The Oracle's Message (3 page)

Annja awoke several hours later, feeling only a dull throb where once her head had thundered. Dr. Tiko sat quietly at his desk, typing onto a computer and only noticed Annja was awake when she moved and the sheet fell away.

Annja was still in her bathing suit and felt dry, sun baked and in desperate need of a shower. Dr. Tiko came over with a glass of water.

“How are you feeling?”

“Much better.”

He eyed her. “Really?”

Annja smiled. “Why is it that no one seems to believe what I tell them around here?”

Dr. Tiko shrugged. “I don’t know, Miss Creed. It could be because you made a rather silly mistake earlier that could have easily killed you.”

Annja held up her hand. “All right, I admitted my mistake. I don’t need to be treated like a teenager.” She took a sip of the water Dr. Tiko offered and marveled at how much easier it went down now.

“That’s good stuff.”

Dr. Tiko nodded. “Well, I’m pleased to see you’re feeling better. I’ve watched you while you were asleep and took your vitals at varying points throughout. I suspect you’ll have a bit of a headache for a while, but nothing too serious.”

“So I can go?”

He smiled. “I suspect you’d like to get changed. Maybe have a bite to eat?”

Annja hadn’t thought about food, but Dr. Tiko’s suggestion made her stomach rumble and she nodded with a grin. “Now that you mention it, I’m famished.”

Dr. Tiko stepped back. “All right, I can discharge you. But if your headache worsens, I want you to promise that you’ll come right back here and see me. If I’m not here, just call the main desk and they’ll page me. I live here at the resort, so it’s no trouble whatsoever.”

“Thank you.”

Annja stepped down, momentarily concerned that she might still feel wobbly, but her legs felt much stronger now. She stepped out of the doctor’s office and saw that evening had settled in. Out on the sea, the sun was already gone, leaving behind only a blaze of reds and pinks as sunset turned into an inky darkness.

Annja walked the smooth paved path back to her cabana and stepped inside. She’d left the window open and a strong breeze blew in, chilling her.

First order of business, she thought, a hot shower.

It felt wonderful ditching the bathing suit and even better feeling the water sweep away the dried salt crystals that had clung to her skin. She’d gotten a bit of sun, but nothing like a burn, which would have made the day all the more painful.

As she conditioned her hair, she took a moment to luxuriate in the scent of the lavender and rose petals, feeling a renewed sense of hunger.

At last, she stepped out of the shower, wrapped herself in a towel and walked out of the bathroom.

Under her door, someone had slipped a piece of paper. Annja squatted down, not trusting her head to suddenly bend over. She picked it up.

“Please join us for dinner. Hans.”

Annja smiled. There was only one place to get a meal at Club Noah and that was at the main administration building at the curve of the U that laid out the resort. The building, while not large, housed offices and various amenities. As well, it led to the large pavilion where the meals were served for resort guests. A massive thatched roof kept the pavilion sheltered, but it was open on three sides, inviting the ocean breezes to give diners the feeling of being almost one with nature.

She stepped into a white tropical gauzy cotton dress after applying just a hint of makeup. Annja never went overboard, but she figured a little bit tonight couldn’t hurt. She wanted everyone to realize she was fine and healthy. And there was the fact that Hans was rather a handsome man. No sense showing up looking like she’d just suffered a concussion.

Ten minutes later, she stepped out of her cabana and locked the door, sliding the key into her clutch. She walked down the path toward the pavilion. Night at Club Noah was as magical a time as any. The torches lighting the pathway cast long flickering shadows and the sea breezes kept the mosquitoes at bay.

She passed a set of stairs carved into the side of the mountain that towered over the resort. At the top, on one side was a tribute to the Virgin Mary and on the other was an open-air bar where resort guests could grab a late-night cocktail. Unfortunately, as Annja had discovered, the mosquitoes loved to hang out there and the resort staff didn’t seem to have any idea how to keep them away.

Annja passed several resort workers who said hello to her and asked how she was feeling. Club Noah was small enough that every staff member knew who was staying at the resort at any given time. Annja loved the personalized sense of care that she found here. A friend of hers had recommended this place and she could see why he had.

As she approached the pavilion, Annja could hear the sounds of diners and the clink of glasses and silverware. She stepped into the pavilion and looked around.

“Annja.”

She turned and found herself looking at Hans, who had swapped his diving gear for a lightweight shirt and linen pants. He wore sandals and looked like he’d only recently shaved. She could smell the brace of aftershave on him and found she quite liked it.

“Hi.”

“You’re feeling better?”

Annja touched the side of her head. “A little bit of a headache, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Hans smiled. “I’d say there appears to be very little that you cannot handle. I’m quite impressed with you.”

“Thank you.” Annja glanced around and saw the buffet table laid out with a suckling pig the Filipinos called
lechón.
On other platters were a wide array of fresh seafood, noodles, fresh carved beef and chicken and much more.

Hans noticed her staring and smiled. “I take it your appetite has returned?”

“In spades,” Annja said.

“Allow me to help you,” Hans said. He escorted her to the buffet table and handed her a plate, then got one for himself. “Are you familiar with the
lechón?
”

Annja nodded. “I’ve had it once before.”

Hans grinned. “Then you may as well have never had it before. They do an amazing pig roast here. Look at the way the skin simply falls away from the moist meat. It’s incredible.”

Annja pointed. “You’d better put that on my plate, then, or I may dive in right here.”

He laughed and heaped a serving on her plate before helping himself to some.

When they’d finished at the buffet table, Hans nodded toward a longer table where four men sat around it eating. “Please join us.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”

“And who else would you eat with?”

She smiled. “Well, I haven’t really met anyone else here yet.”

“Exactly. So it’s settled, then.”

Annja smiled, but found herself warming up to Hans despite his somewhat overbearing attitude. She guessed he might be somewhat protective of her since he’d rescued her earlier. May as well go along with it for now, she reasoned. If it got to be too much later, she could educate him on how she could take care of herself.

Hans led her to the table and Annja noticed there were two unoccupied chairs. Hans put his plate down by one and then held Annja’s chair out so she could sit down.

She glanced at him as she did so. “You are aware that chivalry is an endangered species, right?”

“Endangered, perhaps, but not yet extinct.”

Annja looked across the table and saw the faces of the other men who had been on the boat earlier. “Nice to see you all again.”

They smiled and asked if she was feeling better. But one man, older than anyone else, remained silent until at last Hans cleared his throat.

“Annja, I would very much like to introduce you to the head of our little group here, Joachim Spier.”

Annja leveled her gaze on the older man, who regarded her with warm blue eyes and a thin smile. “Herr Spier.”

He stood and held out his hand. Annja shook it and found it was surprisingly strong. “It is my sincere pleasure to make your acquaintance, Annja Creed. When Hans told me about you earlier, I could scarcely believe our luck.”

Annja glanced at Hans. “Luck?”

Spier smiled broadly as he sat down. “Imagine, the great Annja Creed—famed archaeologist and pursuer of history’s monsters. What would the chances be of us both being at this glorious resort at the same time?”

Annja smiled. “Apparently better than either of us would have dared to think.”

“Indeed,” Spier said, nodding. “Indeed.” He leaned back. “But please, do not let me interrupt you. Hans has told me of your tremendous ordeals of earlier today and you must certainly be hungry. When you have dined some, then perhaps we can all discuss…things.”

Annja didn’t need any more coaxing and took advantage of Spier’s pause to enjoy the food before her. As Hans had suggested, the
lechón
was even more delicious than she remembered it being. The crispy pigskin concealed a delightfully moist meat underneath, buffered by an almost gelatinous thin layer of fat that made each mouthful even better than the last.

She helped herself to a lot of water and then grudgingly accepted a small glass of white wine when Hans offered. “Not too much, I don’t want to have to pay another visit to Dr. Tiko tonight.”

That brought a round of laughter from the table and Annja found herself enjoying the company of the German men more and more. They all talked animatedly in heavily accented English about diving in the area. Annja appreciated the fact that they refrained from switching back to German—mostly, she assumed, for her benefit.

Finally, she set her silverware down and lifted her glass of wine to her lips. The cold liquid tasted incredible and she leaned forward. “Thank you for giving me some time, Herr Spier. I was pretty hungry.”

Spier nodded. “I can see that. It’s a good sign given your earlier state, I should think. Nothing like a hearty appetite to set one on the road back to full strength.” He lifted his glass and nodded in Annja’s direction. “To your health.”

“Cheers.”

The men all laughed and toasted one another and then drank again. When Annja set her glass back down, she felt Hans eyeing her. She turned and smiled at him.

Spier spoke up. “Perhaps now that we have all dined, we might speak of other things than just the wonderful nature of the meals they serve here, eh?”

“Absolutely,” Annja said.

“What brings you to Club Noah?” Spier asked.

Annja shrugged. “A much-needed rest. I’m burned out. I’ve been crisscrossing the world for years and haven’t taken nearly enough time for myself lately. My workload in New York was getting to be too much, so I decided on a whim to simply drop everything and come here.”

Spier nodded. “You are a woman of action.”

“Some have said that, yes.”

“Excellent. I respect that immensely. And if it were only based on your reputation and from what I have observed watching that television show that you are on, I would have surmised much the same.”

“Thank you.”

Spier waved his hand. “It is not worthless praise, by any means. And there is never shame in being proud of your accomplishments, of which you have a great many.”

“Well, I’m pleased you think so.”

“I know so,” Spier said. “You’ve done much for the world of archaeology and history. You ought to be commended for the service you’ve given to mankind.”

“I’m hardly worthy of that,” Annja said. Too much praise made her uncomfortable.

Spier noted her discomfort and smiled. “Suffice it to say that we are extremely happy to have you in our presence here, Annja. Very happy indeed.”

“And what brings you all to the Philippines?” Annja asked. “Just a vacation, perhaps?”

Spier lowered his voice and shook his head. “We have come here for a much more grand purpose than mere relaxation.”

“Really?”

He drew closer to Annja. She could see the depth of his eyes and found herself almost hypnotized by them as he drew her into his conspiratorial attitude. “We seek a treasure rumored to be in this very area.”

Annja perked up. “Treasure?”

“They call it the Pearl of Palawan.”

A balmy ocean breeze blew across the pavilion as Spier regarded Annja. “Have you ever heard of the Pearl of Palawan?”

Annja shook her head, listening to the crashing waves on the beach. “I have not. But to be honest with you, I’m not very interested in treasure. From what I’ve experienced, things of such value have a way of destroying people.”

Spier smiled. “But imagine what good this could do if it were recovered. We could educate people about the origins of it.”

Annja frowned. “And just what are its origins?”

Spier ordered himself a glass of peppermint schnapps and waited until it arrived. He sipped it once and then leaned back in his chair. Clearly, Annja thought, he was a captivating storyteller used to commanding attention.

“Years and years ago,” Spier began, “the Pearl of Palawan—a solid black pearl of such opulence and size that it made men weep in desire to possess it—first appeared in the annals of Filipino history.”

“I’m not as familiar with this country’s history as perhaps I should be,” Annja said. “But I know some.”

“So you know of the Moros.”

Annja winced, remembering her last trip to the Philippines. “I know a little bit about them.”

“They were the first to document the pearl. But legend has it that it has existed for even longer than the period of greatness of the Moros empire. According to several documents I have unearthed, the pearl dates back many thousands of years, back to a time when fact and fiction were often entwined with each other.”

“And what do the legends say?” Annja asked.

“They say that those who possess the pearl have at their disposal an object that can grant the owner incredible vitality and power.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed.”

Annja leaned forward as Spier helped himself to more schnapps. “Pardon me for saying so, Herr Spier, but you seem to already possess a great deal of vitality. And I’m fairly adept at knowing when I’m in the presence of a powerful person. You fit that bill easily.”

Spier smiled. “Thank you, my dear. I appreciate the sentiment, but I assure you the pearl’s powers would dwarf my own.”

Annja leaned back. “Do you know where the pearl is supposed to come from?”

Spier chuckled. “I must confess I’m a bit reluctant to tell you. I sense that you view the legend of the pearl with a bit more skepticism than I expected.”

“Forgive me if I am being rude,” Annja said. “It’s just that over the years I’ve found a lot of supposedly powerful legends have turned out to be nothing but fantasy, usually perpetrated by someone seeking to manipulate events for their own well-being.”

Spier said nothing for a moment but then looked at her. “But tell me something. You’ve probably found that just as many things live up to their legends…don’t they?”

Annja smiled. “Well, you’ve got me there. I have indeed.”

Spier nodded. “And that’s why you should keep an open mind about this, as well.”

“Tell me more.”

“I have heard,” Spier said, “that the pearl was reportedly created by an ancient civilization long since lost to the earth. These people inhabited a wide swath of land in the Pacific that was subsequently destroyed by volcanoes and earthquakes. They brought the pearl into being for the express purpose of using its power to rule their kingdom.”

“And what happened?”

“It ended up destroying them.”

Annja nodded. “Another powerful lesson, I suppose.”

“It would seem,” Spier said. “But one never knows exactly what may have transpired to destroy their civilization.” He grabbed at his glass and downed the remainder of the schnapps. “The pearl next shows up in the Moros history as belonging to a certain Queen Esmeralda. It was a gift given to her by one of her subjects who was enamored of the woman. Driven to prove his love and worth, he reportedly dove into the sea, swam underwater for seven days and, on the seventh day, emerged from the surf bearing the pearl.”

“Well, that would, of course, be impossible,” Annja said.

“Unless he grew gills,” Spier said with a laugh. “And I certainly don’t think he really did that. But the story is interesting.”

“Did he get his woman?” Annja asked.

Spier shrugged. “Actually, the queen, upon receiving the pearl, is said to have undergone some sort of transformation. Instead of rewarding her suitor, she had him executed.”

“Tough love,” Annja said.

“Indeed.” Spier sighed. “But the pearl did not stay in possession of Queen Esmeralda for very long. It seems that bad luck was destined for the Moros as the Spanish soon started visiting the Philippines.”

Annja nodded. “I’ve read something of their conquests here.”

“Then you know they battled the Moros and had a tough time of it in the thick jungles.”

“Yes.”

“But not being ones to give up, such as they were, the Spaniards eventually succeeded in wresting control of the region from the Moros. And Queen Esmeralda was taken hostage by the invaders.”

“I assume she was meant to be a slave?”

“Perhaps, or a bride for some lucky Spaniard,” Spier said. “Whatever the case, she bought back her freedom.”

“With the pearl?”

“Of course. When the leader of the Spanish heard her pleas for freedom and learned how she intended to buy her way out of captivity, he could scarcely conceal his greed at the thought of possessing the pearl.”

“She gave it to him?”

“Queen Esmeralda ordered her subjects to bring the pearl to the Spanish. In exchange, she was to be freed.” Spier smiled. “But in a cruel ironic twist, Esmeralda herself was betrayed by the Spanish and, instead of freeing her, they refused to let her go. After all, they now had the pearl and the queen.”

“Nasty business,” Annja said.

Spier continued. “Esmeralda was distraught and managed to free herself from the chains that held her belowdecks. She made her way to the top of the main mast and threw herself overboard. But before she did, she cursed the entire Spanish flotilla. Then she dove into the sea, never to be seen again.”

“So the pearl made its way to Spain?”

Spier shook his head. “No, as soon as Esmeralda dove into the sea, the ocean grew violent. Dark clouds surged overhead while the waves pounded the fleet on all sides. As the sun vanished, the fleet was thrown into chaos. Two of the ships ran into each other, others were dashed on an unseen reef that tore their hulls wide open. As thunder and lightning crashed across the sky, the entire fleet was destroyed in the space of only a few minutes.”

“Incredible,” Annja said.

“When the clouds parted, the sea was like glass. There was no trace of the Spanish fleet. No survivors bobbed in the water on pieces of wreckage. It was almost as if they had never even been there at all.”

“But surely their ships would have come to rest underwater.”

Spier shrugged. “There have never been any found that could be attributed to the story.”

“So, it would seem that the story itself is rather suspect,” Annja said. “After all, reports of shipwrecks would mean the potential for something salvageable underwater.”

“Only if you knew exactly where the ships were supposed to have gone aground. Otherwise, how could you possibly say?”

Annja smiled. “And you think you know where they are?”

Spier grinned. “I might have an idea.”

“So what happened to the pearl, then? It was lost, too?”

“Legend has it that it returned to its proper owner—the very civilization that created it in the first place.”

“The civilization that no longer existed. Supposedly.”

“Yes.”

Annja sighed. “That’s an awful lot of supposed history right there, Herr Spier. I hope you’ll forgive me if I don’t fall for it hook, line and sinker.”

He chuckled. “I would have been disappointed in you if you had, Annja. I know you are a woman of facts, yet you are also a woman who can’t help but be intrigued by legends and myths.”

“I’m a romantic at heart,” Annja said. “What can I say?”

Spier eyed her. “Say that you’ll come diving with us. Say that you’ll help us find the pearl.”

“You’re serious about going after it?”

“Absolutely.”

“And the warning signs in your story? They don’t bother you at all?”

“What—that whoever possesses the pearl seems to come to an unfortunate end?”

“Yes.”

Spier spread his arms and laughed some more. “My dear, I am eighty years old. In some ways, I feel as though I were as young and strapping as Hans here. But I am not. Eighty is much closer to the grave than it is to the womb. And so, if the legends are true, then I will not go reluctantly should my time come to pass sooner than I expect. And even if it does, I should pass from this world to the next knowing that I had a hand in retrieving a truly wondrous relic.” He pointed his empty glass at Annja. “What could be better than that?”

Annja smiled. As much as she hated to admit it, Spier had intrigued her with his tale. And while she was supposed to be here enjoying her rest and relaxation, she’d already found she missed the excitement of exploration. The visit to the reef today had shown that she always needed a sense of some sort of adventure in her life. Wasn’t that why she’d gone against the dive master’s advice and went diving alone?

Spier watched her. “I may have only just met you, Annja, but I know people. And after eighty years on this planet, I think I have the ability to see some people better than they perhaps know themselves. You and I are alike in many ways. You have the thirst for adventure flowing deep within your very soul. And as much as you might want to fight against it from time to time, you know full well it will never relinquish its hold upon you or your heart.”

Annja grinned. “Not until I’m dead, I suppose.”

Spier nodded. “Exactly.”

“And what will you do with the pearl if you are actually able to locate it?” Annja asked.

“It’s my hope that we would present it to the world together,” Spier said. “That others might learn much from it. How it was made, what properties it possesses.”

“I’m interested in knowing how this ancient civilization was able to make a pearl at all, considering that we weren’t able to manufacture artificial pearls, per se, until quite recently.”

“Perhaps that old civilization was a lot more advanced than we would give them credit for,” Spier said. “Or perhaps they had access to a species of giant oysters that gave them such objects on a routine basis. Who can tell?”

Annja smiled. “Well, I suppose we won’t know for sure unless we manage to find it.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“How big is the pearl supposed to be?”

“Roughly the size of a child’s ball. Perhaps ten inches across.”

Annja sat back. “That would be massive for a pearl.”

“Absolutely.”

“And that would mean that if it came from an oyster, it would also have to have been huge.”

“Beyond measure almost,” Spier said.

Annja nodded. “Okay.”

Spier leaned forward. “Really?”

Annja smiled at him and then looked at Hans, who had remained silent throughout the story. “Well, it just so happens that I don’t have all that much going on aside from recovering from a mild concussion. So maybe a little excursion would be a good thing for me.”

“I assure you it will be,” Spier said. “The search for the pearl will prove to be a fantastic adventure, I’m certain of it.”

“Maybe we’ll even find it,” Annja said with a laugh.

Spier called for another round of drinks and then winked at Annja. “I’m almost positive that we will. Now that you have joined our expedition.”