The Black Templar

by Alex Lukeman

  "This looks more like it. The Templars would feel at home here. It's simple, clean."

  The roof of the church was made of wood. Two rows of stone arches, supported by eight columns, marched down the sides toward the main altar and a statue of the Virgin Mary. The altar was set in a high, ribbed vault with eight narrow windows. High above the altar was a window in the shape of a pentagram, the Templar version of the Seal of Solomon.

  They walked through the church, looking for anything that might point the way to the lost treasure. They found a slab set in the floor that marked the resting place of Gualdim Pais.

  "There's nothing out of the ordinary," Nick said. "It's just another church."

  "That big window is beautiful, isn't it?" Selena asked.

  Nick gazed up at the window.

  "Yes, it is."

  "The guidebook says it's eight meters high. Did you notice there were eight steps when we came in? There are eight windows in the back of the altar and eight columns along the sides. Numbers were important to the Templars."

  "Why the number eight?"

  "There were eight parts to the oath they took. Threes and nines were important, too."

  "How do you know this stuff?"

  "I looked it up on the net."

  "Interesting, but not much help."

  "This is a dead end. What should we do next?" Selena asked.

  "We haven't looked at the bell tower. What does your guidebook say about it?"

  She turned a page.

  "It was built at the same time as the church and originally used as a watchtower. It's not open to the public. Oh, this is interesting."

  "What is?"

  "There's a legend that a tunnel runs from the bell tower to the fortress, but no one has ever found it."

  "Or it's there, but they don't want anyone to know about it."

  "You think that's why they keep it closed?"

  "I don't know, but it makes me curious."

  "You have that look," Selena said. "You want to get in there, don't you?"

  "It might be worth the trouble."

  "I don't think the local authorities would be very happy with us if we break into it."

  "They don't have to know about it."

  CHAPTER 10

  At two in the morning the area around the church and bell tower was deserted. It was raining again, a cold, constant drizzle. They'd seen no one on the way to the tower, no pedestrians, no police patrols. It was miserable out, not the kind of night someone might be out for a stroll. Nick was confident no one would see them.

  The door into the tower was made of wood, old and solid, hard as iron. But old doors usually had old locks, and this one was no exception. Nick made short work of it.

  It was pitch black inside, cold and damp. Nick clicked on a small flashlight and cast the beam about the dark room. The floor was tiled in black and white squares, like a checker board. The light revealed a narrow wooden stair climbing to the upper floors.

  "This is weird," Selena said. "It feels like we've traveled back to the fourteenth century."

  The light fell upon a gleaming skull, set in a niche on one of the walls.

  "Alas, poor Yorick," Nick said.

  "Very funny. Have a little respect, Nick."

  "I don't think he cares. See that wall next to him? It looks like somebody bricked up an opening. Probably the entrance to the tunnel mentioned in your guidebook."

  They went over to the skull. A map was chiseled into the stone underneath it, covered with scattered dots of dull metal.

  "It's a map of the Eastern Mediterranean," Selena said.

  Selena ran her hand over the map.

  "The dots must be Templar strongholds. Look, there's Italy. Here on the right you can see what's now Syria and Lebanon. Then above it, extending into Turkey, what the Templars called the County of Edessa. Syria was called Antioch. Lebanon was Tripoli. And then below it, the kingdom of Jerusalem. What we call the Middle East they knew as Outremer."

  "Why the skull?"

  Selena shrugged. "He was probably a Templar. I suppose it could be a warning. Outremer was a dangerous place to visit."

  "It still is," Nick said. "What's written under the map?"

  Selena studied the faint letters on the wall.

  "It's written in medieval French, the same dialect as the document."

  "Is it in code?"

  "No, I can read it. It says, 'Those who guard are protected.'"

  "That doesn't help much."

  She took a picture with her phone. The light from the flash reflected from something. Nick squinted, spit on his thumb and rubbed it.

  "There's a dot of silver set into the stone, here."

  He put his finger by it. Selena stood next to him, looking at the map.

  "That's one of the islands in the Adriatic, off the coast of Croatia."

  "Didn't the Templars have several outposts there?"

  "Yes, scattered throughout the area. The biggest was at Vrana. It's a tourist destination. You can still see the ruins of the fortress."

  "Then why mark this one differently from the others? It's the only one in silver."

  "I don't know."

  "Maybe it's what we're looking for. The location of the relic."

  A sudden draught of cold air chilled the back of his neck.

  "You should be careful what you look for," a voice said behind him.

  Nick turned. Two large men in dark clothes and hoodies stood there. One held a flashlight. The other was the man with a pockmarked face Nick had seen in the café. Nick's light caught a gleam of steel. He held a knife in his hand.

  Knives. I hate knives.

  "Who are you?" Nick asked.

  "Where you're going, it won't matter who we are. Why don't you tell us what you found? It will make things a lot easier."

  "You'll have to ask Kiya about that," Nick said.

  "Who the hell is Kiya?"

  "Selena," Nick said.

  Nick and Selena let out a horrific yell at the same time, pulling it from deep down inside their guts.

  "KIIIIYAAHH!!!"

  Whatever the men had expected, it wasn't that. The sound froze them in place for an instant. It was all that was needed.

  Nick went for the speaker. He moved inside the knife, blocked the arm and broke the elbow. The man cried out in pain. Nick hit him with a hammer fist to the temple. The cry choked off. The attacker dropped to the floor and lay still.

  Selena delivered a kick that sent her attacker's knife flying. He threw his flashlight at her head and rushed her. She made a small movement and used his momentum to throw him head first into the wall. It sounded like someone had hit a melon with a hammer. He fell to the floor and lay there, unmoving.

  Nick was breathing hard.

  "I'm getting too old for this," he said.

  "How did they know we were here?"

  "I don't know. A better question might be who sent them. We'll search them. You take the guy who came after you."

  "You think anybody heard?"

  "I don't think so. These walls are thick and the door was closed."

  Selena went over to the man who had attacked her.

  "He's still breathing," she said. "I don't think for long. There's a big dent in his head."

  "I hit this one a little too hard. He's dead."

  Nick rummaged through the man's pockets. He took out a rolled wad of euros.

  "There's nothing here but his payday." He pocketed the money.

  "No luck," Selena said. "No ID. Just a few euros."

  "All right. Let's get out of here."

  "What about them?"

  "Leave them where they are."

  They left the tower, closed the door behind them, and walked quickly away.

  "So much for a nice, easy trip with nobody bothering us."

  "I thought we were done with things like this," Selena said. "I should have known better."

  CHAPTER 11

  Back at the hotel, Nick brewed a cup of coffee. He to
ok a sip and set it aside.

  "Why does every hotel have crappy coffee in the rooms?"

  He took out the wad of euros he'd taken from the man in the tower and counted out fifty notes

  "Five thousand. It's nice to know we don't come cheap."

  "I don't get it," Selena said. "How did they know where we were?"

  "I saw one of them in the café, before we went to the church."

  "So they were following us."

  "There's something else," Nick said. "They didn't come after us until we found something that might show where the Templars took their loot. That's a huge coincidence, and I don't believe in coincidences. Remember what the big guy said, about being careful what we look for? He knew we were searching for a clue to the treasure."

  "He could have heard us talking."

  "Behind those thick walls and that heavy door? I don't think so."

  "Then how did he know what we were doing?"

  "He couldn't, unless someone tipped him off."

  "Or we're bugged," Selena said. "What if someone's listening?"

  "Shit," Nick said.

  They found the bug planted in the seam of Selena's purse. It was a little bigger than a grain of rice. Nick broke it in two, filled the bathroom sink with water, and dropped the device into it. He came out of the bathroom and dropped down onto the bed.

  "We'll take it back with us and get it analyzed, but I don't think we'll be able to trace it. It's pretty sophisticated. When could they have planted it? And who could have done it?"

  "I don't know, Nick. What I know is that I want to go home. I miss the twins, and now I'm worried. I thought we were done with people like those two we left in the tower. I don't need them in my life, and neither do you."

  "This wasn't supposed to turn out like this."

  "I should've expected it," Selena said. "It was dumb of me to think we could look for something as priceless as the Templar treasure without some criminal asshole making trouble. We need to drop it. I'm done."

  "We'll go home, but we can't just drop it."

  "Why not?"

  "Think about it. Whoever sent those thugs will be worried when they find out what happened. We have to think like they do. We know too much, and whoever it is wants to know what we know. They're not going to stop until they get what they want."

  Selena sighed. "This is giving me a headache."

  "We'll be out of here tomorrow. We'll figure out what to do after we get home. Meanwhile, get some sleep."

  "What about you?"

  "I'm too wired to sleep. I don't think anything else will happen tonight, but I'll stay awake. Keep watch."

  Selena undressed and crawled into bed. A few minutes later, she was snoring softly.

  Nick sat in the darkened room listening to her breathing, thinking about what had happened. Why come after them so early in the game? The logical thing would be to wait until the treasure was found. It was a dumb move. Now he'd be on guard, expecting more trouble. Whoever was behind it had lost the element of surprise.

  Maybe Selena was right. Maybe they should just bail on the whole thing.

  Somehow he didn't think that was going to happen.

  CHAPTER 12

  The first thing Selena did when they got back to Washington was collect Jason and Katrina from Stephanie. They fussed all the way home but now they were in their playpen, looking up at a mobile that played tinkling music as it turned. The cat stood outside the playpen, watching. Nick came to where Selena stood and put his arm around her shoulders.

  "Looks like Steph took good care of them."

  "She did, but she was happy to give them back. Three small children is a lot of work."

  "Burps looks like he's standing guard."

  "Actually, he's watching the mobile. But you're right, he seems very protective of them. He's taken to sleeping by the cribs at night."

  "We should get a mobile with some decent music," Nick said. "Maybe something by the Eagles?"

  "Very funny. As long as we're talking music for their listening pleasure, why not something by Mozart?"

  "How about Lynard Skynard?"

  "It's probably better if I'm in charge of their musical education."

  Selena paused. "I'm really glad we're home. I'm not going to leave them like that again. That could have gone the other way in the bell tower."

  "Yes, but it didn't. You're right, though. Let's tell Dubois we're out."

  "Are you sure? What about what you said before? About us knowing too much?"

  "I've been thinking about that. Whoever came after us, all they care about is the treasure. I believe they'd do anything to keep someone else from finding it, but if we're not looking for it, we're not a threat. Those two in the bell tower aren't talking. No one knows what we found."

  "Should I tell Dubois about the map?"

  "It's what he hired us for. But he can keep his money."

  "He'll be disappointed."

  "That's too bad. He's ahead of the game with a possible location. He can hire someone else to look for it. Besides, it's probably long gone."

  Nick looked out the window.

  "The weather's good. I'm going for a run."

  Nick changed into his sweats and running shoes. He did some stretches, tucked a .380 Colt in a holster at the small of his back, and kissed Selena goodbye. He rode the elevator down to the ground floor and went outside.

  A black, armored limousine idled at the curb. A uniformed chauffer stood by the car. He opened a door to the rear compartment as Nick emerged from the building.

  Shit, Nick thought.

  "Good afternoon, Mister Carter. Please get in."

  Adam, Nick thought. How does he always know when I'm going to run?

  It had been some time since Nick had seen the car that brought the mysterious figure he knew as Adam in and out of his life. Adam had a habit of turning up when everything was about to get complicated in a bad way.

  He's here because of the treasure. There can't be any other reason.

  Adam had once told Nick he belonged to an organization descended in direct lineage from a small group of devout Templars who had survived the persecution of 1307. The true Templars, still following the spiritual traditions of the Knights of the Temple of Solomon.

  Nick got in. The driver closed the door. The lock clicked shut.

  Nothing much had changed since the last time Nick had gone for a ride with Adam. The car was newer. The smell of expensive black leather a little stronger, the polished wood accents a little different.

  A floor to ceiling barrier of opaque, black glass divided the rear compartment in two. Nick knew Adam was on the other side of the glass. The only features breaking the monotonous black surface were a speaker and a slot for a sliding tray. The front of the compartment was sealed off with another partition of black glass behind the driver. The window of the passenger door was equally opaque, making it impossible to see out.

  It was like sitting in a luxurious black box. The car began moving.

  "Good afternoon, Nick."

  Adam's voice came through the speaker, masked by electronics. Nick didn't know if Adam was a man or a woman, but something about the way the sentences and words were phrased made him think it was probably a man.

  "Hello, Adam. It's been a while."

  "Yes, it has."

  "I can guess why you're here. The treasure. Am I right?"

  "Yes, Nick, you are. One of the things I appreciate about you is your ability to get straight to the point. I'm afraid you have become involved in something that concerns more than a lost treasure, no matter how rich it may be."

  "You know something, Adam? I've given up trying to fix the world's problems. I want to enjoy my children and live a life where nobody's trying to put a bullet in me."

  "A worthy goal," the disembodied voice said. "Unfortunately, sometimes life does not cooperate with our desires."

  Nick had no idea where the car was going. He knew they were still in Washington because he could feel the car
stopping and starting with traffic. If they'd crossed over into Virginia, they'd be moving with the flow on the highway.

  Not that it mattered. If past experience meant anything, Adam would drop him off in front of his building when they were done talking. Still, it was annoying not to know where he was.

  "Why do I get the feeling you're going to tell me something I don't want to hear?" Nick asked.

  "As I said, sometimes life doesn't cooperate with our desires. In this case, I must ask you to do something for us. Of course, you may refuse my request. But I believe that when you hear what I have to say, you will accept. Even though it may pose certain...inconveniences."

  Nick settled back in the comfortable seat.

  "I'm listening."

  "As you know, my order was founded to protect pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. What you don't know is that we were also tasked to recover items considered of religious significance, placed in danger by the Muslim presence."

  "Like the Grail."

  Nick could almost feel Adam nod on the other side of the glass.

  "Yes. There were other items as well. All of them are important as symbols to the faithful, but a few are much more than that. Some, like the Grail or the Ark, have the power to cause miracles. They can create change in the world for good or for ill."

  "I'm not sure I believe in miracles."

  "It doesn't matter whether you believe in them or not."

  "What does this have to do with the treasure?"

  "One of those relics was sent from France when the treasure left La Rochelle, to keep it safe from those who would exploit it. It has the power to cause great upheaval."

  Okay, Nick thought.

  "I know you're skeptical," Adam said. "It's unimportant. What is important is that there are others who also seek this relic. They sent those two men after you in Portugal. They must not succeed."

  "You know about that?"

  "Of course."

  "Who are they? These people who attacked us?"

  "They are descendents of the apostate Templars who split from the true branch of the order. We call them the Black Templars. They are to my order as dark is to light. They serve the enemy."