Babylon Rising: The Edge of Darkness

by Tim LaHaye

  "Do me another favor, Levi. Call the people in Varna and let them know that I'm on the way."

  The twin-engine charter plane banked in a wide circle over the city. Murphy was sitting next to the pilot. They both had on earphones so they could hear each other over the intense drum of the motors.

  Murphy pointed. "What is that large building?"

  "That's the nineteenth-century Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin. It is an important landmark in Varna," responded the pilot.

  "The city is larger than I thought it would be."

  "Yes. It is the third largest city in Bulgaria. However, it wasn't always called Varna. From 19-49 to 1956 it was called Stalin after the Russian leader."

  "How old is the city?" asked Murphy.

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  "It is quite old. The first colony was established in 580 B.C. In 1444 A.D. thirty thousand Crusaders came to the city awaiting passage by ship to Constantinople. However, they never did go because a hundred and twenty thousand Turks attacked them. This started a retreat from the advancing Ottomans."

  "I notice a lot of ships in the harbor."

  "Varna is the capital for shipping in Bulgaria. It's also the home of the Bulgarian Navy and the Naval Museum. Many of the ships you see are part of the Bulgarian Navy."

  "Well, it sure is a beautiful city. Thanks for the information."

  Murphy spent the rest of the day getting a crash course in the operation of the mini-sub and how to use the metal detector. The leader of the oil exploration crew spent time helping Murphy practice retrieving items off the floor of the ocean with the use of mechanical arms that extended from the ship and deposited the items in a watertight holding compartment.

  They also discussed the underwater terrain, ocean depth in the search area, and escape procedures in case of an emergency.

  "We've done some exploration in that general area," said the leader. "You need to be aware that there are a number of sunken ships at about a six-hundred-foot depth. We've seen four fishing trawlers and one cargo ship. Your metal detector will be sure to go off around them. You'll need to remember to switch from general metal detection to specific metal detection. Just adjust the setting to search for bronze."

  "How long do you think it'll take for me to get to the general area?"

  "Less than a full day. Maybe seven to eight hours, depending on where you begin the search. Your best bet will be to pick an area and utilize a crisscross pattern."

  "And if I experience any difficulties?"

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  "Just use the radio unit and call our headquarters. We already have it dialed in for you. All you'll need to do is turn it on."

  "I appreciate all of your help. My plan is to leave early in the morning."

  "We'll have some men here to assist you with any last-minute details. I do hope you find what you're looking for, Dr. Murphy. We wish you the best of luck."

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  SIXTY-THREE

  TWO MEN WERE at the dock when Murphy arrived. They helped load some of the food stores, checked the diesel fuel, oxygen tanks, and water supply. They also double-checked the underwater lights to ensure that they were all working.

  Murphy shook their hands and then climbed into the mini-submarine. He screwed down the hatch to seal it tight and then slid into the driving seat. He started the engine and checked out all of the gauges. He said a little prayer and buckled his seat harness.

  He looked out the window one more time at the men and gave them the go-ahead signal. They slowly lowered the sub into the water. He pushed the lever forward and moved into the harbor for the slow trip to the ocean. As he reached the breakwater he increased the speed.

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  About a mile from shore, Murphy began to experiment and test the ability of the sub to move forward and in reverse. He then practiced submerging the ship and resurfacing. He tested his ability to turn the ship quickly and the various functions of the underwater lights and grappling arms for picking up objects from the ocean floor.

  He slowed to a stop and checked his charts one more time. Being satisfied, he set the directional gauges, which were hooked to the internal compass. It was now just a matter of time until he reached the possible location of the backpack. He began to feel some excitement and, at the same time, a healthy dose of fear. He knew there was a good chance that he might run into Talon.

  The mini-sub was dwarfed by the vastness of the ocean. With each passing hour Murphy felt more and more alone. It was just endless ocean with only his own thoughts for company.

  After about seven hours of monotony, Murphy noticed the flashing of a red light on the control panel. It flashed again a half minute later. It was the metal detector. The flashing increased in frequency until, after about ten minutes, the light remained constantly on. He leaned over and turned up the loudspeaker and heard a beeping sound. When he turned the sub to the left, the beeping got louder. When he turned to the right, it got softer.

  This is not too hard .

  He continued to move toward the spot where the beeping was extremely loud. The gauge registered "steel" at about twenty-five yards. Murphy turned on the outside lights for better viewing. He slowed the engine and effortlessly drifted toward the spot. Soon he could see the object coming into view.

  It was a 55-gallon steel drum that must have rolled off a ship or maybe was thrown overboard. Murphy smiled.

  At least we know the metal detector works .

  Murphy went on for another hour and then slowed the sub to a stop. He reviewed the navigational charts and the gauges. He was now in the general area. He drew a half-mile grid pattern on the chart and

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  began the slow task of piloting back and forth across the ocean floor in a standard search pattern.

  I'll bet the pirates of old would have liked to have something like this ship. They could have found buried or sunken treasure .

  After another half hour he began to pick up a slight beeping sound. He moved in the direction his gauges indicated. His heart began to beat a little harder when the metal detector registered a lot of steel and a little bit of brass. His excitement drained away when a sunken fishing trawler came into view. It looked like it had been on the ocean floor for many years and was extremely rusty. The registration of the brass on the metal detector must have come from the bands of brass around the decaying mast. As his lights shined on the vessel, a number of fish swam by.

  This is a afferent world .

  Another two hours passed as Murphy went back and forth in a grid pattern. He finally slowed to a stop and grabbed something to eat and some water to drink.

  "I guess I can work any hours I want down here. There is no day. It's only night. "

  Time began to lose meaning in the darkness. It was only the hope of finding something that kept Murphy motivated. He made another grid pattern and continued the search.

  Three hours later the metal detector indicated that something very large was nearby. He followed the gauges toward the object.

  Murphy soon felt dwarfed in the mini-sub as it came next to a large cargo ship lying on its side. He slowed the engine and gently glided over the boat. He estimated that it was as long as a football field. He could see steel cargo boxes strewn about the ocean floor around the ship. They each looked to be about forty feet in length.

  I'll bet they lost millions of dollars with the loss of the ship and cargo .

  He began to wonder how many people had died when it sank. Had this boat become their tomb? It was a very strange feeling to move about in silence around this sleeping giant resting on a bed of sand.

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  Murphy maneuvered the sub around the cargo boat, appraising it from different angles. As he passed by the deck he could see the arm of a loading crane sticking out. It looked like the arm of a beggar asking for an offering. It seemed to say, Please, give me something I can pick up. I'm so bored down here.

  Hey, Murphy, are you losing it? You must be tired .

  Murphy slowed the sub and mo
ved closer to the ocean floor. He allowed the sub to settle into a resting place on the sand.

  As he looked out the curved window he could see strange fish swimming by the sunken ship. He watched for a few minutes and then his eyelids grew heavy and finally shut. He drifted into a weary sleep.

  The next thing Murphy knew he was awake. Some noise had startled him out of his slumber. His heart was beating fast.

  What was that?

  The noise hadn't been loud. It was more like a thud against the outside of the small submarine. He turned on the outside lights and peered through the window. He watched for a moment and then he saw them. Three sharks were lazily swimming around the sub. It may have been the noise of the generator that had attracted them. Two of the sharks looked to be about twelve feet long and the third was very large at about sixteen feet long.

  One of their tails must have hit the side of the sub .

  Murphy started the engine and began to move away from the sunken ship and into the darkness of the ocean. He figured he was a hundred yards away from the ship when his metal detector began to sound again. He adjusted the meter. The gauges indicated brass.

  Could it be?

  Murphy's heart started to beat faster. He could feel a little bit of an adrenaline rush. Although he went back and forth over the spot he could see nothing.

  I guess I'll need to pump some water .

  He slowed the submarine to a stop at the point where the beeping

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  was loudest and then turned off the sound so he could concentrate. He then maneuvered the mechanical arms down toward the sand. On each arm there was an attached tube through which water could be pumped. The flow of water under pressure would move the sand to expose objects that might be buried underneath.

  Murphy started the slow process. If he pumped water too fast he would not be able to see. It would create something like an underwater dust storm.

  After about ten minutes he saw something move in the sand. At first he thought it might be a fish, but it didn't swim away.

  He stopped the pumping of the water and let the sand settle. The moving object looked like a strap of some kind. His hand shook as he maneuvered the mechanical arm toward the strap, opened the grips on the end, and then closed them on the strap. He slowly began to lift up the arm.

  Murphy stopped breathing for a moment when it came out of the sand. It was the backpack. He just sat there and looked at it in the underwater lights, not believing what he saw. He closed his eyes for a moment and prayed.

  "Thank you, God."

  Murphy was so enthralled with what he found that he was not aware of the new reading on his metal detector or the dark gray shadow in the water moving toward him.

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  SIXTY-FOUR

  MURPHY UNBUCKLED the harness and climbed out of his seat. He moved closer to the thick glass window to get a better view of the backpack. He wanted to see if it might have been damaged in any way. He wanted to be sure that none of the bronze plates had somehow fallen out. All three plates would be necessary for the formula of the Philosopher's Stone.

  As far as he could tell, the backpack looked intact. There were no rips or tears. All the zippers were closed. He sighed in relief. Now the only thing to do was to work the mechanical arms and deposit the backpack in a watertight holding compartment.

  Murphy turned and started to move back to the driving seat. His hand was on the arm of the seat when it happened.

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  The dark gray object that Murphy hadn't noticed was Talon in one of the Carson Oceanographic mini-subs.

  Talon had spotted the lights of Murphy's sub and approached with his outside lights off. He had watched at a distance as Murphy had blown water into the sand and discovered the backpack.

  Thank you, Dr. Murphy. You've saved me a great deal of time and effort. Now for your reward .

  Talon moved the speed control to maximum on the Carson sub. He was going to be able to catch Murphy off-guard and blindside him.

  The Carson sub rammed into Murphy's just behind the windows that wrapped around the front. Talon was ready for the impact but Murphy was not.

  The collision sent Murphy through the air into the side of his ship. A lever that controlled the movement of the watertight holding compartment was sticking straight out. Murphy's body smashed into the lever, breaking three of the ribs on his left side. One of the ribs penetrated his lung and he cried out in shock and intense pain. He desperately gasped for air and collapsed to the floor.

  Murphy had also hit his head on the metal side wall and was bleeding, disoriented, and confused. He had no idea what had just happened. The outside lights and inside lights on the right side of Murphy's sub flickered for a moment and then went out.

  Talon, in the meantime, was putting the Carson submarine in reverse.

  Murphy finally caught some air and struggled to his feet. He was holding on to his left side, fighting the sharp pain every time he tried to breathe. He moved his body in different positions to find some relief but there was none.

  He staggered forward and attempted to reseat himself. He had

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  lifted his right leg to get into place when Talon rammed the Carson submarine into the right side of the ship for a second time.

  The impact caused Murphy's left leg to crack as he hit the floor and he shouted in agony once more. The blood from his head wound still flowed, soaking his shirt with blood. He felt water on his face, and as he lay on the floor of the sub, he saw a number of areas where water was leaking in.

  His clothes were already wet with the cold salt water. He estimated that there was about an inch of water on the floor. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before his ship would fill.

  Talon backed away from Murphy's sub a little distance and watched. Only a couple of small lights were still working. He could see the bloody and clearly injured Murphy on the floor.

  I think that should take care of you for the time being, Dr. Murphy. Now I think I'll go pick up my price. Cheer up ... I'll return to finish the job. Your submarine will become your tomb .

  Talon then began the task of retrieving the backpack.

  Murphy's mind was spinning. He was aware that he was severely injured. If he didn't get help for his punctured lung, he knew he would eventually drown in his own blood. To make matters worse, his ship was rapidly filling with water. He would have to somehow get to the surface quickly.

  He began to pray.

  Yosef Rozen was pacing back and forth. Standing around in airports was not one of the things he liked to do. Finally, he heard what he was waiting for.

  "British Airways Flight 9312 is now arriving at gate number forty-seven."

  He turned and walked to the doorway and waited as passengers disembarked. Soon he saw the imposing figure of Levi Abrams in the crowd. They smiled and shook hands.

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  "Yosef. It has been a long time."

  "Too long, Levi."

  "How long have you been stationed in Istanbul?"

  "Five years. Frankly, I would like to go home to Israel."

  Levi nodded in agreement. "Have you heard anything from Dr. Murphy?"

  "No. He took a chartered flight to Varna and boarded the submarine. Since that time we have not heard from him. We've tried to radio him several times but there's been no response."

  "There must be something wrong with his equipment."

  "Possibly, but everything was checked out before he left and was in good working order."

  "Dr. Murphy had experience with mini-subs when he was in the armed services of the United States. I'm sure he'll be all right."

  "Maybe so, Levi, but it's always a little dangerous to operate a submarine by yourself. If something should go wrong, there's no one to help you."

  Levi considered this. "Maybe we should alert the Bulgarian Navy that we may need their assistance. At least they could be prepared to respond quickly if called upon."

  "I'll have someone contact them."<
br />
  "Have you any other information that might be helpful?"

  "I think so. One of the mini-submarines belonging to Carson Oceanographic has been stolen. Two of the dockworkers were found floating in the water with broken necks. No doubt the person who stole the submarine also killed the men."

  "Talon. It has to be. But what about Murphy? He may not know that Talon is already out there looking for the same object."

  "There's not much we can do, Levi. We have only a general idea where they might be. The Black Sea is very large."

  "I know, Yosef... I know!"

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  SIXTY-FIVE

  WITH MUCH PAIN Murphy crawled through the water, dragging his leg behind him. He somehow pulled himself into the driving seat and buckled the harness. There was no comfortable way to sit with the pain of the broken ribs. Breathing was very difficult. His leg was numb. He knew that he was in mild shock but he had to forget the pain and do what he had to do, or he was dead.

  Murphy could feel himself starting to shake, the first signs of hypothermia. His body temperature was beginning to drop from lying in the cold water. He glanced over to the side of the ship where it had been rammed. It seemed like the leaks had grown larger. He grabbed the radio unit, but it was dead, evidently damaged in the collision. Murphy was on his own.

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  He looked out the window and saw a sub with large white letters ... CARSON OCEANOGRAPHIC.

  Although he didn't see the person piloting the ship, he knew it was Talon. He could see the mechanical arms of the Carson sub holding the backpack and beginning to draw it inside. Murphy knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Talon would have complete possession of the bronze plates.