“Then why did you want to talk to me?” She was on the point of tears. It seemed she wasn’t to be allowed to break free from her prison after all.
He steadied himself. “To tell you how sorry I am about all this. If there is anything I can do to make it up to—”
“But there is.” She cut across his words. “You can tell your father that you want me back!”
“He would never agree to that,” Daniel protested, squirming in his seat.
Tears of frustration and despair were running down her face now. “But you could try at least! Maybe it would make a difference!”
“It wouldn’t,” he countered in a small voice.
Deep down, she knew he was right. Abraham would never let her go. She wiped the tears away with her apron, leaving streaks of flour on her cheeks.
“Here now,” he said gently, removing the smudges on her face with his handkerchief. “You mustn’t grieve so.”
She stared at him as a new thought occurred to her. “You really never wanted to marry me, did you?”
He dropped his eyes. “No, I’m sorry. That was my father’s idea, not mine.”
“Then why didn’t you say something to him while there was still time?” she asked plaintively.
He gave a bitter laugh. “By now you’re familiar with my father’s temperament. He can’t be dissuaded once he’s made up his mind about something.”
“No, I suppose not,” she agreed in a weak voice, feeling all the hope drain out of her once again.
He took her hands in his. “Look at me, Hannah.”
She forced herself to return his gaze.
“I truly am sorry for all of this. I wanted you to know that. If there is anything I can do to make your lot easier to bear, please tell me.”
She noted the anguish in his expression and believed he was sincere. A frightening and audacious plan began to take shape in her mind, but she had to be sure first. She tilted her head, considering. “You’ve been to the Fallen Lands more than any of us, haven’t you?”
He nodded uncertainly, releasing her hands. “Yes, that’s true. I’ve seen many parts of the outer world. More than almost anybody in the compound except perhaps for father himself.”
“Is it really as bad as they say? Do people murder each other in the streets? Are all the women painted harlots?”
Daniel laughed. “No, it’s actually not like that at all. I was surprised when I first saw for myself how things are out there. It’s not as clean as here, and certainly more disorganized with everyone going their own way but the people…” He furrowed his brow. “I don’t know how to explain them. They’re like us only they don’t seem to worry as much.”
“That doesn’t sound so terrible,” Hannah commented.
“No, it’s not.”
His description gave her courage to launch her plan. She tried to keep her next words casual. “You said you wanted to make things up to me. Maybe there is a way.”
“Anything! Name it.”
“I think I’d like to know more about the Fallen Lands. How people act and dress and how they travel about. Will you come visit me from time to time and tell me about them?”
He seemed taken aback. She knew that exhibiting curiosity about the outer world was considered an abomination. A sure sign of the devil’s influence.
She watched him closely. Everything depended on the next few seconds. Would he realize why she wanted to know and, more importantly, would he help her?
He stared at her in silence, a look of shock and understanding dawning on his face. And then he seemed to reach a decision in his own mind. “Why yes. I see no harm in that. Of course, I’ll tell you anything you’d like to know.”
She needed to be sure he wouldn’t betray her, so she nudged him one step further. “Can we keep this just between ourselves?”
He gulped and nodded. “Y…yes. Of course. Just as you say. Between ourselves.”
She gave him a tremulous smile. “Thank you, Daniel. I’ll feel much better about things if you just do that much for me. It will make all the difference.”
He seemed both relieved that she’d forgiven him and troubled because he must suspect how she was going to use that information.
“Whenever you want to talk about the Fallen Lands, send for me. I’ll be there. I promise.” He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead just as he’d done on their wedding night, only this time she fancied there was some genuine emotion behind that kiss. “Goodbye, Hannah. Until next time.”
“Goodbye Daniel and thank you.”
He got up and left her sitting alone in the chapel.
She smiled to herself. All wasn’t lost. She would have her freedom after all. Whether he knew it or not, Daniel was going to help her throw open the gates of hell.
Chapter 43 –Bugs in the Design
Abraham entered his secret treasury clutching the small wooden box to his chest. Words couldn’t express the elation he felt. God was good. He was holding in his hands an object believed to be no more than a legend. Like so many of the other so-called mythical artifacts he had collected in this room, the golden bee was quite real. He walked to the table in the center of the treasury and took his most recent acquisition out of its container. He held it up to examine it more closely. Even under the fluorescent lights which seemed to drain the color out of most objects, this one still glowed with an inner fire. An indication of its hidden power.
He reminded himself sharply of the Lord’s command against worshipping graven images. But he wasn’t worshipping it. He worshiped the deity who had so graciously placed it in his possession. His gaze slid away from the bee to the storage compartments lining the walls. They were almost full now. Only six remained empty. After today, only five. They waited to house the Bones of the Mother and finally the Sage Stone. Once he possessed the latter, he would be ready to act. Then the world would see a change.
He had no doubt that Daniel would succeed in acquiring the rest of the artifacts. It was a mark of God’s favor that they had prevailed thus far, even in the face of resistance from the Fallen. The young man who had tried not once, but twice, to steal the relics from the Nephilim had been justly vanquished. No doubt he was burning in hell at this very moment. God was good. He smote down the enemies of the righteous. Abraham uttered a silent prayer of thanksgiving.
He replaced the golden bee in its container and carried it reverently to a storage compartment in the corner of the treasury. It would remain sealed away here, waiting for its companion pieces. Its very presence, however, was a signal to Abraham to move forward with the next phase of his plan. He looked at his wrist watch. The hour was at hand.
***
Doctor Rafi Aboud waited impatiently for his benefactor to arrive. He was used to secrecy in his line of work, but this compound out in the middle of nowhere and the people who lived here seemed otherworldly to him. Otherwordly in a way that made him uneasy. Uneasiness was a small price to pay, he reminded himself sternly. In order to be allowed to continue his work, he would have gladly struck a bargain with the devil himself. Aboud noted the time. His host should have been here by now.
At that moment the office door opened to reveal an old man with a white beard. He was dressed entirely in black.
“Doctor Aboud?” he held out his hand in greeting.
The visitor grasped it warily. “You are Abraham Metcalf?”
“Yes, I’m very glad to meet you. Was your trip difficult?”
Aboud shrugged. “Flying thousands of miles is never easy.”
“And your accommodations,” the old man pressed. “Are they sufficient for your needs?”
“Sufficient, yes,” the visitor agreed. He didn’t much like being surrounded by locked gates, but that was a minor inconvenience.
The old man appeared animated for some reason. He exuded a hectic energy which he only suppressed with difficulty. “May I offer you some refreshment?”
Aboud wished to keep
the meeting short and impersonal. “No, thank you,” he said curtly. “I would like to see the plans for my facility.”
“Of course,” Metcalf agreed readily. “Here they are.” He picked up a long cardboard tube which had been standing next to his desk and removed the contents. He carried the rolled papers over to a conference table on the other side of the room and spread them out.
Aboud came to stand beside him, looking at the blueprints over his shoulder.
“As you can see, the entire laboratory will be underground,” the old man explained. “That will allow you to work in maximum privacy.”
“That is good,” the visitor agreed. “How many of your people know of this plan?”
“Very few. Only a handful in fact. There’s no reason why the rest should. I’ve acquired a tract of land a few miles away from the compound. The construction crew will be hired from the outside. They will have no occasion to deal with any of the Nephilim other than the men I’ve selected to supervise this operation. You may come and go as you please.”
Aboud nodded his approval. So, he would be allowed to leave after all. He made a mental note to find alternative living arrangements as soon as possible. Transferring his attention back to the blueprint, he scrutinized every detail of the design. This Metcalf had been careful to follow his instructions. It looked very good. He traced his finger over the main laboratory. The dimensions were much larger than his old facility.
“I will need assistants,” he said half to himself.
“My brethren are attempting to locate some of your countrymen whose work was also disrupted. I’m sure we can guarantee at least a handful of experienced laboratory technicians.”
“I will need a dozen.” Aboud’s voice was expressionless. It wasn’t a demand. It was a necessity if the work was to go forward as his benefactor wished.
Metcalf at first seemed taken aback by the comment. Apparently, he wasn’t used to being contradicted. Then he smiled briefly. “Just as you say. A dozen.”
The doctor returned his attention to the blueprint for a few moments, but then he paused as a new thought struck him. “Have you found a supplier for the animals I will need?”
Metcalf nodded. “Oh yes, that’s all been arranged. Here is the card of the man who will be your contact.”
He handed Aboud a business card with a name and phone number printed on it. The man’s title indicated that he specialized in laboratory supplies.
The old man elaborated. “Once the facility is complete, you can contact him and let him know what you require. He assures me that he can get most anything. Cats, dogs, primates.”
Aboud allowed himself to smile briefly. “That is good. We can institute a breeding program, of course, but that will take time. Initially, I will need a very large quantity to test my experiments.”
“It’s a shame your work was interrupted during the war.”
The doctor shot Metcalf an incredulous look. The old man seemed to be trying to make conversation. This was hardly a pleasant topic to choose. Aboud thought back to his final days in his homeland. He had been forced to flee his country, one step ahead of the troops. His laboratory was destroyed and with it his hopes of completing his research. He gave a humorless laugh. “Not only my work was interrupted. My life as well.”
“I realize it must be difficult adjusting to a new place,” Metcalf offered consolingly.
Aboud shrugged philosophically. “Here, there. The science is the same. What you are planning to build for me here is much better than what I had in my own country. I can accomplish more in a facility like this one.” He continued to trace the outline of the structure, but then his finger stopped. “There is one thing missing from this plan.”
“Yes?” Abraham asked anxiously.
“I will need an incinerator. A very large one.”
Chapter 44 – Cliffhanger
Faye carried a tray over to the coffee table in her conference room at the vault. She sat down and added Darjeeling leaves to the pot of hot water.
“Good, you’re here.” Maddie breezed through the open door and dropped down across from Faye on one of the leather couches.
“Any word from our intrepid team?” Faye inquired as she stirred the liquid in the pot and replaced the lid.
Maddie shook her head. “Just my luck I was out of the office when they finally phoned. But I got a voice mail from Griffin saying they were planning to arrive back at the vault this morning with a full report. That’s why I called you to come over.” She gave her superior an arch look. “At least this time you answered your phone.”
Faye smiled serenely. “My little world has been restored to order now that Zachary has been bundled off to his home. I am happy to announce that I am once more ‘online’ and fully functional as the saying goes.”
“Let’s hope the world of the Arkana is about to be restored to order too,” Maddie commented worriedly. “I’ve been on pins and needles fretting over this business with Erik. I keep telling myself that it’s no use bleeding before I’m cut.”
“A wise practice,” Faye concurred. “Any number of things might have happened, and there’s no point speculating. Imagination has a way of amplifying any problem the real world can provide.”
“Guess we’ll know soon enough.” Maddie reached for a cigarette but saw the look of mild reproach that Faye gave her. She threw the pack on the coffee table and smiled contritely. “Sorry. Force of habit. I really need a smoke to settle my nerves, but I’m afraid if I climb up to the chimney, they’ll get here while I’m gone.”
“What time did Griffin say they’d arrive?” Faye checked the color of the brewing tea.
Maddie consulted her wristwatch. “Right about now.”
“Have some tea, dear. That might steady you a bit.” She poured servings for both of them and handed one to Maddie.
“Might as well.” Maddie accepted and drank the hot tea in a few gulps.
“My goodness,” Faye said. “Would you like another?”
The operations director took a deep breath. “Nope, that’ll do me for now.” She set the cup down and began to drum her long fingernails on her knee. “I just wish they’d get here already.”
“Your wish is our command,” Griffin announced as he walked through the door trailed closely by Cassie. Bringing up the rear was Erik.
“Erik! Thank goddess!” Maddie cried. Springing off the couch, she engulfed the security coordinator in a smothering embrace.
He squirmed and tried to disentangle himself. “Maddie, let go. I can’t breathe.”
She stood back, holding him at arms length. Her joyous expression rapidly turned to a scowl. She shook him by the arms like a rag doll. “What the hell is wrong with you? You had us both worried to death! I swear I could kill you myself!”
Cassie and Griffin shrank back against the wall, but Erik took the tirade far more calmly than he’d taken the hug. He grinned and extricated himself from Maddie’s grip. “Relax, chief. It’s all good.”
The operations director wasn’t ready to calm down. “Why the hell didn’t you call?”
Griffin cleared his throat. “If I may, that was my idea. We were afraid the Nephilim might attempt to retrace Erik’s trail once they knew he’d been hunting the relic. They might have made inquiries and stumbled across us. We didn’t want to lead them straight to HQ via telecom, so we thought it best to leave the country as quickly as possible and provide explanations later.”
“Oh, you’ll be doing that alright.” Maddie glared at the Brit. “Right now, as a matter of fact. All of you, sit down and explain yourselves.”
During this interchange, Faye had remained silent. She’d busied herself with pouring out cups of tea for the new arrivals and distributing them around the table.
The trio filed dutifully around the couches and sat.
“I don’t know what you’re fussing about,” Erik objected.
“We thought you were dead!” Maddie shot back.
/>
“But how did you—”
She cut him off. “We got a hold of Hunt’s last call to Metcalf. He said he’d had some trouble on the mountain. From the description he gave, it sounded like he’d killed you.”
Erik looked sheepish. “Jeez, I’m sorry, Maddie. It never occurred to us you’d hear about that.”
“Especially not under those circumstances,” Griffin added. “We’re all terribly sorry.”
“Yeah,” Cassie concurred. “We would have called if we’d known.”
Maddie seemed to have vented most of her frustration by this time. The looks of apology mollified her temper. “OK, so now you know,” she grumped.
Faye took charge of the conversation. “I think what Maddie is trying to say is that we’re very happy and relieved to see you all back safely.” She smiled at each one of them in turn. “I take it you consider your mission a success?”
They all began chattering at once.
“I’ll tell it. We have to start with the room key,” Cassie said.
“I think we ought to begin with the bandit problem,” Griffin objected.
“You’ll start with why Erik isn’t dead!” Maddie burst in. She focused her attention on the security coordinator. “You go first,” she commanded.
“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted playfully.
The operations director didn’t appear amused.
Faye suppressed a chuckle.
Erik was on the point of speaking when he hesitated. “You know, my reappearance isn’t going to make any sense at all if we don’t start at the beginning.”
Maddie tapped her fingers. “Fine.”
“Let’s see, the last time we talked was just before we went up the mountain to switch the fake relic.”
“Has it been that long?” Cassie seemed surprised. “Then they don’t know anything!”
“I think that’s what I’ve been saying,” Maddie commented pointedly.
The Arkana Mysteries Boxed Set Page 51