Chapter Twenty-Seven
Cairo, Egypt
Two Days Later
Nate rolled over in the plush sheets, willing himself to get out of bed.
He was extremely comfortable and not at all sure he was ready to begin the day.
The constant hopping back and forth across the Atlantic had set in motion a cascade of jet lag that was starting to catch up to him.
He had no idea what time it was, but judging by the bright sliver of sunlight that pierced the room through the edge of the curtain, he had slept in.
Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed he stood up, yawned, and stretched.
He shuffled through his duffel bag, threw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and exited the bedroom into the spacious living room.
Shane had booked them a suite at the luxurious Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa, and the accommodations were phenomenal.
Back in the Special Forces he’d stayed at similar places across the Middle East, always on the government’s dime, but he couldn’t have afforded such luxury on his own.
After leaving Kentucky, Nate had headed back to Boston to grab a few items from his apartment.
He packed a bag better suited to desert exploration, meaning fewer suits and more lightweight hiking apparel.
He’d thrown in his Vasque Breeze hiking boots and a tan boonie cap, and switched the link bracelet of his Omega watch out for a black nylon strap with orange accents.
As an afterthought, he had gone into his closet and grabbed his Yarborough knife from a box of military paraphernalia he kept on the top shelf.
It was serialized and was given to him the same day he had earned his Green Beret.
Produced by Chris Reeve Knives, the weapon had become a staple in the community over the years, and for a period was issued to all brand-new Special Forces soldiers.
It was named after General William P. Yarborough, who had not only designed the U.S.
Army Parachutist Badge, or airborne wings, but had led the Special Forces Regiment when he requested, and subsequently received, permission from President John F.
Kennedy for the unit to wear their distinctive headgear, the green beret.
Nate had never taken the weapon on a single deployment, opting to keep it as a ceremonial keepsake.
But for some reason it felt right that it should come with him now.
He had picked up the knife by its micarta handle, feeling its weight in his hand for the first time in years, and noticed that his box of knickknacks was not in the order he had originally left it.
He’d absently wondered if Paige had gotten into it, and if that was the reason she had left.
Perhaps Wally was right, and his past had been a turnoff to her.
It didn’t matter, he’d thought to himself, sheathing the seven-inch blade in its scabbard.
If she didn’t like him because of the things he’d done in the past, she sure as hell wasn’t going to approve of the things he was about to do now.
He’d thrown the knife in his checked luggage, its presence somehow offering some reassurance as he set out on this new adventure.
That had been two days ago. Today he was in Cairo, starting the first phase of their expedition.
As Nate approached the large sliding glass door, he saw Shane sitting out on the balcony in a white bathrobe, his bare feet kicked up on the railing and a cup of coffee in his hand.
He had his aviator sunglasses on to ward off the late-morning glare, and he looked completely relaxed.
In front of him the city opened up to provide an amazing view of the Giza Plateau and the pyramids. Nate looked up and caught his breath.
He loved Egypt. It was one of the truly awe-inspiring places of the world, in the company of cities like Jerusalem and Rome.
Nate had been here several times as a young man and the sensation of amazement never seemed to go away.
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza was nearly five thousand years old, constructed at a time when such undertakings should not have even been possible.
It was part of the Giza Plateau, a larger complex of shrines and temples that at its height was covered in fine white Tura limestone and must have been even more spectacular than it was today.
The pyramids had always fascinated him for the sheer fact that Egyptologists still did not have a clear explanation for their construction.
There were theories, ranging from enormous dirt ramps, to ancient advanced civilizations, to aliens.
Many of these were ridiculous of course, but skepticism alone did not answer burning questions regarding their creation.
The other thing that always struck him was the sheer size of them.
The Great Pyramid, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, was nearly 500 feet tall and 750 feet wide at its base.
The stones were so massive that moving only one of them would take monumental effort.
It wasn’t until a person stood next to them that they were able to truly grasp the size and therefore the magnitude of these structures.
Nate had stood next to them several times, and had even been allowed into them on rare occasions.
The downside of such majesty was tourism.
While it was important for people to appreciate history, the tourism industry had sprung up around the area over the last several decades, and with it the worst exploitation schemes.
Camel rides, selfie sticks, and overpriced bottled water were all on the menu.
The other issue was that as long as you admired the pyramids facing south you would be transported back in time.
But turn around, and the whole of Cairo and its twenty million inhabitants was splayed out as far as the eye could see.
“Morning, sunshine,” Shane said, rousing Nate from his thoughts, and he realized that he had been standing there for a while, simply staring. “Great sight, huh?”
“It is,” Nate agreed. “Did you know that some of those stones in the King’s Chamber weigh nearly seventy tons?”
“No,” Shane said. “Sure didn’t. You want some coffee?”
“I don’t drink coffee,” he responded.
It was just like old times. Nate would attempt to educate the guys on the team with a tidbit of history, and they would humor him before politely blowing him off.
“Right,” Shane said. “Tea is inside.”
“Wally up yet?”
“No, he’s still asleep. You boys must have been running pretty hard the last few days.”
“More or less,” he agreed as he moved out to find the tea bags.
“I went down to the breakfast buffet. Huge fucking spread. Brought some stuff up for you guys. It’s on the tray in there.”
“Thanks,” Nate called over his shoulder as he walked back inside.
He made a cup of tea, grabbed some pastries and fruit off the tray, and went back out onto the balcony.
Plopping down in a chair next to Shane, he sat and ate his breakfast as he enjoyed the view in front of him.
Eventually, Wally stumbled out and joined them, a cup of coffee in one hand and a plate of food in the other.
“You think he’ll show?” Wally asked while stuffing a cherry Danish in his face.
“Oh, he’ll show,” Shane answered.
Nate’s interaction with Tim had been less than definitive. If anything, he was leaning toward his old friend not coming. And after their last altercation, he didn’t even know if he wanted him to.
“I’m not so sure,” he said.
“Bro. He’s gonna show. I’m telling you. Don’t even sweat it,” Shane said, waving the thought away.
“So what’s on the docket for today, then?” Wally asked between bites of a muffin.
“Well,” Nate said, “I’m meeting Ahmed this afternoon by the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum. He’s supposed to hand off the LIDAR satellite imagery of the ancient camel trails to me. He also promised to bring news of a permit, though I’m not holding my breath.”
“Which is precisely why I’m meeting with a couple of undistinguished gentlemen of ill repute today,” Shane said. “There’s a ship captain I know, friend of a friend sort of thing. Anyway, he’s going to be the guy that takes us in, barring some magical hall pass from Ahmed.”
“Alright, then,” Wally said. “I suppose I’ll go with you to see Ahmed, yeah?” Nate didn’t say anything, but made a face. “What?”
“Here’s the thing, Wally…” Nate started.
“He doesn’t want Ahmed to know we’re here,” Shane finished the sentence. Wally looked confused for a second before it dawned on him.
“You don’t want to tip him off that we’re going to enter his country either way, legally or illegally.”
“Exactly,” Nate replied. “I don’t know if he’d rat us out or not, but either way I’d rather not put him in that position. He’s already taking a huge risk by giving us the imagery.”
Shane reached over and slapped Wally on the knee. “Looks like you’re with me, then, Redcoat.”
“Just my fucking luck, isn’t it?” Wally grumbled.