Unearthly Power

by R. K.

  “This is pretty cool, but I’m afraid it doesn’t do us much good,” Sean said.

  “I think we can at least get rid of the body now,” Alex replied.

  “And do what with it? Dig a hole?”

  “I don’t care. Dig a hole or,” Alex looked around and then back to the underwater cavern, “or take him down there,” he said as he pointed in its direction.

  Sean thought about it for a moment and decided they should probably do something. It didn’t look as if they would have any opportunity other than sending the body in the sea itself. He nodded in agreement and walked back to the boat. Before grabbing hold of the professor, he reached for the wooden staff. He turned to look at Alex as he had followed him in anticipation of helping to carry the body.

  “You going to use that to dig with?” Alex asked.

  “No. I think I’ll see if this thing actually works,” Sean said with a smile.

  “What are you talking about?” Alex asked as he followed Sean back to the rock formation.

  When he stopped, Sean held out the staff and lowered it to touch the water surrounded by the rock. “No salt,” he said in a commanding voice and in complete seriousness. He felt the same sense of energy vibrate within the staff as he had experienced previously.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Alex asked, baffled by his friend’s behavior.

  Without turning he said, “The professor said this was the rod used by Aaron. It was the cause of a lot of miracles according to the Bible. I think we are in need of one now.” He put the staff on the ground, sank to his knees, and cupped his hand to try the water. It was fresh! He dropped his face into the water and began to drink his fill.

  When Alex could no longer stand knowing whether or not Sean had lost his mind, he scooped some of the water into his own hand. It was fresh, he thought to himself in surprise. He too lowered himself to the ground and drank until he was satisfied.

  “It isn’t possible!” Alex said after taking a breath between swallows.

  “My son, if you believe, anything is possible,” Sean replied sonorously.

  They both lay there looking into the crystal clear water. “It has to be some underwater source of fresh water.”

  “It may be. Whatever it is, we need to clean ourselves up, get the salt out of our clothes, and get rehydrated.”

  Leaving the staff by the pool, Sean dove head first into the water. He swam straight down and searched the modest sized chamber. It expanded in its center as if eating away at its very sides. He could see conical rocks shaped similar to stalagmites on the left side. Alex was soon beside him and they went to investigate the area behind the naturally formed barrier. There was a shelf behind the rock wall that was covered in sand. Sean indicated he was returning to the surface because he needed air. Alex came up next to him and wiped his eyes while treading water.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “I think we’ll tie the professor’s body back behind those rocks. It will keep him in one place, and I don’t think we can really dig any worthwhile grave before the tide comes back.”

  “What are we going to tie him with?”

  “We’ll have to use some of the rope tied to the boat.”

  Alex didn’t like the idea of losing something that may have some future use, but then again, he also didn’t want that body in the boat with them anymore. He relented. “Okay. I’ll get it.”

  Sean breathed in and out several times before holding his breath and plunging back beneath the surface. This time he went deeper and looked to see if in fact there was any source of fresh water he could identify, or if there was any opening into the sea surrounding them. Though he didn’t find anything useful to provide an answer to those questions, he did see something that didn’t seem to belong here. He went a little further until he saw the wooden shards and metal straps lying on the bottom. When he reached them, he saw a shiny object half buried in the sand. He reached down and picked it up. It was a gold coin. He wasn’t sure what the inscription said, or where it may have come from, but it was old. He quickly waved his hand through the top layer of sand and found several more coins. When he could no longer hold his breath, he shoved his feet off of the bottom, getting added momentum for his ascent, and swam back to the surface.

  Alex was returning with the rope while he waited. He slipped the coins in his pocket and got out of the water. They went back to the boat together, dragged it with the body still inside to the pool, lifted the corpse out and laid it on the ground. They waited a few minutes, and drank more of the fresh water until they were tired of doing so before they thought about what they were going to do next. The idea of drinking water with a dead body in it did not appeal to either of them.

  Alex had the rope while Sean said he would take the body, and down they went. Once they had the body in place, Alex tied one end of the rope around the professor’s ankles, and the other to a pillar of rock. They resurfaced for a breath of air and then returned to finish securing the rest of the body. When that was done, they went up for good.

  The island was almost fully covered in water by now. Sean picked up the wooden staff and they got into the boat. After another ten minutes, the boat gained buoyancy and they began to float. They remained in the immediate area as the waters swirled around them, and they gained enough height to clear the island. When they did, Alex looked at Sean with a serious expression.

  “Even if there was a freshwater source, there is no way it could clear itself with the tide coming in. It’s just too much water, too fast.”

  Sean looked at him, and then at the staff. He still didn’t know if there was a more believable explanation for what had happened, but whatever it was, it had bought them more time. He was lost in thought when Alex interrupted him.

  “No salt?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “You said, ‘No salt.’” Alex repeated with a small laugh. “If that thing really is what the professor said it was, I think we’ll have to leave out that particular command from the history books. Do you know how embarrassing that would be?”

  Sean started to laugh and Alex joined in. It was a lighthearted moment in a serious situation. They laughed until they could no longer do so before settling in for another night on the water.

  ~ Ten ~

  The women had been well cared for. They were driven to a stately mansion somewhere in the countryside. Their restraints had been removed before they were assisted out of the vehicle, which allowed them to see the impressive house along the lake before being taken inside. There were no signs of any other nearby dwellings.

  The house looked as wide as it was long. It was of contemporary design and was well-shielded from outside observation as the grounds surrounding it held it tight within a vast array of deciduous and fir trees. They were able to steal glances at the lake only to be rewarded with a brief view of the quiet serenity which had likely attracted the owner to the estate in the first place.

  As they were led through the house, they examined as many of the rich furnishings and wall coverings as they could, paying special attention to anything that might provide some idea of where they were. Their captors had failed to answer any questions they posed.

  They were taken to an oversized bedroom on the second floor. The unmistakable sound of the door being locked from the outside could be heard a moment later. Their first instinct was to look for a phone and to check the window to see if it would open. There was no phone, and they saw armed men patrolling the exterior of the house. The window was unmovable. It looked to Dee as if it was some type of security glass seated into the wall itself.

  Tori went back to the door and discovered it was made of steel, not wood, even though its initial appearance indicated otherwise. The room contained one queen-sized bed, no closet and no other door. A solitary night stand holding a lamp sat beside the bed, and a small arched opening led to a bathroom which contained a shower stall, toilet, and sink. On the opposite side of the room were two wooden chairs. Tori sat heavily
into one of them as Dee settled on the edge of the bed facing her.

  “What in the world is going on?” Tori asked.

  “I have no idea. Do you remember anything before being on the plane?”

  Tori shook her head, “No.”

  “Me neither.”

  “Do you think this has something to do with our dive?”

  Dee looked at her to see if she was really serious. Of course it had to do with the dive. What else did they have in common other than their affinity for her brother? And even though her brother could upset a lot of people in short order, she didn’t think he was responsible for whatever was happening. There had to be some powerful influence behind what was going on. “I think so. What else could it be?”

  Tori just nodded her head, unable to provide an answer.

  Dee decided she was going to have to be the one to take charge. Although Tori was an intelligent woman, she didn’t seem to grasp the realities of the situation. “We’ll just sit tight and wait until we hear from someone. Maybe Sean or your father can straighten things out.”

  “I’m sure they will. It has to be some big misunderstanding; a mistake.”

  Dee gestured in agreement for the sake of alleviating some of Tori’s concern. She didn’t think it was a mistake, but she also had no idea what it could be. She wished her brother was here to help them. She was a very capable person, but Sean could deal with anything no matter how out of the ordinary it might be. Nothing ever seemed to faze him.

  Their small lifeboat continued to float effortlessly as another new day presented itself. They kept up much of their routine: limiting talk, keeping under cover and out of the sun, and silently offering prayers to a God neither of them had much exposure to or experience with.

  They heard more engine noise this day indicating low flying aircraft. They sighted two of them, or at a minimum one of them twice, but they never came near enough to spot them or for the boys to signal it in any way. Sean wasn’t sure it was such a good idea to do so in the first place, but he also had to consider the interests of his friend. When it appeared another day would pass by without contact, and the night was beginning to settle in Alex asked, “You really going to trade that staff for the girls? I mean, what if it really is what the professor said it is?”

  Sean looked at him from the opposite end of the boat. “I don’t know. My priority is to get them back. The reality is I don’t see how he could let us all go after what’s already been done, even if I give it to him. I just need some time to think it over,” he said in a troubled voice.

  Alex assumed the reply was an emotional response. Thinking his friend was showing a seldom seen ‘softer-side’ he decided to offer his support. “We’ll take care of it. Once we get back, I’m sure we can work everything out.”

  Sean smiled in understanding. He knew what Alex was thinking and he appreciated it. What Alex didn’t know was what he was capable of when put in such a situation. Sean would take care of it all right; he would make sure Silas Chandler received his day of reckoning.

  The women almost jumped to their feet when they heard the door being opened. Until then, they hadn’t heard a sound come from outside of their room. One of the men who earlier escorted them to the room now entered.

  “Come with me,” he ordered, looking at each of them in turn.

  Dee got up from the bed and Tori followed her lead. They were taken to a large dining room complete with crystal chandelier. A portable silver service cart was sitting next to the head portion of the table. Dee knew a little about collectible art and was impressed with the items she witnessed adorning the walls and stands in the few places they had seen thus far.

  “Take a seat. I’ll be out in the hallway until you are finished,” he ordered.

  They sat directly across from each other at a table that easily accommodated twelve. There were place settings in front of every chair, but they doubted they would be dining with such a crowd. A few moments later the door at the far end of the room opened. An elderly man, most likely in his mid-seventies, Dee estimated, walked in and took his seat at the head of the table. He was immaculate in dress and grooming, but she also sensed an air of power and self-confidence emanating from him.

  He looked at his guests, one at a time, as if noticing they were there for the first time and then lifted a crystal bell and shook it. A male servant, also immaculately attired, responded to the call and followed through the same door. He moved the cart closer to the table and turned back the silver covers one at a time while he served their host. He repeated this action until he went through the last covered dish before he rolled the cart down to the opposite end of the table to serve the girls.

  At first Tori was going to object, but Dee kicked her leg under the table and shook her head. Even though she thought it would go unseen, their host looked up at his guests taking note of what had been done. His gaze fell upon Dee as if some understanding had revealed itself to him. She returned the stare and then looked away as if establishing her free will. There were a lot of unspoken words in those quiet moments that would never be said aloud, but that everyone present would be well aware of.

  After they had been served with a first class meal of pork medallions covered in a dark berry sauce, oven-roasted potatoes, haricots verts, and what appeared to be hot bacon dressing over fresh cut greens, their glasses were filled with a rich red wine. They followed the lead of their host who sampled the wine before eating as the servant left the room.

  They ate in silence through the first half of their meal. When their host was satisfied, he set aside his eating utensils and took another sip of wine before stopping to watch his guests. Feeling his eyes upon them, Dee also stopped eating followed by Tori.

  “I see you two have manners, but I guess that is to be expected by your upbringings,” he said as if it was a simple observation.

  “What do you know about our upbringings?” Tori challenged.

  He turned to her without expression and said, “Practically everything, my dear. I make it my job to know everything.”

  “Why are we here?” Dee asked rather directly.

  “Now that is a relevant question. And one I will soon address, but not now.” He put his hands on the table and stood up. “Please don’t be alarmed and don’t be so foolish as to try anything rash. Everything you need will be provided, and we will see each other again tomorrow.”

  As soon as he disappeared through the same door he had entered, their escort returned. He walked them back to their room, secured the door behind them and then everything was quiet once again.

  “Who do you think he is?” Tori asked.

  “I think he is the man who paid for our little excursion. He must have hired Marcel and the others to send along with your father.”

  “But why?”

  “I don’t know yet,” Dee said as she walked to the sink to freshen up. She stopped as if a thought had just entered her mind. “He either found or heard something that he liked or something he didn’t like. Whatever it is, I don’t expect him to explain himself until he is ready. I don’t think he is the kind of man who can be pressured into saying or doing anything he doesn’t want to.”

  Tori listened to Dee while absorbing every word. She couldn’t imagine what this could be about, but without openly admitting it, she was intimidated by the man who was holding them captive, even if nothing had been done to hurt them. Something about him set off all kinds of warning signals in her mind that she had never experienced before.

  It was well past midnight when the rubber boat bumped into something. The chances were as probable as a needle finding a piece of thread in the proverbial haystack. The first shock from the minor collision jarred Sean awake but he was quick to dismiss it being heavy with sleep. The second time erased the drowsiness from his mind. If it hadn’t been for that, they would have surely missed the opportunity that fate had delivered.

  Thinking it still might be a dream he nudged Alex with his leg and stared at the hull of a fishing boa
t. It was more like the sleek side of a cabin cruiser, or sport-fishing boat. He decided to concern himself about which at a later time, and instead picked up their oar and paddled toward the boat before the current moved them any farther away. Once they reached the vessel, Sean grabbed hold of a cleat on the rear of the boat to steady himself.

  “Hello, on the boat. Hey, anybody, can you help us?”

  By this time Alex was joining the chorus, asking for help. At first they neither saw nor heard anything. After a minute of continue shouts, they saw a light come on through the cabin door. It was from the lower deck. They also heard the sounds of a man and woman talking. “How in the hell do I know what it is, Rosie? We’re in the middle of the goddamned ocean. Maybe it’s a pirate coming to look for his booty?”

  “Would you just go take a look and quit being ridiculous?” They heard a woman’s voice say in reply.

  When they saw a heavy-set man step through the door, they called out to him as they were half standing behind the boat supporting themselves on the gunwale. “We’re back here,” they said in unison.

  The man stopped, turned his flashlight on the two younger men and then turned back toward the doorway and reached inside to turn on an exterior light. When he looked back, they were still there. “Who in the hell are you?”

  “Our boat sank. We’ve been on the water for several days now. We need some help.”

  “I can bet you would. Here, let’s get you onboard,” The man offered while he turned off his flashlight, placed it in the pocket of his robe, and reached down to help both of the men into the boat. When they were safely aboard he called out, “Rosie. Put some clothes on. We have guests.”

  Alex took a seat on a side bench and Sean said, “I almost forgot something,” as he leaned over the side and reached back into the small lifeboat.

  The older man watched him, wondering what in the world they could have in that small boat that could be so important. It was obvious to him, even in the modest light, that the two men had been through a hard time. When Sean returned, he had a wooden staff in one hand and an object that looked like a large cell phone in the other. He smiled as he held up what looked like a cell phone to the man who helped them, indicating that was what he returned for. He went over and sat next to Alex.