The Quest for the Fuji Cipher (A Richard Halliburton Adventure Book 4) Read online

  THE QUEST FOR THE FUJI CIPHER

  A Richard Halliburton Adventure

  GARRETT DRAKE

  For William Barstow,

  a man dedicated to

  his craft and his love

  for his students

  “Just about a month from now I'm set adrift, with a diploma for a sail and lots of nerve for oars.” — Richard Halliburton

  Chapter 1

  Vladivostok, Russia

  December 30, 1922

  RICHARD HALLIBURTON WRAPPED his fingers around the burly Russian’s hand and eyed him closely from across the table. Nearly the entire crowd gathered at The Admiral’s Pier pub had surrounded the two men. Another man stood looming over them and clasped his hands over theirs. Richard looked up at the self-appointed official for the arm wrestling match.

  “Do you understand the rules?” the referee asked.

  Richard nodded.

  “This is your last chance to walk away from your match with Ivan and still retain your twenty dollars,” the man said.

  Richard forced a smile. “I suggest you let Ivan know this is his final opportunity to get out of this too.”

  The referee shrugged. “Since he’s won over two hundred straight—”

  “Three hundred,” one patron corrected.

  “Excuse me, three hundred straight,” the referee said. “After so many wins that I’ve lost count, I doubt he feels threatened by you.”

  “Maybe someone should warn him,” Richard said.

  The patrons erupted with laughter.

  “To the winner goes the spoils,” the referee announced. “Gentlemen, are you ready?”

  Richard nodded, as did Ivan.

  “Begin,” the referee said as he released their hands and backed away from the table.

  Richard gritted his teeth as he strained to keep his hand in an upright position. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

  “Is that all you got?” Ivan said with a roar before chuckling.

  How did I get myself into this mess?

  Richard knew the answer, though he wished he’d ignored his impetuous spirit for once. But that was like telling a cow not to make milk, or Richard refusing an invitation to dance. Of course, Richard’s penchant for dancing is what led him to this moment.

  Anaya was the woman who urged Richard to get onto the dance floor. Now, she was sitting next to him, urging him on to victory.

  “You can do it, Richard,” she shouted. “Come on. Give it all you’ve got.”

  Richard’s hand trembled as he struggled to maintain an upright position against the pressure Ivan applied. The Russian wasn’t trembling and appeared to be breathing steadily, carrying on a conversation in broken English.

  "Don't worry, Mr. American," Ivan said. "You won't be the first man from your country who lost to me."

  Ivan smirked as he glared at Richard, who ignored the icy looks. Sensing imminent defeat, Richard placed his focus on his trembling hand and hoped to tire out Ivan.

  “I-van, I-van, I-van, I-van,” chanted the crowd. Others banged their mugs on the tables, heightening the tension.

  “Don’t give up,” Anaya said. “He’s starting to wear down. Keep going.”

  Richard wanted to believe her, but the reality was he’d worn himself out just trying to stave off defeat. And he doubted he could muster enough strength to scratch out a victory. The only way he could avoid sinking into despair was to remember why he had agreed to this arm wrestling match, as ignoble of a cause as it was: to make a few quick bucks.

  Before returning home, Richard had one last stop he wanted to make. Japan had long been a draw for him, particularly Mt. Fuji. But with Richard’s funds practically depleted, his only chance to get on a ship bound for Japan from Vladivostok was to make a substantial sum of money and do it immediately. Anaya assured him it wouldn’t be easy but it’d be worth it if he could pull the upset victory.

  Once his knuckles made contact with the tabletop, Richard pushed aside the thought that he was about to be stranded in Siberia. And with only three inches of space separating his hand from the surface, his foolishness was going to cost him more than a return trip home. If he couldn’t pull off a win, he would likely delay his dream of becoming an author, if not squelch it altogether. Getting stuck in Siberia wasn’t going to impress the literary agent his handler Hank Foster promised to introduce him to upon returning to the United States.

  “You’ve got him,” Anaya screamed. “Do it now.”

  Richard growled as he strained to move Ivan’s hand. But the Russian started to wane, ceding progress slowly.

  By the time Richard forced their arms to a vertical position, his strength evaporated. He couldn’t move his opponent’s hand any farther. Moments later, he slammed Richard’s hand onto the table. Like a judge pronouncing a ruling, the thud on the table trumpeted his loss.

  The crowd broke into a cheer and started shouting the victor’s name again.

  “I-van, I-van, I-van, I-van.”

  The Russian wore a wide grin as he stood and pumped both fists in the air in rhythm with their chant. Then he snatched the money from the referee’s hands and held it up, delighting his fans even more.

  Mouth agape, Richard stared at the scene, unable to move. The sting of losing to a worthy foe didn’t compare to squandering away the money he had in order to visit Japan.

  “It’s all right,” Anaya said. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to get where you want to go.”

  Richard sighed. “Maybe, but it just became much more difficult.”

  He put on his coat and shuffled toward the door, unable to ignore the raucous cheers emanating from a bar-wide toast to Ivan.

  "There might be another way," Anaya said as she walked alongside Richard.

  He held the door open for her, gesturing for her to exit.

  “Thank you,” she said as they stepped outside. “Now, I’m not sure about this, but—”

  Richard held up his hand and shook his head. “Let me stop you right there. I know that your intentions are to help me. But I listened to you and followed your advice and—”

  “I warned you it would be risky.”

  “You did, but pardon me if I’m less inclined to hear your suggestion at the moment.”

  “I just want to help,” she said, stroking her curly, golden locks.

  “I appreciate the sentiment, but I need to figure out a way to do this on my own. Now, I do have one final possibility. If you would truly like to help me, please point me to the nearest station where I can send a telegram.”

  Anaya’s face brightened with a wide smile. “A telegram? Is there some rich benefactor you’ve been shying away from asking?”

  “If only that were true,” he said with a chuckle. “No, I might be able to earn the money, though I would need an advance to cover my expenses for the journey.”

  “How exciting,” she said as she clapped her hands.

  Richard eyed her closely. “You do know this is a long shot, at least the part about getting someone to forward me the money.”

  “You needed about fifty dollars to complete your trip?” she asked.

  “Approximately. If I had doubled my money, I wouldn’t have hesitated to buy a ticket to Japan and figure out a way to raise the paltry sum of about five dollars. But as it stands, I only have five in my pocket. That certainly won’t get me home. I’m going to have to stay here and work just to earn enough to purchase a ticket home now.”

  “That wouldn’t be so bad now, would it?” she said with a wink.

  “Wait a minute,” he said. “Th
is wasn’t part of your ploy, was it?”

  Anaya furrowed her brow. “Ploy? To do what?”

  “Don’t play coy with me,” he said. “You want to keep me here, don’t you?”

  “You do flatter yourself a bit too much,” she said. “It’s not a becoming trait.”

  “Tell me I’m wrong.”

  “There’s a telegraph station one block around that corner to the left,” she said, pointing down the street. “Good luck, Mr. Halliburton.”

  She spun on her heels and marched off in the opposite direction.

  Distraught over the prospect of staying in Vladivostok longer than anticipated, Richard hustled toward the telegraph station. Once he arrived, he cobbled together a note for his editor at The Commercial Appeal in Memphis.

  Opportunity to write story on Mt. Fuji. Need $35 advance.

  The message cost twenty-five cents to send. It’d take another twenty-five cents to receive the one returned, if one was at all. However, based on the last cable he received touting how popular his articles were with the newspaper’s readership, Richard thought he’d at least get a reply, even if it was a rejection.

  * * *

  THE NEXT MORNING, Richard filled up on the breakfast served at his hostel. Skipping lunch wouldn’t save much, but it all added up at this point. He hadn’t finished his first cup of coffee before Anaya Lindstrom entered, waving an envelope at him.

  “You won’t believe what I have here,” she said as she sat down at the opposite end of the table as Richard.

  “Forty dollars and Ivan’s admission of guilt that he cheated to beat me?” he asked.

  “No, he beat you fairly. However, I was on my morning walk and passed the telegraph post I sent you to yesterday. And guess what? They have a message for you.”

  “Let me see that,” he said, reaching for the paper.

  She pulled it back out of his reach and wagged her finger at him. “I need you to promise to dance with me tonight.”

  Richard narrowed his eyes. “May I please have the envelope?”

  “Promise?”

  “Dancing with you brought me nothing but trouble. I don’t know if I’m inclined to make the same mistake twice.”

  She shrugged. “Or you can sit on the dock and drink brandy by yourself.”

  “Given my current situation, that’s sounding more appealing by the moment.”

  “Surely you jest.”

  Richard held out his hand again. “The envelope.”

  With a sigh, Anaya handed the document to him. “I’m hoping there’s good news for you. What’s it say?”

  He read the words to himself: Want story on Mt. Fuji. Will pay $100 on receipt.

  “Well?” Anaya asked. “Is there a reason to celebrate tonight?”

  Richard shook his head. “I need to find a job so I can earn enough money to get home.”

  She grinned. “So you’ll be staying?”

  He took another sip of coffee. “Longer than I anticipated.”

  “I know you seem down about it, but you should cheer up. While you work, you can take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to explore Vladivostok more, not to mention be my exclusive dance partner.”

  “Look, I know this isn’t your fault,” Richard said. “I was the fool who heeded your advice and threw caution to the wind. But if there’s one thing that will get me down, it’s a missed opportunity. And not getting to see Japan before I go home is just that.”

  “I’m sure you’ll have other chances.”

  Richard shrugged. "Perhaps, but if there's one thing I've learned while traveling the world, it's that nothing is for certain. The most thrilling moments in our lives are when we seize opportunity."

  “Like arm wrestling a Russian lumberjack in Siberia?”

  “Well, that will make for interesting fodder in a book, but where did it get me? Not to Japan.”

  “But you had to try,” she said. “And that spirit is what makes you a great adventurer. And who knows? Maybe I’ll join you.”

  “From what I hear, there’s not much dancing in Japan.”

  She stood. “Don’t think you’ll be able to get rid of me that easily. You’re the one who’s inspired me to see more of the world. I must be going now. I’ll stop by and visit you later.”

  Richard finished his breakfast before heading out to send a telegraph to his father back home in Memphis.

  Funds dried up. Returning home soon. Love you.

  Richard couldn’t deny that he’d already experienced a lifetime of excitement with enough thrilling tales to share. But he felt disappointment too, knowing that one of his goals had been within reach but he couldn’t touch it. He snatched up an abandoned newspaper and then strolled down to the docks to search for work.

  After a short walk, he arrived at the water’s edge and scanned the Golden Horn Bay. Ships packed with goods chugged around the bustling harbor of the Siberian port city. With his newspaper tucked away, Halliburton turned his attention to The Russian Empress. She was the only passenger vessel that sailed from Vladivostok to Japan with only one trip each week. Halliburton dug into his pocket and pulled out his remaining money to count it for the fifth time that morning. No matter how many times he looked, he couldn’t magically make the funds transform into more.

  He straddled the railing before opening his paper. He’d tried learning a few Russian words on his trip from China and had become proficient enough to get the gist of news articles.

  The first he attempted to read was about the legalizing of an informal alliance forming the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The next one that grabbed his attention detailed the murder of a U.S. ambassador while on a boat traveling from China to Japan. After flipping through the section, he found a local story about an AEF soldier who’d stayed behind after U.S. troops pulled out of the region and established a successful restaurant.

  A man eased up next to Halliburton, catching him off guard. He flinched as the man started speaking.

  “Those things are . . . Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Nothing to worry about,” Halliburton said as he spun around to face the man. “I just wasn’t expecting anyone to speak to me. So, you were saying?”

  “Newspapers are kind of boring when there isn’t a war going on.”

  Halliburton shrugged. “I guess that depends on your perspective. Today’s edition has news of an historic treaty, a murder at sea, and an American who’s created a restaurant that is one of the most popular in Vladivostok.”

  “Well, that last story has my curiosity piqued,” the man said before offering his hand to Halliburton. “George Linder, your friendly American restauranteur at your service.”

  Halliburton chuckled and looked at Linder before pointing at the paper. “You’re him?”

  He nodded. “In the flesh. I know that picture doesn’t look too much like me, but that’s because they wouldn’t let me smile.”

  “I wish I could check out your establishment, but I’m in a little bit of a financial bind at the moment.”

  “What brings you here?”

  Halliburton hopped down from his perch. “Adventure.”

  “You missed the boat on that one,” Linder said with a chuckle. “If you’d been here about four years ago, you would’ve been in the thick of adventure, marching all across Siberia and fighting both enemies and the elements as part of the American Expeditionary Forces.”

  “Sounds exhilarating, yet opening a restaurant is a drastically different profession. What made you abandon the AEF and settle down to start a business?”

  “Olga. When you find the one, you just know. You married?”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  Linder laughed. “And what does that mean?”

  “My bride is adventure.”

  “Well, my friend, I hear you’re looking for passage to Japan.”

  Richard cocked his head and eyed the man carefully. “And where did you hear this?”

  Linder waved dismissively. “D
oesn’t matter. The point is I can help you get there.”

  “What’s the catch?”

  “None really. Just a favor you can do.”

  “And what kind of favor are we talking about?”

  Linder gestured downtown. “Why don’t you walk with me and I’ll tell you all about it?”

  Chapter 2

  AS A LIGHT SNOW began to fall, Richard hustled after Linder as he twirled his cane and broke into a torrid pace. If he had a limp, Richard didn’t notice. He surmised that Linder’s stick topped with a brass globe was either for show or the business end of a stealthy weapon.

  “Where are we going?” Richard asked once he caught up.

  “You’ll see. Just try to keep up.”

  Linder didn’t break his stride when two young boys darted in front of him while throwing snowballs at each other.

  “How did you know my name?” Richard asked.

  “Your reputation precedes you.”

  “I have a reputation here?”

  Linder didn’t say anything as he approached the intersection. Instead of crossing the street, he took a hard right, and that’s when Richard saw it: the American consulate.

  “Who told you about me?” Richard asked.

  “I’ll answer all your questions just as soon as we get inside,” Linder said, nodding at the building. “They’re waiting for you.”

  Richard stopped. “Waiting for me?”

  Linder continued walking toward the front steps. “That’s what I said. Now, hurry along. We don’t want to keep anyone waiting.”

  Richard sighed and resisted the urge to follow Linder. “I appreciate the brisk walk, but I’m going back to the docks.”

  Linder spun on his heels and marched toward Richard. “Did you miss the part where I said they’re waiting for you?”

  Richard didn’t flinch. “You said you’d tell me all about it while we walked. But I see where we’re going, and I’m not interested. I’ve done enough for the government on this trip. Now, it’s time for those people who co-opted me into working for them to uphold their end of the bargain before I do anything else.”