Joshua’s familiarity with the outside world was proving to be surprisingly useful. Much as he despised time spent in the company of the Fallen, he had observed their ways and knew how to mimic their behavior. When he got out of his car and casually strolled through the building lobby, he seemed like any other resident of the area. It was the middle of the day, and nobody was around. Presumably, the people who lived here were all away at work. Without hesitation, he climbed the stairs to the top floor, scanned the hallway and then picked the lock to Hunt’s apartment.
What he found when he entered the unit took him by surprise. It was neat as a pin. Hunt’s profile had suggested a man of slovenly personal habits. Perhaps all those years spent in the army had given the fellow a sense of discipline. The spymaster wasn’t entirely sure what he was looking for, but he instinctively gravitated toward the desk near the living room window. While he waited for Hunt’s computer to power on, he checked through the desk drawers.
Inside he discovered cameras, a laser microphone, recording equipment and monocular spyglasses. Obviously, Hunt had been watching someone or possibly several people. When Joshua opened the shallow center drawer, it revealed photos of the subjects of that surveillance. Sitting down in the desk chair, he rifled through the images. The pictures were of a farmhouse in the suburbs and an old woman who presumably lived there. Those images held no meaning for the spymaster, but the next one did. It was a picture of his father’s youngest wife, Hannah, looking into the mailbox of that same farmhouse. She was almost unrecognizable with her make-up and cropped hair—both abominations in the eyes of the Nephilim. She was dressed in a skirt much too short for a modest consecrated bride to wear. Joshua’s eyes narrowed in disapproval. She had clearly embraced the ways of the Fallen and taken refuge with an old woman out in the countryside where she thought nobody would find her.
The next photo showed her descending from a school bus. A school bus! As if the wearing apparel and customs of the Fallen weren’t bad enough, Hannah was imbibing the corrupt notions that passed for knowledge in their world. He was appalled. His father would be speechless with rage when he saw these images.
There was one more picture beneath. It caused Joshua to gasp audibly. He always prided himself on maintaining his composure, but this image shocked him to the core. In the final photo, Hannah was kissing a boy—a youth of about her own age. They were standing beside an old car. As if her other sins weren’t bad enough, she had completely forgotten her marriage vows. How could she be so lost to heaven that she could forget being sealed to the diviner as his spouse for all eternity?
Joshua leaned forward over the desk and rubbed his forehead. What did all of this mean? Hunt was plainly aware of the spot where she was hiding. Why hadn’t he given that information to the diviner? What game was he playing at? The spymaster briefly entertained the notion that Hunt might be blackmailing Hannah in exchange for keeping silent about her whereabouts. Then he dismissed the idea. The old woman in the first picture didn’t look prosperous enough to buy the Fallen man’s cooperation.
He turned his attention to the computer screen. He needed to find out where this farmhouse was located. Opening a browser window, he checked the sites Hunt had visited last. The Fallen man had been looking up an address and map directions to find it. When Joshua checked a street view photo of the location, he knew he’d found the right house. He wrote down the address.
Then he stood and paced around the room, considering how he might best use these facts to his own advantage. While the spymaster would certainly disclose what he’d found to his father, he might also be able to shake his father’s belief that this Fallen man could be trusted. If Hunt were out of the picture, Abraham would have no choice but to send Joshua on these mysterious missions with Daniel in order to protect him. Joshua would become even more central to the plans of the diviner. Perhaps, if he handled the situation correctly, he could eclipse Daniel entirely in his father’s affections. Then, who knew? The title of scion might yet be his.
Chapter 35—Leroy and the Bandits
Cassie and Griffin marked time fretfully in Padang City while the duplicate artifact was being fabricated. The minute it was ready, they headed back to Lugu Lake to rejoin Rou and Rabten’s twin brother Rinchen. It took several flights and a bus ride over winding mountain roads before they once more found themselves in Luoshui Village. Much to their surprise, Rou and Rinchen were waiting at the bus stop to meet them.
“Hey, guys. What are you doing here?” the pythia asked.
“No time to talk now.” Rou glanced nervously over her shoulder.
In a low voice, Rinchen said, “I just got word from Maddie. Your friends arrived a couple of hours ago. They’ve got a Chinese Nephilim guide with them who knows the mountain roads, and he drove them here. That’s how they shaved a few hours off the travel time from Lijiang. Hunt phoned Metcalf to say they were going to check out the cave this afternoon. For all we know, they might already be on their way there.”
“Holy cats!” Cassie exclaimed. “We need to get there first.”
“Yes, we must find a boat right now!” Rou tore off
