Dagger Magic

"But Germany was overrun before most of the treasures could be moved. Rather than allow them to fall into enemy hands, orders were given to dispatch much of this wealth to South America by submarine. Many reached their destination, but many did not. When [7-656 disappeared off Northern Ireland, it was reported that she had been sunk by British warships; indeed, two Royal Navy frigates claimed the kill. Now we know better - and can make good use of that knowledge."

The story made sense - of a sort - but Raeburn sensed that there was more to the tale than had been told.

"You said you would make it worth my while, if I agreed to help you," he said. "Assuming I'm prepared to do as you ask and direct this undertaking, what are the benefits in it for me?"

The abbot's eyes went cold, like chips of ice. "You should be grateful merely to escape reprisals for the destruction of our base in Scotland and the attendant loss of an irreplaceable artifact. However," he amended in a milder tone, "I am willing to make some concessions for your trouble. If you succeed in salvaging the cargo, half the diamonds are yours to do with as you wish."

"A generous concession." Raeburn's pale eyes flicked round the room. "You're obviously doing well, but I'm surprised you can afford to part with that much wealth. Unless, of course, the diamonds are only a side issue. Unless," he concluded thoughtfully, "there is something else aboard that submarine that you want to get your hands on - something of even greater value than diamonds. I wonder what that something might be."

He raised his eyes to meet those of his former schoolmate and encountered a piercing glare. After a bristling silence, the abbot said coldly, ' The question of worth is purely subjective. Most men would consider the diamonds to be of paramount value and importance. The submarine was also carrying a number of Tibetan manuscripts. But those have value only to someone able to fathom their secrets."

"Manuscripts." Raeburn's tone was thoughtful, but his long, lean body was taut with sudden expectancy. "Would they be anything like the one that was in the possession of the Head-Master?"

The abbot's jaw tightened, then relaxed. "The document to which you are referring was from a similar source," he acknowledged with a curl of his lip. "The Head-Master removed it without authorization. It is no wonder that he failed in the work he set out to do, for his information was incomplete. Only the Man with Green Gloves, the Keeper of the Keys of Agarthi, has the knowledge and the power to make use of these manuscripts."

Raeburn let this declaration pass unchallenged, only gazing at the abbot with an air of bemused satisfaction. After a moment, Dorje resumed his revelations, almost as if under some compulsion to do so.

' The full collection of these ancient texts was housed at Munich until the changing fortunes of the war dictated that they should be consigned to a safer haven," he said. "My guardians were similarly persuaded that the single best hope for smuggling the texts out of Germany was by submarine.

Out of that shared conviction was conceived the idea of a joint venture intended to preserve two treasures for the Fatherland."

"Your guardians let themselves in for quite a gamble," Raeburn said, toying with the dregs of his tea. "If that sub was supposedly bound for Brazil, something must have gone seriously wrong in transit."

The abbot paused to replenish his bowl from the teapot, avoiding Raeburn's eyes - why?

"Possibly," he conceded. "Perhaps merely a change of plans. But that hardly matters now."

"No, I suppose not." Watching the other man closely, Raeburn added, "Forgive me for speaking bluntly, Rinpoche, but once you've given me the location of this sub of yours, what's to prevent me from taking the whole hoard, diamonds, scrolls, and all?"

"My assurance," said the abbot, "that you would not survive the attempt."

"Indeed."

Dorje stared at him long and hard before continuing.

"Do not provoke me, Gyatso," he murmured. "I think and hope that you are intelligent enough to realize your own limitations where you are dealing with me. Content yourself with what I am offering you in diamonds. I assure you, even a quarter of the trove will suffice to set you up in splendor for the rest of your life, with ample means to expand your personal operations far beyond your present scope. The manuscripts, on the other hand, would be of no use to you, for you lack the transmission of power to unlock their secrets. To tamper with them in ignorance would be to court a fate worse than that which befell your Head-Master."

Seeing Raeburn silent, he relaxed a measure of his severity. "I shall send Nagpo and Kurkar with you. As you have already observed, their talents are not inconsiderable. Beyond that, you are free to choose your own men, so long as they all are Westerners and not likely to call attention to themselves."

Raeburn sat very still, fingertips drumming lightly on the rim of his empty cup.