‘What do you have to offer?’
Andrew was amused. One of the richest and most powerful men in Australia asked what he had to offer. He could not deny that he knew what he was getting himself into. ‘I have information I bet she would give one of her arms to get hold of.’
Jonathan Milos knew Andrew was joking, but, nevertheless, as a faithful devotee of the Madame Marcquesa, saw that comment as an insult to her face. However, he decided nothing useful could come from making an issue of it and he ignored it, keeping a straight face. ‘No information could carry such a high price.’
‘Not even if it had to do with a key secret of the Order of Vlachernae?’
‘Ah, the only thing she is interested in is the source of their power to travel in time which they seem to be able to use like turning a tap on and off. You do understand that she has spies already. And your falling out with your family and the great matriarch herself is not exactly a secret. You could not call yourself an insider, a member of an inner circle of trust, so forgive me for seeing the value of any information you may have with scepticism.’
‘Things have changed.’
‘Oh? How so?’
‘I have taken steps for a reconciliation that have been bearing fruit.’
Jonathan Milos was intrigued. ‘Interesting. But it could not be that easy to regain their trust. And by the time you do that, assuming you succeed, any information you have given us would probably either be information that we have obtained already or it would be too late for us to act on it. And there would also be doubts on the accuracy of such information. Your rehabilitation will not remove any doubts about your intentions and they may use you by feeding you incorrect or dubious information, as a means to test you and trip whoever else you may be in cahoots with.’
Andrew was insulted even though he agreed with what Jonathan Milos said. His pride and dignity did not allow him to admit let alone bow to the Madame or her minions. He would not even ask Jonathan to at least take the offer to the Madame. He had no doubt that Jonathan Milos had her complete trust and authority to assess the situation and decide on the spot.
From what Jonathan had said it sounded to Andrew that Jonathan had practically made his decision. His wavering, which was in itself offensive and dangerous, was Jonathan’s way of amusing himself by testing Andrew, trying to trip him, playing with him to see how far Andrew’s patience could go before he had had enough, returned the insult and got up and left.
Andrew suddenly realised that there was nothing to be gained by such an alliance. He didn’t trust them and would never trust them. And he had no doubt the feeling was mutual. This meant that there would be no guarantee that they would not turn and double-cross him or remove him from the scene once they had got what they wanted. And he didn’t want to have to watch his back on that many fronts.
He would keep the information for himself. He would have to go it alone. He would not change his mind even if the Madame changed hers and came back seeking an alliance. And he was not concerned that, if that happened, he might make a dangerous enemy of the Madame.
‘Mr Milos, thank you for the pleasure of your company. Enjoy the rest of your day.’ Andrew’s formality gave out a clear message, not just a hint, which Jonathan understood.
Andrew got up and without looking back walked out of the restaurant thanking the Maitre d’ on his way out. When Jonathan asked for the bill he was told that it had already been settled by Mr Le Charos.
By the time he left the restaurant Andrew had made his decision.
* * *
Once outside, his driver was already holding the door open for him. He got into the car, which left the kerb within seconds on its way to the airport. He pressed a button, lowering the glass partition.
‘Thomas, we need to make a stop at the Point Piper house on our way. I’ll only be a few minutes.’
* * *
Half an hour later, the car stopped outside Andrew’s seafront home. Andrew opened the front door and walked briskly through the hall and out into the garden. He saw her standing by the quay before she saw him and he quickened his pace.
‘Andrew, it’s exactly one o’clock. Punctuality was always one of your good traits.’
‘I haven’t got long. I need to be at the airport in an hour.’
‘This won’t take long. I’m sorry for not giving you more notice.’
‘I must admit I was surprised when you called. I had no idea you were in Australia. I saw Katerina the other day and she did not mention that you may be visiting.’
‘She had no idea. I only decided two days ago.’
He studied her. ‘How is it that you become more beautiful with age?’
‘Andrew, don’t flatter me please.’ She indicated her hair. ‘This is the work of a master craftsman. And please don’t tell me you refuse to see the lines on my face, the legacy of a busy life.’
‘Maturity suits you. I have watched you all these years, what you’ve done with the company. Imagine if we had joined forces. But you always wanted to keep the two companies separate. What a pair we would have been. What a dynasty we would have created.’
‘We always had a dynasty and a lot more besides. A family. Two great sons. Only you could not see it.’
‘Yes, I have followed their path as well with interest. They have done well. You have done well with them, and on your own. You must be proud of them.’
‘I am. And you are not?’
‘Of course I am. I wish I had them running my companies, especially Aristo. He beats us both hands down.’
‘They both have good genes. I think Aristo got the best of both of us. However things ended between us, nobody can deny your business acumen. Your achievements are proof of that.’
‘Thank you. You know, there was a time when I felt intimidated by you, by your success, your power, your money.’
‘What, you mean you are not anymore? I must be losing my touch. Age can do that to you, you know.’
‘My darling Elli, we are not getting any younger …’
‘Are you going to bombard me with another marriage proposal?’
‘No, I wouldn’t dare. But we had something special, you and I.’
‘Had, Andrew, had. A long time ago.’
‘I am glad you called and came here. In fact I was going to call you.’
‘Yes? Why?’
‘Have you spoken with Katerina since she got back?’
‘No, I didn’t get the chance. Why? Has something happened?’
‘No, it’s nothing to worry about. But it has to do with me and you and Andros’ family.’ He paused. ‘Elli, would you believe me if I told you that I have changed, that I want to have some sort of relationship with you all?’
‘Is that why Katerina came to see you? Is it a daily trip of a guilty conscience? How long will it last before you are back to your old ways?’
‘Elli, after all I have put you through you would be right not to believe me. But I want this. I really do. I want us all to be a family again, if not like we were back then when we were married, at least the closest thing to what we could have been.’
‘So you are ready to tell Aristo and Vasilis that you are their father?’
‘Yes.’
‘Even with all the cynicism that I see things after all these years, I have been waiting a long time for you to say this.’ Her eyes began to water and her lip quivered. She tried to hold back the tears. Her face betrayed her, though.
‘Elli, if I didn’t know better I would say that you are about to cry.’
‘Don’t you believe it.’ She smiled through wet eyes. ‘You got me there. I will not pretend otherwise. What excuse could I have? That I have dust in my eyes?’ She paused. ‘Look, Andrew, despite what you may think, I am human and not ashamed to show weakness, where appropriate of course. I will tell you though. You have been lucky.’
‘Lucky?’
‘Yes, lucky that the truth has not come out in all these years. That nobody even hinted at the trut
h before Aristo and Vasilis. It was a luxury to go about your business all these years without interruptions, without complications without the tension of a revelation and condemnation by gossip. Now you cannot afford to avoid it any longer, we cannot afford for our children not to know the truth. You have an opportunity to at least go some way to righting the wrong against them. Don’t waste it and don’t delay. The longer we leave it now that you have taken the decision the higher the risk of them finding it out through a third party, even if this has not happened for such a long time.’
‘I really want to make it up to them.’ He paused. ‘And Elli, I feel no animosity towards you anymore. I no longer hate you. I have changed.’
‘I’m beginning to believe you. How are you going to go about this? Will you be coming to Cyprus?’
‘Yes, I am planning a trip in the next few weeks.’
‘Excellent. Then we hope to see you then. Now I will tell you what I wanted to talk to you about.’
‘It must be important for you to come all the way here.’
‘Yes, it merits a private face-to-face discussion.’ She paused. ‘Andrew I have learned that you are behind the purchase of the 10% stake that the Manoukios branch of the family has in the Valchern Corporation.’ At his hint of a protestation she raised her hand in a gesture for him to stop. ‘You are going to tell me that it’s not true, because your name does not appear on the papers as the registered owner of the shares. But I know that there is a secret agreement between you and Manoukios.’
‘There’s no point asking how you know. Your sources of information have always been impressive.’
‘Exactly, so why go through the charade of creating this elaborate scheme to cover your identity? Unless it’s because you have seen the articles of the company. Of course, you know that no shareholder can sell even a single share to an outsider, but only to another existing shareholder. And there is no preemption option, so that a shareholder cannot offer his shares to other existing shareholders and, if there is no interest to buy, then that shareholder may go outside to offer to sell. Money must have passed between you. You must have paid them a considerable sum for the use of that stake, haven’t you?’
‘Yes, I have. I knew they were looking for a legal exit, a way to monetise that stake than simply receiving dividends which they will still continue to receive. They are the owners of the stake after all.’
‘What do you mean you knew? How did you find out when I did not get even the slightest wind of this? That’s very strange behaviour on Manoukios’ part not talking to me first.’
‘I don’t know.’ He paused. ‘Elli, I just want to be involved more closely with my family.’
‘So it’s simply noble intentions, is it?’
‘Yes.’
‘You have a funny way of going about it.’ Elli paused and looked Andrew hard in the eye. ‘To cause trouble, you mean. And here am I almost being convinced that you had changed and sincerely wanted to come back to the fold.’
‘I do, Elli, I really do.’
‘You have always been a master actor which has not harmed you in business.’
‘Elli, this is not acting.’
‘The question now is what you mean by “involved” and how you will be using whatever limited power that 10% stake gives you and how you will be voting that holding. Are you planning to buy more shares? If Manoukios was prepared to make a deal with you, probably there are others eager to release some equity, and “some” is an understatement, some value from stakes that are worth hundreds of millions of US dollars and are locked in.’ She paused. ‘Andrew if you have any plans of attempting to gain control, an idea that, surely, you could not be stupid enough to entertain, I do not need to remind you that I am the 60% controlling shareholder. I don’t know what you may be hoping to achieve apart from making my job difficult with constant challenges and trying to disrupt the operation of the company with delays; perhaps for a monetary benefit to your own companies?’
‘I wouldn’t dare to cause any trouble for you. I have no doubt the eagle-eyed Elli would be watching my every step ready to intervene and crush me, if I put a foot wrong. The last thing I would want would be to incur your wrath. “Hell hath no fury for a woman scorned”, isn’t that right?’
‘Andrew, do not patronise me. I would not put it past you to do something like that. You are a ruthless businessman after all. You do have it in you. You have done it before to other companies.’
‘Trust you to hold such a low opinion of me when I have expressly been clear about my honourable intentions, me trying to get into your good books again and you insulting me by doubting me.’
‘I will put this matter to one side for now. Let’s concentrate on helping you to build up bridges with the family and especially introducing you to your sons who don’t know they have an aspiring father living and breathing in prominence in the business and society circles of Australia.’
‘Thank you, Elli, for giving me another chance. I thought after what you’ve said that you would be dead against it now.’
‘You disappoint me, Andrew. You should know me better than that.’
* * *
When Elli returned to Limassol, there was a message from Giorgos waiting for her. He had heard from James Calvell in New York. The hacker had a name for the descendant of the abducted child from 1453.
‘And he still lives in Crete?’ Elli asked.
‘Yes, in Ayia Galini.’
‘You do realise we’ll need to go and see him. We will need to carry out a DNA test to confirm that he is indeed descended from the Palaiologos family. My ancestor Michael was the son of the last Emperor, so the Palaiologos blood runs in my family’s veins.’ Elli paused. ‘Giorgos have you made any progress with the identity of the woman’s body you found in Cappadocia?’
Giorgos shook his head. ‘Not yet. I’ve got no leads at all.’
‘Didn’t you find a tablet there as well?
‘Yes, under the body.’
‘Do you remember what it said?’
‘It was illegible. It was in a language with characters I have not seen before.’
‘Where is it now?’
‘It should be safe.’ Giorgos tried to sound reassuring.
Elli understood what Giorgos was telling her and was surprised, but could not say that she was not relieved and pleased with his sharp mind. ‘You managed to take it out of the country without permission?’
‘Well, that was not difficult. You did finance the expedition after all. Your brother Iraklios must have foreseen that such an involvement would be useful with that. He sent one of the Valchern Corporation’s private jets to get us out.’
‘So you brought it to Cyprus?’
‘No, we went straight back to Athens, the launching pad for the expedition. The rest of the team were from Greece. The sarcophagus and the tablet were taken to the Symitzis Museum vaults.’
‘That was quick thinking on your part. If you had not acted in the way you did the tablet would have been lost to us. Trying to retrieve it now and dealing with the Turkish authorities would have been a night-mare, and that would be assuming it had not been stolen or lost. Due to its value the Turkish authorities would simply not have let it go out of the country for any reason whatsoever.
‘Assuming they allowed the tablet to be studied and analysed, they would have insisted for such analysis to take place in Turkey. And there is no way we could have obtained it through underhand measures. Our influence does not extend that far. Giorgos, we need to get the tablet back from Athens and decipher it.
‘I want you to go to Athens and bring it back. You can use one of my private jets. I’ll arrange it. Pack your bag. You are leaving tonight. The jet will be waiting for you to bring you back as soon as you retrieve it. There is no time to waste. What’s on it is crucial.’
‘No problem. Of course, I’ll go.’
‘Good. Let’s adjourn for now. Come straight to see me as soon as you return to Cyprus. Good luck.’
* * *
Giorgos was back in Cyprus and sitting facing Elli within ten hours of their last encounter. He handed the tablet to Elli. Elli caressed it and felt its cool marble surface. A lot of craftsmanship had gone into its creation. She decided to try something. She concentrated and passed her fingers over the inscription.
She breathed a sigh of relief. It was written in the ancient Pallanian language that she could read with the special implant she had had inserted in her palm, an implant powered by a special fuel only she knew about.
Giorgos watched her with bated breath on the edge of his seat. When he saw the tension in her face starting to relax he felt relief washing over him together with the coursing of elation through his veins. He was dying to ask Elli what the inscription said, but did not want to interrupt her.
After a while she looked up, her eyes filled with tears. She had never seen Elli showing so much emotion before. She always saw her as this tough business-woman always in command of herself and everybody around her, always in perfect control of every situation, the rock that everybody, including her family, relied on, especially at times of confusion, distress or hardship. Words struggled to pass her lips, which quivered uncontrollably.
‘It is a very sad story. The woman in the tomb looks as if she is the abducted child’s mother. She died soon after as a result of her grief. Her restless soul is still roaming around us seeking her child and will not rest until she is reunited with her child. And she is grieving for her husband and father of the child too. She is looking for his body, his last resting place. The father’s soul is also not at peace and is looking for her. Only by bringing all three of them together will they rest in peace.
‘Giorgos, this is what we have to do, now more urgently than ever. That’s what it says here. It sounds similar to the passage Katerina and Aristo saw in Ayia Sophia on the second day.’
Giorgos had become very excited. His curiosity got the better of him. ‘Is there anything else?’
Elli stared at him amused and feigned shock at what she pretended to have been a thoughtless question. ‘One tragedy is not enough for you? You want more?’
The Emperor Awakes Page 25
