The Last Templar

Chapter 85

"So you've seen the light. I'm really moved, Tess. Our infallible Church has got itself another convert." Vance's tone couldn't have been more mocking or more quietly threatening.

"Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!"

Reilly watched him draw nearer and felt his muscles tighten. Vance was bedraggled and looked thinner, more gaunt than he had before. He wore simple clothes, no doubt also a gift from another charitable islander. More importantly, he wasn't carrying a weapon, which was a relief. Reilly didn't exactly relish the idea of trying to disarm the professor, not in his current weakened condition.

Without a gun, though, and no doubt as worn out from getting thrashed around by the storm as he and Tess were, the professor didn't pose too much of a threat.

Vance kept approaching Tess, only now he was focusing on the codex in Reilly's hands. "It's as if it just wants to be found, isn't it? If I were a religious man," he scoffed, "I'd be tempted to think we were destined to find it."

Tess looked incredulous. "How did you—"

"Oh, much like you, I guess." Vance shrugged. "I woke up with my face in the sand and a couple of crabs eyeing me curiously, and just about managed to get myself to the monastery at Panormitis.

Father Spiros took me into their alms house. He didn't ask any questions, and I didn't feel any need to elaborate either. And that's where I saw you. I was delighted you had made it out too, which was more than I could have hoped for, but this ..." His eyes moved over the codex. It was as if he was entranced by it. "This is a real gift. May I?"

Reilly raised his hand in a halting manner. "No. That's close enough."

Vance stopped advancing. His face took on a bemused expression. "Come on. Look at us. By any measure, we should all be dead. Doesn't that tell you something?"

Reilly was unmoved. "It tells me you're going to be able to stand trial and spend a few years as a guest of our prison service."

Vance seemed to drift away in a disappointed, almost hurt look, then in one unhesitant move, he rushed at Tess, grabbing her with one arm around her neck, the other now holding a large diving knife inches from her throat.

"I'm sorry, Tess," he said, "but I'm with Agent Reilly on this. We can't just ignore what fate has gone out of its way to hand us. You were right the first time. The world does deserve to know." His eyes were blazing wildly, darting back and forth, keeping Reilly in check. "Give it to me," Vance ordered. "Quickly."

Reilly made a rapid study of the situation, but the knife was too close to Tess's throat for him to make a move, especially in his weakened state. It was safer to give Vance the codex and deal with him once Tess was out of harm's way. He made a calming gesture toward Vance with one hand.

"Just take it easy, all right? You can have the damn thing." He reached out with the other hand, the one holding the manuscript. "Here. Take it."

"No," Tess interjected angrily, "don't give it to him. We can't let him go public with it. It's our responsibility now. It's my responsibility."

Reilly shook his head. "It's not worth your life."

"Sean—"

"It's not worth it," he insisted, flashing her a look of hard resolve.

Vance smiled thinly. "Put it on the wall and back up. Slowly."

Reilly set it down on the rough stones and took a few steps back. Vance inched forward, awkwardly maneuvering Tess closer to the wall.

He stood over the codex for a few seconds, almost scared of touching it, before reaching out with trembling fingers and carefully lifting the cover open. He studied it in enraptured silence, turning over the sheets of parchment and mumbling " Veritas vos libembif to himself, a blissful calm now radiating from his weary features.

"I really would have liked you to be a part of this, Tess," he said softly to her. "You'll see. It's going to be wonderful."

And at that moment, Tess decided to make her move. She shoved his arm violently off her shoulder and darted away from him. Vance briefly lost his footing, and, as he reached out to balance himself, he lost his grip on the knife, which fell from his hand onto the low stone wall and clattered out of view, disappearing into the dry bushes behind it.

He straightened up, flipping the codex shut and grabbing it with both hands and saw that Reilly had positioned himself between him and the pathway leading out of the castle ruins, effectively blocking him. Tess was at his side.

"It's over," Reilly stated flatly.

Vance's eyes rocketed wide as if he'd been punched in the gut. He shot quick glances around him, hesitated briefly, then leaped over the low wall and bolted into the maze of ruins.

Reilly was quick to react, clambering over the wall and rushing after him. Within seconds, they had both disappeared behind the ancient stones.

"Come back!" Tess yelled out. "To hell with him, Sean! You're not well yet. Don't do this."

Although he heard her shouts, Reilly didn't stop. Instead, struggling over the soft ground, he was already climbing steadfastly upward, breathing heavily, hot on Vance's heels.