The Ra’id shook his head, confused. “Dr. Nesahor was here? We had no word of this.”
Kotler exchanged a look with Denzel. He turned back to the Ra’id. “Was there another vehicle here? Besides the two transports?”
“Satellites only showed us the transports, but we were not looking for other vehicles. We saw nothing on our approach.”
Kotler shook his head. “Then he must have left on foot.”
“What are the odds he could survive out here, without food or transportation?” Denzel asked.
The Ra’id shrugged. “Not high. The nearest village is the one near the dig site. He would be on his own here.”
Kotler turned and scanned the mountains to the horizon. It was formidable terrain. He’d experienced a small part of it himself, during his escape from Ammon, and he knew how harrowing a journey through these mountains could be. Nesahor, if he was out there, might not survive.
But then again …
“We can’t worry about him now,” Denzel said. “We have enough to deal with. I’m sure the Egyptian military is going to want us to debrief them.” He looked to the Ra’id, who nodded in affirmation.
“What about the artifacts?” Kotler asked. “They … they weren’t in that truck, were they?” He motioned to the cliff’s edge.
“We have recovered them from the equipment transport,” the Ra’id said.
Kotler nodded. “Good. I have a feeling there are more secrets for that sword to unlock.”
“Perhaps later,” the Ra’id said. “Now, if you will come with me.”
He led them to one of the helicopters, where Kotler and Denzel strapped in. Moments later they lifted off and glided above the mountains, and half an hour later they had covered the terrain it had taken two hours to cover in the trucks. They landed at the camp, which was now being used as a base of operations for the military. And as they exited the helicopter, they were guided to Sarraf’s former trailer. They were made comfortable, given food and water and coffee, and told to settle in.
They were going to be there for a while.
Two days later Kotler and Denzel were finally cleared, even encouraged, to return to the United States.
“The Egyptian government thanks you for your assistance,” they were told. “But your presence here is no longer required.”
It wasn’t exactly an order to leave the country, but it was clear that the Egyptians would prefer they moved on. There was the impression that they blamed Kotler and Denzel for what had gone down here, though they’d been made aware of the Alihat Iadida, and of both Sarraf’s and Nesahor’s involvement with the cult.
That awareness may have been all that prevented Kotler and Denzel from being loaded onto a plane at gunpoint and banned from ever returning.
As Kotler and Denzel walked through the camp on what was sure to be their final day, Denzel said, “I’m sorry Kotler. I know you were excited about doing some work here.”
Kotler considered this, looking around at the site as they passed tents and people resuming their duties. He recognized many of the archaeologists, most of whom he had worked with on various digs in the past. The work had been disrupted here, but it would start again. That was how things went, at a site such as this one.
He smiled and shook his head. “It’s ok. I think I’ve had my fill of this place. My only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to see what was on the other side of that stone. The Otherworld site.”
“Will they send anyone in there?” Denzel asked.
Kotler nodded. “Eventually. There’s a military presence there now, guarding it to make sure Nesahor or some other member of the Alihat Iadida doesn’t return. I’m out of the loop now, so I have no idea what the Egyptian government intends to do there. “
“Maybe they’ll invite you back,” Denzel offered. “This whole thing wasn’t your fault, after all.”
“Maybe,” Kotler shrugged. He felt a little bittersweet about the whole thing. He was still recovering from his own trek through mountains, just three days earlier, though his strength had returned in full. But there were other injuries. Seeing Martook stabbed in front of him. Knowing how close Denzel had come to being killed himself. These things tainted his sense of curiosity about the site. He found he just wanted to leave it to someone else, to move on.
It wasn't that returning to this site had been a mistake. It had simply changed Kotler's experience with the place. For twenty years he'd occasionally remembered his adventure with Martook, discovering the brass hall and recovering Credne's sword. He'd had some regret—that he'd been forced to leave the site he'd uncovered. But coming back here had provided some closure. Maybe not on all fronts, but in the ways that mattered. He could leave the rest for someone else, knowing he’d done all he could to make further exploration possible.
They came to the tent that had been their destination—the medical triage where several people now occupied beds. Maalyck was among them.
He had made a good recovery, though he was still too critical to transport out. He was awake, however, and lucid. He saw Kotler and Denzel as they entered, and he gestured for them to come closer.
He had a computer on his lap, and he closed it and placed it on a small table beside his bed, wincing slightly from the movement. He gently swept a hand through the lines of IV tubes and monitor wires, disentangling them and letting them drop down beside his bed. “Dr. Kotler,” he smiled. “I have wonderful news!”
“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Kotler smiled back, gesturing toward the laptop. “All of this can wait until you’ve been released from the hospital.”
Maalyck shook his head, and winced from the motion, but continued to smile. “I am fine. I will be fine. But I have been in communication with my people at the museum. And they have been in touch with the government. I have convinced them!”
Kotler shook his head. “Convinced them of what?”
“I have convinced them to let you be the one to enter the Otherworld chamber! You will be the one who uncovers its secrets, for the benefit of the world!”
Kotler exchanged a look with Denzel, who looked as bemused as Kotler felt. “Martook … Roland and I have been asked to leave Egypt. Today.”
“Old news,” Maalyck said, waving a dismissive hand. “My news is new. The military here hasn’t been caught up yet. They will receive new orders within the hour. And you were never asked to leave. I’m told it was merely … suggested. But you are still the museum’s first choice to lead the research here.”
Kotler shook his head and laughed. “I … I don’t know what to say. I’m honored that they still have that kind of faith in me.”
“They know that you were not the cause of any of this,” Maalyck said. He looked at Denzel then. “They know as well that it was Nesahor and Sarraf who stole the artifacts from this camp.” He paused and continued in a stern voice. “With no help from anyone else.”
Denzel’s eyebrows went up, and he smiled. “Oh do they? That explains the complete lack of questions about those artifacts when we were being debriefed.”
Maalyck grinned. “The moment I learned of Nesahor’s involvement, I told them all about it.”
Kotler shook his head and chuckled. “So it looks like I’m sticking around for a bit. But …” he looked at Denzel. “What about you?” Kotler turned back to Maalyck. “Do I have any leeway in choosing my team? For opening that chamber?”
Maalyck nodded. "I thought you might want such latitude. I have made arrangements. Agent Denzel is free to accompany you if you wish."
Kotler looked back to Denzel, questioning.
Denzel shook his head and laughed. “How could I refuse?”
Kotler grinned and asked Maalyck, “When can we leave?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The Otherworld site looked very different with an official Egyptian military presence. Several tents and trailers had been erected, and a fence had been set up around the perimeter, encasing the entire plateau. Armed men were stationed in posts arou
nd the camp at strategic spots, eliminating any chance that anyone could approach without being seen. Kotler and Denzel were the only non-military people onsite.
Kotler had opted to keep his team light. He had permission to enter the chamber below but had also been advised that any other personnel would have to endure a two-day background check. As Denzel had already had such a check, as part of their debriefing, he could accompany Kotler. Bringing anyone else from the Credne site would cause delays.
“We’ll document everything,” Kotler said. “And we can hand it off to someone else, once we have a bead on what’s down there.”
“Who would you hand it off too?” Denzel asked. “Dr. Maalyck?”
Kotler nodded. "He'd be my very first choice if he wants it. It's going to take time for him to recover, but I don't think anyone will mind the delay. It will give the museum and the government time to vet anyone Martook chooses to be on the team.”
They were standing at the edge of the ravine now, looking down at the shelf below. Unlike Kotler’s first trip down the side of this cliff, this time he would be lowered on a platform, along with any equipment he needed. He was inspecting the equipment now.
On the whole, Kotler kept things simple and light, confining everything to tow climber’s packs.
Lights would be crucial, as would a few small tools. Along with flashlights and clip-on lights, each pack included a couple of small diffused light kits that could be set up anywhere.
Each pack also contained radios to communicate with the surface, though the further they went into the mountain the less useful these would be.
The rest of the gear consisted of ropes and other climbing equipment, as well as a camera and a few tools and instruments they would use to document what they found.
Kotler watched as Denzel shoved energy bars and other food into his pack.
Denzel looked up at him and shrugged. “Old habits. Eat and sleep when you can, because you never know when you’re going to go without for a while.”
Kotler chuckled, and then, thinking about it, shoved a few energy bars into his own pack and made sure his water bottle was full.
Once preparations were made, Kotler discussed their plans with the military personnel on site, giving them a timeline for their expected return. There was no way to know how deep they’d have to go, or what they’d encounter along the way, but he estimated they should be back up top in about twelve hours. “It’s likely that once we're inside the mountain, we won't have much radio contact. The stone will block the signal. But when I can, I'll check in."
“We will be here,” the Ra’id said, nodding.
Kotler and Denzel stepped onto the platform then, packs at their feet, and were lowered to the rock shelf by a crane.
As the platform settled to the ledge, the two of them disembarked and set to inspecting the entryway. The platform would remain, tethered to a piton driven into the rock face. There was a control panel on the platform that would allow Kotler and Denzel to activate the crane and lift themselves out, should they need it.
As they looked over the entry, Kotler brushed away small chips of stone and pushed against the remaining rock to gauge its stability.
When the truck had fallen on it, the impact had fractured the stone, splitting it at an angle. Large chunks of the rock had broken away and fallen with the truck, creating a gap at the top that was wide enough for Kotler and Denzel to squeeze through. Kotler went in first, and Denzel handed their packs through to him one at a time, then followed.
Inside, Kotler turned on a flashlight, and Denzel did the same. They would move cautiously, with Kotler in the lead, inspecting the path before them for any signs of a trap or other dangers.
“How are you doing so far?” Kotler asked.
Denzel had gone quiet and a bit pale as they’d entered the tunnel, but he nodded. “I’m fine. Managing. I’ve had enough experiences in tight space lately that it’s not bothering me as much.”
Kotler studied him, mostly to see if his friend was lying. Denzel seemed stressed, but not so much that he was on the verge of a panic attack. In the three years they'd known each other, Kotler had watched as his friend made terrific strides in overcoming his claustrophobia. Primarily as a result of being forced to deal with it again and again.
As if reading Kotler’s mind, Denzel said, “We sure end up in a lot of caves and underground tunnels.”
Kotler chuckled. “At least we’re not being chased by armed mercenaries this time.”
Denzel nodded his agreement, and the two of them moved deeper into the mountain.
Progress was slow but steady. Kotler was being cautious, unsure if there might be dangers hidden here. This area seemed far more geologically stable than the Credne site, so that was one worry off his mind. There hadn’t been any sort of traps embedded in the other chambers, but this was different. The Otherworld was, according to Druidic mythology, the domain of the gods. If this site was meant to be that, or even just a gateway to it, the builders might have wanted to protect it.
Of course, placing it in a cave accessible only to those brave or insane enough to make the climb might have seemed like sufficient protection. But there was no harm in being cautious.
And it was his caution that alerted him to certain anomalies.
“Huh,” Kotler said, stopping and kneeling to inspect the stone walkway.
“What is it?” Denzel asked.
Kotler shook his head. “This path was carved by the builders, thousands of years ago. It must have been a massive effort, cutting into the stone to flatten and level this surface. They didn’t do this in any of the other chambers, except perhaps the brass hall. It makes sense that they’d put more effort into this place.” He motioned to the walls, which were natural stone, but bore carvings of runes and symbols, woven patterns that were meant as wards against intruders with ill intent, and as prayers to the gods to which this path led. “From what I can tell, this place was sealed a millennium ago, at the same time as the other chambers. But looking at the dust on this path, it looks … disturbed.”
“As in someone has been in here?” Denzel asked, suddenly on alert. “Recently?”
Kotler looked up and nodded. “It’s difficult to tell. There really isn’t much dust. It could just be a coincidence.”
“How many legitimate coincidences have you experienced in the past few years?” Denzel asked.
Kotler shook his head. His partner was right, and just the fact that Kotler sensed something amiss was enough reason to be on guard. “You didn’t happen to bring a gun, did you?” he asked.
Denzel huffed. “Kotler, I’m on vacation. We don’t get to bring our guns to foreign countries when we’re on vacation. Did you see me put a gun in my pack?”
“Just asking,” Kotler said, getting to his feet. He shrugged his pack off of his shoulders and patted a side pocket, removing the multi-tool he’d stored there. “I never got to use this, before,” he said, holding it up for Denzel to see. “I kind of think of it as a good luck charm now.” He slipped the tool into his pants pocket, keeping it within reach.
“Maybe I should have kept that satellite phone,” Denzel grumbled. He placed his own pack on the ground and pulled out a small climbing hammer, its head angled sharply. He hefted it, satisfied. “Just in case.” He slipped the hammer into his belt.
“Just in case,” Kotler agreed, hoping they were being paranoid.
They pressed on, and as they walked the carvings in the tunnel walls were soon accompanied by statues and other objects. Most were made of local stone. Some were made of jade and other imported materials. Finally, they began to see brass, silver, gold.
The walls here contained intaglios of fine gold thread, laid to illustrate vignettes of ancient battles and summits between beings of high power.
Kotler stopped, stunned.
“This … this is incredible,” he whispered.
Denzel stood beside him, examining a wall etched with a scene of several figures standing over a ba
ttlefield. The soldiers were at ease, bearing pikes and swords and shields, standing ready on the battle line. Pennants appeared to wave in a breeze long stilled by time. Bodies of fallen soldiers littered the grounds, but the survivors stood, watching. This was a battle that had been halted in mid-fight, while men and women of authority parlayed on the field.
“The gods,” Kotler said, his voice filled with awe.
“The Druid folks?” Denzel replied. “Credne and the others? The … the Toothy Dannans?”
“Tuatha dé Danann,” Kotler corrected. “And yes. But not just the Tuatha dé. Look here. That’s … I think that’s Thor. See the hammer? It’s shaped like the Norse depictions of it. And there, that one-eyed man would be Odin. But more remarkable, look here. That man holding a bolt of lightning … Zeus. And here, this woman with eight arms. I think that’s Durga, from the Hindu pantheon. And this figure with an elephant’s head is Ganesha.” He was moving now, leaning closer to inspect the figures. There were hundreds of them, each finely detailed with inlaid gold. “Here!” Kotler said. “This figure with the head of a jackal. That’s Anubis. This one, with a falcon’s head. Horus. There is Ra, Sekhmet, Isis. Egyptian gods.” He turned away finally, his face flushed. “Roland … there are gods here from every known pantheon, from around the world. Including a few I don’t even recognize!”
He turned back to the scene, studying it with giddy delight.
Denzel moved to a new position, examining it himself. “Kotler,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “I recognize this one.”
Kotler pulled away reluctantly, joining Denzel to study the wall from his vantage point. Kotler spotted a number of recognizable gods in the display but froze when he saw what Denzel was looking at.
Before them was a humanoid figure bearing the head of an owl. The owl’s head was composed of a series of circles, and it appeared to be turning its head to the side as if observing the scene before it quizzically.
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