Aztec Gold

TWENTY TWO

Sunset Station sat southeast of Las Vegas Boulevard, about ten miles from the staggering casinos that formed its heart. Busy, colorful, extensive and bristling with security they agreed it was the best place to stay. Nobody could predict what a South African crime lord might order his men to do, but ordering an attack on such a high risk target seemed unlikely.

Crouch enthusiastically set about determining their best starting point, using the old Aztec distance and directional system. Caitlyn called Healey over to work on the rest of the poem.

Alicia gazed out of the eighth floor window. “It’s all so flat.”

Russo drifted over. “Guess that’s why they call it a desert.”

“Funny guy. How’d ya like to—” Alicia started to retort and then saw a slight smile curling the big man’s lips. She understood. They’d fought together now, spilled blood together, saved lives and ended them. The bond they shared was no longer built on reputation, it was built on respect.

Alicia nodded in silent response. Caitlyn argued softly with Healey over the unknown meanings behind the poem’s mysterious descriptions. Wave rocks, shield arches and mushroom rocks might be anything, but at least two of those word pictures pointed to an Aztec narrative.

Alicia’s phone rang. Looking down she was startled to see the call was from a not-so-old friend.

“Drakey!” she cried into the handset.

Matt Drake started to laugh. “Same old Alicia. Ay up, we’re missing you over here. Team’s just not the same without your… panache.”

“Shit, that’s a big word for a Yorkshire dimwit.”

“I have more. How about élan? Flamboyance? You still there?”

Alicia saw Crouch glance over. “The boss is giving me the evils for being on the phone at work. You know how it is in gainful employment.”

“Can’t say that I do. And Hayden says she’s fine by the way. Almost back to normal.”

“I was going to ask.” Alicia pouted.

“Listen, before you left we were starting to hear rumors, stories filtering through about a nasty new group. Some kind of secret organization called the Pythians.”

“I remember,” Alicia said. “We believed they were recruiting hundreds of mercenaries from all over the world and trying to put some very high-profile objectives in place.”

“Yeah, well, they appear to be the kind of secret organization that just doesn’t want to stay secret. Reports are popping up from Tokyo to Los Angeles—”

“Something about Pandora wasn’t it?” Alicia interrupted.

“We haven’t nailed it down yet. The whole thing’s just… very fluid. And that’s the problem, and why I chose to call you. Something this fluid, this fast, means it’s about to happen. The fuse is about to be lit, Alicia, and it’s gonna blow big. Every major government has raised their threat level without an ounce of direct information. War cabinets are being called. The airwave chatter is so high they’ve drafted in twice as many men to cope. I wanted to warn you.”

Alicia covered the handset and repeated the information to the room, more directly at Crouch. Their boss nodded.

“Ask him if Argento is involved.”

Alicia mentioned the Interpol agent’s name.

Drake affirmed. “Yes. The SPEAR team is heading this one up, but every country has their own way of doing things, of course. And every country has a team. And Interpol,” he sighed. “They have bloody dozens.”

“Stick with Argento,” Alicia said. “He’s good and if he recommends any team it’s safe to say they’ll be one of the best.”

“How about you guys?” Drake asked. “You ready to fly anywhere at a moment’s notice? This thing is global.”

“Sure. As soon as we find the treasure.”

“Good. Stay safe, Alicia.”

“You too.”

Alicia ended the call and spoke into the abrupt silence. “Seems there’s more going on in the world than our little treasure hunt. Who woulda known?”

“Drake,” Russo said wonderingly. “Isn’t that your old… ”

Alicia turned a fiery gaze upon the man. “What?”

“Boss?”

“A loose term but partially true. We worked together in the same unit and then with SPEAR. Drake and I have more than a history together. We shared life and death for almost ten years.”

“I’ve heard of SPEAR,” Healey put in. “Good team.”

“Best in the world,” Crouch said. “And we’ll stay on standby for them. Drake wouldn’t call unless it was terribly urgent. All that tells me one thing — we’re on a brief timetable here, guys. We need to move fast before the real-life shit really hits the fan.” He took a deep breath and returned to his notes, a worried frown stretched across his features. His sense of responsibility would not allow him to seek out a five-hundred-year-old treasure whilst friends and soldiers struggled to protect the rest of the world.

“We need to find the rest of our Aztec gold. Now.”