EVENT GROUP COMPLEX NUMBER ONE ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.

“Okay, Librarian, is your interface complete with Nellis complex?”

Yes, Dr. Compton, Europa is online.

“Good, Europa, identify last three queries, Compton, Niles, Director Department 5656.”

Yes, Dr. Compton, formulating, the female voice answered. Last three queries made by Director Compton to Europa at Nellis complex were: Question number one, Number of the four papal medalists still alive on North and South American continents in 1874; question number two, What was name of recipient? And question number three, What, you mean the information was erased from the old Cray system?

“Okay, Europa, thank you. Librarian, have you located said files?”

Yes, Dr. Compton, the HAL-like voice answered.

“Answer to first query, how many papal medal recipients were still alive on North and South American continents in 1874?” Niles asked as his palms started to sweat.

Searching, Librarian answered as the small screen flashed to Niles’s right.

Niles shifted impatiently, hoping this hadn’t been a wild-goose chase.

According to Royal Canadian death records, the general census of citizens of Mexico, the official census of Brazil, and the state and territorial records of the United States, one member was still alive in 1874, Librarian answered.

Niles read the duplicate printed answer on the screen with renewed hope; it was the same answer that Europa had given back at Nellis, so the file might just be intact after its initial transcription into the new system. “Question. What was the last name of recipient?”

Searching, Dr. Compton, Librarian answered.

“I guess this is it, huh?” Ryan asked. He, too, felt nervous and leaned closer to the monitor.

“It could be life or death for a lot of people lost down there in the Amazon,” Niles said as he bit his lower lip, waiting for the much slower computer than Europa to disgorge the wanted information. Suddenly the voice activated and the monitor flashed to life with a green glow.

Name of remaining recipient; Keogh, Myles Walter; occupation, United States Army; born: 1840, County Carlow, Ireland; recipient ofearlier-described papal honors and veteran of the Battalion of St. Patrick’s for armed service to the Vatican.

The name that Librarian had said was familiar; Niles was sure he had heard it before. So was Ryan. “Hey, that name, it sounds—” blurted the lieutenant.

“Question,” Niles said, cutting off Ryan as he slowly sat back in his chair. In a low voice, almost as if he was afraid to ask the question, “Date and place of death?”

Searching.

Niles stared at the liquid crystal screen and waited, Ryan planted only inches from his shoulder.

Death occurred at present-day Crow Agency, Montana, United States, June 25, 1876.

Niles felt his heart start to sink. “Question. What was the unit Keogh served with, and the historical name of the location of death?”

Searching, Librarian said in its flat and insane-sounding voice.

As the answer came on screen, Niles lowered the volume of the speakers as history came flooding back in on him, burying all hopes of finding the map if it had been with Myles Keogh when he died. The map was indeed, as Helen had said in her letter, lost forever.

“Jesus Christ, we’re fucked,” Jason Ryan muttered as he looked at the screen.

Printed out on the monitor was Librarian’s answer to his last two inquiries.

Place of death: Valley of the Little Bighorn, Montana, U.S. Territory. Captain Myles Keogh served with operational line unit, Company I, Seventh United States Cavalry.