“Marek’s business is 100 percent referral,” Sean explained.
“That’s right,” their host agreed. “But when the referrals start making referrals, things get a little shady.”
Tommy resisted the temptation to point out that the man’s profession was shady, for which Sean silently commended him.
“I would rather make less money and have less trouble than have a pile of cash and a pile of problems,” Marek finished making his point.
“Makes sense,” Tommy nodded.
The Czech smiled. “So you need guns? Right this way.”
Sean and Tommy followed the arms dealer down a wide hallway and into a study. The room was only a few hundred square feet and looked like it had been decorated exclusively from the IKEA catalogue. Everything had been designed to maximize space and functionality.
Next to the door, a closet with wooden folding doors spanned eight feet from the corner of the entryway to the exterior wall. Marek pulled back one of the doors and reached into the closet. The sound of an electric motor suddenly whirred to life beneath the small computer workstation. Something was coming up out of the floor. Sean watched with a wide grin as the secret compartment continued to rise in front of the bookshelf. The six-foot long cabinet had been topped with tiles to match the floor so that any casual observer wouldn’t even think there was anything underneath. It had worked, since neither Sean nor Tommy had noticed it.
The machine stopped its task, leaving the showcase on full display for the three men. Attached to it were over twenty different handguns, and two HK-5 submachine guns.
“Now,” Marek said, stepping in front of the two guests, “as I recall, you were a Ruger man the last time I saw you. Right?” He ran his finger along the second row until it stopped on a brand new Ruger .40 caliber.
“I was,” Sean corrected him. “I’ve been liking the Springfield lately. Bought an XD not long ago. It’s a great piece.”
Marek raised an eyebrow. “Croatian guns, huh? Well, I have to admit, they do make a fine weapon. And I just happen to have one right here.” He reached over to the third row from the top and pulled out the black weapon. “Like this?” he asked and handed it to Sean.
“That’s the one,” Sean said, smiling. He pulled the slide back and checked the chamber to make sure it wasn’t loaded.
“Magazines are on the back side of this display. I only have two for that gun. Hopefully you won’t need more than that. If you do, you’re in a war that would require more than one gun anyway.” Sean chuckled at the comment.
The Czech turned his attention to Tommy. “What about you, my good man? Any preferences?”
“That Sig 9 will work,” Tommy answered confidently.
“Ah, that is a fine weapon,” Marek said, removing the gun from its holster on the wall. He passed it gently over to Tommy, who copied Sean’s habit of checking the chamber.
“How much do you want for them?” Sean asked after looking over the weapon more thoroughly.
“Please.” Marek put his hands out in a gesture that suggested Sean’s question was ridiculous. “You take these guns and go help your girl. Don’t worry about paying me for them. I have plenty of money.” He motioned to the home by waving a hand around. “Does it look like I’m hurting here?”
Sean insisted. “You have to make money on these. You’re running a business.”
Marek put both hands up, ending the conversation. “Please, it is my pleasure to help you out, Sean. I won’t take your money. You helped me out when I needed it the most. You were the only person that offered. I will never forget that.”
Sean took a deep breath, knowing that there was no way he was going to end up being able to pay anything for the guns. “Fine. I’ll take them. I won’t forget this, though,” Sean pointed at him, sending a fake warning with his eyes.
“I’m glad I can repay you, my friend,” Marek said. “Are you sure you can’t stay for one drink?”
Sean glanced out the window at the sun sinking farther into the afternoon sky. “Afraid we have to decline for now. It’s going to be dark when we get up in the mountains, which is going to make things difficult enough.” Then Sean had another thought. “You wouldn’t happen to have any flashlights would you?”
Marek grinned again. “Of course. But you’ll have to pay for those.” He winked and began booming with laughter again. “I kid. I think I have a few you can take.” The Czech stepped over to a bureau and pulled open the second drawer. He produced a few aluminum-cased flashlights and placed them in the palms of the two Americans. “These are top of the line, very bright. You should do fine with these.” He paused for a moment, seemingly pondering something. “If you don’t mind me asking, Sean, what kind of trouble is your girl in?”
Sean sighed before speaking. “I wish I knew. We think a man named Dimitris Gikas took her. He’s from Northern Greece, near the border of Albania. Have you heard of him?”
Marek’s expression changed instantly, becoming one of deep concern. “Yes. I have heard of him. He is one of the most powerful men in Greece, very wealthy, very ambitious. One of his men contacted me several months ago, a man I had done business with in the past. He asked me if I could connect him to a volume dealer. Said he had a big order to fill. I guess he thought I would know someone because of my business. To be honest, I try to keep out of the underground these days. Every now and then I hear something, though.”
“And what have you heard lately?”
Their host glanced around as if to make sure no one else was listening. “Dimtris Gikas is planning something big.”
“Like a government takeover?” Tommy asked.
Something clearly wasn’t right. Sean could see it in the big Czech’s face.
“Bigger,” he said. “I don’t have as many ears as I used to, but the ones I do have are hearing that Gikas has big aspirations.”
Sean and Tommy waited with heightened anticipation.
“He wants to establish a new Greek empire. Gikas believes he is some kind of great leader like Alexander the Great, and that he will return Greece to its former might.”
Eyebrows on both the Americans furrowed.
“You mean he plans to invade other countries?” Tommy asked, still trying to wrap his head around it.
“I’m not sure,” Marek answered, crossing his arms. “But it certainly sounds like he intends to overthrow the current government, which in its current state, would not be a difficult thing to do if someone had the resources.”
“And with a powerful device like the antikythera, he could foresee every move an enemy would make. He would know everything before it happened.”
Marek’s face curled in confusion. “An…ti…ky…what?”
Sean turned to leave. “I’ll tell you all about it some other time, my friend. We have to go.”
Chapter 31
Adriana peeked around the corner of the kitchen and into the wide-open living room area. Several sofas and seats had been placed in the thousand-square-foot room. She slid two of the knives into her belt, one on each hip, and kept the third in her left hand, the gun in her right. She and the boy moved stealthily across the span of the giant living space, reaching the front door within a few seconds. Just outside the front door, two guards stood on the landing, staring out at the grounds. They seemed to be on alert, no doubt from the information relayed by the guard she’d killed in the cellar.
She pulled Niki close and glanced at the other side of the room. A pair of French doors led out onto a deck overlooking the sea. She could see there was a guard out there as well, but only one. Those odds were a little more in her favor. Careful not to make a sound, she made her way back around the room, staying close to the wall to keep out of sight in case one of the men on the front porch happened to look back into the mansion. She reached the back of the house and stopped at the door. The guard still had his back to them, but as soon as she turned the latch he would look back to see who was coming out. There would be only a split second to make her move and take the man down.