Solomon's Scrolls, page 25
part #1 of A North and Swiftwater Thriller Series
“For Tiva,” repeated Kim, slamming her tool home, too.
Connor looked Kim in the eyes and said, “On three.”
Kim nodded with fierce determination.
“One-two-three.”
Kim and Connor bent at the knees, grunting as they tried to budge the stone cover. After a few seconds, Connor said, “Stop what you’re doing and catch your breath. This is heavier than it looks.”
Kim released her wooden handle and stepped back; her chest was heaving. “Okay, but no more than a minute.”
Connor reached for a canteen on his belt. “You got it.”
“What happens if we can’t lift the lid?”
“Then we draft Yuri when he gets here to help us. One way or another, it’s coming off today.”
Kim spat on her hands and grasped hold of her pickaxe handle. “Let’s do this.”
Connor did likewise and mouthed, counting down from three. Finally, on zero, they dug deep inside their bodies and pulled as hard as possible.
Errrrrk!
The lid budged slightly and scraped across the surface.
“Yes!” said Connor, digging in his feet and pushing harder.
The top moved an inch, then another, and then suddenly, it slid to one side, exposing Grenier’s remains.
Kim and Connor, taken by surprise, jumped back for a moment before composing themselves and peering inside the stone coffin. The late knight lay in full armor, with his shield and sword in his mailed hands. A purple cloth covered the man’s face.
“I think we’ll leave that there,” suggested Connor.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” said Kim, not keen to see whether the man’s face was mummified or not.
Connor looked over the remains and then respectfully moved Grenier’s shield aside, exposing a canvas bag underneath. He took hold of the bag and picked it up. Connor moved away from the sarcophagus, and with his stomach tied in a knot, he opened the bag. Four copper tablets inlaid with writing in gold shone under his headlamp.
“Don’t just stand there gazing,” said Kim, “tell me what you’ve got.”
Connor handed Kim the bag. “All I can say is B-I-N-G-O, we’ve done it.”
“Oh my God, you’re right!” exclaimed Kim, almost dropping the heavy bag. But instead, she sat on the floor and held one of the inscribed copper tablets aloft. Her eyes shone as bright as the tablet in her hand.
Connor let Kim revel in their glory for a few seconds before bringing her back to reality. “Now that we have Solomon’s scrolls, what do we do with them?”
“Damn, just when I was starting to forget the real world.” Kim slid the tablet back into its sack. “Before we do anything, we should close Grenier’s sarcophagus to help preserve his remains.”
“Yeah, that seems to be the decent thing to do.”
Replacing the lid seemed easier than prying it loose. In under a minute, the deed was done, and Grenier’s eternal sleep continued.
“Let’s leave the scrolls here for now and go for a walk,” suggested Connor.
“A walk! Why, what are you thinking?”
“Because I was always taught that it’s always better to see your ground from the enemy’s perspective before going into battle.”
“A battle, what battle?”
Connor grinned. “The one to save Tiva’s life and give DuFour one hell of a bloody nose.”
Yuri brought the Twin Otter up onto the black-sand beach and switched off its engine. Before Yuri had undone his safety harness, Connor was already climbing on one of the plane’s floats to get inside.
“Hold on a minute, partner,” said Yuri, channeling his best John Wayne impersonation. “I’ll be there in a minute to unload the inventory.”
Connor nodded and stepped back out of the way. “Sorry, but it’s going to be dark in a few hours, and I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Yuri, tipping his hat in Kim’s direction.
“Thanks,” replied Connor, helping Yuri lift a couple of wooden crates out of the plane and onto the beach.
Yuri flipped open the lid of the first box. “Okay, you asked for an M4 with ten magazines and six hundred rounds.” Yuri picked up a hunting rifle and handed it to Connor. “Instead, I present to you a Savage Model 110 bolt-action rifle with bipod and scope.”
Connor grasped the rifle, ensured it was clear, and then looked through the scope. “Not bad. How many rounds did you get?”
Yuri tossed him two boxes.
“Forty rounds, great,” said Connor, stuffing them into his pockets.
“It’s all they could spare. Sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. What else did you get?”
Yuri grabbed an old ammo can and yanked it open. “You asked for Claymore mines. Unfortunately, the best I can do are two sticks of dynamite, two large glass jars, hundreds of tiny nails, blasting caps, and pull-pin fuses.”
Connor nodded thoughtfully. “Okay, so far, not too bad. Pistols?”
“That was easier than I thought.” Yuri put the ammo box aside and gave Connor a Glock 19 with a suppressor on the barrel. “I have two, plus one hundred rounds of 9mm ammo.”
Connor looked back at Kim, who instantly shook her head.
“I’m no good with guns,” said Kim. “I’d shoot myself in the foot if you gave that pistol to me.”
“Okay, Yuri, it looks like the second pistol is yours.”
“Suits me,” he said, sliding it into his belt.
Connor nudged the second crate with his foot. “What’s in the second box?”
“There’s a camo jacket and vest for you. A pair of radios, binos, knives, traffic flares, thermite explosives, bungee cord, and two sets of coveralls. I still have the wood and old clothes for stuffing you requested on the plane.”
“Coveralls?” asked Kim.
Connor grinned. “Scarecrows. We used them in Africa, and if timed just right, they’ll scare the crap out of whoever is coming your way. I’m hoping they’ll buy me some time to get my hands on an M4 so I can even the fight.”
Yuri cleared his throat. “Speaking of that, the word on the street is that twenty men are headed this way first thing tomorrow morning. That’s a lot of firepower to deal with, partner.”
“I know”
“So, what are we going to do?”
“First, you’re going to hide your plane and then return with Gunnar’s dead friend’s boat.”
“And after that?”
“Pray for a miracle.” For the next ten minutes, Connor outlined his plan. Finally, when he was done, he looked his comrades in the eyes. “Well, what do you think?”
Yuri shrugged. “Custer thought his plan was foolproof, too, but I can’t think of anything better. So, I’m in. And before we go much further, where did you say that boat was hidden?”
Connor pointed off to the east. “That way, I think.”
“Got it.”
Connor turned and looked at Kim. “I need to know what you’re thinking.”
“Twenty men sounds like a lot,” she said. “But I’m in, as well. Let’s give them hell.”
Connor smiled. “All right, my friends, let’s get to work.”
“This has to be the longest night of my life,” said Kim. Wrapped in a warm blanket, she stared at the millions of stars in the clear night sky.
“I know what you mean,” agreed Connor, tossing some wood on their small fire.
Nearby, Yuri lay under a tarp, fast asleep and snoring up a storm.
“The one good thing about being so far away from civilization is we get a spectacular view of the Milky Way,” said Connor. “It’s like this where I work in Africa. So beautiful and peaceful.”
Kim glanced over at Connor. “You miss it, don’t you?”
Connor nodded. “Yeah, I do. But my love for it also got me into this mess. I originally signed on to Jason’s nonsense on the condition that he helps keep the anti-poaching team I work with operating for another ten years, keeping the mountain gorillas safe. Then, you came along and changed the equation. And lastly, Tiva, a girl I have never met, has brought us all here.”
Kim smiled and shifted a little closer. “What do you mean, I changed the equation?”
“It’s my clumsy way of saying I couldn’t leave a friend in the lurch.”
“When this is over, are you planning on heading back to Africa, or are you looking at taking some time off first?”
“I don’t know. I guess it depends on how tomorrow goes.”
Kim tilted her head. “How so?”
“First, we have to survive the day, and secondly, I have to live with what I’m about to do.”
Kim looked away at the fire. “Sorry, I hadn’t thought of that.”
“It’s all right. Most people never do. If this were only about money, I’d walk away and never look back, but it’s not anymore. My only real quarrel is with Vallin and DuFour. If I can get the rest to leave without killing too many of them, and Tiva is safe, I’ll have done my job, and my conscience will be clear.”
“It all sounds so simple.”
“I know, but it rarely ever is. Tomorrow is going to be hell.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Rene DuFour sat quietly at the front of the Griffon hovercraft as it skimmed over the cold, dark waters of the North Atlantic at close to fifty knots an hour. A light rain fell from the leaden sky, making it hard to see through the windows. Not that DuFour cared. His mind was filled with dreams of the unimaginable wealth that would soon be his. Next to him sat Demi, The Order’s red-haired minder, in an all-green leather outfit, absentmindedly loading and unloading her 9mm Glock 17 pistol.
“Sir, we’re five minutes out,” reported Gunnar, sitting behind DuFour with his hands tied behind his back. The poor grad student’s face was a mess. He had two black eyes, red, puffy cheeks, and a split lip.
“Thank you,” replied DuFour. He looked over his shoulder at his assault team leader, “Jean, get your people ready.”
“Yes, sir.” Vallin undid his seatbelt, stood, and slung his SMG over his shoulder. Like the rest of his team, Vallin wore a mix of military and civilian clothing.
“Do you need me to do anything?” asked Gunnar meekly.
“No, just sit there and keep your mouth shut!” snapped Vallin, showing him the back of his gloved hand. “That’s unless you want me to help rearrange your face again.”
Gunnar looked away and meekly shook his head.
Vallin glanced down at Tiva, sitting next to Jenny, a black woman with a thick, British accent and a slightly round face. The young captive wore warm clothes, a comical patch over her left eye, and a pirate hat canted on her head. For a brief second, Vallin felt uneasy about ordering Tiva’s kidnapping, but that was nothing compared to what awaited her if her aunt and Connor North didn’t play ball and hand over the tablets. He cleared his mind of such thoughts and instead focussed it on the mission at hand.
Vallin walked back to the crew compartment, brought his fingers to his lips, and let out an ear-piercing whistle. His team was a mix of ex-military and police officers who had been kicked out of their respective services for a variety of charges. He waited until everyone’s eyes were on him and him alone. “Oy, everybody, listen up. We land in five. I don’t expect any trouble today, but if there is, don’t hesitate to kill anyone who gets in your way. You can’t collect your money if you are dead.”
“It’s okay; I was planning on spending Santiago’s anyway,” said a tough-looking woman with a short ponytail.
“You wish, Gabrielle,” replied her partner, a broad-shouldered man with curly black hair and a neatly trimmed beard.
A gruff chuckle filled the cabin.
“I’m serious,” stressed Vallin. “Shoot to kill.”
“And what if your plan goes awry?” asked Rin, unbuckling herself from her chair.
Vallin was tired of Rin’s face. In fact, he despised everything about her. “It won’t. Trust me.”
“It’s your life.”
“Yeah, and I intend on being around to enjoy my retirement. Now, get out of my way. I have a job to do.”
Kim stood alone on the sandy beach beside the dead man’s Zodiac. She wore a blue ball cap and had her jacket done up to her neck to keep the rain out. Kim silently prayed to her ancestors for their help in protecting Tiva today. She knew she was far from pious, but for the next hour or so, she hoped the spirits would overlook that fact. Then, the faint noise of an engine caught her attention. Her stomach instantly tightened. Kim brought up a radio to her lips. “They’re coming.”
“Can you see them?” asked Connor.
“No—wait, I think I can see them now.” A dark shape drove through the fog and sped toward the beach. “It looks like they’re in a hovercraft.”
“Remember what we talked about and do whatever they say, and this will all soon be over.”
“I hope so.”
“So do I.”
“Keep your head down, Marine.”
“You too.”
“I’ve got to go…they’re here.”
The hovercraft slowed and then drove up onto the beach. The driver maneuvered his craft alongside Kim and switched off its engines, deflating its air-filled skirt. A second later, the hovercraft’s side doors flung open, and Vallin’s mercenaries rushed out of the craft and quickly established a cordon.
Gabrielle dashed over and pointed her Swedish-made compact SMG at Kim’s stomach. “Hands up.”
Kim slowly raised her hands.
Gabrielle quickly searched Kim for any hidden weapons. All she found was Kim’s Motorola, which she looked over and tossed back to her.
Vallin and Rin followed his people out into the rain.
“Is she clean?” Vallin asked Gabrielle.
“Yeah,” replied the killer. “She’s only packing a radio.”
Vallin stepped uncomfortably close and glared at Kim before pulling back on his weapon’s charging lever and loading a 9mm round into its chamber. “Where’s North?” he asked.
“He’s at the burial chamber, waiting for my signal that DuFour has agreed to release Tiva in exchange for the tablets,” responded Kim.
Vallin looked back at the hovercraft and yelled, “Hey, Karlsen, get your arse out here now!”
Gunnar tripped over his feet exiting the craft and fell end over end onto the beach. He stood, avoiding eye contact with Kim. “Yes,” he said to Vallin.
“How far away is the burial chamber?”
Gunnar raised his bound hands and gestured inland. “It’s about three hundred meters from here. The closest ruins, however, are just off the beach.”
“I never bloody well asked that,” snarled Vallin, slapping Gunnar across his face.
Gunnar staggered back and lowered his head. “I’m sorry.” The poor grad student had fallen afoul of Vallin the instant they met. Angered by Rin’s continued presence, Vallin had taken out his pent-up frustration on Gunnar.
Vallin looked past Kim at the Zodiac. “Where’s Karlsen’s contact?”
“Dead,” replied Kim. “He fell into a trap and was skewered to death.”
Vallin chuckled. “Figures. Did you set the trap?”
“No, it was already inside the tomb.”
“Jean, what’s going on?” DuFour asked, stepping foot on the beach with Demi a step behind him.
The tough-looking mercenary turned to face his boss. “I’m just getting the lay of the land, sir.”
“Well, whatever you’re doing, hurry up. I don’t like being cold and wet.”
“Sir, Ms. Swiftwater’s partner is waiting about three hundred meters inland to trade the scrolls for the girl.”
“So be it. Bring the girl out.”
Kim bit her lip and held her breath.
“Aunty Kimy,” cried Tiva, sprinting out of the hovercraft and running into Kim’s arms.
Kim swung Tiva in the air and held her tight in her arms. “Hey there, sweet peach, how are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. I miss Mom and Dad, but Jenny has been really good to me.”
Kim placed Tiva back on the ground but held onto her left hand for dear life.
A black woman stood a few feet away with her hands by her sides. “I’m Jenny,” she said with a brief smile.
Kim sized Jenny up. She didn’t look dangerous, but looks could be deceiving. “Thanks for looking after Tiva.”
“It wasn’t hard. She’s a good kid.”
“Okay, I’ve had enough of this touchy-feely crap,” said Vallin. “Handcuff the two women together.”
“Hey, this wasn’t in my contract,” protested Jenny.
“I don’t care,” replied Vallin. “Gabrielle, cuff them.”
Jenny turned to leave. “Screw this!”
Vallin swung up his SMG and aimed it between Jenny’s eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t hear that.”
Jenny took a step back. “Okay, mister, you win. Please don’t shoot me.”
Tiva’s eyes widened. “Kimy, what’s happening? Why are these people being so mean to you and Jenny?”
Kim put on her best face as she and Jenny were cuffed. “It’s all right. This will all be over soon, and when it is, I’ll take you home. Would you like that?”
Tiva nodded.
“All right, Jean, let’s get this over with,” ordered DuFour.
Vallin paused. “Sir, I must advise caution. I don’t trust North or Swiftwater. They’re up to something.”
“Of course they are. But you’ve got twenty of the best mercenaries I could hire for you against one. So do your job and get me those scrolls.”
Vallin cursed his boss’ impatience and grabbed Gunnar by the collar. He dragged the helpless grad student off the beach until they could see the first ruins through the rain and mist. Vallin opened a pouch on his tactical vest and brought out his binoculars. He searched the grounds for any sign of North or what he might be planning. A shiver shot down his spine. The island looked barren and cold.
“How exactly is this village laid out on the ground?” demanded Vallin.
Gunnar pointed into the fog. “The first set of ruins is about one hundred meters straight ahead. You can’t miss it.”
