Carpathian (53 page)

“Ah, a healer…” Madam Korvesky smiled and then looked into the young doctor’s eyes. “But you’re here to watch … watch this one,” she said as she turned to face Alice with a smile. Alice looked at Niles and gave him a dirty look as she realized that Denise was babysitting her and it angered her to no end. “But I may have something you may very well be interested in, healer, something that will amaze and maybe even frighten you.”

“Does it matter that I’m already frightened to beat all hell,” Denise said as Madam Korvesky let her hand slip out of her own.

The old woman moved on to Charlie Ellenshaw. As she did, Anya took a quick look over toward Everett. Carl saw her and they looked at each other for the longest moment. Anya swallowed at the exact same moment as Everett did and then they both realized they were staring at one another and looked away.

“My gracious, funny-haired man, your head inside is a mess.”

Charlie looked confused at first and then glanced at Niles, who only shrugged his shoulders as if saying,
I told you
.

“Oh, here it is…” she said as she moved her hand to the front of Charlie’s head, just under a swatch of unruly white hair. “You are a man who is a believer in myth and legend.” She tilted her head and closed her eyes. “You believe when all others don’t see. You try to bring to light the unbelievable. Yes, a true mess inside there,” she said as she lowered a tired hand and touched Charlie’s smooth jawline. “But that’s the way you like it, isn’t that right?” She didn’t wait for Charlie’s embarrassed nodding of his head. She moved down the line until she finally stopped at Carl. The small woman looked up into Everett’s eyes and Madam Korvesky froze as she took him in.

Anya felt uncomfortable. It was if she were terrified of what Everett would reveal. Did the large American hate her for what happened in Rome? What were these men and women here to do? She moved from foot to foot as her grandmother confronted the American.

“The Man from the Sea,” she said as she again closed her eyes, only this time she took both of Carl’s hands into her own. The cane was held between both sets of hands and Everett could swear he felt the age of the wood thorough his skin. “Troubled. You are troubled by a friend, the loss of … of … confidence toward that friend … Jack. Yes, you are troubled by a friend named Jack who will not allow you inside…” Again she tilted her head. “He will not allow you to be too close for there is danger.”

Carl raised his brows as he watched the old woman standing before him. She opened her eyes and patted Carl on the chest as she had the others.

“How is that for Gypsy mysticism?” she asked smiling.

“Truly insightful,” Everett said as he looked over at Anya.

“Is that right, Man from the Sea? Well here is something that will really make your lantern burn brighter.” She once more looked up at Carl and then over at Anya. “You have to stay away from my granddaughter, Man from the Sea. There is nothing there for you.”

Anya was stunned. She allowed her jaw to drop as she took an involuntary step forward to try and silence her grandmother.

“She has many tasks to perform and she cannot be sidetracked. The time is not right for Anya.” She watched Carl for a reaction.

For Carl’s part he could see that the old woman didn’t like what she was saying as Madam Korvesky turned and faced Anya. “I’m sorry, girl-child, but things have changed and as you know a queen cannot take an outsider as a husband, or even as a mate.”

Anya was frozen to the spot where she stood. The words that had just been spoken aloud by her grandmother had made her heart stop.

“Have you gone crazy, Grandmother?” she said as she finally broke the spell she was under. She stepped up to Everett. “I am sorry, Captain I don’t know where this is coming from.” She turned and faced the old woman, who stood by motionless as she leaned on her cane. “And what do you mean, queen? There is no way I would ever do that. Marko is destined to lead our people and you know that. He’s my brother and I will not go against him.”

“You will do as your queen decides, young one, now lower your voice before—”

They all heard the breathing behind them. None of the Event Group personnel had ventured a look into the small room to their right as they had entered the cottage. Standing in the small doorway and leaning over so it could view the interior of the kitchen, Mikla stood with his arms outstretched and bracing himself against the pain in its ankle. It was on two legs with the right foot barely touching the floor. The beast was breathing in and out as it eyed the visitors.

“Oh,” was all Niles could get out of his mouth. Denise almost went to one knee as her legs could no longer support herself. Alice Hamilton smiled and looked from the impressive Mikla to Madam Korvesky. The old woman was not surprised that not one ounce of shock registered on Alice’s face. It was if she had expected to see Mikla at any moment.

“Golia,” Alice said beneath her breath.

“You seem to know much about us, Mrs. Hamilton. That is good, now I don’t have to explain why my orders must be obeyed as far as my granddaughter is concerned.”

The room was quiet as they all watched Mikla breathe in and out as it scanned the faces before it. The beast was weak and they could see its struggle to remain standing in the doorway.

“Alice, this is Mikla,” Carl said as he eased himself toward the giant Golia. The animal growled as Everett moved. The captain stopped and waited for Anya. He knew the beast was about to collapse.

“This was what I wanted you to see, healer,” the old woman said as she looked at Denise Gilliam. The Gypsy woman stepped forward and placed her small hand on Mikla as the beast wavered and almost fell. “Not all healing is done through potions and medicine. Sometimes a little something more is called for.”

“What is wrong with it?” Alice asked as she also took a tentative step forward to see the Golia better.

“If we don’t get his broken ankle set and spelled before too long Mikla will die,” Anya said as she stepped forward. Her eyes momentarily locked with Carl’s as if in apology for her grandmother’s words a moment before. She finally reached Mikla and the beast lowered its head in pain and frustration as it allowed Anya to take it back to the bedroom.

“We must get Mikla into the temple, the spell will have to be cast soon,” Madam Korvesky said. “Anya, we will discuss my words to your friend later,” she looked at Everett, “when we are alone. For right now I will take Mikla into the temple. You are to stay with the people and show yourself to them. They will be needed when the time comes to face your brother about my decisions.”

“This cannot be your decision, Grandmother. This is my life and I have done everything for the Jeddah that you have required and enough is enough. Marko is king and will lead the Jeddah forward. His offense cannot be as grievous a crime as you claim.”

“You will do as I say, Anya. This is why you have been brought home. Marko has the Golia so confused and angry that Stanus and the others cannot be trusted any longer to do right by the Jeddah. He has lied to them and they will not forgive. You are the only person that will correct the wrong that has been done to them by Marko.” She held up a hand when Anya stopped with Mikla hanging on to her to prevent the disagreement from becoming a full-blown argument between granddaughter and queen. “If our burden inside the mountain has come to light we will have to act, and Marko cannot be trusted to do this. His position with the Jeddah and their safety has been compromised.”

The door opened and several of the village men stepped in. Mikla growled as the men reached for him and the beast actually took a weakened swipe at the lead man, who easily dodged the long sharp claws. They were all lucky that Mikla was worn out and too drained of energy to defend itself. The Gypsy men took Mikla and placed him on the door that had been utilized as a bed and lifted the Golia for the trip into the temple where he would either be healed and live, or suffer a bad spell casting and die horribly. Mikla sensed this and was troubled.

“You will all come with me, Mrs. Hamilton; I will show you and your friends where real secrets are kept.”

“The temple of gold and Egyptian finery,” Alice said, repeating the legend of the Lost Tribe and its temple of riches.

The old woman smiled and then laughed aloud.

“Yes, exactly, Mrs. Hamilton, the treasure of the Exodus and the palace built to keep it safe, all wrapped up inside our most magic of mountains.”

Everett looked at Anya and found she could not look up and face him.

“Man from the Sea, stay and watch over my granddaughter. If you truly feel about her the way I know that you do you will make sure she is undeterred from what has to be done for her people.” She took a painful step in his direction by using the cane to lean on. “I assume you have the dignity to allow over three thousand years of history to play itself out without interference?”

“Madam Korvesky, I assure you—” Niles began to speak for Everett but she didn’t allow him to.

“The West has done quite enough interfering by allowing your NATO hooligans to sell my land to an outsider, a Russian outsider at that. No, you and your people have harmed mine enough, Man from the Sea. Amend some wrongs and keep Anya safe until I return. Now, go inside Anya’s marriage chest there,” she smiled when her granddaughter blushed, “and hand me a quilt, young man.”

Carl swallowed and then with a last look at Anya nodded his head as if he were afraid his voice would fail him at this most inopportune time. He walked a few steps toward the foot of the small bed and saw the large trunklike box. He did as he was asked and pulled an old comforter from the five-foot-by-four-foot-square box that had seen far better days.

As Carl lifted the blanket he saw something square wrapped in another old, moth-eaten quilt. He saw part of what looked like a headstone and before he closed the lid he looked at Anya and wondered just what kind of woman would keep a chunk of stone in her hope chest. Everett closed the top of the box and then attempted to slide the chest back against the bed. Whatever was inside wrapped in the old quilts was as heavy as a dozen gold bars. Carl again pushed it against the bed and this time the chest moved. He straightened with a curious look on his face and then placed the blanket in the old woman’s hands.

“Mrs. Hamilton, if you and the others will come with me I will take you to the place you came to see and the very special life that protects the heritage of the Jeddah.”

15

THE EDGE OF THE WORLD HOTEL AND RESORT CASINO

As Pete and Ryan walked through the connecting hallway leading to the hotel’s lobby, Jason spied Collins and McIntire as they stepped off the elevator. With a look at the way he was dressed and with mud covering half of his pants, Ryan decided that the information he had to pass to the colonel was far more important than his desire to impress.

“Come on, Pete, there’s the colonel and Sarah,” he said as he tugged on the computer genius’s elbow.

Pete lowered his glasses from where they had been perched on his forehead and squinted toward the elevator area. Pete shook his head.

“No way. I have to get to that restroom, Commander, or my legs will itch right off my body.”

Jason glanced down at Golding’s burr-encrusted pants and shook his head.

“Okay, Doc, you stay right in there and don’t go to the room until I’m finished telling the colonel why everyone is out to get rid of us.”

“Right,” Pete said in haste and then turned and practically ran toward the men’s restroom.

Ryan again shook his head in wonder at how uncomfortable these academic types became at the least little bit of irritation to their physical being.

He turned and made his way toward the restaurant.

Pete pushed the restroom door open and stepped inside not noticing or caring if anyone was present as he was in such a hurry to get into a stall. He immediately closed the door and sat upon the toilet and started removing his shoes and socks. As he pulled he felt the tearing of his skin as the burrs and foxtails slowly relinquished their hold on him. As the socks finally peeled away, relief flooded his system. He stood and raised the toilet seat and tossed the socks inside and then flushed. As he closed his eyes relishing the pain-free feeling, he became aware that something wasn’t right. He felt water rushing at his feet.

“Oh, crap,” he said when he saw that his socks had clogged the toilet and water was flooding from the top and splashing at his feet. “Damn!” Pete said as he reached inside with a grimace and fished around until he pulled first one and then finally the other sock from the clogged toilet. Pete felt the cold water still flowing around his feet as the bowl started to empty, but still he closed the lid and then hopped on the stool to get out of the rush of freezing water.

Pete cursed his luck as he watched the water finally stop flowing onto the tiled floor. He sat and felt like an idiot instead of a graduate from MIT and Stanford. He heard the bathroom door open and at least two men step into the restroom. He was about to call out a flood warning to the unsuspecting restroom users when a voice spoke up that he recognized immediately. It was the man from the night before and the same roguish gentleman that had received orders to keep him and Ryan under wraps not a half hour before. Pete froze when the men headed his way and stopped before the sinks on the opposite wall.

The men were speaking in Romanian and Pete was lost as to what it was they were talking about. He thought he was safe when the two men had finished washing their hands and sounded as if they were moving off when one of the men stopped talking. Pete heard some splashing and then silence filled the restroom. Golding squatted on the toilet lid as silently as he could. He felt his chest start to burn as he held his breath. He heard footsteps and his heart froze as he looked up and saw that he had not locked the stall door. As he reached for the slide lock, the door suddenly opened and the man he had confronted in the restaurant the night before was standing in front of him. A smile slowly creased the man’s bearded face.

“Ah, a little shithouse rat. Are we trying to hide among the overflowing toilets?”