The God Complex: A Thriller (33 page)

Cash heard the sound of scraping from the corridor behind them. He waved for Sophie to remain still and quiet. He listened. The sound was getting nearer. Like Rigs, he wished he had had taken his HK416 and had nothing other than his knife. His choice was simple: wait and face them in the chamber with Sophie, where she would only get in the way and be able to be used against him, or go on the offensive. He’d always been a quarterback kind of guy. Offense was his game.

He struggled back into the small tunnel and slid as silently as he could along the level surface
. The scuffling noises were getting closer. He reached the ascending passage and could see a man coming up towards him from below. The ascending passage continued upwards, most importantly away from Sophie. Cash entered the passage and pushed on higher, drawing the man away from Sophie, and up towards the Grand Gallery. It was the first place that actually looked like it belonged in the pyramid, thought Cash when he entered. More importantly for that moment, he had space to move in.

“Are you going to let me out of here?”

“Depends. Why are you here?” said Cash. He stood with his knife ready to strike as soon as the man exited the crouched passageway into the gallery.

“I could always turn back and visit the chamber below
,” he offered.

“You’d never make it
.”

“You’d bet her life on that?”

Cash stepped back allowing the man to enter the gallery.

“Cash Harris?” asked the man.

“You have me at a disadvantage,” said Cash, stepping back and preparing to strike.

“Joel
. It’s a shame we meet in such circumstances,” he said.

“Was it your guys we dealt with in Machu Picchu?” asked Cash
.

“Dear
God no, they’re the reason we’re here,” he said scornfully. “Amateurs.”

Joel flashed his knife at Cash as he had prepared to strike. Joel had sensed his move.

“Any particular reason you want to kill us?”

Joel shook his head
. “Money, I’m afraid. I’ve no idea why they want you dead, they just do.”

Cash fei
gned a move. Joel bought it and flashed his knife as previously. Cash reacted, drawing blood from Joel’s forearm.

“Very good,” said Joel, rushing towards Cash and catching him with a punch as Cash avoided his blade.

Cash reeled backwards. It was a solid punch that, had his life not been on the line, may otherwise have floored him. He shook it off.

Joel pounced again
. Cash was ready for him. Avoiding the blade and the punch, he ducked and swung out his leg catching Joel and sending him crashing back down the gallery towards the entrance. Cash rushed forward but Joel bounced up ready to strike again, stopping Cash in his tracks.

Joel
feinted left but struck from the right. Cash had his measure, catching the blade arm, falling to the floor and bringing it down with him. A ledge that ran the full length either side of the gallery was the perfect pivot point to aim for. He pushed Joel’s body towards the ledge, while he himself aimed for the three-foot-wide gulley that ran down the middle of the gallery. He caught Joel’s elbow on the ledge and fell into the three-foot gulley, powering his full weight and force into bringing the bottom half of Joel’s arm with him. Joel’s arm bent horribly at the elbow until a loud snap echoed up the thirty foot height of the gallery’s ceiling and its full one hundred fifty foot length. Joel tried to stifle his scream but barely managed. His arm dangled helplessly while his body struggled not to go into shock.

He lay on the ledge helpless as Cash stood over him his knife at the ready.

“You okay?” said Rigs, appearing at the end of the gallery.

“Yes, thanks for coming,” he said
catching his breath.

“There’s another one up on the pyramid,” said Rigs taking a seat
next to Cash. He had raced all the way there, telling the Senator to get into the chopper and shoot anyone that came anywhere near him.

“Dead?”

“Nah, like this one, crippled. I cut both his Achilles tendons; he’ll be hobbling for a long while. Not sure how he’ll get down though, he’s a long way up,” said Rigs. “What will we do with him?”

“Are you going to tell us who hired you?” asked Cash, looking at Joel, who was struggling with the debilitating pain.

“No,” said Joel resolutely.

Rigs touched the wound
, twisting the arm slightly, generating an ear piercing scream from Joel. “Who hired you?”

Joel shook his head, his forehead soaked in sweat.

“Leave him,” said Cash. “They’re not going anywhere anytime soon. I’ll call Travis to arrange for them to be picked up and see what he can get from them. Let’s go.”

They met Sophie
where she was pacing nervously by the entrance. “Thank God!” she whispered when Cash appeared alive and well with Rigs.

She spotted the blood
on the corner of his mouth and rushed over, touching the redness on his chin. “Are you alright?” she fussed.

“I’m fine,” said Cash, enjoying the attention. The same attention she
used to lavish on him after any of his football injuries.

“So, did you find what you were after?” Sophie
asked Rigs.

“Yeah, there’s something up above us, not sure how we get to it though. The stone didn’t budge.”

“And you spotted it how?”

“Two photos, taken a
t different times, there was a stone slightly askew.”

‘There are over two million stones
!” gasped Cash.

“
Not all on one side, there can’t be more than a few thousand on the side,” said Sophie. “Is it about three-quarters of the way up on the East face?” she asked.

“You
saw it?”

“Honestly no
, but there was an incident a couple of years ago, robbers moved a stone one night, up high where they thought it wouldn’t be noticed. All that climb for nothing, sorry. If you had mentioned it…”

“Don’t feel sorry for him,” Cash
said. “Feel sorry for the guy he left up there, crippled.”

“A guy that tried to kill him
? Not a chance,” said Sophie, smiling at the once again silent Rigs. He had retracted into himself. The action was over, his awkwardness returned.

They walked back to a very nervous Senator
. He and the pilot were both training the HK416s around the chopper.

“
We dealt with them,” Cash said.

“Them?”

“Two,” said Cash. “Why are you so surprised we’re dealing with these guys? We’re ex-Special Forces.”

“No reason,”
the Senator said, visibly relaxing.

They took their seats and as they took off
, Rigs leaned across to Cash and whispered into his ear. “What if the robbers is just a cover story?”

Cash stepped down from the Senator’s jet out onto an empty apron. No welcome awaited the Senator
, not even a car.

Cash stepped back into the jet where the Senator was waiting for the all-clear to exit.
“Do they know you’re coming?”

“I wouldn’t think so
,” Senator Noble said, fastening his coat button. “We may have had a slight disagreement.”

“And you didn’t call to say you were coming?” asked Sophie.

“My nephew’s not the type you call, face-to-face is always better, I find. But give it five minutes, they’ll know we’re here.”

Cash stepped back out onto the steps and noted the cars racing towards them. Three long black sedans tearing down the runway area, stopping aircraft in their wake. The Senator joined him on the steps.

“See, they know I’m here now.”

The cars slammed to a halt and eight men dressed immaculately in black designer suits exited the cars. Cash couldn’t help but think that’s how the Secret Service would look if they had a five thousand dollar clothing budget and a six-two minimum height
requirement, even down to the wires that trailed down the back of their necks from their earpieces.

“I’m not sure you need us, if that’s your nephew’s security?” said Cash
, impressed.

“You’re coming,” commanded the Senator, walking down the steps.

A man dressed in a tuxedo stepped out of the middle car. “Uncle Bertie!” Cash picked up on the lack of sincerity and walked faster to catch up with the Senator. Rigs was close behind with Sophie at his side.

Two security men walked forward and patted down Cash and Rigs, removing their handguns and knives. They protested but the Senator waved for them to accept. Their weapons were placed in a strong box and stored in the trunk of the first car.

Sophie was checked also but hers was accompanied by a number of apologies by the security man who made sure he did not touch any inappropriate areas.

“Conrad!” said the Senator, stepping forward to embrace him. Conrad stepped back, showing the Senator to the back of the car instead.

“My friends will travel with me,” said the Senator, waiting for Sophie to climb in before him. Rigs followed, then the Senator. Cash squeezed in, pleased to see two rows of seats. Conrad joined them, squeezing himself between Cash and Rigs.

“I’ve never seen an Audi this big before,” said Cash.

“You wouldn’t have,” said Conrad, offering little more, his eyes not leaving the Senator.

“Why’s that?” asked Sophie.

“They’re specially made for us,” he said, breaking his stare to smile at her. His manners were impeccable. He was unable to be rude to her.

Sophie took the cue and engaged Conrad in conversation for the rest of the trip. She would do anything to ease the palpable tension. It helped
, of course, that Sophie was very pleasing to the eye.

Their convoy swept through Geneva and along the lakeside, cars moving aside as the three Audis carved their way through traffic.

Cash noted the sign for Anieres when they slowed down for a checkpoint which just waved them on. Three minutes later, they were pulling into the drive of one of the grandest chateaux Cash had ever laid his eyes on, helped by the laser and light show that was lighting up the night sky above.

“Wow, this is some hotel
,” said Cash, stepping out onto the driveway that looped around a spectacular water fountain in front of the chateau.

“It’s not a hotel,” said Conrad, leading them towards the entranceway. “It’s my cousin
’s home. Welcome,” he said grudgingly.

Conrad and the Senator led the way. Cash and Rigs kept the Senator within their reach, although judging by the security they had seen, it was pointless. Armed guards were at the checkpoint and armed guards were patrolling the streets. Cameras were on every lamppost. Cash used the Secret Service comparison again; it was the security they’d have liked to have around the White House if they were allowed to. It seemed nobody was stopping the Nobles.

“Would you mind if I took the Senator from you for a few minutes?” asked Conrad, politely but rhetorically.

The Senator nodded to say it was
okay.

“
Sure,” said Cash. “Will we wait here?”

“You may as well join the party, through that door there and out to the marquee
.” A security man stepped forward to show them the way..

“Antoine wishes to speak with you privately,” said Conrad, guiding Bertie to Antoine’s library.

Conrad opened the door and allowed the Senator to enter. Antoine stood up, his hands clasped behind his back, staring out at the lake and the marquee.

“Do you want me to stay?” asked Conrad.

“No,” said Antoine firmly.

The door closed, leaving uncle and nephew at either side of the room.

The Senator walked across and poured himself a drink. “Trying to kill me?” he said with fury.

“After what you’ve done
?” said Antoine, turning around and staring him down.

“We don’t murder our own!” boomed the Senator in his most commanding voice.

“Tell that to my father. Oh of course, you can’t, you had him killed,” spat Antoine.

“I
what
?!”

“Don’t dare deny it, you just tried again to take power
, Bertie.”

“Again, what are you talking about?”

“You killed my father in an attempt to gain power, admit it!”

“But
you
gained power from his death. How does that make any sense?”

“I was supposed to be on the boat with him, you’d have killed us both
.”

“As was I!”

“As were you what?”

“Supposed to be on that boat. There was an emergency session I had to return to the Senate for. Otherwise, I’d have been there too. I loved your father with all my heart, I wouldn’t have hurt a hair on his head and I’d kill anyone who did
.”

“You always wanted the power
,” challenged Antoine.

“And your father didn’t. He knew he was weak as a leader. I offered to sit by his side and help him lead but he knew it would make him look weak to the family. Look what happened during his leadership
— a population explosion, the Cold War, nuclear weapons. It was a disaster but he was the leader. It set us back years but he was my brother. What could I do? Twelve minutes earlier and I would have been the leader.”

“Yes twelve minutes,” said Antoine with disgust. “Twelve minutes that had you kill your own brother for power.”

“Are you mad?! We don’t kill Nobles! We do not kill one another! I made my move, yes, but it wasn’t at the cost of any Noble blood. Do you think I’d have done all that when I could have simply had you and Alex shot, job done?!”

Antoine paused. It was a very good point. “But your lust for power…”

“Yes, I was born for it. Perhaps at the last minute, we turned in our mother’s womb and your father came out first, who knows? I was born to lead. But kill my own brother? Never! Kill one of our own, it’s against everything we believe in.”

“It can be done, the council can
—”

“Do no such thing!” shouted the Senator, slamming his hand on the desk.

“It is forbidden! We do not kill our own! It’s what separates us from every other being. It makes us who we are. Who said you can?”

“It’s written in our history?”

“Anya!” he said, incredulous. She was the keeper of the archives.

Antoine shook his head. “Blake.”

The Senator calmed. “Blake, that sneaky old bastard,” he said, almost admiringly.

“What?” asked Antoine.

“If we had all been on that boat who would have gained power?”

Antoine thought for a second. “Blake’s father,’ he said.

“Who would have been in his nineties. Wait a minute, who knows I’m here?”

“Just Conrad and his security men. He got the call to say your plane had landed, told me and we snuck out. Nobody else knows.”

“And Blake thinks you have the Sicarii about to kill me, if they haven’t already.”

“He’s over a hundred!”

“And crazy,” said the Senator. “He always has been. He thinks he’ll live for at least another twenty years.”

Antoine suddenly saw it. The old man had played him like a fool. Even forcing his opinion on population control into the plan. He had complained about the mistakes his father had made. The old man with all the wisdom thought he could do it better and knew it all.

“If he kills you both, thinking I may be dead…” thought the Senator.

“He’d be leader,” finished Antoine, rushing to the door. “We need to get Alex somewhere safe.”