The Gods' Gambit (31 page)

“First, the rules. No police. Do not talk with anybody else
about our business. Always do exactly as I say. Otherwise she dies. Slowly and
painfully. Do you get it?”

“Yes. What do you want for her? I’ll pay everything I can.”

The man’s distorted laughter sounded unnatural and sinister.
“I thought you were more clever than that,” he said. “The right question is:
why is Malee with you? I want to hear it!” The man’s voice was peremptory.

“Why is Malee with you?” repeated James.

“Because of you. You disappeared and we had to take her.
This is the second woman who will pay with her life because she had the
misfortune to be close to you.”

James didn’t answer for some moments. Irina knew how cruel
these words were for him. The man who had articulated them surely knew this as
well. He was trying to bend James’ will by placing a feeling of guilt in his
mind.

“I’m ready to respond to your demands if you let her go,”
said James with no emotion at all in his voice.

“You take her place and she’s free. That’s the game.”

James didn’t hesitate. “I agree. But I want to be sure that
she’ll walk away unharmed.”

“I’ll call you. Meanwhile, don’t do anything stupid.”

* * *

James was in front of the house with his head under the
bonnet of a black Land Rover. Irina stopped next to it and got out. They
exchanged greetings.

“Irina, I’m afraid we have to postpone our meeting.
Something urgent just came up. Sorry. Family business.”

Irina looked intently at him. He seemed calm. There was
nothing that indicated that he intended to march to his own slaughter.

He deciphered her silence as discontentment. He gently
touched her arm. “I am glad to see you,” he said.

“James, please. Be lenient towards me.” Her voice bore a
supplicating shade. “Before we left Florence I wired your phone and your
clothes. I know about Malee. Yesterday, I listened in to your conversation with
Lao and Lama Tenzin.”

At first, perplexity sprang in James’s eyes, as if he
couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. Then he smiled woefully. “I didn’t
expect that from you.”

“I’m really sorry. Let’s not dramatise this too much,
though. After a secretive call from Lao you run back to the UK. I didn’t know
if you were running into a trap.”

“Sure. You did it for my own good,” said James
sarcastically.

“You may not believe me, but it’s the truth. Of course, I
had a case to work on as well. And somehow you’re in the centre of that case—”

James cut her off. “Anyhow, now’s not the right time to
argue about it. This time you’ll step aside. If you interfere, you’ll
jeopardise Malee’s life. I wouldn’t forgive you for that.”

“You’re giving yourself into the hands of the cult. They’ll
kill you like Costov and God knows how many more. Your veins will be cut.
They’ll draw symbols with your blood while you’re still alive. At the end
they’ll stab you with a horn.”

“Malee’s in their hands because of me!” James shouted.
“They’ll kill her like they did Elizabeth.” His face was red from the explosion
of rage in his heart.

For a moment, Irina thought he might hit her. But he pulled
himself together as quickly as he had become angry.

“I hope you stay away. That’s the only thing I’m asking you
for,” he said calmly.

“They won’t let her go. You know who you’re dealing with.
They’ll kill both of you.”

“If I don’t go she’ll be dead for sure.”

Irina lowered her head and grabbed her forehead with both
hands, thinking with almost painful intensity. “Okay. I’ll help you. You’ll
need backup in case these people play dirty,” she said.

He shook his head. “Impossible. You’re a cop. The two men
from the shooting here might recognise you. If the cult finds out you’re
involved, everything would go down the drain.”

“We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. By the way, I’m done
policing in the UK. Interpol gave up on the ritual killings case. This morning
the case was officially closed. I was ordered to go home and take some holiday.
So I’m not here as a cop, just a friend.”

James raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Interpol gave up!
Why?”

“Insufficient evidence. My boss thinks that the data I
accumulated is only good for a movie plot. And, more or less, that’s what your
secret services think. Although they were more polite to me. In short, we do
not possess sufficient proof to link Stefan Costov’s murder with similar
murders in other countries. Ergo, no case for Interpol.”

“Lino warned that sooner or later Interpol would come to
that conclusion.”

“He’s obviously experienced in the matter. Now, we need to
forge a plan.”

“We must wait for Lao. He’s on his way here from the
hospital where Pema is … However, I haven’t yet agreed that you can take part
in this.”

“We’ll talk later about your attitude,” said Irina
semi-jokingly, semi-seriously. “I can just say this – I’m already in.”

They stared at each other for some moments.

“I’ve made my choice,” said James. “I’ll exchange myself for
her. Your task will be to make sure Malee comes out alive and unharmed. Do you
agree?”

“All right. Even though it’s not easy watching you walk into
a death trap.” She hesitated before adding, “If they perform that ritual on you
there’ll be no hope for the world. That’s what Lama Tenzin said.”

“I’m sure Lao and Lama Tenzin sincerely believe that. I may
believe in the possibility that the royal blood of Shakya runs in my veins. But
I can’t abandon Malee. Maybe I’m not what I’m expected to be. I don’t know. I
know what my heart wants. The prophecies are a delicate business, you know.
Each one can be interpreted in different ways.”

“I can see you won’t change your mind. Okay. I’ll do what
you ask.”

“Thank you. When Lao arrives, let me talk to him alone
first. If possible, without eavesdropping.” He tossed the last words in
carelessly.

“No need for sarcasm. However, I think we’d better leave the
bug in your mobile for now.”

“Could you track the number they called me from through your
listening-in system?”

“The device I use tracks the caller automatically. It didn’t
work this time.” Irina went to her car and pulled out a travelling bag from the
front passenger seat. “I’d like to change first. Then we’ll speak about the tactics
we should use against those bastards,” she said.

“Of course. Follow me.”

“The police guards have been recalled,” she said, waving a
hand towards the place where the police car had been parked.

“Yes. I found a letter from the police. The patrol was removed
because of my absence from the house.”

“It’s better that they’re not here. We can act with more
freedom.”

They set off towards the house, but after a few steps James
stopped and said, “Irina, this time we must be extra careful. One mistake and
they’ll kill her. Above all, we should avoid attracting the attention of the
police. I’m not among their favourite people right now. I don’t think you are
either after the shooting here. They could arrest me easily if they suspect
what I’m doing.”

“I know. We’re on our own this time.”

The Whiteway Estate, Hampshire, UK

James glanced at the watch and the mobile phone placed on
the floor in front of his crossed legs. An hour and a half had elapsed since he
and Lao had sat to meditate in the estate’s gym in front of the marble statue
of the Buddha. No call from the cult yet. He slowly looked to his left, where
Lao was sitting next to him in the lotus posture. His eyes were closed, his
back perfectly straight and yet relaxed. His chest was still; no sign of
breathing. He was in the state of Samadhi, or deep meditative concentration,
during which his body had switched to ‘internal breathing’. This breathing was
not at all a physical action. Lao had explained the process as ‘breathing
through the energy body which any living creature possesses’. Years ago, due to
James’ scepticism, Lao had told him that he could check in a practical way if
what he said was true. James had to hold a mirror in front of Lao’s nose and
mouth. If there was physical breathing, the mirror would mist up. This didn’t
happen, even though James held the mirror next to Lao’s face until his arm
began to hurt.

James looked at the marble Buddha. The thought that he
belonged to the bloodline of that great man, who had left to the world the
teaching of ultimate human development, made him feel some mystical pagan
connection with it. He joined his palms and prayed as he had never prayed
before.

Lao stirred. With ease, he kneeled, made three bows in front
of the Buddha and stood up. James followed suit.

“I felt her spirit in my meditation,” said Lao in a deep
voice which sounded as if it came from the bottom of his stomach. “Malee is
strong. She will die without fear and will achieve a good rebirth.”

“Malee is not going to die.” James’ tone was as hard as his
look. “You and Irina will bring her home alive and well.”

“I hoped that the meditation would stimulate the right
thinking in you.”

“That’s what happened.”

“I understand. It’s difficult for you to accept the words of
two old Asian men like me and Lama Tenzin as the unquestionable truth. I cannot
convince you. What I can assure is that everything we told you is one hundred
per cent true.”

“I believe you. While we were sitting I was thinking. If I’d
any doubt regarding the rightfulness of my decision, it’s gone. Never before
when I’ve had to take an important decision have I felt such perfect harmony of
mind and heart. There’s no way I could leave Malee behind. What kind of world
protector would a man be who hides like a rat and condemns his beloved to
death?”

“You’re not going to be just killed. Your consciousness will
be expelled to float forever in a cold, cheerless world without any chance of
salvation. After your death, the shadow of evil will spread out over us. It
will begin slowly to dive upon the world until peoples’ souls are filled with
darkness. Sometimes, the death of one brings salvation for many others. My
daughter is an initiated protector of the royal Shakya bloodline. I and Pema
have prepared her to become the personal protector of your son. She is ready to
sacrifice herself.”

James smiled. “Malee is my sister. That’s the best
explanation I can give you. Now we have to think and act as one – you, I and
Irina. It would not be helpful for you to try to make me reverse my decision.”

Lao lowered his head. When he looked up, his eyes were wet.
“Malee is my daughter …”

James put his hand on his shoulder. “I understand, Lao.
Until now I have followed you. Today, I want you to follow me. I want you to
trust me.”

“Of course I trust you, James.”

“I’ve got a plan. I need you to help me with it.”

Lao nodded in agreement.

“I vowed to myself and to Elizabeth’s spirit that I will
fight these people till the end, this cult, the dark billionaire, Rodnov, and
everybody else who serves them. I’m not going to make their victory easy by
giving myself into their hands.”

Lao looked at James in bewilderment. “I don’t get you.”

“I’ll explain.” James went to a built-in two-metre high wall
cabinet near the door. He dialled in the combination on the digital lock and
opened it. The air was filled with the diverse aroma of herbs and other organic
materials. The shelves were packed with little pouches and plastic bags with
crushed herbs in them, bottles and jars containing dry pieces of vegetation and
roots and a variety of ointments and liquids. This was Malee and Pema’s healing
arsenal. “I want you to prepare a single dose of quick-acting dry poison for
me,” he said and drew out of his pocket a small perforated plastic pellet. He
used the nail of his index finger to open it. “The poison is to go in this
pellet. This is between you and me. Irina must know nothing about it.”

Lao glanced at him in astonishment. “You want this poison
for yourself, to use after you give in to the enemy!” he exclaimed.

“Yes. I’ll swallow it if I see that my situation has become
hopeless.”

“In that case, the cult would not be able to perform the
ritual on you. They wouldn’t win.” Lao’s voice still carried the residue of
surprise.

“Exactly. Lama Tenzin mentioned how heirs were killed and
were reborn immediately afterwards. The Order of the protectors found them and
continued to take care of them. That would happen to me. After we save Malee,
you’ll inform the police about her abduction and me swapping places with her.
This time they’ll have to investigate. They’ll get to the cult. They’ll find
someone who has worked for the cult and ask questions. Something will be
discovered and the media will get involved. Publicity is the greatest foe of
the cult. Lino, my university friend – you know him – will continue to fight.
I’ve talked to Irina. She wouldn’t stop going after them, too. She’ll broadcast
Rodnov’s name and every piece of information we’ve managed to collect. Then, I
hope, the world those people so desperately want to rule will become a much
more hostile place for them.”

Hampshire and Devon, UK

Two hours later, James, Irina and Lao sat in silence in the
lounge. They had already discussed what they were going to do. The only thing
left to do was wait.

James’ mobile, placed in the centre of the table between
them, began ringing and vibrating. He switched it to speakerphone.

“Get in your Land Rover. Direction Southampton,” said the
distorted metallic voice. “Alone.”

“Malee’s father will be with me,” said James. “He’ll take
her back.”

“Which part of the word ‘alone’ don’t you get? If you want
her alive, you come alone.”