David Sakmyster - The Mongol Objective

“I wonder,” Orlando said, moving closer to Caleb, who still carried the AK-47.

“What?” he asked.

“Being in possession of that tablet now, if it really can grant the owner the secrets of the universe. Well, Montross may have picked up an ability or two.”

“Like what?” Phoebe asked.

“I was thinking,” Orlando said, “of Star Wars. The whole Obi-Wan ‘Strike me down and I’ll only become stronger’ deal. He was able to send out his spirit, separate it from his body so it could appear all ghost-like and stuff.”

“Astral Projection? But that was after Obi-Wan died,” Caleb argued. “Like what I believe my father managed to do. He could appear, but only for a brief moments, to convey something, to lead me to the truth.”

“Maybe,” Phoebe said, “Montross figured out how to do it while still alive.”

“Or maybe he is dead,” said Qara hopefully. “There were other Darkhad I left behind, guarding the Sacred Mountain. They would not have hesitated taking his life.”

Caleb thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, he’s alive. I feel it. In fact, I think he was searching for us, and I fear we may have given ourselves-and this position-away.”

“Damn,” Qara said, then flashed an annoyed look to Orlando. “Please, take that gun off me and let me use my phone. I need to fortify this site.”

“No time,” Caleb told her. “We have the edge here, for a few hours anyway. We can uncover the entrance, get inside and secure the keys before he even arrives.”

“And then what?” Qara asked. “Use them to barter for your son? I won’t let that happen.”

Caleb stared at her, and his fingers holding the gun began to sweat. Phoebe and Orlando were in a triangular position around Qara, silently waiting for Caleb.

“Please,” Qara said. “Do not go any farther with this. Leave my Khan alone. Nothing good will come of his discovery.”

“We could wait,” Phoebe said. “Maybe hide out. We know Montross is coming. We can surprise him.”

“Unless he looks for us again,” Orlando said. “And then he’d be able to get the jump on us. And he’s got Nina. Nope, I say we go in. Wait for him down there.”

“No,” Qara pleaded.

Caleb let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, but all I can do is promise you I will do everything I can to ensure Montross never gets those keys, that Temujin is not disturbed. We will never speak of this location, never betray his secret.”

“Not good enough,” Qara said, dropping her arms to her side. Her legs tensed, fingers unclenched and clenched into fists. “No one gets inside.” “Wait,” Orlando said, looking around, turning in a big circle. “Where is it anyway?” “What?” asked Phoebe.

“The river. I don’t see any damn river.”

Qara’s face relaxed. She opened her fists, then folded her fingers together, bowing her head. “You don’t know.”

Caleb came closer, raising the tip of his weapon. “We’ll find out. Orlando, what did we use two years ago in Cambodia to locate the lost temple of Anuk-Beng?”

“Satellite radar imaging from NASA combined with public databases provided by National Geographic Atlases. Thermal imaging. Hang on, I’ll start it.” He took off his backpack and pulled out the iPad.

“The maps are very detailed,” Phoebe said, “highlighting things we’d never see from this vantage point. Like ruins in the middle of a jungle or old dried-up riverbeds.”

Qara hung her head. She glanced back to the arch.

“Come on,” said Caleb. “We can do it the hard way, or you can help us.”

She turned to him slowly. “And if I show you the door, what’s to stop you from killing me?”

“Hey!” said Phoebe. “We’re not the thugs here, honey. But if we don’t get in there and find those keys first, we’re all as good as dead. Come on. Please help us.”

“And betray my sacred duty?”

Caleb lowered his gun, switched it to his left hand, and approached. “All right, I’ll leave it up to you. Here’s my gun. Orlando, put yours away. Now it’s your choice, Qara. But if you really mean to protect your Khan, you had better think about letting us in.”

He held out the gun, and Qara’s dark eyes flickered with uncertainty. They flashed to Phoebe, and then Orlando.

“From what my sister saw,” Caleb continued, “there’s still a lot of ground to cover beneath here, in ‘caverns measureless to man.’ So showing us the door isn’t the end of this. We may still stop Montross and Renee before they can get to Temujin’s crypt, but we can’t do it from up here. Not out in the open, not like this. And even if we run, Montross, with my son’s help, will find the way in if doesn’t already know.”

Qara reached for the gun, touched it. And for a moment both Caleb and Qara held it, then he let go, bowed his head and took a step back.

Qara shouldered the weapon and took aim.

She wavered, then lowered the tip, pointing it at the ground. She sighed. “Dig under the arch, directly in the center. About five feet down you’ll find the door.”

Caleb nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’ll help you dig,” she said, “until we reach the door. But then you go in alone.”

“No way!” said Orlando. “You’ll seal us in.”

“No. I’ll stay out here,” she said, hefting the gun, “and wait for your friends. Kill as many of them as I can. And if I fail, I must trust you to finish them off and leave my Lord intact. Can you promise me that?”

“We can,” Caleb said.

“And re-bury the door? And tell no one?”

“Cross our hearts,” said Phoebe.

Suddenly the wind picked up, swirling, kicking up leaves and twigs. And a rumbling sound rattled the earth. Qara turned, switched her aim, and fired into the sky — just as the sleek black helicopter descended, pinning them in a spotlight. A helmeted woman, perched in the open door, fired back.

Qara felt the sting of the bullet in her side, then screamed as another ripped past her head. She dropped the gun and watched helplessly as the helicopter landed and the shooter jumped out, followed by six commandos in camouflage.

“Don’t raise your gun,” Caleb yelled to Orlando. “Just drop it.”

“Listen to him,” said Renee Wagner, as she ripped off her helmet and let her hair whip in the winds of the dying helicopter blades. “I’ve also got six jeeps on their way, another forty men.” She advanced on Qara, who had fallen to her knees, her good hand trying to stop the flow of blood from her side.

Qara grimaced as a tsunami of pain swept through her side. She glared at Renee, now lording over her. In the corner of her eye, she saw Orlando, surrounded by three commandos, guns pointed at his face. He raised his hands.

“All right,” Renee said. “Nice try, luring me to Qin Shi’s mausoleum instead, but you failed. You killed four of my best men, bitch.” She pressed the barrel of her Walther to Qara’s forehead.

“No!” Caleb yelled, trying to push free of two other commandos who had him restrained. “If you kill her, we’ll never find him.”

Renee paused, tilting her head. “Really? Doubting your abilities now, are we?”

“I’m just being practical,” Caleb said. “Remote viewing is just a tool. We may know where the entrance is, but beyond that there’s a lot of real estate to cover before Temujin’s body.”

Renee smiled, a smile meant for Caleb, but delivered right to Qara. “And you honestly think this Darkhad will help us? I’d rather pull the trigger and trust in you and your friends.”

“I promise you,” Caleb insisted, “we won’t be enough.”

Qara tensed for one last lunge, more than confident she could take Agent Wagner, but what then? Dimly, as the blood oozed from her arm and flowed through her fingers, she heard Caleb lobbying Renee to spare her life, and for a moment she regretted doubting him. Because of her blind adherence to tradition and loyalty to a man dead for eight centuries, she had placed them all in danger, and may have unleashed something far worse upon the world. If Wagner or Montross succeeded…