The Atlantis Stone

CHAPTER 3

Elizabeth Harker opened the French doors onto the patio outside her office and contemplated the day ahead. Security be damned, it was too nice a day to leave the doors closed against the spring air. Later it would be humid and hot. This early in the morning, the breeze was cool and fresh. The scent of flowers and new grass drifted into the room.

Birds sang and chirped outside. She hoped the cat didn't catch one and bring it to her as a gift.

Usually she dressed in a black pantsuit and white blouse. Today she'd reversed the pattern. The suit was white, the blouse black. A gold and emerald pin in the shape of a Celtic knot graced her left breast. The emeralds picked up the vibrant green of her eyes.

Elizabeth liked to dress in black and white. It kept things simple. Her life was complicated enough without worrying about what she was going to wear. The habit had started when she was in law school and carried over when she went to work for the Justice Department.

She'd been part of the 9/11 task force but as the investigation progressed, she'd become uneasy and then concerned. She'd argued with the conclusions being fed to the media and the public about what had happened. Elizabeth was branded as someone who wasn't a team player and transferred to a dead-end job on an endless RICO investigation. She'd been about to resign when President Rice tapped her to head up the Project.

Rice had a problem with the intelligence agencies. Sometimes they thought they knew better than the White House what needed to be done. Critical information was withheld because someone decided Rice had no need to know. How the hell was he supposed to make good decisions when he didn't have all the facts he needed? He'd wanted a new agency that answered only to him. He'd wanted it small and out of the public eye, with someone to run it who would tell him the truth. It was Harker's maverick refusal to go along with the official story about 9/11 that had caught his eye

Elizabeth had built a team she was proud of, led by Nick. He was the first person she'd recruited, right out of a hospital bed in Bethesda. Sometimes he'd been difficult to handle but she'd never regretted the decision.

Selena entered the picture when her wealthy uncle was found tortured and murdered. A personal friend of the president, Rice asked Elizabeth to look into it as a favor. Events piled on one another and now Selena was part of the team. She'd earned it, the hard way. She had the bullet wounds and scars to prove it.

The other two members of the field team were Ronnie Peete and Lamont Cameron. Both had been badly wounded in Germany during the last mission. Ronnie had been a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. Lamont had been a Navy SEAL before coming to the Project.

Elizabeth worried about them. Years of wounds and surgeries were beginning to take a toll on their bodies. It was true for Nick as well. Selena had never been in the military but after few years in the Project she was catching up to the others.

The team always seemed to find the sharp end of the sword. Elizabeth prayed they would all continue for a while longer. She couldn't imagine replacing any of them.

The last piece of her team was Stephanie Willits. Steph was as good with the computer as the others were with their weapons. With Steph at the keyboard, the Crays downstairs were a powerful resource at Elizabeth's command. If there was anything Stephanie couldn't do with a computer, Elizabeth didn't know what it was. She was essential to the success of the Project.

Stephanie walked into the room.

Elizabeth said, "I was just thinking about you."

"Nothing bad, I hope."

"Not at all. I was thinking how grateful I am that we work together."

Steph smiled at her. "It's mutual."

"You look chipper today," Elizabeth said.

"I think Lucas and I have finally gotten past what happened."

What had happened was a highway ambush by assassins trying to take out the team. Three months pregnant, Stephanie had lost the baby. Lucas Monroe was the Director of Clandestine Services at Langley and her lover. He'd been driving the car and seriously wounded at the same time. The aftermath had been days of dark depression and grief.

"We're going to try again," Stephanie said. "The doctor said there's no reason we couldn't have another child. We weren't ready before now." She paused. "I wasn't ready."

"Steph, that's wonderful. I'm so happy for you. I think it's the right thing for both of you."

"What's on the agenda this morning?"

"Nick and Selena will be here any moment. Ronnie and Lamont are over at Walter Reed for checkups. For once there doesn't seem to be a fire we have to put out."

"That won't last long," Stephanie said. "We'd better enjoy it while we can."

"We haven't done anything together for fun in quite a while. I thought we could all have lunch at that new restaurant in Georgetown. If we go early enough, we'll get a good table."

"That's a great idea," Nick said through the open door.

He came into the room with Selena. They took seats on a long leather couch facing Elizabeth's desk.

"Where are Ronnie and Lamont?" Selena asked.

"Getting checked out at Walter Reed."

"What are we looking at this morning?" Nick asked.

"I was just telling Steph things are quiet."

Selena said, "This may change that."

She handed Sokolov's letter with the map and photograph to Elizabeth.

Stephanie said, "I told you it wouldn't last long."

Elizabeth examined the photograph.

"A stone pillar? What's that on it?"

"Two kinds of writing. An early version of hieroglyphics and a variation of Linear A. That picture was taken in Egypt. I've only made a partial translation but I think we have to follow up on it."

"What does it say?" Steph asked.

Selena told them what she had gotten so far.

Elizabeth looked at her as if she'd been smoking something.

"That is the most bizarre thing I have ever heard you say. This inscription is about Atlantis?"

"It's possible."

"Why do you think that? It could be about the Minoans. They were surrounded by water."

"That's what Nick said. That would make sense except for the part about moving heavy stones using an unknown force. Judging from the letter, the Russians are taking it seriously. That's why we have to pay attention. We need to look for that pillar."

Stephanie said, "What if this Yuri Sokolov isn't who he claims to be? The letter could be misdirection on the part of the Russians."

"Why send it to Selena?" Nick asked.

"It could be a trick to draw the team out."

"And I thought I was paranoid."

Steph played with gold bracelets on her left wrist. "You know they'd love to create trouble for us."

"Sure, but there are easier ways to do it."

Elizabeth said, "Steph, see what you can find out about Sokolov. Also the friend of the Czar mentioned in the letter. There might be a record of him."

"I'll get right on it."

"Selena, how long will it take you to translate the rest of that inscription in the photograph?"

"I don't know. I'll start working on it right away."

There goes lunch, Elizabeth thought.

"I guess I'll have to settle for that."