The Midas Code

Cavano’s passenger fired two warning shots into the air. Apparently, Cavano wanted her Ferrari back in one piece. But her passenger made it clear that the next two shots were going to end Tyler’s and Stacy’s lives one way or the other if they didn’t pull over.

Tyler saw a sign that said AUSFAHRT. An exit. Two kilometers. If he could reach it, maybe he could figure out something. He slowed to give the impression that he was obeying her command.

The Zonda suddenly lurched as if the car were having a seizure. Tyler thought Cavano had hit the brake, but then it sped up before lurching again.

The passenger turned away to see what was happening, but Tyler already knew. She was out of gas. He mashed his own pedal down.

Cavano gestured wildly to the gunman, but by the time he turned back around, the Ferrari was already directly in front of the Zonda. Not learning from his dead comrade, he stuck the gun out to shoot them and had it snatched from his hand.

The Zonda continued to slow and finally pulled over to the shoulder.

Tyler cruised to the exit, satisfied that he and Stacy were in the clear. He blipped the throttle and soon the Zonda was out of sight.

Taking a back road that ran parallel to the autobahn, they met Grant at a rest-area parking lot where they’d dump the Ferrari. Cavano would get it back, though with about eighty thousand dollars’ worth of bodywork.

“You guys okay?” Grant asked as they got out.

Tyler nodded, holding his wounded arm. “Nothing that a bandage won’t take care of.”

Stacy steadied herself against the Audi. “After that ride, I feel like I’m bathing in adrenaline.”

“Let’s make a pact,” Tyler said. “I never drive you in a car at two hundred miles an hour again, and you never make me ride another horse.”

She smiled. “You’ve got a deal. Next time we’ll compromise and make it a horse and buggy.”

Tyler groaned playfully, opened the front boot, and saw a case inside. He lifted its lid to make sure the whole car chase hadn’t been for nothing.

There was the geolabe shining brightly at him. He breathed a sigh of relief and was about to close the case when he heard it rattle, as if a piece of metal was loose inside. Then he noticed a protrusion on the side. He turned it over, and his heart sank when he saw what it was.

“Uh, guys,” he said. “We’ve got a new problem.”

“It’s not there?” Stacy said.

“No, it’s here all right. At least, most of it is.”

Tyler held it up to his eye and could see Stacy straight through the bullet hole.

THIRTY-SEVEN

T hey found a clinic that bought Tyler’s story about injuring his arm with a piece of jagged metal. After the doctor put ten stitches into the arm and gave him a tetanus shot, the three of them returned to the Gordian jet. Tyler and Grant had just begun to disassemble the geolabe to assess the damage from the stray bullet when Tyler’s phone rang.

“Is it Orr?” Stacy asked.

Tyler nodded and put the call on speaker.

“How are you doing, Locke?” Orr said. “Found the map yet?”

“We’re working on it.”

“I already know you work well under pressure. You have to meet me in Naples in two days.”

Tyler remembered Cavano’s explanation about beginning her excavation on Monday. There would be no wiggle room in Orr’s schedule, but he had to put up at least a token resistance.

“We need more time,” Tyler said. “There’s no way we can finish our task by Sunday.”

“Find a way, or start making funeral arrangements.”

Tyler hesitated a few seconds for effect. “Fine. We’ll be there. How are we making the exchange? I don’t imagine you’re bringing my father and Stacy’s sister with you to Italy.”

“Have someone ready to confirm their release at the Lincoln Memorial that day at 3 P.M. eastern time. At the same time on Sunday, 9 P.M. in Naples, there’s an outdoor concert taking place on Piazza del Plebiscito before a fireworks show. Meet me there. Both you and Stacy.”

“Just me,” Tyler said.

“Both of you, or don’t bother showing up.”

“We haven’t seen our proof-of-life videos today.”

“I’m sending the video now. When I confirm that you’ve solved the puzzle, I will release Sherman and Carol.”

Hearing Orr use their names as if they were friends made Tyler’s bile rise. He didn’t believe Orr was going to give his hostages up that easily, but they had no choice but to continue playing along.

“How will we find you at the concert?”

“I’ll call you with more instructions then. Just make sure you’re there at 9 p.m.” Orr hung up.

Tyler checked his email. Carol and Sherman looked more haggard than they did the day before, but they seemed uninjured. There wasn’t any more signing to decode, however. This video was from the chest up. Sherman’s hands weren’t in the frame.

“Orr isn’t leaving us many options,” Tyler said to Stacy as he showed Grant the video.

She nodded as if she were expecting it.

“Without any more leads from Aiden,” Grant said, “I think we’re going to have to go through with this.”

Tyler sighed. “I think you’re right.”