“I’m not hungry.”
A few minutes later, as they approached the Himalaya mountain range, Belle was astute enough to observe,
“This is not the way to the island and my house.”
Not wanting to traumatize Belle with the horror of the last few days, Maria opted for a half-truth.
“No honey. We are going to another place for a little while.”
Edward was correct when saying Belle was a special child. She knew something was wrong and that it was bad.
Chapter 48
When Santo and Maria were flying to all points of the Earth looking for three pieces of the destruct program, three other D-wings were busy flying around the Aegean Sea picking up survivors either bringing them back to The Three Sisters or relocating them anywhere they wished to go. Traffic was busy at the military hospital in Zürich bringing in injured and taking home those lucky enough not to need extensive medical aid. Old Doctor Zobrist never had a chance to escape and rest his tired feet or even sneak a desired drink of Grappa brandy.
There were now thirty-five men, woman, and children in the Himalayan cave of The Three Sisters. While those with children helped with the computers, an area in the grand lobby was set up as a daycare center. Milling about in the lobby, many other scientists waited to be assigned various duties. Most of the talk was of the terrible thing that happened as well as those still missing.
As Santo’s D-wing set down in the cave, Belle’s eyes were wide with confusion. She now understood that her intuitive abilities were correct, something was very wrong. While walking past a crowd of people she scanned the room looking for her friend Robert. She could not see him anywhere. Nobody was smiling and she heard no laughter.
In their room, while changing clothes and washing up, Belle inundated Maria with questions about why they were here and why there were so many sad faces in the crowd. Maria wanted to keep the horror of the disaster from the innocent but realized that unless she locked Belle in the room, she would eventually hear it from others. With careful words, Belle heard what happened and why they were here. Belle’s intuitiveness again shone.
“I don’t like it here.”
She then expressed what everybody else was feeling,
“Let’s not stay here too long, okay.”
As they walked hand in hand toward the grand lobby, Belle asked,
“What about my best friend Robert and his mom and dad?”
Belle sensed that her mother was deceitful in her reply.
“Many people are still missing so we don’t know yet honey. When you meet the other children, I want you to do what you are good at, be comforting to the little ones who are scared and confused.”
Although only five, the special little girl understood mom’s request to put on a brave act for the others. As her nature dictated, she would comfort those in need.
Like a magnet, all the little children gravitated toward Belle who did her best to console the scared ones. After many hugs and promises to remain friends, she realized that the adults had left the lobby area leaving four teenagers in charge. She quizzically looked around and saw that all the adults had gathered at a table in a far corner of the cave.
When Maria and Belle were in the apartment cleaning up, without Maria’s knowledge, Waldorf had returned from Zürich. When she joined the adults at the table, she saw him in the crowd and immediately did something embarrassing to a staunch soldier. She ran over, hugged him, and inquired about Helga. Many listened as he reported,
“Her injuries are healing nicely. Although still needing medical attention, she will be released from the hospital in a week or so.”
As everybody sat, instinctively three people sat at the head of the table and started fielding questions about the future of the House of the Nazarene. Although going to retire soon, Waldorf was still Head of Security and senior member of the survivors. Captain Santo Martinez sat beside Waldorf and everybody knew he would eventually lead the security team, if not the new leader of the House. As head of the Science Council, Maria sat next to Santo.
With sad words, Waldorf stood and announced the death of Gustav Magnus Laurent. Some had already heard the news through the grapevine and now hearing it officially, were shocked. He then read the names of known fatalities, survivors as well as the still missing. There was no doubt in anybody’s mind that the House of the Nazarene was now only a memory.
When it had quieted down and he had their attention, Waldorf continued.
“We all recognize that leadership is important so I propose the first order of business is to elect a new leader of the House. Rather than appoint a leader, I think it only fair to hold an election.”
It was assumed that Waldorf would be the ideal candidate, but he refused the nomination citing his age and a desire to spend his golden years with Helga.
What happened next caused Maria to gasp aloud. Waldorf nominated her as the new leader of the House. Judging by the unanimous applause, with no other nominations, there was no need for an election. Flabbergasted, because she had not lobbied for the position, she accepted it in all modesty. A very proud Santo indicated for her to stand and accept the responsibility.
Slightly stunned and without a prepared speech, Maria stood and spoke from the heart.
“Thank you for your confidence in me. I shall be depending on all of you for help and advice in the future. I will ask you all to speak openly to me about concerns and solutions.”
The crowd mumbled in agreement of the proposed new democratic leadership. Santo and Waldorf also nodded their approval.
Maria continued,
“As most of you are aware, since becoming a member of the House of the Nazarene, although very appreciative of the opportunity to develop my profession unrestricted by conventional protocol, I have often spoken out against the fate of mankind being directed by the Great Grays. From the beginning, when the Great Grays came to Earth and evangelized what they thought was the proper faith, in effect forcing it upon us, we have never been able to develop one of God’s greatest gifts to us, the gift of ‘free will’. The Grays had always dictated our creation to suit their path and understanding of it. Free will shall now be returned to humankind. From now on, only we, the humans shall control the House of the Nazarene.”
The survivors nodded their agreement and Santo beamed with pride.
Maria then turned her attention to the scientists and said, “Before the attack, many of you were in the middle of experiments pertaining to your own expertise. Because Ming-Lo had managed to re-establish our financial assets we are still financially solvent, in fact we have practically unlimited resources. For those who wish to stay and continue their work, the House will continue to fund it. Those who have escaped the destruction may rejoin us and receive the same benefits. For those who wish to continue researching in private and in your own laboratories, we will gladly finance that endeavor wherever you are.”
Applause filled the room.
She continued,
“With the power and control we still have, what we need is a new direction, a new mandate for the House of the Nazarene. We will establish a new base of operations and I shall ask all of you for input on that issue. The question being, what shall become of the House of the Nazarene? For me, personally I would like to suggest a mandate to protect not only our free will but to protect this planet from extra-terrestrials indiscriminately coming here doing whatever they please with us, control history, abduct us, collect DNA samples or even just innocently observe us. From now on the house mandate will be to protect this planet from all and any alien incursions or attempts to control us.”
After an overwhelming chant of ‘here, here,’ had died down, Maria continued.
“As for my personal work, I shall set up a laboratory and continue to decode and attempt to rid the ancient Anunnaki genetics they had encoded into ours. Their plan to mutate our DNA into theirs and take over this planet through Passive Genetic Colonization will end with the scientists of the House of the N
azarene. I shall endeavour to return our likeness to the original intent of the Creator.”
Maria did not expect an overwhelming chant of approval nor did she get one. By the wish of Gustav Magnus Laurent, her genetic research for the House of the Nazarene had always been a secret. For the first time many of the Theoretical Scientists and researchers in various fields now heard what her laboratory was researching. Although many were surprised and some not understanding, such was the authority of their new leader. They nodded their approval of whatever she was talking about.
Surprisingly, Waldorf, awkwardly, stood and waited to be recognized. She was very glad to hand the table over to him. Waldorf said,
“Clearly we cannot operate the House of the Nazarene from a cave. We will need to find better command center. I have been in communication with an old friend of the House of the Nazarene, King Rhymen. Many years ago, under orders from Gustav, Santo and I helped the king regain his fortune and kingdom.”
Santo remembered that incident. As leader of the House of the Nazarene, one of Gustav’s many mandates was to reinstate old kingdoms throughout Europe. He and Waldorf broke into a Vatican vault and stole documents proving that 200 years ago, the Vatican plundered the treasury of the great grandfather of King Rhymen. The Vatican claimed the treasure was rightfully theirs under the decree ‘Right of Conquest’. Gustav’s contention being that there was no conquest, that it was looted treasure and therefore must be returned to the rightful owner. The stolen documents proved there had been no declared war. Rather than go to a World Court to argue the case, the Vatican yielded and returned the fortune thereby reinstating the king’s family to the throne.
Waldorf continued,
“Bulgaria now has a Constitutional Monarchy and King Rhymen owns large tracts of land there. One of his many country estates consists of five hundred acres of mostly forest, a mansion, and ten large houses on the land. It is currently a game reserve but he has generously offered it to us. I have researched this property and concluded that with installed security it will be a perfect location. A small section of the land touches the Black Sea, giving us access to a port. We would also be given the small private airport there. It is near a small village that will be happy to receive the business we would bring to it. If we agree, the King will look after the immigration and passport issues for any of us wishing to take advantage of his generosity.”
Although there was mumbling of approval from the crowd for the suggestion, Santo understood that anywhere but here should be approved. As a scientist, Maria knew that paramount to any scientist was funding and a laboratory. If supplied, she knew the dedicated Nazarene scientists would follow them anywhere.
Waldorf said,
“I propose that with the help of Captain Santo Martinez and our security team we make it our new base of operations.” As per Maria’s new directive for the House of the Nazarene, a vote was taken and all accepted the new location. Waldorf continued,
“Thank you. I assure you it serve us well. I will now instruct our recovery fleet to take survivors there.”
He then looked directly at Jessika Reynaldi and said,
“Yesterday, I contacted Kirk Waller. He is already there with the missing nineteen children.”
He then turned his attention back to the crowd and added,
“May I just add that with the arrival of nineteen children, the pizza shop in the village thought they had died and gone to heaven.”
Chapter 49
The five D-wings assigned to the Cave of the Three Sisters were now busy transporting personnel and equipment out of the cave over to Bulgaria. In the river below, a fisherman in a sampan threw his net into the water and watched as the spirits of the Three Sisters came and went. He did not understand that the spirits were moving out rather than moving in. As he hauled in his net, he grew pleased that the unearthly ones had returned. The legend of the Three Sisters had been resurrected to live on for generations to come.
Oddly, Santo was in charge of deciding what computers to be moved first and which ones were to come later. He easily escaped that perplexing duty by doing what all good soldiers do when in a tight administrative spot, he delegated. Jessika swiped dangling blond hair out of her eyes and pointed to everything. She wanted all the computers flown to Bulgaria. Maria, like all the other families was busy packing and getting ready for the move.
Chapter 50
As Santo watched more equipment loaded into the next D-wing, Jessika yelled at him from the other end of the cave. When he approached, he saw that she was sitting at the communication terminal. She said,
“It’s a call from the Vatican, Commander Razk. All the proper protocols are in place. Although secure on this end, his is not. Do you want to take it?”
Santo nodded and Jessika moved away to bark more orders at the movers.
Santo took advantage of the opportunity to get off his feet and sat at the computer desk. He said,
“Good morning Commander.”
Razk’s voice was low, almost whispering and Santo understood that others might be listening on that end. Razk said,
“Good morning Captain. If I may intrude on your busy moving day, would it be possible to have another meeting?”
Because Santo was busy with the move, the last thing he wanted was to take a D-wing off line and fly over to the Vatican. The first thing he wanted to do was find out how Razk knew they were moving. Despite operating on a different playing field, the game of spies was obviously continuing. He replied in a cold manner,
“You are correct about the busy schedule. Is it imperative?”
“Yes. Please add it to the much we already owe you.”
“Very well Commander, I can give you a little time. Tell me where and when.”
“As soon as possible. Do you know where Lake Albano is?”
Lake Albano was in the hill country south of Rome. Up in the hills, looking down on the scenic lake was a cliff-side café nestled between ancient picturesque buildings of a small community. Outside, the owner had placed tables near the edge of the cliff so customers may enjoy the tranquil scene of the lake far below. Sitting at one of those tables was a man dressed in black sipping an espresso. As if disengaged from the splendour, he sat with absence in his gaze.
Just down the path from the café, Santo casually walked out of an ancient three story residential complex. Indistinguishable from other people strolling up and down the winding street, he calmly walked over to the man in black and sat next to him. After enjoying the view, Santo commented,
“Nice little place you have here.”
Commander Razk put his espresso down and said,
“Well, it’s not exactly mine. Just above us is Castel Gandolfo, also known as the Apostolic Palace, the summer residence of the Pope.”
Not having the time for a history lesson, Santo politely said,
“Thank you Commander. It is also a nice day but I really do not have much time.”
Taking into account what Razk was about to ask of Santo, he wanted to establish a congenial mood. He smiled and said,
My first name is Tony and I understand expediency.”
Santo understood Razk’s effort to bring the conversation down to a friendly ‘first name’ basis. It was also a blatant sign that he wanted something from the House of the Nazarene. At least on Santo’s part, an air of professionalism seemed to be the better course. He decided not to nibble at the ‘congeniality’ bait. He repeated his urgency.
“Please get to the purpose of the meeting Commander.”
Noticing the rejection, Razk began.
“Yes, of course. You asked to be kept abreast of our situation.”
Recognizing a stall tactic, annoyed, Santo said,
“Yes Commander, please go on.”
“Damage to some of the Vatican buildings was devastating but nothing that cannot be repaired or replaced. Perhaps by design of divine intervention the chamber of God’s Voice was destroyed along with that bothersome alien skeleton your House r
efers to as Quastima’s mate.”
Santo was not polite when interjecting,
“Yes, well, as I understand it, that chamber was a huge fraud perpetrated by the secret leaders of the Vatican for the sole purpose of garnering obedience. Perhaps that destruction pleased your Lord.”
Wanting to shy away from contentious issues, Razk took another sip of espresso and meekly said,
“Without your help, damage could easily have been worse.”
If that was a ‘thank you for saving the Vatican’, Santo thought it was well veiled but accepted it nonetheless. Tony Razk continued,
“That brings me to this meeting. Apparently some valuable and very secret chambers were somehow targeted and destroyed. One of those chambers was under an insignificant guest residence while another was hidden in a cavern deep under the Rose Gardens.”
Not getting the accusing implication, Santo said,
“It certainly implies knowledge of Vatican secrets.”
It was only then that Santo saw Razk’s suspicious eye and was quick to defend.
“Yes, I know where your treasure vaults are located but I certainly had no way of communicating that to the Sentinel Satellite.”
THe Sentinal Satellite Page 28