Zane nodded. “The sat phone got crushed.” He rose up on one knee. “I knew there was a mole, but I haven’t been able to determine who it is.” He looked at her, his expression conveying a question.
Keiko blinked several times. “Sergeant Landon Tocchet was your mole, sir.”
Zane felt the life drain out of him. He could scarcely believe what he’d just heard. Tocchet might have been the last person he’d suspected.
Keiko reached out with her powerful arms and pulled Zane to his feet. “We need to get you and Dr. Mills out of here.”
Hit with a thought, Zane held up a hand. “Wait. Do you have photographic capability?”
“Of course.”
He turned and pointed at the globe. “Then I need you to…” He froze. The holographic image of Earth was gone. In its place, a series of strange letters floated in the air. They looked like runes or symbols. Every second or so some of the letters changed.
Keiko stepped closer. “What’s wrong?”
“There was a holographic image here before. It was some sort of navigation technology… and now it’s gone… replaced by whatever this is.”
Keiko leaned forward. “Very interesting.”
Zane turned toward her. “Do you know what it means?”
“Yes, it’s an ancient form of Hebrew. Paleo-Hebrew, I think.”
Zane gave her a confused look. “Ancient Hebrew? Are you sure?”
“I am certain that is what it is. I do not have a large database to draw on, but most of the characters are a match.”
Zane frowned. It didn’t make sense. “What does it say?”
Keiko stared at the hologram. “They’re numbers. Descending numbers. As you can see, some are changing.” She straightened and looked at Zane. “If I had to guess, I would say that it represents time.”
“Did you say the numbers were descending?” Zane frowned.
“Yes.”
After thinking for a few seconds, Zane’s eyes widened. “We need to get out of here. This thing is getting ready to blow.”
Keiko paused in confusion then nodded. “Yes, sir.”
As they turned to leave, Zane grabbed Keiko’s arm. “What time is displayed right now?”
She stared at the floating image. Zane could see her artificial pupils adjusting for the distance. “It’s seven followed by—”
Zane shook her arm. “Seven minutes. That’s good enough. Set your timer for seven minutes. Let’s go.”
“It is done,” she said.
Zane crossed over to Katiya. He checked her pulse then placed a palm on her forehead. “I think she’s fine.” He lifted her gently and nodded toward the stairs, indicating Keiko should lead.
It took them a little over a minute to make their way out of the ship. On their way out, they saw no sign of life. No grays. No humans. Nothing.
When they reached the bottom of the ramp, Zane could hear the thump thump of helicopter rotors in the distance.
“Hey! They’re over here!” someone shouted.
Three silhouettes appeared, running toward them out of the fog. One of the three sprinted ahead of the other two as they drew near. Zane saw that it was a woman clothed in military garb. She had long, raven-black hair and was clutching a semiautomatic rifle. He smiled. He should have known the Oracle would send Carmen Petrosino.
The Italian came to a halt, with two Special Forces soldiers just behind her. She was about to address Zane when she saw the giant craft looming overhead. “What the…?”
“I’m doing fine, thanks,” Zane said.
She looked at him. “Sorry, I—”
“No problem.” He jerked a thumb toward the ship. “I’ll explain that later. We need to get out of here.” He then told her that a timed explosive had likely been set.
She nodded.
Zane looked at Keiko. “How much time do we have?”
“A little over five minutes, sir.”
Zane turned to Carmen. “Sounds like you came here on a bird.”
“We did.”
“Take us there.”
Carmen gestured for them to follow her. She then led them north through the fog. One of the soldiers offered to carry Katiya, but Zane waved him off. He wasn’t about to let her out of his grasp.
As the thump thump of the bird’s rotors grew louder, Zane saw running lights appear, then the dark outline of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Thankfully, it appeared ready for takeoff.
“They’re here!” someone shouted.
Zane looked up and saw a group of people gathered near the sliding door at the rear, including Amanda, Brett, Artur, and Jorge.
“Everybody in!” Zane commanded.
Zane ducked under the blades then handed Katiya to one of the soldiers and asked him to put her in the chopper.
“Glad you’re okay,” Brett said.
Zane looked at him. “Is everybody back?”
“If my count is right, we’re still missing Bennett and Tocchet.”
Zane cursed under his breath.
“We were just about to form another team to go out—”
“We can’t!” Zane yelled. “This place is about to blow.”
“What are you talking about?” Jorge asked.
“No time to explain, just trust me.” He gave Keiko a questioning look.
“Two minutes, forty-nine seconds.”
Zane took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he sorted through their options. He thought of sending the others up in the chopper while he remained behind, but that would be suicidal. It wouldn’t do the soldiers any good if his body were blown into a hundred pieces. He really had only one option.
He looked at Brett. “I need everyone to get inside.”
Amanda stepped forward. “Zane, we can’t leave Rod and Landon behind.”
“We have no choice. I have good reason to believe that this place will be a blackened pancake in a little over two minutes. And if we’re here when that happens, none of us will get out of here alive.” He sighed deeply. “Look, we’ll retreat to a safe distance, and if somehow I was wrong, we’ll come back. That’s the best I can do.”
Her eyes were moist with emotion, but she seemed to understand.
“Okay, people, let’s go!” Zane shouted.
Now aware of the urgency, everyone climbed into the chopper. Amanda and Max joined the soldier who was treating Katiya. Zane noticed that the anthropologist’s eyes were now open. Once everyone was inside and secure, Carmen barked orders to the pilot. Seconds later, the engine roared and the rotors began to oscillate with more speed.
Zane sat at the open door, his legs dangling outside the bird. He was unable to move or speak. He couldn’t stop thinking about the two soldiers who were still out there on the mountain. He wanted both back, even Tocchet. In all likelihood he was guilty, but Zane still held out hope that it was all a big misunderstanding.
One of the pilots turned and got Zane’s attention. “Sir, we’re ready for takeoff.”
Zane signaled his approval.
The bird rocked slightly as it lifted off of the ground.
“Wait!” Amanda shouted. “What’s that?”
Zane lifted a palm toward the cockpit. “Stop!”
The pilot kept the chopper in place while Zane looked in the direction Amanda was pointing. A shadowy figure was moving toward them through the fog. Zane reached back and removed his Glock, and two of the soldiers lifted their rifles.
The figure continued toward them with speed. Zane slid his finger off the trigger and squinted, trying to figure out who it was.
“Osak!” Brett shouted.
Zane could hardly believe his eyes. The boy ran toward them. As he drew closer, Zane could see that Bennett was draped over his back.
Amanda cried out with delight.
Osak stopped just beyond the rotors, afraid to go any farther. Zane hopped off the bird then ran out and took Bennett from the boy. The soldier patted his knee, indicating he couldn’t walk.