‘I told you he couldn’t be trusted!’ William Havers shouted as Brulet took a seat at the writing desk. ‘This is exactly the kind of problem I was talking about.’
‘Calm yourself, William,’ Brulet urged, watching the Templar pace back and forth. ‘Let us focus on solutions, not causes.’
‘Solutions!’ Havers stopped pacing and he now looked even more furious, with his face visibly reddening. ‘There aren’t any solutions, only questions.’
Havers had every right to be upset, and Brulet knew it, but that Harker could be responsible was, to his mind, impossible.
‘Take a seat, William,’ Brulet demanded sternly, pointing to the armchair opposite him, ‘I want to know everything.’
Havers stood defiantly where he was for a few moments and then, with a growl, he sat down. With arms folded he began to rock back and forth stiffly, like a volcano about to blow.
‘Two of our operatives were alerted by the sound of gunfire at the Mont. They were there within twenty minutes and found both Anthony and Michel dead in the lower vault. They’re still checking the inventory but so far the only thing unaccounted for is the Illuminismo.’
The mention of the deaths and the missing Illuminismo drew a look of profound shock from Brulet. ‘And Alex?’
‘The helicopter was found on the mainland, with the pilot shot dead, and of Harker and his fat friend there’s no trace.’
‘Surveillance footage at the vault?’
Havers was already shaking his head. ‘Nothing. The cameras blacked out, so didn’t record a thing. We’re still trying to ascertain why.’
Brulet slouched back in his chair and removed his sunglasses, then dropped them on the desk. That three people were dead was a tragedy, and the Illuminismo being missing was extremely worrying, but to think, as Havers was insinuating, that Harker could be responsible was almost as troubling. ‘Whatever has happened, I find it hard to believe that Alex had anything to do with it.’
‘You’re too trusting, Tristan,’ Havers complained before standing up and waving his arms indignantly. ‘Harker turns up out of the blue with some ridiculous story about the dead coming alive, and it just so happens that the Gigas page he needs is located in the same vault as the Illuminismo.’
Havers moved over to Brulet and knelt down in front of him with his arm resting on the desk. ‘This was a set-up, plain and simple.’
Brulet gazed out of the Excelsior’s port-side window and across the dark rippling waves outside with a sense of foreboding. ‘What possible reason could he have for wanting to hurt us? He’s been a dedicated ally since his induction.’
Havers looked unconvinced and wore a deep look of mistrust as Brulet turned back to face him. ‘The time it has taken for that man to entrench himself amongst the Templars is but a fraction it would take for most, and yet he’s been given access to some of our most carefully safeguarded secrets.’
Brulet brushed off the suggestion and shook his head in disbelief. ‘That same man helped us defeat the Magi, amongst other things, or have you already forgotten?’
Havers leant on the desktop with his arms outstretched to steady himself. ‘Ask yourself this, Tristan. Who else but Harker saw your brother die, and in what circumstances? In fact, come to think of it, who led us to the Magi in the first place?’
‘What are you talking about?’ Brulet snarled, becoming angry.
‘How do we know that Harker didn’t lead your brother to his death…deliberately?’
The idea was repellent to Brulet, who immediately shot out of the seat. ‘Enough, William. That is ridiculous.’
‘Really?’ Havers replied sarcastically. ‘Don’t you find it a bit strange that Alex Harker was the only person to get out alive?’
‘Oh, please,’ Brulet rasped. ‘Dr Stanton made it out too.’
Unmoved by Brulet’s reasoning, Havers manoeuvred closer to the Grand Master, while swaying from left to right like a shark approaching its prey. ‘Maybe you’re right, Tristan, but after today’s events at the Mont can you really be totally sure of anything? First your brother…and now Harker disappears with the Illuminismo, which holds the identities of every Templar on the planet. Mere coincidence?’
Even though, in Brulet’s mind at least, the accusation seemed ludicrous, he couldn’t ignore the gravity of what Havers was suggesting and he remained silent as he considered the possibility. Could there be any truth to it? Even if there was the slightest chance Havers was right, he had to address it. With slumped shoulders and a grim expression, he gave a nod. ‘Very well, William, it would be irresponsible of me not to explore the possibility, but for the record I don’t believe it.’
Brulet looked disheartened by his own decision and he turned and made his way out of the room, pausing only at the open doorway. ‘I don’t want either of them hurt,’ he ordered and now regained his composure. ‘Just find them and bring them in. We’ll then see what they know.’
As Brulet disappeared, Havers was already picking up the phone on the desk. He dialled a number and waited.
‘We have a go on Harker. So find them both,’ Havers instructed. Gritting his teeth, he added, ‘Dead or alive.’