Order of the Black Sun Box Set 11

by Preston William Child

  “Hope you saved a seat for me,” someone said.

  They all turned to see Elijah walking toward them, a bag slung over his shoulder. He was casually chomping down on a breakfast sandwich, like he was meant to be there. It was as if he hadn't completely blown Nina off the previous day.

  “Elijah?”

  He took one last bite of his sandwich and then shifted his glasses on his face bashfully.

  “What?” he asked innocently.

  “What do you mean 'what'?” Nina snapped, but was more surprised than angry. “What are you doing here?”

  “What do you mean? I was invited, obviously.”

  She was sure this was his idea of some kind of joke, but Elijah wasn't usually the joking type of man. He especially wouldn't come all the way out of his seclusion in that vault to come pull off some sort of prank. He’d see that as nothing but a waste of time. But if he wasn't trying to trick her, then what was he doing there?

  “So you're coming then?”

  “It appears so,” he said.

  “What changed your mind?”

  “Definitely not you,” Elijah said flatly. “I was told by my doctor that getting a little bit of sun once in a while might be good for my skin. Fresh air would be beneficial as well. And since you already invited me on this venture, it's just a happy coincidence that I can get those things if I go with you.”

  Nina rolled her eyes. “You're a real ass, you know that?”

  4

  SURPRISING NEW ROLES TO PLAY

  The flight to Rome was going smoothly. They hadn't even hit a patch of turbulence the entire way which was unusual. Nina was used to more eventful flights with Purdue. Usually they were being pursued by murderers or on their way to some suicide mission. This seemed much more casual, like she was going on vacation with a bunch of friends. Still, she tried to keep focus. She was in charge and couldn't take that for granted. She’d never forgive herself if she screwed up her first time running things.

  Riley was sitting in front of her but she was turned around in her seat, her arms hanging over her chair and looking back at Nina thoughtfully. The young woman stared at her, chewing a piece of gum. “You nervous?”

  “No,” Nina said with a stifled laugh. “Why would I be nervous? There's nothing to be nervous about.”

  “You sure sound nervous,” Riley said, blowing a bubble with her gum. “Come on, it's your first time really calling the shots, right? You've got to be feeling sick to your stomach. I know I’d be. But relax, you're going to do great...unless we all die horribly.”

  Nina laughed. “You're really giving me a lot of confidence.”

  “You're welcome,” Riley said. “But really, you'll do fine. Don't panic. You already practically led before when you were with Purdue. You were just the brains and he was the...not really brawn but charm maybe...or the stubbornness...one or the other. You were kind of like co-captains when we were looking for Genghis Khan. So you already know how to lead...the only difference is now you can make all the decisions without having to run it by Purdue. If you look at it that way, this really isn't all that scary, right?”

  “I appreciate that,” Nina said. “You have a point.”

  “How do you think Purdue is doing?” The question came out of the blue and it seemed especially out of place given that Riley was the one asking it. It sounded so serious and cryptic compared to most of the things that came out of that girl's mouth. Riley looked legitimately concerned and that caught Nina completely by surprise.

  “What do you mean? Doing with what?”

  “He’s just seemed distant lately...and I know he's technically very distant from us right now...geographically speaking...I just mean that he has seemed really focused lately, and not in a healthy way. I haven't seen him leave his office much since after we got back from digging up Genghis Khan.”

  Riley wasn't wrong. Purdue had been very different since his last outing, but Nina had a better understanding of why that was than Riley did. That mission—the mysterious man who’d tried to kill them all—it’d really upset Purdue. That man told him that there was another group that they were unaware of that apparently had history with the Order of the Black Sun and were pulling all kinds of strings in the background. And according to that man, before he died, an old woman was at the center of that web of strings. After defeating Julian Corvus, Purdue and Nina didn't know there was even another dangerous player on the board, and Purdue was still reeling from that revelation. It made everything so much more dangerous and he didn't want to underestimate an enemy like that, like he’d done with the original Order of the Black Sun.

  He just wanted to find out all he could about their new enemy and that desire had very quickly warped into something of an obsession. Purdue had done his best to hide it, still pretending like he was alright, but Nina saw through it. She knew him well enough to know when he was afraid and this was even more than just fear. Purdue was rattled; he'd thought they had finally overcome their enemies, but there was one potentially even more dangerous out there.

  It was hard seeing him like that. He was normally so confident and when that self-assurance wavered, nothing felt quite right with the world. At least when she was on this search, far away from Purdue, she didn't have to see him slowly twist himself inside out.

  “He'll be fine.” That was what she settled on saying. She wasn't exactly certain of that herself, but they couldn't spend all their time worried about Purdue. She appreciated Riley's genuine empathy, but they had to keep pressing forward. Purdue wasn't here and he wasn't even anywhere nearby. This was their task and they were going to get it done. They could trade concerns about the Black Sun leader later. “David Purdue is a big boy. If he needs us, he can let us know, don't you think?”

  “I guess so.”

  Surprisingly, while sitting by his window seat on the jet, the brutish August Williams had a book in his hands, titled The Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar, The Greatest of All Romans. He was reading through it intently, his big powerful hands gripping the binding tightly.

  Nina watched him from across the plane and the thought crossed her mind that August could probably crumple that book into a tiny piece of paper if he wasn't careful. Or he could even rip out a page with ease if he pulled just a little too hard. It was just a strange sight to see someone so physically powerful reading a book so quietly. It was like if a tank was playing bingo, it was just interesting to see.

  “Good read?” Nina said, trying to hide her surprise that he was doing research.

  He looked up from the book and gave an awkward smile, like had just been caught doing something wrong. “I'm just trying to learn about him. Reading had never really been a big thing for me exactly...but if we're looking for this guy's sword, then I want to know what the hell we're talking about, you know?”

  August wasn't known for being particularly well-spoken or well-read. He didn't mince words and instead preferred trading blows with his fists to truly communicate. He hadn't been recruited for his intelligence or his knowledge of history. He’d been enlisted to the Order of the Black Sun by Julian Corvus to be nothing more than an enforcer or a guard. August’s ability to inflict pain was his most useful skill, and he didn't need anything else. But here he was, trying to do more than that—and Nina loved it. That was some real dedication to the cause that she didn't expect from him.

  August tapped the cover of the book. “He was a pretty big deal, that's for sure. He’d all of Rome on lock. He knew all of the ins and outs. Reading right now about him working with Pompey and Crassus to get higher up. Seems to be working out for him.”

  Nina nodded. “It worked out for Caesar for a long time, yes...until it didn't. That tends to be how it goes for most leaders throughout history. Some fall on their way to the top, others make it there but then are rather quickly kicked off the summit.”

  “Like what happened to Julian.”

  There wasn't any bitterness in what August was saying. He wasn't trying to defend his old boss. On
the contrary, he looked quite pleased when talking about Julian Corvus' defeat. Julian was a psychopath and Nina doubted that he was a very good boss.

  “So, what do you think happened to his sword?” August asked.

  “Well, if the legends are true, he used the same sword his whole life. So it must have been pretty important for him. I suppose if he had the choice, he would have probably wanted to do something ceremonial with it. Maybe pass it down to a successor or be buried with it...but instead...he didn't get that chance. He obviously didn't know he was going to die so suddenly so he probably just left the sword at home.”

  “So you're saying the housekeeper took it. A maid or a butler or...”

  “No,” Nina snickered. “I don't think it was any of them. I'm not entirely sure, but I'm really hoping this trip to Rome will clear some of that up for us.”

  “Me too,” August said, returning his gaze back to his book. He started reading for a moment before darting his dark head back up over the binding. “Caesar really was an interesting guy.”

  “He really was,” Nina said, happy to see him enjoying the book so much. “Keep reading. It gets even more interesting.”

  5

  THE THIRD TRIUMVIRATE

  Nina was happy to be in Rome again. She hadn't been for quite some time. It was the perfect city for someone like her and that's why she’d gone numerous times. It was a relaxing vacation destination, with wonderful food, and some incredibly fun things to do. What she loved most was all of the history that had taken place there. That city had once been the capital of one of the most successful civilizations mankind had ever had. It was the central hub of so much. So many names and events were connected to the city. Some of the names came from the time when Rome was still a republic, while many others were immortalized during the time Rome was an empire. Either way, it was one of the most fascinating places and points in history Nina had ever researched. And here she was, right where it all happened. It was an incredible feeling to be right in the thick of it all, surrounded by history.

  There were structures and places in Rome that still stood from those ancient times and they always drew Nina's attention. The most famous of which was the Roman Colosseum, which had endured thousands of years; a reminder of a much cruder time when violence was not only preferred, but also practically worshiped.

  “This is incredible,” Riley said, taking a picture of the city.

  “It really is,” Elijah agreed. He didn't exactly look happy—he rarely ever did—but Nina could tell that he was at least content. His love of history probably made this place just as much of a sanctuary for him as it was for Nina.

  “Not what I pictured,” August said. “Isn't the whole thing supposed to be on water? Like even the alleys and the roads are for boats and..”

  “You're thinking of Venice,” Nina said, patting him on the back. August was getting better with his studies, but he was still far from being worldly. Hopefully his time with the Order of the Black Sun, going on expeditions like this, would get him to see more of the world than he had.

  Nina knew that their destination, the Palazza Nuovo Museum wasn't far, well within walking distance. They trudged through the streets, passing by shops, restaurants, and street vendors. She was enraptured by it all, like she always was every time she came to Rome, completely lost in her thoughts of times when Roman legionnaires marched through these same streets.

  Rome had survived civil wars, foreign invaders, and fires that nearly destroyed the entire place. It was remarkable that so much of it was still left standing. Of course, most of the buildings in the city were built far later, but the spots that remained from the ancient days gave the whole city a unique feeling. Even some of the oldest cities in the United Kingdom and Eastern Europe didn't have remnants of things from thousands of years ago.

  Nina led them to the Palazza Nuovo but when they arrived, they just found police cars parked haphazardly on the street outside of the museum's entrance. One had even mounted the curb, like the police had to get there in a hurry and didn't care about where they had to park their cars. Something was definitely going on at the Palazza Nuovo.

  Nina exchanged disconcerted glances with her team members as they approached the building. A lone officer was standing by the police vehicle, waving people passing by away to carry on with their mornings. They didn't need civilians getting in the way of whatever work they were doing. He already looked agitated as Nina and the others approached. He tried to deter them away from the museum with some preemptive waves of his hand to keep them back.

  Nina knew some Italian—hopefully enough to get them inside, but she doubted it.

  A young woman stepped out of the museum doors and hurried over to the policeman, shooting quick glances toward Nina's direction. She spoke to the officer quietly and the officer looked Nina and the others over before stepping aside, allowing them to pass. Nina didn't know who the young woman was but she was grateful that she showed up. Otherwise, that policeman would have practically been a brick wall.

  They walked past the police officer through the glass doors of the museum. Riley gave a sarcastic “graci” in a faux Italian accent as she passed by the cop. They followed the young woman who had come to their rescue into the museum.

  “I'm Monica Moretti, the floor manager here at the Palazza Nuovo.”

  As they moved through the lobby of the museum, past the check-in stations for visitors, they walked by some more police. They were inspecting a shattered display case, which was now nothing more than a messy pile of glass on the floor.

  “Rough morning?” Nina asked.

  “What gave that way?” Monica asked with a slight, tired smile. She looked utterly exhausted, and had probably already been up for hours, despite how early it was. Whatever was going on had probably made this a very early day for some of the employees at the museum. “We’ve had some problems with thievery of late...all of the museums and collectors in the area have. The museums of Rome are practically under siege from these burglars.”

  “Are they all by the same burglars?” August asked.

  “Yes,” Monica said. “They leave the same letter at every scene of the crime. And they seem to only be after antiquities of Roman origin.”

  “That's why we're here too,” Riley said, but caught herself after she articulated it. “Not to steal them, obviously, but we're here to find something Roman.”

  Security guards stood in a small cluster nearby and looked unsure of what to do with themselves. They were red-faced, looking noticeably ashamed. They were probably dreading what would happen because of this robbery. A fiasco like this might unfortunately cost them their paychecks.

  “They came sometime last night. Got away with a few items but thankfully not too much.”

  Nina was surprised that a group of thieves like that hadn't been caught yet. If they were really just going on a tour of all of the museums and stealing things from specific Roman exhibits, they should have been fairly simple enough to track down and stop.

  She decided to voice her astonishment. “So this same group has been bouncing from museum to museum and no one has caught them yet?”

  “That’s right,” Monica said, her eyes falling shamefully to the floor. “They went after the Castel Sant'Angelo a few nights back. Just like they did with them, they cut the cameras, sometimes, knock out all of the power and alarm systems. The guards who have seen them say that they all wear masks so it's very difficult to identify them. From what they say, it seems like there's always three of them. Which makes sense...”

  “Why does that make sense?” Riley asked.

  “Because of what they call themselves in those letters they leave. The Third Triumvirate.”

  “Pretentious name,” Nina said, rolling her eyes.

  Elijah rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. “I’d very much like to read one of those letters if possible.”

  “I'll see what we can do,” Monica said.

  The exhibits they walked by were some of the most int
eresting looking displays Nina had ever seen—and she had seen probably dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of museums during her life. She practically lived in them, but this one really stood out among the rest from just its impeccable appearance alone. The displays and plaques were highly detailed and presented in a very clear, concise manner that immediately drew a visitor's eye. That must have been thanks to Santino. He had a flair for showing the real drama of ancient history.

  One of the rooms had a floor that showcased the topography of Ancient Rome. It made it so visitors were walking on top of an enormous map. Someone could literally cross the Rubicon like Caesar had, but do it in one single step. Another step, and they could end up in Gaul. It was an impressive image to show just how vast the Roman Empire really was.

  Another room had walls that were lined with diagrams of Roman soldier formations, revealing the exact positions warriors would be in to fulfill specific strategies. The room itself was large but relatively empty, except for the legion of mannequins that stood in its center. There were dozens of them, all clad in legionnaire armor. Upon closer inspection, Nina noticed that the models were showing off the proper form of performing a testudo defensive formation, which consisted of soldiers in the front raising their shields while the soldiers behind placed their shields over their heads to protect from projectiles raining down from above. It created almost a box of shields that was difficult to penetrate, meant to evoke the image of a turtle being protected by its shell. Nina had read all about that formation and seen it in pictures and in films but to be standing right in front of it—to see how it would look if you were facing it—was truly special.

  “This is ridiculous,” Elijah muttered beside her. He obviously wasn't impressed by the museum like she was. He was looking around at all of the exhibits and items on display with a great deal of pessimism. “This whole place. Of course someone was going to steal something, and of course they would be able to...these artifacts shouldn't be just sitting out here in the open for anyone to take.”