The Belial Origins (22 page)

An energy began to fill the room. Victoria could feel it building. Up until this moment, a small part of her had doubted that Max was truly the seer—perhaps he was just gifted. But now all doubt was banished. No one else would know these words, this sound.

Laney had been dragged into all of this because of the Belial Stone, an ancient acoustical weapon. Now another acoustical tool would lead to the next weapon.

Max’s voice grew louder. The ancient tumblers groaned, and then a screech of metal signaled their release. The door shuddered; then shuddered again. Finally, the ancient door moved forward a few inches.

Max went silent and stepped back.

Elisabeta looked at the boy with a predatory smile. She ran her hand through Max’s hair, and her voice held a note of sincere awe. “Well done. Well done indeed.”

She gestured for two of her men to step forward. Victoria reached over and pulled Max to her and out of the way, but like everyone else, she kept her eyes glued to the door. The sense of foreboding weighed on her like a heavy blanket, and she couldn’t help but think of Pandora’s box. She stared at the door, knowing that what Elisabeta did today was just as dangerous for the world as the legendary opening of Pandora’s box so long ago.

Elisabeta’s men pulled the door open.

A dark chasm lurked beyond.

Elisabeta barked at the men. “Flashlights.” The men hurriedly pulled flashlights from their pockets and shined them into the dark space.

Max looked up at Victoria. “Some doors should never be opened.”

“You’re right, Max. You’re right.”

CHAPTER 67

L
aney, Jake, Henry, Ralph, and Maddox had ditched the car. The streets were simply too congested. Of course, the sidewalks weren’t much better. But the sight of Maddox and Henry barreling down the paths seemed to encourage people to move out of the way.

Quickly.

They’d made good time from the airport. Jake had been behind the wheel and had stopped for nothing. Halfway through the ride, Laney had just closed her eyes and prayed they didn’t wreck.

Up ahead, the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple loomed. In its presence, it was odd to see the street vendors, the small cafes, the people on the way home, bags of food over their shoulders, or standing around chatting amiably—ordinary, everyday activity that contrasted sharply with the incredibly ornate temple in the distance.
Modern life versus ancient life.

Even with Henry and Maddox leading the way, it took them some time to wind their way through the crowds. But at last they reached the edge of the temple grounds.

“Hold up,” Jake said. They stopped just before the security perimeter. Laney’s eyes searched the crowd and the guards, but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Everything was calm.

“Are they even here?” she asked. “Is there anyway we could have beaten them here?”

Jake frowned. “I don’t see how.”

Laney watched the hundreds of tourist that milled about in front. For the entire history of the temple’s existence, no one had been allowed to enter it except for Hindus who were paying homage to the deity. For Laney and her friends to go in there didn’t feel right. But Laney knew there was probably no avoiding that. And of course, Elisabeta and her minions would have had no such concerns.

She eyed the four commandos by the metal detector with concern. A few years ago, there had been no such security. It was said that the temple had been guarded by nothing more than a few men armed with wooden batons.

Laney shook her head. Billions of dollars in gems and minerals, and it had been protected by seventeenth century weaponry
. Although right now, it would make things a lot easier if the security was still using those rudimentary weapons.

She looked up at the facade of the temple. “There’s what? Seven floors?”

Ralph nodded. “The vaults are in the bowels, one flight down.”

Laney’s phone chimed; she glanced down before answering. “Clark?”

“Some of my men are inside. And one is embedded with the guards.”

Laney let out a breath. Thank God. Info. “What do you know?”

“One of my agents is coming over to brief you. He should be right there.”

Laney looked around, trying to figure out who in the swirling mass of humanity was the SIA agent. Her gaze flitted from face to face—and then it flew back to a face she recognized.

“Mustafa?”

The Egyptian SIA agent walked over and gave her a little bow. His hair was just as dark as the last time she saw him, and his complexion was a little darker.
He must have been spending some time outdoors.

“Dr. McPhearson. It is a pleasure to see you again. When Clark contacted me, I dropped everything and headed here.”

Laney quickly made introductions to Jake, Henry, Ralph, and Maddox. Laney noted that Mustafa’s gaze lingered on Jake a little longer than the others. She couldn’t blame him. The last time she had seen Mustafa, Laney had been overcome with grief at Jake’s death. Now Jake stood in front of him, alive and well.

Mustafa turned back to Laney. “I have three men inside. I regret to inform you that Elisabeta is already in the vault.”

Laney let out a breath.
Damn
. “Is there a child and an older woman with them?”

Mustafa nodded. “Yes—as well as a half dozen men. They had two men stationed outside as well. We have taken care of them.”

“Were they Fallen?”

Mustafa nodded.

“How did you ‘take care of them’?” Jake asked.

Mustafa tilted his head to a rooftop across the street. “I also brought some friends.”

Laney followed his gaze and spotted the sniper perched on the edge of the roof. She looked around and saw at least another four snipers.

“What did you do with them?” Jake asked.

Mustafa smiled. “They’re in a van under heavy sedation. They will not be joining the party.”

“What about the men inside?” Henry asked.

“They went into the subbasement thirty minutes ago,” Mustafa said.

Laney’s gaze shifted to the building. “They’re in the vault with Elisabeta.”

Mustafa’s face was grim. “I’m afraid so.”

CHAPTER 68

S
ean lowered his binoculars. “Mr. Fuld? I believe the party you’ve been waiting for has arrived.”

Jorgen placed his tea on the table and used a white linen napkin to wipe at the corners of his mouth. He stood and crossed to the balcony, then grimaced at the mass of people of whirling below. He hated India. Too many people. Too much filth. He’d be glad when they moved on.

Taking the binoculars, he scanned the crowd in front of the temple. “Where are they?”

“They’re at the front, by the barricade. Look for McPhearson’s red hair.”

Jorgen did, and a few seconds later he found the group. Sean was right: her hair did stand out in the sea of dark-haired individuals. “Any reports from inside?”

“They’ve reached the vault.”

“Were they able to open it?”

“Yes.”

Jorgen frowned.
You are disappointing me, Ms. McPhearson
. “And what of their captives? They are all right?”

“Yes, sir. So far. What would you have us do?”

Jorgen watched the Chandler group through the lenses for another few moments. He focused on Laney.
Do not disappoint me again.

He lowered the binoculars. “Nothing for now. Keep an eye on the situation and let me know when things get exciting.”

CHAPTER 69

J
ake noticed that the guards were paying them a little too much attention—probably due to the fact that Henry and Maddox towered over the rest of the people in the crowd. He moved them farther away from the entrance.

“We have to assume they’ve gotten into the vault,” he said.

Laney pictured the layout of the temple in her mind. “How many civilians are in there?”

Mustafa shrugged. “We do not have an exact count. But it should be at least four hundred, probably more.”

“With our size of force, we can’t chance trying to take them inside,” Maddox said. “We won’t be able to cover everything, and innocents will undeniably be hurt.”

Laney knew which innocent was foremost in his mind.

Laney stared at the temple, willing another option to appear—but apparently her wishes weren’t being granted today. “We’ll have to wait until they come out. Maddox and Henry, you two need to stay back.” She looked over at Ralph. “Is there any chance Elisabeta can sense you?”

“It’s possible.”

“Then you stay back too.”

Ralph nodded, but Maddox crossed his arms over his head. “I am
not
staying back.”

Laney felt his frustration, but they had to be smart. “They’ll sense you, Maddox. You’ll let them know we’re here. We can’t chance that.”

Laney saw the war of logic and emotion rage through Maddox. She knew he wanted to rush in right now and protect Max. But she also knew Maddox was smart enough to realize that doing so would only put Max in more danger.

Finally he gave her a terse nod, his jaw set.

Laney put a hand on his arm. “Max is our priority.
Everyone’s
priority.”

Maddox tilted his head toward Mustafa, his eyes hard. “Even theirs?”

“Even theirs,” Laney said, her eyes on Mustafa.

Mustafa nodded quickly. “Dr. McPhearson is in charge. If she says the woman and child are the priority, then that is how it will be. I will convey this to my men.” He stepped back and pulled out a radio.

Laney turned away from him and studied the commandos. Each wore a bulletproof vest and was heavily armed. She saw an AK-47, a few old Kalashnikovs, some Colt M4s, and a few other weapons she couldn’t identify. They all also had handguns in holsters at their waist. And then there were the police who wandered through the crowd as well.

Jake leaned down to her. “It would be easier if the commandos were on our side.”

Laney sighed. “I know.”

They had debated back and forth whether to contact the security at the temple. But they didn’t know whom to trust—Elisabeta seemed to have a deep reach—and they couldn’t take the chance of the commandos giving something away.

Still, the last thing they needed was a shootout with Max and Victoria caught in the middle.

“Are your agents in place with the temple security?” Laney asked Mustafa when he rejoined them.

He nodded. “Yes. My man is with the commander. He will speak with him as soon as you give the notice.”

“Do you know where the Fallen will come out?” Henry asked.

“Southeast corner entrance is the most likely. It’s where they went in and where they had their men stationed.”

“Are the temple security working with them?”

Mustafa grimaced. “Not all of them. Two bodies were left in a dumpster near where they entered.”

Laney’s heart clenched, and worry for Max and Victoria flowed through her. She shoved it aside. She could freak out later. Right now, she needed to focus.

“Well, let’s get this show on the road,” Jake said.

Laney gave a nod, but inside she was shaking. This situation was untenable. They had scores of civilians wandering around, an armed force who didn’t know they were there, the Fallen, and Max and Victoria right in the middle.

She glanced up with dread at the towering temple. The carved figures there seemed to be mocking them. She tried to swallow down her fear, but a little piece escaped and echoed in her mind.
You’ll never be able to protect them all.

CHAPTER 70

T
he flashlights pierced the darkness of the vault. Victoria pulled Max behind her as she peered forward. From up ahead they heard hisses, followed by the sound of something slithering through the dark.

Elisabeta nodded at Hakeem and one of the other men. “Cobras. Take care of them.”

The men stepped into the darkness, flashlights lined up along the barrels of their weapons. A part of Victoria hoped the men got bitten. But even that hope was chased away by reality: even if they were bitten, the venom wouldn’t kill them.

A few puffs of air sounded inside the vault, followed by a curse, then weapons fire. Victoria counted at least a dozen shots.

Hakeem stepped back out. “We’ve cleared most of them out, but there are a lot of hiding spots. We’ll need to be careful.”

Elisabeta grimaced. “Fine. Let’s go. Bring the boy.”

Max ducked behind Victoria. Hakeem reached for him.

Victoria pushed his hand away. “Don’t touch him.”

Hakeem glared down at Victoria.

She stared back defiantly. “Just try it,” she warned.

Hakeem growled low in his throat before looking at Elisabeta.

She sighed. “Oh, enough. Victoria, would you please escort Max into the vault?”

Victoria continued to glare at Hakeem until he slowly backed away. Only then did Victoria turn to face Max. “It’s okay, Max. We’ll go together.”

Max took her hand.

Steeling herself, Victoria walked through the door.

She hadn’t been sure what to expect, yet she was surprised to find that the vault was actually quite small: only about twelve feet by fourteen. Shelves lined the walls, filled with papyrus rolls, leather scrolls, and some leather-bound journals; a few chests were arranged neatly in one corner.

Elisabeta stepped inside and immediately strode to the center. She turned in a full circle, inspecting each corner of the room. When she was done, she looked at Max.

“Which one is it?”

Max’s mouth fell open. He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Elisabeta’s eyes narrowed. “Listen here, you little—”

“Stop.” Victoria stepped between Max and Elisabeta.

Elisabeta stepped forward until she was practically toe-to-toe with Victoria. “Get out of the way.”

Victoria raised her eyebrows. “You really want to do this?”

Elisabeta narrowed her eyes.

“Besides, Max is not the one you should be asking,” Victoria said.

Surprise flashed across Elisabeta’s face. She stepped back, spreading her arms wide. “Really? Well, then. By all means.”

Victoria squeezed Max’s hand, stepped away from him, and began to carefully survey the room.

She disregarded the scrolls immediately. She glanced briefly at the books, but none was quite right. Besides, even hidden in the bowels of a temple, and behind two nearly unopenable doors, the book would not be left in plain sight.

She turned to Elisabeta. “I need a flashlight.”

Elisabeta faced the man nearest Victoria. “Give her yours.”

Victoria took the man’s flashlight and shone it along the walls, conscious of everyone’s eyes on her. The truth was, she didn’t know what she was looking for. Her words to Elisabeta had been a bit of a bluff. But now she needed to come through.

She squinted at a discoloration on one shelf and stepped over to it, then wiped her hand over the wood.
Just age damage.

She methodically moved the flashlight across the shelves, going side to side from top to bottom. On the lowest shelf, she spotted something. She knelt down and ran her hands over it. Something had been carved there.

She wiped away the dust.

Elisabeta leaned over her shoulder. “What is it?”

Victoria ignored her, tracing the symbol—the star of David, and Enoch’s symbol.
Hello, my love
.

Victoria ran her hand along the edge of the shelf. Sure enough, there was a groove there. She squeezed her finger in and felt a latch. She pushed to the left, but nothing happened. She pushed to the right, and it gave.

A drawer popped out along the base of the shelving.

Victoria’s shoulders slumped in a combination of relief and disappointment. She hadn’t wanted Max hurt, but she also didn’t want them to get this book.

When she started to reach in to grab the book, Elisabeta waved her back. “We’ll take it from here.”

Victoria hesitated but knew there was nothing she could do. Her knees protesting, she stood with some difficulty, and Elisabeta took her place. Victoria crossed back over to Max with a quick glance at the open door.

The Fallen moved toward Elisabeta, trying to get a peek at the book; none of them were paying any attention to their two prisoners. Victoria grabbed Max’s hand and took a step backward toward the door, pulling Max with her. When he glanced up at her, she put her finger to her mouth and took another few steps back. She glanced out into the hall—still empty.

Elisabeta pulled a leather-bound book from the drawer.

Victoria tugged on Max’s hand. He glanced up at her, his eyes wide.

Run
, she mouthed.

And she pushed him out the vault.

Max needed no further urging. He sprinted down the hall and disappeared from view. Victoria felt relief wash over her and tears spring to her eyes. She edged toward the door herself, knowing she wouldn’t slip out as easily, but hopeful that she could at least—

“Where’s the boy?” Elisabeta barked.

Victoria’s gaze locked on Elisabeta’s. And then she threw her body at the door, knowing that if she got it closed none of them would be able to escape.

“No!” Elisabeta yelled, sprinting across the room.

The door was only inches away from sealing them all in forever when Hakeem’s hand slipped into the crack between the door and the frame, stopping it. He shoved Victoria out of the way. She stumbled back, crashing into a shelf.

Elisabeta stood over her, her hands clenched into fists. “Your usefulness is over.”

Victoria slowly got to her feet and nodded at the book. “Are you sure?”

Elisabeta’s eyes narrowed. But Victoria knew Samyaza had not reached her position by making rash decisions. Her lips in a tight line, Elisabeta waved at two of her men. “Get the boy. And bring her.”

Hakeem grabbed Victoria roughly by the arm as Elisabeta pulled open the door. Two men sprinted down the hall, disappearing in a blur.

Victoria could focus on only one thought.
Run, Max, run.