Holdin' On for a Hero

by Ciana Stone

  She stood when he returned. “That was Paige Landers,” he said. “They found the men who attacked you and want you to come in and ID them.”

  Senna nodded mutely, feelings a sick lump form in the pit of her stomach. “I have to call Dr. Aldridge and get him to have someone fill in for me.”

  He nodded and she went to the phone and made the call. As soon as she told Dr. Aldridge what had happened, he immediately told her not to worry. He would personally see to her classes. He offered his support and asked her to keep him informed on when she would return to work.

  Once finished with the call, she turned to see Konnor holding her coat for her. “Ready?” he asked.

  “As I’ll get, I guess.”

  He helped her on with her coat and escorted her outside to the car. She stopped just before getting in and turned to him. He sensed her anxiety and smiled at her, tracing one finger along the side of her face. “Don’t worry. I’ll be right there with you. It’ll be okay.”

  “You promise?”

  “Scout’s honor.” He gave her a salute.

  She smiled and slid into the passenger seat. When he got in and started the car she turned to him and raised her right hand.

  “What?” he asked as he looked at the position of her hand.

  “The Boy Scout salute.”

  “You were never a boy scout.”

  She smiled and raised one eyebrow. “As much as you, it seems.”

  He grinned and put the car in gear. “I can see that I’ve underestimated you, Dr. Laserian. Remind me not to do that again.”

  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

  Crime Lab

  “I got your message,” Ryan said as he entered the lab. “What’ve you got?”

  “I take it you were at the scene,” the technician, Ron, asked.

  “Yeah.” Ryan tried not to let the memory of it take shape in his mind. Like Van Dorn, Nolan Weston’s body had been sliced to ribbons before he was killed. Like Van Dorn, the cause of death was decapitation. Also like Van Dorn, an index finger had been severed and used to write a series of symbols on a scrap of papyrus.

  “Then you know the coroner found a metal sliver embedded in the bone of the spinal column.”

  “I read the report,” Ryan said. “What’s your point?”

  “My point is, if this latest fragment matches the one we found on Van Dorn then we have a direct connection between the two murders.”

  “Did you find out anything about the first fragment?”

  “Actually we found some really interesting things. Check this out.” Ron pulled a photograph out of a folder and handed it to Ryan.

  Ryan looked at the photo. It was of a bronze sword with a curious design. A curved grip flowed into a blade. There was no guard separating the hilt from the blade, and the blade itself was unlike any sword he’d ever seen. It extended straight out from the hilt for about a foot then dipped down to form a crescent shape. He read the caption at the bottom of the photo. “The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Ancient Babylon.”

  “Ancient Babylon?” He looked at Ron. “What does this have to do with the fragments found at the scenes? Unless you’re going to tell me that the weapon used was this one, and it’s been stolen.”

  “Read the rest of it,” Ron advised.

  “The blade is inscribed in cuneiform script that translates as ‘Son of Enlil-Nirara, King of Assyria’.” Ryan cut Ron a look. “Okay, there’s bound to be some point I’m missing here.”

  Ron grinned and leaned back against the table. “That sword is still in the Metropolitan. But the fragments we found are almost identical to the material composition of that sword…only much older. The experts at the Museum are in a tizzy, man. They seem to think our fragments came from a sword almost exactly like the one in the picture, and if that’s so then there’s a very expensive piece of history being used to whack people.”

  Ryan considered it for a bit. “Okay, so we have someone who has an ancient sword. Does that narrow the field as to where we look for a suspect?”

  “Man, a sword like that would cost millions! And there’s one other thing. The inscription.”

  Ryan looked at the photo again as Ron continued. “There are similarities in the script on the sword and the symbols on the killer’s notes.”

  “You mean the notes were written in cuneiform?” Ryan looked at him in disbelief.

  “Not only the symbols inscribed in blood, but also the writing the blood was hiding. So far we haven’t had much luck with it, though. We’ve called in the Bureau and they’ve got an expert in cuneiform scheduled to look at it to see if he can decipher it. But there is one clue the museum guys were able to pass along. The word Enlil seems to appear on both notes.

  “Enlil?” Both of Ryan’s eyebrows rose. “Who or what is that?”

  “I thought you might ask,” Rom picked up a folder and handed it to Ryan. “So I had this sent down from Washington.”

  Ryan opened the folder and glanced at the first sheet of paper inside. “Thanks, Ron. Is there anything else?”

  “That’s it for now, chief. Stay tuned and I’ll let you know when anything else develops.”

  Ryan nodded. “Thanks. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  Ryan returned to his desk and opened the folder. The information was on a Sumerian god named Enlil. He was described as the king of the gold, or the universal sovereign. According to general mythology, Enlil slept on a mountain, secure in his power over the world, and didn’t want to be disturbed. He had quite a temper and he imposed his will regardless of the wants, desires or needs of others.

  In Sumerian mythology it was written that Enlil was the leader of the Anunnaki, or great and powerful gods who were basically lazy and lived off the toils of a lesser race of gods called the Igigi. The Igigi were what might be described as working-class or proletarian gods. They performed all the work tasks and the Anunnaki profited from it. At some point in time, the Igigi rebelled and tried to depose Enlil.

  This revolt awakened Enlil, who assembled the great gods and demanded that the Igigi responsible for instigating the revolt be put to death. Ea, Enlil’s brother, made a counter-proposal. That a living being be created to be a laborer, to do the manual labor necessary to maintain the world. This would free to Igigi from their labors. The great god agreed and human beings were created.

  Ryan paused in his reading to get a cup of coffee. When he returned to his desk, he flipped through the pages. Something caught his eyes and he started reading again. A lot of the information was based on the work of a scholar by the name of Sitchin, who spent many years on a series of books called “The Earth Chronicles”, which dealt with the Sumerians and their gods.

  According to this source, the Annunaki were not really gods, but beings from another world. They genetically created human beings and thus were considered to be gods.

  “ET, phone home,” Ryan murmured.

  The phone on his desk rang and he answered, turning his attention away from the contents of the folder and onto his conversation.

  He was still on the phone when the sergeant showed Senna and Konnor to his desk. “I’ll get back with you,” he said into the phone and hung up. “What’re you doing here?” he asked Konnor.

  “I asked him to come,” Senna spoke up before Konnor had a chance to respond.

  Ryan glowered at both of them for a second. “Fine.” He opened a folder on his desk. “Do you mind telling me why you weren’t at home when Special Agent Southgate got to your house last night?”

  She cut her eyes at Konnor then cleared her throat, trying to push back the lump that seemed to be forming. “What do you mean?”

  “You know damn well what I mean!” Ryan’s voice rose then dropped again as a detective passing by looked at him curiously. “He said the place was empty when he got there. I told you to stay put.”

  After a few seconds of silence, Senna surmised that Konnor was not going to speak up. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t think s
he could tell Ryan that according to Konnor, the FBI agent wasn’t real. Neither could she tell Ryan that Konnor was with the CIA. The question was, what could she tell him, without telling a blatant lie?

  “You said he was on his way over when you left,” she finally said.

  “Yes, so?”

  “So, he didn’t show up,” she finished lamely. “I waited a bit and when he didn’t arrive I left.”

  “And went where?”

  “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

  “I think it is,” he argued. “In case you’ve forgotten, two men have been murdered in the last few days and both the victims just happened to be friends who were here to see you.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Isn’t it?” Paige’s voice came from behind her.

  Senna watched Paige walk around and perch on the front of Ryan’s desk. She didn’t miss the look that passed between Paige and Ryan. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that something was definitely simmering between them.

  “No, it isn’t,” Senna directed her remark to Ryan. “Dr. Van Dorn was here on a lecture tour. The fact that we were acquainted is coincidental. It had nothing to do with him being here.”

  “But the fact remains that you knew both the victims,” Paige pointed out.

  “Just as, I’m sure, dozens of others did,” Senna spoke directly to her. “They were well-known scientists who had a very broad base of acquaintances. The fact that I knew them is not so notable. I am, after all, a physicist.”

  “Oh, that’s right, I forgot!” Paige snapped her fingers. “You worked at Fermilab. I spoke with a Mr. Keats there. Seems like you were some whiz kid of something. He couldn’t shut up, touting your attributes.”

  “Dr. Keats,” Senna corrected her. “And yes, I did work under him. He’s a brilliant scientist and I was honored to have been chosen for the position.”

  “Under him, eh?’ Paige smirked. “Well, well…”

  “I believe you called Dr. Laserian here today to make an identification of the suspects you have in custody,” Konnor interrupted.

  “Yes.” Ryan stood. “So we did. Please, come with me.”

  It didn’t take long to pick Mike Harper out of the line-up. Senna had no idea who the second man was. She had never seen his face. She had only heard his voice. Then again, she hadn’t seen Mike Harper’s face that night either. But she had recognized his voice. How could she not? He had made a nuisance of himself the past few weeks.

  “And you’re sure this is the man?” Paige asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Have you ever seen this man before the incident?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where?”

  “He’s one of my students.”

  Paige looked at Ryan with raised eyebrows and he looked at Senna in surprise. “You’re telling us you know the man who attacked you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have any idea why he would try to abduct and harm you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want to share that information with us?”

  “No.”

  Ryan blew out his breath. “Senna, if there’s anything you can tell us that will show motive toward the suspect attacking and abducting you, then you have to tell us.”

  “No, I don’t,” she argued softly.

  “You do if you want to get a conviction,” Ryan countered.

  Senna cut her eyes to Konnor. He nodded slightly. She returned her attention to Ryan. “I saw Mr. Harper as I was leaving the university. He…he said he had been trying to get in touch with me. That was true. He’d left a number of messages for me. I simply hadn’t returned his calls.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it was inappropriate. Mr. Harper has used various excuses since the beginning of the semester to try and convince me to spend time with him. It began with him claiming to be confused and unable to keep up in class. He wanted me to tutor him. I gave him a list of students available for tutoring. He wasn’t interested. He had…something else in mind. He asked me to go out with him on several occasions and I informed him I wasn’t interested. He seemed to think it was because I was afraid someone would find out I was dating a student, and assured me he would be discreet. When I told him that was not the reason, he couldn’t seem to grasp the concept that I simply wasn’t interested in him.”

  “Wait a minute!” Ryan snapped his fingers. “I knew I’d heard that name. That was the guy who was in your office the afternoon Paige and I came by to talk to you about Van Dorn.”

  “Yes. And yesterday he was waiting when I left and stopped me at my car. When I told him I wasn’t interested and for him to leave me alone, he got angry…and physical. I pushed him away and warned him that if he didn’t leave me alone I would call security. Then I got in my car and left.”

  “And you’re absolutely sure this is the same man who attacked you,” Paige said.

  “Positive.”

  “And you think this whole thing was some kind of retaliation for you turning him down? You mean he was so pissed off and had such a major case of the hots for you that he followed you and grabbed you in the parking lot.”

  “I don’t have any clue why he did it.” Senna resented the tone of Paige’s voice and the implications that she had too high an opinion of herself. “All I know is that he is one of the men who attacked me.”

  “Well, you sure must be one hell of a—”

  “I think we have everything we need,” Ryan cut Paige off. “I’ll get the statement typed up and have you sign it.”

  “Fine,” Senna agreed. “Can I leave now?”

  “Why don’t you hang around?” Paige asked. “There are still a few questions I’d like answered in regards to the Van Dorn and Weston murders.”

  “I think Dr. Laserian has answered all the questions she’s going to for one day,” Konnor said has he took Senna’s arm. “If you’ll please excuse us.”

  Paige started to respond but Ryan shook his head and she closed her mouth. As soon as Konnor and Senna left the office she turned on Ryan. “I’m telling you. As sure as I live and breathe, that woman knows something!”

  Ryan groaned. “Christ, here we go again.”

  Myers Park, Charlotte

  Konnor parked in the driveway as Senna pulled her car into the garage. “Why don’t you wait for me at the gatehouse?” she suggested. “I’ll go talk to Min and meet you there in a little while.”

  “Sure,” he agreed, but when she turned away he took her arm and stopped her. “Why didn’t you tell them the truth about why you left last night?”

  “How could I? If I’d said I didn’t think Southgate was really with the FBI they’d have wanted to know what made me think that, and I couldn’t tell them the information came from you.”

  “Why not?”

  She drew back in surprise. “I thought you want to keep your…cover or whatever you call it, intact.”

  “So you were protecting me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And here I thought I was protecting you.”

  Senna frowned, despite his teasing tone. “I still wish I knew what it is you’re supposed to be protecting me from.”

  “Go talk to your aunt. I’ll be waiting.”

  “Okay.” She turned and headed for the main house. Konnor watched her cross the yard and disappear through a set of French doors in the rear of the house, and then he turned and walked to the gatehouse.

  Senna found her Aunt Minora in the library, sitting by the window with a book in her lap. Senna stopped at the door and watched for a minute. She had never understood why Min had never married. Even now she was a beautiful woman.

  At fifty, she looked closer to her late thirties. Her hair was still lustrous and full, a soft blonde that was swept up into a shining chignon. Her skin was pale and virtually wrinkle-free aside from a few tiny lines that appeared beside her sparkling blue eyes when she smiled. She was shapely and slim, elegant in a way that many women strive
to emulate but fail to achieve.

  As if sensing a presence, Minora turned. A moment after her eyes fell upon Senna, a smile appeared on her face. “Senna, what a lovely surprise. But what are you doing home at this time of the day, dear? I thought you had classes until early evening?”

  “I’ve had a little trouble, Min.” Senna crossed the room and settled on the padded window seat in front of Minora. “I wanted to tell you about it myself.”

  The smiled on Minora’s face had vanished the moment she heard the word “trouble”. She leaned forward slightly in her chair. Senna could see Minora’s clasped hands tighten in her lap. She tried to make it sound as uneventful as possible when she told Minora about being dragged into the van.

  When she finished, Minora stared at her for a long time without speaking. Senna started to worry when the silence stretched out. She questioned the wisdom of telling Minora any more than she already had. After all, Minora was still recovering from the accident that had partially paralyzed her. Even though the therapists were confident that she would eventually regain full use of her limbs, she still had to rely upon a walker to move about on her own.

  “There’s more.” Minora broke the silence in an unusually hard and flat tone. “Tell me.”

  Senna had never figured out how Minora could read her so easily. Either she was completely transparent or Minora was psychic. At any rate, she had never been able o hide anything from Minora.

  “I don’t know how to start…” She looked away from Minora’s searching eyes. “It’s so…impossible to believe.”

  “Most things are until we understand the basis.”

  Senna smiled as she turned back to face Minora. “That sounds just like Dad.”

  A cloud of sadness drifted over Minora’s face. Senna knew she was feeling the loss of her brother as keenly now as ever. “Min, was either Dad or Mom into something special when they…you know.”

  “Special?” Minora’s delicate brows drew together fractionally. “In what way, dear?”