PROLOG – nastavak
Tajni hodnik, koji je u vrijeme kada je vila bila sagrađena, služio za bijeg u slučaju nužde, nalazio se na znatno nižem nivou, od onog, gdje bila sala sa mapama. Tudorova 'izbaviteljica' bila je vješto pronašla prostoriju u kojoj je bio sakriven kapak ispod tepiha. Ušavši kroz otvor, neko su se vrijeme samo spuštali strmim, uskim, zavojitim stepenicama. Bilo je mračno i žena je svojom džepnom lampom osvjetljavala put. Dok su žurili prema tajnom izlazu, profesor je osjećao memljivi zrak u nosnicama. Konačno su došli do izlaznih vrata. Zalupivši ih za sobom, sama su se zatvorila. Našli su se u sporednoj uličici, još uvijek ne daleko od vile. Auto, tamnosivi Mercedes SL 600 je bio blizu parkiran.
- Brzo, ulazite profesore – požurivala ga je dama u crnom, startajući moćnu mašinu. Nedugo zatim auto je fino zabrundao zavojitom cestom, koja je išla blago uzbrdo. Kada su uskoro na raskršću skrenuli desno, umjesto lijevo kako je Tudor očekivao, nije se mogao suzdržati, da ne priupita:
- Što, zar ne idemo prema Rimu? – I samom mu je to pitanje zazvučalo malo glupo, jer zašto bi put prema Rimu bio bolja solucija, od ove.
- Profesore, ne postavljajte suvišna pitanja. Sada je najvažnije da se što prije izgubimo odavde. – Njezin glas zvučao je odlučno, pa ipak ne kao da se radi o pitanju života ili smrti. Izgledalo mu je ipak, da nekakve neposredne opasnosti trenutačno nema.
Dok su išli cestom SP-1 prema sjeveru, i pored straha koji je osjećao, Tudor nije mogao, a da se ne divi pejzažu, koji je polako izmicao, sa njihove lijeve strane. Pogled mu je pao na mirnu, gotovo glatku azurno-plavu površinu jezera Lago de Vico, uokvirenu pitomim zelenim brežuljcima. Pejzaž, kao stvoren za polaganu šetnju i užitak u prizoru. Prizor poput kakve idile, u žestokoj suprotnosti sa njihovom mahnitom žurbom.
- Pretpostavljam da idemo prema Viterbu, gospođo...- iznenada zapita Tudor, tek onako, da razbije neugodnu tišinu.
- Eycken. Dora Eycken. Izgleda da smo im umakli, bar zasada. Uskoro ćemo vi i ja imati dosta toga da popričamo. – rekla mu je sada već potpuno mirnim glasom njegova suputnica, vozeći još uvijek brzo, ali ne onako luđački, kao ranije.
Agentica NSA u crnom imala je 38 godina, no još uvijek vrlo vitku sportski građenu figuru, na kojoj su joj kolegice zavidjele. Imala je dugu, plamenocrvenu kosu, svezanu u konjski rep, i krupne plave oči. Imala je izražajno lice, lice kakve karizmatične filmske zvijezde. Bila je kćerka pukovnika Louisa Eyckena, stručnjaka za kriptologiju, od kojeg je naslijedila talent za razbijanje šifara i kodova. Bila je začuđujuće svestrano obrazovana, a imala je isto tako i posebnu sklonost prema parapsihologiji, astrologiji, alkemiji, mitologiji i metafizici općenito. Također ju je veoma zanimala drevna historija, te razne druge stvari. Teško je bilo uopće i spomenuti neko područje, koje ne bi bar ponešto zaintrigiralu njezinu znatiželjnu prirodu. Ona i profesor Ed Tudor imali su doista mnogo tema o kojima su mogli voditi duge i nadasve interesantne dijaloge. Međutim, to profesor još uvijek nije znao.
- Da li imate kakve veze sa kraljevskom dinastijom Tudor... – Ovo je pitanje profesor Ed Tudor čuo već milion puta, i pomalo ga je nerviralo svakome objašnjavati svoje porijeklo.
- Ne. Baš nikakve. Moj djed je iz Dalmacije, iz Hrvatske, vlaškog porijekla. Tamo ima Tudora na stotine... – Nakon Drugog svjetskog rata Edov je djed bio emigrirao u Englesku, te se tamo bio oženio djevojkom iz mješovitog englesko-talijanskog braka. Nije volio razgovore o nacionalnosti, a nije bio osobito ponosan ni na jednu od nacija, od kojih potiče. Bio je jednostavno – Evropljanin i građanin svijeta. Uskogrudni patriotizam i nacionalizam je prezirao iz dubine duše...
I dok su se približavali Viterbu, gradu udaljenom od Caprarole kojih 15ak kilometara, agentica Eycken ga, na njegovo iznenađenje priupita:
- Jeste li znali da je Viterbo bio tvrđava posljednjeg engleskog moćnika u katoličkoj crkvi?
- Ne. Iskreno govoreći, nije mi poznato.
- Čuli ste za Reginalda Pole-a.
- Ah, da - poznato mi je. Protivnik kralja Henrika VIII.
- Ovdje, u Viterbu, je imao svoje uporište. Bio je jedan od najmoćnijih kardinala Papske države. U njegovom krugu prijatelja bili su članovi familija Colonna i Gonzaga. Nakon smrti Edwarda VI vratio se u Englesku, da bude savjetnik na dvoru Marije Tudor, na dvoru 'Bloody Mary'. Priča se da je imao čak i veću moć od same kraljice. Igrom sudbine, umro je na isti dan kad i ona...
Dorin sivi Mercedes je klizio zaobilaznom cestom, prema sjeveru, tačnije sjeverozapadu.
- Dakle, ne idemo u Viterbo? – zapita profesor.
- Smirite se profesore, uskoro stižemo.
Nekoliko minuta kasnije Mercedes se zaustavio ispred kapije nečeg, što je Tudoru izgledalo kao mali aerodrom. I bio je - mali vojni aerodrom, tri kilometra sjeverozapadno od grada Viterba. Dora Eycken je propisa radi pokazala iskaznicu NSA, no svi su ovdje znali - bila je lični prijatelj komandanta aerodroma, pukovnika Rossatti-ja. Vojnik na kapiji nije čak ni priupitao, tko je njen suputnik. Činjenica da je bila članica važne tajne službe, i poznanica komandanta, bila je i više nego dovoljna.
Kao agentica višeg ešelona NSA, Dora Eycken je očigledno imala neke povlastice. Nakon što je parkirala auto, zaputili su se prema hangaru, gdje ih je čekalo novo transportno sredstvo. Profesor Tudor je sa zanimanjem promatrao mali avion Cirrus SR-20. „Što, u ovoj igrački ću letjeti?“, pomisli on. Do sada se vozio samo velikim avionima, na redovitim linijama. Ovaj aviončić nije imao ni osam metara dužine.
- Idemo, profesore. Penjite se. – požurivala ga je Dora.
Dok se penjao, profesor se počeo pitati, u kakvu li ga je avanturu uvukla ova čudesna žena. Umjesto da razgleda vilu U Capraroli na miru, a zatim se vrati u svoj apartman u Rimu, te pripremi za povratak u Englesku, desilo mu se ovo. Ipak, dobro je da nije doživio sudbinu starca iz vile Farnese. Tko zna u kakav je to obavještajno-sigurnosni krug uletio, bez svoje volje? I od koga mu je opsnost prijetila u vili? Na kraju krajeva, tko je ubio starog gospodina u vili Farnese, i tko je bio uopće on. Sada više njegova suputnica neće moći odgađati odgovore. Morati će mu objasniti, ili on neće htjeti više surađivati. O čemu se dovraga radi? Profesor Tudor nije ni inače volio letove avionom, a sada mora s ovom igračkom letjeti nekamo – kuda? – bog zna kuda...
PROLOGUE – cont.
The secret hallway, that had served in times when villa was constructed for the escape in emergency case, was on considerably lower level, then that, where the hall with maps was. Tudor's 'rescuer' has skillfully found a room, where the lid was hidden, under the carpet. After they entered through the opening, for some time they just climbed down, by the narrow and steep stairs. It was dark and woman has lit the way, with her flashlight. While they were hurrying themselves toward the secret exit, professor felt the mouldy air in his nostrils. Eventually they arrived to the exit doors. As she slammed the door, it shut by itself.They found themselves in the backstreet, still not far from the villa. The car, dark gray Mercedes SL 600 was parked nearby.
- Quickly, get inside, professor – the lady in black was hurrying him, starting off at same time the mighty engine. In no time the car grumbled up the winding road, that went slightly uphill. When they soon at the crossroad turned right, instead of left, how Tudor expected, he couldnt't restrain himself, from asking:
- What, are we not going toward Rome? – To himself alone did question sound a bit stupid, because - why would the way to Rome be safer solution, than this one.
- Professor, don't put superfluous questions. Now it's the most important thing to get away from here as soon as possible. – Her voice sounded resolutely, yet not as if it was a matter of life or death. To him, it looked as if there's no imminent danger for their lives.
While they drove by the road SP-1 toward the north, notwithstanding the fear that he felt, Tudor couldn't sustain himself from admiring the landscape, that moved away, on their left side. He sighted the calm, almost smooth azure-blue surface of the lake Lago de Vico, framed by mild green hills. Landscape, - as if made for a slow walk and enjoyment of the view. The sight so idyllic, yet in sharp contrast with their frantic haste.
- I suppose we're headed toward Viterbo, missis... – suddenly asked Tudor, just like that, to break the uncomfortable silence.
- Eycken. Dora Eycken. It seems that we've escaped, for now, at least. Soon, you and I will have a lot to talk about – said to him, now already in a perfectly calm voice his 'fellow-traveller', driving fast, but not in the insane manner, like before.
The secret agent of the NSA clad in black was 38 years old, but still had slim, sporty figure, that incited envy by her female colleagues. She had long, blazing-red hair, tied in a pony-tail, and big blue eyes. She had an expressive face, as if of some charismatic movie star. She was a daughter of colonel Louis Eycken, expert in cryptology, from whom she inherited a talent for breaking ciphers and codes. She had an astonishing universal education, and she had also special proclivities toward parapsychology, astrology, alchemy, mythology and metaphysics in general. She was especially interested in ancient history, and diverse other things. It was even hard to mention some field, that didn't intrigued, at least a little, her curious nature. She and professor Tudor had really a lot of themes, upon which to lead long and above all interesting dialogues. However, professor Tudor still didn't know it.
- Have you got any connection with the Tudor royal dynasty...-This question professor Tudor heard a million times before, and it was a bit annoying for him, to explain everybody his origin.
- No, not connection at all. My grandfather was from Dalmatia, from Croatia, of Wallachian origin. There, there are hundreds of families with that surname... – After the World War II Ed's father emmigrated to England, and there he married a girl from mixed English Italian marriage. He didn't like conversations about nationality, as he was not especially proud of any nation, from which he stemmed from. He was simply a European, and the world citizen. Narrow-minded patriotism and nationalism he despised from the bottom of his heart.
So, when they approached Viterbo - a town about 10 miles from Caprarola - agent Eycken all at once, at his surprise, asked him:
- Did you know that Viterbo was the fortress of the last powerful Englishman in the Catholic church?
- No, truly spoken, it's not familiar to me.
- You've heard of Reginald Pole?
- Oh, yes – I'm acquainted with that name. The adversor of Henry VIII.
- Here, in Viterbo, he had his stronghold. He was one of the most powerful cardinals of the Papal State. In his circle of friends there were members of Colonna and Gonzaga families. After Edward VI died he returned to England, to be Mary Tudor's councellor, - at the court of 'Bloody Mary'. There's a rumor that he had even grater power, then queen herself. By the strange twist of fate, he died the same day as she...
Dora's gray Mercedes glided on the detour, toward north, more precisely north-west.
- So, we're not going to Viterbo? – professor asked.
- Cool down, professor, soon we're coming.
A few minutes later Mercedes stopped at the gate of something, that to Tudor looked like as a little airport. And really it was – small military airport, a mile and a half north-west from town of Viterbo. Dora Eycken showed her paper of identification, but – everybody knew her – she was a personal friend of colonel Rossatti, commander-in-chief of the airport. Soldier at the gate didn't even asked, who her 'fellow-traveller' was. The fact that she was a member of an important secret service, and commander's acquaintance, was more than enough.
As a higher echelon agent of the NSA, Dora Eycken obviously had some privileges. After she parked her car, they were headed toward the hangar, where a new transporting vehicle waited for them. Professor Tudor took interest in observing the small plane Cirrus SR-20. „What, in this toy I'm going to fly?“ he mused. Up to now, he only travelled in big jets, on regular lines. This minute plane had less than eight meters in its length.
- Let's go, professor. Climb up. – Dora sped him up.
While he climbed up, professor started to muse, in what kind of adventure, that incredible woman did draw him in. Instead of quiet sightseeing of villa Farnese, then getting back to Rome and preparation to return to England, - this. At least, he didn't experience the fate of the old man from villa Farnese. Who knows in what kind of intelligence-security circle he flew in, not at his will? Finally, who killed the elderly gentleman in villa Farnese, and who he was, anyway? Now his 'fellow-traveller' could not postpone the answers. She'll have to explain, or he will not co-operate anymore. What the hell is going on? Professor Tudor didn't like the flights by plane anyway, and now he has to fly by this toy somewhere – where? – God knows where...
Post je objavljen 11.10.2016. u 11:27 sati.