The Schliemann Legacy (16 page)

The elderly owner wheeled a tray of Swiss desserts toward the table, greeted the couple in Spanish, and invited them to choose from the array of baked goods. Katrina picked a chocolate mousse in a small cup of dark, Swiss chocolate. David chose a round, cream-filled pastry topped with sliced strawberries and chocolate shavings. Their waiter poured steaming cups of coffee and left them to settle back in their chairs. They stared at each other in wary silence. The feeling of closeness present in the street had faded and Katrina's mistrust returned. They locked eyes as though engaged in a schoolyard staring contest.

David rubbed the spot on his shoulder where Katrina had hit him, slowly working the muscles to relieve the stiffness. Now that he had met Katrina, he was uncertain what he would do with her. Complications had ruined his initial plan. Duman had seen him, so Katrina was now useless as bait. Besides, he wasn't sure if he could continue to use her as bait.

David knew he must shift his emphasis away from capturing Duman and concentrate on finding Heiden or Ulrich Kadner as he was now known. The question remained whether the lovely Greek woman sitting across from him would be an advantage or not. He had no qualms about working with a woman, but any unproven partner could be dangerous. On the other hand, any competent assistance would be welcome and potentially useful. Looking into her dark brown eyes, David knew her company would be enjoyable. He stopped that thought short. If only seeing her and reading her dossier produced this feeling, he wondered, what would happen if he spent more time in close contact with her?

This time, Katrina broke the long silence. "You still didn't answer my question. Why were you behind me? What are you doing here?"

David chose to answer the second question first.

"Our objectives are the same. Don't look so innocent," he said. "There's no sense in pretending. I know you've seen Henri Mardinaud and that you know about Heiden...uh...Kadner. I know you're after Schliemann's treasure from Troy."

When Katrina didn't answer, he continued. "Yes, well, I imagine you need more convincing. You haven't dealt with Mardinaud before, have you? Possibly, you don't know how he operates. I, unfortunately, have had many opportunities to learn what a bastard he is."

David sipped at his coffee then went on. "The Frenchman is an obsessive game player and has been for some time. His physical condition, which I'm sure you noticed, allows him to play only mental games. Over the years, he became increasingly bored with rudimentary parlor games. Even the new computer games didn't satisfy his obsession for personal challenge so he turned to his business. Now, when he has special information to sell, it does double duty by providing a scenario he can watch and enjoy. He picks the players and uses their mutual hatred for each other to work
against
them - and
for
him. He designs every encounter for his amusement. Life and death mean nothing to him, except as added entertainment."

"And, naturally, you're after Kadner." Katrina saw something flash across the gray eyes when she mentioned the name. "That doesn't explain why you were following me," she said. "Who else knows about the treasure?"

"Only one other," David said. "Duman."

Katrina's hand tightened on her coffee cup. For a moment, David thought the fragile porcelain might crack.

"Duman shot at me?" she whispered.

David nodded.

Katrina's eyes flared and she slammed the cup down on the table. "You knew he would be after me? You just let me walk into his trap? Let me play the dupe while you trotted behind, waiting to spring into action? Did you enjoy playing the hero? Is this how you gained your reputation?"

"I know you have a right to be angry," David said as he glanced around the café.

"Angry? Angry doesn't begin to cover how I feel!" Katrina's hands gripped the edge of the table, wrinkling the lace cloth. "Duman might have killed me and you say I have a
right
to be angry? You're too generous."

David scanned the restaurant again. Nobody seemed to have overheard the outburst. When he turned back, Katrina was standing to leave. "Wait," he said.

"Forget it," Katrina snapped. "Go use someone else."

"You don't understand." David grabbed her wrist.

Katrina picked up the fork beside her plate, holding it above David's hand. He released her but continued talking. "I wanted to warn you, but I couldn't risk the contact," he explained. "A man was watching you. I couldn't rely on your reaction. You might've given yourself away. I was never far away, though. I was there when Duman made his move and I was also at the factory."

"You were at the factory?"

"Yes. You didn't really need my help, but I did take out the guy with the Cobray. The rental might be hard to explain, riddled with bullet holes."

Katrina remembered the single shot she had heard as she pulled away from the factory. Her face softened and some of the fire left her eyes. Suddenly, unbidden, the thought came to her -
he's telling the truth
. She slowly sat down. He had saved her life, even if he had been partially responsible for putting her at risk in the beginning. She wondered if she would have done any differently had the roles been reversed. She wanted to think so, but doubted it.

And it wasn't him but her own stupidity that had put her at risk. She wasn't exactly an innocent civilian but so far she had played herself as the fool. Her craft wasn't just rusty - it was all but deteriorated. But Stefandis
would not
be proven right!

Katrina reached across the table and shook David's hand. "I said I would reserve my thanks. I now offer it to you freely. Thank you for saving my life." She smiled at him as warmly as possible.

"And I ask your forgiveness for putting you in danger," David said. "I know it sounds empty now but just before Duman fired, I had given up on my plan. I'd decided it wasn't worth the risk."

Katrina was not listening. "Duman must have arranged Munich," she said.

"Munich?"

She looked up and saw the puzzled expression on David's face. Obviously, he hadn't
always
been there for her. As she briefly explained the episode in the hotel room, David's respect for her grew.

When she had finished, Katrina asked, "Where do we go from here?"

"We're on mutually beneficial missions," David replied. "Your primary interest is the treasure and I want Heiden. We're both without partners when neither of us would choose to operate that way. Together, we stand a better chance of getting the treasure and Heiden and keeping ourselves alive. Duman won't give up on you or the treasure. Working alone, we might well stumble over each other. Together, we can fight Duman and Heiden. Assuming, of course, that you would consider working with me."

Katrina watched David's warm eyes while he spoke. She felt a deepening pull of attraction toward the Israeli agent and that emotion frightened her. She remembered her last partner. She could see him slumped against the stained wall, the top of his head missing. She fought the apparition and tried to attack the problem logically.

Duman was dangerous and she was vulnerable. Even if she did avoid Duman, she had to get into Kadner's compound and escape with the treasure. She still didn't have any weapons and the supplies that had been delivered to her hotel were lost to her. With David's help, she stood a slightly better chance of getting the artifacts back to Greece. Besides, the opportunity to spend more time with this man excited her. The legend and the man.

Slowly, Katrina smiled. "I suppose you have a partner," she said.

* * * * *

They stayed for several more cups of the delicious coffee. Then Katrina accompanied David while he rented another car. They drove to a small airstrip east of Bogotá where they boarded the light aircraft David had chartered upon his arrival in Colombia. The flight to the small village in the northern jungle took an hour. While airborne, David showed Katrina the equipment he had acquired. She was impressed by the number of supplies he had gathered and unhappily compared his success against her ordeal with the drug merchants.

She watched David's face as he spoke. He had a strong profile. His smile was warm, causing his eyes to brighten and crinkle at the corners. He explained his intended assault on Kadner's compound, listening with interest to her opinion. Occasionally, he altered his plan to fit her better ideas. The equality was not only gratifying; it was something new and invigorating. The more David spoke, the closer Katrina felt to him. Her attraction deepened and, with it, her fear.

Chapter 19 - SIGHTSEEING

The beige colored water of the Tequendama River erupted out of the dense green of the jungle at the foothills of the mountains. The rain fed torrent fell 475 feet to create one of Colombia's most beautiful natural wonders, the Tequendama Falls. The mist hovered over the jumbled rocks and swirled out to sprinkle the many hued tropical flowers along the banks. Small, bright birds flitted through the heavy vapor to emerge sodden on the other side. They soared upward to dry themselves in the warm sunlight and gentle breeze only to return to the mist and their game.

Duman slid down to the shore of the river and snatched up a yellow blossom touched with purple around its edges. Running like a schoolboy, he rejoined Helene and gave her the damp flower. Small droplets of water clung to her face as she buried her nose among the flower's petals. She breathed in its fragrant odors and then kissed Duman gently on the lips. Playfully, she shook the flower in his face, covering him with tiny drops, and ran down the pathway.

He allowed her to get ahead of him and then chased her along the stony path. At the base of the falls, she mounted the large steps cut into the earth, but Duman caught her at a small viewing platform halfway to the top. She collapsed in his arms in a fit of laughter. They sank to the ground, holding each other while they caught their breath. Their laughter subsided and they kissed tenderly. Duman pulled away, stood, and helped Helene to her feet. They held hands and continued to the top.

At the summit, they surveyed the surrounding countryside. The base of the waterfall disappeared into the mist where the birds still played their game of tag. Farther down, where the water ran deeper, the river lost its violence. Like a flaming border, the lush vegetation followed the twisting river until it disappeared from sight. Duman breathed in the rich odors of the jungle and the river, refreshing after the polluted cities he had visited lately. He felt a sensation of freedom flow over him. Helene ran her hand over his muscular chest and flat stomach, teasingly straying at his belt.

Behind them, a vendor sold fresh fruit from a small stand. Seeing the couple, he whistled and threw a mango over to them. He told them it was the lover's fruit. Duman took a knife from his pocket and sliced a small piece, holding it up to Helene's mouth. She bit down on it with her sharp teeth and juice ran down Duman's hand. She licked at the sweet liquid on his fingers. Smiling at each other, they continued to walk upstream along the shore.

They crunched along the gravel path for another half mile and then returned to the bottom of the falls. They walked in silence, listening to the sounds of the jungle and enjoying their closeness. In the cool shade of the huge trees, each felt the warmth of the other's body. Duman held Helene's arm until they reached the car.

They sat quietly looking at each other. Twice before, Helene had begun to speak. She touched Duman's cheek and started again.

"I don't know what to say to you, Richard. I have never felt this way."

"Don't say anything. I know how you feel because I feel the same way." Duman brushed a lock of fair hair away from her face. "I love you. Nothing like this was supposed to happen. It happened so quickly, so unexpectedly. I'm not sure I should, but I love you."

Helene threw her arms around Duman's shoulders and buried her face in his neck. Richard always said exactly the right words at exactly the right moment. She held herself against him for a time and slowly pulled away. She looked into his gentle, blue eyes.

"I have to go to Grandfather's. I don't want to leave you, but he worries. He'll send Viktor for me. Grandfather will forbid me to see you, if I make him angry. I don't care what he thinks, but he can make life ... difficult for me."

Duman avoided her eyes. He picked up the flower on the dashboard and played with its petals. "I understand. If we can't be together, at least we can remember the past hours. I only wish we could see more of each other."

Helene's eyes opened wide and she grasped the hand holding the flower. "We can! I mean, if you really want to. Do you want to?"

"Of course. But, how? You said your grandfather lived north of here and wouldn't let us see each other."

Helene almost bounced in the car seat. "Don't you see? Come to Grandfather's with me. If I introduce you, instead of him finding out about us, he will have to let us spend time together. We could be together at Grandfather's."

Duman's eyes lit up, mirroring Helene's happy expression. "You're sure?"

"Then you'll come?"

"I love you so much," Duman replied.

Helene clapped her hands together. "That settles it. I'll call Viktor and he can come and pick us up in one of the helicopters. Then we will be together."

"But not really together. Not like we have been here. You said your grandfather's home was like a fortress with guards and everything." Duman looked crestfallen.

"Well, we couldn't sleep together in the open. I could come to your room, though. I know that mausoleum and I know how the guards work. I've been sneaking around that house for years. I can get by them any time I want. Don't worry about that."

As Duman pulled out of the parking lot, Helene nestled against his chest. Exhausted from the long walk, she fell into a satisfied sleep. A smile spread across Duman's face. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror and smiled proudly. Everything was back on schedule.

* * * * *

The Hynes 5 touched down on the roof of the Hilton three hours later. Viktor Bitkowski wore the white short sleeved shirt and khaki pants that had become his uniform. He watched Helene from behind the tinted windscreen and barely glanced at the man beside her, assuming he worked for the hotel. Viktor kept the engines up to speed and began to radio the air controller at the Bogotá International Airport for clearance.