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〃Someone will notice。〃
〃No one will notice。 They don't know what's here。 How can they know what's not？〃
Ochs handed Nathan Lee the plastic envelope containing their body bag。 〃Let's get this over with。 Fill it up。〃
〃This doesn't make sense。 Who would buy a pile of bones？〃
〃Who do you think pays for you to root in the dirt？ The university？ Where do they get their money？ Foundations？ What are they？ The aristocracy。 Wrap your head around it。 Aristocracy is the engine that drives archaeological exploration。 Private collectors； museums； thecognoscenti。 Without them； artifacts would simply fall to dust。〃
There was nothing more to argue。 Nathan Lee climbed down the rope ladder。 The braided hemp creaked under his weight。 He had never seemed so heavy。 Down at the bottom； he began cutting loose the dead。
IT WAS NEARLY FOURin the morning when Nathan Lee finished。 The bones rattled in the body bag。 They backtracked through the church and up the ridge to where Nathan Lee's cairn marked the site of the buried woman。
Her hand was gone。
He searched。 It was possible an animal had torn it loose； or the stones had sealed it over。 But there was no blood。 To Nathan Lee it was as if she had pulled her hand back into the underworld。 Away from him。
1
The Collector
CORFUISLAND； GREECE
MARCH
The two old men entered a spacious room； their wives trailing them。 Nikos led them to a wall of glass。 Perched upon a high cliff； the room aimed due west。 From here one actually looked down into the sun as it sank into the sea。 Unprepared； the Egyptian surgeon and his wife stepped back from the glassed…off precipice。 The abyss was wild with pure light。
The Egyptian realized that Nikos had precisely timed their entrance for the maximum effect。 Beauty； profound beauty； drove the man。 That's all you needed to know about Nikos。 His merchant navy and import…export cartel and banks all had their explanation not in money or power； but in a sunset such as this。
The Egyptian glanced around the room。 Nikos's passions were on display in typically Spartan measure。 There was a Koons on one wall； spectacular and obscene。 A plate of oranges glittered by one window。 In the corner was a priceless bronze shield said to be from the Trojan War。 And then there was his wife。 Perhaps a third his age； she was a woman of almost inhuman beauty。 Her gray almond eyes were startling。 The Egyptian could tell that his own wife； elegant herself； was shaken。 She would be gossiping about this evening for a long time to e。 Nikos was nothing if not memorable。
〃Where are your golden death masks？〃 the Egyptian continued。 〃The steles and amphorae？ Your torso of Achilles？ The swords and chariot wheels？〃
〃I have laid aside the armor。〃 It was said quietly； with a modesty unlike him。 〃Let others see Homer's accuracy；〃 Nikos said。 〃I have found a greater mythology to prove real。〃
〃Greater than Homer？〃 the Egyptian teased his old friend。
The Egyptian's eyes shifted to Nikos。 The man still carried the wide shoulders of a sailor； still cracked walnuts with his fingers and threw the meat at his mouth。 But his scarred hands and thick forearms bore liver spots among the white hairs。 There were smears of aluminum…oxide paste on the skin cancer his glorious sun had ignited。 His spine tilted to the left。 It was like seeing a powerful statue being eaten away。
〃What new adventure have you embarked upon then？〃 asked the Egyptian。
Nikos glanced at him sideways。 〃Can you hold off your hunger for an hour more？〃
The Egyptian looked at his wife。 She tilted her head with mock servility。 〃At your pleasure；〃 he replied to Nikos。
〃Excellent；〃 said Nikos。 It seemed important to him。 〃In the meantime； perhaps the ladies might enjoy a tour。 Medea？〃
The young woman needed no further instruction。 She linked arms with the Egyptian's wife and gracefully guided her out through the door。 Nikos went to the back wall and slid open a set of panels that reached from the floor to the ceiling。 Behind them； thick glass fronted an interior chamber。 The Egyptian smiled at the theatrical touch： No women allowed； this was an inner sanctum。
He touched the glass with his fingertips； and it was cold。 Nikos's secret room was refrigerated。 Inside stood stainless steel cases with glass shelves lit from behind。 He tried to see what the shelves held； but the windows were coated on the inside with a sheen of frost。 In another setting； he would have recognized it as a storage unit for medical specimens or art objects。 Here he could not say for sure what it held。 Oddities of nature or man； that was sure。
Opening the door； Nikos stepped inside。 He touched the switch and light cascaded through the glass and metal room。 〃e；〃 he said。
The room was filled with relics。 Christian relics。 There were scores of them。 The Egyptian could not help feeling cheated。 These trinkets were the source of Nikos's delight？ The old pirate had simply gotten religion。
〃Impressive；〃 he finally said。 His word lingered before him； a cloud of frost。
〃Say what you mean。'Nikos； your dick has grown soft。'〃
〃We're old men；〃 the Egyptian shrugged diplomatically。 〃We're allowed our gods。〃
A crafty grin restored Nikos's air of mystery。 There was something more to this。
〃What？〃 said the Egyptian。 He was relieved。 〃What is this all about？〃
Nikos edged among the chill glass shelves。 〃Doubt；〃 he said。
Pure white light suffused the room。 The effect was of a crystal forest。 The glass shelves and their steel mounting gleamed。 The artifacts seemed to hang in space。 〃You know what these are？〃 he asked。
〃I've seen such things in the Coptic churches of Alexandria and Cairo。 Holy relics。 They hold the remains of martyrs。。。bone chips； pieces of mummified flesh。〃
〃Perhaps； perhaps not。〃 Nikos took down an octagonal vessel with transparent sides and handed it to his friend。 〃I have had to learn a whole new vocabulary。 This particular type of casing is called amonstrance orostensorium。 The lockets aretecta。 The general term isdomo or house。 Peepholes on the divine。 They are often made of precious metal and studded with gems；〃 he said。 〃But the prize is within。 You see that glass capsule？ This pretty little house of silver was built just to hold it。 But even that is beside the point。 For the soul lies inside the capsule。 There is the relic itself。〃
Nikos had bee a collector of dead souls？ The Egyptian held the monstrance at eye level； peering at the ampule mounted inside。 〃I can see something。 The bone of a saint？〃
〃Or a dog。〃 Nikos replaced the monstrance； and lifted a cross…shaped receptacle。 This time the Egyptian noticed a small red sticker on the glass。 The cross was numbered 127。
Nikos flipped open its hinged top like a cigar box。 Inside lay a small bundle of black hair。 〃When the crusaders descended upon Jerusalem； they sparked a glut of forgeries。 They flooded Europe with worthless junk。 For that reason I depend upon science。 All my specimens go to labs in Tel Aviv； Stuttgart； Paris； Tokyo； and Glasgow for dating and genotype。 The Italians I no longer trust； they are so gullible。 Whisper the wordmartyr and their greatest scientists begin weeping into their microscopes。 Their as