Black Harvest (The PROJECT) (7 page)

Arkady found satisfaction in buildings like the Acropolis. The neat rows of columns, the perfect proportions, the folly of humans reflected in the actions of their gods. Korov had a genuine appreciation of history and Greek culture. He considered himself an educated man, though most of his education had been in the art of war.

The Russian adventure in Afghanistan was over by the time Arkady received his commission as a Junior Lieutenant. There was no shortage of other conflicts. He'd been recruited into Spetsnaz while serving in Chechnya. After that, things got interesting. Counter-terrorism in Tadzhikistan and Uzbekistan against the Islamic militant subversives. Special Advisor duty in Syria. He'd never married and everyone else was gone. His unit was his only family.

It was night in Athens. The Acropolis was bathed in light on the hill above his window. Tomorrow he would get his weapons and rent a car to drive north. Bagrat Gelashvili was being held under close guard at a hospital in Thessaloniki. His injuries were severe.

They were going to get worse.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Monday morning felt gray and damp with the raw smell of spring. Low walls of weathered stone wandered over ancient fields near the tomb. The land was green with fresh grass, sprinkled with white and blue wildflowers. Mount Olympus loomed in the background, shrouded in dark clouds. If the gods were home, no one cared.

The entrance to the tomb yawned in the side of a large hill. Centuries of overgrowth had been pushed aside to expose a rectangular stone opening. A silent diesel generator sat by the entrance. Cables on the ground coiled into the tomb like Medusa's snakes.

Nick assumed the generator and cables were for lighting. That was good. He'd had enough of dark tunnels and enclosed spaces for a lifetime. Tombs didn't bother him. The shades of the dead didn't bother him, except in his dreams. But lightless caves and tunnels, that was another story.

He stood with Selena, Demetrios and Abraxas Papadakis, the archeologist in charge of excavating the tomb. Demetrios hadn't spoken to them since he'd arrived. A group of workmen lounged nearby, smoking and talking, waiting for someone to tell them what to do. They didn't seem in any hurry.

Papadakis was a round, muscular man. He wore clear bifocals attached to a band behind uneven ears that stuck out from the side of his head. His face was lined from years spent working outdoors. His teeth were bad.

Selena chatted away in Greek with Papadakis. Demetrios scowled. Papadakis was entranced.

"They plan to open the rear chamber today," Selena said. "Our timing couldn't be better. It's the last place to explore in the tomb."

Papadakis switched to English for Nick's benefit. "
Doctor
Connor is right, good timing. The Romans looted these sites but missed this one. We cleared the front before the winter and now we're opening the back. It shouldn't take long to clear the debris blocking the entrance to the rear chamber."

He was excited. "Let's begin, shall we?"

He barked out orders to the workmen. One man started the generator. The noise shattered the spring morning. A flock of birds rose in fright from a nearby tree. The workers picked up their tools and disappeared into the entrance.

Nick followed the archeologist, Demetrios and Selena through the low doorway.  Inside, the ceiling was high enough to stand upright. It was cold and damp. Bright lights threw a flickering glare over walls faced with white marble. Empty niches were carved into the walls at regular intervals. A rectangular marble box held place of honor in the center of the tomb. It was simple in design, about three feet high. On the lid was the bas relief and inscription Selena had seen in the museum.

The last stop for Aetolikos, sub-commander, cousin of Alexander the Great. Papadakis answered their unasked question.

"He's still in there. We found two gold coins from Persia inside his skull. They'd been placed on his eyes to pay the boatman."

"The boatman?" Nick asked.

"Charon. He ferried souls across the River Styx to the underworld. You had to give him his fare or you'd be stranded on this side forever. An unpleasant fate."

"Wouldn't do to be broke when you died, I guess." Nick placed his hand on the marble coffin.

Aetolikos had ridden with Alexander the Great against the King of Persia. He'd watched the war banners streaming in the wind under the Persian sky. He'd seen the bright swords and long spears glinting in the sun, heard the clash of battle. He'd smelled the dust and blood. He'd heard the screams of slaughtered men and animals.

Nick knew what the dust and blood of battle smelled like, had followed the sounds of war for days and months on end. For Aetolikos, in an age that honored heroes, they were days of glory. For Nick, in an age that forgot its heroes, they were days of bad memories and worse dreams.

He felt depressed. A warrior's life, reduced to a box of dried bones with strangers picking coins from his skull. Everyone ended up in the same place.

Papadakis stood at the back of the room and watched the workmen. The passage was narrow. The men passed debris back in a chain and placed it to the side. There was a shout from the front of the line.

"They've broken through," Selena said.

They waited for the workmen to back out. Papadakis picked up a strong electric torch. He would be first into the chamber. Nick, Selena and Demetrios crowded close behind. They crawled through the opening and stood inside the final room.

The chamber was large and empty. A niche had been carved into the rock on the back wall. An image of a horse had been cut into the wall above. There were still traces of black pigment on the stone. Beside it, letters were roughly chiseled into the wall, as if someone had been in a hurry when they carved it.

Papadakis shone his light on the inscription. Selena read over his shoulder. The archeologist sighed.

Erinys waits for you

By the springs of Thrace

Where the two rivers cross

Seek her and die

"It's a message." he translated for Nick's benefit.

"Erinys?" He remembered what Selena had said back in Virginia. "Demeter in her vengeful aspect?"

Papadakis nodded in approval. "That's right. The black horse is the symbol of Persephone. A night mare. You know Persephone?"

"I can't keep all these names straight. Persephone, Demeter, Erinys. The same goddess, right?"

Papadakis smiled. "Not exactly, although some see it that way."

He turned back to the inscription. "This is a taunt to the Romans. Probably written around 147 or 146 BCE during the final conquest of Greece. The legions were pillaging as they came. If something was here then it was taken away and hidden."

He swept his hand around the room. "I've never seen anything like this before. It's completely atypical."

The walls were unmarked except for the inscription, the horse and the empty niche. The room was plain, cut from the living rock. It was more like a storage room than a tomb.

"It looks like a riddle." Selena ran her fingers along the chiseled letters.

"I doubt that. Just typical poetic expression. It probably means the locals fled into Thrace and if the Romans came after them, they'd be killed. But Thrace already had large Roman settlements. Classic bravado. It's what finally got Rome annoyed enough to turn Greece into provinces."

"Where is Thrace?" Nick looked at the inscription.

"Modern day Bulgaria. The old Thrace ended at the Balkan Mountains to the north and included Western Turkey, this side of the Bosporus."

"Maybe whatever was here was taken to Thrace."

Papadakis shrugged. "We'll never know. But this is interesting. It will make for several good papers." He peered at the inscription.

The academic mind at work. Nick saw Selena smile and look at him. They made their way out of the tomb, back to the outside world. A light rain drifted over the grass and trees. The earth smelled rich and full. After the tomb it felt like a return to life. The drops made minute explosions against his skin.

Papadakis had stayed inside. Demetrios stood with Nick and Selena in the rain. He pulled up the collar of his coat.

"I'm wondering about that inscription, " Nick said.

"Yes?" Demetrios gave him a hostile look.

"I think Selena is right and our archeologist may be wrong. I think it's a riddle, or some kind of message. More than a jab at the Romans."

"You think it is a message about the treasure?"

"It could be."

Selena wiped a few drops of water from her face. They began walking to the cars.

"You heard Papadakis, Chief Inspector. The room isn't typical. Something was there. Why else build it like that?"

"You are both speculating. We know nothing about what was in that room."

"But we know someone left a message there. It's the only clue we've got. I think we have to pursue it."

Demetrios stood by the side of his car. "I'm going to Thessaloniki to interrogate Gelashvili."

"We should go with you."

"No, Carter, you should not. You will remain here until I return."

Selena knew Nick was getting ready to blow. She touched his arm "We'll be here. I want to use the internet at the hotel."

"I will return tomorrow. You are restricted to the hotel." Demetrios got in the police car and drove away.

Nick shook his head as the car left them behind. "What an asshole."

"An unpleasant man. Never mind him. That niche was about the right size for something two cubits high."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Let's go back to the hotel."

Neither noticed the old man standing in a grove of olive trees not far from the tomb. The man had the look of someone who had worked at hard labor in the fields all his life. He was dark and stooped. He wore a cloth workman's hat. He watched the car with the two foreigners grow smaller until it turned out of sight. He sighed, crossed himself and shuffled away in the rain.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Thessaloniki was a big city. There were ruins, fortifications, sites of ancient battles. Korov thought he'd look around and explore after his business with Gelashvili.

Gelashvili was under guard in the AHEPA University hospital. It was a modern complex with several wings and outlying structures. Korov parked near the main entrance. The day was gray with steady, soaking rain. He went over the steps of penetration in his mind.

Korov had studied plans of the building. He knew where the stairways were located, where the roof exits were, how many elevators there were and where they went, where the various departments were situated.

He'd chosen one of his favorite weapons for this assignment. The PSS Silent Pistol fired a 7.62X41mm armor piercing round. The unique design prevented escape of any explosive gases. Gases made noise. It had the additional advantage of short barrel length and small size. The pistol was ideal for his purpose. Conventionally silenced pistols were incredibly loud compared to the PSS. No one would hear more than a light cough when it was fired. It only held six rounds, but that wasn't a problem. He wouldn't need six.

Gelashvili would be restrained in his bed with handcuffs to the frame. There would be a guard outside his door. If there were two guards, things could get messy. Probably, only one.

Korov had another Spetsnaz favorite with him, an OC23 Drotik. The Drotik fired a small 5.45X18mm round from a magazine of 26. He could select single, three round or full auto fire. At 1800 rounds per minute, the pistol was uniquely lethal. It had light recoil, easily controlled.

He got out of the car and walked to the entrance. A semi-circle of flags set on tall poles hung like wet sheets in the rain. A long portico extended over the main doors. He walked inside. Leaping figures were painted on the walls against a yellow background. Korov supposed it was meant to convey a sense of  health and energy. He straightened his tie and walked to the information desk. A middle-aged woman sat behind the counter, entering data on a computer. She glanced up as he approached.