The Nine Men (A Novella)

by Haydn Jones

  *

  Alexi’s expression was priceless; half fear, half wild excitement. He offered Viktoriya the window seat and then slipped in next to her; but with only five passengers and four crew there was enough empty places on the plane for everyone to have a window seat.

  ‘What going on out there?’ Viktoriya asked, peering out of the window. ‘It looks like there’s been a road accident. Oh dear, they’re putting someone into an ambulance.’

  ‘I wonder if he’s dead?’ Alexi asked.

  He’s dead all right, thought Sergey, as he fastened his seat belt.

  Rob decided to sit next to Victor on the flight to Germany. He knew he was going to miss him next week.

  Victor was busy looking out of the plane when Rob eased into the seat next to him.

  ‘What an adventure that was!’ Victor said.

  ‘Yes, it certainly was. And thanks to you my friend it was a successful one, too.’

  ‘Oh, honestly, Robert! It wasn’t that I did that much, was it?’

  ‘You did more than you realize, Victor, and I’m eternally grateful to you.’

  ‘Nonsense, mon ami,’ he said, quietly delighted with Rob’s compliment. ‘Anyway, I owe you one.’

  Rob looked curious. ‘You owe me one?’

  ‘Yes, for introducing me to a wonderful woman; someone I just can’t stop thinking about.’

  ‘Victor! Have you fallen in love?’

  ‘Mais oui, mon ami, I fear the worst,’ Victor said, nodding.

  Robert laughed and Victor joined in.

  Thirty minutes into the flight the two stewardesses walked around the cabin offering champagne and caviar to everyone.

  Alexi’s initial nerves had calmed down and he was now beginning to enjoy himself. Viktoriya kept staring at her new American passport and her new name, Victoria Waterman.

  Just then Alexi stood up and asked for everyone’s attention.

  ‘Please, me sorry for English but me try to say, okay,’ he said. ‘I want to be happy now in new life and I want be happy with Victoria, too…Please make me happy Victoria and be my wife?’ he asked, dropping to one knee.

  Victoria’s eyes welled up again. ‘I would love to be your wife, Alex. I accept,’ she said, and they kissed, like lovers kiss.

  Victor wiped a tear from his cheek and blew his nose.

  Rob stood up and toasted the couple’s happiness before rejoining Victor.

  Victoria walked over to him and asked: ‘Robert, will you give me away at my wedding?’

  Robert nodded his approval. ‘I would be delighted to give you away,’ he said.

  Victoria kissed him. ‘ Thank you,’ she said.

  ‘Do you know something, Robert? All my life I’ve been searching for answers; looking for the Philosopher’s Stone and the way to enlightenment. But recently I’ve come to realize that there’s still so much more to do in life. Maybe one day, when the time is right I’ll be lucky enough to experience enlightenment.’

  Robert opened his briefcase and something inside glinted in Victor’s eye. ‘What’s that?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh… that… it’s my crystal. I take it everywhere with me.’

  Victor laughed. ‘I thought it might be the Philosopher’s Stone for a moment,’ he said, jokingly… ‘Can I see it?’

  Rob passed the crystal to Victor and he held it with both hands. ‘It’s so beautiful. What is it for?’ he asked.

  Rob smiled. ‘…Make a wish for the thing you want most in life.’

  Victor laughed again and closed his eyes to make a wish before returning the crystal to Rob.

  ‘If only it was that simple, Robert, he said, thoughtfully.’

  Dr. Anna Zhukov was sitting in the dome below the Kremlin, examining the fake manuscript, when a thought suddenly stuck her:

  It’s going to be a long few days. I’m going to miss you, Victor.

  Back on the plane, Robert returned the crystal to his briefcase and settled back in his seat.

  He tried to imagine life without the crystal, but he knew that wasn’t possible anymore; it had become a part of him.

  -The End-

  Appendix 1

  The secret of how to read the books was known only to the Nine Men, and now, Robert was one of them.

  During his inauguration he remembered standing in the secret chamber, in utter amazement, being introduced to the power of the books and why they existed.

  A broad beam of blue light emanated from a crystal on to a page from one of the nine books, creating a pattern that was read by a second crystal (something like a dual QR barcode reader).

  The second crystal was activated by identifying the page’s unique code, and projected a holographic, dynamic screen interface into the middle of the circle of the Nine Men.

  The user could then interact with the interface to access the atomic, knowledge database. Each page of each book was a key; a key to accessing information held within the crystals. Crystals like the one Rob carried in his briefcase; crystals given only to the chosen ones by the Angels of Destiny.

  Thank you for reading this, the final book, in the Angels of Destiny trilogy.

  I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed creating both the lovable and the loathsome characters.

  Other books by this author include:

  The Devil and the Unicorn

  The Journal of Harry Somerville

  Feel free to contact me at my website for competition details and the latest discussions:

  www.haydnjones-author.com

  I welcome your comments.