Clive Cussler - Pirate

They watched as Jak and Ivan seemed to balk at entering the cave, until Fisk pulled a gun on them. Alexandra shook her head as though exasperated, walked up to the ivy, parted the vines, and followed them in. Fisk lifted the vines, then stepped back, and Sam wondered if he was trying to decide if the phone call about Nottingham Castle was worth following up. He turned, tossing something to one of the new guys, probably the keys, since they both walked toward the Mercedes. And then Fisk followed the others into the cave.

“Guess our plan worked after all,” Sam said as the Mercedes drove off.

“Not quite how we wanted.”

“We got rid of two of them. That’s a start. Text Selma that we’re going into the caves to get Nigel.”

“So she knows where to send the cavalry?”

“Gotta have a backup plan.”

They waited a minute to make sure no one was popping out of the ivy before making their way down the long drive and across the street to the park.

Remi followed Sam through the heavy, gnarled ivy vines into the dark passageway. They stood there a moment, guns drawn, acclimating themselves to the dim passage. The rain fell harder, splattering against the ivy leaves behind them, covering any noise they made as they started down the steep passage. They had to walk single file, following the twisting path down, the tunnel floor gritty beneath their feet. Sam gripped his flashlight in his hand, covering up most of it so that only a sliver of light escaped to illuminate their path.

The floor dipped sharply, then raised again. Eventually the tunnel widened into a chamber, much like the one they’d been in with Percy. They stopped, and Sam peered out, then backed quickly and held up his hand.

They heard the scrape of footsteps, then someone saying, “Down this way.”

They waited until the echo of footsteps faded from the chamber before stepping out.

Sam shined his muted light across the sandstone walls and saw several rough-hewn tunnels leading off from the main chamber. Something caught Remi’s eye at the top and she pointed. The Celtic knot Percy had mentioned, carved in the sandstone above the opening. She checked each of the other tunnels that led off the cavern. Five tunnels in total, four with an identical Celtic knot carved above it. The fifth, with no marking at all, was the upper tunnel that led up to the park.

Sam eyed the symbols again. They must lead to the four chambers Lazlo had told them about. He flicked his light at the opening of each passageway, then pointed to the third. Footprints in the sandstone floor. The other passageways had none.

The space was wide enough for two to walk abreast, but took even more twists as it descended. Unlike the tunnel that led in from the park, this one had several smaller passages breaking away on each side.

The main passage started narrowing as it made a steep slope downward, then curved to the right about twenty yards ahead. They hit a dip, and their feet scraped against the ground. The sound carried.

Sam shut off the light, and they stopped.

“What was that?” It sounded like Jak. “Someone’s coming down from that main chamber.”

“It’s Victor and Rogen,” Fisk said. “Hopefully, back with flashlights since you idiots only brought cell phones.”

Their plan didn’t work, a fact confirmed when Ivan asked, “What about that call from Larayne? Why isn’t anyone going to the castle?”

“Because the cipher is for the four caverns.”

“You mean chambers,” Alexandra corrected. “That could be a completely different place.”

“You want the treasure?” Fisk sounded annoyed. “Find the tour guide. If it’s not here like he says it is, I’ll break every bone in his body right before I kill him.”

The sound of their footsteps faded as the group continued down the tunnel.

Sam and Remi started to follow when they heard the heavy scuff of boots coming from the main chamber.

Victor and Rogen were back.

And Sam and Remi were trapped.

Sam took Remi by the arm, leading her back toward the upper chamber, running one hand on the wall to feel their way in the dark, until they reached one of the side passages off the main tunnel. He and Remi stepped in, Sam taking up a position closer to the opening, with Remi right behind him.

A moment later, the bright beam of a flashlight flickered across the stone walls and the ground. Sam noticed the very obvious footprints they’d left that led right to them. He aimed toward the tunnel entrance.

There was only one man, and Sam relaxed his trigger finger as he continued on and the passageway grew dark once more.

They were about to step out when a soft scrape alerted Sam that whoever it was — Victor or Rogen — had probably doubled back and was now standing just outside the tunnel entrance. Sam felt the slightest movement of air as the man brought his gun upward, then turned on his flashlight, calling out, “Vic—”

Sam grabbed the guy’s collar and swung him around, ramming his head against the cave wall. The flashlight went flying.

Gripping his Smith & Wesson like brass knuckles, Sam smashed him in the face. Rogen staggered, grabbing at Sam’s shirt with his left hand, swinging his gun toward Sam. Sam grabbed the semiauto by its slide, the metal cutting into his hand as Rogen tried to pull the trigger. Sam dropped his Smith & Wesson and grabbed the gun with both hands to keep Rogen from firing. He leaned in, twisting the gun with all his strength. Bones snapped and Rogen’s grip suddenly gave way. Sam freed the gun, crashed it down on his skull, stepped behind him as he swept his arm around his neck, squeezing in a chokehold to finish him off.

Remi picked up both guns while Sam dragged the body into the side tunnel. One down, five to go.

“If he was calling for Victor,” Remi whispered, giving both guns to Sam, “where is he?”

“Good question.” There was only one reason Sam could think of as to why Victor wouldn’t have come down with Rogen.

Someone had to stand guard in the main cavern.

Sam pointed in that direction, and Remi nodded. They started up, turning the light off before they reached the cavern. A light, its glow reflecting into the tunnel. Remi waited as Sam continued to the end of the tunnel.

Not only was Victor standing guard, he had one arm around Nigel’s neck, his flashlight pointed toward Sam, and, in the other hand, his gun to Nigel’s head.

“How’d you get past my brother?”

“Oh. That was your brother down there?” Sam kept his gun pointed at the guy, sidestepping around the circumference of the cavern. Victor turned with him, careful to keep Nigel between him and Sam.

“What’d you do to Rogen?”

Sam didn’t answer. Just kept moving so that Victor followed until his flashlight was no longer pointed Remi’s direction.

“Where is he?”

Just as Sam saw the barrel of Victor’s gun edging from Nigel toward him, Remi stepped out of the tunnel, took a deep breath, then threw her knife.

Victor cried out as the knife hit him square in the back. His gun and flashlight flew from his hands. His head dropped back as he crumpled to the ground, dragging Nigel with him. Nigel scrambled away, his gaze fixed on Victor’s body.

“Nicely done, Mrs. Fargo. Let me guess — you thought I could use a hand?”

“It crossed my mind.”

“I had it under control,” he said as Nigel moved closer to Remi.

“Is — is he dead?” Nigel asked, his face pale.

“Or paralyzed,” Sam said. Remi’s Buck Knife was imbedded up to the hilt against his spine. The man wasn’t going anywhere. Nigel, however, looked about ready to faint as he gave wide berth around the body. “Exactly how did he get you?” Sam asked, more to take Nigel’s mind off the body than anything else.