Immortal History Lessons 16
Cherry Juice Box
@copyright 2009 Heather Amaral, Jean Hontz & Sharon Pickrel
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"So Kenan had a man in the square last night?" Zak said.
Thanos nodded. "I would have too, if he'd been on the other side of the line.
He didn't have anything to do with what went down."
"He's good. I didn't sense him at all," Zak replied, helping himself at the bar.
"Kenan doesn't always use vampires," Thanos said.
"Even so. If he were talented or magical I'd normally sense a presence even if I
couldn't pick him out," Zak explained. "It's the whole disturbance of the force
thing."
"I know. That's one reason he uses normals."
This was when Adam Pierson and Sarah Jane Smith were announced and swept in by
Thanos's most competent staff.
Sydney's chin was firmly up. She wore the slinkiest thing she'd brought to give
herself some confidence. Methos on the other hand was wearing a open black
button down shirt over his dark jeans and white shirt, an easy gait to his walk
with Sydney's hand tucked in the crook of his arm.
Thanos bit the inside of his cheek at the look in Sydney's eyes. "You both look
like you've had a nice day," he said. "What can I get you to drink?
"A glass of white wine please, if you have it," Sydney said.
Zak, who'd been watching their entrance and admiring the slinky dress moved to
get it.
Methos thought about making a crack about not having red wine, but he liked his
jaw where it was. "I'll have scotch, Zak."
Thanos led them out onto the terrace overlooking the sea. "So what did you do
today?" he asked.
"The usual sorts of tourist things. Scuba diving, sleeping in," Sydney replied.
"Sounds like a delightful day after a stressful evening," Thanos said easily.
"Are you planning on staying on Cyprus long? There are some beautiful places to
see here."
"Not long," Methos said. "We only have a month left and half the world to see
yet."
"Ah. Commitments back home?" Zak asked.
"Yes, I have a job," Sydney replied.
"Doing?" Zak asked.
"Dealing with Brut wearing adolescents. Trust me, you don't want to know."
Methos snorted into his drink. "No, honestly you don't," he agreed.
"Okay," Thanos said. "I'll take your word for that. So which half of the
world's next?"
"I thought we'd flip a coin, throw darts at a map," Methos said with an
indifferent shrug.
"Well, it explains why you hit first then ask questions later," Zak commented.
Sydney blushed. "I am sorry, Zak."
"Don't worry about it. It's a scar I'll wear with delight." Zak paused then
added, his odd eyes twinkling, "But if we could avoid any future such encounters
I'd take it as a kindness."
"All right, Thanos. You've had me curious all day. So spill." Methos said,
eyeing the prince with a quirky grin.
Thanos grinned. "The Aegis of Zeus."
"Which one? The one described by Hyginus, by Herodotus, or my personal favorite
to mock, Robert Graves?" Sydney asked.
"No, actually I mean the one fashioned by Hephaestus that Zeus loaned to Apollo
at Troy," Thanos said. "But I admire your scholarship. And agree with your
opinion on Graves."
"Now that we've all had a history lesson none of us needed. What about it?"
Methos asked.
"I want you to remove it from where it's currently located of course," Thanos
said.
Methos snorted. "Without mentioning first, that that would be stealing. It would
have to exist first for us to steal it."
"There have been several people who've claimed it existed but no museum has ever
authenticated its actual existence. Hoaxes, yes, anything with actual
provenance, no," Syd commented, more to herself than anyone else.
"A museum wouldn't know the real thing from a fake if the test is provenance.
There are other proofs," Thanos said looking at Zak.
"You get it and I'll know if it is the actual Aegis," Zak replied. "We know
where it is now, all you'll need to do, Adam, is get it out of there."
Methos' eyes narrowed a bit, even as he smiled. "And why do you need me?" He
asked, turning his gaze on Zak. "You have a man right here who can zap in and
out places before security even picks up his life signs. So why a clumsy old
immortal and not a djinn?"
"The wards. They recognize elementals, talented and magical creatures. You, on
the other hand... Old you might be, but you immortals don't register on the
wards. We checked."
Methos raised a brow. "Really? And who helped you check, chances are I know
them."
Thanos smiled. "It doesn't matter. What matters is you're magically null, you
aren't talented, Awakened, were, vamp...anything at all. Except for one little
quirk you're normal. And for this kind of job, you're one of the best thieves I
know."
"Remind me to put you in touch with Amanda when this is all over." Methos
remarked.
"Is that a yes?" Thanos asked.
"That's a maybe, and only if you tell me why it has to be stolen and not
bought." Methos said.
"Because the man who has it is a Turk. He was a German collaborator during the
war and he stole it," Thanos said.
"I'm sorry, are you saying that if I get caught you can't even grant me immunity
because it won't be in your borders?" Methos asked, a bit flabbergasted.
"Unbelievable."
"That's one reason I thought of you, old friend. I know how good you are at
dealing with unexpected complications."
Sydney hung onto her wine, looking from Methos to Thanos and then back again,
not quite believing this conversation. Zak, watching her, looked amused.
"Get outside the wards, with the goods, and we can get you and it back here,"
Zak promised.
"I can't believe I'm asking this, and you better not call in another 'favor' for
a long time you," Methos said, branching off long enough to point accusingly at
Thanos. "What's the security like?"
"In addition to the wards...what you'd expect," Thanos replied. "Heat and
motion detectors, security cameras, ultra sensitive sound and light monitoring,
primary and back up alarms. It's in a private residence. Security with dogs on
the grounds, security in the house."
"Piece of cake for the right cat burglar," Sydney muttered draining her wine
glass. Zak, grinning, refilled it. "A Turk, you said, so that means this
residence is in... Istanbul? Just a wild guess here. Where they ... cut off
hands and feet? Or have they progressed to a cleaner form of punishment?"
"Constantinople," Thanos confirmed. "Near the Hagia Sophia." He looked at
Methos for a moment. "There's just one more thing you should probably know.
Kenan had a man on the square last night."
Methos eyes widened. "Haven't been sharing stories of your good old war buddies
at council meetings, have you, Thanos?"
"No, but he'll have seen you both so even if you don't do this and your travels
take you to Turkey ..." He shrugged and left the rest unsaid.
Methos laughed. "Well isn't that just damned convenient," he said before looking
at Sydney and holding up his hands helplessly. "Sydney, do we have a verdict?"
"Well, you did promise me an exciting vacation," she replied. "Little did I
imagine this was what you meant."
"Well there you have it. I guess you better get me a car full of high tech toys
ready to go." Methos said with a devilish grin.
"Give me a list and it will all be waiting when you get there," Thanos said. "I
don't want to interfere with your vacation."
Sydney looked heavenward and rolled her eyes.