The Orpheus Legacy

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Twenty minutes later, Ryan closed his laptop and sipped his water. “Turns out Santorini is actually the biggest island of a small archipelago, all of which are basically all that remains of the large volcanic caldera to which I previously alluded.”

“Sounds like we’re getting hotter,” Kamala said.

“Exactly,” he continued. “It’s part of the Cyclades islands and, as I said, has the notable distinction of being the site of one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in the entire history of the world. It sent massive tsunamis racing all across the eastern Mediterranean and some hypothesize that it was so destructive it led to the end of the Minoan civilization.”

“Yikes,” Kamala said. “Any chance of that happening when we’re there?”

“Not much, but it’s still the most active volcanic region in what’s known as the South Aegean Volcanic Arc.”

“Surprised they don’t put that on the tourist posters,” Scarlet said. “Spend two weeks in the most active volcanic region in the Med.”

Reaper chuckled. “I think I know why they don’t do that…”

“Precisely,” Ryan said. “But the Minoans kept reliable records and we know that prior to the eruption there were settlements in the area, including the town of Akrotiri. We also know that at the start of the eruption, a massive cloud of ash was blasted high up in the sky and probably would have blocked sunlight for some time. Archaeologists to date have never found any bodies in their excavations, so it’s likely the residents had enough time to flee to safety.”

Kamala frowned. “What do you mean there’s not much chance of this happening when we’re there?”

“What, burning ash raining from the sky like a summer storm?” Ryan said.

The frown grew deeper. “Something like that, yeah.”

“It’s possible to use statistical data to extrapolate future eruptions from past ones, but the relatively small number of data points limits how accurate we can be. There have been nine eruptions in the last two thousand years with the most recent happening in 1950. Modern volcanologists have used Bayesian probability interpretation to infer a more accurate model of prediction.”

Kamala looked at Lea. “What the hell?”

“He means they’re getting better at guessing.”

“Got it,” she said with a smile. “So what’s the best guess then, Einstein?”

“It’s generally accepted that the volcano is ready to blow at any minute.”

She turned to him, wide-eyed and put her coffee down. “You said there wasn’t much chance of it erupting!”

“Here it comes,” Scarlet muttered.

Ryan ignored her. “Statistically, that’s true because we’re only going to be there a few hours. The chances of it blowing in that time are next to none, but over the past few years there has been a small inflation recorded beneath the volcano and an increase in the temperature taken in surrounding fumaroles and springs.”

“Maybe I’ll stay on the plane.”

Hawke laughed. “Welcome to ECHO. And no one’s staying on the plane. Kashala and his men are already well ahead of us and we’re going to need all hands to the pump if we’re to stand a chance of taking him and Dimitrov down.”

“I for one,” Reaper grumbled, “cannot wait to take the bastards out — volcano or not.”

“It sounds like hell,” Nikolai said.

His words brought a stop to the conversation, then Hawke said, “I think that’s kind of the point. If the ancient Greeks really went to such a place, you can see why they might have decided to call it hell.”

Kamala shifted in her seat. “Whatever it’s called, I’m not sure we’ve got any business going there.”

“Are you saying we should just give up?” Zeke asked.

“No,” she said flatly. “Absolutely not.”

“Then what?”

Hawke stepped in. “We don’t give up, ever. It’s just not what we do. We could have rolled over a hundred times in the last few years — God knows we’ve been up against it. And just about everything we’ve been fighting has been bigger and more powerful than us — better funded, more contacts and more reach. It’s David and Goliath on steroids, but not once has any of us ever just walked away.”

“And that’s because we’re a family,” Ryan said. “And families are usually small, and what they end up fighting is usually much bigger than they are, but their strength is in here.” He raised his hand and pounded his chest.

“You spilt some pizza sauce on your t-shirt, Ry,” Lea said.

Lexi nodded sagely. “Sort of ruined the end of your speech.”

“I thought it was very moving,” Zeke said.

Scarlet groaned. “I need a sick bucket.”

“But he’s right.” Hawke sensed a shade of despair in the air. “We are a family and families stick together. Alex is part of that family, and we’re not walking away from her, either. Anyone who walks away from this mission walks away from the family forever. Anyone?”

Eyes fixed on each other around the room, no one moved.

Lexi broke the tension. “I’m still worried about the sniper.”

“Aren’t we all?” Lea said.

Hawke nodded. “And worse, that little problem has gone quiet. I don’t like it. If it really is Lazaro, I still don’t see how he could know our whereabouts. We’re just moving too fast at the moment to be tracked by anyone… too spontaneous.”

“I agree,” Camacho said. “Just a few hours ago, not even we knew we’re about to be on a plane to Santorini. How the hell could Lazaro be there waiting for us? I think we need to chill out on the sniper thing for a while. Try and focus on the mission and Francken’s paycheck.”

“I’m still not convinced it’s Lazaro,” Hawke said.

Reaper looked over at him. “What makes you say that?”

“I know Lazaro. Bastard killed my wife. I looked into him a lot after that. I researched his life story and I know what he’s capable of. Lazaro is good — very good. He’s one of the best assassins on the black market and he’s as ruthless as a great white shark, but he’s not this good.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Really. I don’t know who this is, but I’m really not sure I believe it’s the Spider. Whoever’s behind these shootings is something else altogether,” his words began to trail away as he thought about the deaths of Devlin, Lund and Kim. “Whoever’s doing this is better than Lazaro.”

“That’s a comforting thought,” Lexi said. “But if he gets too close to me, he’d better say his prayers.”

“Get in line, sister,” Scarlet said.

“But that’s just it, Lex,” Hawke said. “He’s not going to get close to you, is he? He kills from miles way and is long gone before anyone can work out where he ever was.”

A deep silence filled the room. They all knew he was right. They were vulnerable and it wasn’t a feeling they were used to.

“Anyway, we’re fugitives now,” Hawke said. “This is how we run. We take what we can get, and we get what we can take. Besides, things will be fine when Francken pays up.”

“I still have my doubts about that,” Lea said.

“Relax,” Ryan said. “Maybe our luck will change and we’ll get a break.”

Scarlet laughed. “Now you’re talking my language.”

Lea leaned back in her chair. “I’ll relax when I see the money in the bank and we’re on our way to rescue Alex and Jack Brooke. In the meantime, I’d rather keep things cynical.”

“With luck,” Nikolai said, “our failure at the cave might have lulled them into a false sense of security.”

“Talk about the triumph of hope over experience,” said Scarlet.

Jazmin, who had been quiet since her abduction, now spoke up. “Who were the men that kidnapped me? I mean exactly.”

“They didn’t tell you?” Lea asked.

“They tied me up, gagged me and put a bag over my head for most of the time. I don’t think they were very interested in conversation.”

Hawke looked at the young Hungarian woman. She was scared and wanted answers, but up until now there had been no time. “They’re a mercenary force,” he explained. “A dangerous combination of former Belgian special forces and a splinter faction of the Congolese March 23 Movement. An explosive mix, and right now their favorite pastime is trying to kill us. They used you for your knowledge and as a human shield.”

Jazmin’s eyes widened. “They’re mercenaries?”

“Just relax,” Scarlet said. “With the exception of monkey boy here, we’re all more than capable of dealing with the Blood Crew.”

“I’m asleep,” Ryan said from behind his sunglasses. “I didn’t hear that and I don’t need to respond to it.”

“What was this March 23 Movement?”

“They were a group of military rebels working in the eastern districts of the Congo,” Hawke unlocked the windows and pushed them fully open. Warm air blew into the room and tugged at his hair. “They were part of the M23 rebellion which formed against the government. Some say they were funded by the Rwandans, but we’ll probably never know the truth. Either way, they were a ruthless band of hard fighters and when things came to an end one of their leaders, a man named Joseph Kashala, found himself unemployed. He did what anyone else would do and formed a private army of mercenaries.”

Jazmin nervously fiddled with the hem of her jacket. “Killers for hire?”

Hawke smiled at her. “We can look after ourselves, and you’ll be safe as long as you do what we say and don’t take any crazy risks.”

“Not too long ago I was in my office at work and organising an excavation in Romania, Mr Hawke. Now I’m sitting in a room full of ex-soldiers after being kidnapped by a group of Belgian commandos and Congolese mercenaries. What sort of risk could be crazier than just staying with you?”

“She makes a good point,” Ryan said.

Scarlet elbowed him in the ribs.

“Hey, that hurt!”

“I thought you were asleep?” she said.

“More of a nap, really.”

Jazmin raised her hands to heaven. “My God, you people are crazy! I’m a dead woman walking.”

Reaper pulled his tobacco tin out of his pocket and opened it up. The sweet smell filled the room before another breeze blew it away again. “We’re not so crazy. We live on the road and we see the world. We have had adventures that you would not believe. Maybe those who only dream of adventure are the crazy one, non?”

Jazmin had no response. She was scared, but she didn’t want to show it in front of these people. They might be as crazy as hell, but they were friendly. And if they really were all that stood between her and King Kashala, then she was sticking as close to them as she could get.

Jazmin handed Hawke the phone. “We need to go to the Prophet Elias Monastery. It’s on the summit on Mount Profitis. Orpheus says that is where a grotto he calls ‘the mouth of hell’ is located — somewhere on the summit.”

“It makes sense,” Ryan added. “If you were in the business of selling god and you wanted to build a monastery, you’d put it right over the top of something like that and hide it from the world forever.”

“Exactly,” Jazmin said.

Hawke gave her a reassuring smile. “All right, at least we know where we’re going. Dimitrov and Kashala might have the map but they haven’t got you or Ryan, so we have the advantage for once.”

Lea laughed. “Who’d have thunk it?”

“We might have the advantage,” Scarlet said coolly, “But can we win the match?”

Hawke’s face grew more serious. “Tomorrow, we find out.”