The Judas Strain - James Rollins [177]
The billionaire soared over the moat, shifting their flight path’s elevation up and down a bit, just enough to clear the bridge.
Lisa held her breath as they swept over. Tourists parted to either side.
Then they were over, and Ryder dropped the Sea Dart fast, skimming the moat and trailing a plume of water. Then they settled deeper, still going fast as the plane became a boat. Their momentum propelled them toward the far corner, too fast to make the turn.
The earthen embankment at the end swept toward them.
Ryder pulled a crank in the floor. “This is called a Hamilton Turn! Hold tight!”
With a puff of smoke, he yanked and twisted the wheel.
The Sea Dart spun, as if on ice, throwing its back end fully around. The twin engines roared as its rear jets braked them. The craft slowed.
Lisa cringed, still expecting to slam into the embankment.
Instead, Ryder turned the wheel and slipped the boat sideways. The Sea Dart plowed a wave right to the edge of the sloped embankment and bumped to a gentle stop.
Ryder sighed out a stream of smoke and cut the engines. “Lord, that was bloody fun.”
Lisa immediately unbuckled and went to Susan.
“Hurry,” Susan said, struggling.
Lisa helped the woman undo her belt. Ryder followed and cranked the hatch open.
“You know what you need to do?” Lisa asked him as they tumbled out into the shallow water and waded the few steps to the embankment.
Already shouts arose all around.
“You told me sixteen times,” Ryder said. “Find a phone, call your director, let him know what you’re doing, where you’re going.”
They clambered up the slope to a road that crossed alongside the moat. Susan remained wrapped in the blanket, holding it clutched shut, wearing sunglasses, attempting to keep as much of the sun’s power away from her.
People pointed and called out.
Ryder hailed a passing vehicle. It was nothing more than a motorcycle hauling a small roofed cart. Ryder held up a fistful of cash, the universal language for stop. The vehicle’s driver was fluent in that language. He jerked his motorcycle around and swerved straight to them.
Once it had stopped Ryder helped Lisa and Susan inside the rear cart and closed the tiny door. “The tuk-tuk will take you straight to that temple. Be careful.”
“Just reach Painter,” Lisa said.
He waved them off, like signaling the start of a race.
Obeying, the motorcycle sped away, dragging them behind it.
Lisa craned back. Already, uniformed police converged on Ryder, zipping up on their own motorcycles. Ryder waved his cigar, making a scene.
No one paid attention to their little tuk-tuk.
Lisa settled back.
Beside her, Susan remained cocooned in her blanket. A single word flowed out. “Hurry.”
10:35 A.M.
ON HIS KNEES, Gray stared over the rim and down the circular stone shaft. Forty feet below, a face stared back up at him. Another of the stone bodhisattvas. It rose from the floor’s surface, carved out of a single giant block of sandstone. The sunlight from the tower chimney shot a square shaft of light, sparkling with dust motes, down into the pit and bathed the dark stone face in warm sunlight.
The enigmatic smile welcomed.
To the side, a rolled-up caving ladder made of steel cable and aluminum rungs was dumped off the lip of the shattered altar. It unreeled with a rattle into the depths and struck the foundation floor. The upper end was bolted with carabiners to the stone roof of the sanctuary.
Nasser walked over to Gray. “You’ll go down first. Followed by one of my men. We’ll keep your friends up here for now.”
Gray wiped the powder from his hands and stood. He crossed to mount the ladder. Vigor stood against the wall, his face dour. Gray imagined the monsignor’s dark countenance was not solely from their situation. As an archaeologist, Vigor had to find the desecration here professionally abhorrent.
On Vigor’s other side, Kowalski and Seichan simply awaited their fate.
Gray nodded to the three of them and began the long climb down. Rather than dusty, the pit smelled dank. The first thirty feet was a narrow stone