‘This way,’ she said.
The others followed as she led them through the twists and turns of the cistern system. Somehow she had memorized the maze and knew how to make it through without any guidance from Garcia — a feat that surprised everyone, including herself.
Although Jasmine had been amazed by the video footage of the tunnels, it was nothing like being there. In person, the underground cisterns were overwhelming.
‘This stuff should be in a museum,’ Jasmine said as she swept her flashlight across the space. ‘It represents the breadth of the region’s history.’
No one commented, so she continued.
She pointed to the base of pillar. ‘Look over there. That relief is influenced by the classical Greek style. But the arches in the last cistern were consistent with the angular, geometric design of Persia. The diversity down here is astounding. And it’s so well preserved. It’s amazing to think that by reusing pieces of ancient ruins they were actually protecting them. On the other hand, it’s a shame that—’
Sarah spun around and shined her light in Jasmine’s face.
‘What’s wrong?’ Jasmine demanded.
‘How should I know?’ she said in a harsh whisper. ‘There could be a herd of elephants charging toward us right now, and I wouldn’t be able to hear them over your historical play-by-play.’
‘Sorry. I’m just excited.’
Sarah softened her tone. ‘Listen, we can discuss the finer points of architecture and what it means to mankind once we return to the boat. But right now, we have to focus on the mission at hand — and that’s getting in and getting out.’
Jasmine nodded in understanding. She would continue to note the distinct features of each cistern, but she would keep the narration to herself.
While the women sorted out their differences and McNutt prayed for a wrestling match, Cobb took a more practical approach. At every turn, he marked their progress by applying invisible ink onto the tunnels themselves. The ink could not be seen with the naked eye, but under ultraviolet light it would glow like a neon sign. He hoped the precaution wouldn’t be necessary, but he always prepared for the worst.
Always had, and always would.
It was just Cobb’s way.
Unlike the rekky of the day before, this journey was destination-based. That meant Sarah wasted no time on sightseeing and led them directly to the brick wall. As she approached the far end of the tunnel, she checked in with Garcia to make sure that they were still within his range. ‘You still there, Hector?’
‘Copy that,’ he said as he tested their GPS units and the video signals from their flashlight cameras. ‘Tracking is good. Picture is clear. Four strong feeds, all recording.’
Sarah nodded toward McNutt. ‘You’re up.’
McNutt smiled in anticipation. ‘It’s about time I got to blow something up.’
The comment wasn’t entirely accurate. He was actually going to reduce something to smithereens without explosives. He reached into a pocket of his cargo pants and pulled out a small tube no bigger than a penlight.
Jasmine stared at the device. ‘What are you going to do with that?’
His smile widened. ‘You know the spring-loaded batons that firemen use to puncture safety glass — the ones that drive a steel tip through the pane at high velocity to get out accident victims? Well, this kind of works in the same way, only instead of a steel tip, it uses a sonic pulse. And instead of shattering glass, it destroys cement, mortar… basically anything this side of solid rock.’
He glanced back at Cobb. ‘You should see what this does to someone’s face. Holy shit, it’s brutal. Blood and teeth everywhere. It’s like a hockey game.’
Jasmine grumbled. ‘Wait a minute. No one said anything about collateral damage. Will it hurt any ruins on the other side of the wall?’
McNutt shook his head. ‘Not a chance! The force will be localized on the target, just like a dentist’s drill, at least in theory… I mean, I’ve never used this thing on an old wall before. For all I know, the tunnel might come crumbling down on top of us. In fact, the more I think about it, you guys better stand back, like, a hundred feet or so.’
Jasmine glanced at Cobb. ‘Jack, is he serious?’
Cobb ignored her question. ‘Come on, Josh. We’re waiting.’
McNutt crouched and pressed the end of the device against the space between the bricks at the center of the wall. The group took a step back as he turned on the device, but it barely made a sound. And then it happened. As if by magic, the mortar between the bricks appeared to melt away. No messy fragmentation. No shards flying around the tunnel. One moment the wall was solid, and the next there was a gap in the center. Eventually bricks started to fall to the ground like leaves from a dying tree.
Sarah stared in amazement. ‘I want one.’
‘Me too,’ Jasmine admitted.
A minute later, McNutt examined the hole that he had opened in the wall. Then he shined his light through and saw nothing but empty space on the other side.
Just as they suspected, there was another tunnel.
And it appeared older than the others.
21
Jasmine groaned in disappointment. The other tunnels had opened into splendid halls, caverns of sturdy rock and meticulously placed stone that looked like works of art. But the latest tunnel had proven to be a gateway to something else entirely.
A monstrous pit of some kind.
Shining her flashlight through the gap in the wall, she studied the deep chasm that had swallowed the floor. The sinkhole had pulled the cistern into its gaping maw, causing the upper structures to tumble after it. What remained was a jumble of smashed columns and broken supports precariously stacked upon one another, with little more than a narrow ledge on the other side.
Sarah leaned in and surveyed the damage. ‘Well, this explains why the tunnel was sealed. This is a disaster. Someone really did a number here.’
McNutt shook his head. ‘No one did this on purpose. This wasn’t man-made.’
‘How can you be sure?’ Jasmine asked.
‘Let me clarify. If this was done intentionally, they did it the hard way. They dug a pit and let it fall, rather than planting some TNT and blowing it all to hell.’
Jasmine still wasn’t satisfied. ‘But how can you be sure?’
‘Explosions leave telltale signs. The fire chars the walls. Chemical accelerants leave stains. Even the shockwave itself stamps a distinct pattern onto the scene. They’re not always easy to spot, but they’re there. If you know where to look.’
Cobb stared across the ravine. While the others were contemplating the damage and what had caused it, his attention was on what lay beyond. In the distance, he could see the outline of the far wall. He noticed immediately that the stonework was different from the walls and tunnels throughout the water system.
The blocks were wider and taller. Heavier.
The type of blocks you would use to fortify a temple.
Cobb looked at Sarah. ‘Can you find a way across?’
‘Across?’ McNutt laughed. ‘Through that? That’d be like playing the world’s most dangerous version of Jenga. Only in this case, if the tower falls, you die.’
‘I can make it,’ Sarah replied confidently. She tied the rope around her waist and handed the other end to Cobb. She smiled playfully. ‘You know… just in case.’
Cobb wrapped the rope around his forearm and anchored his boots in the dirt, ready to break her fall if the wreckage collapsed beneath her.
Sarah stepped cautiously onto the first fallen beam. She breathed a sigh of relief when it held firm. From there, she crossed the narrow surface toward a pillar that lay at an angle. It was pointed skyward like a circus cannon, leading to an arch that had fallen over and now sat balanced at the top of the heap of rubble. After carefully plotting her course, she shimmied up the pillar, mounted the fallen arch, and tiptoed over the apex.