by Julian Noyce
“I think I pinned it under a fridge magnet on the side of the fridge.”
“It’s not here.”
Natalie came into the kitchen drying her hair with a towel.
“Right what did I say?”
He stopped searching to look at her.
“I said on the side didn’t I.”
“Oh yeah. Got it,” he said reaching for the wall mounted phone, “What do you fancy?”
“You’re not ordering without Jim are you. Do you not want to wait.”
“I’m not sure what time they stop delivering.”
“Why don’t we just order one of those meals for three. At least that way we’ll get a mixture. I don’t even know if Jim likes Chinese.”
“Everyone likes Chinese.”
She went into the lounge and sat on the sofa whilst still drying her hair. Then she stopped.
“Oh my God.”
He turned with the phone pressed to his ear. She held a book up for him to see.
“You bought a bible.”
“Yeah we’ll need it.”
“You bought a bible!”
“Yes. If we’re researching Jesus Christ it seemed like the perfect answer.”
“I suppose,” she said, “but you can be the one who reads it.”
Dennis ignored her as the phone the other end was answered.
“Chinese will be half an hour,” he said rejoining her in the lounge, “Okay so where do we start?”
She grabbed the first book from the pile.
“Anything on Jesus Christ. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Needle in a haystack.”
“We’ll need to define our searches. The internet will help.”
“Okay. So what should I look for? Seriously.”
“Von Werner has been gravely injured. The burns to his face, neck and hands are extensive….”
Natalie remembered back to that day standing on the ‘wavecrest’ ship when she saw Von Werner’s body brought back on board. She could still remember the blistered flesh. It still made her feel sick.
“If he is intending to use the spear to heal himself we need to work out what he will do next. The legend of the spear states that whoever holds it will be invincible. I think we should start with the history of whoever has owned the spear. If anyone in history or legend has had any kind of miracle or anything unusual happen to them whilst the holy lance has been in their possession. What do you think? Is that a good place to start?”
“I don’t know. I guess so. You’re the archaeologist.”
Dennis quickly tapped in the holy lance on google. The third link on the first page included images.
“That’s our piece,” he said. He clicked on the top link which was Wikipedia and began to read.
“Anything?” Natalie asked after seeing his intense concentration.
“No it’s pretty much everything I’ve already written about it in the magazine. There’s a blue link here for St Maurice but it’s something I’ve already read before and something about the town in Switzerland named after him. Nothing new I’m afraid.”
“Why don’t you try Jesus Christ.”
He entered the name in the search box and clicked on the top link. Wikipedia again.
“What am I looking for?”
“Is there anything about his travels?”
Dennis checked the box of headings on the left.
“A little.”
“What about his acts?”
“Acts?”
“You know, his miracles.”
“Oh.”
Dennis re-entered his search.
“Ah! Here we are. The supernatural deeds of Jesus Christ….”
There was a buzz from the kitchen.
“That’s either Jim or the take away.”
“I’ll go,” Natalie said.
She resumed her seat, empty handed.
“Now the miracles of Christ,” Dennis continued as if she hadn’t left, “Are put into four categories. We have exorcisms, cures, controlling nature and resurrecting the dead.”
“You’ll just have to go through them all.”
“Here’s the list. We have for cures, healing the mother of Peter’s wife. Healing the deaf mute of Decapolis. Healing the blind at birth. Healing the paralytic at Bethesda. The blind man of Bethsaida. The blind man Bartimaeus of Jericho. Healing the centurion’s servant. Healing an infirm woman. The man with a withered hand. Cleansing a leper. Cleansing ten lepers. Healing a man with dropsy. Healing the bleeding woman. Healing the paralytic at Capernaum. Healing in Gennesaret. Two more blind men. Shall I go on?”
“Yes I’ve got one in mind we can go back to. Carry on.”
“Okay. Next we have exorcisms. Probably not what we’re looking for but I’ll read them out. A boy possessed by a demon. The Canaanite woman’s daughter. The Gerasenes demonic. The synagogue in Capernaum. Exorcising at sunset. The blind and mute man and exorcising a mute.”
“Nothing there. What’s next?”
“Resurrecting the dead. A young man from Nain. The daughter of Jairus. Raising Lazarus. The others are under nature, controlling nature. The marriage at Cana. Walking on water. Calming the storm. Transfiguration. Feeding the multitude. The draught of fishes. Cursing the fig tree. The coin in the fish’s mouth….”
“That’s one hell of a list,” Hutchinson said joining them, “What is it?”
“The miracles of Christ.”
“They’re just the ones we know about.”
“What?”
“They’re just the ones recorded. You know from the gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There were other miracles he performed outside of the new testament.”
”Where will I find them?”
“Try the internet. I think he performed the others when he was a child.”
“Wait,” Natalie said, “Go back.”
“Back where?”
“Something about a man with a hand.”
Dennis scanned the computer page again. Then he said.
“Under cures. The man with a withered hand.”
“Yes read that one.”
“This is recorded by Mark, Luke and Matthew. On a Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue. The Pharisees of the law watched him to see if he would perform. They were looking for an excuse to have him accused and arrested so they asked him if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus replied ’If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath will you not take hold of it and lift it out. Is a man not more valuable than a sheep. Therefore it is perfectly lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Jesus then turned to the man and said ’stretch out your hand’ The man stretched it out and it was healed.”
Natalie looked from Dennis to Hutchinson.
“Not much to go on there is there?” Dennis said.
“These events all occurred before the holy lance comes into the story though,” Hutchinson added.
“Well keep searching,” Natalie replied, “We’ll find a link somewhere.”
The kitchen buzzer sounded again.
“That’ll be the Chinese,” Dennis got up and took fifty pounds from his wallet. He returned with the food and placed it on the table, then went into the kitchen and returned with plates and cutlery. The three of them settled to eating. Every once in a while Dennis would click on his laptop.
“We’ll just have to keep searching,” Natalie said, “There will be something.”
“It must be a cure,” from Hutchinson, “The other categories don’t really fit in with Von Werner’s injuries.”
Dennis checked every miracle of christ that he could find. He shook his head.
“Nothing really gives us a clue.”
“What about that journal Von Werner had. Have you still got it?”
Dennis jumped to his feet.
“Yes.”
He went to his bookcase and rummaged through a pile of books laying down flat.
“It’s here somewhere,” he said moving some more. Then he found i
t, “Ah here it is.”
He gave it to Natalie. She opened it and began flicking through the pages. Then a quarter of the way through it she stopped. Hutchinson was watching her.
“Have you found something?”
Natalie’s eyes continued to move over the page she was on.
“Nat.”
“There may be something here.”
The two men joined her on the couch, sitting either side of her.
“Saint Helena,” Hutchinson said, “Who was she?”
Dennis reached across the table for his laptop. The page in the journal was hand drawn. There was a large sketch of a shrine. There was a detailed drawing of a woman under a domed ceiling holding a large wooden cross. Underneath the sketch were the words ’St Helena’s shrine, St Peter’s basilica’
“Is that in Rome?” Hutchinson asked.
Natalie nodded.
“Vatican city.”
She turned the page. There were more drawings. Simple sketches, of pieces of rope, what looked to be a tunic, some nails which looked to be Roman, some pieces of wood and the holy lance. Under each drawing were words in German.
“Saint Helena,” Dennis said, “also known as the empress Helena was the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine the great. Birthdate not known but thought to be either 246 or 250AD. Died 330AD. Famous for finding the relics from Christ’s crucifixion. She found the nails and rope used to fix him to his cross. She also found the cross on which he was crucified. She found a total of three crosses and had a woman from Jerusalem, who was near death, touch each one. When the woman touched the third cross she was cured.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Hutchinson said, “Do we know where this took place?”
“Yes. She was appointed by Constantine as Augusta Imperatrix, Greek for empress. He gave her unlimited access to the imperial treasury. She went on to build many churches. One on the site of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem. Another on the mount of olives in Jerusalem where he ascended into heaven. She ordered a temple built hundreds of years earlier by the Roman emperor Hadrian to be pulled down. This temple was built over the site of Christ’s tomb in Calvary. When her men excavated the ground under the temple they found the remains of the three crosses said to be those of Christ and the two thieves Dismas and Gestas who were crucified either side of him. Dismas went on to become a saint.”
“Pete.”
“Oh sorry. Getting a bit sidetracked. Anyway, after the find Constantine had the church of the holy sepulchre built. Right over the spot where Helena found the relics.”
“Great,” Hutchinson said, “We’ve got no chance of searching that.”
“Now wait a minute. There’s more. Helena left Jerusalem for Rome in 327AD. She took the ‘true’ pieces of the cross with the nails, rope and the tunic of Christ with her. They are currently on display in the basilica of the holy cross in Jerusalem where they have been since she placed them there.”
“And that’s in Jerusalem,” Hutchinson said.
Dennis shook his head.
“Rome.”
“Rome?”
“Rome.”
“Great! We’ve got no chance of getting to that either.”
“Guys,” Natalie said, “I’ve got something here. I’ve just translated this German writing Von Brest made. It’s not dated but he believes that the items on this page, the rope, cross, etcetera would all have magical healing powers if used together.”
“All of them. But where.”
“That’s the next bit of the puzzle,” Natalie continued, “Von Brest was convinced that it was the sap from the tree from which the cross was cut that contained the healing powers after it was mixed with Christ’s blood. The holy lance of Longinus will have touched Christ’s blood mixed with the sap. This is what healed his blindness.”
“It all sounds a bit far fetched,” Dennis said.
“It’s the bible,” Natalie replied.
“Okay. Supposing it’s true where is this tree?”
Dennis quickly searched google.
“Cut down,” he said.
“I knew it,” Hutchinson added, “It was too good to be true.”
“Herod had the trees cut down and they were used in the building of the temple in Jerusalem. When, years later, the temple was rebuilt the wood was removed. Eventually it was made into Christ’s cross.”
“I’ve just translated the last of Von Brest’s description,” Natalie said, “He believes that St Helena took seeds from these trees and planted them. One tree has survived to today. It stands outside of the monastery of the holy cross in Jerusalem in Rome.”
“So if Von Werner was to obtain all these relics and take them with the spear of destiny to this tree he could heal himself.“
“Yes.”
“And the relics he needs are in Rome?” Hutchinson asked.
“Yes.”
“Then we know his next move.”
“Yes.”
Dennis reached for his phone.
“I’ll alert Bauer.”
CHAPTER SIX
ROME, ITALY
Peter Dennis, Natalie, Jim Hutchinson and Inspector Thomas Bauer all cleared customs at the Leonardo Da Vinci airport and walked out into a mild, October, Italian sunshine. A Carabinieri, Italian police mini-bus was waiting in a bay that displayed a sign saying strictly no parking and a picture of a car being towed. Two uniformed police officers standing guard outside the bus. As the group approached the mini-bus Bauer took out his I.D and the front passenger door opened and a man in plain clothes stepped out to greet them.
“I suspect this is my opposite number in the Vatican police,” Bauer said.
“Good morning,” the plain clothed man spoke in perfect English, “I am Inspector Cesare De Luca of the Corpo della Gendarmeria dello stato della citta del Vaticano or, for your ease, of the Vatican police and of Interpol. We are concerned with security, public order, traffic control, border control, general police duties and criminal investigation.”
“Thank you Inspector. I am Thomas Bauer inspector of the Austrian police and Interpol. This is Mr Hutchinson, director of the Oceanic Archaeology Institute, his assistant and head archaeologist Miss Natalie Feltham and finally journalist Mr Peter Dennis.”
They each shook hands with the Italian inspector.
“Welcome to Rome!” De Luca said flashing his strong white teeth. He gestured towards the mini-bus.
“Do you ever get to guard the Pope?” Hutchinson asked.
“Sometimes,” De Luca replied smiling again. He opened the side door of the mini-bus and offered his hand to Natalie to help her inside the vehicle. She took the hand and thanked him, Dennis following closely behind.
De Luca proceeded to the front of the mini-bus and shouted instructions to his two men who got into the front seats, one behind the steering wheel. Dennis leaned close to Natalie who was watching the Italian police inspector through the windscreen.
“You fancy him don’t you?”
“Not really. Though he is very charming.”
“Charming?”
“Yes, you know, in that Meditteranean way.”
“Smarmy more like.”
“What is it about foreign men that winds you up so much?”
“It’s foreign barmen that wind me up the most,” then he leaned in close to her pushing her against the window.
“Ooh Natalie, you so beautiful. You are my heart. I love you as much as I love me. You cannot live without me. I am your world,” he joked in a corny foreign accent. He leaned over even further and pouted his lips to kiss her on the cheek. She put her hand on his face and pushed him away.
“Get off me!” she said irritated.
Hutchinson climbed in and caught the tail end of Dennis’ larking about.
“What are you two doing?”
“He’s acting the pratt as usual.”
Bauer climbed into the mini-bus and last came De Luca. He pulled the door to behind him and the mini-bus was started.
“Our journey will take approximately thirty to forty minutes. We are heading straight for Vatican city. We have many things to run through regarding the case and I have set up a command centre at the headquarters of the Vatican police. As there are only 130 officers in the Vatican police I’m sure you’ll appreciate every effort we are making and I have assigned as many officers as I can afford to the case. My opposite number in the Carabinieri is offering as much assistance as is required hence why we are travelling in a Carabinieri mini-bus. These officers from the national police do not know the nature of our case and will only follow basic instructions so please be careful as to what information you divulge to them. Does everyone understand?”
They all nodded.
“As to locating our targets. All airports and ports are on full alert We know who we’re looking for and they are all to be granted access without any fuss. The moment one of the suspects passports is used I will be the first to know.”
“Did you say they will be allowed full access? To Rome do you mean?” Hutchinson asked.
“Yes. We aim to catch them. We have routine border patrols set up. It is merely a precaution. The main purpose is to place a stamp in their passports which once acquired means that individuals are subject to Italian law. This should not cause concern for the men we are looking for. It will be merely a hindrance to them but they won’t suspect a thing.”
“You do realise that these people are extremely dangerous don’t you?” Dennis said, “They will definitely be armed and are not afraid to use their weapons. They’ve taken myself and Natalie hostage in the past and have killed security personnel both in London and Vienna.”
“Yes Mr Dennis everything is quite under control. The Vatican is the head of the Episcopal jurisdiction of the Roman catholic church. We take the threat of terrorism extremely seriously. We will catch these individuals responsible for the attacks in London and Vienna and any attacks they have planned for my city.”
Thirty minutes later and the mini-bus screeched to a stop outside the police headquarters in Vatican city. De Luca opened the passenger door and jumped out turning for Natalie’s hand. She smiled as she stepped out and Dennis came out next with a frown on his face. Hutchinson stepped out, greatly impressed by the two pike men guarding the entrance to the police station dressed in the traditional uniforms of red, blue and orange.
