“Thanks, Dad.”
The landscape changed as they drove through a small town and approached the banks of the River Nile. The streets were clean and narrow, full of people brightly dressed. Young children carried and traded handmade necklaces to all that passed. Every man and woman, it seemed, called out to every other, seeking something. Men sold piles of oranges off the back of carts. A man walked his child along the street because there were no sidewalks. As they approached the banks of the Nile the landscape flattened and Alicia got her first view of the longest river in the world.
Sparkling under the sunlight, its waters were wide and fast-flowing. What she could see of the river banks were sandy and rock-strewn, just like most of Egypt, she reckoned. Crouch, at the wheel, continued to pick his way through the streets, following his app and aiming for the place where, earlier, he’d dropped a pin at the best vantage point he could find.
“Three minutes,” he said. “Get ready.”
“What are we looking for?” Alicia asked.
“Anything tomby,” Drake said. “And capstoney.”
“That’s a great help, thanks.”
“No worries.”
Crouch guided the car to the place he’d dropped the pin and braked, staring out the windshield. From here, the banks of the Nile were wide open due to a gap in the buildings. Dropping many feet from the top to the flowing river.
Crouch commented as he switched off the engine. “It’s possible were looking at a Tombs of the Nobles situation.”
Alicia raised one brow. “Totally.”
Crouch cracked open the door. “The Tombs of the Nobles lie on the west bank of the Nile, about halfway down the slope that leads to the river. The entrance stares over the width of the Nile. Could be the same here.”
“You got that view pinpointed?” Luther asked.
Crouch raised a thumb to gauge the distant peak, then checked his phone. “I do.”
“And they knew it would stay this way for all time?” Luther sounded supremely skeptical.
But Crouch had no problem rounding on him. “Y’know, stop being such a bloody wet towel. No, of course they couldn’t be sure. People build tombs and raise buildings every single day, hoping they stand the test of time as some kind of memorial. But they don’t know. What they have — is faith. I’m so sick of hearing people like you repeating the same old bloody mantra. Nobody knows what will survive a thousand years or even ten, and for the relatively few treasures we do manage to find I bet you now there are hundreds we don’t.”
Luther held up both hands, letting Crouch have his day, then as he turned away caught Drake’s and Dahl’s attention.
“Your time is almost up. I gave you leeway; you’re just about out. Best get ready to come quietly, boys.”
Alicia was standing quietly behind the big soldier. “And there I was thinking we’d managed to sway you slightly over to our side.”
“I see no gray area,” Luther said. “I got tasked with bringing you in. That’s about to happen. Like I said before, fight your case with the suits. Maybe you’ll win.”
Drake didn’t want to lock horns with him. “How about the proof we promised?”
“I don’t see nothing.”
“You’re a bloody pig-headed brute of single purpose,” Dahl groaned. “Refusing to see the truth and shouldering a lifetime of regret.”
“I have no regrets.” Luther gazed into the middle-distance where the glimmering sunlight met the waves. “That’s why there’s a chain of command and you boys are enemies of the state.”
“Depends what day of the week it is,” Alicia said. “Next week — we’ll be heroes.”
“And like I said — I wouldn’t regret that either. This is the sixth seal right?”
“Yeah. This should show us the location of the weapon.” Alicia felt the familiar rush of adrenalin returning now as they all recovered from their arena ordeal.
Luther pursed his lips. “I can promise you another hour, but not much more than that.”
Drake looked like he wanted to argue, but Alicia saw him shrug and mouth “what’s the point?” He was right. Luther was a hound with dogged, unwavering ideals. The mission, the orders, could never be compromised.
Right?
Hayden’s voice cut through the tension like a bullet through parchment. “How much longer until FrameHub’s announcement?”
Luther checked his watch, and planted his earplugs in. “Ten minutes.”
“Best to get a move on.” Kinimaka followed Crouch to the edge of the road.
Alicia followed, knowing the storm of storms was coming and wanting to take her mind off to a different place. A treasure hunt with Crouch should do the trick. It had worked before.
The team joined them near the top of the slope that ran down a sandy bank to the lapping waters. The incline was steep but still negotiable. Crouch shaded his eyes.
“Nothing obvious.”
Of course, there wouldn’t be. Hayden had already crosschecked the area to see if anything important had ever been found. Crouch aligned his position with the picture as best he could. “Moment of truth,” he said. “Wish me luck.”
Alicia followed him over the edge. “Don’t be silly. We’re all coming.”
They started down the slope, inches at a time, balancing uncertainly on the rocky, shifting ground. Shales of grit ran away from their heels, ending up in the Nile. Sunshine glared down upon their heads and blinding lights shimmered off the water. Alicia felt the breeze rushing along the Nile like a racehorse around a track and welcomed the cool respite.
From above, Luther called out. “You have three minutes.”
Crouch picked up the pace, almost fell and then steadied. Drake came alongside him. Alicia stayed above, scanning left and right for any kind of jutting rock or alcove. So far, all they could see was endless rock.
Mai ranged furthest to the right; Kenzie to the left. Those in between searched with increased desperation and doubt.
“Not looking good, Michael,” Drake said. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
“It matches the symbol,” Crouch replied. “Like no other contours along the entire Nile. I guess the picture, being old, could depict anywhere along this whole stretch.”
Luther called down to them, signaling to the buds in his ears. “Time’s up. FrameHub are broadcasting.”
“Is it really going ahead?” Kinimaka asked, fearful not for himself but for those that would undoubtedly be caught up in it.
Luther nodded. “They getting to it. Some kinda juvenile speech about toeing the line and doing as you’re told. Sounds like a parent telling a child off.” He glanced over at Pine without thinking, giving Alicia something to ponder on. “Everyone had the same chance, everyone had the same amount of time. Blah, blah, frickin’ blah. Shit, they’re promising to lay waste to certain areas and cripple others.”
Luther looked down at them. “I hope to hell they’re bluffing. This could get real bad, real quick.”
Alicia thought about the town they’d just driven through, the civilians going about their daily business, many of them having no clue who FrameHub were and what they were threatening.
Luther tensed. “Just naming the countries now.”
Alicia looked up at the man, her friends and colleagues alongside. For a moment nobody breathed.
“Greece,” Luther said. “And… Egypt. The countdown has begun.”
A knot of tension roiled inside Alicia’s stomach. With everyone else she turned her gaze to the skies.
“Ten, nine, eight…” Luther counted it down.
And eventually: “One.”
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
The nightmare turned into reality.
Drake felt his face slacken and his eyes close as rockets took to the air. He saw vertical and arcing ones; heard one explode out of a bunker only a few miles away and scream into flight. He saw the lovely, peaceful waters of the Nile and the air filled with death high above it.