“Yes, sir.”
“Very critical indeed…”
The Oracle stared at the Tanit idol on the shelf behind his desk. Beside it were two new additions — Tinia and then Viracocha, the primordial deity of the Incan culture. Kruger recognised the idol of Viracocha. He had found it in the treasure haul he had stolen from Paititi back in Peru while Saqqal was obsessing over his Utopia plague. The second he saw it he’d known who to go to for a quick sale.
“I see, sir.”
He let out a long, satisfied sigh. “Oh, these idols! If you only knew what they meant, you would break down and cry right now, down on your knees like a man humbled before the very presence of the divine.”
“What do they mean, sir? Gold? Treasure?”
The Oracle laughed, but it quickly turned sour. “Treasure? You sad little man, is that all you can think of?”
“I’m sorry, Oracle.”
“You’re forgetting yourself, arms dealer.”
“Yes, sir — but why are the idols so important?”
The Oracle studied Kruger’s face for a few moments, and the South African wasn’t sure if asking him that question had angered him or pleased him. “The idols are not just golden likenesses of gods and goddesses, arms dealer. The idols are a pathway to a brand new future for mankind, but they will also unlock something terrible that will shake this world to its core.”
“I don’t understand, sir.”
“No, I know you don’t, and I doubt you have the intellectual capacity to process what I am talking about.”
Kruger felt a wave of anger rise in him. How dare this man talk to him like that? But then, was he a man? Before he could formulate something to say that might save face, the Oracle spoke again.
“You will use the Sword of Fire to locate and open the king’s tomb. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you will work with athanatoi, is that understood?”
Kruger didn’t know what to say. He was used to working with his own men — former soldiers, armes dealers, mercenaries and thugs. Now, Otmar Wolff was ordering him to complete a difficult mission with a bunch of idiot cultists who all thought they were Mr Anderson from the Matrix.
“Well?” The Oracle’s tone was severe.
Kruger knew immediately what to say in response. “Of course, sir.”
“Good… good.” The Oracle’s voice sounded as dry as dead wood on a salt flat as he turned the word over in his mouth. “A mighty battle is racing toward humanity, Arms Dealer. The fog of war will choke every last person in this world when the fighting starts, and it’s going to start soon. Very soon.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The next Joe Hawke novel will be released later in 2017 and will tie up the loose ends in this novel in what will be the fastest, hardest Hawke book to date. Aside from being a supercharged bloodbath, it will also mark a pivotal, climactic point in the current arc and the start of a new one, bringing fresh challenges, victories and tragedies for the ECHO team. On the series in general, I wanted to say that I’m blown away by how successful it has been and want to thank each and every reader who has enjoyed the books and made it possible.
Next release is my so-called ‘Mystery Project’, which is a fast-paced and exciting new series. Similar to Hawke and the ECHO team (and in the same universe), this new series is based on Hawke-style adventure mysteries and features a new band of really exciting tearaways (and some truly hideous villainy). I really hope you enjoy the new characters and their adventures, and if you do I’ll write more. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing how the new team will handle ECHO, and I think Cairo is about to meet her match at last.
Finally, please consider leaving a review if you enjoyed this novel, or any of my other stories. Without reviews, a series loses visibility and disappears faster than a bottle of vodka in Scarlet Sloane’s fridge.
So long for now,
Rob
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rob Jones is the author of eleven novels including the Amazon Bestselling Joe Hawke action-thriller series, the Avalon Adventure series and the Harry Bane Thriller series. He lives in Australia with his wife and children. See below for a full chronological list of the novels and future releases. Visit his website for free short stories or like his Facebook page for some free giveaways that are coming up!
The Vault of Poseidon (Joe Hawke #1)
Thunder God (Joe Hawke #2)
The Tomb of Eternity (Joe Hawke #3)
The Curse of Medusa (Joe Hawke #4)
Valhalla Gold (Joe Hawke #5)
The Aztec Prophecy (Joe Hawke #6)
The Secret of Atlantis (Joe Hawke #7)
The Lost City (Joe Hawke #8)
The Sword of Fire (Joe Hawke #9)
The Armageddon Protocol (A Harry Bane Thriller)
The Hunt for Shambhala (An Avalon Crew Adventure)
The King’s Tomb (Joe Hawke #10)