Not one man.
‘Our best guess is that Eckart is one of Webster’s best men.’
‘I trust us.’
And there’s nothing else we have at this time, is there? Even as he thought that, Sevki felt guilty. He knew he should have faith. That was what this was all about, wasn’t it? He pushed away the immensity of the task, limiting it to the part he had to play with the computers.
‘We also have to hope that the GPS locator Eckart was tagged with wasn’t given to someone else to lay down a false trail.’
‘So far that tracer is heading in the right direction. Let’s play this one out.’
‘All right.’ Sevki judged the distance again. ‘You’ve got maybe fifty minutes before Professor Lourds lands there.’
‘Then we’ll have to make the most of it, won’t we?’
Silently, Sevki watched the pulsing blip slowly cross the computer monitor.
Central Business District
King Abdullah Economic City
Saudi Arabia,
7 April 2010
Webster stared at the screens depicting the street to street violence breaking out throughout the city. More battles erupted along the borders; the bloodshed was mounting.
‘My, my, it does look like your war is getting off to a grand start, Mr Vice-President.’ Vicky joined Webster. Her eyes burned with intensity. Her headset ran along her jaw line and she made notes one-handed on a PDA.
‘Not big enough.’ Webster paced the floor and felt the excitement roaring within him. He had waited for a long time for this. ‘Not yet. But soon. How long will it be before your people are ready to go live with a broadcast?’
‘Eighty or ninety minutes.’
‘You’re certain I can get the broadcast attention I want?’
Vicky smiled at him and patted his cheek. ‘You are the man of the hour, Mr Vice-President. Stuck here in enemy territory, the world hovering on the brink of disaster. Everyone wants to talk to you. The hardest part of this is deciding who will be allowed their fifteen seconds of fame with you.’
‘Only fifteen seconds.’ Webster was firm about that. This was his show, his play, and he was going to run things.
‘Of course, Mr Vice-President. You will be the man with all the answers. We’re lining up the celebrity news and religious leaders now.’
‘Limiting the number of politicians?’
‘No politicians. You’re going to be talking to people the public of any country can recognize. Academy Award-winning actors. Several televangelists.’
‘All people who know how to work the limelight.’
Vicky smiled. ‘Of course. And all people who support the view that the Middle East is a hotbed of danger.’ She looked at him. ‘You’re certain when you deliver your plea for help that we will get out of here? If Prince Khalid hasn’t thought of holding us hostage before then, he will at that time.’
‘I’m counting on our young prince doing exactly that.’ Webster paused to watch a Saudi Arabian tank run over a mass of people. ‘That’s why I asked you to have a live camera crew ready to film our “escape”. And that’s why Eckart will be taking care of us at that time.’
‘Where is Eckart?’
Webster consulted his watch. ‘His plane should be touching down momentarily. He’ll call me as soon as he’s on the ground.’
‘And he’ll have Professor Lourds?’
‘Yes.’ Webster couldn’t wait. Once the Joy Scroll was in his hands, there would be no turning back. Everything would be his to control.
‘You’ve never said what part the professor will play in this?’
Webster smiled. ‘A small one at best. And one that’s very tragic.’
‘Will he be in the escape?’
Webster shook his head. ‘No. I’m afraid Professor Lourds will have outlived any potential interest he might have in things before we get that far.’ In fact, the vice-president was going to make certain of that.
After he took possession of that cursed scroll.
Lourds rode in the cargo area of the big Chinook helicopter and tried to keep his thoughts ordered. He sat under guard, watched over by a half-dozen armed men, including Eckart. All of them looked positively fearsome. Lourds didn’t believe he could have taken the weakest among them in a fair fight. Having six of them watch over him was merely adding insult to injury. Even worse, they’d handcuffed him in the disposable plastic cuffs he’d seen in the movies. At least they’d had the mercy to tie them in front of him, rather than behind his back. He could scratch his nose, which was itching furiously. He swayed and jerked to the Chinook’s gallop as they approached the city.
Anti-aircraft missiles exploded hot and bright against the night sky. Lourds drew his extremities in, as if being sprawled out too far might incite the anti-aircraft gunners to aim better.
‘Isn’t there a chance we could get shot down?’ Lourds asked nervously.
‘Maybe,’ Eckart replied. ‘But this baby is armoured up pretty good. Anything less than a direct hit isn’t even gonna leave a scratch.’
Lourds wished he had the man’s simple faith, but Eckart knew his tools best. Lourds just gritted his teeth and prayed that he survived.
Several minutes later, the Chinook’s approach altered. It heeled over at an angle and started descending. More anti-aircraft bursts filled the air round them. A couple seemed to bounce off the helicopter.
‘They’re getting better, sir,’ one of the other soldiers said.
Eckart grinned. ‘For all the good it will do them. Wait until they’re face to face with American special ops guys. You ask me, I wouldn’t care for the locals’ chances.’
The men laughed, and the harsh barking noise sounded alien to Lourds’ ears. Not for the first time, he wondered if his decision to accede to Webster’s demands had been his wisest course of action.
Don’t worry, Cleena had told him as he made his preparations to meet Webster. I’ll be there. Lourds hadn’t asked how. He hadn’t wanted to know because he’d been afraid all he would do was pick apart any plan she and Joachim presented. Joachim and the other monks were coming with her in a small strike force.
The Chinook landed with a harsh bounce. More anti-aircraft fire lit up the sky overhead. Lourds squirmed in his seat and tried to free the restraining belt.
‘Hurry up,’ Eckart said. ‘We’re sitting ducks up here.’ He reached across and flicked Lourds’ belt free.
‘Thanks,’ Lourds said automatically, forgetting just for an instant that he was a prisoner and not a guest.
‘Don’t mention it,’ Eckart said. Then he grabbed Lourds by the shoulder and propelled him through the cargo doors. ‘Get him into the building.’
One of the soldiers held Lourds by the handcuffs and hauled him across the rooftop. The man moved so quickly Lourds almost fell. He envisioned himself getting dragged bodily across the roof.
‘Incoming!’ someone yelled.
The soldier pulling at Lourds whirled suddenly and clapped a big hand on top of Lourds’ head. He shoved Lourds face first onto the rooftop. Lourds hit the ground hard and his breath exploded from his lungs. As he tried to recover, he spotted the Chinook rising into the air like a fat goose. A Saudi helicopter gunship settled into the airspace. It opened fire with some kind of weapon. In an instant, the Chinook turned into a whirling mass of fireballs and broken debris. Razor-sharp pieces of metal sliced down around Lourds but thankfully none of it touched him. Sour bile erupted against the back of his throat.
‘I’m hit! I’m hit!’ someone yelled.
‘Get up!’
The soldier accompanying Lourds got to his feet and yanked roughly on the plastic cuffs. The hard material sliced into Lourds’ hands. A slight trickle of blood flowed as he forced himself to his feet and followed the soldier.
Eckart and his men turned their weapons on the offending helicopter. Bullets chopped into its body and Plexiglas nose. The pilot tried to get away, but he reacted too late. Out of control, the helicopter veered away and slammed into a nearby building. For a moment it looked like a bug crushed against a windshield. Only bugs didn’t explode into thousands of fiery pieces.