by John Sneeden
On cue, Zane and Carmen grabbed the rifles off the dead guards and ran behind a row of massive stalagmites. With two quick shots, they blew out the lamps. The only source of light was the relic, and its radiance only extended for a few feet.
A few seconds later, Emily and Amanda arrived at the stalagmites with the captives. Keiko scooted over and began snapping off the zip ties that bound Pratt and Reid.
“Just those two,” Zane yelled. “Leave the other one tied up for now.”
“Where are Viktor and the others?” Carmen yelled.
Zane looked toward the cave mouth. The three no longer stood there. “I don’t know. We’ll worry about them later.”
Some of the guards had finally figured out what was going on and were firing on their position. It wouldn’t be long until the rest joined in.
“Give me a gun.” Pratt pulled off the hood.
Carmen nodded toward one on the ground.
Zane fired a few shots then stopped to assess the situation. He had hoped the crowd would scatter in every direction, allowing them to sneak out in all the confusion. Instead, most had retreated back toward the city, and the guards were now setting up a perimeter along a row of boulders and stalagmites at the alcove’s opening. Essentially, they were being trapped. That meant there was only one thing that would keep them alive.
Zane turned to the others. “We’re going into the cave.”
“I don’t think we can make it,” Pratt said.
“If we stay here, we die,” Zane said.
“Zane’s right,” Carmen said. “We’re cornered like rats, and our ammo won’t last forever. They probably have enough ammo to last all night.”
Zane laid out how they were going to reach the gate. First, they would lay down a brief round of covering fire. Once cover was established, they would all sprint to the cave. Keiko would take the third captive, carrying him if necessary. Zane still didn’t know who he was, nor did he have time to figure it out. If they all survived, they could worry about that later.
After he finished, everyone nodded in understanding.
“Let’s do it,” Reid said.
Zane gave the signal. Those with guns rose and squeezed their triggers, sending a spray of bullets across the stalagmites where the guards were hidden. As expected, heads ducked out of sight. It was the result they were hoping for. Everyone rose in unison. Keiko grabbed the captive, while everyone else sprinted off. Zane couldn’t resist stealing a glance at the lighted relic as he passed by. If anything, the radiance seemed even more beautiful up close.
Unable to control himself, he stopped. A siren voice called from the light. It was beautiful, feminine, flowery. It beckoned him to stop and enjoy her beauty…
Zane closed his eyes, and the spell broke. Falling behind the others, he dashed toward the gate.
Using her great speed, Keiko entered the cave first, the captive under one arm. The others followed.
“Get as far back as you can!” Zane shouted as he entered.
A volley of return fire from the guard chased them inside. It would be a miracle if they all made it unscathed.
“Against the wall!” Zane shouted. “Reduce your profile.”
Everyone dispersed. Zane ran to the right and scooted behind an irregularity in the wall. Carmen did likewise on the other side. Moments later, the gunfire died. Apparently, the gunmen were conserving ammunition. Or maybe they were preparing for an assault.
A loud hum broke the silence. The relic’s glow snuffed out as well. Zane frowned as he looked toward the cave mouth. Something was moving. A dark curtain was being pulled across the opening. What the…?
Zane’s blood ran cold as he realized what was happening. Someone was closing the gate.
And in a few seconds, they’d be sealed inside.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
ZANE WATCHED IN horror as the wall slid shut, plunging the cave into darkness.
He wondered if he’d done the right thing. It was true. They were safe from the gunmen outside. Then again, there might be no other way out of the cave. If the only exit was through the gate, they were at the mercy of those on the other side.
At this point, it was obvious Viktor or Roger had hidden behind the obelisk after the shooting began. Zane blamed himself for not looking on his way by. Instead, he’d been transfixed by the strange siren call of the light. If he could’ve somehow taken Viktor hostage, it would’ve been their ticket out. The cult wouldn’t dare let their leader perish.
A soft blue glow erupted in the darkness. Keiko stood a few feet away, holding her lighted finger aloft. “I thought this might help.”
The others stirred, coming out from the wall and clicking on their flashlights. As Zane stood, he heard a soft groan behind him. He directed his beam deeper into the cave. Reid was on one knee about twenty feet away. Carmen already moved toward him.
“What’s wrong?” Zane asked as he arrived at Reid’s side.
Several rivulets of blood flowed down his arm and spilled onto the cave floor. One of the incoming rounds had found its mark. Carmen lowered to one knee and looked for the wound.
“I felt a little sting as I came into the cave,” he said through clenched teeth. “To be honest, I didn’t know what it was. It didn’t feel like a gunshot, not that I’d know what one feels like.”
“That’s a common reaction,” Carmen said. “Sometimes adrenaline takes over and blocks the bulk of the pain until you’re better able to deal with it.”
Reid flinched noticeably as Carmen continued to probe. Zane rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Would this help?” Emily held out a bottle of water.
“You have water?” Amanda asked, surprised.
“I always keep a bottle with me. I had it in my coat. People tease me about drinking so much.”
“Perfect. Thank you.” Carmen poured it slowly over Reid’s skin. Now that it was clean, she rotated the arm back and forth. “I don’t see an exit wound, so I’m thinking it’s a graze.”
“Flesh wound,” Zane said. “You’re going to live.”
Carmen splashed a little more water on the wound in an effort to clean it up as best she could. “Can one of you give me something to wrap it with?”
“Done.” Pratt peeled off his sweater and his T-shirt then handed the T-shirt to Carmen. “I guess he’s worth a tee.”
Carmen wrapped it around Reid’s arm and tied it off. “We’ll need to clean it up better when we get out of here, but that should do for now.”
“No longer a gunshot virgin!” Pratt slapped his partner’s good shoulder.
“Hurts like the devil.” Reid grimaced.
“Let’s not mention that name down here,” Amanda said with a laugh.
With a little help from Pratt, Reid rose to his feet. “Good as new.”
Zane was pleased to see he looked fine. As best he could tell, the wound was superficial. He’d lost blood but not enough to be a serious issue.
Zane looked at Reid and Pratt. “Are you both up for a little walking?”
“Absolutely.” Reid bent and retrieved his rifle.
“I certainly don’t want to sit around here,” Pratt said.
“How about scouting the cave? See if there are any alternate routes to the surface. I can’t believe this is the only way in or out.” Zane looked at Reid. “You sure you’re up for this?”
“I feel as good as I did a half hour ago.”
Zane doubted that was completely true, but the operative did look good, all things considered. Zane patted him on the back. “Come back if you find something.”
“Copy that.” Pratt turned and marched off with Reid.
Zane looked at Keiko. “Where is our captive?”
She pointed down the cave. “I placed him just past the turn to keep him shielded from incoming fire.”
“Did he say who he was?”
“He mumbled something on the way in, but I wasn’t listening.”
“If you don’t mind, make sure he’s still t
here.” Zane doubted the man could get far with bound hands, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
“Was it Viktor who shut the entrance?” Carmen asked.
“One of the three, yes. I’m fairly certain they hid behind the obelisk when they saw what was happening.”
“They waited until we ran inside then removed the relic,” Carmen said.
Keiko returned. “He’s still there.”
Zane nodded.
“What now?” Pratt asked.
Zane sighed. “We explore and try to find another way back to the city or up to the surface.”
“It doesn’t look too promising,” Emily said.
Reid looked at Zane. “And what if we can’t find a way out?”
“Then we come back here and prepare to fight.”
“You think they’ll come in?” Emily asked.
“At some point.” Zane wiped the sweat off his brow. The temperature was noticeably higher here. “I told the Oracle we’d check in with him by midnight. If he doesn’t hear from us, he’ll send out a team.”
“It’s snowing on the surface,” Amanda said. “The order will have every trace cleared away within the next few hours. And what they don’t clear away will get covered in snow.”
“Ross won’t give up until he finds us,” Zane said. “He’s a bulldog when it comes to protecting his people.”
“It will take days for them to trace our whereabouts,” Amanda said.
“We’re going to be fine,” Carmen said. “Worrying about it isn’t going to help. We need to look around, find out what’s down here. My guess is there is an alternate way out. Remember the maze of caves up near the surface? I’m guessing we’ll encounter the same down here.”
Zane looked at the group. A couple needed encouragement. “We’re going to get out of here. Period. Some of us have been in much worse predicaments than this.”
“At least we’re armed now.” Pratt patted the AR-15 hanging across his chest.
“Speaking of weapons, how do we look?”
A quick inventory showed they had six guns—four rifles and two pistols. There were no spare magazines, which meant they’d have to use their ammunition judiciously.
“Let’s check on our captive. Maybe we can find out who he is and why he’s here.” Zane slung his rifle over a shoulder. “After that, we begin our search. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything that might indicate a way out… vents, side caves, cracks in the wall, a draft.”
As they walked down the cave, Reid drew alongside him. “Do you think they’ll come in behind us?”
“At some point, yes. I don’t think the gate and whatever is down here matters to Roger and Camilla Lawson, but it means a lot to Viktor and his loonies.”
They found the hooded man just around the bend sitting against the wall. His head turned in their direction as they approached. In addition to his wrists, Keiko had bound the man’s ankles with his own socks.
Zane crouched, untied the socks, and tossed them to the side. “I might be willing to do the same thing with your wrists, but I’m going to need a little information first. For starters, we need to know who you are.”
The man mumbled something Zane couldn’t quite understand. The hood muffled his voice. Emily took a step toward him, a frown spreading over her face.
“What did you say?” Zane asked.
“I said I’m not one of them.”
Emily let out a little gasp then turned toward Zane. “Take off the hood.”
Zane shook his head. “We need to—”
Emily seemed frantic. “Please, I’m asking you to take it off.”
Zane didn’t know what she was trying to do. He had a couple of questions he wanted to ask, and having the man tied up would facilitate answers.
Before he could give an answer, Emily lunged toward the man. Carmen grabbed her from behind.
“Let me go.” Emily tried to twist free.
Carmen squeezed her even more tightly and dragged her toward the center of the cave. “Emily, what’s going on? Why are you telling us to do that?”
Emily sobbed, her body convulsing repeatedly.
Zane stood and frowned. Something wasn’t right. He knew everyone’s nerves were shot, but this was something deeper.
Emily shook for a while longer, then her body seemed to relax.
Zane approached and gently grasped her arm. “Emily, why are you doing this?”
She wiped her nose and looked at him. “Because that man is my dad.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
VIKTOR SAT IN front of the gate, his back erect and his eyes shut. He was alone, save for several guards positioned a short distance away. The members of his council would be back to set up the circle soon. Until then, he would use the time to pray.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t shift his thoughts from all that had happened in the last hour. Although he wasn’t sure how they’d been able to do it, the prisoners had somehow managed to free themselves and kill several guards in the process. If it weren’t for his quick thinking, many more might have died.
Roger Lawson was solely to blame for the debacle. Roger should have killed them all when he had the chance. But instead, he’d decided to play games. Viktor seethed with anger. The Australian would pay once they were done here. For now, he needed to consult with the masters to see what they wanted him to do next.
Soft footfalls carried across the alcove—the council returning. A moment later, he heard them placing the votive candles around him, a necessary step in warding off unwanted spirits. After it was done, someone approached to within a few feet. Viktor slowly opened his eyes. Brutus, the most trusted member of his council, stood before him.
Seeing Viktor’s eyes open, Brutus bowed at the waist. “The circle is complete.”
“Thank you. Gather the others, and return to the city. Don’t come back until I call you.”
Brutus bowed again. “Yes, my lord.”
Once the footsteps died away, Viktor closed his eyes and waited. A minute later, a dark spirit slipped into his consciousness. Viktor felt its anger, and he trembled in its presence.
You allowed poison to enter our abode. The voice was like the hiss of a serpent.
Viktor’s voice shook with nervousness. “It wasn’t I who did that… It was the other one.”
We blame you because you invited him in.
“I’m sorry… please… I needed him to locate—”
We could’ve told you where it was! The voice was ominous, threatening.
“Please forgive me,” Viktor whimpered. “I promise I won’t fail you.”
The people beyond the gate must be killed.
“How… how will we do that?”
You won’t do anything! There was a long pause. We’ve released two merchants of death. They’re coming up even as we speak. Once their work is finished, you may enter, but not before.
Viktor was about to thank him, but the spirit had already departed.
He sat in silence. Viktor’s mind suddenly plunged into the dark abyss. Clouds swirled. An image appeared. He knew immediately it was no dream. Two dark figures moved through the cave. At first, the image was fuzzy, but soon, it sharpened, and their features appeared.
Viktor recoiled at the sight. They were horrifying beyond belief.
And for a moment, it seemed as though they were coming for him…
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CARMEN WATCHED AS Emily rushed into her father’s arms. Sobs followed in waves. She squeezed him tightly, as though she never wanted the embrace to end. Richard Pauling seemed as moved as his daughter, resting his head on her shoulder.
Emily pulled back and used her father’s sleeve to wipe the tears from her eyes. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, darling.” He stared into her eyes.
“I never completely gave up hope. There was something inside me… I can’t even explain it. I felt you were out there somewhere.”
He held her face with both hands. “You were ri
ght. I was always there. And I never gave up hope that I might see you again.”
The two finally pulled apart, giving Zane the opportunity to make introductions and bring Pauling up to date on all that had taken place since entering the mountain. The archaeologist seemed shocked to learn they had passed through an underground city.
After Zane finished, Carmen asked, “Forgive me for being so blunt, but how are you still alive? I find it shocking you weren’t killed.”
“To be perfectly honest, I think it was because of you,” Pauling answered.
Zane’s brow furrowed. “Because of us?”
“Did you break into my home?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why I was spared.” Seeing the looks of confusion, he explained. “Let me start at the beginning. When I was first taken, they threw a hood over my head and pressed a needle into my arm. The next thing I know, I’m awake on a bed, surrounded by bad men with big guns.”
“Were you still in Venice?” Carmen asked.
“I believe so, but I can’t be sure. I don’t even know how long I was out. I could’ve been in Venice, or I could’ve been somewhere a few hours away. In any event, shortly after I woke up, they began to ask me about the map. At first, I resisted, so they made life hard for me.” He glanced at Emily briefly. “It got so bad I finally told them it was in a file at my house. I even told them which desk it was on.”
“Was that true?” Amanda asked. “We never saw a file lying out.”
Pauling shook his head. “No, but I thought it might buy me some time. I still held out hope the authorities would find me, or perhaps I’d find a way to escape. When your back is against the wall, you’ll always look for any little splinter of hope.”
Carmen nodded. Emily squeezed her father’s hand.
Pauling smiled at her. “Later that night, they returned, and I overheard them talking about what happened. They weren’t able to locate the file, so they assumed you took it.” He looked at Zane. “That’s what I meant when I said you saved my life. Had you not shown up, they would’ve known I was lying and might have killed me.”
