Berry, Steve - the Amber Room

Suzanne enjoyed the look of shock and defeat that invaded Monika's face.

"She will be the first Acquisitor ever elevated to club membership. Quite an accomplishment, would you not say?"

Neither Fellner nor Monika said anything. Fellner seemed enraptured with the bronze. Monika sat silent.

Fellner laid the bronze gingerly back into the crate. "Ernst, I consider this matter closed. It is unfortunate things deteriorated as they did. But I understand now. I believe I would have done the same under the circumstances. To you, Suzanne, congratulations."

She nodded at the gesture.

"On telling the members, let me consider the situation," Monika said. "I'll have an answer for you by June's meeting on how to proceed."

"That is all an old man can ask, my dear. I will await your decision." Loring looked at Fellner. "Now, would you like to stay the night?"

"I think we should return to Burg Herz. I have business in the morning. But I assure you, the trip was worth the trouble. Before we go, though, may I see the Amber Room one last time?"

"Certainly, old friend. Certainly."

The ride back to Prague's Ruzyne airport was quiet. Fellner and Monika sat in the Mercedes's backseat, Loring in the passenger seat next to Suzanne. Several times Suzanne glanced at Monika in the rearview mirror. The bitch's face stayed tight. She was obviously not pleased by the two elder men dominating the earlier conversation. Clearly Franz Fellner was not a man to let go easily and Monika was not the type to share.

About halfway Monika said, "I must ask your forgiveness, Herr Loring."

He turned to face her. "For what, my dear?"

"My abruptness."

"Not at all. I recall when my father turned over membership to me. I was much older than you and equally determined. He, like your father, found it difficult to let go. But if it is any conciliation, eventually he fully retired."

"My daughter is impatient. Much like her mother was," Fellner said.

"More like you, Franz."

Fellner chuckled. "Perhaps."

"I assume Christian will be told of all this?" Loring said to Fellner.

"Immediately."

"Where is he?"

"I really do not know." Fellner turned to Monika. "Do you, liebling ?"

"No, Father. I haven't heard from him."

They arrived at the airport a little before midnight. Loring's jet waited on the oily tarmac, fueled, ready to go. Suzanne parked beside the aircraft. All four of them climbed out and Suzanne popped the trunk. The plane's pilot clambered down the jet's metal stairs. Suzanne pointed to the two pine cases. The pilot lifted each and moved to an open cargo bay door.

"I had the bronzes packed tight," Loring said over the whine of the engines. "They should make the trip with no problem."

Suzanne handed Loring an envelope.

"Here are some registration papers I prepared and had certified by the ministry in Prague. They should be of assistance if any customs officials make an inquiry at the landing strip."

Fellner pocketed the envelope. "I rarely have inquiries."

Loring smiled. "I assumed as much." He turned to Monika and embraced her. "Lovely to see you, my dear. I look forward to our battles in the future, as I am sure Suzanne does."

Monika smiled and kissed the air above Loring's cheeks. Suzanne said nothing. She knew her role well. An Acquisitor's place was to act, not speak. One day she'd be a club member and could only hope her own Acquisitor conducted himself or herself similarly. Monika gave her a quick disconcerting glance before climbing the stairs. Fellner and Loring shook hands, then Fellner disappeared into the jet. The pilot slammed the cargo doors shut and hopped up the stairs, closing the hatch behind him.

Suzanne and Loring stood as the jet taxied toward the runway, the warm air from its engines rushing past. They then climbed into the Mercedes and left. Just outside the airport, Suzanne stopped the car on the side of the road.

The sleek jet shot down the darkened runway and arched into the clear night sky. Distance masked any sound. Three commercial jets rolled across the tarmac, two arriving, one leaving. They sat in the car, necks cocked to the right and up.

"Such a shame, draha ," Loring whispered.

"At least their evening was pleasant. Herr Fellner was in awe of the Amber Room."

"I am pleased he was able to see it."

The jet vanished into the western sky, its running lights fading with altitude.

"The bronzes were returned to the glass cases?" Loring asked.

She nodded.

"Pine containers packed tight?"

"Of course."

"How does the device work?"

"A pressure switch, sensitive to altitude."

"And the compound?"

"Potent."

"When?"

She glanced at her watch and calculated velocity against the time. Based on what she believed to be the jet's ascent rate, five thousand feet would be just about--

In the distance a brilliant yellow flash filled the sky for an instant, like a star going nova, as the explosives she'd placed in the two pine crates ignited the jet fuel and obliterated any trace of Fellner, Monika, and the two pilots.

The light faded.

Loring's eyes stayed off in the distance, where the explosion occurred. "Such a shame. A six-million-dollar jet gone." He slowly turned toward her. "But the price to be paid for your future."

FIFTY-TWO

Thursday, May 22, 8:50 a.m.

Knoll parked in the woods about a half kilometer off the highway. The black Peugeot was a rental, obtained in Nurnberg yesterday. He'd spent the night a few kilometers to the west in a picturesque Czech village, making a point to get a good night's sleep, knowing today and tonight were going to be arduous. He'd eaten a light breakfast at a small cafe, then left quickly so no one would recall anything about him. Loring surely possessed eyes and ears everywhere in this part of Bohemia.

He knew the local geography. He was actually already on Loring land, the ancient family estate spanning for miles in all directions. The castle was situated toward the northwest corner, surrounded by dense forests of birch, beech, and poplar. The Sumava region of southwest Czech was an important timber source, but the Lorings had never needed to market their lumber.

He retrieved his backpack from the trunk and started the hike north. Twenty minutes later Castle Loukov appeared. The fortification was perched on a rocky mount, high above the treetops less than a kilometer away. To the west, the muddy Orlik Stream inched a path south. His vantage point offered a clear view of the compound's east entrance--the one used by motor vehicles--and the west postern gate used exclusively by staff and delivery trucks.

The castle was an impressive sight. A varied array of towers and buildings rose skyward behind rectangular walls. He knew the layout well. The lower floors were mainly ceremonial halls and exquisitely decorated public rooms, the upper stories littered with bedrooms and living quarters. Somewhere, hidden among the rambling stone structures, was a private collection chamber similar to what Fellner and the other seven members possessed. The trick would be finding it and determining how to get inside. He had a pretty good idea where the space might be, a conclusion he'd made at one of the club meetings based on the architecture, but he still was going to have to search. And fast. Before morning.

Monika's decision to allow the invasion was not surprising. She'd do anything to assert control. Fellner had been good to him, but Monika was going to be better. The old man would not live forever. And though he'd miss him, the possibilities Monika presented were nearly intoxicating. She was tough, but vulnerable. He could master her, of that he was sure. And by doing that he could master the fortune she'd inherit. A dangerous game, granted, but one worth the risks. It helped that Monika was incapable of love. But so was he. They were a perfect match, lust and power all the mastic they would need to bind them permanently.