The Cradle of Life (14 page)

“Out of the country completely,” Chen Lo said. “And don't tell me where.”

“But—”

“Move them,” Chen Lo ordered. “That is my command. You are to contact me at this number again in two days time. That is the only contact you are to attempt. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir. But your wife—”

“She will understand. Do you?”

There was silence. “Yes sir.”

“Good.”

And with that, Chen Lo hung up. So. His family was—for the moment, at least—safe. Which gave the Shay Ling's leader time to consider his position.

Sheridan and Croft would be here in a moment. They would undoubtedly offer him considerably more money than Reiss had to turn over the Orb. Money was important, but it was not everything. Chen Lo had already taken one grave risk in the name of money—asking Reiss for more of it—and he was not prepared to take another. Grave risk was an understatement—Chen Lo knew that once Reiss had the Orb, the doctor planned to do exactly as he'd threatened. Kill Chen Lo, and his family, and anyone and everyone unfortunate enough to be associated with the Shay Ling. He estimated his grace period—once Reiss got the Orb, of course—to be a matter of days. Hence, the decision to move his wife and children.

That grace period would disappear entirely, Chen Lo knew, if he were to cross the doctor again.

So no more bargaining. He would kill Sheridan and Croft.

Well—kill the woman, at least. Terry, he would leave to other hands. But the Croft woman—before she died, perhaps she could enlighten him as to the significance of the Orb. Its historical significance, its practical application. Perhaps…

An audacious idea occurred to him. What if he cut a deal with MI6? Not for money, but for Reiss. Give up the Orb and the doctor's location, take cash and his safety in return.

Or perhaps…

If Croft could be made to tell him what the Orb was, what power it represented, then—perhaps—Chen Lo could utilize that power for himself.

He frowned, considering that path in his mind. Not a road one set out on lightly, for once you began traveling upon it…there was really no turning back.

That decision was one he would have to make very, very carefully.

Chen Lo heard footsteps scuffle on the cavern floor, and looked up.

Xien was bringing in Croft and Sheridan through the cliff entrance. The two had their hands bound in front of them, and were being escorted by a dozen Shay Ling warriors. Lu Yao was not among them.

Chen Lo motioned a subordinate to him, and sent the man to go fetch Yao.

Xien left the two prisoners and came forward.

“It is Sheridan,” were the first words out of Xien's mouth. “Unbelievable, that he could show his face here again.”

“Unbelievable indeed,” Chen Lo agreed. “They put up a fight?”

“Didn't give them a chance. Why?”

“Because Terry always has an angle. And if he didn't fight…”

“He brought the woman here to negotiate for the Orb,” Xien said. “Isn't that obvious?”

Chen Lo nodded thoughtfully. Of course, it was obvious. What was less obvious was the proper course for him to take in this instance. The Orb was clearly of immense value—Sheridan and Croft were willing to risk death for a chance at it, Reiss seemed willing to pay almost any amount of money for it…

Chen Lo frowned. He was operating at a distinct disadvantage here. The others knew what it was they were bargaining for, and he didn't.

He needed to find out what the Orb was. He needed to talk to Lady Croft.

But he had promised the doctor delivery of the Orb by nine
P
.
M
. Shanghai time, which meant he needed to send it on its way now.

However…that decision, Chen Lo realized, could always be rescinded with a simple phone call.

His mind made up, Chen Lo clapped his brother on the shoulder.

“Get the Orb on the road to Shanghai. Reiss has doubled his price. I'm going to find out why.”

As Xien left to do as he was told, Chen Lo turned his attention to the prisoners. The two of them—Croft and Sheridan—stood in the main cavern, their backs to him, talking softly to each other. As he approached, he caught the tail end of their conversation.

“Were you really going to shoot me?” Terry was asking.

Before Croft could respond, Chen Lo spoke.

“Oh, I bet she would have.” He crossed in front of them, came around to face Croft. “I've seen her work firsthand.”

The two of them locked eyes. Chen Lo saw fury in her gaze. For a second, he thought she might actually attack him then and there, despite the presence of the armed guards at her back. The reason for her anger puzzled him for a moment—then he remembered the two boys he and his men had taken out at the cave. Could that be it? It seemed the most likely explanation.

He let his gaze linger on Croft a moment longer, and allowed himself a small smile—which only increased the rage smoldering in her eyes. Good. Anger was something he could use—an emotion he could play on, perhaps, to get the information he desired.

He turned away from Croft then, and clapped Sheridan on the shoulder. The file said he'd been in Barla Kala, but Chen Lo wondered about that. Sheridan looked fit, healthy, and as always, Chen Lo could see the gears in his mind moving at a million miles per hour.

Best to kill him quickly.

“Did Terry tell you,” Chen Lo asked Croft, “the last time any of us saw him he was riding away in a truck. It was filled with Ming vases I found near the Longmen grottoes?”

Croft looked at Terry, but Chen Lo's attention was drawn to one of the side passageways, and the man making his way toward them.

Perfect timing.

“And that next to him in the front seat was…his sister?”

Lu Yao stepped past the guards and stood facing Sheridan—though facing was perhaps the wrong word, as Lu Yao was more than a head taller than Terry and considerably wider. Chen Lo was pleased to see Croft's eyes widen as she took in the whole of the man.

Lu Yao spoke in Mandarin to Terry.

“I will crush your bones,” the giant said.

Sheridan shrugged.

“How is your sister?”

Chen Lo laughed. Sheridan—making jokes in the face of his own death. Some things never changed. But this was not a laughing matter.

“You shouldn't have come here,” Chen Lo said.

“It got me out of prison.” Terry nodded toward Croft. “Besides, the lady's got a good offer. Better than Reiss.”

“Really? Should I take it?”

“Take it.” Sheridan nodded again, and then a smile crept slowly across his face. “Or better yet—you and I ransom her and the thing back to the British for triple.”

Chen Lo had to laugh again. From the look on Croft's face, she couldn't tell if Sheridan was serious about the offer or not. Neither could Chen Lo, truthfully. Not that it mattered.

“Let's discuss it,” he said.

Sheridan started to step forward. Chen Lo shook his head.

“Not you, Terry. Lady Croft and I. You wait here and…” Chen Lo looked up at Yao and smiled. “Catch up.”

The giant returned his smile.

Terry muttered something under his breath.

One of the guards jabbed a gun into Croft's back and pressed her forward.

 

It had taken several minutes, but Lara felt under control again at last. Seeing the men who'd killed Nicholas, Jimmy, and Gus, having both of them scant inches away from her…

She'd almost snapped, been on the verge of attacking them even though it went against what she'd promised MI6 she'd do, and would have certainly meant death for her and Terry. Not that she cared about that, all that she'd cared about for that first few seconds that she'd seen Chen Lo and had him and Xien within her reach was killing them.

She was better now though.

Her focus was back on the Orb. On obtaining it, and some idea of Reiss's whereabouts. MI6 had given her a blank check to do so, authorized her to promise Chen Lo however much money he wanted, as well as safe passage to any destination in the world for himself and his family. The idea of Chen Lo sunning himself on a beach somewhere for the rest of his life stuck in her craw, but Lara had promised she'd make the offer, and so she would.

Part of her was sincerely hoping he'd turn it down though.

As the guards pushed her forward, she pretended to stumble. Righting herself, she passed close enough to Terry to whisper in his ear.

“I'll need three minutes,” she said.

She heard a mumbled “terrific” from Terry and then she was being pushed past him, and toward Chen Lo.

The Shay Ling's leader waved the guards away as she approached.

“Let's walk a bit,” he said. “Please.”

Not waiting for her answer, he turned his back and started down one of the half-dozen passageways that branched off the central cavern. Lara followed, catching up after a few steps.

The passage was new—as this entire complex seemed to be. The Shay Ling's headquarters was located at the top of the sheer cliff Lara and Terry had stood in front of moments before being captured, at the end of a narrow, winding trail. And the complex appeared to contain not just their operational headquarters, but the Shay Ling's massive smuggling outfit, as well.

As Lara and Terry had begun their march up the mountain, they had seen two Shay Ling carefully loading a life-size terracotta warrior—as impressive an example of Tang dynasty sculpture as Lara had ever seen—into a waiting wooden coffin. Climbing to the top, she'd seen a half-dozen other coffins being lowered down the cliff face by ropes, as well. And then, in the central chamber where they'd first met Chen Lo, she'd seen wooden crates of varying sizes stacked everywhere.

Lara took the whole smuggling thing personally—to her way of thinking, it gave tomb raiding a bad name.

She turned to Chen Lo, about to make a comment along those lines, when light flashed on something hanging from a chain around his neck. A medallion—copper, turned dark with age. It took a moment for Lara to recognize it.

The medallion from the Luna Temple. The one that had been hidden in the eye of the Alexander statue.

A sudden chill ran down her spine.

Her own words to Stevens—talking about the map that led Alexander to the cradle of life—came back to her.

The name he gave this map was
mati.
A literal translation of the word
mati
is eye.”

The Orb was the eye—the map to Pandora.

And intuition told her this medallion—hidden in Alexander's own eye—was the key to reading that map. Lara was certain of it.

Chen Lo saw her staring, and smiled.

“You remember it.” He held up the medallion for her to examine more closely. “I took it as a trophy.”

Lara forced herself to return Chen Lo's smile.

“I'll have to do the same.”

He let go of the medallion and let it fall back around his neck.

“You mean that.”

“I do.”

“You're not frightened?”

“Of what?”

Chen Lo smiled again. “I'm surprised we haven't met before today, Lady Croft. We have much in common.”

Lara bit her tongue to keep from replying.

“Come.” Chen Lo slowed as they passed a narrow opening in the passageway, flanked by two Shay Ling. “There's something I think you'll appreciate in here.”

He led Lara through the opening. The light dimmed—it took a second for her eyes to adjust. When she did, it was all she could do to keep her mouth from dropping open in wonder.

They were inside a large, low-ceilinged cave. A handful of lights were strung above her. And all around, as far as the eye could see, were terracotta statues—warriors—identical to the one she'd seen being loaded into the coffin below. All of them looked in perfect condition.

“There must be hundreds,” Lara whispered.

“Thousands, actually,” Chen Lo said. “This is the largest group of terracotta warriors I've found. The king of Qin made them for use in the afterlife. To fend off enemies he made in this one.”

“You and I both need a set.”

Chen Lo spread his arms wide. “I have many, as you see. I'll be happy to sell some to you.”

“I hope,” Lara said, choosing her words carefully, “you are as entrepeneurial with the Orb.”

“Ah.” Chen Lo smiled. “That is the question of the day, isn't it?”

“Most certainly.” Lara paused. “Chen Lo—you lost men. I lost men. I see no reason why we should both lose again.”

“Nor do I.”