Nicasio had spent the better part of his next day back in Athens on the Internet in the Blagen library. He had searched for any mention of new studies devoted to Juan de Fuca, either in English or Spanish, internationally. There was certainly nothing significantly newer than what he had already read about the elusive voyager over the past years during his research on California explorers. De Fuca's participation in West coastal history of the New World, whether great or small, was vague at best and there was no hardcore evidence that he had played any contributing role other than the second hand rumors and legends of the period which had alluded to him. Most of these reports were recorded after he was said to have returned to Europe at an advanced age. This led Nicasio next on a fervent search for the missing Spanish professor who had corroborated with Dr. Vasiliou on the discovered diaries and obviously their translation.
By the end of the day three possible female candidates had surfaced as having left the University of Seville ten or so years previously and under sudden circumstances. In any case, due to the time which had passed, there were no relevant facts he could discern without possibly traveling to Spain. And this was not something Nicasio particularly cared anymore to do.
Looking at his vintage Blackberry, Nicasio saw several recent calls from the professor, but no messages or calls from Daniela. He tried to allay his fears about her, though he was certain she would contact him perhaps from the Greek professor's house phone that evening. Upon returning to his room, he found several messages taped to the door of his room. They all insisted that he call his professor back in California immediately. His task of accomplishing this was made easy by the fact that as he opened the door of his room, the dormitory phone was already buzzing in its annoying way.
"Nicasio? Is that you?"
"Yes, Dr. Simons . . . I just returned from the library."
"Listen. I don't know what you've learned over there today but things are developing here rapidly. I've discovered some sort of . . . active cell with direct ties to that research team some ten years ago. . . the one headed up by Vasiliou."
"Some sort of cell?"
"Some sort of subversive organization, yes. It's not confined only to Stanford and a few female researchers down there. It seems to be international. Only female, and it's big. Extremely big!"
"Why do you say subversive?"
"What if I said deadly?"
"Are you saying that?"
The professor's voice had finally calmed down. "We're putting it all together now, Nicasio. . . and listen. . . it doesn't look good."
He waited for an explanation.
The professor seemed overly cautious to say more on the phone.
"So what did your girlfriend find out about our . . . ghost over on Andros?"
"I haven't heard from her yet, though I'm certain she'll call this evening. As I told you she seems to be . . . in the woman's good graces. My own poking around would've been too obvious."
"That's right."
"But Daniela's scheduled to return on Wednesday . . . in a couple of days. She should know a lot more about the professor's former work by then. I'm sure of it."
"You mean her continuing work. She's still very active within this thing, Nicasio. It's becoming very clear to me and the investigators. I suppose I should warn you . . . Daniela could be in some danger there."
"Danger? What are you talking about, Dr. Simons? And just who are you working with back in California where you're getting all this info?"
"Vasiliou was in the States as late as two months ago. That's been confirmed. She'd been there on an extended stay. Spent time in Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and D.C. She's made frequent trips to San Diego and San Francisco in recent years. Ever since she quit her post at the University of Athens she's been associating with the States. The Greek authorities, though, say they don't have any official record of her residence."
"Why did you say danger, professor? What do you think is going on over here?"
"The information is developing and coming in fast."
"Well tell me then. And what's all this got to do with the tholos down in Big Sur, anyway?"
"My contacts with the State Department are keeping close tabs on some of the women this professor has been communicating with over here. They read like a Whose Who in the upper crust of society . . . the halls of politics . . . and some mover-shaker activists working globally for women's rights. As I said, young man, this is spreading rapidly."
"Go on . . ."
"The organization she's a part of is being investigated in connection with some mysterious heavy crimes internationally. It's a trend which has gained traction over the past six months."
"Crimes like?"
"Homicide."
"Murders?"
"All I can say now, young man is that several intelligence agencies are involved in the investigations. What ever your girlfriend has learned when she gets back to Athens, you must inform me of immediately. It's probably better if you both to get back to San Francisco within a few days."
Nicasio was silent.
"Nicasio?"
"Yeah, professor. I heard you. We'll get back. I just have to get in touch with Daniela somehow . . . Can you believe she doesn't have her damn cell phone with her?"
"Will she call you from Andros?"
"That was the plan. Probably this evening."
"Very well then. Look . . . you can probably be of more use to our investigation now over here, Nicasio. There are some very different loose ends with this all now which we need to untangle."
"Dr. Simons . . . I'm going back to Andros tomorrow if she doesn't call tonight. I'm not waiting until Wednesday after what you've told me."
"Well that's your call, my boy. But if possible . . . we need more information about those discovered logs."
"Jesus, professor! Aren't you concerned about Daniela?"
"Of course I am, son. But I can do nothing to help either of you from here. Just return with what ever information you two can get . . . that's all I'm saying."
"So why . . . I mean who were the victims of these murders?"
"Well, that's an interesting point." The professor paused again. He continued in a softer voice. "They're always men. Men who have in one way or another brutalized females."
"Like?"
"Like the kind of men who do those things to women. The real pieces of work out there! You know . . . rapists, torturers . . . men who are killers themselves."
"Oh. . . "
"The male victims all seemed to have been singled out. Vendetta like."
"Are these women really so organized?"
"Seems so. They're picking out certain males for their very unsavory treatment of women. Brutality against females of any age."
"This is all so unreal."
"No, Nicasio. It's very real. There's a profile here of victims emerging. The most horrific abusers are the targets. Men involved in honor killings, rape, torture, disfigurement, sexual slavery . . . I think you get the picture."
"Yeah I do."
"These vendetta attacks are showing up in a number of countries now. Suddenly and frequently. It's all being discovered over a period of several months."
"OK. So how do they know . . . they're all linked up . . . the murders I mean?"
"By their method of attack. And a very identifiable little clue."
"What?"
These men have all been killed or seriously injured by . . . arrows."
"Arrows? No way."
"Small stainless steel shafts . . . projected from a high-tech crossbow. The forensic reports are identical with all the cases. It's a standard weapon in all these attacks, Nicasio."
"Shit!"
"And something else. These metal arrows were all poisoned by a specific zootoxin."
"A what?"
"Snake venom. Certain varieties of it. Some purposely intended to kill the victim. Others selected to just to injure. Cause intense pain . . .and suffering."
"But how can this be?"
"Because who ever is behind these attacks . . . is strategically focused. And extremely well-prepared. They obviously have an arsenal of natural poisons at their disposal. Some of the strongest snake venoms in the world. And they apparently have been collected from several distinct continents. Sort of a worldwide collection network."
"This is so incredible sir . . . But I still don't see how anyone can tell it's the same group carrying this all out."
"From the darts, Nicasio. They're called 'bolts' to crossbow enthusiasts. Each metal shaft has had the same microscopic engraving on it. A certain tell-tale emblem."
"Which is?"
"I think by now you might guess what emblem we're talking about here."
"Shit . . . No way!"
"Yes. We'll discuss all of this in depth when you get back in San Francisco. There's other information I need to share with you then."
"No. Tell me now!"
There was a pause, and an uncharacteristic sigh of desperation by the professor. It was a reluctance Nicasio could pick up from the other side of the world.
"The emblem on those metal arrows, Nicasio, is the same design we found on the sarcophagus from the tholos. I was sent images of it from the State Department photo enlargements. Taken of the bolts. The emblem is clearly seen on each of those shafts. It's a carbon copy of what we found down there in Big Sur. On the broken sarcophagus lid. The emblem shows up on some of the women's documents and electronic communiqués, as well. There's no question, my boy. It's the mysterious Amazon symbol."
"So what authorities are you getting all this from? Who's working with you, Dr. Simons?"
"Just know we're not alone in this investigation. As I told you . . . it's much bigger than just an archaeological find anymore.
"Christ, professor . . ."
"Look, Nicasio. Try to spend some time in the Blagen before you and Daniela return. Search out anything you can about that design. It's obviously some sort of composite of ancient symbols. The double Greek alpha is perplexing. It happens to be one of the critical clues the agencies are working with . . .internationally now. They're trying to determine what the symbol means. Who it could really belongs to."
"Like we even know that professor?"
"At this point we know much more than the international authorities, my boy. Just try to get back here inside of the week with anything else you can find."
Nicasio perceived the professors voice was relaxing. He had told him all he had wished to.
"Just somehow reach your girlfriend tonight, young man. Of course her safety is an issue. And we don't want her implicated in any of this. That could happen now through her contact with Vasiliou. However brief it's been."
"Yeah. Exactly." Nicasio was silent and pensive.
"Well now you've got me worried about that, sir. . . Good afternoon, professor. I hope to see you back in California with Daniela very soon."
* * *