“Don't hurt her!” Sam roared.
“Sam...” Purdue spoke softly beside him. He sounded incredibly calm given the hostage situation they were now facing. Purdue didn't look at him as he spoke; he just stared at Kendra. “You don't really believe this horseshit, do you?”
Sam thought he misheard at first but Purdue kept staring at Kendra. He didn't look nervous or scared. In fact, he looked scarily at ease with the whole situation. A small smile even curled on the corner of his lips.
“She's not that bad of an actress, I'll give her that.”
“The hell are you talking about?” Sam asked through his clenched jaw. Kendra was at risk of being killed at any second and his friend was being so callous. This wasn't the time for Purdue's games. Sam tried to walk forward but Purdue put an arm in front of him, blocking his path.
Purdue finally looked at him, but only long enough to roll his eyes and then peered back at the panicked woman being held captive. “You really are not the most observant man, my friend.”
Purdue started clapping his hands until he was a one-man audience giving incredibly enthusiastic applause. He was acting like he'd just attended the greatest performance of all time; a definite five-star award winning show.
“You see...we've met before. Your lady friend and I. She tried to work her charm on me...” Purdue spoke up, addressing the hostage directly. “In that book shop, remember? Right before you sent a Black Sun killer after me. You were a scout. You were probably hoping I wouldn't remember...but I don't forget a face, especially a deceivingly pretty one like yours.”
Sam listened intently, hanging onto every word. He stopped trying to push through and let what he was hearing sink in. Purdue wouldn't be this adamant unless he was absolutely certain—so maybe he was. As much as Sam hated what Purdue was implying, he'd worked with him long enough to know that he should hear him out. He should at least see where he was going with all of this.
Kendra's tear-filled eyes look to Sam again, pleading for help. But when he didn't move and it was clear that he was going to hear Purdue out, the crying came to an abrupt halt. There were no more wails or pleas. The tears seemed to roll back up into her eye sockets. She let out a long sigh but then smirked, like a child deciding to admit to a prank.
“Let go of me.” The Black Sun operative holding her captive immediately released her upon her command. He took a step back and Kendra started giggling. “I have to hand it to you, Purdue. You have quite the memory.”
“Thanks.”
Sam's insides twisted. Purdue really was right; Kendra part of the Order of the Black Sun. All of that time they had spent together wasn't real. She had been faking the whole thing—using him. It had all been a lie; every single moment of it. He'd fallen for it like an idiot.
“Sorry, Sam,” Purdue said and glanced at him with some pity. “She's quite stunning. I don't blame you for not being able to see past that. She played you like a fiddle my friend. Used you to keep tabs on us for Corvus.”
“It wasn't hard,” Kendra said with glee. “You were so desperate to feel loved, to feel needed. All of those insecurities of yours are all over you. So easy to play with.”
“Go to hell..”
“Aw, did I really hurt you? It's your own fault.”
“Just shut up.”
There was clapping but it wasn't Purdue this time. Julian Corvus emerged from the shadows of the chamber. He had been watching it all unfold and looked to have been enjoying the show quite a bit. “She is very good, isn't she? A wonderful addition to the order.”
Sam spat on the floor. “Scum attracts scum.”
“Always so rude,” Julian said and looked to both Sam and Purdue. “Mr. Purdue. Mr. Cleave. It's always a pleasure to bump into you. What brings you this far north?” He knew full well why there were there. “Ah, of course! This temple, yes? A marvel, to be sure...but that's not it, is it? No, you came looking for a fight, didn't you? You came looking to settle old scores. That's quite convenient. I have scores of my own that I would like to bring some closure to. You trapped me under those ruins the last time we saw each other, Mr. Purdue. If not for my...inability to die, I would have...well...how do I put this...been dead.”
“Still doesn't come close to what you've done to me,” Purdue growled. “Stealing my things. Burning down my home. Abducting my friends.”
“The list goes on and on, I'm sure,” Julian said with demented laugh that started to shatter his otherwise magnetic charisma. “We've both wounded the other, haven't we? My strikes just cut deeper than yours. So let's end this here. This temple will serve as a perfect arena for one last battle with you.”
“Fine by me,” Purdue said.
“We have to be smart about this,” Sam mumbled beside him.
“Aye, and the smart thing to do would be to get rid of him forever.”
Julian took in their surroundings. “Yes, it's perfect. You would be the perfect candidate for sacrifice. The key to unlocking this temple's real power and purpose. Your death will make my dreams a reality. It's poetic, isn't it?”
Purdue spat on the floor. “Do your worst, you bastard...but get over yourself. You're not a fucking poet.”
12
CHAPTER TWELVE – THE ALTAR
It didn't take long for the Order of the Black Sun to lay Purdue down on top of the sacrificial altar, strapping him down flat on his back, waiting to be killed. The stone slab wasn't exactly comfortable, either.
Sam was tied to a pillar a few yards away. He was still struggling, trying to wrestle his way out of his bindings, constantly shifting his shoulders and arms about, but didn't seem to be making any actual progress toward an escape. He was no Houdini.
“I knew your girlfriend was too good to be true,” Purdue laughed. “I knew it!”
“Oh shut up. You didn't know for sure.”
“It was kind of obvious wasn't it? Who would be that interested in you, aye? No one, that's who.”
Sam ignored him and didn't respond. He obviously didn't want to have this conversation right now. He was still probably processing that particularly nasty betrayal. It was just like Mama May had said about blades being in backs. There was definitely a knife in the back of Sam right now, and it was in deep.
“How do we let this happen?” Sam groaned through his gritted teeth. “We're better than this!”
“Are we?” Purdue asked casually, just staring up at the dark ceiling. Things were looking bleak and he was struggling to see a real way out of this mess. “If we were, you think we could have done something right. I brought a pearl that can control water—hell the whole ocean itself—and a book filled with magic spells that can literally turn people to ash if I wanted it to. Both of those artifacts are some of the most powerful things on the planet. This should have been easy...yet here we are...two incompetent assholes, aye?”
Sam stopped his struggling for a moment and managed a little chuckle. “We definitely are...but at least we've got each other.”
“Hooray for us.”
Purdue gently tapped the back of his head against the stone underneath where he lay. It was the only real movement he could manage. Part of him felt like throwing his head back so hard that he just cracked his skull open. That would get all of this over with and he wouldn't have to wait to be inevitably murdered by his enemies. Robbing Julian and the rest of the Black Sun of the chance of killing him was a fun thought. They would be so angry.
“Hey...” Purdue said, still tapping his head absent-mindedly. “Do you think if I smash my skull on this altar, that it will count as a good enough blood sacrifice to get my wish?”
“I doubt it...I'm sure you have to actually die and it's not a matter of just blood. I suppose if you did that but made your wish just as you died, there might be a chance to get your wish. Or I could make the wish for you maybe.”
“So I bash my own head open and you wish for us to escape and for me to be alive...” The plan sounded so ludicrous as it left Purdue's mouth.
; The two of them started laughing and throwing out even more nonsensical ideas for escape.
“Maybe we can convince Julian to kill someone else to get his wish. After all, his life is going to be so boring without me.”
“I think he's already pretty determined to make sure that you're the sacrifice,” Sam said. “As for me...who the hell knows what's going to happen to me.”
Someone was approaching. The sound of tapping drew closer as something repeatedly rapped against the stone floors of the temple.
Purdue couldn't crane his head enough to see who it was but he didn't have to. Within moments, Galen Fitzgerald was looming over him, craning his head so that he was right in his line of vision, looking down on him.
“You aren't looking too good, Davy.”
Purdue hadn't missed the Irishman. He hadn't missed having to listen to an insecure narcissist complain about how Purdue had insulted him at every turn. The truth was, Purdue only ever thought of Galen as an egotistical prick. They were never business rivals. They were never friends. Galen tried so hard to prove that he was the best but never understood that his toxic ambition and need for validation were exactly why he never succeeded.
“If this really is it for you...for real this time...I wanted to be able to have one last chat between us old friends.”
Purdue couldn't contain a loud snort. “We weren't friends, Galen. We never, ever were. We were acquaintances at best. And even that's just me being generous.”
“Of course we weren't,” Galen said from above him but was very visibly seething. “The great and powerful David Purdue is too good for friends. He's too busy looking at down at the rest of the world. You always thought I was so small compared to you.”
“Yes. I did.”
Galen looked dumbfounded by Purdue's bluntness but Purdue wasn't going to be polite about it. “Not because I'm some arrogant bastard, no. But because you are a slimy conniving little rat who is trying way too hard to be a peacock. It'll never happen. You're always trying to climb your way to the top even if it means completely selling out. I mean look at you. You joined forces with the people who permanently crippled your leg. They blew it to hell with bullets and you still kiss their asses. All so you can get a pat on the head and feel like you're even a little important.”
“Shut your mouth, Davy.”
“It's the truth. You're not better than me. You should at least realize that by now. Especially not when you're just Julian Corvus's lapdog. “
“I am not his lapdog! You think I don't know what he is? He's a proper loon, that one, and I'm only keeping him around for a wee bit longer. He wants you dead...and seems he's going to get that...but I want you dead even more than he does.”
Purdue managed a grin, letting it shine big and bright to the man standing over him. “I'm flattered.”
Galen ignored that smile. “And if he kills you on this altar, they say he'll get whatever he wants. His heart's desire. I imagine that bastard will wish for world domination. So he'll not only get to kill you, but also fulfill all of his dreams. That doesn't seem fair, does it? What about what I want?”
“You should realize by now that no one really gives a damn what you want, Galen.”
Purdue had never been afraid of the Irishman. He mostly just found all of his grandstanding irritating. He was always a lot of bark without much bite; nothing more than a spoiled brat with a lot of big claims. But there was something new now—something actually dangerous.
Galen picked up the old sacrificial knife and looked it over in his fingers. “If I put this in you, I have the pleasure of killing you and then I'll get to wish for whatever I want. I wouldn't exactly have to worry about repercussions from Julian, eh? Not if I can just wish him out of existence.”
It was a surprisingly bold strategy for someone as small minded as Galen Fitzgerald, and maybe he was desperate enough to try it.
“But if all of these legends about this place are nothing more than bullocks...then the order will kill you for killing me.”
“Aye,” Galen let out a quiet giggle. “But at least I'd still have killed you. I'm the most deserving one after all. Not Julian. You should be mine to kill.”
That was obviously what was most important to Galen—and that made Purdue slightly nervous.
Galen still looked at the gleam of the blade in his hand. “I did promise Oniel that he could cut off some pieces of you too so I'd have to take that into consideration. You've made a lot of enemies, Davy.”
“This is all inspirational but stop your teasing. If you're going to end me and all that...then get the hell on with it already!”
Galen's fingers tightened around the sacrificial blade and Purdue braced himself as best as he could. Seeing the contempt in Galen's eyes, Purdue had no doubt that the dagger would have come for him if not for a sudden shout.
“Mr. Fitzgerald!”
Julian Corvus stormed into the chamber with a number of other Black Sun lackeys flanking him.
“You are not supposed to be here.”
Galen lowered the knife. “I couldn't miss a chance for a front row seat to Davy's execution, now could I?”
Julian held out his hand, expecting for the blade to be turned over to him. Galen hesitated, glancing down at the vulnerable Purdue on the altar. If he could just quickly stab Purdue and make his wish, he could take complete control of the whole situation. Maybe being called Julian's lapdog had gotten to him.
After a long moment of uncertainty, Galen handed the dagger to Julian and limped a few steps away. Julian's gray eyes stared at the Irishman as he stepped aside. Even he looked alarmed by how long it had taken to be given the blade. After Galen was a safe number of steps away, Julian averted his attention back to Purdue on the altar.
“Your death will come very soon, Mr. Purdue. We're just waiting for a few minor things to be put in place.”
“And what about me?” Sam spoke up. “Since I don't get the honor of being a human sacrifice.”
Kendra smiled at Sam from behind Julian, mixed in with the other Black Sun operatives at his side. It was a horrid smile, twisting across her otherwise beautiful face. “WE haven't decided yet. But we will.”
“Sir!” A Black Sun operative sprinted into the chamber. “There is a chopper preparing to land outside!”
“Who is it?”
“We were given Elijah Dane's confirmation code.”
13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN – THE CAVALRY COMES
The helicopter's blades whirled overhead and Nina listened to the thumping sounds they made. It was nice to have something to focus on besides her own nervousness. They had finally escaped...they should probably have been running as far away from the Order of the Black Sun as they could, and scatter to the farthest corners of the Earth. Instead, they were heading straight back to their captors. Maybe they were crazy, suffering from some form of Stockholm Syndrome where they couldn't just leave the people that kept them as prisoners for so long. Whatever the case, they were risking far more than she wanted to be risking, but they didn't have a choice.
Elijah had filled her and the others in on the real power of the Mayan temple that the Black Sun was investigating. If a sacrifice was performed inside of that temple, then a wish could be granted—supposedly any wish. Nina didn't know how that worked, but she wasn't shocked to see something unexplained be real. That was what she had seen all the time since she started exploring the world with Purdue and Sam.
There was one bit about the temple though, that Elijah claimed that Julian and the rest of the Order of the Black Sun were not even privy to. At least as far as he knew. There was something that they hadn't taken into account that he only knew thanks to one of the old texts inside the deep vault. There wasn't much information about the Moving Temple of Ah Puch in the world but this piece of text pointed to a scenario that could really put a wrench into Julian's plans. But if Julian became aware of it, then they were looking at a doomsday scenario again.
Julian Corvus and the Orde
r of the Black Sun had to be stopped now. If they weren't, then the whole world could be at risk. Julian could possibly use this Mayan temple's power to shape reality to his will—to get whatever he wanted. Nina knew him well enough to know that Julian wasn't the kind of man who wanted anything good.
Charles didn't seem to share her train of thought. The older man groaned behind her. “Can anyone please tell me why we are going anywhere near those horrible people again?”
Nina perked up. “Because we might be the only ones who can stop those horrible people from making the rest of the world just as horrible.”
“Precisely,” Elijah said beside her, with that same condescending tone that he usually spoke down to people with. “Believe me, you don't want Julian to go through with the plans he has in mind. They're far from ideal for anyone who isn't him.”
Charles was usually so respectful, patient, and mild-mannered but his time at the bottom of a hole in the Black Sun base had chipped some of that away. There was a harshness and an impatience to him now. Or maybe he just wanted to be able to take a nice shower after months of being deprived.
“Begging your pardons, but why bring me along?”
“We didn't exactly have time to drop you off,” Jean said calmly.
“I just have no desire to have to see any of those mongrels' wretched faces ever again...they shot me in the head, brought me back to the land of the living with the spear that pierced Jesus Christ himself, giving me immortality, and then tossed me into a hole and left me there. I couldn't even die down there.”
“I know, Charles. I know...” Nina tried to speak with some tact. “What they've done to all of us is awful. That's why we can't let them continue.”
Jean put a hand on Charles's shoulder. “If it makes you feel better...you can't exactly be killed anymore. So you have that going for you. You'll have nothing to worry about if this turns into a big fight, my friend. Nothing at all.”
“Besides...” Nina started, not really sure what was going to come out of her mouth but she hoped it would be convincing enough to get him to stop his complaining. “If Purdue is there, don't you want to help him?”
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