Chapter Ninety: An Unexpected Turn of Events

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“We must be vigilant. If you had never met me, would you believe that a person could transform into someone else, into other objects, even into an ant? If you hadn’t witnessed the Electric Brothers, would you believe a human body could emit such intense balls of lightning? And do you believe there are vampires over a thousand years old in this world?” Liu Yunfei tried to persuade him.

“You do make some sense. But if the guardians return to their countries, what about the heads of state? If anything happens here, I can’t shoulder that responsibility,” the old prince said, uncertain. He didn’t quite believe Liu Yunfei, but felt his words held weight and couldn’t make up his mind.

“Then let’s have King Abdullah decide,” Liu Yunfei suggested. He felt a decision had to be made by the king; if the king refused, he would accept it.

“All right, I’ll have Hodman arrange a car.”

“Who?”

“Hodman. Haven’t you met him?”

“He’s been with you all day?”

“Yes,” the old prince replied, puzzled by Liu Yunfei’s interest in his secretary.

“He’s likely a traitor. When I called you during dinner, he said he couldn’t find you. I suspect he recognized my voice and didn’t want us to connect.”

“I’ll have him arrested.”

“Wait, Your Highness. If we don’t know he’s a spy, he can steal our intelligence and threaten us. But now that we’re aware, we can use him.”

Usually more brawn than brains, Liu Yunfei decided to show some cunning this time.

“Good idea, but what information should we transmit through him?” asked the old prince.

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“At the very least, we can stabilize the other side. I’ll let him see me right away, so they know I’m in Riyadh. That will keep them from making rash moves.”

“Alright, I’ll call him in.” The old prince pressed the phone on his desk and summoned Hodman.

Hodman was a man in his thirties, small and thin, with an air of sharp competence. He had risen quickly to become the personal secretary of the CEO of Saudi Arabia’s largest enterprise. At first, he thought he’d done well among his peers, but as his position grew, so did the circles he moved in. Many of his contemporaries drove luxury cars and lived in mansions, while his own salary was increasingly insufficient. Thus, he agreed to help Hadina gather intelligence for a second income, which was several times his secretary’s wages.

But Liu Yunfei had long suspected him — his shifty eyes and pointed features, the look of a born traitor.

When Hodman saw Liu Yunfei, he was visibly startled and immediately lowered his head. Yet Liu Yunfei had already caught the panic in his eyes and calmly told the old prince, “I’ve learned the Solar Temple is planning a suicide bombing against the US president. We must inform His Majesty the King at once.”

The old prince ordered, “Prepare the car. I must hurry to the palace with Brother Yunfei.”

Liu Yunfei clearly saw Hodman nod and, before leaving, cast him a contemptuous glance. He felt uneasy — why such a look?

In truth, Hodman thought, “You’re saying this for my benefit, as if I’m a fool? My mission is to delay you.”

He took his time preparing the car, making them wait ages and prompting several reminders before they finally set off. After winding through the city, they reached the palace, where the old king had already gone to bed. Awakened by the guards, he emerged, squinting sleepily, and listened to their report. His first words were, “Could this be a trap? Are you sure their target is the Grand Mosque in Mecca?”

Liu Yunfei considered, “It can’t be a trick. First, all their people have gone to Mecca. Second, I saw the ancient spirit stone myself — they wouldn’t go to such lengths to deceive me with such a miraculous artifact. Third, it explains why they must kidnap Owali.”

“True. But you also said they’re monitoring the mosque guardians. If we make any move, they’ll know — could that put Owali in danger?” The old king was most concerned about his grandson.

“I never imagined my own steward would turn out to be their high priest,” the old prince said, fearing blame and preferring to confess first.

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The old king waved his hand, “It’s not your fault; the previous king acted with good intentions. This isn’t the time for blame. Yunfei, I must trouble you to keep a close watch. If they make a move, call me immediately. I keep my phone on hand twenty-four hours a day. Ideally, once they gather, we’ll close the net.”

He then told the old prince, “Send our best agents to discreetly follow several mosque guardians. Don’t notify them yet. Once you get my call, order them to the air force base outside the city. Also, have the helicopter squadron at the base ready to deploy to Mecca at any moment.”

He truly was a king, decisive and always leaving room for maneuver, no matter the enemy’s actions. Liu Yunfei felt this was the best course for now. He would continue surveillance and notify the old king immediately if anything seemed amiss the following night.

Liu Yunfei soared back to Mecca on his Cloud Somersault. From afar, he saw a blazing pillar of light shooting up from the center of the city, a spectacular sight in the midnight darkness. The thick white beam pierced the clouds — what could it be? He’d seen many searchlights, even at the Statue of Liberty, but none this brilliant.

No matter. He couldn’t spot Owali for hours, growing uneasy. He first located the manor on the hill, transformed into a fly, and flew straight to the little room where Owali was held.

Disaster! For the first time, Liu Yunfei felt panic — Owali was gone. The manor was pitch-black, deserted. Where had everyone gone? The light pillar? Weren’t they planning for tomorrow? He’d been tricked!

Liu Yunfei didn’t realize that Shadi and his group didn’t know their conversation had been overheard. During dinner, Hadina received a call from secretary Hodman, saying Liu Yunfei was trying to reach the old prince everywhere. When Hadina reported this to the shrewd Shadi, he drew two conclusions: first, Liu Yunfei and the old prince weren’t together; second, Liu Yunfei wasn’t with the old king — since the old king would know his whereabouts and wouldn’t need to search. The inference: Liu Yunfei wasn’t in Riyadh, and he didn’t believe the story about a sick British aunt — what would a Chinese man have a British aunt for?

The more Shadi thought, the more uneasy he became. Hadina, sensing his anxiety, asked, “What’s wrong? Do you think that kid has caught on? But everything’s ready, everyone’s here — why not act tonight?”

Shadi slammed the table, “No time to delay! Notify all our followers to head to the Grand Mosque, bring Owali and the spirit stone, we move now!”

Islamic countries rarely host nightlife; even in Saudi Arabia, nights are free of curfews, but the residents of Mecca are devout Muslims and by nine o’clock, the streets are empty. The Solar Temple members gathered around nine-thirty at a square near the Grand Mosque. Hadina had prepared thoroughly — beforehand, he arranged for staff at Mecca’s telephone bureau, knowing news must not leak. They needed time, mostly for a long incantation, and then the condensation of the True God. So before even arriving in Mecca, he had instructed his followers to cut all telecom cables and shut down all mobile phone base stations.

The Solar Temple’s core members and strike teams from around the world were all present, numbering several hundred. The small square was densely packed with kneeling devotees. Shadi delivered a brief but fiery speech, and the followers surged toward the Grand Mosque, answering the call of the True God.