Project Ouroboros (5 page)

Information about the project "Merkhaba" was necessary to be found by the end of the day, and as much as El’Athar wanted to do any other work, he had to find a way to get into the archives of the Ministry of Interior. Of course, sitting in the company of a pretty employee was nicer, but there was no choice. "If you hadn't agreed to work with Aine Soph, you would not be alive El’Athar" — the agent reassured himself on the way home.

El’Athar didn't worry about how to get into the Ministry of Interior: the system has been worked out. The guard only slyly winked at the fake pass inspection in exchange for his fifty denarii a month and a case of beer.

To get to the needed repository was quite easy, but to carry out the documents marked "top secret" was almost impossible, cameras were everywhere. After thinking a little, El’Athar sent a message to his envoy, "Need help. In half an hour in the parking lot." In the city there was a great set of parking lots, but El’Athar always met with his agents on the same spot, so clarifications were not necessary.

Five minutes to rest and he should get ready.

At home El’Athar changed into his only decent suit — black in the narrow dark stripe. Agent shaved, found his favourite sunglasses and called a taxi to the parking lot, where he was going to rent a car. Normally, the car was selected by two criteria: it had to look decent and inconspicuous. El’Athar picked up even numbers — with no repeating digits.

The man in the strict dark grey suit was waiting at the far end of the parking lot that was almost empty. He looked around nervously, as if afraid that someone may follow him — but a vacant lot on the outskirts of the city was deserted.

— Why did you call me in the middle of the day? — He lashed at El’Athar.

— I urgently need your help. After half an hour I will be at the Ministry. My pass is still valid, it's okay, but I need to take some documents from the archives.

— There's cameras everywhere and a guard at the entrance, what do you want from me?

— It is necessary to turn off the cameras, just for a couple of minutes. You should know how to do it.

— I do not know... Well, I'll think of something.

— Do not forget who helped you get the job.

— Yes, I remember. Okay, in half an hour be at the entrance to the archives. It is in the basement, if you have not been there. There are two guards, you will need to sign, where they indicate, leave all things and wear protective clothing. You will have fifteen minutes to find the documents. Now it's three o'clock and two minutes in the afternoon, at three o'clock fifty minutes the electricity will switch off, and the alarm will turn on.

Man in a suit got in his car and quickly left without saying goodbye.

Half an hour later El’Athar pulled up to the building of the Ministry in a black middle class car and parked in the parking lot for employees. In fact, he could not stand to drive a car, preferring to walk, even if it was very far.

Hekkoy-6, the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Elam, was located near the sea. All Hekkoys created a perfect semi-circle along the main street that contoured the coastline.

In the Ministry, he quickly went through the checkpoint and headed to the basement, which was completely equipped for the needs of the archive: spacious rooms, a library lounge, computers, and endless boxes with memory cards and paper documents everywhere. El’Athar knew that all the information on the project "Merkhaba" was stored in the same folder in the vault number 4, which could be accessed only by special permission. But when there was no electricity, no one could see where you were going.

The guards forced the agent to sign a log and provided him with a disposable suit and cellophane gloves, as it was common in public institutions. It smelled of dust and mould. These guys weren't allowed to ventilate the room so that the paper would not damp, so there was absolutely no oxygen.

El’Athar looked at his watch. He had ten minutes before the electricity would be switched off. He checked whether the flashlight was in his pocket. It remained to wait a bit, pretending to be busy searching for information in the computer.

Several people were sitting in different parts of the archives, idly leafing through catalogs and sending messages. Only five minutes before the power switching off. Three ... two ...

— ...what has happened? — In total darkness said an alarmed man's voice.

— I would ask the present visitors to stay in their places! — one of the guards came in the library hall — if five minutes later the electricity doesn't switch back on, we will withdraw visitors from all areas.

He shone his flashlight around the room, it seemed that everything was in place, but El’Athar as quietly as he could, crept to the right repository. He sat down so that the guard at the entrance with a flashlight did not notice him, and waited for the alarm to work. There was always a chance that you can cheat, but in the case of El’Athar it was fraught — traitors did not live long.

Siren. It was such a high-pitched whine that no one heard the sharply opened and closed steel door to the vault № 4. El’Athar turned on a flashlight and quickly began to inspect the boxes to find the right documents. He had very little time, and if he is found there, he would have to at least give up on his career.

There they are! El’Athar stuffed an impressive folder deep underneath his shirt and tried to sneak back into the library room. At the door stood the guard and shone a flashlight in his face:

— What were you doing there, sir...

— White. My name is White.

— Mr White.

— I was lost — El’Athar wanted to bypass the guard without turning his back on him, and trying not to be nervous.

— Where are you going? — He grabbed the agent's hand. — You are not allowed to go anywhere until I tell you so. Got it? What were you looking for?

— I told you I was just lost.

— And I know something else about you... — the security guard did not finish, he received a heavy blow on the head with a pistol. Damn protective gown, it could be done earlier and faster.

The agent stepped over the body and hurried out of the room until the lights were on. He tore off his coat and gloves, having pushed them into his briefcase. He placed the documents there too.

Three... two... one... The light was turned on at the premises again.

Agent leisurely walked through the half-empty front door.

The body of an employee of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs has been found in the country-berth yacht club "Persia". Special features: dark short hair, a mole on his right cheek, a strict black suit...

— Do you realize what you've done, Mr Lugal?

— I haven't done anything that would contradict the policy of "Enki".

— Do you know the purpose for which the organization was established?

— I've been doing and am doing my duty. I like my job. If you ask me about some problems of a secret research center, it is beyond my competence in any case. I know no more than you.

— You witnessed something unusual there at the station?

— Just what is recorded on film.

— Tell what is recorded on film.

— Echo coming from the depths of the Earth. As if it were voices. I can't guess whose they are.

— Have you not found the source of the voices?

— No.

— Were you scared?

— Yes.

— What do you think about it?

— I think that these voices is the cause of the hurricane "Tiamat."

End of record.

***

— Good afternoon, Mr Soph. It is Mr Keter. We will get in touch with this gadget. Mr Daath and the organization of "Elohim" welcomes you to our cosy company. We are glad that you have sworn to serve Mr Daath, like all of us, for a good purpose.

— Good afternoon, Mr Keter. I'm ready to get to work.

— Our main mission, as you know, is finding all twenty-two Lamashtu seeking to interfere with our plans. We cannot let these nasty creatures in our world.

— I am ready to do everything in my power, Mr Keter. Where should I start?

— We will get back to you, Mr Soph.

***

"Project "Merkhaba"

"Case № 36"

"Top secret"

Video  1: 146 sec., b/w, authenticity confirmed. Attached.

Video recording 2: 210 min., b/w, operational footage. Attached.

The team of investigators, as part of the Case № 36 "Project "Merkhaba", travelled to Greenland on July 15, 2023 A.A.D. Arriving in the city of Nuuk — on 17 July of the same year. Research Station "Merkhaba" is located 300 kilometers north of the city. Precise coordinates: 64 ° 50'30 "N 51 ° 14'00 "W

On the base found:

Computer — 2.

Camera — 3.

Camcorder — 1.

Data storage (SSD) — 1 .

Rock samples — 13.

Equipment was faulty because of the high level of humidity, so the corrosion has begun. Data is not preserved. The drive contains a damaged videotape 1. It is partially restored. The nature of the interference and damage could not be determined, the authenticity of the video is confirmed by the technical laboratory of the Ministry of the Interior Affairs. The recorded material includes a video track — an image of a far mine, and the audio stream — presumably male voices. The language that the voices of unknown origin use was not identified. Interference in the video and acoustic echo in the mine — 75%.

Rock samples mines are ten kilometres to the north-east from the base. Precise coordinates: 64 ° 50'10 "N 51 ° 13'05 "W

Water flooded the shaft, due to the low temperature is in the solid phase (ice). Drilling didn't have any results, the members of the group "Merkhaba" could not be found.

The mine from the tape was not found.

A detailed report about the expedition and the results of the analysis of the rock samples are attached.

Head of Investigation Service of the World Research Centre

Palen Orth

***

The Government of Elam:

Wanted criminal!

Height — 185-195 cm, athletic build, age 30-35 years, dark long hair. No distinctive marks. Anyone who can provide any relevant information, please call 555-37-45. Assistance in apprehending the criminal will be entitled to remuneration in the amount of 500 denarii.

— Well, you have created quite a mess — Aine Soph looked at the first page of the city newspaper «SAG» displeased. — Disturbed this quiet town.

— I acted strictly according to the circumstances — El’Athar shrugged.

— Did you have to hit the unfortunate guard, so that he died on the spot? A Ministry agent who worked with you?! Suddenly deceased...

— If I had hesitated and did not close the question, I would have been slacking behind bars. And the work would have remained unfulfilled.

— It's a good excuse. "Elohim" is pleased with you. The time is approaching, we must act fast and hard, you know?

— Yes.

— It's good. I'll deal with the information in the media.

— Can I be free for now? I have to go.

El’Athar saw in the eyes of the boss a dumb question and hurried to answer it:

— In your urgent advice of my date tonight.

— Go.

In the reception room Rada smiled at El’Athar and he wished her a good weekend. She looked sadly after special agent and began to get ready to go home. She lowered her head and her long bangs fell over her face. The girl had a short bob, always neatly combed back, but now her uncombed hair helped her hide the despair. Nobody saw the tears rolling down Rada's face, and she began to cry silently. Although probably no one would have heard even if she sobbed aloud in this cosy corner away from other offices. She felt so lonely as only a love-lorn person could feel.

Tekhina was sitting at her desk, bent over the drawings as low as possible and recorded the numbers of cells. She would not notice that someone came in, if Dingir didn't greet El’Athar.

— How's our Lamashtu? — asked the agent.

— We released them, — said the young man, shrugging.

— Really? Why?

— Their presence is no longer needed — said Tekhina dryly, appending numbers at the bottom of the drawings. — I'm almost done.

— For your sake, I had to buy a new suit — El’Athar thought that a light grey plaid suit was not what he wanted to put on, but there was no choice: in order not to attract too much attention until it got better he couldn't wear anything dark. You never know, if somebody wants to get five hundred denarii for the tip — it's still a lot of money.

— For the sake of the theater I had to buy a dress — Tekhina began to fold rolls and put them on the table.

— And you, Dingir how are you going to spend the evening? — El’Athar sat down on an empty chair waiting for a companion.

— I'm going to buy some food for Aleph and Tharsis.

— Oh, really? Humanitarian help to street children?

— They are now living in a hotel. Paying for everything themselves: Aleph often plays this strange thing and Tharsis cleans up at the restaurant. So it's not so bad.

— Then why buy products? — Special Agent was surprised.

— I am going to visit them. I can't do it with empty hands, and the fridge was as bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard. Aleph, however, does not eat anything other than apples, but Tharsis devours for both of them. And I promised to buy them some beer. Good guys, and we must keep abreast of the changes. They may even need us.

— Come on, — joined their conversation Tekhina, which has already changed.

— He does not have time for friends because of work — she said to El’Athar — and there is such joy — communication with someone else, besides the unbearable and the evil boss, and in the interests of business.

El’Athar smiled, these two, it turns out, found a common language. He thought it would be good to learn from Dingir how he did it.

But aloud agent said something quite different:

— If you will need some help with Lamashtu, I'm ready. Well, to buy food, or shelter them  and so on.

— Looks like you're imbued with these two? — Tekhina turned the computer off, making it clear that she was ready to go. — Maybe we had to call them to the theater?

— I'll think about it — El’Athar opened the door for the lady and followed her out. — See you, Dingir! If anything happens make them move to me! I love beer! too

The agent looked at his companion. Ah, an attractive woman in a beautiful dress, well, what else is necessary for happiness? That a pair of corpses of unreliable agents: to his regret, El’Athar did not have time to get rid of anyone who might recognize him.

The door shut behind them.