Ancients (event group thriller)

by David L. Golemon

  Jack glanced at Carl and allowed him to state the obvious.

  "I take it you really need that blue diamond in order for it to work?"

  "Yes. However, Carmichael and I believe they are not waiting for the Key to be unearthed. We were told that the weapon would work on a small scale and still be able to target areas indirectly. We have learned this from Coalition members that have left their society from time to time. The earthquakes in the Middle East, the strikes in North Korea and Russia--coupled with the murder of Jackson, it adds up to Coalition involvement."

  "Wait. You're basing all of this speculation from a story handed down to you? You're just guessing at this weapon's strength and the entire story on just hearsay. That's a stretch," Everett said.

  "Normally I wouldn't expect you to believe it, Captain Everett, but in this case it's just a bit more than mere hearsay. The professor that discovered the maps and the scrolls and studied the designs in detail was named Peter Rothman--Carr's grandfather. The man the Coalition murdered in their pursuit of the weapon."

  Everett remained stock-still and Jack nodded in understanding.

  "Okay, so it's a little more than hearsay. Sorry to hear about your grandfather," Everett said, feeling like an ass.

  "What would be the gain if North and South Korea went to war?" Jack asked, to get the conversation moving again.

  "The gain is a weaker United States, Colonel, one that would no longer have the moral high ground on any world matter. With the harvest failures in Russia and China and their capitals and major cities leveled by earthquakes by the Atlantean Wave, the governments would not survive unless they were propped up by someone, or some entity."

  "The Coalition," Jack said.

  "Correct."

  "Why the murder raid on Mr. Keeler's office?"

  "That is the point we need to get to," Martha said. "As you know, the plate map was sent to Jackson Keeler's father. Just before the Coalition traced it to him with the help of the Nazis, he sent it away to a secure location. His son was the first recipient and then it was given to another Ancient for safekeeping."

  "Who was it given to and where is it?" Carl asked.

  "Where it's been for the past seventy years, young man: in a safe."

  "Where's the safe?" Jack asked.

  "Aboard a warship of the U.S. Navy--the very ship Jackson Keeler's brother was assigned to. Lieutenant Keeler did as instructed by his father and passed it to a secret member of the last family of Atlantis--the captain of his ship. The plate map remains onboard to this day."

  "What warship is still active where the plate could be after all of these years?" Jack asked, perplexed.

  "The USS Arizona," Martha answered.

  Jack and Carl looked away from the two old people and stared at each other for a moment. Collins wanted to say something but was speechless. Everett, on the other hand, was not.

  "Jesus, Jack."

  Collins and Everett were almost running down the hallway to get the information to Niles in Washington, when they heard a female voice call out from behind them. Jack saw Sarah McIntire running toward them, but the two military men did not slow down. Collins just waved her forward.

  "Don't have time, McIntire," was all he said when she breathlessly caught up to them. "You'll be given a new assignment as soon as we clear it with Virginia and Niles. You're going to start reading some ancient scrolls."

  "But, Jack, we have a sound theory about the earthquakes. We now know that they were possibly manmade and they may be caused and activated by--"

  "Sound?" Jack said, cutting off her dramatic news.

  Sarah skidded to a halt. "How in the hell did you know that?"

  "Two Ancient Atlanteans told us," Everett said as he continued walking. Sarah watched the two men hit the elevator button and she ran to catch up.

  "I think you have to explain that 'Ancient Atlantean' crack to me, boys."

  Virginia felt out of place as she sat at Nile's Compton's desk. She was looking at a monitor that showed the faces of Martha and Carmichael and shook her head as Jack explained.

  "And you're convinced they're speaking the truth?" Virginia said, not taking her eyes off the old couple.

  Jack tossed a rubber-band-restrained scroll of paper onto her desk. "According to voice-stress polygraph, yes."

  "We have to get this off to Niles and hope he can convince the president of its validity."

  Virginia finally turned away from Martha and Carmichael on the wall-mounted monitor and tapped in her commands on the computer. After a moment, another monitor came to life and Niles was there, looking haggard and worn.

  "What have you got?"

  "Niles, as you know, Sarah here has come up with the way the earthquakes could have been initiated. But Jack here has just confirmed the theory and the people responsible for it."

  "What?"

  Collins stepped to Virginia's side to see Niles. Sarah was biting her lower lip as she looked at Carl, who stood grim faced.

  "Niles, get to the president and make him understand that we now know something of the people who are responsible for all the unnatural phenomena happening around the globe. They are also the ones that hit our team in New York and also murdered Agent Monroe and his wife."

  "I'll do my best, but Jesus, this is like something out of a bad spy movie."

  "Maybe, but I believe them, Niles."

  Niles just nodded and then the picture went blank.

  An hour later, Alice brought in coffee for the four people in the conference room. She stood next to her seat and looked from Sarah to Jack to Carl.

  "You three did a good job. If you don't need this old woman, I think I'll stroll down to security and take our guests Martha and Carmichael to the cafeteria. I'm sure they think our hospitality is left wanting to some degree."

  "Just call and ask them to meet you there; they just may already have the keys to all the doors anyway," Carl quipped.

  "What do we do now?" Virginia asked, as she sipped her coffee and grimaced, finding out that she didn't want it at all.

  "We have alerted the National Parks Service in Honolulu and they will add on extra security until a detachment of marines arrives on station. The navy will provide around-the-clock surveillance and backup, and Carl and I are going there in about thirty minutes. Carl has asked for SEAL Team Six to standby also. These people do not mess around when it comes to getting what they want. Ask Niles to get his old friend the president to get clearance to dive on the old girl. The Parks Service is cooperating fully but is still very picky when it comes to the Arizona."

  "Well, it is a naval gravesite," Sarah said.

  "Nonetheless, we have to dive on her. We must secure that plate map for two reasons. One--it proves that the Coalition is behind this mess, and two--we can't let these power-mad people get their hands on it."

  "Good luck. In the meantime, I'm sure the FBI and the rest of law enforcement are going to be quite anxious to get the names of the men and women of this so-called Juliai Coalition," Virginia said as she finally slid her coffee cup away.

  "Carmichael and Martha only have the name of one American Coalitionist that they know of through rumor only, a William Tomlinson. They think he's a pretty high up in their ranks, but are not sure. That's it."

  "Lieutenant Mendenhall is about to throw the hatches of this place down tight, no one in or out. We just don't know how much knowledge these people have and what information they gained by torturing our people in New York. We have to base our reactions on the message left to us at the warehouse," Everett said, as he and Jack stood to go.

  "We have redistributed the brain power around here now that we're relieved of the earthquake question. Sarah and the rest will be put to use with historical forensics, engineering, and reading ancient languages and deciphering the scrolls and maps. We need to know exactly what kind of science we are dealing with here."

  "Well, if anyone can get a jump on fifteen thousand years of history, it's this Group," Jack said, standing up to
leave.

  "You two be careful, I know how much bullets are attracted to you. One of these days one may get up close and personal," Sarah said as she locked eyes with Jack.

  "Are you kidding? We're faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a loco--"

  "Go catch your plane," Sarah said, cutting off Everett's teasing.

  PART THREE

  ANCIENTS RISING

  10

  5708 LAKESHORE DRIVE

  CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

  William Tomlinson sat in his ornate study with several of the key Coalition members. One fellow was an American named August Nelson, a former World Bank president who had been on the Coalition's payroll since 1969. He had funneled billions of American dollars and euros through the world's checks and balances in order to finance the immense payroll outlays for a private military the size of the Japanese defense force.

  There were others of the Coalition inner workings who were key to the final plans being made, but it was the Englishwoman, Lilith Anderson, better known in the inner circle as Dame Lilith--which was a title actually bestowed by the queen herself--who brought the concluding stages of the Mediterranean operation to a resoundingly satisfactory finale.

  "Dame Lilith." Tomlinson raised his glass of hundred-year-old whiskey. "Your Crete operation has gone off without a hitch. The way you have hidden our real intent on the island is astounding. I toast you, my dear, dear lady."

  The magnificently dressed woman of fifty nodded her head and returned the gesture, smiling.

  Tomlinson lowered his glass and looked at the eight-by-ten photos once again. "Unbelievably, there are entire sections of the dome still intact. I can even see columns inside it."

  "As you can imagine, a great percentage of the dome didn't hold up to the tremendous forces that destroyed the island, but there are clear areas that were protected by the magma flows at the time of the island's demise. The old maps transcribed have shown us invaluable spaces that may hold some fascinating variables as far as possibly discovering the third Key--a nice backup just in case your operative, Dahlia, has any--misfortune in Hawaii. For instance, we believe the ruins of the large building, very hard to see in the initial photographs, may be what was described as the Empirium Chamber, the very seat of their government."

  "Magnificent! And when do you think we'll get more than just a probe inside the dome?" Tomlinson asked, ignoring the slight about Dahlia's and her chances.

  "We estimate sixteen hours, and we'll have people inside," answered Dame Lilith as she placed her drink on the table to her right. "But I must caution you that the initial testing of the air quality is disappointing. The environment is toxic to the extreme, but thanks to the tunnel opening we are starting to pump fresh air into the city."

  "We expected as much. We could not very well expect part of an ancient city covered by magma and a trillion tons of rock and debris to be a Garden of Eden. How soon can we expect our equipment to be placed inside the magma chamber and city dome?"

  "Our submersibles are inspecting the exposed section of the Crystal Dome as early as tomorrow. If they believe that exposed area will continue to withstand the pressure of the Mediterranean, we can start transporting the Wave equipment down the largest shaft on Crete in less than thirty hours."

  "August, will we have added security in place by that time?" Tomlinson asked, sipping his drink.

  "Yes, I believe so. Five hundred defensive troops on Crete itself, with another one hundred in the chambers below when the time comes; these of course will be our finest soldiers, the elite."

  "Antinaval assets?"

  "Already in place. If any navy or air force in the world starts poking around the area, they will have the surprise of their lives. They would be foolish, with our batteries of hidden SAM sites. I believe we are adequately covered until such time when we need not hide any longer."

  "How exciting! Great moments started by great people, eh?" He raised his glass again.

  After the toast was finished, Dame Lilith leaned forward in her chair. "William, I apologize for making light of Dahlia's abilities in the matter of recovering the map plate. I know it upset you. Its procurement is so very vital to our plans. Tell us, can she recover it?"

  "Dahlia at this very moment is scouting the situation and should have a report forthwith."

  "You have been right about everything thus far. We will never doubt your leadership. You have thought this out thoroughly and have earned the respect of all of us now inside the inner circle. Ours is the just way, the only way. The world needs us," Lilith said, and this time she raised her glass in tribute to Tomlinson.

  They drank and relaxed, and Tomlinson held his audience captive with words.

  "When the outside world learns of our plans, anyone outside of future history will think us some sort of James Bond bad guy, a mere cliche of evil. Little do they know this early on that we mean only good for our world. The changes in the way people live have been needed for more time than we will ever truly know. They are subservient to men and women who will drain them of even the minimal standards of a good life. While we will see to their every need, and give them the one thing governments cannot guarantee, a future. They just need to be led. They want to be led."

  "Hear, hear!" they all said loudly as Tomlinson stood proudly.

  "Here's to the man who will lead us all into our future, our destiny, William Tomlinson, to a brave new world!" Dame Lilith toasted.

  "A brave new world!" They drank.

  Later that evening, only four people sat in William Tomlinson's den. They were the true leaders.

  "William, you have something to tell us?" Dame Lilith asked.

  "We noticed you waited until the others left to pass on whatever it is on your mind," said August Nelson.

  "We are moving operations to Crete much sooner than I said to the others. Once the Black Sea sound domes are in place, it will be the safest place to be when we strike at the heart of Russia. I have made a decision and I want your comments. I have planned a false strike at Russia. We will use Russia's paranoia against her. I am downing the Wave aircraft with all the equipment onboard."

  "What would be the use of that?" Nelson asked.

  "The livery colors of the aircraft will be changed to those of the U.S. Air Force. The blame will fall directly into the lap of the United States, and that will give us extra time to find the Ethiopian Key. I see no disadvantage in this action; it may even force the Russians' hand and make them move militarily in some other region, thinning America's military even further. Assets, I remind you, would be used against us. I must admit to you that I expected a harsher reaction from the new administration after the Roosevelt incident and the downing of those American and Japanese aircraft. Thus far, the president has been very restrained."

  "Your changes have been timely thus far. Of course, whatever you think is necessary. We are still very much headed in the right direction and it will not take much more to make this new president take firmer action against those he sees as aggressors. This may be the straw, if we can get the Russians believing and retaliating."

  Tomlinson nodded in thanks to Dame Lilith and August Nelson for seeing his plans clearly. He was about to stand and get a refill of whiskey when a light knock sounded on the door. Caretaker, just in from Europe, stepped in and closed the double doors lightly.

  "Mr. Tomlinson, you have an important call from your asset in Hawaii, sir."

  Tomlinson watched as Caretaker brought him the phone, then he nodded for the man to leave. He watched the older man slide his study doors open and then exit, ever careful not to divulge too much information to the man who could tip the balance of power in the Coalition with just a few words against him.

  "Yes, Dahlia, we were just speaking of you. How is the operation proceeding?"

  "We move in twelve hours, but that's not why I called you. I wanted to tell you personally that our attempt to kill the men responsible for Ethiopia and the raid in Westchester has failed."

  "I s
ee," Tomlinson said as he poured his drink.

  "That is not all. We managed to follow the helicopter used in their escape and now they are under the protection by the same group of men at a secure location at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. William, it would be most difficult to get to the Ancients or Colonel Collins there."

  Tomlinson looked around at the two people who were watching him closely. He smiled at them as if he were receiving good news. "Is that right?"

  "You seem to be taking this matter extremely well, since these two Ancients are undoubtedly spilling a lot of information to that colonel and whoever it is he works for. Information, I may add, that could be very detrimental to your health. You must assume you have been compromised and leave your home immediately."

  "You are sure of this?" he asked, losing his smile at the others.

  "I won't sit here and debate the validity of my surveillance techniques with you. If you had paid me fully in advance, this conversation would have ended two minutes ago. As it is, you still owe me a considerable sum. In addition, I was not told about these mysterious men that seem to show up at the oddest times and are very, very good at what they do. Your intelligence in this matter was sorely lacking. Therefore, William, I suggest you leave before several nasty men from the FBI and some Virginia farmers show up at your door. I'll report when I have the plate."

  Tomlinson blinked as the connection terminated. He hung up the phone and half smiled as he looked at his two Coalition colleagues and then around him at the ostentatious study. He knew he was going to leave everything behind that his family had worked for, for centuries, and he was angry.