***
Daniel sighed. He was back at the compound and just returning from the ordeal of handing the relic over to his father. The routine was beginning to wear thin on him: his father’s feverish anticipation, the covetousness in the diviner’s eyes when he glimpsed the treasure for the first time, his furtiveness when asked what he intended to do with the objects once they’d all been assembled, his fulsome praise for Daniel and even more fulsome sermon about the role of Providence in the scion’s success, Daniel’s nebulous excuses regarding the translation of the next riddle.
The scion believed he could buy several weeks if not months of research time in the city now that he was once more in his father’s good graces. He intended to stretch the decoding process out in order to absent himself from the compound and absent himself from the other problem awaiting him at home—Annabeth. He gave an even deeper sigh. The minute he’d returned she started plucking at his sleeve, begging for some time alone together. His other two wives were used to neglect and didn’t bother him, but Annabeth was importunate. She told him she needed to speak to him privately as soon as it was convenient.
He thought it was safe to disoblige her now that Hannah was safely away from the compound. If his third wife tattled to the diviner about Daniel’s complicity in Hannah’s escape, he doubted his father would believe her. After all, Daniel was an accomplished liar on the subject of Hannah. He’d already stood the test when Hunt confronted him with the same accusation. Annabeth’s nervous ways and timid nature would be ridiculously easy to discredit in his father’s eyes. Still, he thought he should hear what she had to say before detaching himself from her by degrees.
He knocked on her door. It swung open immediately as if she had been standing on tiptoe on the other side, waiting for the sound.
“Hello, Daniel.” She smoothed her hair. There was a feverish gleam in her watery eyes. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too,” he lied as he stepped over the threshold. Even though he braced himself, she didn’t throw her arms around his neck and smother him with kisses.
She stood back, appearing flushed and exhilarated but making no move to touch him.
“You wanted to see me?” he asked cautiously.
“Yes, yes, I did.” She bobbed her head. “Please sit down.” She indicated the two chairs at the little table under his portrait. The sight of the picture always made him wince. It was an ill-deserved shrine in his honor.
“I have something very important to tell you.” She pulled her chair closer to his, attempting to take his hands. “Such news. We’re about to be blessed by the Lord.”
“Blessed,” Daniel repeated the word warily. “In what way?”
“He has heard our prayers for increase. I’m going to have a baby. Isn’t that wonderful?”
The news hit him like a punch to the stomach. “Wonderful,” he echoed in a dazed fashion.
She didn’t notice his reaction but kept on talking. “That will make me your principal wife. My sister-wives will have to give way to me. Imagine that, plain little me. Not only the wife of the scion but his principal wife. Your father won’t dislike me so much anymore. No more evil voices whispering all sorts of blasphemy in my ears. Satan will leave me alone now that I have the Lord’s favor.”
“Yes,” Daniel agreed weakly. “You certainly do have God’s favor.”
She continued to chatter about her plans to settle scores with other wives who had treated her unkindly or made her a laughingstock, but Daniel had stopped listening. His head was filled with images of demons wearing the faces of dead people. He had believed he could distance himself from the Nephilim by escaping to the refuge of his research in the city, but circumstances were conspiring to draw him back in. As Annabeth prattled on, he once more saw a ghostly face—Hannah’s. “How bad does it have to get before you leave?”
He wondered if, with this last bit of bad news, he wasn’t almost there.
Chapter 48 – Driving Progress
The limousine pulled up in front of the steps of the compound. The driver scurried around to hold the rear door open for the diviner. He gave a curt nod of thanks and settled himself in the back seat.
The vehicle took off noiselessly down the long gravel driveway. Almost as an afterthought, Metcalf commanded, “Pull over at the gate for a moment.”
The driver silently did as instructed. The diviner climbed the stairs to the sentry tower. Inside he found four guards at surveillance terminals. Standing above them was Chopper Bowdeen, scowling at one of the monitors.
“Mr. Bowdeen, what progress are you making?”
Chopper flinched slightly at the unexpected sound of Metcalf’s voice. He looked up briefly. “Good progress, sir. I’m having a slight problem with this surveillance camera at the back fence, but it’s nothing that can’t be adjusted.”
Metcalf beckoned the mercenary over to the corner where they could speak in private. “How long will it take you to complete the new security feed at the main compound.”
Bowdeen paused to calculate in his head. “I’d guess another week, tops.”
“Good,” the diviner approved succinctly. “Your next mission will be the North American satellite compounds. The same plan as here.”
“Yes, sir,” Bowdeen assented, a slightly troubled note creeping into his voice.
Quick to catch his misgiving, Abe looked at him sharply. “You have concerns?”
Bowdeen’s face became a mask. “No, sir. None. I should be able to meet your specifications at the other compounds with no trouble.”
Metcalf scowled at the mercenary for a few seconds, trying to read his thoughts. “Fine,
