The Lost Continent by Percival Constantine Read Free Book Online Page B

larger man.
    “This isn't good, Davalos,” said Wade. “We need to know where Hill is going. She may have a lead on the Churchward Tablets that we don't. And it's your job to find out what it is.”
    “Don't blame me, these were your blasted men.” Lucas moved into an alley with Wade following. He took out a pack of cigarillos and drew a fresh one, offering one to Wade.
    “No thanks. Filthy habit, takes ten years off your life.”
    “Yeah, but that's off the end of your life, and those years are miserable anyway.” Lucas lit the cigarillo. “But if you find shitting in a bag appealing while nursing home employees rob your ass blind, more power to you. Besides, in this line of work, do you really think I'll make it long enough for cancer to be an issue?”
    “If there's a god, then no,” said Wade.
    “Back on topic, then.” Lucas pointed the fingers gripping the cigarillo at Wade. “These were your men, so don't blame me if they couldn't do their damned job. Maybe the Order should think about improving their hiring practices if your boys can't even handle a simple matter like tailing someone from the fucking airport.”
    “Temper, temper, Mr. Davalos. Perhaps if you were better at your job, you wouldn't need Elisa Hill to do your hunting for you.”
    “And this omniscient Order you represent certainly doesn't know much,” said Lucas. “'Just go to India, that's where the tablets were last seen.' Yes, searching for tablets that are centuries old in one of the most densely-populated countries in the world. It's like searching for a microscopic needle in a haystack the size of the Empire State Building.”
    “Need I remind you that we are paying you quite handsomely for this task?”
    “No, no you don't,” said Lucas. “I know how much money I'm getting and I know how important this is to your bosses. You're my client, you hired me and I'll stay on this job until either it or myself are finished, understand?”
    “That's exactly what we like to hear, Mr. Davalos.”
    “Good, now we've got another matter to worry about, and that's how do we find my old friend, Elsie? Your men were supposed to hold her in customs, what happened?”
    “Apparently, she has some good friends who ranked a bit higher and took care of her luggage problems,” said Wade.
    “Do we know who her friend is? If we do, we could probably lean on him, get the information that way. It's the best chance we have to figure something out.”
    “We have no way of finding out that information,” said Wade. “But there is something else.” He handed Lucas a photograph taken from the airport security cameras.
    “And who might this tasty little number be?” asked Lucas.
    “That's Lakita Rai, professor of archaeology at Mumbai University. She was the one who picked up Hill.”
    “Really? What else do we know about the dear Professor Rai?”
    “She's an expert in her field, knows more about eastern mythology and archaeology than anyone else.”
    “A myth hunter with this much knowledge and I've never heard of her? That seems kind of strange to me.”
    “There are two possible reasons for that, Davalos. The first is that she's not really a myth hunter, but she's obviously an associate,” said Wade. “And the second is maybe you don't know as much as you want others to believe.”
    Lucas shook his head with a grin on his face as he puffed the cigarillo. “Y'know something, you really hurt me, Wade. And here I thought we were becoming such good friends.”
    “We're not friends, Davalos. I am the liaison to your client, that is all. Do we understand each other?”
    “I suppose that means we won't be hitting up a titty bar any time soon.”
    “To say the least.”
    “Fine, so tell me something I can work with,” said Lucas. “You got an address for Rai?”
    “I'm surprised a famed myth hunter like you wouldn't think to explore all sides of an issue,” said Wade.
    Lucas took a long drag on the cigarillo and examined the photograph. He