Paradox

Having spent so much time indoors of late Annja was content to walk briskly with no fixed goal in mind, stretching out her long legs. When she grew tired and chilled she bought a steaming cup of cocoa from a kiosk and then sat in the lee of the small building to read e-mail and check the latest news on her BlackBerry.

Nothing seemed likely to impact her situation directly—although as always the pot of occupied Iraq seethed on the verge of bubbling over, as did the U.S.’s perpetual grudge match with an Iran now backed openly by China and a resurgent Russia. If either of those situations did explode the best and possibly only shot at survival for the expedition would be to run like hell for the Bosporus. But Annja saw no reason to expect they would do so now.

Still, she felt a tickle of unsourced unease in the pit of her stomach. That’s probably what I get for reading the headlines, she thought, and put her phone away.

The park closed at sunset, which came early this time of year. Ankara lay at about the latitude of Philadelphia, though considerably farther from the weather-tempering influence of a big ocean and considerably nearer to the monster-storm hatchery of the Himalayas. She had just reached the exit when a voice called, “Annja Creed? A word with you, please.”

She stopped. Does every sketchy character in the world know my name? she wondered. Although she tried to keep her face and posture as relaxed as possible her body badly wanted to tense like a gazelle that thinks a wind shift at the watering hole has just brought a whiff of lion. The range of people who might conceivably wish her harm, or even just to talk to her in a none-too-friendly way, ranged from Turkish civic or military authorities less well-disposed to their endeavor than General Orga to any number of unsavory characters from her past. Among whom, of course, was the ever-prominent if publicity-averse billionaire financier Garin Braden, who might have felt a cold wind of mortality blow down his spine as he lay in his huge canopied bed that morning. When Braden wasn’t trying to get the sword from her he was battling with his long-time nemesis Roux and dragging Annja into the battle.

Her interlocutor appeared to be no more than a solidly built man of intermediate height and apparently advanced age who stood by the white-enameled wrought-iron gates dressed in a camel-hair coat and a fedora that clung, despite the wind’s best efforts, to a head of hair that, though as gleaming white as his trim beard, still managed to suggest it had once been blazing red. He smiled a bit grimly as she looked at him, and nodded.

“I have information that might prove vital to you. It concerns the expedition you are involved with.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Please believe me,” he said, holding up gloved hands. “I assure you I have no official capacity in this country. Nor in any other, for that matter. Nor have I any financial propositions to make to you. Nor any other kind, should you be worried about that.”

His manner was disarming. Annja wasn’t so easily disarmed. Then again, that was literally true; and her ever-active curiosity was excited. As for his disavowal of official standing she was far from willing to take that at face value. He spoke with an accent she couldn’t identify—which itself was strange, given her expertise in languages, and wide travels.

Then again if he were some kind of Turkish secret cop all he’d have to do was snap his fingers and burly goons would magically appear on all sides of her, she thought. She knew it from past experience.

“Please allow me the honor of buying you dinner,” he said. “In a suitably public place, of course. That should reassure you as to my intentions—although I doubt you have much to fear from the likes of me.”

Her stomach growled. Her metabolism required frequent feeding. It hadn’t gotten one in too long. Still, she was wary.

“All right, Mister—”

“You may call me Mr. Summer.”

“Where did you have in mind?”

“Where but in the tower?” he said with a twinkle in his dark green eyes.

THE LIGHTS OF ANKARA by evening rotated almost imperceptibly by outside the window beside their table.

“It is good of you to indulge an old man’s whimsy,” her companion said around a mouthful of grape leaf stuffed with ground lamb and pine nuts. “The fare in the restaurant at the pinnacle, above us, is of higher quality. Or at least greater pretense. But this establishment, I daresay, offers quite acceptable local cuisine.”

“I’m fine,” she said. “I can get French-style bistro cooking anywhere. Good Turkish food, not so much.” Although I halfway wish we’d stopped at the UFO Café, just on general principles, she thought.

The restaurant revolved once every hour and a half. It seemed to give Mr. Summer the pleasure a thrill ride gave an addict.

“I love the toys of our modern era,” he said, green eyes gleaming, as if to confirm her impression.

“So what’s this vital information you have for me?” Annja asked. Mr. Summer had made light conversation, mostly asking how she found the city and eliciting her views on the city’s historical artifacts. His own knowledge of these seemed beyond encyclopedic; she wished she were able to take advantage of his knowledge. But she sensed that this meeting would be their one and only. She had carefully eaten until her hunger was almost assuaged before bringing up anything potentially controversial.

“Simply that your expedition poses great danger.”

She frowned. “To me?”

“To you and to your companions, yes. To be sure. But also, quite possibly, to the world.”

Her frown deepened. “Isn’t that overstating things just a bit?”

He smiled thinly. “I wish I thought I was. For if your employers find what they seek it can be used to start the third—and likely final—world war. All the elements are in place, awaiting only a sign. Do you understand?”

She took another bite of rice and chewed slowly to give herself time to think. “Maybe,” she said in a neutral tone. “I’m aware there are Christian millenarialists in my country who believe that Jesus Christ is waiting for a particular set of prophesied conditions to come about in order that he can return.”

“And bring the Armageddon.”

She shrugged. “That seems to be the general plan.”

“You realize that certain such people are in what we might call a position to expedite the Last Battle?”

“Too well, as it happens. Are you telling me my employers are some of those people?”

“Not necessarily. But regardless of the particulars of their own belief, or their own degree of influence for that matter, if they conclude they have found that which they seek it could be more than sufficient for those who unquestionably do hold such beliefs and power.”

She sighed and put her fork down. “If I let myself be intimidated out of an expedition,” she said, “what kind of an archaeologist am I?”

“Spoken like the true heiress to Indiana Jones and Lara Croft,” he said, shaking his head with a sad smile. “Unfortunately, this is not a movie.”

“I can’t bring myself to accept the argument that there are some things humankind was not meant to know, Mr. Summer. However it’s couched.”

“There is a certain nobility in your position, Ms. Creed. Even if it arises from a courage born of ignorance. Have you considered what the consequences might be if you learn a truth your employers don’t like—for you and your friends?”

Anger stabbed through her. She let it pass without grabbing onto it. He seemed to mean well. He was clearly well educated and well-off—like some kind of Middle Eastern magnate, in fact, although he didn’t strike her as Arab or Persian.

He had a most convincing manner. He also knew way too much. Yet words could never hurt her. Could they?

“Yes,” she said, more tightly than she intended. “I have. But I’m just not prepared to throw over a commitment, professional and personal, simply because some mystical stranger utters Apocalyptic warnings. Please understand that.”

He finished his food and laid knife and fork carefully across his plate. “I do,” he said. “I also hope, most urgently, that you will reconsider. You are a most estimable young woman.”

“Thank you. But I have to tell you it’s highly unlikely. Thank you for the dinner, though. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The company as well as the scenery and the food.”

He smiled and rose, taking up his hat and coat. “Please give my regards to young Roux and his apprentice Garin.”

A light went on in Annja’s skull. If that was the proper metaphor for something that felt like a hefty whack with a sledgehammer. Had that garrulous old fart Roux been running his mouth to his poker buddies again? she wondered furiously.

The man with the silver-brushed red beard was laughing and holding up his hands. “Peace, please. Don’t be so hasty to blame Roux. Although indeed, it’s easy enough to do. I come entirely on my own initiative. And he’s not breathed a hint of your secret to me, although he’s far too enamored of mystery and mumbo jumbo for their own sakes not to drop heavy hints. Unfortunately he’s also so cagey that he never goes further, no matter how drunk one gets him. I will confess I’ve tried.”

“Then how?”

“My dear child, when one’s eyes have seen as much as these eyes have, one need see little indeed to discern the truth.”

He touched his hat. “I bid you good evening, and leave you with my sincere wish that the gods go with you and keep you. I fear you shall need it.”

He was gone then, disappearing around the curve of the corridor, before Annja had untangled his cryptic statement well enough to notice what else he’d said.

“Who calls Roux young?” she wondered aloud. She shook her head. “The old dude’s got to be delusional. It’s the only possible explanation.”