Killer Thrillers Box Set: 3 Techno-Thriller, Action/Adventure Science Fiction Thrillers (12 page)

Finished during the Fourth Dynasty in 2560 B.C., the Great Pyramid, or the Pyramid of Cheops, was built in a 20-year period of pharaoh Khufu’s reign, and consists of about 2.3
million
blocks, the largest weighing in at over 80 tons (160,000 pounds). These blocks were carried or dragged from Aswan, about 500 miles away, over the sand. To put the building of the structure into perspective, based on renowned Egyptologist Sir Flanders Petrie’s measurements, there would need to have been about 5 blocks put into place
every minute
of
every hour
of
every day
for 20 years.
 

Further, the foundation of the entire complex is set on a 13-acre square bedrock that is almost perfectly level — varying in height no more than half of an inch throughout. This is a feat of engineering that we still cannot accomplish today, even aided with advanced surveying technology.
 

Most of the outer “casing” — a white protective shell — was cracked and broken during a devastating earthquake, and subsequently taken away. Remaining is the interior, or core, of the pyramid. The original entrance to the building is almost 60 feet up from ground level, and marks the beginning of the Descending Passage. It is said that this original entrance was blocked by a huge rock that was so delicately and perfectly balanced it could be moved with the touch of a single finger.
 

The main chambers are the King’s and Queen’s Chambers, located toward the center of the pyramid. These two chambers are reached via the Ascending Passage, which branches off of the Descending Passage and continues upward for 129 feet. A Grand Gallery marks the upper section of the Ascending Passage with a 28-foot tall ceiling leading to the King’s Chamber. Numerous shafts and what are thought to be circulation vents pockmark the internal walls, and to this day there are passageways yet unexplored and undiscovered.
 

The builders showed impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail with the pyramid’s construction, aligning the entire building to true north and the stars, with an exceptionally small margin of error. Historians have compared the accuracy to that of a modern-day optometrist. Measuring precisely the same distance on all four of its bases, the pyramid is thought to only be slightly off due to the erosion and earth’s movement over thousands of years.
 

About 350 feet diagonally down, below the base of the pyramid, lies the Lower Chamber, or Subterranean Chamber, at the lower end of the Descending Passage. This is believed to have been another burial chamber, but was left unfinished. A pathway branches off horizontally from this chamber, heads south for about 53 feet, and ends at a wall. A deep pit rests in the center of this chamber, thought to be about 60 feet deep (filled to about 15 feet deep with rubble and broken rock).
 

These two strange anomalies discount the theory that this chamber was designed as another crypt. Most other Egyptian pyramids were designed with this main subterranean area as the official main chamber, but the burial chamber was always designed to be last along the path — the final resting place of the king. If one or both of these uncommon passageways leading
out
of the underground burial chamber were meant to lead to another room or pathway, then this could not have served as a burial chamber.
 

Instead, the Lower Room would have been meant for something else — some secret or item meant to be protected by not only the massive structure above it, but the tomb of the dead king himself. Was the room unfinished on purpose, meant to deceive and misguide the explorers to come in the following centuries? Or was the Lower Chamber built to house something besides a tomb altogether?

CHAPTER 18

7:19 PM - GIZA, EGYPT
 

Agent Karn scanned the area below him through the scope of the Vortex Tactical Range Finder binocular/camera system. He had the tripod set up southeast of the Giza necropolis, on a ridge overlooking the dunes that formed natural sand moats around each of the three large pyramids. His lookout point was far enough away to deter detection, and the kit allowed him to peruse the surrounding grounds, zoomed in so close and so accurately it was as if he was walking around among the scattered guards.
 

Agents Beka and Rogers were with Karn. Corinne and her uncle, Professor Andrews, were lying in the sand behind them. They had waited there for almost an hour, until the sun was about to set — waiting for the guards to change shifts.
 

The security at Giza is more technological than human. Eight guards manned four posts — really just semi-underground bunkers that doubled as crew lounges for the Giza workers and staff. Four others monitored an 8.2 mile perimeter, and four more actively traveled around the grounds. Karn didn’t see much cause for concern in getting through the guards. The electronic security system would be the real challenge.
 

The Flexiguard Advanced Perimeter System was maintained from a central facility directly in front of the main pyramid’s eastern face. It was remotely accessed, requiring no human guards inside the facility — just a large computer server, communications equipment, and a huge cooling system. Advanced Perimeter Systems, Ltd. monitored the facility remotely, ensuring its protection and alerting the guards to intrusion, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
 

But it wasn’t the same Flexiguard perimeter that protected corporations and multinational concerns around the world. The Egyptian government, learning from the centuries of stealing, looting, and desecrating of the pyramids, had installed a few of their own protective measures. The Flexiguard perimeter fence was outfitted with a heat-sensing technology that could “feel” heat-based anomalies within 300 feet. When the system detected an intruder, it would send an encrypted signal to Advanced Perimeter Systems as well as the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior. Anyone getting closer than the length of a football field from the perimeter would have a paramilitary force descending upon them in less time than it took to run away. Intruders would be immediately surrounded, trapped between the sixteen guards inside the facility and a team of angry soldiers outside.

It was a good thing that Tanning Vilocek had connections with some high-ranking Egyptian officials.
 

He radioed in and ordered Karn’s team to wait on the rise until right before sundown while he called in a few favors.
If we don’t get permission now,
he didn’t want to take any chances. Getting out of the area would be a hellish affair if they had to fight off the guards, the Ministry of the Interior troops, and Whittenfield’s men at the same time. In this case, asking permission was worth the trouble.

Vilocek dialed the number from his hotel room in downtown Giza. Madu Jabari answered almost immediately, speaking in an even, collected tone of voice. Many years of service in the political sector had allowed Madu time to perfect his balanced, non-biased voice. “Jabari speaking.”

“Madu, you old fiend — what are you doing awake at this hour?” Vilocek knew Jabari worked irregular hours and didn’t get much sleep, and his sarcastic tone was not lost upon the Egyptian.
 

“Dr. Vilocek, my friend! You know we Egyptians work harder than you lazy Americans, so perhaps I should be asking you that question! I also know you do not call me unless there is a favor to ask — just like a good friend,” he chuckled.
 

“Listen, Madu,” Vilocek said, cutting off the pleasantries. “I’ve gotten to a turning point in my research, and I believe there’s another piece to the mystery hidden in your country. I’d like to snoop around a bit, and I already have a team assembled.”

“I assume you are looking for access to one of the ancient sites, yes?”

Vilocek hesitated for a moment. “Giza, the Great Pyramid, actually.”

“My friend, you know that place is as good as empty — there are no more artifacts inside.”

“I understand — still, I’m compelled to see for myself. It would just be for a short while, and my men won’t create a scene. We can be finished in a few hours, but listen — we’re going to need to hurry. One of my agents found a tracking device, which leads us to believe we’re being followed by another force, only a few hours behind. If we can gain access before nightfall, I give you my word that we’ll be gone before midnight.”

“I trust you will share your findings with me, as always?” Jabari asked.
 

“Absolutely.”

Jabari paused briefly, letting Vilocek squirm just a bit. “Then I suppose I can open it to you until dawn tomorrow.”

“Madu, I cannot thank you enough. You’ll be hearing from me soon. Take care, my friend,” Vilocek hung up the phone. If everything went according to schedule, he wouldn’t even need all the time Jabari had given him. Going over the plan once more in his head, he left the hotel. Rather than calling Karn, he thought he might tag along for this trip. No sense watching the fun from a distance.
 

After a short drive, he pulled his rented black Suburban to the curb and stepped out. The hill where his team was waiting was directly ahead, and from where he stood, could barely make out the upper section of the Great Pyramid.

As he climbed the hill, Agent Karn spotted him and raised a hand in greeting. “Will you, uh, be joining us, then, boss?” he asked when Vilocek was near enough to hear his whisper.
 

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Vilocek replied. Karn didn’t have a weapon for Vilocek to use, so he handed over his own sidearm.
 

“Everything’s in order, then?”

“Everything’s in order, yes. We’ve been granted access until dawn, but we shouldn’t need that much time. Beka, help Karn secure the entrance. I’ll keep an eye on them,” he said, glancing toward Jensen and Corinne. The two agents nodded, then silently moved off down the opposite side of the hill, toward the main gates. Vilocek took over Karn’s post and scanned the area with the military binoculars.
 

Beka and Karn were an ominous pair, both large, hulking men wearing all black clothing and body armor. Beka’s rifle was slung over his shoulder, while Karn held his loosely at his side. As they neared the gates, two guards ran over and barked a halt order in Arabic, the chain-link fence the only barrier between them.
 

Beka spoke in English. One of the men inside the fence, clearly understanding, came closer. Vilocek and his two captives couldn’t hear the exchange, but eventually the two guards relaxed and the gates swung inward. Agent Beka entered and followed the two guards toward the main facility, but Karn held back, just inside the gate. He withdrew a small object from his shirt pocket and fastened it on the gate’s locking mechanism. Satisfied, he stepped away and turned to follow Beka.
 

Vilocek watched the entire scene unfold, zooming out a bit with the binoculars to capture the whole panorama. No more than five seconds passed before Beka sprang into action. Drawing his pistol, he dropped to one knee and fired two shots in rapid succession. Both guards crumpled and fell, gaping holes smoking in the backs of their heads.
 

Vilocek smiled.
So far, so good
.
 

Beka’s shots were more to draw attention than to eliminate the guards. Vilocek knew Beka and Karn couldn’t fight it out with the entire security force, and he had planned accordingly. When they had discovered the cell phone in Beka’s equipment belt, Vilocek knew that Whittenfield’s team would play right into his hand.

Two other roaming guards and a few from the surrounding buildings were running in the direction of the gunshots. Too far to get an accurate shot, Beka retreated about twenty paces back toward the gate while Karn covered him.

Two more men burst from behind a building to the left. Beka quickly put a bullet in each man’s skull, moving from one to the next with machine-like efficiency. Another guard ran toward Beka from behind, but Karn whipped his combat knife from his boot sheath and threw it perfectly. It landed with a sickening thud in the man’s throat, severing his windpipe and dropping him in his tracks. He pawed helplessly at the knife, but lost consciousness before he could pull it out.
 

Finally the rest of the guards in the complex were running toward the chaos near the main gate. There was a great deal of shouting in Arabic as the remaining eleven men closed in on Beka on three sides, their guns raised but all of them waiting for someone else to take charge. Karn had moved unnoticed to one side, partially concealed near the corner of a small building.

One of the guards finally stepped toward Beka and yelled in Arabic. Assuming the man had wanted him to drop his weapon, Beka complied and threw his pistol to the ground. The man wasn’t satisfied, and motioned for Beka to lose his rifle as well.
 

Beka shrugged nonchalantly and set his rifle on the ground at his feet. Then he turned toward the gate and raised his hands behind his head.
 

Now facing Karn, Beka paused for a moment and then fell forward. At the same instant, Karn fired his rifle toward the group of guards.
 

An electronic whirring sound emanated from Karn’s weapon, and a line of pulsating energy sprang toward the group. Narrowly missing Beka, it hit the first few guards and spread outward, jumping from one man to the next like a crazed wildfire in a forest of dried-out trees. Within a second and a half, all of the men were frozen in place, their eyes unblinking, their guns still drawn and pointing in Beka’s direction. Some of the guards had their mouths open in shock.

From Vilocek's vantage point he could see a pulsating cloud of semi-opaque air that seemed to have consumed the guards. Beka was wriggling out from beneath the cloud, hurrying to avoid coming in contact with the slowly descending particles. Content that the security force was completely contained, Vilocek stood, packed up the tripod and binoculars and headed down toward the facility. “Come,” he ordered, not even bothering to look over his shoulder at Jensen and Corinne.