‘Now what, does it take off?’
Osvaldo Rodrigo laughed, ‘No, although I can see why you would think that.’
‘Well if it flies I don’t mind, that I can handle.’
The group sat motionless, the obelisk taking all their attention, Jacob however was distracted, ‘Osvaldo Rodrigo what is that?’
He was pointing to rectangular line in the floor, halfway between the entrance and the square of pyramids.
‘That is the entrance to the fifth amulet holder.’
‘Fifth amulet? I thought you said there were only four needed to control the device?’
‘I did, but the fifth has a different purpose, come let me show you, it is my privilege as keystone protector.’
As Osvaldo Rodrigo opened the second hatch, Jacob instructed the team to go back up to the surface and wait by the edge of the hatch, Katherine was to wait by the obelisk for him to return. The group obliged exiting the same way they had entered, Osvaldo informing them the hatch would open for them, but not to remove their necklaces until he joined them.
Katherine waited by the obelisk, walking around it, taking in and trying to decipher the glyphs. She sat down on the centre circle, awaiting Jacob’s return, looking up at the roof, realising that the black stone was deceptive and the roof was a giant dome. The surface appeared flat, but actually curved up towards the circular hatch at its peak, perhaps fifteen metres above them. So engrossed with her mental estimates of the cavern, she was unaware of Jacob and Osvaldo Rodrigo’s return, startled at their reappearance.
‘So was it interesting? Care to share?’
‘Another time Katherine, another time.’
‘I see as discreet and secretive as always, can’t teach old dogs new trick?’
Osvaldo Rodrigo was puzzled, ‘Old tricks?’
‘I will explain as we climb.’ Jacob patted Katherine on the back.
‘What about the amulet in the obelisk?’
‘That can remain here, at present it is safer here than outside, and it has a task to perform.’
Laurent wanted more information to give him an advantage, but Enzi’s men were coming up the river, their roaring powerboat devastating the banks as it progressed towards them. Jones was aboard the ship, Laurent realising that Enzi did not trust anyone but a few. The henchman gestured for Laurent to climb onto the boat, ‘who is this, I thought we were only collecting you and the artefacts?’
Luis Alfredo paused, ‘You said artefacts, you mean the amulets? I thought you were only interested in mine, this one, you can do no harm with one!’
Jones stepped off the boat towards the young man, his size intimidating, ’Hand over the amulet boy!’
‘No you cannot, I just wanted to share the knowledge! This is wrong!’ He began to turn and run, but Jones pulled his SMG and fired a burst into the back of the young man, no effect. He grabbed his knife and deftly threw it at the back of the retreating boy. The blade penetrated mid-spine, the pain caused him to fall to the ground. Laurent could not believe the vicious attack, and the lack of effect the bullets had. Luis Alfredo struggled, attempted to crawl away, the knife had perforated his back, blood poured from the wound. The henchman walked up sedately, the determination of his struggling victim admirable, but pointless. Laurent yelled at him, running up to the side of the young man, stopping Jones from finishing the job.
Luis Alfredo was barely alive, but he was trying to say something, barely a whisper from his blood soaked lips. Laurent bent down, the words causing a red splatter on his cheek, ‘que necesita el amuleto quinto’.
Jones threw Laurent out of the way and used his other knife to stab the young man in the eye, finishing the job.
‘No more delays Laurent, he is of no use to us now.’
Laurent knew Luis Alfredo had given him the advantage he required.
‘Before we leave you must all swear not to say anything about this place.’ They all agreed with Osvaldo Rodrigo request and ascended the stone staircases to the surface, the group waiting crouched near the hatch, Kevin appearing nervous. Jacob was about to ask what was wrong, when he heard for himself and instinctively ducked.
‘Gunfire coming from the other side of the wall!’
‘We heard some just before you came out, then that!’
‘Relax Kevin, right, everyone over to where we came out, use the wall for shelter.’
The group moved hurriedly against the substantial wall, Katherine and Jacob followed, looking up at the wall above, handguns drawn. ‘Katherine, if someone gets up onto that wall, we are sitting ducks, we have to climb and get out of here.’
‘Agreed, I will go first, check the other side.’
Katherine set off up the wall, bounded away like a mountain goat. Jacob looked up opposite to ensure no one was trying to flank them, get a better shot. However since the second burst, there were no further shots. Katherine called Jacob from the top of the wall, a collapsed section about eighty feet above.
‘No one here, or within sight now!’
Jacob told the group to move up to Katherine’s position in pairs, bringing up the rear himself.
Laurent turned over the young man‘s body, his eye open wide, mouth gaping, blood glistening on his cheek. Laurent pulled the necklace from the boys limp neck, snapping the leather strap holding it in place. He pocketed it and strode back onto the boat, leaving the naïve young man’s body for the jungle to reclaim.
Laurent sat silent in the back of the boat, staring at Jones.
‘Is there a problem Mr Laurent? Do you disapprove of my methods?’
‘We may have needed information he has!’
‘Enzi has secured all the information at the camp, and now we have four of these amulets, we can discover what Enzi requires.’
Laurent did not bother to argue or respond, he was obviously ignorant of his actions. He turned on his satellite phone, normally the number he required was in the phone memory, but it was not there, he ignored this fact and dialled it manually, ‘I have them, no all three and I have information to share.’
Jones presumed that Laurent was calling Enzi to update him, his presumption was misplaced.
Osvaldo Rodrigo discovered Luis Alfredo’s body near the water’s edge. He examined him, and then insisted they wrap him up and remove him. He sat in the canoe with the misguided man’s corpse. Jacob was concerned on what Laurent’s betrayal also involved and the possible dangers to the camp, analysing various scenarios as the canoes travelled back.
TWENTY FOUR
Teddy was treating the old hovercraft like a racing car, cutting tight on the corners of the river, refusing to donate any speed to the meandering water. Archer and Debra in the rear, braced themselves against the body of the beast. They had tied up the canvas flaps giving clear views to front and rear. Archer had filled up the grenade launcher with six 40mm grenades, and had the other rounds ready in a bag by his leg. Debra was holding an older M16, heavier than Archer’s M4, but effective in her experienced hands.