“You want us to retrieve the idol for you,” Lea said.
“The stolen idol,” Wolff corrected. “Yes.”
“Of course.”
“I have an extensive collection of antiquities as you can see for yourselves, and the discovery of the Temple of Huitzilopochtli must rank as one of the greatest archaeological events in modern history. The idol you retrieved from it is of particular interest to me as my primary fascination is with the Phoenician Empire. I can’t begin to imagine how an idol depicting Tanit ended up in Mexico, but I know I cannot live without it. I am a greedy man, and I want that idol. That is why I have offered the Mexican Government fifty million dollars for it. You will be paid ten percent now and another ten percent upon delivering the item to me — all in cash.”
As he spoke Brunhart walked into the room with a black leather attaché case and Wolff opened it to reveal five million American dollar in neat bundles.
“But fifty million dollars?” Ryan said. “It was only eight inches high!”
“I am aware of its dimensions, Mr Bale. There are other dark forces seeking that idol, and they must not be permitted to acquire it under any circumstances. I can tell you no more until you have retrieved the idol from the Mexican thief. Only then will you be told the rest… and get your money, naturally.”
“Dark forces?” Lea asked.
“As I say, I am not at liberty to say more.”
As he spoke, Ryan perused the extensive collection of antiquities, stopping at a stone sculpture of the Lady of Elche. Ryan’s eyes widened like saucers. “I thought this was in the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid?”
Wolff turned to face him. “A reproduction only. This is the genuine piece. I paid far too much for it.”
“I’ve seen it in pictures but never up close like this. She’s incredible.”
“I’m very proud of it,” Wolff said.
Ryan made a circle around the sculpture and studied the intricate carvings with care. What had once been an impressive piece of Phoenician sculpture now took on an entirely different perspective thanks to what he had seen in the depths of Mictlan.
“It’s made of limestone and was discovered over a hundred years ago near Valencia,” Wolff continued, noting his interest, “but the truth is we know very little about it. There are many sculptures of Tanit in the world, but la dama de Elche has always captivated me.”
“Naturally,” Ryan said, still peering at the convoluted carvings in the headdress. “The idol I saw in Mexico looked like this one, and precisely so, as well.”
Wolff rose from his seat. “Am I right in understanding you also found the Treasure of the Sad Night?”
Ryan nodded. “The Aztecs were storing it inside the Temple of Huitzilopochtli so we know they were using the place up till the conquest era but they never took it inside Mictlan itself. We know this because we found it dumped outside the gates of the underworld and we know the Spanish never went inside because it was sealed shut. But the idol itself came from Mictlan.”
“We can’t say much more,” Camacho said stepping forward, “for reasons of national security. I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course,” Wolff said.
“So now we know who you are and what you want,” Hawke said, “what part will you be playing in all this, except for paying a shed load of cash for the idol?”
“My part in all this is to supply you with whatever armaments you may feel necessary to achieve your mission. As you will no doubt be aware, I have access to the very latest weapons technologies in the world and you are welcome to use any you deem appropriate in order to secure the idol for me.”
“All my Christmases have come at once,” Scarlet muttered.
“My warehouse is in a secure facility on the outskirts of Vaduz, but I took the liberty of having a selection brought here to my home. Please, won’t you follow me?”
Wolff led them through the secret passageway and along a dimly lit corridor. “This goes through the heart of the house,” he said solemnly. “If you’ll please follow me down these steps.”
“Are we sure this is Liechtenstein?” Ryan whispered to Maria. “What if we took a wrong turn and it’s Transylvania?”
She playfully slapped the back of his head and told him to shut up.
They approached another door which gave way to a short corridor with breeze block walls and a cement floor. “It’s just down here.” He opened a second door and they entered a small storage facility. “This is the vault.”
Inside the climate-controlled vault, Wolff made a sweeping gesture with his hands and revealed the largest cache of weapons Hawke had ever seen outside of any military arsenal.
“This is incredible!” Scarlet said.
Wolff smiled, beaming with pride. He tipped his head forward in a courteous and courtly bow. “And yours for the taking, my dear.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
After selecting their weapons, Hawke, Lea and Lexi rejoined Wolff who was now wearing a thin, silk scarf and taking Orange Pekoe tea on the balcony overlooking Vaduz. The others remained inside by the fire while Ryan returned to the bust of the Lady of Elche and studied her headdress.
Scarlet watched Ryan tracing his fingers over the statue’s face. “Do you two want a room?”
“This is fascinating,” Ryan said, crouching once again to get another look at the sculpture. “I’ve stared and stared at these carvings but they’re just not making any sense. Another thing that’s bothering me as that I’m seeing pictographs and echoes of so many cultures it’s starting to freak me out. This here looks Aztec but this one is obviously Punic — and then again over here is a hieroglyphic that quite frankly looks like Early Dynastic Egyptian. It must be an historical first. I’m speechless.”
“And that makes two historical firsts,” Scarlet said.
“Amazing!” Ryan said, too excited to catch the jibe. “It really is amazing.”
“I was being sarcastic, boy,” she said.
This time he turned to face her. “Are you ever anything else?” he said. “While I’m here appreciating this ancient art you’re making smarmy comments and staring at Camacho’s rear end.”
“I am not!” she said.
“Was she?” Camacho said, and then turning to Scarlet: “Were you?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Touched a raw nerve…” Ryan said.
“I’ll touch some raw nerves in a minute,” Scarlet snapped. “Like the ones in between your…”
Camacho looked at her with a sly grin. “I don’t know if I’m buying that denial, babe. You’re kind of blushing there.”
Scarlet put her hands on her hips. “I bloody well am not!”
“She is — look at her!” Ryan said.
“I think so too,” said Maria.
“The lady protests too much, methinks,” Camacho said.
Ryan sighed. “Actually when Shakespeare wrote that it meant to make a vow, not like today when it means to make a false denial.”
“Thanks a lot, darling — oh, look out — captain’s on the deck.”
Wolff showed the others back inside the warm and Brunhart appeared from nowhere with a silver plate full of Valle Dulcis chocolates and glasses full of Reisetbauer schnapps.
“Please, help yourselves — if it’s not too early for you.”
“What’s the time, Mr Wolff?” Ryan said, deadpan.
Scarlet rolled her eyes.