Free Trifariam, The Lost Codex (2012) by Diego Rodriguez Page B

careful.
    James.
    ___________________________________
    He didn’t answer the question. He grabbed a chair and sat in front of the fax machine. He felt a strange sensation run though his body, as if he was about to cross a threshold from which there could be no turning back. “I’m starting to regret picking up the phone. I was quite happy trying to pick up a girl a few minutes ago, and the more I speak to you, the more panicked I feel. They tried to kill you! For the love of God! What have you gotten yourself into?”
    James detected terror in Richard’s voice and tried to calm him down. “Richard, it is best that you don’t know at the moment. It’s for your own good. I’ve found something surprising. By my calculations, it goes back to the year 1500 and although we don’t know what is hidden inside, from the way they treated us this morning, it’s got to be important. I’m sure that when you see it, you won’t be sorry.”
    Next, James gave a series of instructions, which Richard followed to the letter. Eventually, he dialed the fax number from James’ text message. A few moments later, in an apartment in Florence, a fax machine sprung to life and printed a blank page.
    “Well done, Richard. I’ve got the number now. We have to hang up. I don’t know if they’ve been listening to us and, if that is the case, the longer we talk the more time they will have to locate the call.”
    Richard thought for a few seconds about the possibility of several men turning up in his room in the dead of night to brutally interrogate him about something which he knew nothing about.
    “Stay there for a few minutes and don’t let anyone in. What I’m going to send you is a copy of the first chapter of the book, along with a table to help you decode it. I’m sure you won’t be able to understand the script at first, but your ancient idol and your good friend Trithemius will help you to work it out.”
    “But James… I don’t - ”
    “Richard, I’ve known you for a long time and I know what you’re trying to say, but think about what I’ve told you. Leave the hotel when you have the documents and I’ll get in touch with you first thing tomorrow.”
    James hung up before he could say goodbye. Richard desperately wished that he hadn’t done so, but it was too late, and on top of that his friend needed his helped.
    The room was very large, as to be expected in a five-star hotel. The room wasn’t intended for hotel guests but for the personal use of the staff, which seemed a bit odd considering the number of computers there. It was clear that they wanted to keep up the same appearance of luxury visible from the exterior; in fact, he realized this as soon as he arrived at his suite. His room was like an immaculately furnished private luxury apartment; it had an enormous bed with a forty-two inch flat-screen television, a small games room with a pool table, and a bathroom with a jacuzzi which would make any fan of bubbles jump for joy. They had added all the finishing touches, even leaving him a small bag of relaxing bath salts. There were all kinds: aloe vera, lavender, rosemary… When he saw them, they reminded Richard of a report he had seen a couple of years ago which talked about the great benefits of thermal baths. Many joint complaints can be soothed by taking such baths. In fact, in ancient times they were used to relieve various bodily afflictions.
    Suddenly another beep woke Richard from his reverie and for a moment he felt as if someone was approaching him from behind. It was the fax machine; it had run out of paper and someone was trying to use it.
    After inserting a new roll of paper into the compartment, the noise stopped and the machine started to work. The first pages to emerge were bank details, outstanding debts and misdemeanors by some tourists at the hotel that were being looked into by their attorneys. Richard assumed that wasn’t what he was waiting for and placed it on a nearby table next to