Artie didn't appear the remainder of the evening as the Colonel and Carlos told Jim what little they knew about the urn and its importance in the wrong hands. Jim made mental notes of things to talk to his partner about later as he listened intently to the tale. Jim could hardly believe what he was hearing, none of it making much sense. Having them guard some piece of pottery and play escort all the way to New York City just because of some silly legend…shaking his head Jim voiced his concerns.
"Sir, I've looked that vase over and I just don't get it. All this trouble for something based on an old wives tale…"
"Mr. West," Carlos interjected, "I assure you this is not just some old wives tale. I have spent the better part of my life trying to acquire both these urns. I assure you the tale is indeed quite real. I myself have seen some of the Annunaki artifacts." Carlos regarded Jim with stern eyes.
"You actually saw some of this alien technology?" Jim asked.
"Many years ago I went to the Syrian Desert. I had been told I would find a philosopher stone there that would reveal the location of the Star Map."
"What does this Star Map have to do with the urns?" Jim asked puzzled.
"When the Annunaki realized their culture was about to be wiped out by the very ones they had come here to help…they decided man was not ready for their technology. They scattered every bit of it to the four corners of the earth and buried it deep." When neither man spoke Carlos continued.
"I spent three long years searching the Syrian Desert. I never found the Stone but I did find this…" Carlos reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small disc like object with an odd shaped hole cut into the middle.
Jim reached out and took the small disc and examined it. There were what appeared to be intricate carvings on one side that he couldn't make heads or tails of. The other side was worn smooth by time. Jim turned it over in his hand, running his fingers over the gear like design on the edges, before handing it back to Mr. Carlos.
"Is it a trait of the Secret Service to examine things so closely, Mr. West? Your partner seemed incredibly interested in this. He examined it as if he were committing every inch of it to memory." Carlos chuckled.
"Knowing Artie, he probably was." Jim smiled.
The Colonel suggested he and Michael get some sleep and leave Jim and Artie to their duty. The men headed back toward their room and Jim followed them stopping at the lab to check on his partner.
WWWWWWWWWW
Jim quietly opened the door to the lab and tilted his head to the side as he watched his partner sticking something in a bucket of water, the steam billowing from the bucket accompanied by a hissing sound as the metal cooled. Artie removed a glove and gingerly touched the small item he had been working on. Tapping it gently he was satisfied it had cooled sufficiently.
Jim cleared his throat startling his partner making Artie jump. The small metal object flew toward the ceiling. Artie quickly snatched the object out of the air and stuffed it in his jacket pocket, glaring at his friend.
"Not funny, James." Artie scolded his partner as he made a show of checking the strong rope tied around a small crate.
"What's in the box, Artie?" Jim nodded toward the crate as he reached out and touched the rope.
"If you must know it's something I've been working on for Danielle. Since we're to be stuck here in Washington until tomorrow afternoon I'd thought I'd surprise her with it in the morning." Artie slapped Jim's hand away.
"Mr. Carlos told us a fascinating story after dinner. You should have heard it. All this talk about the Annunaki and the Philosopher Stone and some Star Chart..." Jim told him.
"Star Map…it's a Star Map, Jim." Artie corrected him as he continued to clean his lab not making eye contact.
"How do you know about the Star Map?" Jim eyed him skeptically.
"I know all sorts of things, James. When I first found out we would be transporting the urn I asked Washington for anything they had." Artie nodded with his head indicating a thick file on the end of the counter.
"So you know the myth then." Jim watched his partner carefully.
"Myth…It's no myth, Jim. I got a very good look at that urn earlier. It's there all right." Artie looked at Jim his tone serious.
"What's there?" Jim asked curious.
"Those markings on the urn…the ones that look like funny doodles or something…I'd need to have both urns to be certain but I'm almost positive…" Artie appeared deep in thought and Jim again cleared his throat.
"You're almost positive about what, Artie?" Artie looked at Jim shocked, as if he hadn't realized he had been thinking out loud.
"It's nothing, I was just thinking out loud. Say hadn't you better get some sleep I drew the short stick and I have first watch remember?" Artie changed the subject. [i]Keeping this from Jim to save his life, not to mention the lives of countless innocent people, is not going to be easy, [/i] Artie thought as Jim headed toward his room and Artie went out to the parlor.
WWWWWWWWWW
Artie sat at the table listening for any unnatural noises, sipping a cup of coffee. He and Jim had decided on four hour shifts something for which Artie was grateful. If the shifts were any shorter he might not be able to complete his task. [i]Damn Ptolemy or whatever his real name is. I hate keeping things from Jim, we're partners we work on missions and face whatever happens as a team, [/i]Artie sighed. After checking the time on the mantle clock, Artie finished his coffee, rose and headed back toward the guest room.
Reaching the room housing his boss and Mr. Carlos, Artie pressed his ear tightly to the door. A smile made its way across his features as he heard both men snoring soundly. Artie grasped the doorknob and turned it, quietly offering up a prayer of thanks when the door opened without the creaking of rusty hinges.
Moving stealthily, he crept inside and over to the chair on which Carlos had hung his jacket. Reaching into his own jacket pocket, Artie retrieved the item he had been working on when Jim had come to the lab earlier that night. He paused, a look of fright washed over his face, as he slipped his hand in Carlos jacket pocket as Richmond stirred. Artie sighed audibly when his superior merely turned over and continued to sleep.
Artie quickly swapped the discs and made his way back to the parlor. Sitting down at the table he pulled the stolen disc from his pocket and held it almost tenderly as he examined it. The craftsmanship was superb. The intricate design could not have been made with any tools of that day he knew of. Hearing someone approaching, Artie quickly slid the disc back into his pocket and picked up his pistol that had been lying on the table next to him. Pointing the gun at the parlor door he waited for his partner to enter.
"It's only me, Artie." Jim smiled his hands raised in mock surrender.
"How do I know you're you? You claimed I wasn't acting like myself so how do I know you're not some imposter?" Artie grinned back as he released the hammer on his gun and set it back down on the table as Jim moved to join him.
"Touché, Artie. I guess I had that coming." Jim glanced around the parlor car and saw the crate had been moved.
"You moved the urn." He stated.
"Yeah…I thought if someone did manage to get inside the train they might dismiss a crate sitting in a corner as simply something we were storing." Artie stretched and yawned.
"I'm heading off to my room. I'll see you in the morning before I go." Artie rose and headed toward the door. Jim nodded.
"Good night, Artie. Hey wait a minute! Go? Go where? We have an urn to protect."
"I want to deliver a little surprise for Dani. I won't be gone long I should be back by noon. I doubt anyone would be dumb enough to make a run on the train in broad daylight with half the Army outside." Artie told him as he waved on his way through the door.
WWWWWWWWWW
Ptolemy had checked, double checked and triple checked making sure everything was ready. He had shown up at the rendezvous point yesterday and Artemus had been a no show. [i]He'll be there this morning I'm sure, [/i]Ptolemy thought, [i]my sources tell me the train arrived back in town last night and Gordon was on that train. I am certain I have not underestimated Gordon again. He will show up and with that urn. [/i]
"I have you now Mr. Gordon for I have found your Achilles heel." Ptolemy muttered to himself.
His attention was brought back to his surroundings when the carriage came to a stop and Ivan jumped down.
Opening the door for his boss, Ivan stepped to the side as Anna alighted first quickly followed by Ptolemy. Ivan was instructed to pull the carriage around to the side entrance and wait. Ptolemy extended his arm and Anna wrapped her arm around his and they entered the Botanic Gardens looking very much like an ordinary happy couple looking for a stroll in the gardens.
WWWWWWWWWW
Artie entered his lab and quickly plucked a cloth from the urn and checked to make sure it was still intact, sighing heavily. He hated doing this and he hated not including Jim but until he could find out outsmart Ptolemy and foil his plans he knew he couldn't involve his partner. Especially if he was found out before he had the information he would need to go to the Colonel. Taking a last look around, checking his pocket to make sure he still had the disc, Artie crated the urn and headed for the stable car and his appointment with the madman.
WWWWWWWWWW
