Author's Note:
This is just a preview of what is coming up for THE SEQUEL TO THE AGENTS!!!!!!!! I give you...the first chapter! But first, some copyright info:
Yves Massarde is the property of Clive Cussler. This story take place in an alternate universe where he wasn't killed by Dirk Pitt. Everything else is mine. Enjoy this until I finish the first one.
Chapter 1
Sahara
Somewhere in the Sahara Desert
Mali
2:17 PM, Present Day
The convoy of Jeep Commanders proceeded at a crawl through the barren desert, but even so they still kicked up a massive cloud of dust. The Jeeps made up the meat of the convoy. Also included were two Ural 4320 cargo trucks, and leading the pack was a Mercedes Benz 600 sedan. The convoy drove down into a rocky canyon, following it to the very end. A massive wall of rock rose up to block the path, with a single ornately carved opening in the rock, just big enough to walk through. The vehicles braked to a halt. Soldiers poured out of the vehicles, toting SG 550 assault rifles. With practiced professionalism, they established a perimeter around the canyon. The drivers door of the Mercedes opened and a man stepped out.
He was dressed and a Nazi Afrika Korps uniform, complete with the shining leather boots and the black tie he was wearing under his pressed officer's khakis. An Iron Cross hung from his neck. His mouth was covered by a tan cloth and he wore goggles as if to be protected from a sandstorm. A classic Nazi helmet was perched on his head and a swastika armband completed the look. The eyes behind the goggles were those of a trained killer. He crossed to the drivers side door just as it opened, revealing a man of about 40, wearing a tan suitcoat over a blue button up shirt. Tan pants were held in place by and expensive looking belt. The thinning brown hair complemented his sharp face, and a pair of angular, polarized sunglasses were perched on his nose, shielding his bright blue eyes from the sun.
The Nazi continued to the back door of the car and opened it, letting his employer step into the desert heat. Yves Massarde had blue eyes, black brows, and reddish brown hair. His nose was slender and the jaws square. The body was thin and the hips trim. Nothing about him seemed to match. But it was not the physical impression that lingered in the memories of those he met. They only remembered the intensity that burst from within his being in the manner of static electricity. Mr. Massarde was the owner of the French business empire Massarde Enterprises. Massarde had recently invested in the area of chemical waste, and opened up solar disposal facilities all across the globe. Although he put on a law abiding image for the general public, Interpol had a file on him a meter high, and he was known to many as the Scorpion because of his ruthless business dealings.
One of his cargo ships had recently gone down in the Medditerranean Sea with it's cargo of toxic waste. The cleanup operation was enourmous, costing the French government millions. It was rumoured that Massarde had the ship scuttled, both to collect the insurance and get rid of the waste in one fell swoop, although nothing was ever proved. His personal fortune was valued at at least a hundred billion dollars. Massarde had definitley earned his nickname over the years. Today, a white suit and black tie was his outfit of choice for the desert expedition. The Nazi motioned at the Jeep immediatly behind the Benz. A Malian guide stepped out of the passenger seat, looking quite apprehensive about going into the canyon door. He peered nervously at it through his glasses. Massarde pulled out a pack of Gauloise Bleu cigarrettes and slid one into a long holder, lighting it with a sliver lighter. He clamped down on the end and blue smoke wafted from the expensive cigarrette.
"Well, are we going to stand here all day or are we going to get something done?" Yves asked impatiently. The four men formed a line, the guide up front, followed by the man in sunglasses, the Nazi, and finally Yves Massarde. With a final gulp, the guide led the way into the canyon. The tunnel was quite dark. The Nazi switched on a flashlight to illuminate their path. After several seconds of walking, they came upon a rockslide that had blocked the passage.
" Well, I suppose we should go back..." pleaded the guide in Harvard accented English.
" Move," commanded the man in sunglasses, shoving aside the guide. He drew back a fist and slammed it into the rock. After three punches, there was a hole big enough for them to fit through. The man didn't even have a scratch on him. " Lead the way," he said with a sneer. They continued on. Finally, they arrived in a large, circular room, illuminated by a torch of blue flame. The floor was lowered, and a maze of grooves was carved in the stone, all leading to a pit in the middle. They all spread out, looking in awe at the room. The guide stepped forward towards the grooves.
" We shouldn't be here," he said with just a tinge of fear. He didn't see the Nazi standing calmly behind him. He drew a shiny, tonfa style sword. Twirling it in a leather gloved hand to gain momentum, he raised his arm. It went down and the sword plunged into the guide, who was killed instantly. The Nazi drew back his blade with a sickly slurping sound. The guide fell forward, blood gushing from the wound. The red liquid snaked through the grooves in the floor, creating intricate red patterns, and finally spilling into the pit. It quickly filled with blood.
They looked on in awe as a pedestal rose from the pit, soaked in blood. The red liquid dripped down the sides, revealing and ornately carved spear. The handle was made of carved silver, and the tip was gold. Massarde reverently stepped forward and lifted the spear off the pedestal
" The Spear of Longinus..." he muttered as if in a trance. " It pierced the side of Jesus Christ at the crucifiction-the legend goes the user becomes immortal." He handed the spear to the Nazi just as a beautiful woman entered the room. Her blond hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her eyes were a stunning gray blue. Her lips were coated in a beautiful purple lipstick, and the eyes were accented by blue eyeshadow. The cheeks were tinged with purple blush. She wore a black neoprene jumpsuit that shimmered in the light, and she wore purple belt at an angle on her hips. Although the makeup seemed like alot, it perfectly accented the stunning features of Elsa Diavolo. She swaggered across the floor, adressing each man as she passed him.
" Dieter," she said to the Nazi, whose full title was Field Marshal Dieter Vogel.
" Anderson," as she passed the man in the sunglasses. She stopped at Massarde and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Seeing the spear, she pouted playfully.
" I can't believe you got the spear without me."
" Not to worry, ma cherie, there are still eight more artifacts to locate." She gave him a dazzling smile.
" Good. Now let's get out of this awful place." With that, they filed out of the chamber, leaving the quickly congealing blood.
A/N: Since The Agents is pretty close to a close, I thought I'd let have a sneak preview of the sequel. So, tell me how it is and when the Agents is done, the sequel is going right up. FYI:
Cast:
Lambert Wilson as Yves Massarde
Thomas Kretschmann as Field Marshal Dieter Vogel
Hugo Weaving as Anderson
Alison Doody as Elsa Diavolo
