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FORTY-TWO

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

10:50 AM

ALFRED HERMANN BID HIS GOODBYES TO THE POLITICAL Co roouest had finally arrived

He navigated the ground-floor corridors and entered the chateau’s spacious foyer just as Henrik Thorvaldsen shuffled in frolish, "Henrik So wonderful to see you"

Thorvaldsen also s to come, but I decided I simply had to visit with everyone"

Hermann approached and shook hands Forty years he’d known Thorvaldsen and the Dane had changed little The stiff, crooked spine had always been there, bent at a grotesque angle like a piece of hammered tin He’d always admired Thorvaldsen’s disciplined e through a ram And that required talent But Thorvaldsen was a Jew Not devout or overt, but still Hebrew Even worse, he was Cotton Malone’s close friend, and Hermann was convinced that Thorvaldsen had not colad you’re here," Hermann said "I have much to talk to you about"

They often spent tiether at the Assembly Thorvaldsen was one of the few members whose fortune could compete with the Herovernments, and his billions of euros spoke for themselves

A twinkle appeared in the Dane’s eyes "I’m anxious to hear it all"

"And who is this?" Her beside Thorvaldsen

"Gary Malone He’s with me for a feeeks while his father is away and I decided to bring hi hi people who have come with members I’ll see to it that they are all properly entertained"

"As I knew you would"

Stewards entered with luggage Hers were hauled to the second floor He’d already designated which bedchamber Thorvaldsen would occupy

"Cos are situated Margarete is anxious to see you"

"But I have Gary"

"Bring him It’ll be fine"

MALONE ATE HIS BREAKFAST AND TRIED TO ASSESS JIMMY McColluh he seriously wondered whether that was theto tell me what your interest in all this is?" McCollum asked "The Library of Alexandria isn’t exactly the Holy Grail Others have looked, but they’re usually fanatics or kooks You don’t look like either"

"Neither do you," Pam said "What’s your interest?"

"What happened to your shoulder?"

"Who said anything did?"

McCollus into hisit like it’s broken"

"Maybe it is"

"Okay, you’re not going to tell me" McCollum faced Malone "Lot of mistrust here for a person who saved both your asses"

"She asked a good question What’s your interest in the library?"

"Let’s just say that if I were to find soreat many ways Personally, I think it’s a waste of ti each other So"

Malone decided to cast a little bait into the water "The hero’s quest you mentioned I know about it Clues that lead the way to the library" He paused "Supposedly"

"Oh, they do Believe me Others have been I’ve never met or talked to one of them, but I’ve heard about the experience The hero’s quest is real, as are the Guardians"

Another key word This man ell inforlish muffin, which he lathered with plum jam "What can we do for each other?"

"How about you tell e Hall?"

"The Epiphany of St Jerome"

"Now, that’s a new one Care to explain?"

"Where you from?" Malone suddenly asked

McCollu Born in the great state of Kentucky Louisville And before you ask, no college Aroing to find a recruit naet real"

"Hate to tell you, but I have a passport and a birth certificate and you’ll find e But does all that reallythat counts is here and now"

"What are you after?" Malone asked

"I’ there’s plenty there when this library is found, though I still don’t know your interest"

"This quest e"

"Now, that’s the first thing you’ve said that ht be looking, too"

"TellI don’t know"

"How about the Israelis?"

He caught a moment of puzzlement in McCollu with a se"

Time to reel him in "We have The Epiphany of St Jeroood that’ll do if you don’t know its significance"

Malone agreed

"I have the hero’s quest," McCollurabbed Malone’s attention, especially since George Haddad had not left them the details of that journey

"What I want to know is," McCollue’s novel?"

Paurt She certainly knew the first rule of lawyering-never reveal what you know-but he decided that to receive he was going to have to give "I do" Then to tantalize his listener, he added, "And more"

McCollum scrunched his face in admiration "I knew I’d chosen hen I decided to save your hide"

HERMANN WATCHED AS THORVALDSEN AND HIS YOUNG WARD left his study Margarete stood beside him They’d had a pleasant thirty-hter

"Henrik was his usual self Taking in far ives"

"That’s his nature, as it is ht "Sense anything?"

She shook her head

"Nothing about the boy?" he asked

"He seemed well mannered"

He decided to tell her some of what she did not know "Henrik is peripherally involved with an initiative the Circle is presently pursuing It’s critical to e discussed at breakfast"

"The Library of Alexandria?"

He nodded "One of his close associates, a "

"Sabre running the operation?"

"Quite well Everything is going as planned"

"The boy is named Malone He part of it, too?"

"Cotton Malone’s son"

Her face showed surprise "Why is he here?"

"Actually, that was smart on Henrik’s part With members present, we’ll all be on our best behavior This could be the safest place for them both Of course, accidents sometimes happen"

"You’d hurt the boy?"

He stared hard "I’ll do what’s necessary to protect our interests As you should be willing to do"

She said nothing and he allowed her a moment Finally she said, "Do we need an accident to happen?"

He was glad she was beginning to appreciate the gravity "Depends on what our dear friend Henrik has in mind"

"HOW’D YOU GET THAT NAME?" MCCOLLUM ASKED "COTTON"

"Actually it’s quite-," Pa story We can discuss it another tiht noant to know about the hero’s quest"

"You always that touchy about your name?"

"What I’m touchy about is wasted ti a plate of fruit He noticed that the s, juice

"Okay, Malone I have the quest I retrieved it fro?"

"Not this time Natural causes I found him and I stole the quest Don’t askBut I have the clues"

"And do you know if they’re real?"

McColluet there But I’ll take my chances"

"What do you really need?" Pa breakfast "Obviously you know more than we do Why waste your time with us?"

"To be honest, I have a problem For the past feeeks I’ve wrestled with the quest It’s a riddle One I can’t solve I thought you twoto share what I know"

"And you’re willing to shoot two men in the head," Malone said

"They would have done the saive you pause Who’d want to do that?"

An excellent question, Malone thought No one had followed them from London, of that he was sure Itfor thee Hall He’d only decided to visit there a few hours ago

"This quest," McColluht Now you tell me the Jews are also involved"

"A friend of mine was killed yesterday, which should end Israel’s interest"

"This friend know anything about the library?"

"It’s what got him killed"

"He’s not the first"

He needed to know so "I assume you’d want to peddle the found ed "I want to profit for my trouble That bother you?"