Apologies: Sincere and many. Sorry, sorry, sorry to all who have been waiting for this...thanks for your patience and encouragement.

And Finally: This isn't the end...but it's coming. I just hope you're still interested! As usual, thanks go to fellow Brit, Ruth. Girl, you're a star. I'd also like to say a big thank you to my new buddy, XwpFanatic, who bullied me mercilessly into getting on with this. Ladies, you're the best

Comments, bribes etc, as usual to Dopam@aol.com

Part 4: Serendipity

Chris and his wife Suzanne lived on the outskirts of Athens in a small but comfortable apartment which had, from the balcony that ran the length of the sitting room, a spectacular view of the Acropolis. The evening was warm, and Suzanna opened up the French doors to let in the breeze, giving them a wonderful view as they ate. Jen found herself letting her gaze wander more and more frequently to the ruins, lit-up by a multitude of spot lights set into the hillside on which the structure was built. She found herself hoping that they would have time for a quick visit before they had to leave.

The dinner was a pleasant affair, and afterwards Chris suggested they all go down to a local bar for a few drinks before heading back to the hotel. They happily accepted, and the small group walked through the streets to the bar, settling themselves at a pavement table. Alex went inside with Chris to get the first round, leaving Jen with the two detectives, and Suzanna.

' So....' the slender Greek woman said, reaching into her purse, ' you do not work for the police? '

' Um...no. ' Jen shrugged. ' I'm a research student. Alex brought me in to help on the case. '

' Ah...' she pulled out a pack of Marlboro Lights, offering one to Jen, ' so you were friends then? '

She declined the cigarette, and shook her head. ' Actually...I'd really only just met Alex when she came to me about the case. '

' How did you meet? ' Stuart prompted, receiving a covert nudge from Ian beneath the table. Jen smiled a little.

' Well, it was kind of odd. The first time we met, her car was being broken into. She was chasing off these two kids and I saw what was happening so...I ran over to help her. '

Suzanna gave a cigarette to Ian, who nodded his thanks and pulled a lighter from his pocket. He lit Suzanna's cigarette, then his own, and blew a stream of smoke out into the night air. ' That was really brave, Jen, ' he said, grinning, ' and really dumb. '

She winced. ' I realise that. I just can't stand by and watch if someone's in trouble, you know? '

Suzanna laughed. ' Are you sure you are not police? ' She said, her voice thickly accented.

Jen grinned. ' I know...I'm just a do-gooder at heart. '

Stuart shook his head. ' If there were more like you, there'd be less for us to do, Jen, believe me. '

' So, ' Ian tapped ash into the plastic ashtray in the center of the table. ' You said the first time - what about the second? '

' Well...' she scratched her nose, ' that was when we really met - at least, when we introduced ourselves. It was at the University; Alex was coming out of a lecture, and I was on my way to the cafeteria for a coffee, and -'

' She tried to knock me down. '

Jen looked up to see Alex leaning over her with three bottles of beer clutched in her hands. She deposited them onto the table and slid into her chair, as Chris brought the rest of the drinks over.

' As I recall, ' Jen smirked, ' I was the one who ended up flat on her arse. '

Alex rolled her eyes, then smiled at their tablemates. ' She cannoned right into me - is it any wonder she fell on her butt? '

There were chuckles around the table.

' I bought you a coffee to apologise. ' Jen pouted.

' I know. ' Alex nodded. ' That's when I found out what she was researching. And when the case came to a dead end, I asked for her help. ' She shrugged. ' That's it. '

The conversation turned to other things, and Jen sat back, letting the atmosphere wash over her. From nearby tables she heard snatches of conversation, and was pleasantly surprised to find that comprehensible words were beginning to jump out of the streams of otherwise foreign language. She could read Greek now quite fluently, but had never practiced the conversational form. She made a mental note to remind herself to ask Alex to give her a few lessons.

' Hey, ' Alex said quietly, nudging her. ' You okay? Tired? '

Jen smiled, shaking her head. ' No...just enjoying a change from the norm. Hard to believe it's February, sitting out here in our shirt-sleeves, huh? '

Stuart, overhearing her comment, snorted. ' You bet. Before we left the hotel I called my girlfriend back home - she said there's more snow forecast for tonight. '

' Snow?' Suzanna perked up. ' Ooo..I love the snow. So beautiful! '

' So cold. ' Ian said, mock-wistfully. He rolled one eye at the Greek woman. 'Say...think we could arrange some kind of inter-force exchange programme? You could have all the snow you want...'

She laughed, and patted his arm. ' Of course. But then you would have to stay in my home, and listen to my husband's snoring at night. '

More laughter erupted, and Chris looked utterly indignant. ' I do not snore! ' He protested.

Suzanna nodded. ' Oh yes, my love, like the...what you say?...pig?'

The laughter got louder; Chris just threw up his hands in disgust. ' Let me tell you, ' he began, ' if you think I am so bad, you should have heard my cousin Alex here, when she was young. She had this problem with her ..' he frowned, ' ..what were those things? '

Alex's smile froze. ' Um..adenoids? '

' Ne, ne, the adenoids...well, I came to visit one summer, and even from the next room...'

As Chris continued with his tale, despite Alex's threats, and to the amusement of the rest of the party, no-one thought anything of the car that drew to a halt on the other side of the street. As the laughter rang out in the clear night air, neither did they spot the shadowy figure seated within it, nor the intense interest with which a pair of coal black eyes watched the little group.

Watched, and waited.

Jen was wrapped in the comfort of her dream, enjoying the play of sunlight on water and the sensation of the warm body laying beside her. She felt safe, loved, and utterly at peace with the world. Birds sang in the trees behind them, and a cooling breeze lightly ruffled her hair, lifting it from her face to tangle with that of her lover, dark and light strands weaving together as if of their own accord. She sighed contentedly, snuggling into the strong shoulder that supported her head and watching a ship move slowly against the distant horizon.

' Homesick? ' A voice murmured against her ear.

She shook her head. ' I am home. ' She patted the warm flesh beneath her hand. 'Right here. '

And she was. No longer a place on a map, home was in the depths of two startling blue eyes, within the embrace of long, strong arms. She sighed again, enjoying the peace....

...Now, if only that annoying tapping against her shoulder would go away....

' Jen...Jen, c'mon, hon. Time to make a move. ' Alex tapped the younger woman's shoulder again, a little harder this time. At last green eyes opened slowly and blinked at her, and Alex smiled and gently stroked tangled blonde hair from in front of them.

' Bout time. I was thinking I'd have to set off the fire alarm. '

Jen yawned, and rolled from her position on her back to her side, propping herself up on one elbow. As her brain fought off the dregs of sleep, she noted that her lover, who was perched on the edge of the mattress beside her, was dressed in running gear, and was lightly sheened with sweat.

' You're a masochist, you know that? ' She said, trying not to yawn again. Alex chuckled.

' Needed to run off some energy. Someone fell asleep on me last night...'

Jen poked her tongue out, forcing herself to sit up. ' Yeah, well...some of us are only human. And after that huge meal and a couple of beers, who can blame me? '

Alex tugged the elastic from her hair, freeing it to fall about her shoulders. ' I'm gonna go shower - you might want to do the same. We said we'd meet Ian and Stuart in the dining room for breakfast, remember? '

' I remember...' Jen rubbed sleep from her eyes. ' So...today we check out the car rental place? '

' Uh - huh. ' Alex nodded, getting to her feet. ' Actually, I thought whilst the rest of us do that, you might want to look up your friend, George. He may be able to help you out on the origins of those scrolls you received. '

Jen brightened at the thought. ' Yeah...great idea. ' She threw off the covers, and swung her feet to the floor. As she stood Alex watched her, an appreciative but amused look on her face. Jen glanced down at her nakedness, then back at her lover, frowning slightly. ' What? '

' Oh, nothing...just thought you might want to put some clothes on before heading back to your room for that shower...'

' Oh...right...your room...I forgot. '

Alex grinned, then leaned in and stole a quick kiss. ' For the record, ' she murmured, ' I have no objections whatsoever to you choosing to forgo clothing...but I don't think I'd get much work done if you did. '

Jen matched her grin. ' Really? You saying I'd be a distraction? '

' Most definitely. ' She nodded.

Jen reluctantly snagged up Alex's silk robe, slipping it around her shoulders. It fell way past her knees, though it barely touched the taller woman's when she wore it, and the sleeves flapped over her hands. She tutted and rolled them back, shaking her head slightly, then eyed Alex from beneath one arched eyebrow.

' You do realise that I am letting you off lightly here? ' She commented, tying the belt securely around her narrow waist.

Alex stripped her lycra vest-top off, tossing it onto the bed. ' How so? '

' Well..' Jen stepped in, then reached out to run a hand down one long bare arm. ' ...if we didn't have a breakfast appointment, there's no way I'd be letting you into that shower alone. '

Alex stared at her for a long moment, her eyes darkening, swallowing the light. Then, in one swift move, she turned and snagged up the phone from the nightstand, punching in four numbers. Jen frowned.

' What are you doing? '

' Stalling for - Hi, Ian, it's Alex...yeah, listen. Jen and I are just going over a few things - she's contacting a friend of hers today at the museum...uh-huh...we're gonna be a bit late for breakfast. Oh...say, half-past? Fine. Bye. ' She put down the phone, and turned to face the astonished young woman with a smirk. ' So...what were you saying about that shower? '

Jen shook her head slowly. ' You are so bad...'

Alex stepped towards her, smiling wickedly. ' Not nearly as bad as I'm about to be...'

The robe slid back to the floor.

It was soon joined by the remainder of Alex's clothes.

The Acropolis museum was relatively small, but crammed full of artifacts that Jen would have dearly loved to have the time to linger over. Instead she followed, at a brisk trot, the guard who had escorted her from the main desk, glancing about herself as they headed towards a door at the rear of the main exhibit room marked as 'private'. The man knocked sharply at the heavy paneled door, and after a moment it swung open to reveal a slim young man, not much taller than herself, with curly black hair and beautiful dark eyes. His cherubic face lit up on seeing her, and he ushered her inside, pulling her into a fierce hug before the door had time to swing shut behind her.

' It is so good to see you. ' He said into her hair.

Jen smiled, patting his back. ' And you, George. '

He released her at last, stepping back and holding her at arm's length to look her up and down. ' Ohhh...still as beautiful. '

' And you, sir, are still an irrepressible flirt. ' She batted his arm good-naturedly. The banter had become a source of amusement and delight to the two of them when they had become friends during George's exchange year at Manchester. He had been completing a thesis on the preservation of prehistoric artifacts, and Jen had quickly warmed to his sense of humour and open nature. After two weeks of polite, brief conversations and the odd shared coffee break, Jen had taken it upon herself to adopt the American-Greek student, and had offered to show him around the city. Their friendship had been sealed over an undignified number of tequila slammers, and was cemented by their mutual hangover the following day.

George became, and still remained, the one male friend she had with whom she had never shared a romantic relationship.

' So...' she reached up and ruffled his hair, ' ...how's the family? Still trying to tempt you back home to D.C.? '

George rolled his eyes. ' Mom even offered to buy me a car. Popa's okay though - his brother, my uncle Yanis, lives in Thessaloniki, and he calls me once a week just to make sure I'm okay. ' He grinned. ' Which, of course, I am. '

Jen knew that, although George had been born and raised as east coast American, his Greek heritage had always drawn him back to the country of his father's birth. He'd fallen in love with Athens on first sight, and when the opportunity arose within the museum, he had jumped at it. His mother had been outraged - her son, in her eyes, was meant for much better than a lowly assistant-curator's position - but he had simply told her that this was where his heart lay, and that was the end of the argument.

' Well, fair lady...' he steered her across the small, cluttered room toward his desk, lifting a pile of papers from a chair so that she could sit down. ' ... what's on your mind? Your phone call this morning was a little cryptic. '

Jen settled into the seat, and he leaned back against the desk in front of her, crossing his legs at the ankles. She set her heavy satchel down on the floor, reaching inside to withdraw the fat blue wallet that held the translations. ' Here, ' she held out the wallet to him, ' take a look at these. '

Frowning slightly at her, George took the packet, flipping back the cover and withdrawing the papers. He started reading the top-most one, and after a few sentences his eyes widened, and he stood up. He crossed around his desk, sitting himself in his battered leather chair and placing the thick sheaf of papers on top of the desk before him, leaning in slightly to read. For a few minutes there was silence, then he looked up at her, confusion and excitement warring on his face.

' Jen...what the hell is this? '

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. ' What do you think it is? '

' I know what it appears to be...it appears to be a translation of the Xena scrolls. '

She nodded. ' It is. '

' But...how? Where did you get it? '

' Someone mailed them to me. '

He frowned. ' Jen...there's no way of verifying that this is a true translation...'

' Yes there is. I translated it. ' She smiled slightly. ' Well...some of it. '

His eyes widened so much that, for a brief, insane moment, she actually thought they would fall out of his head.

' You have the actual scrolls? For real? '

She nodded. ' Yep. For real. Like I said, someone mailed them to me. '

' Through the post? ' He squeaked incredulously. ' Someone sent manuscripts over two thousand years old through the goddamned post? '

Jen rubbed her forehead. ' They sure did. '

' Holy fucking cow...' he shook his head. ' Who? '

She smiled tightly. ' That, my friend, is why I'm here. '

p>

' Okay...let's see...' Alex looked down at the map spread out before her, a black felt-tip poised in her hand. She was seated with the two detectives at a small street cafe table, which offered them a stunning view of the heavy city traffic, and an even better up close and personal smell of exhaust fumes. Still, they weren't here for a holiday...

' Odometer read between sixty and seventy-five miles on each rental. ' Stuart supplied, scanning the paperwork that they had recently procured from the rental car company.

Alex nodded. ' So, we're looking at a maximum radius of approximately thirty-eight miles...' she glanced up at Ian, holding out her free hand, and he dug out a ball of thin twine and a cheap plastic ruler from the bag placed by his elbow, recent acquisitions from the stationery store they had visited. Alex tied the loose end of the string around the index finger of her left hand, then took the ruler and, using the scale at the bottom of the map for reference, measured off the required length along the string, adding an extra couple of centimeters before biting through the twine and severing it neatly. She tied the now-free end around the felt-tip, placed her left index finger at the spot she had already marked as representing the rental garage, and drew a neat circle that enclosed everything within the prescribed distance.

' Wow...' Stuart grinned, ' ...don't tell me...girl guides, right? '

Alex glanced up at him as she removed the string from her finger and from the pen. 'Something like that. ' She set the string and pen aside, and turned her attention back to the map. ' Okay...what does that give us? '

Ian frowned down at the map. ' Lots of sea, all of the city, and a whole chunk of countryside. '

Alex nodded. ' I think we can safely assume that wherever he went, it was on dry land. '

' Yeah, but...' Stuart reached out and tapped the picture. '...there's the islands..'

' I don't think so, ' Alex shook her head, ' most of the distance is over water - unless he did laps of the island, it wouldn't account for the mileage. '

He chewed his lip. ' True. '

' So...let's rule out the city. Can't see him hiring a car when he could save himself the hassle of driving and just use taxis or public transport. '

Ian nodded. ' Agreed. '

Alex frowned down at the map, rubbing a finger across the swathe of countryside enclosed within the black circle. ' That leaves us this area...'

Stuart sipped at his iced coffee. ' That's a lot of ground to cover, Alex. '

She nodded. ' Too much. I think we should have a chat with Chris, see if he has any ideas. He knows the area pretty well. ' She glanced at her watch. ' I said we'd meet Jen back at the hotel at two - that leaves us more than an hour. ' She began folding up the map. ' C'mon, guys, drink up. ' She tucked the map into her bag, then stood up, smoothing out the creases in her dark navy trousers. Ian looked up at her as he pulled on his jacket, taking in the sleeveless white cotton blouse she wore and wrinkling his nose in envy.

' How come we get to wear the monkey suits? ' He groused, tugging at his necktie. Alex grinned.

' You can wear Bermudas and Hawaiian shirts for all I care. ' She said, sliding her sunglasses down from where they sat on top of her head to rest on the bridge of her nose. 'Just don't tell the boss when we get home. '

He shook his head, grinning. ' Nah...I don't think Athens is ready for the sight of my legs in shorts. '

' Athens? ' Stuart got to his feet, taking his Raybans from his breast pocket and slipping them on. ' Try the known universe, partner. '

' Ha-bloody-ha. ' The redheaded detective groused, hauling himself to his feet.

Caught up in afternoon traffic, Jen glanced at her watch and frowned slightly. The taxi had been at a standstill for almost ten minutes now, and the gridlocked traffic around them showed no signs of moving any time soon. She looked out of the window, trying to gauge whether or not she was anywhere in the vicinity of the hotel. Further along the road she could see a tall, relatively modern structure which she was almost certain was a bank building she had noticed from her hotel window. Another glance at her watch - twenty past two - and her decision was made. Grabbing up her light jacket and satchel, she handed a pile of notes to the driver, waited for the change, then opened the taxi door and stepped out into the exhaust fumes and afternoon heat.

She threaded her way through the stationary vehicles to the pavement, and set off in what she hoped was the right direction at a fast walk. The satchel bounced at her hip, its weight ruling out the possibility of running. She felt grimy from the city dust and dirt, which seemed to cling to her like a second skin, and her throat itched with each breath of the polluted air. Thoughts of a cold drink, and a nice, long, cool shower spurred her on, and as she came to an intersection, a glance to the right showed her that the hotel was only a few minutes walk away. She turned down the road, the noise of car horns continuously blaring out giving her the beginnings of a headache. How do these people live like this...

At last she entered the air-conditioned sanctuary of the hotel reception, drinking in the cool, clean air like as though it were nectar. After a detour to the desk to retrieve her room card, she headed straight for the elevator. Their rooms were on the fourth floor, and she was too hot and weary to attempt the stairs. Once discharged from the lift, she trotted down the corridor, bypassing her own room to head for Alex's. After a quick knock on the door, there were hurried footsteps, and the door was pulled open, almost spilling her into the room.

' Jen! ' Alex gasped. ' Oh, thank God...where have you been? '

The younger woman stepped into the room, puzzled by the equally relieved looks plastered across the faces of the two detectives, who were sitting around the small table by the window. She frowned.

' There's a traffic jam...my taxi was stuck in it, so I got out and walked. ' She looked at Alex again, and saw the panic still evident in her eyes. ' What's wrong? '

The psychologist let the door swing shut by itself, walking over to take Jen's jacket and bag from her, her hand brushing against that of the younger woman almost in an caress.

' There's been a bad accident - two taxis went head to head just a few blocks away. I was starting to get worried...'

Jen was shocked by the anguish she saw in Alex's face. Despite the presence of the two men, she reached out and let her fingers tangle with the taller woman's, squeezing gently.

' I'm fine. ' She said softly. She smiled slightly. ' A tad hot and bothered, but otherwise fine. '

Alex let relief wash over her, chasing out the growing wave of panic that had been chilling her soul since the woman at the reception had told her of the accident as they came in. She gave Jen's hand a return squeeze, then released her fingers.

' Come on...sit down and tell us what you found out. I'll order us something cold to drink. '

They sipped iced tea, sharing the information that they had collected during the morning. Chris had told them of a few places in the surrounding countryside that may be worth a visit, including a monastery that Alex thought to be the best place to start.

' They have archives there dating back over two thousand years, ' she informed Jen, watching the spark of interest flare in her eyes.

Jen drained her glass, then reached for the pitcher that sat in the middle of the table. 'Where is it? '

Stuart leaned back in his chair, tie and jacket long since discarded, his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows. ' Approximately twenty miles south of the city. We thought we'd try there first thing tomorrow. '

' Sounds like a plan. ' Jen nodded, refilling her glass. She topped up Ian's, who was seated beside her, and he smiled his thanks.

' So..' Alex folded her arms on the tabletop. ' ...you come up with anything useful? '

The blonde sighed, shaking her head. ' Not much. He seemed to recall reading somewhere that an archaeologist claimed to have found some of the scrolls back in the forties, but that they disappeared again during the war. '

Alex frowned. ' Have you heard this before? '

' I've read that there were rumours of such...but nothing concrete. He's working on digging out the reference for me. '

' Well...it's a start. ' Ian said encouragingly. She flashed him a smile.

' Yeah...I suppose. Oh, there was something...' she got to her feet, moving quickly over to where her bag lay on the bed. After a brief dig around inside, she came up with a photocopied journal article and brought it back to the table with her. ' It's a report written on the Scrolls of the Damned. George found it last week. He thought we might be interested because it mentions the missing two scrolls. '

Alex's eyebrows shot up. ' I thought they were never found? '

Jen shrugged. ' That's the popular belief. They guy who wrote this, back in the nineteen sixties, apparently went out on a limb, academically speaking, in claiming that he had knowledge of them...although he never revealed his source. ' She laid the stapled report down on the table, placing her hands flat on it. ' It cost him his reputation. He never published again. '

Stuart leaned forward. ' Maybe we could contact him..'

' No, ' Jen shook her head, ' not without a medium. He died in nineteen seventy-four.'

' Ah...'

' What did he have to say? ' Alex asked.

Jen looked down at the print beneath her fingers. ' He claims that the scrolls were originally scattered throughout Greece over two thousand years ago, and that during the Renaissance years one of the more powerful Florentine families, the Sognatis, decided it would be quite a coup if they were to rediscover them and bring them to Italy to be displayed. Johansson - the author of the paper - has evidence to suggest that the family paid for expeditions into Greece and that five of the scrolls were found. They were taken to Florence and there was a lot of hoo-hah...the Pope even sent a special envoy to exorcise them. Shortly after the whole family was killed in a fire that razed their house to the ground. The scrolls were found, intact, in a cellar beneath the house. A distant relative blamed the deaths on the presence of the scrolls, and ordered them to be returned to Greece, where they were buried somewhere in what was Sparta. The location was never revealed. '

' Until they were found again? ' Alex questioned. Jen nodded.

' Right. A group of archaeologists were exploring a system of catacombs in the early thirties which had been discovered after a minor earthquake in the region. They stumbled across the scrolls in a small cavern which had previously been sealed by a rock-fall. '

' But....what about the other two scrolls? ' Ian prompted.

Jen leaned back in her chair. ' Johansson stated that the missing scrolls were in fact never missing at all. He claimed to have evidence that the Sognatis were in possession of all seven scrolls, but that, after the fire, two of the scrolls were taken by the Papal envoy back to Rome, where they were to be kept under secure conditions within the Vatican, in an attempt to keep the original set of seven from ever being reunited again.'

Stuart shook his head, frowning. ' Why didn't they just destroy them? Burn the damn things to ashes? '

' Superstition. ' Jen grinned. ' People were terrified of them, even in such 'enlightened' times. No one wanted to risk ending up like the Sognati family. '

Alex folded her arms on the tabletop. ' So...how did Johansson get to see them? '

' He claimed that the scrolls had been stolen from the Vatican during the war by the Nazis. When Hitler was defeated they disappeared onto the black market. He was contacted in 1956 by a man who claimed to have been an officer in the SS. This man met with Johansson and showed him two scrolls. He had no idea what they were, but he was dying of lung cancer and he wanted to sell them to set up a trust fund for his son. Johansson believed them to be the 'missing' scrolls; he advised the man to turn them over to a museum. '

' Which he didn't. ' Alex stated.

Jen shook her head. ' No. He went back to France, where he was living, taking the scrolls with him. Johansson never heard from him again. He tried to trace him, but it appeared the man had used a false identity. '

Stuart poured himself more iced tea. ' What does he have to say about the scrolls? '

' Here - ' Jen turned over the first two pages of the report, ' - see for yourselves. '

They crowded closer, all trying to get a look at the paper. Alex got to her feet and stood behind Jen, peering over her shoulder, letting the two detectives slide their chairs in beside the younger woman. Jen felt warm breath tickle her neck as Alex leaned over her, the faint smell of Chanel no.19 and herbal shampoo making her hormones do a little involuntary jig. She resolutely quashed her rising libido, and focused on the paper, tapping a section she had highlighted.

' Here...see the glyphs? Johansson was working from memory, but it's all we have to go on. I'll try and match them up to what was found on the girl in Manchester later - I didn't have my copies with me this morning. '

Alex peered at the hand-drawn figures. One was a complex pattern of three inter-locking concentric petal-shapes, not unlike many of the Celtic knots that were popular as jewelry nowadays. The other was unmistakable; a human skull, wreathed in fire.

' I think we'd remember if we'd seen that one before. ' She said quietly, reaching over Jen's shoulder to point at it. Jen nodded tensely.

' That's what I thought. '

Alex straightened, walking over to the window to gaze down on the crawling traffic. 'What do they symbolise? '

' The first one is the Pallas knot. It represents an alliance…three forces coming together, united in war or conflict against a common enemy. '

Stuart raised an eyebrow. ' As in Pallas Athena? '

' Yeah...' Jen let her finger trace the pattern on the paper. ' I don't see how this one could be represented in a murder though..'

Alex shook her head. ' Doesn't have to be. Athena was the goddess of war. There's plenty of that going on in the world right now. What about the second glyph? '

Jen sucked in a breath. ' Well...that's the biggie. It's the Kailess, from the seventh scroll. It symbolises the rebirth of the world into darkness, when the minions of Hades rise up and claim power. '

Ian snorted. ' The state the world is in right now, I think perhaps that one already came to fruition. '

Alex leaned into the window, pressing her forehead against the cool glass, letting the information sink into her mind.

' The Pallas knot, ' she said eventually, ' that's a pretty neutral interpretation. All the others are very graphic...much more specific. ' She turned to face the table again. 'Does he give any more information on it? '

Jen shook her head. ' No....but I agree with you. I mean, the forces could be allied for the common good...fighting against an oppressive regime. '

' Or a lunatic with delusions of grandeur. ' Alex moved back to the table, standing opposite the three seated at it. She leaned down, resting her hands on the polished wood. ' Think about it...this is Athens, Athena's city. The killer is trying to reproduce the letter of the scrolls; the seventh glyph is what he's aiming for. He's killed already, made his five token sacrifices...all he needed was the sixth. Three forces, allied against him. '

Stuart's eyes lit up with understanding. ' The girl at Smithfield...she was the lure. '

' Right. ' Alex nodded. ' He needed to bring us here, to force us to work in conjunction with another police force...this was the obvious choice. Home turf, so to speak, for the scrolls. Perhaps he sees them as having more power here -'

' Wait. ' Jen held up her hand. ' I agree with you, but...that's just two 'forces', Alex...there has to be three. '

Blue eyes captured her, hardening to steel. ' It's you, Jen. You're the third. That's why he took Andi...he probably intended to bring her here, to make sure you would follow, keep you interested. There was no other reason for abducting her - he's made his kills - and it was too much of a coincidence for her to be a random choice. '

Jen slumped back in her chair, a fresh wave of guilt washing over her. She closed her eyes briefly, trying not to think about what would have happened if those two homeless men hadn't stumbled across her sister lying in that abandoned warehouse....

' I think Jen should go home. ' Ian stated quietly.

' No!' Both women chorused at once. They looked at each other, exchanging a brief smile.

' Too dangerous, ' Alex said, shaking her head. ' If she leaves, he'll do everything in his power to get her back here. She's safer here than anywhere else.' Because she's with me, Alex added silently. Because I'll rip the heart out of anyone who tries to harm her...

Ian was shaking his head. ' Alex...she's in more danger here than she would be back in Manchester. They can put her under guard, move her to a safe house, have armed men - '

' And what about my family? ' Jen asked quietly. ' I won't risk anything happening to them, Ian. ' She shook her head. ' No. I'm in this now, up to my neck. There's no going back. ' Her face softened, and she reached out to lay a hand on his arm, smiling gently. ' But thank you for the concern. '

Alex watched a slight blush creep up the red-head's face. Oh-oh...

' So...' Stuart pressed on. ' What about these other scrolls you have, Jen? Where do they fit in? '

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. ' There's references within the Xena Scrolls to the Scrolls of the Damned. It's possible that there's information in there that will give us some kind of handle on how to deal with this guy. I've almost read through the translations...nothing's leaped out at me yet, so I may have to go through them again. '

' Maybe it's not there. ' Ian said.

Alex shook her head. ' It's there. Carruthers didn't risk his life in sending them to her for no good reason. I think he figured out just who he was working for, and did the only thing he could to try and stop him. '

Jen frowned a little. ' I still don't understand why me though. There must be hundreds of people out there who are more qualified than I am. How did he know you'd come to me for help? '

' Because you were local...because you've already published a paper which made it clear you were interested in the Xena Scrolls. ' Alex smiled at Jen's startled look. ' I do my homework too, Jen. '

' Yeah, well....' she shook her head, ' it still seems like he left a lot to chance. You could have moved on to another local college, and I would have never linked the scrolls with the murder. '

Alex held her tongue. It was Stuart who made the leap.

' Holy shit. The bastard has someone working for him on the inside...' He looked up into Alex's calm face. ' You already guessed that, didn't you? '

She nodded. ' Yeah...I've suspected as much for a while now. Like Jen said, there was entirely too much left to coincidence. Although Carruthers has inadvertently given the killer exactly what he wants. '

' A third party? '

She looked at Jen. ' Yeah. '

There was a contemplative silence for a few heartbeats, then Alex straightened and pushed her hair back behind her ears.

' Alright. I have a call to make to Geoff. I suggest we get cleaned up, catch up on our reports, have dinner, and get some rest. We're leaving at dawn tomorrow. '

The two detectives began to rise to their feet. Jen remained where she was, gazing down at the paper resting between her hands, willing it to give up the answers.

' Jen? '

She looked up to see Ian smiling down at her.

' Yeah? '

' Feel like grabbing a coffee downstairs? I could use a little headspace before I start trying to get all this down on paper. '

She glanced at Alex, who flashed her a brief smile, inclining her head to the telephone. She could be a while, so...

' Sure. ' She stood up, ' Want to join us, Stuart? '

The dark-haired man shook his head. ' No, thanks. I'm gonna make a start, I think, get it out of the way. '

' Okay. ' She grabbed her purse from her bag. ' Come on then, Ian. I can hear the caffeine calling to me from here...'

They sat in the hotel bar, sipping the strong, thick Greek coffee that Jen was rapidly becoming addicted to. For a while they chatted about the case, then Ian turned the conversation to lighter issues, asking her about her thesis.

' Sounds intriguing, ' he stated after she had filled him in on exactly what it was she was researching. She smiled.

' It is...though nothing like as exciting as this stuff we've been investigating. I could write an entire thesis on the last month alone. '

Ian grimaced, tugging at his tie. He popped his top button open, leaning back in his chair. ' So...what about when you're not stuck with your head in a book? You get out much? '

She shrugged, thinking about the last few weeks. ' Sometimes. Although with the writing, the last few months have been a little Spartan on the raving front. ' She smiled. ' How about you? '

' Nah..' he waved his hand dismissively, ' I'm not much for the club scene. With the hours we work, I'm lucky if I get to go out for a quick pint once a week. '

' Ahhh...the joys of police work, huh? ' She chuckled. ' Alex said more or less the same to me when we first met. Although I have managed to drag her out once or twice. '

He raised an eyebrow. ' You two go out? Wow...never would have figured you two for friends. '

Jen was surprised by his comment. ' Why not? '

' Well..' he shrugged, '..don't get me wrong, I think Alex is great, and I really respect the work she does. She's a natural investigator, and a born leader. But there's this...' he struggled to find the right words, ' ...darkness to her. Something that sits just below the surface. I would have thought it made it difficult for her to connect with people...to make friends. '

Jen mulled this over. Despite her instinct to jump in and defend her lover, she couldn't deny that what Ian had said was true. Alex didn't seem to have any friends, other than Geoff, whom she had made since university. Obviously those three years with the navy had changed her, darkened her....

' In a way, you're right. ' She said softly. ' But...if you look beyond that darkness, there's this wonderful, amazing person underneath. She's the best friend you could ever have, Ian. ' She shrugged. And the worst enemy, she added silently.

He sipped his coffee. ' She's a lucky woman, Jen...having you as a friend. '

' Thanks. ' She smiled. ' But...I think it's me who's the lucky one. '

' So...' he placed his cup back in the tiny saucer that matched it. ' You seeing anyone back home, Jen? '

Realisation dawned; she knew where this was going...

' Yeah...as a matter of fact, I am. '

A brief flash of disappointment, but he covered it with a smile. A genuine one.

' Lucky guy. '

Jen decided to bite the bullet. ' Actually, it's not a guy. ' She allowed herself a small smile. ' And like I said, I think I'm the lucky one. '

Shock, surprise, and then wide-eyed realisation registered on his face. Closely followed by a self-depreciating grin which he hid behind both hands, shaking his head slowly.

' Me and my big mouth...' he groaned. After a moment he peeped out at her from between his fingers. ' I'm sorry...no one ever tells me anything. You must think I'm a complete idiot.'

Jen laughed, then reached over to pat his arm. ' No, Ian, I think you're an honest, decent person. And besides...it's not exactly common knowledge. '

He nodded, letting his hands slide from his face. ' I understand. Don't worry; I'll not be broadcasting this when we get home. '

' Thanks. I wouldn't want Alex to be the focus of office scuttlebutt. '

Ian chuckled softly. ' It'd be a braver man than me to start rumours about Alex. She might not have academy training, but from what I've heard, she's more than capable of taking care of herself. She had a run in with a gang of football thugs a couple of weeks back...they came into cells looking like they'd gone up against Bruce Lee. '

Jen bit back a smile. ' Um...yeah, I know. I was with her. Actually...it was me they were after. Alex just...dealt with it. ' She frowned slightly. ' I'm surprised there've not been any repercussions from that. '

' Well...once they heard that she was with the police, they made a lot of noise about police brutality, but Geoff went in and had a few words. ' He grinned. ' Something along the lines of ' you want to stand up in court and tell everyone how you were beaten-up single-handedly by a woman?'. He told them it would make great press...that their mates would just love to read about it. They kind of backed down after that. '

Jen laughed. ' I can imagine. '

' Mmm. ' He finished his coffee. ' So...how close are you to finishing up your Ph.D.?'

' Not far. I'm just at the 'checking through' stage - it's more or less written. '

' You planning on an academic career? '

She nodded. ' I think so, yeah. ' She smiled. ' Not much else I can usefully do with a research doctorate in ancient bardic works. '

' Oh, I don't know, ' he smiled warmly at her, ' I'm sure you could do just about anything you set your mind to, Jen Gordon. '

The brothers at the monastery had been able to tell them very little, other than the fact that Carruthers had visited quite regularly over the past six months, and that he had spent almost all of that time in their extensive library. Brother Ignatius, who tended their archives, had kept the desk the young man had worked at just as he had left it, fully expecting him to return again later that month. The news of his death had been quite a shock.

Jen had gone through the papers on the desk and discovered that he had referenced many works, some of which she recognised from her own research, some of which were new to her. She'd cast longing looks at the shelves of dusty books and manuscripts, but Alex had shaken her head sadly; they had no time for her to get side-tracked. The one find that did seem promising was a scrawled note referring to an archaeological dig, somewhere outside a small village ten miles south of the monastery. There was no date on the note, but they were all agreed that it seemed to be the only viable clue.

And so here they were, Alex navigating the car down the hillside away from the monastery between the tall pines that flanked the winding road. Jen stared out the window, not knowing which she felt most; regret at having to walk away from that vast library in the catacombs beneath the monastery, or excitement at the possibility of witnessing her first dig. Ian and Stuart talked quietly in the back seat, heads bent over the map, and she felt the whisper of a touch against her arm.

' Hey. '

She turned, finding Alex glancing at her with an expression of regret etched across her features.

' Sorry we didn't have time to let you explore more. I know you were itching to get into those manuscripts. '

Jen smiled, shaking her head. ' It's okay. At least I know they're there. Who knows - one day I might get to come back. '

' It's a promise. '

' Besides, I now have a real archaeological dig to look forward to. ' She grimaced slightly. ' If they're still there, that is. '

' Hmm. ' Alex negotiated a particularly sharp bend in the road, and the car passed beneath a canopy of overhanging evergreen boughs, dappling the sunlight and plunging them into a world of cool, green twilight. Jen cracked the window open a couple of inches, and the scent of pine resin wafted into the car. Maybe this is what it feels like to live inside a tree, Jen mused, but they were passing beyond the trees now, and the harsh glare of bright sunlight made them all blink as their eyes readjusted.

' Alex, ' Ian called from the back seat. She glanced at him in the mirror.

' Yeah? '

' We have the route sorted. When you reach the cross-roads at the bottom of the mountain - '

' Hill. ' She corrected.

He grinned. ' Whatever. Take the right turning. That road should lead us straight to Pheidas. '

' You sure? '

He nodded. ' Absolutely. Shouldn't take us more than half an hour. '

' Okay then. Right it is. '

Almost two hours, and a mystery tour later, they were entering the outskirts of a small, rural village. Crop fields gradually gave way to settlements, and eventually a network of narrow, winding streets. The buildings were small, and crumbling, and seemed to follow no form of architectural design whatsoever, but rather seemed to have sprung from the earth at the will and whim of their occupiers. Children in school uniform, listening to Walkmans and swigging from Coke tins, mingled amongst old men and women in faded clothes, leading donkeys which toted anything from shopping bags to bundles of firewood. The streets were cobbled and, at what seemed to be every corner, there was a shrine to the Virgin, but dusty shop windows boasted signs for Seven-Up and cosmetics. It was like a collision of cultures, and something about it made Jen feel a little sad. How long before all this is gone, she wondered? How long before the children forget?

Alex pulled up outside what appeared to be the general store and cafe, a double-fronted shop that boasted a vine-covered pergola out front, beneath which old men sat at tables drinking and playing cards. As they got out of the car Jen caught the scent of fresh coffee and baking bread, and her stomach noisily reminded her that it was way past lunch time.

' Hungry? ' Alex remarked casually, falling into step beside her. She grinned sheepishly.

' Well...I could eat something. '

' Me too. ' Ian agreed. ' I'm bloody famished. '

' Yeah well, ' Stuart groused, ' if you hadn't managed to get us lost - '

Alex held up her hand. ' Okay, all right. We're here now. Let's have some lunch and find out if anyone knows where this dig is. I'm sure the team didn't traipse all the way back to Athens for supplies, so this is the likeliest spot. '

At the sound of English voices many of the old men looked up, and Jen smiled amicably at them. A couple smiled back, one rather toothlessly, but most just returned their attention to their games. Alex nudged her into motion, and the party of four moved into the shop. Inside it was dim and cool, and the scent of coffee and bread was stronger, mingling with the smell of cheeses, of which there were several on display, olive oil, and herbs. To the back of the shop was a long counter, behind which stood a large, gray-haired woman dressed in a loose black dress. The shop's shelves were laden with goods ranging from crisps to bottles of Ouzo and Raki, and even the scrubbed wooden floor boasted large cans of oil and olives, and sacks of flour. Alex approached the counter, and spoke quietly with the proprietress. After a brief conversation she turned to her colleagues.

' Omelets and salad okay? '

They nodded, and she turned back to the woman. Jen took a closer look at the shop, noting just how ancient the shelving looked, how worn the wooden floor boards were. She glanced over to the large glass-fronted refrigerator which sat humming in one corner, boasting shelves filled with bottles of local beer, and canned soft-drinks. There was also a good stock of bottled water, and she decided that an afternoon out in the middle of nowhere might be made a little more pleasant with something to drink. Quickly she stepped over to the fridge and retrieved three litre bottles.

' Alex? '

The tall woman turned to her. ' Yeah? '

' Put these on the bill. '

She nodded, then turned back to the woman. Jen took the bottles outside, heading for the car.

Their lunch was simple, but delicious. The omelets held large chunks of strong feta, and were served with a simple salad of green leaves, black olives and chunks of ripe, fat beef tomato. In addition they shared a basket of warm, fresh bread. Over a round of Greek coffee Alex told them of what she had learned from the shopkeeper.

' The dig is about four miles out of town, ' she said, ' some of the locals have helped out from time to time, so Mrs. Popadapolous has a good idea where. She's writing down directions for us. '

Jen sipped her coffee. ' They still there? '

' She's not sure. They last came into town about a week ago to stock up. And good news for you guys, ' she smiled at Ian and Stuart, ' they're American. '

' Finally! ' Ian grinned. ' People who speak in a civilised tongue! '

Alex snorted. ' Pah! The Greeks were civilised whilst you Celts were still banging rocks together! '

' Ah...' Ian wagged a finger at her, ' we may have been, but we knew how to do it with style...and besides, you liked us well enough when you chose to invade us. '

' That was the Romans, you dunce! ' Jen laughed. ' My God, what did they teach you at school? '

' How to bang rocks with style. ' Stuart muttered, winking at Alex, who laughed.

Jen leaned back in her chair, glad of the shade provided by the vines above her. A cool breeze had begun moving the air, and she closed her eyes against it, feeling it ruffle her fringe. Alex, however, turned her face into it, her brows knitted. She got up from her seat and walked the short distance to the edge of the pavement, out of the shade of the pergola. After staring into the west she returned to the table, her face all business now.

' There's rain clouds moving in, guys. I think we should head out for this dig. From what I've been told, it's mostly country lanes we'll be using, and they're probably unpaved. Don't want to get stuck in a mud bath. '

They began collecting their things together, and Alex slipped back into the shop. She returned a few minutes later bearing a folded piece of paper.

' Let's go. ' She said.

They followed the directions, heading deeper into the countryside along narrow lanes. Eventually they were headed through fields over what were nothing more than dirt tracks, dust billowing in their wake. At last, at the foot of a low hill, they spotted a small camp. Several dome tents were set up, along with a larger, khaki-coloured ridge tent, and there were three jeep-type vehicles parked at the perimeter.

' Bingo. ' Stuart said softly.

Alex nodded. ' Yup. Looks like they're home, too. '

Sure enough, as their car approached, three figures came out to greet them. Dressed in denims, they were indistinguishable until the car drew close enough for them to see that two were men, and one was female. Alex parked their car beside the nearest vehicle - an ancient, battered Land Rover - and the four occupants got out. As they did so, one of the men stepped forward.

' Hey there. ' He called. ' You guys lost? '

Stuart took the initiative. He closed the distance between himself and the other man, extending his hand.

' Not exactly. Detective Sergeant Stuart Dudley, Manchester Metropolitan Police. '

The American blinked, then shook his hand. ' Um...Andy Peters. '

' Mr. Peters. We're here investigating a homicide. We were hoping you could help us out....'

After a round of introductions they sat beneath the shade of a large awning with the three archaeologists, sipping iced tea. Jen had been surprised to find that the camp was pretty well equipped, boasting a gas-powered fridge, a cooking range, and a chemical toilet. They also had a computer set up, with e-mail facilities provided by a cellular modem. They found that Tony Carruthers had indeed visited the site, and that shortly after one of their members had disappeared, taking with him a large number of scrolls which had recently been unearthed in a cavern they'd been excavating.

' What happened to him? ' Alex asked.

Megan, the only female member of the team, pushed back her unruly red hair. ' We heard a couple of weeks back that he was killed in a hit and run, just outside his apartment in Seattle. Must have been the day after he got home. '

' What about the scrolls? ' Jen leaned forward in her seat. ' Anyone have chance to translate them? '

Andy, the guy who had greeted them, shook his head. ' No. We stumbled across 'em late one afternoon. They were inside a kind of sarcophagus - never seen anything like it before. It took us the best part of two hours just to get the damned lid off. We were losing light outside, and we try and keep most of the solar power which runs our lighting for heating water, so we decided to call it a day and go back to them in the morning. By then both Rob and the manuscripts were gone. ' He shrugged.

Gareth, the third member of the team, a small, dark-haired man, pushed wire-rimmed glasses further onto his nose. ' I did have a quick look at them, just to try and get some idea of how old they actually were. Based on the parchment, and the style of the scroll cases, I'd guess anywhere between two and three thousand years. '

Jen bit her lip. ' You didn't read any of them? '

' Well...' he glanced at Megan, who was frowning, ' The two I looked at seemed to be story scrolls. Tales of a warrior. '

' A woman? ' Jen prompted.

' There's no documented proof of female warriors from that era. ' Megan said, a little hastily. Jen shook her head.

' But the Amazons...'

' A myth. '

' Not according to the carvings on the Acropolis. '

' They carved gods and centaurs up there too - we haven't managed to find proof of their existence either. '

Jen ignored her, focusing on Gareth. ' What do you think? Was it a female warrior in those tales? '

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ' I...really can't be sure. Like I said, I only really glanced at them. '

Jen sat back, her hands cupping the cool plastic of her cup. ' Gareth, please. We really need to know. Were they the Xena scrolls? '

His head snapped around so fast she was amazed he didn't break his neck. Brown eyes went wide behind thick lenses, magnified to almost comic proportions.

' What? '

' That's preposterous! ' Megan laughed. ' The Xena scrolls are a myth! No serious historian believes they ever existed, other than in the minds of some half-mad so-called archaeologist and her southern belle 'friend'. ' She spat the word out, disgust showing on her face. ' Those two caused quite a stink in their time. '

' I think I'm about to cause another. ' Jen said quietly. ' You see, I happen to know that the Xena Scrolls did, and still do, exist. '

Andy frowned at her. ' How? '

' Because she has them. ' Alex said flatly, her eyes defying anyone to contradict her. 'We believe they are the same manuscripts which were taken from this site by your colleague. That he sold them to Carruthers, who then mailed them to Jen, at the university back in Manchester. '

' But..' Andy shook his head, ' verification aside, and begging your pardon, Jen, why the hell would he send them to someone who hasn't even completed her doctoral thesis yet? Why not send them to a larger archaeological unit, or a museum even? '

Ian smiled disingenuously. ' Because he knew she was working with us. Because he was scared of what he'd got himself caught up in, and wanted it to stop. '

Silence stretched out around them, and Alex could almost taste the discomfort rolling off the three Americans. She let her gaze wander across their tense faces; Andy, confusion wrinkling his dark brow; Megan, anger tingeing freckled cheeks with red; and Gareth, nervously pushing his glasses back on his thin nose, his eyes flicking between his two colleagues and the floor, never once looking in the direction of the newcomers. Eventually it was Jen who broke the silence.

' The manuscripts have been carbon dated.' She said quietly. ' They're genuine. So either someone in ancient Greece decided to invent a legend, or she was real. ' She looked down at the glass in her hands, watched a droplet of condensation roll down the slick surface until it pooled against her finger. ' This is something I've been looking for for most of my adult life. I've read every reference to Xena I could lay my hands on. More recent texts comply with your thinking - that she's a myth, an anthropomorphic representation of the power struggles that were apparent within Greece during that era. A tool historians used to feed propaganda to the masses. ' Her eyes lifted to meet Alex's blue gaze. ' I always believed she was real. That she lived, fought, loved, and died here. None of the earlier texts suggest that she wasn't. Despite this, the belief today is that she was nothing more than writing on a page. I know just how unpopular going against that idea can make you. I've had professors laugh in my face at the suggestion that she was anything more than that. And now...now, I have the scrolls. I've read them, read about how she became so much more than she thought she had a right to be. About how she struggled against the memory of her past, how she learned to trust others, and herself, again. ' She let her gaze wander across the rapt faces before her, shaking her head sadly. ' She fought herself, and won. How many of us can say that? I think...I believe, that at the very least we owe her an open-minded approach. You're archaeologists. You look to the remnants of the past to teach us our own history. Can you honestly say that you know what you'll find before you even look? '

Silence fell again, punctuated by a distant rumble of far-off thunder. Alex saw the twitch of a muscle at the side of Jen's jaw, but the younger woman held her tongue, waiting for their response. Andy scuffed his heel against the hard-packed dirt, and Megan knitted her fingers together against denim-clad thighs. Gareth looked at them both, but neither met his gaze. Biting his lip, he got to his feet.

' Come on, ' he said quietly, ' there's something you should see. '

The tunnel was lit by a series of bare bulbs, linked by thick wire and powered from the solar generator set up outside. It was cool inside, sheltered from the afternoon sun, and smelled of dry earth. The party of seven were forced to walk single file due to the narrow confines, descending deeper into the hillside until Gareth, at the head of the line, halted at what seemed to be a solid wall of rock..

' Watch your step here. ' He said, his voice echoing back to them. He turned to his right, and slipped into a narrow opening in the wall. Jen followed, stumbling slightly as she took a step down, then another. And stopped, her heart racing.

The cavern wasn't huge, only measuring about seven metres across and just over two high. It was roughly circular, and appeared to be a natural formation, brought about by means unknown to Jen. At the center of the space was the stone sarcophagus that they had been told about, set on a stone plinth that raised it from the uneven rock floor. It was plain, and seemed crudely carved, and the heavy lid sat at an angle to the container, exposing the darkness within.

But it was the walls that drew Jen's gaze. It seemed that every available space was covered in writing and pictures, some crudely done, some remarkably lifelike. The lighting was quite dim, and the far wall of the cavern was in almost total darkness. She felt Alex draw level with her shoulder, her presence reassuringly strong. Gareth bent down, retrieving something from the floor by his feet.

' Here. ' He said softly, handing Jen a powerful maglight torch. She took it from him with trembling fingers, stepping deeper into the space, then switched it on.

The first scene she illuminated was one of a battle. Small, stick-like figures stormed the gates of a city. There were men on horseback, footsoldiers wielding battering rams, and others operating machines that propelled flaming missiles over the high walls. To one side a lone figure sat astride a pale horse, a figure wearing a short battle dress overlaid with what could only be armour. Long, dark hair cascaded down her back, reaching almost to the saddle she was seated in. The rendition was lacking in detail, but unmistakably a woman.

Jen let the light play over the next drawing, in which the dark-haired woman lead mounted cavalry against what could only be centaurs. In this one she wore a long cloak which billowed out behind her as she rode into battle, a long sword held high in her hand. Jen swallowed, moving on to another picture. More scenes of war, in this one the woman holding up the severed head of some enemy.

In each scene, the woman was faceless.

She continued on, moving along the wall, until the scenes changed. The dark-haired woman appeared emerging from a forest, dressed only in a pale shift. Ahead of her was a party of men, holding a small group of women captive. Within the group, her face turned to the dark woman, was a girl with bright blonde hair. Jen reached out to gently touch the small, faceless figure, remembering the stories from the scrolls.

' Gabrielle? ' She whispered.

' Jen...'

She turned at the sound of Alex's voice, found her gaze fixed on the wall up ahead. Her blue eyes were wide, her face bleached pale by the torch light. Jen followed her gaze, swinging the light around, the beam slicing deeper into the cavern until it pooled against the far wall, illuminating a larger, more detailed painting.

' Oh...my God. '

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, the blood rushing loud in her ears. On shaking legs she stepped across the rock floor and, pausing a few feet away from the wall, looked up.

Two faces looked out from the smooth rock, gazing out across the centuries. Time had dulled the colours slightly, but the features captured there were unmistakable. Two women. One dark haired, sun-bronzed, chiseled features speaking of unmistakable strength and rare beauty. The other fairer, pale gold hair spilling down onto slender shoulders, interspersed with thin braids that sported gold ornaments and what appeared to be feathers. Her face was more rounded than the other woman's, held a child-like innocence and just a hint of laughter in the curve of her mouth. The likeness was remarkable, but it was the eyes....

Her own eyes stared back at her from a distance of two and a half thousand years. Bright, green eyes, filled with a wisdom belied by the innocent features they were set in, shining with a secret mirth. Jen stared, her mouth hanging open slightly, her heart racing.

' How? ' She croaked. ' How.....?'

Alex's hand settled on her shoulder, and she let her gaze turn to the darker woman's face, then back to the painting, seeing those incredible blue eyes mirrored there. She was trembling, could feel Alex's hand almost clutching at her shoulder.

' Who..? ' Jen drew a ragged breath. ' Who are they? '

Alex stepped past her, reached out to trace writing beneath the portraits that Jen hadn't even noticed. Shaking fingers brushed over cool rock, the words screaming through her brain.

' Warrior...bard...'

' It's them. ' Jen whispered. ' Oh my God...it's them...'

The tingling in her limbs intensified, the light tunneled, and then the darkness swallowed her at last.

The first thing she was aware of was the sound of rain on canvas. She opened her eyes and found herself staring up at the dark green canopy of the awning. From nearby came the sound of voices engaged in quiet discussion, but for a moment she remained still, letting her mind catch up on what had happened. It was only at the sound of Alex's voice, raised in anger, that she turned her head and began to listen to what was being said.

'..destroy a find like that! It's absurd! ' Alex said, leaning forward and placing her hands on the table that they were all gathered around.

To her right, Megan was shaking her head. ' With respect, Dr. Perry, I don't think you understand - '

' Oh, I understand all right. You're so afraid of what your academic colleagues will think, you intend to pretend this place doesn't exist! ' She looked along the faces of the archaeologists. ' It's insane. Have you no courage? '

' This is our livelihood! ' Andy interjected. ' If we go home spouting stories about having found proof of the existence of the Destroyer of Nations, we'll never get a research grant again. No one would take us seriously - '

' But the proof is right here! ' She banged her hand against the tabletop. ' They can't ignore that!'

' They'd say we faked it. ' Gareth said quietly. ' It's happened before. '

' Then prove them wrong! '

' Ah...excuse me butting in here, ' Ian said cautiously, ' and I know this isn't really what we're discussing, but did you find anything else down in that cave, other than the scrolls and those drawings? '

Andy ran a hand through his hair. ' Yeah...we brought up what we think are a couple of small knife blades, and a ring. '

Jen forced herself up into a sitting position, difficult on the stretched-canvas camp bed. ' Show me. ' She said, her voice rough. Alex whipped her head around, her expression changing from one of consternation to concern in an eyeblink. She hurried to Jen's side, crouching down and reaching out to steady her with a hand at her back.

' Hey, baby. ' She said softly. ' You okay? '

Jen nodded, pushing her hair back from her face. ' Yeah...I guess I fainted, huh? '

Alex smiled. ' Yeah. You did. Don't worry, I got hold of you before you could crack your head against that hard floor. '

She managed to return the smile. ' Might have done me some good. '

' Jen? '

She looked up, to see Ian holding out a bottle of water to her. She took it gratefully, sipping the cool liquid slowly, soothing her parched throat. After wiping her mouth on the back of her wrist, she handed the bottle back to him.

' Thanks. Needed that. '

Alex cast an appraising eye over her still pale features. ' Maybe you should lie down for a while longer. '

' No...I'm fine. ' She swung her feet onto the floor, and Alex took her hand, helping her stand. After a minute she nodded. ' Yep. Just fine. '

Thunder cracked overhead, and the early twilight was shattered by a blinding flash that made them all blink.

' Whoa...that was close. ' Megan shook her head.

The rain intensified, beating against the flimsy roof above them and cascading down from the edges of the shelter in sheets. Jen whipped her head around, looking toward the nearby opening to the tunnel. The hard-packed, sun baked ground was already awash, the accumulated rainwater looking for an entrance into the earth.

' The cavern, ' she said, having to raise her voice above the noise of the rain. ' It'll flood. We have to seal it somehow. ' She looked at the team of Americans, who glanced at one another, saying nothing.

' Come on! ' She yelled. ' You can't just sit back and let this happen! Do something!'

Her entreaty was met with an uncomfortable silence. She looked pleadingly at Alex, who narrowed her eyes slightly as she turned to the archaeologists.

' How was it sealed when you found it? '

No one spoke. She stepped closer to them, waves of anger practically radiating from her body.

' Tell me! ' She barked.

' A rock...a boulder. ' Gareth stammered out, ignoring the dirty looks thrown his way. ' We had to use the winch on the jeep Rob took with him to pull it out. I don't think we could move it back without it. '

' Well we're bloody well going to try! ' Jen snapped. She looked to Ian and Stuart, who flashed her supportive smiles. ' Come on. '

As they headed out into the rain, Andy yelled after them.

' You'll never move it! It's impossible! '

Alex, catching up with Jen in determined strides, merely gritted her teeth.

' Never tell me the odds. '

The boulder was huge. Standing over six feet high, and almost half as wide, it lay on one side just a few feet from the tunnel entrance. It looked to be about a foot thick, and was slightly narrower on one face than the other. Jen guessed that it had been chiseled to fit the entrance snugly.

' Christ! ' Stuart yelled out above the rain. ' We'll never shift that! '

Alex looked around, shaking rain-slicked hair from her eyes. What little light the storm hadn't swallowed was rapidly dwindling with the onset of twilight. She dug in her pocket then turned to Stuart, tossing him a bunch of keys.

' Bring the car over here! ' She shouted. ' Get the lights on! '

He nodded, racing off in the direction of the vehicles. Ian held his hands against his forehead, sheltering his eyes from the driving rain.

' We'll need ropes. ' He yelled.

Jen nodded, then turned and jogged back to the shelter. Inside the three Americans were huddled together, heads bent in discussion.

' Hey! ' She called out. ' We need some ropes. Do you have anything? '

Gareth looked at her, then nodded. ' I'll bring them. '

The light from the car's headlamps played over Alex as she knelt by the stone, digging frantically at the earth. Opposite her Jen worked at the same task, the small hole she had made with the trowel provided grudgingly by Andy filling up with water as fast as she dug. Beside them were Stuart and Ian, working on digging a similar hole toward the base of the stone,

Alex's plan was to dig two channels beneath the stone, to allow them to pass the ropes beneath it. Once it was tied off, she intended on using the car to drag the stone upright. From there, they somehow had to maneuver it back into position. Her mind worked on that little problem as she dug. Her hair was plastered to her flesh, as were her clothes. The shirt she had worn had been thrown off, leaving her in just a tight black tank top and her jeans. Her arms were muddied up to the elbows, and already she sported a number of scrapes and scratches from the rough surface of the rock. As the hole she dug moved deeper beneath the stone she was forced to lie on her stomach, scraping the earth back out, bringing with it a rush of dirty water with every movement. At last she felt her trowel hit something other than dirt, and received a startled yell from her teammate.

' Yow! '

' Sorry! ' She scrambled back to her knees. ' You okay? '

Jen dropped her trowel, examining the small cut on her index finger.

' I'll live. '

The roar of a diesel engine brought their attention back to the camp. Headlights approached them, and stopped just a few feet away. The door of the vehicle opened, and Megan jumped out.

' You'll never move it with that car! ' She yelled above the rain. ' We'll use this! '

Jen stood up, wiping dirty hands on even dirtier, sopping-wet jeans.

' Megan! '

The red-haired woman paused in her task of gathering more rope from the back of the vehicle, and looked up. Jen smiled.

' Thank you. '

It was difficult, and backbreaking, but with the brute strength of seven people, and sheer force of will, the stone was finally pushed back into place, sealing off the entrance to the tunnel against the rising water. Run-off from the hillside was already adding to the problem, and an alarming amount of water had already gushed into the tunnel. Jen had remarked on this fact, but Andy had reminded her that the floor of the cavern was solid rock, and that future visitors would merely have to pump out the two or three inches which had accumulated.

At last they staggered back into the shelter of the awning. Exhausted, filthy, and wet through, no one had the energy to even attempt a clean up. They sagged into deck chairs, thankful that the tents were set up on a slight incline, and that the rear wall of the awning prevented too much water from having rendered the floor a mud bath. From somewhere Megan produced a bottle of Jack Daniels, and wordlessly handed round plastic cups. They toasted their success in silence, letting the fiery liquid warm them from the inside. The rain continued, but with less intensity, beating a gentle rhythm against the canvas above their heads. Eventually, after draining his cup, Stuart spoke.

' What time is it? '

Alex looked down at the aptly named Storm watch fixed around her left wrist, rubbed it against her thigh, then looked again.

' Almost seven. '

' Shouldn't we be making a move out of here? '

' I wouldn't, if I were you. ' Megan commented. ' The track back to the road will be awash with mud. You'd be better off staying here until morning. '

Jen felt somewhat relieved at the suggestion. She had begun to worry about making the journey back across the unfamiliar landscape in the dark, especially as there appeared to be no sign of the rain stopping completely. She cast a look at Alex, but her face, as usual, remained impassive. Ian, however, had no reservations about revealing his own relief.

' I think that's the best idea I've heard all day. ' He sat back in his chair, extending his legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles. ' Although I'd kill for a shower right now. '

Megan grunted, looking down at her mud-stained arms. ' You and me both. '

Andy poured himself another shot of bourbon the handed the bottle to Stuart. ' If the rain stops we can go take a dip in the lake. '

Alex looked up. ' There's a lake? '

' Yeah. Just over the hill. '

' Wow. '

As if on cue, the steady drumming against the awning above their heads abruptly ceased, leaving behind just the sound of run-off water cascading down from the canvas. They all looked up, startled, until the cascade became a drip, and they could hear the trickle of water sluicing down the hillside nearby.

' Perfect timing. ' Jen commented, pushing at her wet and mud-encrusted hair with even muddier hands. ' I for one have no intention of sleeping in this state. ' She drained her cup, then set it down on the damp floor.

' Ah...speaking of sleeping, ' Stuart spoke up, ' where exactly are we gonna stay? '

Gareth flicked a drop of rainwater from the left lens of his glasses.

' We still have Rob's tent - it's packed away in the back of one of the 'Rovers. As long as you don't mind sharing, I can bunk with Andy, you guys can have my tent, and we can set up the spare for Alex and Jen. '

Ian grunted. ' Right now, I'd sleep on a clothesline. '

' Not in that state you won't. ' Alex unfolded herself from the chair and got to her feet. ' Come on, let's go get cleaned up. '

The walk to the lake took just five minutes. Once there no one had the energy to be shy, and without so much as a murmur they all stripped themselves to their underwear and splashed out into the water. It was cool, but not cold, and felt wonderful against tired muscles and aching joints. After a thorough cleansing they trudged back to the bank, only to be confronted with the piles of filthy clothes, and no means with which to dry themselves.

' Great planning. ' Jen commented, feeling goose flesh break out on her exposed skin at the touch of the night breeze.

Alex grunted, bending to retrieve her things. ' We'll dry on the walk back to camp. We're all adults - a little moonlight stroll in our undies isn't going to kill us. '

Jen glanced at the four men who were huddled close together and had suddenly developed a keen interest in looking elsewhere. She let her gaze wander back to her partner, taking in the tall, athletic form clad in nothing but simple black panties and matching bra.

' Don't be so sure. ' She muttered.

Thankfully, once back at the camp, Megan took pity on them and dug out some shorts and T-shirts. Ian and Stuart were similarly provided for, and whilst they washed their dirty clothes in water heated during the day by the solar generator, Andy set about preparing a meal of soup and bread. They ate beneath the awning, watching their clothes swing from the poles at its edge. A few more shots of bourbon saw them all yawning cavernously, and not too long after they staggered off to their respective tents. Jen crawled inside behind Alex, flopping down at her side on the blankets thoughtfully provided by Gareth, who had set the tent up for them. Silently she reminded herself to thank him in the morning, then closed her eyes.

She was asleep within seconds.

The light woke Alex. It was oddly green-tinged, filtered by the nylon above her head, and for a few, disoriented moments she thought she was on maneuvers someplace. Her right hand automatically twitched, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there, but already the warm weight of an arm thrown across her belly, and the soft snores tickling her left ear were registering, reminding her of where she was. She sighed, relaxing, and felt the body tucked snugly against hers stir a little. A smooth thigh slid over hers, toes tickling her just below the knee. The snores became a murmur, then she felt soft lips brush over the pulse in her neck.

' Morning. ' Jen husked sleepily. ' Sleep okay? '

Alex smiled, letting her fingers trail through sleep-mussed gold hair.

' Like a baby. '

' Ahh...' Jen yawned. ' S'nice. Time to move? '

' 'Fraid so. You feel okay? '

' Hmmm...' A warm mouth teased the flesh of her throat. ' You tell me...'

As much as Alex was tempted, she could hear noises coming from the other tents now. Regretfully she turned slightly and captured Jen's lips with her own in a brief kiss.

' Just as soon as we get back, I will. ' She promised.

Jen pouted slightly, then sighed and pushed herself into a sitting position.

' Come on then, action-woman, ' she yawned, ' I have this sudden yen for civilisation.'

After a quick breakfast of porridge and fruit they were ready to go. Whilst Alex and the two detectives went over the facts with the archaeologists one last time, Jen found herself strolling toward the tunnel entrance. She paused just feet away, staring at the large rock that now sealed it once again.

' I can't believe I found you. ' She whispered. ' I can't believe I looked into your face...and recognised it. '

The breeze lifted her hair a little, caressing her face like a lover. Had they stood here once, as she did now? Had they watched that rock slide into place, sealing inside a piece of history, a piece of them? She stepped forward again, reaching out to lay a hand against the stone. A gentle voice spoke from behind her.

' Jen? '

She turned to find Gareth standing a few feet away. Bright morning sunlight glinted off his glasses. In his hands he held a clear plastic wallet, which he wordlessly offered to her. Frowning slightly, she stepped toward him, reaching out to take the offering. Once in her hands she bent her head to look at it, and her heart picked up a pace in recognition.

' I...I thought you should have it. It belongs with the others. And after seeing you...in there...I think it belongs with you. '

She looked up at him, a question in her eyes, and he shrugged a little.

' I just wanted proof. I though there might come a time when I'd be in a position to do the right thing. To set the record straight. '

She gazed at him for a long moment, then let the smile she felt break out across her face.

' Thank you, Gareth. ' She reached out one hand, sliding her fingers over his. ' Thank you. For everything. '

He met her smile, and matched it. Then, with a small nod toward the wallet held in her hand, he spoke.

' Tell them, Jen. Tell the world. Let them know that you were right. '

She frowned a little. ' But...the cave. When you get back to the States, surely - '

He was shaking his head. ' It won't happen. Andy and Megan have already discussed it. Too...risky. We're going after funding for a dig in the South, and they're afraid that it would compromise our chances. '

' But all your work here - '

' It doesn't matter. ' He squeezed her hand. ' What matters is that the truth is finally known. And besides, ' he smiled again, ' I think it's only right that you be the one to tell it.'

And with that, he gave her fingers one last squeeze, then slipped away.

As the car bumped over the badly rutted fields, Jen stared down at the wallet in her hands. Alex, seated beside her, glanced sidelong at the bowed blonde head.

' Jen? '

' Hmm? '

' Aren't you going to read it? '

She sighed, then raised her head to look at the other woman.

' Now? '

' Sure. ' Alex shrugged. ' Why not? '

' Jen? '

She turned. ' Yeah, Ian? '

' Would you read it aloud...please? ' He smiled encouragingly. ' I'd like to hear it. '

' Well...okay. ' She popped open the flap of the wallet, then carefully withdrew the parchment, encased within another plastic sheath. Laying it on top of the wallet, she let her eyes wander over the delicate writing, the style now so familiar. Then, forcing her attention to the first words, she began.

It has been a long, dark road, but finally we are home. During these past weeks I have seen many hardships, and much pain. The land has been blighted by a great evil, one which has rotted the fruit on the trees and withered the crops in the fields. It will be a hard winter.

We have returned to Amphipolis, the place that has become more a home to me than the village in which I was born. I think we both needed to be here. She is so tired, so withdrawn. I have never seen her like this. Nothing I say seems to reach her. Even in the worst times, the times when we could barely speak to each other, there was still a fire in her that burned brighter than the sun. Whether in anger, or pain, love or passion, she burns me with her intensity, her spirit.

And now, when I look into her eyes, I see only emptiness looking back.

Last night, lying in her childhood bed, we talked for the first time about what has happened. She understood from the start just what this would do to her, and still she did it, because that is who she is. Others look at her and see a warrior, a warlord, a killer. They don't see the strength of her heart, the beauty of her soul, the undying belief that she has the power to make a difference. And she has. She has saved us, again, taking it upon herself to bear the suffering that would crush even the strongest of us. She went out there and did what no one else was prepared to do. Faced an evil older than time itself, and rendered it impotent. But there was a price to be paid. She knew this as she gathered the scrolls, knew it as she walked away from me, leaving me with the Amazons. She was gone for over a week, alone in that dying countryside with nothing but those damned scrolls and the demons they contained for company. When she returned the scrolls were gone, and I feared she was too. I have never seen anyone change so much in such a short space of time. Thin, too thin, that glorious body reduced to sinew and bone. Gone too the bronze of her skin, replaced by a pallor that would rival that of a corpse. Her once lustrous hair hung like string, unwashed and unbrushed, and there was blood and dirt beneath her ragged fingernails. But it was her eyes, her beautiful, expressive eyes, that frightened me the most. Ringed with dark, sunken flesh, the eyes that had haunted my dreams since the day we met were dull, flat, devoid of the light that is hers and hers alone. She spoke my name, but those dead eyes didn't see me. She touched my face, but it was the hand of a stranger that I felt against my cheek.

And, last night, surrounded by the memories of her childhood, she told me.

She knew there was no way of destroying the scrolls without destroying herself in the attempt. She'd also known that to leave them in the possession of the man who had been using them would mean more death, more pain, more hungry mouths in the long Winter to come. So, being who she was, she did the only thing she could. She took them from him. Only she walked away from that meeting. She lost her sword to it, left it buried in the black heart of a madman. I know the sword can be replaced - it probably has been by now, thanks to Claris, the Amazon's finest smith, who started work on it almost as soon as Xena left - but the loss of it seems to have affected her deeply. She spoke of travelling across the blighted landscape, of how the evil inherent in her burden whispered at the edges of her mind, goading, taunting. The first two nights she slept, but her dreams were filled with horrors that she will not speak of. After that, she slept not at all, but rode on, day and night, resting only when Argo could continue no further. The first scroll she left deep within the tomb of an ancient warrior, a place she knew was rumoured to hold a terrible curse, and that superstition had left abandoned for centuries. The second she buried in a cave by the ocean, only accessible by a treacherous climb down sharp and slippery rocks. I will not write of all these places she travelled to, for fear that someday someone may read this, and know. That secret should die with us. But, finally, she returned to Amazon territory, and to me. Both she and her beloved Argo were almost unrecognizable; gaunt, exhausted, and filthy from the muddy roads. Eponin is still nursing that brave mare back to health. It is my duty to tend to the warrior who rode her.

Xena, my beloved. I have your body back, but not your soul. I pray to Artemis that, together, we have the strength to make you whole again.

Jen blinked, realising only now that there were tears coursing down her face. She blotted at them with her sleeve then raised her head, turning slightly in the car seat to look at her traveling companions. Alex stared straight ahead, but the muscles in her jaw were bunched and tense. The two men in the back seat returned her gaze with wide-eyed, slightly shocked expressions.

' Wow. ' Ian said quietly. ' I never really realised...I mean, it's just so...' he shrugged, struggling to find the right words, '...real. '

' They were real. ' Jen said softly. ' As real as you and I. '

' Who wrote that? ' Stuart asked.

Jen let one finger trail lightly across the thick plastic that sheathed the ancient parchment. ' Gabrielle. The bard who traveled with her. ' At his slightly confused look she smiled. ' They shared their lives, Stuart. They were lovers. '

' Oh. ' He coloured a little, then nodded. ' I guess..I guess that would explain the paintings in that cave then. '

The car drew to a halt, and Alex killed the engine. Frowning, Jen turned to her.

' What's up? '

The tall woman leaned her head forward to rest against her hands on the rim of the steering wheel.

' We're being manipulated. ' She said, her voice low and ragged. As her comment was met by only silence, she sighed and raised her head, turning blue eyes onto Jen.

' Xena scattered those scrolls across Greece. The Scrolls of the Damned, yes? '

Jen frowned. ' I..I guess so, yes. '

' And only she and Gabrielle knew where she left them? '

Three heads nodded.

' So tell me. ' The dark head raised, and piercing blue eyes fixed on her. ' How were the scrolls ever found again? '

Jen blinked. ' I...I have no idea. Perhaps Gabrielle wrote of it later and that manuscript was discovered. Perhaps someone pieced together the evidence, or overheard them talking, and they wrote about it. I don't know, Alex. But they were found. We know that much.'

' Right. But don't you think that this is all just a little too convenient? I mean, here we are, on the trail of a killer, or rather his apprentice, and what should fall into our hands but the one Xena scroll that talks about the Scrolls of the Damned. Out of all those scrolls mailed to you, Jen, don't you think it's odd that this is the only one that Gareth kept? '

Jen opened her mouth to respond, but found she couldn't.

' You suggesting that Gareth was in on it somehow? ' Stuart piped up from the back seat. Alex turned to look at him.

' I don't know, Stuart. Going on instinct, I'd say no. But something stinks in all of this. '

' Telling me. ' Ian snorted. ' This goes beyond weird. It's turning into a plot line from the X-Files. '

Jen reached out to place her hand on Alex's arm. ' Whatever this is about, Alex, I really need to get this parchment to George at the museum in Athens. It should be treated and kept under controlled conditions. '

The taller woman looked at her for a long moment, then gave a brief nod. In silence she started the car up again, and drove onward.

Without stops or unscheduled detours they made good time back into the city, entering the ever-present traffic at just after twelve. Alex dropped Jen off at the Acropolis Museum, then drove on to the police headquarters to meet up with her cousin, Chris. Dressed as they were the three of them drew more than a few curious looks as they trouped through the building to his office. Alex ignored the whispers, trying to visualise herself in Armani rather than stiff, gritty denim and creased cotton. At last they found the small office, and after a brief knock Alex pushed open the door and marched right in.

' Alexia! ' Chris was out of his chair and on his feet in an instant. ' Ela! Where have you been? ' He grabbed her hands, then looked at the two detectives standing on either side of her. ' And where is Jen? '

She sighed. ' Long story, Chris. Jen's at the museum right now - we dropped her off there on the way into town. '

His eyes were wide, his expression odd. She frowned slightly.

' What's wrong? '

' You haven't heard? '

Her pulse jumped. ' Heard what? '

' There has been a murder. At the museum. '

Alex felt the hairs at the nape of her neck rise. ' When? '

' Yesterday - in the morning, we think. A man who worked there. '

' Who? ' She dreaded the answer, knowing already.

' An American...George Sirtis. '

The door was closing behind her before he had chance to draw the next breath.

Continued in Part 5.