“Nothing,” Zach replied guiltily. He was carrying a wrinkled paper sack which he shifted behind his back.
Maddie raised skeptical eyebrows but held her peace.
“Is Hannah around?” he asked Faye hopefully.
“Upstairs, I think,” the old woman replied. “Go on inside. I’m sure she’d like to see you.”
The two women watched silently as he entered the house.
“Maisie!” The Operations Director snorted. “That kid really knows how to grate my cheese.”
“Can it be possible that you find my descendent irritating?” Faye asked in mock surprise.
“Irritating?” Maddie echoed. “He could be the poster child for birth control.”
“It’s too bad you think that,” the old woman retorted slyly. “He’ll soon be part of our organization. I promised him he could train as a tyro.”
“Oh good, I can hardly wait,” the Operations Director replied through gritted teeth. “Teaching him the ropes is gonna be a barrel of laughs.”
***
“Hannah?” Zach called out uncertainly as he entered the kitchen. There was no answer. He advanced into the living room and called up the stairs in a louder voice. “Hannah, are you around?”
“Just a minute,” came a muffled reply from above.
He heard her door close and then she trotted down to greet him. “Hello, Zachary,” she said primly. “How are you today?”
“I’m good,” he said. “C’mon and sit down for a while.”
She gave him a quizzical look but followed him to the sofa and sat down beside him.
“Are you feeling better now?” he asked cautiously, remembering her tearful exit the last time he’d paid a visit.
She blushed slightly. “It was very silly of me. I’m sorry I caused such a fuss.”
“No, it’s OK, really,” he hastened to reassure her. “In fact, I brought you something that I thought might make you feel better.” He paused to consider how to express himself. “I remembered what you said about losing everybody who meant something to you. How everything got taken away without any warning. Pets are great for cheering somebody up but your life is a little too...” He hesitated, searching for the right word. “...eventful right now. Pets need to be in a place that doesn’t have a lot of change going on and at this point you’re definitely in flux mode.”
“Flux mode? What’s that?”
“It means that all the plates are spinning in the air at the same time.”
She tilted her head and regarded him dubiously.
“Right,” he chuckled self-consciously. “That didn’t help explain things, did it? I guess I mean that everything must be really confusing for you so putting a live pet into the mix wouldn’t be a good thing—at least not for the pet. So instead I got you this.” He held the paper sack out toward her.
“What is it?” she asked cautiously.
“Open it and find out.”
She peeked inside the bag first and then drew out a stuffed animal. It was a plush black and white cat. “Oh my,” she said softly.
“See, she’s black and white like your Sparkle only nobody can hurt her or take her away from you. And she plays music.” He reached over and flipped a switch on the cat’s stomach and a melody became audible along with a purring sound.
“It was meant for a little kid which is why it plays a lullaby but I thought you might like it anyway...” He trailed off. Looking at her earnestly, he asked, “Do you? Like it, I mean.”
At first Hannah said nothing. She merely gazed at the stuffed animal in her lap. Then a tear slid down her cheek.
“Oh no!” Zach exclaimed in despair. “God no, not again!”
She reached out and grasped his forearm. “No, Zach, it’s alright. I’m not crying because I’m sad.” She dashed away the tear and smiled at him. “Nobody has ever done anything this nice for me before. Thank you.” She hugged the cat to her heart. “Thank you.”
The boy relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew, I’m glad because if I had to explain to Gamma that I sent you around the bend again, she’d probably ban me from the house.”
A puzzled look crossed Hannah’s face. “Does this mean...um... Is this a sign that you’re courting me?”
“What!” Zach leaped off the couch as if it had been set on fire. He stared at the girl in disbelief. “No. Of course not!” He realized that his protest sounded a bit too vehement. He sat back down. “Look, in our world it’s OK for guys and girls to just be friends. That’s all this was. I mean, we hardly know each other. It’s way too early to talk about...about...” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word.
“Among the Nephilim, if a boy isn’t your brother and he’s friendly to you, that means he wants to court you,” she explained.
Zach squinted at her. “You do know you were living with crazy people, right?”
She giggled. “It’s starting to seem that way. Though if you did want to court me...” She paused and added shyly, “I wouldn’t mind.”
The boy blushed in silent pleasure. “Listen, I can’t believe what I’m about to say. I mean, if I was walking around school with arm candy like you, I’d be the king of the uber-jock table.”
Hannah gave him a quizzical look, clearly not following.
He continued. “What I’m trying to say is that your life has been insane lately. You need to catch your breath. You need to find out who you are and what you want. You don’t need some guy, any guy for that matter, mackin’ on you right now.”
“I only understood about half of what you said.” She absently rubbed the fur around the stuffed animal’s ears. “But I think you meant it kindly. I’ll take your advice.”
“Friends?” he held out his hand.
She shook it. “Friends,” she agreed.
Although he didn’t say it out loud, he wouldn’t have minded if they were courting either.
Chapter 42 – Grudging Assistants
Even though two hours had elapsed since Daniel saw the apparition of the three people from Karfi at the Plaza Nuevo, he still felt shaken by the experience. Since he was in no mood to make small talk, he sat silently with Hunt in the hotel lobby waiting for their Nephilim contact.
In contrast to Daniel’s state of mind, Hunt’s attitude had improved immeasurably under the stimulus of alcohol. He chaffed Daniel good-naturedly about his recent hallucination. “Seein’ any dead folks now? How about flyin’ monkeys? Bats wearin’ frilly dresses? You be sure to let me know if you feel an attack of the willies comin’ on, Brother Dan’l. I’ll get out my magic ray gun and zap ‘em for you.” Hunt guffawed at his own humor.
The Scion made no comment. He focused his attention on a man in a black suit advancing toward them. The stranger appeared to be in his fifties. He wore a pointed black beard and walked with an air of authority. “Are you the Scion?” he asked with a soft Spanish accent.
Daniel rose to shake hands. “Yes, I’m Daniel Metcalf. You must be Brother Sergio.”
Hunt didn’t rise but stuck his hand in the air. “Leroy Hunt. Put ‘er there, pardner.”
The newcomer stared at Hunt’s hand as if it were crawling with lice. He turned to the Scion and whispered, “You have taken one of the Fallen into your confidence?” His black eyes glittered, perhaps with anger or disapproval. Daniel couldn’t be sure which.
“That was my father’s idea,” the Scion replied in a voice loud enough for Hunt to hear. “Mr. Hunt acts as my bodyguard.”
Sergio lowered his head in submission. “It is not my place to question the judgment of the Diviner.”
“Maybe somebody should,” Hunt mumbled. “That ole boy’s got a hole in his sack of marbles!”
Sergio forced a smile in Hunt’s direction. “I am pleased to meet the protector of the Scion.”
Hunt gave him a look suggesting that he doubted the sincerity of Sergio’s remark. He sized the man up through half-closed lids. “Ain’t you kind of long in the tooth to be helpin’ Brother Dan’l on this pa
rticular mission? I mean we been dealin’ with kids and crazies up til now.”
Sergio paused to consider his reply. “I am in charge of the Spanish compound—its archwarden. I do not allow any of my flock to travel to the cities of the Fallen. There are too many temptations in your world.” He emphasized the word “your.”
Before Hunt could take umbrage, Daniel interposed. “Perhaps our discussion should be conducted in private. We can go to my room.”
“You got a minibar?” Leroy asked skeptically.
“I have a stocked minibar, Mr. Hunt.”
“Well, alright then.” The mercenary rose unsteadily. “Let’s move this party upstairs.”
***
After Hunt had inspected all the small bottles of alcohol in Daniel’s refrigerator, which he dismissed as “midget juice,” he then dialed room service to send up a bottle of whiskey. To pass the time before it arrived, he threw himself on the couch to catch what he called “twenty winks.”
Sergio and Daniel did their best to ignore his antics. They sat at the small table near the balcony and discussed the relic search. After Daniel recited the complete riddle for his Nephilim contact, he added, “I’ve already solved the lines referring to Eurus and Eberos. That’s what led me here but I was hoping you might understand the reference to the dragon’s wing or the spinner’s peak.”
Sergio listened intently and then sat for several moments puzzling over the matter. “I do not know the meaning of the dragon’s wing but the spinner’s peak clearly refers to mountains.”
“Yes, that’s what I thought,” Daniel agreed. “But northern Spain is full of mountains and I have no idea which one to search.”
Sergio’s eyes narrowed. “This riddle was made by pagans, was it not?”
The Scion nodded.
“Los Vascos are still pagans!” He spat out the last word.
“Vascos?” Daniel echoed.
“Bean-eaters. They live in the mountains all around here. In your language they are called ‘Basques’.”
“Ah, yes. I did come across them in my research. They are a distinct ethnic group within Spain and France.”
“They are stiff-necked and stubborn. Many have still not converted to the true faith.”
“Surely you can’t hold it against them that they aren’t all Nephilim,” Daniel demurred.
“I mean Christianity,” Sergio’s eyes glittered again. This time Daniel could read his repressed hostility. “Whether Nephilim or Christian, we all believe in a common savior, but not the Vascos. They are still pagan!”
The word gave Daniel an idea. “What deity do they worship?”
“The whore they venerate is called Mari.”
Thinking there might be a parallel to Crete and Turkey, Daniel asked, “Does she have a sacred mountain? Perhaps one with a cave near the summit?”
“Last week, we welcomed a new convert to the Nephilim who was a Vasco. He told me about a place where this goddess is supposed to live. Yes, I think he said there is a cave. The mountain is called...” He paused and frowned in concentration, trying to recall the name. “Amboto or Anboto. It sounded like that.”
Daniel tried to rein in his excitement. “Is that near here?”
“I do not know but we are in the provinces controlled by the Vascos so it must be nearby.”
Daniel switched on his computer. “I think there’s a way to find out quickly.” He searched for the name of the mountain. “Anboto you say?”
Sergio nodded. “Si, or Amboto.”
At that moment there was a tap on the door. Hunt was already snoring loudly and didn’t hear it. Daniel rolled his eyes. “Would you mind getting that?” he asked Sergio.
The archwarden nodded gravely, radiating disapproval in every step he took toward the door. He received the bottle from the waiter and signed the receipt wordlessly, sending the man away without a tip. Placing the bottle on the coffee table beside the sleeping Hunt, he came to stand beside Daniel’s computer.
The Scion had located the mountain. “Yes, Anboto is very close to this place. The internet has detailed trail maps and driving instructions to get us there. It appears the hike to the summit will take a few hours.”
Daniel hesitated about including Sergio in the trek to the cave. While his previous Nephilim contacts had presented very little risk because of their naiveté, he didn’t want to involve Sergio too deeply in the hunt for the artifact. The Scion was no longer a babe in the woods when it came to the outer world. One bodyguard was bad enough. He didn’t need two.
“Thank you, Brother Sergio, you’ve proved most helpful.” Daniel stood to bid his contact farewell.
Sergio looked puzzled. “But I thought you needed a guide while you were traveling among the Fallen in my country.”
“The information I’ve just found on the internet is very straightforward. We should have no trouble finding our way to the mountain without your assistance.”
He patted the man on the back and ushered him to the door. “Good night and thank you. I’ll tell the Diviner just how helpful you’ve been.”
Sergio brightened at the comment before the door closed in his face.
“Wake up Mr. Hunt.” Daniel nudged Hunt’s foot with the toe of his shoe.
“Wha...” the mercenary opened one bleary eye. “Whazzup?”
“You are.” Daniel held out the bottle of whiskey. “Time to go to your own room. I suggest you not consume the entire bottle tonight. We have a mountain to climb in the morning.”
Chapter 43 – Summit Meeting
“This is a momentous occasion,” Griffin observed, laying the relic in its hiding place.
Iker stood pensively regarding the process. “I never expected to see the treasure return in my lifetime.”
“It’s a faux treasure actually,” Cassie corrected. “Within a day or so, if the Nephilim take the bait, it’ll disappear again.”
The sentinel gave her a philosophical smile. “It does not matter. My family has faithfully kept watch all these years and now our duty is done. The task is finished.”
“What are you gonna do with all that free time on your hands?” the Pythia teased. “Maybe you’ll have a chance to catch up on some TV shows. Go out on the town once in a while.”
“Oh, I will find a way to keep busy.” Iker chuckled. Abruptly, he turned his head to listen. “What was that?”
“I thought I heard it too.” Erik rose from a crouching position. “It sounded to me like it came from deeper inside the cave. Is there another way to get in here?”
Iker shook his head. “No. This tunnel ends not far from here. There is no other way in or out.” He shifted his attention to the entrance. “Sometimes there are echoes in the cave. It is hard to know which direction the noise came from or how far away it is. Perhaps Erik and I should both investigate. I will go down the trail to keep watch in case any tourists are on their way up.”
“And I’ll climb up a little higher,” Erik volunteered. “Maybe I can get a bird’s eye view of anybody lurking around.”
“With all the mist and drizzle outside, you two will be lucky to see anything,” Cassie said. “If we weren’t in such a hurry to get this planted, I would have taken a pass on climbing up here at all on a day like this.”
“The fog means Mari is with us,” Iker replied. “Whenever the mist rests on Anboto, Mari has come home.”
“Let’s hope she takes a favorable view of our proceedings,” Griffin said. “She isn’t the sort of deity I’d care to offend.”
Iker nodded his agreement and left silently.
The Security Coordinator hoisted his pack over his shoulder. “While I check things out, you two need to make this spot look like it hasn’t been disturbed for centuries.”
“Aye, aye, sir.” Cassie gave him a mock salute.
She and Griffin turned their attention to smoothing out the artifact’s resting place. They worked quietly at their task for several minutes until Cassie sat back on her heels to regard her teammate. He was
still intent on flattening the gravel on the cavern floor.
“Your beard doesn’t look any better, you know. How long have you been trying to grow that thing out now?”
“About two weeks,” he replied, not looking up.
“It’s still pretty mangy. Makes you look like a homeless guy.”
The Scrivener sighed. “If it doesn’t improve by the end of the week, I’ll declare it a lost cause.” He dusted off his hands and stood to admire his handiwork. “There, that’s better.”
Cassie rose beside him to assess the effect. “Do you think the bad guys will notice anything out of place?”
“I’m more worried that they’ll miss the spot entirely,” Griffin countered. “It’s very dark in here, even during the middle of the day.”
They packed their tools and were about to start forward to the mouth of the cave when they heard voices approaching.
“Shhh,” Griffin warned in a whisper.
“Maybe it’s Iker and Erik,” Cassie said hopefully.
They both strained to hear.
To Cassie’s horror, she recognized one of the voices.
“Like I told you, boy, next time we gotta do some climbing, you get one of your flunkies to come with you. I ain’t doin’ nothin’ like this again! Prob’ly threw my back out!”
“Bollocks!” Griffin cursed under his breath. “What’s become of our sentinel?”
“And where the hell is Erik?” Cassie added. “We need to hide.” She picked up their gear and the pair scrambled off into the darkness.
They’d gone about twenty feet when Cassie grabbed Griffin by the sleeve and pulled him toward a deep crevice in the cavern wall.
“We’re trapped. There’s nothing up ahead but a wall of rock. This is the only hiding place we’re likely to find. We need to wedge ourselves in here and keep quiet.” She shuffled backward as far as the niche would allow, pulling Griffin along in with her. They had to squeeze in sideways. Seconds later, they could hear footsteps crunching on the gravel at the entrance to the cave.
“Well, well, ain’t this pretty.” Hunt’s voice reached them across the dark interior. “Another dang hole in a rock. What we lookin’ for again?”
The Dragon's Wing Enigma (The Arkana Archaeology Mystery Series Book 3) Page 24
