by R D Shah
‘What did they find?’ Chloe’s keen, demanding look brought a smile to Harker’s face as he found himself getting caught up in the story.
‘They found numerous Christian relics but the game-changer was a book. A book bound in leather. A book written in Aramaic. A book …’
‘I get it, Alex.’ Chloe cried out impatiently, increasingly annoyed by Harker’s dramatic recital, ‘It was a book plain and simple.’
‘Do you want to hear this or not,’ he replied sharply. ‘Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to tell this to someone, since Brulet first told it to me? Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to know so much and yet be able to impart so little of it to anyone else? I just wanted to have a little fun with it, that’s all.’
Chloe already looked slightly guilty and she offered an apologetic smile. ‘Sorry, Alex, please continue. There was a book … a leather book …’
‘No, forget it.’ Harker replied with a wave of his hand. ‘You’ve ruined the moment.’
‘Please,’ Chloe asked pleadingly, with an exaggerated fluttering of her eyelashes.
‘Fine,’ Harker continued but this time in a much more serious tone. ‘The book they found was a gospel – and not just any gospel. They found the gospel.’
‘What do you mean? Whose was it?’ There was no trace of sarcasm.
‘Jesus Christ himself. It was the gospel according to Jesus Christ, in his own words.’
Chloe was now clearly riveted. ‘Is that true?’
‘Yes, it is,’ Harker replied. ‘I know because I myself have read it. Initially I only saw a copy but some months back I was given access by the Templars to the original, and it is genuine.’
‘What did it say?’ she asked in nothing more than a whisper.
‘It said a lot but there was one passage that affected the Templars to their core …’ Harker prepared himself to recite the excerpt. ‘And so I say to all God’s children who wish to follow my teachings, do not do so in a place of worship set apart from where it truly matters. If you wish to honour me, then observe my teachings in your daily life and in full view of the world around you. For my message is not something to be regulated, like in a Roman court of justice, but must roam free in the hearts and minds of those who wish to see the Lord’s kingdom that lies beyond, and in doing so will change the face of both man and earth forever.’
Chloe remained silent as she chewed over these words and their implications. ‘That contradicts the entire way the church is set up, from attending mass to the governing hierarchy!’
‘That’s what the Templars concluded,’ Harker confirmed, ‘and even though they decided to remain silent and keep it hidden, that all changed when they were betrayed by the very people whom they were sworn to protect.’
Chloe shuffled to the edge of her seat as if closing the distance between herself and Harker would make his revelation somehow more real. ‘So what exactly have the Templars been doing for the last seven hundred years?’
‘They’ve been pushing the Church in a different direction, whilst doing their best to protect the old one.’
‘How so?’
‘It was Templar advisers that encouraged Henry VIII to create the Church of England, by supporting the idea of Protestantism at every turn. If you think about it, they’ve been remarkably successful at it, too. All Catholics are Christian but no Christian would necessarily consider themselves Catholic, and there are more Christians in today’s world than merely Catholics.’
Chloe took a moment to soak up this information, then glanced up with a renewed glint of inquisitiveness in her eyes. ‘So what about the Magi? What have they got to do with all this?’
‘Whilst the Templars have spent their time trying to create a new path for the church, the Magi have been trying to control it. You’ll recall Pope Adrian VII?’
‘He’s a Magi?!’
‘Yes, and they were going to use the cloned Christ child that they created as a tool to bring about a new spiritual revolution, with the Magi standing at the helm.’
‘That’s cunning,’ Chloe replied.
Harker nodded. ‘And they would have succeeded, if it hadn’t been for the Templars.’
‘And you, from the sounds of it,’ Chloe remarked frankly.
‘I played a part, yes,’ Harker replied though not wanting to sound too pretentious.
‘So where is the child now?’
‘The Templars had him and his mother in protective custody – until Claire Dwyer kidnapped him.’
‘That’s the name Sebastian mentioned.’ Chloe motioned to the armrest and the monitor contained within it.
‘She was a friend of mine who turned out to be a Magi spy.’
‘Magi? So that’s why you thought the Magi had the child?’
‘Yes. But, since we confronted Strasser back in Warsaw, I now know that’s not true.’
He turned his attention away from Chloe and stared thoughtfully though the window and into the dark skies beyond. ‘There are two things that connect the Templars, the Magi and the Skoptsy, and each of them points to a single disturbing conclusion and a question that for the moment is unanswerable, yet must be answered if the conclusion is in fact correct.’
‘What are these two connections?’ She edged still closer.
‘One is that all three now believe that the Secrets, prophecies or whatever you want to call them, hold some kind of power that can affect the real world around us. And secondly they believe the child is the key to determining the outcome.’
‘So what’s the disturbing conclusion?’ Chloe asked, already suspecting the answer but still wanting to hear Harker’s take on it.
‘With everything we are now seeing, the disturbing conclusion has to be that humanity, after two thousand years of its religious history, is finally approaching the end of the world as we know it … namely Armageddon.’
Chloe’s eyes dulled as the logic of her own existence deserted her and she felt like nothing more than a shell, an empty husk with nothing to fill it. ‘So, with all that on our shoulders, what’s the question?’
Harker turned away from the window and offered her a confused smile. ‘Where and what the hell is the fourth Secret?’
‘I thought Sebastian said to forget about that.’
‘He did,’ Harker mused, rubbing at his chin, ‘but I just can’t shake off the feeling that somehow it’s at the centre of all this.’
Minutes passed as they stared at one another in silence, each filled with a sense of hopelessness that seemed to radiate from their bodies like an unnerving vortex of invisible energy tugging at their self-confidence. Eventually it was Chloe who broke this mood of increasing futility with six simple words that pulled Harker instantly back from the depths of depression.
‘Do you want to have sex?’
Her question drew a surprised laugh from him as a wide smile crossed his face.
Chloe continued and completely serious, ‘I mean if this is really it, then why not go out with a bang? No pun intended.’
Harker was already opening his mouth in readiness for a reply when Captain Jones’s voice crackled over the intercom.
‘I’ve received the exact location in the Ukraine, and am now adjusting our heading, but we’re coming up against some severe electrical storms, so I’d ask that you both strap yourself in. This is going to be a rough trip.’
Both Harker and Chloe burst into laughter, their eyes still fixed on one another and, when this finally subsided, Harker was the first to speak.
‘Rain-check? If, of course, we survive.’
‘If we survive? Maybe,’ came Chloe’s answer and she was now looking somewhat flushed.
Harker shook his head at the maybe part and then turned towards the cockpit. ‘Captain, what exactly is our destination?’
‘You gonna love this,’ Jones replied. ‘It’s Pripyat.’
‘Pripyat!’ Harker replied with disbelief in his voice.
‘Yep. Should take us a couple of hours but I’ve g
ot no idea yet where the hell we’re gonna land.’
‘Pripyat?’ Chloe questioned, as Harker turned back to her. ‘I’ve never heard of it.’
‘That’s because most people know it better by the town its next to.’
‘Why, what’s that town called?’
‘Chernobyl,’ Harker yelled as he struggled to be heard above the thunder now booming outside. ‘It’s the abandoned and radiated city of Chernobyl.’
Chapter 27
‘Welcome to the Ukraine, Professor Harker. I’m Michael Shroder.’
Harker made his way down the Gulfstream’s exit steps, followed closely by Chloe, and shook their host’s waiting hand. ‘Call me Alex and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Michael. This is my friend Doctor Chloe Stanton.’
‘Nice to meet you, Mr Shroder,’ Chloe said before shaking the man’s hand.
‘I know who you are, Doctor Stanton, and please, call me Michael.’
She nodded courteously and shot Harker a questioning glance, encouraging him to voice what they were both thinking.
‘We appreciate the welcome, Michael, but without sounding rude … who are you?’
‘Of course, my apologies and, given the circumstances, you have every reason to be wary.’ Shroder took a step backwards so as not to appear threatening in any way and he retrieved a small leather wallet from his trouser pocket. ‘Sebastian Brulet asked me to offer you every bit of support I could.’ Shroder held out the wallet in front of him before flipping it open to reveal an ID card.
‘MI6?’ Harker seemed impressed by the credentials. ‘You’re a spook?’
Shroder gave an amused laugh. ‘Well, I prefer the term Government agent, but essentialy yes, and I am now at your disposal.’
‘Then we’re very grateful for the assistance.’
‘You’re welcome. I would have contacted you earlier but, as you may have found out for yourselves, the mobile network has gone down.’
This was news to Harker. He had connection issues back in Warsaw airport but that had rectified itself upon arriving in Jerusalem. He retrieved his iPhone and noted for himself the lack of signal strength. ‘When did that happen?’
‘Just during the last few hours,’ Shroder explained. ‘There’s no news as to why yet, but it does mean things have become a bit isolated for the moment.’
‘Which networks have been affected?’ Harker dropped the iPhone back in his pocket.
‘So far as I can tell, all of them.’
‘That’s strange.’
‘Yes it is. Very strange.’
Shroder pointed behind him to a white Vogue Range Rover parked at the side of the runway. ‘I’ve arranged for you all the necessary permits to enter Chernobyl’s exclusion zone, so if you’re now ready to leave …’
‘Just one moment, Michael,’ Harker said as he gently took Chloe by the arm and guided her to one side. ‘I need you to stay here with the plane.’
Her look of indignation caused Harker to immediately raise his hands in front of him defensively. ‘Look, I know you want to come, but I have no idea what we’re going to find, and I would feel much better knowing that you’re safely here.’
But Chloe was already shaking her head firmly from side to side, clearly not prepared to accept his suggestion in the slightest. ‘So you’re worried about my safety? I can take care of myself, as I think I’ve proved already.’
‘It’s not your safety I’m worried about, Chloe … It’s mine.’
‘Yours?’
He moved closer to her so as to be out of earshot of Shroder and Captain Jones, who were now standing at the aircraft’s exit hatch making small talk.
‘I’m not going to get myself double-crossed again, so if this Shroder character returns without me, I want you to get the hell out of here and make contact with Brulet as soon as possible. You must tell him that he needs to get his own team out to Pripyat as quickly as possible, because if I do disappear, you can guarantee that I uncovered something.’
She remained silent as she scanned his face for any hint of a lie.
‘You’re the only one I really trust, Chloe.’
She continued to study his expression for a few more moments, then her shoulders slumped reluctantly. ‘OK, I’ll do it, but how do you know Captain Jones back there isn’t a double-crosser as well?’
Although relieved that she was acceding to his wishes, Harker didn’t show it and he continued to wear a serious expression. In truth he didn’t want to have to be concerned with Chloe’s safety, and it would be easier for him to do some snooping alone because it would attract less attention. But if Shroder did turn out to be another Avi, then Chloe would be vital in getting word back to Brulet, assuming the mobile network didn’t come back online any time soon.
‘I’m pretty sure Captain Jones is on the level, and any way Brulet knows he’s with us so that’s a good enough indication, but I need you to be our last resort if anything bad happens, OK?’
Chloe finally nodded. ‘I understand. I’ll stay here. But Alex,’ she continued, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it reassuringly, ‘You be sure to make it back, you understand?’
‘I understand,’ Harker replied, then made his way over to the Range Rover before briefly turning back to face her. ‘Besides, I’ve got that potential rain-check to cash in, remember.’
The comment drew a guarded laugh from her, and she offered him a brief wave as he climbed in through the Range Rover’s passenger-door and slammed it shut behind him.
‘Just us, then?’ Shroder asked, while strapping himself in.
‘Yes, I don’t want her getting further involved if I can help it,’ Harker gestured back towards Chloe. ‘There’s too many unknowns and I’ve no idea what we’re going to find here.’
‘Well, that makes two of us, Professor. Sebastian seems convinced that Pripyat is connected with all those global disasters, but he was very sketchy on the why.’
‘That’s because the details themselves are sketchy, I’m afraid,’ Harker offered respectfully.
‘But you do reckon that these Secrets,’ Shroder probed further as he started up the Range Rover’s engine and began navigating his way towards the airstrip’s entrance gate, ‘are responsible for everything that’s been going on?’
‘It is a definite possibility,’ Harker replied cautiously. ‘Even if I am having a difficult time accepting that without feeling like a nut. What do the intelligence services think?’
‘Well, of course, none of them has an inkling about these Secrets of yours,’ Shroder answered firmly. ‘MI6 deals in fact not fantasy, so naturally they’re scrutinising the numerous terrorist organisations.’
‘And what do you yourself think, Michael?’ Harker pressed, feeling slightly idiotic at Shroder’s use of the word fantasy. ‘Are you at all religious?’
‘If I wasn’t a tad religious I wouldn’t be associated with the Templars, but I’ll admit my faith has waned somewhat over the years,’ Shroder replied. ‘However, when I saw half of Vatican City disappear into the ground … I won’t lie to you that my belief was stirred a bit.’
They reached the airstrip’s entrance, which was no more than a gap in the surrounding hedge, and turned on to the main road leading towards Pripyat. Shroder was still mulling over Harker’s question regarding his belief. ‘It’s an odd sensation, you know.’
‘What is?’ Harker asked checking that his seat belt was secure as a deep pothole in the road sent the Range Rover and both its passengers bouncing upwards.
‘Retaining Christian belief, in the modern world.’
‘How so?’ Harker asked, rubbing his knee where it had impacted with the dashboard.
‘A person can have absolute belief in religion, and the concept of miracles and prophecies is part of that acceptance on some level, but when confronted with these notions head-on, such as with recent events, the same people usually have a great difficulty in taking them seriously and immediately look instead to terrorists.’
Harker managed
a nod but remained silent.
‘The strange thing is that it’s usual before any terrorist attack for the chatter to go quiet.’
‘Chatter?’ Harker questioned being unfamiliar with the term.
‘Communication between terrorist groups and their people,’ Shroder explained. ‘We term it chatter and it always goes silent right before an attack in case we could pick up any communication that might reveal details of the planned strike. I contacted one of my American friends with the Company and he told me that the chatter being received at the NSA didn’t even blink throughout, and even increased during it.’
‘What does that imply?’ Harker asked, although already understanding its significance but wanting to hear Shroder’s professional assessment.
‘It implies that the usual terrorist groups were just as surprised as we were.’
* * *
Their forty-five minute journey to the exclusion zone proved a welcome respite for Harker, even if he had managed to grab some sleep during the continual electrical storm that Captain Jones had correctly predicted for their flight over. Chloe had not been so fortunate, given her terror of thunderstorms, and she had remained silent and rigid throughout. In stark contrast, Shroder had seemed highly curious about Harker’s reason for venturing into this radioactive area that had seen the worst nuclear-reactor disaster of all time, when one of the cooling towers had gone into meltdown back in ’86. The poisoned dust cloud thrown into the atmosphere had then circled the globe and was thought to have caused a million cases of thyroid cancer worldwide, even if the Soviet government had recorded only thirty-six deaths, and almost all of them related to accidents occurring during the subsequent clean-up. Typical Soviet propaganda in action. A thousand-square-mile exclusion zone had been set up around Chernobyl within days of the accident, and its thousands of residents evacuated.