Rogue Angel 55: Beneath Still Waters by Alex Archer

located something previously thought to have been lost forever in the mists of time. She’d felt that way on her first dig at Hadrian’s Wall years ago, and she still felt that way today. Finding an aircraft that had been missing since World War II was the type of challenge she normally would jump at.
    Although, the life of one of her friends didn’t normally hang in the balance, completely dependent upon her success, and that’s where the dismay came in.
    The deadline was the problem. Given enough time and materials, Annja knew that she could probably find the airplane. She didn’t have any doubt about it. If it was there, she would find it. But with only seven days to do it—actually six, now—it was going to be nothing less than a Herculean task. They needed help; it was as simple as that.
    Good thing she knew where she could get some.
    Normally she’d be worried about the price tag that would come with that help, and she would carefullyconsider the pros and cons of picking up the phone and getting him involved, but she didn’t have the luxury to worry about such things at this point. Time was too precious a resource to waste. Whatever the price, she was willing to pay it in order to rescue Doug.
    Paul looked over at her. “I’ve got be honest, Annja. I don’t know how we could search an area of that size even with an army at our disposal. An army that, I should point out, we don’t have.”
    “Yeah, I know. I’m working on it.”
    With only a trace of reluctance, Annja picked up the phone and called Garin Braden.
    “Hello, Annja,” he said, when he answered the call. “To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”
    “I hate to say it, Garin, but I really need your help.”
    Garin laughed. “The mighty Miss Creed needs my help? You must be joking.”
    Annja gritted her teeth. “I’m serious, Garin. I really need your help.”
    “Well, in that case let me drop everything I am doing and rush to your aid.”
    His sarcastic tone made her wince, but she pushed on anyway. “Please, Garin. A friend’s life is at stake and time is of the essence.”
    Garin Braden was over five hundred years old. When she thought about it, that sounded crazy even to her, but she couldn’t deny the fact that it was true. Garin had been squire to a French knight named Roux, who in turn had been assigned to watch over Joan of Arc. Roux and his squire had failed in their mission, and when Joan’s sword was broken in themoments before her execution, the lives of the two men had been mysteriously lengthened. Over the next few centuries Roux searched for the fragments of the blade, intending to bring them back together, while Garin fought to keep that from happening, convinced the fragmentation of the blade was the very thing that assured his extended life span.
    Annja was aware Garin had since come to realize that his efforts had likely been wasted, as her custodianship of the blade so far had had no ill effect on him. In fact, he seemed to be growing quite fond of her. Annja had diligently resisted his efforts to flirt, despite her attraction to him. The fact that he was the perfect example of tall, dark and handsome, never mind ridiculously rich, constantly battled with her understanding that Garin cared first and foremost about himself. He was determined, ruthless and used to getting what he wanted, no matter what the effort or cost. It made him dangerous in more ways than one.
    She knew it was in her best interest to stay as far away from him as she could and yet here she was, reaching out to him for help in her moment of need.
    Apparently my heart and my head aren’t seeing eye to eye again , she thought.
    Knowing his nature, Annja expected Garin to ask what was in it for him and, frankly, she didn’t have an answer. The last time she had asked for his help he’d insisted on taking her to dinner and she’d had no choice but to agree. She was afraid of what he would require this time around.
    To her great surprise, he