The Sacred Vault by Andy McDermott

These excerpts focus on an action-packed archaeological adventure novel, centering on American archaeologist Nina Wilde and her husband, former mercenary Eddie Chase. The plot is driven by a series of audacious thefts, starting with Michelangelo's David and culminating in the snatching of the Talonor Codex, an ancient travel journal linked to the mythical Vault of Shiva and its chronicles. The narrative documents the protagonists' efforts to recover the codex, leading them through a deadly chase in San Francisco and culminating in a confrontation in the Himalayas against a cunning billionaire, Pramesh Khoil, and his wife, Vanita, who seek the ancient texts to instigate a global collapse and usher in a new era. The text also details the activities of the mercenaries involved in the thefts, such as Urbano Fernandez and Zec, and includes several moments of personal tension between Nina and Eddie, notably concerning Eddie's progressive hearing loss and the death of their friend, Dr. Rowan Sharpe.