| Subject: Whispered Identities - Chapter 242 |
Author:
Lynuslinus
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Date Posted: Friday, January 06, 02:38:29pm
In reply to:
Lynuslinus
's message, "Whispered Identities - Chapter 237 and forward" on Sunday, October 23, 08:00:17pm
Nikita stood outside the entrance to the villa, stretching before her run. Suddenly, her mobile began beeping; flipping it open she peered at the phone: a text message scrolled over the screen. Nikita walked slowly down the entrance roadway, reading the message over and over; she stopped and peered out to the sea.
.Hummmm.....where is this coming from? Maybe Michael can decode the phone....but what does it mean?
She stood reading the message aloud; the only sound heard - the cry of gulls and her soft voice.
Medusa Rondanini
---Let it be pass on
---No good can come of it -- it is not well
---To meet it--it is an enchanted phantom,
---A lifeless idol; with its numbing look,
---It freezes up the blood of man; and they
---Who meet its ghastly stare are turned to stone,
---Like those who saw Medusa.
Mephistopheles in Goethe's Faust.
Nikita closed her phone, saving the text message, she began jogging slowly down the roadway. Reaching the trail to the beach, she picked her way carefully over the rocky path until arriving at the sandy beach. She increased her pace for the next three kilometers, then stopped. Breathing heavily, she pulled out the phone again and studied the text message.
Perhaps I should pull out Goethe’s Faust.....read it...for real this time, not like at university. Maybe Adrian can shed some light on what this means.
Nikita turned and headed back towards the villa. After showering, she pulled on some jeans and a light sweater then headed for computer systems. After inserting her security codes and performing an iris scan, she opened the door. Michael swivelled in his chair and smiled.
“Did you have a good run?”
“Yes...but....where’s Adrian?”
“She’s taking a break....a tea and scone break. She’s promised to bring some back....are you hungry?”
“A little...ahhhh, Michael....I received a strange text message on my mobile...here have a look. Maybe you can decode the sender.”
Michael took the cell phone and studied the message. “Hummmm....interesting, someone with a flare for the classics. Who knows your mobile number and text message code?”
“Ahhhh.....well, you, Adrian.....and, well, my father. But surely anyone can send me a text message if they know my number....even Reilly sent me messages on the Perignon mission....and I had to use the phone to contact you because the satellite computer connection wasn’t working....you remember, about the multi-strand tubing on the access wall.”
“Yes....I remember. Possibly someone was performing a phone trace.”
“Maybe....look I know you stated to only use the satellite connection but I had no choice....I needed to discuss the tubing and the phone was the only way.”
The computer systems door swung open and Adrian entered the room with a tray containing tea and scones. “Hello my dear....you had a good run?”
“Yes thank you. I’ve received a strange text message on my phone....here see what you can make of it.” She took the phone from Michael and handed it to Adrian.
Adrian sat down and studied the message, she said nothing but a frown crept across her face.
“Who do you think sent this Nikita?”
“I don’t know....Michael, can you try a decode to trace the sender?”
“Yes....but if the call was encrypted, it will show nothing.” He reached over taking the phone back. “I’ll try.”
Adrian poured tea into three cups and handed Michael and Nikita theirs. She sat sipping quietly and sighed. “I think it’s a warning....from someone who cares about your welfare Nikita.”
“A warning....but it’s a classical poem...surely if it was meant as a warning, the person would just come out and state what the warning was about.”
“The warning is about the Medusa Society....to be sure.”
Michael busied with plugging the phone into a port on the main computer; he performed a series of steps to attempt an extraction of where the text message originated from. After a few minutes he looked up. “As I suspected....heavily encrypted...no way of tracing the sender.”
Adrian rose and walked over to the main terminal. “Please put the message on your screen Michael.”
Michael tapped on the keyboard and the message scrolled on three large monitors; Adrian stood before one and read the message aloud; she stopped and turned to face Michael and Nikita.
“I think the message if a warning from Mr. Jones at Center....Nikita your father is attempting to warn you about what is transpiring with the Medusa Society.”
“But he knows I’m working with you two on tracking the Society....why be so secretive...why not just call me and let us know if there is imminent danger.”
Michael sat silently, stroking his chin; he looked up at Nikita. “He must have a reason....could the poem be a code Nikita....something from your past he relayed to you?”
“Trust me Goethe was not something my father and I EVER discussed. Let’s leave it for now....I’m not worried....if it’s from him, he’s probably playing some silly game. Now, I was thinking about our disguise for ingress into Le Mont St. Michel.....the place is a complete tourist haunt....surely we need to look like everyone else going there. So, I thought you and I should go as a married couple with a child.....Michael.....what do you think?”
Michael suppressed a smile and looked away. Adrian did not suppress her smile. “I think that sounds perfect...Nikita is correct, look like everyone else entering the castle. The only slight problem I foresee is....well, the lack of a child or children.”
“We use a pram....a baby carriage with a doll tucked inside. If we check web sites for the castle we can dress, walk, look like a million other tourists going inside during visitors hours.” She paused. “Michael? You’re being you again....quiet....this is only a suggestion, possibly you have been working on another access disguise.”
Michael shook his head. “No as a matter of fact, neither Adrian nor I have come up with anything yet. So....let’s obtain a pram....and a.....baby...and proceed. We have everything else set up....we can leave tomorrow morning.”
Nikita touched Michael’s shoulder and smiled. “That’s quick....don’t you know it takes awhile to produce a baby....like nine months.” She grinned. “I’ll start shopping for the pram....dear....”
Michael’s face flushed as he turned away from Adrian’s stare and Nikita’s teasing.
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