They met fifty feet from the village. In contrast to the professor’s pinched features and tense posture, Hawkins had a half smile on his lips and his hands hung loosely at his sides. He projected an unmistakable air of confidence. There was even an unexpected amusement in his dark eyes when they glanced at the make-shift truce flag. “Hello, Professor Saleem. Did you come to offer your surrender or demonstrate your talent as a cheerleader?”
Saleem bunched the bandage up and crammed it into his pants pocket.
“You have a rather mordant sense of humor,” the professor said.
“You’re not the first to tell me that. You’re a long way from Georgetown.”
Saleem managed a quick smile of his own.
“It’s about the same distance to Woods Hole, Mr. Hawkins. Did you come all this way to play Lawrence of Arabia?”
“Touché,” Hawkins said. “What brings you to this lovely garden spot?”
“The same thing that brought you here. Treasure.”
“You’ve given up teaching history, Professor?”
“For the time being. How is my colleague Dr. Everson, by the way?”
“She’s fine, but she didn’t believe me when I told her that you were away from your classroom on a field trip.”
“Teaching was only my day job. Actually, I work for the Pakistani intelligence service.”
Hawkins cocked his head. “Are you telling me that this murderous romp is an ISI operation?”
“No! Far from it. I’ll admit that elements of my service maintain contacts with extremists, but I have been dragged into this mess by the man watching us from that helicopter behind me. You know him I believe. His name is Marzak.”
“He didn’t introduce himself when he and his twin tried to kill me.”
“He is intent on taking revenge against you for killing his brother. But first he must finish a job he was hired to do for a group that came together in the vacuum created when Osama Bin Laden was killed. They call themselves the Shadows and they would like revenge too, but against the entire U.S.A.”
“How’d you get hooked up with these Boy Scouts, Professor?”
“Marzak and his brother were terrorists for hire. The Shadows retained them to carry out a terror plan in the U.S., but it was put on hold while they searched for the treasure. Once they have the treasure, they will move ahead with their plot. I am seen as sympathetic to their cause.”
“You’re telling me that you aren’t?”
“I am nominally in charge of this expedition, but Marzak is in operational control. I am really on your side.”
Hawkins took the professor’s words with a grain of salt. The ISI had a reputation for double dealing, accepting American money and working with the CIA on one hand, enabling the Taliban and terrorists like Bin Laden on the other. Their goals were complicated, and were usually connected to the long-standing Cold War between Pakistan and India.
“Prove it. Tell me about the terror attack they’re planning against the U.S.”
“I’ll tell you what I know. It’s called the Prophet’s Necklace. It’s a scheme to use sarin gas at a number of different locations across the U.S.”
The smile vanished from Hawkins’ face. He knew sarin from the subway attack by a Japanese religious sect that had killed dozens of people back in the 1990s. The deadly toxin could kill within minutes of exposure.
“Do you know the targets of this attack?”
“Several American cities, but I don’t know which ones. I just know that Marzak is the one who can connect the strands with a simple telephone call.”
“He’s got to be stopped, Professor.”
“I’ll do my best, but we have to deal with the present. He sent me out here to offer a proposition.”
Hawkins glanced at the helicopter. “Can’t wait to hear it.”
“It seems that you have wiped out the dive team that was going to find the treasure. Since you and your friend are the only divers in the area, it was thought that your help could be enlisted.”
“Is that why they didn’t kill us when we were driving away from the lake? And why the gunships didn’t attack the villagers?”
“Correct,” the professor said. “I persuaded Marzak to keep you alive so you could find the treasure.”
“You and Marzak are crazier than I thought,” Hawkins said.
“Not crazy at all, I’m afraid. You’re very impressive, Mr. Hawkins, but you are out of your league. The real treasure at the center of this madness represents more wealth and power than anything Prester John could ever have imagined.”
“You’ve got my attention, prof. Now maybe you can tell me what you’re talking about.”
“I will tell you as events unfold. We have more pressing issues now. The man watching us doesn’t have a great deal of patience.”
“Why would we help your friend?”
“Because if you don’t, the Cobras will reduce the village to rubble and kill everyone in it. I saw them do just that in a practice run. A ground force is on its way to move in after the air assault. From what you have seen, you must know that Marzak is capable and more than willing to carry out his threat.”
“What’s the quid pro quo if we agree to dive?”
“They will leave with the treasure and let everyone go free.”
“I admire your ability to say that with a straight face, Professor.”
“It’s an acquired skill,” Saleem said. “We both know that they will kill you as soon as they have the treasure in hand and then proceed to wipe out every man, woman and child in the village.”
“I was thinking along the same lines,” Hawkins said. “Any ideas?”
“My strategy has been to stall as much as I can and hope for the best.”
“How’s that working out for you?”
“Not very well, I must admit.”
“I thought so,” Hawkins said.
He excused himself and spoke into his walky-talky. “How’s the poker game going?”
“Great! I can open with a pair of aces,” Calvin replied.
“Deal me in for the next hand,” Hawkins said. He re-clipped the radio to his belt and said, “It’s been nice talking to you, Professor.”
He turned around and started to walk back to the village.
“You’re going back to play poker?” Saleem said.
Hawkins stopped. “Hell, yes. I had a winning hand when you showed up.”
A panicked look came to Saleem’s face. “Wait! What should I tell them?”
“Tell them we agree. Reluctantly. To save the village. Say that we have to refill our air tanks and pull our dive gear together. It will take about an hour.”
Hawkins entered a building at the edge of the village and climbed a ladder to the top story. A trio of sharp-shooters under the direction of Amir had been watching through holes in the walls, ready to act if needed. Calvin was sitting on the roof with a pile of electrical parts in front of him. He was stripping the end of a wire.
“Who was that pig?” Amir asked.
“His name is Saleem. He’s with the ISI and I think he’s on our side, but it’s immaterial at this point.”
Hawkins gave an edited version of his conversation with Saleem.
“Are you really going to find the treasure for those murderers?”
“I lied,” Hawkins said. “I’m stalling for time.” He turned to Calvin. “About those aces.”
Calvin picked up a Stinger. “I’ve jury-rigged batteries to two missiles. The other systems are too far gone to fix.”
“Will they work?”