“Smart man,” muttered Jason. Jorge heard the comment and a smile tugged at the edge of his lips.
“So, what’s the plan?” asked Asami.
Elisa had a satchel hanging from a strap around her shoulder and she opened it, pulling out several documents and laying them atop the maps. “This is the information that Jason’s organization was able to get us before we made the trip out here.”
The documents were print-outs of weather patterns and satellite imagery over the Corbaton area. Elisa pointed to a few spots on different documents.
“This was an analysis of the weather over the past few months. Now as you can see, things were pretty much normal until about a month ago, which is around the time we believe the hammer fell.” She slid the documents aside and pointed to the map of the waters surrounding the island nation. “The weather patterns seem to be at the most extreme right in this area. So that’s where we believe the hammer touched down.”
“So it’s underwater,” said Lucas.
“Yeah.” Elisa looked up at Tanya. “Will that be a problem?”
“That spot is not too deep, maybe twenty feet, and we have diving equipment and boats,” said Tanya. “But the problem is getting to it.”
“Sandoval’s forces?” asked Jason.
Tanya shook her head. “No, we can get past them easily. Our boats are kept in a cove, mostly unmonitored. Used by smugglers all the time.”
“It’s how I got in,” said Lucas.
“The weather is going to make it very difficult to navigate,” said Tanya. “Low visibility, rough waters, wind, rain.”
“On the plus side, we probably won’t have much interference from Sandoval,” said Lucas.
“Right, so who’s going in the water?” asked Asami. “’Cause it’s sure as hell not gonna be me.”
“I’ll go,” said Lucas.
“The hell you will,” said Jason. “I’ll go.”
Lucas cocked his head to the side. “Right. Because I trust the Freemasons.”
Jason leaned over the table. “And I’m supposed to trust a disloyal merc?”
“Enough, both of you. I’ll handle it,” said Elisa.
“Fine, then Lucas goes with you,” said Tanya.
“Not an option,” said Jason.
Tanya stood upright and stared down the Freemason. “Lucas has saved my life and the lives of many of my people. I trust him. You I don’t know from Adam. Any of you. And since this is my equipment you’ll be using, I say who uses it.”
Jorge gave an amused snort at his leader’s comment, evidently amused at how she stood up to the outsiders. Elisa gave a nod in understanding.
“You’re right, of course,” she said.
“I don’t trust you going down there alone with him,” said Jason.
“It’s unlikely that Sandoval’s men will be on the water, but not impossible,” said Tanya. “Should we run into trouble, we’ll need assistance on the boat. And judging from the weapons you had on when you came in, I assume you know how to use a gun.”
“So how many boats we gonna have out there?” asked Asami.
“Just one,” said Jorge, the first words he spoke. “The more boats on the water, the greater the risk of discovery.”
“Right, so just us out there,” said Asami.
Tanya looked Elisa in the eye. “And you’re sure this is where the hammer is?”
Elisa cocked her eyebrows. “Reasonably sure. Logically, it makes sense. But we won’t know for certain until we head down there.”
“Then we should begin preparations,” said Tanya.
CHAPTER 8
The tiny speedboat exited the cove and began the trek towards the location of Mjolnir. Tanya was at the wheel and she kept the speed to a minimum, hoping not to attract any undue attention. Taking the long way around and at a slow speed meant the trip took longer than anyone expected, but it also meant a guarantee of some anonymity.
At first, the weather was quiet and the sea calm. But as they moved closer to the area, the skies darkened. Lightning flashed in the distance and they could hear the far-off claps of thunder. Rain began to fall on them, at first just a drizzle. But as their trip continued, its frequency increased.
Jason helped Elisa with her SCUBA tank and she fastened it around her wetsuit-clad body. Elisa looked to the side and saw Asami giving Lucas a hand. Jason spoke to her in a whisper.
“If anything happens down there…”
“Stop it,” she said, keeping her voice low as well. “Lucas has saved my life more times than he’s endangered it. He can be trusted.”
Jason sighed, not satisfied with that response.
“You just be ready for anything up here,” said Elisa. “It seems quiet now, but who knows what could happen.”
He gave a nod and moved to the front of the boat. Asami approached Elisa, a hand atop her head to keep her hat from blowing off in the increasingly strong wind. “You all set?”
“Just about,” said Elisa. “Keep an eye on Jason. He’s clearly on edge right now.”
“Want me babysitting your boyfriend now?” asked Asami with a smirk.
Elisa rolled her eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you?”
Asami waved a dismissive hand. “Right, right. Just friends, I got you.”
The boat slowed to a stop and Tanya stood from the wheel. Lucas stood behind her. “Is this the spot?”
Elisa checked the GPS device on the boat’s dashboard and nodded. “Think so.”
“We’ll drop anchor here and you begin your search,” said Tanya. “Try not to be gone too long. For now, we’re okay, but the weather will only get worse.”
“Try and go as fast as we can,” said Elisa.
Tanya gave her a half-hearted smile and turned to Lucas. Elisa watched as her old partner spoke quietly in Spanish to the rebel leader. She noted the concerned expression Tanya wore and the way she touched Lucas’ cheek. It was tender and she started to wonder if there was another reason beyond concern for the rebellion that caused Lucas to stay.
Lucas moved away from Tanya and approached Elisa. “All set?”
Elisa gave a nod and pulled her mask over her face before placing the regulator in her mouth. Lucas did the same and they both jumped off the back of the boat and into the water.
“So…” said Jason, remaining at the front of the boat and looking off into the horizon. “Now we wait.”
“Here I thought I was supposed to be the impatient one,” said Asami.
Jason gave a look over his shoulder. “You are.”
She smirked and sat in the passenger seat across from Tanya, who had returned to the captain’s chair. Asami looked over at the rebel leader, studying her face. “How’d you get involved in this whole thing anyway?”
“My father was an advisor to the President when Sandoval took control of Corbaton in a military coup about fifteen years ago,” said Tanya. “They executed the President and his advisors in the aftermath. My mother was a journalist, driven underground by the coup. She still attempted to publish using the Internet, but she was discovered and executed. I joined the rebellion not long after, worked my way up through the ranks for ten years.”
“How’d you become the leader?” asked Asami.
“My predecessor was killed by a firing squad.”
“And Davalos?” asked Jason, glancing over his shoulder.
“You don’t care much for him,” said Tanya.
“He’s just jealous.” Asami propped her legs up on the edge of the boat. “He’s got a thing for Elisa.”
Jason scoffed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Lucas and…Elisa?” asked Tanya.
Asami shrugged. “Most I know is they have a history. Elisa doesn’t really like talking about the old days.”
“She and Lucas have something in common,” said Tanya.
Asami snickered. “Really? The Lucas Davalos I knew wouldn’t shut up about his past exploits.”
Jason’s posture s
hifted and he reached for his Berettas. Asami noticed the change and sat upright. “What’s going on?”
“We’ve got company!” said Jason.
“Pull up the anchor!” ordered Tanya as she began to start the boat’s engine.
Jason did as he was told, raising up the anchor and securing it to the boat. Asami stood on her chair, her hands on the window in front of her seat and looked out into the distance. She focused her hearing and she could pick up the sound of boat engines in the distance coming towards them.
“What about Elisa and Lucas?” asked Asami.
“They’ve a better chance below than we do above,” said Tanya.
“Any chance we can get out of this peacefully?” asked Jason.
Tanya shook her head. “They know my face. Hold on!”
She spun the wheel as she pushed the throttle, increasing the boat’s speed and turning. The storm’s intensity increased and the faster she went, the more danger they were putting themselves in. The boat practically hopped on the water, which made the landings all the more difficult from the wind. The boat constantly swerved as it struck the surface, Tanya struggling to keep it level and prevent it from capsizing.
Jason moved to the rear of the boat, holding up his weapons. Tanya took a quick glance over her shoulder and shouted at him.
“In the trunk!”
Jason holstered his guns and opened a trunk attached to the boat. Inside was an automatic rifle, loaded and ready to go with spare ammunition. He picked up the rifle and looked through the scope.
He could see the boats clearly. They had sirens on them and flashing lights. Police force, it seemed. Jason lined up his shot and squeezed the trigger. One of the boats swerved once it was hit by the bullets, but wasn’t yet out of the game. It righted itself and barreled forward.
Their boat turned so suddenly and without warning that Asami went flying across and nearly knocked Jason over the edge. She grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him back, then looked at Tanya.
Once she did, she saw the cause. More of Sandoval’s forces tried to cut them off and Tanya had to turn in order to avoid them. Asami grabbed Jason’s Berettas and pulled them from the holsters he wore around his torso.
“Thought you didn’t like them,” he said.
“Yeah well, beggars can’t be choosers.” Asami raised the guns and opened fire with them, trying to hit as many of their pursuers as she could.
The wind picked up and the thunder clapped loudly. Tanya turned the wheel to avoid a massive wave that threatened to swallow them whole. She sped up and the boat managed to ride along the wave and pull away before it crashed down. One of the pursuit boats wasn’t so lucky and it was crushed beneath the water.
Asami changed into her kitsune form, her eyes flashing bright as she saw the boats gathering to chase after them. Jason glanced over at her, quickly returning to fire.
“I could use a hand here!”
“Working on it,” she said, opening her mouth wide. She generated a fireball within her mouth and released it. The orb shot across the distance between them, striking one of the boats and reducing it to flaming splinters.
“We’re not through yet!” shouted Tanya. “More coming!”
Jason and Asami looked to the front of the boat and saw reinforcements. They were quickly surrounded and they didn’t have enough firepower to survive, nor a route they could use to escape.
CHAPTER 9
Elisa and Lucas dove beneath the waves, swimming down as quickly as they could. They used dive lights mounted on their masks to provide illumination in the depths and keep their hands free for other tasks.
Despite the intensity of the weather above, below it was fairly peaceful. Elisa swam further down, scanning the ocean with her lights. She looked over and saw Lucas not too far away, also searching.
She wasn’t sure where the hammer was or if it was even here. All she had to go on was guesswork and she prayed it was accurate. If she was wrong about the weather patterns and this wasn’t where the hammer was, then she wondered just how they would find it.
Elisa could detect some shift in current and she turned. She saw about four divers swimming towards her, armed with spear-guns. One of them fired and Elisa quickly swam to the side to avoid the projectile, which struck a rock not far.
The myth hunter kicked her legs furiously, swimming to catch up to them. It was so strange for her trying to move in water—she felt so much slower than she was capable of moving on land. She reached for one of the kukri sheathed at her thighs and drew it.
Elisa swung the dagger towards the first diver, but he managed to avoid it. She thrust again and he grabbed hold of her arm, squeezing it with both hands and twisting to try and get her to drop the blade. One of his friends prepared his spear-gun, aiming it at her head.
Lucas grabbed him from behind, cutting the hose connecting his regulator to the oxygen tank. The diver struggled to release himself from Lucas’ grip and swam towards the surface.
The discarded spear-gun was claimed by Lucas, who held it up and shot the projectile into the face of a third diver. The fourth fired at him, the spear mostly missing the target, but the point managed to slice against his leg, spilling blood out into the water.
Elisa still struggled with her diver. She drew the second kukri and raised it over his head, holding it in a reverse-grip. The curved blade went easily into his neck and his body stiffened. Elisa pulled the weapon out and saw Lucas struggling with the fourth diver.
Had this been any other battleground, she’d be able to take out Lucas’ opponent with a well-aimed throw. But that wasn’t an option here. Elisa sheathed the daggers and went for the spear-gun held by the diver she’d just killed. It had started to sink to the bottom, but she kicked rapidly to reach it.
Grabbing hold, she spun so she floated on her back and aimed the spear-gun. Elisa pulled the trigger and the spear shot out, the compressed air sending it through the water and into the diver’s tank. The puncture of the tank released the compressed air inside, and he rocketed through the water.
Lucas looked in her direction and held up a hand. He touched the tips of his thumb and index finger, forming the ‘OKAY’ symbol with his hand. Elisa gave a nod and turned away, swimming down deeper. She caught sight of some illumination further in the depths and swam towards it. As she came closer, she realized she didn’t even need the dive light and clicked it off.
Elisa looked back to see if Lucas was close and saw he was once again struggling with divers. More had found them and were converging on their location. Lucas struggled against them, using his dagger to fight them off, their blood spilling into the water like bursts of crimson mist.
Some moved from him and swam for Elisa. She kicked her legs, moving closer to the source of the illumination. It came from a small, underwater cave not far from her location. The glow was soft and blue, and she had a feeling she knew exactly what it was.
A spear shot past her and struck a rock not far from her. Elisa turned, readying both kukri. The diver swam closer and Elisa thrust forward, slicing the blades across his chest. Elisa pushed his limp body off her, but then she felt a tug.
Another diver grabbed her hose and cut the line. Water filled the tube instead of oxygen and she struggled, pulling the regulator off her face even as the saltwater filled her mouth. She tried to expel as much of it as she could.
No air and not enough time to get to the surface. Elisa had only one chance and she had to make it count.
The diver came in for another strike and dove, swimming below her. She shed the scuba gear to increase her speed, kicking furiously and heading for the glow. Elisa felt her lungs straining for fresh air and she knew time was short. She had to get to it first.
There in the cave, she saw the source of the glow. It sat there, resting on its head. The metal was so old and worn that it almost resembled stone. There were Norse runes carved all along the surface of the head. The handle was far shorter than it seemed it should be.
Elisa
reached her hands out and wrapped her fingers around the handle. She knew the diver was on her and she spun, swinging the hammer with her. The hammer struck the side of his head and the power was so great that his skull practically exploded on impact.
The hammer glowed brightly and Elisa felt the power contained within. She held the hammer in front of her and it pulled her towards the surface. Elisa held out her free hand as she flew past the divers and their opponent. She took hold of Lucas by his tank and pulled him with her.
The two of them broke through the surface of the water and once they did, lightning flew from the clouds, striking the hammer as Elisa held it above her. The winds kept them aloft in the air and Elisa looked down at the surroundings below.
Corbaton boats were on the water, converging on her friends. Elisa willed the winds to carry her and Lucas over to the boat. She released Lucas and aimed the hammer at their opponents.
Lightning streaked down from the heavens, striking the boats, either destroying them or electrocuting their passengers. Fierce winds picked up, all centered around their enemies, causing them to capsize or be thrown into each other.
The power Elisa felt surge through her body was akin to what she felt when she picked up the Spear of Destiny. The feeling was indescribable. She looked at her friends and found them all staring at her with shocked expressions on their faces.
They were staring at her eyes. They’d turned completely white and crackled with energy around the edges. Elisa looked up at the clouds and the rain was the first thing to stop, followed by the wind. The clouds quickly parted, allowing sunlight to spill through and light up the sky.
Mjolnir’s glow faded until the light blue was replaced by the worn, gray color of the metal. With the fade of the glow, Elisa’s eyes returned to normal and she carefully set the hammer down on the floor of the boat.
“So…” muttered Asami, her eyes fixed on Mjolnir. “That’s the hammer of Thor.”
Hammer of the Gods (The Myth Hunter Book 5) Page 4
