by R D Shah
‘There!’ Without another word Harker made his way over to the pillar, with the other two close behind. The pillar itself was devoid of any markings but Harker spent a few seconds running both his open palms down its sides, hoping to feel for anything out of the ordinary. Sadly, finding nothing, he turned his attention to the base and the stone block it sat upon. The sides were free of any obvious markings but, as he began to examine the side closest to the pointing hand of the man of the rock, he noticed a thin crack where it joined the adjacent sides. Harker placed one palm squarely upon the middle of the stone and gently pushed. Immediately a clicking sound could be heard, and a square section of the base retreated to reveal an inner cavity.
‘What the …’ Avi exclaimed loudly, and watched intently as Harker reached into the darkness beyond and retrieved a small box identical to the one they had found at Notre Dame, the only difference being that this one had no keyhole. Harker gently pulled out the box and placed it on his lap. Then with a nervous glance in Chloe’s direction, he carefully opened the lid.
The interior was lined with the same packing material as its sister, and lying snuggly in the middle was another glass vial containing a familiar-looking slip of parchment. Harker stood up again and both he and Chloe eyed the glass tube with distrust.
‘Are we really going to open this?’ Chloe asked cautiously, ‘considering what happened the last time.’
Harker was already shaking his head. ‘No, not here,’ he said. ‘I think it’s time we contacted Rabin before we do anything else.’ He then turned to face Avi. ‘Can you get in contact with …?’ His voice tailed off as he found himself staring down the barrel of Avi’s gun.
‘Thank you, Professor, but this is not your burden to bear any more.’
Chloe took a step back at the sight of the weapon, then froze as Avi flicked the barrel slightly in her direction.
‘Everyone stay calm,’ Avi the man, ‘and slowly pass that box over to me.’
Harker remained silent for a moment as a sense of confusion swept through him. ‘That’s the second time you’ve aimed a gun at me today.’
‘Yes, it is,’ the Mossad agent replied flatly. ‘And if you do not want this gun to be the last thing you see, I suggest you pass the box over to me now … slowly.’
‘Who are you?’ Harker questioned, as Chloe shifted closer to his side.
‘I am the one holding the gun, Professor. That should be explanation enough, don’t you think?’
‘No, it’s not.’ Harker replied, his hands tightening around the wooden box in his grasp.
‘That is the same inquisitiveness that has already caused us so much trouble,’ Avi replied with an unamused grimace. ‘You truly are a meddlesome son of a bitch, aren’t you?’
This reply removed any other doubts in Harker’s mind. ‘You’re Magi, aren’t you?’
Avi said nothing, but a thin smile appeared on his lips alerting Harker to the fact that, despite the man’s silence, deep down he really wanted them to know who he was. The agent could have smacked him over the head with the gun and simply snatched hold of the box but the man’s ego would not allow for that. He was Magi all right.
Harker broke off from Avi’s ever-hardening stare and looked down at the box held tightly in his grip. Inside was another signpost to finding the child. That is, at least, if he believed what Marcus Eckard had told him: Follow the Secrets and you will find the child. Harker shook his head at the thought because, so far, the only thing that had been revealed was death and destruction. It didn’t even make any sense that something as trivial as reading aloud a piece of text could produce such tragic outcomes … unless you believed in the power of prophecy. But if one did believe, then it stood to reason that they would also believe that whoever possessed the Christ child had the power to either prevent or cause the whole cataclysm. What had Eckard said? – the child’s fate would either cause or prevent these events – So, if that was the case, then why would the Magi care less if Harker found any of the Secrets? That is if one believed.
‘Wait a second,’ Harker returned Avi’s increasingly impatient stare, ‘the Magi don’t have the child, do they?’
Avi remained silent, his smile suddenly evaporating and his nostrils flaring slightly with anger, no doubt at having his own organisation’s competence questioned.
‘In fact,’ Harker continued and gaining in confidence at his own summation, ‘you’re just as confused at these events as we are, aren’t you?’
Although Avi’s eyes remained firmly fixed on Harker, his lips began to twitch and the barrel of the gun quivered as the man’s fingers tightened around the grip. ‘Very good Professor, very good. But you should be far less concerned over that and more so with the weapon I have pointing at your head,’ he replied with a waiting hand now extended, ‘and I intend to shoot you both dead if you do not pass over that box right here, right now.’
As Avi thrust the gun barrel menacingly towards them both, Harker felt Chloe move even closer to his side, and his grip on the box began to loosen. ‘Fine, it’s yours,’ he said before slowly reaching over and placing it in the agent’s waiting palms.
‘Good. Now over there, both of you.’ Avi flicked his gun towards the white stone column directly behind them, ‘and I want you to place both hands up against the pillar.’
Harker stepped backwards and did as he was told, followed closely by Chloe who placed her palms flat against the opposite side.
‘Good.’ Avi repeated, retreating a few paces and placing his gun back into its holster. ‘Now if either one of you lift your hands away from that pillar I will execute both of you.’ He now began to turn his attention to the wooden box in his possession.
Harker and Chloe watched closely as their captor lifted open the box’s lid and retrieved the glass vial from within. He then dropped the empty box to the floor sending a clattering sound echoing around the Dome, and raised the glass tube itself up towards the central light overhead. ‘It is remarkable, is it not, that something so small and seemingly insignificant has the ability to incur such devastating consequences,’ observed Avi. As he inspected the object, the refracted light glinting off the glass projected bright specks of light across his face. ‘It is often said that the Secrets offer hope and salvation to those brave enough to unearth them.’
This benign remark was voiced with such conviction that it sent an unnerving sensation through Harker’s chest. ‘That depends on what your notion of salvation is,’ he replied his hands still planted firmly on the pillar.
This comment produced a devious smile from Avi, who shifted his attention from the vial and towards Harker, one hand still held towards the light. ‘Power, Professor Harker, plain and simple.’ And with that he let the vial fall from his fingers, dropping to the tiled floor where it shattered and sent glass splinters shooting in all directions. This was so unexpected that Harker managed only to yell in protest by the time some of the fragments had reached his shoes.
‘No!’ Harker shouted again, as Avi reached down to pick up the single piece of paper. ‘You don’t understand …’
‘I’ll tell you what I understand.’ The man stared lovingly at the folded piece of white parchment. ‘I understand how the Secrets hold great power. You only have to see evidence of what happened at Notre Dame to know that.’
‘Then you know that it killed everyone who was inside there,’ Harker yelled, allowing his frustration to get the better of him.
‘Not everyone,’ Avi replied calmly, studying both Chloe and Harker with a subtle raising of his eyebrows. ‘You and Doctor Stanton seem perfectly healthy to me.’
Harker was suddenly lost for words. What could he say? Avi was right. Out of over one hundred people only he and Chloe had walked out alive, even if Harker was not yet prepared to put that all down to simply reading out lines from a piece of paper.
After a few moments of silence, it was Avi who clarified the matter. ‘It was because you yourselves read the Secret or are you still reluctant to accep
t that truth?’
The agent waited again for a response but, seeing that Harker was unwilling or unable to give one he continued with his analysis, all the while holding the slip of parchment between the fingertips of both hands in a ceremonial like manner. ‘These Secrets were meant for the eyes of the Magi, and the Magi alone. They were meant for persons of true religious conviction. They were not meant for either of you, but worry not,’ Avi unfolded the scrap of paper and scanned its contents, ‘that is a mistake that I shall now correct.’ The agent pursed his lips, drew in a shallow breath and began to read aloud.
‘And when burning lakes of fire lap at your feet and the gnashing of teeth and tearing of flesh fills your ears, then you will know you have failed and that hell on earth is now upon you, and with it hope shall become nothing more than a word, and he will reign evermore.’ The man’s voice reverberated around the Dome and he turned his attention back to Harker. ‘I can feel it working. It is remarkable,’ the agent said with a look of delight. ‘The power … in my blood, in my veins …’ He emitted a euphoric roar of laughter, his eyes wide with glee. ‘Goodbye, Professor,’ he continued, enjoying the moment, ‘May you now watch events unfold from the depths of hell.’
Harker glanced towards Chloe, who was staring back at him fearfully, and he felt the same. He couldn’t tell if it was hearing Avi’s shrill sentiments or his own uncertainty about what might happen next, but these new feelings of terror surprised him. He surely didn’t believe in all this prophecy crap … did he?
The unnatural grunting noise now coming from the other side of the room pulled him away from such thoughts, and he turned to see Avi beginning to tremble all over, and with that the man’s confident smile began to melt away. With his mouth open wide, a piercing scream burst from his lungs. His jaw muscles started to tighten and a thick vein, protruding from his forehead now throbbed to the point of bursting.
Harker pulled away from the pillar in astonishment as Avi began scratching at his forearms with such force that his fingernails tore away small chunks of flesh sending drops of crimson blood down onto the white tiled floor around him
‘Jesus,’ Chloe gasped as Avi now started on his face, digging his fingernails into both cheeks and dragging them downwards leaving three deep red cuts on either side. With each new mutilation the agent bellowed in pain, enduring the torture of a man not in control of his own actions but having to suffer its consequences nonetheless.
‘Chloe.’ Harker turned away from this gory sight and reached over to pull her to his side. ‘Get yourself over there.’ He pointed to the other side of the security barriers surrounding the Foundation Stones, which offered some protection at least from whatever might happen next. He ended up having to shove her as she struggled to break her gaze away from the gruesome spectacle of Avi, who had now dropped to his knees as he was consumed by a series of violent spasms. Finally, his hands fell to his sides and his head drooped downwards. He spewed a mouthful of blood, splattering onto the floor directly in front of him like some kind of vile offering. The convulsions then quickly decreased and finally the Mossad agent’s shoulders slumped and he remained motionless, but with his body still upright where he had fallen on to his knees.
Harker remained still for a few seconds, then he began to check his own hands for any sign of the convulsions that had plagued Avi. Satisfied that everything appeared normal, he turned and called to Chloe. ‘Are you OK?’
‘I think so,’ she replied, deathly pale, before returning her attention to the motionless, bloody mess that was Avi. ‘Is he dead?’
Harker didn’t reply but instead began to make his way slowly towards the bent-over body of the Mossad agent, whose wispy black hair was now hanging over of his face, making it impossible to see if there was any sparkle of life in his eyes. Harker paused a few steps away and studied the body for movement, but detected no sign of breathing. The grisly image took his thoughts back to Notre Dame: whatever had just happened to Avi was similar, yet this time the symptoms seemed far more violent.
Satisfied it was safe to approach, Harker moved to within a foot of the body and dropped down on one knee in an effort to get a glimpse of the man’s face. Avi’s eyes were still open, yet lifeless, and the numerous self-inflicted wounds on his cheeks were still actively oozing blood that dripped on to the floor with a nauseating pitter-patter. At first Harker thought that same blood must have trickled into the agent’s eyes, but on closer inspection, he could tell that the blood vessels must have ruptured with such force that even the irises had turned a vivid red. This was another similarity with the victims at Notre Dame, but also reminded Harker of someone else. The torn skin and horrific self-mutilation of Marcus Eckard’s strange self-harm back at the asylum. Could there be a connection? Avi’s arms bore similar gouges yet many of the veins underneath his skin had ruptured separately, causing blue patches giving the appearance of rot having set into the flesh. In short it was disgusting. What a horrible death.
He was about to stand up and head over to check on Chloe when something moved in his peripheral vision. Harker immediately returned his gaze to the source of the movement, to find himself staring directly into Avi’s lifeless red eyes. He continued to do so for a few more seconds until something dawned on him. The man’s eyes were most definitely staring back.
In one startled movement Harker jerked backwards, losing balance and landing squarely on his rear, as the blood-red eyes continued to remain locked with his. Harker jumped back onto his feet, struggling to keep his composure. ‘Avi?’
Without out a hint of warning, the young Israeli burst into life with both arms thrust towards Harker, and shrieking loudly at the top of his voice. Harker stepped back just in time to avoid Avi’s clawing fingers and he made a run for the cover of the closest pillar as the Mossad agent, now hissing through clenched teeth, launched off his haunches and propelled himself towards Harker. The impact caught Harker square on the shoulder, sending both of them tumbling across the floor in a heap and Harker immediately flipped onto his back and scrambled to get back up but was met by the sight of Avi’s hand already clawing its way up his trouser leg. The agent’s grip was powerful and he pulled himself closer until he was able to throw his hands around Harker’s neck, spitting globules of foamy blood in a frenzy. Harker thrust his knee hard into his attacker’s groin, which stunned the man for a moment giving Harker a chance to push him off to one side, revealing the gun still securely holstered to the agent’s belt. Harker immediately reached for it and he managed to unbutton the holster but, before he could retrieve the weapon, Avi was back on him and trying to gnaw at his hand. The blood-soaked madman was just inches from sinking his teeth into the side of Harker’s palm when a large leather-bound book was slammed down hard against his head with a load thud. Harker glanced up in time to see Chloe lower the hand that had hurled it. The impact sent Avi reeling, whereupon Harker seized the moment to lunge again for the gun and pull it from its holster. He then hauled himself to his feet and aimed the barrel at the Israeli agent, who was already struggling to get up again.
‘Don’t move,’ Harker yelled, thrusting the gun out in front of him, but the warning made no difference: Avi was now fully on his feet again and already preparing to lunge.
Harker cocked the Beretta. ‘I said stop!’
This second warning was as useless as the first. The man hurtled towards him with eyes glaring frenziedly, bloody spittle foaming on his mouth like a rabid animal.
The explosive sound of a gunshot thundered around the Dome as the bullet ripped through Avi’s chest and dropped him to the floor with an undignified thud. Standing above him, Harker continued to hold the smoking barrel of the beretta out in front of him, his breathing fast and shallow with the shock of what had just taken place. He had never fired a gun in his life let alone shot anyone before… never killed anyone. Nausea began to well in his throat at the thought, and his mind began to cloud as he lowered the gun to his side. He felt numb and his flushed cheeks began to tingle w
ith a stinging feeling. He was still gazing down at the Avi’s lifeless body when Chloe uttered something from behind him. He turned around to find her looking shocked and her eyes seemed somewhat glazed over.
‘Are you OK?’ Harker asked, his own voice sounding muffled due to the ringing in his ears, caused by letting off a gun in an enclosed space.
‘I think so.’ She replied shakily, rubbing at her ears. ‘But I’m struggling to hear you.’
‘Don’t worry, it will pass.’ Harker offered as his naturally protective instincts began to focus his mind. ‘We have to go now.’
The remark was met with a look of total disbelief from Chloe. ‘What! We need to wait for the authorities, Alex.’
Harker suddenly felt a deep sense of concern. It wasn’t the thought of the authorities that caused this feeling, but rather the lack of them. Surely the sound of a gunshot would have brought the guards racing inside, but they were still on their own. An uncomfortable thought came to the forefront of his mind, and he hurried over to where Avi had dropped the second Secret, retrieving the piece of parchment and placing it in his inside jacket pocket. He then made his way over to Avi’s corpse and cautiously rummaged in the man’s trouser pockets, thankfully retrieving the car keys on the first try. The bloodstains on his cheek left by his struggle with Avi, caused him to pause momentarily as he became aware of the stains, and he instinctively wiped them with his sleeve before returning to Chloe, grabbing her hand and heading for the door.
She didn’t offer any resistance and if she was having any moral dilemma about leaving the scene of a crime, she certainly wasn’t showing it. ‘Where are we going?’
