As the lone civilian in the group, Jasmine remained optimistic. ‘Maybe they’re responding to vibrations from the cave-in. They could be looking for structural damage in the building’s foundation. There’s no way to know that they’re looking for us.’
Sarah disagreed. ‘Don’t be naïve. Half were in the building before the collapse. Either they’re psychic engineers, or they’re looking for something else.’
‘Hector, do you still have eyes on the grate?’ Cobb wondered.
‘Affirmative,’ he replied. ‘If they find the tunnel, I’ll let you know.’
‘By then it will be too late,’ McNutt warned. He grabbed Cobb’s arm to emphasize his point. ‘What are we: two, maybe three klicks from the boiler room? And how many twists and turns are between them and us? If they’re armed and get into the tunnels, we’ll have no way of wrangling them – especially with their numbers.’
Cobb nodded in agreement. ‘Ladies, I hate to abandon you at a time like this, but Josh and I need to tend to this mess before it becomes a problem. Meanwhile, I’d like you to keep moving forward if that’s okay with you.’
‘Of course it’s okay,’ Sarah joked. ‘It’s about time you men got off your butts and got your hands dirty. Us ladies can’t do all the work.’
Cobb ignored the wisecrack. ‘Hector, while we’re gone, I need you to work your magic and keep us connected. I want to be able to reach them at all times.’
‘No problem, Jack.’
‘Good.’ He glanced at McNutt. ‘You ready?’
‘Almost,’ McNutt said. ‘Before we go, I’ve got presents for everyone.’
He opened his backpack and pulled out a Smith & Wesson M1911 pistol. The weapon was considered a classic among US servicemen, many of whom preferred to carry it instead of newer models. This particular gun was custom-fitted with a suppressor, laser sight, and an extended clip for extra ammo.
McNutt handed the pistol to Cobb. ‘This is for you.’
Next came matching Glock 19s. These handguns fit perfectly in Jasmine and Sarah’s smaller, narrower hands, without compromising firepower.
‘This is for them,’ McNutt explained.
Then he pulled the last piece of artillery from his bag. The PM-84 Glauberyt was a Polish-made submachine gun that was renowned for its compact size and devastating punch. In close quarters like this, it was a wonderful choice.
McNutt smiled at it. ‘And this is for me.’
Cobb could only laugh.
To deliver the Glock 19s, McNutt slipped the climbing rope through the trigger guards and raised his hands over his head. His improvised zip line sent the weapons sliding across the chasm. Once he was done, he tossed his end of the rope towards the women. ‘Take the rope. We won’t need it, but you might find a use for it.’
Sarah wound it in. ‘Just so you know, I’ve got more gear on the boat. Harnesses, rigging, you name it. If all else fails, we can meet you back here and set up a transfer.’
‘Won’t be necessary,’ Cobb assured her.
Garcia cleared his throat. ‘Jack, you better get moving. These guys are after something, and they’re running out of places to look. If they happen to find the grate, I’ll lose track of them in the tunnels.’
‘Relax,’ Cobb ordered, ‘we’re leaving now.’
‘Copy that,’ Garcia said.
Cobb nodded at McNutt, who instantly sprinted toward the boiler room as if he had been shot out of a cannon. He had a flashlight in one hand, his submachine gun in the other, and a wide grin on his face. As a former Marine, he lived for moments like this – when he got to stare death in the eye, down the barrel of a gun.
Strangely, though, Cobb didn’t move.
He simply stood in the tunnel, deep in thought.
Not because he had time to spare – because he certainly didn’t – but because a sense of dread had washed over him like a downpour from a sudden storm. The feeling hit him so hard and so unexpectedly that he instantly had doubt about the orders he had given. It was so severe that he was tempted to stop McNutt and the women before they roamed too far so they could come up with an alternative plan of attack.
For a leader like Cobb, it was a horrible feeling.
There was no place for doubt in his world.
In fact, he had felt like this only once in his entire career: one time in thousands of missions.
Unfortunately, his gut had been right that day.
And many soldiers had died.
* * *
Sarah and Jasmine focused on the task at hand. Using their fingers, they dug away as many of the loose chips from the wall as they could. It amounted to more than an inch of stone. Still, they had no idea how thick the block was.
‘Okay,’ Jasmine said, ‘time to use the wand.’
Sarah stepped away as Jasmine pressed the end of the baton against the rock and activated the sonic pulse. In an instant, the block cracked, but it didn’t dissolve into the fine powder that they had seen with the mortar. Instead, it splintered into small, jagged pebbles.
Jasmine was thrilled. ‘It worked!’
Sarah dove in with both hands, pushing away small piles of stones as she emptied the space the block once filled. On the third scoop, she felt a rush of cool air blow across her forearm. ‘Did you feel that? It’s hollow on the other side!’
She attacked with renewed vigor, tearing away fistfuls of debris as she widened the hole to almost two feet. ‘It’s going to be tight, but I think we can make it through.’
‘I don’t know,’ Jasmine said as she crouched down for a better view. ‘You can, for sure. I’m not so sure about me.’
Sarah checked her out; she was slight but curvy. ‘Your butt?’
Jasmine nodded. ‘Yep.’
‘Too bad Josh isn’t here. He’d offer to get behind you and push you through.’
Jasmine blushed. ‘You’re right. He would.’
At that point, they half expected to hear McNutt’s voice in their ears, whispering something sexual and completely inappropriate as he sprinted away to save the day.
All things considered, they would have preferred that to Garcia, who chimed in with the update that they had all been dreading. ‘Bad news everyone. They’re in the boiler room, and they found the grate.’
23
Kamal and Tarek realized how ill prepared they were for a subterranean adventure as soon as they entered the water system. The only light in the first tunnel came from the boiler room above. Beyond its reach, the space was dark. Without the aid of lanterns, flares, or even flashlights, they were forced to rely on their cell phones.
They found the first cistern without difficulty. After all, it was a straight walk down a narrow tunnel – even a blind man could have found it. Sadly, the only thing separating them from a blind man was the soft glow of their phones, but that advantage disappeared as soon as they reached the cistern.
In the tunnel, their light was sufficient.
In the cistern, darkness ruled.
Their screens were like fireflies in a stadium.
The space was too large to light.
Thanks to the gloom, Kamal and Tarek overlooked the small notches that had been cut into the wall. From their perspective, their only option to reach the bottom was to leap from one level to the next. Without saying a word, they chose separate routes for their descent. Each knew that their combined heft would put the structure under considerable stress. By splitting up, they were able to cut that burden in half.
Still, each leg of their journey caused the supports to shake as their full weight dropped from the story above. Had they not separated, their combined force would have shifted the pillars so much that the entire structure would have come down. Instead, their split approach allowed the pillars to stay balanced, like fat kids on a seesaw.
Once they reached the bottom, Kamal took stock of the situation. There were two tunnels to explore, and his team had eight men. Even if he divided his forces, they would still have a fighting chance against the gir
l and her friends.
He shouted up to his men: ‘Abed, stay there and guard the exit. No one gets in or out. The rest of you, come with me. We have a job to finish.’
* * *
Garcia was more worried than he had been in quite some time. What had started off as an ‘easy’ mission – if there was such a thing – had quickly gone to hell.
First, Jasmine had almost died in the cave-in.
Then the goons had arrived at the apartment building.
Now they were streaming into the tunnels with weapons drawn.
How could it possibly get any worse?
‘Guys,’ Garcia warned, ‘I didn’t get a great view of their guns, but it looked like they’re packing some serious firepower.’
‘Copy that,’ Cobb whispered. ‘I guess they’re not engineers.’
A moment later, Cobb and McNutt heard an Arabic voice echoing through the tunnels. Even from a distance, they had heard it clearly. Suddenly they realized how easily their sounds could give them away. From that moment on, conversations would be conducted through whispers, hand gestures, and facial expressions.
Fortunately, the signal to kill was an easy one.
Unfortunately, Cobb wasn’t ready to give that order.
After all, he was trespassing on government land. For all he knew, the gunmen could have been cops.
* * *
Jasmine looked at Sarah. ‘What did he mean by “serious firepower”?’
Sarah shrugged. ‘It means we should keep moving.’
‘Please don’t treat me like a kid. I know I’m new to the field, but how am I supposed to learn if you always keep me in the dark?’
‘First of all, I’m not the one keeping you in the dark. The Ancient Egyptians are. They’re the idiots who didn’t put lights in here.’
Jasmine rolled her eyes. ‘You know what I meant.’
‘As for your question, who the hell knows? If his idea of “serious firepower” is anything like Josh’s, they might have a tank back there. The point is I don’t want to be around to find out. Do you?’
‘I guess not.’
Garcia chimed in to clarify his remark. ‘Relax, Jasmine, they do not have a tank in the tunnels. Guns? Yes. A tank? No.’
Jasmine didn’t move. ‘What about Jack and Josh? I know they have guns—’
‘Trust me,’ Sarah assured her, ‘Jack and Josh will be fine. Whoever’s following us will need a tank against those two.’ She nodded toward the hole in the wall. ‘Let’s worry about our part. Focus on finding whatever it is that’s down here to be found. After that, we can leave and so can the guys.’
Jasmine nodded her understanding and doubled her resolve. She slipped her arm into the hole, followed by her head. She rotated her shoulders, trying to find the angle that would allow her to pull herself through. Instead, she found herself stuck in the opening.
Sarah offered her guidance before panic could set in. ‘Just breathe. The hard part is over. Your head is through. Just take your time.’
‘Everything okay?’ Cobb whispered.
‘I think someone’s having a baby,’ McNutt replied.
Jasmine tried to laugh, but the stone restricted her breathing.
‘Jasmine’s stuck in the wall,’ Garcia explained.
Sarah put an end to the nonsense. ‘No one’s stuck in the wall, and no one’s having a baby. Jasmine just needs a minute.’
Embarrassed by the attention, Jasmine twisted and turned until she found the space to move her other shoulder through the opening. Thirty seconds and a gentle nudge from Sarah later, Jasmine pulled the rest of her body through the gap in the wall.
‘Made it. Your turn.’
‘No problem,’ Sarah bragged.
Though she was taller than Jasmine, she had no difficulty getting through the wall. Her slender frame slid through the space with ease, courtesy of years of practice.
Jasmine didn’t know whether to be impressed with Sarah’s agility or disappointed in her own performance. Ultimately, she decided that being awed by Sarah was better than being down on herself. ‘Good job.’
‘Thanks,’ said Sarah as she dusted herself off. ‘Where to now?’
Jasmine smiled. ‘I’ll tell you later. We should keep moving.’
* * *
Kamal led three of the men down the left tunnel. Tarek took the others down the right tunnel. Moments later, they emerged on the other side.
They glanced at each other and smiled.
Maybe this wouldn’t be as tough as they thought.
Maybe all of the tunnels would be this simple.
Unfortunately for them, they were wrong.
From that point forward, they were hopelessly lost. Everywhere they looked, the water system appeared the same. Their cell phones were partially to blame, but so was their lack of knowledge. After all, these men were soldiers, not scholars, and none of them knew anything about architecture. Heck, they barely knew the difference between Greece and Rome, let alone the distinguishing features of ancient columns.
They were paid to bully and intimidate, not to think.
Fanning out, the men quickly discovered the east–west passageways at the opposite ends of the room. Tarek took three of the men and led them to the west. The other two followed Kamal to the east.
From their perspective, they were in total control.
They had more numbers, more guns, and the element of surprise.
How tough could this be?
* * *
From the shadows at the top of the cistern, McNutt lowered his night scope when the last gunman had left the chamber. If he had been given permission, he could have gunned down the seven men and stopped the threat right there and then.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have permission – and wouldn’t get it until they figured out who the gunmen were. As men of honor, they simply refused to slaughter cops or government officials who were merely doing their jobs.
McNutt turned to Cobb, who was hiding next to him in the darkness, and whispered the bad news. ‘Sorry, chief, I still can’t tell for sure.’
Cobb cursed. It wasn’t the answer he had been hoping for. ‘Best guess?’
‘Criminals. Maybe soldiers.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘Two are carrying assault rifles.’
‘Really? What kind?’
‘9A-91s.’
Cobb smiled. He was quite familiar with these. The Russian-made assault rifle is only slightly larger than a machine pistol, but it packs a lot of a punch in a small package. In close combat, the fully automatic weapon can rip an enemy to shreds in only a matter of seconds. ‘I’ll be damned.’
McNutt stared at him. ‘You will be damned if they open fire with those. Thank God I only saw two. Otherwise, I’d be tempted to put money on the other guys.’
‘You know,’ Cobb whispered, ‘I saw two of those guns before you arrived in the city. They were being used as concealed weapons.’
‘Concealed? How do you conceal an assault rifle?’
‘By being as big as a car.’
‘Wait. You mean the guys who chased Sarah?’
Cobb nodded. ‘One and the same.’
McNutt closed his eyes and played back the scene in his head. ‘Now that you mention it, they appeared to be larger than the others, but I thought maybe it was an optical illusion. It’s tough to gauge size from up here.’
‘It has to be them. It has to be. Nothing else makes sense.’
‘Wait. If it is them, what do they want?’
‘I think they want Sarah.’
24
The bad feeling in Cobb’s gut wouldn’t go away.
Most of the gunmen had pushed past him, deeper into the network of cisterns. The only thing that stood between him and escape was a single guard who had been left to watch the exit. Cobb had no doubts that he and McNutt could outwit, outshoot, or outmaneuver one man in a matter of seconds.
Of course, that would mean abandoning Sarah and Jasmine.
&
nbsp; And they weren’t going to do that.
The alternative was a deadly game of cat and mouse in the tunnels. While Cobb and McNutt had some tactical advantages – better equipment, better training, and better knowledge of the terrain – they were still outnumbered seven to two. Worse still, there was always a chance that the goons would call in reinforcements, who could level the playing field by bringing ropes, lights, and even bigger guns.
If that happened, Cobb and McNutt were screwed.
Worried about the women, Cobb tried to check in with them. ‘Sarah, it’s Jack. What’s your status? Any luck with the wall?’
There was only silence on the other end.
‘Sarah,’ he repeated, ‘have you made it through the—’
‘They can’t hear you,’ Garcia blurted.
‘Why not? Are they all right?’
‘They’re fine. At least I think they’re fine.’
‘What does that mean?’
Garcia explained. ‘They made it through the wall okay, but that’s the problem. Their new location was built differently than the cisterns. For some reason, the walls are blocking the transmission. They can’t hear a word you’re saying.’
Cobb knew that their flashlights included microphones. He hoped that a larger device meant a larger, more powerful transmitter. ‘Can you hear them?’
‘Nope,’ Garcia replied. ‘I can’t see their video feed either. I lost them completely the moment they entered the new system.’
Cobb cursed under his breath.
‘Sorry, Jack. I would have told you sooner, but I knew you and Josh had gone dark for a while. I didn’t want to disturb you.’
‘Well, I’m available now.’
Cobb and McNutt dropped from their perch and stared into different tunnels. Their night-vision optics revealed that the passageways were clear, but they knew their targets were out there somewhere. Years of training kicked in as they listened to Garcia in one ear while focusing the other on the path ahead.
‘It’s probably the stone,’ Garcia guessed as he fiddled with his computer equipment. ‘It’s not an issue with the frequencies. I can assure you of that, because you’re transmitting fine. But them? Their signals aren’t getting through. It has to be the other tunnel. It has to be.’
The Forbidden Tomb Page 14
