The Revelation Code (Wilde/Chase 11) (13 page)

‘It’s definitely the same thing from Revelation, though?’

‘Absolutely. Pergamon, or Pergamum, is mentioned several times in the text, and the altar itself is a major archaeological treasure. I’m actually a good friend of the man overseeing its restoration, Dr Markus Derrick.’

Eddie turned to Seretse. ‘Looks like I need to get to Turkey, then.’

‘Turkey?’ Rothschild laughed. ‘The altar isn’t in Turkey any more, Mr Chase. It was taken to Berlin in the late nineteenth century. It’s the centrepiece of a whole museum.’

‘Berlin? Even better, it’s nearer. Ozzy, can you sort me out a flight?’

‘I think,’ Seretse said carefully, ‘it may be a good idea for you to accompany Mr Chase, Maureen.’

‘Me?’ she exclaimed, startled.

‘After all, you know Dr Derrick, I believe you speak German . . . and as an archaeologist, you should be able to help locate this mysterious angel.’

‘What, you’re suggesting that I drop everything and fly to Europe first thing tomorrow morning with’ – a disapproving stab of her finger at Eddie – ‘
him
?’

‘I wasn’t thinking first thing tomorrow,’ said Eddie. ‘I was thinking, pull strings to get on the next flight out tonight. Or a private flight, even. I know the IHA can set them up at short notice – Nina did all the time when she was running it.’

Rothschild seemed about to make a biting comment, but Seretse headed her off with slightly more diplomacy. ‘Yes, the UN’s accountants and I remember very well.’

The Yorkshireman glared at him. ‘This is
important
, Ozzy. Nina’s life depends on it. And the baby’s.’

‘Baby’s?’ the old woman echoed. ‘You have a baby?’

‘Nina’s pregnant,’ Eddie told her. ‘Four months. You didn’t know?’

‘I haven’t exactly been following her on Twitter. But no, I didn’t. My God.’ She appeared genuinely shaken. ‘Kidnapping a pregnant woman? That’s . . . that’s
evil
, is the only way to describe it. I’m sorry.’

Despite the expression of sympathy, Eddie still couldn’t let her abrupt change of heart pass without comment. ‘If she hadn’t been pregnant, though, you wouldn’t have been bothered?’

Rothschild straightened, regarding him down her thin nose. ‘Let me be clear, Mr Chase. I don’t like you, and I especially don’t like your wife. In my opinion, you’ve cost the field of archaeology far more than you’ve brought to it, with all the death and destruction you’ve caused.’

‘Oh, is that right?’ Eddie replied, bristling.

‘But,’ she went on, ‘I don’t believe that a child should suffer for the sins of the parents. Especially not an . . . an unborn child.’ Her voice quavered for a moment, but then she recovered. ‘I want to ask you a question, and I expect – no, I
demand
– an honest answer. If I help you find this angel, do you really believe you’ll be able to use it to bring Nina and her child home safely?’

‘Yeah, I do,’ he said without hesitation. ‘I’m not an archaeologist, but this kind of thing? It’s what I do best.’

‘Everyone has one talent, I suppose . . . Very well. I’ll help you.’ She turned to Seretse. ‘Although I would like something in return.’

The diplomat tensed at being put on the spot. ‘And what would that be?’

‘Nothing major. Just some consultancy work for the IHA. With a stipend, of course. I’m getting on in life, and extra income is always welcome.’

Seretse looked at Eddie, who gave him a
do it!
nod. ‘I will see what I can arrange,’ he said wearily.

‘And what about a plane?’ Eddie asked.

‘It will take a few hours, but I can get a private jet to take you to Germany. Exactly how I will explain it to the accountants, I am not yet sure.’

‘You’re a diplomat, you can justify anything.’ Eddie stood. ‘We’d better get going.’

‘What about my dog?’ said Rothschild, waving at the animal, which sleepily got to its feet and padded to her. ‘Someone needs to look after him.’

‘I will take care of that too,’ Seretse assured her, with an air of resignation. ‘Now, you will both need your passports.’

‘I’ll have to go home for mine,’ said Eddie. ‘Where’ll this jet fly out of?’

‘LaGuardia.’

‘Okay, I’ll meet you there. Both of you.’

Rothschild finished petting the dog, then stood. ‘Going on a mission with you, Mr Chase. I would never have imagined it.’

‘Yeah, over eight hours on a plane together?’ Eddie said sarcastically. ‘Can’t wait.’

Even with Seretse’s best efforts to expedite the process of chartering a private flight, it was still well after two o’clock in the morning by the time all the arrangements had been made. But finally he led Eddie and Rothschild across the damp concrete of LaGuardia airport towards a Gulfstream G550 business jet. ‘You will be landing at Berlin Tegel,’ the official told the two travellers over the whine of its idling engines. ‘With the flight duration and the time difference, it will be late afternoon by the time you arrive.’

‘Hope the seats recline, then,’ said Eddie. ‘We’ll need some kip on the way. What about when we get there?’

‘I’ve already spoken to Markus,’ Rothschild said. ‘We can go from the airport directly to the museum, and he’s arranged for us to stay after hours to examine the altar. I should warn you, though,’ she added, ‘I mentioned that we were looking for some sort of angel or Christian symbol, and he’s absolutely certain there isn’t any such thing on the altar itself, or on any of the pieces awaiting restoration. He’s been overseeing the work for almost a decade, so if there were anything, he would already have seen it.’

‘Yeah, I was afraid of that,’ replied Eddie. ‘Can’t imagine there’d be many places to hide something in an altar.’

‘Have you learned anything more about the men who kidnapped you?’ asked Seretse. ‘You told me your friend in the NYPD was investigating.’

Eddie shook his head. ‘She ran his fingerprint, and it came up blocked. Not unknown; restricted. So did the other dead guys. That means they were all US intelligence or special forces. Past or present, it doesn’t matter – spooks always cover their people’s arses.’

Rothschild gave him a nervous look. ‘And these are the people who’ve kidnapped Nina?’

A sardonic grin. ‘Welcome to our world.’

They reached the plane, a uniformed attendant waving them to the cabin steps. ‘This is where I leave you,’ said Seretse. ‘I hope you find what you are looking for. And that you recover Nina safely,’ he added to Eddie.

‘Thanks, Oswald,’ the Yorkshireman said, offering his hand. The diplomat shook it. ‘See you when we get back.’

‘If I still have my job,’ he answered with a sigh, followed by a faint smile. ‘Good luck, Eddie. And to you, Maureen.’

Eddie hopped up the steps. ‘Okay, then. Let’s go.’ He ducked through the entrance, Rothschild exchanging a polite kiss on the cheek with Seretse before following. The attendant pulled in the steps, then sealed the hatch.

Ten minutes later, the Gulfstream left the runway. It climbed into the sky, leaving the lights of New York behind as it headed east into the night.

10

The Mission

N
ina slowly emerged from a troubled sleep. The room was already uncomfortably warm, even early in the morning. She pushed the sheet down her body, shifting to find a cooler patch on the mattress—

Someone was standing over her.

‘Jesus!’ Nina shrieked, sitting bolt upright. Her unexpected guest was Miriam. The young woman squealed and jumped backwards. ‘What the
hell
, Miriam? Why didn’t you knock?’

‘I did, I did!’ she replied, hands flapping. ‘You didn’t answer, and I was worried, so the Prophet unlocked the door.’

‘I was fine, until you scared the crap out of me! God
damn
it!’ Nina pulled the sheet back up to her shoulders as she got out of bed. ‘Never frighten a pregnant woman, it’s not good for the baby.’

‘I’m sorry, really I am.’ Miriam turned her back.

‘Dunno why I’m bothering covering myself; your creepy voyeur boss is watching me from six different angles,’ Nina muttered with a glare at the nearest camera as she found her clothes. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘The Prophet sent me to get you. The angel’s here.’

That caught Nina’s attention. She paused, half dressed. ‘Already?’

‘Yes. The Witnesses arrived by helicopter about thirty minutes ago.’

The archaeologist’s expression hardened. ‘You know that Simeon and Anna killed people to get it, don’t you? They murdered two security guards in Rome.’ Seeing Miriam’s shock, she pushed on: ‘And those two men are dead because your Prophet forced me to find this angel by torturing my husband.’

She shook her head. ‘No, no, I . . . I don’t believe . . .’

‘This place has got nothing to do with God, or Jesus,’ Nina insisted. ‘The people in charge are
murderers
. You’re complicit in that just by being here. But if you help me get away, or just tell the authorities where I am, I can—’

‘Good morning, Dr Wilde,’ came a new voice, seemingly from all around her. Cross. There were loudspeakers as well as cameras inside the house. ‘Miriam, I think you should return home. Norvin is on his way to bring Dr Wilde to me.’

Miriam bobbed her head obediently and went to the door. ‘Yes, Prophet.’

‘How many of them know?’ Nina demanded loudly as she exited. ‘Huh? How many of the people here know what you’re doing in their name? You murdering bastard!’

‘Everyone here believes in my cause,’ said Cross as the door closed. ‘They believe that the prophecies in Revelation will soon be fulfilled. I am God’s instrument on earth; any actions I take in His name are justified.’

‘So said every despot, whack-job and psycho for the past ten thousand years. I’ve met people who believed they had a hotline to God before, but they were all just lunatics. What makes you so different?’

‘The difference, Dr Wilde, is that I really do.’

There was unshakeable conviction behind his words. ‘Jesus,’ whispered Nina, shaking her head. ‘You’re worse than I thought.’

‘You’ll soon see the truth. You won’t be able to deny it once you’ve seen the angel. Now get dressed. Norvin is here.’ A sharp rap came from the door.

‘
He’d
better not come in while I’m naked.’ Cross did not reply, but neither did the door open, though Nina still finished dressing as quickly as she could.

Once she was ready, Norvin escorted her through the Mission. The helicopter pad was empty, she noticed, so the pilot had not stuck around after delivering the Fishers and their cargo. At the church, he took her to the control room. The vault-like door was open, Cross inside. As well as his usual pristine white robes, he also wore a pair of fine cotton gloves of the kind she had sometimes used herself to handle delicate artefacts. ‘Dr Wilde,’ he called. ‘Good to see you.’

‘The feeling’s about as unmutual as it could get,’ she said.

Not even insults could dampen his smug elation. ‘Come in. I want you to see what you’ve helped bring us.’

She entered the laboratory, Norvin at her back. Within, Simeon and Anna Fisher regarded her with unfriendly eyes. Beside them on the stainless-steel bench was a metal case; the same one Trant had carried the previous night.

Cross saw her flash of recognition. ‘Yes, this is it. The second angel.’ He opened the case.

The angel was revealed within, cleaned and polished, its metal wings glinting under the lights. It was made from a smooth grey material, cast rather than carved: pottery or ceramic fired in a kiln.

That was consistent with how Cross had described the artefact from Iraq. She glanced at the fragment of the first angel, still sitting inside its protective glass case, then back at the new arrival. ‘Is it the same as the one you found?’

‘Apart from the head, yes. That was a lion; this is an ox. Or a calf, depending which translation of the Bible you use.’

‘It looks more like an ox to me,’ Nina noted.

‘I know. The King James version seems closer so far.’

She peered more closely at the statue, spotting something inscribed into the surface. ‘There’s something written on it. Have you had it translated?’

‘I don’t need to. I already know what it says. The angel I found in Iraq had the same words.’ Cross carefully lifted the statue with his gloved hands, turning it to follow the text around its body. ‘Revelation chapter four, verse eight: “And they rest not day and night, saying ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.’” It doesn’t literally mean that they’re talking non-stop, but that the words written upon them are an eternal statement of God’s greatness. Another of John’s hallucinogenic interpretations of what he’d read.’

‘You should put all this stuff in a book,’ said Nina, not willing to be convinced, even though she couldn’t fault his logic. ‘There’s always a huge market for explanations of the Bible. Call it
The Revelation Code
or something, I’m sure it’ll be a best-seller.’

He shook his head. ‘I’m not interested in money, Dr Wilde. I’m only interested in the truth; God’s truth. Which is now one step closer to being revealed.’

‘Well, it
is
called Revelation,’ she said, but he was distracted from her facetious comment by a noise from outside – the roar of a helicopter coming in to land. ‘Expecting company?’ she asked.

‘A . . . friend,’ he replied. ‘Norvin! Go and meet him.’ The big man nodded and hurried from the lab.

Cross returned the angel to the case. Nina eyed it, but the close proximity of Simeon – and his gun – deterred her from getting nearer. ‘So that’s two angels accounted for,’ she said instead. ‘What about the others?’

‘That’s up to you,’ said Cross. ‘The Throne of Satan, and the Place in the Wilderness – we still have to figure out where they are. But since you found the Synagogue of Satan so quickly, I’m sure you won’t have any problems.’

Nina forced herself not to show any reaction to the first undiscovered location. She had known where it was from the moment Cross had initially mentioned it: the only possible thing it could be was the Pergamon altar in Berlin. If the former CIA man or any of his followers had possessed an archaeological background, they would have worked that out already. Fortunately, fundamentalists – of any stripe – were prone to sticking solely to their existing beliefs rather than exploring anything that might challenge them. ‘To be honest, I’m amazed that actually paid off,’ she told him. ‘My picking the Villa Torlonia was just a guess.’

‘Not just a guess,’ Cross replied. ‘You were
guided
.’

‘By whom?’

‘God, of course.’

‘
God
guided me?’ she exclaimed. ‘I don’t think so! If God were giving me a helping hand, he wouldn’t have let you kidnap me and torture Eddie.’

Something about her words briefly affected the others, glances – unsettled? Concerned? – flicking between Simeon and Cross, but whatever the cause, it quickly passed. ‘He’s not guiding you,’ said Cross. ‘He’s guiding
me
– but as part of that guidance, He brought you to me. Everything you’ve been through, everything you’ve survived, that was all His will.’

‘Really,’ Nina said flatly.

‘Really! You’ve fallen out of airplanes, escaped sinking ships, gotten through deathtraps – and you’ve had so many people try to kill you that you’ve probably lost count. Divine intervention is the only possible explanation for your survival. Wouldn’t you say?’

‘No, I wouldn’t,’ she insisted. ‘I’d put knowledge, determination, desperation and sheer dumb luck above God keeping me safe so you could use me for your crazy plan.’

‘It’s not just his plan,’ said a new voice from behind her. ‘It’s mine.’

Nina spun towards the entrance – only to freeze as she saw a horribly familiar face. ‘Son of a
bitch
. . .’

Victor Dalton, the disgraced former leader of the free world, regarded her mockingly. ‘If you don’t mind, Dr Wilde, I prefer to be called
Mr President
.’