“Sure. I have no problems making a man do what I want.”
Dahl lowered his voice. “See ahead? Definitely CIA. Undercover.”
“Yeah, I was just about to say. Two more over there.”
Dahl sought Crouch in the crowd. “I wonder what Michael would say to that? Perhaps this splinter group have sent people too.”
“Luther?” Kenzie asked.
“No. Judging from what I’ve heard Luther would simply surround and then assault this place with Howitzers.”
“And the mercs?”
“Well, clearly Crouch isn’t the only one in the know. I guess a third of the people here are government agents in some way.”
“Unlike us,” Kenzie said, then added: “Kinda sexy, huh?”
“What? What is?”
“Being disavowed. Hunted. Marked. I like it.”
“Kenzie, you and I have very different perceptions of the word sexy.”
“Really?” Kenzie moved closer so their hips came together. “I guess we could explore that later.”
Dahl didn’t move away, but didn’t press forward either. The conflict battered him, making him lose focus for a moment. Then they came to the end of the stage and turned back, refusing yet another glass of champagne offered on a silver platter by a white-gloved waiter.
Drake and Alicia were a few steps behind.
“Looking at all the scattered Intelligence in here,” the Yorkshireman said. “You can guarantee our location will be made known by the end of tonight.”
“Worth the risk,” Alicia came back. “If we do find the first seal.”
Drake made a sound. “Depends on if we get caught, love.”
She growled. “Listen to bloody Eeyore, here. If we weren’t in this star-studded crowd I’d kick your arse off it.”
“Star studded?” Drake whipped his head around. “Where?”
“Well, I saw someone who looked like that guy from Hawaii-Five-O earlier. Does that count?”
Drake frowned. “I was thinking more of the female variety.”
“Oh, then no, just princesses and state wives I’m afraid.”
“Bollocks.”
“Check out the guards,” Alicia said.
They veered away as they approached the curtain-covered entrance to the tomb of Amenhotep. Two guards were standing to either side, carrying semi-automatic weapons and looking distinctly unimpressed. To the side of the stage stood a larger contingent, similarly armed and equipped for anything. Egypt itself was not the most stable country of late, and it seemed the Egyptians were prepared for the worst.
The time of the unveiling approached and the team came randomly together and gathered amidst the crowd as it grouped. An official stood before them, asking for quiet and then turning to face a particular set of cameras. He launched into a speech, explaining all about the tomb and how local archaeologists had discovered it. Excitement infused the air. Drake saw many guests almost hopping with glee at the thought of being allowed to enter a barely excavated, ‘in-situ’ tomb. The official went on to reassure them all that all they had done was to make it safe. They were the explorers, the archaeologists, the Howard Carters of today, and he asked for their cooperation in sharing any insights they might have.
Then, the curtains were thrown apart and the entrance revealed.
Drake saw exactly what he’d expected — a jagged entranceway bordered by hastily polished rocks and titivated with colorful embellishments. The entrance was lit by bright lamps and completely blocked any view of what was inside.
The official called forth the first batch of forty visitors. With help from Crouch’s connections they were part of it and would be allowed twenty minutes inside before giving way to the next group. The tomb was large, it was whispered, and the way down narrow, so they wouldn’t have too long to search.
Drake fell in line with Alicia like all the good civilians, making two rows behind four tour guides and more guards. Drake noted a couple of the mercenaries behind them and also several spies that had to be working for various undercover agencies.
“A regular convention,” he whispered to Crouch. “Maybe make it a yearly meet.”
“With all this attention,” Crouch spoke the last word meaningfully. “No one will be able to keep the findings secret.”
“Unless they find and then destroy them…” Hayden put in ominously. “Keep your wits about you, guys.”
Mai led their little group, paired with Yorgi. Drake came fourth in line and stared at the floor as the bright entrance lights filled their vision. He wanted as little adjustment time as possible. Happy chatter filled his ears, attesting that at least half of the first consignment were genuine civilians. Thank the Lord for small mercies, he thought. The spies he’d noted so far were good at their job, unnoticeable except to a highly trained eye. Many were in couples. The mercs, on the other hand, stood out like donkeys at a horse pageant, big and uncomfortable, sweating, smoking, not even pretending to listen to the historical sermon offered by their hosts, first by mouth and now as they moved into the top part of the tomb, by recorded voice.
“The tomb of the famous Amenhotep, thought lost to time, was recently discovered after a cave-in was triggered by archaeologists searching for something very different…”
Drake tuned it out as the passage came into focus. The walls were closer than he’d imagined, dusty, white and roughly hewn out of bare rock. Strings of lamps had been set up at their apex with the ceiling and these now led downward at a sharp angle.
“Step carefully,” one of their guides said in English. “There is plenty of room to both sides so no need to worry about your cherished attire. Those with high heels should remove them, of course. Carry-bags are provided.”
Drake bit his lip, unused to the pampering. Alicia checked to see if Yorgi was wearing heels. The small group moved down, a step at a time, taking care as some of the risers were uneven. Two minutes of shuffling passed and then they emerged onto a flat floor. Drake immediately felt the cloying, close atmosphere of the staircase fall away.
“How long have we got?” Hayden checked her watch.
The lead tour guide turned around and prepared to flick a switch.
“Welcome!” he said. “Welcome to the tomb of Amenhotep!”
CHAPTER EIGHT
With a plan already in place, as soon as the light came up, the team split and pretended to appear immensely impressed with the tomb. Drake did take a few moments to view the spectacle, taken aback by the sight. He’d seen his fair share of tombs before, but the Egyptians never failed to impress.
High, arched walls were adorned by multicoloured murals and stretched a few hundred feet back, where a slightly smaller arched door led to another part of the tomb. The lighting down here was better, provided by spotlights. Drake dropped several steps down into the tomb and started studying wall space.
The murals were large and plentiful, well-detailed, ranging from life-sized Egyptian figures in full regalia to smaller depictions of scarabs and animals. A murmur sprang up among the crowd, echoing loudly inside what was essentially a tunnel with a single exit. Drake saw the others split up and then followed what he thought were a pair of CIA spies to the left-hand side. Alicia pulled him along gently; the drawings were large here, but Drake wondered if the capstone — if it was here at all — might be disguised within the pattern of a sleeve or the design across a cup.
“Roped off area,” Alicia muttered, nodding ahead. “Suspicious.”
“If the Egyptians knew about the seal,” Drake said, “we wouldn’t be here. They wouldn’t risk it.”
“Unless they already removed it,” Alicia said.
“I guess that’s possible.” Drake saw no signs of tampering so far, though the wall decorations were already starting to confuse his eyes. He blinked and stepped back.