Authors: Jack Hyland
“Appearances,” Crystal said. “Just before the end Bailitz became obsessed. He could mask his feelings entirely. But I knew him well. He would not take his medication and would tell me he had taken it. In a more rational state, he would have been able to balance the risk of the virus to mankind with the advantage the possession of it gave to Belagri.” Crystal continued, “I hope you’ll believe me when I say that I was horrified once I learned that Bailitz planned to use the virus in Nairobi and in New York. It was then that I knew he had become unhinged.”
Tom protested, “But Bailitz had that situation room designed for Nairobi long before he ever knew he might be able to get the supply of the virus.”
“True,” replied Crystal, “but his original mission was to destroy crops, which he had planned to do so that Belagri could step in and control the market in Nairobi, making substantial profits along the way. He intended to use this as a showcase to warn other countries of what might happen to them. Bailitz never intended that anyone would know how the crops had failed. He wanted farmers and their governments to protect themselves by buying Belagri products. I did my best to convince him that one way or another Belagri would be found out as the culprit and that might finish the company.”
“But,” said Tom, “he couldn’t be stopped?”
“No,” Crystal said, “he was absolutely sure he could pull it off. I talked about his plan with Winch and Parker. They agreed with me, but we were powerless to stop him. We either had to resign from the company or play along with him, hoping we’d have some luck in persuading him not to destroy Nairobi. That’s where things stood when your colleagues Doc Brown and Eric Bowen were killed in the Roman Forum. Naturally, as funders of Doc’s excavation, we read about the deaths with sadness and special interest. All we knew, at first, was that there had been the tragic collapse of an underground passageway.”
“In other words, what was reported in the press.”
“Exactly, but, within a day, Belagri, which has ‘friends’ in many high places, including in Italy, got wind that something much more serious had happened. Something so important that the Italian government had blocked all mention of the details of the accident and created a cover story to keep the real details private.”
“Of course,” said Tom, “the Italian government and all its ministries leak like a sieve.”
Crystal continued. “We began to understand that other groups, even foreign governments, were figuring out something was going on. That’s when Bailitz really began to follow every development.
“Bailitz was brilliant—a trait that made him the leader he was. It was he who understood that when Pulesi’s group was called to the scene of the accident, and when the bodies were cremated—these pointed to a dangerous virus as the culprit. That was a clever deduction, but the brilliant part was his spotting the Vatican connection. He knew that Propaganda Fidei had stumbled years earlier into the possession of Imhotep’s canopic jars. And Bailitz remembered Darby Smith’s recent publicity of the wall painting in Imhotep’s tomb. It was like an incredible game of chess, where Bailitz saw all the pieces on the board and knew what to do.”
Tom replied, “I’m impressed.”
“So,” said Crystal, “were his management team. Bailitz immediately revised his game plan, from wiping out the agriculture to killing the politicians and a good number of the populace, as well as much of the livestock. It was then I realized that Bailitz was on an unstoppable high—and he had ceased taking his medicines.”
“But why use the virus in Nairobi?”
“Bailitz’s choice. He wanted to demonstrate the power of the virus, and then to deliver an antidote. He chose Nairobi, known for its corruption and crime as well as its agricultural base. Using the virus that had come down from Moses, with the echoes of a Hebrew god taking vengeance—Bailitz believed that this virus would have devastating results in its power as well as its presence psychologically.”
“And he might have succeeded,” Tom said.
“Beyond his wildest dreams, since the virus, once started, might become the world’s worst pandemic ever.”
Tom then asked, “Is that why you helped me?”
“I couldn’t be part of his mad plan, and I couldn’t resign and then be effective in stopping him,” Crystal said.
“Well, you gave me—and us—a critical assist. The world owes you thanks—but this is only known to a handful of people.”
“It’s better that way, wouldn’t you agree?” she said breezily.
Tom whistled under his breath. “That, Crystal, is one amazing story.”
“An amazing and true story,” she corrected Tom. “I must be going. I hope we’ll keep in touch,” she added.
Later that evening, Tom reported to Alex on his conversation with Crystal. Alex wanted to know every detail, and asked Tom more than once to repeat himself. “Do you believe what she told you? About Bailitz and his being bipolar? About herself trying to stop Bailitz from acting? And how, exactly, did she maneuver to be CEO of Belagri?”
Tom laughed. “I can’t answer any of the questions you’ve just asked. Crystal is the most incomprehensible person I’ve ever met.”
“More than me?” Alex asked.
“Thank God, more than you. I believe you when you make a statement. You are honest, direct—a perfect partner.”
“Well, that’s better,” Alex said, and she moved closer to Tom until they were sitting next to each other on the sofa. Tom put his arm around Alex and hugged her. Then he said, “Okay, ask your next and final question.”
Alex pulled away slightly from Tom and said, “Mr. Forensic Archaeologist, tell me exactly what was in Crystal’s small leather case when she drove away from Kronberg Castle.”
Tom said, “I have no bloody idea. And, perhaps it’s better that neither of us know. Furthermore, it will be some time before I join in an excavation in the Roman Forum again.”
“Fine by me,” Alex said.
And that is the way things stood for quite a while. But in exactly one year and three months, Tom would have the exact answer to Alex’s question.