Gods and Men- The Hank Boyd Omnibus, page 12
part #1 of Gods and Men Series
His “off-the-books” work must be some of his black-op missions he refuses to admit he was a part of. Not that I’ve pushed the subject. It’s not exactly at the top of my ‘to know’ list right now.
“What’s it say?” I ask.
“It’s written just like Dr. Boyd’s Greek text back there,” he says, sounding out the words, pointing back towards the tunnel. “The words are just a little out of order. It says…” He rereads it to himself first, then recites the passage. “You may not be permitted to leave until the chosen has claimed his prize. Please pray you are he.”
“Great…another spooky riddle,” Omar says, standing up and moving away from the engraving, edging his way down a few steps.
Click.
There is a groan and a clunk that follows behind us, near the tunnel exit. Dad inches forward, back towards it, to where the sound originated from—when a huge slab of stone falls out of the ceiling and slams down on the top step of the staircase, blocking any sort of retreat.
The sudden bone-jarring strike to the stairs sends Dad reeling backward towards the precarious drop. He shouts in fright as his heel tips and then slips out from under him. But before he goes over the edge, I grab his shirt collar and yank him back into a standing position, holding him still as the room continues to shake.
As the quake lessens some, Dad steadies himself on the stair above me, letting out a long and shaky breath.
“Okaaay…” he says, looking down at the drop. “Let’s try to be a little more careful, shall we?” He gives my shoulder a pat, a silent thank you.
“Sorry,” Omar apologizes, lifting his foot. He reveals a hidden switch, causing whatever mechanism within the wall to go.
“So, down?” Nicole asks.
“Guess so,” I say. “Don’t really have another choice.”
“Can we please just get off these steps before a boulder chases us down them?” Kane asks.
I can’t help but think of the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indy is forced to outrun a giant boulder.
Not as exciting when it’s us getting chased though.
I let out a nervous laugh. “Lead on, Mr. Kane.”
Kane takes a step down.
Click.
“Shit,” Kane and I say in unison. I shut my eyes, and clench my teeth, waiting for whatever is about to happen to ensue.
Everyone else freezes as well.
Nobody breathes.
The sound of rushing water starts up again, except this time it’s accompanied by a low rumble of stone. The whole place starts to shake.
“I don’t think that’s water…” Kane says.
We turn and see streaks of lava pouring out from an assortment of recessed fissures in the cavern walls. Every fifty feet or so another stream of red-hot magma spills out of its hiding spot and streaks to the floor. We continue to watch as dozens of them begin to appear along the entire circumference of the room. After another few minutes of observation, we notice that the lava is being collected into what looks like a…
“Is that a moat of lava,” I ask.
“Sure is,” Kane says, trepidation in his voice.
A large ring of flowing lava has now turned the grounds around the pyramid into a fiery island.
“Did it get brighter in here, or is it just me?” Nicole asks.
Now that she mentions it, the view across the massive void seems to have lightened some. Also, the ceiling above us shimmers like the sun on the ocean’s waves.
“Now that’s ingenuity at its finest,” Dad says, hands on hips, smile on his face. His expression is one of pride. The genius being put on display is certainly awestriking for sure.
“Amazing,” I say mesmerized. “It’s like a light switch! The glow from the lava reflects on the ceiling panels—which I bet you are made of orichalcum. The reflected light then shines down on the rest of the cavern causing it to become brighter.”
“Incredible,” Nicole says with a matching look of wonder.
We just stand there, marveling at the technological innovations put into place thousands of years ago by this unknown, yet very advanced civilization. Personally, I could have stood there all day and watched this, but remember that we’re trapped underground, I decide to get us moving again.
After another moment of admiration, I finally break the silence. “Okay everyone, let’s go.”
26
He stood five hundred feet away, watching through a pair of high-powered binoculars as men and women rushed around the camp, attending to their duties. He was perched on the top of a dune, silently observing, taking it all in. The large piles of sand encircling the dig site made a perfect cover, giving him and his men ample time to get into position.
As he scanned the camp, he laughed at the lax security put into place. Then again, it was a scientific expedition, not a military outpost. He hadn’t even seen a single person carrying a weapon, although he knew there were a few somewhere. He was told as much.
The assassin smiled. Taking the camp was going to be easy and relatively stress-free. After dealing with his superior during the failed attempt at the airport, he could use a smooth op right about now. Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, Ahmed lowered his binoculars as one of his men stepped up beside him.
“Sir, we’re ready to move.”
Ahmed nodded. “Do it.”
Being the operation’s Unit Leader, Ahmed stood by and watched as his men descended upon the camp, about to do the dirty work. The perks of being in charge, he thought, lifting the binoculars back to his eyes.
A few seconds later the sound of automatic gunfire filled his ears, along with a chorus of frightened screams. He calmly strolled forward, making his way around the mounds of displaced sand. The quickly abandoned camp fell silent before he arrived. He didn’t even attempt to draw a weapon. There was no need.
Easy, he thought to himself as he stood in the center of the camp, tents surrounding him.
One of his men raced towards him, a small radio extended from his hand. A large dump truck was parked inside the site, facing towards him. Its girth was blocking him from seeing behind it, but he knew what to expect.
“Sir, we’ve intercepted their transmissions,” one of the men said, handing Ahmed a radio as it crackled to life. “They’re trying to establish communication with their team in the field.”
“Kane or Nicole, are you there? This is Roger. We’re under fire and falling back deeper into the park. We’ve lost five men and can't stay here.”
Static… No response.
“Dammit, guys… Again, we are falling back deeper into the Tassili’s and will await further instructions.”
Another moment of silence, accompanied by more static.
“Sorry guys, but you’re on your own, over and out.”
Ahmed was surprised at just how easy it had been to take the camp. He expected there to be some kind of resistance, but thankfully, no one tried anything dumb. The researchers fled without causing any problems, which was smart. The deaths of the first crew members encountered made sure of that. He had ordered his men to eliminate those that resisted, mostly the ones in charge of defending the site. Those with the means to fight back.
Satisfied that the rest of the researchers had fled and the camp was secure, Ahmed keyed his tactical mic—a direct line to his superior.
“Sir, this is Viper, we have taken the site. Several of the researchers fled into the park. Zero casualties on our end. Over.”
“Very good. See that you succeed in the next part of the assignment.”
“Yes, sir. Do we track the survivors?” Ahmed asked.
“Not necessary,” Wolf replied. “But just in case they try to return and salvage anything, leave two men on location. If need be, take care of them when you return to the surface.”
As he spoke with his superior, Ahmed circled the large truck, moving to the right-hand edge of the sandy incline. He stopped and stared at the impossibly large golden slab. At its center were the dump truck and a large A-frame rig. A thick cable connected them, impressing Ahmed with the simple, yet, effective design.
Sometimes the simplest designs were the best ones, he thought, releasing the tactical mic. A group of soldiers had joined him, overlooking the excavation, commenting on its potential value.
“Okay, gentlemen,” he said, “clip on.” Ahmed then reactivated his tactical mic, once again opening the line to Wolf.
“Wolf, we are descending and will be out of contact until we return. Any idea what we can expect down there? Over.”
There was an uncomfortable silence over the airwaves, propelling him to ask his question again.
“Sir? Any idea—”
“I heard you, Captain,” said an obviously irritated voice. “As to what you can expect…”
More silence.
“Sir?” Ahmed asked.
“Death, Mr. Hajjar. You will find death.”
27
We get into a single file line and head down the long staircase. As a precaution, we give each other a four-step buffer. None of us want to accidentally drag someone else down with us if we should fall. The stairs themselves are somewhat run of the mill, except for the fact that they’re a little longer and deeper than your average step. These were definitely created for someone with a longer stride and a bigger foot than your average man would have. It has me wondering even more than before who built this.
The tall man in black robes? Remembering the fourth of the elders—The End—from my vision gives me the chills.
The flight of stairs ends unspectacularly with a solid platform of stone. This landing is still a good fifty feet above ground level but gives us another—closer—view of the dark pyramid. The landing reminds me of an observation deck that a national park might have. From this level, two more sets of stairs split off. One heads left, and the other goes right.
“Which way?” Kane asks. “Left or right?”
The route to the left leads into what looks like a forest, only these aren’t trees in the ordinary sense. These trees are stone-like pillars and seem to have formed randomly over the years. They have branches, also made of stone, but no leaves. It’s like the haunted woods you’d see in a horror movie but crudely cut from an obsidian colored stone.
It’s then I notice the finer detail in them.
The strange phenomenon has also, unfortunately, produced a maze-like construction that must be traversed to reach our goal, the pyramid. Super creepy if you ask me.
The right-hand path isn’t much better either. It leads towards the bank of the molten lava moat. The coastline is black with soot, and rocky crags protrude from the earth. There also appears to be hot spots in the ground that one could fall through if not carefully navigated. Butting up to the moat is about thirty feet of coastline, give-or-take. It ends at the tree line with a thicket of branches. The problem is, they are so tightly packed that there’s no way through them. You may end up walking the coast for hours and end up right back here.
I glance up and see that the shoreline disappears around a bend further into the distance, never leaving the riverside.
“Left, you get lost forever and die. Right, you burn to death in the River Styx...and die.”
“Thanks for that inspiring observation, Mr. Kane,” Dad says, shaking his head.
“Do we split up?” Omar asks.
Two people answer simultaneously.
“Yes.”
“No.”
I look over and see Nicole and Dad, facing off in a staredown.
Now usually I would come to my father’s rescue, but they have a history and a relationship that I wouldn’t dream of getting in the middle of. Plus, Nicole sort of frightens me in a way a woman never has. She’s beautiful but intimidating. It’s like…I would love to buy her a drink someday, but would probably be too scared to ask her out.
Freshman year all over again.
“We can’t split up down here with no knowledge of where we’re going or what we are going to encounter!” Dad bellows, making perfect sense. “I can’t believe you’d think otherwise.”
“We have to split up,” she says in what I now know is her angry voice. It’s low and barely being held back. “We need to follow both paths and see where they lead. We have the responsibility to chart a course through the unfamiliar. We have our objective.” She points towards the pyramid, also making sense. “We have the supplies and the necessary equipment to navigate both routes.”
I’m surprised who steps in and takes control of the situation.
Me.
“Stop it, both of you!”
Two sets of eyes snap towards me. I almost melt under the fire of their stare, but I get a nudge from behind. Kane gives me a fist pump with an atta-boy, trying to make me feel better about my stupid decision to intervene. Even the former military man didn’t think it wise to speak up.
“Look, we should get some rest,” I say to the pair. “We need to come up with a plan that everyone agrees on. The five of us need to be in on this thing together, 110-percent simpatico.”
Neither reacts.
“AGREED?” I yell, my fried nerves taking over. I’m about done with this childish behavior.
Both twitch at my outburst but finally nod in agreement.
“Omar,” Dad says, “could you please unpack the bags? Let’s get started on some food.”
“I’ll help,” Nicole says, walking over to the two men. She stops next to Dad and places a tired hand on his shoulder. She gets a weary smile back as they begin to unfurl Omar’s pack.
I walk over to Kane who’s standing by the edge of the platform, staring out over the valley towards the pyramid. He’s scanning the surrounding forest, no doubt looking for a threat that doesn’t exist.
“What are you thinking?” I ask.
“That this is gonna suck no matter which path we take.”
Yep, I won’t argue with that.
Then I look up at the bigger man and see him wearing a pair of—
“Are those Oakley’s?” I ask.
He nods.
“In a cave? You’re wearing sunglasses underground?”
I’m about to make a Corey Hart, “Sunglasses at Night,” reference—but before I can, he hands me a pair. I give him a questioning look and slip them on.
Nothing happens. The lenses appear to be perfectly clear, not even tinted.
“Hold your finger over the right temple arm, near the hinge,” he instructs.
I place my finger where he told me to, and the world around me blinks to life in various shades of green.
Nooo way.
“Are these—”
“A little toy the boys in Langley have been working on,” he says, finally giving me a clue to his employment. CIA all the way. “Night Vision Specs, or NVS, are a work in progress and are in the process of being tested by some of the best soldiers in the world as we speak. Once approved, every Special Forces unit in the United States military will have a pair. They have a built-in infrared switch, used to turn them on and off. If you don’t need the night vision, then you just switch ‘em off, no need to take them off. They gave me a pair to test.”
“How did you get two pairs?”
“Honestly,” he says with a sheepish grin, “I borrowed the other pair. I thought they were cool at first and then I figured, what the hell, you never know.”
“But, why two?” I ask.
The big guy actually blushes a little.
“I’m terrible with these things. I always lose them. I figure I better cover my ass just in case I lost a pair on this op. That’s why I always buy the cheap knock-offs back home—seven bucks at a gas station. Then, I won’t care if I lose them.”
I’m too afraid to ask how much this costs. But I don’t have to. Kane supplies the details for me.
“If you’re wondering, each pair cost Uncle Sam about a mil,” he admits.
“What? I’m wearing a pair of sunglasses that cost a million dollars to build?”
“One-point-two million, to be exact,” he adds. “They’re prototypes after all.”
Shocked, I turn my attention back to the scenery around us. For the first time since we arrived, I can actually see the detail of the world around us. It’s amazing in a horrifyingly gloomy kind of way.
“But, that’s not the worst news,” Kane whispers.
“What do you mean?” I ask a little confused.
“We’re not alone.”
28
“What did you see?” Dad asks.
We’re all gathered around the edge of the precipice, peering out into the stone forest. Kane and I still have on our high-tech specs, both of us still scanning the scene for signs of movement. Personally, I don’t see a thing—minus the foreboding view around us, but Kane is absolutely convinced he saw something. Something alive.
“Not much, just shadows, but there is definitely something out there,” Kane explains. “There isn’t enough ambient light to cause that many different shapes. If there was, we couldn’t be using these.” He points to his glasses.
I groan, unsure of Kane’s assessment, but I trust his judgment.
“Everything about this valley has me on edge,” I say. “From the drop into nothingness to the dead soldiers, the coded messages, and who could forget the stone wall that now has us trapped down in the Atlantean underworld…” Right as the last words come out of my mouth, I get an awful notion.
Dammit, I think, exhaling hard. You had to go and think that up.
“It’s Hell…” I say in a hushed tone, verbalizing his presumption.
Everyone stops and looks at me. The blank expressions on their faces tell me they recognize the seriousness in my voice.
“It all makes sense,” I continue. “The bridge from one world to another—between the tunnel and the staircase. It’s a symbol of crossing over the literal threshold. Whatever populace we’re dealing with believed in the underworld so much that they built a physical version of it.”
“So what you’re saying is that we’re currently trapped in some sort of physical Hell?” Kane asks.
