I moved to another section. Then another one. Some parts of the pyramid felt smooth, others felt sharp. But I found nothing unusual.
Wait a second …
I maneuvered my left hand. My fingers brushed over a thin vertical ridge in the rock. A metal slab was embedded inside it. I traced the slab up the ridge. Then I grabbed the end of it and yanked.
The slab creaked.
Slowly, I pulled it down to a horizontal position.
A couple of the boulders trembled.
I stepped back.
The boulders started to move. They slid a few inches to the south, revealing a yawning black hole. A quick look indicated the boulders had been cut down and cemented together. Then they'd been placed on some kind of track to enable easy access.
I waved the others away from the rock gate. Then I darted to the side and pressed my back against the pyramid. Breathing heavily, I grabbed my pistol and machete.
I peeked into the dark interior. I saw a large grotto carved out of the mountain. Armored vehicles, covered in dust, were parked in the middle of the grotto. They looked old. Small pits lay underneath their engines. Charred wood and ashes filled the pits.
I crept toward the opening. But Beverly grabbed my sleeve and pointed into the grotto.
I followed her finger and saw two Sno-Cats. That cinched it. Roy, Zoey, and Davis were definitely inside the pyramid. I didn't particularly like the situation. They were shrouded in darkness. We were framed by the whiteout.
I edged around the curve and entered the grotto. Darkness engulfed me. It felt strangely warm.
"Any sign of them?" Beverly whispered.
I heard shuffling noises. I saw a flash of light. It illuminated the grotto.
Then the air exploded.
Chapter 80
With a violent scream, three figures raced toward us. Muzzles flared. Knives chopped at the darkness.
Beverly, Graham, Baxter, and I closed ranks. We fought back, using our guns like clubs. Flesh crunched. An anguished cry for help rang out.
Someone jostled me, knocked me over. I fell to the floor. I tried to get up but boots kicked at my head.
Through the frenzied turmoil, I saw Graham slump to a heap. His eyes looked dazed. Blood dripped from a gash on his forehead.
I glanced to the side. Saw Beverly's knife slice at the air. She stabbed Zoey in the stomach, retracted the blade, and then stabbed Warren through his neck. They shrieked and simultaneously fell to the ground.
She coiled up and lunged at Roy. Roy stood his ground and delivered a harsh chop. Beverly sank to the floor. Her limbs convulsed for a moment. Then she went still.
He bent over and placed a gun to the back of her head. I didn't have time to grab my pistol. So, I dove at him.
He parried the blow and socked me in the jaw. My vision exploded into lights. I aimed a punch at his stomach. He jumped out of the way. Then he unleashed a vicious kick.
It slammed into my ribs. My parka absorbed some of the blow. But it still hurt like hell.
I tried to breathe, but no air entered my lungs. Darkness crept over my eyes. I blinked a few times and saw Beverly stir. Baxter was with Graham, helping him rise to his feet.
Roy lifted his gun. "Time to die."
I struggled to normalize my breathing. "There's something I can't figure out."
"What's that?"
"How'd an experienced geologist like you get fooled by a pile of rock?"
He frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"This isn't a pyramid. It's a mountain."
"You're crazy." He waved his arms. "Look around. Only a great civilization could've built this place."
"This is a mountain, steeped in fractures. That's why the outside boulders are all different shapes and sizes."
"No." His eyes clouded over. "That's not right. We've studied every inch of this place."
"That's not all you did. You shaped the rock."
His face lost color.
"I saw the tool marks," I said. "You were so desperate to find a pyramid, you shaped this mountain to look like one."
"No." He shook his head. "I would never do that."
"Maybe not. But your subconscious would."
"But what about this grotto? What about all this stuff?"
"The grotto is natural for the most part." I nodded at the old vehicles. "The Nazis came here a few decades ago. They probably blasted it out to make a little more space. Then they used the extra rock to build the gate."
"The Nazis?"
"They called this place Werwolfsschanze."
"Yeah? Well, there's a door over there. Looks like it leads to a tunnel." He jabbed his thumb at the east wall. "How do you explain that?"
"It's just another fracture," I replied. "The Nazis might've shaped it and widened it out. But still, just a fracture."
His eyes cleared. A look of horror came across his visage.
"Face it." I grinned wickedly. "You thought you were on the verge of a great discovery. But when this goes public — and it will go public — you'll be remembered as one of the biggest jokes in history."
Roy grimaced. He lifted his gun.
I dove to the ground. Grabbed my pistol. But even as it filled my hand, I knew the effort was futile.
I turned to face him, to face death.
A gunshot rang out. It reverberated in the grotto.
I waited a second. Then I felt my head and chest. I didn't feel any wounds.
Slowly, Roy sank to the ground. I didn't have to see his lifeless eyes or the gaping hole in the side of his head to know what had happened.
Roy Savala had taken his own life.
Chapter 81
"Do you hear that?" Baxter's voice rumbled through the grotto. "Sounds like engines."
I raced to the gate. Through the crack, I saw a Sno-Cat stop just short of the mountain. Moments later, two trucks pulled up next to it.
"Well, that explains the tire marks near the Desolation." I glanced at Beverly. "Aaron's got friends. Lots of friends."
"Terrific," she replied.
I pushed the gate, trying to close it. But it withstood my efforts. "I hope one of you has an idea."
"We could shoot it out," Graham hurried to my side. "Or maybe not. Jesus Christ, they've got almost as many vehicles as we've got people."
"I'll hold them off." Beverly checked her ammunition. "I should be able to buy you a few minutes."
"I'll help out," Baxter said.
"Where are we going to go?" I asked.
She tilted her head toward the east wall. "Didn't that dead guy say something about a tunnel?"
"If we go any deeper into this place, we might not come out again."
"Would you rather stay here?" She moved to the crack. Bullets spat out of her gun. Angry shouts filled the air.
"No thanks." I stowed my pistol and grabbed my flashlight out of my satchel. Then I darted across the grotto. The area around me acted as a sort of echo chamber. My footsteps crashed against the ground. Soft breaths hissed out of my lips. Wads of snow dripped down my parka, splashing noisily against the rock floor.
The sheer size of the grotto amazed me. Brief glimpses showed signs of its former inhabitants. Blankets hung limply from sturdy cords, separating the space into individual sections. Each section contained cots and pieces of furniture. Oddly enough, the space looked orderly. Sort of like the Nazis might arrive at any minute to reclaim it.
By the time I reached the east wall, the gunfire sounded distant. Swiftly, I cast my beam at it. "Look at that." My words came out in one quick breath. "They stacked the furniture."
"I guess that settles it," Graham remarked. "We might as well add interior decorating to the long list of Nazi failures."