Book of JUDAS

Chapter Sixteen-2

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hans. My colleague Anna and I have been looking forward to this exciting opportunity.”

Anna was crouched next to her open case detaching and re-attaching a new lens in the most professional manner she could. Philip smiled to himself. I wonder if she feels the pressure of eight or so pairs of eyes that have been glued to her since she clambered over the rail.

“How would you like to proceed?” asked Hans in a friendly manner. He had glimpsed the National Geographic tags around their necks. The thought of their being impostors never entered his mind for a second. After all, who on earth would want to do such a thing! And for what reason!

“We could go down to my cabin and start from there if you like?” he suggested with a polite smile.

“That sounds a perfect idea – but would it be possible for Anna to get some shots of the relics while we do the interview? Unfortunately we don’t have as much time as we would like and…”

Before he had finished one of the European men stepped forward.

“I could show her the relics,” he suggested eagerly to Hans.

The captain looked momentarily upset. He too liked the idea of being the centre of attention in the company of such a beautiful lady.

“Yes, I guess that’d be Ok,” he replied sullenly, his German accent slipping slightly and reinforcing the fact that he was not entirely overjoyed with the arrangement.

Anna noticed his dismay and quickly came to his rescue.

“Maybe I could come on to your cabin afterwards and take some pictures of you in your ‘natural habitat’?” Anna suggested with a broad smile.

Hans’s reserve melted. In his mid-forties with blond hair and matching trimmed beard, the thought of appearing in such a distinguished journal with worldwide distribution excited him.

“Very good,” he nodded, and turned to lead Philip along the deck to the stairs leading down to his cabin. Philip sent a knowing glance to Anna before following on his heels.

Anna turned to face her guide.

“My name is Biscan − can I carry your case for you?” he asked keenly. He had never seen anyone so beautiful before.

He was probably the youngest member of the greeting party. Wearing white knee-length shorts, deck shoes and with a youthful, tanned chest, he had a thick East European accent, or maybe even Russian, she thought.

“Thanks,” she replied kindly. “Do you mind if we go and see the relics now?”

She did not want to spend any more time on board than they had to.

“Come this way,” he said, picking up the case. He led her to a ladder that ran down into the hull and the deck below. Biscan went first and waited for her at the bottom. I’m sure there must be stairs to this level, she thought as she felt his hands on her waist, helping her down the last few rungs. Hiding the urge to push his hands away, she reached the bottom and brushed her waist before turning to thanked him with a polite smile.

They seemed to traipse the whole length of the wooden deck until they reached a set of double doors in the bow of the ship. He turned the round doorknob and pushed through into a cabin that matched the V-shape at the ship’s bow.

She hadn’t expected this. She had imagined that the treasures would be held somewhere on board wrapped up in cloth in a safe storage space. Instead she gasped in amazement; this was like an exhibit room in a national museum. Items were neatly laid out in flat, glass-cases at table-height that ran down the length of ship wall and then again in the middle of the room. The space between showcases had been carpeted to form a walkway. To Anna this was like Aladdin’s cave – she slowly edged along the worn red carpet marvelling at the treasures on show. Occasionally she looked up at the wooden cabinets attached to the wall holding fragments of ancient pottery

“Amazing,” she murmured, and leant over to see if she could lift the glass case.

Just then she heard the cough and realised that Biscan was standing a few feet behind her watching her every move. I should be taking pictures, she thought and reached down for her camera.

“Do the glass cases open?” she enquired. “I’d like to get some shots with more natural light closer to the windows.”

“Sure, no problem,” he said, showing her how the glass cabinet simply lifted from the front on hinges fastened at the back.

“Thank you,” she replied and placed what looked like a stone carving of an animal onto the table near one of the large portholes. It had been worn down by centuries of tides at the bottom of the sea. I must look like I know what I’m doing, she thought, peering through the viewfinder and turning the camera ninety degrees before snapping a shot.

As she played with the focus, she saw it. The blood red tip glinted as she stared through the lens. Slowly she lowered the camera. I’ve found it! It was a thin crooked fragment of bone, about seven or eight inches long, with a round polished end. The blood-red colour was so bright it did not look natural.

He followed her gaze as she moved automatically towards it.

“Unusual isn’t it,” came the thick accent. Must be Russian, she decided.

“Sorry,” she replied rapidly pretending not to hear and quickly turned her attention and lens on another ancient relic in the cabinet opposite. She cursed herself. She didn’t want to give the impression she was overly interested in the arkheynia.

Suddenly standing up straight, she winced, pinching the bridge of her nose for added effect.

“I’ve got a bad headache, maybe too much sun − do you have any tablets?”

Biscan was mesmerised by her every move. At that moment he nodded his head. He would have done anything to gain favour and if there were tablets to be found on board the ship he would surely find them as quickly as he could.

“We’ve got a medical kit down below; I’ll be back in two minutes.”

She waited till he’d left the room then moved to the double doors to make sure it was shut; she could hear him running down the ship’s deck ahead. I could do without him being so keen, she thought. I haven’t got much time. She raced back to the cabinet housing the missing arkheynia and tried to pull up the glass top as she’d seen Biscan doing earlier. It was sticking but with an extra effort it jerked up and she grabbed the needle-like fragment of bone. Where can I put it? she thought. It was too awkward a shape to fit in any pockets. I haven’t got much time. She imagined the young Biscan hurrying back, taking the rungs of the ladder, three at a time.

There’s only one place I can put it, she judged and pulled out a white handkerchief from one of khaki tunic pockets. She wrapped up the fragment of bone not only to protect it but also to protect herself from some of the spikes and serrated edges. Once it was rolled up, she lifted the back of her jacket and pushed it into the waistband of her jeans. She made sure her shirt covered the part that ran up her back.

Quickly she started arranging the other artefacts in the cabinet to make sure the space left by the arkheynia was camouflaged. Dropping the lid carefully to make sure there was no noise, she picked up her case and darted to the other side of the room. Lifting the camera, she started rattling off some shots just as eager Biscan entered the room looking slightly out of breath.

“Here,” he stretched out his hand with two oval Solpadine capsules.

“Thanks,” she smiled, taking them off his palm. Pulling a small bottle of water out of her pocket, she popped them in her mouth and took a swig.

“You know I think I’ve got enough pictures of the artefacts now. Would it be possible to go upstairs so I can get some shots of Hans and maybe a few of the other crew members?” she asked.

Biscan’s face dropped, he looked upset. Is it because I’ve been so quick doing the photo shoot or because he wants to be down here with me a bit longer on his own? Probably the latter, she thought wryly.

She lifted the camera case over her shoulder and walked along the tired old carpet towards the exit. Biscan held back and she sensed him looking across the room to where the arkheynia had stored. Turning back sharply, she smiled at him and put her hand on his forearm.

“You know you’ve been incredibly helpful − do you ever get much shore leave?”

His face lit up and he followed her like an obedient dog as they walked along the deck of the ship. In his deep Russian accent he eagerly explained all the dates when he could be expected to be on dry land over the forthcoming weeks. Anna pretended to be interested until they reached the captain’s cabin.

Philip was sitting the other side of Hans’s desk looking serious and earnestly taking notes on the questions he had prepared earlier. He looked into the face of Anna and received a glance that told him immediately that she had been successful.

“That’ll be all,” Hans said to Biscan, who trudged out slovenly with his shoulders slumped.

“Sorry to interrupt − all I need is some shots of Hans himself,” said Anna, trying to muster as much excitement for the task as possible. “In fact behind the desk would probably be the best. When we publish this article the editor normally likes the headlines to be accompanied by a head and shoulder shot of the main character,” she added as she adjusted her camera lens.

Philip smiled. She was certainly playing the part.

Twenty minutes later after several re-arrangements of backdrops and two rolls of film, Anna announced that she was satisfied with her collection.

“Would you mind sending me some copies directly?” asked Hans as he handed out a business card with a company address in Hanover.

“No problem,” said Philip getting to his feet. “I think we’ve got a great piece and I imagine the article will be run in June.”

The sun was still beating down as they walked along the deck thanking their hosts for their gracious hospitality. The same crew members who had gathered on their arrival, congregated to wave them off. Biscan handed over the camera case he had been carrying for Anna and received what he thought was a knowing smile in return. Philip looked down from the side and waved to Simon, who saw him immediately and sprang into action, firing up the engines with a roar and navigating the boat back towards the ladder.

We’re nearly there; we’re going to make it, thought Anna.

The captain reached out and gave her his hand as she clambered over the railing onto the ladder running down the side of the craft. She began the descent as Simon steered the boat over the wake caused by the ship’s hull of the ship as it rose and fell in the water. Simon looked up at Anna as she descended the ladder rung by rung with her back to him. What’s that sticking out from her waistband? he thought as he pulled closer and then the realisation suddenly dawned on him. Unbeknown to the crew members on the top deck, she had hidden the artefact by stuffing it in her back pocket, still partially wrapped in her white handkerchief. Her khaki tunic had hidden the eight-inch bone fragment from sight when they were on board the ship but totally failed to cover it as she descended. Slipping from side to side, it looked very precarious as she edged her way down the side of the boat. Trying to keep the boat steady, he watched as it began to work its way loose from the back of her waistband. Oh my god, it’s falling out! he thought in a moment of panic. The same thing must have been going through Anna’s mind for in the next second, she let go of one side of the ladder and pushed her arm behind her back to try and push it more securely into place. Disaster! Clumsily her hand only managed to loosen the ancient relic further from her waistband; she wanted to shout as she felt it slipping.