Serpent (NUMA Files 1)

"Thank you very much for your interest in TimeQuest, Mr: Zavala. I must apologize for only being able to give you a few minutes. Melody probably told you that I had a brief appointment slotted."

"Yes, she did. I appreciate the fact that you were able to give me any time at all. You must be very busy."

"I've got fifteen minutes before my meeting with the executive director." She rolled her eyes. "He's a stickler for promptness. In the interests of brevity, perhaps I can simply rattle on for ten minutes and allow five minutes if you have any questions. The press kit on the organization is quite informative."

From his jacket pocket Zavala extracted a Sony minitape recorder he bought at a discount outlet and a notepad picked up that morning in a drugstore.

"Fair enough. Rattle away."

She gave him a dazzling smile that reminded him how a mature woman with class could often be so much sexier than a young unformed beauty like Melody, the receptionist.

"Time-Quest is a nonprofit corporation. We have a number of goals. We wish to promote an understanding of the present and prepare for the future by studying the past. We are educative, in that we support learning about our world, particularly through our in-school programs for the young and our field work. We give the ordinary person a chance at an unusual vacation adventure. Many of our volunteers are retired people, so for them we are the fulfillment of life's dream."

She paused for breath and went on. "In addition we support many archaeological, cultural, and anthropological expeditions. We are known to be a soft touch," she said with her pleasant smile. "Universities are always calling us for support. Usually we are glad to give it. We use money paid by our volunteers, so many of these expeditions are self-sustaining. We provide experts or help pay for them. We have sponsored expeditions to every corner of the globe. In return we ask mainly that we be informed of special discoveries before anyone else. Most people consider it a small demand for what they get. Any questions?"

"How did the organization start?" .

She pointed to the ceiling above her head.

"We are a nonprofit subsidiary of the company that occupies the six floors immediately above us."

"Which is . . . ?"

"Halcon Industries."

Halcon. The Spanish word for "falcon" or "bird of prey." He shook his head. "Don't know it."

"It's an umbrella corporation with many divisions. We're one of them. Most of its revenue comes from a diversified portfolio

that includes mining, mainly, but also shipping, livestock, oil, and. mohair."

"That certainly is diversified. Is the company publicly traded?"

"No. It is wholly owned by Mr. Halcon."

"Quite a leap from digging mines to digging in old tombs," Zavala said.

"It is rather an odd juxtaposition, but not really when you think of it. The Ford Foundation has funded esoteric projects that have nothing to do with manufacturing cars.. Mr. Halcon is an amateur archaeologist from what I'm told. He would have liked to have been a scholar, but he was much better as an industrialist."

He nodded. "Halcon sounds like an interesting person. Would there ever be a chance of interviewing him, perhaps if I gave you advance notice?"

"You'd have a better chance of interviewing Henry Ford." The dazzling smile again. "I don't mean to be flip, but Mr. Halcon is a very private man."

"I understand."

She looked at her watch. "I'm afraid I have to go." She slid a thick folder across the desk "This is our press kit. Give it a read, and if you have any more questions, please call me. I'd be glad to put you in touch with volunteers who could give you a firsthand account of their experience."

"That would be very helpful. Maybe I could sign up for an expedition myself. They're not dangerous, are they?"

She gave him an odd look "We pride ourselves on Time-Quest's safety record. Even in the remotest locations safety is our most important consideration. You remember, I said many retired people participate in our program." She paused. "Those are the expeditions we organize. The ones we support with partial funding are on their own. But overall our record is very good You're safer on one of our adventures than you are crossing the street in San Antonio."

"I'll remember that," Zavala said, wondering if Ms. Harper were truly aware of all that went on in her organization.

"There's a calendar of events for the upcoming year in that kit. If something interests you, let me know, and I'll see what can be arranged."

She ushered him back to the lobby, shook hands, and disappeared down a corridor.

Melody smiled. "How was your interview?"