The Oracle (Fargo Adventures #11) - Clive Cussler Page 0,118
hit the tile and he carefully brought it to rest, the exposed socket just above—and precariously close to—the water’s surface. “I expect the slightest ripple might cause a shock.”
“Hank,” Sam called out as the man climbed up the ladder. “Let me help you.”
But all he heard in response was Amal’s chanting. “Sator, arepo, tenet, opera, rotas . . .”
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
A bird with fire on its tail burns its own nest.
– AFRICAN PROVERB –
Sam focused on the lamp sitting in the water just inches from the scaffolding.
Lazlo followed the direction of Sam’s eyes. “Can’t we just throw something at it, short it out?”
“That pipe Amal’s tied to leads straight down into the water. We can’t chance it.”
José, his feet tucked up high, his arms about his knees, was rocking in place. “Are we going to die?”
“No,” Sam said.
“What about a human chain?” Lazlo said.
“That might work.”
He looked up at Amal, who was struggling against her bonds. Definitely not in the throes of a seizure. “Let’s do this.”
They stood. Lazlo grasped his hand. He was about to lean forward when Amal said, “Hank’s coming. Sator, arepo, tenet . . . ”
A shadow fell across the water in front of Sam.
“Opera, rotas . . .”
“Amal?” Remi climbed down the ladder.
“Mrs. Fargo,” Amal said, her voice loud and sure. “Thank goodness. I thought you were Hank.”
“Remi,” Sam said. “The lamp. Cut the power.”
She unplugged the extension cord from the socket mounted by the entrance. Its length snaked down and splashed in the water.
Sam jumped from the rocks, ran to the ladder. When he reached the upper platform, Remi was already working at the rope binding Amal. “Where’s Hank?” he asked, grabbing his gun from the platform, then reloading it.
“I have no idea. He was gone when I got here.”
“My mother?” Amal said.
“She’s safe. Osmond drove everyone to the British works. They’re supposed to wait there until the police get here.” She stood as Lazlo and José came up the ladder. “What on earth . . . ?”
“My fault,” Lazlo said. “I left my mobile at the house. Hank and I were here and . . . I believe I found the bloody map.”
“Where would he go?” Remi asked. “His car’s still out there.”
“I have a fair idea,” Sam said, starting up the ladder. “Everyone wait here until it’s safe.”
“Not likely,” Remi said, climbing up after him.
Lazlo looked over at Amal and José. “If I can make a bold suggestion, find Hank’s car keys and get out of here. I’m going with the Fargos.”
“But why?” Amal asked.
“That’s a very good question,” he said and climbed up after them.
* * *
—
Sam ducked behind the water tank just in time to see Hank running into the olive grove. A moment later, Remi, then Lazlo, emerged from the excavation site. The two joined him.
Remi followed the direction of his focus. “Where’s he going?”
“If I had to guess, the temple ruins. Any chance you two will take my advice and stay here?”
Remi scoffed. “Like the advice you gave me telling me to stay at Amal’s house? Had I listened, you’d still be trying to get across that flooded floor without electrocuting yourself.”
“A few more seconds, we would’ve gotten out on our own. Right, Lazlo?”
“Or gotten fried,” Lazlo said.
Remi grinned. “You’re stuck with us now. What’s Hank after?”
“The map,” Lazlo said. “He seemed agitated about getting it to Tarek. Or some such.”
“That he did.” Sam thought about the night they left the dinner party and saw Tarek’s SUV parked on the side of the road out behind the ruins. “I’ll bet Tarek’s on his way—if he’s not already here. And Hank’s meeting up with him.”
Remi patted her holstered Sig Sauer. “I vote we follow.”
“Lazlo?”
“I vote no.”
“Two-to-one.” Sam nodded toward the trees. “We go after him.”
“It’s always two-to-one,” Lazlo said as he followed them. “Why bother to vote?”
They kept low as they moved toward the olive grove, hiding behind a thick trunk on the edge of the orchard. “There,” Sam said, pointing down the hill. Hank emerged from the orchard into the narrow valley where a line of ancient olive trees with massive twisted trunks stretched between the orchard and the ivy-covered ruins at the base of the hill.
“He’s definitely headed toward the temple,” Remi said.
“The hidden stairs,” Lazlo said. “I saw it in the mosaic.”
“You’d think he’d at least take a shovel.”
“Whatever he’s doing,” Sam said, “he’s in a hurry.” Though Hank was walking in the direction of the temple, he kept looking out to his left.