The Portal (A Delphi Group Thriller Book 2)

by John Sneeden

  As Zane lowered the radio, Katiya said, “I think we’ll all be safer if we stick together.”

  Zane exhaled audibly then nodded in agreement. “I think you’re probably right.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  COLONEL ZHENG LEE could see all the way to the valley floor from his position atop the flat boulder. The Americans had occupied this very spot just twenty minutes earlier, and Zheng could still smell their lingering scent.

  Thankfully the mole had been able to send out a message earlier, warning them of the carnivorous plant that guarded the ravine. A few well-placed bombs and a bevy of grenades had cleared a path to the entrance, allowing them to march through. Zheng had lost two men to the plant, but that was the cost of war. He still had a dozen soldiers left, more than enough to finish the job.

  Zheng lifted a pair of thermal imaging binoculars and trained them on the slope below. He was still unable to pick up any heat signatures. He lowered the glasses and kicked First Lieutenant Shi, who was lying prone next to him. “What do you see?”

  Shi looked up from his high-powered scope. “They’re almost at the valley floor.”

  “Excellent,” Zheng said. That’s obviously been their destination all along.

  Suddenly Shi muttered an oath.

  Zheng’s head swiveled toward him. “What?”

  “They just… disappeared.”

  The giant Ho, who was sitting on Zheng’s right, grunted his disapproval.

  Zheng kicked Shi again. “What do you mean they disappeared? People don’t just disappear.”

  “It’s difficult to tell from this distance. Something must be blocking my view.”

  Zheng wasn’t overly concerned, at least not yet. So far, following the Americans had been child’s play. After exiting the mountain tunnel, Zheng’s men had donned special suits that prevented the release of body heat, allowing them to approach to within a hundred meters without being detected by thermal imaging equipment. Just an hour earlier, Zheng had watched as two American soldiers stared right at him, completely oblivious to his presence.

  But what if the Americans had just put on their own suits? Maybe they were using them to set up a trap? After all, most countries had this technology. After considering the possibility for a moment, Zheng quickly dismissed it. Their mole would have told them of such a plan, assuming he hadn’t been playing them the entire time.

  Zheng narrowed his eyes. “Do you see them yet?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “What do you think is blocking the view?”

  Shi shrugged. “Buildings, rocks, another ridge perhaps.”

  Zheng wondered what was so special about this mountaintop. The last transmission from the mole had been brief and hadn’t contained much information. Only that they had exited the tunnel and were going to check the summit.

  Shi made a little noise. Zheng looked down at him. “What is it?”

  “I’m getting a few flashes of heat again.” He continued to turn the focus wheel. “It’s hard to say what’s going on. I see walls… it looks like they’re walking through some sort of village.”

  Zheng’s pulse quickened. “Get up.” He kicked Shi a third time for good measure then turned toward the others spread along the ridge. “Get ready to depart.”

  Ho stood, his massive frame momentarily blotting out the moon. He looked at Zheng, his face showing the hint of a smile. “We kill them now?”

  Zheng nodded. “Yes, we’re going to kill them now.”

  As Zheng turned to walk away, Ho grabbed his shoulder roughly. The colonel cringed. If any other soldier had done that, he would have killed them on the spot. But this was Ho, so he bit his tongue.

  “Let me have the long-haired one, the leader,” Ho said.

  Zheng hesitated. He had wanted to fire that shot himself, but how could he deny Ho the pleasure? It’s what the brute had been trained for. “You must promise me one thing.”

  “Promise you what?” Ho asked.

  “If you get the opportunity, make him suffer first.”

  Ho smiled.

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  BY THE TIME the group reached the clearing where Rebecca had been found, a thick fog had settled over the jungle. It seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, billowing through the trees like some vaporized serpent intent on slowing their progress.

  As they reentered the forest, Katiya used her binoculars to scan the canopy above. She was startled at the sight that met her eyes. Not only were the orbs more numerous than before, but most seemed to have gathered over the group. Was that a coincidence or was there some dark purpose? Thus far they seemed benevolent, so she decided not to raise the alarm.

  About twenty minutes later, Zane slowed at a fork in the path. The primary trail continued down the slope, while a narrower branch led off to the left.

  As had already been planned, the group divided into two teams. Zane, Bennett, Brett, and Jorge would take the pathway to the left. Rebecca said the alien craft was situated at the north end of the clearing, so they would travel in that direction and approach from above. Tocchet would then lead the others in search of the temple where Rebecca had hidden earlier that evening. For her part, Katiya was happy she was going to be a part of the group examining the building, as she had a feeling it had great significance.

  After giving a few final instructions, Zane led his team off into the fog. Once they were out of sight, Tocchet reminded everyone to avoid using their lights then led them straight down the slope.

  A few minutes later, the slope leveled off, and they found themselves standing in the large clearing Rebecca had described. But instead of walking on a path of clay and rocks, their feet now rested on short grass. As everyone spilled out, Katiya tried to take in her surroundings. The fog was thicker than ever, but she still sensed that the area they were standing in was quite large, perhaps the size of several football fields.

  Tocchet looked at Rebecca. “Can you get us there from here?”

  “I believe so.”

  With a surprising boldness, she led them south along the right side of the clearing. When they arrived at the end, she turned to the left along the southern edge. “The trail should be somewhere along in here,” Rebecca whispered as they crept through the fog.

  Katiya thought it odd that the clearing had such a distinct shape. It seemed like a perfect rectangle, at least the portion she’d seen so far. Perhaps the girl had been right about it being some sort of airstrip.

  “Look,” Artur said, pointing to a gap between two trees.

  Tocchet turned on his light briefly, illuminating a trail that disappeared into the jungle.

  “That’s it,” Rebecca exclaimed.

  As they entered, a knot developed in Katiya’s stomach. Was it just a case of nerves? Or was her body trying to warn her that all was not well? She tried to brush it off. They were here, and they certainly weren’t going to turn back now. The strange feeling was likely just the jitters that came with being on the verge of something so big, and nothing else.

  A few minutes later, Rebecca stopped and pointed. “I recognize that line of trees. The building should be just ahead.”

  “Remember, no lights just yet,” Tocchet whispered.

  As they passed underneath the trees, the silhouette of a large building appeared, an eerie sentinel rising out of the fog. Katiya stared in awe. It was much larger than she’d imagined.

  “Good grief,” Amanda said in a low voice.

  A large stone staircase ran up the front. It reminded Katiya of the stairs at the front of a museum. At the top, she could see a line of pillars encircling the structure. Although hard to see, the roof appeared to be a dome.

  “Definitely not Mayan or Incan,” Amanda whispered.

  Tocchet took the steps, and the others followed.

  Katiya turned to Max, who was on her right. “What do you think?”

  He shook his head in disbelief. “Totally out of place.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing. I�
��ve never seen anything quite like this in Brazil, Peru… anywhere.”

  Amanda fell in next to them. “You’re right. Look at the dome. It shouldn’t be here. Even the columns seem out of place.”

  When the team arrived at the top, Katiya noticed that the fog was a bit thinner, allowing her to take in more detail. They were standing on a walkway that wrapped around the building.

  After making sure the area was clear, Tocchet motioned for them to follow him inside.

  Before joining the others, Katiya stole a quick glance back toward the trees. The fog was so thick along the ground that she couldn’t see the trail anymore. The knot in her stomach grew tighter.

  The building’s interior was massive, even larger than it looked from the outside. Several structures lay directly ahead, although Katiya couldn’t yet tell what they were.

  As the group moved forward into the space, Amanda tilted her head back. Katiya followed her gaze and noted the domed ceiling rising high above them. Something appeared to be painted on its surface.

  Tocchet turned on his light, so the others followed suit. Someone let out a little gasp.

  As Katiya turned, chill bumps spread across both of her arms. Rows of statues rose up in front of them. As best she could tell, they extended all the way to the back of the room.

  “Good heavens,” Max said.

  Katiya clicked on her flashlight and approached the closest one. The nude figure of a man stood on a square stone base. He was handsome and muscular, and yet something about his face gave her the chills.

  Max came and stood at her side. “Go down lower again. I thought I saw something on the base.”

  Katiya moved the beam back down until she saw what he was referring to. There, in the center of the base, was a plate set into one of the stones.

  Max stepped closer, a frown spreading over his face. “It looks like bronze,” he said. “No ancient South American culture used anything like this.”

  “It looks like there’s something written on it,” Katiya said. “Can you read it?”

  “No, most of it’s too worn.”

  Amanda and Tocchet suddenly appeared at Katiya’s side. Amanda stared at the plate. “I don’t think those letters are worn. I think they’re just covered with dust and dirt.”

  Max looked back at her. “You sure?”

  “Let’s find out,” Tocchet said. He walked over and set his rifle up against the stone base. Then he cupped his hands and stooped down. “Get on.”

  Max nodded then gingerly stepped into the soldier’s hands.

  “Careful,” Katiya said as Tocchet lifted him into the air.

  “Much better.” Max pulled a rag from his pocket and used it to wipe the bronze surface. Decades of dirt and dust floated into the air like flakes in a snow globe. After wiping for a few more seconds, he stopped and leaned closer. “It looks like we have five lines. Each line is written in a different language.” Suddenly his eyes narrowed.

  “What is it?” Katiya asked.

  He shook his head. “Just strange… the top two lines contain characters I’ve never seen before.”

  Katiya could scarcely believe what she’d just heard. Maxwell Cameron was one of the world’s foremost linguists. Even if he couldn’t read a certain language, he would at least recognize its letters.

  “Each line is short,” Amanda said. “Maybe it’s a name repeated in five languages.”

  Max ran his finger to the bottom. “I think you’re right. The first line uses our alphabet.”

  “What does it say?” Katiya asked.

  “It’s a little worn, but looks like Az… Aza… Azaral… or Azarel.” After staring for a bit longer, he said, “That fifth letter is an e if I’m not mistaken.”

  “Azarel?” Katiya asked.

  “Yes, Azarel.”

  A confused look spread across Amanda’s face. “Azarel… why does that name sound familiar?”

  “You recognize it?” Katiya asked.

  “I’m pretty sure I’ve heard it before.”

  “I also see the same name repeated in Greek and Hebrew,” Max said as Tocchet lowered him down again.

  Hebrew? The whole thing is growing more bizarre by the minute, Katiya thought.

  “Azarel,” Amanda whispered as she wandered to the next statue.

  Katiya paused to take a couple of flash pictures of the statue and its base. Whoever Azarel was, his face unsettled her. He had a malevolent expression, and his features didn’t even remotely resemble the indigenous people of Central and South America.

  As the others fanned out to explore on their own, Katiya walked through the rows, bouncing her beam back and forth. At the foot of each statue were various sculpted objects: swords, knives, necklaces, jewels, and sometimes food. She guessed that the items were somehow related to each figure.

  Suddenly, something at the back of the room drew her attention, bringing her to a stop.

  What is that?

  It was a statue, but it stood at least twenty or thirty feet taller than the others. The towering effigy was likely someone of great importance. A political or military leader, perhaps.

  When she arrived, she found a squat stone structure in front of the statue. As best she could tell, it was some form of altar. Adding weight to her supposition, there were dark splotches sprinkled across its surface. Blood, she thought.

  Who are you and why would people sacrifice to you?

  Stepping past, Katiya directed her beam at the statue. It was a soot-black effigy of a man. She moved the light up to his head. His demeanor was chilling. Bushy eyebrows sloped downward toward the top of the nose, producing a menacing stare. His nose was long and pointed, almost like a beak. It was one of the most evil-looking faces she’d ever seen.

  “Good grief, that’s creepy,” she muttered.

  “I’ll say,” replied a deep voice behind her.

  Katiya jumped and let out a little gasp. “Max, don’t do that!”

  “I saw you running back here and knew it had to be something important.”

  “Please don’t do that again… especially not in here.”

  Max looked up at the statue. “You’re right, that is one nasty-looking dude.”

  “It has another one of those plates,” Katiya said with a frown.

  “And once again there are five lines. Unfortunately, it’s even higher up than the first one.” Max moved over to the base. “Let’s try something. Keep your beam on it for a sec.” Tucking his flashlight into his belt, he lifted his binoculars and focused them on the script high above. “There, got it. No dust and dirt this time.”

  Katiya wondered if that was significant.

  “What does it say?”

  “I’m going to look at the bottom line again.” Katiya could see him turning the focus wheel. Finally, he said, “Looks like this one is Sem… Semyaza.”

  The name sounded oddly familiar to her. Where had she heard it? Amanda had recognized the first name, and now she recognized this one. That likely meant the statues represented important historical figures. But who were they and what era were they from?

  Max turned and seemed to notice the altar for the first time. He approached and used a fingernail to scratch at a dark blotch on one of the stones. “I think we both know what went on here.” He lifted his finger and smelled it.

  “Sorry, but I think after hundreds of years it’s probably lost its smell.”

  He shrugged. “Thought I’d give it a try. Wouldn’t surprise me if the indigenous still come here and use this place for something, even though they didn’t build it.”

  “I doubt it. I think they’re frightened of this mountain.”

  “So frightened they attacked one of our teams at its base? We know at least one tribe lives in the crater. And based on what we know about them, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they used this temple.”

  “Then what is the connection to these guys?” Katiya turned and looked at the statue again. “Who are they?”

  Someone spoke from behind
them. “I think I know.”

  Katiya and Max turned to find Amanda walking toward them. She directed her light toward the statue’s face. “Let me guess, that’s Semyaza?”

  Max’s eyes widened. “How did you know that?”

  “Because I finally figured out who they are… all of them.”

  Max gave her a skeptical frown. “So, who are they? Tell us.”

  “Fallen angels,” Amanda said.

  Katiya snapped her fingers. “Of course, the watchers… the fallen ones.”

  Max frowned. “Who?”

  “The fallen angels from the sixth chapter of Genesis.”

  Max tilted his head slightly. “I’m familiar with the biblical account, but I don’t recall any names being assigned to the fallen angels.”

  “That’s because the names aren’t given in the Bible,” Amanda said. “They’re given in the Book of Enoch. Genesis gives us an overview of what happened, but it’s the Book of Enoch that fills in all the details. For example, it tells us that when the angels first fell, they descended upon Mount Hermon.”

  Katiya nodded. “There’s the mountains and portals connection again.”

  Max folded his arms and leaned back against the altar. “So we know the names from the Book of Enoch. All right, fine. But why are they here? How would an ancient tribe of northern Brazil even know of their existence? Something doesn’t make sense.”

  “That’s a good question, and I think I have the answer.” Amanda paced for a moment then looked up at him. “Let’s back up for a second. When the bad angels fell to earth, the Bible says they found the women attractive and had relations with them. Those unions produced offspring known as the Nephilim.”

  “The giants,” Katiya said.

  “Yes, that was the first incursion of giants,” Amanda said. “In fact, the polluting of the gene pool was one of the reasons God sent the flood.”

  Katiya nodded. “That reminds me of something. Both the Mayans and the Aztecs have legends that speak of giants roaming the earth in what they call the first age, or the First Sun. Those legends also say that they were all killed by a massive flood. Don’t you find it interesting that their story mirrors the biblical account?”