by K. T. Tomb
Phoe stood as Eric and the rabbi stepped back a few feet.
The grinding gears got louder as the wall started to move. It started to slide to the right and into the wall behind the furnace.
Dust and mold fell to the floor as the grinding stopped to reveal an old metal door with the Star of David painted on it. The rabbi fell to his knees and clasped his hands together. He bowed his head and mumbled something unintelligible.
He looked up at Phoe and Eric with a stern expression. They both dropped to their knees behind him.
Rabbi Abel then stood and faced the siblings. “I am a rabbi and I will be the only one allowed to go inside. It is a sacred room. You must wait here.”
“Bullshit!” yelled Eric. His patience had reached its limit. He grabbed the key from the rabbi’s hand and pushed him away from the door. Phoe tried to help him.
Eric stuck the key in the keyhole in the metal door and turned. He heard a clicking sound as he pulled on the door.
As soon as the door was open, a strong wind came out from within the room. It blew Eric back several feet, before he managed to get a foothold. He pulled himself back to the entrance to the small room. He couldn’t go any further because of the wind.
Phoe tried to stand, but found it difficult. She worked her way around to the side of the door where the wind was not as strong. She inched her way over to where Eric was stalled.
“Eric!” she yelled over the sound of the wind. “Grab my hand! Maybe if we work together, we can get inside!”
He nodded his head in agreement. He held on to a piece of the wall as he reached out his left hand. She grabbed it with one hand and immediately, she was blown back behind her brother, nearly breaking his arm.
He didn’t let go.
The rabbi didn’t even try to move from the floor.
Eric gritted his teeth as he braced himself. His left was not his strong hand. He pulled his left arm toward the door with all of his might. In one motion, and with Phoe’s help, he managed to swing her around and through the doorway with the metal door. It closed once she was inside, leaving Eric and the rabbi alone in the basement.
* * *
It was dark. In fact, it was pitch black. There was no light coming from anywhere.
Phoe stayed perfectly still. She was still out of breath from the effort of getting into the room.
She couldn’t hear anything either. If Eric was calling for her or beating on the door, she didn’t know it.
She felt a strange sensation. It felt like her first roller coaster ride. She had never forgotten the way her stomach felt.
Sort of like now.
“Thalia Phoenix.” It was a calm, almost friendly, female voice. “Thalia Phoenix,” it repeated.
“Who…who are you?” she replied. “I can’t see you and it sounds like—”
“I’m in your mind?” the voice interrupted.
“Okay. That’s irritating. Where am I?” Phoe tried not to get scared.
The voice continued. “I am within your mind. You are here about the Spear of Destiny.”
Phoe cleared her mind. “Yes.”
“Do not try to lie to us! Your words echo your thoughts,” demanded the voice.
Phoe said nothing.
What the hell is this?
“This is a test, Thalia Phoenix.” The voice replied to her thoughts.
Phoe allowed her fear to take center stage. “Holy crap! Are you shitting me?”
There was silence.
She decided to play the game by the voice’s rules. “I’m sorry for cursing. I didn’t mean to offend you. What’s this all about?”
The voice replied. “Thank you for your apology. You are after the Spear of Destiny. If you lie to us, or do not know the answers, we will be able to know by reading your mind.”
It’s a good thing that Eric isn’t here, then.
“Perhaps it is. Shall we begin our test, Thalia Phoenix?”
Phoe said nothing.
The voice began the test. “Name three of the important people that had anything to do with the Spear between 1933 and 1943. Then describe how they came across it.”
Phoe thought for a moment. “I’m organizing my thoughts, so don’t count off for thinking. Let me see…Adolph Hitler thought that the Spear would make him seem unstoppable because of the significance. Lieutenant Walter Horn was a Nazi defector and art history major who interrogated several German prisoners. So, he would be the second.”
There was no answer from the voice, so Phoe continued, “Now, here’s the tricky part, because you mentioned the dates between 1933 and 1943. General Patton didn’t get his hands on the Spear until 1945. Patton became obsessed with it and wanted it because of the spiritual significance. He and Eisenhower argued as to whether the Spear should be returned to Austria. That’s where it was kept with the Roman crown jewels, before it changed hands. Wait! It has to be the German soldier Horn interrogated! The one who told him about the Spear to begin with! What was his name…Private Fritz Huber! Yes! That was his name…”
Phoe trailed off as she realized that she knew another man named Huber. Emmerich Huber. Her mother’s henchman.
“Good,” said the voice. “You already know that the Spear was on display in Austria. From there, tell us where it went.”
Us, again?
Phoe was glad that she had researched the Spear. “Okay. That’s a little vague, considering that there are five or six pretenders of the actual Spear of Destiny. The one that Hitler nabbed was actually from the seventh or eighth century A.D., which puts it in the hands of Charlemagne, but that didn’t prove it was the Spear. Anyway, I digress. Hitler had it. He buried it in a vault underneath the Nuremberg Castle. Private Huber told Lieutenant Horn where it was located. I believe that Patton got Horn’s report because Patton was a Christian and on the lookout for the Spear. Patton tried to get to the vault, but was distracted by the bombing of Nuremberg. Horn found the Spear in a crate. He assumed that it would go back to the Hofburg Palace or the museum, depending upon where you get your facts from. Patton wanted the Spear, but died from injuries sustained in a car accident. Eisenhower returned the Spear to Vienna. The trail has gone cold since, because it never made it back to Vienna.”
Phoe thought about all of the facts that she shared with the voice. Then she was shown one more thing which confirmed her suspicions. A light came on, covering a square foot of area. Even though it appeared to be some sort of video, Phoe knew that she saw it in her mind.
“The answer is so simple,” was all she could say.
“Congratulations, Thalia Phoenix. You passed the test. Share your knowledge wisely or choose not to share it at all.”
The door opened. The rabbi and Eric were stunned to see Phoe again.
Rabbi Abel saw a look of realization in Phoe. “You two must go now. Kol ha kavod!” he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders. He was proud.
Eric looked puzzled. “What’s Kol...whatever supposed to mean?”
The rabbi smiled without diverting his eyes from Phoe. “It means you have done a good job.”
Eric eyed Phoe suspiciously as she led him out of the basement.
Chapter Sixteen
Once they got past the two armed guards and hordes of reporters, Phoe and Eric entered the private room at Legacy Hospital. There were two more guards by the bed. The shades were drawn on the only window.
Simon was conscious. He was dressed in silk pajama bottoms. His bare chest was tightly wrapped with bandages. He wore a pained, but pleased expression. “Don’t you have a job to do?”
Phoe rolled her eyes. “We love you, too, Simon. We barely got in here with the media hoopla going on outside. I think you have all of Portland’s police officers here as well.”
Simon hit a button and the upper half of his bed elevated so he could sit up. He grimaced several times before the bed locked into place. “The police are here to keep the media in line. The price we billionaires pay, I’m afraid. I welcome the attention, of cour
se. Pam told you where I had been taken?”
Phoe nodded.
“Pam. A sweet girl, really.”
Eric investigated the closet and the bathroom.
Phoe stepped closer to Simon. “Pam was pissed. That makes two of us. I don’t know what the hell you pulled, but it appears that you’re bulletproof.”
Simon laughed as held his side. “Kevlar sweats, actually. Feel free to take them with you. You may need them. Did you find the Spear?”
Phoe sat on the bed. “No, but I know where it is.”
Eric pulled the Kevlar sweats out of the closet. “Yeah. She decided to keep that to herself.”
Simon fidgeted. “Don’t worry about why I did what I did, Phoe. I had my reasons. Eric won’t have to watch his back anymore.”
Eric perked up. “Mueller? You got Mueller?”
“Soon, Eric,” Simon replied. “Phoe. We need to talk about your mother.”
Phoe became agitated as she stood. “I know what I need to know, Simon. Don’t worry about me.”
“Can I have these?” Eric asked as he held up the sweats.
Simon nodded. “By all means. So, Phoe. Where is the Spear?”
Phoe’s excitement could barely be contained. She glanced at the two guards.
“They’re trusted. Go ahead,” Simon said.
Phoe took a breath. “Charles Danworth was a longtime associate of Dr. Robert Feather. You may not have heard of Danworth, but if you know anything about the Spear, then you know about Dr. Robert Feather. He’s a famous author, archeologist, and metallurgist.”
Eric and Simon listened intently.
Phoe continued, “Dr. Feather participated in a BBC documentary concerning the Spear of Destiny. The spearhead is actually all that is left of the Spear, but that’s never been found. Anyway, he’s the one who dated the Spear that was in his possession to the seventh or eighth century A.D. However, I learned that Charles Danworth worked closely with Dr. Feather. Danworth only wanted the opportunity to work with Feather. He didn’t want notoriety of any kind, which is why no one’s heard of him. He was, however, the other person to handle the Spear of Destiny during the testing. It was proven that Dr. Feather knew nothing of Danworth’s potential for treachery. Danworth also mysteriously died a short time later. He was secretive about something, even up to the day he died. The strange thing is where he’s buried.”
“Portland, Oregon,” Simon responded.
Phoe smiled. “Portland, Oregon. He’s buried at the Lone Fir Cemetery. Rumor has it that the Spear is buried with him.”
Eric glared at his sister. “How did you find that out? Did you find out from that weird room under the Jewish store?”
“The room was the first clue, Eric,” she responded. “The other clue was found at FindAGrave, which is a dot com web site. When we stopped at the jet to find out what happened to Simon, you started hitting on Pam. That’s when I did some online research.”
Simon inspected Eric’s face closely. “You actually look human now, Eric.”
Eric glanced at both Simon and Phoe. He then ran out of the room with the sweats in hand. The guards were about to pursue him, but Simon held out his hand to stop them.
Once Eric was gone, Phoe turned back to Simon. “It looks like our plan is coming to fruition, Simon. I knew Eric was playing me. He tagged along until he could get his hands on the Spear. He doesn’t care about anything except getting some cash to pay his debt. He’ll even sacrifice his family to do it.”
“Be careful, Phoe. You’re dealing with a lot of loose ends. Eric may not be the only one willing to sacrifice family for the Spear.”
Phoe hid her concern. “I know, Simon. I have to call my mother as well. I know she’s in Portland. Her greatest trick is making people think she’s somewhere other than where she really is. It was easy to put the pieces together once I knew who the players were.”
Simon laughed and then cringed in pain. “Sometimes, luck is with the prepared. I was lucky that although my body was protected, I didn’t get shot in the face. I suffered only a few broken ribs and more bruises than I care to think about. I do swear by the Kevlar sweats, though. Ha-ha!”
His smile faded. “I’ve done my part now, Phoe. I’ve distracted the media and the police. It’s your ballgame now. One thing, though. Is the real Spear buried with Danworth?”
Phoe started to walk out of the room. She then turned back to Simon. “What do you think?”
Chapter Seventeen
It was a chilly autumn afternoon. Leaves were blowing all over Lone Fir Cemetery, which stretched out over 30 acres in southeastern Portland, Oregon. In the last 168 years, there had been more than 25,000 burials there.
Luckily, Phoe knew where to look.
Phoe had the limo drop her off at the entrance. She found a massive beech tree that still had leaves to use as her base of operations. It was low to the ground and thick enough to use for cover. She could also climb it quickly if necessary. The best part of that particular tree was that it was within 100 feet of the burial plot for Charles Danworth. His grave was near the access road, which made it easier to spy on the vehicles.
She had made sure to pick up a couple of bottles of chocolate milk before the limo driver dropped her off.
Phoe opened one of the chocolate milk bottles and took a sip. She then took out her phone, sighed, and called her mother.
Her mother answered on the first ring. “Hello, Thalia. Why are you calling?”
Phoe shook her head. “Mom, I’m not going to beat around the bush. I know where the Spear of Destiny is buried.”
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Angelica Phoenix responded, “Why on earth would you think I would be a treasure hunter? Aren’t there enough people wasting their time doing that sort of thing?”
Phoe leaned against the broad trunk and peered through the large branches. She had a perfect view of the grave. “I’m not going to repeat myself, Mom. If you want the Spear, then meet me at Lone Fir Cemetery. I can’t be held responsible if you get here late.”
“Maybe I don’t take to orders well, Thalia.”
Angelica’s voice wasn’t coming from the phone anymore.
She was standing right behind her daughter.
Phoe turned around. She spilled her chocolate milk on the ground when she saw her mother standing there. They both put away their phones.
Phoe was livid. “How dare you play that shit with me!”
“Watch your mouth, Thalia,” her mother said. “I’m here to protect you. I don’t think you know what is truly going on here.”
Phoe was about to answer when she noticed Emmerich Huber and Andrew Selig standing about twenty feet back next to a Douglas fir. Selig was eating what appeared to be a hotdog. Huber looked impatient.
Phoe glared at the two henchmen. “What are they doing here? They’re not C.I.A. like you, Mother.”
If Phoe’s statement affected Angelica, she didn’t show it.
Angelica seldom showed her emotions. “I see that you’ve been talking to Eric. How is he? Is he eating?”
Phoe heard a car pulling up. She turned to see a taxi stop near Danworth’s grave. Eric got out of the back and handed the driver some money through the open car window.
The taxi drove off, leaving Eric standing alone. He immediately walked toward the burial plot and stood in front of it. He placed his hands in his jacket pockets and kept moving to try to stay warm.
Angelica and Phoe continued to watch Eric without making a sound. Huber and Selig remained quiet as well.
Phoe grabbed her last bottle of chocolate milk and turned to her mother. “Stay here. Don’t follow me.” Phoe scowled as she walked past Huber and Selig. She then disappeared behind a clump of trees.
* * *
It was now dusk as Angelica Phoenix watched as several Mini Coopers drove up to where Eric stood. When the last car arrived, she counted a total of fifteen.
She looked around to see if they had spotted her daughter, but even sh
e had lost sight of where she had gone. Huber and Selig stepped closer to the beech tree to remain hidden from view.
Several of Mueller’s henchmen exited the vehicles and took positions around the area to secure it. They each had semi-automatic weapons with lights attached. Mueller came out next.
Lukas Mueller wore a black parka and matching thin gloves. He walked straight to Eric. Eric fidgeted. He was intimidated by Mueller’s presence.
Mueller looked at the grave headstone. Charles Danworth. There was a grave next to Danworth’s. Patsy Friends O.E. “Which one, Phoenix?”
Eric looked at both headstones. “Danworth. She said Danworth.”
Mueller waved to two of his men. They took two shovels out of the backseats of one of the cars. Mueller grabbed them and threw one of them down on the grave. The other, he handed to Eric.
Eric looked around at Mueller’s army. He decided to pick up one of the shovels and started to dig in front of Danworth’s headstone.
Eric looked at the other shovel as he dug. “Expecting company?”
Mueller smiled. “Company’s already here.”
Angelica, Huber, and Selig all came walking out from behind the beech tree with their hands in the air. Behind them were four of Mueller’s armed men.
Eric wished that their mother wasn’t involved. There were several reasons. “Mom. Nice to see you.”
Angelica refused to smile. “Eric. How have you been? Are you eating?”
* * *
Phoe had worked her way around to a mausoleum. It gave her a good vantage point as well as keeping her concealed. When Mueller’s army showed up, she made it a point to watch where some of the armed men were stationed.
She also watched as her mother was captured. She sighed and got back to business.
It was time to even the odds, if they were all going to make it out alive. She decided to go after two of the armed men who had already stopped to light cigarettes. They weren’t in Mueller’s line of sight, which made her ambush that much easier.