Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [106]
“A thousand and one uses,” Annja said, laughing. “Where’d she go, anyway?”
“Hunter says she took off for a more sedate job piloting barges down the Amazon.”
Annja nodded. She knew that if Jax really did work for Garin, there was no way she was going to stick around now. Not with the crucifix already recovered. The barge job was just a convenient exit for her. “And Hunter?”
“Having the time of his life,” Cole said. “Unearthing this ship means the world to him. And I’ve decided to stay here for a little while to help him get it all done.”
“You’re giving up the shark thing?”
“I don’t know that I’m giving it up,” Cole said. “It’s unlikely I can purge my love of the study of them from my system. But I’m also a way from climbing back into the water.”
“I’m relieved to hear you say that,” Annja said. “No sense testing that fresh surgery by risking life and limb, huh?”
“Well, let’s just say that I may have a newfound appreciation for life, having come so close to death.”
“I understand.”
Cole looked at her and smiled. “It’s the strangest thing, Annja.”
“What is?”
“Me. When I spoke to you on the dock, I genuinely thought I was dying. And I don’t mean I was going out on this whole martyrdom thing. I mean, I really and truly thought that my life was ending. I was starting to hear things. See things, even. I didn’t know what they were. But I knew that my time was almost over.”
“Well, obviously that wasn’t the case. Jax patched you up good and you just needed a little time to recover from your blood loss. That’s all.”
“That’s not it and you know it.”
Annja eyed him. “What are you driving at here, Cole?”
“Why did you put that crucifix around my neck, Annja?”
Annja started to tell him something else. She started to tell him that she wanted him to have peace of mind and that she thought perhaps seeing the cross would give him some of that. But she didn’t think he would believe it. And she wasn’t sure she would have in his place, either.
“I don’t know what I thought,” Annja said. “I just knew you needed to have it around your neck.”
“Well, I’m glad you put it there. Because as soon as you did, the entire sensation that I was dying vanished.”
“But you did die. Dave checked your pulse. You didn’t have one.”
“Yeah, I know. It felt like I went to sleep, but it was the most pleasant sleep I’ve ever experienced. But at the same time, I knew I wasn’t dying anymore. I was just…going away for a little while.”
“And what happened then?”
“I woke up and we were on board the shark. You and Dave were talking. And I felt really pretty good.”
“Well, if it helps, you look pretty good, too.”
“I’m being serious here, Annja. That crucifix saved my life. You know it and I know it.”
Annja nodded. “Maybe so. But there are a lot of people who would kill to possess it.”
“Yes.”
“You’ve got to take care of it,” Annja said.
“I shouldn’t have it anymore,” Cole said. “Someone else should take this thing and use it for others who might be in grave peril.”
Annja shook her head. “It’s yours now, Cole. And I can’t think of a finer man to carry it with him.”
“What about a finer woman? You could take it.”
“No way. I’m already carrying around enough on my own. I don’t need my life complicated any more with something new.”
“But what about you? You’re the first to admit that your life is pretty much always in danger.”
“Yep. It sure seems to be. But that’s because it’s of my own design. I’m not sure, but I have the feeling that the crucifix isn’t so much something that grants immortality as much as it is something that gives a better understanding of our own mortality. It grants us an appreciation for life. And it’s what we do with that appreciation after we’re given it that determines whether the crucifix works or not.”
“That’s pretty deep.”
“I’m feeling very metaphysical today,” Annja said. “And I’m very glad that one of my dearest friends is alive and kicking.”
Cole looked at her. “Stay with me.”
“What?”
“You heard me, Annja. Stay with me. I don’t know what we have here, if anything at all. But maybe there’s something. We shared