by John Sneeden
Stegmann glanced at his watch then at Carmen. “You said you don’t know where the rest of your team is?”
Carmen shook her head.
Stegmann motioned one of his men over. “Can you get us back up?”
“Yes, sir.” He slid a GPS device from his pocket.
“Wait, I’m not leaving here until we find my team.”
Stegmann held up a hand. “And we aren’t either. I want to start by going back to the cave where we came in. Hopefully, we’ll encounter your friends on the way up. If we don’t, we’ll begin an organized search.”
His plan was sound. There was no reason to start wandering around and get lost. They needed to establish a base then send out search teams from there.
In the few minutes they’d spent together, Carmen had already come to respect the commander. He was tough, bold, and levelheaded. He was also good-looking, but she chose to ignore that for the time being. Not only did they have work to do, but she guessed Swiss Guards had taken vows of celibacy.
“I understand,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure my team was included in your plans.”
“They’re our top priority.”
After gathering their things and giving Carmen some much-needed water, they exited the cavern. Stegmann and the guard with the GPS unit took the lead as they maneuvered up through the caves. Carmen hoped he knew what he was doing as they maintained a fast pace throughout the climb. She guessed he must have placed markers at various points on the way down.
Eventually, the path leveled off. Carmen saw that as a good sign. Not only was it a relief to her legs, but it also meant they were likely near the city again. A few minutes later, Stegmann held up a hand, bringing the group to a stop. At first, Carmen thought they had arrived at the entrance. Then as she arrived at the front, she noticed the stern look on his face.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I thought I heard something.”
One of the guards pulled out an instrument Carmen recognized as a thermal imaging monocular. He made a few adjustments. After holding it there for a few seconds, he mumbled something to Stegmann in German. Unfortunately, he spoke too fast for Carmen to understand.
Stegmann translated. “He said there is a slight heat signature at the turn about fifty meters ahead.”
The commander turned and gave his men a few quick orders. They fanned out to both sides, pressing themselves up against either wall.
“Please tell your men not to shoot until we know who this is,” Carmen whispered, after settling in behind Stegmann. “My team is still out there.”
“My men don’t shoot unless I tell them to or unless they’re shot at.”
The last part unsettled her a bit, but she realized it was a protocol any military group would use. Every soldier, regardless of rank or experience, had the right to defend his or herself. Ten seconds later, a scrape carried down the cave. The sound was faint, but Carmen’s keen ears picked it up.
One of Stegmann’s men spoke excitedly from the other side. Carmen didn’t like the alarm in his voice.
“What did he say?” she asked.
Stegmann turned his head. “The thermals don’t show anything. Whatever it is, it isn’t giving off heat.”
Carmen’s pulse quickened. An image of the boy flashed in her mind. Could it be him? If he was some sort of demonic presence, his body might be a shell. He’d certainly looked cold-blooded.
A soft mechanical whine carried down the cave. Carmen frowned in the dark. She’d heard that sound before. Then it hit her…
She grabbed Stegmann’s shoulder. “I know who that is. Tell your men to stand down.”
Stegmann did as asked.
Carmen stood and cupped her hands around her mouth. “Keiko?”
The whining stopped and a familiar voice broke the silence. “Yes, it’s me.”
A soft blue glow appeared. Immediately, the Swiss Guards aimed their rifles at the light.
“Don’t shoot!” Carmen shouted. “She’s with me.”
The guards lowered their weapons as Keiko came toward them. Carmen heard other footfalls. A few seconds later, Zane and the others walked into the light. His eyes widened when he saw the armed soldiers of the Swiss Guard. “Please tell me this isn’t a dream.”
Stegmann stepped forward and shook his hand. “I can assure you we’re very much real.”
“Did you guys get lost too?” Carmen asked Zane.
He shook his head. “We didn’t realize you were gone until a few minutes ago. We were heading back down to look for you when Keiko picked up vibrations on the cave floor. We thought it was probably you but couldn’t be sure.”
Stegmann looked at the soldier holding the GPS. “How far are we from the city?”
“Only a few hundred yards.”
Carmen looked at the new arrivals. “Any sign of the order?”
Reid shook his head.
“I’m assuming they’re still at the gate,” Stegmann said.
“That or they went in to look for us,” Zane offered.
“Kind of ironic they spent all that time looking for the key, and it turns out there are alternate routes,” Carmen said.
Stegmann looked at Zane. “I think we need to go.”
Zane nodded his assent.
The journey back to the city only took a few minutes. As they approached the cave mouth, Stegmann sent two of his men ahead to perform due diligence. As they emerged, Carmen realized they were not far from the temple containing the Og’s ossuary. Several minutes later, they arrived at the main avenue bisecting the city and turned left toward the staircase. As they marched, Carmen found the silence disturbing. Why was it so quiet?
Minutes later, the group arrived at the plaza and the pool containing Nephilim statues. The staircase was two blocks ahead. Before long, they would be back on the surface.
As they approached the pool, Zane looked at Stegmann. “Do you have any men up top?”
“We’re all here. I didn’t have enough—”
The loud crack of a gunshot cut him off.
“Everybody down!” Zane shouted.
As Carmen looked for a place to seek cover, she saw movement in her peripheral vision. Someone teetered then dropped to the ground. When she realized who it was, her heart rose in her throat.
Connor Reid lay on the ground beside her with a gaping hole in the center of his forehead.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
A BAD SITUATION worsened in the seconds that followed. Another shot came on the heels of the first. A Swiss Guard spun and fell over, dead before he hit the ground.
Everyone scrambled for cover. Zane crab-walked to the wall encircling the pool. He shouted at the others to do the same. Some dove. Others crawled on all fours, but eventually, they all made it. Carmen came last, dragging Reid’s body along with her. It was a noble gesture. Zane was certain the operative was dead, but she probably held out hope he’d somehow survived. As gut-wrenching as it was, he’d have to grieve later.
Zane’s ears told him the shooter was high and to the right along the plateau at the top of the stairs. That meant they were pinned down for the moment. Any attempt to flee to the safety of nearby buildings would expose them to sniper fire. Under different circumstances, he might have taken the risk. In this case, the shooter had already proved himself lethal by taking down two targets in quick succession. After taking the first one down with a head shot, he’d shifted his aim slightly and done it again.
For now, the wall would provide some level of protection. But what if there were other shooters? The answer came a few seconds later when a barrage of semi-automatic gunfire came from the far end of the pool, strafing the stone wall above them.
The whole thing had been a trap. Rather than attack in the tunnels, Lawson’s men had set up in a place they knew their targets would have to cross. Their plan seemed simple: have the sniper take out two early, then when everyone scattered, the other gunmen would attack from the far end of the pool. The sniper’s one mistake
had been in letting them get too close to the wall. He’d succeeded in taking out the two targets, but thankfully, the rest had found cover quickly.
Pratt poked Zane with the butt of his rifle. “I count at least a dozen tangos at ground level.”
“Let’s see if we can shake them up a bit.” Zane rose for a brief moment then ducked. It was hard to see through the maze of statues in the pool, but he’d managed to see a head peering over the wall on the far end. With the location imprinted in his mind, he rose up and fired at the spot. The head jerked and fell from sight.
One down.
The kill produced a wave of return fire. The enemy was angry. Zane shouted for everyone to stay low. Let them release their frustration and deplete their ammo. As he waited, an idea surfaced. He got Stegmann’s attention and mimed with his hands, indicating he wanted the thermal imaging monocular. Stegmann gave a nod of understanding and had the device passed down.
Monocular in hand, Zane scooted to his right, putting one of the statues in the pool behind him. He signaled for Pratt and Carmen to draw near. “I need you to lay down some covering fire. No need to target anything.”
Carmen looked at Pratt and counted with her fingers. At the appointed time, the two lifted their rifles over the wall and fired. Zane rose at the same time and aimed the monocular at the plateau at the top of the stairs. Seeing nothing, he moved it right. A red-and-yellow smudge appeared. Although the image wasn’t sharp, Zane noted the shooter was on one knee next to a boulder.
He marked the location of the sniper and dropped down.
Carmen and Pratt followed suit.
Zane knew he needed to act while the image was fresh in his mind. Setting the monocular aside, he retrieved his rifle. As was his routine, he took three deep breaths then squeezed all the air out of his lungs. Even the slightest movement of his chest could send the bullet off course.
Using the statue for cover, he placed his rifle on top of the ledge and focused his sights on the boulder. He visualized the sniper on one knee a little to the left. Zane squeezed the trigger. A loud crack echoed across the plaza. Two seconds later, a rifle tumbled down the stairs.
“Beautiful.” Pratt pumped his fist.
They had to take advantage of the opportunity he’d created. If they were going to launch a counter strike, now was the time. He formed a plan for dealing with the gunmen on the other end then motioned for the others to gather around, including the Swiss Guards. The group would divide into two teams. One would provide covering fire, while the other would sprint to the multi-tiered fountain in the center of the pool. Once there, they would climb to the top and fire down on the gunmen hidden at the other end. While they might not have a clear shot at the attackers, the angle would probably be good enough to at least flush them out.
Stegmann listened intently, then nodded. “I like it.”
Zane, Pratt, and two Swiss Guards would comprise the assault team that would run to the fountain. Stegmann, Carmen, and the remainder of the Swiss Guard would remain behind and provide cover.
There were no questions, so Zane told everyone to divide into their respective teams. Once they were in place, he gave the signal to commence. Stegmann and his team rose and directed a volley of fire toward the other end.
“Go!” Zane shouted as he led his team over the wall. While the distance to the fountain wasn’t great, it seemed to take an eternity. They scrambled up using the tiered basins. Zane and Pratt stopped on the one closest to the top, while the two guards set up just below.
The covering fire ended.
Zane looked toward the far end of the pool. He counted eight gunmen hunkered behind the wall. Either Pratt’s count had been wrong, or perhaps others were somewhere out of sight. As seconds passed, the gunmen stirred. A couple rose up and peered over the wall, completely unaware they were being watched. At some point, one of them would look up, so they needed to act now. Zane and Pratt would focus on the gunmen to the right, while their Swiss counterparts focused on the left.
Zane gave a low whistle. Four shots rang out, and four targets died instantly. Not wanting to give the others a chance to recover, they continued to squeeze off shots, aiming for exposed body parts. Those still alive realized the wall no longer afforded any protection, so they scattered, firing as they ran.
Zane brought down one on the left, and a Swiss Guard brought down another on the right. The last two gunmen escaped down a street. As they disappeared, Zane and his team climbed down. When they reached the bottom, the others met them.
“Shall we give chase?” Carmen asked.
Stegmann shook his head. “They’ll probably set up inside a building. That will give them an advantage. We need to head for the surface.”
“I second that,” Pratt said. “We need to be thankful we didn’t suffer any more losses. Let’s get everyone to safety then worry about who else might be down here.”
“There could be others waiting in the tunnel,” Carmen said.
“It’s always possible,” Stegmann said. “But I think most of their team was here. My bigger fear is they’ll seal off the entrance before we can get there.”
With the matter settled, Stegmann sent several men to collect the bodies of their fallen comrades. He sent two others to make sure none of the gunmen were trying to slip back and cause trouble. Once they returned with word all was clear, the group set out.
As they mounted the stairs, Zane couldn’t ignore the feeling the fight wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
KEIKO TOOK THE lead, illuminating the tunnel with her soft blue light. Zane marched behind, his rifle at the ready. He doubted the rest of the order had simply fled to the surface. They were probably waiting somewhere along the path, ready to ambush them if the trap failed.
“Zane,” Carmen called from the back.
He turned to see Emily bent over with her hands on her knees. The long trek in the heat was finally overwhelming her. They had all taken some water along the way, but it hadn’t been enough to hydrate her system. Stegmann approached and gave her more from his canteen. She turned it up and drank in gulps until it was gone then wiped her mouth.
“Better?” Zane asked.
She nodded and gave him a smile. “I’m sorry, I—”
Zane placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t apologize. You’ve been amazing.” He looked at Stegmann. “Let’s take a quick break and hydrate a little more.”
The men carrying the bodies seemed to appreciate the idea.
Carmen stood next to Zane. “Where are we?”
“If my bearings are correct, the cut-through should be just ahead.”
“That means another half hour to the top,” Carmen said.
Zane looked at Stegmann. “I’m assuming you have a phone with you?”
“I do, but unfortunately, I won’t have a signal until we get out of here.” He patted the rock wall. “It’s too thick.”
“As soon as you get a signal, let me know.”
Stegmann nodded.
A few minutes later, everyone collected their things. They were all ready to finish the trek back. Pratt took over for one of the soldiers carrying the bodies. As Zane had guessed, they reached the cave-in shortly after they resumed walking.
Only one could go through at a time, so Zane motioned Keiko forward. As she was about to enter, a bright light shone on them from the other end. It was so bright, Zane was forced to lift his arm to shield his eyes.
A familiar, laughing voice carried down to them. “I always suspected you were one who liked being in the spotlight.”
Lawson.
Zane backed away and pointed his rifle in the direction of the sound.
“That would be monumentally stupid,” Roger said. “That is, unless you want your beautiful partner’s brains blown out. Now, toss your gun down.”
Zane didn’t have to look to know he was talking about Carmen, who stood next to him. He had little choice but to comply. Lawson was likely hunkered down behind one
of the boulders, making it virtually impossible to hit him.
Zane tossed his rifle to the tunnel floor. “What do you want, Roger?”
“What do I want? What could a loser like you possibly have that would interest me?” He chuckled.
As Roger spoke, Zane noted his position on the left side of the tunnel. At this point, there weren’t many options, but he realized it might be useful. If Zane could somehow signal the rest of the team, they might be able to fan out and fire toward the light. But that would only be as a last resort. There were two civilians in their midst, and Zane couldn’t do anything that might put their lives in danger. For now, his goal was to let Lawson keep talking and hope a better plan came to mind.
Zane stared down the tunnel. “If you don’t want anything, why are you here? You should be miles away by now.”
“You embarrassed me earlier tonight, and in so doing, you almost cost me a fortune. It’s time for a little payback.”
“Then take me with you, and leave the others here. I know you have something special planned for me. If you were going to shoot me, you could’ve already done it.”
“Shooting you would be much too easy. In some sense, it would be letting you off the hook. Your life would be snuffed out in a second, and that wouldn’t provide me much enjoyment.” Roger laughed. “No, you’re going to die slowly.”
Zane had no idea what he had in mind, but in the end, it didn’t matter. Whatever Lawson had up his sleeve, it was obviously going to take more time than pulling a trigger. And if that was the case, it meant he had more time to figure a way out.
As he was about to ask another question, his eyes fell on something about thirty feet away. The light had been so bright he hadn’t seen it before. On the left side of the tunnel, a wire ran along the ceiling in their direction. About halfway down, it turned toward the center and disappeared into a mass of irregular rocks that bulged downward.
He immediately recognized the plan. Lawson was going to blow up the tunnel and seal them in.
Zane needed time to warn the others. “Be a man, and let the women out, Roger.”
