The Blade of Gilgamesh. Jeff Edwards

obtained my Doctorate and must accept whatever they have available. Luxury only comes with tenure I’m afraid.’

      ‘In my country, this would be considered most agreeable for any academic,’ as she carefully placed the hot mug on a small patch of clear desk. Khan had no intention of picking it up again. ‘And that brings me to the reason for my call.’

      ‘My office?’

      ‘No. Your Doctorate, or more importantly your Doctoral Thesis.’

      ‘The Sword of Gilgamesh?’

      ‘Precisely. A most unusual subject if I might say so.’

      ‘You’ve read my thesis?’

      ‘My superiors came across the reference to your thesis on the internet and have obtained several copies. They wish to discuss the topic with you.’

      ‘You haven’t read it then?’

      ‘My sole interests lie in the security of my homeland.’

      ‘And what has my thesis to do with that? Where is your homeland?’

      ‘Libya.’

      Heidi was taken aback by the answer. She was totally at a loss as to how an ancient sword from Iraq could have any possible connection with the security of modern Libya.

      ‘I don’t understand.’

      ‘And I cannot supply you with the explanation that you seek. My mission was to ask you to come to Tripoli and speak with my leader.’

      ‘Gaddafi?’

      ‘He may wish to speak to you himself, but I doubt it. You will speak with those who understand, and they will relay the information to our great leader.’

      ‘What if I don’t want to go? I have many important matters to attend to with my students. Perhaps a conference call to Tripoli would be sufficient?’

      ‘I have certain instructions Dr Schmidt. They wish to speak with you in person.’

      ‘As I told you before, I have only just returned from Turkey. I can’t possibly go away again this soon. The university board will never grant me further leave, and if I go without their permission I may well lose my position here. There are many others who would like to take my place. I’m afraid it can’t be done. If I lose my place here then I’ll also lose what little funding I have for further research, and without that my entire career is in doubt. I’ve already had to return from Turkey early because of a cutback in funds and it came just as I was about to make an important breakthrough.’

      Khan couldn’t have cared less about the career of a single Western woman or what she was hoping to achieve. She reached inside her shoulder bag and extracted an envelope which she threw casually onto Heidi’s desk. ‘Open it,’ she said shortly.

      Curious, Heidi did so and gave an involuntary gasp at the thick wad of Euros inside.

      ‘There’s twenty thousand there. That should buy a few days of your valuable time,’ Khan said with a thinly disguised tone of disdain, ‘And I am instructed to tell you that if your meeting with my superiors is satisfactory then they will supply you with one million more. That should enable you to continue your research.’

      Heidi considered the sum before her and wondered if she should accept it. Libya, its history and its people, held no immediate interest to her. The distant lands that surrounded the ancient city of Babylon were what held her imagination, just as it had her father and his father before him.

      Still, the sum was substantial, and would allow her and a team of students to excavate the ancient ruins of the Middle East for several seasons. It might well be enough to secure the tenure Heidi sought.

      ‘I can’t promise you anything Ms Khan, but I will approach the university to see if they’ll release me for a week or two. If I show them how much money you’re willing to pay me I may be able to convince them that it would be a good investment to let me go.’

      ‘No!’ exclaimed Khan forcefully, ‘No one else must know where you are going, or who you will be seeing. This must remain a complete secret.’

      ‘That’s impossible! Other people must know. I have to find someone to do my lectures and look after the students, and I’ll have to book flights and hotels.’

      ‘Find someone to replace you, but tell them nothing! The rest I will arrange. No one must know where you are going, or what you are about to discuss.’

      ‘But why not? What is so important about it? Do you know where the sword is?’ she asked excitedly.

      ‘Your questions will be answered by others, if they choose to answer them.’

      Heidi regarded the woman across the desk. For all her good looks there was a deeply disturbing aspect to the woman. She was obviously from the police or the military, Heidi decided, possibly from some intelligence department and almost certainly not a historian.

      Therefore, she was someone to be wary of, and Heidi warned herself to be careful of every word spoken.

      Finally, she nodded and stood up, ‘I’ll have my mother pretend to be far sicker than she really is at present, and begin ringing my colleagues to find someone willing to stand in for me.’

      Khan stood as well. She handed Heidi a business card, ‘Ring me when the arrangements have been made and I’ll arrange to collect you from your home.’

      ‘I’ll write down my address for you.’

      ‘I already have it.’

      A cold tremor of disquiet went down Heidi’s spine as Khan turned and let the curious woman out.

      Chapter 3

      Later that evening Heidi Schmidt consulted Raya Khan’s card and then dialled the mobile phone number on it.

      ‘I’ve found someone to stand in for me for the next two days.’

      ‘You may be gone longer, but two days will suffice for present. Pack a small bag and I’ll pick you up.’

      ‘I don’t have a visa.’

      ‘You won’t need one.’

      ‘But surely I’ll need some sort of documentation for the authorities.’

      ‘Pack your bag and be ready. I’ll look after everything else.’

      ***

      As a seasoned traveller Heidi was well versed in the art of packing light, and packing quickly, so she was surprised that her bag was barely closed when there was a knock on her door.

      Surely this couldn’t be Khan?

      When she opened the door, she was faced by yet another young and fit looking woman of Arabic appearance.

      The woman’s face did not display a trace of emotion as she looked Heidi in the eye and held out her hand. ‘Your bag,’ she demanded.

      Heidi reached for the small backpack that lay ready near the door and handed it to her.

      The woman turned on her heel, and walked away. ‘Come.’

      Heidi turned off her lights and locked the front door before rushing after the young woman. She caught up with her in the lift lobby just as the sliding door opened.

      On the way down the woman said nothing and Heidi was left to again consider how quickly she had arrived after Heidi had made her call.

      Have they been watching me?

      Outside her apartment block a black limousine waited, its tinted windows giving no hint as to who, or what, lurked inside.

      Heidi’s escort opened the rear door and when she climbed in it was with a small sense of relief that she found herself alone in the vehicle. A tinted glass panel also separated the driver from the rear of the vehicle, and it was only the sound of the driver’s door opening and closing that