Secret of the Slaves Read Online Free PDF

and spoke in earnest murmurs.
    Annja chuckled. “I’m not sure that’s the tack to take,” she said. “You know I’m the show’s resident skeptic.”
    â€œAh, but you have an affinity for the strange, as well.”
    She crossed her arms and smiled tightly to hide the little shudder that ran through her. How true that was, she thought.
    To divert attention from herself she gestured around them and said, “Where are we, anyway? What’s this building? Yours?”
    â€œIn a manner of speaking. It’s the New York headquarters of my eleemosynary network. It belongs to the institute, not to me personally. Although I admit I have freedom of the place.”
    â€œI’m impressed at the word eleemosynary.”
    â€œNot all my degrees are honorary, Ms. Creed. My MBA from Harvard, for example.”
    â€œA Harvard MBA? I thought you were antiestablishment, antiglobalization and all that.”
    â€œAh, but running a humanitarian operation—actually a global network ranging from relief agencies to activists for a score of worthy causes—is an incredibly demanding task. So I learn the enemy’s skills to use against him, as it were.”
    â€œIf you say so.”
    He turned to face her. “Annja, I understand your skepticism. But why not go and see for yourself? That’s what the spirit of scientific inquiry is about, isn’t it?”
    â€œWell…yes. And I have to admit you’ve at least given me enough to intrigue me.”
    â€œWhat do I need to make you passionate? I spoke earlier of saving the world. How about it? You can literally save the world—or many of the people who live on it—by helping track down the secret of conquering death. What else are you doing that’s more exciting? More magnificent?”
    â€œWell. Nothing. Since you put it that way,” Annja said. She felt breathless, overwhelmed, needing to take back a little control of the conversation. “What if there’s nothing to it? I can’t promise results. It will probably turn out to be baseless.”
    â€œThen you’ll do it?”
    â€œI asked you first.”
    He laughed aloud. Some of the earnest heads down in the pit turned up to look at him, then back to their business. Annja supposed they were saving the world in the event eternal life didn’t pan out.
    â€œI won’t ask even you to deliver what does not exist,” he said. “But I suspect if I asked the impossible, in just the right way, you’d deliver.”
    â€œFlattery will get you—well, I guess it usually works in the real world, doesn’t it?”
    â€œI never flatter,” he said simply. He took her gently by the arm. “Come and meet your associate.”

    â€œA NNJA , this is Dan Seddon,” Publico said. “He’ll be accompanying you to Brazil.”
    They stood in an echoing space beneath what appeared to be the interior of a pyramid of translucent white blocks. A young man stood in the center, next to a slowly rotating statue of dark metal, possibly bronze. The shape suggested a feather sprouting from the floor. He turned with a certain fluid, alert grace at their approach.
    When he saw Annja he smiled. She smiled back and held out her hand. He took it and shook it firmly. He didn’t seem the sort to kiss it.
    He had a stylish brush of hair, either brown or dark blond, frosted lighter blond. His eyes were a green or hazel, not too different from Annja’s own and alive with curiosity. His face was a tanned narrow wedge with dark brows. His nose had been almost patrician thin and straight, but had been broken at least once and had a bump in the bridge to give it character. His grin had a practiced flash to it.
    â€œGood to meet you, Ms. Creed,” he said, businesslike enough. He wore a lightweight jacket over a white shirt and blue jeans. His shoes were walking shoes, good quality. That scored points with Annja. An