Primordial (Lilitu Trilogy Book 2) Page 3

  In minutes, they were driving through city streets and the green gave way to Greek-style buildings and early-morning traffic. Hunter was amazed at the lack of tall buildings, like the ones he was used to in the States. Things seemed to be jumbled together in an abstract way, yet it was pleasing to the eye, like an artist’s canvas. It reminded him of exactly what he had seen in paintings of Greek landscapes and architecture—ancient, bohemian, rustic, and quite beautiful. It had a calming effect, almost lulling him to sleep. It was peaceful, absent of the stress-laden rat race that he lived every day, even in his small town. He could see why people loved the Mediterranean.

  The hotel was even better—the Capsis Astoria. Lisa whistled as it came into view. “Wow—this place looks amazing.”

  Hunter craned his neck to look up at the top of the seven-story building, and could see balconies with glass-fronted railings on every floor. “There’s supposed to be a pool on the roof that overlooks the city and an old Venetian port.”

  “Well, you outdid yourself this time.”

  “Don’t thank me—thank the American Wire Service. They’re footing the bill.”

  The taxi pulled around the circular drive in front of the building and stopped in front of the lobby entrance. The driver stepped out of the car and made his way around to Lisa’s door to open it.

  “Guess he expects a healthy tip,” Hunter quipped.

  “And we’re not going to disappoint him, are we, dear?” his wife said with a smile.

  Hunter rolled his eyes and reached into his back pocket for his wallet, stepped out of the car and pulled out a five-dollar bill. Not a bad tip for a three-mile drive, he figured. He slapped the bill into the driver’s enthusiastic palm and grabbed their bags before a concierge could earn yet another tip.

  The room ended up being on the top floor, which had a magnificent view. So far, Hunter was impressed with his new employers. His old hometown newspaper certainly would have never paid for anything this elaborate.

  “Well, what do you think?” he asked his wife as she stepped wide-eyed into the room.

  “Oh, Hunter, it’s amazing.”

  The curtains were pulled back at one end of the suite, which was actually two separate rooms, allowing the sunlight in through a glass door that led out to the balcony. The floors were lightly-colored hardwood. In the room by the balcony was a sofa with a glass coffee table and a large closet in the opposite wall. A TV and a skinny wall-mounted desk stood opposite the queen-sized bed, which had Turkish rugs on the floor on either side of it. Black and white photos of Heraklion adorned the walls behind the bed. Hunter noticed there was no kitchen, and no fridge.

  “Well, they obviously don’t want you bringing your own food,” he said, setting the bags down.

  No sooner had the door closed behind them, when there was a knock. The pair glanced at each other, and then Lisa turned and opened it.

  In the doorway stood a man neither of them had ever seen before.

  “Hi, are you the Singletons?” he asked. He was about six feet, dressed in khaki pants and a white shirt. He had blonde hair and a ruddy look, like he spent a lot of time in the sun.

  “Maybe,” Hunter said, moving closer to the doorway. “Who’s asking?”

  “I’m Sam Jensen, a geomorphologist from North Carolina State. I’m here about Jade. Can we go someplace to talk?”

  Eight

  The door swung open and a man dressed in black jeans and a black shirt and shoes stared at Jade from the doorway. He was average height and bald, relatively good-looking, but he was wearing dark glasses that hid his eyes. Still, she could feel a sense of power that emanated from behind those glasses. Whoever he was, Jade figured he was most likely the man in charge—the man who had ordered her brought here. Somehow, he looked familiar. She stood up from the bed and waited, saying nothing.

  “Do you know who I am?” he asked.

  Jade remained silent.

  “I’m sorry about having to bring you here, but I was afraid you might be in danger, so I really didn’t have much choice.”

  “What do you mean, in danger?”

  He stepped into the room. “Nobody told you?”

  “Told me what?”

  “That box you were carrying contains radioactive artifacts—highly unstable radioactive artifacts.”

  “What’s unstable about them?”

  “Let’s just say they are of an element as of yet unknown to modern science.”

  “If I was in danger, why wasn’t I decontaminated?”

  “You were checked right after you were brought here. That’s why your shoes are missing.”

  Jade scrunched her brow and looked down at her bare feet. “Don’t tell me you undressed me.”

  “You didn’t require decontamination. You’re fine.”

  Jade narrowed her eyes at her captor. “So, you’re that millionaire that built those weird monoliths, right? What do you want with me?”

  She noticed a slight flinch, barely perceptible, but there nonetheless.

  He didn’t think I recognized him.

  “It’s nothing malicious. We just didn’t want you going to the police.”

  “Why would I go to the police?”

  “I’m sure you’ve figured out that your accident was no accident.”

  Jade said nothing.

  “But the fact is, Ms. Moore, I really just came here to tell you that you’re not a prisoner, at least not as far as my house is concerned. You’re free to go anywhere you want inside. I just ask that you don’t try to go outside. I wouldn’t want you to get lost or injured. Besides, there’s no way off the island except with one of my boats or my helicopter.”

  She tried to keep her emotions in check, even though she felt like jumping out of her skin.

  “How do you know my name? How long have I been here? And how long do you intend to keep me here?”

  “You were brought here yesterday and kept under sedation. I haven’t really thought about how long I’ll keep you, yet. I suppose until I think it’s time to let you go. Feel free to get a bite to eat, watch TV, or play pool in the game room; my house is yours. Henry will be your liaison.” He turned his head toward the door behind him, where Jade saw a huge, olive-skinned, bald man in a grey suit and white shirt step in front of the doorway. It was the same man who had pulled her out of the wreck.

  Jade could feel fear gnawing at the pit of her stomach. Lawrence turned back to look at her.

  “If you need anything at all, feel free to ask,” he said.

  “Yeah, I’d like to ask something. Please keep Henry the hell away from me.”

  * * *

  Lawrence sat alone in his expansive office, staring out the window at his personal Greek island paradise, thinking about this latest turn of events. Something about the young woman, Jade, had lit a fire inside of him the instant he had laid eyes on her. Her skin was the color of chocolate and her hair, set in long cornrows, gave her the look of an Egyptian princess. His men had been right in not leaving her behind—she would have likely given them away to the police. He owned most of the police force, already, but there were still a few so-called good cops who would poke their noses into places they didn’t belong. In spite of his feelings, he couldn’t let himself be sidetracked. This was too important.

  He had done as she asked and told her guard, Henry—some local talent he had hired for his skill in combat as well as for his noted lack of curiosity—to let Jade have some breathing room. He was sure Henry didn’t want to be a babysitter, anyway—there were other things on the island that needed looking after. She had the run of the house, which was equipped with everything from game rooms to workout rooms and even a small theater, complete with real movie-theater seats and a popcorn maker—all the comforts of home and then some.

  But Lawrence knew he couldn’t keep the girl indefinitely. So, what the hell was he going to do with her?

  * * *

  Jade had decided after an hour or so that she wasn’t going to just sit in her ro
om feeling sorry for herself. She had been given the run of the place and was going to make good use of the opportunity by seeing as much of it as she could. Maybe she could learn something useful.

  She looked down at her bare feet and wished they hadn’t taken her shoes. But what better way to keep someone inside than to keep them barefoot?

  She walked over and tried the door. As her captor had promised, it was unlocked. She opened it and stepped out into a short hallway, then into a small gallery. Just beyond that was a combined living and dining area adorned with colorful paintings and Mediterranean-style furniture. Several plants stood around the room in wicker baskets. She figured whatever they would be serving for dinner would probably be amazing.

  In front of her, and on the other side of the room, was a row of glass doors looking out onto a huge patio area. She decided to go take a look and pushed her way through the doors. Jade found herself standing before an ornate swimming pool the Hyatt Regency would have been proud of. On either side of her were Greek columns that supported an overhanging roof and stairways leading up to small dining areas with tables and chairs.

  But the clincher was the view—a sunny, panoramic vista of the Mediterranean Ocean that rivaled anything she could have seen on an IMAX screen. It was breathtaking. She stood looking on in awe from what was obviously the top of the island, breathing in the salt-sea air, and could see a pier with a couple of large boats down on the beach. This truly was paradise.

  Whatever it is David Lawrence does for a living, it pays very, very well.

  Nine

  The sounds of Konstantinos Argiros’s “Paidi Gennaio” filled the air of the Central Park Café as Hunter and Lisa sat with their mysterious companion at one of the tables outside the restaurant, watching as young couples threaded their way through the crowded patio. The sun was partially hidden by a nearby tree, giving them some respite from the heat. Hunter sipped his Raki and felt like he was already starting to get a buzz. Lisa and Jensen were both sticking to lattes. Probably a smart move on their parts, Hunter figured. It was a little early to be drinking alcohol. But he figured what the hell; it’s not every day you get assigned a story in Crete.

  Might as well enjoy it.

  “So, what’s going on with Jade? Is everything okay?” Lisa asked.

  “Before I answer that, tell me what you know about our expedition here,” Jensen said.

  “Not much, just that it’s an important dig near a temple and that some interesting artifacts were found. We’re really just here on kind of a vacation while I’m on maternity leave, though Hunter is doing a story on the dig for the American Wire Service.”

  Hunter took a sip of water to offset the strong Raki. “Lisa received a voice mail on her cell phone from Jade that they found some kind of metal box with symbols on it. Jade was hoping to go to the university to help them open the box and do an analysis of the contents.”

  Jensen frowned. “That was the intention. On the way to the university yesterday, there was an accident. One of our lead archeologists from the University of Crete, as well as one of his grad students, were killed.”

  The couple both sat down their drinks and stared at Jensen. “Was Jade with them?” Lisa asked.

  “Yes, but she’s missing.”

  “What do you mean, missing?”

  “I mean, someone took her. They may have even run her car off the road, judging by the dents and paint flakes on the side of her vehicle. Why they took her is another question. They also took the artifact.”

  “So, what are the police doing about it?” Hunter asked.

  “They say they’re doing everything they can to find her, but if she’s no longer on the island, that could be next to impossible.”

  “Then I guess the first thing we need to do is go to the police station and find out what’s going on.”

  Before Jensen could respond, a man and woman strolled up to the table and stood gazing down at them. The woman wore a sleeveless shirt, and had a large, red, Chinese dragon tattoo down her upper left arm.

  “Well, it can’t be coincidence that we would find you two here, can it?” she said with an Australian accent.

  Hunter recognized the pair immediately. “Gabe and Mac. What are you two doing here?” He jumped from his seat and grabbed two chairs from an empty table, dragging them over.

  “Have a seat,” he said. “Honey, you remember them.”

  Lisa beamed and stood to give the two a hug. “How could I forget? You saved my husband’s life.”

  Jensen rose from his chair and Hunter introduced him with a wave of his hand. “This is Sam Jensen, a geomorphologist with the archeological dig I’ve come to write a story about. Sam, this is Gabrielle Lincoln with the US Government and Lieutenant Commander John MacIntyre with the US Navy.”

  They all shook hands and sat.

  “So, should I be worried that both of you are here at the same time?” Hunter asked.

  Gabe smiled. “No, but I’m beginning to think we have some common interests in Crete. I found Mac here, staying at the same hotel as me.”

  “Well, maybe he has his eye on you,” Hunter said, earning an elbow in the gut from his wife.

  “Seriously? Your name is Gabe Lincoln?” Jensen said, taking a sip of latte. “Are you honest?”

  “I’d like to think so.”

  “What is it you do for the government, Gabe?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  Jensen shrugged. “Just curious. I’m thinking CIA.”

  “I didn’t mention anything about the CIA.”

  “In my line of work, you meet a lot of government employees, and CIA people are always the most paranoid. With good reason. Be assured that your secret is safe with me.”

  Gabe smiled, saying nothing.

  “Well, now that we have the pleasantries out of the way,” Mac said, “Let’s order some dinner.”

  Ten

  After dinner, Jensen offered to drive everyone to the place where Jade’s wrecked car was found. They parked a few meters away from where they now stood looking down at glass and debris. Hunter wondered why someone, anyone, would want to harm Jade. He had known the girl for a couple of years now—she was a gentle spirit who probably didn’t have an enemy in the world. The only explanation was that she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone was after whatever was in the container the dig team had unearthed.

  There were treadmarks all over the pavement that were perpendicular to the direction of travel, as if one car had purposely smashed into the other one, forcing it off the road.

  Hunter glanced at Jensen. “So, you have no idea what was in that box, other than the fact that it was hot with radiation?”

  “They were taking it to a lab to have it analyzed. Somebody apparently knows what’s inside and was willing to kill to get it. We did manage to copy the inscriptions from the lid, and we’re having those translated.”

  “Are there any legends concerning the area you’re working in, Dr. Jensen? Something that could give us a clue about what we’re looking for?” Gabe asked.

  “None that I know of—it’s just another temple area. But there are many of those on Crete. There was nothing special about this one, except for this particular artifact. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “I want to go to the police station and see what they’re doing about…” Lisa said, stopping in mid-sentence and staring off to the side of the road. She walked over to a grassy area and reached down to pick something up. She dangled it in front of her eyes and glanced over at Hunter.

  “It’s Jade’s cross necklace. The one her mom gave her when she was seventeen.”

  * * *

  It was apparent from the police captain’s demeanor that the Cretan police didn’t like foreigners poking their noses into police business, even for the concern of a kidnapped relative. They seemed almost nonchalant, as if this kind of thing happened every day. Hunter wasn’t sure if it was their attitude or the Raki, but he was pissed off.

 
“I want to know what the hell you’re doing to find my wife’s cousin. She’s twenty-one years old and thousands of miles from home. She’s probably terrified out of her mind right now, or worse. We need answers and we need them now.”

  The police captain was around five-eight, about Hunter’s height, with curly black hair and a look that said he had heard it all before. He narrowed his eyes at Hunter, leaning on his office desk. “Mr. Singleton, we are not stupid. I assure you, we are doing everything we can to find your cousin. I have issued a photo to all departments on the island to be on the lookout for her. If she has been taken off island, however, it falls into Interpol jurisdiction.”

  “So, in the meantime, we just sit around with our thumbs up our asses.”

  Mac held a fist up to his mouth and coughed. “Um, Hunter, maybe we should let the police do their job.”

  Hunter felt a hand on his shoulder, but wasn’t ready to back down just yet. There was something these people knew that they weren’t telling. He could feel it.

  “You know who took her, don’t you?” he said.

  Hunter saw a flash of something in the captain’s eyes, which served to crank his temper up a notch.

  “What are you assholes not telling us?”

  The captain stood and pointed at the exit. “I suggest you leave now and let the police handle this, Mr. Singleton. I will keep you informed of our progress. But remember, you are in a foreign country, not America. Your law does not apply here.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”