importance,’ Cirin continued. ‘As you now know what we’re dealing with, Brother Cesareo, would you be so kind as to tell Anthony what that photo you’ve never seen depicts?’
The Dominican cleared his throat.
‘Before I do so, I need to know if it’s authentic, Cirin.’
‘It is.’
The friar’s eyes lit up. He turned to Fowler.
‘This, my friend, is a treasure map. Or to be precise, half of one. That is, if my memory doesn’t fail me, because it has been many years since I held the other half in my hands. This is the piece that was missing from the Copper Scroll of Qumran.’
The priest’s expression darkened considerably.
‘You’re telling me-’
‘Yes, my friend. The most powerful object in History can be found through the meaning of these symbols. And all the problems that come with it.’
‘Good Lord. And it has to show up at this precise moment.’
‘I’m glad you finally understand, Anthony,’ Cirin broke in. ‘Compared with this, all the relics that our good friend keeps in this room are nothing more than dust.’
‘Who put you on the trail, Camilo? Why now, after all this time, did you try to find Dr Graus?’ asked Brother Cesareo.
‘The information came from one of the Church’s benefactors, a Mr Kayn. A benefactor from another faith and a great philanthropist. He needed us to find Graus, and personally offered to finance an archaeological expedition should we could recover the candle.’
‘Where to?’
‘He hasn’t revealed the exact location. But we know the area. Al Mudawwara, Jordan.’
‘Great, then there’s nothing to worry about,’ Fowler interrupted. ‘Do you know what’s going to happen if anyone gets even a sniff of this? Nobody on that expedition will live long enough to lift a shovel.’
‘Let’s hope you’re wrong. We’re going to send an observer with the expedition: you.’
Fowler shook his head. ‘No.’
‘You’re aware of the consequences, the ramifications.’
‘My answer is still no.’
‘You can’t refuse.’
‘Try stopping me,’ said the priest, heading for the door.
‘Anthony, my boy.’ The words followed him as he walked towards the exit. ‘I’m not saying I’m going to try to stop you. You must be the one who decides to go. Luckily, over the years, I’ve learned how to deal with you. I had to recall the only thing you value more than your freedom, and I found the perfect solution.’
Fowler stopped, still with his back to them.
‘What have you done, Camilo?’
Cirin took a few steps towards him. If there was anything he disliked more than talking, it was raising his voice.
‘In speaking to Mr Kayn, I suggested the best reporter for his expedition. Actually, as a reporter she’s fairly average. And not too pretty, or sharp, or even overly honest. In fact, the only thing that makes her interesting is that once you saved her skin. How do you say it – she owes you her life? So now you won’t be making a dash to hide yourself in the nearest soup kitchen, because you know the risk she’s running.’
Still Fowler didn’t turn around. With each of Cirin’s words, his hand had begun closing a little more until it was clenched in a fist, his fingernails digging into his palm. But the pain wasn’t enough. He slammed his fist into one of the niches. The impact made the crypt shake. The wooden door of the ancient resting place splintered and a bone from the desecrated vault rolled out onto the floor.
‘St Soutino’s kneecap. Poor man, he limped his entire life,’ said Brother Cesareo, bending down to pick up the relic.
Fowler, by now resigned, finally turned to face them.
10
BY ROBERT DRISCOLL
Many readers might ask how a Jew without much of a background, who lived off charity during his childhood, managed to create such a vast financial empire. It is clear from the previous pages that prior to December 1943, Raymond Kayn did not exist. There is no record of his birth certificate, no document that confirms he’s an American citizen.
The period of his life about which most is known began when he enrolled in MIT and amassed a sizable list of patents. While the United States was embracing the glorious 1960s, Kayn was reinventing the integrated circuit. Within five years he owned his own company; within ten, half of Silicon Valley.
This period was well documented in
Perhaps what most troubles the average American is his invisibility, this lack of transparency that transforms someone so powerful into a disturbing enigma. Sooner or later, someone must lift the aura of mystery that surrounds the figure of Raymond Kayn…
11
THE RED SEA
Andrea smiled broadly and set aside the biography of Raymond Kayn. It was a lurid, biased piece of shit and she’d been completely bored by it as she flew over the Sahara desert on her way to Djibouti.
During the flight Andrea had had time to do something she rarely did: take a good long look at herself. And she decided that she didn’t like what she saw.
As the youngest of five siblings – all male except for her – Andrea had grown up in an environment in which she felt entirely protected. And which was utterly banal. Her father was a police sergeant, her mother a housewife. They lived in a working-class area and ate macaroni most nights, chicken on Sundays. Madrid is a beautiful city, but for Andrea it served only to highlight her family’s mediocrity. At fourteen she swore
