Free The Tomb of the Gods (Matt Drake 4) by David Leadbeater

Stuttgart, are vital. Russell Cayman is vital, and if at all possible needs to be captured alive. We don’t know”—he paused—“if the eyes of authority consider us the bad guys here. But we’re monitoring the news services and nothing has come up so maybe someone, somewhere, has our backs. There’s a group—calls itself the Shadow Elite—who think they own the world. Let’s shake it up and show ’em who it really belongs to. The people.”
    A cheer went up. Drake could hardly imagine the variety of characters a man like Gates could enlist to find the Shadow Elite. Something would shake loose soon. When Gates stopped speaking and the room started to mobilize for their short journey to the tomb, Drake drifted over to Ben and Karin.
    “You two nailed down the tomb’s location, I hear. Not bad for a head banger and a dropout.”
    Ben’s face fell. “Don’t remind me, mate. Just don’t remind me.” He sounded suicidal.
    Drake blinked rapidly at Karin. “His nappy rash flared up again?”
    Karin smirked. “Worse than ever. But on top of that, he’s just heard that, in his absence, the band released their CD when they came out of police protection and have been invited to guest at a festival near Leeds.”
    “Isn’t that good news, mate?”
    “Not when I’m here ,” Ben whined, “saving the world.”
    “Worse thing is—” Karin couldn’t contain herself any longer. “The festival’s being headlined by Ben’s two favorite groups. Pretty Reckless and Evanescence.”
    Drake whistled. “Bummer. Don’t worry. Maybe the world will have ended by then.”
    Ben glared at him. “I thought you, at least, would understand.”
    “Life’s tough, Ben.” Drake cast a sideways glance at Hayden. “And if you don’t realize that pretty soon, you’re gonna find out in a way that’ll cut you off at the knees.” Drake turned away, an old memory of Kennedy playing through his head. “Stick to working the internet, Blakey.”
    Karin put a hand on his shoulder as he made to walk away. “There’s something else bothering him too. Well, both of us. This Shadow Elite—we found literally bugger all about them on the net. Not a trace nor a trail. Not even a sniff of digital footprints.”
    Drake nodded. “I understand.” Ben and Karin working together could crack into the NSA without breaking a sweat. He walked them over to where Hayden, Mai and Alicia were talking. “Now, if you’re up for it, there’s the last tomb of the gods to raid.”
    Hayden heard his last comment as they approached. She looked up, eyes hard. “You’d better be up for it. You think you’ve gone through hell so far? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
     
     

PART 2
    The tomb, the thief and the train.
     

CHAPTER TWELVE
     
    The industrial city of Singen in Southern Germany had no idea of the storm that was set to strike. Sitting pretty and picturesque under a clear, blue sky, surrounded by forests, lakes and mountains, and overlooked by the landmark it was made famous for—the volcanic stub on which was built a fortress, now ruined—it basked in dangerous ignorance.
    Some of the world’s most ruthless men and women approached. Some were already there.
    They made the trip in less than an hour. During that time Drake, Alicia, Mai and Dahl swapped stories and jokes to help alleviate the tension. Drake kept half an ear on the conversation, but concentrated mainly on checking the gear he’d been issued back at the safe house. Of course, as always, Dahl had chosen that particular place for a major reason. Not only was it an SSG facility, it was also a military bunker and stored enough weaponry to outfit a small army. SIG and Glock pistols, American M16’s, and M4 Carbines. Pump-action shotguns, rocket launchers, grenades and flares.
    Alicia and even Mai had approached the stash eagerly, like kids at Christmas, but Drake had grabbed the bare minimum, while making sure both Ben and Karin were outfitted with easy-to-use “point and