When the shooting started, Acton had ushered her and Tommy under a tarp, and in the moments before when she could still see, she was pretty sure everybody had headed for the ramp leading out of the dig, though she couldn’t be certain.
But what had happened to the two grad students?
She turned to Tommy, still working away. “Do you remember the two grad students?”
Tommy stopped and looked at her. “Huh?”
“The two grad students. The guy and the girl. The ones who joked that they were the Greek versions of us.”
Tommy nodded. “Oh yeah, whatever.” He grinned at her. “I’m way more handsome than him, and you’re ten times as hot as she is.”
Mai’s cheeks flushed and a tingling sensation surged through her body. If they were alone in the room, she would have mounted him right then and there. “Well, umm, what happened to them?”
Tommy’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, when the shooting happened. Where did they go?”
Tommy chewed his cheek for a moment, then his eyebrows popped. “The dude was screaming like a little girl. At first, I thought it was her, but it wasn’t.”
“And what about her?”
He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”
Mai sighed. “Neither do I.” She flipped through some photos of the aftermath, then paused on one showing the parking lot, and the female grad student emerging from between the cars. She showed it to Tommy. “Why would she be up here?”
Tommy glanced at the photo. “Is that the parking lot?”
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed. “Did she go up with the professors?”
“I don’t think so, but we were under the tarp pretty quickly.”
His eyes widened. “Wait, you don’t think…”
She nodded. “I do.”
He looked at the others, still huddled in discussion. “You have to tell them.”
Her heart hammered. “But what if I’m wrong?”
He shook his head. “But what if you’re right?”
She sighed then raised a hand. “Umm, excuse me.”
Everyone stopped and turned toward her.
“I think I might know who the thief is.”
48 |
Cy Pulos residence
Athens, Greece
“Professor Antoniou! What are you doing here? Did they find your wife?”
Acton saw Antoniou’s ears go red at the young grad student’s question. “How do you know about that, Cy?”
“It’s all over the news. Is she okay?”
Antoniou shook his head. “No. She’s being held because they think I have the urn, and they’ve beaten her viciously—” His voice cracked as he momentarily lost control. He drew a deep breath. “They’ve beaten her. I must have the urn, or they’re going to kill her.”
“But I thought they already had it?”
Antoniou’s cheeks joined his ears. “We both know that’s not true.”
Pulos’ eyes narrowed then her cheeks paled. “Wait, do you think I have it?”
Antoniou pushed her apartment door open, barging inside. “Yes. Just tell me where it is, and I won’t report you to the police. I just want the urn so that I can give it to them and get Juno back.”
“You can’t just come in here!”
Acton followed reluctantly, certain they were breaking countless laws, but since Reading was with them, he assumed the Interpol agent would be the one taking the real heat.
“Over here!”
They all followed Laura’s voice and soon found her in the kitchen, half a dozen artifacts laid out carefully on the table.
Antoniou’s stared at her, wide-eyed. “Cy, what have you done?” He grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her. “Where is the urn? Tell me!”
Acton and Reading pulled the distraught man off the clearly terrified woman, and she retreated into the corner, fear in her eyes, her arms held up to shield herself from any further assault. “I-I don’t have it, Professor. I swear! I was just bringing work home to try and help.” She lowered her arms. “I knew you wouldn’t want me to, so I didn’t tell you. I was just trying to help.”
Antoniou stared at her, incredulous. “Help? How is this possibly helping?”
Pulos stared at the floor, as if afraid of the damage her words might cause. “I know about your money problems. We all do. I thought if I did some of the work off-site, then it might help with the budget problems.”
Acton stared at the table. The artifacts were being treated with care, and all evidence was that they were being cleaned and cataloged according to procedure.
As any thief might before selling them.
And as any grad student might, if at a dig site.
Antoniou shook his head. “I don’t believe you. I want to believe you, but I can’t believe you.”
Reading pulled out his phone. “It’s time to get the police involved. I’ll call the major.”
Pulos burst into tears as Reading made the call, and Laura brought her into the living room, placing her on a couch as Acton and Leather continued to search the apartment. By the time the major and several of his men arrived, they had found nothing beyond what was on the table already, and were instead sitting quietly as no one said anything.
Reading spoke with Major Nicolo for several minutes in the kitchen, then they both entered the living room, Nicolo clearly not pleased. “I should arrest you all.”
Acton resisted the urge to point out the fact that seemed to be the man’s default position.
“But we’ll sort that all out later. Your illegal search could destroy any case we have against the woman.”
Antoniou shot to his feet. “I don’t give a damn about your case. I want my wife, and she has what I need to get her!”
“The urn.”
“Yes, the urn!”
Nicolo turned to the girl. “And you claim you don’t have it?”
She shook her head vigorously. “I don’t, I swear!”
“We’ll sort it out at the station.” He motioned to the officers who quickly cuffed the sobbing woman, then led her from the apartment.
Nicolo jabbed a finger at them all. “Go back to your hotel room and stay there. If I catch you interfering again, I will arrest you.” He turned on Reading. “And you should know better!”
Reading’s knuckles turned white as his fists clenched, but he remained outwardly calm. “I’d like to sit in on the interrogation.”
Nicolo regarded him for a moment, then nodded. “Very well.”
They were ushered out of the apartment, and Acton, Laura, Antoniou, and Leather remained silent until they climbed in their SUV.
Laura spoke first. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not so sure. Could she be telling the truth?”
Antoniou vehemently shook his head as Leather pulled away from the curb. “She can’t be. We know it was stolen, and like your young lady said, she’s the only one who could have done it.”
Acton pursed his lips, not bothering to correct the distraught man’s interpretation of Mai’s suggestion. Mai’s photo showing Pulos among the cars in the parking lot, rather than in the pit, merely suggested a possibility, not a certainty. “Let’s get back to the hotel and see if Tommy has had any luck with tracing those text messages.”
The rest of the ride was silent, none wanting to state the obvious.
If Pulos was innocent, then who could have possibly stolen the artifact?
49 |
Outside the Antoniou Residence
Athens, Greece
Rafiq spotted the police car first, parked across the street from Professor Antoniou’s modest home. He pressed the phone against his ear so he’d have an excuse to be covering his face, and turned away from the window. “Go around to the next street.”
Zaman nodded, driving past the police watching the house, then around the corner, without drawing any attention. “What do we do now?”
Rafiq thought for a moment. They needed time. Killing the police then entering the house could lead to near-immediate discovery, and they’d have no time to search for the artifact. Break in from the rear, and there was a chance of being seen by the neighbors, but that was less likely than two dead cops in their car on a public street going unnoticed.
He decided. “Let’s try the back. Once we’re in, you watch the cops and make sure they stay put while I search.”
Zaman nodded and they both climbed out, heading down an alleyway running behind the homes. When they reached the Antoniou’s gate, Rafiq tried the handle and it swung open, security at this point evidently not a concern, though the loud screech might as well have been an alarm. They both entered and Rafiq closed the gate as quickly as he could, there no avoiding the squeaky hinges. They both rushed to the rear door and the slight cover its awning offered. Zaman tried the keys taken from the wife’s purse as Rafiq scanned the windows of the neighbors, finding no prying eyes.
“Got it!” hissed Zaman as he pushed the door open. Rafiq held him back, listening for the telltale chirp of a security system.
None.
They stepped inside and Rafiq closed the door behind them, again checking for nosy neighbors as Zaman headed to the front of the house and took up position on a couch that gave him a full view of the street with their police chaperones. It didn’t take long for Rafiq to search all the obvious places in the small home, coming up empty.
“This is ridiculous,” he growled. “Have those cops moved?”
Zaman shook his head. “No, they’re still there, drinking coffee.”
“I’m putting an end to this, right now.” He pulled out his phone and texted the husband.
We’re in your house. Tell us where it is or she dies.
50 |
King George Hotel
Athens, Greece
The suite was getting a little crowded, which was saying something considering its size. A four-man security team had arrived from Leather’s Greek contact, though Korba’s men were now heading back into the hallway, their briefing from Leather complete.
Tommy held up the phone. “We’ve got another message.”
Acton leaned forward, placing a hand on Antoniou’s shoulder as a show of support. “What does it say?”
“We’re in your house. Tell us where it is or she dies.”
Laura’s hand darted to her mouth. “Should we tell the police? They could arrest them now, since we know where they are.”
Leather shook his head. “No, these are the types that are willing to die for their cause. There’s no way they have her with them, and they’ll happily die in a shootout with the police before they tell us where they’re holding her.”
Laura nodded. “Of course. Then what do we do? We have to respond.”
Acton took the phone from Tommy. “We have to tell them it was never there.”
Antoniou looked at him with tear-filled eyes. “And if they ask where it is?”
“We have to be vague.” Acton waved the cellphone. “That’s one advantage of this type of communication. It gives us time to think.” He smiled. “How about this?” He quickly typed a message then read it aloud. “It was never there. Be careful, I think the police are watching my house.” He smiled. “I’m thinking a show of concern for their safety might throw them off a bit, make our story a little more believable.”
Laura nodded. “I like it.”
Acton held up the phone. “Everyone agree?”
Bobbing heads circled the room and he pressed send.
“Done. Now we have to figure out what our next response is. They’re going to want to know where it is, and we can’t keep avoiding the question.”
Tommy slapped his hands together, glee on his face. “Found them!”
Laura gave him a look. “Let me guess, Professor Antoniou’s house?”
Tommy laughed. “Nooo, I mean I know where he was when he was sending the original text messages.” He spun the laptop, several pulsing red dots displayed on a map of Athens. Antoniou pointed at one of them.
“That’s my home.”
“Yes, that’s where they are now. But these”—Tommy pointed at a small cluster of dots—“are where they were when they sent the original messages.”
Acton peered at the map. “That looks like it’s about ten minutes from here.”
Leather nodded. “That makes sense. They want to do an exchange, and they’ll want to do it quickly, so they won’t want to waste time traveling.”
Laura let out an exasperated sigh. “So, what do we do?”
Acton pointed at the screen. “We need eyes on that place.”
Leather shook his head. “We can’t risk going there. If they’re watching the hotel, they could follow us and know we found them. They might kill her.”
Acton frowned. “We have to tell the police. I don’t see that we have any other choice.”
Antoniou shook his head vehemently. “Absolutely not. They could raid the place and get her killed.”
Acton looked at him. “Then what should we do?”
Tommy raised a finger. “Umm, I have an idea.”
51 |
Outside the Suqut Brigade Safe House
Athens, Greece
Tankov listened to the report from his man assigned to follow the vehicle that had left earlier. He had tracked it to the professor’s house, and the Suqut Brigade members had just left, empty-handed.
He turned to Utkin. “It’s not at the professor’s house, and it wasn’t at the grad student’s apartment.” He shook his head. “I get the distinct impression that nobody who should know where it is, does know where it is. This is ridiculous.”
Utkin agreed. “There must be a third team.”
Tankov shook his head. “No, if there were, then Damos would have known, and after what they did to him, there’s no way he didn’t talk.”
“Then it has to be an inside job. That’s the only other explanation.”
Tankov pursed his lips. “Then who? It’s not at the professor’s house, and we’re dealing with her life. Surely if they had it, they would have handed it over by now. Nobody’s that greedy.”
Utkin shrugged. “I am.”
“Yes, but you’re a little touched. These are professors.”
“They’re always the crazy ones in the movies.”
Tankov chuckled. “True.” He tapped his chin. “Okay, why did they go to the grad student’s apartment? They obviously thought she had it.”
“And she was taken away in handcuffs, so obviously the police think she has it too.”
“Then why not just hand it over?”
“Maybe the authorities won’t let them?”
Tankov smiled. “Or they still don’t know where it is. Vasiliev said that they left empty-handed. Nothing big enough that could have held the artifact.”
“So, she’s not cooperating, because she is greedy enough to let the wife die.” Utkin sighed dreamily. “Sounds like my kind of woman.”
“Okay, if we assume she stole it, then where is it?” He snapped his fingers then pointed at the keyboard. “Run her name and see if she owns or rents any other property. Maybe she’s hidden it somewhere other than her apartment.”
52 |
King George Hotel
Athens, Greece
“Is this legal?”
Tommy didn’t look at Acton to answer his question, his attention instead focused exactly where it should be, on the large screen in front of them. He had somehow jacked into the hotel room’s television so everyone could see what was happening, rather than having them crowd around his laptop.
And the extra effort spent while waiting for the equipment to be readied by Korba’s team was worth it.
“Legal? Definitely not, but they’d have to catch me first, and I never get caught.”
Acton eyed him. “Oh, really?”
Tommy risked a quick glance. “Okay, once.” He grinned. “But I’m much better now.”
&nbs
p; “Uh huh.” Acton jabbed a finger at the screen and Tommy returned his attention to it, leaning to his left as he adjusted the trajectory of the drone he was controlling with his laptop. Korba’s team had been able to supply the equipment needed to implement Tommy’s idea, and the drone had been launched from one of their vehicles, saving them precious minutes.
Antoniou pointed at the screen. “I think we’re getting close.”
Tommy nodded, swiftly bringing the drone to a halt and panning the camera down, showing half a dozen rooftops. “We’re here.” He centered a target over the rooftop in the middle of the screen, directly below the drone. “This is it. Let me see what we’re dealing with.” A flurry of keystrokes had them all in suspense as they waited for the computer genius to give them something, anything, that they could work with.
He smiled.
“I’ve got a bunch of wi-fi signals and cellular signals of course, but a few are pretty strong that could be coming from the building. I’m going to see if I can tap into them.”
More keystrokes were followed by a “Huh.”
Acton’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Well, a few of these signals look like they might be video feeds.”
Laura leaned forward. “Security cameras?”
“Could be. If I can tap them, we might be able to…” His voice drifted as he worked his magic. “I’m in.” He looked up at the television screen as it flickered, the live feed from the drone’s camera replaced by the image of a badly beaten man.
Laura gasped. “Oh my! Is he alive?”
Acton rose, stepping closer to the screen, then pointed. “His chest is moving. He’s breathing.” He cursed. “They did quite the number on him.”
“I’ve got another one.” The screen flickered again, and the feed of the man was replaced by a black screen.
“What’s wrong?” asked Acton as he returned to his chair.
Tommy shrugged. “Weird. The signal seems good, so we should be seeing something.”
The Cylon Curse Page 14