“The seller only wanted us to have a taste,” said Kari. “He claims that the front of the artifact has markings that may be of use to us-but he won’t let us see them until we agree to pay him.”
“How much does he want?” Chase asked.
“Ten million dollars.”
“Bloody hell. That’s a lot for a fancy ruler.”
“It might be worth even more than that,” Nina said. Even though she knew there was nothing there, she couldn’t help reaching out a finger for an experimental touch. The tip of her nail sank into the hologram, part of the image disappearing where her finger obstructed the laser beams generating it. “It’s orichalcum, isn’t it?”
“So it seems.” Frost held up a small glass dish containing a little piece of metal the same color as the bar. “As well as the hologram, he also sent us a sample. He claims that he cut it from the side of the artifact.” Nina saw a small nick in one side of the hologram. “I ran a metallurgical test. It’s a gold-copper alloy, but with very unusual levels of carbon and sulfur, which would account for its color.”
“Consistent with volcanism?”
“Yes.”
“Which would match what Plato said about orichalcum in Critias!” Nina’s excitement rose as she realized the implications.
“Wait, what?” Chase asked. “Sorry, but when somebody says volcanism to me, I think of Mr. Spock.”
“According to Plato, orichalcum-a rare metal-was mined in Atlantis,” Nina explained. “But there’s no room for any unknown elements in the periodic table, which means it had to be an alloy of other metals. But you don’t mine alloys, you make them-unless they were formed by some natural process. Volcanic activity could have caused deposits of gold and copper to fuse together into a new substance, and if there were sufficient quantities, it could have been dug out of the rock.”
“The Atlanteans used orichalcum to cover the walls of their citadel,” said Kari. “They considered it nearly as valuable as gold-which it is, because of the high gold content-but an object like this would be worth far more than just its weight in precious metals. If it’s genuine, then it would be the first true Atlantean artifact ever discovered-proof that Atlantis exists.”
Frost nodded to Schenk, who switched on the lights. The hologram faded, losing its illusion of solidity. “So where is it? Who has it?” Nina asked.
“The seller is called Yuri Volgan,” began Frost. “He used to be one of Qobras’s men. Apparently he wants to leave the Brotherhood, and also wants enough money to hide from Qobras by selling this artifact. He sent the orichalcum fragment and the hologram to us via an intermediary, an Iranian called Failed Ajar.”
Nina frowned. “I’ve heard the name.”
“I’m not surprised. He sells ancient Persian artifacts-that aren’t supposed to be for sale.”
“A grave robber,” she said with distaste.
“He used to be, although I doubt he’s gotten his own hands dirty for years. He’s made himself very wealthy by selling his country’s treasures to private collectors abroad. Wealthy enough that he can buy a degree of immunity from the Iranian government.”
“Plus he grasses up his rivals,” added Chase, “sells them out so the politely go after them instead of him. Haven’t met him personally, but I know people who’ve dealt with him. Not a popular bloke-but if he’s selling this thing, he probably thinks it’s genuine. He might be a scumbag, but he’s a scumbag who’s bothered about his reputation.”
“He has the resources to handle the sale of this artifact, and to protect Volgan from Qobras,” Frost said. “Which is why I’m inclined to believe that it’s genuine. But I’m not going to hand over ten million dollars without some proof. And that’s where you come in.”
Nina blinked. “Me?”
“I want you to examine the artifact and decide if it is what Volgan claims.”
“You want me to go to Iran?” She gulped. “Part of the Axis of Evil, hates America, that Iran?”
Chase laughed. “I’ll be there to watch out for you. Me and a few mates. Nothing to worry about.”
“You’ve been to Iran before?”
He looked evasive. “Not officially…”
“Mr. Chase and his associates will look after you,” said Frost. “And Kari will be going as well, as my representative.”
“But what makes you think I’ll be able to tell if this artifact’s real or not?” asked Nina, gesturing at the ghostly hologram.
“You are an expert in ancient languages, aren’t you?” said Kari.
“I wouldn’t say expert,” she protested. “I mean, I’ve studied the field, I can tell my Phoenician from my Namibian, but I’m not a specialist.”
“From what I’ve heard, you’re rather better than that. Maybe even better than your mother at reading Glozel.” Nina stared at Frost, surprised. “I knew your parents-I actually funded the expedition to Tibet where they…” He paused, looking away from her. “A great tragedy. A great loss.”
“They never told me you funded them,” said Nina.
“At my request. Now that you know what Qobras is capable of, you understand why I place great importance on security. Qobras will do whatever it takes to stop anyone from finding Atlantis, and he has considerable resources-and some powerful friends around the world.”
“Like who?”
“It’s probably safer that you don’t know. But as for the artifact, if what Yuri Volgan says is true, you should be able to tell if it’s authentic by reading the text. And just imagine it,” Frost went on, a certain theatricality entering his voice, “you’ll be able to hold in your hand an actual object from Atlantis!”
“If it’s genuine.”
“Which you’re the most qualified person in the world to determine.”
Nina considered his words. She still wasn’t keen on the idea of going to a country that was openly hostile to Westerners, and Americans in particular, but she’d been on expeditions to less-than-friendly countries before, and the potential prize in this case far exceeded the value of anything else she’d ever discovered.
Besides, as Frost had said, she wouldn’t be going alone.
And if she chose not to go, what would she do instead? Return to New York, to where she had just been denied funding… and where she would have to constantly look over her shoulder in case Qobras’s men came after her again?
“Okay,” she said, “I’m in. So, when do we set off?”
Frost smiled. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“I like your thinking,” said Nina, smiling back. “Just because Atlantis has waited for eleven thousand years doesn’t mean we should wait.”
“Then,” said Kari, “let’s get you started.”
FOUR
Iran
Nina rubbed irritably at her arm. “This still hurts.” “You don’t want to get some weird Middle Eastern disease, do you?” Chase asked, amused. “Better safe than sorry.”
“I know that. It’s just uncomfortable, that’s all.” The vaccination had been an unwelcome part of the deal, administered in the antiseptic environs of the biolab. While less painful than others she’d had in the past, it seemed to take an age for the little bead of blood to dry up.
“That was nothing! Christ, you should have seen some of the shots I got in the SASS. Needles this big.” He held his hands eight inches apart. “And you don’t want to know where they stuck ’me.”
The Gulfstream had just passed over the Black Sea and Turkey on its way to Iran. It hadn’t taken a direct route from Norway, instead detouring to Prague to pick up another passenger. In the plane with Nina, Chase and Kari-who sat on her own at the back of the cabin working on a laptop-was another man, whom Chase had introduced as Hugo Castile. From the way they mocked each other, it was clear they were old friends.