on them...”
“I know the score.”
“Then you also know my life doesn't matter.”
“Yes it does.”
He shook his head. “No, not in comparison to this.”
“But your life's work...my parents...”
“I'd rather see Lemuria purged from all record than risk the Order getting their hands on those secrets.”
“Max, I love you but this isn't your choice to make.”
“Elisa, no,” he said. “You can't let the Order discover those secrets.”
“I won't,” said Elisa. “It's a game, just like Seth said. And it's one I intend to win, leaving both Seth and the Order sitting in the dust.”
“You're playing a dangerous game and if you lose—”
“I won't. ”
There was a knock at the door followed by the sound of it being unlocked. Wade and his masked bodyguard reentered and the portly man held his arms out with a smile.
“Well, what's the verdict?” he asked. “Are we in business or not?”
“First, I have to know—can you translate the tablets?” asked Elisa.
“We already have,” said Wade. “We know where the gateway is. You can't find it without us.”
“Then why do you need me at all?” she asked. “Send Davalos.”
“I told you already, Davalos was just a pawn. He doesn't have the same skills as you and Seth nearly killed him.”
“What do you mean?” asked Elisa.
“Lucas had the Keystone on him when he was attacked in the temple.”
“So Seth has both the Keystone and the location?” asked Max.
“That's right, Professor,” said Wade. “We also received a message from him—if anyone other than Elisa shows, he destroys the Keystone and Lemuria stays buried.”
“And where do I meet him? At the gateway?”
“No, nearby. We've got all the information but you don't get it until we've settled our own arrangements.”
“Fine, but I have some stipulations.”
“I thought you might.” Wade leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Go ahead, enlighten me.”
“Laki goes free, no questions asked,” said Elisa. “She's not a part of this.”
“We have no interest in her.”
“And Asami stays with me.”
“Asami?” asked Max.
“That I can't do,” said Wade.
“Why not?” asked Elisa.
“Because she's gone missing.”
“I need some back-up with me.”
“We'll send someone.”
“Davalos,” said Elisa.
“Not who I had in mind.”
“Doesn't matter, he's who I have in mind.”
“I was under the impression there wasn't any lost love between you two,” said Wade.
“We've had our issues but I know I can rely on him if push comes to shove.”
“Very well.”
“And no more harm comes to Max,” said Elisa. “I want you to treat him like royalty, understood?”
“Done. Now I have some stipulations of my own,” said Wade. “Do what you will with Seth and King, but anything you find in Lemuria belongs to us and Davalos will see to it we get what's ours, agreed?”
“Don't have much of a choice, do I?”
“Not if you want you and your friends to get out of this alive,” said Wade.
“Then we've got a deal, Wade,” said Elisa. “Now cut me loose.”
C HAPTER 15
“You're crazy!”
“So I'm told,” said Elisa.
“Elisa, you can't do this alone,” said Laki. “It's too dangerous, especially now that Asami has run off.”
“I don't have a choice, I either do this or the Order kills you and Max and Seth kills King. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here.”
“But going on your own? I should be there with you,” said Laki.
“No, you've done enough, you led me further than I could have gotten on my own,” said Elisa. “This next part I have to do alone and I can't risk your safety. You're not trained for something like this. Not when it comes to Seth.”
“But who's going to watch your back?”
Elisa sighed. “Lucas.”
“As in Davalos, the man who's been working with the Order since this all started?” asked Laki. “I'm sorry, I know you two have a past but he can't be trusted.”
“No one knows
“I know the score.”
“Then you also know my life doesn't matter.”
“Yes it does.”
He shook his head. “No, not in comparison to this.”
“But your life's work...my parents...”
“I'd rather see Lemuria purged from all record than risk the Order getting their hands on those secrets.”
“Max, I love you but this isn't your choice to make.”
“Elisa, no,” he said. “You can't let the Order discover those secrets.”
“I won't,” said Elisa. “It's a game, just like Seth said. And it's one I intend to win, leaving both Seth and the Order sitting in the dust.”
“You're playing a dangerous game and if you lose—”
“I won't. ”
There was a knock at the door followed by the sound of it being unlocked. Wade and his masked bodyguard reentered and the portly man held his arms out with a smile.
“Well, what's the verdict?” he asked. “Are we in business or not?”
“First, I have to know—can you translate the tablets?” asked Elisa.
“We already have,” said Wade. “We know where the gateway is. You can't find it without us.”
“Then why do you need me at all?” she asked. “Send Davalos.”
“I told you already, Davalos was just a pawn. He doesn't have the same skills as you and Seth nearly killed him.”
“What do you mean?” asked Elisa.
“Lucas had the Keystone on him when he was attacked in the temple.”
“So Seth has both the Keystone and the location?” asked Max.
“That's right, Professor,” said Wade. “We also received a message from him—if anyone other than Elisa shows, he destroys the Keystone and Lemuria stays buried.”
“And where do I meet him? At the gateway?”
“No, nearby. We've got all the information but you don't get it until we've settled our own arrangements.”
“Fine, but I have some stipulations.”
“I thought you might.” Wade leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Go ahead, enlighten me.”
“Laki goes free, no questions asked,” said Elisa. “She's not a part of this.”
“We have no interest in her.”
“And Asami stays with me.”
“Asami?” asked Max.
“That I can't do,” said Wade.
“Why not?” asked Elisa.
“Because she's gone missing.”
“I need some back-up with me.”
“We'll send someone.”
“Davalos,” said Elisa.
“Not who I had in mind.”
“Doesn't matter, he's who I have in mind.”
“I was under the impression there wasn't any lost love between you two,” said Wade.
“We've had our issues but I know I can rely on him if push comes to shove.”
“Very well.”
“And no more harm comes to Max,” said Elisa. “I want you to treat him like royalty, understood?”
“Done. Now I have some stipulations of my own,” said Wade. “Do what you will with Seth and King, but anything you find in Lemuria belongs to us and Davalos will see to it we get what's ours, agreed?”
“Don't have much of a choice, do I?”
“Not if you want you and your friends to get out of this alive,” said Wade.
“Then we've got a deal, Wade,” said Elisa. “Now cut me loose.”
C HAPTER 15
“You're crazy!”
“So I'm told,” said Elisa.
“Elisa, you can't do this alone,” said Laki. “It's too dangerous, especially now that Asami has run off.”
“I don't have a choice, I either do this or the Order kills you and Max and Seth kills King. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here.”
“But going on your own? I should be there with you,” said Laki.
“No, you've done enough, you led me further than I could have gotten on my own,” said Elisa. “This next part I have to do alone and I can't risk your safety. You're not trained for something like this. Not when it comes to Seth.”
“But who's going to watch your back?”
Elisa sighed. “Lucas.”
“As in Davalos, the man who's been working with the Order since this all started?” asked Laki. “I'm sorry, I know you two have a past but he can't be trusted.”
“No one knows
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