The Templar Heresy

21

‘My men did their best, Khaled,’ Farooq said, ‘but the woman was lucky. And whoever was driving that car knew what they were doing. We didn’t anticipate that. My gunner is certain he hit the vehicle at least twice, but obviously the bullets missed the engine and anything else that would have stopped them.’

Khaled nodded. There was no point in recriminations, and he was very aware that the main reason the woman was still alive was because of his original mistake.

He and Farooq had done a quick headcount of the bodies of the archaeological team while they were looking for the satellite phone, and he was now aware that one of the men was also missing. He guessed that archaeologist was one of the two men accompanying the woman, though he still didn’t know who the second man could be.

‘So what will you do now?’ Farooq asked.

‘I will decipher the inscription and follow the trail that it reveals,’ Khaled said. ‘That is the most important task, and the reason for everything we have done.’

‘So you’ll have to forget about the woman?’

Khaled shook his head.

‘No. That trail is still fresh. I have a good idea what she’s likely to do and where she’ll go. These people are very predictable. I have contacts I can task to find and follow her, and when they track her down I will see that she is silenced for ever. Bring me the sat phone. I have calls to make.’