Alex Van Helsing The Triumph of Death - By Jason Henderson Page 0,26

riding was hijacked, resulting in the loss of a computer that has now put the Polidorium at risk.”

Alex felt the blood prickle in his cheeks. “I…you know that’s not my fault.”

“I’m just saying that this is serious, Alex. This is a major threat. We haven’t made assignments for this project.”

“What about Hexen?” Sangster changed the subject, looking at Astrid. “You said you were here to look into Claire.”

“Yes.”

“So now you’ve looked. Can I assume that your organization is going to continue working on this?”

“I think you can assume that.”

“And can I assume that a more experienced operative will be representing Hexen going forward?”

Astrid looked as if she’d been struck. “No. This is my project.”

“Is it possible you could set up a meeting—”

Alex looked at Sangster in shock. Sangster, who had personally guided Alex for the past several months, was clearly suggesting that Astrid and Alex were too young and inexperienced for this. He wasn’t even sure he liked Astrid, but this was not like Sangster.

“Absolutely not,” Astrid protested. “Hexen has made its decision.”

“And I’m supposed to just take your word for that?”

“No, of course not.” Astrid smiled in a pouting way as though assuaging a child. She reached into her pocket, and for a split second Alex thought she was going to draw a weapon. But instead she brought out a piece of jewelry, a silver chain flashing in the air. She slapped her fist down on the table and opened it, revealing the object that lay there.

Alex had no frame of reference for this, but Sangster slowly leaned forward. In the center of the table was a cameo, a delicately curved portrait on a pendant.

“May I…?” he asked, and reached out his hand.

“Of course.”

Sangster picked up the pendant and looked at it, holding it up to the light. “This is the Brelaz cameo.”

Astrid nodded. “Given in friendship by Dr. John Polidori to Madame Brelaz in 1819. Do you know what it means?”

Alex shook his head.

Sangster said, “It gives its bearer the full weight of Hexen authority and the right to speak for the organization should the two ever cross again.”

Armstrong let out a slow whistle. “That has not been seen in…what…”

“Seventy-five years?” Sangster estimated. He slid it back and raised his hands. “Okay, okay, I surrender. Your papers appear to be in order. Hexen doesn’t call and doesn’t write for nearly a century, and now we get you.”

“For now,” Astrid said. “For Claire.”

“Because you guys think of Claire as your problem,” Armstrong said.

“We think she’s everybody’s problem.”

“Any other orders in there we should know about?”

“There is something else.” Astrid gestured toward Alex with her head. “With all gentle kindness, I’m not here to work with you. I’m supposed to work with him.”

Alex wasn’t sure she was pointing at him at first. That seemed absurd. Hey, I was just starting to hate you.

Sangster cocked his head and looked at the two of them. Alex opened his hands as if to say, Don’t look at me. “What does that mean exactly?”

“That’s enough for now,” Astrid said. “But if I’m working with the Polidorium, I’m working with Van Helsing.”

Sangster breathed slowly. “Well, we were gonna bring Alex anyway. He’s not bad at all this.”

“Thanks,” said Alex.

“But he has a terrible reputation.” Sangster smiled.

“So.” Alex leaned back. “I gotta ask again. Now that I’m the number-one-requested single, where do we start?”

Sangster shrugged. “We start with the painting, The Triumph of Death. We know it’s a key, but thanks to the computer virus, we don’t have the Polidorium’s notes on it, so we need to look at it more closely.”

“Where is this painting?” Astrid asked.

Sangster scrolled through the data under the painting. “It’s now in the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain.” He leaned back and expertly flipped a pen between his fingers as he looked at Alex and Astrid. “Want to go on a field trip?”

CHAPTER 9

“I actually prefer to fly, Alex.” Armstrong turned a fresh, freckled face toward him as she brought the dark gray Polidorium Learjet 60XR to cruising speed.

Alex spent the first five minutes of the flight leaning into the cockpit pestering the pilot. In this case it was Armstrong, the same agent he had seen wearing a U.S. Air Force uniform numerous times and who had already informed him that she was a pilot, so this wasn’t really a surprise.

She spoke a few words to the silent copilot and turned back to Alex. “So, we have three hours to Madrid. You’re on a fourteen-million-dollar aircraft, and your only chaperone is