“Yes, fine,” Jim cups his hand tightly around his glass.
“In my briefcase is a large manila envelope containing a small metal box just as before, in there you’ll find the second sample to be tested,” he says with a matter of fact tone.
“Okay,” Jim nods.
“The payment will be as before. I’ll call you and set up the location and time. Once you have the results.”
“They certainly are very old samples,” Jim says nervously.
“Old? Yes I suppose they are. Do you foresee any difficulties in completion of the tests?”
“No.”
“Because if there is any problem we would wish to know about it immediately,” he says.
“I see no problem. Although I’m a little concerned, you see I’ve never engaged in such secretive dealings,” Jim confesses.
“No, I suppose not. But trust me Mr. Dunbar there’s nothing to be concerned about. No one knows we’re here. We deal strictly in American currency; as long as you can hide this extra income from the IRS I think everything should be fine. Once the third sample testing is complete we simply go our separate ways that’s all.”
“I can’t help but wonder why you chose me of all the people skilled to perform these tests,” Jim asks.
“You were in the book,” he laughs. “Seriously, how or why isn’t so important is it? We’re both here now doing business as all good business people do that’s all it really amounts to Mr. Dunbar simply business, no need to read anything more into it, that wouldn’t do any of us any good.”
“I suppose not,” Jim says.
“Here then,” he hands him the envelope. “Please be very careful with this.”
“Yes, of course,” Jim takes it and slowly places it in his brown briefcase.
Logo nods to Jim then gets up and leaves the restaurant. Jim turns to see Joey darting up and following him out the door. Jim reaches back into his briefcase and feels the envelope, something’s different this time, what’s this, a microchip?”
CHAPTER 25
It’s a large book to say the least, taking both hands to lug it up the back stairs he carefully carries the old aged tome toward the storage room located in the far corner. It’s dark. He’s hasn’t turned on any lights to avoid attracting attention. No one looks back here, he thinks balancing the book against his body while placing the key in the lock. Slowly, he uses his body to open the door revealing a room lined with metal shelves of all types and sizes, a couple of old desks sit idle in the corner while the smell of dust pervades the air. Closing the door behind him he flicks on an overhead light and carries the large book with its cracked brown leather cover. It nearly requires the totality of his strength just to plop it down on one the old desks.
“Ah,” he lets out a sigh of relief, “Free at last my old friend.”
CHAPTER 26
“You don’t know me and you probably aren’t going to believe it but I swear what I tell you is the absolute truth,” he says having walked into the restaurant and seeing Jim still sitting at the booth he knew this was his chance, this has to work so they will release me from my service and stop the Elite from carrying out their plans.
“Really? And who exactly are you?” Jim says looking every bit annoyed.
“I have been sent here to help you.”
“Sent, by whom?” Jim asks.
“By The Church Mr. Dunbar, we are very concerned about what is happening. We know the Elite have contacted you and we know why,” he says.
“You know a lot don’t you,” Jim says.
“Mr. Dunbar you are dealing with a group of religious radicals, a very old society who’s passed down their beliefs and practices for centuries,” he says while sitting down across from Jim. “They are dangerous to say the least. They will kill you or me and not even blink if it were to serve their purpose. They are using you Mr. Dunbar to fulfill a grand scheme of theirs, one of international proportions.”
“They told me they were a private archeologically society,” Jim says flatly.
“Did they give you a name? Did you check them out?”
“Well no, not exactly. I wasn’t too concerned with that at the time.”
“I know. I’m sure you weren’t. I’m sure they offered you a pretty good sum of money. They are very wealthy, having held investments for many years. Money is not an obstacle for them,” he explains.
“Why should I believe you?” Jim asks.
“I don’t know why you wouldn’t Mr. Dunbar. The samples you are testing, the small ringlets of flesh, are purported to be from the circumcision of the baby Christ.”
“What?”
“In the Middle Ages several churches claimed to have the foreskin. It wasn’t an unusual practice for these churches to lay claim to such relics. You see relics brought visitors, pilgrims, which meant money. Many churches claimed to process such holy articles; wood from the cross, a lock of Mary’s hair, anything that got people through the door, sort of a marketing device really,” he explains.
“But there couldn’t have been several foreskins from one baby,” Jim says.
“No, there couldn’t have been and there in lies the grand question, which if any of them are authentic?”
“This is what the Elite wants to know?” Jim asks.
“Yes, but they’re not the only ones. Rome would like to know too. They never paid much attention to them until technology advanced to the point that DNA testing could be performed to recover the old decaying stains,” he says.
“What are they looking for?”
“Mr. Dunbar, if you knew you had a flesh sample from the body of Christ from when he lived on Earth and you performed DNA testing on it what exactly would you expect to find: a normal double helix like you and I have or something else, something very different? You see Mr. Dunbar, Christ came into the world via the virgin birth. Joseph and Mary didn’t have sex to conceive him therefore he can’t have Joseph’s DNA so whose does he have? Where did he receive the Y chromosome from? If not from Joseph, from the Father Himself?” he says.
“How could that be?” Jim asks
“We don’t know. That is what we wish to discern, that is what the Elite wishes to discover so badly that they have stolen the three known samples, stolen from the Church itself.”
“Stolen?”
“Yes, and in fact killed for them. They are ruthless thieves and liars Mr. Dunbar. For it is not so much the testing results they wish but beyond that we believe they plan to artificially impregnate a woman with the DNA who will bring the baby to term. The Elite will then raise the child under their protection,” he says.
“Sounds pretty far out there,” Jim says.
“It is. But it’s true. This stuff is happening. Once they have the child they will wield great power over Rome. They seek revenge and if they are successful in raising the child they will certainly get it for by that time there will be nothing we could do but give into their demands.”
“Why do they want this revenge?” Jim asks.
“As I understand it they developed as a fringe religious sect centuries ago. They aligned themselves with Rome but were never officially recognized as legitimate. There was a break in relations so much so that they decided to immigrate to America in the 19th century.”
“What kind of doctrine?”
“Well, I’m not an expert but from what I understand the Elite believe that there are two main spheres in the world: that of the spirit and that of the animal. They believe that humans are caught in the middle. Following the path of God allows one to be released from the animal hold: the earthly desires that plague the human race. Otherwise, one is doomed to live a lowly animal like existence. Well, as you can see this doesn’t jive with the teachings of the church.”
“I never heard of the Elite,” Jim says.
“No, you wouldn’t have. They were rejected by the communities where they settled. Forced underground they set up a rather extensive network. It’s all very bizarre and complicated but they h
ave flourished and survived for many years waiting and plotting for their chance at revenge and now I’m afraid they are nearing it,” he says.
“I don’t know if I believe everything you say. But it’s true they are a very strange and secretive organization. At first I welcomed doing business with them but now I must admit I’ve grown a little uncomfortable with the whole deal. However, I find it difficult to believe I’m performing DNA tests on the foreskin of Christ, that’s just too way out there,” Jim says.
“Then what could it be Mr. Dunbar, why are they following you around? Why else would Rome send me to America to find you and speak with you? Why else would all this be going on if something of this magnitude were not indeed occurring. You’re in danger Mr. Dunbar, dealing with the Elite is hazardous to your health but I can help you. We can help you.”
“Who’s we?” Jim asks.
“The Church. Join us, work for us and we’ll save you from the Elite. We’ll save you.”
CHAPTER 27
“Oh boy, they found a new chancellor,” Jim says having returned from the restaurant and settled into an afternoon of grazing out his office window.
“I know. I could really care less. In fact I’m considering early retirement,” Glenn says, sitting in the chair across from Jim’s desk, enjoying a moment of leisure during the middle of the afternoon.
“Really?” Jim thinks it over. “That may be an attractive option. I’ve about had it with this place. The awards and grants keep going to new and younger guys all the time. I know they’re never going to recognize my work. They just don’t care about it. Do you know how difficult it is to work so hard and have no one care?” Jim says turning to address his friend.
“Is that a new watch?” Glenn says pointing to Jim’s wrist.
“This? Yeah I just got it,” Jim looks at the gold timepiece. “Maybe it’s time to get out of here.”
“You seem a little stressed lately Jim.”
“It’s not the grant or the crap from the university. I’ve been moonlighting you might say and it may be more than I counted on.”
“How so?” Glenn asks.
“Well, just between you and me Glenn, I may have gotten myself in over my head. I agreed to do some DNA testing for this company, a private group. But I’ve found out they may not be who they say they are. They may be quite criminal in nature, it’s all covert. I’m paid in cash, never meet with the contact in the same location twice.”
“Really?” Glenn attempts surprise and concern.
“Yeah, I even wonder if they’re not following me sometimes,” Jim says.
“Why do you think that?”
“Strange occurrences, it’s spooky in a way, maybe I’m just paranoid you know looking in the mirror, over my shoulders. I just get the feeling sometimes like I’m being watched,” Jim says while getting up out of his chair and beginning to pace the floor of his office.
“Hum, maybe you need some time off,” Glenn offers.
“It is summer Glenn, I’m not teaching until August,” he sits back down behind his desk.
“How much more work do you have with these guys?”
“Not much, not much at all. Just a couple more tests to run then I’m done. I’m almost afraid if I tell them I want out they’ll do something. I don’t want to end up in a ditch somewhere and I’m not real thrilled with the idea that I may end up in prison because of these guys,” Jim says.
“You know if I were you I would just do the rest of the testing as quickly as possible and then take the money and run. It’s too late to wash your hands with them so you might as well finish the job. Just get it over and be done with them. Then you can relax and enjoy the money,” Glenn says.
“You make it sound so easy. But I guess I don’t really have that many options. Maybe the sooner I’m done with these guys the better,” Jim says while lending back in his chair.
“Well, friend I have to get going,” Glenn announces and walks toward the door. “I’ll call you later.”
“Okay,” Jim says as Glenn leaves. For the next few minutes Jim quietly plays over events in his mind. Regret begins to settle in. This was a big mistake he keeps telling himself. His thoughts are suddenly broken by the sound of a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” he asks.
“It’s me, Joey. You busy Jim?” he says while peering in through the door.
“No, come on in,” Jim says.
Joey, as usual, dressed in a simple dark suit and tie walks over and sits down in the chair by Jim’s desk where Glenn was just sitting moments ago.
”These guys are clean Jim.” He announces. “I didn’t find anything on them. I don’t think you got anything to worry about, nothing that I can see anyway.”
“You’re kidding right? What do you mean there’s nothing wrong. Are you sure we’re talking about the same people?”
“I checked them out Jim. I don’t see any red flags,” Joey says shrugging his wide shoulders.
“I found a freakin microchip in the last envelop they gave me. I’m sure it’s a tracking device. What do you mean you don’t see any red flags!”
“You can’t jump to conclusions. I’m just reporting to you what I found and it wasn’t much of anything. I don’t know exactly how they got a hold of old foreskins, but otherwise I believe they are who they say they are. I don’t see a grand case of misrepresentation here. You asked me to look and that’s what I found,” Joey says.
“Well, if they are who they say they are then why is the Vatican involved? Some joker tracked me down yesterday and gave me this whole line about these guys and the church. The whole thing goes back hundreds years or something.”
“Sounds like bull,” Joey says.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought too, at least at first anyway but now I don’t know,” Jim says.
“You got his name, anything else on him? I can follow him around for a few days see what his story really is.”
“I’m not that concerned about him. I’m just surprised you don’t see anything to worry about.”
“I think you’re stressed out Jim. You should take some time off. You still have that cabin up on the lake?” He asks.
Jim looks squarely at him, “You’re not the first person who’s said that.”
“Just a thought.” Joey stands up. “I got to be going Jim. I’ll call you tomorrow okay?”
“Okay.”
Joey walks out into the hallway of Jim’s office, turning he continues down to the twin set of elevators, pushing the round white down button he reaches in his jacket pocket for his cell phone. Quickly, he punches in some numbers and places it next to his ear as the elevator dings and the doors swing open. He hurriedly shuffles into the empty elevator as the doors close. “Okay, I told him. I’m not sure he brought it, but I told him.”
CHAPTER 28
“I’ve told you everything I know. They recruited me. I’m not a member of the Elite I just work for them. You have to be born an Elite, no one becomes one. It’s a bloodline,” she says while sitting at the table in the exam room speaking with the man in the suit with a badge who called her and asked if she could come downtown and answer a few questions, she told him sure why not she didn’t have any major plans for the day.
“How did you come to know Jim Dunbar?” he asks sitting across from her, holding a pen next to a yellow legal pad.
“They told me he was going to be very important to them. He was going to do some important work and they needed to be absolutely sure about him, needed to know everything they could about him.”
“That was your job?”
“Oh yeah, they got me enrolled in his micro biology class. “
“As an undergrad? “
“Yeah, an intro class last year I sat in the front row and wore very short skirts. I used to do some modeling. I caught his eye. It wasn’t difficult,” she says breaking into a slight smile.
“Fell right into your trap?”
“Sort of, though it did take a little legwork. I could t
ell he wasn’t happy.”
“How?”
“I just have the ability to read people. In class he was just going through the motions that was oblivious to anyone I think. I had to know more, get closer so I started going to office hours. At first it was just talking about class stuff, microbiology which I really likes but that’s about it. He was helpful but I could tell there was more to him. I could tell there was a part of him that felt very alone in the world. So I gradually began to change the subject. We wound up discussing almost everything.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah, in fact I never meet a more unhappy person. He didn’t like his job and I guess his marriage wasn’t so great either. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this guy out. So I started coming on to him. I was getting paid pretty good and I was intrigued by the Elite, the whole secret society thing. What they told me of themselves sounded pretty cool. I’ve always wanted to be part of something big.”
“And that’s when you began sleeping with Mr. Dunbar?”
“No, he wouldn’t do anything until after the semester was over and grades were final, said it would be unethical.”
“Interesting,” he says while jotting down a few notes.
“Yeah, he’s not a bad guy, not at all. I kind of feel sorry for him, all he talked about, all he wanted was a chance to do his research, said the university didn’t give a damn about him because being in his fifties he was considered past his prime in the scientific community.”
“And you related all this information back to the Elite?”
“Yes, but I don’t think I told them much they didn’t already know. I felt I was mostly meant to keep tabs on him, keep him happy maybe.”
“In bed?”
“This is going to sound strange but we never actually had sex, believe me I wanted to I like older guys, there’s something about them. But anyway, he said he wanted to but couldn’t bring himself to go through with it, thought it would make him a different kind of person and he wasn’t comfortable with that idea, at least for now anyway. This is going to sound even stranger but after the first few times we got together he gave me some of his wife’s old clothes from when they were dating and he had me dress up in them. It was creepy at first but then I didn’t mind it was almost like acting, playing a part. Then he mostly just wanted to talk about his work and all the stress he feels, how alone in the world he feels because no one takes in interest in what he does, well no one until the Elite came along anyway. I kept trying to make the sex happen, thought it would relax him. All he said was that you never know what the future brings. I don’t know if that meant he was leaving his wife at some point or if we were going to do it or if it meant anything at all. But the Elite said once the testing began they needed to know if he was getting cold feet or anything like that. It had to be all or nothing. They didn’t want any one abandoning the project mid-stream.”
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