The Jewel of Babylon (The Unusual Operations Division Book 1)

by Jacob Hammes

  “We can only hope to hear from him soon,” Marcus said. “Other than that, what’s new?”

  “Oh,” Gregory said. “Well, our teams have just finished loading up all the paraphernalia you found in that cave and it’s en route as we speak. You and your team should have fun documenting all of it.”

  “We don’t have analysts for that?” Marcus complained. “I hate going through all that old stuff.”

  “I’d like to have the team responsible for finding the stockpile down there when the analysts go through it all. It should only take a few hours so quit complaining.”

  “What about the mass grave we found in the back of the cave?”

  “The military stumbled upon the site yesterday when we finally let them in. They are, no doubt, conducting extensive research into what happened.”

  Suddenly, to everyone’s surprise, Gregory slapped his knee.

  “I knew I was forgetting something,” he started. “We have news on the attack that took place against you and your Army counterparts in Afghanistan.”

  Everyone’s ears perked up.

  “They found a set of identical jewels on three bodies. They were small diamonds with flecks of gold through them. Under normal circumstances there would be no reason for suspicion.”

  “Except that we found a jewel on that knocked out cop,” Marcus finished. “So this was his plan all along?”

  “Seems so,” Gregory said. “Apparently John is somehow sensitive to the electromagnetic frequencies given off by the Relics in his control and he’s choosing people to use as distractions, or counterparts. If what you said about the cop is accurate and these so-called peace loving tribesman just happen to go nuts too, we can only conclude that John is more aware of his actions than we gave him credit for.”

  “So you think he has been responsible for everything he has done thus far? It’s not that he has gone crazy, but that he is after something?” Marcus said.

  “More than that, I think that John is someone we should have had working for us. He’s sensitive to beta waves, electromagnetic frequencies, and he’s using his gifts to accomplish something none of us know anything about.”

  “That would make sense,” Marcus said. “It’s like how David is sensitive to the Relics. The difference is that John can match the jigsaw pieces to the corresponding puzzles, like putting a ball in a round hole. David has not learned to do that yet.”

  “Yes, it would seem so,” Gregory pondered. “Maybe someday he will develop that gift but for now he’s about as useful as an EMF detector. The only differences are that he’s not handheld and that he pukes.”

  “Not lately,” Stephen quipped.

  “If we could just figure out what John is after, we would have a lead on him,” Marcus said. “It could still be possible to get to his next destination before he kills again or gets what he’s after.”

  The room was silent with contemplation for a minute. The team had been wracking their brains for three days now and it was starting to give them a collective headache.

  “I guess the only thing we can hope for is that Mr. Lambert will hurry up and call,” Brenda said finally.

  “Yea,” Gregory sighed. “It will be a while, though. I wouldn’t answer my phone if I was on a cruise through the Caribbean, either.”

  “Well, since this is a government case we can just get the cruise ship to contact the guy, can’t we?” Brenda said angrily. She hated how some people flaunted their money.

  “He’s on his own ship, Brenda,” Gregory said. “We will have to wait patiently until he gets the message. I’m sure it will be soon. We have friends in the Coast Guard.”

  Marcus could feel the frustration emanating from the crew he worked with. Sitting around was not their forte and Marcus had an inconsolable itch to be out in the field helping people. The wait, even an hour, would be painful. The interim would be more exhausting than their adventure through the eastern world.

  “If you’d like,” Gregory continued, “we have the book on the Jewel of Babylon. And since we are fairly certain he stole the corresponding dagger, you could very easily do some independent research into the two objects. If we can compile something useful maybe we can still get a lead on this guy.”

  “It’s going to be a long shot,” Stephen said. “Brenda has been picking that book apart with Phillip for the last few days, ever since she was injured. Any information they have on the Piercing Eye of God is pretty helpless. All we have found is descriptive material, physical characteristics and such. There’s nothing that would indicate how potent the dagger actually is.”

  “But the Jewel of Babylon is covered extensively, isn’t it?” Marcus asked.

  “Not really,” Brenda said. “We told you the most important parts already. It was made by Nebuchadnezzar around six hundred years before Christ, it was made in hopes of obtaining the one true element, and it did not work. The dagger was made to supplement the process, though the book doesn’t say how.”

  “Maybe the dagger is a catalyst?”

  “It’s a possibility, but still impossible to tell.”

  The team sat quietly for another few minutes before they exhausted their hopes in trying to figure out just what the dagger was used for. It would be time and time alone that would give them the answers, unless the mysterious Mr. Lambert suddenly appeared and had an answer to give them. Even then, what could they do against a man that did not want to be caught?

  Not one to give up hope, Marcus kept his spirits high. They would catch John and find out what his murderous game was all about, he was sure of it.

  “Look, Marcus,” Gregory said. “I know you feel bad about not catching this guy, but sometimes the dice do not roll in your favor. Do what you can and get back here tomorrow. You were all supposed to have a few days to recover anyway.”

  “Yeah,” Brenda agreed. “Stephen and I are going to be taking a few days to recover and you should, too.”

  “Why don’t you just go public with this whole relationship thing?” Marcus asked. “You know everyone knows you are dating now, especially after the helicopter crash.”

  The coy looks they gave each other did little to disguise the amusement in their eyes.

  “Sorry to tell you buddy,” Stephen said. “But you’re the last to know.”

  Chapter 23

  Marcus could hardly just go home and sit around, so he did what any man would do—he went to the gym. Two levels down from the main conference floor for the Unusual Operations Division was a full-sized private gym complete with Infinity Lap pools and a full sized basketball court. A few sweaty miles on a treadmill would help him clear some of the anxiety out of his system.

  Six miles later and he still felt tense about the recent turn of events, so he turned his attention to the weight room. The only bad thing about having mysterious tattoos all over your legs and lower back was that you could not wear shorts without attracting much attention. Since Marcus was not the beach type, he had never really paid attention to the consequence.

  Days at the gym were his only regret about the body art. No shorts meant lots of sweat.

  Two hours had passed in the blink of an eye and Marcus was finally exhausted. A requirement of the UOD was conducting periodic health assessments, including physical fitness tests. Marcus was always at or near the top of the division in that aspect. He was picky about what he ate, how he dressed, how his hair was done, and always worked out to maintain a good physique. His damaged heart had kept him down for nearly two years, putting him in the worst health that he had ever been in. Once he had recuperated, Marcus pledged to himself to keep his heart and body as healthy as he could.

  A half an hour in the steam room and a shower finished his gym regiment off perfectly and Marcus suddenly found that he was very hungry. Henry was gladly up and moving and was definitely ready for a bite at a bistro. The location was perfect, very near the Smithsonian and the beautiful Hotel George. The view was just what Marcus wanted—tall buildings and bustling streets. It was
the perfect contrast to the last few days and he had not had a decent meal since he had been back.

  As usual, Marcus was in a suit and tie. Henry was in his normal attire, too—nice dress pants and a brightly colored pastel shirt. Today it was a muted canary yellow.

  The discussion was obviously about the case. Marcus and Henry were basically on par when it came to thought process. Neither of them could let it rest until the case was finished and that’s why they were so good at what they did. There had not been a case yet that Marcus and Henry together could not figure out. Though Henry had a good twenty years on Marcus, he was the perfect side kick. He had just gotten into the game a little later than the rest of them. He had wanted that pension from the Air Force.

  The word around the office was that Marcus and Henry were like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. The profile definitely fit. Marcus was obviously the more cavalier out of the two and Henry was scrupulous in gathering details and defining the parameters of a case.

  Marcus liked the comparison. He had always wanted to be a hero.

  It was not until that night at eight o’clock sharp that he finally felt himself unwind. An hour behind a stove and a full bottle of wine had helped in the preparation but seeing Julie walk in through his front door was just what the doctor had ordered. Red pumps, perfect legs that disappeared beneath a short black skirt, white coat with dark red beneath it, pinned up hair and school teachers’ glasses; his heart skipped more than one beat.

  It was not nearly as romantic for her. She had not seen her treacherous, lying boyfriend in three days and she planned to give him a tongue lashing later. That was, until he walked out of the kitchen to meet her in a suit and a bottle of wine.

  Though the smile that crossed her lips was small, it was detectable. It was her heart’s turn to skip a beat, seeing all the effort that he had put into the night. The chicken pasta with a rich white garlic sauce over the top had permeated every wrinkle of the apartment with a mouthwatering aroma. No doubt, Marcus knew how to put it on thick.

  “Charming,” she said, trying her best to sound bored.

  “I try my hardest,” Marcus answered with a little bow. “Can I serve you some wine?”

  “You do know me,” Julie said. “What is the occasion?”

  “I’m sorry,” Marcus said. “I am sorry I left you in the middle of the night.”

  “I know you’re important,” Julie replied. “And that’s not why I’m angry. I’m upset, Marcus, because you couldn’t as much as text me for the last three days. ‘Hey baby, I’m going to be out of the country. Hey baby, I’m too busy to call you so I’m texting. Hey baby, my phone exploded and I’m using a payphone or a company phone or a friend’s phone to call you.’ It really is that easy, Marcus.”

  Marcus couldn’t make it better. He did not have the right words. Instead, he stood where he was and looked at her with eyes that told her that he was sorry better than any words could have. It was moving for Julie, knowing that he really did feel bad. Maybe she could let him go this time, just forgive him and move on.

  “I’ll forgive you,” she said. “But only on this one occasion and under a certain set of circumstances.”

  “Tell me,” Marcus replied, pouring her a tall glass of the wine he had been holding. “I’ll try my best not to disappoint.”

  “You go the rest of the evening without answering that goddamn phone of yours.”

  And there was the compromise. The dull light of the apartment that he loved so much shined down on Julie and reflected off her beautiful hair. It made the woman look like a goddess; add the hair, the makeup, the beautiful skirt and tight fitting blouse and what was Marcus to do? Those pumps made her legs look like heaven.

  “It’s a deal.” Reticent, Marcus knew the request was doable.

  Red wine washed the two of them into a beautiful place, a happy warm place. The food turned to laugher, the laughter to kissing, and the kissing to sex. Soon the two were in his bed making up for the last few days that they had missed.

  “So,” a few hours later and Julie was still wrapped in his arms. Her warm body against his felt good. “When do I get to learn about your job?”

  “You’d sleep better at night if you didn’t know anything about it,” Marcus quipped. It was true, though. He knew that people slept soundly knowing there were not monsters out there just waiting to kill or maim. Sometimes he felt like a homicide detective. He would never talk about the details of a case.

  “You don’t have much faith in me, Marcus,” Julie answered. “You know, I’ve put child rapists behind bars, seen the videos that they have made while committing horrible acts of violence against little girls and boys. I’ve seen unspeakable acts unfold, I am a lawyer after all.”

  “I thought you handled business suits,” Marcus didn’t doubt the woman could handle what Marcus did for a living, but he swore she wasn’t involved in criminal cases.

  “Everyone has a beginning Marcus,” she answered. “I started as a defense attorney. Turned out I didn’t like trying to get bad people out of their comeuppance so I switched to business law. Best decision of my life. You couldn’t imagine the things these people do and you have to try and help them. I couldn’t stomach it.”

  “I can’t imagine. I think you’ve got a more difficult job than I do. In fact, I know you’ve got a more difficult job. I might travel a lot trying to break a case, but at least when we do find the guy we’re looking for it’s pretty cut-and-dry.”

  He did not want to bring up the fact that innocent people died because of the damage done to their brains by the Relics, or the fact that the people were mostly irreversibly insane or had to be killed in the line of duty. He doubted she would understand how a resonating frequency of ten to twelve hertz let off by certain objects throughout the world, by unknown means, could damage the beta waves which control the conscious part of our thought process thereby undermining the very essence of a man’s being. It all happened simply by matching the exact and very specific resonance let off by certain, allergic individuals. It was always easier to keep the explanations short and sweet.

  “But you still can’t tell me anything?”

  “Sorry, Julie. I think someday I’ll be able to tell you all you want to know but for now let’s just be content with the fact that I work as a government agent on very top secret cases.”

  Something sparked in her eyes. Those blue eyes told Marcus everything he needed to know.

  “So you’re my secret agent man?” she asked teasingly, biting her lower lip.

  “You could say that.”

  Within seconds, they were back between the sheets. Her teasing and his reticence were all too much and the couple found a renewed sense of sexual vigor. He had done what he was asked and left his phone to ring. Though he was glad he got to spend the night with Julie, he hated knowing the phone had rang at least four times since the beginning of the evening.

  Chapter 24

  “Five thirty in the morning was not ‘tonight’,” Marcus thought. His phone woke him up just moments ago with that annoying flashing light. The beautiful Julie was passed out still, naked by his side. They had only gone to bed about four hours ago. He doubted the woman would want to be awake for this anyway.

  “Marcus here,” he grabbed the phone and made a hasty retreat into the living room before answering. He did not want to make the same mistake he did last time. Putting work before her seemed a good way to lose his manhood.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Gregory Scott. If coffee did not do the trick, his voice would. “I have been calling you for the last two hours. Can’t answer your phone now?”

  It was breaking protocol to not answer your phone, Marcus knew. He could admonish himself later but for now he needed to keep his cool and keep his voice down. Whether or not there was a break in the case, Julie would not care.

  “I was having a good night, until you called. What do you want?”

  “Our friend Lambert made contact about three hours ago, Marcu
s.” Gregory was as serious as Marcus had ever heard him. “He says that he is going to do a bit of research before he gets back to us, but he believes that we are in for some very bad news.”

  “What type of bad news,” Marcus did not really want to know. He figured since his boss had only used his serious voice on very rare occasion, it must be bad enough.

  “Bad,” Gregory answered. “We are having a briefing at zero six fifty. That is when Lambert is going to call back. You need to be here and ready to work, regardless of your current state. Get up, get moving and get in here, now.”

  “Roger, boss,” Marcus said. He hung up the phone and cursed out loud before remembering his lover was still asleep in the other room.

  She had not moved a muscle. The blanket was still only covering half of her naked back, one arm was stretched out toward where Marcus had been and the other was curled up beneath her head. She would probably sleep through his shower and well into the morning.

  He was creeping toward the bathroom when an alarm went off. It was Julie’s phone. She stirred and yawned and quietly sat up to find her alarm using the sheets as a shield from the morning chill. Marcus had been as careful as he could for her just to wake up on her own? At least he would not receive a lashing from that.

  “Good morning,” she said between yawns. “I’ve got a big case this morning. I’m supposed to be in the office by seven. I was planning on sneaking out early. Why are you up already?”

  “Big case at the office,” Marcus said. “I’m six fifty though, not seven.”

  She looked at the time and then at her phone. She sat quietly for a minute before giving Marcus a grin. Even with her tangled mess of hair hanging down over her eyes, Julie looked good.

  “You want to jump in the shower?” she asked through a sly grin. “I’ve got ten extra minutes.”