Free The Jerusalem Creed: A Sean Wyatt Thriller by Ernest Dempsey

different result, a completely new combination of letters. The symbols alone can spell out the riddle once you unlock the cipher, but it could take weeks to get the correct sequence in the grid to spell out a name of any significance.”
    Mamoud considered what his hostage was telling him. He had no reason to lie at this point, unless he was stalling. He doubted Nehem would risk doing that, knowing what would happen if he suspected what the man was up to. The archaeologist was well aware of the actions Mamoud would take, and they would be severe. No, he was being honest. He could see it in the man’s swollen, reddened eyes. There were no lies in them. Still, a few weeks wasn’t good enough. He’d waited long enough for the war he was about to wage, and he couldn’t begin until he had the two relics.
    “You said there are twelve spaces on the grid, and that each one combined together will produce possible names of the places where the relics are hidden?”
    “Yes. I believe so. I swear. I can’t be sure. But I am confident.”
    A few weeks. He didn’t have that kind of time.
    “You have twenty-four hours.”
    A short, low vibration sound echoed like a rumble in the vacuous room. Sharouf stirred behind the prisoner, sliding his hand into his pocket. He pulled out his phone and stepped away from the table to an archway leading into the adjacent room.
    He answered the phone in Arabic. “What?”
    Mamoud’s eyes narrowed as he tried to hear what the person on the other end of the phone call was saying, but all he heard was mumbled gibberish.
    Sharouf nodded. “I see. Are you sure?”
    He listened again to the report coming from the earpiece. When the person was done talking, Sharouf thanked them and ended the call. He put the phone back in his pocket and looked up at his employer. Mamoud stared at him expectantly, giving away nothing. Sharouf likewise kept his demeanor calm. Clearly, he was trying to hide something from their captive. He motioned with his head to join him in the other room.
    Mamoud nodded and ordered the remaining guard to escort Nehem back to his room. “I would suggest you hurry, Doctor. The clock is ticking.”
    The guard stood the man up and ushered him out another entryway, into a foyer, and up a set of stairs. Once the sound of their footsteps had faded away, Mamoud followed Sharouf into the kitchen. They both cautiously looked around to make sure no one was within earshot.
    “What is this?” the head man asked.
    Sharouf kept cool, but a twitch in his eye belied that something was wrong. “That was my man in Atlanta. The targets managed to escape.”
    Mamoud’s expression remained stoic while rage boiled up inside him. “Where are they?”
    “My men have been working to find out where they went. They believe they may have stayed at a safe house or perhaps their IAA building over the evening.”
    “So you have no idea where they are right now?”
    Sharouf looked down at his shoes for a second before locking eyes with his boss once more. “On a hunch, they were able to track the IAA jet late this morning.”
    “And where did it go?”
    “Israel.”
     
     
     

7
    Dubai
     
    Fury burned in Mamoud’s eyes as he stared through his most trusted bodyguard. He had a million questions, but only one remained at the forefront of his mind. It hung on his lips like rain drops on the leaves of a tree, begging to drop from the weight of its burden.
    “How did this happen?”
    For the first time since Mamoud had met him, Sharouf’s face expressed worry. It was slight, barely noticeable, but it was there nonetheless.
    He didn’t answer at first; instead, his eyes remained on the floor as he searched for answers. When he looked back up, his boss knew he had none. “I am not certain. But we know where they are headed.”
    “You only know they’re in Israel!” Mamoud roared, his voice bouncing off the walls like thunder in a raging storm.
    Sharouf took a deep breath. “There is only one reason