The Alexandria Link

Daniels faced her. “That was the preferable way. But Larry specializes in survival. And I have to say, he’s good at it.”

“What’s he got on you?” Stephanie asked.

Her audacity seemed to please rather than anger him. “Other than those compromising pictures of me with a goat, not all that much.”

She gri

“Yes, it did. I see what they say about you, Stephanie. Aggravating you can be. How about we return to my question, which neither of you seems to think is important. Why did Brent Green want to talk directly with Cotton?”

She recalled what Daley said in the museum. “Daley told me Brent is bucking to be the next vice president.”

“Which brings us to the purpose of this gathering.” Daniels leaned back and started rocking again. “I like to play the good ol‘ boy. Part of my Te

She wanted to ask who, but decided to let him talk.

“Something has been placed in motion, which all started when Cotton Malone’s boy was taken. Luckily, with Malone, these folks have no idea who they’re dealing with. He’ll give ‘ em fits. Which gives us an opportunity to flesh things out. One of my uncles used to say, Want to kill snakes? Simple. Set fire to the underbrush and wait for them to slither out. Then you can whack their heads off. That’s what we’re going to do here.”

Cassiopeia shook her head. “Like I said, what you have, Mr. President, is a mess. I’ve only been involved for a day or two, but I have no idea who’s telling the truth.”

“Including me?”

Cassiopeia’s emerald eyes tightened. “Including you.”

“That’s good. You should be suspicious.” His voice rang of sincerity. “But I need your help. That’s why I fired you, Stephanie. You needed freedom of movement. Now you have it.”

“To do what?”

“Find my traitor.”

SIXTY

VIENNA

11:20 PM

THORVALDSEN LED GARY FROM THE CHÂTEAU’S SECOND FLOOR down to ground level. He’d heard nothing more from Alfred Herma

“That was neat,” Gary said. “Butterflies land right on your plate.”

Thorvaldsen had visited the schmetterlinghaus several times and also found it fascinating. He’d even thought of adding one to Christiangade.

“They’re remarkable creatures that require great care.”

“Place was like a tropical forest.”

Neither one of them could sleep. Gary was apparently a night person, too. So they made their way into Herma

Thorvaldsen had heard earlier that the Blue Chair intended to meet with the Economic Committee. Those discussions should go on for a while, which would give him time to read and prepare. Tomorrow’s Assembly would be one of decision. Debate needed to be to the point and accurate. Everyone would leave on Sunday. The Assembly was never a prolonged affair. Staff and committees narrowed issues to only the ones that required a collective vote. These were then presented, discussed, and resolved-the Order’s course set for the coming months until spring.

So he needed to be ready.

The cavernous library was two stories tall and encased with shiny walnut paneling. A black marble fireplace flanked by baroque figurines and a French tapestry dominated one wall. Built-in shelves sheathed the remaining three top-to-bottom, the room crowned with a dramatic ceiling painting that made it appear open to the sky.

A spiral staircase corkscrewed a path to the upper shelves. He clung to a slick iron rail and slowly climbed the narrow risers.

“What are we doing here?” Gary asked when they reached the top.

“I want to read something.”

He knew of the podium in Herma

“The Bible was the first book created when printing was finally perfected in the fifteenth century. Gutenberg produced many Bibles. This is one. As I told you earlier, you should read it.”

Gary stared at the book and Thorvaldsen knew the lad could not appreciate the significance. So he said, “These words changed the course of human history. They altered humankind’s social development and forged political systems. This and the Koran may be the two most important books on the planet.”

“How can words be that important?”

“It’s not simply words, Gary. It’s what we do with them. After Gutenberg began mass printing, books quickly spread. They weren’t cheap, but by 1500 they were common. More access to information meant more dissent, more informed discussion, more widespread criticism of authority. Information changed the world. Made it a different place.” He motioned at the Bible. “And this book changed everything.”

He carefully opened the front cover.

“What language is that?” Gary asked.

“Latin.” He sca

“You can read it?”

He smiled at the incredulous tone. “I was taught as a child.” He tapped the boy’s chest. “You ought to learn, too.”

“What would I do if I did?”

“For one thing, you could read this Bible.”

He motioned at the index. “Thirty-nine books. Jews revere the first five. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They tell the tale of the ancient people of Israel from the creation of the world, through the Great Flood, the Exodus from Egypt, the wanderings in the desert, to the giving of the Law to Moses at Sinai. Quite an epic.”

He knew that to Jews those writings meant a great deal. As did the next division, prophets-Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings-which recounted the story of the Israelites from their crossing the River Jordan, to the conquest of Canaan, the rise and fall of their many kingdoms, and their defeat at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians.

“These books,” he said to Gary, “supposedly tell us how history unfolded for the people of Israel thousands of years before Christ. They were a people whose destiny was tied directly to God and the promises He made.”

“But that was a long time ago?”

He nodded. “Four thousand years in the past. Yet Arabs and Jews have warred with one another ever since trying to prove them true.”

He slowly paged through to Genesis and found the passage he’d come to study. “The Lord said to Abram, lift up now your eyes and look from the place where you are northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land which you see, to you I will give it, and to your seed forever.” He paused. “Those words have cost millions their lives.”

He silently read again the six most important words.

“What is it?” Gary asked.

He stared at the boy. How many times had Cai asked him the same thing? His son not only had practiced their faith, but had learned Latin and read the Bible, too. He’d been a good man. But another victim of senseless violence.

“The truth is important,” he said, more to himself than Gary.

From the place where you are.

“Have you heard from Dad?” Gary asked.