The Grey Falcon

by J. C. Williams

  Chad moved his light shield to the headband light so that he could use both hands. Working slowly and quietly, he used his knife to scrape away the old mud holding the stones in place. Soon he had a space, two foot wide and two feet high. He was looking into the false back of the fireplace.

  Inside were two small earthen vessels. Chad had seen preservation containers before. They are a wide mouth jar made of finely mixed clay and fired to eliminate any porosity. The top of the jar has an inclined lip, finely ground. The matching lid was also finely ground increasing the contact surface area. A soft wax would be applied to both surfaces to prevent the passage of air and moisture. Inside the jar would be a very finely woven fabric pouch containing iron ore. It is a pre-cursor to modern oxygen absorbent pouches that use iron to react with oxygen to form rust. Without oxygen, food, cloth, and paper will last a long time.

  Chad carefully removed both jars. He felt the excitement and awe and the satisfaction that comes with the discovery of a connection to the past.

  Now he had a decision to make. There was not enough room in his backpack for everything he brought and the jars. His professionalism required him to take the jars as well as the contents. For several reasons. One is that the jars themselves were a part of history. Another reason was that he should transfer the contents in a controlled environment. Chad considered what he had in his backpack. What could he leave behind? Food, water, lantern, clothes, tools? He needed them all. Maybe for survival even.

  There was no choice. He had to remove the objects from the jars.

  Chapter 64

  Archer worked the lid back and forth on the first jar. He knew to be patient. He knew to take photos as well to provide provenance for discovery. The lid finally came loose. He peered inside and saw a linen pouch as he expected, filled with iron ore. Removing the pouch revealed another linen-wrapped object. Chad took it out and unwrapped it. Wearing a pair of latex gloves, he carefully unfolded a part of the wool cloth. It appeared to be a dark red cloak with a black fur collar and black wool trim at the bottom. It was too large for one of his gallon zip lock bags. He used his knife, two bags, and part of the small roll of duct tape to make a large enough bag that could be squeezed to remove the air.

  The second jar held two metal objects. A wax coating preserved both of them. Both had prong clasps. He thought they could be a belt buckle and a cloak clasp. Each fit into a zip lock bag. He put the objects in his backpack, put the jars in the hole, and replaced the bricks. He was slow and careful, fearful of making any noise.

  While he worked, he was aware of voices coming from the meeting room. One or two to begin with, and now it sounded like a roomful of people.

  Chad moved to the viewing hole. He took several photos of the attendees. He didn’t recognize anyone, but he did recognize expensive suits and shoes. The Minister worked the room, moving from one small group to another. At a signal from the Minister, they took seats turning the chairs as needed to face the screen. Chad set the phone to record and focused it on the projector screen.

  The Minister said something at the beginning of his presentation that prompted applause. Chad thought this meeting seemed secretive, at least exclusive. There were no underlings, assistants, or back row observers. That had to be unusual for the position of a minister.

  One of the first slides appeared to be a timeline. The letters jyh appeared after Arabic numbers 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29. Chad deduced this was a reference to June 25th to the 29th.

  Today was the 25th. Chad knew the 28th was Vidovdan. That was his deadline from the Minister.

  The next slide was a timeline of years, every decade starting in 2020 through 2090, projecting some event that would occur. With a click, a large red X was superimposed over the seventy-year timeline. This brought more applause.

  Next was another timeline. This one began with 2016, continued every year until 2021, and then jumped to five-year increments until 2036. Just twenty years. More applause.

  Even though Chad did not understand what the Minister was saying, he could tell the politician was a powerful speaker and the man’s passion was communicated not only with words, but also with his face, his eyes, and his body posture.

  The next several slides were maps. Some were repeated with shaded areas representing changes. Chad recognized some countries like Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro. The state of Kosovo was obvious, but Chad’s knowledge fell short when it came to Bosnia and Croatia.

  Other slides showed percentages and numbers in the hundred thousands and millions. Chad had no idea of the categories, but reasoned these were some statistics important to the country’s development. Finally a financial slide was presented. Chad recognized the dollar symbol $, the euro €, and what he knew was Serbia’s dinar РСД.

  The presentation ended after twenty minutes. Questions followed, but Chad stopped recording and quietly walked to the steps at the end of the hall. He turned off his light, then looked and listened for any sign of someone in the basement. Clear.

  He turned on his headband light and descended the steep stairs. It was nearly six, the meeting understandably occurring after the closure of the church and monastery to the public. There were still monks on the site. They were probably restricted to their rooms if this was a secret meeting. He would reach the farm through the caves by seven. Chad wondered what time Anjie’s father unlocked the door. He might have to force it open, but he didn’t want to make any noise or expose Anjie’s or Pravi’s involvement. He also would have to cross the farm in the daylight, at least a part of it until he could get to the woods. His best path would be up the hill away from the farmhouse. The old root cellar could provide some cover from anyone looking his way from the house. Resigned to a long way back to his car, he closed the door to the stairwell and slid the bookcase in front of it.

  Chad turned to the door that led to the caves. He stopped short, when he saw the bookcase had been moved back.

  His blood ran cold when a voice whispered, “Dr. Archer.”

  Chapter 65

  Zevic answered his phone with his usual, “Yeah?” The caller ID was blocked.

  “Call me,” the voice at the other end said.

  Zevic recognized Luc Millet’s voice. He pulled over just outside Belgrade, opened the trunk, and switched to the burner phone for this week.

  This time it was Luc’s turn to answer monosyllabically, “Yeah?”

  “You called” Zevic said.

  “Do you know Max Alton?” Millet asked.

  Zevic thought quickly. He prided himself on being the smartest man in the room. Where was this going? How did Luc know Max? Better to tell the truth until he knew more.

  “Oui,” he answered Millet, using the man’s native language. “Pourquoi?”

  “The police came to my nephew’s funeral. They suggested that Alton killed Fraser.”

  Zevic thought fast. “Zut,” he responded. Damn.

  “How do you know him? What does he do?” Luc said controlling his anger.

  Zevic had to disconnect himself from Alton.

  “He finds things for me. He finds people.”

  “Who was he finding, Zevic? Loose ends. He also killed a man in Liverpool. Someone associated with Fraser. Will he be looking for me next?”

  “No, my friend. He is the loose end, now. Zut. I hired him to find the man that interrupted your visit to the museum. The man has something of mine, as you know. Something you lost.” Zevic wanted Millet to feel the responsibility. He added, “He was to find out who the man was and how he knew about the robbery.”

  Millet was quiet, absorbing this information.

  Zevic softened his tone. “Alton sometimes gets carried away, but he had no instructions to kill anyone.”

  “Just to hurt them? Like the pawnbroker, Cyrus Best? I heard what happened to him.”

  Zevic decided that Luc Millet was now a loose end. Alton , too. The police were looking for Max. Alton could name him.

  “Luc, I am sorry for your nephew. I will deal with A
lton.”

  “No. I will. I want to. I owe that to my sister. I was the one that involved Fraser. I will trade you, Zevic. You can have the merchandise from the museums that I have not sold. It is worth a half million euros. You can get two-fifty if you have the patience. With the police looking at me, I will have to keep my hands off it for a long while. In return, you set it up that I meet with Alton.”

  Zevic was as greedy as the next person. Two hundred fifty thousand euros was attractive. Since he wanted Alton dealt with anyway, why not profit from it. He asked, “Do you have some idea how to do that?”

  “That’s what I am paying you for,” Luc said. “Call me. Soon.”

  Luc disconnected and felt good issuing Zevic demands for a change. Now he had to figure out how to avoid any police surveillance.

  Zevic was back on the road, nearly to his safe place in Belgrade when his phone rang again.

  “Yeah?”

  “Call me,” a different voice said.

  His burner in hand, Zevic wasted no time calling Max Alton back.

  “Didn’t think I would hear from you for a while,” he said to Max. Maybe he could ask Max to take care of Luc. Set it up and let them kill each other. Of course, he’d be close by, if one of them failed.

  “I’d like a piece of the museum take, Zevic. And, not just the last one. I have information there were several others.”

  So, he found out about them and can link me to them. What has happened that he thinks he can leverage this?

  “Why would I do that, Max?”

  “I have an interesting video from this morning at Inspector Moffat’s flat. Someone visited it when she was away. Then it appears she returned armed with an empty bottle. Another policeman joined the two of them, but the visitor left quickly. I have a good facial view of the intruder. I think the police might find it interesting.”

  “I am not a man you should threaten,” Zevic warned.

  “I’m not stupid, Zevic. I know what you are capable of doing. I just want a profitable share. I sell you the video for merchandise that your thief cannot unload now because of the high profile this has.”

  Zevic doubted Max knew how high a profile he caused with two murders. At least, I let Cyrus Best live. Zevic had an idea, but did not want to seem too eager to give in.

  Zevic said abruptly, “I’ll think about it.” He hung up.

  Max looked at the dead phone. “Don’t take too long,” he said.

  Chapter 66

  Chad turned toward the voice, his flashlight leading the way. Andjela closed her eyes in the bright beam.

  “Andjie, what are you doing here?” Chad asked, also whispering.

  “Sorry to scare you, Dr. Archer. I came back because of the soldiers.”

  “What soldiers?”

  “Before we shut down for the day, they arrived. Someone important was with them. Then at closing, they asked the residents to stay in their rooms. I went home, but then my father came home and said there was a group of them at the crossroads and several more in Senje. I worried that you would reach the monastery and they would find you.”

  “So you came back?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you, Anjie. C’mon. We can take the caves back to your house,” Chad said as he started for the bookcase.

  “The door will be closed and father won’t unlock it until dark. You will have to wait. If I go that way, it will take too long. He will wonder where I am. Come with me, I know a way out.”

  “What about the soldiers?” Chad asked.

  “There is only one inside, one outside patrolling, and two at the road at the entrance.”

  “If we get caught, you will be in trouble,” Chad protested.

  “I have to leave, anyway. You should come.”

  Chad weighed the options. She was right.

  “Okay. Let’s go.”

  Andjie instructed him. “I will go first, and then wave you on. If they stop me, I say, I did not know that I should have stayed away. I came back for my phone.” She held it up.

  She led Chad through the basement to what he judged was the middle of the church. A set of stairs led up on the left side, the mountain side of the church. Andjie went to the top of the stairs, looked, and then waved Chad up.

  She quietly hurried about fifty feet to a side door. Once more, she motioned Chad forward. She whispered in his ear, “I think we cross to the woods, together. Don’t act suspicious.”

  Chad nodded and almost laughed. Don’t look suspicious? How could he not? Especially, if they looked into his backpack.

  Luck was on their side, even though the thirty seconds and the hundred twenty feet to the woods seemed like forever.

  Chad followed Andjie along a path she knew well that cut through the woods to the path that Chad had taken with her brother hours earlier. When they reached it, Andjie stopped.

  “You go that way to your car, Dr. Archer. I go the other to home.”

  “Call me Chad, Andjie. And, please call me when you are ready to come to London.”

  She held out her hand, arm extended stiffly, professionally, and he took it. They shook.

  Chad walked toward his car, a mere ten minutes now. He felt the relief of avoiding trouble and the good fortune to have met Andjie. His thoughts turned toward the artifacts in his backpack.

  Luck was with him again. If the two soldiers looking over his car were not talking, he would have walked right into them. Instead, he froze behind a tree and watched them. They had a radio and one was talking into it. The other looked around and into the trees. Chad felt exposed. He held his breath.

  Now what? He couldn’t walk through Senje. From what Andjie said, the soldiers were in Senje and at the intersection of the approach roads. He recalled the map. That road led south, away from Senje and the monastery, back to the A1 highway. He made up his mind and walked southwest, where he knew he would eventually cross the road, not more than a half mile away, but past the soldiers. Just over two miles down the road there was a small town. If he could avoid cars and the military and find a safe place, he could call for help.

  The road was easier to walk on. Chad was halfway to the town, and had not yet seen a car. His luck ran out. Hearing the sound of an automobile behind him, he left the road on the downhill side. There were few trees on either side. Mostly corn fields, divided by bushes and fences. Chad hid in the corn.

  The car slowed down on the road and stopped. Was he seen? He couldn’t see the car. Or could it be a military jeep? The car accelerated. Chad breathed easier. Then it stopped. He froze again and hugged the ground. He could tell it backed up and stopped across from him again.

  No way out he thought. Then he heard a voice call to him.

  “Chad? Chad where are you? It’s me, Harry.”

  Chapter 67

  “Harry, what the hell are you doing here?” Chad said, standing at the edge of the cornfield, flabbergasted at seeing the translator on a country road in the middle of Serbia.

  “Just passing through, Doc. Do you need a ride?”

  “Don’t know. Where are going?” Chad responded scrambling to the road and the car.

  “Get in, smartass. A better question is where are you going and where is your car?”

  “An unfortunate set of circumstances,” Chad answered. “The monastery was shut down for a special meeting. There was at least one government official there. Probably more, I just don’t know them. So the military were all over the place. Two soldiers spotted my car and were checking it out. Probably because it had been parked at the end of street for several hours. Security precaution, I’m sure.”

  “Maybe, maybe not,” Harry said. “Why didn’t you just show them ID and explain your presence?”

  “Because I just stole a set of buckles and what appears to be a royal robe from the monastery.”

  Harry braked suddenly. “You found them? Lazar’s robe and buckles?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll have to look closer and see if we can determine their origin or owner
. Like you did with the sword. Harry, there is more. The government official that I mentioned that was at this meeting was Minister Brajkovic. Something seemed odd about it.”

  “I can believe it. That’s why I came. I thought that you might be in trouble. I have been calling you.”

  “Sorry. I got a new phone in London. I didn’t want any triangulation to find me. You better shut yours off too. Hey, how did you find me?”

  “Sandy. I spoke with her. Nice person. She has a tracking app on your phone. She authorized it for me, so I could find you.”

  “She is tracking me?” Chad asked.

  “Hey. You two have trust issues, I can see. But lucky for you that you do.”

  “Not trust issues, Harry. Love issues. I am lucky. She called you?”

  “No, I called her. After she sent me some pictures of photos. She said they were disturbing. A proper British understatement.”

  “What were they?” Chad asked.

  “Look in the folder under your seat,” Harry instructed. “Remember these are print copies of photos of old pictures attached to an email. Some detail was lost.”

  Chad retrieved the folder and looked at the first print out. It was black and white. It was a filled with men and boys standing heads down, hands tied behind them. It was one of the photos in his dreams after the concussion. So was the second photo.

  This one was disturbing. There was a mass grave evidenced by the bodies that had tumbled into it. A mound of dirt from the ditch was behind the grave and on it stood an assortment of men holding guns. Their ages varied. Some looked young. Teenagers. Young teenagers. Some were middle age d and one had to be seventy. They held a variety of weapons. Automatic weapons, rifles, pistols. Most were in some uniform. Some were not. The atrocious scene was made worse by the looks on their faces. Grins. Smirks. Anger. Hate.

  Chad stared fixated, feeling a mix of sadness and anger. Seeing the worst in mankind exposed and captured in black and white made him wish he could separate himself from this species. Were we even the same species, he asked silently?