The Atlantis Cipher

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

A day and a half later, as dusk painted the waters in shadowy hues, the boat took them to Cueta, a city located in Morocco but belonging to Spain. From there they were due to travel to a tiny village nestled at the foot of Jebel Musa. At nine hundred meters, the mountain attracted tourists for its legendary view over the Strait of Gibraltar and even farther, to the Sierra Nevada. The team was well rested if still a little battered and bruised. Cuts and scrapes had been treated, as well as the odd burn.

The three remaining SEALs had been loaned to them in case of trouble, and now Bodie knew their names — Bass, Foster, and Hoff. The entire team was a silent bunch as they entered the harbor, Bass and Foster lost in their own imaginings, Hoff gazing intently at the approaching town. After docking, they didn’t waste time, just hired vehicles to take them to a previously identified trail and then hiked until the sun sank fully below the horizon and darkness held sway across the land. Tents were erected and the team spent a restless night under the Moroccan stars. Morning found them cold and hungry and preparing a quick breakfast before setting out again, packs in hand, across a green field. Along the way they hopped over fences and pushed through a hedgerow, jumped a ditch and paused by a rushing stream. The sun climbed higher, but a swift breeze blew in from the Atlantic, chilling the air so that they turned their collars up and huddled inside their jackets.

Lucie explained a little more about Atlantis, and Heidi informed the team that they still hovered on the edge of legality because of some deep power play going on in Washington, DC. All “off-the-books” teams were affected, it seemed, but Heidi took the flak and told them not to worry. She explained that the power play involved a secret organization called Tempest, which appeared to be deeply embedded inside the Washington government, and was recruiting mercenaries and terrorists to further its own aspirations, while at the same time alienating and disavowing dozens of sensitively and internationally placed special ops teams. Her CIA bosses had complex, wide-ranging concerns on their hands and weren’t prepared to throw any more resources at her.

The fields meandered on as uniform as military jackets. Hills rose to either side and masked most of the surrounding terrain, but the woman-shaped hump that was Jebel Musa stayed dead ahead.

“I see it now.” Cassidy nodded at the mountain. “In fact, once you see it you can never really unsee it.”

“Hair, nose, mouth… breasts,” Bodie said. “The dead woman.”

“I think those are her hands and arms,” Cassidy said. “You know, in repose? Otherwise she’d have been called the sleeping woman.”

“Well, the mouth is pretty clear,” Bodie said. “That’s all that matters.”

Jemma was reading an international guidebook. “Says here that the mountain has over two hundred caves that attract cavers,” she noted. “Which explains all those specialty stores back in Cueta.”

The terrain rolled on, dusty brown dirt with patches of verdant bushes and grass. As they approached the slopes of the mountain, a patchwork of gray rocks dotted the landscape, markers of an unknown time, for an unknown reason. The team was forced to carefully thread a path between them so as not to break an ankle or graze a shin. They were coming up behind the head of the mountain, which sloped sharply but still allowed ascent by foot. The SEALs were ahead. Cassidy, wanting to stay sharp and at the height of fitness, ranged free as well, watching their right flank and looking back toward the village. Nobody had expected they would be followed, and they had traveled farther afield just to be sure, but Cassidy Coleman was never one to take chances.

By late morning there were still a few tourists around. Bodie spied two on the far side of the mountain, sitting upon what one might call the lady’s “knees.” Cassidy asked for a set of field glasses and everyone stopped.

“What’s up?”

The redhead took the binoculars and stared back toward the village. “Probably nothing at all. There are five black Mercedes SUVs down there, parked in a row.” She frowned. “I find things that are out of place, guys, and that’s out of place.”

Bodie borrowed the glasses for a minute. “You’re right. Doesn’t mean they’re anything to do with us. Still…” He explained what they could see over the comms. “High alert.”

“You think Frizzbomb has any intention of letting us slip away?” Cassidy asked as they stood alone for a while.

Bodie blinked. He hadn’t considered their inevitable confrontation with Heidi and the CIA when they eventually pushed hard to break from them. The nonstop ride had all but consumed him. “I guess we’ll know better after we find Atlantis,” he said. “We have to make a stand, maybe throw down an ultimatum. I hate being at somebody else’s beck and call. She certainly didn’t like being denied when you and I decided to finish the Pantera op. But we also have the Bratva to worry about. Keep your claws sharpened.”

“My claws are always sharpened, Bodie. It’s a necessity of my life.”

“I prefer to keep all of my parts well oiled,” he said, laughing.

“Is that because you’re old?”

“No, bitch, it’s because I like to keep my assets lubricated.”

“Disgusting. So, shall we call you WD-Bodie?”

He broke away as Heidi wandered over. “Five minutes to the head of the mountain. You guys ready?”

“All greased up and sharpened to a wicked point.” Cassidy grinned. “You?”

As they moved out, Bodie allowed himself brief thoughts of Pantera and the man’s family. The Bratva were not just here in Morocco; they were international, and incredibly resourceful. He just hoped that the safe house where Pantera was now established was proving safe enough.

The terrain rose, becoming rockier as it framed the head of the mountain. This close, the features were hard to discern so Lucie waved her GPS. The team came together and walked around the final feature toward the mouth. Nobody expected the find to be easy; indeed, nobody even knew what they were looking for. A cave was Lucie’s best guess. The good news was that, to date, Danel’s directions had been flawless.

It became a far steeper climb now, making each member of the team struggle a little. The mouth was a large delve in the rock, and they could climb both inside and above it. Bodie saw only hard, ungiving, jagged rock, but it looked like they were alone, so he resolved to take his time in the search. The SEALs moved up and on top of the mouth, checking the terrain on the far side. Jemma and Lucie walked straight into the mouth, hopping over the lip. Gunn waited close by, studying every nook and cranny. Cross crouched, still aloof, and stared at the surfaces all around as if searching for a vein of gold.

“There’s nothing here,” Lucie said in disappointment.

Heidi nodded toward the disappearing SEALs. “I’m gonna join them. See what’s over there.”

Bodie nodded. “Might as well join you.”

“Ahh, thanks.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean that to sound derogatory. Cassidy just reminded me that we’re not really friends.”

“I don’t see any cuffs, Bodie.”

“You don’t? Look harder, although they do tend to tighten just after an op.”

“You think I’m a threat? I’m flattered.”

“Don’t be. We fear your resources. Therein lies your ability to hunt and locate us. But arguing aside, Heidi, there must be an end to all this and we must be able to see it. You want trust? Start by being transparent and state a contract termination date.”

“Whoa, that sounds official.”

“It does? Good.”

“Give me some time, Bodie.”

“You have until the end of the mission.”

Heidi glared ahead, focusing on the brow of the elevation. She set off at speed for their destination. When she finally reached the brow, she was surprised to see the three SEALs on their knees with pistols to their heads. They had been taken prisoner by three elegantly suited older gentlemen. Heidi reached for her weapon, but then two more well-heeled individuals waved at her from the right, popping up from behind a boulder. Bodie took it all in, his face registering shock.

How did they do that?

Quickly, it was made clear to them. One of the men pointed to an iPad screen — a view of the woman’s mouth that showed Lucie and Jemma searching undergrowth, oblivious to the scrutiny. The men then gestured at three red dots that overlaid the screen, and one of them showed Bodie a black detonator box.

“Bombs,” he whispered. “Now, shout to your friends or watch them die. We do not need all of you.”

Two of the suits remained watching the SEALs. A third broke away to join the two nearby, one of whom held the tablet. Each removed a long-barreled gun. Heidi stayed silent and so did Bodie. The speaker nodded at one of his fellows.

A shot rang out. Bodie gasped as Foster’s skull jerked to the left and blood gushed out. The body toppled, unmoving.

“Shout for them.”

Of course, now there was no need, but Heidi called anyway to preserve the remaining SEALs’ lives. As Lucie, Jemma, Gunn, Cross, and Cassidy came over the brow of the rise, the suited men watched calmly, keeping their weapons trained on the captives.

“Submit, or die,” the speaker and apparent leader said. “We do not need all of you.”

The warning was made even starker by the newly dead body sprawled out on the rocks. The team put up their hands. Cassidy dropped her gun. They were made to line up, two bodywidths apart, as three of the five men patted them down. The other men stayed well apart, one above and one below, with their odd pistols trained.

Bodie submitted to a thorough pat down and feel, but it was worse for the women. There was nothing personally immoral on the part of the men but they were exhaustive and they were rough. After an array of guns and knives and other objects had been confiscated, the two SEALs and seven members of the team were told to kneel with their hands on their heads.

Two suits behind, three in front. They were proficient.

The leader addressed them, his gun never wavering. “You may call me Zeus. We are the Evzones. Do not look for anyone else. We are but five, and five is all we have ever been. Chosen through the centuries. The Evzones are happy to be the five.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT