Hunter's Hope

by M. J. O'Shea

  “That way. Go through the side gate,” Jack said. He was out of breath from running. Alo followed the way he’d pointed. “Fast.”

  They turned and ran to the side where there was a small gate in the old crumbly stone wall. Alo slipped through it and kept running. He could only assume the others were behind him.

  Alo kept running in the direction he hoped was the right one. He was out of breath and his thighs burned, but he didn’t hear anything other than his own footsteps and an embarrassing amount of wheezing. Finally he rounded a building and stopped to turn around.

  Jack, Kendra, and Brad were right behind him. They all leaned against the side of the wall, breathing heavily. They waited for a long time. It didn’t seem like anyone was behind them.

  “Guys, I think we need to get out of here,” Jack said. “Like the city. Get out of the city.”

  “No hotel?” Kendra looked like she was about to start crying.

  Alo didn’t blame her. The thought of another night on the train, or even worse in the train station, made him want to cry. Plus... no Jack. Even after a day of searching and digging in an old cemetery, he still remembered how it had felt to fall asleep in Jack’s arms, and he knew more than anything that he wanted to do it again.

  But Jack was right. They had to leave.

  They ended up taking a late-night flight from Krakow to Sofia. Alo was nervous about the painting still in his carry-on along with the jewelry and the Spanish cross. He vowed to find somewhere in Sofia to mail the items home.

  He didn’t have many expectations when it came to Sofia. Alo had studied it in relation to the Ottomans and the Byzantines, but never anything extensive. It was exciting to see somewhere that he didn’t feel like he knew already.

  Jack sank down into the seat next to him. There weren’t many people on their flight. They’d gotten good seats anyway—business class as usual. Alo learned pretty quickly that Jack refused to sit in coach.

  “Hey, kid. You doing okay?” Jack asked.

  Alo looked over to where Kendra had already closed her eyes across the aisle. He tentatively reached over and covered Jack’s hand with his. They hadn’t done a lot of hand-holding, at least not when they weren’t half asleep, but Alo figured there was no harm in trying. Jack smiled and turned his hand palm up, lacing their fingers together.

  “I’m okay,” Alo said. “A bit worried about getting to a post office in Sofia, though.”

  “We’ll take care of that. Don’t worry,” Jack said.

  “Kendra wasn’t too thrilled about the plan,” Alo said.

  She’d found out on the way from Karlovy Vary to Krakow. She’d said it was stupid to think they’d make it unharmed all the way to America.

  “It’s not hers to be thrilled about. She’s here to worry about our show, not what you do with the... items. None of us are.”

  Alo loved that Jack gave him that kind of authority. Sure, it was his, but still it was nice to be treated like a functioning adult who’d made a good choice. Kendra might not call him kid as often as Jack did, but she seemed to treat him like one more often.

  “So. Sofia. Cathedral.”

  Alo snorted. “Yeah. We all know Ira knew how to pick his sites. Nothing unassuming.”

  “You going to be ready to go in the morning?”

  “Yes. I haven’t figured out where in the cathedral it is. It’ll be easier once we’re on-site.”

  Jack nudged him. “Hey. Why don’t we talk about something other than the... thing?” There weren’t many other people on the plane, but Jack was smart not to say any particularly juicy keywords out loud.

  “Like what?”

  Jack shrugged. “Tell me about your friend Jenny.”

  Alo had mentioned her a couple of times since they’d gotten to know each other. It was a nice distraction.

  “Um, she’s funny. Sarcastic. Really smart. We only met a few months ago, but we’ve gotten to be good friends since then.”

  “How’d you meet?”

  “She works at the campus library with me.”

  Jack snickered. “I love that you’re a librarian. It’s perfect.”

  “I’m not a librarian.” Alo grinned anyway. “I work at the research help desk. It’s work study.”

  “What do you and Jenny do?”

  “Not much really. We hang out when we’re working. She drags me out for drinks every once in a while. That’s all.” Alo smirked. “Tries to get me laid.”

  Jack scowled for a second. Alo thought it was beyond adorable. “What about you? What do you do when you’re not filming?”

  “Not much, to be honest. We’re out so much of the year that I don’t really have time to get a big social life going at home.” Jack made a face. “I sound really lame. Mostly I just go to the gym. Go out once in a while.”

  “Do you do things with Kendra or Brad?”

  Jack chuckled. “Nah. I get along with them just fine for filming, but we don’t have much in common. Brad lives in Connecticut with his kids and his soccer mom wife. Kendra is... Kendra. She hasn’t been with the crew all that long and we’re very different.”

  “I think you two seem like you could be friends.” Alo played with Jack’s fingers for a minute. “I mean, look at us. When would you have ever imagined that you and I could be whatever it is that we are?”

  “Whatever it is that we are? Succinct. Excellent description.” Jack grinned at him.

  Alo kind of loved that even after what had happened with them the night before—which God it seemed like days ago—Jack still had no problem flipping him shit.

  “You try coming up with a word to describe it, then.” They weren’t dating. That required going on dates other than cemetery digging. They weren’t exactly sleeping together. Once didn’t make a pattern. Alo didn’t know what the word was.

  “We’re... whatevering.”

  “Whatevering. I suppose you can say that’s succinct, if not incredibly descriptive.”

  Alo felt like he was in high school again—except high school involved a crush on the superhot king of the school who barely acknowledged him other than when exams came around. This was something completely different. The superhot guy actually looked at him like he was something worth looking at. Jack squeezed his hand.

  “You want to try to get some sleep? It’ll be pretty late when we get in, so we’re going to have another weird night and a pretty early morning.”

  “Yeah,” Alo said. “I’ll try to sleep.”

  His second plane ride of the day. He wasn’t much looking forward to it.

  It was the middle of the night when they got to their hotel. Brad had dealt with setting up rooms for them, so the late-night desk clerk only had to hand them their keys. Alo was sleepy from a few hours of uncomfortable napping on the airplane. He was ready to stretch out on a bed—hopefully with Jack right next to him.

  They’d just turned toward the bank of elevators when Alo saw her. His heart nearly stopped. He elbowed Jack hard.

  “What?” Jack said.

  “It’s her. That’s the chick from Berlin.” Alo pointed surreptitiously. The woman was on the other side of the lobby from them. She didn’t appear to be watching them. But it was her. Alo was dead sure of it.

  “Shit,” Jack muttered. “The last time you saw her we ended up getting shot at. I think we need to get out of here.”

  “What about the treasure?” Kendra asked.

  “Do you want to get shot?” Jack countered.

  Kendra’s eyes went wide. “True. Alo, are you okay with moving on?”

  “Very.”

  He could come back. Later. In a year. Whenever the woman in all black wasn’t on their tail. Whenever there weren’t people with guns most likely following them.

  “So, back to the airport?”

  “Yeah. We’re going to have to take the scenic route.”

  It was past dawn when they landed in Venice. Venice. Alo was in the middle of one of those “I can’t believe I’m really here” moments. />
  Somehow it trumped creepy women, three flights in one day and running from security guards in a Polish cemetery. Venice. He’d spent so much time studying Venetian art, the culture, it was just... unreal.

  “I can’t believe we’re here,” Alo said. He’d said it to himself more than once.

  “Excited, kid?” Jack asked.

  “Yeah. I mean, I wish we could’ve stopped in Sofia, but....”

  “I know. It was my idea to leave. Let’s just hope we managed to lose her and whoever she works for.”

  “Agreed. I think it was worth it too. It would’ve been too dangerous to stay.”

  Their hotel was small and quaint, not like the huge places they’d booked in other cities. It was in a small back lagoon not too far from Piazza San Marco but still somehow out of the main tourist track. Alo was practically buzzing. They grouped together in Alo and Jack’s room as usual.

  “Where are we going today?” Kendra asked.

  “Sestiere San Polo.” Alo grinned. “The Rialto Bridge.”

  “Lemme guess. Huge tourist area, really conspicuous, well known?” Jack raised an eyebrow.

  Alo snorted. “Well known enough that I believe there’s a replica of it in Vegas.”

  “Fantastic.” Jack rolled his eyes. “Another nighttime gig?”

  “Probably best.”

  Brad and Kendra looked almost relieved. Alo was too in a way, but not for the same reason they appeared to be. He was in Venice. The last thing he wanted was to just go to the site, look for what Ira hid there, and then leave.

  “Guys. I’m going to go walk around. I don’t think I could just sleep. I’ve wanted to come here most of my life.”

  Kendra gave him a gentle smile. “I don’t blame you. I’m about to fall asleep on my feet or else I’d join you.”

  “Same,” Brad murmured. He looked like he already was halfway asleep.

  “I’ll go with you, kid. I’ve never been here.”

  “You think we lost the woman back in Sofia?” Alo asked.

  “Yeah. For now at least. Who knows what she’s capable of, though.”

  “Okay. Let me put a coat on, and I’m ready.”

  “I’ll only be a minute as well.”

  Alo knew he should probably sleep. He hadn’t slept much on the way there, and there was little chance he’d sleep much that night since they were heading on to Paris as soon as possible. Another name that gave Alo chills. Still, he bounced as he put on his coat. Jack buttoned up his coat as well and grinned at Alo.

  “I don’t think I’ve seen you like this, and we’ve been in some pretty amazing places so far.”

  “I know. I’ve just always had this thing with Venice in particular. I can’t explain it.”

  Alo and Jack walked around and did regular touristy stuff, which felt a little odd. They weren’t looking for the treasure, they weren’t running, they were just... having fun. Having fun while watching their backs, but having fun all the same.

  “You want to get gelato?” Jack asked.

  Alo chuckled. “It’s like... thirty-five degrees out here.”

  “Gelato doesn’t have a season,” Jack said. Then he pointed out a tiny gelateria, and he looked so excited about it that Alo couldn’t say no. They sat on a bench near the little shop and ate their ice cream and laughed about dumb stuff. It was cold but relaxing.

  By the time they were done, Alo was warmed up from being inside and ready to brave winter again to go see the Piazza. It was just like he’d imagined, just like all the pictures. Alo spent the better part of half an hour running around the square exclaiming at everything he’d only ever seen in photographs. He thought Jack might be watching him fondly, but it was probably wishful thinking.

  “Hey, kid. We’d better grab some dinner and get back to pick up the others. It’s getting dark soon.”

  “Sure.” Alo went to turn, but he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Someone rather. “Jack. Wait.”

  “What. What did you see? Is it the woman?”

  Alo peered across the freezing square for a few long seconds just to make sure. Yep. It was Dr. Perry. What the hell? Alo got chills down his spine that had nothing to do with the freezing weather.

  Things were getting weirder and weirder.

  “Jack, either I’m going blind, or that’s my doctoral program advisor over there.”

  “In Venice? Weird.”

  “No, Jack. Really weird.” Alo got a chill down his spine.

  “Wait, was he the one that was so against you writing that paper?”

  “That would be him.”

  “Then, yes. You’re right. That is really weird.”

  “Where is he?”

  Alo looked across the square to where Perry was sitting on a metal café chair. He was gone. “Shit. He’s not there anymore.”

  “Are you sure you saw him for real? Sometimes stress and exhaustion play tricks on our minds.”

  Alo knew stress and he knew that what he’d just seen was nothing of the sort. “No. I’m sure. It was him.”

  Jack took a deep breath. “Well, then, let’s just hope it’s a really freaky coincidence.”

  “What’s the likelihood of that?” Alo asked.

  Jack just chuckled sourly and put his arm around Alo. That was the answer. Not very likely. “What do you want for dinner? We can’t treasure hunt on an empty stomach.”

  Alo’s belly was all of a sudden too jittery to eat. And then something crashed right in front of him, almost brained him in the process.

  “Holy fuck!”

  “Alo. Are you okay?” Jack shook his shoulders.

  Alo was frozen still where a fucking brick had fallen from above—nearly on him—and then shattered on the ground right next to his feet. “Alo.”

  He, Jack, and the others were almost at the Rialto Bridge. Alo looked straight up, but the only thing he saw was a roofline and night sky. There was nothing.

  “Y-yes. I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

  “Do you want to go back to the hotel?” Jack asked.

  “No.” That was the last thing Alo wanted. “Let’s get this over with. We’re already here.” Maybe it was stupid. Okay, no. It was stupid. But he wanted to see it through. Already the missed item in Sofia weighed on him.

  “Let’s go,” Alo said firmly. Kendra and Brad looked impressed. Surprised, but impressed.

  Jack simply nodded. “I’ll follow you.”

  Alo felt Jack’s presence right behind him, his warm solid mass. It helped. Even if Alo’s heart was racing a mile a minute, it helped.

  They trailed onto the bridge, which was going to be interesting to search in the night. It had seen years of heavy foot traffic, tourists, the usual. It was a major thoroughfare. They’d be lucky if Ira’s initials were still visible.

  They all searched with lights for nearly an hour. Brad and Kendra started at one side, Jack and Alo the other, until they met under the cupola in the middle. They all searched the cupola from top to bottom. Nothing.

  “We’re going to have to go on the roof, aren’t we?” Alo asked. It was the only area they hadn’t searched. There were small triangles of stone where the cupola stood out from the rest of the roof.

  “Or....” Kendra hesitated. “Underneath.”

  “Shit. Who gets what?”

  “Let’s start with the roof. That part’s small,” Brad said. He aimed

  his camera lights up at the place on the roof where a stone might have been pried apart from the main structure. Twenty minutes later they knew the roof wasn’t it. Damn.

  “We’re going to need a boat.”

  So they didn’t exactly steal a boat. They were planning to return it, after all. Alo supposed it was the owner’s fault for not securing it more tightly. He and the others crept onto the boat and pushed it out into the middle of the canal before they started the motor. It seemed loud, screechy in the middle of the night, but nobody stirred. So they kept on.

  It took a good two hours before they found it—I
ra’s initials scratched into a stone that was a slightly different color than the rest and had obviously been plastered back into place. It was near the bottom of the bridge and covered partially with algae.

  “It’s good that the canals didn’t rise too much this year. We would’ve been screwed.”

  Jack had a point. But they’d been lucky. Alo had to focus on that. “Tools?” The boat rocked and Alo nearly fell. His heart raced for a moment, and he plunked down onto the boat’s seat. Better safe than sorry. “On second thought. Jack? Why don’t you do this one.”

  Jack scraped at the mortar until the stone fell free. The inside of it was hollowed out. There was a small box inside, which Jack handed to Alo.

  Alo opened it carefully, and a necklace slid out. An amulet actually. “Oh shit. This is it.”

  The amulet was incredible. Egyptian obviously, and one of the most beautiful things Alo had ever seen—it was a thick collar of bright yellow gold, carved feathers curved in a circle. At the end was something that almost looked like a sun and was surrounded by bright green stones in lotus shapes. Alo had no idea what stone it was, but it glowed. The necklace had an almost otherworldly beauty. He could see how someone might think it was supernatural.

  “Do you have any idea how old this is?” Alo breathed.

  “I’d imagine a lot older than anything else we’ve found?” Brad said.

  “Yes. By thousands of years.” Alo wracked his brain to try and remember his classes on Egypt. “I wish I could tell you more about it. Other than the Nazis were fascinated by anything that was rumored to have occult powers.”

  “And this is one of those things?”

  “I do know someone was very interested in finding this amulet. Enough so that he was willing to fund my entire trip to acquire this one piece. Remember?”

  “Watson.”

  “Yeah. I figured the necklace didn’t even exist, and he was a full-on nutjob. I almost can’t believe it’s real.”

  Alo brushed his fingers across the gold. It was almost like he could feel the millennia passing under his skin.

  “You don’t really think it has supernatural powers, do you?” Brad asked.