by R. D. Brady
Could there have been seven teachers? Were the gods, the helpers, and the teachers related? Could they have been the same people?
Laney turned to say something to Jen, but now it was her turn to be without words. She stood up from her inspection of the chairs, her body on automatic pilot. Across from the table, in an alcove twenty feet away, stood shelves lined with metal folios. A metal library filled with the knowledge of an ancient civilization.
Laney stepped into the alcove. Reaching out with a trembling hand, she touched the book in front of her. It was about eighteen by twelve inches and made completely of silver. She tried to pull it out, but it was too heavy. Instead, she ran her trembling hand along the spine. Unknown symbols were etched there. The folio next to it was covered in different symbols and seemed to be covered in gold leaf.
She looked to her right and left. Row upon row was filled with the books. “There must be dozens of these," she murmured.
“Not dozens," Jen said, coming to stand behind her. "Hundreds.”
Jen was staring up.
Laney followed her eyes. This time her legs did go weak. She reached out a hand to steady herself. The rows of books continued up for another twenty feet.
Jen pulled Laney into a hug. “All this knowledge.”
Laney wrapped her arms around her. And then they were jumping up and down, laughing and crying at the same time.
Laney wiped her eyes. “It’s beyond amazing.”
“It’s unbelievable. We really need to get shots of this.”
The comment brought reality crashing back. This wasn’t a well-planned expedition into an ancient site. This was a desperate trip forced by gunmen.
Laney took a deep breath, a little kernel of excitement still bouncing around in the back of her mind. But she needed to focus. “Okay. We need to grid the cavern off and start documenting it. And we need to do it quickly.”
“I wonder if we should also take one artifact as proof for the court?”
Laney tried lift one of the books. “Well, we’re certainly not getting one of these out. They weigh a ton. I wonder how they got them in here.”
“Well, that was easier.”
At Laney’s questioning glance, Jen said, “This whole area was above sea level before the last ice age. If these date before that, they would have simply walked them in.”
“That would explain the stairs in the lagoon.”
Jen’s eyes were wide. “Are we really talking about an incredibly advanced civilization from at least twelve thousand years ago?”
Laney glanced back up at the portfolios, a huge smile on her face. “I guess we are.”
CHAPTER 32
Laney and Jen explored the rest of the main room. They photographed everything they could and jotted down notes of observations not captured by the film. They tried to keep their excitement at bay and be objective observers. At times, though, it was impossible
Discoveries that flew in the face of history were strewn throughout the room. Laney could barely take it all in. Every time she tried to focus on one artifact, her eyes would catch sight of another. She had the attention span of a sugar-filled four-year old.
Finally, though, she and Jen made their way to the back of the cave. There were three huge doorways. Each was fitted with a ten-foot tall stone door engraved with intricate carvings.
Laney peered at the doors, running her hand along the seam. A perfect fit. The skill of the artisans had been way beyond rudimentary stone tools. This was machine precision.
Laney looked over her shoulder at Julian, who’d come to stand next to her. He had been quietly allowing them investigate the cavern. “Where do they lead?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I haven’t explored them. Our job is to guard the site, not wander through it. We don’t come this far in.”
Laney stared at the three entryways. “I’m betting one leads towards the coast. We’re what, maybe three, four miles from it?”
Jen nodded. “That sounds about right. But which one?”
Laney leaned close, placing her ear on the door in the middle. She waved Jen over. “Listen.”
Jen leaned her ear against the door. “Is that water?”
Laney nodded. “I think so.” She leaned into the door on the right. “I don’t hear it here. How about that one?”
Jen put her ear against the door on the left. “More water.”
Laney stood back and looked at the doors. “So one’s an escape and two are what?”
“Booby traps," Jen said.
Laney glanced over at her, nodding. “Maybe a safety measure to keep the treasure from falling in the wrong hands. If the wrong people found the cave, it could be flooded.”
It made sense. She turned, and then her attention was diverted from the doors by an eleven-foot-long sarcophagus. And that's how it went. Every time she saw one amazing artifact, another would distract her.
Despite all the incredible sights, though, it was the metal folios that kept pulling her back.
Last year, she had learned that Atlantis had been populated by two groups of people, the Children of the Law of One and the Sons of Belial. The Sons of Belial had only been interested in garnering power. But the Children had been good people, pacifists, knowledge gatherers.
According to Edgar Cayce, as the end of Atlantis had approached, the Children had sent out three sets of emissaries, carrying the knowledge of Atlantis with them. Had the Children written these tomes? Was she looking at that lost knowledge?
Her hands and eyes roamed the books hungrily. All that knowledge. And some of the symbols looked familiar. But she couldn't quite place them.
She called over to Julian. "Julian, can you help me get this book out?"
He came over and helped her lift the gold leaf book from the second shelf. They placed it reverently on a small stone table just inside the alcove. Jen walked up to join them.
"Why this one?" Jen asked, peering at it curiously.
Laney pointed at a symbol on the spine. "I think this is written in Enochian."
Enochian, the language of the angels, was an incredibly controversial language. In the sixteenth century, John Dee and Edward Kelley had discovered it. They maintained it had been revealed to them by angels.
Laney stared at the other tomes. Were they all written in Enochian?
"Are you sure?" Jen asked.
"No. But see this symbol? That looks like the Enochian symbol for time."
Laney flipped to the next page and her heart seemed to slam to a stop.
"Laney?" Jen asked.
Laney traced one of the words on the page. She swallowed, trying to find her voice. "This word. It's also Enochian. I know it."
Jen stared at the symbols. "What does it spell?"
"Azazyel." Spots began to appear around her vision. Azazyel, the most dangerous of the fallen angels. The angel who’d taught mankind how to fashion and wield weapons. And the one who’d tried to end the world only a few short months ago.
Jen grabbed her arm. "Laney? You okay?"
Laney stared at her, not comprehending the words right away. She hadn't expected to see his name here. She didn't want him or his kind to be related to this cave. Fear charged through her and she had to talk herself down. He's dead. He's dead.
She closed the book, her hands trembling. She didn't know why his name was here and she didn't have time to figure it out. Right now, they needed to figure out how to protect the cave and its contents.
Shaking off the fear, Laney glanced at her watch. “We’ve been in here for almost two hours. We need to get back out and figure out our next step.”
Jen nodded. “You're right. We need a plan.”
Laney turned to Julian. “I think we have all we’ll need for the court. Jen and I can write this up tonight and get it to the court tomorrow.” She let out a breath. If, that is, we don’t get killed before then.
She thought of Henry and the Chandler Group. She knew he could help.
“And I have a friend who’ll help
us protect it.”
Julian looked around the cave, his expression fierce. “I don’t want outsiders near our cave.”
Laney knew how hard this must for him. “I know. But the world’s coming. And my friend’s very good at operating in that world. He’ll help you keep all of this safe.”
Jen nodded. “I think you need to look at this next step as the way to protect it. The world has changed and now the way you protect it needs to change as well.”
Julian nodded, although Laney could tell he wasn’t fully convinced. He took the camera from her and placed it back in the plastic bag and then into the backpack. He slung the pack over his shoulder. “Let’s get outside and we’ll take you to Machala. You can make the necessary arrangements from there.”
Laney followed Julian back through the tunnel and to the lagoon. George was in the same spot, patiently waiting for them.
Before tying the rope George handed her, Laney stood next to Jen, staring up at the map of the world. The same tingle of excitement she’d felt when she’d first seen it coursed through her.
This whole cave system was filled with the relics of an ancient civilization that predated all known civilizations by thousands of years. And she was one of the few people in the world, heck, in the history of the world, who’d seen it.
Jen touched her shoulder as she stepped to the edge. “See you topside.” She disappeared under the water attached to Julian.
Laney took one last look at the ceiling before tying the rope around herself and diving under the water with George.
She swam along the tunnel, trying to imagine how the world would react to this finding. There would undeniably be some who would deny its authenticity or try to find a way to fit it into a pre-conceived notion of development.
That map, though, made it all but impossible. While it didn’t date the site, it did indicate that the people who created it had the capability to capture aerial views of landmasses.
The implications were truly mind-boggling. And then there was Atlantis, prominently displayed on the carving, right where Plato said it would be.
Light pierced through the dark water ahead. Laney’s eyes drifted towards the surface. When they popped up, everything was going to change. She smiled as she burst out of the water.
She turned toward the shore. The smile dropped from her face.
The tribe was surrounded by armed men. Laney’s eyes searched the crowd before falling on Nana, who had her arms wrapped protectively around both Elena and Eddie. A bright red mark stood out on her cheek.
Julian was being held face down on the sandy beach. Jen struggled as two large men pinned her arms behind her back.
“Dr. McPhearson,” Brandon Deveraux called, his clothes now a mass of wrinkles. “I believe we have a lot to discuss.”
CHAPTER 33
The second set of divers dove into the water and disappeared. On the bank, equipment had been brought from a clearing not too far away. Giant sleds had been air dropped in. More men appeared with crates that they were busy unpacking.
Laney sat next to Jen on the bank watching all the activity with a heavy heart. The rest of the Shuar tribe surrounded them, all bound. No one in the group spoke.
Laney couldn't imagine what was going through their minds. They’d already lost almost half their members and now the very reason for their existence was about to be stripped away from them.
She pictured the tribesmen who’d stayed behind to cover their escape. Were they all dead as well?
When these men found the entrance, they would loot the entire site. There would be nothing left. This group, whoever they were, had come prepared. Air drops of equipment had begun even before they’d left the cave. In no time, they’d have a full-scale excavation in progress. At least, as soon as they found the entrance.
The divers popped up from the river and gave a thumbs down. The man on the bank with the scar running down from his eye waved them in. He was the man Laney had seen in the battle at the tree village. Laney had heard someone call him Hugo.
Jen sat bound next to Laney, frustration punctuating her words. “When they find the cave, they’ll take everything.”
Laney nodded, unable to speak. She could only think of the world map and all that one piece conveyed. Her eyes raked the men, looking for Warren. He was nowhere to be seen. But Brandon Devereaux was. He stood next to the sled, instructing the men on something. She willed all her hate on him instead.
As if feeling her stare, he looked over at her. With a last comment to the man next to him, he walked over. He stopped in front of her and then kneeled down to her level. She was surprised to see what looked like remorse in his eyes. His eyes darted over his shoulder, focusing on Hugo. His back was to them as he spoke into the radio.
Deveraux's words came out hesitatingly. “Dr. McPhearson, I know your uncle. While we disagree professionally, I have always respected him.”
Laney stared back at him in disbelief. “Well, while he hasn’t mentioned you, I’m pretty sure hearing you had something to do with my death will sour your professional relationship.”
He cringed. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. When I was first approached, I was going to be the archaeologist in charge. I wasn’t told about the rest of this.”
“Did you even ask?” Jen asked.
He looked away. “No. They offered a lot of money and to be honest, I need it. Plus, if I could get ahead with the new research . . .” His voice trailed off.
Disgust laced Jen's words. “You could retain your position in the field.”
“I know what you think. I’m not a bad man. But you need to be careful. These men are ruthless. Whatever they want, give it to them.”
He stood and walked back to a group of men latching cables to a sled. Hugo's narrowed eyes followed Deveraux’s retreating form.
Laney didn’t need Deveraux’s warning about the ruthlessness of these men. She’d seen it first-hand. And the man walking towards them was the personification of it.
Hugo stopped in front of the two of them. He didn’t bother to bend down. He just stood there, towering over them.
Laney craned her neck to look up at him. She glanced over her shoulder, realizing two men had walked up behind them. One of the men reached down, yanking her up. Jen received the same treatment next to her.
Laney held in the yelp that wanted to escape her lips, her stomach bottoming out. Whatever Hugo wanted them for, it couldn’t be good.
The man holding her cut through the ties that bound her hands. The other man did the same to Jen’s. Confused, Laney rubbed her wrists, looking back at Hugo. What game was this?
Hugo stared down at her. “We need you to show us the entrance to the cave.”
“Why us?” Laney asked, inwardly knowing it would be a cold day in hell before she helped these bastards.
He waved towards the rest of the hostages. “I don’t want any problems in translation. And I also don’t want to play any games.”
The two men who had untied them pulled Elena and Eddie from Nana. The children screamed and tried to break away, but the men held them securely.
Nana ran after them. Another man blocked her way, punching her in the stomach. She dropped to the ground, the air knocked from her.
With a roar of fury, Julian leaped to his feet. He sprang at the man who’d struck Nana. The man pulled his sidearm and shot him point blank. Julian crashed to the ground, blood pouring from the wound in his chest.
A wail erupted from Nana as she crawled for him. She put her hands on his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Blood ran through her hands, dripping to the ground below.
Shocked by the swiftness of the violence, Laney turned to Hugo. Anger boiled through her. “What is wrong with you?”
He smiled. “I’m just very goal orientated. Now, I need you two to show us where the entrance is.”
In response, Laney glared back at him.
Jen nudged her. “Laney, Elena and Eddie.”
Laney pulled her eyes from them to Hugo’s face.
“Like I said, you’ll show us where the entrance is.” He waved his arm and the divers dove into the water, dragging Elena and Eddie with them.
CHAPTER 34
The children didn’t even have a chance to scream before they disappeared below the water's dark surface.
“No,” Laney yelled, sprinting for the water. Jen beat her to the water’s edge and dove in. Laney followed, her arms and legs churning frantically under the murky water.
The divers were treading water fifty feet in. Eddie and Elena thrashed in the water next to them but the divers held the rope taut, not allowing them to reach the surface.
Jen’s height gave her an advantage and she outpaced Laney. She swam right by the two divers, heading straight for the cave. Laney approved. Jen didn’t waste any precious time making sure they followed. She knew they would.
Jen disappeared through the tunnel entrance. The first diver followed her, Eddie being dragged in his wake.
Laney reached the second diver just as he entered the cramped space. She rushed in behind him. Pushing him forward, she tried to protect Elena’s head from being slammed into the walls of the tight space.
As the diver emerged into the pool, Laney shoved Elena’s head up towards the air before she surfaced.
Gasping, she looked at Elena. She was turning blue, not breathing. Shaking, Laney yanked the rope off Elena’s still form and pulled her towards the bank, not even looking at the bastard diver. Jen was already at the bank, hauling up a spluttering Eddie.
The first diver walked off, talking into his radio, not sparing them a glance.
“Jen, grab her,” Laney yelled.
Eyes wide, Jen grabbed Elena, pulling her up. “No.”
Laney hauled herself out. Jen was already breathing into Elena’s mouth. Laney scrambled over to them.