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“Indeed,” Fairclough said. “But we are where we are and must endeavor to make the best of a bad situation. These lads want something of mine very badly, as I understand it.”
“A book. Greene said it was called the Tome of Prossos?”
Fairclough nodded and another short cough escaped him. “An early record of human history up until the great conflagration at Alexandria.”
“How is it that you have a copy? It was my understanding that all the books in the library were incinerated beyond retrieval.”
“They were,” he confirmed. “But there was also a movement afoot to make copies of all the texts in the library in case the unfortunate happened. Foresight that proved to be too late to save most of the texts. However, the Tome of Prossos was already copied.”
“And you have this copy?”
Fairclough inclined his head. “I have the only copy in existence. And I hope to have it in my possession awhile longer, mind you.”
Greene chuckled. “You don’t know what to do with it. The knowledge in that book shouldn’t belong to only one man. You’ve got to let the world have it. It belongs to the planet.”
Fairclough looked at him. “You’re a hypocrite on top of everything else. As if my releasing it would signal the great reformation you so fervently wish. You’d hoard the book yourself, using what its pages speak of to further your own ends.”
“My own ends are to benefit the planet,” Greene said.
“Are they?”
“Of course.”
“Then why don’t I simply release the book to the public over the internet? Would you have a problem with that?”
Greene shifted. “Well, yes, I would. But not because I wouldn’t have control of the book, but because its power would be usurped by corporations and other greedheads.”
Fairclough waved him away. “Bah! You don’t know half of what the book contains.”
“Well, neither do I,” Annja said. “Is this why you asked to see me? Because of the book? If that’s the case, would you mind filling me in on the details?”
Fairclough smiled at her. “It’s quite simple. As you know, the tome contains a written account of the history of the world, from its creation—according to Prossos—to mankind’s ascent through the Egyptian dynastic ages. It’s a marvelous read, provided you understand it.”
He glanced at Greene. “And let me just say for the record—you will not understand it.”
“I’ll take that chance,” Greene replied.
Fairclough looked back at Annja. “The real treat about the tome is that it also contains within its pages a codex that reveals a method for healing the planet in times of duress.”
“Meaning what, exactly? You can cure the planet?”
Fairclough’s smile grew. “Imagine knowing how to reduce the toxicity in the environment. That is what the book contains, and that is what I believe our good friend Greene here really wants it for. He doesn’t want to learn from the lessons of history so much as be the savior of the world.”
Greene shrugged. “Sure, I could stand with being called a savior. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”
“You could be so much more than just a savior,” Fairclough said. “Provided you knew what to do.”
Annja cleared her throat. “How do you solve the codex?”
Fairclough shrugged. “I haven’t been able to crack that yet. It’s one reason I opted for retirement, so I could work on just that. It would have been nice to give the secret back to the world.”
Greene sighed. “All right, enough of this. Tell her where the book is so we can get it and leave this place. It makes me sick just thinking how much money it must’ve taken to buy this joint.”
Fairclough gripped Annja’s hand tighter. “You know as well as I do that he’ll never let either one of us out of here alive.”
“I was thinking about that.”
Greene frowned.
“Having seen what I saw today,” Annja continued, “I don’t doubt you’d kill us as soon as you could.”
Greene did his best to hide a smirk. But he failed and looked away. Annja frowned. She looked back at Fairclough. “I think we can take that as an indicator of what we’re in for.”
Fairclough nodded. “Exactly. So you can see that I really have no reason to reveal the book’s hiding place.”
“I’m still not sure why you asked to see me, but—” Annja lowered her voice “—I might be able to do something about this situation. However, I’d need to get to the book first if we have any hope of nullifying the poison in your veins.”
Fairclough looked at her hard. “Are you sure?”
Annja nodded. “Yes.”
“It won’t be easy. I took steps to protect the book and make sure it wouldn’t ever be stolen from me.”
“A security system?”
“Something like that,” Fairclough said. “I’d rather hoped never to have to use it, but when they broke into my house the other day, I had no choice. I was barely able to get it protected before they took me hostage.”
“All right,” said Annja. “So how do I disarm it?”
Fairclough waggled his eyebrows. “It’s not really something you can decode. You have to find your way through the maze.”
“Maze?”
“Yes,” he said. “The book is hidden at the center of a maze I designed under my estate.”
Chapter 6
Greene started laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Fairclough looked at him and sighed. “I’d expect nothing less from someone like you. It always amazes me how little those who claim to stand for ideals actually think.”
“You’re telling me there’s a maze underneath this house?” Greene shook his head. “How in the world did you manage to construct that?”
“I hired people to excavate the area and build it to my precise specifications.”
“But what’s the point?” Annja asked. “I mean, no offense, but if you wanted some elaborate security system, there are plenty to choose from. You could hire someone to design you a completely unique system.”
“I’ll tell you why,” Greene said. “Because he’s gotten too much into the pages of some of his books apparently.”
Fairclough regarded him. “I had the maze built because I didn’t trust the security systems everyone else uses. Electronics can be defeated. Ciphers and codes don’t matter a whit to me. But genuine ingenuity is a prize I value above all else. Needless to say, most of the ruffians who would steal the book don’t possess even a fraction of it.”
Greene started forward. “Keep the insults up, old man, and I’ll—”
“Kill me?” Fairclough laughed. “Seems to me you’re already doing that, you ignorant pup. Now be quiet while I talk to this wonderful woman here.”
Greene looked as if he might be tempted to hit Fairclough.
Annja held up her hand. “All right, so what’s the deal with the maze? Do I just go down there and find my way to the center of it to retrieve the book?”
“That would be too easy,” Fairclough said. “I had to make it difficult to discover and even tougher to get through.”
“So, what happens when I get in there?”
Fairclough looked pained and glanced at the IV drip as if aware his time was very possibly fleeting. “There are puzzles you’ll need to figure out.”
“Puzzles?”
“Challenges,” Fairclough clarified. “Think of them that way. They’re tests, of course, and unfortunately the penalties for failing them are rather…absolute.”
“Absolute? What does that mean? Deadly?”
Fairclough nodded. A wave of pain washed over his face. “I’m sorry for putting you through this, Annja. You don’t deserve it.
“I had wanted to warn you that the copy of this book exists—because of your understanding of Egyptian history—but I never expected…”
“I won’t argue that point,” Annja said. “Can’t you just shut the thing down?” she asked.
“No.” Fairclough’s voice sounded weaker. “For reasons that will become obvious once you enter the maze.”
Annja looked skeptical. “You’re not giving me much to go on here.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
“How do I get into the maze?”
Fairclough coughed. “There is an entrance in the barn behind the third horse stall. I don’t have horses any longer, but I’ve kept the barn there. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble finding your way in.”
“All right.” Annja sighed. “But listen, couldn’t you just give me the answers to the challenges?”
But Fairclough’s eyes rolled back in his head. Greene felt his neck for a pulse. “He’s passed out. Probably from the pain.”
“Can’t you reduce it?” She chafed the old man’s hand.
Greene shrugged. “Well, yeah, I could. But why would I?”
“So I can get more answers out of him. So I can have a better shot at finding your precious book.”
Greene smiled. “He told you what you needed to know.”
“Hardly. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this thing. ‘Reasons that will become obvious once you’re in the maze’? I mean, what’s that about?”
Greene shook his head. “I don’t know and I don’t really care. But you’d better get going.”
Jonas came back into the room. He glanced at Fairclough. “He pass out from the pain again?”
“Seems to have,” Greene said. “You know the old coot has himself a maze underneath this place?”
Jonas stepped back. “For real? That’s pretty wild.”
“You two should come with me,” she said. “That way, when the maze kills you, I’ll only have to deal with Kessel when I come back up with the book.”
Jonas laughed. “Man, you’re funny, Annja. I like the way you unload those barbed comments like that. It’s kinda hot.”
“You’re a buffoon.” She looked at Greene. “Let me guess—you’re going to stay up here while I do all the work, right?”
“Well, I need to be here and so does Jonas so he can monitor our patient.” He smirked. “However, since you seem to have developed a liking for Kessel, you’ll be glad to know he’s going with you.”
Annja’s brows furrowed. “He’ll get in my way.”
“I doubt it. I think you might find him useful.”
“How so?”
“I suppose it depends on what sort of challenges Fairclough has put into the maze, but Kessel is incredibly strong and adept at killing things. If you come across guard dogs for example, he can dispatch them quickly.”
“You know this for a fact?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve come across attack dogs, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Fine,” Annja said. “The sooner I get down there, the better. I want to go home and forget this day ever happened.”
Greene smiled. “And I want that book. You’d do well to remember that when you start thinking about getting the better of Kessel. I’ve already instructed him to simply kill you if you give him reason to suspect anything is amiss, and try to get the book himself.”
“He wouldn’t find it without me.”
Greene shrugged. “I wouldn’t be so cavalier. Kessel is remarkably intelligent. Just because he doesn’t have a tongue doesn’t mean he can’t read. And he reads a lot. Last year he read several hundred books on a wide range of topics.”
“So, what you’re saying is he’s not just a mean-looking killer. There’s a real intellect behind all that brawn.”
“Exactly.”
Annja smirked. “Yeah, well, we’ll see if you’re right.”
“Yes, we will.”
Annja studied Fairclough in the bed. He hadn’t shown signs of coming back around. Jonas followed her gaze and sighed.
“The pain takes him after a while. One of the symptoms of this particular toxin. He’ll be out for a good long time.”
