Chapter One

A window splintered violently, spitting shards of glass around the room. The mantel clock above my head wheezed and fell mute. Time of death Two AM. Without warning, three more windows shattered on the far side of the room. Pea sized rockets ricocheted around my head. Pinned against the rock facade of the fireplace, copper flavored saliva filled my dry mouth. Noises, exaggerated by the abrupt silence within the cabin, set my nerves on edge.

A floorboard creaked menacingly. I squinted into the blackness. Relaxing my vision, shapes emerged. My companion crouched stealthily in and out of the shadow, joining me bside the fireplace.

Her soft comforting voice reached out to me. "Breathe, Nick. He's playing mind games."

"Who?"

Ignoring my query, Anna interrogated me instead. "Nick, why did you follow me?!"

"How was I to know you were meeting a maniac ex boyfriend?"

"Don't be such an a*s! I received a message from a contact to meet them up here. Believe me, if I'd known----"

"Who the hell is shooting at us?"

"Harmon Parke."

"The antiquities dealer? Why would he be shooting at us?"

"He wants the Androste manuscript. The Brigantine Society's been wanting to get their hands on it for some time now. I can't let them have it."

"Good God, Anna, think about this! What's the big deal? They're in the business of authenticating antiques, right? I think it would go a long way in clearing Townsend's name from the Crack Pot list."

"If that were true, I'd agree with you. Harmon's not here to authenticate the manuscript, Nick. He's here to eradicate the book, and me as well."

"Don't be ridiculous, Sweetie!" I chided her amaturishly. "How do you know Harmon wants to kill you? Did R. T. tell you that? I can't believe that old son of a b***h would just take off and leave you all alone to deal with this! Does he know or even care?

"Anna, please! You're just his Administrative Assistant, not his Keeper! We'll go to the police, and tell them everything, okay?"

"Don't patronize me, Nick! R. T. knows what's going on! And there's not a damn thing he can do about it if he could! Please, just listen! I do know what I'm talking about!" Anna struggled to calm her rising voice. A quiet resignation crept into it. "I've known this day would come for many years. I wasn't sure who the Society would send at any time. I didn't know until the night he and Meegan ambushed us papparzzi style at Le Rennaisance. Even my contacts within the organization were flying blind. We even suspected you."

The mention of my former student's name stabbed my heart. "Now, you sound like Meegan! She suspected the Brigantine's, too! And, look where it got her? Are you going to tell me Harmon killed her? C'mon, Anna, we both saw the police reports! Meegan committed suicide shortly after the Mirror fired her!"

"We both know she didn't commit suicide, Nick! You warned her. I tried to warn her to stay away from Harmon--and, you, too. She assumed I was asserting some sort of territorial boundary and using him as an excuse."

"She told me. What does this have to do with anything?"

"I never told you she phoned me earlier the night she died. Meegan said she couldn't shake the feeling the two'd met before, but everytime she tried to bring it up, Harmon would cut her off. He seemed especially interested in her story about the Brigantine's. Meegan felt sure there was enough evidence to launch a global investigation about the organization. It took some doing, but she retrieved the photos out of the archives. She told me he interrogated her and her photographer, Brandon Styles, after they broke a story about some stolent Egyptian artifacts some years ago."

"Anna, Meegan worked for a tabloid newspaper. There is no Brigantine Society--not the way Meegan and R. T. tell it! There's no conspiracy! They don't go around killing people! The Society could of sued for major damages if that story went public. They had to fire her. Look at the facts. But, if you're telling the truth, why lie to the police?"

"You would of been next."

My lover's somber tone startled me. Her implications were making my mind reel. For nearly five decades, credible archaeologists had spent valuable man hours and vast amounts money in their efforts to dismiss Anna's employer. The elusive and reclusive self proclaimed expert's claim to fame were a twelve volume series of books expounding upon the benevolent Society and the so called Androstene Scrolls. Serious doubts about Anna's mental health began creeping in, and I wasn't sure which unsettled me more: the situation at hand or being trapped in the cabin with a woman I no longer recognized. I settled for reality.

 

"Tell me the truth, Anna. Did R. T. steal the manuscript? Is that why they want it back?"

"I wish it were that simple." The wall resounded dully behind her head. "Christopher was right. I should of told you the truth. But where do I begin? "

I reached out for her arm. "You and I both logically know R. T.'s Brigantines went the way of the Cathars, Masons, and Templar Knights, Anna."

"I wish that were true. I wish I could tell you you're right, I'm crazy! I can't."

"You can't honestly expect me to believe you're telling me the truth?

"You used to."

"Yes, I did. I was warned not to include R. T. Townsend in my cirriculum and look what happened? I got Meegan Styles killed!"

"Don't blame yourself, Nick. I broke my cardinal rule: under no circumstances come out into the open. If anyone's to blame, it's me. Maecius just did my dirty work."

"I'm confused. Who's Maecius? Harmon's code name?"

"Maecius is Harmon Parke. It's the name I knew him by. I never expected it to be him. I assumed he was dead."

Jealousy rose its head and snaked through my veins. "If you lied about knowing Harmon, why should I believe you now? Did you ever have any feelings for me, Anna?"

She made a sound like a wounded dove.

I leaned in close to her ear, whispering, "I love you too, Anna. But, I need the truth if I'm going to help you."

"I'm not crazy, Nick. I knew Maceius because I worked for them too."

Disbelief slapped me up along side the head. "Now, you want me to believe you're an agent too? Damn it, Anna! What the hell are you playing at? What if I demand proof?"

I could hear her rummaging around on the floor in the dark. Without warning, she grabbed my hand, depositing a small cold object into it, commanding, "Turn it on when I tell you to."

I waited tensely.

"Shine it on my left shoulder."

A raven undulated in the small circle of light. I'd seen reproductions of the original tattoo in many of R.T.'s tomes. Plausible explanations flooded my mind, rendering speech momentarily impossible. Sputtering incoherently, I flipped off the light. The ensuing silence between us created an impassible chasm.

"Nick, say something."

"People get tattoos every day. It doesn't prove anything. For all I know, you got it to impress the Old Man; some sort of school girl crush. I've had students fall in love with me over the years. It's not unheard of."

"That's one explanation."

"So, you want me to believe you're an agent for the Brigantines? Okay, for arguments sake, let's say I do for the time being. Why did you leave?"

"I'm not an attack dog, Nick. I was never meant to be. R.T. saved me from myself."

"I've heard they're a Legacy organization. Have all of your family been affiliated with them? When you left the Society, why do work for R.T? Surely there are rules about confidentiality or loyalty oaths? How long ago did you leave?"

"I never betrayed anyone but myself to the world, Nick. No one had anything to fear from me. R. T. related what I gave him, that's all. Nor, did R. T. didn't brainwash me. I know what I'm talking about."

"You took an awful big chance becoming his public face. Shouldn't it of been the other way around?"

"Not really. I knew I was safe."

"What about the other twelve books? Who supplied the information if not you? Have all of your family been working both sides? Why doesn't he help you? It seems to me without you he wouldn't of made his fortune."

"You could say my family has helped out to rectify history.R.T was a nome de plume, Nick. I never knew what his real name was."

"So, we'll never really know who he is, will we?"

"You sound like you're beginning to believe me, Nick."

"I'm not sure what to believe. Is Anna really your name?"

"For the past thirty years or so, it has been."

"Why won't he do anything to help you now? You'd think he'd be grateful."

"R.T was found dead in Paris two days ago, Nick. I'm the last link in the chain."

It no longer mattered whether I believed her or not. What mattered was the fact Anna was about to face her assasin alone. My mind began retracing the route to the bottom of the hillock where our cars were parked. The option between fight and flight became crystal clear. "Let's get out of here! Now!"

"No, Nick. I'm tired of running. I can't leave. I won't. Too many people have died because of me. I want you to leave. Now before sun rise."

"Do you have a death wish?" I slammed my fist angrily on the floor. "Damn it, Anna! Why should I leave? Why should I even believe all this horse s**t?"

"Because I'm telling you the truth."

My heart lurched. "How's the arm?"

"I'll heal."

"How many of them are out there?"

"Only Maecius. Listen to me, Nick. I want you out of here before dawn. I dropped a package in the mail before I came up here. If I don't come back in twenty four hours, take it to my solicitor, Mrs. Renolds. She'll know what to do."

There was no use in arguing with her. I agreed.

Night shifted with the rotation of the earth; birds greeted iridescent rays of pink, salamander, and pale yellow jubilantly. We held each other in those last few minutes, wrenching every last second we could from her destiny. Pale yellow beams of light revealed a dull gray duffle bag lying not more than five feet from our feet. Wordlessly, I observed her dress one final time. Transfixed, I watched her apply oils to her naked torso, the raven rippling in seamless movement. I accepted the gun she offered with a sad smile, and listened to her instructions. "It's time. If he catches you, aim for his head. Blow his brains out if you can. For once in your life, don't argue, Nick! Just go!"

Her shadow moved with the sun as we whispered our good byes. I felt her eyes drilling a hole in my back as I dashed through the underbrush and down the hill.

Author's Note

please ignore grammar problems if any, I would like to know what reviewers think of the premise, dialogue. Most of all, please be kind even if you're trashing it.