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“Katrina,” he whispered. “Check out the area over there.” He pointed his light to reveal some kind of metal structure. The area had no trees or shrubbery around, indicating someone must have cleared the land.
“What is that?” Kira said while she ran her light up the side of the tall, man-made structure. Rust-colored crossbeams created almost a ladder effect, reaching high up over the tree line.
“It looks like a windmill,” Victor said and trudged toward the source. The gunmen at their back never moved.
In the clearing next to a shadowy pile of tall boulders stacked up near the mountain’s base, their lights uncovered a windmill—that appeared to be working. Wide silver turbines at the top spun lazily in the still air.
“Now why would someone put this here if they weren’t protecting something?” Victor kept his light on the object.
He was right. Someone was generating power in the middle of nowhere, which meant they were close.
Kira moved toward the stacked rocks. She climbed and examined the area with the flashlight. Bryce followed, keeping one eye on the ever-watching gunmen. If they could get a few feet away, maybe they could run.
She shone her light at a crack in the rocks. When she clicked off her flashlight, flickers of light still shone from behind the rocks.
“I see light.” Bryce edged across the rocks and loose stone shifted beneath his boots. A dark gap yawned between the boulders, shadows pressed close around it—except for that faint shimmer bleeding through. Light.
Victor hovered, scraping Bryce’s nerves. He’d like to knock the man flat on his back, but the other gunmen kept him in check. Peter had backtracked, probably making sure they weren’t followed. At least that was one less goon to worry about.
“It’s an entryway.” Victor pointed his gun at Kira. “You go through.”
Bryce went with her, even though Victor spoke to Kira. No way was she leaving his sight.
They squeezed between the rocks, which opened up into what appeared to be a wide hallway. “Wait, these are stairs.” Kira’s voice echoed off the rock walls. “Someone carved stone steps that lead into a cave.” From the outside, no one would ever notice. They proceeded down the ten steps that rounded like a medieval spiral staircase with stone walls.
His grandfather had been so close to this place and yet missed the entrance. The craftsmanship was impressive. But none of that would matter if this cave became their coffin.
The end of the stairs opened into an atrium of sorts. It was definitely a cave, but the area had a smooth stone floor—and lights?
Lightbulbs shone from two lanterns that hung on the rock wall. Victor shoved Bryce to the side to inspect. “This entire place is wired for electricity.”
Bryce circled the area and touched the wall made of gray stones. The two lanterns hung on either side of the wall, as if announcing the presence of a door or entryway. He ran his hand along the surface but found nothing. “These rocks were used to build this wall. Why light the area if there isn’t an entrance?”
Kira took three steps back. “Don’t touch anything. There could be booby traps. If they hid information in the statues about finding the entrance, then they wanted their secrets well kept.”
Vince scoffed at her. “Please. Fenton was a moron.”
Bryce saw no outline of a door, or anything that might suggest a hidden panel. The two lamps indicated something more was here. But what?
He tried to keep an eye on everyone in the enclosed area. Peter hadn’t returned, and the three guards flanked the one entryway. Victor circled the area, inspecting the wall.
Kira continued to study the area, taking small steps and examining every crevice. She finally stopped, sighed, and turned to their captor. “What do we do now, Victor? We don’t know where the treasure is.”
“You are going to figure it out, Kira. You and your husband. You’re both highly dedicated federal agents so get to work.”
Bryce’s heart pumped ice through his veins. Victor knew the truth. “How did you find out?”
Victor grunted. “It took us a while. Your agents did a nice job with those fake profiles online. But information is always for sale, and we found out William Lambert had a son—in the FBI. It didn’t take us long to figure out both of your identities from there with our connections. You think you’re the only ones with expert hackers on your payroll? But as of now, you work for the Society.”
Bryce made a mental note to track down that leak in their organization. “Right. And why should we help you?”
Rustling came from outside the cave. And voices? Great. Victor had called for reinforcements. He wouldn’t keep Bryce and Kira alive past their usefulness.
Two new guards entered the room—increasing the firepower to five armed fighters. They dragged two people into the area with them. Alex and Sophia.
“The Dominiks will die in three minutes if you don’t get me access to the treasure room.” Victor’s voice echoed around them. “You weren’t willing to let Natalia die, so I’m sure you will want to rescue your neighbors by finding the door.”
Bryce inched his way to place himself between Kira and Victor. “We need the statues. You’re going to kill us all anyway. Give us the statues and we’ll figure out how to get in.” Or stall until backup arrived.
