The 13th Tablet

Mina’s heart sank. How stupid. They had had all afternoon to search her room.

‘Should Natasha pursue her delicate work? Do you want to end up like your friend did’, turning to Natasha, ‘what was her name?’

‘Liat Hoffman, sir,’ she answered.

‘Oh Liat, no!’ sobbed Mina.

He looked back at Mina, deadly serious. She saw his blank eyes, without an ounce of humanity left in them. This man was a calculating machine, who would stop at nothing to get the information he wanted. He’d spoken of Liat in the past tense. Had they murdered her? She knew nothing. Mina hadn’t told her a word. She couldn’t keep up this charade any longer.

‘I sent it by special military courier to a hotel in Safed.’

‘Which hotel?’ Oberon asked matter-of-factly.

‘Central Merkazi’, she answered.

He turned to Natasha. ‘Call the hotel. Ask if Miss Osman has a reservation there and if they’ve received a package for her.’

‘Yes sir.’

‘So, Mina, have you deciphered that delightful tablet?’ Oberon asked.

‘I… I just translated it’ she stuttered.

‘And?’

‘And it’s a version of the flood in the Gilgamesh’s Epic, the eleventh tablet.’

‘That’s it?’

‘Yes. Should there be something else?’

‘I’m the one asking questions, Miss Osman,’ he replied icily.

Natasha returned, and whispered something into Oberon’s ear. He smiled and turned to Mina.

‘Well Mina, I’m sorry we need to part at this point in time. It would have been a pleasure to know you more… intimately.’

He paused. Then, savouring every word, he added, ‘Too bad, really. Had I been less pressed for time, we might have discussed the myth of the sacred tablets of Nineveh that enable their possessors to predict natural disasters.’

‘Tablets? There is more than one?’

‘Oh yes my dear.’ He paused. ‘I’m not in the habit of blabbering away, but as you will not be talking much in the foreseeable future…the myth and purpose of this sacred tablet is described on an ancient Chinese oracle bone I have in my modest collection. I’m told it dates back to 1500 BC and refers to a stone tablet from the land in the West between two mighty rivers, the text of which was copied onto four clay tablets that were sent East and West… and you seem to have stumbled upon the only surviving one, and quite evidently the original one. As the Epic of Gilgamesh runs on twelve tablets, one might call your stone tablet from Mosul the “13th Tablet”. All in all, thank you very much.’

He nodded at the two men and then shot a meaningful look at Natasha. They brought Mina to her feet and forced her down the stairs, back onto the platform. Stepping up behind her, one of the men knocked her unconscious, while the other prepared a large canvas sack, which they filled with heavy rocks. While they worked, Natasha scanned the location to make sure there were no witnesses. The men slipped Mina into the sack and tied it up. They then loaded it onto the tender. Before long they were out in the open sea.

Natasha was looking through her binoculars, and from afar saw the two men throw the sack into the dark waters. No-one would ever find her body. Oberon looked at her inquisitively. She nodded back to confirm the men had done their job. He relaxed visibly and picked up his champagne flute.

‘I think we should finish this excellent and rather rare champagne.’

‘Yes sir,’ she said, sitting down next to him, ‘It would be a shame to waste it.’

‘Well, that’s all sorted. My guests should arrive soon. Take the day off tomorrow, then make your way to Safed with your men and pick up the tablet. Call me when you’ve got it.’

Natasha seemed thoughtful.

‘What’s on your mind?’ Oberon asked, putting his hand on her knee.

‘I was wondering how the girl managed to send mail through a special military courier.’

‘She’s a resourceful one,’ he answered, as if he were talking about his clever golden retriever.

‘Was, sir.’

‘Of course, was.’

‘Should I cancel the standing order to her account?’

‘No, keep it running. It’s a great alibi. Had I planned to murder this delightful creature, would I still be paying her?’