Death and Deception by Seeley James

Author:Seeley James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Machined Media
Published: 2020-07-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 33

I ran at an angle to my destination, then turned and doubled back. No one followed me. And I’d given their drone the slip. Feeling a little more confident, I found the giant mound of Seven-Death’s temple. I jogged the steep side to the tree-covered top.

The large stone stood unmolested, still gripped by tree roots. I pulled on the tree and the stone tilted up, just as it had before. A hole darker than the night beckoned me inside. I looked around and listened. Nothing.

Mercury materialized next to me, scaring the living wits out of me. Yo, homie, you can’t close that thing behind you.

When my heart rate returned to normal, I said, Don’t sneak up on a guy like that. Why can’t I close it?

Mercury said, Cause you can’t open it from the inside.

Great.

Rain collected on the broad, flat temple mound and flooded into the secret opening. It spilled down the steep and narrow steps. I recalled how slick the stones were when they were dry. And I remembered the pit of liquid mercury at the bottom. One wrong move and I was face down in a pool of poison. Why was I doing this? Because my bride-to-be needed a cause to champion: Freeing China. A noble endeavor if there was one.

I started down, touching the walls on both sides to steady myself. The treads were too narrow, the risers too deep. A stream of rainwater swirled around my ankles like a mountain stream. Four steps down, my right foot slid out from under me. My butt hit a riser while my hands grabbed at the walls. A move like that lower down, where there were no walls, could be instant death.

Mercury said, Don’t forget the pile of bones you saw at the bottom, brutha. But don’t be worrying about that shit. Seven-Death is waiting for you. C’mon now.

I said, Is there an easier way in?

Mercury said, If there was, the Knights could use it to ambush you down there.

A good point that served as a confidence builder. As more rain cascaded down the stones, I resumed my downward march. Carefully planting each foot before I put weight on it, I took one tread at a time. The stairway turned at each corner of the pyramid temple. A wild river of rain threatened my footing on every step.

The supporting walls disappeared when I entered the main chamber. The cavern was the size of a cathedral with the stairs being suspended in the middle, no handrails, no side support. Nothing to hang on to. And a hundred-foot drop on both sides. Either you stayed on the straight and narrow by faith, or you fell off and died.

That’s when I heard men above me. The Knights had found the entrance.

Moving faster, I slid again. Both feet went out this time and my butt followed. Just before I fell to my death, I twisted my torso at the waist and grabbed hold of the stone steps with both hands. Scrambling to swing my feet back on the stairs, I nearly slid off the other side.

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