“Looks like we found the tomb,” Hawke said.
“So let’s get on it, people,” Ryan said.
“Look who thinks he’s the big boss,” Scarlet said sarcastically.
“I could be the big boss,” said Ryan, nodding his head firmly. “An apex predator.”
Scarlet laughed. “You? You’re just the comic-relief sidekick.”
Instead of a comeback, Ryan said nothing, and headed toward the ridge to the west of them. Hawke thought he looked offended by Scarlet’s comment, but let it go.
They walked along the ridge and as the sun slowly climbed in the clear sky it illuminated the valleys either side of the mountain. Great oceans of emerald green farmland stretched out in every direction. They could see the famous Minffordd Path snaking its way up from a visitors’ car park, and Hawke followed its path as it twisted through forests and rushing rivers on its way up the slope.
The massive lake to their right sparkled in the morning sun. The previous night Ryan had regaled them with ancient myths about how it was supposed to be bottomless but the reality was more prosaic: it was the caldera of a volcano that last burned in ancient times not long after the glaciers carved these valleys out of the landscape for eternity.
Hawke looked at his watch. “Still no sign of Zito.”
“Or that giant tank of shit, Kruger,” Scarlet said.
“Just as well, eh?” Devlin said. No one had spoken about the night before, and Hawke wanted it kept that way. “Maybe we got lucky?”
Hawke shook his head. “No way. Kruger won’t mess around with this. For one thing, I think he’s working for someone else and that someone else will want results. Failing your boss in Kruger’s world means more than a demotion or getting fired — it means your life, so he’ll do whatever he has to do to get what he needs out of Kloos. They’re here all right. It’s just a matter of time.”
“You’re such a pessimist, Joe,” Lea said. “Maybe just this once we got a break?”
“I’ll believe when I see it,” he said.
And then, just to prove him right, the destruction unfolded right in front of their eyes.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The surface to air missile screeched down the center of the valley at Mach 3 and smashed into the caldera’s western slope. The resulting fireball was of Hollywood proportions, blasting tons of granite and earth out of the side of the mountain and scattering smoking detritus all over the slope. As the deep roar of the explosion echoed back down the valley like thunder, dislodged boulders tumbled down the mountain and crashed through the black surface of the lake far below.
“Holy smokes!” Kim said, unable to take her eyes off the unfolding devastation. “What the hell was that?”
Hawke was already on it, scanning the valley to the north with his binoculars. The deep folds of the pastoral farmland below was still untouched by the rising sun, but it was easy enough to track the smoke trail back to its origin. He was just able to make out a pair of black Jeep Cherokees on a track to the north of a smaller lake just beyond the main one in the caldera. “Around a dozen men,” he said. “Looks like the fireworks was provided by an Eryx.”
“A what?” Kim said.
Reaper replied. “Eryx — it’s a shoulder-launched missile. European. Of all the handheld weapons it has the biggest caliber.”
“Right,” Hawke said. “And their warheads are easily capable of breaking open a concrete bunker seven or eight feet thick. The granite slab blocking the entrance to the tomb in that mountain would be no match at all — as we all just saw.” He watched the Jeeps move along the track toward them.
“So now what?” Kim said.
“We’re still much closer to the entrance,” Devlin said. “Surely we can get in there and out again with the sword by the time they get up the mountain?”
“No,” Hawke said. “Look.”
The Jeeps had driven closer now and were pulling up around the northern shores of Llyn y Gader in the bowl of the caldera. Giancarlo Zito climbed out of the leading vehicle and gave them all a cheery wave. The Jeep’s other doors opened and then Bruno and another man dragged Henk Kloos out into the new day. He was badly beaten and had to be held up by the two Italians.
The doors of the Jeep in the rear now opened and several more of Zito’s men got out. Armed like a militia, they looked out of place in the Welsh countryside, but then things cranked up another notch when a face they all knew and hated emerged from the front passenger seat.
“Dirk Kruger,” Hawke said through gritted teeth.
Scarlet dragged on her cigarette, as cool as ice, and stared at the South African. “That, my friends, is a face that invites a massive slap.”
“What he needs is a few years in a Russian salt mine,” Reaper said.
Another man stepped out behind Kruger and Hawke shook his head with disbelief.
Lea noticed him bristle. “You know him, Joe?”
“Yes. His name’s Vermaak. Last time we met was on a joint training exercise in Angola. He was a South African commando, but now it looks like he’s a mercenary.”
Before anyone could respond, Dirk Kruger cupped his hands either side of his mouth and called up to them. His voice echoed weirdly as the horseshoe shape of the caldera acted as a giant soundbox and amplified his words.
“How nice to see you all again,” he shouted. “Especially you, Mr Bale.”
Hawke took a step forward ahead of the group and called back down. “You want to talk, you talk to me, Kruger.”
“Major Hawke, the big hero…” Kruger looked around at Zito and the others and they gave a short laugh. “Listen up then, big hero: throw your guns and weapons into the lake or I’ll drown Doctor Kloos in it with my own two hands.”
“He’s got us,” Reaper said.
“Bullshit,” said Devlin. “We’re not going to roll over that easy now, are we?”
“He’s right,” Hawke said. “We haven’t got a sniper rifle and even if we did we can’t take out that many men before they kill Kloos.”
Devlin looked at Hawke. “But we’ve got to try something, dammit.”
“I’m responsible for the safety of everyone on this mission,” Hawke said, “including Kloos. If I say it’s over then it’s over.”
Lea was first to hurl her gun off the edge of the mountain. What was a heavy, chunky weapon in her hands was now a tiny, fragile piece of metal bouncing off the rocks with a light smack until it finally hit the lake and vanished forever.
The others followed her lead until they were all unarmed.
“That was awesome!” Kruger called up in a mocking tone. “Now walk over to the tomb’s entrance and wait like the good dogs you are until we come up.”
Hawke watched the South African give a series of orders. From the body language it was clear to see that Kruger was the man in charge and Zito and his men were just the hired help.
“Looks like we’d better do as he says,” Kim said. “We all know he’s capable of killing innocent people.”
“We should fight,” Devlin said.
“You’re crazy, Danny,” said Lea.
“Just sayin’.”
“No,” Hawke said. “Kim’s right. Any funny business and he’ll kill Kloos. We play along with his rules for now and bide our time.”
“So what are we waiting for, girls?” Scarlet said. “Let’s get this thing over with.”
And with that, they started to march toward the smouldering entrance that the Eryx had gouged out of the mountainside. Smoke was still spiralling out of the newly blasted hole, and somewhere behind it was a tomb containing the Sword of Fire.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
With the sun at their backs, the team started along the rim of the caldera. The howling wind of the previous night was now a light summer breeze blowing on their faces from the Irish Sea to the west. With each step they took toward the newly-blasted entrance, the faces of Kruger and Zito slowly came into sharper focus until they were almost face to face.