Blood Codex

Chapter 56

Crowley doused his light and moved back toward the small exit from the hammer’s secret chamber. There was the short, narrow crawl, then the tunnel with the carvings that would eventually lead him back over the broken down wall and all the way back to the main chamber. He crouched at the small exit tunnel, straining to hear something, anything, but no further sound was forthcoming.

With a shake of the head, he prepared to crawl back through, hoping he wouldn’t find anything distressing when he finally made it back to the cavern. But given they were unarmed and he had most definitely heard a gunshot, it did not bode well. He scrambled back from the small tunnel as light danced around on the walls near the carvings of the Norse gods. Someone was coming. He moved to one side, still on his knees, and peered carefully out. His view was restricted by the three or four meters of narrow passage, but he saw a glimmer of light, bobbing as whoever carried it walked briskly along. Probably a flashlight, Crowley thought, or even a phone light like he had been using. Bloody stupid of this person to not realize the light would be a beacon signaling his position and approach. But Crowley was glad for the man’s idiocy. It gave him a moment to plan.

But plan what? He was in a perfectly empty cube of rock, trapped behind the narrow throat of the square passageway out. There was nowhere at all to hide. And as soon as that goon spotted anything, he would start shooting.

Levi paused to shine his penlight over the impressive carvings on either side of the tunnel. He had never seen anything like them. This place had some pretty amazing secrets to give up, but he had really had enough. Running around like fools, chasing after this fabled artifact. He tried to be a believer, tried to take the word of Halvdan Landvik for truth, but it all sounded faintly insane to his ears. The sooner this particular escapade was over the better.

The passage ended in a tiny square opening, maybe a meter across. Great, more crawling around. He was tempted to forget it, go back and claim he had found nothing. But if somehow Mr. Landvik learned he had left any corner unexplored, well, Landvik would kill him. It was as simple as that.

He dropped down, put his penlight between his teeth and crawled forward on one hand and two knees, holding his pistol out in front of his face. He realized this particular tight passage was only a few meters long and then seemed to open out into a small room. He paused, took his light in hand and shined it left and right, leaning and craning his neck to see in. He couldn’t see it all, would have to go all the way in and check. With a sigh he returned the light to his mouth and scrambled forward the last few feet.

Something tingled in his hindbrain, some sixth sense of caution. He paused, just before the opening and moved his head to shine his light left and right again. He could almost see the entire small, square space, except for the nearest wall and the two corners closest to him. He would only be able to see those spaces once he emerged from the cramped tunnel, which he was suddenly reluctant to do. If someone was waiting just inside, he would be rather compromised as he tried to pull himself in. Compromised enough, at least, for that person to get the jump on him.

But he couldn’t leave the place unchecked. Could he wait out whoever might be in there? Maybe, but if there wasn’t anyone inside he’d be here forever. He had heard one gunshot already, so either Mr. Landvik or Jarn had run into some drama, but that didn’t mean all of them were caught. Or even the most important one, Rose Black herself. And Levi knew very well she could handle herself if necessary. He would have to take a chance, but not without a distraction.

He set himself up for a fast scoot into the room, legs braced up underneath his hips, one hand hovering ready to grab the edge and pull himself forward. Quick as he could, he thrust his gun hand out into the room and fired quickly, two shots hard left, two shots hard right, then launched himself into the room. Anyone waiting either side of the opening would surely have caught at least one of those bullets.

Something heavy landed on him. Levi’s breath was forced from him in an explosive rush, his flashlight skittering away across the rock floor. He flailed, reflexively pulling the trigger of his pistol again, sending bullets ricocheting around the tiny space, the sound deafening, pounding his eardrums. Something smashed into his skull and everything went black.