Carpathian (39 page)

As Marko watched, his eyebrows rose as he caught a fleeting glimpse inside the man’s head that never ceased its locomotion-like activity—he could tell the stranger was not used to any inactive periods in his life. He was a hard man used to action. Marko tilted his head and concentrated on his company. Once he fought his way through her feelings for the man in front of her, he began to get a clear picture of the beautiful woman in the blue dress. Marko smiled when he realized this young lady was nothing but a teacher or some similar profession. He kept getting the impression of stones, diamonds, gold, ordinary rocks—and natural hot springs. Marko’s eyes widened again. This woman was here to study his lands—his mountain. Once that thought was clear he closed his eyes again and pushed his mind out toward the couple.

Marko again came awake and then stood and strode with confidence toward the man and woman. He stood next to the man and waited to be acknowledged. The dark-haired gentleman patted his mouth with a napkin and slowly sipped from his glass of water. He was intentionally waiting to look up at the man who had approached them.

“I was wondering if you were going to stare all night or come over and let us know what was on your mind,” Jack Collins said as he finally fixed Marko with his eyes. Sarah took a drink of her wine and waited.

“You must excuse me for staring, I am a local of this area and I was just wondering why you are here,” Marko asked with nothing more threatening than a dip of his head in acknowledgment to the woman, who nodded in a bored response.

“Well, we’re here to enjoy this new resort and to celebrate that fact with our host,” Jack offered, knowing that somehow this man knew he was lying. The smile remained above the well-trimmed goatee.

“American?” Marko asked as his eyes roamed over Sarah’s low-cut dress.

“Yes, we’re American,” Jack said. “And you’re Romanian, a Gypsy I would say.”

“Yes, it’s amazing how tourists to our lovely mountains expect the colors and the silk and the sitting around our campfires telling fortunes and stories of vampires, witches, and—”

“Werewolves?” Sarah asked. She saw the curious look on the Gypsy’s face. “Can’t forget the werewolves, I mean this is the Carpathian Mountains, right, vampires and werewolves and all that horror movie stuff?”

Marko’s smile broadened as he looked down upon the American woman and then turned and looked at Jack. “Yes, we Gypsies are a rather quaint people. We mix well with the farmers and the sheep men that live here.” He leaned over and looked from Jack to Sarah. “And we all like to keep the old folklore alive and well.” The man smiled broadly and then spoke in a conspiratorial tone. “But I’ll be honest with you, there really are no vampires around here. Vlad the Impaler came from the west of our mountains.”

“That covers vampires, but what about … other legends?” Sarah persisted. She looked at Jack and he nodded his head only slightly.

“That’s all they are, myths, legends, and people who have nothing better to do after the day’s chores than sit around a fire and tell stories to frighten children and entertain the few tourists that actually make it up the mountain.”

“I didn’t mean to be insulting to your way of life. I find your heritage fascinating.”

Marko looked at Sarah once more and then bowed. “Yes, Universal Studios and the rest of Hollywood has made quite a bit of money telling the world what they know of the Gypsy.” He became serious at that moment and his gaze turned on Collins. “And I will say this: the world knows nothing of us.” He switched his look toward Sarah and he placed both of his large hands on the table. “Nothing.”

He straightened and then fixed the two Americans with his dazzling smile, which highlighted his whole amazing outfit of reds, blacks, silvers, and blues. The gold he was wearing was exquisite and did nothing to make Jack and Sarah any less confident that this was their man.

“I hope I see you again before the weekend is over. If you get out and travel the roads ask for me, and you will be allowed anywhere that the regular tourists are not. I will be happy to show you the true Gypsy life. Perhaps you can join us tomorrow inside the pass?”

“Thank you. But if I may ask, why would we be accorded such a privilege?” Jack asked with his own small smile. He slowly lifted his glass of water and drank.

“Because I know you are not here to visit Zallas or be with the fools he has invited. You are here for another purpose,” he half bowed, “and that purpose shall remain yours and yours alone,” he straightened, “but if you need help, please ask anyone on the mountain about me, they will get word to me that you want to … talk.” Marko felt good letting them know that he was no fool. “Just ask for—”

“Marko Korvesky?” Jack said, throwing the Gypsy his own American-style curveball. He saw the smile falter a bit on the Gypsy’s face. He recovered quickly and to his credit the large man held his questions for now.

“Yes, how intriguing that you already know of me and my family.”

“Anyone who visits an area where they have never been would be wise to find out who is really in charge. And at the moment there are two powers in the area. Zallas, who controls everything from the castle to the resort, and the family Korvesky, the queen mother and her two grandchildren, Marko and Anya, who control the pass and everything related to the mountain.”

“I am indeed impressed, Mr.…”

Jack was taking a risk showing his cards like this but they had been presented with an opportunity and he knew he had to chance it. The prince of the Gypsies seemed intrigued that they knew so much. Collins also knew that Korvesky would want to keep him and Sarah close until he knew what motivated the two Americans.

“That doesn’t matter, just call me, Jack. This is Sarah.”

Marko bowed and then looked at both. “I must learn how my family has become so popular outside Patinas. And for you to know of my sister, that is truly vexing. You must visit Patinas and allow my people to show you the hospitality of not only the Gypsy family Korvesky, but of our friends and neighbors as well. Tomorrow afternoon and into the evening we will be celebrating. I would be pleased to see you there.” He leaned over and lightly touched Sarah on the arm. “I insist, as I wouldn’t want to have to come looking for you.”

“We would love to accept,” Sarah said. “May I ask if we can bring some acquaintances?”

“Please, bring anyone you wish. It will be a real experience in the Carpathians.” He gestured around him with distaste. “Not this.”

“I think that would be a fine idea. We’re here to map the pass for NATO. I’m sure you’ve seen the soldiers around?” Jack said.

“I do not understand the ways of the military world, Jack,” saying the name as if he had just eaten a rotten piece of fruit. “But if it’s information on the pass you seek, my grandmamma will be happy to answer any question you may have. She’s what we would call a student of Patinas history.”

“We look forward to it, tomorrow afternoon then?”

Marko bowed and left the table without another word. The waitstaff saw him coming and they parted like the Red Sea when they saw the look crossing his dark features. His eyes were aglow with what could only be described as pure fury.

“Well, I didn’t expect that,” Sarah said as she took a drink of wine.

Jack was watching the retreating form of Marko Korvesky. The man looked quite a bit more impressive than he did in his dossier photo.

“I’m sure he didn’t either.” He looked over at Sarah and tossed his napkin on the table and stood. He shoveled out a hundred-dollar bill for the waitstaff and then assisted Sarah to her feet.

“Okay, I know that look, Colonel, what are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that when he was sitting at his table I was feeling like I was being spied on from inside my own head.” He looked up as he waited for Sarah to step away from the table. “And don’t ask because I don’t know. I’ve never had that feeling before in my life.” He took her by the arm and started to leave. “It’s like he was draining information from me.”

“Such as?”

“He now knows the faces of everyone on our team and suddenly he asks that we all come up to see the pass.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have brought Niles and his team into the conversation.”

As they walked he thought. He stopped and looked at Sarah as they waited for the elevator.

“He’s dangerous, but in what way I just don’t know yet.”

“What do we do?”

“We have to allow Niles’s team to do their jobs and we still have to accomplish what we set out to do. Our mission here is to track the artifacts and make a connection to the history Alice has put together.” Jack pursed his lips in thought. “No, we stay and they go. We need to stick close to Zallas.”

“Damn it!” Sarah said as the elevator doors slid open.

“What?” Jack asked.

“We get stuck here with gangsters and the lowlife scum of the earth, and Niles and his team get to spend time with a legendary people, and possibly even more legendary creatures.”

“Yeah, they get all of the fun. Get in the elevator, shorty, before I do let you go dance with the wolves. And speaking of wolves I hope Ryan and Pete stayed out of trouble.”

“It’s Ryan, what could possibly go wrong?” Sarah said with a smirk.

*   *   *

Ryan was in his room and he had just stepped out of the shower after having been driven crazy by the oil in his hair and the scratchiness of his three-day-old trimmed beard.

As he toweled off, Ryan slid into one of the fanciest complimentary robes he had ever seen just as a knock sounded on his door. Ryan walked over and looked through the peephole and saw a nervous-looking Pete Golding trying to peer into Ryan’s room through the same peephole. Jason let out a deep breath and then opened the door. The computer genius was still dressed in his green Don Knotts suit and looked distressed.

“Hey, Doc, what’s up?” Ryan asked as he finished drying off his hair and then half turned and tossed the damp towel on a chair.

Golding danced from foot to foot and then looked up and down the hallway; Jason caught the meaning and then stepped aside for Golding to enter.

Golding stopped just inside the door and wrung his hands together. He turned to face Jason, who stood by the door with his eyebrows raised.

“Look, I know I’m not the physical man that you and the colonel, Will, and Carl are, I know that. And I just want to apologize for getting us into that trouble downstairs. I could have blown everything.”

Ryan shook his head. “Look, Doc, you did what any one of us would have done. Treating someone who’s just trying to do her job like she’s a piece of furniture or someone’s personal touch toy, well, I think you did what we in the Security Department would have done, only you did it without thinking. That’s rare and it shows that you’re starting to get field instincts.” Ryan hoped the speech helped the doc, even though none of it was true. He took Pete by the arm and steered him back to the door. “Look, I know this is only your, what, third time in the field away from your mistress Europa? I think you’re becoming a real asset, Doc, I really do.”

“You really think so?” Pete asked, beaming.

“I never say things I don’t mean.”

Pete smiled and then stopped before the door, making Ryan run into him.

“Would you mention this to Professor Ellenshaw? He thinks he’s the only one outside of the Security Department that’s worthy of field operations.”

Ryan laughed and looked at the professor and winked, leaning close as if to pass a secret. “Here’s a little inside intel, Doc, for your ears alone. The colonel said that he would rather have you on loan from the computer center than ten Marines, because you think out of the box. And if he would rather have you than ten Marines, Doc, where does that leave crazy Charlie? Eatin’ your dust, that’s where.”

“Ohhh,” was all Pete could say.

Ryan patted him on the back to get him moving back toward the door.

“And Pete?”

“Yes, Commander?”

“Take that suit off and get back to your white shirt and black tie, it’s more you.”

“Oh, I see,” Pete said as he started to unbutton his shirt.

“In your room, Doc.” Jason managed to get the door open and then Pete started to step out rebuttoning his green shirt when he suddenly stopped. Ryan made a face and slowly glanced around Pete’s shoulder and his heart sank into his lower abdomen.

Gina Louvinski stood at the door with her eyes neutral as she watched Pete suddenly lower his hands from his shirt buttons and then step back against the open door. As for Ryan he was frozen in what he thought was the most compromising position he had ever been nailed in, and that was including last month when he had been forced to dress as a candy striper to escape a Las Vegas hospital.

“Oh, excuse me, I … I … I just wanted to say,” the dark-haired Romanian placed a hand over her mouth and averted her eyes, “I am so, so, sorry to have—”

“Doc, go to your room … now,” Ryan said, recovering.

Pete squeezed past the stunned resort manager and went to his room.

“As I said, I am so sorry for disturbing your … your … I am just sorry. I wanted to thank you personally for what you did downstairs. I assure you if our own security were on the premises this kind of behavior would not be tolerated. You and your…” Gina looked lost for the right word and Ryan flinched when she finally found it, “Your friend.”

Ryan pulled the woman into his room and closed the door, shocking her.

“Look, the doc is my friend, but it ends there,” Ryan said.

The general manager of the Edge of the World looked Ryan over as he spoke. She noticed he was minus the oil in his hair, and the gold chains and jewelry were noticeably absent. And as she looked toward the dresser drawers she saw regular clothing neatly folded and not one was a garment of the garish variety. She looked at Ryan and suspected something was way wrong with her initial assumption about the small dark-haired man.

“Hell, I don’t even know how to explain this.”

The woman could tell he wanted to say something but then thought what was the use? She watched him take a deep breath and then a look of resignation came over his features.

“Oh, what the hell? Whatever you think I am, I probably am. Right now I’m too tired and my hand hurts too much to care.” Ryan reached out and opened the door.