Algorithm - Book 1 - The Medallion

Chapter 12

Linda was in the front seat of the Pathfinder with Hedda looking on from the rear. Through the rain-speckled windshield they saw the brake lights of the VW as it putt-putted past the entrance gates.

Ben spoke over his downturned window. "I'll wait for you at the end of the drive!"

When Ben left the parking lot, Adam turned to the two women and whispered through clenched teeth. "Give me a second." 

He threw his laptop into the backseat and disappeared from view as he bent down outside the car. Moments later he reappeared on the opposite side with something in his hand.

"I found the bugger."

Adam tossed a small black box into the parking lot and eased himself into the driver's seat. Seeing that the two were eying him curiously, he clarified, "It's a transmitter. I noticed the receiver on the floor back in the office. It's got to be how Borman tracked us here."

Hedda handed the keys to Adam and they drove out of the lot, exiting through the inner gate. In the rearview mirror Adam saw Herman staggering through the office door, pointing and shouting at the breaker. A few turns in the road later, Linda spoke up. "There's a police car sitting off to the side of the road."

            A curtain of light rain caught the shimmering remains of the evening's sunset. Their headlights illuminated the way ahead and caught Ben's VW parked alongside a police cruiser.

Adam said, "And there's Ben. The police are still here. He looks like he's talking to them."

            As they slowed down, Ben looked up and waved them on. "Everything's fine folks!  I'll catch up with you in a minute. Just wait for me by the entrance to the street ahead."

            Ben was all smiles, and as Adam slowly passed by he saw that so were the two policemen inside their patrol car. For reasons that he could not identify, Adam's stomach tightened up.

Whatever story Ben spun appeared to be going over very well.

            When they reached the city street, Adam stopped the car and turned to his passengers. "Does either of you think that any of this makes any sense?  Wouldn't the police want to talk to us?"

            Hedda spoke up first, "It is odd. But Ben has been visiting the mine for a couple of years now, and he knows a lot of the police around here. Maybe he just explained everything as a misunderstanding."

            Adam asked, "When was the last time you saw Ben?"

            Hedda wrinkled her eyebrows as she thought back. "He's been visitin' about every other week. It were about two weeks ago."

            Adam continued, "And he looks the same to you?  That is, the same as he looked two weeks ago?"

            Hedda bent her head to the side, pulled down her spectacles over her nose to look at Adam more closely. The pitch of her voice increased ever so slightly as she replied, "Just what do ya mean?  Sure, he looks the same."

            "I don't know what I mean. Not yet." 

Adam looked grim. After a glance at his mirror, he powered the Pathfinder out onto the road.

            Linda said, "But shouldn't we wait for Ben?  And, what about your medallion?  It must be back in the mine somewhere or maybe in the museum?  Aren't you going to look for it?"

            Adam grinned and pulled the artifact from his pocket.

            Linda was first to react. "Dios Mio!  Where did you find it?"

            Adam pocketed the gold disk and answered with a grin, "I never lost it."

            Hedda stuttered, "But you said…"

            "I know what I said."

Then after a moment more Adam added, "There's something not quite right with Ben, and until we know what that is, this artifact stays lost."

Adam lowered his head. The two women stared at him with their mouths open as he gunned the Pathfinder.

            "What will it be?  Hamburgers or pizza?"