City of Gold

by Arnold, Carolyn

  With one final look at the house, he shifted his vehicle into gear and pulled out of the driveway.

  “We’ll talk when I get back, Dad. I promise.”

  Even though his words fell on an empty vehicle, with no way for William to hear them, saying them aloud bolstered Matthew’s confidence. After all, if he had made a promise, he couldn’t break it.

  THE THREE OF THEM WERE walking toward the private lounge areas of Toronto Pearson International Airport. VIPs who came through there wore everything from business suits to casual wear. Being loaded down with hiking backpacks wasn’t a common sight, though, and it garnered some attention. Still, the place required decorum, and out of respect for their privacy, nothing was said to them and people were quick to look away.

  “I just can’t believe we’re doing this.” Robyn’s eyes were bloodshot and testified to little sleep.

  Cal didn’t appear rested, either. “Do you really trust this woman’s guys to take us where we need to go? What’s to say they don’t crash the plane to kill us?” Cal said.

  “They want the City of Gold,” Matthew answered.

  “But in Indiana Jones and the Temple of—”

  “You’re pulling in the movies? At a time like this?” Robyn raised her takeout coffee cup to her lips. She lowered it after taking a sip. “This is nothing like the movies. I don’t understand how you can even bring it up right—” She stopped talking, and Matthew hoped she received his silent communication. Cal was going through a lot more than the two of them, so they should give him some room to breathe. “I guess if you want to talk about the movies we can.” Robyn pressed the cup back to her lips.

  Cal glared at her. “In Temple of Doom, the pilots parachuted out, leaving Indiana Jones, Short Round, and Willie to die in a crash.”

  “I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Robyn asserted.

  “We’ll be fine? We have a week to find this City of Gold. And while we’re in Bolivia, Sophie’s being held by a killer.”

  Six days but who was counting? Matthew wasn’t going to point that out. He’d worry about the schedule, and he certainly didn’t need Cal’s summation. He was well aware of the situation and offered the only reassurance he could. “If they want Paititi, Sophie will go unharmed.” He held Cal’s gaze until his friend nodded. Matthew continued. “We have to stick together and keep alert. Do you understand?”

  Robyn saluted and winked at Matthew.

  “And you?” Matthew turned to Cal.

  “I understand. It’s just—” Cal ran a hand over his bald head. “I just keep thinking about her, ya know? Like if she’s okay, if we’re going to get her back…”

  Matthew put both his hands on Cal’s shoulders. “We’ve got this. Piece of cake.”

  “Hmm…piece of something. But it ain’t cake,” Cal replied.

  “Cal, he’s trying to help you here, but he’s right.” Robyn tossed her coffee cup into a waste receptacle. “We can do this. We can do anything we put our minds to.”

  Matthew jacked his thumb toward Robyn. “She knows what she’s talking about.”

  “She’s agreeing with you, so of course, you’re going to say that. But do you notice how she drinks her caffeine and transforms into a sweet little thing?”

  Robyn hissed at their friend playfully and clawed at the air.

  Cal laughed and Matthew smiled. They had this.

  If he thought it enough times, he might actually convince himself that it was true.

  Matthew spotted Vincent’s plane—he’d been on it before—through the window; the morning sun gleamed off its silver fuselage. Bringing his focus back inside the lounge, he noticed a tall man who was in good physical shape standing by the door to the tarmac. His hair was spiky, and he had an extended goatee. His eyebrows were thin and his eyes deeply set. Beside him was the Liam Neeson look-alike.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m going to kill him myself.” Cal charged, but Matthew reined him in, holding one arm while Robyn took the other.

  “If he’s here, where is Sophie?”

  “Good question,” Robyn said.

  Matthew and Robyn caught each other’s eyes. They let go of Cal, and Matthew was pleased that Cal somehow managed to stay put.

  Liam Neeson seemed more miserable than the day before. Apparently no one had slept. Matthew suspected this part of the arrangement wasn’t included in his original deal with Vincent.

  “Where’s Sophie, you son of a bitch?” Cal spat out the question.

  Liam held up his hand. “She’s being taken care of.”

  “Taken care of? What does that mean, exactly?”

  Instinctively, both Matthew and Robyn clutched Cal’s arms.

  “You get us to this City of Gold, and we’ll all be happy.” Liam turned to walk toward the plane.

  “Do you think I give a shit about your happiness? You’re a killer!” Cal broke free of his friends’ grips and tore after Liam.

  The man stopped moving and twisted at the hip. He drove his fist into Cal’s nose with starling force and accuracy.

  “Holy sh—” Cal cradled his nose. Robyn handed him a wad of tissues and rubbed his back.

  Adrenaline raced through Matthew. It took all his focus not to reciprocate with a well-aimed blow himself. And, there was a millisecond there when he actually thought he’d fought the urge. But then his fist caught Liam in the jaw.

  Liam’s eyes widened, and Matthew anticipated retaliation. Instead, Liam left through the spinning doors, mumbling, “This so isn’t worth this shit.”

  The other man remained silent.

  “Guess we’re stuck working together on this,” Matthew said to him.

  “Guess so. Name’s Kevin.”

  There was that voice—the one he had heard in the jungles of India, directing the herd of men to pursue them with gunfire. A quick glance at his friends told Matthew they recognized it, as well.

  “Are you sure we haven’t met already?” Matthew asked.

  “Not officially anyhow.”

  This was the guy. Matthew was certain. He made the introductions, and Kevin nodded. “And who’s the other guy?” Matthew asked.

  “Ian.”

  “Well, it’s best that he keep his face outta mine.” Cal spoke from behind his hands. The tissues were soaked with blood.

  Kevin nodded again—apparently, he was a man of few words—and then led the way out to the plane.

  Matthew gave another glance over his team. It definitely wasn’t the ideal start to their quest for Paititi. Robyn consoling Cal, Cal hurting over Sophie and sporting a bloody nose. At least it wasn’t broken.

  Matthew looked at his own knuckles. They were raw and tender from meeting Ian’s jawbone. This was shaping up to be just great.

  -

  Chapter 18

  THE LIAM NEESON LOOK-ALIKE HAD LEFT, and Sophie didn’t think he was coming back. But now she had his real name—Ian Bridges. A woman remained behind at the condo and her name was Veronica Vincent. She had cut the zip ties from Sophie’s wrists and ankles. For that, Sophie was thankful. Red marks and bruising had already begun, but she figured they were the least of her worries.

  The woman had also moved Sophie to a bedroom. It obviously belonged to Ian, as numerous frames on the bed’s bookcase headboard displayed photographs of him. Expensive-looking sculptures accented the space, and windows encompassed a full wall. The bed was a king, and the bedding was smooth to Sophie’s touch. She’d guess Egyptian cotton, at least 1,500 thread count.

  She may not be tied to a chair anymore, but she was in a makeshift prison cell. A man guarded her door, gifted with the face of a baboon—and that was being mean to the primate—and wearing a holstered gun. She’d wager he knew how to draw it in a hurry given the right provocation.

  She had withdrawn into the room and had lain down on the bed, trying not to give
any more thought to the fact that Ian slept there. Exhausted, her body had shut down for a while.

  Her eyes didn’t open again until it was a little after five.

  This was her second morning in captivity. She recalculated her options, as she had been doing since she came to yesterday. Even the windows offered no opportunity to plead for help. She was at least thirty stories aboveground. There weren’t any buildings across from where she was and below were train tracks. Farther out, sidewalks. Even if she flailed her arms in the window, it was unlikely anyone would see her, let alone pay her any attention. So despite the fact she was on display, she might as well be invisible. Her mind shifted from her desperate situation to the woman.

  She was a beautiful woman—Matthew’s one weakness. It wasn’t a stretch to place Matthew and this Veronica chick together at one point, and possibly on more than one occasion. Thinking about their paths intersecting made sense, even now, because Matthew had somehow managed to make a deal with the devil.

  The City of Gold in exchange for her release?

  Veronica had looked stoically on Sophie when she had delivered the message. It was ludicrous to think that her friends even stood a chance. There was no way the place existed. It was a poor man’s dream fueled by a greedy man’s hunger.

  Veronica had told her they’d have time to become acquainted. She also added that if her terms weren’t met within a deadline of six more days, Sophie was dead. Veronica had laughed at that prospect. This woman was physically beautiful, but she was a scary bitch.

  Being a real estate agent made Sophie good at reading people. Veronica was wealthy, as evidenced by her wardrobe, her jewelry, and the way she carried herself. But more importantly, she had influence. She utilized her looks to get whatever she wanted and she had that skill crafted into an art form. She also had a way about her that lured people in. Sophie wouldn’t exactly label it as charm. Charisma, maybe? A fine line divided the two, but the latter inspired devotion. Veronica likely valued and greatly rewarded loyalty.

  Sophie turned the door handle and found the baboon on the other side. “I need to use the washroom.”

  Vincent’s man stepped to the side and dipped his head.

  She walked past him down the hall, checking behind her diligently at short intervals. She latched the door and rummaged through the cabinets and drawers, wishing she were in a woman’s home. If she found a tube of lipstick, maybe she’d be able to take advantage of that large window after all. Still it was a reach that anyone would see the writing.

  Her endeavors were not rewarded. Braced on the counter, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She peered into her eyes. She didn’t really know who was in more danger of losing their life—her or her friends.

  -

  Chapter 19

  VINCENT’S PLANE WAS BUILT FOR luxury and didn’t exactly mirror the purpose for the trip. It was a means to get them to Bolivia. Nothing more.

  Matthew, Robyn, and Cal sat at a table while Kevin slept in a seat next to a window and Ian watched TV with earbuds. Matthew spread out a map on which he’d drawn out their approach to the supposed city of Paititi and noted the distances. He flattened it out, and Robyn and Cal each held a corner down. He ran through it for them, as Daniel had for him.

  “I keep thinking of that guy who was beaten to death with a club,” Cal said. “My damn nose hurts enough.”

  “Don’t worry, Cal. If you’re dead, you won’t feel anything.” Robyn smirked.

  “Didn’t you dump her ass in college? What is she still do—”

  Robyn shoved him in the shoulder.

  “Hey!”

  “Well you deserved it. And for your information, it was mutual.”

  “Come on, guys. I know this situation is shit, but it’s where we are and Sophie’s life depends on us succeeding.” Matthew, constantly the mediator.

  Cal became sullen, but he nodded. “Let’s look at those pictures again.”

  “Yeah, of course.” Matthew pulled out the aerial photographs that Daniel’s contacts had taken.

  Cal leaned across the table and spoke quietly. “These might be nothing more than a cave.”

  Robyn put her hand on Cal’s forearm. “We have to keep positive.”

  Matthew traced his fingertip from the tunnel to the large rectangular space. “It seems it’s just over two miles from where the passageway starts to Paititi.”

  “They don’t even look connected. Let’s hope there is a direct pathway that the technology didn’t pick up,” Robyn said.

  “I hate to always be the negative one in the group, but what if there’s no entrance to this void? What if it’s not even a tunnel?” Cal asked.

  Matthew looked between his friends. “Then we’ll need to walk through more jungle and climb a mountain and find another way in.”

  Cal sank back in his chair, his hand still holding his corner of the unraveled map so it wouldn’t curl. “Huh. But as your male maid kindly pointed out, we’re not mountain climbers.”

  “You know, this might be why he hates you,” Robyn chimed in.

  Cal pressed his lips. “And this spot between the mountain peaks, we’re pretty confident it’s Paititi?”

  Matthew shook his head. “We won’t know anything for sure until we get there.”

  “But I mean, obviously someone feels positive about this being the location or we wouldn’t have bartered with Sophie’s life.” Cal’s eyes moved from Matthew to Robyn and back to Matthew. “Right?”

  “This is our best bet, Cal,” Matthew said. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the best I can offer. And since none of us got much sleep last night, I suggest we rest up for the remainder of the flight. We won’t be getting in until about eight tonight, and it will take some time to drive down the highway and get set up in a motel. We’ll head out for the jungle tomorrow at first light. If you need to sleep, get it now.”

  IAN FEIGNED INTEREST IN THE stupid television program, but he was really listening in to what Matthew was saying. The thirteen years between them age-wise was enough to make him view Matthew as a child when it came to world experience, but he had a feeling the kid knew what he was talking about when it came to this Paititi.

  Not a second had passed that Ian hadn’t cursed his unconventional means of attempting to secure the Indian idol. He certainly never imagined the kidnapping ending with him headed to the jungle.

  Eavesdropping on the three friends discussing the trek made failing Vincent an appealing option. A bullet to the brain, even if preceded by torture, might be better than running into God knows what in the wild terrain of Bolivia.

  He glanced over and caught Matthew’s eye.

  A dull ache had taken up residence in Ian’s jaw since the man had punched him. Just looking at Matthew conjured feelings of rage. But he’d have to swallow the emotion if he was going to survive this. Based on the way his friends listened to him, and by the way he carried himself, Matthew had things under control, even though the underlying connotation to his words revealed doubt.

  Ian had figured this mission was put together in more haste than other excursions Matthew’s team had taken. Recognizing this fact only settled uneasiness and fear into the pit of his stomach. It was a feeling he wasn’t used to experiencing, and he didn’t like it.

  He hated the concept of being immersed in nature. He never liked camping as a kid, and as an adult, he never found a reason to subject himself to a wilderness experience. It was for other people. It didn’t suit him with his expensive taste and love for the finer things. He’d rather stay at a ritzy hotel than rough it in some tent.

  “Hey.”

  Great, Matthew had made eye contact with him again.

  “What?” Ian pulled out the earbuds.

  “Since we’re stuck with one another, you guys should know what you’re in for, too.”

  Ian didn’t m
iss the look the woman gave him. It was obvious she didn’t much care whether he or Kevin survived the ordeal or not. Buried beneath a professional job and her prestigious friends, Ian had no doubt that she possessed the ability to kill. The same really went for all three of them, and he’d keep a close eye on them. He was armed, but he suspected they were, as well. There’s no way they would enter the jungle without weapons. Unless he was giving them more credit than they deserved.

  “Just talk to us from where we’re sitting,” Kevin said, rubbing at his eyes like a damn baby waking up from sleeping. Being paired with this man was another penance for deviating off course. Never again.

  “Just tell us what we’re in for,” Ian said.

  “All right, well, you want the Sunday school version? Here it is: Jaguars, alligators, piranhas, pumas, and that’s just a bit about the wildlife. Then you have jellyfish-infested rivers and mosquitoes that can infect you with malaria. You have waterfalls and lagoons. You have steep climbs and then…well, then you have the weather. It can be sunny one moment and you can be freezing from a torrential downpour the next.”

  “So basically, we’re headed to hell.” Despite the severity of Kevin’s summation, his tone gave no indication he feared what lay ahead. Ian got the feeling Kevin had done this type of thing before.

  “And you’re certain we’re going to find this City of Gold?” Ian asked, testing him. He had heard Cal’s earlier question to Matthew despite his efforts to keep his voice low.

  “There are no certainties with this, just as there aren’t with anything else in life,” the woman said dryly.

  This was just great. They were headed for godforsaken terrain and he had some bitch preaching about life’s uncertainties. He was the living embodiment of that truth. He just hoped to walk away from it.

  -

  Chapter 20

  THE PLANE BUCKED IN THE air currents as the pilot brought it in for a landing. Robyn sat there, unable to pry her eyes from Vincent’s men. How dare Matthew get that woman involved with such an important mission? Finding Paititi held the power to transform myth into reality. It had the ability to reshape people’s thinking on the Incas of Peru. And what made for even greater impact, as Daniel had mentioned, was that people would start to believe again. Believe in life, in purpose, that anything they put their mind to was possible.