Mosaic (Breakthrough Book 5)

by Michael C. Grumley

  “A letter,” Borger replied. “A copy of a letter in 1960. In which a professor by the name of Hapgood asked a special team at the United States Air Force to explain the Piri Reis map of 1513. And more specifically, the area of Antarctica that was somehow mapped before being buried beneath a mile of ice.”

  Caesare took a minute to read the entire letter.

  8 RECONNAISSANCE TECHNICAL SQUADRON (SAC)

  UNITED STATES AIRFORCE

  Westover Airforce Base

  Massachusetts

  SUBJECT: Admiral Piri Reis World Map

  To: Professor Charles H. Hapgood

  Keene, College

  Keene, New Hampshire.

  Dear Professor Hapgood,

  Your request for evaluation of the certain unusual features of the Piri Reis World Map of 1513 by this organization has been reviewed.

  The claim that the lower part of the map portrays the Princess Martha Coast of Queen Maud Land Antarctica, and the Palmer Peninsula, is reasonable. We find this is the most logical and in all probability the correct interpretation of the map.

  The geographical detail shown in the lower part of the map agrees very remarkably with the results of the seismic profile made across the top of the ice-cap by the Swedish-British Antarctic Expedition of 1949.

  This indicates the coastline had been mapped before it was covered by the ice-cap.

  The ice-cap in this region is now about a mile thick.

  We have no idea how the data on this map can be reconciled with the supposed state of geographical knowledge in 1513.

  HAROLD Z. OHLMEYER

  Lt. Colonel, USAF

  Commander

  “Huh,” Caesare said. “So, pretty much what you said before.”

  “We think there’s more to it.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “Meaning that this Professor Hapgood may not have been merely inquiring as to the authenticity of the map. It’s possible he was intentionally trying to get its legitimacy entered into public record.”

  “What for?”

  “Because,” Borger replied, “there was clearly something more to this map that no one else had been able to figure out. At least back then, and we think Hapgood knew it.”

  From the outside room, Caesare glanced back inside the lab, filled with several of the ship’s crew, including Tay and Ackerman. Before them, on the monitor screens, Corbin and Beene could be seen far below the Pathfinder and inside the alien ship. There, they were arranging multiple cameras around the mysterious craft’s navigation system.

  Caesare returned his attention to Borger and Kenwood. “Okay, spill it.”

  “So,” Borger said, lowering his voice, “the fact that this part of Antarctica was mapped long before the ice cap was present is now a given. And like we said before, that was probably upwards of several thousand years ago. Long before any civilization was sophisticated enough to master cartography. Thus, the question is who, or what had the technology to undertake such an accurate geographical survey of Africa, South America, and the Antarctic?”

  Kenwood leaned in. “We don’t think it was Admiral Piri Reis.”

  “Right. You see, Admiral Reis explains distinctly in his notes that he was not the original cartographer. Instead, he states he was merely the compiler or copyist. And that the map was comprised from several older source maps. That were even older.”

  Caesare remained fixed, mulling over Borger’s words. “So what exactly do you think we have here?”

  Both men shrugged. “We think we may have a timeline…” The older of the two motioned back through the hatch to the monitors. “Of when that alien ship arrived.”

  Lee nodded. “And when the vaults were built.”

  “That is interesting.”

  “Yeah, and now we think we know how The Machine connected the Piri Reis map and our sunken Spanish galleon.”

  “I thought you already knew that.”

  “So did we. But it looks like we were wrong. Originally, we thought there was some nautical relationship between the two. But now, we think it has more to do with the timeline involved.”

  Caesare stepped back and folded his arms. “I can’t wait to hear this.”

  “Okay. Assuming our alien ship was somehow connected to a survey which eventually led to the Piri Reis map, then that could put its arrival somewhere between six and seven thousand years ago.”

  “When these alien vaults were likely built.”

  “Right,” Borger said. “And probably not long after that, they stripped and then ditched their ship. One of the things removed being the craft’s navigation system. Which someone eventually found, before ending up on a Spanish galleon thousands of years later.”

  Caesare frowned. “Sounds like a stretch.”

  “Maybe,” agreed Borger. “Until you start breaking down the timeline. Consider this…not long after Antarctica was mysteriously mapped, the Maya became the prominent civilization throughout Central America. Then thousands of years later, when they disappeared, along came the Aztecs. No one knows where the Aztecs came from, but they shared a lot of customs and ceremonies with the Maya. Then in the very early 1500s, Spanish conquistadors arrived and wiped out the Aztecs. And a couple hundred years after that, our alien ship’s navigation system winds up on one of their ships, bound for Spain.”

  “Are you telling me you think the Aztecs somehow found the navigation system?”

  Borger glanced at Kenwood before shaking his head. “No, we think maybe the Maya did.”

  “The Maya?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it would explain an awful lot. At least about the Maya. And more specifically, their notorious Mayan Calendar.”

  “The Mayan Calendar,” Lee quickly added, “was one of the most complex and accurate calendars ever devised from man’s earlier civilizations. So accurate, in fact, that many modern researchers are at a loss for how they managed to do it. In fact, their measurements for the length of a day were almost exactly the same as our modern-day atomic clocks.”

  “That’s right,” said Borger. “Unless they had found something that allowed them to understand things about the stars that no other culture on Earth had.”

  Caesare stared at them for a long time. “Wow.”

  Kenwood continued, excitedly. “So, what if the Maya somehow found the navigation system of the alien ship. And with enough time were able to learn from it. Then when they died out, it falls into the hands of the Aztecs, who keep it hidden until…the Spanish conquistadors.”

  “Wow,” Caesare repeated. “That is something.”

  “And this, we think, could be the timeline that ties the Piri Reis map and Spain’s King’s Ghost ship together. And all of it being related to the arrival of our alien ship.”

  Caesare nodded, thinking it through, until gradually reaching the same question both Borger and Kenwood had already been contemplating.

  “So,” he finally said aloud, “where are the other pieces?”

  II

  The unusual, early Memphis snowfall could not have felt more different to the small group. They’d traveled from Captain Emerson’s Pathfinder, still resting thousands of miles away at anchor in the warm Caribbean.

  Instead, the knee-high snow had been carefully shoveled to one side. A wet and a slick, icy surface appeared before them on many roads, as the four cautiously made their way toward the entrance of a large crème-colored building.

  Inside and past a set of double-wide sliding glass doors, a wave of heat instantly enveloped them, causing their jackets to suddenly feel almost stuffy.

  When they reached the reception desk, Alison unzipped her coat and placed a hand on the dark counter. She pleasantly addressed an attentive elderly woman.

  “Hello, we’re here to see Heather Shaw in the Oncology Department.”

  The older woman’s face broke into a wide smile. “Ah, welcome, we’ve been expecting you. Let me tell Dr. Shaw you’re here.”

 
; Behind Alison stood Neely Lawton and Li Na Wei. The younger peering curiously at Alison.

  Alison grinned. “She’s my older sister.”

  “And quite the spitfire,” added Clay, causing her to laugh. He remained standing behind the women, examining the hospital’s expansive lobby. He was confident they would not be there long enough for the Chinese to get wind of Li Na’s location. And the CIA already had what they wanted.

  Opening in 1962 and founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was one of the most exceptional medical organizations on the planet. Dedicated entirely to the research and care of sick children, St. Jude truly set the bar for other hospitals to follow. With its mission to find cures and treat childhood cancers, in addition to many other catastrophic diseases, the hospital was at the very forefront of pediatric research. Proudly leading the way in many discoveries and early cures, over several decades. So successful were they in their efforts, that survival rates of most childhood cancers at St. Jude had grown from only 20 percent when the facility opened to over 80 percent at present day. And acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of those cancers, had reached a 94 percent survival rate, up from a mere 4 percent in 1962.

  St. Jude had, in fact, advanced the field so much that the majority of the treatments to children were now done as outpatients, with only a small number of extreme cases remaining in-house. These services were provided to families desperate to save their children but never required them to pay a single dollar in healthcare costs. Both an incredible hospital and an incredible staff, they were funded entirely by private donations each year.

  Alison Shaw had spent several summers here, working under her sister as a volunteer––bathed in the raw, extraordinary power of the human spirit. And what it was truly capable of accomplishing.

  Alison smiled at the others and looked around the entrance with an air of nostalgia for a minute or two. Suddenly, she heard someone call out from behind her.

  Her sister, Heather, appeared strikingly similar from a distance. The same dark hair, petite frame, and even the same walk. But as Heather approached, the subtle differences in her face became clearer. A slightly older, mature, and worn woman, she nevertheless sported a set of familiar glistening eyes and an identical smile.

  Without a word, Alison grinned widely and trotted over to meet her in the giant hallway, hugging her sister tightly.

  “You’re early.” Heather beamed, then looked at the others as they came nearer.

  “Sorry. Sis, this is Neely Lawton and Li Na Wei. The two I told you about.”

  “Hello,” Heather said, greeting both with a handshake. She then turned to John. “And I definitely remember this tall drink of water.”

  “Hello, Heather.”

  “Hi, John. Have you decided to trade up to an older woman yet?”

  “I’m afraid I can barely handle the younger version.”

  The women laughed, and Heather addressed Neely. “I hear you’ve come to borrow some time in our genetics lab.”

  “If you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all. I’ve managed to pull a few strings for you. Besides,” she said, putting an arm around her younger sister, “Ali tells me it might just lead to something important.”

  Heather squeezed Alison. “But before that, we have a short stop to make.”

  ***

  On the third floor, they came to a halt when Heather slowed and circled in front of them. Speaking in a hushed tone, she addressed Alison.

  “He’s still too weak to travel. Stage four and we’ve exhausted all of our options.” She paused, suddenly grinning. “But he’s sure excited to see you!”

  Alison tried to smile through brooding lips but couldn’t. The thought of what was coming was simply too painful.

  With uncertain steps, she followed her sister into the room and promptly found herself trying to suppress the shock she felt when she saw him.

  The 11-year-old boy was positioned upright in his bed, pillows behind him to keep him propped up. His dark and bald head contrasted starkly against his eyes, wide with excitement and grinning from ear to ear. He was so thin.

  “Ali!”

  Alison beamed forcefully and rushed to his side. “Edwin! How are you?” She wrapped her hands around his skinny body and pulled him up gently off the pillows. “I’ve missed you!”

  “I’ve missed you too! Where have you been?”

  She eased him back and reached up to touch him gently on the cheek. “Oh, I’ve been working. A lot. But I finally got a break and wanted to come see you.”

  “Yay. I’m glad you did.”

  “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m okay,” Edwin shrugged. “Hey,” he suddenly added, reaching for a drawer next to his bed, “you want to see some pictures I drew?”

  She smiled softly. “I would love to.”

  Behind Alison, Clay and the other two women watched with heavy hearts. She had told them all about Edwin on the plane. He was the last surviving member of a group of children she helped to care for whenever she volunteered at the hospital, a group that with every year had grown a little smaller. They were some of St. Jude’s most acute cases, with only a few able to eventually go home. The majority remained until their final days. And yet their souls never gave up. Children so pure, and so utterly thankful for every day they had, that it often left Alison in tears. Overwhelmed with guilt at the flawless health of her own body when these children struggled so badly.

  It was all Alison could do not to cry. For any of them not to cry. In response to a sad and devastating reminder that the world was not fair.

  Behind Clay and Neely, the younger Li Na watched intently as Alison sat with the boy, touching and kissing his head repeatedly. And each time, Edwin beamed back at her as if she were pure sunshine.

  III

  A little over an hour later, a nurse entered to let them know it was time for Edwin’s medicine and nap. While they wrapped up their visit, the nurse poured a cup of water into his mug and set the plastic pitcher down on the tall tray next to his bed.

  After taking several pills, the boy kept smiling at Alison for as long as he could, fighting it when his eyes began to droop. Slowly at first, then heavier, before finally closing.

  Alison stayed next to him for several minutes, gently stroking his hand until she was sure he was asleep. Then she carefully rose from the bed and left with the others.

  There were no words for her outside, just blinking tears and the pressing of her head into Clay’s chest.

  “You okay?” Neely asked, gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

  She kept her head against Clay, twisting it side to side.

  Moments later they were interrupted by someone calling her name. This time it came not from her sister but from a woman walking quickly toward them, dressed in khaki-colored pants and a thick dark jacket. Her graying hair looked slightly frazzled.

  When Alison and Neely turned, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Striding intently toward them was DeeAnn Draper.

  “DeeAnn?!”

  “Oh my gosh, what are you doing here?”

  “Steve told me where you were.”

  Alison wiped her eyes and stepped forward to give DeeAnn a hug. “W-why haven’t you called lately?”

  “Well, for starters, my phone was broken.” She pushed Alison back and examined her. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Kind of.”

  DeeAnn squeezed her hand and greeted Neely, before winking at Clay. “Glad to see you’re alive.”

  He laughed and motioned to Li Na. “DeeAnn, this is Li Na Wei.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Li Na,” she replied hastily, promptly spinning back to the others. “Sorry I’ve been out of contact, but we had a lot going on.”

  “Wait a minute,” Alison glanced around. “Where’s Dulce and Dexter?”

  “Outside with Ronin. I was in a hurry to find you.”

  “Why, what’s going on?”

 
DeeAnn scanned the hallway, leveling her gaze. “We need to find a place to talk.”

  IV

  What DeeAnn had to tell them was nothing short of Earth-shattering. The three, left deep in discussion for the better part of thirty minutes, inadvertently left Li Na to stand quietly by the door.

  No one noticed when she eased it open and silently slipped out of the room. From there, she walked smoothly back to Edwin’s room and studied him curiously as he lay asleep on his bed.

  She then scanned the walls, stopping on the dozens of pictures and cards pinned up near the foot of his bed. Crossing over to them, Li Na removed one of the small pushpins.

  Back to the doorway, she checked the hall to make sure no one was watching and disappeared again inside. Wasting no time, she immediately moved close to Edwin’s sleeping body.

  It took only seconds.

  She pressed the sharp pin firmly into the tip of her index finger and waited for a small drop of blood to appear.

  With one final glance over her shoulder, she removed the lid to the plastic pitcher and let the single red droplet fall from her finger into the cool water.

  V

  From within the Rwandan mountaintop, Palin stood stoically, watching his men carefully drain the green liquid from another alien column. As the level fell, thousands of the tiny spheres gradually sank with it, ultimately settling at the bottom of the glass container. Each sphere held a tiny seed or embryo within. Several containers now stood empty, against a backdrop of hundreds more.

  Palin’s eyes stared forward with a hawkish gaze. He had no choice. He would do what he had to do, using any resource available to him. Even if it meant draining every single column.

  Even knowing that DeeAnn Draper would alert the others.

  The woman’s outrage was understandable. Although a little misplaced. Her argument about what had happened on Palin’s world was not accurate.