TEMPLARS QUEST: LUCEM SANCTAM (THE TEMPLARS QUEST CHRONICLES: A Historical Mystery Book 3)

by Thomas H. Ward

  Going to our room, I asked Adam to look up on the ACWWW more information about the canyon. I wanted him to verify how many trails went into the canyon and advise the locations. Maggie volunteered to help him.

  The room phone rang, I answered it. “Jack Gunn.”

  “Mr. Gunn, this is Ed Seibert, Chief of Police.”

  “Hello, Chief. What can I do for you?”

  “I’d like to have dinner with you and a few of your people tonight, along with Officer Stevens, to discuss what’s going on.”

  “First of all, I’d like to thank you for your kind support and help. It’s our pleasure to have dinner with you tonight. I’ll bring along Captain Baldwin and my right-hand man.”

  “Fine, we’ll meet you at the hotel dining room at 7 pm. Is that ok?”

  “Yes sir, that sounds ok to me. See you then.”

  “Great, we’ll see you later, Mr. Gunn.”

  “Goodbye.”

  I knew this was going to happen. The Chief wants information about what’s going on. Baldwin, Maggie, and I will have to sit down and make up some bullshit story to tell him. Maggie always has good ideas and is a great liar. Besides that, she’ll take the tension out of the meeting by giving the Officers something to look at. She’s eye candy, so to speak. It’s hard not to look at Maggie because she’s so damn sexy.

  The three of us had a meeting to get our story straight. We’d tell the Chief basically the same thing we told Officer Stevens. I would embellish it a little bit to make it seem we gave the Chief more information than he should know. After all, we have to tell them something because they are paying the tab.

  It was around 5 pm when Pete came back. He advised us that five ATVs would be ready with trailers by tomorrow at 2 pm. He told us the problem was finding trailers.

  Adam and Maggie had been working on the Army Command Website, looking up information. Adam said, “We found out that Havasupai Indians live in the canyon.”

  “Living there now?” I asked.

  “I imagine they’re still living there.”

  “Well, we’ll find out soon enough. I just hope they’re friendly.”

  Maggie said, “Did you ever notice how much the Indians look like Egyptians?”

  I replied, “They don’t look like Egyptians. Look at picture of Akhenaten. Now that was one weird looking dude. Tell me he isn’t from another world. His head is cone shaped and he has elongated facial features. His wife, Nefertiti, looks more normal than him. All the Egyptian Kings had slanted eyes, making them appear to be oriental. They all wore conical shaped crowns to cover up the cone head.”

  “No, I didn’t mean they look like the old Kings. I think some of the American Indians have a lot of facial features similar to the normal Egyptian people. Especially the Havasupai, who are living in the Grand Canyon.”

  “I don’t know about that. Someone who’s an expert in facial features should study that. But you might be right.”

  Adam interrupted, “The Havasupais have lived in the canyon over a thousand years. Who knows, maybe they’ve been there a lot longer than that. Historians don’t really know that much about them.”

  “If so, then they might have seen the Knights Templar. We need to talk to them and find out if they have any stories about that. Maybe they know where the cave is. Tell me more about them,” I replied.

  “It says here that the Havasupais lived along the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, planting crops and tending the orchards in Havasu Canyon. They also grew food in other places within the Grand Canyon during the summer. In the winter, they forage for game on the rim. They refer to themselves as Havasu ’Baaja. In English it comes out to Havasupai. It means “people of the blue-green waters.” Havasu, which is what their land is called, has beautiful waterfalls which provide clean water. Their city is named Supi and is located at the bottom of the Havasu Canyon. It says here that about 600 people live in Supi City and it can only be reached by using Havasu Canyon Trial. The trailhead is located west of the Bright Angel Trail. It’s a private trail on the Indian Reservation.”

  Adam continued, “Listen to this, there is another tribe called the Hualapais. The reservation is just west of the Havasupais. They have about 2,500 tribal members. It seems that both of these tribes revere the Colorado River as a life source and backbone of their beliefs. They believe that they were created from the sediment and clay from the river. The name of their God is Tochopa. It doesn’t say here what that means.”

  “Do they mention anything about the Egyptians?” I asked.

  “No, I haven’t seen anything about that. But, would they even know about the Egyptians? I mean, these were simple people who had no written history. When the Egyptians conquered a people, they selected just a few of the locals who spoke the native language and taught them how to speak Egyptian. These guys became the local over-lords, so to speak. They were the ones who controlled the normal people, not the Egyptians. The Egyptians avoided contact with most of the salves. The Indians would think the Egyptians were a superior tribe from somewhere. Maybe they even thought of them as Gods.”

  “Yeah, that makes sense,” Maggie said.

  Adam said, “Here’s something of interest. Pack-i-tha-awi, is the man who made the Grand Canyon. There was a big flood covering the earth. He took a knife and cut into the ground to drain the flood waters into the Ocean. This cut created the canyon.”

  I let out a laugh, and said, “He must have been one big dude with a big knife to dig out the Grand Canyon. But what’s interesting is they mention a flood that covered the world. It reminds me of the great flood and Noah. That information helps to verify there really was a great flood.”

  Maggie said, “Gee, I think you’re right, Jack.”

  Captain Baldwin walked in and said, “Time to go to dinner, kids.”

  “Thanks, Daddy,” Maggie replied. “Just give me a minute to fix my hair and put on my face.”

  I said, “Come on Maggie, hurry up, you’re not going on a date.” I lit a smoke and cracked open a bottle of JD, taking two big gulps right out of the bottle. “Adam, while I am gone, take the dogs out for a walk and keep doing research on the canyon.”

  “Ok, will do, Grandpa.”

  “I’ll send you up a steak.”

  By the time I finished my smoke, Maggie was ready, so we proceeded to the dining room to meet the Chief. Maggie looked pretty damn good. She cleans up nicely for a warrior.

  We walked into the dining room and our hosts were having a drink. The drinks looked like gin or vodka martinis because they had olives in them. They stood up to greet us and everyone shook hands. After introductions, the Chief asked, “Is this beautiful woman your right-hand man?”

  I said, “Yes. I don’t go anywhere without her.” Stevens and the Chief couldn’t keep their eyes off her. Maggie had on her skin tight black SWAT clothing with a sidearm strapped on her hip. We never go anywhere without a weapon. Sitting down we ordered a round of drinks. Maggie had what I did, a double shot of JD on the rocks. George just had a glass of water.

  Chief Seibert said, “Cheers gentlemen, and Maggie.” We raised our glasses and repeated cheers. “Now tell me, who are you people?”

  “Well Chief, I’m in charge of this expedition and the weapons expert.” The Chief looked at me with a doubtful expression. “Captain Baldwin is in charge of the Special Ops force. Maggie is my bodyguard and dog handler.”

  “And what is your rank, Jack?”

  “I’m not in the Military. I work for the DOD Weapons Retrieval Unit.”

  I pulled out the letter from Captain Sessions of the Army Rangers and handed it to Seibert. He read it and handed it back to me.

  “That letter doesn’t tell me shit about you guys and what you’re looking for.”

  The waitress came over and interrupted our discussion. We ordered dinner and I requested an extra steak to be delivered to room 107 for Adam.

  Chief Seibert took a sip of his drink and said, “I checked with the Arizona National Guard and they don’
t know anything about you guys. So, who are you and what are you doing here?”

  Maggie said, “Hey, can I have another drink? I didn’t know this was gonna be a business meeting.”

  Seibert said, “Honey, this isn’t about business. It’s about National Security.”

  I said, “Ok Chief, here’s the story. We’re based at a secret location in Florida called Fort Desoto, on Tocabaga Island. Don’t ask where it is because it’s classified. A little over a month ago some top secret weapons were stolen by terrorists from Mac Dill Air Force Base, in Tampa. We were assigned to retrieve those weapons and terminate the terrorists, at any cost.”

  “Ok, now we’re getting somewhere. Please proceed.” Seibert said.

  “This Special Ops group is the best of the best that we have for this type of operation. We’ve tracked these guys all the way from Florida, and know they are headed north towards the Grand Canyon.”

  “What type of weapons are they?”

  “I can’t tell you that because it’s classified.”

  Stevens said, “See Chief, that’s what they always say when a nuke is involved.”

  “Is it a nuke, Mr. Gunn?”

  I looked him directly in the eyes. “That’s classified information. You understand that, don’t you, Chief?”

  “Yes, I understand what classified means. At least tell me why are they going to the canyon?”

  “We don’t know for sure, but there are two big dams on the Colorado River. There’s the Glenn Canon Dam in Utah and the Hoover Dam in Arizona. I can only tell you what we’re after could change the destiny of the United States, if we don’t stop them.”

  “Well Jack, you convinced me that this is a serious problem. How else can we help you? You need some more men?”

  Baldwin spoke up, “Thanks for the offer. No offense, but your men would just get in the way. We’re a well-oiled team that moves light and fast.”

  I butted in, “Chief, there is something you can do. We need you to block all the roads going up to the canyon. Stop all the traffic until we return or notify you because it’s going to be very dangerous up there.”

  “Shit, we already have roadblocks up so that’s not a problem. There’s only four major roads leading to the canyon and we have each one covered. It makes me wonder how these terrorists got by us?”

  I said, “They came across the desert through Navajo country and got on Route 89, bypassing Flagstaff.”

  “Yeah, that explains how they got around us.”

  Just then our dinner order came. We enjoyed a beef steak dinner with a baked potato and green beans. I dripped a little steak sauce over some of it. The steak was an inch thick juicy Porterhouse, which melted in my mouth.

  While eating, Seibert asked, “So, what’s your story, Maggie?”

  Maggie glanced up with her mouth full, chomping away. She couldn’t speak a word as she washed down the steak with a drink of water. Maggie licked her red lips and let out a giggle. “Excuse me, but I haven’t had a steak this good in a year.”

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” the Chief replied. “What is a beautiful woman like you doing with the Special Forces?”

  “Well, it’s kind of a long story.” Maggie thought for a moment. “I’m a dog trainer so I decided to join the Army. I was selected to join the Special Ops group because of Jack and Captain Baldwin. They needed some super dogs and that’s what I train.”

  “And you’re also Jack’s personal bodyguard. How did that happen?”

  I took Maggie off the hook by telling him, “Maggie is one tough cookie. Don’t let her looks fool you. She has terminated more men in the last year than anyone I know.”

  The Chief nodded in approval and asked, “How many terrorists did you say you’re following?”

  Baldwin answered, “Originally there were twenty-six of them. We terminated eleven of them, so fifteen are still on the loose. We’ll terminate all of them sooner or later.”

  “Let’s hope it’s sooner.” Siebert raised his glass. We raised ours and Maggie said, “Here’s to sooner.”

  After finishing up dinner, the Chief said, “I’m satisfied our money is being well spent helping you men out.”

  We all shook hands and I said, “Thank you for your support, Chief. We’ll be in touch.” He gave Maggie a hug.

  “Thank you, gentlemen. God Bless you and good hunting. Anything you need let Officer Stevens know.”

  “Roger that, Chief,” Baldwin said. “See you tomorrow, Stevens.”

  After bidding them a goodnight, we proceeded to our rooms. Baldwin said, “Goodnight, I’m gonna watch a movie.”

  Maggie, who was sleeping in the same room with Adam and I, proceeded to our room with me. She stopped me from opening the door by touching my arm. We were standing in the hallway, outside our room. Maggie said, “That went … pretty well.” Maggie was slurring her words from too many drinks.

  “Yep, it sure did,” I said.

  Maggie grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me in towards her, kissing me hard on the lips. “I love you, Jack Gunn.”

  “I know, and I love you, Maggie. But we can never be lovers.”

  “Damn you anyhow. You’re so righteous, so pure. I know you want me, so do something about it.”

  “Maggie, you’re drunk. I admit that I want you. Any man would, but then we wouldn’t be friends anymore. I value your friendship and loyalty. Let’s go to sleep, it’s been a long day.” Maggie didn’t say another word as I opened the door, but she did give me a friendly punch in the arm.

  As we entered the room, Adam excitedly said, “I found out some important stuff.” I noticed the empty plate and the dogs gnawing on a steak bone. “Oh, thanks for the steak, it was great. I shared it with the dogs.”

  “What did you find out?” I asked, as I rubbed his head messing up his hair.

  Adam turned on the computer pad. “I found out that the Havasupai and Hualapai have found a lot of caves in the canyon. They stated that some of the naturally made caves were modified by man. Someone, it doesn’t say who, interviewed the Indians who said many of the caves had strange markings or writing on them.”

  “I think we need to talk to these people.”

  “I agree. They might be able to help us,” Maggie said, after she flopped on the bed.

  “Maybe, but these people don’t like talking about the caves. They won’t go in the caves because they considered them off limits, due to their beliefs,” Adam commented.

  “So you’re telling me that the Indians have never gone into any of the caves,” I said.

  “That’s what it says. But maybe some were curious and did go in the caves.”

  I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, you bet they did. Probably the Chiefs and Medicine men went inside the caves to try and gain knowledge for themselves. They wanted to be more powerful than the common person. Knowledge is power, so they sought to gain any type of information that would give them an edge.”

  “Maybe the Indians took the treasure. Maybe they took the Ark,” Maggie said.

  Adam replied, “Maybe, but I doubt it. They would believe it was the property of the Gods. I don’t think they would touch it and I don’t think God would let them touch it.”

  “So which tribe should we visit first?” I asked.

  “I think the Havasupai Tribe is the best to visit first. If we don’ find anything out, then we’ll go to the Hualapai Tribe. Of course, they are very close to each other since they are neighbors. They probably marry women from each other’s tribes to keep from inbreeding.”

  “Do they speak English?”

  “Yes, I believe so. As far as trails go, here is what I found. On the rim, the main trails and roads are: Rim Trail, Hermit Road, Desert View Road, and part of Bright Angel Point Trail. Trails going down into the canyon are: Hermit, Hulalapai, New Hance, North Kaibab, South Kaibab, Tanner, Bright Angel, and Havasu Canyon Trail.

  “The only trail that you can take an ATV into the canyon on is the Bright Angel Trail. It’s the only
one wide enough. The other trails are too steep, narrow, and dangerous, even on foot.”

  “Bright Angel is the only one?”

  “Yes, but you can go to Supai City on the Havasu Trail, but that’s not part of the National Park property. It’s owned by the Havasupai Tribe. After Supai City the trail gets too narrow for an ATV.”

  “What’s Supai City again?”

  “It’s the capital of the tribe and is at the bottom of Havasu Canyon, which is really part of the Grand Canyon. Most of the tribe lives there. The Havasu River runs down the cliffs and through this canyon into the Colorado River.”

  It was getting late so Maggie and I had one more drink and we all hit the hay. Tomorrow was going to be a big day because we would arrive at the Grand Canyon before sunset. We’d have to be on our toes watching for the nomads who wanted to steal the treasure of God.

  MAY 29, 2026

  ONGTUPQA

  We obtained five ATVs, compliments of the Police Chief, hooked the trailers up to our trucks, and took off to the canyon. Maggie and Adam were excited to see the canyon because I had told them so much about it. It’s a two hour drive from Flagstaff, reaching an altitude of about 7,500 feet.

  The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River, so they say. Most people know it is located in the state of Arizona. It is managed by National Park Services, the Hualapai Tribe, the Havasupai people, and the Navajo Nation. Each have their own areas to manage and maintain.

  The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and attains a depth of over a mile deep. The processes that formed the Grand Canyon are still debated by geologists. Most believe the Colorado River started carving out the canyon five million years ago.

  For thousands of years, the area has been inhabited by Native Americans. They can be traced as far back as 1,200 BC, as proven by the artifacts found in the canyon. There are an estimated 2,000 unexplored caves. The natives considered the Grand Canyon a holy site. History books say the first known European to visit the Grand Canyon was Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, in 1540. He was a conquistador from Spain. We now know he wasn’t the first, since the Knights Templar visited the canyon in 1350.