Free An Aegean Prophecy by Jeffrey Siger Page A

afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, or how you got this number.’
    ‘You should.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘You chose me.’
    There was a pause. ‘I heard you were good. Chief Inspector Kaldis, I presume.’
    Andreas thought to reach out for the man’s name, but decided it better to act as if he already knew his identity. ‘So, where do you want to meet?’
    ‘Why should I meet you?’
    ‘Oh, you’re definitely going to meet me. I’m just giving you the choice of having me show up on your doorstepwith a brass band, or doing it less conspicuously at a location of your choosing.’ Andreas held his breath. If the man hung up, he was nowhere.
    ‘Give me a minute.’
    It seemed like an hour.
    ‘How’s seven tonight at the Sofitel?’
    ‘At Venizelos Airport?’
    ‘Yes, call this number when you get there.’
    ‘See you then.’
    ‘Looking forward to it. Goodbye.’ The line went dead.
    Andreas didn’t hang up. He dialed Lila’s number. So much for making it home this afternoon. He still might make it for dinner, if it wasn’t an early one.
    Andreas and Kouros were at the hotel by four. A team sat in a van directly across from the hotel entrance with instructions to photograph everyone going in and out, as well as anyone in its outdoor cafe adjacent to the entrance. The hotel’s front door was fifty yards from the main terminal and the place had a virtual monopoly on anyone needing a room at Athens’ international airport. It also was convenient for travelers looking for a place to meet with locals. Many simply sat at the cafe, did their business, and left without ever going inside the hotel. Andreas guessed this guy would want privacy and get a room for their meeting. A male-female team was instructed to hang out in the lobby, photographing everyone getting off the elevators, just in case he’d already checked in.
    At precisely seven Andreas strode into the lobby and dialed the number.
    ‘Hello.’
    ‘I’m here.’
    ‘You need a room key to get the elevator to stop at my floor. I’ll send someone down to meet you.’
    ‘What does the “someone” look like?’
    The man laughed. ‘I’m sure you’ll figure it out.’
    Andreas wondered if he should reconsider his decision to meet without backup. He thought to say something to his team in the lobby but decided against it; someone might be watching him now that he’d made that call. He walked to the elevators. The only thing waiting for him was a massive reproduction of a classic, white marble Cycladic statue of a female form, arms crossed below the chest. It stood against the far wall at the end of the elevator bank. He was staring at it when an elevator door next to him opened.
    A couple in jeans, tee-shirts, sneakers, and matching baseball caps stepped out, speaking English and clutching a map. Nope, not them. Another elevator door opened. This one was at the far end, next to the statue.
    A man stepped out and turned to face Andreas. The statue vanished. The sun would have disappeared behind this guy. He was a giant, but not just any giant, a graying blond one in full Eastern Orthodox cleric dress: hat, cross, and all. Backup no longer seemed relevant. They’d need a howitzer to stop this guy. Andreas stepped inside the open door and the cleric followed. He put a room key into the slot by the floor buttons and pressed six.
    If this guy’s taking me to room 666 I’m not going in. His private Book of Revelation joke had Andreas smiling to himself, but then the man opened the door to room 616.The man waved him inside without saying a word or entering the room, then closed the door behind Andreas. Another man was inside, alone in the room, sitting on a chair by the window. The sunlight passing through the window made it difficult to make him out.
    ‘Welcome, my son.’ The man did not stand, just extended his right hand.
    He was wearing a finely tailored, dark blue suit, like the Italian one Lila had bought Andreas for his birthday. He