The Medusa Curse

by Gabrielle Lord

  Sir Robert pushed a button on FTTS, and the sleek device lit up, the jewel-like buttons glowing with hot white light. Jazz flinched as a high-pitched whine filled the room, but Sir Robert was steady as he held Delgado’s gaze. ‘I’m not bluffing. And this is no toy. Next time I push this button, you will die.’

  Delgado’s eyes widened in shock and he froze, back against the glass wall. Slowly, he lowered the gun. ‘Don’t think this is the end of it,’ he hissed, eyes darting around, face twisting with hatred. ‘I own Sapphire. And I will get those activation frequencies.’

  Then, without warning, Delgado threw the gun at Sir Robert’s wounded head. As it struck, Sir Robert staggered back and Delgado used the distraction to make a dash across the room towards the front door.

  ‘He’s getting away!’ Jazz cried. ‘Don’t let him go!’ Desperately, she threw one of the plastic shields. Spinning like a Frisbee, it flew straight at the villain.

  Twisting to avoid it, Delgado snagged his foot in the leg of an upturned chair, sending him tumbling to the floor below the Medusa statue.

  In the sudden confusion, Toby Grimshaw decided to run for it too. In his haste, he slipped on the remains of the shattered swan and tripped on the rumpled Persian rug. He put a hand out to steady his fall, but only managed to push the carved chest into the base of the Medusa.

  All eyes rose to the enormous figure. Unbalanced, it wobbled and started to tilt, its immense weight propelling it towards the ground. Delgado, still tangled in a mess of chairs, tried desperately to move out of the way. But the statue toppled relentlessly, coming down with an almighty thud, silencing forever his agonised cry of ‘Nooooooo!’

  The curse of the Medusa had claimed another victim.

  00:18

  Standing still, as if Medusa had petrified them as she fell, they barely had time to register what had happened before the police stormed into the penthouse. Detective Jan Sheppard was amongst them. She supervised as her officers cuffed Toby Grimshaw and led him out to the private foyer. He hung his head, unable to meet his father’s gaze. Sir Robert maintained a steely composure as he watched his son step into the elevator.

  ‘Wait here, please,’ Detective Sheppard told Jazz and Phoenix after checking that they were unharmed. Obediently, they sat down on one of the lounges and watched as she spoke with Dr Zhang. She led him out into the penthouse foyer where a medic was waiting to check him over.

  Jazz noticed Mike out there, too, standing to one side of two police officers who were deep in discussion. Mike looked like he’d been running. Jazz waved for him to come in. He gave her a small smile and had a brief word with the officer closest to him in the lobby. Wearily, the man nodded his permission for Mike to enter the apartment.

  ‘Mate!’ Phoenix exclaimed as Mike joined them. He clapped him on the back. ‘The police got here just in time. I was freaking out, thinking they wouldn’t believe you.’

  ‘I was worried too,’ said Mike. ‘But then I got through to Detective Sheppard who had been following the same leads we had, so she knew I wasn’t pulling a prank. She told me to sit tight, that her team was on the way.’

  ‘What about Delgado?’ Phoenix asked.

  ‘I tried to distract him, like you said, but it didn’t work for very long. I think he suspected something was up. So I just went back to my car and waited for the police. When they got here, I showed them where the elevator was and then ran up the fire escape. I didn’t want to miss it all.’ He flashed Jazz a grin. ‘Are you guys OK?’

  ‘We’re fine,’ said Jazz. ‘A little shaken up. It got a bit hairy for a while there.’ She glanced over to where Sir Robert was sinking onto a lounge.

  For the first time he showed signs of the effects of his injury, wincing as he gingerly felt the bandage on his head.

  ‘Are you OK, Sir Robert?’ Phoenix asked.

  He looked up at the three teenagers. ‘Yes. I’ll be fine. But I want to thank you all for your courage and your quick thinking. I apologise for doubting you. I thought you were trying to frame Toby. The last thing I could remember from the museum is ordering you two to find Zhang. In my mind, somehow, I linked that to my injury and the theft. I was a fool.’

  ‘You don’t need to apologise,’ Jazz said quickly. ‘You’d just come out of hospital. You were standing up for your son. Of course you would be suspicious of us.’

  ‘At least we still have the FTTS,’ offered Phoenix. ‘That’s something.’

  Sir Robert shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. ‘It’s a replica,’ he said. ‘Something I’d sent to my dear son to try to pique his interest in what I was working on. I couldn’t melt butter with it. All I did was switch it on. It’s designed to produce a light show and make that sound you heard as it loads. My little joke—scientists like to have fun sometimes.’

  ‘So you knew it was here, in the apartment?’ asked Jazz.

  ‘I didn’t, but after Dr Zhang came to tell me Delgado was on his way, I ended the call with my lawyer and searched the room, looking for evidence that my son was not involved. When I found the FTTS replica I thought I could use it to bluff Delgado until the officers arrived.’

  ‘It sure worked,’ said Phoenix. ‘I guess sometimes fakes are as useful as the real thing.’ He looked over at where Delgado’s legs were protruding from underneath the statue.

  Jazz followed his gaze and shivered. The real Grimshaw Medusa was bloodied, but intact. Police and forensic experts were swarming all around the statue and the body. It was all so eerily similar to the shocking scene that had set off the whole investigation almost 48 HOURS before. But this time, the cursed statue’s victim had not survived the encounter.

  Forty-eight hours! Jazz realised. The deadline was almost up! And while they’d rescued Dr Zhang and thwarted Delgado, they still hadn’t found Sapphire. What if Delgado’s shipment was still going ahead?

  ‘Phoenix!’ she whispered as one of the police officers came over to question Sir Robert. ‘We’ve got to find Sapphire. There’s still a chance that one of Delgado’s black-market contacts will take the supercomputer for themselves now that their boss is out of the picture.’

  ‘I know,’ Phoenix replied. ‘But how are we going to get out of here? The police are going to want to question us. It could take hours.’

  The apartment seemed to be full of people in uniform. There was no way they’d be able to sneak through the front door unnoticed.

  ‘I wonder,’ said Jazz, arms crossed, thinking. ‘If Delgado suspected something was up, what was he doing here? If he’s got Sapphire, why risk it? He didn’t care about us or Dr Zhang. He wanted Toby to tie us all up . . .’

  ‘. . . so he could get what he came here for!’ Phoenix finished triumphantly. ‘Jazz! You’re right! Sapphire is somewhere in this apartment! Toby must’ve hidden it here after the ram-raid. Delgado only came back to pick it up.’

  ‘Right! We have to search the place!’

  ‘Mike?’ said Jazz. ‘Are you going to help?’

  Mike didn’t seem to be listening. He was walking towards the door to the rooftop garden, gaze fixed on the deckchairs by the pool.

  ‘Mike?’ Jazz called. ‘Mike, what is it?’

  He turned back. ‘It’s probably a coincidence, but . . .’

  ‘But what?’ Jazz prompted.

  ‘Look at the garden.’

  ‘It’s lovely, but now isn’t the time to get interested in horticulture.’

  ‘The ground around the pool,’ Mike persisted. ‘It’s covered in . . .’

  ‘Artificial grass!’ cried Jazz.

  Phoenix smiled, catching on. ‘When Toby took Sapphire from the Velocity wing, he had artificial grass on his shoes.’

  ‘Maybe Toby had a reason for redesigning his garden!’ said Jazz excitedly. ‘He wasn’t about to just hand everything over to Delgado. He’s a gambler. Sapphire was his trump card!’

  They went over and interrupted the officer talking to Sir Robert.

  ‘Um . . . sorry, but I’m feeling a bit
light-headed,’ Jazz said, trying to look faint as Mike helpfully put his arm around her.

  Phoenix put on a concerned expression. ‘I think it’s the shock. Can we take her outside for some fresh air?’

  ‘Of course,’ the officer said. ‘I’ll alert one of the medics.’

  ‘No!’ Jazz said, a bit quickly. Then she smiled weakly, ‘Sorry, I’ll be fine. I just need a moment away from all the fuss.’

  The officer nodded. ‘I understand. Just call out if you need anything.’ She turned her attention back to Sir Robert.

  Phoenix walked over and pressed a button on the wall. Glass doors slid open and they stepped out into the jungle of plants.

  The three of them immediately got to work searching the garden, pushing aside fallen leaves, peering into fronds and foliage. At first they tried to appear casual in case anyone was looking, but as time went on, their search became increasingly desperate. Their efforts fruitless, they met in the middle and sat dejectedly on the deck chairs surrounding the plunge pool.

  ‘If you were hiding a priceless piece of technology in a garden, where would you put it?’ Phoenix wondered out loud.

  ‘Nowhere that I’ve looked,’ Jazz replied. ‘What are we going to do if it’s not here?’

  Phoenix gave a weak laugh. ‘Go for a swim?’

  Jazz looked more closely at the still water, suddenly remembering that, before it had toppled over, the Grimshaw Medusa’s formidable eyes had been trained on this very pool. ‘Phoenix, maybe that’s not the stupidest thing you’ve ever said.’

  She stood up and walked to the wall at the pool’s far end. Swiftly, moving aside some vines, she revealed a handle set subtly in stone. ‘It’s a door!’ She turned the handle, hoping against hope and let out a whoop as the door opened towards her. She held it ajar, staring into the dark space where the pool pump should have been. Mike and Phoenix came over to join her.

  Even in the dull light, the radiant blue crystal of Sapphire glimmered.

  ‘Wow!’ Jazz stepped closer.

  ‘Yes!’ Phoenix yelled and punched the air.

  Mike quietly switched on his phone’s torch and shone it into the tomb-like vault. Sapphire wasn’t alone. In the darkness behind the quantum computer, authentic artefacts from the museum were shrink-wrapped and tagged with a name and address. Each priceless antiquity was waiting, ready to ship to the collectors who had purchased them on the black market and now would never receive them.

  CASE SOVLED

  Both Dr Zhang and Sir Robert were overjoyed to see Sapphire safely recovered along with the rest of the stolen artefacts. Sammy and Toby were in custody awaiting trial and each day more evidence of Delgado’s criminal activities on the darknet was coming to light.

  The police returned Sapphire to Sir Robert just as repairs to the damaged section of the Velocity wing were completed, allowing Dr Zhang to reschedule the exhibition opening. Despite the delay, ticket presales had soared and the additional publicity around the ram-raid led several philanthropists to make generous donations to the Knowledge Institute.

  Jazz, Phoenix and Mike arrived together and were welcomed by a jubilant Dr Zhang and a much-recovered Mrs Zhang. On seeing them, Mack flew across the lobby, long black hair streaming behind her. She engulfed Jazz in a massive hug, which soon became a delirious circle as Anika arrived and joined in.

  Already in the foyer, small groups of international experts and collectors, mixed with celebrities, were enjoying canapés, their conversations punctuated by bursts of laughter. In the centre of the room, draped in a soft velvet cover, Sapphire stood hidden, waiting for the official unveiling. The real Grimshaw Medusa towered beside it, looking none the worse for wear after her ordeal. In fact, she looked proud and almost serene now in the carefully choreographed museum lighting.

  ‘Jazz,’ said Mack, ‘my family has a lot to thank you for. In just 48 HOURS you saved my dad, found Sapphire and exposed the criminals. The police told us their ship was due to depart as soon as Delgado arrived with Sapphire. He would have killed Dad or taken him with them. You saved Dad’s life and proved his innocence.’ Mack paused and looked at her hands. ‘I just hope you know how grateful Mum and I are . . . for everything,’ she whispered.

  Jazz hugged her. She noticed Phoenix standing to one side, watching the waitstaff moving between the crowds of guests clustered around exhibits.

  ‘It’s almost as if nothing ever happened,’ Jazz said, going to stand next to him. ‘There are people from all over the world here. Do you think they all know that the exhibition nearly didn’t go ahead?’

  ‘Probably not. But there are plenty of other people around the world who know the story all too well,’ Phoenix reminded her. ‘The contact details for Toby Grimshaw’s black market buyers on the artefacts we found will go a long way towards putting Camille Wolf-Ferrari and her associates behind bars.’

  Detective Jan Sheppard caught Jazz’s eye and raised her glass in a toast. Jazz smiled back. The detective had been amazed when Jazz gave her the physical evidence she and Phoenix had collected along with her entire CrimeSeen case file.

  The older woman motioned for Jazz to come over. As she did so, Jan reached into her pocket and held out a business card. ‘You’ll make a great detective one day,’ she said. ‘Keep in touch.’

  Jazz took it with pleasure. ‘I will,’ she said. ‘Thank you!’

  A sudden hush fell over the crowd as Dr Zhang and Sir Robert walked over to the draped object in the centre of the room. Each man carried a small, wrapped object.

  ‘Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to this landmark exhibition, From Ancient Times to Future Worlds,’ Dr Zhang began. ‘I know everyone is dying to see our main attraction, but before we get to that, I want to tell you about an exciting new initiative. Authenticated replicas of some of our most popular exhibits are now available for loan or purchase from the Knowledge Institute.’

  A murmur went up around the room as the puzzled guests tried to work out what he meant.

  Dr Zhang waited for the talk to die down and then went on. ‘An “authentic replica” sounds contradictory, I know, but it’s actually the product of a revolutionary new process. With the generous assistance of Sir Robert and the power of Sapphire, we have developed a technology that combines 3D printing technology with the mastery of ancient artists. A priceless historical artefact is scanned in a lab and analysed using quantum-hybrid software. The same software prints and finishes an ultra-high resolution replica that matches the original in every precise detail. After it has been double-checked by museum experts, each replica is subtly marked with the museum’s seal and issued with a certificate of authenticity. As an example, let me show you these.’

  He unwrapped a small marble statue of Pan and lifted it up for all to view before placing it on a small table near Sapphire’s display case. ‘This original marble statue is nearly two thousand years old—and this—’ Dr Zhang waited as Sir Robert unwrapped the second object and placed it alongside the first.

  The audience marvelled at the similarity between the two statues and waited expectantly for Dr Zhang to finish. But instead, Dr Zhang did a double-take, crouched down to examine the two statues and then lifted the first statue once more to check the underside. He straightened up, facing the audience again, looking embarrassed. ‘Actually my one was the replica!’ He gestured to the second marble statue of Pan playing the flute. ‘The statue Sir Robert revealed is, in fact, the genuine article.’

  Jazz and Phoenix couldn’t quite join in with the laughter that fluttered around the Velocity wing, knowing what Dr Zhang had suffered to see his idea through. He’d been declared innocent of any wrongdoing, but the police had shut down Kendricks and seized the replicas Toby and Delgado had planned to sell illegally. Dr Zhang was only allowed to keep the prototypes he’d personally overseen and authenticated. Sir Robert felt partially responsible for the trouble his son had caused the museum though, so he had promised to help Dr Zhang find a new 3D printing company.

  Dr Zhang
watched as two of his assistants moved the table with the statues next to a 3D printing exhibit before continuing. ‘So for those who long for a beautiful piece of antiquity, now there is a satisfying alternative to the black market.’ He straightened his tie and cleared his throat. ‘And finally we come to the highlight of this exhibition: Sapphire, the world’s most powerful computer,’ he announced, removing the velvet covering with a gentle flourish.

  At the same time Sir Robert activated FTTS. Cries of excitement went up as the laser switch lit up and began to transmit the frequency sequence to Sapphire.

  ‘Wow!’ Mack cried as the blue crystal exploded with light. The whole wing seemed to come to life. All of the electronic Future Worlds exhibits switched on simultaneously. A stunned silence and then even louder cries of delight and amazement filled the room as tiny drones hovered and robotic machines began to move. Around the Ancient Times artefacts, holograms of historical figures appeared. Medusa seemed to step out of her statue. A Tasmanian tiger stood next to its skeleton and an ancient Egyptian priestess stood next to her sarcophagus. Someone started to clap. Others joined in and the applause rose in volume. It got louder and louder as the holograms began to roam around the room, giving the guests a feeling that the past and future really had come together in the present.

  Finally, Sir Robert raised his arms and the holograms went back to their places. The applause died down. ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘I hope you enjoy this glimpse of the future, because it can only be a glimpse at this stage. After this exhibition is over, Sapphire will be moved to a secret location until we can ensure it is not used for evil purposes. Its use will be tightly regulated.’ The audience murmured general agrement. ‘I also want to take this opportunity to thank some very courageous teenagers. Without the intelligence and tenacity of Jazmine Mandell, Phoenix Lyons and their friends, this launch would not have taken place. They prevented a major crime with international repercussions. Please come forward, Jazmine and Phoenix.’