LITMIR.BIZ

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grinned. “I might have an idea.”

      “So what happened to the pearl, then? It was lost, too?”

      “Legend has it that it returned to its proper owner—the very civilization that created it in the first place.”

      “The civilization that no longer existed. Supposedly.”

      “Yes.”

      Annja sighed. “That’s an awful lot of supposed history right there, Herr Spier. I hope you’ll forgive me if I don’t fall for it hook, line and sinker.”

      He chuckled. “I would have been disappointed in you if you had, Annja. I know you are a woman of facts, yet you are also a woman who can’t help but be intrigued by legends and myths.”

      “I’m a romantic at heart,” Annja said. “What can I say?”

      Spier eyed her. “Say that you’ll come diving with us. Say that you’ll help us find the pearl.”

      “You’re serious about going after it?”

      “Absolutely.”

      “And the warning signs in your story? They don’t bother you at all?”

      “What—that whoever possesses the pearl seems to come to an unfortunate end?”

      “Yes.”

      Spier spread his arms and laughed some more. “My dear, I am eighty years old. In some ways, I feel as though I were as young and strapping as Hans here. But I am not. Eighty is much closer to the grave than it is to the womb. And so, if the legends are true, then I will not go reluctantly should my time come to pass sooner than I expect. And even if it does, I should pass from this world to the next knowing that I had a hand in retrieving a truly wondrous relic.” He pointed his empty glass at Annja. “What could be better than that?”

      Annja smiled. As much as she hated to admit it, Spier had intrigued her with his tale. And while she was supposed to be here enjoying her rest and relaxation, she’d already found she missed the excitement of exploration. The visit to the reef today had shown that she always needed a sense of some sort of adventure in her life. Wasn’t that why she’d gone against the dive master’s advice and went diving alone?

      Spier watched her. “I may have only just met you, Annja, but I know people. And after eighty years on this planet, I think I have the ability to see some people better than they perhaps know themselves. You and I are alike in many ways. You have the thirst for adventure flowing deep within your very soul. And as much as you might want to fight against it from time to time, you know full well it will never relinquish its hold upon you or your heart.”

      Annja grinned. “Not until I’m dead, I suppose.”

      Spier nodded. “Exactly.”

      “And what will you do with the pearl if you are actually able to locate it?” Annja asked.

      “It’s my hope that we would present it to the world together,” Spier said. “That others might learn much from it. How it was made, what properties it possesses.”

      “I’m interested in knowing how this ancient civilization was able to make a pearl at all, considering that we weren’t able to manufacture artificial pearls, per se, until quite recently.”

      “Perhaps that old civilization was a lot more advanced than we would give them credit for,” Spier said. “Or perhaps they had access to a species of giant oysters that gave them such objects on a routine basis. Who can tell?”

      Annja smiled. “Well, I suppose we won’t know for sure unless we manage to find it.”

      “That’s the spirit.”

      “How big is the pearl supposed to be?”

      “Roughly the size of a child’s ball. Perhaps ten inches across.”

      Annja sat back. “That would be massive for a pearl.”

      “Absolutely.”

      “And that would mean that if it came from an oyster, it would also have to have been huge.”

      “Beyond measure almost,” Spier said.

      Annja nodded. “Okay.”

      Spier leaned forward. “Really?”

      Annja smiled at him and then looked at Hans, who had remained silent throughout the story. “Well, it just so happens that I don’t have all that much going on aside from recovering from a mild concussion. So maybe a little excursion would be a good thing for me.”

      “I assure you it will be,” Spier said. “The search for the pearl will prove to be a fantastic adventure, I’m certain of it.”

      “Maybe we’ll even find it,” Annja said with a laugh.

      Spier called for another round of drinks and then winked at Annja. “I’m almost positive that we will. Now that you have joined our expedition.”

      6

      Spier and the rest of the men excused themselves after they’d had another round of drinks. Annja nursed her glass of wine as Hans stayed behind, as well. Part of her was happy about that, but part of her suspected something else might be going on. Just before Spier had left the table, he’d exchanged a knowing look with Hans.

      Annja was comfortable with the decision she’d made to join the expedition, but she wanted to make sure that Hans didn’t have any misconceptions about the nature of their relationship.

      They waited in comfortable silence until the pavilion had pretty much cleared out. One of the resort’s boats was taking a big group over to a neighboring island where they had a nightclub. Annja had no interest in going.

      “Joachim is very pleased that you’ve decided to accompany us on this expedition,” Hans said.

      Annja looked him over. He was smiling at her and seemed brimming with confidence. “How did you get that scar?” she asked.

      He touched his face self-consciously. Annja grinned. “I didn’t mean to imply that it’s horrible or anything. I was just curious.”

      Hans smiled. “Doesn’t the discussion of scars and how we got them usually take place after we’ve slept together? Isn’t that what people like us do in the afterglow of orgasm?”

      “People like us?” Annja sputtered, surprised by the man’s blunt statement. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

      “You can’t deny it, Annja. I knew it from the moment I looked at you. You’re a warrior.”

      Annja raised an eyebrow. “So does that mean you’re one, too?”

      “I was,” he said. “Once.”

      Hans got a faraway look in his eyes and Annja frowned. She knew what it was like to have dark memories. Sometimes the demons that you’d killed stayed away for a while. But sometimes they came back.

      “Military?” she guessed.

      Hans nodded. “I was a paratrooper. In Afghanistan. Working with the coalition forces at the time. Such as they were.”

      “I didn’t think Germany had much of an official presence over there.”

      Hans sighed. “We had a few units. Some of whom disgraced themselves. Public opinion caused the chancellor to resign. Germany pulled out most of its units. But you know that doesn’t stop the shadow governments that work despite the best interests of the people they’re elected to supposedly protect.” He finished off the remainder of his drink and slapped the glass back down on the table. “An arrangement was reached with the United States. Germany would supply a small unit of commandos—specialists trained in mountain warfare—for long-range reconnaissance patrols. Our task, as it was set forth, was to locate high-value Taliban targets.”

      “So you were special operations.”

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