Part 32 (1/2)
Wizard, Zoe and Fuzzy could do nothing.
VICTORIA STATION.
KENYA.
18 MARCH, 2006, 9:45 P.M.
2 DAYS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF TARTARUS.
In the bas.e.m.e.nt radio room at the farm in Kenya, Doris Epper spoke into her mike: 'That's great news, Huntsman. Wizard is on his way, too. He just text-messaged me a few hours ago. The mission in Rome was a success. He'll be here in the morning. See you in a couple of hours.'
With a spring in her stride, she hurried up the steps to the kitchen. She was relieved that everyone was okay and that their missions had succeeded and she wanted to prepare a nice dinner for when they got back.
She stepped up into the kitchen ...to find that someone was already there.
'That's wonderful news, Mrs Epper.'
Doris froze.
There before her, sitting casually at her kitchen table, was Marshall Judah. Standing behind him were twelve heavily camouflaged, heavily armed US special forces troops.
Judah's head was bent, his eyes low, his voice laced with menace. 'Take a seat, Doris, and let's wait for them together.'
VICTORIA STATION.
KENYA.
18 MARCH, 2006, 11:45 P.M.
2 DAYS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF TARTARUS.
West and his sub-team returned to Kenya.
On the way, they'd stopped in Spain to refuel, at which point Lily had had another breakthrough with the Callimachus Text. She was suddenly able to read the next entry.
'What's it say?' West asked.
'It's about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon,' she said. 'It says: The Hanging Paradise of Old Babylonia.
March towards the rising Sun, From the point where the two life-givers become one.
In the shadow of the mountains of Zagros, Behold the mighty falls fas.h.i.+oned by the Third Great Architect To conceal the path he hewed A path that climbs to the entry of the Paradise That mighty Nebuchadnezzar built for his bride.'
West tousled her hair. 'Nice work, kiddo. Nice work. Wizard's going to be thrilled.'
The Halicarna.s.sus Halicarna.s.sus landed with a roar on Victoria Station's airstrip just before midnight. It was a cla.s.sic African night-a swollen full moon illuminated the gra.s.sy plains like a floodlight, while the low hills loomed, dark teeth against the moonlit sky. landed with a roar on Victoria Station's airstrip just before midnight. It was a cla.s.sic African night-a swollen full moon illuminated the gra.s.sy plains like a floodlight, while the low hills loomed, dark teeth against the moonlit sky.
About a kilometre from the runway stood the farmhouse, its windows glowing orange. The emergency signal-the lights on the juniper bush in the front garden-was not on.
Sky Monster swung the plane toward the hangar dug into the hill at the end of the runway. As it taxied slowly, everyone grabbed their gear, preparing to disembark.
None of them could know that as they did so, two hundred pairs of eyes watched them closely.
Turbines whirring, the Halicarna.s.sus Halicarna.s.sus came to a halt just outside the doorway of the brightly-illuminated hangar. came to a halt just outside the doorway of the brightly-illuminated hangar.
A flight of airstairs waited for it there, just outside the open doors. And beyond the airstairs, maybe forty yards away, stood a welcoming party of one: Doris, standing by the hangar doors themselves.
It was impossible for those on the plane to know that she was standing there at gunpoint.
The plane stopped alongside the airstairs at the entry to the hangar, its nose section poking into the actual hangar (it had to cool down outside for a few hours before it could be brought fully inside for storage).
As soon as it had stopped, its forward side door was flung open from within and Big Ears and Lily-eager to see Doris and show her the Zeus Piece-dashed out of the plane and scampered down the airstairs. Big Ears wore his backpack, containing the Piece.
Not far behind them came Pooh Bear and Stretch, escorting Zaeed-now flex-cuffed again. They emerged from the plane into the fresh night air, began stepping down the stairs.
Sky Monster and West lingered in the plane-Sky Monster to do a post-flight check; West just to collect all his things: notes, parchments, Hessler's n.a.z.i diary.
It was noisy outside-the Halicarna.s.sus Halicarna.s.sus's four ma.s.sive wing-engines still whirred loudly, winding down.
Big Ears and Lily were halfway to Doris.
'Hey, Doris! We did it!' Lily called over the din, but Doris's usually warm face was stony, cold-as though she knew something that she couldn't disclose.
Then she seemed to regather herself, smiled kindly, and called back: 'Well done, little Eowyn! What a triumphant return. This is all a bit like Gimli returning to Moria, isn't it!'
At Doris's words, Lily slowed her stride.
Then she stopped completely.
Big Ears paused, turned to her. 'What is it?'
Worried, Lily peered fearfully at the dark gra.s.sy fields that surrounded the hangar's entrance. Apart from Doris, the area was completely deserted.
'Big Ears, we're in trouble,' she said evenly. 'We have to get back to the plane. This is a trap.'
'How do you know-?'
'Just go! Now!' she said with an authority that belied her age.
And abruptly, she spun, grabbing Big Ears's hand, and together- still twenty yards from the plane-they bolted back towards the Halicarna.s.sus Halicarna.s.sus.
No sooner had they moved than all h.e.l.l broke loose in the hangar.