He turned to his technology experts. “Gavin and Ralph, the long-term success of this venture will be riding on your shoulders. First, we are dependent on you both in regard to the security of the technology. We need at least eighteen months in order to realize our ultimate goals. Second, we need to get our technology into as many hands as possible in the next several months. Ralph, are you ready to upgrade our manufacturing capability once we have the money available?”
Ralph replied with a look of confidence, “Darius, if you get me the money I need, I will have you the most modern and efficient manufacturing factory on the planet within four months.”
“Very good,” Darius replied. “Dylan, my speech will be completed just before the markets open in New York. Are you ready to manage this as we discussed?”
“I’m ready. Although I would feel more comfortable if we had a more direct connection to the exchange data lines. Chicago is good, but we will be at a disadvantage.”
Darius replied, “Just do your best, that is all I ask.”
He turned to Alexandra. “Alexandra, your duties will now shift to running our humanitarian outreach program. In order to make the changes I want to see in this world, we need to get as many of these machines into the hands of the undeveloped world as possible. My goal is to have our technology producing water for fifty percent of the world’s population within two years. I am willing to provide whatever money it takes to accomplish this. This may seem overly ambitious, but I believe we can do it.” She nodded.
“Over the next several months, as we evolve from an idea into a manufacturing behemoth, there will be extreme growing pains. Let’s all try to keep focused on the goal, but not so stringently that we cannot adapt to our changing circumstances.”
With a few final words to each of them, Darius dismissed the meeting. Undoubtedly they each intended to make any final preparations they needed before the big day.
* * *
Eight hundred miles away, Arash sat in his office at MISIRI headquarters in Iran. He had successfully smuggled the 235X into the country, and he now contemplated his next moves. It was the eleventh of October, and their attack on New York was set for the end of the month. Once the attack was carried out and the international community realized Iran was at least in part responsible, incredible pressure would be brought to bear. Factions in Iran wanted the
Ayatollah Khamene’i replaced. It was likely the Assembly of Experts would be called to challenge the Ayatollah’s rule. This, of course, would just be posturing—the Shia majority in the assembly would support Ayatollah Khamene’i since he had virtually stacked the assembly with those beholden to him.
Bottled water was the only beverage used at the assembly, and one bottling company produced all the water. With Arash’s connections, it would be a small matter to introduce enough 235X toxin into the batch that would be used during the Assembly of Experts. Anyone drinking the water would leave the assembly a walking dead man. Not for a couple of days would anyone show any symptoms, and then—well, then it would get ugly real fast. For unknown reasons, the toxin first attacked the part of the brain that governed social behavior. Many of the those who became poisoned would exhibit extremely violent tendencies. Within seven days, ninety percent would be dead and the rest dying.
And Arash would be in a position to seize the reins of power.
Chapter 17
Jerusalem, Israel
The reception, set up in the main hall of a new wing of Israel’s Antiquities Museum in Jerusalem, was a modest gathering of Israel’s social and intellectual elite. Darius sat at the table of honor along with the prime minister, the director of the Antiquities Authority, and several other government officials. Jacob Neumann, the director of antiquities, was the master of ceremonies.
All of Darius’s extensive collections of archeological treasures relating to the Second Temple era were on display—and would be indefinitely. He had donated them for as long as they would remain on display in this museum. Some of the artifacts were Persian; others were Hebrew, bringing context to the era they represented. Several of the pieces his brother Arash had smuggled out of Iran and given to him. These previously unknown artifacts had already created a stir when the Israeli Antiquities Authority had first seen them. It was quite a coup for them to be on display here in Israel. There were coins, vases, clay tablets, and scrolls, all providing additional texture to that period of common Hebrew and Persian history.
Not yet on display, but to be added tonight, was Darius’s most prized possession: a document written on a clay tablet. Its contents would have major ramifications for the three main religions which had ties to the land of Israel and Jerusalem in particular.
Darius sat, for all outward appearances, in a calm and serene manner at the head of the table. The next two hours would be the most important of his life, up to this point. Under his calm exterior was a growing sense of self-importance. He had the heady inkling of power, and he liked the feeling. Tonight was just the beginning, he reminded himself. This was just the appetizer.
According to the itinerary arranged by Alexandra, Mr. Neumann would introduce Darius, and he would give a brief speech. After the speech he would offer to answer any questions, and then dinner would be served. During dinner a string ensemble made up of musicians from Israel’s Philharmonic Orchestra would play several pieces, followed by Mr. Neumann’s daughter playing Beethoven’s famous “Sonata Pathetique,” Opus No. 13. Darius smiled when he thought of the subtle little hint he had given with Beethoven’s sonata. He knew he was playing a dangerous game, but he couldn’t help but include it. Only later would the Order realize he had been taunting them.
Mr. Neumann rose from the table and approached the small lectern. He placed his notes down and adjusted the microphone. “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. As most of you know, this wing of the museum has been a work in progress for several years. Many of you have had a hand in the success of this endeavor, and for this we thank you.”
After a light smattering of applause, he continued. “There is one person in particular I wish to thank, without whose gracious generosity this project would not have been possible. Tonight, we celebrate the opening of a wing of the Jerusalem Antiquities Museum, a wing dedicated to the Persian and Hebrew history of the Second Temple era. We owe the success of this endeavor in no small part to Mr. Darius Zarindast, CEO of Aquarius Elemental Solutions. Not only has he provided the artifacts you now see here on display, he also provided the original donation of two million dollars to get this project started. Please welcome Mr. Darius Zarindast.” Another polite round of applause followed as Mr. Neumann sat down.
Darius rose from his place at the table and approached the lectern. He did not have any prepared notes: his speech today had been memorized long ago.
Placing his hands on either side of the lectern, with his measured words he began to change the destiny of mankind.
“I thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Today is an important day for all of us. The artifacts and displays behind me are windows into the past. In a general sense, they provide us with evidence of humanity’s activities and thoughts. They remind us of the greatness as well as the baseness of mankind. But to my mind, these artifacts serve an even more important function. They are doors to the future. They provide us with opportunities to improve upon our greatness. It was the great American author, Mark Twain, who wrote, ‘History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.’ We must learn from history, and these artifacts on display give us a glimpse into a period of shared history for our peoples.
“For those who do not know me, I am Persian by birth. Today, Persia and Israel are not allies but enemies. This was not always so.”
Darius turned and pointed to the empty display case standing in a prominent position in the center of the room behind him. He continued, “Today, as a token of a shared past when Persians and Jews shared common goals, I dedicate this museum and this date with a final gift. This artifact is my most treasured possession. My hope is to
provide a reminder of a time when Persians and Jews worked side by side in peace and for a common purpose. What I hope this museum represents is a foundation for a new era in the relations of our peoples.”
Darius opened his briefcase and removed a small padded plastic box containing a clay tablet. He walked over to the empty display case, solemnly lifted the protective covering, and placed the clay tablet into the case.
Walking back to the lectern, he continued, “This clay tablet is a written record of Darius, son of Hystaspes, the greatest ruler of the Persian people. It is especially important to me because Darius Hystaspes was one of my distant ancestors. This tablet is a written record of Darius’s granting the governorship of Jerusalem to the biblical Nehemiah, his cupbearer. In part, it reads as follows: ‘I, Darius the great Artaxerxes, ruler of one-hundred-twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia in my twentieth year, do hereby appoint my cupbearer Nehemiah as governor of Jerusalem.’”
He let the words die away. “Ladies and gentlemen, there was a time when Persia was a benefactor of the Jewish people, not an antagonist. I believe it is time for our peoples to rekindle our shared interests. Darius, son of Hystaspes, rebuilt places of worship for the Elamites, the Jews, the Babylonians, and the Egyptians. I share my ancestors’ vision of rebuilding the sacred places of worship of all peoples. Even though I have beliefs similar to those of my ancestors, I hold equal respect for the beliefs of all other peoples.”
That was true enough, he thought—he held all other religions in equal disdain.
“There is another reason this little clay tablet is important to me. A reason even more personal. This document states Darius was the ‘Artaxerxes’ over one-hundred-and-twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. As your own book of Esther states, one of your own married the ‘Artaxerxes,’ or ‘Ahasuerus,’ if you prefer, who ruled over one-hundred-and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. Darius Hystaspes was the husband of Hadassah, one of your greatest heroes. Hadassah was my great-great-great . . . grandmother, the Jewish heroine who is remembered every year on the thirteenth and fourteenth of Adar for saving her people. So I don’t call on you to share my vision just as friends, but also as brothers and sisters. Let this museum of our common history and our common ancestry be the foundation upon which we build a better future for all our people.”
He paused, taking a moment to sweep the gathering with his gaze. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. If there are any questions, I would be happy to try to answer them. Let’s keep it short if we can. Dinner is being served, and we have some fine entertainment as well.”
A hearty round of applause followed. After that, a hand was raised in the back of the room.
“Yes,” Darius pointed to one of the press correspondents from Al Jazeera.
“Mr. Zarindast, you claim these artifacts, as you call them, prove a common history between the people of Persia and Israel. As I am sure you are aware, many Muslims today deny Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular was ever a historical fact in relation to the Jewish people. What do you say to these critics?”
Darius replied, “My friend, I would say it is time the few fanatics found in every religion be ignored. To deny Jerusalem and the Jewish people existed is as intelligent as saying Persia and the Persians never existed. Frankly, it is just hate-filled extremist rhetoric.”
There was spontaneous applause as he finished. The reporter sat back down with a look of embarrassment.
“Any other questions?” he asked as he turned and looked for another hand. “Yes,” he pointed to another correspondent.
“Sir, Aaron Klein here with WorldNetDaily. You stated the clay tablet behind you shows Nehemiah was the governor of Jerusalem during the reign of the great Artaxerxes, Darius, son of Hystaspes. Aren’t you concerned about the ramifications this might have with the many fundamentalist Christians who support Israel?”
Darius positioned a slightly surprised look on his face—but inwardly he was elated. He couldn’t have asked for a better setup. The only person he disliked more than a Muslim fanatic was a Christian one. “What do you mean?” he asked.
Mr. Klein continued, “You claim the artifact confirms Nehemiah was a governor under Darius, son of Hystaspes. This claim seriously undermines one of the most central pillars of Christian thought concerning the Messiah. Daniel 9 is considered one of the most important prophecies of the Old Testament. According to most Christian interpretations, it was fulfilled by Jesus. Its fulfillment is contingent upon a command during the reign of a Persian Artaxerxes. If you say Nehemiah was a contemporary of Darius in 520 BC, this makes it seventy years too early for Jesus to have fulfilled that prophecy.”
Gloating inwardly, Darius responded, “Mr. Klein, are you referring to the theory popularized by Sir Robert Anderson?”
Aaron Klein nodded as he said, “Yes, sir, I am.”
Darius continued, “The same Sir Robert Anderson of Scotland Yard and Jack the Ripper fame?”
Klein, with a look of surprised confusion on his face, started to answer, but Darius interrupted him and continued in a patronizing tone. “For those of you who do not know of the famous Sir Robert Anderson, he was appointed as a London police commissioner at the time of the Jack the Ripper murders. He was never able to solve the crimes, and only years later we learned from his diary that he blamed the murders on an immigrant Jew.”
Aaron Klein groaned inwardly, but outwardly he did not show any emotion. He had to give the devil his due. Darius Zarindast had set him up perfectly, and he hadn’t seen it coming. Then, for good measure, Darius had kicked him when he was down. Well, he was a big boy and he would take his medicine. He could see that most of the faces in the room were turned toward him with disdain and scorn. Aaron had been in the business for some time, and this was the first time he could remember being so thoroughly embarrassed. Darius Zarindast had seemed almost eager to give his answer.
Okay, Mr. Zarindast, you made your point, he thought to himself, but you have also warned me that there is something else going on. Something I don’t know about. And I will be watching.
As Aaron Klein was finishing these thoughts, Darius drove his point home. “I hardly think the pet messianic theories of a failed racist investigator are worthy of our consideration.”
Darius could hardly keep the gloating look off his face as he watched the expressions of the other people in the room. He knew not one out of fifty would check his facts to see if what he had implied was true. The truth of the matter was that Sir Robert Anderson’s personal journal did not indicate any prejudice regarding the suspect. Anderson was a devout Christian who wrote extensively on the Bible and was well respected by his peers. He even predicted the Jewish people would return to the land of Israel based on the prophecies of the Bible, and this at a time when the Jewish state did not yet exist. His circle of friends and associates included Cyrus Scofield, E.W. Bullinger, and John Darby, some of the great biblical scholars of his day. In Darius’s personal investigation of the subject while at the Four Crowns Research Lodge, he had found no evidence to suggest Anderson was part of some Masonic conspiracy to hide the Ripper murders, as some conspiracy theorists claimed. In fact, he had often wondered if Anderson was not appointed the position as a patsy. That was how they worked. If in fact the Masons were behind the murders, what better person to put in charge of the investigation than a devout Christian? Darius laughed inwardly. Sir Robert Anderson, the gift that kept on giving.
Darius, indicating the tablet in the display case, said, “I encourage you to check it out for yourself. You will find the artifact is authentic. I would also offer fundamentalist Christians a few further points they might want to check out in their own Scriptures before they cast dispersions upon the exhibits in this museum. If they sincerely wish to find the truth of this matter, I would encourage them to look at the age of Ezra. According to their own Scriptures, his father was the last high priest of the First Temple. The death of Ezra’s father is easily determined; hence the lat
est possible date for the birth of Ezra is found. This simple test places Ezra as a contemporary of Darius Hystaspes, and by extension, Nehemiah. Placing Nehemiah as the contemporary of any other Persian ruler is just wishful thinking.
“A similar conclusion can be reached by looking at the lists of men who came up with Joshua and Zerubbabel in Nehemiah 12 and comparing them with the lists of Nehemiah 10. These lists show many of the same men still alive in the twentieth year of the same Persian Artaxerxes. Again, contextually, this could only refer to the reign of Darius Hystaspes. I could go on, but I think you get my point. It was during the rule of my great ancestor Darius Hystaspes that Jewish influence and power reached its height in the Persian Empire. During Darius’s rule, Jewish men and women held the most powerful positions in the empire. Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king. Mordecai was second only to the king. Esther was queen. The Jewish and Persian people ruled the known world. That is how we should be working together today.
“As a final thought on the subject, let me say for the record I have nothing against Christians in general, but I do not share their messianic beliefs in the divinity of Jesus. As my tablet and the scriptural references I cited show, Jesus could not have fulfilled this famous messianic prophecy. The facts do not support it. I think Jesus was a great man, but nothing more. I think Zoroaster, Mohammed, and Gandhi were also great men, but I don’t think they were any more divine than any other man. I believe Jesus’s own words support this belief. Didn’t Jesus himself say he was the chief cornerstone? Well, even if he was a chief cornerstone, there were other cornerstones in that metaphorical building of humanity. Isn’t that was he was saying? Let’s say he was in fact the most important of those who came before and after—but all cornerstones rest upon a common foundation. So it is pretty clear, to me at least, that Jesus did not see himself as anything more than just one of the important cornerstones of mankind. Surely, Zoroaster, Mohammed, Gandhi, and others would also be major cornerstones of mankind’s evolution toward enlightenment.
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