“With pleasure,” the pythia replied.
“Time to drag in those two other guys we knocked out earlier.”
The Arkana team retrieved Cassie’s room key and bound the three Turks before locking them in the storage room.
“That won’t hold them long,” Cassie commented as they exited the cottage and hurried up the trail that led back to their Jeep.
“It won’t have to,” Griffin said. “We’ll call for sweepers when we get back to the hotel.”
“Sweepers?” Cassie repeated. “You’re going to tidy up the cottage for them?”
“It’s a special unit we have,” Fred explained. “Sometimes we run across black market types who interfere with our work. We have a sweeper squad that secures them and turns them over to the authorities. Those guys will be cooling their heels in a Turkish jail for quite a while.”
“Yeah but they didn’t steal anything,” the pythia objected.
“I’m guessing they’ve already built up a track record,” Erik countered. “Either way, they’ll be busy with the police long enough to stay out of our hair.” He shifted the rifle to his other shoulder where he had already slung the extra coil of rope from the cottage.
“What’s with the rope?” Cassie asked.
“You ask me that after the kind of day we’ve had? Consider it an insurance policy.”
“That was absolutely brilliant of you, Cassie,” Griffin said. “The way you handled those thieves. Though I do think it was risky to step on his foot. He might have knifed you.”
“I figured I had the advantage. I was wearing steel-reinforced hiking boots. He was wearing loafers. Besides, I got to the point where I was more angry than scared. I am totally sick and tired of being the patsy.”
“Patsy?” Fred repeated blankly.
“Yeah, the dame, the skirt, the frail.”
“Now who’s seen too many movies,” Erik interjected. “Sounds like you binge-watched an entire noir marathon.”
Ignoring the remark, Cassie continued. “I mean, first it was Leroy Hunt sticking a gun to my head. Then this joker with the knife. I’ve absolutely had enough. I figured it was time I put my foot down.”
“Literally.” Griffin laughed.
“The next guy who messes with me is going to lose some teeth.” Cassie paused and glanced at each of her teammates in turn. “Still, all things considered, I’m sure glad you guys showed up to save the day.”
Erik shrugged nonchalantly. “You’re worth saving, toots.”
Cassie did a double-take. She wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. Maybe she’d have her ears checked when she got back to the States.
Chapter 38 – Tourist Trap
It was mid-afternoon by the time the Arkana team threaded their way through the forest and arrived back at the Jeep. They stowed the gun and the rope and were on the point of climbing in when Fred paused. “Quiet,” he whispered urgently.
His companions stared at him.
“Can’t you hear that?”
They all listened intently.
“Is that an automobile engine?” Griffin sounded tentative.
“That just tears it!” Erik muttered. “Could this day possibly get any worse?”
“What?” Cassie looked from one to the other, uncomprehending.
“It’s the Nephilim,” the security coordinator explained. “Has to be.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Who else is likely to be driving up here?”
“It might just be tourists,” she objected.
“Gee, why don’t we stand here and wait to find out,” Erik snarled back. “Even if I’m wrong, we’d be crazy not to assume a worst-case scenario. Luck hasn’t exactly been on our side today. We’ve got to do something.”
“No time to move the Jeep,” Fred told them. “We’re boxed in. The only trail that leads out of here is the one they’re traveling. We’d run straight into them.”
Erik rubbed his face distractedly then eyed the contents of the truck. “I’ve just had the mother of all stupid, dangerous ideas but it may be our only chance. Come on. We don’t have much time.”
***
Daniel and his companions bounced along the rutted trail up the eastern slope of the mountain. They were approaching the end of the tree line now. Ilhami assured them that a set of megaliths was to be found close by. The scion wasn’t in an optimistic mood. Even if they did, by some miracle, find the standing stones, there was no guarantee the relic would be hidden among them. He sighed. They had nearly reached the summit of the mountain. This was their last hope. Daniel dreaded the thought of his next telephone conversation with his father.
Ilhami stepped on the brakes abruptly, snapping Daniel out of his reverie. The scion blinked. There was a Jeep parked at the end of the trail.
“What on earth!” he exclaimed.
“Probably tourists,” Hunt said matter-of-factly as he checked the clip of his pistol.
“There will be no need for that, Mr. Hunt,” Daniel cautioned him.
Leroy grinned. “Aw shucks, boy. You aim to ruin my fun again?”
Daniel thought back to the tourist couple whom Hunt had threatened to shoot earlier in the day. He hoped the mercenary wasn’t about to have another opportunity to indulge his violent streak. It unnerved Daniel to contemplate such a possibility, but he expected Hunt knew that.
“We go up this way,” Ilhami was already out of the truck and gesturing toward a narrow trail that cut through the trees. “No more driving. We walk now.”
Leroy holstered his pistol. He fell in behind Ilhami leaving Daniel to bring up the rear.
They trudged upward through the pines for half a mile before breaking out into a desolate open landscape of rocks and scrubby grass. The air was thinner and a bit colder now. They climbed a rise where the ground dipped unexpectedly onto a flat table of land. On the plateau beneath them were the standing stones. A lone figure of a man stood in the middle of the circle. For some reason, he looked vaguely familiar to Daniel. He seemed startled to see them and backed away to the far end of the megaliths, hiding behind one near the edge of the plateau.
“Somethin’ don’t smell right here,” Hunt said. He hastened down the hill to investigate the spot where the man had been standing. Daniel and
