The Atlantis Stone

CHAPTER 55

In Virginia, Elizabeth eyed Nick and the others. The long flight from Egypt had left them looking like something Burps had dragged in from outside.

"You're certain nothing is left?"

"Not a chance," Nick said. "I've never seen anything burn as fast or as hot as that. Karimi said the heat brought down the roof. Everything is buried under tons of stone."

"Do we have any other leads we can follow? Selena?"

"There's nothing, Elizabeth. There might have been a clue in the undersea ruins but they're gone too. I had the stone in my hands but now it's gone. Whatever the secret was, it's lost."

"The French succeeded in translating the writing on the museum tablet. They're calling it a hoax."

"That doesn't surprise me," Selena said. "Anytime something new shows up challenging accepted dogma, people attack it. The French and everyone else will always resist any idea of an earlier civilization."

"General Karimi knows what happened," Nick said.

Elizabeth said, "He blamed the damage to the pyramid and the Sphinx on ISIS. The government is throwing money at him to protect what he calls 'Egypt's sacred history.' It's not to his advantage to say anything."

"No one would believe him anyway."

"There's been some interesting fallout in Russia," Elizabeth said. "Rostov's boss has been arrested. He's being accused of crimes against the state, whatever that means."

"It means Orlov blames him for what happened."

"That's my reading," Elizabeth said.

"Who's going to replace him?"

"No one knows. There are rumors Orlov may reconstitute the KGB and bring foreign and domestic security back under one roof. If he does, General Vysotsky could be the new director."

"Nothing ever changes, does it?" Lamont said.

"The Russians are consistent, if nothing else. In a way, it makes it easier to know what we're up against. Orlov is a throwback to the days of the Soviet Union. People don't want to admit it, but we're in a new Cold War."

"As long as it doesn't get hot," Ronnie said.

"It might get hot around here," Elizabeth said. "I've been subpoenaed."

"What? Why?" Nick asked.

"Congress is after DCI Hood. It's political. They're doing everything they can to discredit President Rice and his party before the election. Clarence is a sideshow that will play well in the media."

"Why you?"

"Because of this."

She passed over the picture from the tabloid.

"You can see what's happening. It's a perfect opportunity for the vultures in Congress who hate the idea that they can't control what we do. The president won't tell them what they want to know about our operations. They want to take down two birds with one stone, if you'll pardon the cliché. This picture is an excuse to start the hue and cry."

"Those assholes on the hill don't understand that we're fighting a war," Lamont said.

"They don't have to do the fighting," Ronnie said. "For them, it's a game they talk about in committees and watch on TV."

"This subpoena will cause problems," Elizabeth said. "I don't think any of you will get dragged in, but it's always possible. Meanwhile you deserve some time off. Enjoy it while you can. We're still in business and something's bound to come up."

"Are you and Hood seeing each other?" Selena asked.

Elizabeth blushed. Nick hadn't ever seen her do that before.

"He's only a friend," Elizabeth said.