The Hades Conspiracy (Delphi Group #3)

by John Sneeden

to the bed. He had something to tell Hamid that wasn’t meant for other ears. After a little small talk, Omar told Hamid he’d recently been diagnosed with cancer. His body was riddled with the foul disease, and the doctors said his life would now be measured in weeks not months. Hamid wept bitterly at the news. Omar had been like a father to him. To hear his beloved uncle was about to pass was unbearable. Strangely, Omar told him that wasn’t the primary reason he’d been called over with such urgency. Something was even more pressing than the disease. Omar needed Hamid to perform a task, something that had to be done before the American forces took control of Baghdad. Hamid agreed to help even before knowing

existed. When Omar spoke of the relic, Hamid saw fear in his uncle’s eyes. Was it because he feared losing it or because he feared the relic itself? Originally, Omar and the other curators had planned to leave the relic where it was. The Americans would thoroughly search the museum, but it was unlikely anyone would discover the entrance to the underground treasury, which was hidden in a way no one could find it. Soon after the curators made the decision to leave everything hidden in the chamber, Omar had heard whispers that one of his colleagues was no longer on board. He had his own plan for the relics

The distant rumble of mortar fire pulled Hamid back to the present. It was time to enter. After a final look behind, he stole down the stone pathway between the towers. The museum’s entrance loomed just ahead. Its steel doors hung open, and debris was scattered along the walkway. Hamid slipped into the dark entrance hall lit only by a splash of moonlight coming through the domed-glass ceiling. Having memorized the instructions, he turned into the gallery on the right. The darkness was heavier here, so he clicked on his flashlight and shone the beam around the space. Stone reliefs of Assyrian warriors and kings stared down at him in silence. They almost seemed angry at his presence. Hamid shuddered. The place frightened him. Once he was finished, he’d waste no time fleeing back to the streets.

“What are you doing here?” Hamid asked in Arabic, giving his voice an authoritative tone. The boys looked at each other, trembling. Finally, the taller one said, “We… we were exploring. Just having fun. No big deal.” Hamid waved his pistol toward the entrance. “Get out! The Americans are coming, and you’re going to be killed if they find you here!” The boys needed no further encouragement. They raced past him without looking back. Hamid wasn’t sure if it was the pistol or the threat of the American soldiers, but he knew they wouldn’t return. After the footsteps died away, Hamid turned on his flashlight again and continued around the corner. Five minutes later, after passing through