Shay shrugged. “That’s the power of using primary sources.” She glanced up at the clock. “And it looks like it’s time to go. Thank you all for coming.”
She spotted a familiar man in a navy-blue suit in the corner.
Came to check up on me, huh, Goldstein?
Shay waited at the lectern for a few minutes, fielding a few final questions as the students filed out. Once the last student had left, Daniel made his way toward her lectern and set his silence cube atop it.
“Interesting lecture,” Daniel offered.
“I try to make it engaging. It’s hard enough to get students to care about the past, and sometimes harder to get them to care about the changing views of the past.”
The CIA agent smiled. “It really does sound like you were there. You sure you haven’t been?”
Shay laughed. “I’ve been to Austria, won’t deny that, but it’s not like I’m the kind of person who’d go diving for sunken treasure. I like to keep things safe and academic.”
“Sure. Maybe.” Daniel stared at her.
Does he know?
“What?” Shay asked.
“What if you could be the kind of person who could go diving for sunken treasure, or at least help supervising it, but you wouldn’t be at risk?”
Shay frowned. “What the he… What are you talking about?”
It was easy to maintain her Professor Carson mask in front of the students, but the CIA man set her on edge, and the real Shay burned to come out and challenge him in voice and manner.
“Among other responsibilities, I need to recover the pin you discussed in your lecture. I’m well aware that it’s a magical persuasion pin.”
Shay watched the man, looking for some sign of discomfort or nervousness, but he displayed the same overly-pleasant demeanor he’d shown during their earlier discussion.
“That pin is dangerous.” Shay shrugged. “It might be better off at the bottom of that lake where no one can ever abuse it.”
“Oh, I know it’s dangerous, which is why it shouldn’t stay there. Twenty years ago, big deal. It’d take a lot of tech and time. But these days, with all these abracadabra, you never know when someone might march in and get it. Serious artifacts can’t be left around for random elves or wizards to pick up.” Daniel pointed at Shay. “And that’s where you come in.”
“Oh?”
“I want you to act as the supervisor for a team I’m putting together to find the gold and the pin in Lake Toplitz. If you agree, you’ll get ten percent of the value of the gold.”
Shay almost laughed, again wondering if Daniel knew she was a tomb raider. “That’s a lot of money for a project supervisor.”
“Well, consider it a fee to exploit your knowledge of the area and your experience concerning this lake. I won’t be on site, but I’ll make it clear that everyone is to follow your orders. You won’t have any trouble leveraging your knowledge.”
Shay shook her head. “I’m interested in the job, but I want to make it clear that I haven’t been to Lake Toplitz.”
“If that’s how you want to play it, fine.” Daniel shrugged. “We all have our secrets, Professor Carson.”
Shay sighed. “That said, I know how dangerous the area is. If I’m going to be involved, I want ninety percent.”
Daniel wasn’t polite enough to turn away. He laughed straight in her face.
He wiped a mirthful tear away. “Come on, you work for a university. You should know the government doesn’t pay that much.”
Shay shrugged. “Not my problem. Enjoy the magically booby-trapped log maze. It’s your problem now. Just being around there might get me blown up.”
The CIA agent smirked and scratched his eyelid. “I can convince them to give you thirty percent, which is really damned generous. You’d never have to work again if you didn’t want to. No more lectures to spoiled kids.”
“Like I already told you, I like my job. There’s only one other thing I need before I agree to take the job.”
“What’s that?”
Shay pointed at him. “The truth about why, if this is your responsibility, you won’t be coming along on the jo…expedition.”
Daniel chuckled. “Aren’t you the curious one?”
“Most academics are. That’s why they choose that path.”
Daniel watched her for a few seconds before nodding. “I’ve got another artifact that has priority, and I can’t go to Austria to play right now.”
“What’s the other artifact?”
He shook his head. “Let’s just say that’s need-to-know. Right now, you’re not part of my team. You’re a contractor. Maybe we can revisit that after this Austrian job, if you’re willing to take it.”
Shay nodded. “Okay, I’ll supervise your team, but that doesn’t mean I’m committing to anything else.”
Daniel smiled. “Of course. Congratulations, Professor Carson, you’re moving up in the world.” He grabbed his cube and stuffed in his pocket.
Shay said nothing else as the man walked toward an exit.
What the hell am I doing cozying up to some government agent? If this guy digs enough he’ll eventually figure out the truth, but I do need to make sure he’s not sniffing around James.
She frowned. If Daniel already knew the truth, then everything might be some sort of big test. The CIA wasn’t renowned for their ethics. He might know all about her current career and past and not give a damn.
Shay sighed and ran her hands through her hair. What with Peyton’s brother, James’ alien secrets, helping Lily, and now subcontracting for the CIA, her life had gotten damned busy.
Chapter Twenty-One
Shay frowned as she stepped on the escalator. The flight to Salzburg had gone well enough, and her team had already arrived. It should have been a simple matter of meeting her contact and being driven to Lake Toplitz.
Of course, shit was already going south.
She feigned checking her phone while using the camera to check behind her. Three men. She’d spotted them watching her the second she’d stepped off the flight. They were almost comically obvious with their oh-so-painful casual clothes that didn’t match their
