Chapter 24

"We have to change our strategy," Annja told Jadzia.

They sat in the departure area of Hong Kong's relatively new ChekLapKokAirport on LantauIsland, waiting to board the afternoon flight that would carry them to Kuala Lumpur. It was the first available flight out of Hong Kong and China. Annja had avoided rousing suspicion by paying with a credit card in a phony name that Roux had provided to her on a previous mission.

"What do you mean?" Jadzia asked, half defiant.

"We're out of resources," Annja said, "out of places to turn. There are only a few places with the ability to transcribe the scrolls, and they're all barred to us. We have no way of getting the secrets of the scrolls to the world at large."

Jadzia's shoulders slumped. "What can we do, then? Isn't that our only chance?"

Annja's own shoulders rose as she took a deep breath. "There may be a way to save ourselves," she said. "Maybe. And if it works it will definitely keep the scrolls out of the hands of our enemies." She shook her head. "But that's all. Beyond that we're stymied. Unless you can think of something we haven't tried."

Jadzia looked at her bleakly. Her mouth worked as if trying to shape words she didn't want to say. Her eyes brimmed and overflowed with tears.

Annja put her arms around her as Jadzia sobbed into her shoulder, soaking her blouse.

She was suddenly struck by the heaviest, most devastatingly complete sense of loneliness she had ever known.

She was isolated. She had a unique role, which she had no more chosen than her parents had chosen to go away from her. It set her apart from the rest of humanity – with a few exceptions, perhaps no more than two, and they were as alien to her as to everybody else on the planet. She saw with sudden clarity how her new role might preclude her from forming any kind of lasting relationships.

It came to her lips to tell Jadzia that, to seek the solace of at least sharing her burden.

But she knew she could not share and remain true to herself. She was a uniquely powerful being. Roux had certainly intimated as much, and while she knew full well he would twist the truth or outright lie as suited his own agenda, she also sensed he was right.

And that power, as the cliché ran, imposed upon her a crushing weight of responsibility. She couldn't tell Jadzia of her own loneliness and isolation. Not just because the girl was a mere child, although she was, emotionally. Annja simply wouldn't slough off her burdens on anyone else.

And so Annja sat there as the airport throngs surged heedlessly past, doing her best to soothe this child who needed her.

At last Jadzia's sobbing ebbed. She eased away from Annja, smoothed tears from her face and said almost matter-of-factly, "What do you have in mind?"

Annja took out a cell phone. She had bought it from a friend of Rambo the adventure-loving cabdriver. It was a pay-as-you-go phone, the contact said – legal, he said. She was in no position either to know or care. The one thing that mattered was the one thing that was sure – when she used it no board would light up anywhere in the vast web of Euro Petro's spider empire pinpointing the whereabouts of Annja, Jadzia and the lost Atlantis scrolls.

She punched a sequence of numbers she remembered better than she cared to.

****

"Master Garin," a voice said over the intercom.

Garin Braden scowled. "Hoskins," he said sharply, "I gave orders I was not to be disturbed."

"If I may be so bold as to say so, sir," the butler said over the intercom, unperturbed, "you also directed in no uncertain terms that you should be notified at once of the receipt of any communication from one Ms. Annja Creed."

His coal-black eyebrows rose. "So I did. And I take it we are in receipt of such a communication?" He made his tone arch, to show he was mocking his butler's overly elaborate elocution.

"We are indeed, sir. A telephone call."

"Come ahead, then," he said.

A moment later his man's man entered bearing an opened flip phone on a silver platter.

"Thank you, Hoskins," Garin said, accepting it as the servant stooped. Hoskins straightened and walked from the room. Garin settled back in his chair.

"Annja? Are you there?"

"Garin?"

"Unless you hit the wrong speed-dial button when you were calling out for pizza, whom did you expect, my girl?"

"Look, I don't have much time. I'm in trouble."

"Then why waste my time belaboring the obvious? You're always in trouble. Although I grant it must be deeper than normal, for you to call me."

"It is. I – I have a deal for you."

"I'm all about the making of deals. Does this involve your surrendering the sword to me?"

"No."

"Pity. But I find myself in a receptive mood. Bored, to put not too fine an edge to it. What do you have in mind?"

A pause. That surprised him. Annja Creed was not given to hesitancy, in his experience.

"I can offer you extraordinarily valuable resources," she said, "if you will do me a favor."

"You can't tell me precisely what resources?"

"No."

"How valuable?"

"Beyond your wildest dreams of avarice."

"My dreams are quite expansive, my dear. But I respect your judgment, at least in such matters. What favor?"

"Get somebody off our backs."

"Our?"

"Mine. And a friend."

"Consider it done. For considerations offered. Whom can I do for you?"

"Euro Petro."

After a rather lengthy silence he vented a half-voiced whistle. "You don't do things by half measures, do you, Annja? That's the European Union you're talking about. Even for me that's a heavy hitter."

"Then you can't help me?"

"Don't try to manipulate my ego. That was last done with any success shortly before the close of the eighteenth century, under circumstances I prefer not to discuss. If there's something I know I can't do, rest assured I feel no compulsion to try."

"Cut the crap, Garin. Will you or won't you?" Annja said.

His laughter was long and loud and rich. "You delight me, Annja. Of all the men and women who think they know the extent of my power, only the merest handful would dare talk to me like that. And only you and Roux know the real nature of my capabilities. How is our old mentor, by the anyway?"

"The same annoying, self-righteous old fart as always. Please, Garin."

"Very well. Since you said the magic word, it's a deal." He grinned at the phone. "To tell you the truth, you have tweaked my ego, girl. There are so few worthy challenges left to me. How could I pass this one by?"