"And that's pretty much when Thing One and Thing Two cornered us. I thought it was going good up until that point," Drake said with a shrug, finishing his retelling of events. He kept it bland, leaving out the inscription and the Sanskrit message at the ruins.
"Don't lie to me, Mr. Drake. I know of your exploits and I know my brother would only go to you if this was beyond his skill level," Hayden Risyn said to him, scowling down at him where he and Jayden were on their knees, arms bound behind their backs.
Drake's eyebrows rose in amazement. "I have exploits?"
"Lindsay, if you would?"
The enormous muscle man slugged Drake, knocking him onto his side.
Despite his newly split lip, Drake grinned and was unable to supress a snort of derisive laughter. "Your name is Lindsay? Seriously? What about you, Gunboy? Marion, maybe?"
"Drake, I wouldn't," Jayden warned.
"I would have guessed Bruno or something, but I guess that's why you're so mean."
Lindsay didn't take kindly to being made fun of and he slugged Drake a second time.
"Ow," laughed Drake, his tone sounding a little nervous as he got to his knees again.
Hayden sighed and crossed his arms, his dress shirt pulling tightly across his shoulders and arms. "Percy, please make sure he doesn't kill Mr. Drake before we get what we need."
Drake clearly wanted to make another joke, but hid his grin as he looked around at the temporary camp. Hayden had set up his base in a clearing, thick curtains of foliage on three sides, and a cliff on the other. It was a pretty sweet set up. The twelve well-armed men wandering around would be an issue though.
Hayden pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped sweat off his brow as he scowled at his brother. The man's brown eyes were a little hazy and his hair was plastered to his temples. He looked like he was standing in a tropical forest at the hottest part of the day. He shouldn't have been sweating like that when the temperature was below fifty and dropping.
"Jay, you wouldn't keep something important from your own brother, would you?" the man finally asked, squatting in front of the man.
"We didn't find anything, Hayden," Jayden replied with a cold, hard expression on his face.
Drake cleared his throat, pulling Hayden's attention away from his brother. "I can't help but notice a little tension here."
"And you say I'm trying to kill you," Jayden mumbled.
"You know, Mr. Drake, whatever he's offered you, I can triple it. I think it would be more beneficial for you to work with me," said Hayden as he got back to his feet.
"Would you believe I'm doing this out of the kindness of my heart?"
"Not for a second, Mr. Drake. If you worked for me though, you wouldn't have this professional liar tagging along behind you like the master-less dog he is."
Drake glanced at Jayden in his peripheral vision. He saw that the kid wanted to lunge at his brother and beat him to within an inch of his life if not for the gun pressed against the back of his skull. His shoulders were stuff and while he looked angry, there was something else hiding there as well.
"Now, you say work with, but I'm pretty sure you mean work for and I'll kill you once you've done what I want. While it sounds like a spectacular offer, I'm going to have to pass. Thanks, though," he eventually replied, his tone light.
A grin swept across Hayden's features and he chuckled. "Oh, that's just ridiculous. Why would I kill you when there are endless uses for your particular set of talents?" His amusement dissipated quickly and he heaved a sigh. "But if you won't work with me, torture is always an option. I don't know how much pain you can withstand, Mr. Drake, but I think it'll be fun finding out, don't you?"
"Sounds kinky, but not really my thing."
A tight smile curved Hayden's mouth. "As for you, it'll just be fun trying to break what no one else could," he said to his brother. "Lindsay, Percy, lock them up for the night. You can play with them tomorrow."
Drake opened his mouth to say something when pain exploded across the back of his skull and he was knocked on his face. Stars erupted in his vision before it tunnelled, everything getting dark and fuzzy. His name was called, but it sounded far away and under water. He could tell he was going down for the count and he would have a nasty headache when he woke up.
~oOo~
It usually took Drake's mind a few minutes to un-fog after waking up from being pistol-whipped, but right away he noticed two things; he was freezing cold and something was dripping on his left arm. That, and the headache. The headache was bad.
He cracked his eyes open and was somewhat relieved to find it was dark and he didn't have to worry about the sun in his already stinging eyes. He was a little concerned that his wrists were shackled above his head and his shirt and holster were missing.
"I'm afraid to ask, but why is my shirt gone?" he asked, noticing Jayden's moonlit silhouette. He cringed at the croak of his voice.
"I guess they're hoping we'll freeze overnight," Jayden grumbled, rattling his own restraints. "Lindsay was not gentle with you."
A shiver raced up Drake's spine and it had nothing to do with the brisk night air. "Okay, now that I have that disturbing image in my mind, let's change the subject. You were conscious while they chained us up, right?"
Jayden nodded, a few streams of moonlight reflecting off his hair. "We're in a guarded pit off the camp. Lindsay and a couple of other big dudes with M-16s are keeping watch."
Tipping his head back, Drake saw the flicker of a torch. "Sounds like a party."
"You got a plan?"
Drake yanked on his restraints, testing them. There was no give at all. "I'm working on it," he replied, looking back at Jayden. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the low light, he was able to pick out the myriad of scars on the kid's torso. One in particular stood out; a puckered, circular scar that was clearly an old bullet wound that was just below and to the left of his belly button.
Drake was a bit shocked to see just how much Jayden was hiding. Then again, Hayden had said the younger Risyn was a 'professional liar'. "Since we aren't currently being shot at," he said, trying not to let his teeth chatter, "why don't you tell me a story while I try and think of our escape plan."
Jayden hung his head, letting his chin fall against his chest as he sighed. "How am I not surprised. You want answers about Hayden's accusations, right? And the scar has always been a point of interest…mostly with women though."
Drake wasn't sure his glare reached the kid in the darkness. Not that it would have carried much weight if it had since he was sure it looked more like a grimace. "What did Hayden mean about that liar comment?" he asked, his tone flat.
"Just what he said. I lied for a living. That's all in the past though."
"Kid, if you want to keep me employed after we're out of here, I suggest you start telling me the truth. What the hell is going on?" Drake asked, hearing a little too much of Sully in his voice.
"Okay, okay. First of all, I am nowhere near as inept as I've been acting. I have skills, believe it or not. Been putting them to use working for dad. And I really do want that dragon. Getting it from Hayden is way beyond my skill level though, so that's why I asked you, just like he said," explained the redhead.
"There's still something you're leaving out." By now, Drake's entire body was covered in goosebumps, his hands and arms were going to sleep, and the water dripping on his arm was leaving an icy trail down his side and soaking into his jeans.
Jayden huffed and rattled his restraints again. "Not that you'll believe me, but I'm former Special Forces."
"What? You're, like, twelve!" Drake leaned forward as he spoke, trying to see over the lip of the pit.
"Actually, I'm twenty-five," Jayden grumbled.
"I probably would have been more willing to give you a gun if you just said that from the beginning."
"And you would have believed me?"
"…Probably not. Actually I don't really believe you now."
Jayden sighed. "Not surprising. No one ever believes me. I look too young. It's just easier for me to make something up when people ask where I am or what I'm doing. It's basically second nature for me to lie now."
"Well, if you've got skills like you say, maybe you could start pulling your weight and give me a hand?"
"With what?" Jayden sighed. "We're chained up, half-frozen and guarded by big guys with big guns. We aren't exactly in the best position to save ourselves."
"Ever the optimist," said Drake, his teeth chattering.
"Even if you could get out of those shackles, I highly doubt either of us could overpower Lindsay. The amount of blood caked on your face tells me you're conscious due to sheer stubbornness. They've already got your journal, so they really don't need you anymore," said Jayden, leaning against the muddy wall of the pit.
"Even if your brother and his goons can read Sanskrit, they're going to have a hard time piecing those fragments together. Have a little faith, would ya?" Drake took a half step forward, only now noticing his shoes and socks were gone as well and his feet were muddy and numb. Thinking warm thoughts was no longer doing it for him.
"Faith?" Jayden scoffed. "Please. Do you even know what that message was?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. And I might just let you in on it if we're still alive in the morning."
Jayden let out an annoyed grunt and most likely rolled his eyes. Drake couldn't tell for sure in the dark. If the kid's story was true, Drake understood why he lied, but honestly, he liked his personality better before they got crammed into this pit together. Now the brat was just getting on his already frazzled nerves.
"Okay, I think I may be able—," The rest of Drake's sentence got cut off with an explosion and a shower of mud. A rattle of gunfire followed, along with some muffled shouting.
"What the hell is going on?" Jayden asked, trying to lean forward to see. A torch fell into the pit between them and went out in the mud. The air smelled like smoke and gunpowder.
"Good question." Drake watched a grenade fly overhead and felt the pit rumble as it exploded. Someone screamed and tumbled into the pit. "Getting a little crowded in here!" he called.
"We'll get ta ya! Can only work so fast up here, Kid!"
Drake's jaw dropped. "Sully? Oh, you glorious bastard! Wait. We? Who's with you?"
There was no answer, just more gunfire. Another two quick explosions followed, then silence.
"Sully?" Drake called after a few long seconds.
"Keep yer pants on, Kid!" Sully called down as he lowered a rough ladder into the pit. He planted a torch in the mud, casting some light over the two captured men. Sully lowered himself into the pit with Drake and Jayden, only a little careful not to tread on the dead man.
"Don't say it, Sully," Drake warned as the old man raised an eyebrow at him. He knew his friend well enough to know he would make one of two comments. Either he would say something about his state of dress or he would say something about how he was locked up yet again.
"You tryin' to put someone's eye out with those things?" Sully asked with a crooked grin as he reached up to unlock Drake's shackles. Obviously he had acquired the key somewhere.
"Of course you'd go with the half-dressed comment. It's cold, you jackass," Drake said, rubbing feeling back into his hands. There was a scowl on his face, but amusement in his eyes.
"So, who's the kid?" Sully asked, unlocking Jayden's shackles as well.
"Jayden Risyn," the redhead replied.
Sully eyed the kid for a moment. "Are you as big a swindler as your old man?"
"No."
"Yes," Drake said at the same time.
"All right kids, up ya go," Sully said as the men glared at one another.
Drake had enough trouble standing on his icy, numb feet. Climbing the rickety ladder with frozen fingers and feet took him longer than he cared to admit.
"Any time, Nate," Sully grumbled below him.
"I take it this isn't the first time you've saved his ass?" Jayden asked as Drake hoisted himself out of the hole.
Ignoring Sully's laughter, Drake migrated over to the large fire burning in the middle of the camp. It was in the place of Hayden's tent. He wondered in the back of his mind if the man was still alive as he let the heat wash over his frozen skin. Sully and Jayden joined him after a moment.
"Two questions," Drake said.
"Shoot," replied Sully.
"Who's here with you? And do you have any shoes I can wear? I can't feel my feet."
Sully opened his mouth, but a very familiar female voice spoke up behind them. Drake wasn't entirely sure he was happy to hear her.
"I'd ask how you got yourself into this mess, but I don't think I want to know," Elena Fisher sighed, propping a fist on her hip. She held an M32-Hammer in her other hand.
"And now I know where the explosions were coming from," Drake said, eyeing the grenade launcher. "Hello, Elena. Do you have my shoes?"
The blonde smirked. "And your socks and your shirt," she said.
"Why does it sound like this isn't the first time he asked her for his clothes?" Jayden grumbled from beside Sully.
The trio chose not to answer that as Elena led them to a tent that hadn't been caught in the explosions. On top of a crate inside the tent was a pair of beat up sneakers, a pair of scuffed leather boots, a purple tee shirt, a khaki long sleeve shirt and Drake's holster.
"You said there were socks, Elena," Drake said, cocking a brow at her as he pulled his shirt over his head.
"In your shoes."
"Okay, while I am grateful to be out of there and have my clothes back, am I the only one remotely curious about how you found us?" Jayden asked with wide eyes and arms spread.
Drake leaned against the crate and started to wipe mud off his feet. "No, no. I'm curious too. Was just a little more concerned about warming up," he replied, his teeth still chattering.
"Hate to interrupt boys, but can we get out of here before they come back?" Elena raised her eyebrows at them as they stood around inside the tent. She flicked a strand of hair off her face as she looked at them.
"Oh, muddy feet in socks are really gross," Drake mumbled as they headed out of the tent. "I don't suppose either of you saw my journal lying around before you blew the place up?"
"Nah, Kid. It's probably long gone by now," said Sully, handing Drake a pistol and a rifle.
"I thought you said it wouldn't matter if they had it," Jayden said as he plucked as weapon off a dead man.
Drake shook his head. "It doesn't, but I still want it back."
"Well, if we run into my brother again, I'll be sure to ask for it."
"Another Risyn? What have you gotten yourself mixed up in this time, Nate?" Sully asked, clapping his friend on the back as he walked past him.
"You tell me your story and I'll tell you mine," answered Drake, glancing back at the nice warm fire they were leaving behind. He sighed and jogged to catch up with the others. "We need to go back to those ruins."
Jayden looked at him, eyes wide. "Are you nuts? Hayden will be looking for us, and that's one of the first places he'll check."
"That may be, but we know what we're doing. He doesn't," replied Drake, waggling his finger in Jayden's direction.
Elena held up a hand as she turned to face Drake, walking backwards as she spoke to him. "Care to fill in the rest of the class? I have no idea why I'm here."
"I think Sully should tell us about this daring rescue first," Drake said to his friend, smirking.
"I dunno, Kid. Maybe you should go first. Talking might get some circulation back into your lips—they're blue," replied Sully.
"Being as how I am out of the loop on both accounts, I don't really care who goes first," Jayden grumbled as he trailed along behind them.
"No offense, but who are you, anyway?" Elena asked him, falling into step with him as Drake and Sully continued to bicker.
Jayden offered his hand and a charming grin. "Jayden Risyn. Pleasure to meet you."
"Elena Fisher," she replied, shaking his hand.
"So, I take it you and Drake know one another?"
Elena nodded, a chunk of hair falling across her face. "Yeah, we met on another one of his little outings. Never really wanted to do it again, but here I am," she replied with a sweep of her arms. "It's pretty hard to say no when Victor Sullivan asks for help," she added with a chuckle.
"He's got a lot of charm for an old guy," Drake teased.
"Thanks, Nate."
"All right Sully, time to spill it. How did you find us?" Drake now asked, his tone serious again.
"Well, I already kind of had an idea where you were headed since you told me. It didn't take a whole lot of effort to track down where in Turkey you were headed. I decided I'd meet up with you at your hotel because I changed my mind about helping out with your little treasure hunt."
"Did you rack up another big debt playing poker and decide to flee the country?" Drake asked,
Sully glared at his friend. "I couldn't reach you on your phone, so I poked around and found out you were heading into the rainforest in Georgia."
"Where did you find that out?" Jayden asked.
"A friend."
Jayden rolled his eyes.
"Anyway, I didn't think you'd be taking the main roads, and I was right. I found your Rover. There will be no driving out of here in that thing."
"Stuck?"
"Incinerated."
Drake's eyebrows shot up.
"And when I heard the gunshots, I didn't need to see you to know you were involved somehow. I did a little snooping and saw that you were captured, so I called Elena."
Drake frowned. "I thought you were doing a story in South Africa," he said, looking over at the blonde.
"Three months ago. I was actually just up north working on a new story," clarified Elena.
Suddenly Jayden perked up. "I thought I recognized you! I used to watch your show all the time!"
Smiling, Elena was about to reply when Drake held up his hand. "Wait a second. I've asked for your help before and you always refused."
"I was closer than anyone else," Elena answered. "And I wasn't about to let Sully attempt this himself, Nate." She looked annoyed and concerned all at once. "Believe me; I'd rather not be here holding a grenade launcher. If you could stop getting in trouble with people who want to kill you, it would make everyone's lives a lot easier!"
"Okay Kids, let's keep the shouting to a minimum, shall we? I'd like to get out of here alive if you don't mind." Sully gave them a tight smile, looking at them both in turn.
"Geez, and you thought the tension between me and my brother was bad. Yikes." Jayden grimaced, stepping past the pair who stopped walking to argue. He could feel Drake's glare on his back and shrugged it off.
"I am inclined to take your brother up on his offer just to get rid of you, Jayden," Drake grumbled as they started moving again.
"Well, Nate? Care to share your half of the story yet? Sounds like a lot happened," Sully chimed in, stepping between the men.
Drake sighed, inwardly cringing every time he stepped down. Mud inside socks was not pleasant. He started off by relaying the story of the cup itself for Elena's benefit and then told them about the inscription.
"What the hell does that mean? Sully asked, leading the way through the trees.
"I assume there is a key of some sort being guarded by a, uh, an I don't know what, but maybe underground. I'm also assuming underground because of the message we found at the ruins which we are heading away from, by the way Sully," Drake explained.
"We can circle back in a bit. So what did the message say?"
"It waits beneath the world," Drake answered, arms wide.
"Doesn't that sound like fun," muttered Elena, rolling her eyes. "So, both of these messages were written in Sanskrit? Wasn't Jamshid Persian?"
Drake nodded.
"Maybe the bowl got into someone else's hands after Jamshid was murdered," Jayden suggested. He was becoming more interested now. Their enthusiasm was infectious.
"I don't think so. It pretty much disappeared after that. I mean, there is a connection to the Holy Grail, but I think Jamshid hid it before he died," Drake replied, more caught up in the mystery than his argument with Jayden. "It was found, like everything tends to be over time, and now we're going to solve the mystery." He finished speaking with a cheeky grin lighting up his features.
"As exciting as that sounds Nate, how do you expect to find whatever it is you're looking for?" Elena questioned, making a gesture with her free hand. "Beneath the Earth is kind of vague."
"She's got a point, Kid," Sully agreed.
"Here's a great starting point, though. Loads of places we can start looking in this forest," Drake answered.
"It could take a lot longer than you're willing to commit to go through every cave and underground tunnel in this area. And what's to say the 'trees far from home' are these trees?" Jayden asked, making quotation marks in the air with his fingers.
"A gut feeling, I guess. Plus, it's the best explanation I can think of," said Drake. "There's got to b—!" Drake's voice disappeared as he fell into a deceptively solid-looking patch of marsh. The grassy layer disguising the muddy water below broke as he stepped on it, pulling him in with barely a splash.
"Nate!" yelled both Elena and Sully, worried but at the same time afraid to move.