by John Lyman
Morelli nodded to Lev before taking Leo by the arm and leading him over to the railing along the stern. “Something else is bothering you, Leo. What is it?”
“Is it just me, Anthony, or are you also starting to sense something else at work here?”
“I was wondering if you felt it too, Leo. Every time we set out to explore the area around Orencik, something always seems to get in our way. First it was the reluctant villagers. Now a new vehicle that suddenly stops running for no apparent reason. I mean ... sure ... it could be a coincidence, but I don’t think so, and neither do you. I only pray the chopper doesn’t have any problems. You know as well as I do that they tend to drop like a rock when things stop working right.”
Leo pondered Morelli’s last comment with a growing sense of dread. “I’m wondering if that school bus driver would like to make a little more cash.”
“Let’s go talk to Lev.”
An hour and forty-five minutes later, a world-famous Israeli millionaire mathematician, the Vatican’s second-in-command, a world-class archaeologist, and two of Spain’s top scientists were all sitting on plastic-covered seats behind Alon and Abbas as they all peered through the fingerprint-smeared windows of an old yellow school bus that was descending from a mountain pass into the city of Sanliurfa.
With the sun just setting off to their right, they entered the city and turned down the street leading to the house Mendoza had rented and stopped. The street was filled with dense black smoke infused with red light flashing from a line of fire engines, and as they peered at a flickering orange glow at the end of the block, a policeman stepped in front of the bus and blocked their way forward.
The driver held up his hands to the flashlight-wielding cop and the two gestured back and forth until the officer finally boarded the bus and made it clear that they would have to turn around and detour the area. After the policeman hopped out and the driver began backing up, Abbas walked to the front of the bus and stood beside the driver. “What gives?”
“Didn’t you say you were all staying at number 35 at the end of the block?”
“Yeah ... number 35 ... why?”
“Well, you won’t be staying there tonight, because that policeman just told me it caught fire right before we arrived.”
Once again, Leo could feel the vibration. It was getting stronger and more violent. The Dark Ruin had sensed their closeness, and once again it was resisting.
“Is there somewhere else you’d like me to take you?” the driver asked. “I have to start heading back home. I’ll barely get any sleep as it is before I start my route tomorrow.”
“Of course, you’ve already been more than generous with your time.” Abbas pulled out his wallet and pushed a few extra bills into the driver’s hand. “There’s a hotel on the highway that leads to the airport. Could you drop us off there?”
“No problem, sir. I know the place.” Grinding gears reverberated under the floor of the bus as the driver began heading back through the center of a brightly lit city full of life. Against a backdrop of overflowing sidewalk cafes, small cars and tiny motor scooters whizzed around the slow-moving bus on their way to the center of the city. The urban scene was surreal in its regularity compared to the fear that was gripping those huddled in the back of the bus, for all around them life was going on as usual while someone or something was pulling out all the stops to keep them from reaching their destination.
After checking his pockets for extra ammunition, Alon moved from one side of the bus to the other, looking out the windows to see if anyone was following them. “Someone or something is sending us a message, and we need to forget about looking for a hotel and start thinking about getting off this highway and away from this city.”
“Alon’s right,” Lev whispered to the others. “We’d be sitting ducks if we checked into a hotel around here, and camping in the area is pretty much out of the question now. Besides, all of our camping gear just went up in flames.”
In the front of the bus, they saw Abbas holding his cell phone and speaking to the driver just before the bus turned off the main highway and headed down a paved side road.
“Did anyone follow us, Professor?” Abbas shouted.
Lev peered through the rear window at the darkened road behind them. “Nothing yet. Mind if I ask what you’re up to?”
“I just called my headquarters. There’s a Turkish military barracks at the end of this road. We’ll stay there tonight, and in the morning a detachment of Turkish Special Forces will escort us to Orencik. Tomorrow we go see what’s in those hills.”
CHAPTER 13
With the rising sun in their eyes, a long line of brown military trucks was greeted by hostile stares from the villagers as they pulled off the highway and began rolling through the narrow dusty streets of Orencik. While some nervous townspeople began shuttering their windows against the rising dust kicked up by the military convoy, others, mostly children, ran outside to look skyward at a V-shaped formation of helicopters that was swooping in from the south, skimming over the city at rooftop level and shaking even more dust from the ancient hand-hewn timbers that supported the village’s leaning mud houses.
Many in the village began to flee into the fields, because along with the dust and the noise from the rumbling trucks came great suspicion. The Kurdish people who lived in this village had never seen so many soldiers before, and their sudden arrival reminded them of a time when Saddam’s army had swooped in and sprayed an entire Kurdish village in Iraq with a biological weapon that had killed everyone in its path.
Squeezed between Abbas and Lev Wasserman in one of the lead trucks, Leo looked out at all the fearful faces staring back at him through mud-streaked windows. “We need to pay another visit to the village elder. If we could somehow gain his trust, his help could prove invaluable. Besides, no one else knows this area the same way these people do, and right now they look scared to death.”
“You think he’s going to be more cooperative just because the army is with us?” Lev asked.
“Maybe. At least he’ll know we’re serious and that we’re not going away.”
“It’s worth a try, Cardinal,” Abbas said, “but personally I think the most you’ll hear from him is have a nice day before he slams the door in your face.”
The Turkish sergeant driving the big truck suddenly slammed on the brakes, throwing the vehicle into a sliding stop. An old man wearing a turban and dressed in flowing, multi-colored robes had just stepped into the middle of the road followed by a group of stoic-looking men who stood with their arms folded in defiance only inches from the front bumper.
Abbas peered through the window at the approaching group. “It seems the elder has decided to come to us, Cardinal.”
“Good. Let’s see what he has to say.” Leo and Lev jumped from the truck, followed by Abbas and the driver, who was less than pleased at the men who had just blocked their path. The crackle of military radio chatter accompanied the quick arrival of a Turkish Army Special Forces colonel accompanied by a large contingent of well-armed soldiers dressed in camouflage fatigues.
Facing the old man, the colonel’s face was contorted with rage. “What’s the meaning of this? You could have been killed! Clear this street immediately or I’ll have my men clear it for you.”
The old man blinked back at the short officer, apparently unfazed by the man’s outrage. “I am sorry for the inconvenience, sir, but I knew of no other way to warn you of the danger ahead.”
“Danger? What danger? What are you talking about, old man?”
“This man is the village elder,” Leo said, stepping forward. “We spoke with him a few days ago, and I believe he could be of great help to us. Would you mind if I had a few words with him?”
The Turkish colonel swatted the end of a thin riding crop against the side of one of his high leather boots as he looked up at the tall cardinal. “Of course, sir. My orders are to assist you, but please keep in mind that we are in this dusty hell hole to make sure nothing
happens to you.” The colonel looked up at the buildings lining both sides of the narrow street ahead. “I don’t like this position. My men are sitting ducks here. Keep your discussion brief.”
With that, the officer turned and tromped back to his vehicle, leaving a circle of armed soldiers standing around Leo and Abbas with their weapons pointing outward.
Leo smiled down at the village elder. “Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. We were actually on our way to see you.”
“I knew you would return, Cardinal, but you must believe me when I tell you that all of these soldiers will be useless to you when you come face-to-face with what you seek out there in those hills.”
Leo’s calm demeanor was beginning to crack as he frowned down at the man. “And just what exactly am I seeking, sir, because to be honest, I have no idea why we are here other than the fact that certain signs have led us to this location. You, on the other hand, seem to have great knowledge of what may be lying in wait for us, and as much as my gut tells me to turn around right now, we are not going away. Regardless of the outcome, we are compelled to see what’s out there, and right now you are our best chance for coming out of this alive.”
The old man stood erect, his eyes narrowing with an expression of resignation mixed with fierce determination. “I have no influence with what lies beyond, Cardinal, but I see that you are an honorable man. We will take you to the area and point you and your people in the right direction, but that is as far as we will go. From that point on, you and those who are foolish enough to accompany you will be on your own.”
“That’s good enough for us,” Abbas said, his face a mask of grim determination. “Would you care to ride with us?”
“No. We will meet you at the western edge of town in fifteen minutes. From there we will walk.” The old man then turned and led his group of bearded followers back into the hodgepodge warren of narrow streets before disappearing from sight.
“What’s the verdict?”
Leo looked back to see the Turkish colonel standing behind them. “He’ll meet us in fifteen minutes at the western edge of the village. From there he’ll walk us in.”
“Walk us in to where, Cardinal?”
“I have no idea, but it can’t be far. You and your men can remain behind if you’d like. I don’t see any need for you to risk your men by accompanying us any farther.”
“I have my orders, Cardinal. Where you go, I go. Just what kind of danger are you expecting?”
“The danger we face in the hills is spiritual, Colonel. Unless we encounter some kind of human resistance, I’m afraid your weapons will be useless.”
Leo could see the colonel’s face grow pale before he turned and motioned for his men to get back into their trucks.
* *
Exactly fifteen minutes later, the village elder and his Kurdish entourage were waiting for Leo at the base of a grassy hill. After a few perfunctory greetings, the mixed group set off over the hill, followed by a flanking platoon of Turkish Special Forces troops who looked less than enthusiastic about escorting a Catholic cardinal and a group of academics into a barren wilderness.
As soon as they reached the top of the hill, Leo waited for Morelli to catch up before pointing out the endless rows of similar undulating hills reaching as far as the eye could see in every direction. “Where have you been, Bishop?”
“I got stuck riding in the last truck. You guys almost forgot me this morning.”
“Sorry about that, Anthony. I’m feeling a little distracted today for some reason.”
“Join the club. Looks like the village elder there is getting ahead of us.”
Looking back over his shoulder at Leo, the old man motioned them forward with a gnarled walking stick as he and his followers headed for the next hill in line.
Walking beside Leo, the Turkish colonel signaled for his men to spread out. “You know, Cardinal, if these people are so afraid of something out here in these hills, don’t you find it a little strange that they didn’t just draw you a map and stay home?”
“I’m beginning to find everything about this place strange, Colonel.”
For the first time since they had met, Leo saw the tough-acting officer smile. Reaching out, the colonel extended his hand. “My name is Bartu ... Bartu Demir. I’m very pleased to meet you, Cardinal Amodeo. I apologize for coming off so strong back in the village. Getting all warm and fuzzy with newcomers doesn’t exactly come easily to someone in my profession, especially when you’ve been tasked with keeping them alive at all costs, which means that in the process I could lose men who have become like brothers to me over the years.”
“I understand, Colonel. Unfortunately, acting warm and fuzzy toward newcomers happens to be a big part of my job description ... one I don’t always relish. Wearing this Roman collar can sometimes be a magnet for some very strange people.” Leo paused as he looked at the colonel’s pencil-thin moustache. “You remind me of another colonel I once knew ... an American chopper pilot.”
“Does he still fly, or do the higher-ups have him chained to a desk?”
The expression that crossed Leo’s face answered the colonel’s question.
“Oh ... I see.” Demir nodded. “My condolences, Your Eminence.”
“I was flying in the chopper next to his when it was hit,” Leo said, looking straight ahead.
“You have the eyes of a soldier, Cardinal.”
“A soldier of the cross, Colonel. However, lately I find myself spending more and more time with real soldiers.”
Demir’s first impression of Leo had just taken a swift 180 degree turn. Instead of feeling resentment at having to babysit yet another pompous official with high-placed connections, he was beginning to sense that he was in the presence of a very different sort of man—a man who not only respected the beliefs of others, but looked like he would also fight ceaselessly in their defense.
Up ahead, at the top of the next hill, the old man and the small group of villagers stopped. “This is as far as we go,” the old man said. “From here you’re on your own.”
Looking out over the surrounding countryside, Leo and the others could see nothing but wavering brown grass covering a rounded treeless vista. Not a single bird could be seen circling overhead, and even a whisper could be carried by the breeze to the next hilltop.
“There’s nothing here,” Leo replied. “Nothing but rolling hills as far as the eye can see.”
The old man began moving back down the hillside in the direction of the village before stopping and pointing toward the horizon. “It’s there, Cardinal ... just over the next hill. There’s a slight depression on the other side that would go unnoticed to the untrained eye, but the archaeologists with you will recognize the signs.”
“Signs? What kinds of signs?”
Planting his twisted walking stick in the soft earth, the old man frowned. “You’ll see, Cardinal ... you’ll see.” A few minutes later, he and his followers were gone after disappearing through the tall grass at the base of the hill.
Morelli placed his hands on his hips and stared out at the bleak, windswept landscape. “Well, he was a lot of help. He might as well have just stayed in town and pointed in this direction.
“I think he was still holding out hope we would change our minds,” Leo said, “because he said that once we were in the area of the ruin there would be no turning back.”
“I thought he said no one knew where this so-called dark ruin was located.”
“Obviously he was lying to protect us. I have a feeling the village elders have been guarding a secret in these hills for a very long time now. It’s almost like they’ve made a pact with whatever’s out here in order to keep it away from them.”
Alon clicked the safety off his new 9mm Sig pistol and looked across the space that separated them from the next hill. “Why don’t we go see what’s got everyone so scared?”
Cautiously, the group climbed up the next hill and stopped. To their amazement, they found themselve
s staring at a crater that resembled a small volcanic vent usually found scattered near extinct volcanoes—but the geologic maps they were using showed no evidence of any ancient volcanoes in this region of Turkey. This surprising feature created a natural walled-off area inside the hill that would have been virtually invisible to anyone walking around the outside of the hill.
Jagged black rock could be seen poking up through the tall brown grass that covered the edges of the crater—another marker for volcanic activity in an area where no such activity was said to have occurred. Exchanging glances, they gingerly stepped closer and peered down into the bottom of the crater, and there, lying in plain view, was the thing they had all come to see.
Rising toward the sky they saw a circle of dark shapes standing on a raised area that was strangely devoid of any vegetation. The shapes were huge, and they reminded Leo of the megalithic stone circles they had seen at the other site, only these stone giants were at least twice as high.
Demir let out a low whistle. “What is that?”
“I have no idea, Colonel,” Leo said. “Why don’t we go have a look?”
Feeling like a sky diver preparing to jump from a perfectly good airplane, Leo led the others as they began their sliding descent down the rocky sides to the bottom of the crater. Grabbing loose tufts of brown grass, they tried to slow their descent as loose rocks tumbled down beside them, until finally they found themselves standing on level terrain in the seemingly airless and stagnant world at the bottom of the crater. Before them, a raised stone platform supported a ring of carved blocks of stone that towered above their heads, and they were black, as if they had been burned.
“This is fantastic!” Morelli exclaimed. “These columns must be thousands of years old, but it looks like there’s been a very hot fire here sometime in the past. This has to be the Dark Ruin. I mean ... look at the charred surfaces ... and there are carvings of animals I’ve never seen before.” Morelli was already scrambling up onto the stone platform surrounding the pillars when suddenly a red mist began to form across the bottom of the crater.