The Seven Seals of Egypt

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

When the capstone and the helicopter came crashing down, the leaderless mercs lost their nerve and their courage.

Luther helped chase them off, backed by Molokai, Pine and Carey, helped by Karin and her crew. They took out another half dozen before they managed to jump into their vehicles and race back for Cairo, tails firmly between their legs.

In the aftermath, Drake walked carefully to the side of the Great Pyramid, sitting and waiting until the SPEAR team gathered around him. That seemed to be the cue for Luther and Karin to join them, followed by their colleagues.

“It was a close call,” Yorgi said with a straight face.

Crouch planted himself down in the sand, still feeling the effects of Vladimir’s torture. “I think a few months off now would be good.”

Drake nodded, but eyed Luther. “I guess that all depends on the big man.”

Luther looked torn. “What you guys did here today — it’s truly heroic. Never seen the like of it. Trouble is, if I don’t follow my orders then I become a fugitive too.”

Alicia held up a water bottle. “Cheers. It’s fun.”

“You all do seem to be happy with your lot,” Luther admitted.

“Sure,” Alicia said. “Every day I get to wake up, laugh with and fight alongside my friends. What could be better than that?”

“Not much for a soldier,” Molokai admitted, checking out his metal claw and flexing it to ensure it hadn’t been damaged in the battle.

“I bet you have some story,” Alicia said.

“Much more than you could ever imagine.”

“Oh, I dunno, I can imagine some pretty wild scenarios. Just ask Drakey.”

Molokai partly unwrapped the rags from about his face, showing skin partially eaten away and hanging loose. “Do I win?”

Alicia whistled. “Yeah, pal. I can’t even imagine what happened to you.”

“Leprosy is what happened, but that’s a whole different story.”

“You’re a leper? I didn’t… I don’t even know what to do with that information.”

“I was a leper,” Molokai said. “And I appreciate the honesty.”

Drake watched the big Sikorsky burn, looked over the bodies of dead mercs and heard rubble falling from the ragged hole that now existed at the base of the pyramid. The sun was looking like it might finally be thinking about setting, but that didn’t bode well for the good people of Cairo.

“FrameHub,” he said. “Have a big payload of sins to answer for. Tracking them won’t be easy.”

Karin Blake stepped up. “I can help with that. I want to. Those bastards have gotten in the way of my agenda, but I can’t stand by and see them do again what they’ve done to Egypt and Greece. Ending them must come first.”

Drake wondered what her agenda might be, but agreed. There would be time to talk and discuss later. The thing he found hardest was sitting alongside a man he’d just fought with, bled with and admired — the same man that was threatening to end his freedom.

“You game for it, Luther?”

“I have to say,” Hayden spoke up before the soldier could answer. “We should talk to Secretary Crowe first. She put herself in danger contacting us and her wishes were somewhat different.”

Everyone nodded, including Luther.

Soon, Crowe was back on the line, enervated when they explained what had transpired at the pyramid. Again she reiterated her views on Tempest and the weapons of the gods that they sought.

“The Sword of Mars,” she said. “The Chains of Aphrodite. The Flail of Anubis, The Dagger of Nemesis, the Waters of Neptune, The Key of Hades, The Forge of Vulcan, and more. It’s a global hunt, no holds barred and utterly deadly. Believe me, nothing you’ve encountered so far will come close to this.”

“We’re somewhat up against it,” Dahl said diplomatically.

“The splinter group, Tempest, are incredibly well connected. It says a lot that the US Secretary of Defense has to creep around, making covert phone calls. I couldn’t even get next to the President without arousing suspicion as I believe one of his aides to be a mole. But I do know that if we let them gather the weapons of the gods, we’re all dead. Or may as well be.”

“Where would we even start?” Mai asked.

“The weapons were either stolen or given away. You will have to hunt them down.”

“There are ways,” Hayden said. “Remember… we located the Sword of Mars ourselves.”

“And what about FrameHub?” Karin asked.

“I hate to say this, but they come second to this. Nothing in this world could be more important now than those weapons. They literally have the power to crack the world in half.”

Drake listed to the somber silence, the weary surprise. “Do we have allies?” he asked.

“Maybe,” Crowe said. “The other burned teams. The Brits — I have a source there in the SAS. Maybe others.”

Drake thought it might be fun hooking up with the SAS one more time. Crouch caught his eye and smiled, knowing exactly what he was thinking. The Yorkshireman watched Karin. “Secretary Crowe,” he said. “I believe we may have a way to take out FrameHub. We don’t want to fail there. Perhaps we could multitask.”

“Perhaps. Now, start making plans. I’ll be in touch later.”

“One thing,” Drake said. “What are we supposed to do with Luther?”

“He’s there? Oh well, bring him with you. He’s useful.”

“At the moment, he’d rather clap us in chains.”

Crowe was silent, then said. “Give him the phone.”

Luther looked surprised, but held out a hand. “Hello?”

“I’ll tell you one thing although my every instinct says I shouldn’t. One of the leaders of Tempest is a man called General Gleeson. Do you know him?”

“Ah, yes, Madam Secretary, he’s the man that sent me after SPEAR.”

“I know. Look, Luther, as the end of the day it’s your call. But you’ve seen first-hand what these people can do. You’ve fought alongside them, bled with them, risked your life with them. Deep down, you know what they are. They’re soldiers, Luther, just like you. All they want to do is help normal, down-to-earth, ordinary people live their lives as freely as they can. They’re not American traitors; they’re international patriots. Save your damn soul and give them a chance.”

Luther handed back the phone and glanced around the team finally alighting on Drake. “I trust her. I don’t trust you, quite yet. I have my team; they’re coming with us.”

The Yorkshireman grinned. “We’re teaming up?”

“I’ll let you tag along in case I need my gear cleaned.”

Alicia clicked her fingers. “Can you be more specific about that part?”

Kenzie nudged Drake. “Better watch your bitch, Matt. Sounds like she needs soothing.”

“I’ll get right on it.”

“It?” Alicia raised an eyebrow. “And not right here you won’t. Too sandy.”

Mai rose and walked over to Luther. “Look forward to working with you, my new friend.”

Luther eyed her respectfully. “You are the best warrior I have ever seen.”

Dahl reminded them of his own aerial heroics. Hayden and Kinimaka moved to sit slightly apart, saying little but allowing each other to enjoy some new, and some old, familiar company.

Dahl stretched his legs after a while, leaning this way and that to ease out the kinks in his back. The team were having a last few rations and swigs of water before moving out. He wanted to wander just for a moment and ponder over what might be happening back home.

What he might be missing.

In the end, he didn’t want to miss all of it.

So, when Kenzie came up, all smiles and innuendo he grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side.

“I can’t do this,” he said.

“What? You mean me? Us? I won’t accept that.”

“You have to,” Dahl said. “And the sooner you do, you will move on.”

“Hey.” Her voice rose. “You said you saw something in me. Something better. You said I had a heart. I believed you. I followed you. This is where it has brought us.”

“I can’t help your past, Kenzie.” And he wouldn’t apologize for it either. “Life is a game of chance. You work hard enough, stay straight, and good things will happen to you. Forget the billionaires so power-stricken they’ve lost their humanity. Forget the ones that don’t seek redemption, but wallow in corruption. Live a good life.”

“I can. With you.”

“I am already spoken for,” Dahl said. “And I do love my wife. I will not risk her and the children with you. Whatever you think we have, Kenzie—” he started to walk away “—whatever you think this is, it is now over.”

His words hung in the air behind his back, stunning her.

It is now over.

Dahl didn’t look back. Drake guessed what was transpiring and watched his friend’s back carefully, still not fully trusting Kenzie. What would this new development do to her? He was ready, fingers poised over a Glock, in case she acted.

She didn’t. She walked back to the crew, face blank, eyes far away. Drake couldn’t tell if she could get past it or let it destroy her. Alicia was watching Kenzie too, a knowing wariness in her eyes.

Bloody hell, he thought. What comes next?

The toughest quest of their lives, searching for the weapons of the gods? A journey with the old-school blood and thunder warrior and his big brother? The return of Karin and her unknown agenda? FrameHub? Tempest? Dealing with the dreadful knowledge that they had been burned and were, essentially, still being hunted along with more than a dozen other teams?

He stood up today, ready to heal quickly and face the world with a little laughter and a good deal of camaraderie.

Tomorrow, and its oncoming, unstoppable nightmare, would be here all too soon.