Dave was perplexed as he took out the photograph of the dots he had taken from Lek-Mraphi's home. His gaze was drawn to its contents. The dots on the back were more distinct, but not entirely. His two captors stood a breath away, calm, but Dave could see the urgency in Javier's eyes. The man had grown exceedingly agitated, even twitchy. It was a trait he'd observed in many treasure hunters and his fellow artist over the years. The more novice treasure hunters searching for infinite wealth could practically taste their thoughts of a life of comfort and luxury as they got closer to their goal. Not that he could blame them, even Catherine doesn't have any idea about his many trips with the hunters duting his college days ans he knew well enough that Javier was worried. Even this skilled assassin appeared to have got the bug of excitement and anxtities or there was something else bothering him? However, the man in a uniform shirt had started to close up his counter and was about to annou
The astonished looks on the faces of Javier and the guard were priceless. Dave’s head went back and forth, not sure if he was hallucinating. "Oh, the happy couple. Am I glad to see you guys?" He sneered."It’s good to see you too, Javier."Shawn echoed the sentiment. "We weren’t sure if we were going to see you again.""Likewise," Dave replied, reflecting on the past weeks and winking at Catherine. “Hey, sis!”Javier and his companion stood frozen, like a deer-in-the-headlights look on each of their faces. Shawn cautiously stepped toward the group. "It wasn’t that difficult to find you, actually." He glared at Javier. "Shooting the man was a mistake, but leaving him alive was a bigger one. He gave us the final clue." Shawn smiled. "I have to say, though, that it was harder than it should have been to convince the local authorities that my historian needed to look at this ring and give them a lot of donations.”Dave stepped away from his kidnappers. "Thanks, gentlemen. It’s been fun,
Javier forced the group to walk quickly through the forest. He had overheard Shawn’s discussion with the authorities, so time, he understood, was running out. With frantic haste bordering on obsession, he hiked through the undergrowth. He growled and turned his head left and right every time a twig broke under someone’s foot.The Russian, too, looked nervous, making sure he covered a 360-degree area with his pistol as he whirled it around wildly.Shawn’s thoughts drifted to Catherine. He wished that the police would come fast enough to get her medical treatment. The wound hadn’t looked good, and his wife must have lost a tremendous amount of blood in a short amount of time.After a few more moments of marching through the trees, the group entered what Shawn had seen earlier. Dave stared at one of the most outstanding Buddha shrines he had ever seen. Loose ground encircled it, indicating that the enormous thing had been largely concealed and buried, if not totally underground for hun
"Brown, read it, now!" Javier butted in and began pointing the gun toward them. "I don't know-how, it's quite odd. Well, one wrong move and well, it’s our end." Javier watched silently off to the side, keeping his gun on the hostages. "We have to assume that this one here is another clue or a warning." "Dave," he said, pointing to the lion's head on his left. We have to choose carefully. However, look at this, Shawn. " He added and pointed to the right one, "This one here, look... This one looks like the one in Lek-Mraphi’s home, almost similar." Shawn nodded. "Oh, yes... almost and the word on that one matches the left. But that is only half a guess. But a careless guess is risky." "So which one?" "I’m not sure." Shawn stepped across the small space to the other lion and turned his head when Catherine began coughing. "Almost there, wife..." then he turned his attention back to the lion. "Both of the lions look the same." Then he leaned down to look at something that appeared
Shawn remained by Hugh’s side, staring at the man he figured to be the one calling the shots. In his mind, he chuckled at the pun. He hoped whoever he was wouldn’t actually call for shots. Dying in an ancient chamber somewhere in Thailand wasn’t what he had planned for this mission. He and Catherine had a plan to go to the Maldives on their honeymoon after another wedding; dying here was unnerving. He hasn't even proposed to her yet. Hugh gave a nod, and a firm hand grasped Shawn’s by the shirt and hauled him up, propping him on his knees. The smartass in him couldn’t be held back any longer. Shawn turned his head and looked at Hugh, who’d picked him up. "Hey! Come on, you have to improve your trash. Let that be a lesson to you. Don’t shove people unless you’re going to help them up after." Hugh raised a brow; he appeared shocked by the statement but mumbled nothing, taking a step back and pointing his gun at Shawn’s head. "Talk, and I will kill you!” "Good to see your sense of hum
“What are you talking about?" Catherine roared, "Let us go! Let her go!" One of the guards moved closer to her, brandishing his weapon. She quickly quieted down. Dr. Lanna drew a deep breath and sighed. "They didn’t take me, Catherine," the old woman said. "Not initially, at least," she added with a degree of venom. "I went to them for help." "Why on earth would you do that?" Shawn asked. The doctor sighed. “My grandfather trusted you. “I'm sorry, Shawn. I didn't have any choice. Next to Dave, Catherine was staring down at the nearest gunman, probing him for a weakness that was not easily revealed as Dr. Lanna turned to Elizabeth. "Is this really necessary?" She motioned to the others. "They’re not going anywhere. You took their weapons. They are here to help me find the Buddha." "Oh, doctor, believe me, they killed and apprehended dozens of Javier’s men in Scotland. They can kill again; don't trust that bitch," Elizabeth said. “What?” Shawn wrinkled his forehead. "My men in Sc
"Fuck! What is the problem now?" Hugh demanded very irritably. Ignoring the query, Shawn removed the genuine ring from his pocket and placed it on top of its duplicate to give it more weight. The ground began to tremble again, and the ancient stones' grinding sound resumed at full volume. Instead of ascending, the ground began to descend this time. "Oh, my bloody hell... I hope this isn't the end of us, Shawn! I want to see more of the world and its wonders!" As the massive apparatus continued to glide downward, Dave shouted above the din. "Good!" Hugh and Elizabeth looked at each other, then smirked, while Eddie looked worried. Shawn was suspicious, but he was eager to see where the lift would take them. As they sank into a shaft cut neatly into the sandstone, the ground above was gone. Then, along the border of the moving surface, a gap appeared, growing wider and wider until the old elevator came to a standstill with a thud. The passengers' gaze carefully probed the dark reces
Shawn had taken advantage of the unexpected and moved swiftly, slamming his arm as hard as he could. The flame struck Hugh's and his men’s temples, sending embers and flames crawling around his skull. The huge man swayed for a split second, dizzy from the impact. He instinctively dropped his revolver and rushed up with both hands to his face, screaming in anguish. Shawn retaliated with another swing. His men’s scream echoed in the chamber when he fell from the platform. Hugh screamed, “Haaaa!” his face was burning, and one of his men attacked Dave and one attacked Catherine, while Elizabeth went to the golden Buddha statue. Catherine screamed, "Shawn, to your left." He was surprised; he hadn't expected Hugh to be able to stabilise so quickly, even though his face was burning. Hugh took the lamp with one hand and Shawn's throat with the other after blocking his attack. Shawn tried to dislodge the fingers that were squeezing his breath, but the grasp was too tight. He swung hard at H