by David Wood
He visualized his enemy. He envisioned stalking him, looking him in the eye before killing him. He could not allow this artifact to come to light. The man who sought the artifact, this treasure hunter, would die for his folly. Stefan would not fail in this quest.
The orphan rescued from the streets of Venice had risen to a unique standing. Important men begged for his services. He named the price and set the terms. His was an uncanny knack for anonymous killing. Many had died by his hand, but suspicion had never fallen upon him. In fact, he did not officially exist. He was a phantom, a product of the organization that had raised and trained him. He owed his life to the order, and his service to it was always free.
He fingered his crucifix, the symbol of his order, feeling the sharp blades that formed the cross on which his savior claimed the victory. Anticipation welled up inside of him as he envisioned the hunt. He forced himself to remain calm. This assignment was not for sport; it was a grave responsibility, a holy quest the like of which he had never undertaken. This would be his finest hour. He would recover the relic, kill the heretics, and claim the head of Dane Maddock as a trophy.
Chapter 19
Maddock smiled as he and Kaylin walked the grounds of the United States Naval Academy. It had been years since he was last here, but he remembered it like it was yesterday. The campus, or “yard” as it was called, covered over three hundred acres and held a trove of fond memories. Up ahead, the domed roof of the chapel peeked out above the trees, a comforting sight.
They made their way to Maury Hall, which housed the departments of Weapons and Systems Engineering and Electrical Engineering. They made their way down to the building’s lowest level—a floor he had not known existed. There, a welcome sight greeted them—his crew.
“About time you two showed up. You been making out in a dark corner somewhere?” Bones asked.
Maddock greeted Bones with a rough hug and a slap on the back. He then turned and shook hands with Corey, Matt, and Willis. It was a relief to see them safe.
“Thanks for waiting for us,” Bones said. “I know you’re dying to open that box, but we didn’t want to miss this.” The others added their thanks as well.
“Kaylin didn’t want to wait,” Maddock said. “Truth told, I didn’t want to wait either. But you guys deserve to be here. Everything worked out all right?”
“No problem,” Bones said. “We recovered the bodies, searched them, stripped them down, took them out to deeper water, and fed ‘em to the sharks.” He said this as if recounting a trip to the grocery store or a day of chores around the house. “Done deal.”
“Did you find anything that will tell us who these guys are?” Maddock asked. Why they were being followed was obvious, but the question of exactly who it was that was after them had confounded Maddock and his friends.
“Just those weird crucifixes with swords for crosses. Corey took some pictures and emailed them to Jimmy. We’ll see what turns up.” Bones looked around before continuing. “Sorry, I just feel like someone’s going to walk up on us any minute. This is not the kind of stuff anyone else needs to hear. We were defending ourselves, but…”
“I understand,” Maddock said. “This is the most desolate floor of any Naval Academy building I’ve ever been in. I think it’s safe to talk here. Go ahead.”
“We burned the clothing, put the ashes, crucifixes, and weapons into their speedboat, and blew the whole mess to kingdom come.”
“Man, I hated blowing up that boat,” Willis said. “That thing was sweet.”
“No kidding,” Matt said. “Bones wouldn’t even let us take a spin in it first.”
“Which is why we were able to clean up the mess, get the boat back to its owner, and get the hell out of Dodge before the authorities caught up with us,” Bones said.
“Get out of Dodge?” Corey echoed, grinning. “Indians aren’t allowed to make cowboy jokes. It’s in the rulebook.”
“How about we get on with it, gentlemen?” Maddock asked, opening the door to the room where Kaylin was waiting, along with Dr. James Sowell, and engineer with a strong interest in archaeology. Jimmy had found Sowell’s research online, and Maddock had used his Naval connections to persuade the man to help him, which hadn’t been difficult. Sowell had arranged for the use of the laboratory and gained entrance to the campus for Maddock and his friends.
The room was utilitarian: plain white walls and lots of stainless steel. The metal box, the box holding the sword, Maddock hoped, lay on a table in the center of the room beneath a bright fluorescent light. They all circled around, eager to find out what was inside.
“All right, everyone put on your safety glasses,” Sowell said. He donned a pair of dark-tinted laboratory goggles and picked up his saw. The tool consisted of a small handle with a diamond-tipped circular blade. “Watch for sparks and tiny shards of metal,” he instructed, then began to cut away the welds that held the lid securely to the box.
The thin, high-pitched whine of the saw rose to a shrill squeal as the blade cut through the ancient bonds.
Maddock was so excited that he could scarcely hear it. A tingling sensation ran up his back and down his arms as the moment drew near. He watched as Sowell worked his way down one side, then around the end, and back up the other side. When only one end of the box remained, he felt Kaylin grasp his forearm in both hands and squeeze.
The professor completed the last cut, put down his saw, and knelt to inspect his work. He used a brush and a small vacuum tube to clean away the loose bits of metal from around the cut. Then he probed the cut with a thin bladed knife.
“Should we just come back tomorrow?” Bones asked a touch of annoyance in his voice. “I mean if you’re gonna be a while…”
“I was asked to do a job,” Sowell replied, not looking up from his work. “It’s going to be done properly.”
“Sorry,” Bones said. “We’ve been through a lot to get this thing.”
Sowell finished his inspection and nodded as if satisfied. He stood up and addressed the group.
“Everyone put on masks and rubber gloves, please.” He pointed to a table against the far wall.
“Why?” Willis asked.
“We don’t know what’s in there. There could be some sort of mold spore that might be harmful if inhaled. And frankly, even if whatever is in there isn’t potentially harmful, I don’t want you sneezing on it.” He turned to Bones. “Since you’re so eager, how about you give me a hand with this lid?”
Bones donned a mask and a pair of gloves and positioned himself at one end of the table. He and Dr. Sowell each took hold of one end of the lid.
“Okay, lift,” Sowell instructed. Each lifted his end of the lid. It did not budge.
Bones tried to jiggle the lid, to no avail.
“Don’t try to force it,” Sowell ordered. He took a small hammer and chisel and began working at the corners of the box, carefully tapping the tool's fine point between the two halves. When he was satisfied, he nodded to Bones, and the two of them pulled up on the lid. With a little persuasion, it came free.
Maddock’s mouth dropped open in slack-jawed disbelief. The box was filled with moldy burlap. He wanted to curse. Just as quickly as the thought had entered his mind, it fled. The burlap was obviously packing material to protect whatever was inside. He chuckled at his own foolishness. Kaylin glanced at him, a look of curiosity in her eyes. He shook his head.
Sowell carefully lifted the bundle out of the box and laid it on the table. Slowly, delicately, he unrolled the burlap from around the object. Maddock held his breath. Around him, the others gasped as the last layer of cloth fell away.
It was a huge broadsword. The pommel was broad, the handle wrapped in dry, aged leather. The scabbard was simple, without ornamentation. When Sowell drew the blade, however, even Maddock sucked in his breath with surprise.
The sword was unlike any he had ever seen, and not only in terms of its size. One side of the blade was perfectly straight, and obviously razor sharp. The othe
r side, apparently equally sharp, was oddly shaped, with irregular waves and indentations along the length of the blade, some of them nearly an inch deep.
“It looks like a big key,” Bones observed.
Maddock was too mesmerized by the magnificence of the sword to comment.
“It’s so shiny,” Kaylin marveled. “It looks brand new.”
“Is it steel?” Maddock asked. The sword should not have been in such pristine condition, especially not a three thousand-year-old sword.
“No, it isn’t,” Sowell answered slowly. “It’s surprisingly light.” He hefted the sword with one hand and cut a figure eight in the air. “It feels almost like titanium.” His puzzled voice was a match for his frown.
“May I hold it?” Kaylin asked.
Sowell nodded and held it out across his upturned palms as if making a formal presentation. It glistened in the artificial light.
Considering that this was the fulfillment of her father’s dream, Maddock agreed that a bit of ceremony was not out of order. He laid a hand on her shoulder.
“Congratulations,” he said softly.
Bones began clapping. The others quickly joined in, whistling and applauding with enthusiasm. Kaylin turned toward them and held the sword aloft. The tears streamed down her cheeks, framing her brilliant smile.
“Thank you all,” she said, lowering the sword, and gazing at it with a mixture of wonderment and adoration. “You all worked so hard, and put yourself in such danger to help me finish Dad’s work. I can’t tell you how much…” She broke into sobs.
Everyone surged forward to hug her or pat her on the back. Maddock held back. He did not know why, but he felt as if he should not be a part of this moment.
Kaylin quickly regained her composure. She scrubbed her tears away with the back of a sleeve and smiled anew.
“Who wants to hold it?” she asked, looking around at the others.
“Let Maddock hold it first,” Bones said. “You guys found it. I mean, all we did was get beat up.”
“No, you go ahead,” Maddock declined, laughing. “This was a team effort, and you guys certainly paid your dues.”
Bones took the sword from Kaylin and held it aloft, letting the light play off the keen edges of the blade. Despite what Sowell had said, his face registered surprise.
“Man, this thing is light. And there’s not a scratch on it. The edge of the blade is perfect.” He gazed at it for a moment before passing it around the circle.
First Corey, then Matt, then Willis took a turn holding the sword. To a man, their faces registered bewilderment at the weight and condition of the ancient blade.
”No way this could be the real thing,” Willis said as he passed it to Maddock. “I’m sorry to be the stick in the mud, man, but they didn’t have metals like this back then.”
Maddock grasped the hilt of the sword. Light though it might be, it was perfectly balanced.
“You’re right, Willis,” he said. “They didn’t have this kind of metal back then. But there’s another problem.” He waited to see if anyone was following his train of thought. When no one spoke up, he continued. “We know that, at the very least, this sword is nearly two hundred years old. It’s been in the ground almost that long.”
“I hear you,” Willis said, a sly smile spread across his face.
“I get it,” Bones said, pounding his fist into his palm. “Whatever kind of alloy or whatever this is would have been almost as much out of the question in 1825 as it was way back when. It’s an anachronism regardless.”
“Ms. Maxwell, will you allow me to analyze the blade?” Sowell asked. “I have some tests I can run that will not damage the blade. Perhaps I can shed some light on this puzzle.”
“Please,” Kaylin said, obviously confused by this revelation. “I thought that finding the sword would be the end of the mystery, but it seems that it’s just the beginning.”
“Let’s assume that Rienzi is correct, and this is truly the sword that belonged to Goliath,” Corey said, scratching his head. “How was this thing made?”
“Maybe it was a miracle,” Kaylin said. She blushed a little as everyone looked at her. “Why not?” she asked with a touch of defiance in her voice. “David was God’s chosen warrior. Maybe when he used the sword to cut Goliath’s head off, God did something to it.”
“Back to reality,” Maddock muttered. Religion of any sort was not his favorite topic.
“What’s the matter Maddock, don’t you believe in God?” Kaylin rounded on him, hands on hips and a look of challenge in her eyes. “Don’t you?”
Maddock did not reply. He focused his attention on the sword, and tried to ignore the heat that was rising up the back of his neck.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he said. His voice sounded like winter in his own ears. He knew from experience that if there was a God, He did not intervene in events to help good people. In any case, he was not going to talk about it. Something else had captured his attention.
He held the sword up to the light and looked closely. Sure enough, there it was. Strange, alien characters were etched into the metal. They seemed to flow together in a regular, but ornate script. Something about them made goosebumps rise on his flesh. The words seemed powerful…and sinister. The others needed to see this.
“What is it?” Kaylin asked, her voice sharp.
He turned the flat of the sword blade outward for everyone to see. “Maybe the answer is in the writing etched into the blade.”
Chapter 20
So, what have we learned about Goliath?” Bones tossed a folder on the table, pulled up a chair, and produced a can of Diet Coke with lime from the pocket of his leather jacket. He popped it open and took a swig.
“You might know what we’ve learned if you helped us,” Kaylin grumbled, looking askance at him.
“I’m hurt,” Bones answered, clutching his chest and twisting his face in mock anguish.
“Sorry,” she said. “I’m just stressed out.” She took a sip of coffee and grimaced. “Ugh, who made this?”
“I like it strong,” Maddock said. He turned to Bones. “What’s up with you?”
“I’m celebrating,” Bones said. “Ask me why.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke.
Maddock was still in a bad mood after the religious discussion of the previous day. He knew that he shouldn’t be angry at the others. The problem was his own. Nonetheless, he wasn’t in the mood to bandy words with his friend.
“Why?” Kaylin asked, her voice tinged with annoyance.
“Because I found a connection between the notes in Rienzi’s Bible and the tall man.” The brightness of his smile made Maddock’s headache worse.
Maddock waited for Bones to continue, but to no avail. “Bones, if you’re going to make us ask you a question after every sentence you utter, this is going to take forever.” He tossed the printed e-mails he had been reading onto the table and squeezed his head between his hands. The pressure relieved some of the throbbing.
“Fine, ruin my fun, why don’t you?” Bones pulled his feet off of the table, sat up straight, and took another drink before continuing. “I was doing a little research this morning, and came across a website that claims that the story of David and Goliath is a fable inspired by the stars. Specifically, David is the constellation Bootes, the sling is Corona Borealis, and Goliath, drum roll please…” He began drumming on the table with his palms. “…is Orion.” He sat back, folded his hands behind his head, and waited for their reply.
“But we know that Goliath is real,” Kaylin protested. “So how does that help us?”
“Think about Rienzi’s Bible,” Bones said. “Remember the stick figure drawn in the margin next to the David and Goliath story? Did it remind you of anything?”
“Orion,” Maddock said. How had he not recognized so familiar a constellation? “You’re right. That’s what the drawing is. I should have recognized it.”
“So Rienzi knew about this idea that the constellations inspired the s
tory,” Kaylin said, her voice bland. “I’m sorry, but I still don’t see how this is helpful.” She paused, waiting for an explanation.
“Think about it this way,” Bones said. “Rienzi, at least in his mind, knew that Goliath was a historical figure. After all, he had the sword to prove it. So he must have seen some other connection between Goliath and Orion.”
“Like what?” Maddock feared this was one of Bones’ fancies. “Wait a minute. Maybe I don’t want to know.” He held up his hands as if warding off an attack.
“Like little green men.” Bones rolled his eyes and waggled his fingers as he spoke.
Kaylin buried her head in her arms and groaned.
“Bones, if you had any idea how hard I’ve worked at doing real research, you would never come to me with this ridiculous idea.”
“Why is it ridiculous?” Bones propped his elbows on the table and fixed her with a blank stare.
Maddock knew his friend well enough to know that Bones was being serious. At least, as serious as he ever got.
“Come on,” Kaylin said, looking up at him. “You expect me to believe that Goliath was a space man?”
“Not a spaceman,” Bones said. “But he was a descendant of an alien race.”
Kaylin chuckled and shook her head. She was not accepting the idea at all.
“Let’s hear him out,” Maddock said. He wasn’t quite sure why he wanted to hear what Bones had to say. It was, after all, pretty far-fetched. Perhaps it was because he knew it would get under Kaylin’s skin. Sort of a petty payback for last night.
“First of all,” Bones said. “Remember how Rienzi had marked the passage about the giants being on the earth, and mating with human women?”
“Yes,” Kaylin said in a voice that was part tired, part bored. “I remember.”
“I did some cross-referencing between my research and Rienzi’s notes,” Bones continued. “Did you realize he marked every scripture that referred to races of the Nephilim or the ‘giants?’ He noted the Emim, who the Hebrews called ‘the terrible ones,’ the Rephaim, and the ‘stranglers,’ the Anakim.”