Starkman made an impatient noise, but Qobras paused, considering her words. “Jason, get some of the men to take them into the entrance chamber,” he said at last.
“It’s a waste of time, Giovanni,” Starkman said, barely concealing his disapproval. “We should be getting the job done, not letting her delay us. And what difference does it make? They’re already dead.”
“Dr. Wilde is right. Move them.”
Starkman scowled, but followed his orders, summoning a group of men to assist in removing the bodies. Nina couldn’t watch, feeling a new burst of almost unbearable anguish as the corpse of one of the Tibetans was lifted up as if he weighed no more than a child. That was all that was left of these people, of her
Once the bodies were gone, Qobras returned his attention to the explosive. He attached a timer to it before quickly retreating, ushering everyone else back to the cavern.
“CL- 20,” explained Starkman to Nina, without being asked. “The most powerful chemical explosive ever made. A piece the size of an Oreo can blow a hole right through six inches of armor plate.”
“Am I supposed to be impressed by that?” she replied sourly.
“Maybe not. But you might want to cover your ears.”
Nina saw that the others were doing just that, and hurriedly followed suit. A moment later there was an earsplitting bang and a swirling cloud of dust.
Qobras was the first to move, his flashlight beam slicing through the dust like a laser. “Clear all the debris from the doors so we can get the bomb through them,” he ordered. “Jason, Jack, Dr. Wilde- come with me.” Nina was unsurprised when her two guards came as well.
What had appeared to be a solid wall was now a gaping hole. Huge chunks of the shattered door were scattered over the tomb floor. The other door was still in place, though seriously damaged.
Beyond the doors lay darkness.
Qobras stepped over the debris, leading the way down what turned out to be a smooth slope descending deeper into the heart of the mountain.
The air was cool and, to Nina’s surprise, fresh, lacking the almost indefinable stale, ancient mustiness she associated with long-sealed environments. Presumably there was another entrance, or at least some way for air to reach it from outside.
Like the entrance chamber, the long tunnel had been widened out from an existing natural passage. Considering its length, with only basic hand tools it must have taken years to excavate.
And as for whatever lay ahead…
“It’s opening up,” said Qobras. Distance reduced his flashlight beam to a tiny coin. The echo of their footsteps faded, suggesting they were about to emerge into the open.
But that was impossible. They were inside the mountain.
Which meant the space they were about to enter was
They emerged onto a road, a broad paved lane stretching beyond the range of their lights. Buildings lurked on either side, imposing pillars glinting with gold and orichalcum rising into the darkness.
“Christ, it’s huge,” said Starkman. He cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled, “Hello!” A very faint echo returned a couple of seconds later.
“We need more light,” Qobras said. Starkman nodded and took off his pack, taking out a stubby flare gun. He quickly loaded it and fired it up at an angle. A brilliant red light fizzled to life, drifting on its small parachute…
Everyone was stunned by the sight it revealed.
“My God…” said Nina.
TWENTY-FOUR
The scene before them was spectacular, an awe-inspiring tableau lost since the dawn of history.
Nina instantly recognized what lay at its center. It was another replica of the Temple of Poseidon-but this time, it was not alone.
Surrounding it were other buildings-smaller, but no less grandiose. The architectural style was familiar, starkly elegant, yet at the same time somehow brutal.
They were palaces, and temples; the citadel of Atlantis as described by Plato, re-created thousands of miles from its inspiration. And unlike their ruined counterparts in Brazil, these had withstood the test of time, shielded from the elements, perfectly preserved.
As her eyes adjusted to the flickering glow of the flare, however, she realized the scene was not complete. Vast as the cave was, it still wasn’t large enough to accommodate the entire citadel. Even the Temple of Poseidon itself was incomplete, its far end disappearing into the cave wall. There were indications that the Atlanteans had tried to carve out part of the wall to make room for the structure, but in the end they had, she assumed, simply dug the temple’s inner chambers directly out of the mountain.
The flare sputtered and died, dropping the colossal cave back into darkness. The only light came from the group’s flashlights.
“It’s… it’s unbelievable,” said Philby. “Giovanni, at the very least we have to photograph this. This is an even more important find than Atlantis itself!”
“No,” Qobras told him firmly. “Nothing can remain. Nothing! The Atlantean legacy will end
“How big is this bomb?” Philby asked nervously.
“It’s a thousand-pound fuel-air explosive,” Starkman told him. “The explosive core is fifty pounds of CL- 20. In terms of destructive force, it’s the next best thing to a tactical nuke.”
“My God,” Philby gasped.
“These are the people you’ve gotten yourself in bed with,” Nina reminded him coldly. “Destroyers and murderers. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
“Nina, please,” he begged, stepping closer, “I’m so, so sorry! I never wanted to do anything to hurt Henry and Laura-I went on the expedition with them hoping they
“But you still betrayed them. To
Before her guards could react, Nina punched him in the face. The pain that exploded in her knuckles was eclipsed by the pure primal satisfaction she received from the sight of Philby falling on his back, a bead of blood running from one nostril. He stared up at her aghast.
The guards pulled her back as Starkman, looking almost amused, helped Philby to his feet. “Nice punch, Dr. Wilde. Been taking tips from Eddie?”
The word came over the radio that it would take about fifteen minutes for the bomb to be brought down the tunnel. Qobras glanced at his watch, then looked at Philby and Nina. “That’s how much time you have to explore this place, Jack. Dr. Wilde, I promised you would have the chance to see the last outpost of the Atlanteans. I am a man of my word.”
“Before you kill me, you mean,” she said with a bitter smile.
“As I said, I am a man of my word.”
“Right. I’m sure that helps you sleep at night.”
Starkman fired another flare, and they headed down the road towards the citadel. Nina couldn’t help but feel the thrill of discovery as they approached, but at the same time she was painfully aware that every step she took was counting down the seconds to her death.
