Cursed Days

by J. M. LeDuc

  The squad was silent, admiring the simplicity of Brent’s suggestion.

  “Our meeting is in one hour,” Brent continued, “so if it’s alright with Scarlet, I suggest we take the time left to freshen up before we meet in conference room A.”

  “Yes sir, I was just about finished for today anyway. I’ll go by the lab and have weapons made for Sergeant Jefferson.”

  “The sergeant can do that. I’d like you to spend some time with me, showing me what I missed.”

  “It would be my honor, Colonel,” Scarlet said.

  As Seven walked past Brent, he said, “Watch out, she might look harmless, but she has a bite like a rattler.”

  Laughing, Brent gave Seven a friendly push and told him to get moving. For the next forty-five minutes, Scarlet and Brent communicated and practiced with almost no talking. The bond that had been forged between them due to past experiences, made communication between them almost psychic. He knew what she expected of him without her having to verbalize it, and she knew what his questions would be without him asking. By the end of their practice session, Brent had a good idea of how to handle the bow.

  Walking out of the armory, Scarlet said, “If it was anyone else, I would be astonished at what I just witnessed you do.”

  Brent just smiled at her, saying, “Go wash up. I’ll hold the briefing until you get there.”

  “Yes, Colonel, thank you, Sir.”

  “This time the thank you is all mine, Scarlet.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Looking around the table, Brent watched all who were close to him chit-chatting amongst themselves. At five past the hour, Scarlet hurried into the conference room. Her hair was still damp from her shower. “I’m sorry I’m late, Colonel.”

  Brent eyed his watch, saying, “Right on time,” and gave her a little wink.

  Taking the empty seat beside Joan, Scarlet looked around the table and felt blessed to be part of her new family. Although she would always love her father, John Dupree, the President of the United States, this was a different feeling. She couldn’t put it into words, but this is where she belonged. This was her place in the world.

  Repeating himself, Brent said, “Scarlet, I asked you a question. Are you with us?”

  Startled, Scarlet jerked her head in Brent’s direction. “I’m sorry, Colonel. My mind was somewhere. . . it won’t happen again. What was the question?”

  “See that it doesn’t,” Brent scolded. “I asked how the archery lesson went and how much more work you think the squad will need in order to become proficient?”

  “It went very well, sir. As with everything else, they picked it up very quickly. I have received Sergeant Jefferson’s prototype bow and arrows. With your permission, I’d like for him to try them out after the meeting. As far as further training, it just depends on how accurate you would like them to be. As of right now, they can hit a moving target from a distance of fifty yards or closer. Where on the target they hit is a different story.”

  “I want them to be able to strike any given body part necessary from that distance. What is your projected time frame on training?”

  “With their skill with hand weapons, I believe it can be accomplished with another six to eight hours of intense training, sir.”

  “You’ve got three, starting at twenty-one hundred hours.”

  “But. . . ” Scarlet began to say.

  “Make it work, Scarlet. If you could master sixteen weeks of basic squad training in just a few days, I will expect the rest of the squad to master the bow within the time allotted. Malcolm, you are to report to the armory directly after the meeting to try the new equipment. If it isn’t to your specifications, see to it that it’s made right.”

  “Yes, Colonel,” Malcolm answered.

  “I now turn the meeting over to our Madame Director.”

  Maddie stood up and addressed the inner sanctum of the SIA. “Colonel Venturi and I have decided that it is in the best interest of the Alliance and the nation to help the Pope in the retrieval of The Ark of the Covenant. The Colonel will be leaving at 0-six hundred tomorrow morning with the accompaniment of Seven and Bishop Jessup. The rest of us will stay behind and ready ourselves for a possible terrorist attack.

  “If the attack comes, I am sure it will be covert in nature. In front of you in your folders are pictures of every SIA employee and their status. Memorize their names and faces as well as how deep each is allowed to penetrate towards the center of this maze we call headquarters. It is my opinion that whoever comes to try to recover the other Arks will do so by first infiltrating the inner most ring of the Alliance. Are there any questions?”

  “I have one, if I may, Madame Director?”

  Maddie smiled as she addressed Joseph Conklin, her mentor and the past director of the SIA. “You may, Joseph. What’s your concern?”

  “With all the security in place here at headquarters, why do you think they will try to attack here?”

  “If they are able to somehow get hold of the information that would lead them to Palm Cove, I feel that they will also be able to get the intel that lets them know where SIA is located. I have no idea how they could ever breach our security, but we have to be ready.”

  “May I suggest one other method that they may use to get the information they’ll need?” Maddie nodded in Joseph’s direction, prodding him to continue. “Kidnapping. It seems to me, one of the easier ways to try to obtain access to the Arks would be to kidnap someone close to the Ambassador.”

  The room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All anyone heard was Chloe suck in air as she brought her hands up to her mouth.

  Joseph, sitting next to her, lovingly placed his hand on her shoulder for reassurance. “Don’t worry, Honey. It’s not going to happen, but I do suggest extra precautions be put in place, just to be sure.”

  Maddie glared at Joseph. “An agent will accompany Chloe whenever she leaves the house,” she said. She turned her attention to Brent. “As God is my witness, you will not have to worry about your wife or anything else while you’re away. Now, if there is nothing else, your individual instructions are in your folders. Everyone is dismissed.”

  As they were leaving, Maddie walked up to Joseph and said through clenched teeth, “In my office, now.”

  Once they were behind closed doors, Maddie turned to face the man she admired most in this world, the man she considered her father. “If you ever say something so irresponsible in front of Chloe again,” she said in a raised voice, “I’ll have your SIA and all other government clearances terminated. Is that understood?” Before Joseph could respond, Maddie continued, “Don’t you give me enough credit to have thought of that scenario, myself? We would have spoken about it behind closed doors, not in front of her.”

  Joseph looked at his once protégé. “How far you have come, Ms. Smith. This is why I handpicked you to become my successor. You tell it like it is.”

  “Don’t placate me, Joseph. This is serious. You know firsthand how Chloe feels about this mission. She doesn’t need any other worries, especially in her physical state.”

  “You’re right. I should have brought it up to you in private. You have my apologies. I’ll reassure Chloe of her safety.”

  “Please do.”

  “Is there anything else you would like to speak to me about, Madame Director?”

  Softening her tone, Maddie said, “I’m sorry for raising my voice to you. I’ve never had to do that before, and I didn’t like the way it made me feel.”

  Standing up from his chair, Joseph gave Maddie a fatherly hug. “You acted like the director of the SIA. Anything else and I would have been disappointed. Now, speaking as your father, do it again and I’ll take you over my knee. Is that understood?”

  Maddie kissed his cheek. “Yes, Daddy, I understand.” She peered down at the folder in Joseph’s hand and said in authoritativ
e tone, “I believe you have some work to do before our next meeting. I suggest you get started.”

  Kissing her forehead, Joseph replied, “Yes, Madame Director,” and then turned to walk out of her office.

  “I love you, Dad,” Maddie said as he opened the door.

  “Me too, Sweetie. Don’t forget, your mother is expecting you and Seven for breakfast at five a.m. I know it’s an ungodly hour, but it will mean a lot to Chloe to have everyone there before the Covenant Team departs.”

  Nodding, Maddie said, “We’ll be there, don’t you worry.”

  CHAPTER 9

  Back in Brent’s office, Bishop Jessup was waiting. Laid out on a table, Brent could see the gold leaf taken off the Ark of The Endowment and The Ark of The Enlightenment.

  “What have you discovered, Bishop?”

  “That God truly works in miraculous ways.”

  “Care to illuminate me on what is so miraculous?” Brent said.

  “Just let me finish translating this last sentence and I’ll tell you everything.”

  Brent waited patiently as he watched his friend, a man who gave up everything in order to follow what God asked of him. For the past six years he’d prophesized the coming of The Enlightened One. He was even stripped of his priesthood, excommunicated for spreading blasphemy. Recent events proved him right and the Vatican had since reversed their decision.

  The bishop is truly a man of God, Brent thought.

  “There,” Bishop Jessup said, laying down his pen. “Now, we can talk.”

  It was growing late into the evening and Brent could see exhaustion in his friend’s eyes. He poured them both a cup of hot coffee.

  “So, what have you discovered?” Brent said.

  “As you know, the gold leaf taken off of the Ark of The Endowment had words etched into it, written in a form of ancient Hebrew. They told the story of God’s covenant with Noah and the herb of life, ‘the fountain of youth’, called by many throughout history.

  “The leaf from The Ark of The Enlightenment also had words or symbols etched into it, but they were written in the language of Old Coptic. The language spoken at the time Jesus walked the earth.” It told of the time of Enlightenment. A time when Satan would battle for man’s free will.

  Taking a sip of his coffee, Brent nodded his acknowledgement.

  “Here’s the miracle,” he said with excitement. “When I put the two pieces of gold leaf side by side they fit together along their jagged edges like two pieces of a puzzle. The miracle comes when I place them in contact with each other. The etchings on both change.”

  Standing over the table, Brent asked, “How is that possible?”

  “After all you have seen and been through, you would ask such a question?”

  “Don’t be sarcastic. I get enough of that at home.”

  “God is how,” Bishop Jessup smiled. “But because there is always a doubting Thomas, let me show you.” Pulling apart the two pieces of gold, he carefully showed Brent where the words of each were etched. “Now, watch what happens when I place them together. Pay special attention to the words on both pieces.”

  As soon as the sheets of Gold leaf were placed like two puzzle pieces, the marks changed right before their eyes.

  “Amazing,” Brent whispered.

  “Not just amazing, a miracle,” the bishop exclaimed. “And here’s the clincher to this miracle. . . ”

  “You mean there is more?” Brent interrupted.

  “Oh yeah,” Bishop Jessup stated. “There’s much more. “Ask me what language the etchings are now written in. Go on, ask.”

  “Okay,” Brent said playing along, “What language are the etchings now written in?”

  “They are written not in one language but many. The words are written in the languages of every major religion: Old Coptic, Hebrew, Arabic, and Sanskrit.”

  Astonished, Brent asked him to separate and combine the two pieces again. This time, leaning mere inches from the pieces of foil.

  “They almost look molten when they first touch,” Brent said. “The changes are so subtle that even this close, I almost missed them.”

  “A miracle,” the bishop said.

  “Why so many different languages?”

  “My guess is because the Ark of the Covenant holds a special significance in all these different faiths.”

  “And you’ve been able to translate all these different languages into something that makes sense?”

  “With God’s help, yes.”

  Brent understood what his friend didn’t say. Bishop Jessup had been given the Gift of Letters. It was a rare gift granted to very few throughout the history of the church. No matter the language something was written in, when he copied it, it was written in a language he could read. His gift was one of the reasons that he was made Bishop. He would one day succeed Cardinal Bullini as the Cardinal of Ancient Letters.

  “And?” Brent said.

  “And,” Bishop Jessup said, pointing to the translated writings, “it tells us of the messenger. The one we need to find in Israel and where to look for him.”

  “Is that everything?” Brent asked.

  “Not quite; it ends by saying, ‘Don’t let love blur your vision.’”

  “Meaning?”

  Shrugging his shoulders, the Bishop answered, “Time will tell.”

  “I’ll let the Cardinal know what you discovered. He and the Pontiff will be happy.” Brent took a deep breath in and settled back into a chair. Exhaling, he said, “Well, I guess that settles it.”

  “Settles what?” The Bishop said.

  Brent said nothing. He sat and turned his wedding band on his finger.

  The Bishop sat next to his friend. “This isn’t like you. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Chloe’s not all that keen on me leaving while she’s pregnant,” Brent said. “Part of me was kind of hoping that the Arks wouldn’t give up the information we needed.”

  Bishop Jessup nodded, “I can understand her position, sort of, but God’s work waits for no one. You of all people know that. Would you like me to talk to her?”

  Brent looked up with a half smile. “Nah, we were able to work it out, and besides, you couldn’t handle that kind of wrath.”

  With a hardy laugh, the Bishop said, “Wiser words have not been spoken. Thank you for the reprieve.”

  When the laughter subsided, Brent asked the Bishop to let the squad know what he had translated from the gold leaf.

  “I’ll let them know as soon as I leave. Speaking of leaving, when do we depart?”

  “We meet Q at the airstrip at o-six hundred hours.”

  “Why Q? Why don’t we just fly like normal people do?”

  “Two reasons,” Brent answered. “One, it takes too long, and two, I have received word that others are searching for the Ark of the Covenant. They will have all the major air and seaports staked out. We can’t chance it.”

  The Bishop cocked his head to the side and said hesitantly, “So, how and where do we land?”

  Brent smirked back at him and stood up. “You’ll find the answers to how and when we land tomorrow when we reach our destination. Now, let me see where we’re to meet our contact so I can alert Q where he needs to drop us off.”

  “I know you too well, Brent. What aren’t you telling me?”

  Brent slapped his friend on the back as they gathered everything. “All in God’s timing, Bishop, all in God’s timing.”

  “That’s playing dirty and you know it.”

  Brent laughed as he led them out of his office.

  CHAPTER 10

  Half way around the world a phone call was made. “The hunt is on,” Red said.

  The voice on the other end had a strong mid-eastern accent. “The team will be ready.” There was a hesitance before the man spoke again. “I don’t mean
to be disrespectful, but are you sure?”

  “You are in no position to question me. Have the team ready to move out when I arrive.” Red ended the call and hit speed dial.

  “We have the name of the first messenger.”

  “This is great news my son,” Omar said. “There is no doubt?”

  “There is no doubt. You have trained me since the age of seven for this chance. I wouldn’t call if I wasn’t sure.”

  Excitement grew in the older man’s voice. “We will bring pride to all those who have fought before us. The organization will forever be in your debt.”

  “I am the one who owes you. You and the Brotherhood brought purpose to my life.”

  “I will inform the elders of your discovery. When will you leave?”

  “I have already contacted the team. We meet in Jerusalem at sunrise. I will keep you informed of our progress.”

  “The future of world power is in your hands, don’t let us down,” Omar emphasized.

  With that final statement, the phone call was terminated.

  Red sat at his desk, drumming his fingers on the polished mahogany finish. “I just need to make one more arrangement and everything will fall in place.”

  The next morning all the details had been taken care of. Red and his team were walking the streets outside of Jerusalem.

  As they walked through a busy marketplace one of the soldiers asked, “Are you sure this is the place?”

  Without flinching, Red turned and struck the man across the face. He pulled the man into an alley and squeezed around his neck. He choked off his air supply.

  “Your duty is to do as you are told, not to ask questions.”

  The man’s face turned a light shade of purple. As he was about to black out, he nodded his response.

  Red let go of the man’s throat. “Good. Now let’s go find the messenger.”