Chapter 4: The Hunt Begins
“It
is one of the great difficulties in life that we never have
certainty. While we often see clearer in hindsight than foresight,
yet even in looking back we all too often have unanswered questions.
Would things have been better if I had chosen differently in some
thing or another? If I had just spoken in less haste, would I have
been able to convince someone of the dangers of their chosen path?”
“There
is some value to such considerations, as we may well be able to learn
from our own past. But there is a danger also, for it is all too easy
to turn from useful self-examination to useless self-incrimination in
such thoughts. We must always remember that our knowledge was not
perfect in the past... nor is it in the present. It may well be that
actions we thought turned out for ill may have been better than what
we think now would have been best.”
“We
should be able to
track the box, or the amulet if they've removed it from its box,”
Maritha said thoughtfully after Garkhen told their story.
“'Nd
if someone here's passing information along?” Almonihah's arms were
folded in front of his chest, and his gaze said he was as suspicious
of Maritha as anyone else.
If
she noticed his gaze, she showed no sign. “While I hate to think
that anyone in my team would be insane enough to let something like
that fall into the wrong hands, I suppose I can't dismiss the
possibility, given the evidence at hand. Which leaves the dilemma of
what to do about it...”
She
pursed her lips. “Well... we could at least
make sure you get accurate information... if I have two teams work on
it and keep in contact with you, you should have something to go off
of. I might be willing to doubt a single member of my team, but I
can't imagine that four or five of them are bad. And if someone's
passing information along to these thieves, well, I'll figure
something out.”
Almonihah
grunted, clearly less than pleased, but did not object.
“Thank
you, Archivist Maritha,” Garkhen said, his calm voice seeming
almost a rebuke to Almonihah, “I think that should be reasonable.
If we find something suspicious in what is passed along to us, we
shall tell you. Now, how long do you estimate it will take to give us
an initial direction of travel?”
“No
more than an hour,” she said after a moment's thought. “And of
course, as we refine our estimates, we can communicate further with
you.”
“Very
well, then,” Garkhen replied. “Please, let us know as soon as you
may. Almonihah and I shall prepare ourselves to go—we do have one
small issue we must handle first.”
****************************
Ah, Almonihah. Always the suspicious type.
