Arc Du Destin

6

Yang Guo and I reacted instinctively.

He threw himself in front of us, his own gun appearing, as if by magic, in his hands, while I grabbed at the scroll in a bunch and retreated with Li ge and Chen Shing.

The man in a dark jacket tutted loudly. "Now that's not a smart move, is it, Miss Alexandra?." He said, smilingly. "I expected better from someone smart enough to figure out the secret of the chamber." He waved at someone outside, the gun still pointed at us.

My stomach dropped to see another man siddle through the opening of the chamber... with the Reverend in his chokehold, a gun at his forehead. I heard Li ge and Chen Shing gasp beside me while Yang Guo's grip on his gun tightened.

"The name's Rodriguez." The foreigner introduced himself genially. "But call me Jake please." He jerked his head at the Reverend smilingly. "As you see, we are at some advantage in the armory department. You have one..." He raised the one in his hand a bit, "We have two."

That smile was so... genuine. He seemed to be a person the world can never cause to lose optimism. If I was to meet him at a restaurant or in the library, I would have found him to be charming. Bright and happy. This was the thief?

"Jake Rodriguez." Yang Guo spoke, and got a nod with another smile.

"Graff diamonds in 2009*...", he continued, "Poppy Flowers by Van Gogh in 2010*... Stolen sculptures from Archaeological Survey of India... Gold medal of Nobel Prize winner Tagore*... Rare books from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh*... Quite an impressive list."

Jake raised the fingers of his free hand in a salute. "Someone did their homework I see." He said. He actually seemed delighted. "It's not often I meet people who know my work."

"I've had a lot of time."

"Studying me obviously."

"What can I say, you created an opportunity for a treasure hunt. I couldn't give it up.."

I was surprised to see Yang Guo smile while speaking. This was so weird. Were they not pointing guns at each other, this could easily have been mistaken as a reunion between two college friends... carrying on a conversation so jovially.

"You aren't any less impressive Mr. Yang." Jake said, "Your steadfast attention to me put a few nuts and bolts in my smooth life." He pouted, making me want to pat his head, then smiled gently. "I really admire you. It takes a high IQ to figure out all the trails. Glad to meet you, though I wish I'd never again."

"The feeling is mutual."

"But pleasant though it is, I must put all the geniality aside for now. I have my attention focused elsewhere at the moment."

The guns hadn't lowered even an inch though. I glanced at the Reverend. He looked calm. An effect of meditation perhaps... Never mind. Focus.

The sensation of being watched made me look back, to see Jack gazing at my hands. I drew back, unconsciously clutching the scroll closer. His eyes twinkled.

"You have an interesting item in your hands, Miss Alex." He said. "The scholar in me is experiencing a great urge to study it. May I?"

"Scholar my ass." I snapped. "You are through and through a thief. You don't deserve any name higher than that."

"Now, now, that's not true. You hurt my sentiments." He pouted again. Heavens. Why did he have to have as handsome a face as that? At that moment he looked like a little child with sad eyes. "It took over a year's worth of research to figure out the secret of this temple, you know. You guys had it handed to you on a plate while I toiled..."