Alicia Myles 2 - Crusader's Gold by David Leadbeater

arguable, but Michelangelo will always be known for the Pieta and David, both of which he sculpted before he was thirty. Bernini is known for so many works of art, including the Apollo and Daphne and his own David, the Baroque answer to Michelangelo’s Renaissance original. Now what do all these and so many more have in common?”
    Caitlyn thought about it for a time. Finally, she said. “They all still exist.”
    Crouch slapped an open palm down onto the table. “Exactly. They exist. All we have from Lysippos are copies, fakes and remolds. But consider this—even the copied Horses of St. Mark have been worshipped for thousands of years, fought for, and considered among history’s greatest works of art.” He paused. “Copies.”
    “Add to that the Alexander the Great connection . . .”
    “And the Colossus of Rhodes being made by his pupil.”
    “Can’t hurt having an original ancient wonder on your pupil’s resume.”
    “And to Lysippos’ stature add Eros Stringing the Bow. Agias. Hermes of Atalanta. The Alexander statues, from which the man’s very image is now taken for granted. Alexander’s horse—Bucephalus.”
    “Okay.” Alicia thought it wise to stop Crouch as Venice grew clearer through the window. “But all we know is that Dodo brought the Horses to Venice after he sacked Constantinople.”
    Crouch tried not to glare at her. “Dandolo,” he said, “stole the Horses and placed them atop St. Mark’s Basilica. And there they stand today. We must apply a well-educated guess that the Hercules was also brought here by Dandolo and secreted away. It has certainly never turned up anywhere else and, indeed, why wouldn’t it have been here? Dandolo was the Doge of Venice, it was his city to command. Of course he brought the Hercules here.”
    “For himself?” Caitlyn ventured.
    “Undoubtedly. But not exclusively. You remember he was blind? I believe this was merely the spoils of war for a mad, old and dying Venetian. A trophy. One-upmanship. The Bugatti Veyron of 1204. ‘Here, take a gander at my Horses. They used to stand atop the Hippodrome, you know. Do you like them? Well, here, let me show you this little secret treasure . . .’ ”
    Alicia laughed. “Did you read that in a book?”
    “Probably.”
    “So where do you think he hid the Herc?” Alicia quipped.
    “We’re about to find out.” Crouch said confidently. “But from here on in, guys, it’s deadly. No slacking off. No breaks and definitely no free time—” He gave Alicia an odd look.
    Alicia frowned. “If you’re referring to my time with Beauregard I don’t count that as exactly free. If you do then try bouncing—”
    “Either way,” Crouch interrupted. “Beauregard’s not in Europe. Stay close, all of you. Watch each other’s back like never before. We’re about to land and when Riley hits he will do so with devastating effect.”
    Alicia nodded with the rest of them, suddenly out of breath, knocked off-kilter. She wondered if anyone else picked up on it. How the hell does Michael know Beauregard’s not in Europe?

FOURTEEN
     
     
    Saint Mark’s Basilica is the most famous of all Venice’s great churches, an outstanding illustration of Venetian-Byzantine architecture. Connected to the Doge’s palace it was once the chapel of the Doge, and thus effortlessly accessible by him. Adorned by gold-ground mosaics and seen as the status of Venetian power it was also known as the Church of Gold.
    Caitlyn read that it had been linked to Alexandria since 828 on its conception, so it was no surprise that the basilica continued to be associated with Alexandria’s great lost treasures and figureheads like Lysippos. Its very construction stemmed from and was ordered after merchants from Venice stole the supposed relics of Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria. Belief and myths surround it, and wrap it in an air of mystery. The body of St. Mark was discovered inside a pillar by the then-ruling Doge. Part of it is said to be what