The Resurrection Tablet - A James Acton Thriller Book #34 Page 5

  “Is something on your mind, my son?”

  He frowned before indicating her stomach. “You realize as soon as he is born, I become nothing.”

  She rubbed her belly. “And what if it is a girl?”

  He grunted. “Obviously, you aren’t aware of my luck. It will be a boy and he will be emperor.”

  “You are already emperor, and will be twenty years his senior. You have nothing to fear.”

  “I am emperor in name only, and you know that. Before you married, you were emperor. You didn’t trust me to rule.”

  She gave him a look. “You weren’t ready to rule. You still aren’t ready to rule, and you know it. It is why you spend so many hours with the tutors, so you will eventually take over from me when I feel you are ready.”

  He laughed. “You forget you have a husband now. As long as he lives, I will never be emperor. By marrying him, you have sealed my fate, and the fate of the Doukai family’s claim to the throne.”

  She regarded him for a moment. “Who have you been speaking with?”

  He shifted in his chair. “What do you mean?”

  “Someone is putting these thoughts in your head. You were never concerned with such things before.”

  “I’m twenty now. It’s time I thought of my future.”

  She pursed her lips. Something was wrong. Her son had shown little interest in the throne, content to let her rule after his father’s death, and had expressed his understanding of how important his continuing education was.

  Something twigged. Zographos had reported earlier in the week that Caesar John Doukas had been seen in the palace, yet he hadn’t paid her a visit as was customary. The awarded title of Caesar had gone to the man’s head. Unlike the days of old when a Caesar meant Emperor, it was no longer so in Roman Constantinople. It was awarded by the emperor to sons or relatives with little hope of inheriting the throne, or as a reward for loyalty.

  It was bad form for the man to not pay his respects.

  “Caesar John visited you, didn’t he?”

  Another shift and a turn of the head away from her.

  “Tell me the truth.”

  Still no response.

  “Now!” she snapped.

  Michael flinched. “Yes.”

  “When?”

  “Two days ago.”

  “Where?”

  “In my chambers.”

  “And what was said?”

  Another hesitation before he turned to face her, his eyes pools of tears. “Nothing of importance, I swear! He merely asked me how I felt to no longer be the true emperor, and how I felt that Father’s family had been forced out of the empire’s future with your betrayal.”

  Her entire body shook with rage. It was one thing to make such claims to her, but to her son? It was inexcusable. Yet was it? He was a man, though barely, and was to rule one day. Difficult conversations couldn’t be avoided when leader, and he needed to get used to that fact. But still, for John to do such a thing was beyond the pale. He was family, and to talk in such a way to a boy about his mother was unforgivable.

  But a question had to be asked. She drew a slow breath, steadying her rage. “Do you believe I betrayed your father?”

  Michael turned away once again. “You made a promise to him, then you broke that promise.”

  “I did it for you. I did it so that there would be an empire left for you to rule when you are ready.”

  “Nonsense.”

  The response took her aback and she recoiled from the venomous tone. “Nonsense?”

  “I’ve seen you two when you think you’re alone. You love him. More than I ever saw you love Father.”

  Now the truth of the matter was emerging. This had nothing to do with her son’s future on the throne, and everything to do with a perceived betrayal of his father—and not the betrayal of a promise made on the man’s deathbed. “Michael, I loved your father. Deeply.”

  “Don’t lie! He’s been dead barely a year, yet you carry another man’s child!”

  She pursed her lips. “Perhaps one day, when you love someone and lose them, you’ll understand that the heart has the capacity to love more than one person. But you’ve never loved, so you can’t understand how it works. I loved your father, and I still love him. There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think of him, and wish he were here. But he’s not, and there’s nothing you or I can do about that. The promise I made to your father not to marry again had to do with love, but also with preserving the throne for you and your brother. It was a promise I was happy to make because I love you both, and at the time, your father and I both believed it was the right decision.

  “What you may not realize, is that it was his idea, not mine. He was always thinking of his empire, and your future, as was I, and as am I. Our enemies are growing stronger, and we are being challenged on all sides with an army that can’t defend us, nor in some cases can be trusted to as they are paid mercenaries. People like your Uncle John began plotting behind our backs almost immediately, and the discord among the noble families has been growing. My advisors and I agreed that I would need to remarry to install a military emperor on the throne to save the empire. You have to understand, that the decision was political, not emotional.”

  “Yet you carry his child and cavort with him like some schoolgirl.”

  She sighed, shaking her head. “Yes, in time I have come to love Romanus. I don’t deny that. Would you rather your mother be miserable and alone for the rest of her life? Or would you rather see her happy, remembering that she still loves your father as much as she ever did, but accepts the fact he is gone, long before his time?”

  Michael’s shoulders shook as he buried his head in his hands. “I miss Father so much!”

  She hurried to his side and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. “And I miss him too. You must believe me.”

  “I-I don’t know what to believe anymore. Uncle John said some horrible things, and I fear he means to do you and Romanus harm.”

  She bristled, pushing back slightly and taking her son by the chin, directing his eyes toward hers. “Tell me exactly what he said. Leave no detail out.”

  12 |

  Istanbul Ataturk Airport Istanbul, Turkey Present Day

  Acton stepped onto the tarmac, an experience he was still getting used to. Flying around the world on private jets thanks to his wife’s membership in a lease-share network was a delight, but there was still something to be said about the airconditioned jetway that protected one from the elements.

  Like the oppressive heat he now suffered, something his friend Reading would be already cursing.

  The thought of his friend had him concerned. Reading was recovering from his ordeal in Thailand, but it would be a long haul. The physical wounds would heal, though the scars would be a constant reminder of what had been done to him. His heart would recover now that the stent had been inserted and his physical therapy regimen had begun. It was the psychological scars that Acton was concerned about. On several occasions they had heard him crying out in the night, as if waking from nightmares they could only imagine. Laura had tried to talk to their friend about it, but he had refused, and had refused the offer of a therapist.

  He was too damned proud.

  Reading was old school, too old school for his own good sometimes. They had discussed it and decided the best thing to do was to continue with the convalescence, have him physically recover, then make another attempt at the psychological once more time had passed. It was all they could do.

  A young woman from the charter terminal hailed him with a smile. “Professor Acton! Welcome to Istanbul. If you would follow me, I’ll get you cleared through customs. I believe your driver is already here.”

  Acton followed her. “My driver?”

  “Yes, someone from a university I believe. I’m sorry, I can’t remember which one. You weren’t expecting them?”

  “Frankly, it hadn’t been discussed. I was just going to rent a vehicle.”

  “Well, it looks like they’re giving you the royal treatment. You won’t need to.”

  Acton chuckled. “I prefer to drive myself, but I’m not familiar with the streets here, so maybe it’s for the best.”

  She laughed as she held open the door for him. “A man with a private jet that prefers to drive himself. Wonders never cease.”

  Acton quickly cleared customs, one of the best perks of private jet travel, then was directed to a man in a chauffeur’s uniform.

  “Professor Acton?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m Kenan. I’ve been contracted by the university to take you anywhere you need to go during your stay here.”

  “Terrific. I guess the first stop should be my hotel, then once I’m freshened up, we’ll probably be going to the dig site. Do you know where that is?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ve been given all the key destinations by the university. You’re in good hands, sir.”

  Acton smiled. “Happy to hear it.” He followed the man outside, a porter bringing his luggage, and immediately doubted the claim of good hands when he spotted the vehicle that was to transport him around the city. An SUV built by a notorious British carmaker. He kept his mouth shut and climbed in the back as the luggage was loaded. He put on his seatbelt and examined his surroundings. He had to admit they were plush, certainly far nicer than his beater, but you could put lipstick on a pig of an electrical system, and it was still a pig of an electrical system.

  Kenan climbed in the driver’s seat then pulled them away from the curb, merging into the airport traffic. “I’ll give you some privacy, sir.”

  A panel rose, separating them, the vehicle obviously customized for its purpose, and Acton sank his head back into the sumptuous leather, closing his eyes. A hissing sound
had him sitting up and opening his eyes, searching for the source. He spotted smoke coming from the floor and immediately his thoughts turned to the car having caught on fire, just as he would expect from a piece of shit like this.

  He slammed his fist on the divider. “There’s smoke coming in back here!”

  But there was no response.

  He tried to open the window but it wouldn’t work, then he tried the door handle to no avail. He held his breath as long as he could as he continued to hammer on the divider then attempted to break the window with his elbow. His lungs screamed in agony as they burned, demanding oxygen, and finally he gave up, gasping in lungsful of air, the mist that now surrounded him inhaled rapidly with none of the effects he would expect from smoke.

  This was no electrical fire.

  And he was being ignored on purpose.

  He became drowsy within seconds before finally passing out, wondering just who Kenan was, and who he worked for.

  He was definitely not from the university.

  13 |

  Acton/Palmer Residence St. Paul, Maryland

  Laura paced back and forth in front of Reading, a thumbnail clamped firmly in her teeth. The conversation with Giasson had been terrifying. If the Keepers of the One Truth were aware of the tablet, then James was in trouble. They had essentially ordered the Vatican to not interfere with their warning to the Inspector General, and from what Giasson had said, they wouldn’t get involved.

  They couldn’t. The Vatican, while officially a country, didn’t interfere in things such as this, though Giasson had indicated he would contact his counterpart in Ankara. He didn’t hold out much hope, however, since things in Turkey were turning more fundamentalist by the day since the election of Erdogan. Any hope that country ever had of joining the European Union was dead, and she was certain politicians the continent over were thankful they had never agreed to let them join, since this was exactly what they had feared.

  But none of that helped her now. If the Turkish authorities wouldn’t cooperate, then they were on their own. She could only hope they still believed in law and order, and that they would do the right thing, despite the warning coming from their religious rivals.

  She growled. Nine times out of ten the problems of this world seemed tied to religion, though perhaps that wasn’t fair. China and North Korea had no official religion, and Russians were just led by a lunatic.

  And again, her thoughts were of no help.

  “Sit down. You’re going to wear a hole in the rug.”

  She paused, stared at Reading for a moment, then sat. “I feel so helpless.”

  “He just landed. He’ll get your messages and take precautions. He’s a smart man.”

  “He’s a smart man who despite that, does stupid things.”

  “Pot, meet kettle.”

  She glared at him then laughed. “You’re right. I’m no better.” She checked her phone again, and it still indicated the messages hadn’t been received yet. It didn’t make sense. As soon as he had landed his phone should have connected to the local cellular network and his messages should have come through.

  Something was wrong.

  “Could they already know he was coming?”

  Reading shrugged. “We have no idea how well connected they are. They had a deep-cover operative in the Vatican once before, and I have no doubt they still do. Someone from inside Mario’s office could be feeding them everything. They might not have known when Jim got in the air, but they probably knew by the time he landed.”

  “And if they did know, what do you think they would do?”

  Reading sighed. “There’s no reason to harm him, at least not initially. They would probably warn him off somehow. Threaten him.”

  “But shouldn’t we have still heard from him? I can’t see them abducting him at the airport.”

  “Remember Rome? You two were abducted right off the tarmac.”

  She shivered at the memory. It wasn’t the Keepers that had kidnapped them, but it was the same event that introduced them. “I’m worried. Really worried.”

  “Check the flight.”

  She did again, and it confirmed what she already knew. It had landed on schedule, in fact, a few minutes before. Plenty of time had already passed for him to clear customs and to get a rental, though perhaps there had been trouble there. “Maybe they were out of cars, so he’s waiting.”

  Reading nodded. “Definitely possible, though it doesn’t explain why his messages haven’t been received.”

  “Perhaps he forgot to charge his phone and it’s dead.”

  “That’s a definite possibility. Right now, we could be worrying about nothing.”

  A thought occurred to Laura that had her dialing Mary, their travel agent.

  “Hello, Laura, what can I do for you?”

  “Hi Mary, I can’t reach James. There’s a situation developing and I need to reach him. The computer says he landed almost twenty minutes ago, but—”

  “I’m on it. I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

  “Thank you.” She ended the call then turned to Reading. “If anyone can find out, it’s her.”

  Reading grunted. “I still want to know who she is. That woman is far too well connected to just be a travel agent.”

  “Like I said, she worked for my brother then offered her services to me. Other than that, I’ve never even met her. She’s just a voice on the other end of the phone.”

  “Mysteriouser and mysteriouser.”

  “You detectives and your suspicious minds.”

  “You’re not suspicious?”

  She shrugged. “Why look a gift horse in the mouth? She does amazing things for us, so why pry? If she wanted us to know, she’d tell us. Right now, I’m just happy she’s on our side.”

  Her phone rang and she held it up so he could see the call display.

  It was Mary.

  Laura answered and put it on speaker so Reading could hear. “Hi, Mary, did you find out anything?”

  “I did, and you’re not going to like it.”

  A lump formed in Laura’s throat as her stomach flipped. “What?” she asked, her voice barely a murmur.

  “Your husband landed, cleared customs, then was taken by a chauffeur from the university.”

  Laura’s eyes narrowed. “A chauffeur? He was supposed to arrange a rental. There was no vehicle arranged by the university.”

  “You’re right, there wasn’t. I called Professor Boran and he confirmed no driver had been sent. He said there was no budget for such things.”

  “Then who picked up James?”

  “I don’t know, but whoever it was had help.”

  Reading leaned closer. “This is Hugh Reading. What do you mean?”

  “His phone was never registered to the cellular network in Istanbul. That means there was some sort of jammer blocking the signal. His driver couldn’t have done that, since he’d be inside the terminal, and anything strong enough to reach the tarmac would have taken out too many phones not to be noticed. It had to be somebody in close proximity to Mr. Acton.”

  Laura thought back on their previous experiences at private terminals. “Like the greeter.” She gasped. “Or the porter! He would have been out there waiting to take the luggage, then followed them into the terminal then to the car.”

  “Either is a definite possibility. Either way, it means this was well-organized by people who knew where and when your husband would be there, with enough time to plan this.”

  Laura blanched. “The Keepers of the One Truth.”

  “Who?”

  “Nothing. Umm, keep us posted if you hear anything else. And see if you can move up that flight for me to Istanbul.”

  “Understood. There’s one other thing you should know about.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Your security team’s plane was delayed leaving Cairo. They just landed five minutes ago.”

  Reading frowned. “That seems far too coincidental.”

  “With what you’ve told me, yes, it does.”

  Laura picked up the phone. “Thanks for your help, Mary. Get back to me when the flight is arranged.”

  “Will do. And one more thing?”

  “Yes?”

  “Next time you need to reach your husband urgently on a plane, call me. I could have simply contacted the pilot.”