‘That’s right!’
‘And how exactly is he going to do this?’
‘I don’t know. But I trust him,’ she quickly added. ‘Everything the Prophet says makes sense. Revelation will come to pass, and God’s kingdom on earth will begin.’
‘So you think your Prophet’s a good man?’
‘Of course he is!’
Nina’s expression hardened. ‘Good men don’t kidnap pregnant women, Miriam. And they don’t torture people to force them to cooperate.’
She shook her head. ‘He wouldn’t do that.’
‘He has done that! He made me watch my husband being electrocuted with a cattle prod!’ Seeing the other woman’s dismay, she pressed on: ‘He’s no prophet; he’s an ex-CIA agent who went nuts. Whatever Cross really wants, it’s not peace on earth and everyone singing “Kumbaya”. You’ve got to help me!’
Miriam scowled. Nina realised she’d pushed too hard and put her on the defensive. ‘He’s not nuts,’ she protested. ‘You’ll see. When the angels are all released and the seventh trumpet blows, you’ll see!’
‘What will I see?’
‘The truth,’ said a new voice. They had almost reached the church, and Nina looked up to see Cross at the top of the steps. ‘God’s truth will be revealed.’ His eyes flicked towards the papers Nina was holding. ‘Soon, I hope. Very soon.’
Miriam curtseyed. ‘Prophet, I’ve brought her, like you asked.’
‘Thank you, Miriam. You can go back to your studies now.’
She nodded, giving the archaeologist an uncertain look before departing. Nina glowered at her host. ‘Hope you’re not expecting me to curtsey.’
‘Come inside, Dr Wilde,’ he said. ‘I hope we’ve got a lot to talk about.’
Nina followed Cross into the church. With him was a large young man she didn’t recognise, hard-faced and with a distinctly military-style moustache. ‘Replacement bodyguard?’ she asked. ‘What happened to the charmers who brought me here?’
‘The Witnesses are preparing for a mission,’ Cross replied. ‘They flew out last night; I want them ready to move as soon as you find the location of the first angel.’
‘They’re the two witnesses?’ Nina asked, picking up on another Revelation reference.
‘Yes.’
‘That explains the outfits, then.’
Cross nodded. ‘Chapter eleven, verse three — “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”’
‘Must be itchy for them. Especially in this heat.’ Even early in the day, the temperature was already well over seventy degrees Fahrenheit.
‘They can endure it. They’ll endure anything to get the job done.’
They went through to the control room. It had acquired a table and chairs since her previous visit. Cross’s imposing high-tech throne was at its head; he took his seat and gestured for Nina to join him. She sat at the opposite end, making a point of sliding her chair as far away from him as possible. The other man took up a somewhat intimidating position close behind her. ‘Now,’ said Cross, ‘the Synagogue of Satan, the Throne of Satan and the Place in the Wilderness. Do you know where they are?’
‘Not yet,’ she lied. ‘I might have some ideas — but I’m not doing anything until I see that Eddie’s okay.’
The cult leader let out an irritated breath. ‘All right. You can see him.’ His hand went to one of the touch screens.
‘And talk to him.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘Don’t push me, Dr Wilde. My patience isn’t infinite.’
‘Mine’s hanging by a frickin’ thread. I want to talk to Eddie before I do anything else.’
‘You want to talk to him? All right.’ There was a nasty undertone that immediately put her on alert, but he tapped at the pad. The wall of screens lit up, showing the same elevated angle of Eddie as before. He was either asleep or unconscious, his arms and legs still secured. ‘There he is.’
‘Eddie!’ she called. ‘Eddie, are you okay? Eddie!’
‘He can’t hear you,’ Cross said. ‘I haven’t turned on the microphone yet.’
‘Then do that. You want me to cooperate, you want me to find your damn angels? Then let me talk to him.’
He sneered, then ran his finger over a slider. ‘Okay.’
‘Eddie, can you hear me?’ she said.
For a moment there was no response, then her husband raised his head. ‘Nina?’ he croaked.
‘Oh, thank God. Are you all right?’
He tried to move, only to let out a sharp gasp. ‘Ow! No, my arms are fucking killing me. These bastards left me cuffed to this fucking chair all night.’ He rolled both shoulders, trying to ease the pain in his stiff muscles. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yeah.’
‘And the baby?’
‘Fine, it’s fine. They haven’t done anything to hurt me — yet.’
‘Wish I could say the same.’
‘Me too. But I’m going to do everything I can to get you out of there. They’re trying to find the angels in the Throne and Synagogue of Satan—’
Cross stabbed at the pad again, cutting her off. Only one end of the link had been muted, though. ‘Nina?’ said Eddie with growing anger and alarm. ‘Nina, what’s happening?’
‘You’ve spoken to him,’ Cross said to Nina. ‘Now, this is what happens if you make another demand of me.’ Another swipe at the slider. ‘Mr Irton? Proceed.’
‘No!’ cried Nina, but he had already cut the mic. Irton stepped into frame, holding a couple of large, thick cloths.
Eddie struggled uselessly against his bonds. ‘You get away from me, you fucking—’
Irton punched him in the stomach, leaving him gasping. Two more men came into view. One went behind the chair, releasing a chain that was holding it to a metal ring on the floor, while Irton wrapped both cloths tightly around the Englishman’s head.
Nina realised what they were about to do. ‘God, no!’ she cried, jumping to her feet, but the bodyguard pushed her roughly back down. ‘Don’t, please!’ She grabbed her notes and waved them at Cross. ‘I’ll tell you what I’ve found out!’
His response was a look of cold dismissal. ‘I warned you, Dr Wilde.’ He worked the volume control again. ‘Do it.’
The cloths were secured. Eddie jerked in the seat, straining to draw in air through the stifling material. The two other men hauled the chair and its occupant a foot off the floor, then tipped it until the back of Eddie’s head thumped against the concrete. Nina cringed, knowing that he was about to suffer even more — and that she was utterly helpless to prevent it.
Irton had moved out of sight while his companions lifted the chair; he now returned holding a bucket of water, which he held over Eddie’s head…
And started to pour.
The water splashed on to the wrapped cloth. The weight of the sodden material pressed it down on to Eddie’s face, revealing its contours — and his mouth opening wide as water filled his nostrils. He tried to cry out, but all that emerged was a gargling moan as Irton kept pouring.
Nina stood again, but was shoved back into her chair. ‘Stop it! Stop! Let him go!’ she screamed at Cross. ‘You bastard, you’re killing him!’
‘He’ll live,’ he replied. ‘British special forces, wasn’t he? He’ll have had SERE training; he can withstand being waterboarded. For a while, at least. Nobody can hold out for ever.’ He looked back at the screens, where Eddie was squirming as the water flowed over his head. ‘The CIA didn’t teach us these techniques so we could resist them. They taught them so we know how to use them.’
She stared at him, appalled. ‘You’re insane.’
‘Insanity is seeing all the evils in this world and refusing to do anything to stop them. I’m going to stop them, Dr Wilde. And you’ll help me.’ His intense eyes locked on to hers. ‘Are we in agreement?’