Blood Codex- a Jake Crowley Adventure

by David Wood

  Trembling from nerves and the cold, Rose was about to release a quiet sigh of relief when Landvik stopped, then turned back.

  Chapter 55

  Beneath Lindisfarne Castle

  Crowley pulled himself into the small space, a seemingly prefect cube hewn from the rock. In an alcove on the far wall, a second, miniature cube, sat a hammer.

  He shook his head, staring in wonder. Even with everything else they had uncovered, Crowley had never really believed they would find Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer, but this had to be it. It seemed to glow slightly, or was that just his phone’s light reflecting off the impossibly silver surface?

  The hammer had a rectangular head, on which it stood, about the size of a shoebox. The metal seemed almost unearthly, silver, but not silver. Like an alloy, perhaps, with a smoothness like aluminum, but a brightness like diamonds. The haft of the thing, made from the same metal as the head, stood straight up from it, maybe half a meter long, a little thicker than a broom handle. Crumbled bits of old leather strapping lay across the hammer head and around it on the stone shelf.

  Norse runes surrounded the square alcove, two rows all the way around like a double frame around a painting. The inside set of runes were inlaid with silver, the outer ring just carved into the stone. Around those was a convoluted carved pattern, twining lines and stylized animals. Crowley flicked up his camera app and took a series of quick photos, showing the hammer in place, then closer up, moving the camera around it from several angles. He made sure the runes were clear in the shots.

  As he got closer he saw there were runes and sigils on the surface of the hammer head too, though not carved. More like laser etchings he had seen, but how was that even possible? He laughed softly. How was any of this possible?

  He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then slowly let it out as he reached for the hammer’s haft. As his cold fingers and palm closed around it, an electric spark pulsed into his flesh and he whipped his hand away with a quiet yelp. He had knocked it slightly sideways as he pulled his hand back and thought he had seen sparks flicker underneath it. It had shocked him! What the hell could this thing be made from that it could generate such static electricity? Or store it?

  He had noted before the dry air in the passageway behind the wall he had knocked down. It seemed only more so here, tinder dry, which was incredibly weird for a subterranean cavern so near the ocean in northern England.

  He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wrapped it around the handle, careful not to touch the metal, and picked Mjolnir up. He had braced for the weight, thinking he would probably need both hands given its size, but it was light, like aluminum. He gently drew one edge of the hammer head across the stone and watched incandescent blue and purple sparks flicker and dance around it. The glow he had thought he saw before was more in evidence now, not unlike a kind of phosphorescence like krill in the ocean. The thing hummed slightly in his grip. He couldn’t hear a sound, but felt it buzzing ever so gently against his palm.

  Curious of its potential power, he drew it up a few inches and struck down against the edge of the alcove where the hammer had rested. A flash momentarily blinded him and the stone shattered, sending up a spray of fine particles. Crowley grunted in shock, blinking the rock dust from his eyes as his vision slowly returned to normal. “This thing can literally store energy,” he whispered to himself, keen to hear the sound of his own voice for some measure of sanity in the suddenly bizarre situation in which he found himself.

  He lifted the hammer. Is this truly Mjolnir? Enraptured, he started at the sound of a distant cry, and then the unmistakable crack and echo of a gunshot.

  Chapter 56

  Beneath Lindisfarne Castle

  Crowley doused his light and moved back toward the small exit from the hammer’s secret chamber. There was the short, narrow crawl, then the tunnel with the carvings that would eventually lead him back over the broken down wall and all the way back to the main chamber. He crouched at the small exit tunnel, straining to hear something, anything, but no further sound was forthcoming.

  With a shake of the head, he prepared to crawl back through, hoping he wouldn’t find anything distressing when he finally made it back to the cavern. But given they were unarmed and he had most definitely heard a gunshot, it did not bode well. He scrambled back from the small tunnel as light danced around on the walls near the carvings of the Norse gods. Someone was coming. He moved to one side, still on his knees, and peered carefully out. His view was restricted by the three or four meters of narrow passage, but he saw a glimmer of light, bobbing as whoever carried it walked briskly along. Probably a flashlight, Crowley thought, or even a phone light like he had been using. Bloody stupid of this person to not realize the light would be a beacon signaling his position and approach. But Crowley was glad for the man’s idiocy. It gave him a moment to plan.

  But plan what? He was in a perfectly empty cube of rock, trapped behind the narrow throat of the square passageway out. There was nowhere at all to hide. And as soon as that goon spotted anything, he would start shooting.

  Levi paused to shine his penlight over the impressive carvings on either side of the tunnel. He had never seen anything like them. This place had some pretty amazing secrets to give up, but he had really had enough. Running around like fools, chasing after this fabled artifact. He tried to be a believer, tried to take the word of Halvdan Landvik for truth, but it all sounded faintly insane to his ears. The sooner this particular escapade was over the better.

  The passage ended in a tiny square opening, maybe a meter across. Great, more crawling around. He was tempted to forget it, go back and claim he had found nothing. But if somehow Mr. Landvik learned he had left any corner unexplored, well, Landvik would kill him. It was as simple as that.

  He dropped down, put his penlight between his teeth and crawled forward on one hand and two knees, holding his pistol out in front of his face. He realized this particular tight passage was only a few meters long and then seemed to open out into a small room. He paused, took his light in hand and shined it left and right, leaning and craning his neck to see in. He couldn’t see it all, would have to go all the way in and check. With a sigh he returned the light to his mouth and scrambled forward the last few feet.

  Something tingled in his hindbrain, some sixth sense of caution. He paused, just before the opening and moved his head to shine his light left and right again. He could almost see the entire small, square space, except for the nearest wall and the two corners closest to him. He would only be able to see those spaces once he emerged from the cramped tunnel, which he was suddenly reluctant to do. If someone was waiting just inside, he would be rather compromised as he tried to pull himself in. Compromised enough, at least, for that person to get the jump on him.

  But he couldn’t leave the place unchecked. Could he wait out whoever might be in there? Maybe, but if there wasn’t anyone inside he’d be here forever. He had heard one gunshot already, so either Mr. Landvik or Jarn had run into some drama, but that didn’t mean all of them were caught. Or even the most important one, Rose Black herself. And Levi knew very well she could handle herself if necessary. He would have to take a chance, but not without a distraction.

  He set himself up for a fast scoot into the room, legs braced up underneath his hips, one hand hovering ready to grab the edge and pull himself forward. Quick as he could, he thrust his gun hand out into the room and fired quickly, two shots hard left, two shots hard right, then launched himself into the room. Anyone waiting either side of the opening would surely have caught at least one of those bullets.

  Something heavy landed on him. Levi’s breath was forced from him in an explosive rush, his flashlight skittering away across the rock floor. He flailed, reflexively pulling the trigger of his pistol again, sending bullets ricocheting around the tiny space, the sound deafening, pounding his eardrums. Something smashed into his skull and everything went black.

  Chapter 57

  Beneath Lindisf
arne Castle

  Crowley stood in shock, checking himself all over. The bloody idiot had fired so many bullets, surely he was struck somewhere. His calf still burned from the flesh wound he had caught back in that warehouse. He really didn’t want any more injuries. He had used the hammer to strike out a handhold above the tunnel and hung there one handed waiting for the thug to emerge, so he had avoided the man’s first attempts to shoot either side of the opening. But the fool had taken so long thinking about his plan that Crowley had nearly fallen from numb fingertips.

  Thankfully the man emerged just before Crowley’s grip gave way and he had managed to fall onto the thug’s back. More wild gunshots started pinging around until Crowley had caved the man’s head in with Mjolnir. He wondered how long it had been since the hammer had been used in battle. It seemed to sing in his hand, thrumming with renewed energy, almost pulling at his grip like it wanted more skulls to crush.

  Crowley’s jacket had a couple of fresh holes and a hot line burned along his right outer thigh where a bullet had grazed him, but it barely bled. Almost more a burn than a wound. He had been lucky once again.

  He took the man’s gun from his limp hand and ejected the magazine to check the remaining ammo. Three bullets left. Better than nothing, and better than a knife. He crawled quickly from the secret chamber and hurried back along the passageway, fearing for his friends. The single shot he had heard before was concerning enough, but now the multiple shots fired by his victim would have taken away any element of surprise he might have had. But he had to get to them, try to help them. He hefted the hammer, somewhat comforted by the bargaining power it ought to buy him. Though he was reluctant to let it go, this amazing thing that surely would set the historical and scientific worlds on fire once it was revealed.

  He put out his phone light and pocketed it, clipped Mjolnir against the wall periodically as he hurried back up toward the cavern. Its sparks and flashes helped to light his way while he kept the pistol in his right hand. He felt the thing humming, storing up energy every time it struck a surface, charging itself, aching for battle.

  He slowed as the tunnel began to narrow again, knowing he would have to crawl the last couple of hundred meters on hands and knees again. He was mightily sick of cramped, cold stony places. He kept the pistol in one hand, crawling on his knees and the elbow of his gun hand, careful to keep Mjolnir clear of the rock with his left hand. He didn’t want sparks and flashes to give him away now in case anyone was waiting in the cavern ahead. He might have a chance to squeeze off a couple of shots if he was quiet enough.

  Finally nearing the end of his crawl, he paused near the mouth of the passageway. In the light of a slowly moving flashlight he saw two sets of feet.

  “Come out very slowly, Mr. Crowley,” Landvik said, his voice tight. “And if I see a weapon, Miss Black dies.”

  Chapter 58

  Beneath Lindisfarne Castle

  Crowley closed his eyes and swallowed. This was a bad place to be, with Landvik in complete control. He slipped the pistol into the back of his belt, and pulled his jacket over it. The man wouldn’t see it, but no way was Crowley leaving it behind. The one bargaining chip he had was the hammer, and he would have to try to leverage that.

  “I’m coming out. I do have a weapon, but I think you might be quite interested to see this one. Just stay cool, okay?”

  He crawled out of the low tunnel, careful to hold Mjolnir ahead of himself in plain sight. He heard Rose’s sharp intake of breath and Landvik’s sigh of pleasure. He stood slowly, holding the hammer in front like a shield.

  Landvik stood behind Rose, one arm around her neck, holding her tightly to his chest. That hand held a flashlight, blindingly bright as it swept across Crowley’s face, making him blink rapidly. Landvik’s other hand held an automatic pistol, the barrel pressed to Rose’s temple. Rose had both hands on the arm around her throat, like she would pull it away any moment, though Crowley doubted she would have the strength to do so in that compromised position. He saw blood on Landvik’s hand, a slash in the flesh of his wrist. Rose had not been captured without a fight and had cut him, but he had subdued her nonetheless. Her lower lip was bruised and swollen, her left eye blackening, the same side as the grubby Band-Aid on her cheek. And both her eyes were wide with fear.

  Landvik’s eyes were wide too, though avaricious. There was no fear in him. “You found it!”

  Crowley lifted Mjolnir, an unnecessary confirmation of Landvik’s words. “Let Rose go and I’ll give it to you.”

  Landvik grinned, shook his head. “Hammer first.”

  “Don’t believe him!” Rose said. “He’ll kill us both once he has it. You know he will.”

  Crowley nodded. He knew she spoke the truth. Landvik would gladly shoot them and leave them down here to probably never be found. Their bones would remain as mute testimony to their failure. But he couldn’t see any other possibility. He measured up the odds, tried to play through the possibilities in his mind. No way he could draw and fire the pistol before Landvik killed Rose. Even if Crowley also killed Landvik, Rose would be just as dead and that was the worst failure, something he simply couldn’t allow. Besides, the way Rose was being used as a shield made it a hell of a risky shot, even though Crowley’s marksmanship was pretty top notch. In the weird low torchlight as well, he couldn’t guarantee a hit, let alone a kill. And still, Landvik would pull the trigger in reflex.

  “Fine, the hammer is yours.” He took a step forward and Landvik dragged Rose back a step.

  “Stop there. Slide the hammer over to me.”

  Crowley smiled, though he tried to continue conveying disappointment. Holding Landvik’s gaze, he slowly crouched and laid the hammer on the ground. Still keeping Landvik’s gaze fixed with his own, he let the handkerchief fall to the floor, and flicked it back into the shadows of the cramped tunnel behind him. He stood, placed one booted toe against the hammer head, and shoved it hard. It slid across the rough stone, sending up a shower of flickering bright blue sparks and chips of rock as it went. Landvik and Rose gasped in unison, blinking against the sudden strobing brightness.

  Landvik pushed Rose to her knees. “Stay there!”

  He put his flashlight between his teeth, still directed to watch Crowley, switched his pistol to the now free hand and reached down for Mjolnir with the other. Crowley braced as Landvik’s fingers closed around the haft of the hammer. The man yelped in pain and surprise as the electric shock shuddered up his arm. His flashlight dropped from his mouth as he cried out, smashing on the rocks, plunging the cavern in utter blackness. Then quick sparks and flickers as Landvik grabbed the hammer again, but Crowley had already whipped the pistol from his back. He fired slightly up and to the left of the flickering hammer, but the shot ricocheted off a wall. Knowing he was at risk, he dodged aside just as Landvik’s gun barrel boomed light and sound, the bullet tearing past Crowley’s ear with a hot whine.

  Crowley drew a bead on Landvik’s muzzle flash and fired again, but once more the bullet hit rock, not flesh. The man was fast. He only had one shot left. He hit the ground and rolled, yelling, “Stay down!” to Rose, as Landvik fired again, three rapid shots that all buzzed over him into the rock walls.

  Ears ringing, eyes stained with after-images from the muzzle of Landvik’s gun, Crowley spotted the spark and flash of the hammer as it was lifted and carried away, back toward the tunnel leading up to the Ship Room in the castle. Crowley aimed and fired his last bullet. He heard a satisfying grunt of pain, had a tiny moment of elation, but the flickering hammer kept going as Landvik ran with it, obviously not wounded enough to be stopped. The Norwegian fired another couple of random shots back as he disappeared up the passage.

  Crowley cursed eloquently, knowing full well he’d be a sitting duck if he followed the man up the narrow tunnel. Light flared as Rose turned on her torch app and Crowley’s attention turned entirely to her. He looked her up and down, desperately hoping there was no blood.

  “I’m okay.” She rubbed
a hand at her throat where Landvik had held her vicelike in the crook of his elbow. “I’m a little beat up, but I’m okay.”

  “The hell is happening down there?” Cameron’s voice was weak, but held an edge of anger, coming from the tunnel he had first gone down when they split up. “Come this way and fight, you mongrels!”

  Crowley laughed, relieved his friend was still breathing. Since the first gunshot he had heard, he had been doing his best not to consider the worst. He and Rose hurried into the dark passage, Rose’s light dancing and skipping ahead of them. Not far down, they came across Cameron on the cold floor, his left leg covered in blood. He pointed a pistol at them, face set in determined fury.

  “It’s us!” Crowley said, “Don’t shoot!”

  Rose angled the light so Cameron could see them clearly. He slumped, lowered the gun. “I thought you were both dead.”

  “I thought the same about you!” Crowley shined his own light around. One of Landvik’s thugs lay on his back in a pool of blood, dead from numerous stab wounds.

  “He got me in the leg, but then I got close enough to use my knife.” Cameron’s face was split in a satisfied grin.

  “How bad is it?” Crowley shined the light on Cameron’s leg. There was a lot of blood, but he’d bandaged the wound using strips from the dead thug’s shirt.

  “It’ll be okay if I can get to a doc fairly soon. Hurts like a son of a bitch, but I’m all right. Had worse.”

  “And that’s his gun?” Crowley gestured to the weapon in Cameron’s hand.

  Cameron handed it over. “Yep.”

  Crowley took the weapon, checked the chamber.

  “There’s a dozen left in there,” Cameron said.

  Crowley nodded, drew in a deep breath. “Okay, sit tight until I get back.”

  “Where are you going?” Rose asked. “We should carry Cameron out to get help.”