End in the Beginning (The God Tools Book 3)

by Gary Williams

  “Time to leave,” Curt said.

  “Best advice I’ve heard all day. Do you think someone’s out there?”

  “Not someone. Something.” Curt removed his dive knife and placed it on the ground. He secured the dagger in the empty sheath. The sounds continued to climb the outside wall. He saw that Bar was shaking as they lowered at the far wall to reenter the water.

  “Dr. Lohan, don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t think I’m hanging out with you anymore.”

  “I don’t blame you. I don’t even want to hang out with me anymore.” He paused then yelled over the escalating tirade of voices which became increasingly agitated. “I’ll take the lead!”

  The excited voices turned malevolent. Just as quickly, the clamoring dipped into deep, guttural, slowly spoken, terrifying words that resonated through the walls like some form of ghostly seismic activity. The structure began to tremble, and Bar glanced wide-eyed at Curt.

  “Screw this,” Curt said, dropping into the water.

  ****

  The fear Bar felt was primal.

  She watched as Dr. Curt Lohan submerged into the water. The spine-chilling sounds outside ceased, but a new, solitary voice arose; thick with a German accent, the words caused a shudder to race up Bar’s back.

  “You murdered me!”

  Her breath caught as she recognized the voice of the man she had killed in self-defense in Oviedo, Spain: Nicklaus Kappel.

  Shaking, she submerged in the water, barely grabbing a lungful of air. The current was vicious, sending her downstream beyond the structure. She struggled to claw her way to the surface, badly shaken by the voice she had heard.

  There was a palpable feel of evil, as invisible things moved past her, brushing against her body. She swam valiantly but found herself quickly approaching the wall at the far end of the cavern. Her mind swirled, trying to understand where the water went from there. Surely there was an opening somewhere underneath the waterline, but if she went through, she might not be able to return against the force of moving water. Worse, if the opening was too low, she would most likely be pinned against the wall and drown.

  “Bar, swim over here!”

  She saw that Dr. Lohan had reached the edge and pulled himself up onto the floor.

  “Get over to this side!” he motioned to her.

  No matter how hard she swam, her progress was limited. With renewed determination, she kicked, attempting to propel herself toward Dr. Lohan, who was now walking the ledge in an effort to keep up with her. Fatigue was setting in. Even though she was closer to the side, she wasn’t going to reach it before she was thrust into, or under, the wall.

  “Just a little further,” Dr. Lohan encouraged. “Get close enough so that I can grab your hand.”

  She kicked and paddled and edged ever closer to where Curt was mirroring her on the ledge.

  As she swam she saw something in his eyes that made her blood go cold. Dr. Lohan’s gaze went past Bar toward the wall. “Swim! You’re approaching a waterfall.”

  Through her exhaustion, she lifted her head from the water. She fought her way closer to Curt, but just as she was about to reach him, the wall appeared in her peripheral vision. Then she saw it. Just before the wall, there was a gap where the water curled downward and out of sight.

  Several feet before reaching it, Bar stretched out a hand to Dr. Lohan. The next thing she knew, she was riding over the edge. A sudden jerk stopped her progress. Dr. Lohan had managed to grab her hand, and she hung precariously over the edge of the falls, water gushing over her with incredible force. She managed to look down through the onslaught and saw another monstrous-sized cavern below. The waterfall emptied into a vast pool. Just beyond was rock. Everything was ablaze in bright orange. Figures darted to and fro. They were human but somehow not. They were black, as if charred, moving with grotesque jerks and twitches. One figure stood in the pool directly under her with no clothes and no hair; just an androgynous shape. Pale yellow eyes glared up at her and blinked as Bar held onto Dr. Lohan’s hand for dear life. The figure smiled then snarled, progressing to the wall of water and somehow scaling it as if climbing a tree. Terror filled Bar. In an instant, it reached her, latching onto her legs. She tried to scream but only managed to consume a mouthful of water. Grunts and snorts rose from below as the thing raked at her wetsuit with long wiry nails. The black figure raised its face to her, and she saw Nicklaus Kappel’s twisted smile. Bar swatted and kicked, but it did no good. Panic overruled any possibility of rational thought. In utter desperation, she screamed at the creature, “Let go of me! You deserved to die!”

  The next thing she knew, she was being lifted from the waterfall. The beast was no longer clutching her legs. Dr. Lohan had managed to lean over the ledge, get a second hand on her, and lift her clear. With the last of her strength, she pulled herself onto the ledge. She was breathing so heavily, she feared she might hyperventilate. Coughing out water, she scrambled to her feet, worried about her close proximity to the waterfall and the thing that had just attacked her. She tentatively ventured a look over the edge at the pool of water below. No longer was everything bathed in orange, and there was no movement below. It was an empty cavern.

  Dr. Lohan was doubled-over, breathing in deep gulps of air as he spoke, “Why were you…fighting me?”

  “What? I wasn’t. There were human-like beasts below. One of them…grabbed my legs and tried to pull me down.”

  Dr. Lohan appeared confused. “Bar…Tiffany…I could see your legs. Nothing had you. I think you experienced an illusion just as I did earlier. Let’s just get the hell out of here.”

  Bar kicked off her flippers and scooped them up. She led the way out of the cavern and toward the stairs, with Curt following. She was about to ascend when Curt stopped her.

  “Bar,” he said in an empty voice.

  His tone startled her. She spun around.

  Dr. Lohan pointed to her legs. She looked down. Her wetsuit had claw-like tears, and she had scratches on the exposed skin.

  Neither said a word. Instead, they hurried up the flights of stairs. When they reached the top landing with the low ceiling, they put their flippers, tanks, and gear back on. Then, with Bar again in the lead, they pushed their way through the veil of dry sand overhead and emerged from the riverbed. They were back in the boat soon afterward.

  Tiffany Bar truly knew she had just been to Hell and back.

  CHAPTER 35

  Curt and Bar arrived in Green Cove Springs at 6:30. Evening would soon give some relief from the blistering summer heat.

  Curt drove them to Spring Park, where they exited the vehicle. There were few people walking the grounds. Curt spotted Father N standing by the spring run looking down at the water as the current progressed.

  “We found Cain’s body,” Curt said as they approached, “and this.” He held up the dagger.

  Father N stared at the weapon. “Where did you find this in relationship to the remains?”

  “Near the legs,” Curt responded. “I know what you’re going to say. If the dagger had fallen out of the decaying body naturally, it would have been at the chest area.”

  Father N appeared troubled. “As I suspected, Carr Nash must have discovered Cain’s tomb while he was in the St. Johns River. He extracted the dagger, releasing Cain’s soul. While his appearance, intellect, and experience remain that of Nash, his soul is now Cain.”

  “So you think Cain has been resurrected in Nash’s body?” Bar asked incredulously.

  “I believe their souls have blended,” Father N gave Bar a cordial nod. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to talk to Dr. Lohan in private.”

  Bar checked Curt for affirmation. He nodded, curious as to what Father N had to say. “We’ll get on the road to Coral Castle as soon as I’m done.”

  Curt threw Bar the keys. She walked away, heading back in the direction of the car.

  Curt spoke, “Now how do I use this dagger to get inside Eden?”

  “You can’t,�
� Father N responded.

  “What?”

  “I told you the dagger could reopen the portal to Eden from this side. It has the power to create an avenue for those inside to exit, but not for someone to enter.”

  “Why didn’t you explain that before?”

  “I tried, but you were in too much of a hurry.”

  Curt’s frustration was uncontrollable. “Jesus Christ, this does us no damn good. We need to get inside to stop the COTE and rescue the others.” Curt closed his eyes, battling his anger. Something had been bothering him and he needed an answer. He opened his eyes and said point-blank, “Yesterday, when I woke up in the boat on Bayard Point, you told me the only way to access Eden was by possessing the three Tools. Yet, when I asked you if there was any other way, you hesitated. I read it in your eyes. There is another way, isn’t there?”

  “There is one thing I haven’t told you, Curt.” His tone was fatherly. It struck Curt that this was the first time Father N had called him by his given name. “Before I explain though, aren’t you curious how the body of Cain and the dagger came to be in the St. Johns River?”

  “I’m too tired for twenty questions. What’s your point?”

  “Follow me,” Father N led him up the walkway, past the fenced swimming pool and up to the spring boil. There, he stopped and studied the water in the cement collar. The usual strong smell of sulfur rose from the pool of spring water.

  Without knowing why, Curt felt compelled to follow his gaze. The clear water rose to the surface and stirred in small eddies before channeling through the vent to the side.

  Still looking down, Father N exhaled in resignation. “What do you know about the Garden of Eden?”

  “Well, for one, there is no trace of it; no evidence of its existence has ever been found.”

  “True, and with good reason. God didn’t want it found. Only those who needed to find it—the seeds—would be able to do so at the appropriate time,” he paused and seemed to choose his words carefully. “What do you know about Eden from a geographical standpoint?”

  “Eden was said to be at the head of four rivers: the Tigris, Euphrates, Gihon, and Pishon. Only the Tigris and Euphrates can be identified since they still exist today. I’ve read one theory that suggests the Gihon is the Karun River. Evidence seems to suggest that fossil remains of the fourth river, the Pishon, have been discovered utilizing Landsat satellite imagery.”

  “That assumption is correct. Doesn’t it strike you as odd that the Pishon dried up?”

  “Not necessarily. Over time, other rivers have dried up or been rerouted. The Sarasvati River in India was long thought to be a myth until satellite imagery recently proved its former existence. For a river like the Pishon to dry up is not unheard of.”

  Father N gazed at Curt without speaking. He glanced down into the portal and back up at Curt.

  “What?” Curt said.

  “The Pishon didn’t dry up. It was moved.” He again glanced down into the pool of water and back to Curt.

  “Moved?” Curt finally realized what Father N was implying. “Oh, come on. You can’t be serious.”

  “This spring feeds into the flow of that ancient river,” Father N said.

  “You mean the St. Johns River…is the Pishon?”

  “Yes, I could feel it. That’s why I was here, at Spring Park, on Friday when the man’s remains floated up, and your friend, Scott Marks, saw me. I was reading Genesis and realized what I had been feeling. This is the Pishon. When Lamech accidentally killed Cain, God instructed Lamech to entomb the body with the dagger still embedded in his chest near the Pishon. Before the Great Flood, God chose my son Shem to relocate the remains of Cain to a new river, far away.”

  “Just as he chose Ham to hide the Fish in the mountain cave on Isla de la Palma?” Curt asked.

  Father N nodded. “As we were preparing the Ark, Shem went to the Pishon, dug up the remains of Cain, and brought him aboard the Ark. After the Great Flood, when the waters receded, the Pishon was indeed gone. God sent Shem on a long ocean journey to reinter them beneath a new river. I never knew where that was until today, yet it makes perfect sense. He had Shem bury Cain underneath the new Pishon, in its new location,” Father N hung his head at the memory. “That was the last time I saw Shem.”

  “That’s how the tomb was constructed. Shem built the complex in the earth before the river was placed atop. With all due respect, Father, how does this help our current situation?”

  “Aren’t you curious why God moved the Pishon in the first place? Don’t you want to know why He would move an entire river?”

  Curt had no response.

  “God moved the Pishon because it has an entrance to Eden. That’s why, ultimately, all three Tools wound up here on this side of the world. Sure, they had help getting here, but they were destined; called by an ancient force to Eden’s entrance. Remember, all three Tools originated in Eden. The Fish resided in a pond, the Staff was cut from a tree, and the Sword was forged in a cave. Anything that originated there is forever linked to Eden. They were drawn here; lured by an ancient beacon. It wasn’t until they completely merged that the new, combined being felt the call of the portal entrance at the Georgia Guidestones.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”

  Father N’s gaze hardened with concern. “Because the Pishon’s entrance is not a path man is supposed to take, and with good reason.”

  ****

  Bar sat in the passenger seat of the Mustang drumming her fingers on the dashboard, waiting for Curt to return. She had started the engine to run the air conditioner, yet her thoughts were on something other than the heat. The call she had just gotten from FBI Special Agent Link Johnsten was troubling. Through her fatigue, she tried to digest the ramifications.

  The passenger door opened and startled her.

  “Change in plans,” Curt said, climbing in. “Father N told me of a way I may enter Eden. I have to go alone, but I can’t get Scott, Cody, and Tina out the way I’m going in.” He saw Bar’s puzzled expression. “Don’t ask questions. There’s no time. I need you to go to Coral Castle and use the dagger to establish a connection to Eden which will open an exit. After you drop me off, go to the hospital and pick up Fawn. She’ll go with you.”

  “I just talked to Agent Johnsten. Fawn disappeared. He caught sight of her on surveillance video. She was being led outside by none other than Josette Laval.”

  “She survived the blast?”

  “Apparently, yes. She led Fawn away from the hospital just after Fawn talked to you on the phone.”

  “I called her and told her about Cain’s dagger and about possibly reestablishing the portal at Coral Castle.”

  “If Nash double-crossed Laval at the Georgia Guidestones—”

  “—then she wants revenge. If she overhead Fawn, Laval might think she can get into Eden, and to Nash, via Coral Castle.”

  “My thoughts exactly, and I’ve discussed it with Johnsten. He has called for backup assistance from the FBI branch in Miami. Two agents will be staked out at Coral Castle looking for Laval.”

  Curt went on, “Ed Leedskalnin’s text mentioned that the opening to the portal at Coral Castle could be identified by the symbol of the Jewish tree. Do you have any idea where that might be?”

  “No, and I’ve researched and come up with nothing. No image of a tree has ever been documented in Coral Castle.”

  “Father N said it would take twenty-four hours to reach the Tree of Life once Eden was entered via the portal at the Georgia Guidestones. The COTE entered about 6:30 this morning, which means we have until early tomorrow morning before Nash and his cronies reach the Tree of Life. My plan is to get inside, meet up with Scott and Cody, secure the God Tools, and stop the COTE. I need you to create the exit portal at exactly 6:30 a.m. Bar, you’re going to have to find that image. Per Father N, plunge the dagger into the Jewish tree. This will open the exit portal, so the timing is critical. The three God Tools have to pass through first, bef
ore anyone can come back to Earth. Oh, and stand clear once the dagger is in place. The passing of the Tools will create a violent surge of energy. Once the three Tools pass through, the portal will only stay open a short time.”

  “What if I can’t find the tree to stab the dagger into…or, you fail?”

  “Then we’re all going to die anyway.” Curt handed the dagger to Bar.

  Bar tentatively accepted it and shook her head. “You’re asking me to do the impossible.”

  Curt rubbed his eyes. He leaned over, opened the glove box, and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. He scribbled something, ripped off the piece of paper, and handed it to her. “This is Scott’s cousin. She lives in Orange Park. She knows everything there is to know about Coral Castle. She’s an Ed Leedskalnin fan. And yeah, I mean that in a crazy, freaky way. Grab her and take her with you. If anyone can find the image, she can.”

  “At least tell me how you’re getting inside.”

  “It’s best you don’t know.”

  CHAPTER 36

  As Father N instructed, Curt drove across the Shands Bridge to an empty lot on the river side of State Road 13. Just as he had been told, there was a weathered rowboat pulled onto shore. He left the vehicle running. It was early evening. The sun would set within the hour.

  “You’re seriously not going to explain to me what you’re doing?” Bar asked as they exited the car simultaneously.

  “I wouldn’t know where to begin,” he said sardonically.

  “If it takes twenty-four hours to reach the Tree of Life from the time you enter, and Nash and his guys have better than a twelve-hour head start, how are you ever going to catch them?”

  “The way Father N told me to enter Eden will get me closer to the Tree of Life.”

  “The way?”

  Curt didn’t respond.

  “Fine,” she said with resignation. “You do what you have to do. I’ll go get Scott’s cousin, and we’ll be on our way. I hope she didn’t have any plans for this evening, you know, since we’ll be trying to save humanity and all.” She walked around to the driver’s side and climbed in as Curt took a step back. Bar closed the door and rolled the window down. “Dr. Lohan…Curt…since you won’t elaborate on how you’re getting inside, at least tell me this: how come, only now, Father N told you of this way to access Eden?”