The Mahogany Ship (Sam Reilly Book 2) (19 page)

*

Two hours later, Sam received a call from Elise.

“Have you got their destination?” he asked, immediately.

“No, and there’s something else you’re not going to like.”

“What?”

“I tracked Rodriguez’s plane as it made a direct route
eastward until it was a hundred and fifty miles off the coast…” she then
stopped.

“Then what?”

“And then it disappeared.”

“What do you mean it disappeared?”

“I mean, I could hack into the Australian radar towers and
track its progress over land, and tracked her transponder, and maintained a visual
of her movement via satellite. But once it was out of radar range, it headed
towards dense cloud cover. The pilot switched off its transponder, and changed
directions. I’m trying to pick its signal up again, but it appears to have
disappeared completely.”

“You lost it? The world’s largest commercial jet, and you
can find it with all of the data at your fingertips?” Sam said.

“It’s a big ocean. I’ll keep trying, but whoever’s flying
this thing’s a professional.”

“Okay, keep trying. You can’t move an A380 without someone
noticing it.”

James looked at him, and for the first time in Sam’s life,
his father looked uncertain about their next move.

“It’s your show, son. Where do you want to go?”

“Oh my god!” Sam said, “I just worked out where he’s
headed.”

Both Tom and James simultaneously said, “Where?”

Sam ignored their question and got Elise back on the line.
“I need you to find me the closest and fastest jet.”

“Military or private?”

“I don’t care, whatever’s closest. Rodriguez already has a two-hour
head start.”

A moment later, Elise said, “There’s a Citation X – it’s not
a lot faster than the A380, but it’s been fitted with long range fuel tanks so
at least you won’t have to land and refuel.”

“That’s great – where?”

“One’s currently sitting in a private hangar at Elmore
airport, about twenty-minute drive from where you are.”

“That’ll do. Find the owner for me and tell them I’m taking
their jet,” Sam then sent Elise a text with the details of his flight, using
Tom’s smartphone. “I’ve sent you the details where I want to go, and what I’m
bringing into the country – I need you to clear everything with the required
government officials.”

There was a momentary pause, as Elise skimmed the text.
“I’ll do my best Sam, but their government’s not going to be happy with you
bringing machine guns.”

“I know. Just pay their bribes, and make it happen.”

Billie looked at the wall along the base of the sarcophagus
for what must have been the thousandth time since discovering the looking
glass. She could identify a little over half the pictographs, and all but three
of the locations seen through it.

Somewhere, on this wall, were the answers to all her
questions. The questions her grandfather had instilled in her when she was just
six years old. Deep inside the inner psyche of her mind, Billie knew that she
was close.

Then she saw it.

Standing above the sarcophagus, she noticed that the
pictographs weren’t just maps to direct the lens of the looking glass – they
were actual maps to each of the locations.

From where they were in the middle, the images above were in
the northern hemisphere, whereas those below, were situated in the southern.

She still couldn’t understand how they knew about them, and
even recorded some that weren’t yet built at the time of this pyramid’s
creation.

Making a couple calculations, she tried to pinpoint the
distance between two places that she knew, starting with the submerged pyramid,
where she stood, and the pyramid of Giza. Once she’d worked it out, she found
the ratio between actual distance and the map.

Then, she measured the distance between where she stood, and
pictograph of Stonehenge, and applied the same ratio. Afterwards, she
calculated the known distance between Stonehenge and where she was standing.

They were an exact match, give or take a single mile.

Fuck me – that means I can work out exactly where
Atlantis lies!

Billie began to measure, so that she could work out the
primitive distance.

And then the alarm went off.

“Billie, come in!”

She jumped down and picked up the radio.

“What is it, Veyron?”

“Two torpedoes, coming in fast, approximately 30 miles
away.”

Shit, they found me quicker than I thought!

T
hey were getting smarter, or was she getting slower?

“Copy that…”

“You may still have time to get out!”

“I doubt that,” Billie said and she reached into her duffle
bag, retrieving a laser cutter.

It was going to break her heart, but she had to cut the top
of the round lens off the looking glass. It was the only lead that she might
ever have – that’s if she even survived the next couple minutes.

She attached the mechanical frame to the looking glass and
switched on the laser. It might take a few minutes to slice through.

While it was heating up, Billie jumped back down and grabbed
her laptop.

There was no time, for anything…

All her work was there.

Everything would have amounted to nothing if she didn’t get
it.

She removed the hard drive and slid it into her watertight
pocket. Then she climbed back up the sarcophagus, held the laser cutter, and
removed the lens to the looking glass. It could have been a beautiful blue
diamond, but to her, it was much more valuable.

A sound like thunder striking a hundred times at once,
echoed throughout the pyramid.

For a second, she thought that it was going to take the
beating as the entire structure shuddered like an earthquake – and then
something cracked.

Water began trickling in from the roof.

Slow at first, and then faster, and then water poured in
with the pressure of a high powered jet, before rocks started to fall.

She had to get out now if she was going to have any chance
of survival, but she was trapped. Leaning with her back against the wall, she
watched in horror as the roof above her split in two. Water, along with giant
rocks, now decimated the King’s Chamber.

Billie reached for her dive mask, and jumped through the
tunnel below. With nothing to stop the pressure of the water below from rising,
now that the roof of the pyramid had collapsed, water now filled the chambers
below – rising with the force of nearly 500 feet of water above.

Her hand reached for the rope ladder, stopping her before
she hit the second chamber, swinging her into the middle.

More blocks and water came down, flooding the entire pyramid
with debris.

Until nothing remained.

*

Aliana looked at the man pointing the gun at her. Where
she’d seen an intelligent, confident, and powerful man a week ago, she now saw
a child who’d never had any real friends, who was forever trying to supersede
his father’s success.

And she saw a man turned delirious with desire.

Men, in the midst of insanity, she knew, were the most
dangerous of all. He pointed towards the base of the pyramid. “Start climbing,”
he said.

“You want me to climb the Great Pyramid of Giza?”

He pointed the gun towards her and then fired a single shot.
It struck the wall behind her, shattering the face of the limestone. “I won’t
ask you again.”

She turned and looked at the pyramid above, and tried to
remember the height of the only remaining wonder of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World.

It was irrelevant – with her climbing experience, the trip
would probably kill Rodriguez first.

Aliana then started to climb.

Followed by several local men who Rodriguez had bribed to
give him access and carry the Ark of Light.

*

By eleven a.m. the sun was gaining on the horizon, and the
temperature was rising. Not quite as hot as yesterday’s top of 118 degrees
Fahrenheit, it was already well above 100. Sam swallowed a mouthful of water, pausing
between limestone blocks, and then continued to climb.

“Are you certain he’s aiming for the top?” Tom asked.

“Pretty sure.”

“Because, maybe we could just wait down the bottom for him?”

Sam ignored the question, and took some more climbing chalk
out of his bag to dry his hands. Then, studying the difficult handhold above, he
reached up and then swung his legs onto the next limestone block.

“I don’t know what you’re complaining about, Tom. You can
practically step up this damn pyramid.”

More than fifty blocks above them, Sam spotted the
reflection of light.

Was it them, or had I imagined it?

The light reflecting off the Ark of Light then glistened
like a star. “Come on Tom. It’s them, and they’ve got a big lead on us.”

*

Aliana watched Rodriguez hold the Ark of Light up. It was
approaching midday, and soon the sun would be directly overhead.

“Put it down, Rodriguez. It’s over,” she heard Sam’s voice,
from below.

“Sam!” she shouted, in relief.

Rodriguez fired several shots from his massive handgun,
blowing apart large chunks of the pyramid’s block.

“I have to give it to you, Sam, you seem like a difficult
man to kill. But, you must know, you’re too late – it’s nearly midday, and I’m
about to receive all the knowledge and power of man. There’s nothing more you
can do.” He stood up and raised the Ark of Light so that its powerful diamond
faced the sun, rapidly approaching overhead.

“No, you can’t!” Sam yelled.

Aliana took a step back, and then jumped off the top level
of the pyramid to the blocks several feet below.

“Get back here, woman,” Rodriguez shouted. “Don’t you
understand once I receive this power, there’s nothing you or Reilly can do to
stop me?”

With her arms still bound, she jumped down the next one.

“Aliana!” She heard Sam’s voice in the distance. “Duck!”

“Good bye mortals,” Rodriguez said, as the sun came into a
direct line above him.

She crouched down, taking cover as close to the block of the
pyramid as she could, shielding herself with her arms over her head.

The world above opened into the most magnificent light she’d
ever seen, and for an instant, she thought that it had all been real. That
Rodriguez had won; that in this instant, he was gaining all the power and
knowledge of the human race, throughout time.

Then a sound like thunder struck the top of the pyramid.

The stunning light turned to such extreme heat that the
entire capstone of the pyramid exploded.

And then it all passed.

The sun continued on its way, and above, there was only
quiet.

Sam climbed up the last block below her and took her in his
arms. “You’re alive.”

“Of course I am. I told you to wait for me when I dived for
it, but this time you’re the one who disappeared.”

She kissed him, and it felt good.

Resting her head on his chest, with his arms around her, she
was home, with the man she loved.

Aliana then whispered, “What happened to him?”

“He’s dead.”

“Why? I thought that the Ark of Light was supposed to bring
its owner omnipotent powers?”

“Yes, but only those worthy, who could read the ancient
texts, and understand when exactly to use it.”

“And for those who aren’t worthy?” she asked.

“Those are the fallen ones.”

At the base of the pyramid, James was waiting for them, a
luxury limousine ready to take them back to the airport.

James asked, “So, what did it cost you in the end?”

“What?”

“The map. What did Jie Qiang want for it?”

“He said that he wanted Rodriguez to get everything he’d
ever wanted, and then, at that moment, have it all taken away from him.”

“I’d say Jie Qiang would be happy for the outcome, wouldn’t
you?”

*

Tom had been at home in California for less than a day, and
already, he was keen to return to the Maria Helena. Sam and James had both told
him to take some time off and enjoy himself. They’d all been through a lot over
the past month.

It was only 8 a.m. and the sun was already warm. He could go
to the beach, have a surf, and enjoy the day, but he couldn’t quite relax. He’d
never been very good at it.

Matthew had called from aboard the Maria Helena to tell him
that the cleanup of the hydrogen cyanide was well on its way, and that it might
take a few years for the sea life to return to normal in the Gulf of Mexico –
but thanks to him and Sam the place would survive.

Tom asked again if they’d had any news of Billie’s body, and
was advised that it was unlikely they’d ever find her. After all, the entire
pyramid imploded under the enormous weight of the ocean, after it lost its
structure.

Death had been common enough in his life, but he’d learned
to deal with it by burying himself deeper with work, not having a holiday and
moping.

It was time to go out, and do something different, he
decided.

He grabbed his wallet, glasses, and keys to his Ducati – the
motorcycle’s equivalent of a Lamborghini – and opened the front door.

And there she stood.

“It’s you.” Tom didn’t know what else to say.

“And you,” she replied, stupidly. “Who the hell were you
expecting?”

“You’re alive!” he said throwing his arms around her.

She stepped forward, a little closer to his face, and said,
“Of course. That wasn’t the first time they’ve tried to kill me since Sam and I
started this thing.”

He stepped backwards, until she’d followed him inside.

Then, closing the door behind her, Billie reached up on the
tips of her toes, wrapped her arms around his strong neck, and an inch before
reaching his lips, asked, “Did you miss me?”

“Yes,” was all he replied, before their lips touched.

Tom kissed her as much as he’d wanted to since their first
night inside the Mayan pyramid.

And soon the kissing turned to undressing.

Tom pulled back for a moment, with his arms still wrapped
around her tiny waist, as he admired her in nothing but underwear. They were
white and cotton – nothing that suggested they were designed to be sexy – but
over her tall, lithe, body and olive skin, they might as well have been
intended for a lingerie model. Her body, in complete proportion, had an
athletic build, with firm, small breasts.

She looked as amazing in her underwear as he’d imagined a
thousand times by now.

Billie stared back at him, a coy and flirtatious smile below
the teasing glint in her almond eyes, in response to Tom’s blatant adoration of
her figure. She slid her underwear off, and said, “Did you just want to look at
me, or are you going to fuck me?”

*

Tom rolled over with a fright.

How long had they been in bed?

It was dark outside. Checking his bedside clock, he saw that
it was already after midnight.

“What is it?” she whispered, rolling on her side and
exposing her perfect, small, breasts. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, of course. It’s better than okay,” he replied,
grinning as he stared at her again. “It’s just that I don’t know how I’m going
to break this one to Sam, that’s all.”

“Why?”

“You know…” he hinted.

“No, I don’t know?”

“You two. Your history together.”

“Did you think Sam and I were lovers?”

“Yes, weren’t you?”

“Christ no!”

“But you said you and Sam had an unbelievable past?”

“We do, and if you and I are still alive by the end of the year,
I’ll tell you the entire story.”

*

Sam boarded his father’s Gulfstream at LAX.

He knew what was coming and decided to head to Washington to
deal with it before they came to him. Stopped at the end of the runway, the
pilot increased the engine’s power in preparation for takeoff, and then shut it
down completely.

Sam stood up to find out what was wrong, but had a terrible
gut feeling he already knew.

“Your guest, Mr. Reilly.”

“Then you’d better send her in,” Sam said, not waiting to
ask who had stopped his jet.

He remained sitting, while the woman walked along the sleek
interior of the plane. Her slim, yet overriding figure taking his breath away.

Despite his complete distrust of the woman in front of him,
he couldn’t help but admit, that for one of the most powerful women on earth,
she was by far the sexiest redhead he’d ever met – not that it made their
meetings any more pleasant. After all, she’d expressed on many occasions how
that sentiment was mutual.

His mind quickly considered the events of the past month,
and he wondered what, precisely, she was going to go after.

Behind her strong jawbone, starry blue eyes, dark, short-cropped
hair, and genuinely attractive face, Sam thought her perfect smile somehow
always appeared halfway between beautiful and a constant scowl. At times, he
wondered whether that, too, was a mask that came with the position.

“Good morning, Madam Secretary,” he said, standing up. 

“Sit down, Mr. Reilly,” she commanded. “Tell me, what did
you find in the Gulf of Mexico?”

So, that’s what this is about?

He was glad his father had hidden the Ark of Light before
anyone acknowledged it had even been discovered.

“Very little. As you know, Madam Secretary, you destroyed
all of it.”

“We did?” She shook her head. “No, Mr. Reilly, I assure you,
if we wanted its secrets destroyed, that stupid girlfriend of yours, Dr. Swan,
wouldn’t have survived.”

“Not you?” Sam was genuinely surprised. “Then who?”

“Someone else who’s been closing in on our hunt for the
Master Builders. And you’d better pray, you beat them to it.”

“If they were as powerful as I’m starting to believe, we’d
better all pray that our enemies don’t discover them first.” Sam laughed. “So
Billie’s still alive?”

The Secretary of Defense ignored his question, as she so
often did.

“Oh, and Dr. Swan’s not my girlfriend.”

The U.S. Secretary of Defense smiled. Her perfect white
teeth, glaring, and replied, “Yes, Mr. Reilly, we know all about your history
with that girl. Do you think that by sending her there while you went in search
of the Mahogany Ship, it would keep us from finding out the truth?”

He shuffled his feet uncomfortable in the seat, and then
replied, “I had hoped so.”

“So, do you have another lead?”

“Not yet, but I’m hoping, if Billie is alive, she will make
contact soon,” he said. “Perhaps when I return from Washington?”

“You’re not going to Washington. There’s no one there who
wants to speak with you. I suggest you turn your father’s toy airplane around,
and go home.”

“As you wish, Madam Secretary.”

*

At 2 a.m. Billie turned up at his house. Despite the U.S.
Secretary of Defense suggesting she was still alive, he hadn’t completely
believed it.

“Jesus, Billie,” he said, throwing his arms around her. “I
was starting to think you were actually dead!”

“Yeah, well, that’s what they would have liked, wouldn’t
they?” she replied, quickly removing his arms from her torso. She studied his
face, and then said, “Damn it, you knew they would come, didn’t you?”

He turned to avoid her gaze.

“When Rodriguez asked me to help him find
the Mahogany Ship I had personal reasons to go searching for it. Specifically,
it was the first shipwreck that my father and I ever hunted together. My
feelings were tied because I really did want to know more about the sunken
Mayan pyramid.”

“But you knew that the Master Builders were
involved!”

“No. Well, not at first. I reluctantly
agreed to think about going with Rodriguez on his expedition. It was only when
I replayed the recording I’d made of the king’s sarcophagus that I saw the
image of the Mahogany Ship on the wall.”

“And then you realized that the Mahogany
Ship was built by the Master Builders!”

“That’s right. And I knew I had to distance
myself from the discovery as fast as possible. I hoped they would assume that
if I’d discovered anything of value, then surely I wouldn’t have left the
project to someone else. Giving you enough time to find some answers. Instead,
now all we have are more questions.”

“I might just have one answer…”

“What about?”

“The communication device… it was made out of a stone, not
too dissimilar to a diamond in chemical makeup.”

“How could you have possibly done that? Everything was
destroyed?”

“Yes, but before that happened, I broke off a little.”

He examined the stone, which fit comfortably in the palm of
his hand. It looked like an enormous blue diamond. Even with today’s
technologies, nothing even resembling its brilliance could be synthetically
manufactured.

It sparkled in his hand under the limited light of the night
lamp.

“Is it a diamond?”

“No. I’ve taken it to three leading experts in geology. None
of them can tell me what is, only what it isn’t.”

“And what’s that?”

“It’s not synthetically made, and it’s never been seen
before.”

Sam looked at it again, wondering in the back of his mind if
he’d somehow seen a similar stone, somewhere else. “Could they tell you
anything about the type of stone it resembles, other than a very sparkling
diamond?”

“They each identified that it has some unusual properties.”

“Such as?”

“The stone transmits light and sound more than a thousand
times faster than water. And is the first naturally occurring substance harder
than diamond.”

“Interesting. I suppose that explains how it was used to see
other parts of the Mayan pyramid,” he said.

Billie laughed, “You and I both know that’s not true, don’t
we?”

Ignoring her statement, he said, “So we lost the greatest
lead for Master Builders we’ve ever had?”

“Yes.”

“And it was all for nothing, with exception of the discovery
of the best fake diamond the world has ever seen?”

“No.” Billie smiled, holding her hard drive. “Because I
think I just found a map to Atlantis.”

The
End

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