Charles Brokaw - The Lucifer Code

Breathing hard from the exertion, Dawson wiped blood from his face and turned back to Brigid. She finally found her voice.

‘Help! Someone help!’

Dawson grinned at her, flipped the safety off his pistol, and raised it into position beside her head. ‘You shouldn’t have done that.’

The young men who had been flirting with Brigid ran to the doorway. Dawson met them with the pistol in his fist.

‘Get back,’ he ordered coldly. ‘Get back or I’ll kill you.’

The would-be heroes griped and cursed, but they backed away before the pistol.

‘Your sister,’ Dawson said, as he eased out of the supply room and forced the young men backward. ‘Have her call me as soon as she gets your message. Understand?’

‘Yes.’

Casually, Dawson stepped over the unconscious man, held the would-be heroes at bay with the pistol, and went through the security door at the back of the bar. The alarm blatted loudly and the sound rolled through the alley.

He stepped his pace up to a jog. A full run would have inspired some of the young guys to chase after him. Young guys were wired like that. But a lope told them he wasn’t afraid. He also kept the pistol in his hand. Luck was with him at the other end of the alley. A cab coasted up the street. At this time of night, a driver could make good money running people between bars and homes. He changed cabs three more times before he headed back to the airport. By that time, with all the walking and changing bars, he was certain the police wouldn’t be able to pick up his trail.

Back aboard the private jet, Dawson settled into the comfortable seat and poured himself a glass of expensive bourbon. His heart rate was back to normal, but he kept thinking of how frightened Brigid MacKenna had been of him. A dark part of him liked that a lot. He sipped the bourbon as they waited for tower clearance, then called the vice-president.

‘It’s done, sir.’

‘Good, Jimmy. I take it you’re all right?’

‘Right as rain, sir. Couldn’t be better. There are times like this when I really regret leaving the field.’

Webster chuckled. ‘I’m glad you’re all right. And I understand completely. When something needs doing, there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty to make sure it’s done properly.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘You’re certain Miss MacKenna will be calling?’

‘Absolutely, sir.’ In his mind Dawson saw Brigid’s face etched with fear. ‘I’d say once Cleena gets the message, calling that number will be the first thing on her mind.’

‘Now then, we need to talk about what we next have on tap for Professor Lourds. We’re going to need to expose him as an enemy of our great country.’

Dawson took in a breath. ‘Sir?’

‘It’s true, Jimmy. There are some things that I haven’t yet told you, and I’m going to tell you some of them now. We’re going to need a team in Istanbul to pick the professor up as soon as he surfaces. This is a dangerous thing we’re working on, Jimmy. A lot is riding on our success. We have to be slicker than we’ve ever been before. But you and I can do this.’

Catacombs

Yesilkoy District

Istanbul, Turkey

17 March 2010

‘You’re going to kill me? If they don’t kill me, you’re going to kill me? That’s your plan?’

Cleena thought she heard anger in Lourds’ words, but it might only have been hysteria. Though either emotion would have been understandable.

‘Shut up,’ she whispered as she held tightly to Lourds. ‘I’m trying to save your life.’

‘My life?’ Lourds sounded as though he couldn’t believe it. ‘They didn’t start shooting until you grabbed me. I’d already saved my life.’

‘No, you just postponed the execution.’

‘It was working for me.’

‘Look,’ Cleena snarled through gritted teeth, ‘they were going to kill us no matter what. And truthfully, it would be easier for me to get out of here without you.’

‘Oh, really? And if you didn’t have me to hold hostage, who would you use as a human shield?’

Cleena knew Qayin and his men were moving in the darkness. They wouldn’t stay down much longer and reloading her weapon wasn’t an option. She couldn’t do it before they’d be on her.

‘Here’s how this works,’ Cleena whispered. ‘Either you come with me or I shoot you. I won’t shoot you to kill you, but I will wound you. Qayin and his lackeys will be concerned about you now that they’ve seen you can read their mysterious little book. They’ll busy themselves trying to save you. I’ll take my chances in the confusion, but you’ll still remain in their clutches.’ She shook him by the collar. ‘So, Professor, this is your last invitation. Do you want to come with me, or do you want me to leave you here?’

‘Is there an option number three?’

She shook him again.

Lourds gave a brief nod. ‘Let’s do this while my legs are still under me.’

Slowly, Cleena backed out of the room. Instead of reaching the door, she bumped into the wall.

‘What’s wrong?’ Lourds asked.

‘The bloody door isn’t where I left it.’ Cleena slid down the wall.

‘Are you lost?’

‘No. Perhaps a little distracted and disoriented.’

Lourds sighed. ‘Some rescue.’

‘Still thinking about the option of shooting you. It’s getting more attractive.’

The professor shifted, juggling the book in his arms and clapping his hat on his head. He pulled a Zippo lighter from his pocket and flicked it to life. The yellow and blue flame shimmered in the darkness and chased back the shadows.

‘Do you see the door now?’ Lourds asked. He focused on watching Qayin and his followers. The men slunk back into the shadows like cockroaches.

Cleena glanced over her shoulder. The light from the flame exposed a rectangle of blackness.

‘Yes,’ she answered.

Qayin called out of the darkness left in the big room. ‘Professor Lourds, I would advise you not to trust this woman.’

‘I don’t trust her any farther than I could throw my left eyeball. However, trust appears to be a capricious thing down here at the moment. I already know I can’t trust you. She’s still a question mark.’

Cleena backed through the door and glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was behind her. The next room was as big as the last and just as empty.

‘Do you know where we are?’ Lourds whispered.

‘They weren’t handing out maps when they brought us down here, and I didn’t get the chance to leave a trail of breadcrumbs.’

‘So you’re just as lost now as you were a few minutes ago? Only in a bigger room. And these catacombs go on for miles beneath the city.’

Catacombs were one of the most necessary engineering feats for thriving ancient cities. In centuries past, they’d served to store water, food and house the dead. The thought of graves lodged somewhere in the dark walls left Cleena chilled.

‘You are very irritating. And, for your information, stating the problem doesn’t solve it.’

‘Recognizing the problem provides focus.’

‘Do you have to have an answer for everything?’

‘I’m a professor. It’s my job.’

‘Professor,’ Qayin called.

‘He’s closer,’ Lourds whispered.

‘I can hear that. I’m just lost, not deaf. And now that we’re out of that room, they’ll creep up to the doorway.’ It was what Cleena would do in their situation.

‘Professor, are you listening?’ Qayin called.

‘I’m listening.’

‘Don’t listen to him,’ Cleena snapped.

‘I’m buying us time,’ Lourds said.

‘Leave the book,’ Qayin urged. ‘Leave the book and we’ll let you go free. Unharmed.’

‘I don’t believe him,’ Lourds whispered. ‘Do you?’