Labyrinth (6 page)

“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.”

Greene smiled. “Unless, of course, we increase the dosage of the poison into his bloodstream.”

“Why would you do that?” Annja asked.

“Because you’re not moving fast enough,” he said. “You’re on the clock here, Annja.”

Jonas checked his watch. “As I said, I can monitor the flow of toxin into his body. But after a certain time, we won’t be able to undo the damage.”

Green glanced at Jonas. “How much longer does our antiquated bookseller have to live?”

Jonas looked at his watch. “I’d estimate no more than twelve hours. That’s the maximum time I can reverse the damage.”

“What’s happening to him now?” Annja asked.

“His neurological system is being ravaged but the effects at this point are temporary. An increase in the dosage will accelerate the damage and make it irreversible.”

“And if you stop the flow into him?”

Jonas smiled. “It’s not that easy, Annja. It’s not as though you can simply rip the IV out and expect a full recovery.”

Damn, Annja thought.

“He needs to receive the counterdrug to this one to make a full recovery.”

“You have it?”

“Of course we have it.” Greene nodded to Jonas. “Show her.”

Jonas brought out a small black doctor’s bag and unzipped it. Reaching in, he pulled out a different IV bag. “This is the drip that will reverse the effects of the drug on Fairclough.” He eyed Annja. “You don’t know how to administer an IV, do you?”

“I can’t stand needles.”

“Ah, good,” Jonas said. “Then you will obviously need to keep me around after you get the book.”

Annja smiled at Greene. “How about that? Your doctor just sold you out.”

“He did no such thing.”

“Sure sounded like it.” Annja glanced around. “Where’s the automaton you call Kessel?”

“Waiting outside the door,” Greene said, “although if I were you, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss him that way. He’s very touchy about his condition.”

“I’ll keep it in mind. Are we done here?”

Greene nodded. “Twelve hours. You have a watch?”

“Must have forgotten it back when you kidnapped me.”

Greene unstrapped his and tossed it to Annja. She turned it over and looked at it closely. “A fake Rolex?”

“What about it? Keeps good time.”

Annja held it up. “Another hypocrisy. You like the way it looks.”

“I like the way it keeps time.”

“I’ll bet you have a few real ones back home in your underwear drawer.”

Jonas shook his head. “We both got one when we were in Hong Kong to protest the environmental impact of recycled computer parts. There’s nothing special about them, but they do keep decent time.” He rolled up his sleeve and Annja saw he wore one, as well.

Annja checked Greene’s watch and made a note of the time. “Fine, but when I come back, you’d better have that bag rigged and ready to go.”

“We will.”

Annja fixed them both with a long, hard glare. “One more thing—this isn’t over. When I return, we’re going to have a serious discussion about your little organization and its stated goals for killing innocent people.”

Greene waved her off. “Whatever makes you feel good, Annja, that’s fine. Now run along. Kessel is waiting.”

Jonas grinned. “Have fun.”

Annja frowned and walked out of the room. Kessel stood just outside, as Greene had promised.

“You coming with me?” she asked.

Kessel nodded.

“All right, then. Let’s get to it.”