The Secret Crown

Before another word could be said, Weber’s partner emerged from a clump of trees behind Schneider and slit his throat, using a nine-inch hunting knife with a serrated edge.

Blood gushed from Schneider’s neck as he gurgled and slumped to the ground. As he fell, he squeezed his trigger and fired several wild shots from his G36. Although he didn’t hit his targets, the sound of automatic gun fire and the strafing of the nearby trees echoed through the mountain air like warning drums in a primitive culture. The sound was so loud and distinct it could be heard inside the bunker and as far away as Mount Schachen.

Within seconds, a firefight had erupted in the Alps.

Within minutes, Payne and Jones would enter the fray.

28

Payne and Jones were standing on the front porch of the King’s House, waiting for Ulster to put on his shoes and join them downstairs, when they heard the distant chatter of gun fire. To experienced soldiers, the sound was unmistakable – like a musical instrument to a symphony conductor. In a heartbeat, they knew Kaiser’s men were under attack.

Jones sprinted to the helicopter while Payne pulled the Sig Sauer from his belt and opened the front door. ‘Petr! Stay here! Kaiser’s in trouble.’

‘What do you mean?’ Ulster yelled from upstairs.

‘We’re taking the chopper! Stay here until we come back!’

‘What’s wrong?’ Heidi shouted from the Turkish Hall.

Wearing only one shoe, Ulster nearly stumbled down the steps as he tried to get more information. ‘What kind of trou-’

Payne cut him off. ‘Stay here! Keep an eye on Heidi!’

‘Of course,’ Ulster said while holding his shoe. ‘But-’

‘Now lock this door!’

Payne slammed it shut and leapt off the porch. By the time he landed, Ulster and Heidi were already gone from his thoughts. For the next few minutes, the only thing that mattered was getting to the bunker as quickly as possible. Not to protect the gold or the van Gogh crate, but because lives were on the line and he could save them.

Jones reached the helicopter thirty seconds before Payne and ordered the pilot to start the engine. Baptiste, who only took orders from Ulster, was going to argue until he saw the gun in Jones’s hand. Baptiste swallowed hard and started flipping switches.

As the engine whirred to life, Jones coolly searched the back compartment for equipment but found nothing of value. ‘Do you have a rope?’ he yelled.

‘For what?’ Baptiste shouted.

‘Our exit.’

He turned in his seat and stared at Jones. ‘Your what?’

‘Our exit. You can’t land where we’re going. We’re gonna have to jump.’

Baptiste laughed. ‘You’re joking, right?’

Jones flashed his gun. ‘Does it look like I’m joking?’

‘You’re going to jump out of my chopper?’

‘Only if you have a rope.’

Baptiste pointed to the other side. ‘Try over there.’

Jones scurried around the back and opened the far hatch. Inside was a wicker basket. It was stuffed with a loaf of French bread, a hunk of cheese, two salamis, an assortment of fresh fruit, a bottle of wine, and a red-and- white chickened tablecloth. ‘What the hell is this?’

‘A picnic,’ Baptiste said.

‘A picnic? Why did you pack a fucking picnic?’

Baptiste shrugged. ‘Petr gets hungry.’

Jones slammed the hatch in frustration. ‘My friend is going to die unless you have a rope. Do you have one or not?’

‘Next compartment back.’

Jones flung it open and grabbed a large coil of black rope. Made with sure-grip synthetic fibres, the low- stretch rope was perfect for rappelling. One end was already equipped with a sturdy metal clasp that could be attached to the chopper’s floor. ‘How long is this?’

‘About a hundred feet.’

Jones pulled out the coil, which weighed over fifty pounds, and tossed it onto the back seat. Then he searched the compartment for additional equipment, anything that could help them get to the ground in one piece. ‘What about gloves? Or belts? Or harnesses?’

Baptiste shook his head. ‘This isn’t a rescue chopper.’

Payne arrived in time to hear the comment. ‘Well, it is today.’

Jones pointed to the hook in the centre of the floor, which Payne could reach while standing outside the chopper. ‘Attach the clasp. I’m almost ready.’

Payne did as he was told, then hopped into the back. As he did, he could hear Jones rummaging through the hatch on the other side. ‘What are you looking for?’

‘A snack,’ Jones shouted.

Payne cupped his ear and leaned in closer. ‘A what?’

Grinning from ear to ear, Jones hopped into the chopper. He held his gun in one hand and the picnic basket in the other. Payne stared at him like he was crazy.

Jones grinned even wider. ‘Don’t worry. I have an idea.’

‘What kind of idea?’

‘I’ll tell you when it’s time to jump.’

Krueger cursed when he heard the gun fire. Obviously something had gone wrong with his plan because his men had been told to avoid interaction at all costs. Their job had been simple. Spy on Kaiser, figure out what he was doing, then report back to Krueger so he could coordinate their attack. His men weren’t supposed to confront Kaiser or do anything that might attract attention. This was supposed to be a surveillance mission. Nothing else.

From his position at the bottom of the mountain, Krueger called his men on the radio. ‘What happened?’ he growled in German.

One of his men responded. ‘We were spotted by a guard with an assault rifle. We managed to take him out quietly.’

‘Did you say quietly? There was nothing quiet about it! I could hear it down here!’

‘Blame the guard, not us. We used a blade. He used a gun. He got off a few rounds when he fell to the ground.’

Krueger took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. ‘Did anyone get hit?’

‘No, sir.’

‘What are we up against?’

‘Too early to tell, sir. But so far we’re winning.’

Krueger shook his head. His men were so short-sighted. ‘Winning?’

‘Yes, sir. They’re down one man, and we’re up one gun. This G36 is a serious weapon.’

‘Maybe so, but we lost the best weapon of all – the element of surprise.’

His goon grunted. He couldn’t care less. ‘What do you want us to do?’

‘Find Kaiser and send me his coordinates. I’m on my way.’

The bunker was positioned near the base of a cliff and surrounded by ancient beech trees that were a lot taller than their rope was long. Hoping to survive their descent, Payne and Jones searched for a clearing near the site, somewhere they could land safely when they rappelled out of the chopper. The best they could find was a grove of fir trees, approximately a quarter of a mile from the bunker. Not only were the evergreens significantly shorter than the beeches, but they hoped the fallen pine needles underneath the trees would cushion their fall. Due to the slope of the mountain, they realized they would have to hit the ground and roll, or risk breaking a leg.