Read Online Ibenus (Valducan series) by Seth Skorkowsky - Free Book Online
Authors: Seth Skorkowsky
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here?"
Taras motioned his head toward the entrance. "His leg is acting up today. Come on, I'll take you to him."
Gerhard had to hurry to keep pace as they strode through the crowd to where Alex was pushing himself off a bench near the glass doors into the station. Unlike Taras' casual dress, the old man wore a light-colored suit with shiny Italian shoes of chocolate brown.
"Ah, Mister Entz." Alex offered a hand which Gerhard accepted. "So happy you could make it. I trust you had a good trip?"
"Yes. Thank you for having me."
"Have you eaten?"
Gerhard shook his head, his stomach tightening at the reminder.
"We have food at the house, but if you prefer we can stop on the way."
"I can wait." Gerhard hoped no one heard the accompanying growl of his stomach.
The old man smiled. "Excellent. I'm sure you're eager to see Umatri."
They led him through the building and down into a parking garage to a silver Mercedes. Gerhard ran his fingers along the smooth leather seats as Taras drove them up the ramp and out into the streets. A glass skyscraper towered before them, overlooking the entirety of Brussels. Gerhard peered up at the glass-and-steel monolith standing against tarnished pewter sky.
"Have you been to Belgium before?" Alex asked from the front.
"Once. But I was very young."
"Hopefully you'll have a chance to see some of it while you are here."
"What is it I will be doing here?"
"Ah," Alex smiled. "I'm certain that question foremost in your thoughts. I'll explain everything once we're at the manor and you have Umatri."
Manor ? Gerhard again wondered what sort of man this was who gave away valuable antiques and rode in luxurious cars driven by a bodyguard. "What is it you do?"
"That is part of what I wish to discuss," Alex said. "I am on the board for an organization. A very old one. Among my duties, I locate lost relics and find homes for them."
"What organization?" he asked, thinking of Crelan, BNP Paribas Fortis, or any of the other Belgium banks. He'd told them he was in accounting. Perhaps this was a job offer.
"We are called the Order of Valducan. It's an international group like no other." He raised a hand. "Do not worry, my friend. All will be explained once we arrive."
They rode for another forty-five minutes before turning into a narrow drive. A high wall encircled the property, broken only by solid gate crowned with black iron spikes. It swung open as they neared and they continued on.
Through the trees, across the plain, manicured lawn, stood a giant building of red brick. The drive turned, emerging from the trees and Gerhard's eyes widened. The mansion rose three floors with a high slate roof. Wrought iron cages of decoratively curving bars encased each window. "This is your home?"
"It is the Valducans' house," Alex said, "but it is my home, yes."
They parked beneath a wide carport alongside several other vehicles, only one of which was as nice as Alex's sedan. The rest were rather plain cars and vans, though they all had dark-tinted windows.
Taras opened the Mercedes' trunk and offered Gerhard his suitcase. He then opened a nylon bag and removed a large kukri knife with a black-and-gold handle adorned with tiny jewels. Gerhard paused as the man unfastened his belt and looped it through the leather scabbard.
"That is Amballwa," Alex said. "Taras is her protector, same as you are with Umatri."
"Protector?" Gerhard asked.
The old man smiled. "Umatri has called to you, Gerhard. He has chosen you and only you to protect him. Come. Let us go inside and reunite you two, and then I will explain."
They led him up stone steps to an arched metal door, painted like dark-stained wood and artfully studded in pyramidal points of brass, silver, and bronze. Taras punched a keypad lock and unseen bolts thudded somewhere within. Gerhard noticed the rectangular cameras mounted on the manor's corners, above the door, and along the carport, each painted to match their surroundings. This wasn't a house at all. It
Taras motioned his head toward the entrance. "His leg is acting up today. Come on, I'll take you to him."
Gerhard had to hurry to keep pace as they strode through the crowd to where Alex was pushing himself off a bench near the glass doors into the station. Unlike Taras' casual dress, the old man wore a light-colored suit with shiny Italian shoes of chocolate brown.
"Ah, Mister Entz." Alex offered a hand which Gerhard accepted. "So happy you could make it. I trust you had a good trip?"
"Yes. Thank you for having me."
"Have you eaten?"
Gerhard shook his head, his stomach tightening at the reminder.
"We have food at the house, but if you prefer we can stop on the way."
"I can wait." Gerhard hoped no one heard the accompanying growl of his stomach.
The old man smiled. "Excellent. I'm sure you're eager to see Umatri."
They led him through the building and down into a parking garage to a silver Mercedes. Gerhard ran his fingers along the smooth leather seats as Taras drove them up the ramp and out into the streets. A glass skyscraper towered before them, overlooking the entirety of Brussels. Gerhard peered up at the glass-and-steel monolith standing against tarnished pewter sky.
"Have you been to Belgium before?" Alex asked from the front.
"Once. But I was very young."
"Hopefully you'll have a chance to see some of it while you are here."
"What is it I will be doing here?"
"Ah," Alex smiled. "I'm certain that question foremost in your thoughts. I'll explain everything once we're at the manor and you have Umatri."
Manor ? Gerhard again wondered what sort of man this was who gave away valuable antiques and rode in luxurious cars driven by a bodyguard. "What is it you do?"
"That is part of what I wish to discuss," Alex said. "I am on the board for an organization. A very old one. Among my duties, I locate lost relics and find homes for them."
"What organization?" he asked, thinking of Crelan, BNP Paribas Fortis, or any of the other Belgium banks. He'd told them he was in accounting. Perhaps this was a job offer.
"We are called the Order of Valducan. It's an international group like no other." He raised a hand. "Do not worry, my friend. All will be explained once we arrive."
They rode for another forty-five minutes before turning into a narrow drive. A high wall encircled the property, broken only by solid gate crowned with black iron spikes. It swung open as they neared and they continued on.
Through the trees, across the plain, manicured lawn, stood a giant building of red brick. The drive turned, emerging from the trees and Gerhard's eyes widened. The mansion rose three floors with a high slate roof. Wrought iron cages of decoratively curving bars encased each window. "This is your home?"
"It is the Valducans' house," Alex said, "but it is my home, yes."
They parked beneath a wide carport alongside several other vehicles, only one of which was as nice as Alex's sedan. The rest were rather plain cars and vans, though they all had dark-tinted windows.
Taras opened the Mercedes' trunk and offered Gerhard his suitcase. He then opened a nylon bag and removed a large kukri knife with a black-and-gold handle adorned with tiny jewels. Gerhard paused as the man unfastened his belt and looped it through the leather scabbard.
"That is Amballwa," Alex said. "Taras is her protector, same as you are with Umatri."
"Protector?" Gerhard asked.
The old man smiled. "Umatri has called to you, Gerhard. He has chosen you and only you to protect him. Come. Let us go inside and reunite you two, and then I will explain."
They led him up stone steps to an arched metal door, painted like dark-stained wood and artfully studded in pyramidal points of brass, silver, and bronze. Taras punched a keypad lock and unseen bolts thudded somewhere within. Gerhard noticed the rectangular cameras mounted on the manor's corners, above the door, and along the carport, each painted to match their surroundings. This wasn't a house at all. It
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