‘Avery?’ Sarah said, looking at Ruben’s shocked expression. ‘What are you doing?!’
Avery’s hand no longer shook as he held the weapon and he wiped a hand over his face, leaving Zinetti’s blood streaked across it. ‘Zinetti was trying to challenge my position. He’s long sought the power I wield within our Committee and now it’s left to me, Sarah, to open the gate you found for us.’
Ruben looked dumbstruck and Sarah couldn’t quite understand what she was hearing.
‘Don’t look so aggrieved,’ Avery said, gazing at the pendant which rested in the palm of his hand. ‘We all have our secrets.’
‘This whole time,’ Sarah said, feeling sick to her bones as she finally understood. ‘The two expeditions, my abduction, everything. You were just trying to find another pendant.’
Avery sighed. ‘You see, Sarah, the artefact Sorensen has is useless without you. Removed from your body, it no longer functions. It was linked to you, somehow, locked to your DNA. So, they needed another. The train you were on was bringing you to us anyway, but when we found out Konstantin was planning to attack it, we sent Ruben to rescue you. The Holy Father and his followers thought they were saving you, gaining your knowledge for the good of the Church and mankind. And yet you have fallen into the very hands of the people you just left. Our Committee needed another pendant and, as such, put its vast resources into ensuring its wish became a reality.’
‘Committee?’ Sarah said, recalling Konstantin had mentioned the same name.
‘Yes, we are but one branch of many. You see, we are everywhere, always, and on all sides. We also knew we would succeed and that another pendant lay buried close to the dig site. We didn’t know where, exactly, only that you would lead us to it. You’re not the only one with visions, Sarah. We possess a special device which shows us the way.’
‘The God Device,’ Sarah said. ‘They spoke of it in Sanctuary.’
Avery smiled. ‘Yes. It showed us blood was the key to completing our mission to deliver the pendant to the Committee. I suspected it was your blood, but others saw only what they wanted to see, and thought it was the giant’s blood that would work, or Ruben’s. Perhaps it would have done, we’ll never know now.’ Avery considered Ruben for a moment and then looked back to Sarah. ‘We foresee many things, including the arrival of the magnificent beast, which has blessed you with its kiss.’
‘The Pharos,’ Sarah said. ‘You knew it was here?’
Avery frowned. ‘Of course, we were aware of its presence as soon as it arrived. Its energy signature is quite unique. We had hoped it would reveal itself sooner, or that it would take you as its host.’
‘You knew what it was doing to me? Coming to me in my sleep?’
‘We knew it was here for a purpose, we just didn’t know what that was.’ He held up the pendant. ‘Until now.’
Sarah looked around the pyramid, and the three Anakim sphinxes immersed in shadows, and realised what she should have seen in Sanctuary. ‘This is a temple for their worship.’
‘I knew it wouldn’t take you long to figure it out,’ Avery said, ‘although I was hoping it would be sooner. A supernatural being, with powers and intelligence beyond the ken of man,’ – he gazed around them – ‘if not to be revered, then at the very least the Pharos should be understood, don’t you think? And understand them we shall.’ He glanced at the pendant again. ‘And, in a way, you were right, we are a gate. A gate by which they can enter and experience our world, as you saw with poor Nicola Dowling.’
‘The asteroids,’ Sarah said, a sense of dread descending upon her. ‘There never was a way to stop them, was there?’
Avery smiled. ‘No, of course not. This is not some fairy tale, Sarah, where you find a magical device to save the world.’
‘All those people,’ Ruben said next to her, ‘the surface.’
Avery glanced at him. ‘It’s true, they will die. It is their destiny and we at the Committee have made sure it comes to pass. There was one thing, though,’ Avery said as he held the gun to Ruben’s forehead. ‘Sarah’s prophecy: The blood of the sacrificed will open the gates of heaven or hell.’ He cocked the trigger. ‘Zinetti chose wrongly.’
‘And lo, the chosen will bear the marks of Christ,’ Ruben said, looking at Sarah, who glanced down at the marks on her hands.
Ruben grasped her hand in dismay. ‘Sarah ...’
‘Whatever the Anakim did keep here, I’m afraid you will never know.’ Avery switched the gun onto her and said, ‘It’s time to open the Gates of Hell,’ and fired two shots into her chest.
Sarah collapsed to the floor. Trish screamed, and Jason roared in fury as a Swiss guard held him back.
‘“These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword,”’ Avery said and lowered the gun to aim at Sarah again. ‘“I know where thou dwellest, where the seat of Satan is.” Apocalypsis Ioannis. The Book of Revelation.’ Avery depressed the trigger again, another gunshot rang out into the chamber and Sarah’s blood spilled onto the pentagram. ‘Also known as,’ Avery said, with a smile, ‘The Apocalypse of John.’
Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-One
Nuclear bunker, the White House, USA.
John Henry glanced down again at the authentication card grasped in his sweating fingers. The nuclear codes upon it made his vision swim, and the whole world and every life upon it continued to rest in the palm of his hand. All he had to do was give his abductors, the world’s most wanted terrorists, the correct eight numbers.
‘Give him the codes, Mr President,’ Steiner said again. ‘There’s still time.’
John remained frozen in indecision. Is this real? Is this my chance at redemption, or a cunning plot by terrorists I’ve always condemned? As the seconds stretched on, he felt the agony of the choice return in full force, the lives of billions an unbearable weight as it grew heavier and heavier.
John wiped his brow, which gleamed with perspiration, the stress of the situation making his eyes sting and stomach burn. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ he said, hating the sound of his weakness.
‘He still doubts what he sees,’ Bic said, his hologram reappearing in the middle of the room.
‘I couldn’t even trust my wife, how can I trust a terrorist,’ – John glanced at Bic’s hologram - ‘the terrorist?’
Steiner grasped John’s hand. ‘I understand. Your wife, she betrayed you. So did your head of security. So did the Secret Service.’
‘He slept with her. I don’t know if I can ever trust anyone again. He slept with my Ashley.’
‘And the GMRC facilitated it,’ Steiner said. ‘They betrayed you, too, as did Joiner.’
‘My parents said I’d always ruin lives. They said I was destined to shame the family.’
‘You are not what anyone says you are, Mr President,’ Steiner said. ‘You are not your past.’
John listened to the professor’s words and knew he was right, but it was like his worst nightmare had appeared at the worst possible time and in the worst possible place – he looked at Bic – and with the worst possible person. How can one man be expected to make such a choice? ‘Can these bases really help?’ he said, trying to delay the inevitable.
Steiner held his gaze. ‘I don’t know, but it’s the only chance we’ve got.’
‘Do you know what I do when I have to make a hard decision?’ said a voice.
John turned to look at Liang Junhui.
‘I trust my gut.’
John glanced around at the looks of distress on those gathered, and realised he was so involved with his own terror he’d forgotten to see what was in front of his very eyes. The words Bic said came back to him. ‘You were chosen to lead, do you know why? Because they thought you were the weakest, the stupidest. A self-centred philanderer who was too much of a coward to stand up to the might of the GMRC.’
An image of John’s father appeared in his mind’s eye. ‘You are a coward, boy, too weak to make a decision this big.’
His mother’s laugh echoed
through John’s head. ‘I always knew you’d turn out to be a loser, but to end the world. That’s something else, even for you.’
‘You’re not alone, Mr President,’ Steiner said. ‘I’ve had the sleepless nights, the same doubts, the same fears, the nightmares.’
John frowned in distress. He knows what I’ve been through. He knows, as he’s been through it, too.
‘He’s lying,’ his father’s voice said. ‘Don’t trust him. He’s a terrorist and a murderer!’
‘Let me share your burden.’ The professor took a step closer. ‘I know I can trust you to make the right choice; trust me to do the same.’
‘Only the weak share their burden,’ said his mother’s voice. ‘You stupid little boy.’
John looked into Steiner’s eyes and could feel, see and hear the sincerity that emanated from him in waves. If ever there was a man to trust, it was him.
‘Don’t trust him!’ His father’s voice echoed through John’s mind. ‘Or you’ll feel the back of my hand!’
‘Don’t you do it!’ said his mother. ‘It’s weak, you’re weak! Obey us, not him!’
‘Don’t just trust your gut, Mr President.’ Steiner held out his hand. ‘Please,’ he said, his voice softening, ‘John, trust in me.’
John’s expression darkened. Do you know what, Father? Mother? You don’t control me, you never have. John gripped the card harder. I just let you! ‘I don’t know what trust is anymore,’ he said to the professor.
Steiner held his hand higher. ‘Then let me show you.’
The whine of Malcolm Joiner’s laser breaking through the blast door continued to fill the room and John found himself reaching out to grip Steiner’s hand.
‘We do can do this,’ Steiner said. ‘Now – together.’
John felt his resistance fade and burden lift. He felt like weeping; he’d been strong for so long, trying to control everything around him, he’d forgotten what it was like to lean on another. In fact, he realised, he’d never known what it was like to rely on someone stronger. He’d been running from it his entire life. Running from his parents, who’d tried to weaken his inner strength to make him dependent on their warped love, which haunted him even from beyond the grave. But that time was gone. He was done reacting to their voices. He was done with them. He was scared no longer. I’m my own man. He raised the card. ‘Gold Code launch authentication,’ he said, holding the professor’s gaze. ‘Eight, eight, five, seven – niner, two, three, niner.’
The professor gave him a fatherly smile of approval and said. ‘You’ve made the right decision, Mr President.’ He then glanced at the clock and John heard him murmur, ‘I just hope we’re not too late.’
♦
Malcolm Joiner paced the floor behind the powerful laser, which continued to pulverise the bunker’s blast door. ‘Come on, come on!’ Joiner said, losing patience. ‘What’s taking so long?!’
The crack of gunfire from above echoed down the open elevator shaft and Myers motioned for a unit of soldiers to investigate.
‘We’re nearly through,’ said the laser operator.
‘You said that two minutes ago!’ Joiner turned to Myers. ‘Do we have any more explosives?’
Agent Myers shook his head.
Joiner let out a string of curses, strode forward and knocked the laser operator aside. He grasped the power lever and forced it forward. The laser’s generator increased to an ear-shattering scream and the door’s centre warped and buckled.
♦
Professor Steiner looked at the command screen and thought, where are those subterranean bases?
‘They’re breaking through!’ Eric said.
Steiner glanced back at the blast door, where Joiner’s laser beam shimmered beneath translucent metal.
‘Bic,’ Steiner said, ‘where are those missiles?!’
‘Land based ICMBs are locked and loaded, Professor Steiner. Launch procedures have begun.’
Throughout the United States, sirens wailed and missile silos opened as the asteroid’s light shone ever brighter in the night sky above.
‘Mr President,’ Steiner said, ‘you need to tell the fleets and bombers to fire on your command. Bic has activated and programmed the warheads, but they’ll need to be launched on your signal.’
‘Sixty seconds!’ Jessica said, pointing at the countdown clock.
‘Bombers?’ John said.
‘You’re patched through,’ Bic said. ‘Your stealth aircraft are airborne, John Henry, they heard your speech and know what’s at stake.’
Eric handed him a headset, which John Henry accepted. ‘Admiral Yates, Admiral McCormick, and stealth pilots, this is your Commander in Chief; prepare to launch nuclear missiles on my mark.’
The two admirals appeared on screen, now accompanied by ten other windows containing live footage of black-visored pilots ensconced in low-lit cockpits.
Nuclear submarines in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans ascended to strike depth and the UK Prime Minster also reappeared. ‘Dreadnought class subs are ready to launch at your command, Mr President.’
Steiner picked up his own headset. ‘Subterranean Commands, this is your Director General. We need your bases online and we need them now!’
‘Forty seconds!’ Jessica said, over the shriek of the laser behind them, which grew even louder.
‘Come on, ‘Steiner said, under his breath. ‘Come on, where are you?’
‘Thirty-five seconds!’
Still nothing appeared on the screen and Bic said, ‘We’re still well short of warheads, Professor!’
‘Come on,’ Steiner muttered under his breath, ‘we need you now, where are you. Where are you?’ He glanced at the timer:
‘This is United Sates Subterranean Base Discovery,’ said a voice over the radio. ‘We’re with you, Director General.’
Steiner felt his hopes lift as the USSB’s name appeared on the screen, followed soon after by two, then one more.
‘USSB Resolute signing on, Director General.’
‘This is USSB Heartland, enacting HERD protocol.’
‘Professor Steiner, USSB New York has your six.’
A red meter appeared on the screen as Bic totalled up the entire nuclear arsenal in real time.
‘We need more,’ Steiner said, looking at the measly fifty per cent of the figure they required.
More bases came on, one from Australia, three from Russia, and – amazingly – two from Europe, including EUSB España and EUSB Superior.
‘This is Indian Subterranean Base Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh,’ said a man. ‘It’s been too long, George, far too long.’
‘Thank you, Rami,’ Steiner said to his old friend. ‘God bless you!’
‘Isto é SBB São Paulo,’ said a woman in Portuguese, ‘Brazil is with you. We have missed you, Professor.’
‘Obrigado, obrigado, Abriana,’ Steiner said, wiping a tear from his eye as people from his past rallied to his call, ‘I’ve missed you all, too.’
The total crept nearer to sixty per cent and Jessica said, ‘Twenty seconds!’
‘Bùyào xiūkuì zhōngguó,’ someone said.
Steiner turned to see Liang Junhui had picked up a headset. ‘Nǐ de lǐngdǎo rén hé xíngxīng xūyào nǐ!’
Steiner wasn’t fluent in Chinese, but got the gist: your planet needs you.
‘There are Chinese bases, too, yes?’ Liang said.
Steiner smiled and nodded and watched as six of the nine Chinese bases appeared in quick succession on the world base list of forty-four, while three more U.S. bases quickly followed suit.
‘We’re still well short, Professor,’ Bic said.
‘Fifteen seconds,’ Jessica said. ‘Thirteen – twelve.’
‘Mr President,’ Admiral Yates said on screen. ‘The Chinese fleets are trying to stop us. The GMRC must have told them to attack before we launch.’
Steiner saw John’s face pale before Yates said, ‘No, wait! They’re turning, the Chinese are turning to face the aerial thre
at!’
Steiner glanced at Liang Junhui, who’d sat down at a chair and just finished speaking into his headset.
‘You were wrong, Professor,’ Liang said, looking pleased with himself. ‘John Henry isn’t the only one with influence.’
Out in the Pacific, hundreds of ships made a sharp turn to starboard as two opposing armadas become one.
‘Seven seconds!’ Jessica said.
‘Prepare to fire on my command,’ John said into his headset.
‘Wait!’ Steiner said. ‘We still don’t have enough warheads. We’re only at eighty per cent capacity.’
Jessica moved closer to the screen. ‘Four seconds!’
‘Wait,’ – Steiner pointed to John – ‘wait ... not yet’
‘Two seconds, one second ...’
The launch timer turned to zeros and flashed red, but the clock next to it continued its countdown, the time to impact unhalted:
‘We have to launch, Professor,’ Bic said, ‘we’re out of time!’
‘Wait!’ Steiner said, praying for the miracle he knew might come. ‘Boost my signal!’ Please, God, make them be listening. He spoke into his headset to address the subterranean bases again. ‘Please, we need more bases. I know you’re listening. We can still save the surface. All is not lost!’
The seconds continued to disappear and Steiner realised with a sickening certainty that no one else was going to respond.
The silent hiss of white noise fed back through the speakers and Steiner hung his head in defeat like those around him.
And then the speakers crackled louder.
‘This is General Ellwood,’ said a voice. ‘You owe me, twice now, Professor.’
‘Oh, mein Gott,’ Eric said as the nuclear totaliser soared over one hundred per cent. ‘How big is that base?’
‘U.S.S.B. Sanctuary,’ Ellwood said, ‘is online.’
‘NOW!’ Steiner said to the underground bases and raised his fist. ‘LAUNCH!’
Ancient Origins: Books 4 - 6 (Ancient Origins Boxset Book 2) Page 131