THE TOCABAGA CHRONICLES: (BOX SET PART III - BOOKS #9-10)

by Thomas H. Ward

  Parked at the security fence were four Humvees, just like ours. In addition, there were five pick-up trucks loaded with armed men. They were dressed in black-colored special ops gear. These guys were no rag tag group of men. They all wore the same clothing with ballistic vests. They had an American flag patch on their shoulder. Glancing at their weapons, I saw M4s and a couple of M249 SAW’s. These guys looked like pros’ for sure.

  My guards at the fence were talking to a guy holding a white flag with a red cross on it. I looked at the flag and knew immediately what it meant. With Adolf by my side, I walked down to the fence. Chris said, “Jack, this man wants to see you.”

  I said, “Chris, check him for Ebola.”

  “I already did. He’s clean.”

  “Ok. Let him in.” The big man walked through the gate leaving his guns and flag behind.

  He approached me with a smile on his face. Standing three feet away, he bowed. “Greetings, Mr. Gunn. My name is Christian de Molay.”

  I thought, is he related to Adam?

  Adolf at my side, didn’t growl at the stranger. He just sat there watching his every move. Christian was a gigantic man standing about six and a half feet tall. He had a square face and long blond hair with a long beard. His blue eyes were small compared to the size of his head. His body was shaped and muscular in appearance. Hanging at his side was the tell tale broadsword.

  The Broadsword was first manufactured in the 6th Century. It has a two-edged blade, measuring 2-3 inches wide at the base, with a tapered point. The length ranges from 30 - 45 inches. It weights between three to five pounds. The weapon is primarily used for cutting or slicing an opponent and is capable of cutting off the limbs or head of an enemy in one stroke.

  I replied, “Please call me, Jack.”

  “You may call me Christian.”

  “How can I help you, Christian?”

  “I had a hard time tracking you down, but I finally found you. I understand that you have Adam and Emma here.”

  “Yes, that’s correct. You must be related to them.”

  “I’m their uncle. I’m on a mission to save them.”

  “I didn’t know they had an uncle. Adam never mentioned it.”

  “Well, I have never actually met Adam and Emma. Most likely my father never mentioned me, since I was an outcast. Now that my father has passed, I have accepted my heritage. I’ve taken over as the Templar Grand Master.”

  I thought, what the hell? “Wait a minute. You were an outcast. What’s that mean?”

  “Jack, it’s a long story, but it’s a family matter, that doesn’t concern you.”

  “I’m sorry, but it does concern me since Adam is under my protection.”

  Christian laughed a little. “I’m their lawful uncle. They’re under my protection.”

  I saw the sweat dripping down his face. I replied, “Let’s sit over in the shade and discuss this.”

  I grabbed two bottles of water from a nearby cooler and handed him one. Sitting down in the shade of the bridge, I peered into his blue eyes to see if he was telling the truth. I twisted the cap off the bottle and said, “Enjoy.”

  He replied, “Thank you very much.” We touched bottles together and took a deep swig. “That’s good. Could you provide my men some water?”

  That comment was a good sign. It showed he cared about his men sitting out in the hot sun. It showed he was a sensitive person. “Sure. How many men do you have?”

  “Twenty-four.”

  I called Chris over and asked him to give each man a bottle of water.

  Christian commented, “Thank you for your kindness.”

  I asked, “Do you know how I met Adam and Emma?”

  “No, not really. I was told that you took them when my father died. I feared that something terrible might happen to them.”

  “Well, this is a strange story, but true. My little group of hunters happened to come upon the Templars who were camped on the side of the road. An old man came up to me and asked for food. It was your father, Jack de Molay. He knew my name was Jack Gunn, but we had never met.”

  I took a swig of water and lit up a smoke. I offered one to Christian but he declined it. After taking a deep drag, I continued, “Jack believed that God sent me to protect Adam and Emma. It was strange because my dog Adolf was friendly to them and usually he doesn’t take to strangers.”

  Adolf looked at us both. I poured some water in my hand for him to lick.

  “Please continue, Jack,” Christian said.

  “Your father asked me to take care of them until they were older. He wanted them to have, as he called it, a more or less normal life. Your father went to rest in his car and he passed away in his sleep. So they ended up coming with me, because I promised to look after them. Adam can verify everything I’ve told you.”

  Christian sat there nodding his head. “I see. So they came with you of their own free will, because that’s what my father wanted.”

  “Yeah. That’s the story.”

  “Jack, may I see Adam and Emma?”

  I thought for a minute and decided, why not. “Sure, I think that’s a good idea.”

  I asked Tommy to go find Adam and Emma. I didn’t want to take Christian onto Tocabaga since I didn’t know who he really was.

  As we sat there waiting, making small talk, Christian said, “That’s a nice dog. What’s his name?”

  “Thanks. His name is Adolf.”

  “Is this the only way onto this island?”

  “Yes, unless you come by boat.”

  “How many men do you have guarding this island?”

  “Christian, I can’t tell you that because of security reasons. Why do you wanna know?”

  “I’d like to make sure that Adam has the necessary protection.”

  “Believe me, he does. Adam and Emma are living with my family.”

  Just then they came running over the bridge. Out of breath Adam said, “Hi Grandpa. You wanted to see us?” Emma gave me a big hug.

  “Kids, do you know who this is?”

  Both stared Christian and replied, “No.”

  “This is your uncle. He’s your father’s brother. His name is Christian de Molay.”

  Christian said, “That’s right, I’m your uncle. Have you ever heard of me?”

  “Yes, Grandpa spoke of you. He said you moved away and wouldn’t be back,” Adam replied.

  “Yes, that’s correct, but I’m back now. I’m the new Grand Master.”

  “Since you never came back, Grandpa told me I would be the next Grand Master when I’m sixteen.”

  “Adam, you’re a little too young to be the Grand Master. That’s my job now.”

  Little Emma just stood there not saying a word. She didn’t know what to say about the subject. She had no idea what to think about Christian.

  “I’m back now and I’ve come to rescue you both,” Christian said.

  Adam asked, “Rescue us from what?”

  “You don’t belong here. You need to be with your own people.”

  “Well, that’s not want Grandpa wanted. God told him that we should go with Jack Gunn. He told me Jack would protect us until we’re older. We like it here.”

  Christian let out a chuckle. “Adam, I’m your lawful uncle. It’s my job to protect you, not Mr. Gunn’s.”

  Adam looked directly in his eyes. “I’m sorry, but you’re a stranger to us.”

  “I know that and I hope to get to know you both better. I need you both in my life. You’re the only family I have now.”

  Adam and Emma moved closer to me. They were standing by my side with Adolf next to them.

  Christian moved closer to the kids. Getting down on one knee he softly said, “Come here, my children,” while holding out his open arms.

  Adolf didn’t like that and let out a low growl warning him.

  I butted in, “Look Christian, the kids don’t know you.”

  “Yeah, and we certainly aren’t going to leave with you,” Adam said.

&n
bsp; Christian stood up and rested his hand on the broadsword, which made Adolf growl again.

  “I see. I need to gain your trust,” Christian commented. “Jack, what do you suggest?”

  It was a real dilemma, alright. If he’s really their uncle, he has legal custody. I can’t prove that he is or isn’t their long-lost uncle. Normally I can spot a lair in a few minutes. This guy was smooth, very smooth, and I think he’s a little too polite.

  “Christian, I need to think about this and talk to the kids.”

  “They’re just kids. They don’t have any say in the matter. This is between you and me,” he replied, in a not so friendly tone.

  I thought, he just blew his cool, a little. Maybe I can push him to the edge. If he’s really their uncle then he’d want to consider what’s best for them. He’d care about their wellbeing and safety.

  I said, “Christian, it’s not between you and me. It’s what’s best for the kids. It’s their future and they should have a say in what happens to them.”

  “I’m not going to change my mind. I’m their uncle and they need to come with me.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” Adam blurted out while pointing his finger at Christian.

  “Look, it’s getting late so let me talk to the kids tonight,” I said.

  Christian asked, “Do you have some accommodations for me and my men?”

  “I’m sorry, we don’t. But you’re welcome to camp on the beach, outside the fence tonight.”

  Christian stood up and bowed. “Until tomorrow. Children, I bid you a good night. Pack your clothes and be ready to leave tomorrow.”

  As he turned to walk away, he made a casual comment. “Adam, by the way, do you have the Grand Master’s Sword?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Ok. I just wanted to know who had it. Goodnight, kids. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I said, “If you need anything just ask one of my guards.”

  “Thank you.” He turned and walked away.

  I told the kids, “Let’s go home.” Adam took Adolf’s leash from my hand and they ran over the bridge to my truck.

  Emma yelled, “Hurry up, Grandpa!”

  Before leaving, I advised my security people not to let any of these men inside the fence. Give them anything they need as long as it’s within reason. If there’s any problem, call me right away.

  We arrived home and supper was almost ready. After eating, I called a family meeting to discuss the complicated situation. It was just Hemmi and I with the two kids. Emma sat on Hemmi’s lap as we talked.

  I asked, “Do you kids like it here?”

  They both nodded. Adam replied, “We love it here. Don’t make us go with my uncle. We don’t know him.”

  “Is he really your uncle? Have you ever seen his picture?”

  Emma shook her head yes. Adam said, “Yes, we’ve seen his picture. He’s my uncle alright. At first I didn’t know who he was because of the long beard.”

  We sat there quiet for a few minutes. I didn’t know what to do or say to the kids. Their uncle does have a legal right to take custody of the children. I just wondered why he came for them after all these years.

  I asked, “Adam, why did he ask you about the sword?”

  “Whoever is the Grand Master gets that sword. It’s been in our family a thousand years.”

  “Wow, so it’s pretty valuable.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  I looked at Adam. “Is that why he wants it?”

  Adam hesitated for a minute. “Yes, he came here to get the sword.”

  “Why do you think that?” Adam was hiding something. I had to pry information out of him. He started to fidget. “Look, Adam, I need to know everything to help you. We shouldn’t have any secrets between us.”

  Emma said, “Tell Grandpa the truth.”

  “Well, the truth is, to become the real Grand Master you must have the sword. But there’s another more important reason,” Adam said, as he looked at me. “I’ll tell you if you promise not to tell anyone else.”

  I replied, “Ok, Adam. You have my word.”

  “Come up to my room. I need to show you something.”

  Emma and Hemmi stayed on the patio while we went upstairs to his bedroom. After walking in the room, he closed and locked the door. He said, “What I’m about to show you is the most amazing secret you’ll ever see. Only a few people know about this.”

  I said, “Don’t worry; your secret is safe with me.”

  Adam stood there next to his bed and took a deep breath. “Ok.”

  He reached under his mattress and pulled out a wooden box. I remembered that the box contained a sword. Opening the box he took out the old broadsword. The scabbard looked old. The handle or grip was inlaid with gold and contained embedded rubies. The pummel had a golden cross on it. Holding the sword in both hands he kissed the handle and then pulled the big blade out of its scabbard.

  “This is the Sword of Jerusalem.” Adam said.

  It was a beautiful looking weapon. The long blade almost glowed as he held it up in the air. It was shiny and looked like new. I was amazed by what I saw. Adam gently laid the sword on the bed.

  “Here, look at this,” Adam said, while pointing at the sword. “But don’t touch the blade. The rubies in the handle are a symbol for the blood of Christ.”

  I bent over and closely observed the blade. Some kind of foreign writing was etched in the metal blade. “What does it say?” I asked.

  Adam didn’t reply. He turned the sword over, showing the opposite side. There was more writing and a map etched into the metal. Adam said, “This is why he really wants this sword.”

  The map was so tiny I couldn’t make it out with my bad eyesight. I couldn’t read the writing because I didn’t know the language it was written in. “Ok, I give up. What does it mean?” I asked.

  Adam turned the sword back over to show me the text. “This writing lists all the items in the Templar Treasure.” Turning the blade back over, he pointed at the map. “This map shows the location of the treasure.”

  I asked, “Do you mean the treasure items taken from Jerusalem?”

  “Yes. I told you before, these are holy items. These items were once in the Temple of Solomon. They prove there is a God and there was a Christ. Men have killed each other for a thousand years to find this treasure.”

  “Holy crap.” That was all I could say while glaring at the magnificent sword.

  It was amazing. Now I knew the treasure was real, according to the sword and Adam. I commented, “Let me get this straight. If you have this sword, then you can find the treasure.”

  “That’s correct. This is why we can’t let Christian obtain this sword. No evil man should be in control of God’s Treasure. I fear my uncle would use it to gain power and wealth.”

  “Why do you think he’d do that?”

  “Well, Grandfather told me that Christian was outcast from the Knights Templar years ago because he tried to steal the sword. Grandfather also believed that Christian killed my father so he could become the next Grand Master in order to obtain the sword.”

  I nodded my head and thought, this thing has turned into a very big and dangerous mess.

  I said, “If that’s true then we certainly can’t let your uncle take custody of you.”

  “It’s true, alright. Grandpa would never let him near us.”

  “Didn’t you tell me you saw the treasure once?”

  “Actually, I’ve never seen it, but I know it’s real because of this sword.”

  I pointed at the sword. “Can you read this writing?”

  “Yes, I know exactly what it says. Grandpa taught me. He could read the ancient Latin writing.”

  A light went off in my head. “Now I get it. Christian needs you to tell him what the sword says.”

  “Yes, I think you’re correct,” Adam said. “What are we going to do?”

  I didn’t reply right away. I had to think about this. Certainly, if this whole story is true then
I can’t let Christian obtain the sword, or Adam. The question is, if I don’t give him what he wants, then what will Christian do?

  Adam was looking at the sword as I put my hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry Adam. I’m not gonna let Christian take you or the sword. I promise you that.”

  Adam gave me a hug. “Thank you, Grandpa.” We hugged each other and chills ran down my spine. Goosebumps popped up on my skin as I thought about the Power of the Sword and the secrets it held.

  We stood there looking at the blade. Adam said, “You’re the only one I can trust, other than Emma. Would you like to know what the writing means?”

  I thought for a minute. “Only tell me if you really want to.”

  “I have to tell someone who’s trustworthy, just in case something happens to me.”

  We bent over the sword. Pointing at the words he said, “This Sword is gifted to the Knights Templar Grand Master by Baldwin the Second, King of Jerusalem. Year of our Lord 1120 A.D.”

  “That’s incredible,” I murmured.

  “The treasure contains: one hundred thousand gold coins, fifty thousand silver coins, five hundred golden goblets, one thousand silver goblets, twenty thousand pieces of gold and silver jewelry, ten thousand various pieces of art, and twenty thousand gold crosses.”

  “Is that all it says?” I asked.

  “No. Now, for the good stuff. It says, the Holy Lance, the Sangreal, and the Ark of the Covenant are part of the treasure. There’s a date … 1124 A.D., Year of Our Lord.”

  I touched Adam on the arm. “If this is real and the Ark of the Covenant is part of the treasure, that’s amazing. No one knows what type of power the Ark has. I wonder if the Ten Commandment tablets are inside?”

  “It doesn’t say what’s inside the Ark.”

  “The main story about the Ark is that when Jerusalem was invaded it was taken to Ethiopia. No one has seen it since. Does the writing mention that?” I asked.

  “No, it only lists the treasure items.” Adam flipped the sword over. “Now, let me show you the map. It also gives clues as to the location because the map is not very telling.”

  I pulled out my reading glasses and looked at the blade. There was a map that showed a river and what looked like some mountains. There was a hooked X marking the treasure location.