Touchstone (Meridian Series) (24 page)

       “Sinan,”
said Maeve, matter of factly.”

       “Quite
so,” said LeGrand. “You really are very good, Madame.
Reading
about you is one thing, but seeing you work this out with that
steely resolve of yours is quite another.
Touché!”

       “Spare
me the flattery,” Maeve put in.

       Nordhausen
was following along as best he could, but he had a puzzled expression on his
face. “See here,” he began: “Then this Sinan, the one the Crusaders feared as
the ‘Old Man of the Mountain’, was indeed an agent from the future?”

       “Of
course,” said LeGrand. “He was a perfect little Osama Bin Ladin for that
milieu. He found a disaffected cult—just another of the many branches on the
tree of Islam, and he managed to nurture and prune it until he had his crop of
Assassins. They became a perfect instrument for the radicals for the next 200
years—until we put the Mongols on to them. In the meantime, Sinan poses quite a
challenge for us.”

       “But
I don’t understand,” said Nordhausen. “If he was as skilled an adversary as you
indicate, then why would he allow himself to be duped into taking the life of a
Prime Mover?”

       “Every
barrel of fruit has a few bad apples,” said LeGrand. “Men are petty, they have
pride, desire, odd motives that can be played upon by one who knows the span of
their entire life. Sinan was not our target. We knew there were others in the
Ismaili cult who could not abide a man like Reginald. We tried to get rid of
Reginald ourselves, but to no avail. We urged him to conduct his little known
raid by sea along the coast of
Arabia
, hoping to leave him hopelessly stranded
there, but then, by some miracle, he escaped. We made sure he was restored to
Castle Kerak on the southern border near the great Islamic trade route into
Egypt
,
and then we whispered of the Sultan’s caravans, fat with gold, and spice and
silk.”

       “And
it almost worked,” said Maeve.

       “Almost.”
LeGrand looked at her suspiciously. “Mr. Dorland’s fall into the Well of Souls
undid our plan at the last moment. The man we were hoping to influence within
the Ismaili cult failed to act. We aren’t exactly sure what Mr. Dorland did, or
how
he did it, but the assassination plot against Reginald was foiled.
In fact, he managed to get the Assassins in Massiaf at each other’s throats!
Quite effective for an agent saboteur! Well, we should have expected nothing
less. After all, we relied on you people for the
Palma
reversal, so it should be no surprise to us that you find ways of…
accomplishing things with great success. After all,” he smiled wanly, “you are
the Founders.”

       “Yes,”
said Maeve quietly. “And if I read you, Doctor, and I read very well, I would
say you are not at all happy with our accomplishments.”

       LeGrand
sighed heavily. “Well, there it is,” he said. “We want things our way—you want
them yours.”

       “And
the Assassins want them another way,” Maeve finished.

       “Yes,”
said LeGrand quickly. “We’ve seen the world they want. We’ve lived in it.
Believe me, madam, you would understand our motives quite well after a year or
two in the Chador. I don’t think a woman of great spirit, such as yourself, would
abide Islamic Sharia very long without going quite insane. Is that what you
want?”

       “It’s
not what I want that matters here, Doctor,” said Maeve. “It’s what you want
that I’m concerned about now.”

       “Me?
You mean the Order? Why, we want the world we fought for, died for by the
thousands. We want the destiny that Christendom so richly deserves, along with
the spread of freedom and democracy, in a world where individual rights are
respected, and the dignity of women is upheld.”

       “Doctor
LeGrand,” said Maeve, “just a moment ago you were telling me how inconvenient
it was that a billion Muslims were sitting on all that petroleum. You were
lamenting that things might have been better if they were all shunted away on
some island, safely out of the way. I must say, other men have gone about with
the words freedom, equality and fraternity on their lips, and spread more
misery across the globe than all the so called terrorists that ever lived. Take
your friend, Napoleon, as a perfect example.” She folded her arms, her point
well made.

       “I
can see that this is leading us nowhere,” LeGrand sighed. “Well, it hardly
matters. You’re here for the discovery, and so am I. My offer to lead you to
the site still stands, if you can abide my company.” He looked askance at
Maeve, a wounded look on his face.

       “Just
a moment,” Nordhausen spoke up.  “If you two are done with politics I should
like to have some answers myself. You say your computers indicated a variation
for this milieu.”

       “Of
course,” said LeGrand. “The Ismaili Assassins are up to no good again. It has
something to do with the stone, and the hieroglyphics. Who knows?”

       “Then
you believe they are responsible for the damage to the stone?”

       “Who
else?” LeGrand opened his palms, his jovial eyes reflecting the sincerity of
his conclusion.

       “But
why, Doctor, have you reasoned that?”

       “Why?
That’s is not my charge. I’m an agent in place. It’s my job to observe, report,
and execute specific instructions. Let Research and Outcomes quarrel over the
rest.”

       Nordhausen
thought for a moment. “And how do you receive your instructions?”

       “What?
Oh, by special courier. We’ve learned that’s the only safe way to transmit
orders. Just a little Spook Job, you see. All the agents have rounds to make,
and places to be on particular days. We plan things very well. This entire week
I was to be billeted here at the inn, during the run up to the discovery of the
stone. The Order knew my whereabouts and sent someone through with a message
last night. It’s really quite simple—in and out, a cool minute in eternity.
We’ve perfected the technique quite well:
Delphi
and the oracle, the burning bush that spoke
to Moses in the desert, the sudden appearance of apparitions. It’s really great
fun.”

       “I
see,” said Nordhausen. “Well it may please you to know that I think I ran into
a messenger from the other side during my stay in Wadi Rumm.”

       “Oh?”
LeGrand perked up, suddenly interested. “Do go on, Professor.”

       Robert
looked at Maeve, but hearing no immediate protest he began to explain. “He
called himself Rasil, the Messenger, and claimed he was to use the Well of
Souls to reach Castle Massif with certain instructions. I didn’t know his
destination at the time. That was not confirmed until Kelly and Maeve ran down
the vectors and pulled Paul out. But the curious thing about this is—“

       “That
will be quite enough, Robert.” Maeve had heard a little more than she was
comfortable with.

       LeGrand
looked surprised. “What? I was quite forthcoming with both of you. We’re in a
Nexus. Please, rest assured.”

       “I’m
afraid not.” Maeve folded her arms, shaking her head in the contrary.

       “But
madam, please. I can assure you that—“

       “You
have assured me of one thing already, Doctor,” said Maeve. “And that is this:
until I have time to reflect on this matter further, I must consider you, and
your Order, to be the gravest possible threat to the integrity of the
continuum, and I will do everything in my power to see that your tampering is
put to an end.”

18

Maeve’s
pronouncement
fell like a
stone in the pool of silence that now filled the room. The ripples played over
the expression of both Nordhausen and LeGrand, who looked at each other, and
then back at her.

       “Come,
Robert. I think it’s time we leave.”

       “Now,
Maeve,” Robert began, but Maeve answered by getting up and striding to the
door, obviously intent on vacating the premises at once, with or without her
friend. Robert gaped at her as she went out the door, then turned briefly to
LeGrand and stood up quickly to follow.

       “I’m
very sorry,” he tried to apologize.

       “This
is most irregular,” said LeGrand, a look of amazement on his face. “What about
the discovery? I’ve made all the arrangements. And where will you sleep?
Doesn’t that woman realize it’s a dangerous world out there?”

       “Only
too well, I suppose,” said Nordhausen. “Look, I must get after her, you
understand. Please forgive me.” He extended an arm in a quick, apologetic
gesture, and set off after Maeve, one hand straightening his wig as he went.

       By
the time he caught up with her, she was out through the courtyard and exiting
the gate to the inn. The sun had climbed high during their conversation, and
the mid-day heat was beginning to radiate from the dry landforms about them. A
saving breeze was still blowing in off the ocean to the north, but it was going
to be very uncomfortable out in the open sun. Maeve had already opened her
parasol and was slowing her gait somewhat to let Robert catch up.

       “Really,”
he said, somewhat out of breath. “Was it necessary to make a scene like that?”

       “It
was.”

       “But
I don’t understand—the man was only trying to help us. He had quarters
arranged, tea, and no doubt there would have been some breakfast in the bargain
as well. He knows exactly where the discovery site is, and now we’ll just have
to bungle about on our own because of your stubborn—“

       “Leave
it, Robert. Either you weren’t listening in there or you have a severe case of
time lag. The man is dangerous, don’t you understand?” She kept walking,
heading east, in the general direction of the town center. Robert was pulled
along with her.

       “Dangerous?
What are you talking about?”

       “Don’t
you get it? The man is an agent.”

       “But
he’s merely observing,” Robert explained. “He’s standing a watch on the
milieu—“

       “And
executing instructions he receives by courier. It’s the same scenario Paul
stumbled into at Castle Massiaf. You were just about to explain it to him,
yes?”

       “Well,
of course!” Robert did not see the danger that was obviously so apparent to
Maeve.

       “You
were going to tell him about the scroll, the hieroglyphics, everything. In fact,
I’ll bet you couldn’t wait to translate the message Rasil was carrying. Didn’t
you hear? They were trying to change the outcome of Hattin—by arranging the
death of Reginald. I don’t know what Paul did when he was there but, whatever
it was, it foiled their plan.”

       “Well,
you’re acting like he’s our enemy.”

       “Robert…”
Maeve stopped suddenly, turning to confront him. “Anyone who intends to alter
the history we know
is
our enemy. Get that into your head! We’re here to
find out if this stone you prize so highly is damaged or not. You know why,
yes? Well, I should know why as well—but I don’t. The
Meridian
has been
altered
, and something that was once roosting
happily in my head is gone. I wasn’t in a Nexus, like you were,  when the
transformation occurred, and I’ve lost something—the Rosetta stone, for one
thing, and god only knows what else!” Her face reddened as she concluded, her
eyes burning with controlled anger.

       A
look of recognition came over Robert’s face. His eyes softened, losing the
frustration that was in them as he chased after her. “Very well,” he said at
last. “I understand your concerns now. I can see that this is going to be very
difficult—for all of us. Still, we might have learned something more from
LeGrand, if you weren’t so headstrong.”

       “I’ve
learned quite enough,” said Maeve. “He’s an agent; probably involved in all
sorts of mischief. He may be here to preserve Napoleon’s life from the
assassins, or to tamper with the outcome of his battles—who knows? But I’ll
tell you one thing: he’s a
liar
, and that makes him my enemy, no matter
what his pleasantries and feigned hospitality might say to the contrary.”

       “A
liar? About what?”

       “Weren’t
you listening? He said
Graves
discovered Paul’s DVD in the memorial site.
Now we both know that the site was tampered with, and the DVD was
taken—possibly as an attempt against Kelly’s life. But Kelly’s not gone…” Her
lips tightened as she struggled to complete her thought. “He’s still here, or
at least I hope he is. He recovered when you and Paul determined to do
something about the tampering, and
published
the backup DVD to the
Internet. If that stands, then
Graves
must have found the DVD by some
other
means, and LeGrand is lying.”

       “Well,
he’s been here in
Egypt
for over a year, Maeve. The tampering just occurred.
How would he know about it when he was stuck in
Palestine
with Napoleon’s army?”