by David Wood
“What did he say?” Angel’s jaw was set and she looked like she was ready to punch anyone within arm’s reach.
Otto held up a hand and shook his head. He took out a cell phone and made a call. His voice sounded both grave and urgent. When he finally hung up, he turned back to Angel. “I apologize. I felt I should call the authorities right away.” He gave a quick shake of the head as if to jar his mind back on track. “The priest said the skulls must never be seen or people will lose faith. He begs us to take them away.” Otto scratched his head. “After that, I think he was confused. He said all the priests were dead and he had to share the secret or it could be lost forever.”
“What story?” Bones asked.
“I do not know. As I said, he sounded confused, though he was insistent that I listen to him. I could see in his eyes that it was important.”Otto looked around. “He mentioned the Milan Madonna, as you would say it in English, which is back there.” He pointed to a statue that stood beyond the altar, far to the right, where the first chapel began. “It is a well-known work of art.” Otto shrugged.
“He said something else,” Dane said. “It sounded like ‘dry’ something or other.”
“Dreihasenbild. The three hares.” When everyone looked puzzled, Otto continued. “The three hares is a symbol found on many churches, cathedrals, and other sites of religious significance, from England all the way to the Far East. It depicts three hares chasing one another in a circle. The image is rendered in such a way that each hare has two ears, but there are only three ears in total in the image.”
“I’ve heard of it,” Jade said, “though it’s not my area of expertise. It’s a symbol of the Trinity, is it not?”
“It can be.” Otto nodded. “But to the Pagans it can represent fertility or the moon cycle.”
“How does fertility connect with the Madonna?” Angel rose to her feet, finally turning away from the priest.
“She got fertile after Jesus was born, didn’t she?” Bones said.
“You’re a pig.” Angel scowled at her brother.
“No, really. I mean, he had brothers and sisters.”
“That is true.” Otto almost managed a smile. “In the middle ages, it was believed that the rabbit was a hermaphrodite that could reproduce without losing virginity, hence the connection to the Blessed Mother.”
“I get it.” Bones nodded. “So it’s not an Easter Bunny thing.” Everyone ignored him.
“Otto,” Dane began, “what was that last thing he said?”
“Ewige. It translates to English as eternal, perpetual, everlasting.”
“He didn’t get the last word out.” Angel folded her arms across her chest. “It started with an “l” though.”
“What’s the German word for life?” Bones asked.
“Leben.”
“You mean like Chris Leben?” Angel grinned. “Chris Life doesn’t really suit that guy.” When Otto frowned she shrugged. “Sorry. He and I are in the same line of work.”
“If he was trying to say ‘eternal life,’ that would make sense, wouldn’t it?” Bones asked. “He’s a priest and this is a church.”
“If I was dying,” Angel added, “that would certainly be on my mind.”
Otto shrugged. “I just cannot believe this. Why would someone kill these poor men, and why would they want the bones of the Magi?”
“Why would they bust open the sarcophagus and not take the bones?” Jade asked. “Unless these skulls were not what they expected to find.”
“I do not think anyone expected to find skulls like...that.” Otto took a deep breath and, as he exhaled, seemed to deflate a little bit. “It is all too much. I do not understand why this has happened.”
Dane chewed on his lower lip. The gears in his mind were turning at a rapid clip. He had a sixth sense about secrets and mysteries, and something told him there was more to the priest’s final words than mere confusion.
“As long as we’ve got to wait here until the police come, we might as well do a little searching. See if we can make sense of what the priest was saying.”
“Great,” Bones deadpanned. “Another Maddock mystery.”
“I’m game.” Angel headed straight for the Milan Madonna and looked it up and down. “What exactly should I be looking for?”
“Maybe the three rabbit thing?” Bones said, coming up to join her. “He did make a point to mention it.”
Dane turned and scanned the seven chapels. The priest had said “Mailänder Madonna” but he had pointed to the left side of the chevet– the side opposite the Madonna. He carefully stepped around the shattered bulletproof glass that lay scattered around the altar and moved into the chevet.
Each chapel was a recessed area containing works of art. He inspected them one by one, looking for... he didn’t know what exactly. He thought Bones was on the right track in searching for the three hares. It was the sort of out-of-place symbol that might bear significance in a place like this.
His eyes were drawn to a large, busy painting. As he drew close, Otto joined him.
“The Adoration of the Magi. It depicts the donors being presented to the Madonna.” He indicated the figures in the foreground. “In the back are shown scenes around the birth of the Christ child.”
“The title is promising.” On either side of the painting, a figure knelt before a draped table, and on each drape a symbol was rendered– a dark background with three shapes. His heart racing, Dane moved closer, but was disappointed to find that the symbols were fleur-de-lis, not hares. He took hold of the frame and pulled, but it did not budge. He gave it a push, which made no difference either.
Jade sidled up to him and peered at the painting with keen interest. “You think there’s something here, Maddock?”
“I don’t know. Just checking it out.” He ignored the foreground for the moment and examined the background images. The world swam in his peripheral vision, and he was about to give up when something caught his eye. “Otto, what is this scene?”
“That is the Christ Child being presented in the temple.”
He could clearly make out the scene in the temple, but the artist had slipped some odd images into the scene: a child performing a handstand, a flock of birds, and animal that could have been a cat, or perhaps a rabbit, and...”
“What is this here?” He indicated a brown triskelion-like shape in front of one of the temple columns.
Otto leaned in close and his eyes widened with surprise when they fell on the spot Dane indicated. “Ja! I think it might be the three hares!”
Dane wasted no time. He placed his thumb over the image, grimacing at the thought of daMaging the work of art. He pressed down gently. There was definitely something underneath, a raised bump or... a button. Before he could change his mind, he pressed down hard.
He felt the raised area give way, heard a click, and a loud scraping sound filled the silent cathedral. He sprang back, putting his arms out to shield Jade and Otto, but there was no need. The portion of the wall where the painting hung slid forward. Dane stepped around behind it and saw a hole in the floor just big enough for a person to enter. There was no ladder, but he could see handholds cut into the stone.
“Sweet!” Bones was leaning over his shoulder, looking down at the passageway Dane had discovered. “Me first!”
Otto gaped at the discovery. “I cannot believe this.” He gave a sad smile. “It seems I am saying that a great deal this evening.” He straightened and looked Dane in the eye. “Clearly the priest was not confused. There is a mystery here, though I cannot iMagine what it is all about.” He turned to Jade. “There could be much at stake here, and if there is a secret, it should be entrusted to someone who understands the value of history and of spirituality.” He held out his hand. “I trust you.”
They shook hands and exchanged a solemn look.
“Go now. Die polizei should be here soon. I am a regular visitor here, so my presence will not rouse suspicion. Perhaps we can keep you and this mystery out of
the public eye until you can uncover the truth.”
They thanked Otto and, one by one, climbed down into the darkness. Bones led the way and Dane brought up the rear. As he descended into the shaft, he saw Otto wave goodbye and reach up to press the button on the painting. The section of wall slid back into place, plunging them into darkness.
Chapter 3- Temple
Dane took it slow, careful not to rush Jade and Angel who were not experienced climbers. A faint light blossomed down below. Bones was holding his latest favorite gadget- a combination ink pen, flashlight, and laser pointer that he frequently used to entertain cats and annoy everyone else. When he reached the bottom, he fished his own keychain flashlight out of his pocket and he and Bones shone their lights all around.
They were in a circular chamber, the stones fitted neatly together with expert craftsmanship. He saw no doorways, trapdoors, or anything that would indicate a means of egress.
“Dead end?” Angel looked around. “I sure don’t see anything here.”
“Places like this are never as they seem.” Dane hoped he wasn’t about to be made to look the fool. “The sign of the three hares is what got us down here, so I’d guess we’re looking for something similar.”
“You mean like what’s right next to your foot?” Jade too had taken out a small flashlight and directed the beam down at the floor where Dane stood. A manhole-sized disc carved with the three hare symbol was set in the floor.
“Why am I the only one with no flashlight?” Angel stood with her arms folded. “It’s not exactly an essential, yet you all have one?”
“We’re archaeologists,” Jade explained as she and Dane knelt down to give the disc a closer examination. “You never know when you’re going to find yourself crawling into a cave or a dark tunnel.” She held her flashlight in her teeth, grasped the disc with both hands, and tugged. It did not budge.
“Maybe it turns. Let’s get some extra muscle on it.” Dane found handholds on the raised portion of the carving and was surprised when Angel lent a hand.
“You want muscle? You want me, not Bones. He’s a wuss.” She flashed her brother an evil grin. He, in turn, flashed her an obscene gesture, which only elicited a laugh. “On three?”
Dane counted to three and they heaved. The stone circle held fast for a moment, then gave way so suddenly that Dane almost fell on his face. They continued rotating the stone until it came free, then slid it aside. Damp, musty air, warmed by the earth far below the frozen streets, rose up to meet them. It was a short drop to a narrow passageway down below.
Angel looked at him with questioning eyes.
“In for a penny, in for a pound.” Dane pocketed his light, dropped down into the tunnel, and stepped out of the way. The others followed in short order.
The passage in which they found themselves was scarcely wide enough for two people to walk abreast, and the ceiling was so low that it barely cleared the top of Bones’ head. It ran only about ten paces in each direction, each end terminating at a stone door flanked by Doric columns and surmounted by a Roman-style arch.
“So, do we take the left turn at Albuquerque?” Bones flicked his light back and forth, examining each door in turn. “Of course, I don’t see any rabbits in here.”
The figures of five women were carved in each door. The women on the left held containers and gazed out with expectant expressions on their faces. Dane marveled at the skill of the sculptor whose stonework could convey such emotion. The women in the carving to the right averted their faces, some looking down, and one even covering her face with the hem of her cloak.
“Weird.” Dane mulled their options. “I know which door I’m inclined to stay away from,” he indicated the women with downcast and averted faces, “but I’d like something more solid to go on.”
Jade narrowed her eyes and looked like she was about to say something when Angel chimed in.
“I know this story. These are the ten virgins!” She smiled punched Bones in the shoulder. “Dude! I remember it from vacation Bible school when we were kids.”
“I was going to say the same thing,” Jade agreed. “Not my specialty, but I felt pretty sure. Angel just confirmed it.”
“Ten virgins. Nice.” Bones grinned and danced out of the way before Angel could punch him again.
“So what’s the story?” It sounded familiar to Dane, but that was about it.
“It’s a parable, also known as the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Ten virgins waited late into the night for the bridegroom to arrive. The foolish virgins,” Jade pointed to the door on the right, “were unprepared and had no oil for their lamps. They are left out of the marriage feast. The wise virgins were prepared, so they were rewarded. It’s supposed to be a lesson to always be ready for the second coming. To always keep the light burning, so to speak.”
“Wise Virgins,” Dane looked to the door on the left, “and Wise Men.” He looked upward. “Can’t be a coincidence.”
“Let’s do it.” Bones strode to the door.
“Wait up!” Angel said, hurrying after him. “You guys have done crap like this before. I’ve never gotten to open a big, scary door.”
Bones stepped aside. “Be my guest.” He motioned with both hands, doorman-style, and shook his head like a bemused parent as she brushed past him.
What had looked like a single door was actually two. A fine line ran up the center, and an iron ring was set on each side. “Here we go. One for each of us.” Angel grabbed hold of one of the rings and indicated Bones should take the other. They heaved in unison, and the doors swung outward on unseen hinges. The space behind was pitch black. Angel put a hand out, as if the darkness itself had substance.
“Somebody with a flashlight can go first.”
Chuckling, Bones led the way. They entered a room twenty paces long and ten across. Columns lined the walls and arches rose up to support the vaulted ceiling. An altar of white marble stood in the center of the room. At the far end the figure of a nude man was carved into the wall. He held a cup in one hand and an ivy-wrapped staff in the other, and leaned against a stump wrapped in grape vines with bunches of grapes hanging from the top.
“Dionysus.” Bones said. “God of wine and hard-partying. That’s the man right there!”
“Bacchus, actually.” Jade shone her light on the figure. “He’s the Roman version of Dionysus. Subtle differences but, in essence, the same.”
“A temple to one of the old Roman gods down here underneath one of the best-known cathedrals in the world?” Dane shook his head. “This is crazy.”
“Maybe not. The Romans came here in 50 AD, long before Christianity took hold in their empire. There are plenty of Roman ruins in, and even under, Cologne. I’ll wager this place pre-dates the cathedral.” Jade played her light around the temple. “It’s interesting that the way down here was preserved, and that someone along the way didn’t destroy it. You’d think the church would consider this place blasphemous.”
Dane mulled that over as he approached the altar. The darkness in the room had hidden what lay atop it. It was a black figure of vaguely human shape. His first, terrible thought was of a badly burnt child, but when the beam of his light fell upon the crowned head, he knew it was something else entirely.
“Jade, do you see what I see?”
“It’s the Milan Madonna!” Jade hurried to the altar and leaned down for a closer look.” She glanced up at the confused faces all around her. “The Madonna upstairs is actually the second one. The old cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1248, and it was thought the original Madonna was destroyed as well, but apparently not, because here she is.”
“The priest must have wanted us to find her, but why?” Dane looked down at the blackened figure. Only the head was recognizable. The rest merely a scorched remnant of what had once been a classic work of art.
“I’ve got a crazy idea.” Bones moved around the altar and stood at the Madonna’s head. “You’ve got the three kings. Kings wear crowns.” With that, he placed a hand on t
he statue’s head, grasped the crown in the other, and twisted.
Dane winced, wondering if his friend was going to destroy a piece of history, but the crown came free in his hand.
“It’s hollow.” Jade reached inside and withdrew a stone disc about the width of a man’s hand. She held it up and shone her light on it. The three hares were carved on one side, and tiny writing was engraved in an ever-tightening spiral on the back. “It’s German,” she whispered, “an old form. We’ll need someone to translate this for us.”
Everyone jumped as the silence was broken by the sound of stone sliding on stone and a loud crash reverberated through the temple as the doors swung closed. Dane and Bones hurried over and pushed against them, but the doors did not budge. Jade and Angel joined them, and they searched for a release lever, but to no avail. They were trapped.
Chapter 4- Heilig Herrschaft
Niklas looked both ways before exiting the treasury. It had been a frustrating search. The American, who had been put in charge of this mission, had said that they were looking for “instructions” and that he would know it when he found it. The man’s face had contorted with rage when they had opened the Shrine of the Three Kings and found only those strange skulls. Of course, the man’s scarred face, partly hidden by the wraparound sunglasses he wore day and night, always looked like it was twisted into a scowl.
The priests had been of no use. They had tortured them one by one and hadn’t gotten a thing out of them. The ensuing search, thorough but careful, had proved equally fruitless. Niklas exchanged nervous glances with Ulrich as they stood in the snow and waited for their leader to give them further instructions.
The American was a bear of a man with a personality to match. Despite his battered body and pronounced limp, he moved with a confident, deadly air, like a caged beast ready to be unleashed at any moment. Niklas had seen him lose control only once, and it was not a sight he wanted to ever witness again.