by David Wood
“Open her up?” Maddock asked.
Rae nodded. “Should we, though? It seems so wrong.”
Maddock ran a hand through his hair. He also didn’t like the idea of cutting the egg open. But what else were they going to do?
“I hear what you’re saying, and I agree. But we aren’t going to learn anything more about what’s inside without opening the egg. And you’ve done a good job of recording the images on its surface.” He inclined his head at the computer.
“Let me think about it.” Rae busied herself printing out the results of the CAT scan. She tucked all the papers into a manila envelope, sealed it, and handed it to Maddock. “Okay, I think I’m ready to try it.”
Somewhere in the distance, a door slammed and the sharp click of footsteps on the tile floor approached rapidly.
Rae’s eyes went wide. “Kill the lights. I’ll turn these off.” In a few seconds they stood in darkness. The only light was a dim sliver from the small window in the lab door. Rae peered out. “It’s Professor Sternan,” she groaned. “He’s my department head. I think we should just go on out and speak to him. I’d rather him know I was in the lab without a good reason then for him to catch me hiding here at the dark as if I’m up to something.”
“Would it help if I punched the guy?”
Rae grinned. “No, but it’s sweet of you to offer. Let’s go.” She led the way out.
“Hello Ms. Franklin.” Sternan was a large, florid man, with thinning white hair. Despite the heat, he wore a suit and tie. A single jacket button strained to contain his girth. He had an inappropriately loud voice and his face was contorted into a perpetual sneer.
“Hello Professor Sternan.”
“Doctor Sternan,” he corrected.
Maddock smirked. So he was one of those. Why was he not surprised?
“May I asked what business you had in the lab?”
“I was just showing my friend around. This is Dane Maddock.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” Maddock stepped in close, a little bit too close. He crushed Sternan’s soft, moist hand in his own and bared his teeth in a wolfish grin. He saw Sternan’s eyes go wide, felt the man try to pull away. “Rae says she loves working here and is so grateful for all that you’ve taught her.” He released his grip and gave the man a pat on the shoulder. He almost laughed as the professor sighed with relief.
“Well, that is gratifying to hear. Ms. Franklin is one of our rising stars.” His face white as a sheet, he managed a small smile Rae’s direction and a nod before waddling away.
“Nicely done,” Rae whispered, her shoulders shaking with silent mirth as she gazed at the man’s quivering backside as he rounded the corner at the end of the hallway. “I didn’t take you for a bully.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Maddock said. “I was perfectly pleasant.”
Rae giggled, snaked arm around his waist, and gave him a squeeze. “Sure you were. But I think we should open this in my office. I think I have the tools we’ll need.” She took him by the hand and led him away.
7
Echard slipped into the janitor’s closet and waited silently until the fat man in the suit had passed by. He counted to twenty, opened the door an inch, and peered out. Nothing. He listened intently. Still nothing.
Feeling safer, he moved out into the hall and closed the door behind him. He had heard the girl say something about a lab. That must’ve been where she and Maddock had gone. A quick search led to a door with a sign that read Laboratory. This must be it.
He tested the door and found it locked. That was not a problem. He took out his lock-picking tools and was inside in no time. He flipped on the light and looked around. Nothing seemed to be out of order, and he didn’t see the egg Maddock had carried with him to the dive competition earlier in the day. They must have it with them. He supposed it had been too much to hope that they had left it behind.
“This could be a problem,” he mumbled. He doubted he could take the egg from Maddock through brute force. He had to hope the pair got careless with it, or maybe Maddock would leave the artifact with Rae. Short of that, Echard was going to need help.
He was about to leave when something caught his ear. It was the soft whir of a computer fan. He looked at the nearest computer and realized that someone had turned off the monitor but had left the base unit running.
“Now that was not very smart.”
He hit the power button and the monitor flickered to life. What he saw there puzzled him. They were 3D renderings of what appeared to be scenes out of myths. All included sea serpents.
“I knew it!” He pounded his fist on the desk, then froze, looked around. “Calm yourself,” he said. But he couldn’t calm down. This proved his theory was correct.
He printed out all the images, and then checked the other unit, the one attached to a CT machine. It had been given the same treatment; monitor shut down but the unit still running. Sure enough, there were images there, including the strange, ghostly shape of a ring. His heart thrummed in his chest and the thrill of excitement sent a shiver down his spine.
“Now, what are you?” he whispered. He printed out the CT images, added them to the others, and tucked them all inside his shirt. Next, he deleted the images from both machines and turned them off before shutting out the lights and slipping out the door.
Cold sweat was dripping down the back of his neck. He was closer now than he’d ever dreamed. For the first time ever, he might have found a way back in. If he was right, this would be something they’d definitely want to get their hands on. He had to find a way to take it from them!
He considered for a moment. Rae was obviously an employee here at the college, so perhaps she had an office nearby. He supposed there was no harm in looking around. At least, as long as Maddock didn’t catch him.
He searched around and soon found a staff directory hanging from the wall. It was a simple board with surnames and office numbers in plastic letters. He picked out Franklin, Room 315. That should be just around the corner.
When he found Rae’s office, he smiled. The light was on and he could see movement through the small window. Perfect!
He pressed his body against the wall, slid up to the door, and peeked inside.
The egg was laid out on a cloth on top of a desk. Maddock and Rae hovered over it, wearing gloves, masks, and safety glasses. Their full attention was on the artifact. They had no idea Echard was watching.
Rae held a cutting tool with a fine circular blade in a firm grip. The two of them leaned down over the clay egg as Maddock traced a straight line in pencil around the middle. This was where she would make the cut. His heart pounded and his stomach felt queasy. He didn’t like what they were about to do, but he had to know what was inside. As long as they were careful, they should be able to preserve the two halves, which could then be restored in a museum.
She glanced up at him. Beads of sweat glistened on her brow and excitement twinkled in her brown eyes. Maddock gave her the thumbs-up. Her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
And then the high-pitched sound of the cutter filled the air. Gently, Rae pressed the blade to the edge of the egg. Fine dust filled the air as the blade sliced through the ancient clay.
Maddock winced as he watched. Please don’t let it fall apart. Focusing, he gradually turned the egg as Rae continued the cut around the circumference.
Finally, she completed the circuit. She set the cutting tool aside, then used compressed air to clear any remaining dust from the groove. Finally, she took a fine chisel and small hammer and gently worked at the bonds that still held the halves together.
In less than two minutes the egg came apart in Maddock’s hands. Inside was a mix of sand and clay, still slightly damp. As he pulled the two sections apart, the mixture on the inside crumbled, finally revealing its secret.
“There it is,” he said.
A glint of silver shone beneath the fluorescent lights. Carefully, she an
d Maddock brushed away the silt until the artifact was fully exposed.
It was a metal ring approximately four inches in diameter. It was formed in the shape of a sea serpent biting its tail. The metal was some sort of strange silver alloy that Maddock did not immediately recognize. Despite what might have been a few thousand and more years lying at the bottom of the sea, its surface was not tarnished.
Its eyes were inlaid with aquamarine jewels. The piece was exquisitely carved with fine scales, fins, and sharp teeth.
“What is it?” Rae asked.
“It’s an ouroboros,” Maddock said. “An ancient amulet that depicts a serpent or a dragon eating its own tail. It was first seen in Egyptian iconography, but spread to the ancient world. The term comes from the words oura and bora in the ancient Greek.”
“And what does that mean exactly?”
“Literally tail food.”
“Do you think this is of Greek origin?” she asked.
Maddock held the artifact up to the light. He had to admit he had never seen its like.
“Honestly, I have no idea where this originated.”
8
It was late afternoon when they boarded the ferry to return to Andros. They chose seats on the starboard side and sat swapping stories. Maddock regaled her with tales of Bones’ misadventures, while Rae recounted the times Kyle had nearly killed himself, never intentionally, of course.
“We really are a couple of caretakers,” Rae said. “The difference is, I suspect Bones can take care of himself if need be. Kyle is a different story.”
“He’s stayed alive so far,” Maddock said.
“True, but there have been a few close shaves.”
“Maybe he’s the kind of person who will rise to the occasion of you give him a chance. I’ve known plenty of people like that in my time. They never know what they’re capable of until they’re forced to become self-reliant.”
Rae’s eyes flashed. “Don’t tell me how to be a big sister. You don’t know him like I do.”
Maddock held his hands up. “I’m just saying.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.” Rae took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I can’t explain our connection. It’s not romantic. It’s more like he’s my son.”
“Well, I don’t have a sibling or a child, so I don’t know what that’s like.”
“I really want to find out what this thing is,” Rae said, abruptly changing the subject. She pressed her hand to her chest, where the ouroboros, which she had begun referring to as the amulet, hung from a cord between her breasts. “I almost suggested that we stay the night in Nassau so we could go directly to the library first thing in the morning.”
Maddock’s heart skipped a beat. “We can still do that.” He saw her cheeks immediately go red and felt his own do the same.
“No. I mean, not because I don’t want to. I can’t because of Kyle. He nearly drowned two days in a row.”
“Does anyone keep an eye on him when he’s not visiting the islands?”
“Not usually. I’m afraid that’s going to be his downfall if I can’t help him find something to focus on. Diving is the first thing he’s showed any real passion for.” She gave a slow shake of her head, a sad smile turning down the corners of her mouth. “I know I can’t fix him, but I feel like I need to do the best I can for him. Maybe he can get a job at a surf shop or a resort, something that will keep him close. And what better place to work on his freediving?”
“Sounds like a plan.” Maddock wasn’t sure what to else to say. And then someone caught his eye.
“Echard,” he whispered.
“Where?” Rae stood and looked around.
“Sit down.” Maddock took her by the shoulder and gently pressed her back down into her seat. “No sense calling attention to ourselves. He was just leaving the dock and heading toward town.”
“Must not have anything to do with us,” she said.
“Let’s hope not.”
The engines let out a throaty rumble and the deck vibrated beneath Maddock’s feet as the craft headed out to sea. It followed the coastline, affording them a distant view of sparkling beaches. Maddock soon found himself relaxing and enjoying the company of this intelligent, beautiful woman.
“What sort of creature do you think this is?” Maddock said. “It doesn’t quite look like a dragon or snake, does it?”
Rae shook her head, her brown curls brushing her cheeks. “Neither. I think it looks like a sea serpent.”
“Let me see it again.” He leaned a little closer.
“You just want to take a peep down my shirt, don’t you?” Rae’s eyes twinkled with mischief and she didn’t lean away. Her eyes flitted to the left and then the right, then she reached inside her shirt and took out the amulet. “At first glance, it does look a bit like a dragon, but look closer at a couple of things. Take a look at the head, for example.” She covered every part of the amulet except the head. “If you had never heard of an ouroboros, and you weren’t predisposed to see this as a dragon or snake, what would it look like to you?”
Maddock frowned, squinted, tried to see it for the first time. There was something about it....
“What if I uncover this?” Rae moved her hand a fraction of an inch, just far enough to reveal one of the triangular plates that ran along the spine.
And then Maddock saw it. “It looks a little bit like a shark. That plate looks like the dorsal fin.”
“That’s what I think, too. And you see this pattern running along its sides? I thought it represented oddly rounded scales but I think they are actually tentacles. Look at where the serpent bites its tail.”
Maddock leaned even closer. She was right. What he had taken to be the frill around the dragons neck appeared, in fact to be the tips of many tentacles. “That’s weird. A sharktopus?”
“Dude, I can literally feel your breath on my cleavage.”
Maddock jerked back so suddenly he nearly wrenched his neck. “Sorry. I didn’t realize.” He began to scoot away, but Rae wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him back.
“I wasn’t complaining. Are you always this uptight?”
Maddock turned and looked her in the eye. “Absolutely, I am.”
She laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “We will just have to...” She froze in mid-sentence, eyes wide.
“What’s wrong?”
“Maybe nothing. There are two guys hanging out by the stern, port side. I know who they are and they are bad news. Thugs for hire, and they will work for anybody.”
Maddock discreetly glanced over his shoulder and spotted the two immediately. They were tall, lean men with athletic builds. And each wore a pistol concealed beneath his clothing. The untrained eye might not have noticed the weapons, but Maddock spotted them immediately.
“Are they watching us?” he asked.
“I caught one of them staring at the medallion while I was holding it up. He turned away quickly and they both started talking and stealing glances back at us. Now it looks like they’re going out of their way to act like they are not looking at us. I don’t know, maybe I’m being paranoid.”
Maddock didn’t think so. Echard had already tried to steal the backpack with the egg and amulet once. And if these men were willing to work for anybody...
He looked around, searching for a place to hide but the ferry was a small one. Besides, taking refuge would mean they were cornered. If these men truly were after them, no sense leading them to a place where there were no witnesses or any possible help. He ran through scenarios in his mind. Bones would have suggested creeping up on the two and assassinating them. Of course, Maddock didn’t know for certain that they were after him and Rae, and even then, he was no murderer. That, and the boat afforded no cover he could use to sneak up on the pair. He patted the Recon knife at his side, his only weapon, but it brought him little reassurance.
His eyes drifted to the coastline, not too far away. They had left New Providence behind and up ahead was a strip o
f empty beach and lush forest. He had an idea.
“Rae? How well do you swim?”
9
Quietly, trying not to draw attention, Maddock and Rae stood and made their way toward the stern. From the corner of his eye, he saw one of the men eyeing them. The man’s partner glanced their way, too, then both looked away quickly.
“They think we’re trapped here,” he said. “Probably waiting until we get back to Andros before they make their move.”
“Are you sure about this?” Rae asked.
“I’m sure it’s a safer bet than me trying to disarm both of them.”
She glanced nervously down at the turquoise water sliding past them.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
They waited until no one was looking, then vaulted the rail. Maddock hit the water, followed a second later by Rae. Before he could begin to swim he was startled by what felt like a tremor passing through him. It was an odd feeling, like feeling a bass note played through a stock of amps at a concert. It was gone as soon as it had come, so fast that he wondered if he’d imagined it. But he knew it had been real. He still felt the vibrations. What had it been? But there was no time to ponder the question. After a quick glance in Rae’s direction to make sure she was doing all right, he struck out for the shore.
They swam underwater as far as they could, a much greater distance in Maddock’s case. When he finally came up for air, he looked back at the ferry. The two men were nowhere to be seen. They must have already noticed Maddock and Rae’s absence. Nothing he could do about it except continue to swim.
It wasn’t long before he realized they had a problem.
“They’re coming after us,” he said.
The two men who had been stalking them had spotted their attempted escape and were now in pursuit. At the rate the pair were going, they could’ve been Olympic swimmers.
“What has someone been feeding these guys?” Maddock said.