Free The Swords of Babylon (Matt Drake 6) by David Leadbeater Page B

Drake stepped in. “Give the guy a chance. He has information we can use. Don’t forget, this was Razin’s prison, full of his men.”
    Yorgi nodded, still chewing. “He owned the men, the guards, everything.”
    Hayden spoke up, “We saw something of Razin’s research when we hit the timber yard. Ancient Babylon, the Tower of Babel, the Dance of the Seven Veils. Singen.” The last word was directed at Drake with some poignancy.
    The Yorkshireman caught on. “Come again?”
    “They found some kind of link between Singen and Babylon. And Babylon, translated, means Gateway of the Gods.”
    “Razin did ask a shedload of questions about the third tomb,” Drake remembered. “It was pretty much all he was interested in.” He proceeded to relate everything Yorgi had told him about the seven swords, Razin ’s proclamation that they would turn him into a world leader, how they were searching for them in the old ruins, and of the American professor who was helping them against his will.
    “They ’re holding this professor somewhere around Red Square,” Drake finished. “Though I do believe Yorgi sniffed out a little more before our departure?”
    Yorgi stepped in, eager to help. “I did give up over half my stash for this. He ’s on Tverskaya Street.”
    Kinimaka felt a tendril of shock squirm in his stomach. The rest of the team looked understandably disturbed. “An American professor being held here?” Hayden nodded at the window. “In Moscow. Are you kidding?”
    “Razin nabbed him when he blabbed too much about his bloody research,” Drake told her. “And Red Square ’s twenty minutes away . . .”
    “We need to prepare,” Hayden said. “Speak to Gates.”
    Mai agreed. “Maybe we should get the Russians involved.”
    Alicia laughed. “Little sprite, you losing your mind as well as your edge? They ’ve been about as useful as an old Skoda so far.”
    Mai shot the Englishwoman a hard look. Kinimaka knew what was behind that cloud. The ex-Japanese agent blamed herself for losing Drake. And something else was going on with her, an event that had ties to her hidden past, and Mai Kitano was clearly stressed.
    They talked until the small hours, and when they were all about to retire for a few hours, Dahl’s cell phone rang.
    The Swede eyed the screen uncertainly. “This is odd.”
    Kinimaka watched him as he listened to the caller. The Hawaiian had been expecting a call of his own tonight, hoping for one from home and dreading one from California. The business with Kono was going to have to be resolved one day.
    Now Dahl put his phone on the table and sat back, looking troubled. “That was Olle Akerman. You remember? My man in Iceland who ’s translating the language of the gods? And my friend—” he added.
    “What is it?” Hayden prompted.
    “Well, he says he’ll explain all when he sees me. But something’s happening over at the Icelandic tomb. Three dead. One presumably missing. And . . .” Dahl paused, shaking his head.
    “What?”
    “Olle had to run for his life. He was being chased out of the tomb. By Russell Cayman.”
    “Cayman?” Hayden echoed. “He’s back?”
    “Something very nasty ’s going on,” Drake said, glancing around the group. “Something that involves the tombs, these swords, Cayman, and God knows what else. And we need to get up to speed before it’s too late.”
    Dahl jumped to his feet. “And that ’s why I’m heading to Iceland,” he said. “On the next flight out.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
     
     
    Russell Cayman had finally come face to face with the true leader of the Shadow Elite. The man ’s real name was Zak Block and he welcomed Cayman into his home, explained himself thoroughly, and truly communicated with him as an equal. Times were hard indeed for the Shadow Elite.
    The last remaining member of the secret society that ran the world had called in every favor he had ever been owed. His power had been diminished by the loss of his figurehead – the