Page 67 of Fighting for Mallory

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of Omar’s body.” Luca’s eyes narrowed. “How do we know that you’re not leading us into a trap?”

“Mallory Hayes trusts me. You must, too. Neheb is most vulnerable when he allows his bloodlust to taint his judgment. He does not believe you will find Mallory Hayes. He did not consider her bravery and her strength and your love for her.”

The other dark-haired man produced a pair of handcuffs and snapped them around Ali’s wrists. “Let’s take him to see Clayton in the command room.”

As they left the motel room, Ali declared, “Mallory Hayes promised you would protect me, Luca Martinelli. Is this true? You will protect me?”

“I’ll honor what Mallory promised you, Ali, as long as you take me to her.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ali’s eyes bugged out when he saw the sophisticated computer systems and elaborate set up in the command center. His mouth worked but no words issued forth. River uncuffed him and pushed him farther into the kitchenette. One of Clayton’s colleagues planted himself in front of the door in case Ali tried to bolt.

Clayton flashed his charming southern smile and took Ali by the arm. “Hi, I’m Clayton. What’s your name?”

“Ali.” He gazed at the maps tacked to the wall. “Those are the caves.”

“Yup. And the Cave of Osiris is invisible.”

“No. Not invisible. You are not looking in the right spot.” Ali pointed at the red X. “There is an entry point.”

“We discovered it after a mudslide blocked it.”

“It is the easiest and quickest way to get to the Cave of Osiris.”

“Not starting from the phosphorescent blue cave?”

“It is another way. Omar and I used it when we and Fadhel carried Mallory Hayes from there back to the Cave of Osiris.”

“Perhaps you’d better start at the beginning,” Luca interjected in a harsh voice. Nervous energy made him restless. He wanted to skip all this and get to Mallory.

In succinct, formal language unique to Ali, he explained how he and Omar brought Mallory to the Cave of Osiris after she and Luca had been attacked in the breezeway. He described her first attempt to escape and her successful second attempt which led to her back injury.

“She is fortunate that Omar and I found her. We enlisted Fadhel’s aid to treat her wound and take her back to the Cave of Osiris, which is warm and pleasant.”

“Exactly where is this cave?” Clayton asked.

Ali traced his finger from the X on the map to a point further east. “It is there.”

“Let’s cut to the chase,” Luca declared. “How many members of the cult can we expect to attend the ceremony, and will they be armed?”

“Fifty minus Omar. He is dead. And yes, Luca Martinelli, they will be heavily armed.”

“All of them?”

“No, not all. There is a small number who are allowed to bear arms during the ceremony. No more than ten. They do not anticipate disruptions.”

Luca gazed at the others. “There are enough of us to stop ten men with guns. My issue is with the rest of them who might flee. I don’t want a single one of them to escape.”

“We don’t have the manpower,” Hutch argued.

“But we can get it,” Maverick countered. “And we can do this quietly without involving local law enforcement.”

“We’ll position our men at every exit point. The tunnels are narrow, so they’d have to walk single file. Someone blocking their path with enough fire power to annihilate a small army will stop them,” Clayton added.

“First we rescue Mallory,” Luca stated.

“First we rescue Mallory,” Clayton repeated.

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