Pirate

Sam pointed in that direction, and Remi nodded. They started up, turning the light off before they reached the cavern. A light, its glow reflecting into the tunnel. Remi waited as Sam continued to the end of the tunnel.

Not only was Victor standing guard, he had one arm around Nigel’s neck, his flashlight pointed toward Sam, and, in the other hand, his gun to Nigel’s head.

“How’d you get past my brother?”

“Oh. That was your brother down there?” Sam kept his gun pointed at the guy, sidestepping around the circumference of the cavern. Victor turned with him, careful to keep Nigel between him and Sam.

“What’d you do to Rogen?”

Sam didn’t answer. Just kept moving so that Victor followed until his flashlight was no longer pointed Remi’s direction.

“Where is he?”

Just as Sam saw the barrel of Victor’s gun edging from Nigel toward him, Remi stepped out of the tunnel, took a deep breath, then threw her knife.

Victor cried out as the knife hit him square in the back. His gun and flashlight flew from his hands. His head dropped back as he crumpled to the ground, dragging Nigel with him. Nigel scrambled away, his gaze fixed on Victor’s body.

“Nicely done, Mrs. Fargo. Let me guess — you thought I could use a hand?”

“It crossed my mind.”

“I had it under control,” he said as Nigel moved closer to Remi.

“Is — is he dead?” Nigel asked, his face pale.

“Or paralyzed,” Sam said. Remi’s Buck Knife was imbedded up to the hilt against his spine. The man wasn’t going anywhere. Nigel, however, looked about ready to faint as he gave wide berth around the body. “Exactly how did he get you?” Sam asked, more to take Nigel’s mind off the body than anything else.

“I was hiding in one of those side tunnels. I think they saw my footprints.”

Sam eyed Remi’s knife. “Don’t suppose you want that thing back.”

“Not really. But I’ll take his gun.” She reached down, picked it up, then shoved it into the back of her waistband.

“What do you say we get out of here?”

“Splendid idea, Fargo.”

As luck would have it, Fisk and his crew raced into the chamber at that exact moment.

Fifty-five

Sam fired several rounds, forcing Fisk, Ivan, and Jak back into the tunnel. Bits of sandstone flew up from the ground. “New plan,” Sam said, pointing at the first tunnel.

Remi nodded, shut off her Stinger flashlight, pulling Nigel with her.

The only light now was coming from the third tunnel where Fisk and company were holed up.

Fisk realized the disadvantage. The cavern went dark.

Sam kept his aim in that direction as he backed toward the fourth passage. He hadn’t gone more than a few feet when someone stumbled from the tunnel and the chamber lit up with the dim blue beam of a cell phone that tumbled out, then landed light side up. Sam aimed his gun, only to find Alexandra standing there, unarmed, a sacrificial lamb to light up the chamber more. And Sam was right in the middle of it.

“I’ll kill the both of you, Fargo!” Fisk said. “The moment you or that woman moves.”

Alexandra froze, her hands in the air, as she looked at Sam’s gun.

So much for any advantage. “What is it you want, Fisk?”

“My cipher wheel. You were at the inn— Victor!” Fisk said, seeing the body. “What happened to him?”

“Ran into the wrong end of a knife,” Sam said.

“Guns on the ground. Now!”

Sam lowered his gun to the ground.

“Kick it away from you.”

Sam gave it a tepid push.

“Now Victor’s and Rogen’s guns.”

Sam tossed the gun in his waistband.

“The other.”

“Only one I found.” Remi had the other, not that he was about to mention it.

“Your wife. Where is she?”

“Good question.”

“Get her out here or you’re dead.”

Sam remained silent.

“Get her out here or I’ll kill you.”

“I’m here,” Remi said from just inside the first tunnel entrance. She turned on her flashlight, held up both hands, and stepped out into the cavern toward Sam. Nigel at least stayed safely hidden.

“Toss your gun.”

Remi started to lower her Sig.

“I said toss it.”

She did, closer to Sam.

Fisk turned on his light and stepped out of the tunnel, his gun aimed at Sam and Remi. Ivan and Jak flanked him. “Your flashlight,” he said to Remi. “Turn it off.”

She lowered the Stinger to the ground, aiming the beam of light at the Night Sights of her Sig in front of Sam, taking her time before switching it off.

“The cell phone light,” Fisk said, motioning with his gun. Alexandra picked up her phone, turned off the light, and shoved it into her pocket.

The only illumination now came from the flashlight that Fisk aimed at them. “Keep your hands up,” he said.

Suddenly, Alexandra glared at Fisk. “Aren’t you at all interested in the cipher wheel? Turns out, it wasn’t the Fargos who took it.”

Fisk looked at her. “What’re you talking about?”

She reached into her pocket and pulled it out. “The tour guide said it’s a map to the treasure. Go and get it.” She flung it like a Frisbee toward the farthest passage on their left.

Fisk followed it with the beam of light, his attention diverted as it landed with a clatter, then rolled off into the darkness. “Get it!”

Ivan ran toward the tunnel.