Read Online The Temple Mount Code by Charles Brokaw - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Charles Brokaw
Ads: Link
shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’
Davari remained silent.
‘You’re not painting a very appetizing picture, my friend.’
The colonel had run out of patience. ‘I’m not painting anything. I’m offering you a job to perform, one my master believes you are in a position to accomplish. If you don’t want to risk it, simply say so, and I will go to the next man on my list.’
Von Volker chuckled. He pointed his fork at Davari. ‘ You’re the next man on your list, aren’t you?’
Davari glared at the man, but stayed silent.
‘Yes, you are. You can’t fool me.’ The Austrian blotted his lips on his napkin. ‘Well, let me tell you, my friend, you’re not good enough to get into Jerusalem and get back out again. All you’ll end up doing is getting yourself killed. Then your master is going to have to go to the next man on his list. Work with me, and we can both get what we want.’
Davari refrained from commenting with a supreme effort. What the Austrian said was true, and it angered him that the man knew.
‘I can get to Lev Strauss.’ Von Volker returned his attentions to his plate.
‘Why are you so sure?’
‘Because, just as you have a secret, so do I.’ Von Volker smiled confidently. ‘I will hand the professor over to you in a matter of days. And then we will talk about my bonus.’
10
Scholar’s Rock Temple
Himalaya Mountains
People’s Republic of China
July 26, 2011
‘Look! There it is!’ Gloria Chen walked slightly behind Lourds as he trudged through the snow, letting him do most of the work breaking through the frozen crust. The excitement in her voice drew his attention at once.
He’d been woolgathering, as he usually did when faced with physical drudgery and uninspiring surroundings, and a long walk up a mountain with more mountains around combined both those things.
The previous night, Gelu had persuaded them to rest and recuperate. The Sherpa guide had a good eye for people, and he’d told Lourds that several of the climbers, including Professor Hu, were all but worn-out. Gelu had promised they would comfortably reach their goal by the next evening, even after sleeping in.
Despite his anticipation and the urging of the BBC crew to keep moving, Lourds had agreed. They’d pitched camp there in the lee of the rocks, and the Sherpas had prepared the evening meal over a low fire. It wasn’t as relaxing as a ski resort, but it had been surprisingly comforting to be cared for. Lourds had slept like a baby in his tent.
The stone building sheltered under an overhang of rock shelf, and Lourds wasn’t surprised that no one had really known about the temple. At first he didn’t know what had caused Gloria to become so enthusiastic, then a gust of wind blew a cloud of snow over the rock shelf. The setting sun caught the flying ice particles, and their prismatic qualities cast a field of rainbows over the temple.
‘Rory?’ Lourds raised his voice above the wind screaming through the canyon.
‘Yeah, mate?’
‘Tell me you’re getting this with the camera.’
‘You better believe it. If this works out, I think we’re looking at our opening.’
Lourds’s heart sped up as he watched the beautiful swirl with a huge grin.
‘Wouldn’t it be shorter to walk across the valley?’ Lourds pointed his climbing staff at the circular depression between where they’d come up and the temple.
‘Walk across not good.’ Gelu shook his shaggy head. ‘Much danger. Much frozen that.’ He walked toward the depression, stood at the edge, and kicked away snowdrifts to reveal ice. He waved at the valley. ‘All ice. Not good.’
‘Come on, mate.’ Rory pointed across the long walk they had around the bowl. ‘If we walk across, it’s a lot shorter. Any ice up here is going to stay frozen.’
Gelu shook his head again. ‘Much frozen. Not all frozen. Holes there. Deep. Sometimes fall through and no come back.’
‘Ice is some of the most treacherous terrain up in these
Davari remained silent.
‘You’re not painting a very appetizing picture, my friend.’
The colonel had run out of patience. ‘I’m not painting anything. I’m offering you a job to perform, one my master believes you are in a position to accomplish. If you don’t want to risk it, simply say so, and I will go to the next man on my list.’
Von Volker chuckled. He pointed his fork at Davari. ‘ You’re the next man on your list, aren’t you?’
Davari glared at the man, but stayed silent.
‘Yes, you are. You can’t fool me.’ The Austrian blotted his lips on his napkin. ‘Well, let me tell you, my friend, you’re not good enough to get into Jerusalem and get back out again. All you’ll end up doing is getting yourself killed. Then your master is going to have to go to the next man on his list. Work with me, and we can both get what we want.’
Davari refrained from commenting with a supreme effort. What the Austrian said was true, and it angered him that the man knew.
‘I can get to Lev Strauss.’ Von Volker returned his attentions to his plate.
‘Why are you so sure?’
‘Because, just as you have a secret, so do I.’ Von Volker smiled confidently. ‘I will hand the professor over to you in a matter of days. And then we will talk about my bonus.’
10
Scholar’s Rock Temple
Himalaya Mountains
People’s Republic of China
July 26, 2011
‘Look! There it is!’ Gloria Chen walked slightly behind Lourds as he trudged through the snow, letting him do most of the work breaking through the frozen crust. The excitement in her voice drew his attention at once.
He’d been woolgathering, as he usually did when faced with physical drudgery and uninspiring surroundings, and a long walk up a mountain with more mountains around combined both those things.
The previous night, Gelu had persuaded them to rest and recuperate. The Sherpa guide had a good eye for people, and he’d told Lourds that several of the climbers, including Professor Hu, were all but worn-out. Gelu had promised they would comfortably reach their goal by the next evening, even after sleeping in.
Despite his anticipation and the urging of the BBC crew to keep moving, Lourds had agreed. They’d pitched camp there in the lee of the rocks, and the Sherpas had prepared the evening meal over a low fire. It wasn’t as relaxing as a ski resort, but it had been surprisingly comforting to be cared for. Lourds had slept like a baby in his tent.
The stone building sheltered under an overhang of rock shelf, and Lourds wasn’t surprised that no one had really known about the temple. At first he didn’t know what had caused Gloria to become so enthusiastic, then a gust of wind blew a cloud of snow over the rock shelf. The setting sun caught the flying ice particles, and their prismatic qualities cast a field of rainbows over the temple.
‘Rory?’ Lourds raised his voice above the wind screaming through the canyon.
‘Yeah, mate?’
‘Tell me you’re getting this with the camera.’
‘You better believe it. If this works out, I think we’re looking at our opening.’
Lourds’s heart sped up as he watched the beautiful swirl with a huge grin.
‘Wouldn’t it be shorter to walk across the valley?’ Lourds pointed his climbing staff at the circular depression between where they’d come up and the temple.
‘Walk across not good.’ Gelu shook his shaggy head. ‘Much danger. Much frozen that.’ He walked toward the depression, stood at the edge, and kicked away snowdrifts to reveal ice. He waved at the valley. ‘All ice. Not good.’
‘Come on, mate.’ Rory pointed across the long walk they had around the bowl. ‘If we walk across, it’s a lot shorter. Any ice up here is going to stay frozen.’
Gelu shook his head again. ‘Much frozen. Not all frozen. Holes there. Deep. Sometimes fall through and no come back.’
‘Ice is some of the most treacherous terrain up in these
Similar Books
