Sacred Ground

3

The SUV came to a stop in front of a long, squat building with a wooden sign twisting about in the stiff wind. Annja could just make out the name of the inn as The Breton. “This is where we’re staying?”

Derek nodded. “I imagine it will seem quite luxurious, especially once you see the dig site.”

Annja frowned. “I’ve stayed in worse.”

“I’ll bet the Philippines jungle was terrible by contrast.”

“You know about that, too, huh?” Annja shook her head. “Just know that for all your information, I’ve still got more than enough secrets to keep myself warm at night.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Derek said. “But we aren’t looking to pry all of your secrets out of you. If that was the case, we’d be using something a lot more painful on you.” He smiled. “Just joking.”

“I’ll bet.”

Derek opened the door and a brisk gust of wind greeted them as they stepped out of the vehicle. He nodded at their driver. “Godwin will see to our bags. Let’s get inside.”

Annja glanced at the driver. Godwin? It was an unusual name. She hadn’t actually been introduced to the man. But she shrugged and followed Derek inside.

He pushed through the heavy door and a wall of heat met them, scaring off the thunderous cold wind. Derek took a deep breath. “Toasty in here.”

The man behind the counter smiled. “Welcome, folks.”

Derek smiled. “You’ve got some reservations for us, I believe. They should be under the name Mr. Smith.”

Annja cocked an eyebrow. Derek waved her off and then turned back to the man. “Should be three rooms in total.”

The counterman nodded. “Yep, got ’em right here.” He winked. “Not like we’d be full up or nothin’. Don’t exactly get ourselves a bumper crop of tourists this time of year.”

“We’ll just be here for the night,” Derek said.

“Pushing on in the morning, are you? Fair enough. Just sign in. It’s cash only, mind you, so if you’ve got anything plastic, there’s a bank machine down the road at Terry’s Trading Post.”

Derek pulled out his wallet and fished out several bills. “Cash is fine.”

The man took the money and laid three keys down on the counter. “Right, you’re all next to each other. Hope you don’t mind. It’s easier this way to know where you’re all at.”

Derek handed one of the keys to Annja and turned back to the man. “What’s good around here for a meal?”

“We don’t have anything fancy.”

“I don’t care about fancy. Just good.”

“Well, then, you can’t do any better than the steak house across the street. They do a great porterhouse. Keep a couple of beers on tap, as well. It’s a fine meal. Finish it off with a single malt and you’ll be back in time for a toasty night here in your bed.”

Derek nodded. “Sounds good. Thanks.”

“Where’s your third party?” the man asked.

The door to the inn banged open and Godwin came through the door carrying an assortment of traveling bags. He looked even taller and more imposing in the close confines of the inn’s reception area. And he didn’t seem to smile all that much.

“I’ll need some clothes,” Annja said to Derek. “If you recall, we didn’t stop like you promised.”

Godwin set down a bag near Annja. “You’ll find everything you need in there, Miss Creed.”

Annja looked at the bag and then back at Godwin. “My clothes?”

Godwin shrugged. “All new. With the equipment you might need for your work. If there’s anything else you require, please let me know and I’ll see that you get it as soon as possible.”

Annja glanced at Derek. “Is this more of your paid-for information at work?”

He shrugged. “Discerning your size isn’t much of a challenge. And we did enough research to know what you’d need. You’ll find it all there.”

“You must have been incredibly confident that I would agree to work with you.”

“I was.”

“Are you ever wrong?”

Derek smiled. “Only about my ex-wife.”

Annja allowed herself a small grin. “I’m hungry.”

Derek nodded. “Let’s get changed and meet back here in what—twenty minutes?”

“Sure.”

Derek handed the final key to Godwin. “You’ve secured the vehicle?”

“Yes, sir.”

“All right, let’s see to our rooms.”

They walked down the corridor and one by one they each entered a room.

Annja took a moment to examine her surroundings. The room was small but functional. A single lamp on the bedside table gave off a warm glow of light. The bed was a double, big enough for one but not much more. Annja smiled to herself. As if she’d be getting lucky in a town like this.

She threw her bag on the bed and unzipped it. She pulled out three heavy sweaters, thermal underwear, fleece pants, lined jeans, turtlenecks and then a heavy parka, gloves and a thick woolen hat. Godwin had thoughtfully removed all the tags and stickers that would have marked the clothing as new. Annja couldn’t even see where he might have purchased the clothes from, but judging by the feel of them, they were expensive and perfectly suited to the environment she’d be operating in.

Annja stripped off her clothes and dressed in the thermal underwear, turtleneck, jeans and sweater before sliding into the parka. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided that the road hadn’t made her look like a total mess, although the cold was already working on her face. She’d need to remedy that before bed tonight.

She sat on the edge of the bed and took out her cell phone and punched in a number back in New York. The phone buzzed three times and then her voice mail at her place in Brooklyn picked up. Annja punched her code in and recorded a message she’d recorded a thousand times before.

“Hi, you’ve reached Annja Creed. I’m out digging in the dirt somewhere. Leave me a message and I’ll call you back once I get home.”

She disconnected and checked her watch. Time to go.

Back in the lobby, Godwin was already there, watching the satellite TV in the corner of the room. He looked up as Annja entered and nodded as if confirming something in his mind.

Annja did a quick pirouette as she entered. “You like?”

He almost smiled. “Everything fits you properly. That’s good. It means I did my job well.”

“Thank you,” Annja said. “I was a bit worried when I suddenly found myself employed earlier this afternoon.”

“Mr. Wainman was quite explicit in his instructions. I would be upset if something didn’t fit you properly. Up here in these parts, proper fit isn’t a matter of fashion—it’s a matter of survival. If your body heat isn’t adequately managed, you’ll die from exposure.”

“You sound like you know your way around these parts.”

“I do. My ancestors have lived in this area for generations. Longer than that even.”

“Araktak?”

He nodded. “I’m half. My father married outside the family. It didn’t go over so well, but then again, the course of true love never did run smooth. Isn’t that what they say?”

“Some of them.”

“Well, I’ve never really belonged to the family. My mother was an outsider, so her blood in mine makes me the same.”

“They won’t take you in as one of their own?”

“Not the Araktak. They’re far too proud to admit a half-breed.”

Annja frowned. “Their loss, then. From what I can see, they’d do well to accept you as family. You don’t look like you’d accept such discrimination easily.”

“I don’t.”

Derek came into the reception area. “I see your clothes fit you well.” He nodded at Godwin. “Excellent job.”

Godwin nodded. “Thanks.”

“Everyone hungry, then?” Derek asked. “Dinner’s on me.”

Annja glanced at the counterman, but he was engrossed in the television behind the counter. “Not on the company?” she asked.

Derek frowned. “We think it’s best if we don’t advertise the fact that we’re interested in this particular area.”

“But isn’t the deal at least somewhat known?”

“Only by those who need to know,” Derek said. “And at this point, it’s probably better that we don’t let anyone else in on our work. People in these parts are naturally suspicious of outsiders.”

Annja glanced at Godwin. “Is that true?”

He actually smiled. “Don’t know. I’m an outsider myself.”

When they left the inn the wind showed no signs of losing strength, and they walked quickly across the street to the steak house.

Another burst of heat greeted them inside. Annja took stock and while the restaurant was really not much more than a glorified bar, the tables and chairs looked comfortable enough.

A burly waitress ushered them into a booth and handed them each a menu. Derek glanced at his.

“I’d like your porterhouse cooked medium rare and a beer.”

Annja ordered the same thing and Godwin asked if there was any fish on the menu. When the waitress informed him there wasn’t, he settled for the sirloin.

Annja watched her walk away and then glanced at Godwin. “She didn’t exactly seem friendly.”

“Maybe she can see my mixed heritage. A lot of folks up here don’t trust the Inuit. And if she can figure out I’m Araktak, then she’ll have even more reason to be suspicious.”

“Why so?”

Derek cleared his throat. “Like I mentioned earlier, the Araktak are secretive. They’ve kept to themselves for hundreds of years. No one knows this land like they do, but they don’t often grant an audience to outsiders.”

“So how did your company ever get inroads with them?”

“Perseverance,” Derek said. “And Godwin.”

Annja looked at him. “I thought you said they wouldn’t accept you as one of their own.”

“They don’t. But since I carry my father’s name, they had to at least hear me out of respect for his lineage. I acted as the official go-between and got things settled for the company.”

“And it’s one of the reasons why he’ll be your constant companion on this venture,” Derek said. “The company wants one of its own on the inside while you work. It’s not that we don’t trust you. It’s that we don’t fully trust the Araktak.”

“Why not?”

“There have been some power shifts in the tribe. Some of the Araktak want to do away with the old traditions and embrace the new millennium. Others want nothing to do with the modern world and wish to retreat back into even more secrecy.”

“And how does everyone feel about the agreement with the company?”

“There’s been some…unpleasantness,” Derek said.

“What kind of unpleasantness?” Annja asked.

“The last representative we sent had a tough time gaining any type of relationship with the Araktak. They sent him back with a broken arm.”

Annja frowned. “And here I thought this wouldn’t be dangerous.”

Derek shrugged. “It’s yet another reason we wanted to work with you, Annja. Our information tells us that you are more than capable of holding your own in the event of…unpleasantness.”

“I suppose you could say that,” Annja said. “Although I would much prefer avoiding conflict if possible.”

“As would we. But given the tenuous nature of the situation, it would be wise if you were well prepared for any eventuality.”

Annja glanced at Godwin. “Is that another reason why you’re along on this?”

“Godwin is here to protect the interests of the company. And in this case, you are most definitely an ‘interest.’”

“How nice,” Annja said. “I hope you won’t have to do anything to protect me.”

Godwin shrugged. “It’s my job to be ready just in case.”

“What if you need protecting?”

He smirked. “That seems unlikely.”

“Been known to happen, though.”

Godwin shrugged. “If it happens, then I’ll deal with it. But I am much more interested in making sure nothing happens to you. Or the company’s position. It’s vital that this go through.”

Annja watched him for another minute before turning her attention to the beer the waitress had just set down in front of her. She took a sip and as she brought the glass down, something tickled her subconscious. Across from them, she could see two men at the bar taking more than a passing interest in their table.

Godwin might just get a chance to show his skills sooner than he’d thought. Annja smiled and took a sip of her beer. At least some action would get her blood moving.

4

Annja took another sip of her beer. The two men at the bar were growing impatient judging by the way they jostled against the counter. Annja glanced at Godwin. “I think we might be attracting some interest.”

Godwin’s dark eyes flashed over to the bar and he nodded once. “Sure seem to be.”

“Friends of yours?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Nope. But it doesn’t matter. They apparently think they know me or know of me. Either way, it could get messy in here.”

Derek struggled to hear them over the din. “What are you two babbling about over there?”

Annja smiled. “It seems as though some of Godwin’s friends might be looking to join us.”

“Friends?”

“It’s a loose term.” Annja shrugged. “Really depends on how you feel about people who want to break your bones.”

Godwin glanced at Derek. “Mr. Wainman, there’s a chance we might have some trouble here very shortly. Whether we want it or not.”

Derek frowned. “We haven’t even eaten dinner yet.”

Annja grinned some more. “I’ve found these types rarely have a good sense of timing.”

Derek looked at Godwin. “Can you handle it?”

“Most certainly.”

Annja stretched her arms overhead. “Well, I’m not missing out on the fun.”

Godwin shook his head. “It’s not your fight.”

“It is my prerogative, however,” Annja said. “And I need a bit of activity to keep my muscles in shape.”

The bigger of the two men came off the bar then, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Godwin. Annja figured he must have weighed over two hundred pounds, given that even the thick shirt he wore couldn’t disguise the mass underneath. He had his huge hands tightly squeezed into fists.

Behind him, the smaller man followed, but he was by no means the lesser of the two threats. Annja saw that he kept his right hand tucked in his back pocket. She frowned. A knife. It had to be a knife of some sort.

Great.

The big man managed ten steps before he stopped and pointed a finger at Godwin. “You there. You’re Araktak, ain’cha?”

Godwin shrugged. “Part.”

“Part? You mean you’re a bastard, too? What was it, your mother or your father that couldn’t stand to be with his own people?”

“What business is it of yours?”

The big man growled. “I don’t like Araktak.”

“I’m sure the feeling is mutual.”

The big man edged closer. “I don’t like them because they stole my land from my family.”

Godwin shrugged. “The Araktak have been in this area for the better part of a thousand years. How long has your family been here?”

“Don’t matter,” the big man said. “They took what didn’t belong to them. And my family lost everything thanks to that no-good government being all concerned for the Inuit scum.”

Godwin nodded. “Well, you have my sympathies, if it makes any difference to you at all.”

“It don’t,” the big man said. “Because to me, the only good Araktak is a dead Araktak.”

Annja sighed. “God should strike down whichever idiot first coined that expression. Only the brainless still use it.”

The big man frowned. “Last I checked, this conversation weren’t about you, little lady.”

Annja laughed. “‘Little lady’?”

The big man nodded. “Just keep yer pretty little mouth shut and you won’t get hurt.”

Annja rose from the table. “And suppose—just suppose—I feel like opening my mouth? What then?”

“Then you get it closed.”

Annja smiled widely. She could feel her blood coursing through her as her heart pumped. She flexed her hands, knowing that her energy was cresting.

She glanced back at Godwin, who had moved closer to the edge of the booth seat. She pointed at the smaller of the two men. “Watch out for the blade that guy has in his right back pocket.”

Godwin nodded. “Got it.”

Annja looked back at the big man. “I’m not going to close my mouth, so I guess you’ll just have to do it for me.”

The big man frowned. “Fine by me, you dumb bitch.”

But as he started forward, Annja jumped, twisting as she did so until her right foot was aimed straight at the big man’s chin. She moved so fast that the man didn’t have a chance to track her and in the next moment, Annja’s foot slammed into the side of his chin with a solid crack.

To his credit, the man didn’t go down. He grunted once and then swatted the air where Annja had been, catching her with a backhand fist on the side of her head.

Annja saw stars, but blinked the pain away as she dropped to the ground and rolled to get some distance. The big man came charging forward.

“You think I won’t kick a girl’s ass? You’re about to find out you’re very mistaken.”

Annja frowned. That kick should have knocked him out. She came up on the balls of her feet and feinted with a jab that the big man fell for. Annja ducked and drove a sharp right hook into his floating ribs.

The thick shirt absorbed most of the impact.

The man brought his hands together and dropped them down on the back of Annja’s back. Annja thought she heard a crack but then the floor rushed to greet her.

Not good, she thought. As long as he’s standing, this contest isn’t going to go well.

She was briefly aware that Godwin had moved to engage the smaller man. The man had a curved knife out in front of him, flashing through the air in vicious swipes.

The big man charged her again. Annja stayed on one knee and as he came in, she pivoted, sweeping her left leg out to attack the back of the big man’s knees.

It worked and he lost his balance, going down hard on his butt.

Annja leaped up and brought her elbow down into his stomach. She heard a rush of air go out of his lungs and the air around her stunk with the smell of liquor. She blanched and rolled away. “Gross.”

But even her elbow strike to his stomach didn’t stop her opponent, and he rolled over and got to his feet with surprising quickness for someone of his size. He brought his hands together and frowned at Annja.

“Now you’ve made me mad.”

Annja grabbed a chair from the closest table and smashed it over his head as he charged again. The wooden frame splintered nicely over his skull and this time, he went down and stayed down.

Annja took a breath and then checked to make sure he was finally unconscious.

Godwin was still working on getting the edge with his attacker. The smaller man was clearly more skilled than his oafish counterpart. The way he handled the knife told Annja that he’d used it many times in the past, probably with great effect.

He cut the air with short, clipped circles, keeping Godwin at bay. But Annja sensed no impatience in Godwin’s body movement. He seemed content to let the smaller man wear himself out.

The man noted that his comrade was down for the count and then made his error. He feinted with a thrust and then jerked it out in a wider arc than he had before. Godwin’s eyes twinkled for just a moment and then he pivoted inside the arc, driving his elbow deep into the smaller man’s solar plexus. His hands clamped down on the arm wielding the knife, and Annja heard a pop as Godwin dislocated the man’s elbow and the knife skittered clear.

The smaller man screamed as Godwin stepped back and let the now-useless limb drop harmlessly to the smaller man’s side.

Godwin stooped and retrieved the knife. He turned it over and frowned. “I haven’t seen one like this in a very long time.”

Annja walked over to him. “What?”

Godwin showed it to her. The knife seemed to curve closer to the tip, but Annja could also see that the blade had an edge on both sides. It seemed perfect for stabbing through multiple layers and then hooking to inflict grievous injury.

“This is an assassin’s weapon,” Godwin said.

“Assassin?”

Godwin nodded. “Certain tribes among the Inuit have secret aspects of their tribes. When the white man started encroaching on their lands, some among the tribes resolved to use their skill and cunning to inflict terror among the new settlers.”

“Did it work?”

“Not really. The settlers kept coming. It was inevitable, I suppose. But the traditions of the assassins have been passed down regardless. It used to be something much more honorable than it apparently has become.”

Godwin looked at the smaller man. “Where did you get this?”

“I won it in a poker game.”

“I don’t believe that,” Annja said. “Judging by how you used it, someone taught you some basics.”

“I don’t believe it, either,” Godwin said. “No assassin would ever let something like this out of his sight. It means too much to them. It’s their badge of acceptance within the ranks. However you came to own this blade, it couldn’t have been respectable.”

The smaller man massaged his arm. “Maybe someone wants you dead, half-breed. Maybe they want you dead bad enough to send a couple of us at you so they can see what sort of target you’d make.”

Godwin glanced at Annja. “What do you think?”

Annja shrugged. “I think you should have knocked him unconscious like I did with his friend. That way, you can just avoid all the useless talk after the fact.”

Godwin raised his eyebrows. “Interesting point.”

He backhanded the smaller man right between the eyes. There was the briefest moment of shock on the smaller man’s face before his eyes rolled back and he dropped to the ground.

Quiet settled in the bar and Godwin looked at Annja. “You’re right. That’s much better.”

From behind the bar, a hulking bear of a man stepped out. Annja spun to meet his advance but he held up his hands. “Excuse me, folks, just need to take the garbage out.”