Dennis Wheatley - Unholy Crusade

Adam's brain was racing. Very soon now must come the showdown. For him to participate actively in the ceremony was obviously essential to its complete success, and he had no intention of doing so. But when he refused to learn his speech what then? He thought it as good as certain that, furious at being thwarted, Alberuque would no longer hesitate to kill him. In fact, he would probably seize on that to justify the deed in the eyes of his followers. Alone and unarmed, Adam knew that he would stand no chance at all. His only hope of being rescued lay in bringing Hunterscombe and the police upon the scene. But to do that he would need at least five minutes entirely on his own, so that he could use his radio.

As the helicopter lifted, they could see the myriad lights of Mexico City to the north. For a time Adam thought of what must be going on down there. In the crisp evening air following the hot

day millions of people would be looking forward to the pleasures the night always brought. The chefs at the Hilton, the Eli, the El Presidente and a score of other de luxe restaurants’ would be preparing rich dishes for the wealthy; the Sandborn coffee shops would be packed with typists, shop girls and their friends laughing over good if less expensive fare; in hundreds bistros the barmen would be pouring tequila, gin and beer for groups debating every topic under the sun; queues would be filing into the cinemas and countless families starting out for evening stroll under the palms in the Alameda and other parks.

Unless he could prevent it in some way, overnight this scene of gaiety and quiet pleasure would be replaced by brooding terror. The streets, except for dead bodies here and there and armed men hunting down their enemies, would be empty. No one's life would be safe. There would be pillage, rape and arson. Ghastly scenes of massacre and innocent people caught in suspicious circumstances being summarily shot. That had happened many times before in Mexico City and would happen again. Even if Alberuque proved right in his assertion that the revolution would be over swiftly which Adam did not believe it still meant that many people would lose their lives and a multitude of others suffer grief, loss and misery before order could be restored. Yet what could he do to save the situation? Only dig in his toes refuse to make the speech upon which Alberuque was counting on so much to inflame his followers with uncontrolled fanaticism; and pray that a chance would come for him to get in touch with Hunterscombe in time for him to save the city from a holocaust. The helicopter veered east of the city, passing over only the outer suburbs and the marshes of Madero, which were the last remnants of the great lake that had once surrounded it. The moon had just risen and lit the unearthly landscape; the flattish valley sloping away to the east and on either side of it the great ranges of volcanic peaks, their slopes as barren as the mountains of the moon themselves.

Then they had travelled some twenty five miles the helicopter in to descend and Adam then had no difficulty in guessing r destination. Ahead of them, throwing strong shadows in the moonlight lay the mighty Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon at Teotihuacan. As Adam leaned forward to see them better, he let his right hand hang down between his seat and that of the pilot. Another hand, which he knew must be Chela's, clasped it from behind and pressed it.

He was still furious with her for having robbed him of his

chance, in the last event, to shoot Alberuque; but he had not the heart to push her hand away. They had known such wonderful times together, and that she loved him he could not doubt. It was only her obsession with the thought of securing a better life for the millions of wretchedly poor Indians that lay between them and caused her to give unquestioning devotion to Alberuque. Returning the pressure of her fingers, he held them as the helicopter slowly sank on to the reception area of the ruins, enclosed by the museum, the restaurant and the rows of shops selling souvenirs.

As the machine grounded, a group of men ran forward; some of them secured it while others, evidently Alberuque's principal lieutenants, greeted him obsequiously. Several of them were wearing the uniform of officers of the Militia and all of them had white armbands upon which were black crosses surmounted by the snake symbol of Quetzalcoatl.

Alberuque at once started firing questions at them, and their replies showed Adam that the revolution had been far better organised than he had supposed would be the case. Soon after the guides and day staff had gone home for the night, the whole complex of buildings had been taken over without incident. Such personnel as remained were under lock and key. The telephone exchange was now manned by professional operators and any calls would be dealt with so as not to arouse suspicion. The windows of the buildings had all been screened so that no unusual amount of light for that time of night would show, and patrols were out on the main road ready to direct the arriving delegates to the car parks.

Having satisfied himself that all his orders had been carried out, Alberuque led the way over to the restaurant. As they entered it, he said over his shoulder, 'We have a long night before us, so we shall sup here before we change into garments suited to the occasion.'

`Fine,' Adam remarked, having decided to give the impression that he was now more or less reconciled to playing his part. `But first I must ask you to excuse me. I suppose it's nerves, but I've got a pain in my tummy.'

One of the Militia officers was detailed to take him to the lavatory. Immediately he had bolted the door behind him, he took out his radio cigarette case. To his fury and distress, for several minutes atmospherics interfered with reception. Impatiently the officer knocked on the door and called to him to hurry up. Sweating now with apprehension that he was going to have to abandon this last chance of getting through to Hunterscombe, he ignored the summons and kept on sending. Then, to his immense relief, the Wing Commander acknowledged his call. Swiftly he sent:

Have been flown out to Teotihuacan. Party being held here probably midnight. Unless measures taken immediately revolt likely to be nation wide and very difficult to suppress. Am in fear of life. Hurry.'

Hunterscombe sent back: `Good show. Stall for as long as you. Will be with you soonest possible.'

On being taken to the restaurant, Adam found that a buffet supper was being eaten, composed mainly of tinned foods which had evidently been a part of its stock. His mind had been so occupied with his anxieties when Alberuque had said they were to sup that he had not felt like eating anything; but his large frame required considerable sustenance and, for the past few days, meals given him at the monastery had been so meagre that mere sight of food gave him a sudden appetite. Helping himself lavishly to ham and half of one of the miserable little Mexican chickens, he set to.

While he ate, he took stock of the types round him. There were about fifty men in the room, but Alberuque was not present. Only a handful of them had light enough complexions to be called whites, and these he assumed to be the more able priests who were hand in glove with Alberuque. The rest varied from light coffee to near black and a number of them were, he thought, probably priests also. Nearly all of them were on the short side he was a head taller than any of them; so he had no difficulty in locating Chela, who was in a far corner talking to one of the Militia officers. From a clock on the wall of the restaurant, he judged it to have been a quarter to eleven when he had radioed Hunterscombe, and it would take the best part of an hour for police and troops to get out there; so, while eating, he had been cudgeling his wits for a way to delay the proceedings. Seeing Chela again gave him an idea. Putting down his plate, he moved towards her.