Something was wrong, and he instantly compared the image with the lithograph.
The dates were different.
"I spent this morning learning about that painting," Cassiopeia said. "I found that image on the Internet. The painting was destroyed by fire in the late 1950s, but prior to that the canvas had been cleaned and readied for display. During the restoration process it was discovered that 1687 was actually 1681. But of course, the lithograph was drawn at a time when the date was obscured."
Stephanie shook her head. "This is a puzzle with no answer. Everything changes by the minute."
"You're doing precisely what the master wanted," Geoffrey said.
They all looked at him.
"He said that once you combined, all would be revealed."
Malone was confused. "But your master specifically warned us to Beware the engineer."
Geoffrey motioned to Cassiopeia. "Perhaps you should beware of her."
"What does that mean?" Thorvaldsen asked.
"Her race fought the Templars for two centuries."
"Actually, the Muslims trounced the brothers and sent them packing from the Holy Land," Cassiopeia declared. "And Spanish Muslims kept the Order in check here in the Languedoc when the Templars tried to expand their sphere south, beyond the Pyrenees. So your master was right. Beware the engineer."
"What would you do if you found the Great Devise?" Geoffrey asked her.
"Depends on what there is to find."
"Why does that matter? The Devise is not yours, regardless."
"You're quite forward for a mere brother of the Order."
"Much is at stake here, the least of which is your ambition to prove Christianity a lie."
"I don't recall saying that was my ambition."
"The master knew."
Cassiopeia's face screwed tight-the first time Malone had seen agitation in her expression. "Your master knew nothing of my motives."
"And by keeping them hidden," Geoffrey said, "you do nothing but confirm his suspicion."
Cassiopeia faced Henrik. "This young man could be a problem."
"He was sent by the master," Thorvaldsen said. "We shouldn't question."
"He's trouble," Cassiopeia declared.
"Maybe so," Mark said. "But he's part of this, so get used to him."
She stayed calm and unruffled. "Do you trust him?"
"Doesn't matter," Mark said. "Henrik's right. The master trusted him and that's what matters. Even if the good brother can be irritating."
Cassiopeia did not push the point, but on her brow was written the shadow of mutiny. And Malone did not necessarily disagree with her impulse.
He turned his attention back to the table and stared at the color images taken at the Church of Mary Magdalene. He noticed the garden with the statue of the Virgin and the words MISSION 1891 and PENITENCE, PENITENCE carved into the face of the upside-down Visigoth pillar. He shuffled through close-up shots of the stations of the cross, pausing for a moment on station 10, where a Roman soldier was gambling for Christ's cloak, the numbers three, four, and five visible on the dice faces. Then he paused on station 14, which showed Christ's body being carried under cover of darkness by two men.
He remembered what Mark had said in the church, and he couldn't help wondering. Was their route into the tomb or out?
He shook his head.
What in the world was happening?