“Aye! That is exactly what I mean,” Sam said.
“I do not disagree at all,” Nina argued. “All I am saying is that we should make sure we do not become affiliates of people like the Bratva, just because we have a common enemy.”
“That is true, but we will never do that,” he assured her. “You know that we always know where we stand in the scheme of things. Personally, I enjoy the ‘you don’t fuck with me, I don’t fuck with you’-concept. And I shall stand by it for as long as I can.”
“Hey!” Kasper alerted them. “Looks like they are boarding. What do we do?”
“Wait,” Sam halted the eager physicist. “One of the platform conductors is Bratva. He will signal us.”
It took some time for the dignitaries to board the lavish train with its old world charm. From the engine, just like a common steam locomotive, white billows of steam appeared, expelled from the cast iron chimney. Nina took a moment to relish the beauty of it before perking up for the signal. Once everyone was on board, Tuft and Wolf shared a brief exchange of whispers ending in laughter. Then they synchronized watches and stepped through the last door of the second carriage.
A bulky man in uniform crouched to tie his shoe.
“That’s it!” Sam urged his companions. “That is our signal. We have to enter at the door where he ties his shoe. Come on!”
Under the dark dome of night the three set out to rescue Olga and derail whatever the Black Sun had planned for the global representatives they just captured voluntarily.
27
Lilith’s Bane
George Masters was amazed at the remarkable structure that loomed over the driveway as he pulled up his vehicle and parked where Wrichtishousis security had told him to. The night was mild, while the full moon glimpsed through passing clouds. All around the main entrance of the manor, tall trees whispered in the breeze, as if telling the world to hush. Masters felt an odd sense of peace mingle with his mounting apprehension.
Knowing that Lilith Hurst was inside only fueled his will to intrude. By now, security had notified Purdue that Masters was on his way up. Skipping up the crude marble steps of the front facade, Masters kept his mind focused on the task at hand. He had never been a good negotiator, but this would be a true test of his diplomacy. No doubt Lilith would react with hysteria, he figured, since she was under the impression that he was dead.
Opening the door, Masters was amazed to see the tall, slender billionaire himself. His white crown was well known, but there was not much else about his current condition reminiscent of the tabloid pictures and formal philanthropic parties. Purdue was stone-faced, whereas he was known for his cheerful, suave manner with people. Had Masters not known what Purdue looked like, he may well have thought that the man before him was a doppelganger from the dark side. Masters found it peculiar that the master of the manor would answer his own door, and Purdue was ever sharp enough to read his expression.
“I am between butlers,” Purdue remarked impatiently.
“Mr. Purdue, my name is George Masters,” Masters introduced himself. “Sam Cleave sent me to bring you a message.”
“What is it? The message, what is it?” Purdue asked abruptly. “I am very busy reconstructing a theory at the moment and I have little time to finish it, if you do not mind.”
“Actually, that is what I am here to talk about,” Masters answered eagerly. “I have to give you some insight on… well, on the… Dire Serpent.”
Suddenly Purdue snapped out of his daze and his eyes fell straight on the visitor with the wide brim hat and long coat. “How do you know about the Dire Serpent?”
“Allow me to explain,” Masters implored. “Inside.”
Reluctantly, Purdue combed the lobby with his eyes to see if they were alone. He was in a hurry to salvage what was left of the half-deleted equation, but he also needed to know as much about it. He stepped aside. “Come in, Mr. Masters.” Purdue gestured to the left, where the high door frame of the opulent dining room beckoned. Inside was the warm glow of the fire in the hearth. Its crackling was the only sound in the house, which gave the place an unmistakable air of melancholy.
“Brandy?” Purdue asked his guest.
“Thank you, yes,” Masters answered. Purdue wished him to remove his hat, but he did not know how to ask it of him. He poured the drink and motioned for Masters to sit down. As if Masters could feel the impropriety, he thought to apologize for his dress.
“I should just like to ask you to excuse my manners, Mr. Purdue, but I must wear this hat at all times,” he explained. “At least, in public.”
“May I ask why?” Purdue asked.
“Let me just say that I had an accident a few years ago that left me a little unattractive,” Masters said. “But if it is any consolation, I have a great personality.”
Purdue laughed. It was unexpected and wonderful. Masters could not smile, of course.
“I will get right to the point, Mr. Purdue,” Masters said. “Your discovery of the Dire Serpent is no secret among the scientific community, and I regret to tell you that the news has reached the more nefarious parties of the underground elite.”
Purdue frowned. “How? Only Sam and I have the material.”
“I am afraid not, Mr. Purdue,” Masters lamented. As Sam had requested, the burned man curbed his temper and general impatience to keep an even keel with David Purdue. “Since you returned from the Lost City, someone leaked the news to several covert websites and high profile businessmen.”
“That is preposterous,” Purdue scoffed. “I did not talk in my sleep after the operation, and Sam does not need the attention.”
“No, I agree. But there were others present while you were admitted to hospital, am I right?” Masters insinuated.
“Only medical staff,” Purdue replied. “Dr. Patel has no idea what the Einstein Equation means. The man is solely invested in reconstructive surgery and human biology.”
“What about nurses?” Masters asked deliberately, playing dumb and sipping his brandy. He could see Purdue’s eyes freeze as he gave it thought. Slowly, Purdue shook his head from side to side, while inside him, the issues of his staff with his new lover came to play.
‘No, it could not be,’ he thought. ‘Lilith is on my side.’ But the other voice in his reasoning came to the fore. It cordially reminded him of the alarm he could not hear the other night, the security headquarters suggesting that a female was spotted in the dark on their footage and the fact that he was drugged. Nobody else was in the mansion, apart from Charles and Lillian, and they profited nothing from the equation’s data.
As he sat pondering, another conundrum bothered him too, mostly the clarity of it, now that the suspicion of his beloved Lilith was introduced. His heart begged him to disregard the evidence, but his logic overrode his emotions just enough to keep an open mind.
“Perhaps a nurse,” he muttered.
Her voice cut through the tranquility of the room. “You do not seriously believe that crap, David,” Lilith gasped, playing the victim again.
“I did not say that I believed it, dear,” he corrected her.
“But you contemplated it,” she said, sounding hurt. Her eyes darted to the stranger on the sofa, hiding his identity under a hat and coat. “And who is this?”
“Please, Lilith, I am trying to have a conversation with my guest in private,” Purdue told her a little more firmly.
“Fine, if you want to let strangers into your house, who could very well be spies of that organization you cower from, that is your problem,” she snapped immaturely.
“Well, that is what I do,” Purdue responded rapidly. “After all, is that not what got you into my house?”