Chapter  Nine: Crates and Creeps

ABOARD THE YACHT- THE DEMETER

Desrae came to with a throbbing head and a cramped feeling in her extremities. After she got her senses back, she took stock of her situation. She was lying face down on a bed, with her wrists secured to either bedpost and ankles bound. Some kind of foam wadding was in her mouth, held in place by a thick layer or two of shiny white tape. A highly agitated conversation was going on outside the cabin in Italian, a language Desrae had no knowledge of.

In truth, the Countess was furious. She admonished, "You really have us in a fix now," she roared. "That woman is Israeli Intelligence, and if you ahd just let ME deal with her- she would have been off the boat none the wiser. I ought to have the two of you handcuffed and gagged in the engine room as punishment. But I need you and Trixie to act as lookouts."

The Countess left in a huff. Trixie, who had helped to fish Desrae out of the water was relieved when Mimsie told her she would not face the Countess's punishment. Trixie had undergone it once before at that was plenty for her.

THE LORELEI PALMS- A DOCKSIDE MOTEL

The quartet held an impromptu meeting to discuss the new wrinkle in their search. Tracey and Deanna were understandably upset at what had happened, but Sasha was able to take a detached, professional view. "I don't blame that woman one bit," she said. "She's doing her job, which doesn't include killing us."

"I agree." Corrine said.

"All right," Tracey said. "We won't press charges, but we should reach an understanding with that mystery woman."

"The question is," Deanna put in "do we look for her, or have her look for us."

"Hard to say, as we don't know this woman's name. We could check the passenger list."

"But what if this woman is using an assumed name?" Corrine asked.

"We could check it anyway," Sasha said. "We aren't the only one who are interested. Some of them may even be on the plane."

"Then we check the passenger list, if we can," Tracey said.

"I'll speak to the airline office." Corrine said, removing her cellphone from her bag. She punched in the numbers and stepped away to talk privately. Corrine had some sway in old money circles and it was a strong bet she could use that influence to convince the airline to give her the information.

After a while, word came back that the plane was refueled and ready to be boarded. Corrine was still talking to some recalcitrant office clerk about the list. Although her tone was serious, she remained genteel and sophisticated.

"I'm sure if you got me in touch with your supervisor, we can resolve this matter quietly." she said firmly, then smiled and gave a thumbs up sign. She thanked the clerk and hung up," The Yorkshires are on the passenger list this stop and they've left a local address to secure it."

"Really. Where ?" Sasha asked.

" Exotic Imports. Less than three blocks from here." Corrine affirmed.

"But we may miss the plane altogether." Deanna warned.

"It's a chance we'll have to take." Sasha added.

"Like hell." Tracey said grimly," We need all the clues to keep the Countess and those Iraqi thugs from getting the Skull. We'll use whatever influence we've got to keep that plane docked."

"Very good, " Sasha replied," Corrine,  you're with me then."

After a while the duo summoned a cab and drove to the address Corrine had acquired from the airlines office. It was a rundown, dirty warehouse boasting itself as "Exotic Imports." the only thing that seemed to be importing itself were several large rats who scurried from their path as the girls approached. Sasha slid out a set of lock picks and jimmied the door lock. The lights didn't work and the only illumination came from the dirty crusted windows and the open door. Trash, bones and old newspaper littered the concrete floor. Here and there were massive wooden shipping crates with excelsior packing leaking from the sides. Aside from this, the building appeared empty.

"Nice." Corrine said sarcastically," Done in early abandoned I guess."

Sasha gave her a dirty look and slowly the pair entered the building. They didn't encounter anybody on the way. More crates stood empty on their sides an up-ended making a sort of maze. They reached a single office in the back, which was almost completely dark. The door was also locked. Corrine stood by a door and heard a mumbling noise. She looked closely through the dirty window glass jumped up with a start , "I think somebody's in there!" she exclaimed.

"You're right." Sasha said after looking for herself. A figure lay hunched against the far wall, wrapped in white, moving erratically. Sasha removed her lock picks and unlocked the door.

Corrine tested the knob. "I got it," she reported.

"Then open it."

Corrine opened the door and revealed the occupant. A woman sat on the floor of the empty office, half-wrapped in a hotel bed sheet. Her wrists were bound behind her and connected to her bound ankles by a length of rope. A torn pillowcase served as a fairly effective gag. Sasha pulled down the gag and removed a wad of cloth from the woman's mouth.

"So how does it feel?" Corrine asked derisively.

"Knock it off!" Sasha admonished. "This woman was only doing her job. She's a trained professional and acted accordingly."

Corrine took the cue and helped to release the captive. "We can talk things over as we travel," she said.

"Sadly that will not be the case my dears." said a clipped English male voice. Behind them, Percival and Bianca Yorkshire stood with guns drawn and pointed. The women looked at each other and raised their hands.

Meanwhile, back at the Andrea Dane, the plane was being delayed minutes from take-off by a perceived medical emergency. An excitable young woman had just fainted while boarding. A crowd was gathering talking excitedly. Tracey rushed forward to her fallen friend saying "I'm a doctor- let me through."

The crowd parted and she knelt beside Deanna and began checking her vitals. She leaned over Deanna's head and whispered," This is the best you could do ?"

"Shut up and save my life. " Deanna whispered back," The plane can't leave until this is settled anyway."

 Back at the warehouse, Bianca kept both guns trained on the party, Percival stepped into the office with coils of rope draped casually over one shoulder,  and strips of white linen cloth over the other, "Turn around please ladies," he instructed, "and kindly place your hands behind you."

The women reluctantly obeyed and he went down the line with a single double length of rope and crossed then tied each set of hands together. That accomplished, he reversed the progression and folded and tied linen gags across each captive's mouth.

"Excellent darling." Bianca said with a sinful smile, "A string of silenced pearls." she added with a giggle.

"A most noteworthy suggestion, love." Percival replied," Let us ship these pearls far from our sight so they might not interfere in our plans."

"Quite." Bianca agreed with a firm nod.

"If you would please ladies ?" Percival offered with a gesture. The captive women didn't move an inch so he took the end of the rope close to Corrine and tugged, with Bianca urging compliance from the other end with the guns. Slowly the girls were escorted from the office, tied in a single file line one beside the other across the cement floor back into the warehouse.

Percival led them toward a huge crate suitable for shipping furniture, the interior was padded with layers of cork, freshly tagged and labeled. Within, three metal brackets were set in the floor and two were set in the walls. The girls were ordered inside the crate at gunpoint  and made to sit down where Percival tied off the opposite ends of the long rope to the two large metal brackets inside and then tied the girls' ankles one by one to the brackets set in the floor.

"Exotic Imports may be defunct, however Percival Enterprises is still quite flourishing, isn't it darling ?" Percival explained to the captive gathering.

"Quite right." Bianca put in.

"It is in that spirit that offer you this exciting little diversion that should put the lot of you out of our collective way for good. A delivery truck will arrive within the hour to fetch this crate and it will thence loaded onto a ship bound for the deep deep south."

"The South Pole to be exact." Bianca added with a dreadful laugh.

"Indeed. "Percival continued merrily." The gentleman are under strict orders not to open the crate until after it arrives in port three weeks from now. "

"By that time," Bianca said," the cold and the starvation will have done it's work."

"Sad but true." Percival said, "Don't think to cry out or struggle too fiercely, the interior has been sound-proofed ." he then turned to his wife and asked," Shall we my love ?"

"But of course." she replied and put the guns away. Together the criminal pair lifted the lid and fitted it into place. Hammers and nails were fetched and the lid was nailed securely into place. Inside their wooden prison, the girls struggled furiously at their bonds, determined to escape this deadly trap.

Chapter Ten- First Class Passengers

After fifteen minutes of pretended CPR Deanna was getting worried. She as hearing words like ambulance and police in the crowd around them and the pilot once quite upset with the current events unfolding in front of his plane now seemed to be getting more and more agitated. The ruse was unraveling and worse yet neither Corrine nor Sasha had come back from their trip.

"What are we going to do ?" Tracey whispered frantically," We can't keep this up much longer, the police will get involved."

"Then maybe that's what should happen." Deanna replied with a sly wink. She suddenly stood up, almost knocking Tracey off of the gangplank and pushed the pilot headlong into the bay. The young man bobbed up yelling angrily in Italian as the two young women rushed through the crowd yelling and screaming incoherently.

Back at the warehouse, a large open paneled truck was rolling into position in front of Exotic Imports. The truck stopped and three burly Greek men dropped down from the flatbed, efficiently lowering long metal loading ramps into place. Two others emerged from the cab, exhorting the men to move faster, even if it wasn't necessary. The men entered the building and surmised the huge wooden box they were to load up with grimaces and angry words.

Inside, the three captive women wriggled and struggled in their bonds, not budging them an inch. They could hear voices outside their prison as the men examined how best to move the crate without too much stress and strain. Corrine screamed for all her worth around her gag, producing only a faint moan. Sasha lended her voice to the effort, followed by the Israeli agent.

 If the sound was heard by the men outside, they paid it no heed Metal wheels mounted on boards were produced and the men lifted one corner and set the crate down on top of a pair. The process was repeated with each corner and a few nails were driven home to hold the wheel-boards in place. the foreman objected angrily at this step until one of the workmen pointed to the fact that the crate was not labeled fragile. Laughing he bent his shoulder with his men and they began pushing the crate slowly but steadily toward the doors and the truck.

"Did you have to steal a taxi too ?" Deanna cried as Tracey drove.

"I didn't steal it, I gave the man 600 Lira." Tracey replied as she wove the car in and out of traffic. Behind them was a string of three Italian police cars and an ambulance. Deanna grinned despite the situation and directed Tracey toward Exotic Imports.

"One two three ... HEAVE !!!" the foreman commanded as he pushed alongside the men, determined to get the crate aboard his truck, if it killed him. Grunting and straining, the men pressed the immense crate inch by inch up the metal loading ramps. Inside, the women still tugged and flexed in their bonds, unable to escape. Their attempts to cry out had done nothing except exhaust the prisoners. The crate lurched forward and settled upright once more.

The men shook hands and congratulated each other, offering to buy each other rounds of ouzo at the earliest convenience. The cargo aboard, the men loaded the loading ramps,, closed and latched the tailgate and climbed back into the cab. The engine fired up and the truck shuddered backward then forward.... straight into a speeding yellow cab and a string of three Italian police cars.

Deanna and Tracey emerged from the cab bruised but otherwise unharmed into a sea of screaming Greek and Italian faces and waving hands. The police sergeant in the mob removed his pistol and calmly fired one round into the air, bringing silence to the growing din. He made his way over to the two young cab thieves and said quietly," Please to explain what is going on ?"

Deanna told the officer about all that had transpired from the beginning of their adventure, with Tracey filling in the the more salient details. He was at first incredulous, then curious, then astonished as the girls wove their tale in front of him," But what it all leads up to is our friends are chasing after some hardened criminals and are probably in trouble."

Despite his misgivings, the sergeant ordered his men to search the warehouse, which of course turned up nothing," You are under arrest." he said to Tracey and Deanna without much enthusiasm. the young women were obviously distraught over something and most likely insane, judging by their actions, things that were of no concern to him. This would mean a mountain of paperwork to explain, however a prospect that didn't thrill him at all.

Deanna and Tracey were placed in handcuffs, despite their protests. The foreman asked for permission for him and his men to go, as they had  a ship to meet and a deliver to complete . The police sergeant nodded his assent and the men climbed back in the truck. The cab was pressed out of the way by the others.

Deanna and Tracey watched the men clear a path for the truck, wondering what happened to their companions. The police put them one by one into the back of a patrol car. suddenly Tracey gasped and wrenched herself loose," Open that crate ! " she cried, jumping up and down," Open it now !!"

The policeman angrily pushed her into the back of the patrol car next to Deanna and closed the door. The truck inched forward and Tracey felt sick," What's with that crate ?" Deanna asked seriously.

"Look, look !" Tracey cried, gesturing with her chin toward the crate as the truck rolled slowly past. Deanna looked over the big wooden box and blinked with shock. A bright yellow label bore the name Yorkshire in shiny black ink.

"Officer please stop that truck it's an emergency !" Deanna called as genuinely as she could. The sergeant regarded the women critically. Although clearly disturbed, there was something truly urgent in the sound of their voice. Best to humor them now , show them they were in error and get them to the hospital as quietly as possible. He raised his hand, bring the truck to a halt. There was a heated discussion and after much grumbling and fist shaking the men climbed out of the truck and into the bay, armed with crowbars and hammers to pry the box open.

The sergeant gave an order and Deanna and Tracey were released from the back of the police car and brought around to the back of the truck," When this crate is opened, will you both go quietly to the hospital for observation, yes ?" he asked looking at the women gravely.

"Yes sir." Deanna answered.

"Good. Open it !"

The men set to work, prying pulling the side lid off of the crate. It was securely nailed in place. The lid shuddered then dropped with a thump onto the floor of the truck. The men gaped in horror and cried out in shocked Italian and Greek. The sergeant turned to see what the commotion was and turned pale.

After the captives were released from their bonds and gags, Sasha and the Israeli woman set the men straight as to what had happened. The truck drivers were questioned and shone to have no knowledge of the fact that there were three women sealed inside the crate and quickly released. With the authorities informed as to their mission, the police departed and the women were allowed to board the still-waiting airplane without further ado.

On arrival, the woman identified herself as Yasmina Sheol and admitted to working for the Israeli government, but did not specify what branch. She had been trailing the Yorkshires when she had been hit over the head with something and came to in the storeroom. "My government is concerned that the Jade Skull may be obtained by a hostile country," she said.

"That's understandable," Corrine said.

"But do you really believe the Skull have some sort of supernatural power?" Sasha asked.

"We can't take that chance," Yasmina said, "Even if the stories about the Skull are false, the belief in that power could sway millions to the banner of whomever carries it."

"Our interests are strictly for the historical significance of the Skull, for study by academics." Tracey said.

"Can you assure it will not be stolen?"

"We can't."

"That is why it must stay buried forever."

"I find it hard to believe a modern government would actually take something like the legend of the Skull at face value," Sasha said. "I mean, one hundred years ago --even fifty or twenty- any reasonable person would have told you witches do not exist."

"Do you honestly think the Skull is some sort of ancient mystical device, Corrine?" Tracey asked.

"Why not? The Egyptian and Chinese civilizations emerged at about the same time and there's no reason to believe that the Aztec and the Maya didn't benefit from it as well. You'll note that in all these geographical areas that there is an underlying pyramid architecture among them; It had to come from one source. "

"And the Skull has been allegedly sighted in all of those places." Deanna added

"It's preposterous." Tracey snorted," Boogeymen in capes built the pyramids, ha !"

"It seems we can't agree on anything," Corrine said.

"Don't think of it as magic, think of it as a sort of computer, a repository for ancient wisdom." Sasha threw in.

"I must go." Yasmina said calmly. "I shall not kill any of you. First, I have no such orders and for me to do otherwise would be unprofessional. Second, you pose no threat to my country in and of your selves. Third, It would do no good anyway. But know this. Any clue or information as to the whereabouts of the Skull you may obtain I will burn, destroy or throw into the sea. Good day ladies."

She left and Deanna commented, "That is one tough woman."

"Can't say I blame her bosses," Corrine said.

"But keeping the Skull buried forever?"

"What kind of history are they teaching these days?" Sasha asked. "Her grandparents probably survived Hitler's death camps, then settled in Israel only to find themselves under attack. Her father's probably a veteran from the 1967 and 1973 wars. Her people are no safer in August 2003 than in August 1939."

Deanna had nothing else to say. To change the subject, Corrine asked, "Where's the next clue to the Skull's location supposed to be?"

"Athens University," Tracey replied. "I have communicated with Doctor Helena Kapsopoulos of their Archeology Department. She'll be expecting us."

"Very well," Sasha said. "Today's supposed to be a pool day, and we're way late."

Corrine laughed. "Tracey and I will catch up to you as soon as we change," she said.

PORT OF PIREAUS, GREECE

As the pilot gently steered the Andrea Dane to a berth, the foursome caught sight of an impressive yacht. Deanna went over to one of the pairs of binoculars built into the ships' railing for a better look. "Check out it's name," she said.

Tracey took a look and said, "It's called the Demeter."

"The Countess is believed to have a yacht by that name." Corrine put in.

"Perhaps you and I should pay them a little visit Corrine." Sasha said with a puckish smile.

"How so?"

"You and I both have diving gear, right? Everything except for air tanks, and we can rent those. A boat too."

"Why do I get the impression that while Deanna and I take care of things with Doctor Kapsopoulos, you two will to look into that?" Tracey wondered.

 
ATHENS

Tracey and Deanna took the tour bus into Athens, but instead of transferring for shopping or a visit to the Parthenon, they hailed a cab for Athens University. After a short time, they were directed to the office of Doctor Helena Kapsopoulos. It appeared there were other visitors. The visitors turned to face the newcomers and revealed themselves as the Countess, Trixie, and Mimsie. Somewhere behind them a pair of legs in black slacks were bound at the ankles.

"Ah, Doctor Seward and her assistant," the Countess said. "Please join us." To punctuate this, she pointed a revolver at the two.

The figure in the corner was clearly a woman, with silky black hair frosted in a few places. Her hands were lashed behind her back and a handkerchief tied tightly across her mouth. "Doctor Kapsopoulos, I presume," Deanna said mockingly.

"We have plenty of items for you to join her," the Countess said, waving the Browning "starting with a gag for that insolent mouth of yours."

Trixie balled up a piece of cloth and crammed it into Deanna's mouth. Mimsie followed by securing it with blue and white silk scarf. While that was going on, the Countess set to work securing Tracey's wrists. With that out of the way, Tracey was subjected to a matching stuff and scarf gag. The two were compelled to kneel and their ankles bound. A rope was attached to each girl's bound wrists and pulled tightly downward and anchored to the ropes around their ankles before a loop was thrown around their necks. The Countess took over at this point and made a curious knot at the base of each girl's neck. Mimsie and Trixie put them on their side on the floor at the professor's feet.

"Don't struggle too fiercely." The Countess warned," That knot is designed to tighten if you move too much. In short, if you try to free yourselves, you'll strangle. Ta-ta."

The three intruders left without further word. Despite the gruesome warning, Deanna and Tracey flexed and wriggled in their hogties as much as they dared. The ropes were tied with cruel precision so that any move was painful, however. After a few minutes, Tracey felt rather than heard something scuttling across the smooth wood floor.

The bound girl looked around as much as she could . Behind her to the left a shiny black creature with six legs was creeping across the floor . As it came further into view, Tracey's eyes went wide. Arched over the insect's back was a wickedly barbed stinger almost as long as it's body. The Countess had unleashed a deadly scorpion into the room....

PIREAUS, GREECE – THE DEMETER

Sasha and Corrine had little trouble renting a boat or scuba tanks. The crafty owner rented out tanks and boats. The two declined a crew, as both knew how to operate a boat. Corrine wondered if it was nature a navy training the made Sasha so assertive. Still, it was Sasha's level headedness that saved Deanna back in Naples and served well in Barcelona. Now, Sasha carefully guided the boat to a point some four hundred yards away from the yacht. "Good," Sasha said, "there's a rubber raft being towed astern. At least we can store our gear before we board.

Before leaving the ship, the two had changed into swimsuits and wore their regular clothes over the swimwear. Now they traded their street clothes for wetsuits and donned their gear. They each strapped a knife to the right calf. "Still nobody about on the Demeter." Corrine observed.

"Probably all ashore or below decks," Sasha theorized.

After a final check of their gear, the two plunged into the water. They got their bearings and made their way to the yacht.

Sasha and Corrine swam toward their target. They never went deeper than a few feet and after several minutes, were aboard the rubber raft. Once aboard the raft, they shed all gear and wet suits. Sasha then returned her knife to her calf and motioned Corrine to do the same.

As The Demeter was a newer craft , it had accommodations for Jet-Skis and similar items by the stern, and a means for swimmers to board. Sasha and Corrine took full advantage of these and soon crept their way to the bridge. The countess was nowhere insight and neither were her two assistants, much to the adventurers' chagrin. A young woman stood in white shirt, black shorts, and topsiders peering over a chart. Sasha drew her knife and lunged toward the woman. She clamped one hand over the other woman's mouth and held the knife under her throat.

Corrine spotted a roll of tape sitting on the table, apparently used to secure the chart. She pulled off two pieces.  The both were used to seal her mouth. From there, Sasha and Corrine used the remaining tape to secure the woman's wrists and ankles. With their captive bound and silenced, they stuffed her inside a small metal closet and closed it tightly.

Below decks, another member of the Countess's crew thought she heard something, but dismissed it. A short time later, she heard another sound and decided to go topside. "Jessica, is there something wrong?" she asked.

After a reasonable wait without a reply, she started to make her way up to the bridge. Before she could reach the stairs, two figures suddenly appeared. "Your friend is all right," the taller one said. "Co-operate and we won't hurt you. We'll have to bind and gag you, though."

"There are ropes and scarves in the cabinet beneath the side board," Erica said in a mildly bored tone.

“You sound like you've been through this before.” Corrine said.

Corrine checked the sideboard and found the materials. A knot was tied in the center of the scarf, which was stuffed into her mouth and secured. Next, she was seated in a chair where Sasha tied each wrist to a chair arm and Corrine tied the woman's ankles.

Desrae remained on the bed, though she had been released for brief periods so she could eat and relieve herself. Instead of lying face down, however, she now sat on the bed. She too had heard the commotion above and tried to figure out what to do. She moved as close to the bulkhead at the end of the bunk as she could. From there, Desrae pulled back and tried to kick the wall.

After a while, Desrae stopped and listened. She heard voices, then doors opening and closing. She tried to kick again. Soon the door opened and a voice called out "In here, Sasha."

Desrae was surprised by not only the bizarre sight of being rescued by a diminutive woman in a pink one-piece swimsuit, but by the actress Corrine Ricce. As the actress began to remove the captive's gag, a second woman appeared wearing a black bikini. This obviously was Sasha. " We meet again. " she said.

“This getting to be a habit, we rescued another Mossad agent earlier today. She must be your partner.”Sasha replied.

“I see no reason to deceive you further,” Desrae admitted and told the pair that she and the other Mossad agent were after the Skull as well<”I believe a clue to its location is on board this ship. I recognized the writing.”

"Where is it?" Corrine asked.

"I'll show you."

Desrae took them to see the Egyptian pot. "You don't suppose this is where the clue is?" Corrine asked.

"Why not?" Sasha put in. "Papyrus burns, so it would make sense to use a material that would better resist flame."

"Are you going to take thing that with us?"

"I think we'll explain on the way," Sasha said.

They used the raft to return to the boat, where Sasha and Corrine once again donned street clothes before returning to the dock. The raft was already in tow. On arrival at the rental agency, extra cash to the owner insured anybody who asked about the raft would be told somebody found it drifting.

 
ATHENS UNIVERSITY

Deanna fought to control her fear as the lethal black insect scurried across the wood floor. it didn't seem interested in them yet, but the scorpion might be drawn over to them at any moment. Flexing carefully, Deanna rolled over onto her side, lessening the pressure on her neck and arms. That done she started carefully wiggling her ankles back and forth, trying to work some play into the ropes. 

The movement made the scorpion pause and turn in their direction, its claws open. Tracey squealed in panic around her gag as the insect scuttled closer and closer. The door opened and a booted foot came down with a disgusted cry on top of the deadly bug.

"What's this ?" exclaimed the janitor observing the bound and gagged women. she fetched a sharp knife and cut the women free. Mercifully spared the scorpion's attentions and freed , the ladies called the police. "I have one small consolation," Helena said. "I took the precaution of making a copy."

"I understand completely," Tracey said.

"At least we have two clues now," Deanna said.

"So do the Yorkshires and the Countess."

"What about the visit Corrine and Sasha talked about? If the Countess was here, then there may only be a small number of people on her boat."

"You're right we'll have to wait and see."

Tracey was not so sure. The way things had gone lately, the visit could have ended badly for the pair.