Curse of the Pharaoh: A Brock Stone Adventure

The gadget he carried with him was one of his simpler creations. It was a short metal tube, about the circumference of a drinking straw. It operated like a blowgun, but it was spring-powered and only good at close range. It fired a needle coated with a powerful tranquilizer. It only had one round. Alex needed to be fast.

“Shake a leg.” Kane prodded him with the tip of his Oxford.

“Just trying to work this knot free.” His fingertips closed around the dart gun. He was dizzy from fear and adrenaline. If this didn’t work, he was a dead man.

This is for all the marbles.

Alex gave the base a twist to release the safety. Before he could change his mind, he sprang to his feet and swung his hook at Kane’s head. Kane blocked the attack with disdainful ease.

“That was the stupidest thing you…” Kane began.

Alex sent a puff of air through the blowgun. Kane flinched as the tiny needle pierced his neck. He frowned and slapped at it, thinking it was an insect. The blow drove the needle all the way in. His eyes went wide.

“What did you do to me?” His words were slurred. The tranquilizer was already taking effect.

“A great deal less than you deserve.” With that, Alex gave Kane a hard shove. The dazed man wobbled and fell. “Pleasant dreams.”

Alex took off at a dead sprint. Now, all he had to do was find the front door.

* * *

Stone dodged to the left as the weapon fired. The report of the pistol reverberated through the corridor. The bullet pinged off the marble floor and ricocheted off the ceiling. Kane’s henchmen blocked both exits. Stone saw only one option, so he took it. He made a dash for a concealed door at the corner of the room. Its location was one of the few things he had been able to learn about the temple in his reading.

Gunshots boomed. Bullets sizzled through the air, bouncing this way and that. He shouldered through the door and made a dash up a narrow spiral staircase. At the top, a door opened up onto the roof. No sense getting trapped there. Stone pushed it open, then headed in the other direction.

It didn’t fool the thugs. They took one glance out the door and then they were hot on his tail again.

Through another doorway and Stone found himself standing at a glistening square of glass — the oculus that looked down onto the Temple Room.

Kane’s thugs were now hot on his heels. He made a run for the oculus, reached the edge, and jumped. The long jump had never been his strong suit, but he was an athlete, and the leap, while a long one, was not beyond his abilities.

Or so he thought.

He fell just short of his target, landing on the oculus where two glass panels met at a metal crossbeam. There was an angry shriek as the framework gave way beneath his weight. But it held enough for him to make it.

Kane’s men were not so fortunate. Fueled by rage, eyes locked on Stone, they never noticed where they were running. The sound of breaking glass filled the air. Shouts of surprise turned to screams of abject terror. The sounds died seconds later when the thugs struck the marble floor far below.

Stone skidded down the sloped roof of the top level and dropped down onto the narrow ledge that ran all the way around the temple. It was still a long way down, but he had no other choice. He turned, slipped over the ledge, and dangled there by his fingertips.

Time seemed to freeze as he hung between life and death. In the distance, the Washington Monument glistened in the moonlight. He heard a shout from below him and looked down to see Alex.

“Let go. I’ll break your fall,” Alex said.

“You’ll break your back trying to catch me.”

A shot rang out. A bullet struck the ledge an inch from his hand. One of Kane’s thugs had not fallen for Stone’s trick. Another shot, another near miss.

Stone said a prayer and released his grip. He felt like he was falling forever, and then a jolt of pain shot up his spine as he struck the ground. Groaning, he clambered to his feet.

“Let’s go.” He and Alex ducked behind the columns where they could not be seen, sprinted around the corner, and dashed across the street.

Kane’s thug fired one more shot before his cylinder was dry. He spewed invectives and described the graphic punishment he would deal out when he finally caught them.

As they ran, Alex filled him in on his encounter with Stone. By the time he had finished, they felt safe walking.

“I don’t understand,” Stone said. “Why didn’t Kane find the ushabti when he searched you?”

“Secret hiding place.” Alex grinned and removed his hook. Tucked inside was the cloth-wrapped figurine. “He never thought to look under the hook.”

“Have I told you you’re a genius?” Stone said. His friend never failed to impress with his inventiveness.

“I know.” Alex winked. “But it’s nice to hear all the same.”

11 The Legend of the Night Queen