‘It just doesn’t feel real. I mean, look at this beautiful beach! How can anything change this?’
‘Don’t forget that according to your and Daniel’s assessment, the earthquake is going to occur somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Thailand may be completely safe.’
‘Then why are we getting on the first flight out of here? Who are you trying to convince, Jack?’
‘I’m not trying to convince anyone. I just don’t like taking any chances if I can help it. That’s all. Maybe nothing will happen tomorrow, maybe something will, and Thailand will be spared, but either way I’d rather hear about it from a safe distance.’
When they returned to the hotel, Jack left Mina packing her things and stepped out into the warm night air, heading for his mother’s bungalow. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. The glass door was smashed open, chairs were upturned and the contents of their suitcases were strewn all over the floor. He looked in the bathroom and in Jen’s room, both equally wrecked, but there was nobody to be seen. They had been kidnapped, he knew the signs only too well. Looking around he found a note near the phone. It read, ‘No police or you no see women again. We call you.’
Jack ran down the beach, back to their bungalow. Mina’s suitcase was ready, on their bed, but she wasn’t there. He felt his mind was about to explode. ‘It’s impossible,’ he thought. How could they have also taken Mina, in the few minutes he had been away? He sat on the bed, deflated and motionless for what seemed an eternity then he heard footsteps coming from the porch. He moved noiselessly to the bay window and hid behind the curtains. Someone was entering the room. Just as he was about to strike, Mina spun round to face him.
‘Jack? What the hell?’
‘You’re here, you’re alive! Oh my god!’ he said, holding her tightly in his arms.
‘Of course I am. I just needed say au revoir to the lovely beach. What’s going on?’ she asked, all her fear and anxiety returning in waves.
‘Mum and Jen have been kidnapped. While we were in town booking the flights.’
‘Kidnapped? By whom?’
‘I don’t know. Here’s the note I found.’
Mina read it quickly.
‘It’s very rudimentary English. Probably written by locals.’
‘I came to the same conclusion.’
‘But why?’
‘I don’t know. They’re American after all. Maybe their kidnappers thought they were wealthy and could fetch a nice ransom?’
‘I’m so sorry Jack. I can’t believe this is happening just as we are leaving the country!’ said Mina.
‘No. There’s probably something else going on,’ said Jack.
‘I think we should call the police,’ said Mina.
‘No way. I know this place, there’s corruption everywhere and thugs have contacts within the police departments. We’ll have to play ball and pay,’ said Jack.
‘So what do we do now?’
‘For now, we wait.’
An hour later, Jack was still standing next to the window, on the lookout for any strange visitors. Mina had been re-reading her notes on the Jerusalem tablet, and had now fallen asleep, fully clothed, on the bed. The silence in the bungalow was broken by the sound of Jack’s mobile phone beeping in his jacket. He had received a text message, he looked at it, and immediately woke Mina up.
‘Jack, what is it?’
‘Read this,’ he said, showing her his phone.
Dear Mina, I hope you have had time to rest. What a shame that we should meet again under somewhat strained circumstances. Major Hillcliff, if you want to see your family again, make sure you have a certain tablet with you and call me on +911911911911. O. W.
‘Is that a real number?’ Mina asked Jack. She was shocked by the casual tone of the message.
‘Yes. 91 is the international number for Thailand. What a sick joke, nine eleven.’
‘I could kill the smarmy bastard!’ hissed Mina.
‘I know! I wonder how they knew we were here?’
‘How did he get hold of your phone number?’
‘The phone’s the key. They must have intercepted my call to NOAA’ said Jack, ‘they figured out we were in Phuket and sent out the local mafia. We just happened to be out.’
‘And they kidnapped your mother and sister instead,’ she said.
‘Maybe. The worst part is that he wants the clay tablet we unearthed in Hildersham… but we don’t have it any longer. Shobai’s men destroyed it.’
Mina didn’t answer straight away. There was something odd about Oberon’s message.
‘I don’t think so Jack,’ she said softly.
‘What the hell do you mean?’ he snapped.
‘Please don’t lash out at me. I’m just trying to be constructive.’
‘Sorry Mina, I’m just beside myself.’
‘OK. No-one but Shobai, the Bamarts, you and I know about the Jerusalem tablet. So Oberon must be referring to the tablet he stole from me in Israel, the Mosul stone tablet.’
He looked at her quizzically.
‘You think Shobai ran off with Wheatley’s tablet?’ Jack asked her.
‘Why not? They’ve stolen everything else.’
‘And…Wheatley thinks I am the one who stole the tablet back from him? I like this.’
‘Yes. Seems logical to me.’
‘But we need to be sure he really doesn’t know about the Jerusalem tablet before I call him.’
‘We can’t be sure. We’ll just have to assume our explanation is the right one.’
‘It’s quite a gamble.’
‘We’ve got a bigger problem. We don’t have any tablets,’ Mina said.
‘But he doesn’t know that,’ Jack replied.
‘You know Jack, I might be barking up the wrong tree. Why would Oberon need the actual tablet? He must have had photographs taken of the stone one?’
‘Damn. You’re right. It doesn’t make any sense.’
‘So? What are you going to do?’
‘I’ll call him tomorrow morning, once I’ve taken care of a few things,’ said Jack.
In the middle of the night, three heavily armed men approached the bungalow’s porch with extreme caution. On their leader’s signal, they all rushed forward smashing down the front door. One of the men flipped the light switch. There was no sign of Jack or Mina. The leader lifted his hood, revealing a ravaged face, covered in scars. He dialled a number on his mobile phone.
‘Wheatley?’
‘Yes?’
‘No-one here.’
‘I see, they must have changed hotels.’
‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Nothing. Thanks for your help. My secretary will settle your expenses. It really doesn’t matter. I’m sure they’ll make contact tomorrow morning, they have no other option. Then we’ll see who’s the smartest.’
Chapter 31
December 25th, 2004. Patong Beach, Phuket
Mina woke up in Jack’s arms. She kissed his lips and watched him wake slowly from his sleep. He opened his eyes to the sight of Mina’s dark eyes looking down at him from under her long lashes.
‘Mornin’ you,’ he said, ‘what time is it?’
‘About eight-thirty.’
He frowned, suddenly deep in thought. Mina looked at his furrowed brow and smiled.
‘You should eat something before you run out the door to do whatever you’re thinking about right now’ she said.
‘Am I that predictable?’
‘Sometimes. I’m starting to know you Jack. So what’s the magic plan you’ve concocted overnight?’
‘I need to buy a laptop and I’d rather you came with me. I don’t want you to be alone if they find out we’re staying here.’
‘They can’t know we’re staying in a bungalow belonging to the hotel manager’s own brother, can they?’
‘I’m not taking any chances. I promised your mum I’d bring you home in one piece. Come on, let’s get some breakfast.’