The Swords of Babylon

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

Zak Block loved the fact that Hawaii time ran twelve hours behind his own. It almost felt as if he were travelling back in time, enabling him to usher in the new reign of the Shadow Elite that much sooner. It was an illusion, he knew, but a comforting one.

The midday Hawaiian sun beat down hard on the airport tarmac. Being a first-class passenger, he was offered a lei and dutifully bent his head, smiling at the pretty grass-skirted girl as she spoke a greeting and wished him a pleasant stay on the island of Oahu.

“Oh, there’s no doubt there’s going to be a little fun for everyone,” he said and headed over to his driver. The man lowered the card he was holding and showed him to a white sedan with blacked out windows.

So far, so good, he thought. The team had always known Block would be joining them inside the tomb and had spent many hours deliberating over the best way to get him inside. In the end it came down to a floating strategy with many alternatives. They could only predict the authorities’ responses up to a certain point. After that, it was all conjecture and chance.

Block was driven around Diamond Head, with the sparkling blue of the Pacific to his right, and off the main road. Presently they transferred to an off-road vehicle, and the driver proceeded to bounce his way down a barely used dirt track. The man apologized, but Block barely heard. He was already tired of not being the world’s decision maker, and filled his head only with visions of what he would do once he regained that power. He was a coiled snake waiting to strike and clamp his jaws on anyone who stood in his way.

They skirted three lava tubes, the first two of which were being monitored by the HPD. The third, somewhat further away, looked clear and it wouldn’t matter if it was under CCTV surveillance. They wanted to get a man in — not get many men out.

Block accepted the pack offered by the driver and took a moment to check his email. Cayman was already inside the Singen tomb and Nicolas Denney was approaching its Icelandic equivalent. A message at this point would be bad news. But there were none. He sent a quick, unnecessary text, alerting the second Hawaiian cell that he’d arrived, warning them to prepare for battle.

The trek was arduous, but worth every laborious step. Block was helped down from the high ledge and, for the first time, observed the carved stone face of Wrath.

“Spectacular, isn’t it?” The driver grinned.

Block ignored him, taking a moment for himself. After a while, he waved the man on, listening to his spiel about how the traps had been counteracted and how relatively easy it had been for a well-armed, well-motivated force to take the tomb. A little further on and they passed through Greed, the little, precious pots of riches now removed to prevent distraction and death. After that came Lust, and Block slowed despite himself, staggered and a little daunted by the extensive amount of carved and painted flesh on display.

“Those gods.” The driver whistled, staying close to Block. “They sure knew how to throw a party, am I right?”

“Please,” Block spoke just the once, expecting the man to understand. Luckily for him, he did and shut his mouth. In silence, they traversed the chamber and soon passed through Envy and Gluttony. It was after this level that the team commander waited for him.

“Sir, all is prepared.” He came forward and gave a slight bow. “If you proceed to the ledge up there—” he pointed to a curved stone wall running around the top of the next rise. “You will see all that you came for.”

Block braced himself and picked his way carefully to the wall. The sight that greeted his eyes beat everything he had yet seen and more, it was the most awe-inspiring, incredible thing he had ever seen in his life.

Odin’s chair. The gargantuan, impossibly carved slab of obsidian hung from the cliff face before him, positioned over a bottomless abyss. An ancient silence filled the place, demanding deference, crawling and shimmering with an unseen, latent power. Only poised here, bowed by its glory, could he truly accept it.

“Now,” he said. “Now I believe.”

The team leader had walked up behind him. “I know exactly what you mean, sir. After witnessing something like this you start to believe anything’s possible.”

Block nodded, impressed with the man’s insight. “I will show the governments of the world what is possible,” he said. “Get everything ready, because after today there will be no government, no dictatorship, no insolent warlord, that will not bow down to me.”