by Chad Brecher
Clay put down his can and leaned in with interest. “What Flood thing?”
“Well if you want to believe in the Bible — I mean truly believe in the truthfulness of the Bible and accept that there was indeed an Eden with a magical garden within it then you would be obligated to accept the historical reality of a Great Flood. In the Bible, Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden and humanity continues to putt-putt along in sin and decadence until God one day has had enough of his vile creation and decides it is time to wipe the slate clean and start over. He commands Noah to build an ark and proceeds to essentially kill off his creation with a massive Flood. It’s kind of ironic when you think that paradise was centered around a land with abundant water and now humanity is being drowned in this life-giving liquid. The Great Flood changes everything. Every river, mountain, plain, valley, anthill that existed before it was altered forever. After the Flood, Eden could be anywhere or nowhere.” Ellie glanced around at the dark camp and hugged her body tightly. “This place is as good as any, I suppose.”
“I still think it’s awfully cold for Eden,” Jonas complained and drew the blanket taut against his body.
The fire crackled and popped. Ellie could see Phillip emerge from a tent erected near the back of his jeep. He looked their way as he engaged in a seemingly intense conversation with Solomon. He held in his left hand a satellite phone that glowed neon blue.
“What’s this Darkhad thing all about?” Ellie asked to no particular person. The question seemed to float in the air. Ellie shivered at the image of the old Mongolian shaman lying lifeless upon the steppes, his blood slowly seeping into the soil.
“It’s a thing of legend,” Alex responded quietly. “It goes back to the death of Genghis Khan. As Marco Polo mentioned in the fourth book, when Genghis Khan died, he was buried in secret. Great lengths were taken to hide the location of his burial site. After he passed on, a devoted tribe of Mongols dedicated themselves and their progeny to protecting Genghis’ final resting place. These people were known as the Darkhad. It seems that it was precisely these people who Marco Polo feared so much and who contributed to his early departure from his service to Kublai Khan. They may also explain why he never chose to return to the East. Whether such a group still exists is a question we may see answered.”
“Well it sure seemed to spook dear Phillip,” Jonas said, and motioned to the man trying to speak into the phone. Phillip scowled with displeasure.
Ellie brought her knees to her chest. She thought back to their near imprisonment in the crypt beneath San Proculo and the menacing Asian man’s final words before he sent the slab of stone tumbling down…This will be your tomb. She entertained bringing up the episode, looked at her weary colleagues, and thought better of it. Ellie caught a glimpse into Alex’s eyes and immediately felt ice cold. For the first time she saw true fear in his eyes.
71
Alex stirred to the sound of the front of the tent unzipping. He could hear Ellie moan beside him as he strained to lift his head off the frozen ground. He struggled to wiggle his body out of the sleeping bag enough to prop himself up on his elbows. Alex could see one of Solomon’s men in a wool hat duck his head into the tent and scowl.
“We’re moving out in five. Pack up your gear.”
Before Alex could look at his watch the man was gone. The front of the tent was left undone. A biting, frigid wind began to blow into the tent, making it that much harder for Alex and Ellie to extricate themselves from the relative warmth of their sleeping bags. Ellie’s neck was stiff and she swallowed several times in an attempt to rid her mouth of a metallic taste. She winced in response to a pounding from her temples and prayed that someone had brewed a pot of coffee.
“What’s this all about?” Ellie sighed as she made her way on her knees towards the opening in the tent.
They crawled out of the tent to find the camp alive with activity. Solomon’s men were busy removing crates and boxes from the backs of the vehicles and taking inventory of the contents. Alex could see one of the mercenaries, a hulk named Ox, remove sophisticated weaponry one by one from a crate. He examined each gun like a lost love, cradling the weapon delicately, initiating its laser sighting, and eventually slapping in an ammunition cartridge after he was satisfied that it was in prime condition. The man proceeded to hand out the weapons to the rest of the men in his team. Each member grabbed a weapon and slung it over his shoulder. They collected extra ammunition and slid the cartridges into weapon belts strapped across their bodies.
“Looks like we’re going to war,” Clay said nonchalantly as he sidled up beside Alex and Ellie. He awkwardly balanced three cups of black coffee in tin mugs. Alex and Ellie thanked him and accepted the mugs. They looked at the heavily armed men with curiosity.
“What’s going on?” Alex asked.
“It appears that our dear commander, Phillip, has decided that we will proceed on foot to Burkhan Kaldun. He’s even more impatient than me.”
Alex took a sip of the coffee and found it unbearably bitter. He wiped his lips with his sleeve.
“We don’t even know what we are looking for. If we believe Polo’s account that Genghis Khan was buried in the Garden of Eden, all we know is that it is at Burkhan Kaldun. There have been several expeditions in this area looking for Genghis Khan’s burial site that have been unsuccessful. I’m not sure how we are going to be any more successful,” Alex complained.
“Well, it appears that Phillip has considerable faith in your talents, as do I. He truly expects you to sort this all out.”
“It’s expecting a bit too much,” Alex bemoaned. He could see Solomon begin to fill a backpack full of blocks of clay-colored explosives. Solomon began to zip up the bag and glanced back, catching Alex’s eye. He smiled.
“What’s that for?” Alex asked.
“Insurance,” he muttered and stood up.
Solomon climbed onto the hood of one of the jeeps and waved for everyone to gather around. In a booming voice he explained that they were going to leave the camp and travel by foot towards this ‘Holy Hill.’
“Our computer genius, Martin, has drawn the short straw and is going to be staying at the campsite. He is going to guard the vehicles, monitor the progress of our expedition, and organize help if it is needed…which it won’t be.”
Martin leaned against the vehicle and gave a faint-hearted salute with just his index finger. He lit a cigarette and took a long puff. “I’ll be thinking of you guys while I’m sitting on my ass and you’re humping up a freakin’ mountain.”
72
Incessant chirping permeated the forest as the light of the late afternoon struggled to penetrate through the canopy of trees. They had been trudging through the overgrown wilderness for several hours since leaving the campsite behind. Jimmie, the Mongolian guide, took the lead scanning the scenery ahead and occasionally stopping to squat beside an animal footprint. Solomon’s mercenaries fanned out, forming a loose perimeter around the party, carefully monitoring the woodlands surrounding them for the slightest sound. The forest seemed menacing and strangely ‘alive’. The passage of wind through the trees gave the appearance that the forest was inhaling and exhaling. The soldiers remained disciplined and focused on their task, training their guns periodically into the woods in response to the rustle of Tibetan snowcocks frolicking through the thicket.
Static suddenly cut through the tranquility, prompting a hidden falcon to alight off a branch and flap across the sky. Solomon held up the two-way radio to his mouth and toggled the dial to select channel seven.
“Howzit, Martin?” Solomon asked and watched as Phillip fiddled with the satellite phone beside him. There was silence for several seconds and then static crackled out of the radio receiver.
“Perfect, Sir. It’s like a freakin’ safari out here. I’ve seen elk and even a nasty old boar…but not much else. How’s things out in the shit?”
“Fairly similar. We’ll keep you updated…and Martin, try not to treat this like a vacation. Keep sh
arp. The sat phone is on the fritz — we can’t get a signal out here. I hate to say it but you’re our lifeline to the outside world.”
“Affirmative. Let me know how I can help…and Sir? Watch out for the bears.”
“You too, Martin.” Solomon clicked off the radio and handed it to one of his soldiers who slipped it into his backpack. “Hey, Jimmie! How much farther?” he barked.
The guide ignored Solomon and continued to walk in silence. He carried himself with an almost mournful carriage, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his jacket and his shoulders hunched forward. He looked miserable.
Alex quickened his pace and maneuvered beside Jimmie. He matched the man’s walking cadence and continued trotting beside him in silence for several minutes. The guide appeared to barely take notice of Alex and remained focused on the forest ahead. When Jimmie finally spoke he did so softly, almost inaudibly, without glancing at Alex.
“You’re not with them are you? …You, the girl, that old man, and the man that always seemed pissed off at something.”
“You must mean Jonas. Yes. How should I put it? We are here against our will.”
“Like me. But you are eager to see what secret Burkhan Khaldun holds?”
“Yes.”
The guide nodded and grew silent once again.
Alex picked up a stick and swatted at the ground. “What is so special about this place?”
“Burkhan Khaldun?”
“Yes.”
“It is the heart of the Mongol people. It is blessed. It has been and always will be. When Genghis Khan went to pray, it was there he preferred to go where he was closest to the spirits of the world — the gazriin ezen…the nature spirits. There is a life force that pulsates from the Khentii mountains. When you climb it, you look down upon the vast lands of the Mongols and feel centered and fixed to the earth. You understand that life flows down these peaks like the three rivers — the Onon to the east, the Tula to the west, and the Kherlen to the south. People have come from far away in search of the tomb of Genghis Khan — the Japanese, the Russians, the Americans. They have all failed. It does not want to be found. They are grave robbers. They would like to do to us what was done to the pyramids of Egypt”
“But it isn’t gold or treasures that we are seeking.”
“Then what is it?”
Alex thought for a moment and realized how ridiculous it sounded in his head. “Life. Everlasting life.” He nearly winced from embarrassment.
The guide turned and looked at him for the first time. “If the great Khan couldn’t achieve this, what makes you think this blessing is for you? Everlasting life?” The man emitted a short chuckle. “You Westerners have your heads in the clouds. You always want to take the short cut.” Alex’s face became flush with embarrassment.
“These are sacred sites and must not be trespassed. This is madness.” The guide leaned in slightly and whispered. “I tell you this because I believe that in the end man has free will. We are being followed. We have been from the beginning. The Darkhad will not allow this sacrilege to occur. In the end the life that you seek will only beget death. Hear me out, this will all end badly.”
Alex did not know how to respond to this warning and slowed the pace of his walking. The guide pulled away, leaving Alex behind. Ellie approached Alex and hesitated at the sight of horror on his face.
“What is it, Alex? What did he say?”
“We need to get out of here…and soon.” Alex could see that Jimmie had stopped at the edge of a bank of trees. The group began to collect around the guide. Beyond the tree line was a valley and beyond that several large hills.
The guide pointed across the valley at the hills looming in the distance. “That is the Khan Khenti and the bald ridge is the Burkhan Khaldun — the Sacred Hill.”
“That’s my boy, Jimmie!” Solomon congratulated the guide with a powerful slap on the back.
“How much farther to it?” asked Phillip as he looked at his watch and at the darkening sky. Already the temperature had dropped considerably from the hot afternoon.
“Less than a day hike.”
“Then we’ll set up camp here and leave early tomorrow for it.”
73
Martin propped his feet upon the dashboard of the jeep and rolled up the window slightly. It was beginning to get cold again. He zipped his jacket until it was snug. This place sucks, he complained to himself and took a long puff from his cigarette before flicking it out of the window. He reached across the passenger seat, retrieved his battered laptop computer, and slid it onto the dashboard. He clicked the release and bent the screen back until it stood upright. The battery light blinked incessantly. He searched for any satellite signal but was disappointed to find that he was in a dead-zone.
Why am I not surprised? he asked himself with dismay.
As he went to fold the screen down he caught a faint reflection of a shadowy figure scamper behind him.
What the…
He sunk down into his seat. His fingers first sought out the two-way radio. He gripped it for a moment, before pushing it aside to find the grip of his gun. Martin clutched it tightly to his chest. He peered into the rearview mirror and could see only the forest behind him. The door squeaked as he slowly opened it. He waited and listened. The woods around him were still.
Too still.
74
“What did he say?” Ellie whispered to Alex as Clay and Jonas squeezed in beside them. She could see the Mongolian guide sitting sadly beside the blazing fire.
“He gave me a warning. He said the Darkhad were coming and when they find us it will be best not to be counted among Phillip’s crew. They will do everything possible to prevent the tomb of Genghis Khan from being disturbed. They’ll kill us all.”
An ominous howl echoed through the forest, sending a chill up Ellie’s spine.
“What should we do? We can’t just leave. Solomon’s men are ready to shoot us if we try to escape and even if we were lucky enough to evade them, we’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“If we could just get some distance between us and Solomon’s men, then maybe we could find some help. Maybe we’ll find a group of hikers who could aid us. Who knows? Solomon’s men guard the campsite in shifts. There’s usually a short period of time when the two shifts are making small talk. I say we wait for the right opportunity and slip away into the forest.”
“When?” Ellie asked.
“As soon as possible…tonight.”
“Do you know what would happen if they caught us?” Jonas asked.
“I’m afraid it would be the same outcome if we stay.”
“What about the Garden, Alex? We are so close.” Clay’s eyes appeared wet in the moonlight. “Could you turn your back on it? We’re walking in the final footsteps of Marco Polo.”
“Redmund, is it worth our lives?”
“Let me answer that question with another question. Would you be willing to risk your life for the opportunity to save millions of others? If this tree has one-tenth the powers it could have, it could be the greatest medicinal discovery this world has ever seen. If it could be analyzed and its properties distilled into base components it could revolutionize the treatment of the greatest scourges of the earth. Think of it Alex… AIDS, cancer, malaria: cured. I must ask you to reconsider your plan to leave.” Clay leaned over and squeezed Alex’s shoulder a bit too hard. He looked him in the eye. “We need your help, Alex, to take us over the threshold.”
“We…us…what are you talking about?” Ellie protested. She watched as Jonas swept aside part of the blanket that was wrapped around him. She could see that he was holding a pistol in his lap.
“How did you? What is going on here?” Alex tried to stand but was restrained by Clay’s hand. Alex could see Solomon and Phillip watching them from across the camp.
“Listen to me, Alex. Don’t do anything stupid. You are a smart boy but you lack a perspective you gain from age and experience. This is too important to turn our backs on.
I cannot let you. We…” Alex again tried to stand and was forced back down again by Clay’s grip on his shoulder. “…we have made a deal. At the end of this you two will go free.”
“In exchange for what?” Alex pulled his shoulder away from Clay with a twist. His face was flush with anger from the betrayal.
“In exchange for you taking us the final step.”
“And if I don’t.”
“Don’t talk like that, Alex. You’ve seen what these men are capable of. They’ll kill you. They’ll probably threaten to kill Ellie first as leverage. They’ll kill Jonas and me, too. We’re not exactly in a position of bargaining. Jonas and I have been given the job of seeing that you succeed.”
“You said that we must prevent the Order from finding the secret of Polo at all costs,” Alex protested despondently.
“Let’s be a little realistic now. Look around you. Whether you like it or not, they will get the information from you. I’m trying to do what’s best for everyone in the end. I’m sorry that you feel betrayed, but the equation changed at the library.”
Ellie glared at Clay, her fist clenched tightly until her knuckles shined white in the moonlight.