CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

October 4, 12:01 A.M.

Cusco, Peru

CASH HAD A DIFFICULT time convincing Diane she couldn’t come with him. Zara expected him to be alone, and he needed Diane to watch his back since he was certain Zara would have people covering hers. Eventually, she relented and he entered the tavern alone.

“Either the relics are tiny, or you aren’t as hung up on the lovely Olivia as Heinrich thought,” Zara said as she sat at the table across from Cash. “I expected you to be burdened down with crystal.”

“Even if I had both, do you think I would be stupid enough to walk in here and hand them over? First, you’d instruct Heinrich, or whoever’s watching us to put a bullet in my back, and then you’d simply place a call and order Olivia’s murder.”

“You do know me well.” She smiled. “So, how are we going to make this happen? Because if I don’t like what I hear in the next few minutes, the scenario you explained will occur sooner than you anticipated.”

Cash leaned back in his chair and stared at Zara. He detected no hint of warmth behind her mesmerizing eyes. He wondered if she had always been so cold and heartless, and he had been too blind and naïve to see it, or if she had lost what little compassion she once possessed when he left her for dead.

“Her time is running out,” Zara stated, interrupting his thoughts.

Cash hoped Diane would keep her composure and stick to the plan. He needed her to protect his back and try to ascertain how many people Zara had with her.

“I found the Cusco crystal.” He studied Zara’s face. She showed no emotion, so he continued. “The problem is that there’s no way to move the massive object.”

“Nothing is impossible,” she insisted.

“This is with the time you gave me and the tools I had on hand. The relic is sitting on a pillar about fifteen feet high, and the head and column appear to be carved from a single piece of crystal.”

“Assuming you’re telling the truth, where is the last one?”

“Do you think I’m crazy enough to tell you without something in exchange? I figured I would have to escort you to the pillar to prove my claim. If you already had twelve of the thirteen, how would I ensure Olivia’s release?”

A crooked smile eased across Zara’s lips as she motioned for a waiter without removing her eyes from Cash.

“So, here’s the deal. I lead you, and only you, to the mother lode. Once you’ve verified I’m telling the truth, we’ll arrange the swap of the final relic for Olivia. How you pry the crystal head from the pillar is your business.”

The waiter placed two mugs of chicha on the table and hurried off. They both knew the plan wouldn’t unfold as outlined. Cash had no intention of walking away and allowing Zara to do as she wished with the artifacts, and he doubted Zara intended to let him live or release Olivia, but they agreed on the basic premise.

“Shall we?” Zara asked as she tilted her head back, downed the rest of her drink, and slammed her glass on the table.

Cash stood and led Zara from the tavern without further discussion. The hike to the subterranean chamber housing the final relic took half as long as the prior trip, since Cash now knew the way and all the hazards to avoid. Once they reached their destination, Cash focused on Zara, trying to gauge her reaction. If she was impressed by the amazing scene of a fifteen-foot high crystal pillar supporting a giant head with a movable jaw at its top, and steps cascading down into a shimmering pool of mysterious fluid in a massive cave, she didn’t show it. If anything, she seemed disappointed. She dipped her finger into the pond and smelled the liquid, nodded to Cash, and retraced their path through the subterranean corridors.

They sat on the steps of the Church of Santo Domingo, the city deserted, the night cool and dark. Cash wasn’t sure if he was comforted or nervous about his team’s lack of presence. Marjorie and Pete were nowhere to be seen in the cavern, and he hadn’t even garnered so much as a glimpse of Diane since leaving her to meet up with Zara at midnight. He hoped they were sticking to the plan and hadn’t run into trouble with Zara’s people.

“How quickly can you produce the final Argentine relic?” Zara asked, breaking the silence.

“As soon you bring me Olivia.”

“What do you suppose that liquid is?”

“Not a clue. The stuff smells like, and has the texture of, an oil-based substance, but the whole pond is uniform. I waded through the pool and the fluid burned my skin, not too bad, but it’s clearly somewhat corrosive.”

“I wish Mustafa was here. I would love to hear his theory on the pillar’s use and the liquid’s composition, but I suppose the discovery doesn’t alter our next step. I want the final crystal and you want Olivia.”

The way Zara said “want” made Cash glance up. He couldn’t tell if the tone tainting her voice indicated sadness, anger, or jealousy.

“No more innocent people need to die in your quest. What do you hope to gain? You’re not out for money and surely you don’t believe any of the legends claiming the relics possess incalculable knowledge and power when brought together? You’ve always been the logical type.”

“I want revenge.”

“Then just shoot me now, if my death will end this madness, but leave everyone else alone.”

He wanted to ask her how she could possibly think she was the one who had been betrayed. She worked as a double agent, and he was just doing his job. Reasoning with Zara would be pointless. If she believed she was the victim, nothing he could ever do or say would change her mind.

“It’s not always about you. You betrayed me, but I have more important matters to settle. And, of course, there is the power the relics will bring to me.”

“I wish I understood what you mean. How can thirteen crystal artifacts command power?”

“We believe the crystals, if properly used, are capable of destruction of Atlantean proportions.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Too bad you won’t be around to find out.”

Cash’s mind reeled. He hated to let Zara out of his sight, but he needed to speak to Pete and Marjorie, and he doubted Zara would go far until she had the one relic he still possessed. More importantly, the only way to ensure Olivia’s continued safety was to allow Zara to remain free and unharmed. If anything happened to Zara, Olivia would be lost to him forever, which was something he refused to accept.

“Get Olivia and meet me at El Triunfo at 8:00 A.M. You’ll get your relic.”