by K. T. Tomb
DESTROYERS OF THE LOST GARDEN
An Evan Knight Adventure
#3
by
K.T. TOMB
Acclaim for K.T. Tomb:
“Epic and awesome!”
—J.T. Cross, bestselling author of Beneath the Deep
“Now this is what I call adventure. The Lost Garden will leave you breathless!”
—Summer Lee, bestselling author of Angel Heart
“The best adventure novel I’ve read in a long time. K.T. Tomb. I can’t wait to read the sequel. Count me a fan. A big fan.”
—P.J. Day, bestselling author of The Sunset Prophecy
“K.T. Tomb is a wonderful new voice in adventure fiction. I was enthralled by The Lost Garden...and you will be, too.”
—Aiden James, bestselling author of Plague of Coins
OTHER BOOKS BY K.T. TOMB
STANDALONE ADVENTURES
The Last Crusade
The Kraken
The Adventurers
The Swashbucklers
The Tempest
Ghosts of the Titanic
The Honeymooners
Curse of the Coins
Drums Along the Hudson
THE CHYNA STONE ADVENTURES
The Minoan Mask
The Mummy Codex
The Phoenician Falcon
The Babylonian Basilisk
The Aquitaine Armor
THE EVAN KNIGHT ADVENTURES
The Lost Garden
Keepers of the Lost Garden
Destroyers of the Lost Garden
THE PHOENIX QUEST ADVENTURES
The Hammer of Thor
The Spear of Destiny
The Lair of Beowulf
The Fountain of Youth
THE CASH CASSIDY ADVENTURES
The Holy Grail
The Lost Continent
The Lost City of Gold
THE ALPHA ADVENTURES
“A” is for Amethyst
“B” is for Bullion
“C” is for Crystal
SASQUATCH SERIES
Sasquatch
Sasquatch Found
THE ISLANDS THAT TIME FORGOT
Dinosaur Island
Ape Island
Snake Island
Destroyers of the Lost Garden
Published by K.T. Tomb
Copyright © 2014 by K.T. Tomb
All rights reserved.
Ebook Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Dedication
The author wishes to dedicate this book to the late
Robert Ludlum.
Previously in
Keepers of the Lost Garden
Geronimo Bismark joined our heroes Evan Knight and Jessima IL Eve on the journey to the Garden of Eden.
With the help of Yousef Omidi, the trio found a hidden tunnel with supplies. Evan started to assume that his theory about the destination of the Garden might actually lead them to it.
Alexey Konstantin and Sulna Obvesky literally consummated their partnership. Alexey was prepared for an all-out war, which is why he brought in some big guns.
The stage is set for the war for Eden in the Lost Garden trilogy.
Destroyers of the Lost Garden
Chapter One
Myora IL Eve paced nervously in the command center of the mountain complex. She felt the emotions of all her Daughters as they flowed through from them and into her consciousness. Some were anxious, others felt regret for knowing they would have to take lives to defend Eden, but one of Myora’s Daughters was a mystery. She masked her feelings.
Shala IL Eve showed no emotion as she watched the monitors. There was video surveillance on each level of the complex as well as just outside of the mountain.
The trucks they had spotted earlier were closer. The only sound that could be heard in the control center was the faint hum of the servers.
Of course, they also had a satellite link that allowed for continuous surveillance of the convoy and anything else that could possibly be considered a threat.
Myora placed her hand gently on her Daughter’s shoulder for reassurance.
“Fear not, Shala,” she said encouragingly. “I sense that Jessima IL Eve has the Chosen One and is en route. They have taken a less direct path than the one our enemy has chosen.”
“Why are they our enemy?” Shala queried. “Outsider? Yes. A Threat? Perhaps. But who decided that these particular people are dangerous?”
Myora tried to conceal her look of surprise at the question.
“My dear child, it is not our place to judge the outside world. It is our job to protect the Garden of Eden from those who would try to use the Tree of Life for their own purpose.”
Shala stood and faced her mother.
“And yet we bring an outsider here to protect Eden? How do we know that he has not been poisoned by the world? Can you say for sure that he won’t try to take the oil for himself?”
“Daughter! That is enough!” yelled the Mother Daughter.
Myora immediately placed both hands over her mouth. She was shocked and disappointed with herself for losing control for the first time in centuries.
“Forgive me, Daughter. It is a tense time for all of us and is seems that I am no exception. We are at a crossroads. I have seen great destruction coming to Eden. I have seen fire and blood, so much blood.”
Mother Daughter lowered her head. She could no longer fend off her tears.
It was Shala’s turn to comfort.
“You see it all, don’t you, Mother Daughter?”
Her words seemed cold and uncaring as she continued, “Being immortal can be a blessing and a curse. For the first several hundred years, it was a blessing. Now we are held like prisoners in a place that never changes. We are forced to watch the outside world change from century to century and we are unable to do anything but watch. We see all the wonderful things this world has to offer, but we cannot touch and experience any of it for ourselves.”
Myora backed away from her Daughter. She was in shock.
“How dare you, Shala! We are not entitled to anything but a life of servitude! That is our mission!”
“That’s right, Mother!” Shala screamed. “Our mission! One of eternal servitude! Yet two sisters went out into the world! Two!”
Myora’s self-control was now gone.
“Why is it that you feel compelled to question your destiny? We were not born into the world of men! We have a purpose above all else! You are ungrateful and disrespectful; not just to me, but to God and Eve herself!”
Shala’s expression changed. She showed her anger.
“Ramallah and Jessima were sent to retrieve the Chosen One. Instead of them…it should have been me.”
Myora, the Mother Daughter, experienced an emotion that she had hoped she would never feel; at least not to the extreme that she felt it then.
Fear.
“Oh dear Daughter, no,” Myora said, as she wept. “Do you know who you sound like?”
Shala smiled as she straightened her stance.
“Call me what you will, Mother Daughter. That will not change the fact that you know I’m right. Do you think I am similar to Lucifer? Or am I reminding you of your sister? Perhaps then I should prove you right. I wouldn’t want to correct you.”
Shala went to the computer and quickly typed something in. She then held her finger over the Enter button. “I hope you’re prepared for what comes next, Mother Daughter.”
&nbs
p; Shala pressed the button and looked around with anticipation.
There were intermittent glitches in each computer screen. Myora looked closely as the computer screen showed that some systems were going offline. The link to the satellite was also gone.
As more mechanical and electronic systems went offline, Myora saw Shala run out of the control room. Myora realized what Shala had done.
She kneeled down in the control room while alarms started to sound. Red lights were flashing as the Mother Daughter closed her eyes. She needed to contact all of her Daughters at once. There was only one way she could accomplish that task.
She pictured each Daughter clearly as she spoke to them through her mind.
Daughters. The Mountain of God is in distress. We have been betrayed. Some sort of computer virus has been uploaded into our entire system. I believe it is shutting down all of our defenses as well as everything else. All of the access doors are also controlled electronically so I suggest retreating to the Garden. Otherwise we could be trapped inside. Beware of Sh…
The remainder of Mother Daughters’ message was never received.
***
Calaya IL Eve was the last of the Daughters to exit the Mountain of God fortress. She got out just in time to see the large metal door slide into place and close; locking securely.
All of the Daughters had made it out from whatever part of the fortress they were in when Mother Daughter had warned them. They stood in shock and looked at each other for an answer to what had just happened. All of the Daughters were dressed in brown sleeveless tunic tops and black shorts. They each wore Egyptian style black leather sandals with straps that snaked up their legs and stopped at the calves.
“Did Mother Daughter manage to get herself out?” questioned Calaya, as she broke the silence.
Shala just stood there and watched the door as if she expected Mother Daughter to open it. She pictured the accusing finger of her leader singling her out for her betrayal.
There was no movement at the door or anywhere around it.
Shala breathed a little easier, while still pretending to show concern for Mother Daughter.
“I don’t know,” she squeaked.
She had to choke back a few tears. Maybe she was feeling the loss. Maybe she was just afraid of what would happen to her, if her sisters found out what she did. She had to cover her tracks. “She tried to warn us of something before her message was cut off.”
“A betrayal,” said Ellisia, in a reproving tone in her voice. “Beware of someone or something with ‘SH” as the first two letters.”
Shala turned to face what she thought was her accuser.
“Ellisia. There are a lot of things that Mother Daughter could have been referring to.”
“Maybe, Shala,” Ellisia replied.
“We don’t have time for this,” Tallia interjected. “We need to find a way out for Mother Daughter. I suggest that we pick four or five able bodies and do just that, while the rest of us search Eden for anything we can use as a weapon.”
Calaya had just realized that all of their supplies, armor, and weapons were inside the fortress.
“We are warriors. We can use what God provides.”
“Speaking of God…” Shala continued, “…someone should lead us in prayer.”
Chapter Two
“Jess!” screamed Evan Knight for the fifth time.
They were close to the Sardroud Islamic Azad University just south of Tabriz. The quiet of night seemed to amplify Evan’s outbursts.
Geronimo knew something was wrong, but he also knew that the last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves.
“Come on, Evan,” Geronimo said, quietly. “We can’t be doing this here.”
Jess had gone into some sort of a trance just minutes before and she didn’t seem to be coming out of it. Her eyes glazed over and her pupils were dilated.
Geronimo panicked at first when as he saw her freeze up. Once Knight had lost it, he realized he had to be the voice of reason.
The odd thing was that she still stood upright as opposed to falling over. She just froze where she stood.
“Does your babe do this a lot?” Geronimo said, as he tried to calm his friend down.
“No,” Knight replied, with more than just concern in his voice. “I’ve never seen her do this before. I don’t know if there’s a time limit or if we should even try to move her.”
“Damn it, Evan!” Geronimo snapped. He was surprised at his own lack of control. “What does your gut tell you? I know you have degrees and diplomas coming out of your ass! How many times have I told you to stop thinking so much and follow your damn gut?”
Knight smiled, because he knew that his longtime friend was right. His gut never betrayed him. What exactly was his gut saying?
“We have to wait,” Knight declared. “I believe that my gut is telling me to wait. We don’t know Jess’ physiology and anything we do could cause more damage than good.”
Geronimo slapped his friend on the back.
“Good! See? It wasn’t that hard, man. You’ve got some heavy feelings for her,I can feel it. Don’t let that get in the way of making decisions, Evan. Making a decision when you let emotions get in the way can kill you.”
“When the hell did you become a fucking philosopher, Geronimo?” Knight expected a smartass remark to his question.
Geronimo tilted his head and stuck his chin in the air.
“I’m always fucking as long as Molly’s in the mood. I just recently got my B.A. in B.S. and I plan on working toward my doctorate very soon.”
Knight got the answer he expected.
Jess collapsed as the trance lost its hold on her. She was gasping for air, trying her best to breathe.
Knight went to her side and held her head up.
“Jess! Are you alright? What happened? What can I do?”
Jess pushed him back just far enough to catch her breath.
“Evan...Knight,” she managed to say between breaths. “Mother…Daughter…”
“Don’t try to do so much at once, Jess,” Knight said calmly. “Just try to breathe and then you can tell me what’s going on.”
Geronimo handed her a bottle of water which she drank in a matter of seconds. She started to breathe easier.
Jess sighed once and said, “Mother Daughter…is in trouble.”
Knight put his hand on Jess’ shoulder. “What kind of trouble, Jess? Is there something else going on?”
She tried to shake off the entire experience.
“I believe so, Evan Knight. I think it has started. We have to get to Eden as soon as we can. There is more of a threat than I ever imagined.”
Knight realized that time was their enemy. They had to hurry if they were going to get to Eden before it was destroyed.
“I need to know everything you know, if I’m going to be of any help. Do we have any other adversaries that we have to look out for, Jess?”
He knew the answer to the question before he had even asked it.
Jess took a breath and closed her eyes as she spoke.
“The Fallen’s numbers have depleted, but they are still not to be taken lightly. Just now, I was as one with Mother Daughter. It was revealed to me that there are many trucks of war approaching Eden.”
“Trucks? Are they Iranian?” Geronimo queried.
Jess strained to find the answer.
“I believe so. There is an army.”
Geronimo looked at Knight as they realized that this was bigger than they both had anticipated.
“Go on, Jess,” urged Knight.
“I could feel the betrayal that Mother Daughter felt, but I am unsure as to who the betrayer is,” Jess continued, as she pressed her hands against her chest. “There is dissention among my sisters. They are without their weapons and now without their fortress inside the Mountain of God. I don’t…know…” she trails off as she lowers her head.
Knight grabbed Jess’ shoulders.
“Open your eyes,
Jess! We need you to snap out of it!”
Jess blinked slowly as she appeared to go in and out of some kind of trance. She placed one hand on Knight’s shoulder. She had a pained expression on her face.
Her eyes pleaded with Knight.
“Evan Knight, we must get there quickly to aid my sisters. My mind is clouded with visions of Mother Daughter and the new threat my sisters face. I’m afraid that I have no further resources to aid in getting us to Eden, the fortress has been shut down and all the routes that are known to me are essentially sealed. You know the way, Evan; the original entrance that was sealed off to the sons of men. You must lead us there before all is lost.”
“Yeah,” Knight agreed, “And I have to do it without letting the Iranians know we’re here.”
Chapter Three
Sulna put her cell phone away, sporting a Cheshire grin.
Alexey had monitored her call to see if he could overhear anything she might have been trying to hide from him but she hadn’t spoken once since she’d answered the call.
It was getting dark and uncomfortably cold as the lead truck rumbled steadily along the old road. There was a sound on the wind that sounded like singing in the distance. Alexey knew the familiar sound but he couldn’t quite place it. Then, driver suddenly stopped and pulled over to the side; the other trucks followed suit. He was puzzled why they stopped, until the driver pointed at the building in front of them.
Alexey saw that there was a mosque a few hundred feet in front of them and he nodded his head appreciatively. That was what he had heard; the Imam’s call to prayer. Even though he detected a hint of exasperation in Sulna’s face, he didn’t mind stopping. A couple hours of rest in a warm place would do them all some good. Alexey smiled to himself. Sulna would not be permitted in the main hall with the men so there was no chance of her besmirching the air with her awful scent. All of the men exited the vehicles and entered the mosque one by one.
