Colleen Gleason

by Siberian Treasure

  “It’s got the symbol on it—see.” She flipped the box; it was heavy, and clunked onto the table with a sharp thud. On the bottom, she showed him the faint etching that was indeed the symbol of the Skaladeskas. “But why would they put their symbol on it? They would know it would implicate them immediately.”

  “Holy Christ.” The tension that had settled between his shoulders, that had been there since he secretly sent Gabe off to find Alexander, began to lessen. At last. “What is it?”

  “This, best as we can determine, is a controller that served two functions that ultimately caused the earthquake in Allentown. I have teams searching the other sites for similar equipment, but as of now, this is the only one we’ve found. The ballistics team believes it was used to control and direct a small drill that dug diagonally through the earth’s crust several miles away to under the site of the earthquake’s epicenter.

  “Once under the epicenter, the drill deposited a very powerful explosive of a very small size—only a foot or so in diameter. And then the controller detonated the explosive.”

  “And that caused the earthquakes.”

  “That caused them, without a doubt.”

  Colin rubbed his thumb over the symbol etched on the box. “You asked why they would put their sign on it? The sign of Gaia, their goddess—that’s what Dr. Alexander told me. It represents the deity of the earth. Perhaps as a form of blessing? As if to confirm that their actions were being made in her name? For her?” He looked up and Helen was nodding in agreement.

  “Yes, that could be. And … if it weren’t for you, we would have no way of assigning this symbol to the Skaladeskas anyway. They would not expect us to make the correlation. There’s nothing in our database with this symbol on it. You’re the only connection. How fortunate for us.”

  Colin chose not to meet her eyes. “I would never have guessed … .They’ll do it again. Of course.”

  “Yes. They haven’t claimed responsibility for the events yet … but they will. They’ll want to. If they are acting in the name of their deity, they’ll be happy to tell us.” She paced again, somehow having acquired a pen that she slapped rhythmically against her palm. “Given the right kind of leader, any religion can turn evil—we’ve seen it happen since the beginning of organized worship. When a holy war is declared, the end justifies any means to those crusaders. We need to be ten steps ahead of them, Colin.

  “If we can’t penetrate their shell, then we’ll have to wait for their warnings, their claims of responsibility, and their implicit hints and threats. I’m not willing to wait. You came to me with your background knowledge about these people—your team needs to get in there and find out what’s going on, who the leader is, and how we can stop their next threat. You know as well as I do that there will be one.”

  And another.

  -28-

  July 10, 2007

  Northern Ontario

  As it turned out, by the time Marina and Gabe landed with their prisoners and contacted Colin Bergstrom, everything had blown wide open. There was no question about them proceeding as Marina had suggested.

  Especially since when they swept the plane, they’d found a map and documentation that appeared to outline the remainder of the journey.

  “We can finish the flight plan and follow this map to the meeting point,” Marina said. Her reluctance to follow through on this mission had evaporated; now determination burned as strongly in her as it did in Gabe. She had come this far, through this much danger. She’d lost her chance to see the Lam Pao Archive. She would resolve this mess and find her dad. If he was still alive.

  “If we wait too long, whoever’s at the other end will get suspicious and we’ll lose our chance to find out where we’re going,” she told Gabe.

  “You just want to fly that plane again.” Another dry comment she hadn’t expected from the sarcastic spook, but she didn’t deny it. She loved her P210, but the Mirage was an awesome plane.

  When MacNeil finally made contact with Colin Bergstrom, the CIA director was overwhelmingly relieved to hear from them. After listening to his operative’s debrief, he shared news of his own, his voice blaring over the speakerphone at the local police station.

  “I have been contacted by an inspector in Saudi Arabia. A man was murdered there, and a business card was left with the Skaladeska symbol on it. That alone indicates that there is something brewing, and that we are not just following a hunch. There’s more, but first I am going to fax you a drawing of the man who is believed to be the murderer. Dr. Alexander, if you would please examine the drawing and give me your opinion, it would be appreciated.”

  While Marina waited for the fax to come in, Gabe lifted the receiver and got a further confidential debrief from his director.

  “We’ve made the connection between the Skalas and the earthquake in Allentown. Helen Darrow’s team found the controller that detonated an underground bomb, and controlled the drill. It has the Skaladeska symbol on it. They caused those earthquakes, they’re implicated in at least two murders—”

  “—and your fax just arrived, and Marina has identified that photo as the man who broke into her home.”

  “So we can add attempted kidnapping to the list. Unnecessary at this point, but I’ll let Darrow know. I agree with Dr. Alexander—you need to follow up on this map and travel route and see if you can locate some of these people. They’ve got to be planning something else—why would they stop at one incident? And not even take credit for it?”

  “They wouldn’t. We’ll go on and see what we can find out. You need to get me a sat phone and a weapon stat.”

  “I want to send up some backup personnel, too, but it’s going to take at least twenty-four hours to get them approved and up there.”

  “We can’t wait. Get me the phone and the gun. Marina is insistent that we keep the trail hot, and I’m afraid I agree with her, despite the risk of involving a civilian. We might lose our chance of meeting whoever we were supposed to meet up with if we’re delayed. Or they might hear about the capture of their colleagues. And we’re more likely to be successful with just the two of us than some big team, if we get into Skaladeska territory.

  “Marina’s hot to go, and I’m afraid that if we don’t manage the investigation, she’ll do it on her own. I have to tell you, I’m not happy about being in this position.”

  Bergstrom spoke abruptly, “Taking a civilian isn’t the most optimal of plans, but I’m not going to miss this opportunity. We brought Marina Alexander into this because of who she is, and who she knows. And what she might know but doesn’t yet remember.

  “She has the mark of the Skaladeskas on her—that could be invaluable to us. Even though she may not realize it, whatever she knows about them is more than anyone else does. She’s been in dangerous situations before; she knows how to handle herself. And you’ve convinced me that a small team makes better sense in this case. Hold on … let me see about your phone and gun. I should be able to get them to you pretty quick.”

  Gabe stood at the desk in the police chief’s office, thankful for the privacy, and shuffled his feet. He could hear Bergstrom’s movements in the background over the phone, and his low-toned voice rumbling as he spoke and, likely, manipulated, begged, borrowed, and stole. He wondered if Helen was there, and whether she knew he was on the other end of this case.

  “Okay, Gabe, you have thirty hours on your own.” Colin came back on the line, breathless but firm. “And I don’t want Dr. Alexander running the operation, so you’ll have to keep a rein on her. Darrow wants to send her team up there too, but I’ve managed to convince her to hold off for thirty hours. Get me what you can in that time.”

  * * *

  Nearly twenty hours later, after a stop for refueling and a generous nap, Marina landed the Mirage at an airport near Waswanipi, Quebec. It was mid-morning, but since they were in the Land of the Midnight Sun, the sun had been shining like it was noon for hours. It was surprisingly chilly; near forty degrees, though Marina had expe
cted it to be closer to sixty since it was July. The gloves and hat would come in handy.

  Gabe had arranged for a rental car when they stopped for fuel, and it was waiting in the parking lot.

  “The old key under the mat trick, eh?” Marina commented as she climbed into the Land Rover. “Somehow I expected the CIA to be a little less simplistic.”

  Gabe started the engine. “You watch too many spy movies.”

  “Watch them? I’m in one! That tunnel from Dad’s cellar under the lake was too much like Dr. No’s underwater room. And I like Hitchcock better than Bond anyway.”

  “Better than Bond?” Gabe pulled the Land Rover out of the airport parking lot and flipped the switch to turn on the heater fan. A blast of welcome, warm air burst into the vehicle.

  “Much better than Bond. At least Hitchcock’s films are somewhat believable.”

  “Well, we’ll see if you still think Bond is unbelievable when we’re done with this op.” He cast her a grin as they sped along the road.

  “You and your father aren’t close.” Gabe’s understated comment drew Marina’s attention from the passing scenery of scrubby brown grass and rolling hills.

  “No. Not at all.” Talking—or even thinking—about her relationship with her father wasn’t something she indulged in often. It was too messy. Easier left alone.

  “Why is that?”

  “You trying to make conversation or are you just being nosy?” she replied. But her voice wasn’t angry.

  “Both. You fought getting involved in this with both arms flailing, and now you’re trying to lead the charge. That kind of change of heart makes me curious. It didn’t seem like concern for Victor was the driving force behind your change, either.”

  Perhaps she owed it to Gabe, who was accompanying her on this journey, some explanation. “I didn’t want to get involved because I’ve spent my adult life, and much of my adolescence, trying to get past him, to forget about him. He was never a father to me in any way that mattered—except that he gave me life. I dealt with it. Grew up without him, without Daddy-Daughter Dances and a cheering father at my sporting events … .and without the glowering, dominant figure sizing up my dates when they came to pick me up.

  “I handled it. Put it away. Lived with it, and grew into a normal person. Put him out of mind. And preferred to leave him there. Except when I had to do my duty on Father’s Day. His birthday. You know.”

  “Then we showed up.”

  “Yeah. At that point, I lost control of my life—the one I’d tried so hard to manage and keep normal. The one I’d kept him out of. So, at first, I did the barest thing I could: I talked to you and Bergstrom. And then all hell broke loose.”

  “Normal? You call what you do normal?” The corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed.

  She also appreciated his gracious change of subject. “It’s normal to me. Did I mention that I’m stubborn, and once I get started on something—thrown full-force into it—there’s no stopping me?”

  “You didn’t have to.” He glanced at her, his gaze lingering a bit too long. “So why do you do all those things?”

  “You mean, why is a nice girl like me not settling down with a regular job, a husband, and a couple kids?” The little bit of attraction she might have felt waned.

  “No,” he said. “I mean why do you fly and cave and go down the Amazon and eat mopane worms? If you’d knock the chip off your shoulder, you’d probably stop reading between the lines and hearing things that aren’t there.”

  Marina’s fingers uncurled and she found herself giving him a genuine smile. “Sorry.” She glanced out the window, formulating her thoughts before responding. “I want to make a difference in the world. I want to live life to the fullest and experience everything I can, and if I can help people at the same time, I will. I have nothing to lose.”

  “Except your life. You told me the other day you weren’t a spy, a Sidney Bristow. But you do things that are even more dangerous sometimes. That cave rescue in Pennsylvania wasn’t a cakewalk.”

  “No. But it had to be done, and since I don’t have a family waiting for me, I take the risks so that others don’t have to.”

  “So,” he said casually, his wrist leveraging the steering wheel. “What’s with you and the tall guy—Bruce?”

  Marina looked at him, and when she didn’t respond right away, he looked over at her. Challenging, brows raised, a tiny smirk at the corner of a wide, sexy mouth. He needed a shave.

  “What’s with you and Helen Darrow?” she countered, thinking how that stubble would scrape against her skin.

  “Well,” he gave a short laugh, returning his attention to the road. “You’re either sharper than I gave you credit for, or you’re damned lucky.”

  Marina shrugged, pleased that her guess had been confirmed. “I notice things.”

  “It’s been almost five years,” he told her, his voice nonchalant. “Just before she transferred to Chicago. Haven’t seen her since. So how about Bruce? “

  “He’s married.”

  “I saw the ring. But I also saw the way he looked at you.” He jabbed a finger in the air. “I notice things too.”

  “Like I said, he’s married. Looks don’t mean a thing.” She turned to look out the window, effectively ending the conversation, suddenly feeling as vast and lonely as the flat lands that stretched alongside the highway.

  They stopped only for lunch, eating beef-and-gravy-laden pasties which Gabe, who was from West Virginia, had never had before, and then continued their journey. Between the map and the directions printed on the sheet of paper, they easily found their way to … .

  “This is it?” Gabe turned to stare at Marina, his hands poised on the wheel as if ready to yank it into a turn-about. His weapon rested in his lap, slipping into the space between his jeans-clad thighs.

  “This is it. A patch of grass in the middle of nowhere. Hills to the north, trees to the west. No sign of life or a place to meet.” Marina craned her neck to look around. It wasn’t as if anyone could be waiting in ambush—there was nowhere to hide.

  “Remind me what we’re supposed to be doing here.”

  Marina chose not to respond. Since she’d gotten them here in one piece, she rather felt he should keep his comments to himself.

  With a snap, she unbuckled her seatbelt and yanked the handle to open the door.

  The air was warmer than it had been when they left the airport, but still cool enough that she needed the coat. Tucking the gloves into her pocket, she strolled away from the Land Rover as much to give her legs a stretch as to clear her mind.

  There had to be a reason they were led to this place. The directions were in a bag kept by Bran and George; despite the fact that they were in English, it seemed odd that they would have gone through the trouble of putting them together in order to trick her and Gabe. After all, they couldn’t have planned for Marina’s aerobatic escape.

  She stood in the middle of the field. It wasn’t so very large, maybe ten or twelve acres worth of scraggly brownish-green grass. A firm breeze dashed over the small meadow, tufting and shifting the taller grasses, and she inhaled deeply. Beautiful. Clean and fresh.

  Nothing like the polluted oxygen she and the majority of Americans ingested.

  Despite her Russian roots, Marina had never been to the Soviet Union or even as far north as she was now. Perhaps she’d been wary of getting too close to her lost family. But now, as she looked around at the world under the startling blue sky and the brilliant sun that would barely sleep that night, she recognized a unique beauty in the Arctic.

  Yet another facet of Gaia’s magnificence.

  Gaia?

  Just for a moment, she’d felt a kinship … a oneness with the world around her. Nature, raw and untouched, and alive. And she remembered that it was threatened, every day. That places like this remote area, virginal and new, were disappearing.

  And she started to understand what her people felt. The greatness, the majesty of their planet.<
br />
  The earth—Gaia—was one with them. In order to survive, they had to protect her.

  “Ready to head back?”

  She hadn’t heard Gabe approach from behind; hadn’t even heard him slam the truck door. “Not yet. No. Let’s walk over there.” She pointed to the low hills studded with pines.

  “Marina—“

  “It’s the closest thing to mountains around … and that’s where the Skalas live. In Taymyria, anyway. It’s worth checking it out.”

  “Something wrong?”

  “It’s beautiful here. I was just appreciating her. Nature.”

  “Yeah.” Gabe didn’t sound convinced, and she noticed he still held the gun in his hand. “All right, sixty minutes to check out the hills, then we head back and check in with Bergstrom. I’ll call him on the sat phone when we leave.”