24: Isaac’s Plan

“How long have I been asleep?” I stretched and sat up.

“Hours. I’ve been busy. Come and see.”

Isaac dragged a second chair over to his computer and patted the seat.

“What have you found?” I peered at the monitor. He had lots of tabs open. I noticed one of them was Netgabble.

“What do you know about those artefacts that you found in Greenland? The ones that make up this ‘machine’?”

“They just looked like lumps of rock to me. The writing was weird, but they just looked like any old rock.”

“Made of the same stuff as the key?”

“Yes.”

“But it’s not rock, is it Danni? Close your eyes and touch it again. What does it feel like?”

I did as he said, rubbing the object between my fingers. Then I opened my eyes and stared at it. Why hadn’t I noticed that before?

“It looks like rock but feels like metal. And it’s getting hotter.”

Isaac nodded.

“And the diagrams at the monastery show how it all fits together. Danni, I think it’s some kind of alternative energy machine. And that key you’re wearing round your neck is what makes it all work.”

His face was flushed, his eyes wide and feverish. I stared at him in silence.

“Your uncle Robert started out working on alternative energy, and then suddenly switched over into archaeology about ten years ago. All because of that old thesis. Only it wasn’t just about some old ruins. It was still all about alternative energy.”

“So the machine is a power source? And that’s what MEXA were after?”

“Yes, and Robert knew it. That’s why Kris joined the Mars mission. That’s why your parents went to Malta.”

I swallowed. Everything my family had done over the past ten years had been about these ancient people and their strange artefacts. It had been their mission. Now, it seemed, it was mine.

And Robert. How much did he really know about my parents’ death? What else hadn’t he told me? And why had he kept it from me? He must have known I would find out eventually. So many questions I needed to ask. But I had to find him first.

I tightened my fingers around the artefact.

Could Isaac really be right? Could those ancient people have discovered a source of energy that was unknown to us?

“But it’s prehistoric,” I said with a shake of my head. “They were little more than apes – they weren’t even human.”

“But yet they drove their chariots between the stars. That’s what the abbot said, isn’t it?”

“Myth.”

“Kris found the key on Mars, Danni. How on earth would it get there without some fairly advanced technology? You saw those pictures. Your ‘apes’ flew a spaceship to Mars.”

Isaac was grinning. A smug sort of grin. He was clearly pleased with his detective work.

“Okay,” I said slowly. “Suppose you’re right. The broken rock – metal – whatever – fits together to form some sort of power source. Those scripts that Gracie stole from the monastery show how they fit, and I have the key.”

“That’s why they’re after you, Danni.”

My stomach squirmed.

“Isaac, there were MEXA agents in Naples. They’ve got people everywhere and I think they’ve guessed I’m in Italy. I can’t trust anyone except you.”

Isaac blushed.

“And they murdered my parents because they went to Comino and saw the scrolls.”

“But what I don’t get is why did the Proto People send the key all the way to Mars in the first place? Why didn’t they want to keep it?” he asked. “That doesn’t make sense.”

I swallowed. “The monks said mankind wasn’t ready. Isaac, there’s something wrong here. All those bodies we found in Greenland... I don’t know how, but we have to find Robert.”

I tried to remember the abbot’s exact words. The Creeping Madness – that’s what he had called it. Was this what had destroyed their species?

“I think I know where your uncle is being kept.”

“You do? Where?” I leaned forwards.

“I said I think I know.” Isaac shot me a sideways glance as he returned to his keyboard. “I don’t know for certain. But look at these.”

He clicked the mouse and a series of windows popped up onto the screen.

“Isaac,” I gasped. “Those are MEXA emails. How on earth?”

“Oh, don’t ask,” said Isaac with a sly smile. “But I’m good, aren’t I?”

I couldn’t disagree with that.

“Crikey, Isaac. You hacked the MEXA server?”

“Well, not exactly. There was this guy online at Netgabble while you were asleep. I was asking around about MEXA and it turned out they sacked him last week. Check this out.”

“That’s from Morgan Pew.” I leaned forwards for a closer look. Isaac clicked on another message. This one was addressed to Pew, from one of his men.

“Read it,” Isaac said.

“‘Returning from dig site – delivering package.’” I looked up at him. “Package? That’ll be all the artefacts they took. It doesn’t say anything about Robert, though. They could have killed him, for all we know.”

“Ah,” said Isaac. “Look at this one.”

“‘Dad. Returning to base. Danni has escaped. She has the key. G’. ”

“And the reply,” said Isaac, opening another message. “From Pew.”

“‘You should have tried harder. The prisoner will have to tell us where to find her. Maybe we can manage without now that you have the diagrams.’ ”

I looked up at him, my heart thumping.

“ ‘Dad’? Pew is Gracie’s dad?”

Isaac nodded.

“And the prisoner?”

“Has to be your uncle.”

“But it still doesn’t say where he is.”

Isaac laughed. “That’s the easiest part of all. The MEXA headquarters are here in Italy, over in the Euganean Hills. I bet you that’s where Robert is being held.”

“But you don’t know for certain...”

“It’s the best lead we have.”

“So what are we going to do?” I knew what he was going to say.

“We’re going to go there and take a look.”

“But they’ll never let us in.”

Isaac laughed. “Danni, I don’t believe you’re being so negative. Considering you made your way here from Malta, surely you’re not going to be put off by a bit of security.”

I grinned at him. “Of course not,” I said. “I’m up for anything. Bring it on.”

“That’s better.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“Sort of.” Isaac folded down his laptop screen and put it into a rucksack. “We just need to have a little word with my brother.”

“Are you kidding? Joe’s never going to help us.”

Isaac winked at me. “Watch and learn, Danni. Watch and learn.”