— In the same place as Tharsis?
— No, in the other one. But it was him who noticed her.
— Do you know what your tattoo means?
— Yes, of course, it is Sumerian cuneiform. Lama-shtu. But what the second row means, I still do not understand. The others have numbers there. Tharsis has number seventeen.
— If he is seventeen, and you're the first, then it must be number one.
— But there is something else.
— It seems to me that I'll have to do something with my foot, it does not want to heal.
The conversation didn't go smoothly, but neither Aleph nor El'Athar were in a hurry to leave. They were sitting in silence in the living room, El'Athar was drinking tea, Aleph looked down at his feet, constantly removing long bangs behind his ears, as if this was an obsessive state.
— You look disgusting in a suit — El'Athar broke the silence.
— And you in the crown. — Answered Aleph. — It's good that you've worn it only once.
— I sometimes have to wear it as long as you do not rescue me from here. But I see you sitting there, instead of doing anything. Come on, I've found a lot of interesting things in one day. You will find it useful to read it. I hope not only I am interested to find out what's really going on.
Aleph followed him in silence.
— Mr Aine Soph was not the first who was the head of this order, he only took this place after Mr Daath had left it.
— Isn't he the head of the "Elohim"? These strange faceless creatures...
— And even Mr Aine Soph doesn't know who are they.
— And what do you think?
— Puppeteers. The whole network of organizations and projects are under control of Mr Daath. The remaining twelve — do not exist.
— Do not exist?
— I've seen them, too — nodded El'Athar — but something tells me that this is only a screen. This is all nonsense.
— Is this all you have found in the archives?
— Yes. And I'm sure that Mr Aine Soph has left them specifically for me.
— He's on our side?
El'Athar laughed:
— Do not be so naive. Each of us has our own goals.
***
— Dr Tekhina Ami?
— Yes, good afternoon — she smiled at the girl, who came to an appointment to a cozy restaurant.
— Nice to meet you. Did you bring what we have discussed?
— Yes of course. — Dr Ami put the folder on the table — this is the overall research.
— We want to buy the project, not to sponsor it. The price is established by the management. Bargaining is inappropriate. But you will be project manager. Do you have any questions?
— No.
— Then I'll call you. Bye.
She took the folder and left.
— There will be 20 000 denarii on your account within three days — inheritance from the great-aunt in Sweden. During this time you will have to give us all the materials, and then next Monday you will have an appointment with the head of the Research Department.
Short beeps.
Tekhina could not open the front door to the apartment. The key was stuck and did not turn.
— Dr Ami? — she heard the familiar voice of women from the military centre.
— Yes. Sorry, I was late for the meeting.
— Do you have the data?
— Here you go. All that I have is on this memory stick.
— Thank you. See you on Monday. — The girl was gone. She could hear her coming down the stairs, not waiting for the elevator.
Tekhina could not pull the jammed key out.
— Damn it! — Angrily, she kicked the door, and it opened a little.
She had her heart in her mouth.
Tekhina cautiously entered.
A shot.
After a few seconds sounded the second one.
Steps down the stairs sounded again.
***
"To the President of the Republic of Elam Olaf Hakim
Report
It was established that a criminal wanted by us, Jack Getterbørgen, is an employee of the research centre "Enki" where his personal file is classified as "Top Secret". It contains only two paragraphs of text, no precise data is available. An interesting detail: it is called "Project El'Athar."
In addition to the Government of our Republic he is wanted by the government of the three countries: the Federation of the British Isles, the Republic of India and Joint Union of China.
The reward for any information about Jack Getterbørgen reaches 1.5 million denarii.
12/23/2053 "
"The president gave the unofficial order to destroy the data about a man named Jack Getterbørgen in the archives of the Ministry of Interior. As far as we know, this is an order from above, even higher than Council of the UN. "
— Mr President?
— Hello, Mr Daath. How can I serve you this time?
— I would like to thank the President for his decision on Jack Getterbørgen and ask about a service.
— I am listening attentively, Mr Daath.
— Chairman of the UN George Obé has occupied his post for too long.
— But ... you probably have people above the UN ... the President of the Atlantic Alliance is a part of your order.
— You are able to cope with this case better. — Short beeps.
Chapter 29
The next morning. 8:00. Airport of Mumbai.
Aleph, in a strict black suit with carefully combed hair, waiting for someone to take him to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of New India.
His clear blue eyes were empty, and his look was tired, he could not sleep on the plane, recalling a trip to Greenland, but young man should look strict — he had a very responsible job. To hide the fatigue and excitement, Aleph put on his sunglasses.
— Mr Getterbørgen? — A young black man walked up to Aleph, affably smiling.
— Hello — Aleph shook his hand.
— I know Jack, it is a pleasure to work with his brother. To be honest, I did not know about you before.
— I found out about Jack recently too. You know, it's a long story...
— I see. Come, I'll take you.
They drove in silence. Aleph looked out the window, admiring the extraordinary view: so much green, many shaggy trees, birds, insects and people. So many people on the streets! And the monkeys — they were everywhere and so different!
In fact, Aleph was delighted, though outwardly he tried to look as calm as possible and indifferent.
— You know — the guy from the ministry said — I think you look like Jack.
— Maybe you have seen him a long time ago? — Aleph smiled.
— Several years ago, he was in New India on a mission.
— He has changed since then.
— I have heard about the Mongolian prison.
"And no one helped him" — Aleph was surprised that he did not say it out loud, although he wanted to.
The smile faded, and monkeys and trees ceased to please the young man remembering the last meeting with El'Athar, how bad he looked, ate nothing but pain killers and sufferred there locked. But his eyes shone when he was showing archival documents! El'Atharu should be a police detective, that was for sure.
The Ministry of the Interior was a high glass building surrounded by the jungle. Security at the entrance struggled with monkeys trying to take away their lunch and did not particularly notice the employees passing by.
— We have constant problems with these macaques. They are simply intolerable, and there is nothing to do with them, not even take them out into the woods. Animal rights protection.
It seemed that there at the Ministry worked as many people as lived in entire Anshan and to get lost was easier than anywhere else. Aleph even stopped to look around in delight, but quickly pulled himself together and went on.
— Mr Minister, Aleph Getterbørgen is here.
— Nice to
meet you, sit down. — Minister shook hands with the boy. The black man who accompanied him came out.
The minister reminded Aleph of the late Trier Lugal: a short, dark-skinned and with large grey groomed moustache.
— I hope, Mr Minister, we can come to an agreement soon. — Aleph sat down in a chair offered to him.
— I said I'd let you take away three Lamashtu found in the country, but only in exchange for your brother.
— It's impossible.
— In our country he is a war criminal.
— It's not that he's my brother. Now it is physically impossible. So I suggest you compromise. We will give Jack Getterbørgen to India, but when this will be possible.
— So, you will get Lamashtu and when it becomes possible.
Aleph held himself together with last forces. He was too young and soft for the job. But then there was no choice.
— We can also offer you other international criminals who are in our jurisdiction.
— Do you need these Lamashtu so much? — Minister grinned.
Heck!
— Can I see them? Talk to them?
— After the transaction.
— I need no more than five minutes. I will do everything that depends on me in order for the transaction to take place.
El'Athar, I need your help ...
— Hello, El'Athar? It Aleph.
— Yes, I'm listening.
— Have you found anything interesting?
— A lot of things, such as the fact that the doctor Lugal's wife, Lydia, is in fact, the leader of "the corner of Moreau," Trier was a scientist. I want you to see some documents personally when you come back.
— I guess I'll have to crank out a scam. The Government of New India will give the three Lamashtu only in return for you.
— Are you in India?
— Yes. And I need to pick them up. Tomorrow I will be allowed to see them. During this time I have yet to prepare and find another Lamashtu in Tibet. I know that he is there, I can feel him.
Breath-in, breath-out.
— El'Athar, I need your help.
Two hours later.
— Aleph, everything is ready for tomorrow. — El'Athar spoke quickly, as if someone might hear.
— Thank you. I'm on my way to Tibet.
— Do you coordinate with Mr Director?
— He told me to do whatever it would take. And I'm doing everything I can.
— I did not expect such courage from you.
— I have good motivation.
— Good luck. Have you heard the news?
— Tekhina was killed.
— Yes... — El'Athar sighed.
— I do not know what to say about this. I think...
— ... That I pulled the trigger?
***
Republic of Tibet. The village of Ou-cam.
The village high in the mountains was so picturesque, that Aleph involuntarily held his breath in admiration, looking into the distance on the mountain peaks. Just to think about how high it was breath-taking. Despite all the difficulties, the young man was very happy that he went, because then nothing else mattered.
— Have you heard about Nam Tso? — Aleph stopped a woman on the street. She stared at him in incomprehension.
— Nam Tso — repeated Aleph.
The woman waved her hand, meaning that she would lead the way.
They walked along the street until the last hut in the suburbs.
Aleph knocked and was asked to enter.
— I knew you would come.
A tall, dark man with black hair, closed the door behind Aleph and invited him to sit down.
— Gabriel. — Introduced himself the owner of the house.
— Aleph. — The young man sat on an offered chair. — I have too little time.
— You came for me.
— It depends on if you are ready to go.
— You are the key, you are our leader. I, like the others, will do anything you tell me to.
— I see you've packed your things.
— Of course. Why waste any time.
— Thank you.
— I understand, you need my help.
— Yes, of course.
— And not only in India.
— That's right, too.
Gabriel had a Tibetan passport, at which he immediately bought a plane ticket to Elam.
— You're my assistant — said Aleph, paying for a formal suit for Gabriel. — You've just arrived to help sort out the situation. Jack Getterbørgen is my brother, and he is a war criminal in this country. He was engaged in counter-intelligence for the benefit of the British Isles.
— Clear.
— I'm not sure that they would let you with me to the three Lamashtu kept in prison. I do not know who and how have found them, or why Jack is so important to the government. We call him El'Athar in Elam. This is Jack's second name.
Gabriel froze.
— You know El'Athar? — Aleph was surprised.
— I think so. And I understand why we have to save him.
— Well, then, listen. That's what we will do is...
Chapter 30
— You have five minutes; your assistant will stay with us. — Security at the entrance stopped Gabriel, who looked much more organic in a suit than Aleph.
— Wait for me here — a young man with a deadpan went to a nearby table for prisoners under the watchful eye of security guards and cameras. There was meeting room was no one else.
Aleph went to three tortured prisoners of rather strange appearance, who looked at the blond dumbfounded, unable to believe that he was in front of them. They had never seen Aleph, did not know why he was there, but immediately realized that it was him they had been waiting for all this time, and should listen to him no matter what he said.
— So, — the young man sat down in front of them. — We only have five minutes, five cameras are watching us, there are also two guards, and my assistant, he is a Lamashtu as well. And in those five minutes, I have to tell you how we will get you out of here.
All three nodded.
— I think you know that I am Aleph.
— Beth, — said the dark-haired guy. He had a scar on his cheek and under his shirt at the throat a lot of small cuts could be seen. Some of them were rather fresh. When he shook hands with Aleph, the young man saw that his hands were in small cuts and scratches too.
— So, you are the second. — Aleph nodded.
— Mary — said the middle-aged woman with a haggard face, dark hair streaked with gray, and jet-black eyes.
— Ratriks — the third Lamashtu said, a young, very thin blonde woman with strict facial features and bright green, almost yellow eyes, as she shook hands with Aleph.
— So... — The young man adjusted his bangs (he already had this stupid habit every five minutes to tuck his bangs behind his ears), — when I say three — follow me, slowly, and do not panic. Pretend that nothing is happening. Gabriel promised to set things right.
— Five minutes are almost out! — Shouted one of the guards from the end of the hall.
— So — Aleph shrugged. — One, two, three!
There were two quiet claps. There was no certainty that everything would go as it should, but the young man noticed that monitors of the cameras were turned off.
Aleph grinned to himself. Thank you, El'Athar.
Three Lamashtu followed him to the door, where they were waited for by Gabriel with a pass in his hands. Both guards were neatly stacked against the wall.
— We are no longer expected in New India — a Tibetan smiled broadly.
They went out with the help of the pass, left the building and got into Gabriel's car. He took everyone to the airport.
— You did not knock them senseless, huh? — Aleph's voice sounded upset, but it kindled hope.
— Was it necessary to knock them senseless? — You could say that Gabriel was surprised. — You said to get rid of them, I did.
The
young man looked in the rear view window. They were already followed by several police cars.
— We have killed the guards, they have the right to shoot! — One of Lamashtu, Beth, panicked.
— Don't you believe me? — Aleph's voice was cold.
— We do — he lowered his head.
— So, everything will be just fine.
Gabriel was an excellent driver. He maneuvered easily around corners, almost without reducing the speed. Police was far behind.
— So, we're at the finish line, everybody get ready!
They ran from the car into the airport crowd. Passport control was symbolic, the data on the ticket and the passport wasn't always checked, but suspicious people were checked carefully enough.
Aleph and his team made their way through the turn on the flight. He only wished that El'Athar's friends didn't disappoint them then. They caught up with the police, trying to get to pass through the queue to the flight, but people kept coming and coming, not likely to move aside for the rushing into battle police.
— Aleph Getterbørgen! Nam Tso! — The officer let the boy and Lamashtu through the queue without checking any documents, or even tickets. — I will try to detain them!
The crowd roared with displeasure until the passport control officers tried as quickly as possible to check the tickets. Before take-off there was very little time left and there were a lot of willing to be on the plane.
— Move aside at once! — Shouted the policeman from the crowd — I'm from the police and criminals are on board of the aircraft!
No one moved.
A police officer pulled out a gun and fired into the air.
Someone screamed, some children cried, but overall the crowd fell silent. Passport control continued working. People passed just by their tickets.
— Do you have documents authorizing delay of the flight? — the officer asked the policeman, not letting him pass.
— Are you here, just all stupid?! — He just roared with anger.
— We have no right! — The girl administrator ran to protect her employee.
The policeman pushed the officer aside and ran to the plane, followed by his fellow policemen who were trying all this time to get closer through the crowd.
Project Ouroboros Page 14