Stone had never been a good insulator against cold. As Santo followed the Red Monk through the main Monastery of stone, it was just as cold inside as outside. There was a splatter of snow on the interior walls as well as ice patches on the floor that had to be carefully sidestepped. Walking through barren halls and large rooms, Santo saw no secret furnace for heat. He wondered how they could possibly survive in such cold and isolation. Where did their food and supplies come from?
Walking single file, they eventually came to what Santo assumed was an open-air courtyard in the middle of the Monastery. In the yard was a ten-meter high stone obelisk covered with strange hieroglyphs neatly inscribed deep into all sides. The Red Monk turned to Santo and said,
“It came to us suddenly. From where, we do not know. Hundreds of years ago the courtyard was empty and then suddenly one day, there it was. As we are a creation of God, we naturally assumed that it was a gift from heaven. We have prayed to it ever since. Now, a stranger, indeed a human being has come to us in a strange craft and telling us this is how our enemy comes to us.”
The Red Monk them cast a stern look to Santo, one he felt was trying to peer through the helmet and straight into his soul. In a stern voice he asked,
“Do you speak the truth human?”
Santo had no reason to lie or desire to deceive the Snow Monks. He answered in a manner that had never crossed his lips before. However, times were dire and a strong convincing reply was necessary.
“As God is my witness.”
God may not have been his witness for in fact he was not sure if it was the truth or not. It was only something he heard when talking to Edward of the First Creation. However, if he was to believe Edward and his own eyes when seeing the dark ghost walk into the base of the obelisk near the treehouse, he would risk God’s wrath and attest to it.
Many Monks were standing watching a robot like figure they still believed was an angel from heaven talking to the Red Monk. After Santo’s divine and binding assurance that he was sure the obelisk was evil, the Red Monk turned and spoke to the crowd. Santo could not hear what was said but the way they were all nodding in agreement, he was sure it was going to be in his favor. Finally the Red Monk turned back to Santo and said,
“We believe your words. It has been confirmed that after what we thought was a gift from heaven is when the evil started.”
Santo replied,
“Good, then smash it to bits and throw the pieces over the cliff and you will be rid of the harassing Anannaki.”
Again the Red Monk turned to the others. This time there was a longer conversation. Finally he turned back and said to Santo,
“It has been decided that you are correct in what should be done. However, such an act would constitute violence and no matter the correct course or not, violence is strongly against our commandments.”
Santo wanted to help and therefore suggested,
“Then let me do the violence. I will destroy it for you.”
Again a discussion was held and when an agreement was reached, Santo heard,
“Yes, that will be acceptable. If it is a thing of the enemy, be it the devil or the Anannaki, it is not wanted here.”
If Santo had known his day would have led to this, he would have armed the D-wing or at least brought some explosives with him. It was one of the few times he had gone on assignment and felt unprepared for contingencies. However, he is a good soldier for a reason. Thinking on your feet, or in this case, inside a helmet, he drew on his resources, a net and a pretty impressive D-wing. It was an idea that he knew would work. He asked the curious crowd to step back and make room for what was coming back from heaven. He again spoke only to the helmet, this time voicing a slightly different code. “Code 14 Alpha 4.”
As gently as a feather floating down from the clouds, the D-wing appeared with the net still dangling under its belly. Awe again filtered through the crowd. Only the Red Monk understood it was merely a machine built by human hands. That was not entirely true for it was in fact built by the Great Grays hundreds of years ago. Nevertheless, he was not as impressed as the others. Taking the net, Santo tightly wrapped and secured it around the spire. That done, making sure it was not going to slip off when lifted from its base, he turned back to the Red Monk and explained what was going to happen.
As a parting assurance, Santo was going to explain that because of a mutual enemy, he would do his best to correct what the Anannaki had done to the Monks. Before he could say anything, the one who had scurried off and run into the Monastery returned. Santo saw that he was holding something in his hand about the size of a cigarette package with a small aerial sticking out of it. The Monk approached him, bowed and with both hands extended, offered it to him. The Red Monk explained,
“Because it is not a weapon of this Earth, it serves a purpose not clearly understood by us. However, we do not need to understand how but rather that it destroys the black spirits who haunt us. When seeing one, simply aim and activate the frequency it transmits and the dark shadows of the Anannaki are sent back to where they came. They do not belong here. If this weapon can be of service to you, then please accept it with our blessing. It will be a great benefit to us if you can eliminate them from this Earth and our paradise here.”
Santo gracefully accepted what he assumed was some sort of strange weapon against the dark spirits of the Anannaki. He said,
“It is a welcome and formidable gift indeed. I shall put it to good use.”
A moment of silence passed, each staring at the other until Santo realized there was nothing more to say. The strange meeting was over. He was full of questions, wanting to know who they were and where they came from. However, as the circle of Monks started to walk away, he understood those questions were for another time. Now, with only the Red Monk standing there, Santo took the hint and climbed into the D-wing. As he sat at the controls, just before closing the dome, he turned to say goodbye but there was nobody in sight.
He slowly raised the D-wing until the netting, acting like a rope, became taut. Because of the shortness of the net and where it was secured to the obelisk, he was only a meter above it. There was no doubt that with the unlimited power of gravity, the D-wing could easily lift the multi-ton stone. It was not the power of the D-wing that he was worried about but rather the strength of the netting. With a straining net and tearing of the obelisk from its foundation, Santo gently called for more power. A few strands of netting popped and snapped at the strain but as hoped, the obelisk now dangled under the D-wing. He lifted high into the clouds and out of sight of the Snow Monks watching a thing of evil disappear with the help of a newfound ally, an angel from heaven.
After clearing the far mountain range, Santo lifted higher into the clouds. A laser beam radiating from the nose of the craft indicated that he was 5,000 meters high, high enough to drop the ‘post’. With the simple flick of a finger, he activated a lever and the obelisk began its fall to the rocks far below. Lowing to the impact area, ground zero, Santo saw that, as hoped, it had exploded into thousands of pieces. Santo’s last thought was, ‘live in peace Snow Monks’. He had enough of high winds and snow so soared straight up to the stratosphere. Up here it was calm and serene, something he much desired right now. Removing his helmet, he set the GPS for home and a birthday party.
Chapter 41
It was pleasant tradition that had somehow fallen to the wayside, pushed away by busy schedules and grieving. However, Maria thought because a year had now passed since the destruction of the House of the Nazarene by the hand of insanity, grieving should turn a page in a thick book. Grieve for your lost loved ones but also open a door to let a little sunshine in. Today, that door was going to open just a little bit more.
Santo had returned from a busy day traveling to the Amazon Jungle talking to Quastima and the Great Grays about the Anannaki deleting secrets from a book that Zak had referred to as the Rosetta stone. Now, in his pocket was a Flash Drive with the missing formula that Maria so desperately needed. T
here was also the stop in Greece and learning from Edward how the Black Spirits came to this Planet and zipped around it. Even then, he was not finished with his hectic worldwide excursion. A quick trip to the Italian Alps to fulfill a promise to Razk returning the ‘Babble Box’ and a meeting with the Snow Monks culminated in a very tiring day for Santo.
The first thing he did when landing was to call Han Lee with instructions. Han Lee thought it was a strange order, one certainly not going to please the Bulgarian Royal House. However, orders were orders. So, when Santo hurried to the mansion to change clothes, Han Lee gathered explosive experts and met them at the obelisk by the tree house.
Recognizing that he was late, he ran up the grand staircase and into their suite. When seeing Maria standing by the dresser leaning into the mirror and putting on lipstick, he stopped dead in his tracks. It had been a long time since seeing her dressed up, let alone wearing a dress. She was as beautiful as he had ever seen her in dreams. Turning and seeing his bulging eyes, she made a major mistake. With arms out to her side, she did a ballerina pirouette. As the dress flared at the hem, she asked,
“So, what do you think?”
With sparkling eyes that had always gotten his way, he approached for a hug and kiss. A strong hand shot out faster than a switchblade and stopped him dead in his tracks. She protested,
“Like hell. Do you know how long it took to put this damn lipstick on straight? Get your hands off that zipper. This dress is not for you.”
Surprised, he reverted to his second best move but she would have none of that either, saying,
“Drop the pathetic pout. You are dirty and stink. Get into the shower.”
Defeated, he sauntered into the bathroom. From there he heard something that slightly pacified his setback.
“You can undo the zipper after the party.”
It was not a tuxedo or even a suit but for a soldier, it was as dressed up as he was going to get. Neatly pressed slacks, a white shirt with no tie and very uncomfortable black shoes was his understanding of dressed up. After an inspection, she accepted his appearance and while flipping her wrist in a circle, commanded,
“Turn around.”
In a playful tone he hoped was going to pay dividends later, he asked,
“Are you checking out my ass?”
“No, I know where it is. I’m just making sure you are not hiding that damn AK pistol of yours back there.”
Downstairs, the large family room was done up in festive banners and balloons. The tables were filled with cookies, a massive cake and most important of all, presents done up in glitter paper and large bows. Lounging around the room were other children of the scientists of the House of the Nazarene. Most of the young ones were pleased to be there but the older children wondered why they had to come to a baby’s birthday party. More than one reluctant older youth heard,
“When the boss invites you to her daughter’s birthday party, it is best to come.”
As Maria and Santo walked down the grand staircase side by side, Helga and Waldorf were already at the bottom waiting for them. Helga had always looked beautiful no matter what she wore and this evening was no exception. Maria had always admired her glossy long jet-black hair. After Santo and Waldorf had given each other a fist pump, Santo eyed the retired Head Security Officer. In a teasing mood, he laid it on thick.
“Nice suit, did you find it in the supply room?”
Before Waldorf could shoot a derogatory tease back at his protagonist, there came a call at the top of the stairs for their attention.
Looking up at the landing both parents suddenly felt as proud as a prancing peacock. Belle and Robert stood up there looking down at the parents. Belle was clearly not happy to be wearing a dress. It was only the second time in her life she was forced to put one on. Conversely, Robert stood proud in his fine ensemble. He stood practically at attention soaking up the adulation. Hoping for pity, Belle yelled down the stairs to her proud parents,
“Look what Ivana made me wear.”
Robert’s reaction was just the opposite,
“Monika said I looked handsome.
Belle turned to him and sneered,
“You do not. You look as stupid as I do.”
Despite grumpy attitudes, Belle took Robert by the hand and hurried him down the stairs. She was grouchy until seeing the party room and the great stack of presents on the table. Suddenly she forgot she was wearing a pretty dress. After meeting conventional traditions of the Happy Birthday song and the cake devoured, presents were eagerly torn open.
It was also Robert’s birthday. Since the destruction, all records were lost. With the death of both parents, nobody was sure when his birthday really was. Maria asked him when they celebrated his birthday but he was quick on the draw blabbering out seven dates, claiming all were true. Because they were in the same grade at the school on the island, everybody assumed that he and Belle were probably the same age. Helga and Waldorf agreed that Belle and their adopted son could easily share the same birth date.
As both birthday children played with new toys and ran around thanking each adult for them, Jessika was sitting on Kirk’s lap adoringly watching children at their happiest. There was a strange glow about her that only women without children understood. Kirk noticed ‘that look’ and grew nervous.
When festivities finally ended and the parents took their children home, there were only two children left still excited about cake and new toys. The word to both nannies was to let them play themselves out in the treehouse and sleep whenever they wanted. The remaining adults retired to the drawing room for wine and in the case of Waldorf and Kirk, aged whiskey. Santo does not drink, letting Maria make up for it.
When it was clear that festivities for the adults was winding down, the conversation getting mundane, Jessika took the hint and grabbed Kirk by the hand. Led out of the room, he barely had time to wave goodbye and say good night. Quickly walking down the garden path to their bungalow, his mind was not on the same path as Jessika. He thought they were hurrying to get changed and back to the cave to finish their investigation of what had turned out to be an Anannaki military fortress. Because Jessika wanted a child of her own, there was a slight delay with that thought.
Back in the mansion, with only Waldorf, Helga, Santo and Maria left from the gathering, Santo reached into his pocket and seductively said,
“I have a present for you too.”
Seeing Maria’s eyes light up, Waldorf laughed and Helga blushed. Santo uncomfortably said,
“No, not right here.”
Maria too laughed and said,
“Yes, I suppose that might shock them.”
Santo added,
“I have something much better for you.”
Although it was hard for Maria to imagine something better, she did manage to ask suspiciously,
“Really?”
He made a fist, held it out to her and explained,
“Do you remember pinning your hope on Zak discovering the computer program needed to neutralize the intrusive Anannaki DNA?”
Of course she did. She desperately needed that program but all hope was lost when Zak’s computers were hacked and the Rosetta Book mysteriously erased. Through a strange grin, Santo said,
“Through the Babble Box that Quastima told us about and with his help, I managed to convince the Great Grays to help us.”
Maria suddenly sat up straight. He opened his fist and showed her the flash drive. What happened next was quicker than a striking cobra. One second it was in his hand and the next it was in hers. There was no doubt that she was ecstatic and so blurted out,
“Now there is just one part of the equation missing, Anannaki DNA but this is a great start. You just earned yourself a few points handsome.”
This evening was one of the few times Santo and Maria had an opportunity to sit and chat socially with Helga and Waldorf. With drink in hand, Waldorf bragged about the House of the Nazarene company he was starting up in London. It will be a state o
f the art laboratory utilizing what little alien data was recovered from the destruction to study the possibility of infinite multiverses and better understanding of dimensional gates.
Santo certainly approved of that work. When considering what Waldorf was opening in London, Santo thought he might be interested in what had happened to him these last few days. All three heard what happened with Niko Waltz after Kirk had dropped him off on a deserted island. Maria was quick to cut in adding her story about how she had to come and rescue him.
After she got a patronizing pat on the hand from a grateful Santo, he continued relating how he and Quastima had contacted the Great Grays and convinced them that it was in their best interest to help with the eradication of the Anannaki plot. He continued telling them about the conversation he had with Edward about dimensional gates and their ability to function in the event horizon between the dimensions, taking on the qualities of black ghosts.
Earth Before Man Page 24
