C. Palov - Templar's Quest

‘And how does the Black Sun relate to the Ahnenerbe?’ Kate next asked, on the fast track to becoming the teacher’s pet.

‘Bearing in mind that the Ahnenerbe was the scientific corps of the SS, its members believed that an invisible universal force known as Vril could be created using the astral energy from the Black Sun.’ Leaning towards Kate, making like a man about to impart a big secret, Aisquith continued in a lowered voice, ‘During the last years of the war, Nazi scientists in the Ahnenerbe were desperately trying to generate the Vril force in order to weaponize it.’

‘And what? Make an invisible ray gun?’ Finn snorted derisively. ‘Gimme a break! This just proves what I already knew about the Nazis: You can fool some of the people all of the time and those are the morons you want to actively recruit.’

‘While I find Nazism a repugnant doctrine, no one can accuse their scientists of being anything less than brilliant,’ Aisquith asserted, quick to defend himself. ‘German physicists were convinced that if they could generate the Vril force, they could use it as an alternative energy source to power their war machine, the Germans fast running out of oil. Desperate, Nazi physicists were actively developing a technology to use the Vril force to power flying saucers and –’

‘Hate to interrupt the lecture, but we’ve got a late-morning appointment on the other side of town,’ Finn interjected, worried that if they stayed much longer, Aisquith would pull out his aluminium foil space suit.

‘Oh, so sorry,’ the other man mumbled disappointedly. ‘Perhaps we can continue the conversation later in the day.’

‘That’s a wonderful –’

‘Unfortunately, we got a full schedule,’ Finn said over the top of Kate, effectively drowning her out.

‘Mmmm … a pity that.’ The Brit shoved a hand into his trouser pocket. Removing a chrome-plated key, he handed it wordlessly to Finn.

‘Let me guess? Key to the city.’

‘A motor scooter that’s parked in the back alley,’ Aisquith informed him. ‘I couldn’t help but notice that you arrived on foot.’

Beaming, Kate walked over and, going up on her tiptoes, kissed him on his unshaven cheek. ‘Thank you, Cædmon. That’s very generous.’

‘Yes, well, shame that you couldn’t stay longer. I hadn’t even got to the Nordic runes that rim the periphery of the tattoo.’

Finn pocketed the scooter key. ‘Another time.’ Place. And century.

23

‘ “I hope the skahns aren’t too stale,” ’ Finn mimicked in an exaggerated English accent as they made their way to the alley behind the bookstore. ‘Jesus, talk about a pompous ass.’

‘Your rudeness knows no bounds,’ Kate shot back, clearly miffed. ‘Where do you get off saying those kind of things? You don’t even know Cædmon.’

‘Trust me. That guy was an open book. Yeah, pun intended. And who was being rude?’ Finn raised an imaginary teacup to his lips, pinky finger crooked. ‘One lump or two, Lord Percy?’

‘You are such a Neanderthal!’

Just to prove Kate wrong, he cupped a gentlemanly hand around her elbow, ushering her down a dim alley. The sunless passageway was strewn with empty crates and bits of broken glass, not a soul in sight. Unless you counted the scrawny tabby who hissed its displeasure at the intrusion.

‘My old Oxford pal, Professor Higgins, is a serious scholar. Isn’t that what you told me back in DC?’

‘Cædmon Aisquith is a highly educated man who –’

‘Happens to be a wingnut. And if he’s not a wingnut, then the guy is a hardcore, straight-shooting alki.’ With his free hand, Finn hefted an imaginary liquor bottle to his lips. ‘Glug, glug, glug. Bottoms up.’

‘Because a man opens the front door with an unbuttoned shirt and mussed hair, you automatically jump to a preposterous conclusion.’

‘All I know, it’s hard to play the lute when you’re on the juice. What do you wanna bet that last night Engelbert was three sheets, two pillowslips and a big blanket to the wind?’

‘And in case you didn’t notice, Cædmon has a brilliant mind. Certainly puts you to shame,’ Kate muttered under her breath as she shrugged off his hand.

‘I don’t need to be an Einstein. All I need is a loaded weapon and –’

‘A clear shot. I know. I’ve heard that line before.’

‘Excuse me for being redundant.’ Suddenly, without warning, Finn yanked Kate over to a nearby stone wall. ‘Shh,’ he ordered in a lowered voice, reiterating the command with a finger to the lip.

Hit with a creepy feeling – like maybe they were being followed – he cocked his head to one side and listened, trying to pick out the sound that didn’t belong. A footfall. An in-drawn breath. A gun being cocked.

On high alert, he silently counted to ten. Reaching ‘ten’, he relaxed slightly.

‘You said that the authorities didn’t follow us to Paris,’ Kate whispered, wide-eyed.

I only said that so you wouldn’t be scared.

Finn pushed out a deep breath. ‘All right, I think the coast is clear. Let’s roll.’

Seeing a rusty blue Vespa that looked like it’d seen better days, Finn headed in that direction, Kate following in his wake.

‘So what’s on the agenda?’

He shoved a hand into his pocket and removed the key. ‘According to Fabius Jutier’s calendar, tomorrow morning the Seven will be meeting at their headquarters at the Grande Arche. I intend to crash the party. All of this shit about mystical energy and mad scientists weaponizing Vril is a waste of my valuable time. I already know that I’m dealing with a bunch of fanatics. And, like any fanatic cult, the Seven probably has some crazy-ass agenda.’

‘My point exactly.’

Standing beside the Vespa, they stood toe-to-toe, like two fighters at the opening bell. Decked out in a white cotton T-shirt, generic running shoes and khaki pants cropped at mid-calf, Kate more closely resembled a suburban soccer mom than a badass contender.

‘Knowing the Seven’s crazy-ass agenda isn’t going to help me find the Dark Angel.’

‘What if the Seven Research Foundation is a modern-day Ahnenerbe?’

At that close range, literally inches apart, Finn could smell Kate’s ‘perfume’ – an uninspiring mix of Combat Bath and lemon balm tea – which, for some strange reason, he found oddly appealing.

He shrugged. ‘I’d say big whup. I came to Paris to find the murdering scumbag who killed my two buddies. For Christ’s sake, Kate! The guy was talking about flying saucers.’

‘Not only was Cædmon a gracious host, he did us a very big favour,’ Kate retorted with surprising force. ‘There aren’t many people who would drop everything and give us their full, undivided attention. But instead of being appreciative, the entire time we were at L’Equinoxe you behaved like a –’

‘Neanderthal. I know. I’ve heard that line before. But don’t give me an ass-chewing just because I wouldn’t cross over to the dork side with you and Red Rover.’ Admittedly pissed off, Finn held his ground. ‘I don’t think you get it, Kate. I did not cross the Atlantic in the hull of a supply plane so we could attend a tea party with your old buddy Aisquith. Back in Washington, I promised that I would protect you from harm. Provided you don’t distract me from my mission. As far as I’m concerned, the Montségur Medallion is nothing more than a bargaining chip that I can trade for the Dark Angel.’

‘So that you can clear your name.’

‘No. So that I can get Corporals Dixon and Kelleher justice in a court of law.’ Needing to make sure that she understood just how serious he was about doing that, he let her have it with both barrels. ‘Those two guys selflessly did the dirty work that nobody else wants to do but has to be done to keep this freaking world safe from monsters, despots and terrorists. And they did their job not for glory or an attaboy pat on the back. They did it because they loved their country. So I’m going to make sure that they didn’t die in vain.’