Read Stones (Data) for Free Online

all ready to go,” Alexa says. “Will you need anything else prior to the meeting?”
    “How is the progress on the location algorithm?” Ryzaard clears his throat. “I assume it’s proceeding according to the most recent simulation exercises.”
    “Yes, within fifteen minutes of getting the signal from the new Stone, we initiated an HDD linkup with the beta site in Japan and pulled another XUNIL cluster system from MX Scientific to run the algorithm. It’s been working for just over two hours. We should have definitive GPS coordinates by this time tomorrow.” Alexa becomes conscious of Ryzaard’s gaze. “I feel sorry for whoever found that rock. They’ll be nothing but a corpse in a few hours.”
    “That’s the idea.” Ryzaard runs the tip of his index finger back and forth along his silver mustache and closes his eyes as if in deep contemplation. “Let Scientific know we’ll require use of the cluster system for an indefinite period of time. We need the computing power. They shouldn’t expect to get it back.” Ryzaard opens his eyes. “If they object, let them know it’s being done on the authority of Van Pelt.” His eyes seem to go right through Alexa. “It won’t matter after tonight anyway. Assuming the vote goes our way—and I’m sure it will—we’ll have all of Scientific and their computing power at our disposal in a couple of hours.”
    “Understood,” Alexa says. “Anything else?”
    “It’s imperative that we push the location algorithm without pause. I want to find that Stone and its Holder. Everything depends on it.”
    Ryzaard walks to his desk and picks up the small figure of the naked man. He turns it around in his hands, and then tosses it to Alexa. She catches it gently in her fingers.
    “I recovered this from a dig at Vergina, a small town in northern Greece, your home country, over forty years ago. I’ve carried it with me ever since.” He takes a step closer to her. “Any idea who it is?”
    “Of course.” Alexa squeezes her fingers around the little man’s legs. “Every schoolgirl knows it’s Zeus, the greatest of the Greek gods.”
    “Very good.” The stench of tobacco on Ryzaard’s breath is overpowering. “Not much to look at, really, except for the fact that this very statue was carried around by Alexander the Great. You can see where his fingers wore it down.” He looks squarely at Alexa. “He never lost a battle. Have you ever wondered why?”
    She stands in silence and looks up at Ryzaard through long eyelashes. It’s coming. Another one of his lectures on history.
    “They say he had an uncanny ability to anticipate his enemy’s moves, almost like he could see the future.” Ryzaard puts his other hand in his pocket and pulls out a translucent rock, resembling the rough shape of a large claw.
    Alexa has seen it many times. It’s been the focus of a massive amount of study and experimentation during the last three years.
    Ryzaard grips the rock with white knuckles. “Beginning tonight, Alexa, we follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great. Don’t ever forget that.”
    “How could I? My parents named me after him.” She hands the statue back to Ryzaard. “I’m sure the board of directors will vote in favor of your proposal. Is there anything else I can do before the meeting begins?”
    Ryzaard turns and drops the statue on the desk behind him. “Make sure we have the Xerxes Diviner in the room. We may find it useful to demonstrate its power in case there are any skeptics among the directors.”
    She turns to leave.
    “One more thing, Alexa.” A slight smile plays across Ryzaard’s lips. “Have several bottles of the ‘21 Chardonnay from the special collection brought up to my office. We’ll have much to celebrate tonight when the meeting is over.”
    “Yes, of course.” Alexa walks to the door. The sound of movement behind her draws one final backward glance.
    Ryzaard stares down at Zeus on his desk and leans forward, as if talking