What is inscribed on the pillar has possible military implications, enough to explain FSB interest. My government cannot be trusted to make this information public. When you translate it you will understand my concerns.
I am going on to Paris tomorrow and from there to America. I would like to meet with you and discuss this with you in person.
Cordially, Yuri Sokolov
"He sounds like an idealist," Selena said.
"That's it?" Nick asked.
"That's all there is."
"What kind of military implications?"
"He doesn't say."
"Can you read the script in the photograph?"
"Let me take a look."
Selena got a pen and paper and began studying the picture through her magnifying glass. Nick watched her making notes. Her expression was intense, focused.
She said, "If this says what I think it does, you're not going to believe me"
"Try me."
"I think the inscription is about Atlantis."
"You have got to be kidding."
"See? I told you that you wouldn't believe me."
"Atlantis is a legend."
"If it turns out that it isn't, a lot of people are going to get upset. Egyptologists, for example."
"Are you sure it's about Atlantis?"
"I'm not certain, but it's a good bet." She pointed at the photograph with her pencil. "These characters form a phrase that means homeland. It's described as a plain and mountain surrounded by water."
"That could be about Crete. The Minoans used Linear A and Crete isn't that far from Egypt. What else does it say?"
"It's an account boasting about the power of the homeland. It says the priests lifted heavy blocks of stone into the air using an object given to them by the gods, an artifact of some kind. "
"A force that could lift heavy stones? Thousands of years ago?"
"That's what it says."
"That must be what Sokolov meant about military implications. If the Russians think there's anything to this, they wouldn't want him telling anyone about it."
"I wonder if he's in Paris?"
"I doubt it. It must've taken days for that letter to get here. Then it had to go through your agent to you. If he'd followed through on his plan he'd be here by now. He would have contacted you."
"You think they caught up with him?" Selena asked.
"If they did, it wouldn't be good news for him."
"If he's a senior researcher with a prestigious Russian Institute, he'll be in the database. Steph can look him up."
Stephanie Willits was Director Elizabeth Harker's deputy, in charge of the Project computers. If what you wanted was in a database somewhere, Stephanie could find it.
"We'll ask her when we go in."
Selena's voice was enthusiastic. "We should look for that pillar. There's more written on the back where I can't see it. It might tell us more."
"Does the map show where it was photographed?"
"Not exactly. Marsá Matruh is on the Mediterranean coast west of Cairo. The spot on the map is farther on, toward Libya. "
"I don't think foreigners are popular in that part of the world right now. It won't be easy to get to it."
"If it led to discovering the force mentioned in that inscription, any effort would be worth it."
Nick reached up to scratch his ear but thought better of it.
"I suppose so," he said.
CHAPTER 3
Elizabeth Harker opened the French doors onto the patio outside her office and contemplated the day ahead. Security be damned, it was too nice a day to leave the doors closed against the spring air. Later it would be humid and hot. This early in the morning, the breeze was cool and fresh. The scent of flowers and new grass drifted into the room.
Birds sang and chirped outside. She hoped the cat didn't catch one and bring it to her as a gift.
Usually she dressed in a black pantsuit and white blouse. Today she'd reversed the pattern. The suit was white, the blouse black. A gold and emerald pin in the shape of a Celtic knot graced her left breast. The emeralds picked up the vibrant green of her eyes.
Elizabeth liked to dress in black and white. It kept things simple. Her life was complicated enough without worrying about what she was going to wear. The habit had started when she was in law school and carried over when she went to work for the Justice Department.
She'd been part of the 9/11 task force but as the investigation progressed, she'd become uneasy and then concerned. She'd argued with the conclusions being fed to the media and the public about what had happened. Elizabeth was branded as someone who wasn't a team player and transferred to a dead-end job on an endless RICO investigation. She'd been about to resign when President Rice tapped her to head up the Project.
Rice had a problem with the intelligence agencies. Sometimes they thought they knew better than the White House what needed to be done. Critical information was withheld because someone decided Rice had no need to know. How the hell was he supposed to make good decisions when he didn't have all the facts he needed? He'd wanted a new agency that answered only to him. He'd wanted it small and out of the public eye, with someone to run it who would tell him the truth. It was Harker's maverick refusal to go along with the official story about 9/11 that had caught his eye
Elizabeth had built a team she was proud of, led by Nick. He was the first person she'd recruited, right out of a hospital bed in Bethesda. Sometimes he'd been difficult to handle but she'd never regretted the decision.
Selena entered the picture when her wealthy uncle was found tortured and murdered. A personal friend of the president, Rice asked Elizabeth to look into it as a favor. Events piled on one another and now Selena was part of the team. She'd earned it, the hard way. She had the bullet wounds and scars to prove it.
The other two members of the field team were Ronnie Peete and Lamont Cameron. Both had been badly wounded in Germany during the last mission. Ronnie had been a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. Lamont had been a Navy SEAL before coming to the Project.
Elizabeth worried about them. Years of wounds and surgeries were beginning to take a toll on their bodies. It was true for Nick as well. Selena had never been in the military but after few years in the Project she was catching up to the others.
The team always seemed to find the sharp end of the sword. Elizabeth prayed they would all continue for a while longer. She couldn't imagine replacing any of them.
The last piece of her team was Stephanie Willits. Steph was as good with the computer as the others were with their weapons. With Steph at the keyboard, the Crays downstairs were a powerful resource at Elizabeth's command. If there was anything Stephanie couldn't do with a computer, Elizabeth didn't know what it was. She was essential to the success of the Project.
Stephanie walked into the room.
Elizabeth said, "I was just thinking about you."
"Nothing bad, I hope."
"Not at all. I was thinking how grateful I am that we work together."
Steph smiled at her. "It's mutual."
"You look chipper today," Elizabeth said.
"I think Lucas and I have finally gotten past what happened."
What had happened was a highway ambush by assassins trying to take out the team. Three months pregnant, Stephanie had lost the baby. Lucas Monroe was the Director of Clandestine Services at Langley and her lover. He'd been driving the car and seriously wounded at the same time. The aftermath had been days of dark depression and grief.
"We're going to try again," Stephanie said. "The doctor said there's no reason we couldn't have another child. We weren't ready before now." She paused. "I wasn't ready."
"Steph, that's wonderful. I'm so happy for you. I think it's the right thing for both of you."
"What's on the agenda this morning?"
"Nick and Selena will be here any moment. Ronnie and Lamont are over at Walter Reed for checkups. For once there doesn't seem to be a fire we have to put out."