The Milestone Protocol Ernest Dempsey (best short novels of all time .txt) 📖

“Excuse me,” Sean said in Russian, “I was wondering where I might find Saint Alexius, Metropolitan of Moscow.”

“Yes,” the bishop said in a brusque voice. “His reliquary is just over there.” The man pointed to an area off to the right of the main thoroughfare.

“Thank you.” Sean bowed gracefully and returned to the other three in his group. “Follow me,” he said.

He led the way through more incoming traffic to an alcove set in the wall to the right of the entrance. There, the image of Saint Alexius in a white robe with a golden sash hung over the archway. Another visage of the man at the bedside of the Khan’s wife was fixed to the wall on the right. To the left was a third picture, this one of Saint Alexius ministering to a group of people gathered around him.

“Looks like he was a busy guy,” Tabitha chirped.

A glass partition flush with the walls on either side kept visitors from entering the alcove where a golden box, about twice the size of a shoebox, rested atop a table covered in a golden fabric. The cloth draped down to the stone tile floor underneath.

“That box must be the reliquary,” Tommy realized out loud.

“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” Sean muttered.

Tommy winced. “Yeah, I soft-tossed that one to you.”

“Yes, you did.”

Adriana took a step forward, ignoring their interaction.

“They always like this?” Tabitha asked, shuffling closer to Adriana as she looked into the reliquary, beyond the wall of glass.

“Usually.”

Adriana kept her eyes locked on the glass. She brushed a finger against it. The right corner of her lips creased ever so slightly. The glass was thin, barely a quarter of an inch thick. She was surprised the trains passing by on the street outside hadn’t shattered it by now. Getting through it would be simple enough. She had tools in her kit that could cut through glass twice as thick, and there were others she’d used before that could cut through far thicker.

Her eyes scanned up the seams along the walls on both sides, then where the glass met the ceiling, then down to the floor. Adriana couldn’t believe what she was seeing. There were no sensors in place to keep anyone from simply shattering the thin barrier and walking right into the reliquary. She leaned close and noted the same strange absence of security sensors on the gilded box.

“It can’t be this easy,” she whispered.

Sean had drawn up next to her and overheard the comment. “What?” he asked, leaning close.

“The lack of security in this place is almost unnerving.”

“That’s a good thing, though. Isn’t it?”

“For us, it is,” Adriana said.

“So, what’s the problem?” he whispered into her ear.

“No problem. Just curious, that’s all.”

“What are you two gossiping about?” Tommy asked from behind them, standing between their adjoining shoulders.

“Just wondering when your wife is going to be back so we can get a little peace for a few minutes,” Sean replied.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Hey, don’t forget to miss the train out of third-wheel station. What time does it depart?”

“Okay, you’re hilarious,” Tommy glubbed. “Can you just be serious for a second?”

Sean hummed a laugh. “We’re here to find some stone that could potentially unlock the most powerful weapon ever created. I think things are serious enough.”

“Good point.” Tommy paused, looking hurt. “Do you really think I’m a third wheel?”

“Only if it makes you take a step back. People are staring at us with you over our shoulders like that.”

Tommy abruptly shuffled back and looked around. He couldn’t tell if anyone was looking at him or not, though he could have sworn there were several pairs of eyes locked on him.

Adriana swatted Sean’s shoulder. The reprimand only made him chuckle.

“So, what’s the plan?” Tabitha asked, trying to ignore the banter. “Come back later tonight?” She shook her head and looked back through the glass. “I cannot believe I’m saying those words. I’m literally talking about committing a crime. Out loud.”

“A touch too loud, actually,” Sean hissed. His eyes darted around the immediate area, but it didn’t seem anyone had heard them.

“No,” Adriana answered her question. She scanned the room, her eyes rolling along the ceiling and walls. Then she found what she was looking for in the corner. “Tommy?”

“Yeah,” he stepped forward again. “What’s up?”

“See the red box over there in the far corner?”

He nodded. “The fire alarm. Yeah. Why?” The realization hit him the second he asked the question. “No. Seriously? Now? The fire alarm gag?”

Adriana looked into his eyes with a sincere, sweet gaze as she tilted her head to the side and shrugged. “Why put off until tomorrow the crime you can commit today?”

“Did you just make that up?” Sean asked.

She rolled her eyes and reached into a black clutch dangling from her wrist. Instead of a touch-up makeup kit, the small case contained four metallic rectangular devices, each about three inches long.

Adriana removed the one with a tiny metal wheel set in the center of the tip. The sharp disk glistened on the edge.

“The three of you, make a wall around me,” Adriana ordered. “Try to look like you’re admiring the architecture and all the opulence.”

Sean bit his lip at the way she’d said opulence. It was accurate, just a funny way of saying it. His wife did that now and then, hinting back to her Spanish beginnings. He liked how, to this day, certain things slipped out of translation.

The three turned around, all facing various directions, and formed a half circle around Adriana as she knelt down and ran the cutting tool across the surface of the glass. As she suspected, no alarm sounded. Once she’d scored about three feet across, she ran the tool down the left-hand side of the first mark, cutting another line to the floor.

Adriana glanced around to make sure no one had seen her, then stood up. She still held the tool in her right hand.

“Okay,” she said, turning around to join the others. “One cut left, and I