The Nostradamus File

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"I need a couple of days to go to California," Nick said. Elizabeth waited. "My mother is ill and she's probably not going to make it. There are things I have to take care of. Family stuff."

Nick's family consisted of his mother and his sister Shelley. Nick didn't get along with his sister and he never would, as best he could tell. They never had, not as kids, not now. He didn't want to make this trip, but he had to go.

"Get back as soon as you can. I need you here." Harker picked up her pen and set it down. "I'm sorry, Nick."

Nick nodded. "It's not unexpected. I'll go today."

When he'd left, Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and looked out at the flowers in the garden behind the house. No one would dream that millions of dollars worth of high end computers and hi-tech weaponry lay underneath.

She didn't miss the old building. Her old office didn't have windows or natural light. Here there was the garden to distract her when her mind got clogged with the endless, devious details of her job. Her father would have understood. The Judge had loved flowers. He'd spent hours cultivating his garden in the Colorado summer evenings. He'd loved to talk about the garden.

Flowers are a lot simpler to please than people. A little food, the right amount of water, good earth to grow in, a place in the sun and they're happy. Seems like humans ought to be able to learn something from that.

She smiled at the memory.

Her thoughts turned to the Ark. The whole thing was probably a dangerous waste of time. Her team would be going into harm's way looking for something that might not exist. And what if it did exist? What if they managed against all odds to find it? What then?

The Israelis would never tolerate possession of the Ark by anyone except themselves. Nor would the Muslims, either Sunni or Shia. All three groups would kill each other to obtain it and her team could get caught in the crossfire.

Finding the Ark would just be the beginning. It was a good thing it wasn't up to her to decide what would be done with it if they succeeded. That would fall on the President's shoulders. Elizabeth didn't envy him the responsibility.

She had enough of her own.