and landed another hit. The man curled forward further. Henry gave him an uppercut. His body reeled backward. Maggie swung again and cracked him in the legs. He dropped to his knees. A final punch sent him overboard into the water.
Maggie dropped the oar and raced to Henry. Henry grasped her arms. “We have to find the ankh!” he shouted. Maggie nodded.
Three black bags were visible in the craft. Two sat together, the third toward the boat’s rear. “You get those two, I’ll go for that one!” Maggie yelled.
“Okay!” Henry nodded. “Toss them to our boat!”
Secret of the Ankhs: A Maggie Edwards Adventure (Maggie Edwards Adventures Book 2) Page 15
