They moved down the stone stairs, the tunnel was cool and the air was musky which was understandable since they were very likely the third group of people who had entered this tunnel in more than 500 years. Nate wondered if this was a known Mongol hideout, maybe a place for them to ambush anyone who tried to attack Sarai Batu, but it didn't make sense, not on the other side of the river, it would take them too long to get over the river and up the face of the gorge. The more he thought about it, the more he thought this was a hideout of the Golden Horde Khan's, somewhere they could safely hide in case of invasion, like the Presidential Operations Centre at the White House.
The stairs opened up to a long rectangular room, partially collapsed in one corner, cobwebbed in the rest, dust and dirt covered the floor where they followed a clear set of steps in the dust that had to be Sully's. The room was dimly lit by fires in scones and braziers, more evidence Sully had been here.
Unless they have been lit since the last time a Cook, or even the last Mongol, were here. But he chided himself, that would be silly.
"How did Sully get in here?" Mia asked, breaking the silence.
"What do you mean?"
"To open the door it needed both of us to press the switch, how did Sully do it?"
Nate shrugged, "Used a stick?"
Mia snorted.
"He's not working with anyone if that's what you're thinking," Nate said but Mia remained silent and they continued exploring.
Maybe she wants to do a deal with Sully. Cut me out.
Nate shook his head, trying to ignore the unbidden thoughts.
"Are you ok?" Mia asked, noticing his reaction.
Nate said nothing and continued on. The room was sparsely furnished with some tables with cups and clay jars and wooden stools. There were some rusted swords on a rack against one wall, and saddles and stirrups against another.
Mia gazed around in wonderment, for Nate he had done this before, discovering the undiscovered and while it still excited him it was nothing compared to the first or second time like it was for Mia.
"Pretty cool, huh?" he said, walking next to her. "Beats sitting at a desk all day."
"It is pretty cool" she said, "except all the guys with guns and blowing up historic churches."
"There is a downside to every job," he said. "But I'm still here."
"For how long though?"
Until you stab me in the back
Nate said nothing as they approached the end of the chamber. The floor was wet, water dripping from the roof in a rhythmic Plop. Plop. Plop and he wondered if they had built this bunker all the way under the lake.
At the end of the chamber was a large wooden double door with two ten-metre tall wooden statues guarding either side of the door.
"Who are they?" Mia asked, approaching the one on the right depicting a Mongol on horseback, dressed in armour, bow in hand and looked to be snarling. The horse was in a rearing position and the statue looked ready to loose an arrow at them.
"I would guess that is Batu Khan, founder of the Golden Horde."
The second statue was of a Mongol dressed for war in leathers, a bow on his back and a sabre in hand, he stood stoically, looking out at some unseen enemy.
"This would be Genghis Khan" he said. "Founder of the Mongol Empire."
"I'm not an expert in Mongol history but this, in itself, is a huge discovery."
He nodded, "It is, but we're here for Sully. Once we have him and get out of here, we can get the Mongolian authorities in."
"Right, of course" she said, though she sounded forlorn. She pointed to the dusty steps leading to the door and the collection of footprints leading up to them, "Looks like he went through the doors."
"Let's open and see" Nate said, approaching the door. There were no handles or any sort of lock on it. He gave it a push but it didn't budge. He tried again, straining against the door and putting all his might into it but it remained stubbornly shut.
"Nate," Mia called out.
He turned and saw she was looking at a waist-high stone pedestal set into the floor. He walked over and saw nothing special about it, but she indicated a circular slot set in the middle of the pedestal. Sitting in it was another one of Sully's cigar stubs, Nate picked it up, it was cold and dry but another clue for them to follow.
"Another hint from the old man," Nate said tossing the stub away.
"Something to do with this?" she asked running a finger around the slot.
He stared at the slot, it was roughly circular, bigger than any coin he'd ever seen with striations set into the base and two notched on the sides, opposite one another. It suddenly clicked for Nate and he fished the silver coin he'd found in the vault in Budapest. He showed it to Mia, "Here goes nothing" he said.
Placing the coin face down in the slot he rotated it slightly until the raised ridges fit into the striations of the pedestal and aligned with the notches. He felt it slot in and he kept turning, a circular section of the pedestal turning with it, a grinding sound could be heard within the pedestal and out popped two iron poles from the pedestal shaft on opposite sides of each other.
Mia examined the poles in her torchlight, "What is this?"
He knew exactly what it was, "It's a crank" he said grabbing one of the poles. "Grab the other one and push."
She did and they pushed the crank, rotating the pedestal slowly and they heard another grinding noise and the doors slowing began to open with a loud creak. When the doors were fully opened, the handles retracted back into the pedestal and Nate picked up the coin.
"Let's go" he said. They headed through the doors where they were greeted by a much smaller chamber, empty except for a giant stone table in the middle of the room and a chandelier hanging above it. Sconces set around the walls gave off dim light indicating Sully had indeed been here.
The footsteps in the dust lead them around the room but ended at the front of the table where the dust was disturbed in a greater area as if Sully had paced and shuffled around in a small circle.
Trying to work out what to do next?
The table was rough cut around the sides but smooth on the top with deep lines running in random directions all over the surface. It was the size of a car and at the front of it was another slot for the coin.
"Shall we?" Nate asked.
"Absolutely."
Nate placed the coin in the slot, again turning it until it fit into the striations and notches exactly like the pedestal out front. Then he pushed the coin and it recessed deeper into the stone table, like a push button.
Another grinding sound reverberated around the small room, echoing off the walls and they watched as the surface of the table began to pitch, sections of the table were rising up from the table in random geometric shapes and heights. After a minute the grinding stopped and the surface revealed a 3D model of what looked like a mountain range.
Mia ran a hand over the model, "This is incredible! Who knew the Mongols were capable of something like this?"
"I doubt they made this" Nate said. "It's likely they had someone make it for them, someone from the West. Despite their reputation as war mongering invaders they were inclusive of others and that included religion and trade. Sarai Batu was a large civilisation, much larger than the replica out there, with wide streets, mosques, bazaars, trade. It wasn't just a bunch of huts and farmers looking to make war whenever they felt like it."
"So why did they make this hideout and what is this?"
Nate thought for a moment. It was a mountain range, possibly the Altai Mountains where it borders present day Mongolia, China, Russia and Kazakhstan, a scale model of the area perhaps, but why? Why here in this hideout? Why did they need the coin to open the door and reveal this?
He pulled the map out of his pack and spread it on a flat area of the table, comparing the mountain range on the map against the model.
"It's definitely a map of the Altai Mountains and this-" he pointed to what looked like a small settlement in the corner of the table "-would be Sarai Batu. But I'm not sure why they would need to hide something so elaborate. There must be another reason for it."
He looked around the depicted mountain range, there were flatter areas, some channels and recesses indicating lakes and rivers. Then he looked at the chandelier hanging above the table. It was huge, at least twice his height and circular, made of wood with metal tubes around the outer ring that he assumed would be for candles but in the middle was a wider tube pointing straight down with a glass eye at the end that he thought might be used for focusing light.
"I have an idea," he said to Mia. "Come with me."
He went out of the room back into the main chamber, Mia following behind. He cleared off one of the tables, jars and swords crashing to the ground and grabbed the end of it and indicated to Mia to get the other end. Together they carried it back into the smaller chamber and placed it next to the stone table. Nate put his torch in his back pocket and climbed onto the table, ignoring Mia's warning to be careful and grabbed a hold of the chandelier. Pulling himself up, he climbed through the branching arms like a monkey in a tree until he reached the top. The chandelier was attached to the roof via a rope that ran through a series of eyelets bolted into the roof running to a side wall where it ran through a final eyelet before being tied to a bolt in the floor where it could be used to raise or lower the chandelier.
"You know, we could have just lowered it" Mia said watching him.
Nate laughed, "But where's the fun in that?"
He pulled his torch from his pocket and turned it on, "Here goes nothing" he said and placed the torch on top of the chandelier, facing down, the beam of light pointing down through the centre tube through the focusing glass. He watched as the beam caught the glass and refracted into hundreds of pinpoint dots of light. The first dot of light landed on the settlement of Sarai Batu and the others traced a winding path from the settlement, across the map and into the Altai mountains. From there the light weaved a path, winding its way up towards the mountain peak until finally stopping midway in the middle of the mountain range.
"It's a trail," he said. "It must lead to a hideout in the Mountains. Do you have your phone on you?"
Mia nodded
"See if you can take a photo of the trail, and the location on the mountain."
Leaving the flashlight in the bracket, he climbed down while Mia took photos of the route. When he reached the ground, he grabbed the map that was still on the table and pulled a pencil from his pack. He studied the map and the model, trying to work out exactly where the hideout was located. While the table was an impressive piece of work, the terrain it depicted wasn't exactly the same as the map he had. How could it be, they worked from surveying which was accurate enough but not exactly the accuracy you get from modern technology, like satellites.
"Alright, I think I got it" he said, marking an 'X' on the map where he thought the hideout was located.
Mia looked over his shoulder, "X marks the spot, huh?"
Nate folded up the map, "If it ain't broke" he said with a chuckle. He put the map in his backpack, "Alright, let's get the hell out of here. Sully must have a day's head start on us by now."
As they walked past the table, he picked up the coin and put it in his pack. The table rumbled and the mountains retracted back into the table, leaving it looking just as it did before. Ahead of them the doors were also closing, and they hurried through just before they shut.
"Clever" Nate said. "Let's go."
As they headed towards the stairs they saw torchlight flashing through the stairwell.
"Shit" he whispered, pulling Mia aside.
"What do we do?" she whispered back.
They had no guns, nothing to fight back with except...
He hurried to the nearby sword rack and grabbed one of the rusted scimitars, the curved blade and leather wrapped handle similar to the ones he found in the bunker in Poland. The blade was dull and flecked with rust. The dampness and moisture in the air wouldn't have done it any favours in the centuries it waited down here but it would have to do. He grabbed another and handed it to Mia who looked at it like it was a unicorn.
"What am I going to do with this?" she hissed.
"Uh..point and slab?"
"What!"
"Quiet!" he whispered. He pointed to the wall near the entrance, indicating she should go there while he went to the other side. Hidden from sight, Nate watched the lights bounce off the walls, the pools of light getting bigger and bigger as the newcomers approached.
The voices came first, they were loud, almost casual even though Nate didn't understand what they were saying and he wondered if they were a scouting party. He hoped so, otherwise they had no chance of getting out of here and he knew Khanoğlu would not take any risks this time. He would put a bullet in their heads and leave them here to rot for eternity.
He held the sword up and ready and when the first merc came into view he stepped away from the wall, swinging the sword with all he could. The rusted blade whooshed through the air catching the merc in the neck. Despite its dullness the blade cut in deep and the merc gurgled, hand automatically going to where the blade was lodged in his neck. Then he stumbled and fell down, blood pooling around him. A second merc heard the noise and turned. Nate tried to remove the sword from the dead mercs neck but it was stuck.
Crap!
He let go of the handle and lunged at the merc who was bringing up his Steyr rifle. He knocked the rifle barrel aside and slammed into his assailant like a bull. Every single bruise on his body screamed out in pain as they crashed into the hard wall, the merc letting out a groan as the breath was knocked out of him. Nate threw a punch to his ribs and then another but the merc recovered, aided by his bulletproof vest, and headbutted him.
Nate saw stars and stumbled back and the merc was on him, throwing a haymaker but Nate dodged just in time and the blow glanced off his temple and he stumbled again. He quickly regained his footing and attacked, punching the merc in the gut and then kneeing him in the head. But the merc was well trained and brought his arms up to take the brunt force of the knee. He then swivelled around, elbowing Nate in the back of the head causing him to stumble forward
Nate turned to see the merc picking up his fallen rifle and Nate dashed forward, grabbing the rifles barrel again. They wrestled, Nate trying to leverage it over his assailant's head. A staccato of shots rang out, thundering in the chamber as the bullets ricocheted off the stone roof. The merc then rotated the gun and Nate, lightheaded and in pain, lost his grip and fell to the ground. He turned just as the merc raised his rifle.
He waited for the shot. And waited.
Then the merc's eyes seem to glaze over and he fell on top of Nate and that's when he saw Mia standing, sword in hand, blood glistening from the tip of it.
Take it from her before she stabs you!
Rolling the body off of himself, Nate got up and took the sword from her hands, tossing it to the ground with a clang. He saw she had gone pale and was starting to shake.
"Oh my god" she whispered and kept repeating it, her eyes focused straight ahead.
"Hey...hey" Nate said, putting his hands gently on her shoulders.
"Oh my god" she whispered again.
"Mia?" He gave her shoulders a little shake and she turned her head slightly, but enough that she was now looking at him. Her eyes coming into focus.
"Mia, we have to go. More will be coming."
She swallowed and nodded, "Ahuh."
"Ok, good" Nate said, he grabbed her hand and led her to the entrance. He left her at the entrance and grabbed the fallen mercs Steyr and spare ammo. He also pulled a M1911 handgun from a side holster and tucked it into the waistband of his trousers.
A radio squawked from the dead mercs shoulder, speaking in Turkish. Nate didn't understand what they were saying but he could judge by the pause and urgent repeating of the same words they were about to come and investigate why their colleagues were not responding.
He walked past the entrance. His mind willing him to go. To leave her and continue the search without her. He had the map, that was all he needed.
He shook his head, "Alright" he said, returning to Mia who seemed zombified. She was standing completely still again, staring straight ahead and Nate wondered if she was even capable of getting up these stairs. He grabbed her by the shoulders again, getting her attention and said, "Mia. I know it's not easy killing a man. Not the first time or the tenth time but you saved my life. You-" he emphasized, "-saved my life. I owe you for that and the best way I can do that now is to get you out of here and to safety.
Leave her here. She only wants the treasure.
"I don't know how long we got, but they're coming, and I need you to be brave. We have to get out of here and get back to the boat. Think you can do that?"
Mia nodded slowly, "I...I think so."
"Good," Nate said. "Let's go."
"Leave her!"
He fought the urge and led the way up the stairs, Steyr at the ready, the attached torch lighting the way but they reached the head of the stairs without incident. The trapdoor was open and Nate peaked out, it was mid-afternoon, the sun beginning its descent behind the mountains in the distance, no one was around, but they wouldn't be far.
He grabbed Mia's hand and helped her out of the stairwell. She looked a little better, more responsive in the eyes and a bit of colour had returned to her face. He pointed in the direction of the trees, "We're going to head back to the boat, but we'll have to hurry, once we are in the cover of the trees we should be ok."
"Ok" Mia said and, with Nate holding her hand, they jogged in the direction of the tree line and the river beyond.
They were about halfway when Nate heard a humming sound coming from behind them. He turned and saw, in the distance, five black SUVs tearing across the grassy fields, coming to a screeching halt at the door to the Mongol bunker. Mercenaries poured out of the cars and disappeared down the trapdoor.
"Crap," Nate said, grabbing Mia's hand. "Run!"
They took off, running through the knee-high grass, heading for the trees. Nate figured they had one or two minutes before they realised their men were dead and would see them running.
A crack echoed around them and dirt exploded somewhere behind them.
Not even a minute!
The roar of engines, faint but getting louder, followed them. Gunshots echoing but they weren't close enough. Not yet anyway
By the time they reached the tree line the cars had halved the distance between them and Nate pulled Mia through the trees, crashing past bushes and snapping tree limbs as they hurried through. Behind he heard the sound of doors slamming shut and sounds of men entering the grove.
They exploded out of the grove and crossed the short distance to the river but skidded to a stop.
"Crap!"
They were further down river than he anticipated and had arrived at a gorge, the river snaking along 15 meters below them. He looked both ways but they would never get to even ground before Khanoğlu's men arrived.
"Give me your phone," he said to Mia while he flipped his backpack off and grabbed her phone putting it, along with the M1911, in the bag. He zipped it up and tossed it in the river.
"What are you doing?" Mia asked.
"We gotta jump" he replied, unslinging the Steyr from his shoulder.
She was about to protest when a group of mercs burst through the trees and, with weapons raised, yelling something incoherent.
He held his Steyr up, finger on the trigger swinging it left-to-right and back again. The mercs kept yelling but Nate shouted back, "I don't speak Turkish!"
"They are saying to drop your weapon, Mr Drake" came a familiar.
"Ahh shit" Nate muttered but he didn't drop his weapon.
The monstrous form of Miraç Khanoğlu emerged from the tree line, with Kelvin Spence trailing behind like an eager puppy. He was wearing similar black fatigues as his men. He glanced at Mia with cold eyes, "And who might this be?"
"None of your bus-" Nate started but was interrupted by Kelvin Spence.
"- Mia Simmons. She works for the Bishop Museum and employed Nathan here to help find the chamber of King Kamehameha."
"Is that right?" Khanoğlu said with evident interest. "I must commend you on your find. And where is Mr. Sullivan?"
"Gone" Nate said simply.
"That is a shame. Search them."
Nate backed up until he was at the edge of the gorge his weapon still raised, "Let's back up a bit before we get handsy."
Khanoğlu pointed his own gun at him, a Desert Eagle, and said, "Mr Drake, you are outnumbered, and I am out of patience. Surrender your weapon or I will kill you both."
Nate paused still pointing his gun at Khanoğlu but both of them knew he was outmanned and outgunned here. Finally, he dropped the weapon. Two mercs approached wearily, one picked up the Steyr while the other patted them down. First Mia, who had nothing and then Nate who had the map in his pocket
The merc stepped back and handed the map to Khanoğlu who opened and examined it. After a minute he handed it to Spence, who examined it and then said, "Must be another Mongol stronghold."
"That much is obvious" Khanoğlu said coldly. He turned to Drake, "You have been a thorn in my side, Mr. Drake. Which is a shame because you seem to know what you are doing, unlike Mr. Spence here."
From behind Kelvin gave Khanoğlu a murderous glare and looked like he was about to say something but then seemed to think better of it and remained quiet. Nate noticed he was sporting a new red welt across his cheek, twin to the one on the other cheek.
"Well, you get what you pay for, I guess," Drake said.
Khanoğlu chuckled, "I guess so. Goodbye Mr. Drake."
Beside him, Mia went rigid.
"Hey hey" Nate said, dropping his hands, "You've won, alright. You got the map. Just let us go."
Khanoğlu smiled, "I don't think so."
Before he could pull the trigger, Nate grabbed Mia's hand and pulled her over the edge of the gorge.