“And what do you have?” Kaskey and Gulch asked together.
“Come and look,” Rorckshift said.
***
They had a large tent erected close to the dig site and inside were the metal plates from the hull of a spaceship along with a small collection of unidentifiable parts.
“The sand and arid climate has saved the outer hull, but perhaps only because it’s the strongest part of the ship,” Rorckshift explained.
“You’ve found nothing else?” Gulch said.
“Not a lot, so far,” Hendricks said.
“It can’t be true though,” Kaskey said slowly.
“Yes,” Rorckshift said excitedly, “That’s the point isn’t it? How can it be?”
“The Shores of Dawn,” Gulch whispered.
“We’re wandering into the realms of myth and legend here,” Hendricks said around his unlit pipe.
Kaskey looked at the metal plates, the unmistakable symbol of Lord Naylor. One of the Arks that left the Tenth Kingdom.
“There are myths and then there are legends,” he said slowly.
“Go on,” Rorckshift said.
“The Ten Kingdoms are a legend and there’s usually some truth to them. Maybe just a nugget, but the Shores of Dawn that’s still myth even if the Ten Kingdoms are true.”
“He’s right,” Gulch said. “I don’t like that he said it instead of me, but he’s right.”
“Still though,” Rorckshift said with simmering passion. “When legends become reality, myths become legends.”
“Perhaps, man, perhaps.”
“Though there will be people more than willing to believe this could lead to that,” Gulch said.
“Right,” Hendricks said, “which is why we need to move it. This dig has just become a lot more dangerous.”
“What do you need?” Kaskey asked.
***
If Grant had been there, Gulch would have suggested storing the finds on the Albatross, but he couldn’t make that call. Especially as it could make the Albatross a target. Of course, hopefully no one would know that it was there, not if Gulch could work out his little magic trick. That was what it was going to have to be, sleight of hand, just in case anyone was willing to sell out the information. They had sat and talked about it, a good hiding place and the bones of a plan. They had a circle of trust amongst the four of them and it pleased Gulch no end that he was a part of that with such great scholars.
Perhaps if his early life had gone differently he could have been a contemporary of these two Archaeologists. A scholar. He had dreamed of it, even when sleeping rough on the streets, refusing to believe that this was the end, the summation of his life. Going to Ballantium University, exploring the Universe, digging up treasures and finding the truths behind the Universe.
Well, he smiled to himself, he’d found that with Grant: that it was run by crooks. But there were other things, other truths, such as those who came before and those that have never been found. Like the Ten Kingdoms.
He remembered when he’d first heard of them; he’d picked up a job, working computers in a data dump. A small team had gone in and set up a link and it was his job to grab specific data out of the dump and forward it on before returning all the files as if nothing had happened. The people he was working with were good. Professional. And he had a good window to work in. He didn’t need it, he found the appropriate data, copied and sent it with plenty of time, but then he had seen another file that caught his eye. He’d opened it and read about the Ten Kingdoms; the wreck of the Theotarkin and it’s supposed resting places; as well as supposed information that would give away the Universal coordinates to the Kingdoms themselves. He read as much as he could, but not as much as he had wanted as the window closed and he had to rid his computers of all the files and the link was severed. Those inside, risking their lives for the information never knew that he had spent his time reading and were still impressed with the time it had taken him. Everyone walked away paid and happy. Except for Gulch, who was now consumed with finding out more. And once again he had stumbled on information about the Ten Kingdoms, but this time it was information that those people, so long ago, would kill to have.
They couldn’t assume that the Archaeologists were dirty, I mean they were dirty, they dug dirt for a living. Not dirty in the corrupt way, but you knew that didn’t you? ‘Course you did. Smarty pants. At this point it was doubtful that any of the team were crooked, that usually only comes once the money, or promise of money, is flashed before the eyes.
So they weren’t keeping it a secret that they were moving the finds to a place better suited for analysis, it was just that they were lying about the destination. It would be Kaskey and Gulch’s job to get it there, but as that would look dodgy, it was time for a bit of bait and switch.
CHAPTER 38
Grant, Tsyrker and Regrette were racing after Koleermeer. Traffic was always terrible in Bangkok so they had grabbed a motorcycle taxi each. They could have stolen the bikes off of the riders, but even they couldn’t ride as fast and dangerously through traffic as a Bangkok motorcycle taxi.
Koleermeer was using Kaskey’s tracker and was rapidly approaching MBK via the Skytrain. There was still a good walk from the platform to the mall and then up to the sixth floor. That meant there was still a chance of catching him before he got to the meeting point and all hell broke loose. But only a small one.
They’d had radios in since they left and, on the motorbike ride over, they’d furiously discussed the best way to proceed now that their plans were dead in the water. The issue was with changing things. Any time you changed a criminal’s plan you risked setting off a chain reaction that led to worse things. The consequences of which would then be on your head. Of course if you let bad things happen then they were also on your head. You couldn’t win, really.
Tsyrker wanted a fight between the Shen Mi and Gothra to go ahead and Grant wanted to grab Koleermeer even if it diverted said gang war. Regrette pointed out that if it was known they’d kidnapped Koleermeer then everyone would shut down and that would be the end of it all. No more Desards until they came out to assassinate them. At this point it seemed unlikely they’d be able to grab him before he reached his destination anyway.
“Alright, alright,” Grant had said.
The attack on the Shen Mi had to go ahead to cover them. He hadn’t wanted them to get caught up in it, but now the best they could hope for was to not lose their chance of grabbing Koleermeer in the heat of battle or as he escaped. The latter was riskier, but no one wanted to be grabbing him out of a gunfight.
Grant had looked down at the tracker, they were running out of time.
“Steve. You have an odd sense of what is fun, don’t you?” he’d said.
“Mssh,” came the reply.
“How about this?” and Grant had outlined his plan.
***
Koleermeer was nervous as he walked into MBK. He trusted those that were part of his organisation, but he didn’t know who was here. Gothra’s gang was large and spread out and the further down the chain from you someone was, the less you could trust them to watch your back. Really, he only trusted his own second and third in command. Beyond that he was always suspicious of being sold out. And this hitman? Well he’d never met him or her, and though his associate from the spa seemed professional and on the ball, he didn’t like trusting his safety to an unknown.
Gothra had chosen him though as she thought he was the best prize, the one who they would want to get. She was right, he thought; he was close to her, her confidant, he knew how she worked. He’d been with her a long time. And she’d assured him that she would keep him completely safe, that she wouldn’t lose a trusted lieutenant such as he.
But still.
But still, he had worried for some time that he might be doing too well, getting too well connected. That maybe she was worried that he would make a bid for something bigger. He wouldn’t, he knew his place and he served diligently. He had everything he
had ever wanted and certainly didn’t want the stress of controlling a whole organisation. But she’d seemed a little more distant for the last year, a little less inclined to share the workings of the gang as she had used to. He didn’t know what was going on, but when he was asked to do this job, well… Maybe it was her way of bringing him back in; he knew she had been brokering some kind of a deal and he knew it was with the Desards, though she hadn’t told him that. He could appreciate why she would keep that one to herself. So he’d gone along with it, of course he had, he was willing to serve and wanted to show that, but still the doubts played in his mind. Especially as he walked into MBK.
From the Skytrain station he walked into a semicircular corridor with a department store to the right. Following this around opened up to the bulk of the mall. In the centre was a void only pierced by the escalators. The shops on every floor existed on an, admittedly large, balcony that wrapped around the walls in a figure of eight, with a wide shop-filled floor separating the two voids next to the escalators. It was, Koleermeer had to admit, impressive. Below him there were two floors of shops, but he ignored them and headed to the up escalators. He wanted to get to the meet, and out of the crowds, as fast as possible.
He got on the escalator and watched the people coming down the other one right next to him. If this was a hit then this would be a good place. Stab him on their way past.
No.
Come on, she wasn’t going to kill him and she wasn’t going to let the Shen Mi take him; he really did know an awful lot about the operation.
No, it would be at the meet where she’d do it. Make it look like they murdered one of hers. She wanted a gang war and this would legitimise it for her.
No, no.
She wasn’t going to kill him, he’d always been there for her, always been loyal; never made any inclination that he might want to take her place.
He arrived at the fourth floor; this was by far the busiest floor as it was almost full of kiosks selling mobile phones and accessories along with some bootleg films. Seemed the Thais were very into their phones. If anyone was to grab him it would be here. He had to walk across the void to get to the next escalator going up and he took a deep breath as he entered the crowds.
***
The sixth floor was filled with kiosks and clothing stalls with shops around the walls. At one end, through a maze of kiosks was the food court. Said kiosks were so plentiful and haphazardly placed that there were arrows on the floor to help you find the food court or the way out. On one semi-circular shaped wall were the counters selling a variety of delicious foods from all over South East Asia with tables and chairs filling the floor. It was bustling as it always was, but today a lot of those people sitting with a meal in front of them were not there for the food. I mean, they’d still eaten it, how could you not? All that lovely food just sitting there under your nose? They had to have something to justify taking up a seat and so most of the Shen Mi had had to get up two or three times to have a uneaten meal in front of them.
They had been tense, the area was full of foot traffic and they were not in an area they could fully control. Oh they had done their best and they had chosen this as the meeting place because they knew that it was confusing, knew there were many exits and they knew that only they would have the time to plan for them all.
And now here came their target. No one knew who it was, but this man was walking purposely to where their leaders, Lóng and Lăobăn sat. This had to be him and they all readied themselves.
“Yes?” Lóng asked the man with the hat pulled low.
“I’m here to defect,” the man said.
“I don’t think so,” Lóng said.
She was fast, but Regrette was faster and the two Shen Mi were dead with their pistols still in their holsters.
“Gothra says hello,” Regrette shouted and flipped open his coat to show a simply ridiculous array of weapons. He shot another two Shen Mi with his twin pistols, before the others could react.
***
Gothra’s gang had been walking around the shops for a good few hours before they were alerted to Koleermeer’s entering of the mall and had, on verifying his presence, moved up to the food court in front of him. Now someone else was approaching the Shen Mi and then the unthinkable happened. The guy shot the two leaders. Not only that but he shouted ‘Gothra says hello,’ before shooting two more. Well this just wasn’t the plan, but if this guy was from Gothra then maybe it was, maybe she hadn’t risked Koleermeer after all? Either way they really needed to act and this guy seemed to be on their side so… well? They looked at each other and all shrugged. This was the plan…
***
Gothra’s gang ran in blasting as innocents went running and screaming or hiding under tables and screaming. Most of them doing their best to also save their tasty, tasty food. The Shen Mi pulled guns and followed their plan of retreat whilst shooting back at Gothra’s crew. In the middle Regrette shot at both sides and cackled maniacally.
***
Meanwhile Grant and Tsyrker were guiding Koleermeer towards the very back of MBK and another set of escalators down.
“Come on,” Grant urged.
“We’re here to save you,” Tsyrker said.
“Save me?” Koleermeer asked tremulously.
“A man of your brains had his doubts,” Grant said. “All rather risky for a man of your stature.”
“But, but, I was the ideal bait,” Koleermeer whined.
“Yes. Yes you were and ideally out of the picture when the Desards took over,” Tsyrker said pulling him along.
They knew! They knew about the Desards. Who were they?
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Can’t have you in a position where the Desards could choose you over her, can she?” Grant asked instead. “It’s the way takeovers always go. We’ve seen it a hundred times, haven’t we?”
“A thousand,” Tsyrker agreed. “Get rid of the boss and promote the second in command. Promotes loyalty to the new bosses.”
“But I don’t want to be the boss,” Koleermeer whined.
It had been a long time since he’d been in the thick of it. He’d gotten used to giving orders from the comfort of his own home. Ruining lives without even meeting the person; making and breaking deals while choosing which Whiskey to serve next. But what they said made sense. He knew it; Gothra knew it. To break an organisation or a person, you go for the head not the tail. Sometimes literally.
They were halfway to the escalators when three men and a woman came running past, pushing people out of the way. Tsyrker noticed the radio earpieces as Grant tried to turn Koleermeer away from them. They ran past and Grant pulled Koleermeer forward.
“Hey,” someone shouted. “That’s him, get ‘em.”
“Shabbus,” Grant swore.
Both he and Tsyrker pulled their guns and turned in one motion. They took aim amongst the crowds and shot at Gothra’s gang. People screamed and dived for cover as Tsyrker shot the other man, the woman however had disappeared.
“Come on,” Grant commanded Koleermeer.
“But, but…”
“See?” Tsyrker shouted as they pulled him into a run. “They’re trying to kill you.”
The escalators at the back were smaller and went through the floor and were full of people running down or up to escape the bullets. Of which there were now some following Grant, Tsyrker and Koleermeer. They charged down them, pushing past terrified people where they could or just urging them to move down faster.
Now they were on the floor with access to the Skytrain and so they ran towards the front of the building where the void opened up. On the balcony above them they could hear people shouting and someone shot at them from the escalator. The whole void in fact was echoing with screams and the gunfire from the sixth floor. They couldn’t see it from where they were, but the battle had spilled out of the food court and was slowly spreading through the shops and to the floor below.
Grant shot at someone lining up
a shot from across the void and Tsyrker took careful aim and shot the shooter on the escalator.
“There,” Koleermeer shouted and Grant turned and shot two that were in front of them.
The low glass wall that ran around the void cracked as bullets thudded into it and Grant and Tsyrker tried to put stalls between them and it.
“Down, down, everybody down,” Grant yelled as they ran.
Tsyrker was running backwards shooting at Gothra’s gang as they chased and Grant took pot-shots where he could and then they were away from the void heading around the crescent corridor to the exit. Somewhere behind them there was a muffled bang of an explosion. Bullets hit the wall just as they rounded the corner, but they didn’t stop.
They hit the exit and ran down the flight of stairs onto a wide concrete walkway that ran above the four-way road intersection. They ran forward as Tsyrker turned and shot a man coming out of the doors. The walkway went both left and right; left to the Skytrain station and right to join up with the Discovery Centre mall on the corner of Siam Square.
As they were being chased, a train didn’t seem much good so they sprinted right, following the walkway as it turned left and then veered back around to the right.
Someone shot at them from where they had just come from and Grant turned and shot back, as once again people were running, screaming and dropping to the ground. They charged up the steps, dragging Koleermeer with them and burst into the mall. This one had shops lining the walls, again with a void in the centre from floor to ceiling. They’d managed to get down the escalator one floor before someone started shooting at them from above and they shot back while not stopping. The only cover they would get was from a shop and they would get trapped in there. They ran to an enclosed sky-bridge that led to the second in a line of three malls that lined the road facing into Siam Square. Here they ran down escalators and pushed their way through the scores of teenagers who shopped at The Siam Centre, as it is known. On the ground floor was some kind of concert and so teens filled that floor and filled those above, hanging over the central void to see.
No shots came as they passed through the excited crowds and disappeared into the last and largest mall. Siam Paragon. From here they could get to the Skytrain station by a sky-bridge.