Acton slowly untied the rope, and when the knot gave, he felt a flood of relief as his circulation returned. He tossed the rope into the void and before either of them could catch their breath to help, Laura was at their side, brushing the dust off her clothes
“Should I call an ambulance for you two?”
“Sod”—deep breath—“off!”
Acton laughed and pushed himself to his feet, offering to help Reading who batted his hand way, getting up himself. Acton’s knees were shaking but the smile on his face was unwavering. We found the tomb of Marco Polo! At the moment he couldn’t give a damn about the crystal skull. All he cared about was the incredible historical find just below them. They would have to keep it secret at first, but with permission hopefully to come from the Vatican, they should be able to do a proper study of the tomb, then perhaps even have it restored so the public could honor the man who introduced the Far East to the masses of Europe.
They exited the main doors of the church, clearing the steps and heading toward the closed gates when they suddenly opened, a man stepping inside from the street, followed by another, and within moments there were at least a dozen people blocking their exit.
“Get behind me,” said Reading as he stepped forward, Acton already moving in front of Laura as he looked around for another escape route.
“Let’s fall back to the church,” he whispered.
“Professor James Acton, Professor Laura Palmer, Special Agent Hugh Reading.” The voice came from one of the men blocking their way, he having stepped forward. “I assume congratulations are in order?”
Acton stepped forward. “Who are you?”
The man stepped closer, extending his left arm and exposing his wrist and the Triarii tattoo.
“I believe you have something that belongs to us.”
Acton turned to look at Laura, his eyes resting momentarily on her backpack containing the skull. He turned back to their interrogator. “How do we know you’re the real Triarii?”
The man smiled, then stood aside, motioning toward the door. As Acton looked, he saw a wheelchair emerge from the darkness, the lights of the courtyard lighting an all too familiar face.
“Martin!” cried Reading, already charging forward, the Triarii stepping aside. “What the bloody hell are you doing here you daft bastard! You should be in the hospital!”
Acton grabbed Laura by the hand as they walked over to their friend, Martin Chaney, smiles on both their faces. Handshakes, hugs and insults were exchanged, then Acton looked about him, the looks all expectant.
He untied Laura’s backpack and removed the carefully wrapped skull. He handed it to Chaney. “Please take this as far away from us as possible.”
Chaney smiled, cradling the skull in his hands as if it were precious, and Acton suddenly realized that to these people surrounding them, some with tears pouring down their faces, others with more control having merely glassed over eyes, this was a truly religious moment, something probably none of them had ever expected to experience—the discovery of another crystal skull.
“We will take this back to London immediately,” said Chaney, handing it to the man who had first spoken, the others filing out of the courtyard, weapons drawn. “And Professors, Hugh?”
“Yes, mate?” asked Reading, his hand still on his friend’s shoulder.
“The Triarii thanks you, and owes you a debt of gratitude. Should you ever need our assistance, it will be there for you. Forever.”
Chaney motioned for the person pushing his chair to proceed, and moments later they were alone in the courtyard, possessing nothing they hadn’t already had when they entered, except increased wisdom, and the knowledge their ordeal was finally over.
“Now we have just one more stop to make,” said Acton, eliciting a groan from Reading.
Papal Office, Apostolic Palace, The Vatican
Present day, ten days after the kidnapping
“So everything has been returned to its rightful place?”
Acton nodded at the Pope. “Everything that was removed has been returned, the skull has been delivered into the hands of the Triarii, and with your permission, we will begin examination of the burial site of Marco Polo.”
“It seems the least I can do. I will sign the decree tonight. Tomorrow I will be announcing my resignation as my work here is done.”
“I really wish you would reconsider, your Holiness,” said Mario Giasson, Vatican’s head of security. He shifted in his seat. “Forgive me for saying so, however resignation from your position is almost unheard of.”
The old man raised a shaking finger. “But not unheard of.” He shook his head. “No, I must resign. It is the right thing to do, and in time, hopefully God will forgive me for what I have done.”
Giasson made the sign of the cross, clearly uncomfortable with this turn of events.
“What will you do?” asked Laura, sitting between Acton and Reading.
“I’m not sure what my title will be. I’m sure the lawyers will figure that out. I hope to remain here, a simple priest, should my successor permit it. If not, perhaps I’ll return to a monastery in Germany.” He shrugged. “God will provide.”
Acton, staring at Laura, suddenly focused on every detail as she smiled sympathetically at their host. What will you do? His thoughts thrust to when he too would be that age. What will you be doing when you’re eighty? What will you have done? His chest tightened, his heart slammed against his ribcage, his ears pounded with the flow of blood as he realized at that very moment exactly what he needed to do now in order to secure the future he so desperately wanted.
“Will you marry me?” he blurted out.
Laura’s head spun toward him in shock, then her eyebrows narrowed in confusion. “Of course, dear. I already said yes!” she said, flashing the ring he had needlessly protected in his cuff, their hotel possessions untouched. She glanced at Reading and Giasson with a smile. “Just how badly were you shot?”
Acton shook his head, turning his chair to face her, taking both her hands in his. “No, I mean right now! Let’s get married right now!”
“What!” exclaimed Laura, her eyes instantly glistening over.
Acton turned to the Pope. “Sir, I mean your Holiness, will you marry us?” Acton paused a second. “Can you marry us?”
The old man beamed, his smile as great as any Acton had seen from the man in their years of contact. “Yes I can, and yes, I absolutely will!”
Acton turned back to Laura. “What do you think?”
A tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled, ear to ear, a smile he knew was of complete joy, matching his own. “I think it’s a fantastically impulsive idea!” she replied, then her smile grew even broader. “I say, let’s!”
Acton rose, still holding her hands as Laura joined him, tears pouring down his own cheeks. Acton glanced over at Reading who couldn’t stop grinning, even he wiping his eyes dry.
“Do you have the rings?” asked the Pontiff.
Acton’s heart stopped. “Oh my God, no, I don’t!”
Giasson jumped forward, pulling his wedding band off his finger and handing it to Acton. “Here, use this.”
Reading reached for his own hand then stopped. “Blast! I’m not married anymore!”
“I’ll go get one from someone!” said Giasson as he rushed out the doors. The elderly pontiff rounded his desk, Bible in hand, and stood in front of the two lovers. Giasson rushed back into the room, holding up a second ring triumphantly, handing it to Laura, leaving Acton to wonder what poor soul in the hallway had given up their ring, and whether or not an explanation was even given. The pontiff began to recite the vows, but Acton didn’t hear a word, his entire world engulfed by the smile of the woman he loved.
Suddenly the pontiff paused, his eyebrows narrowing as if something were occurring to him.
“Ah, are you two Catholic?”
Acton threw his head back and nearly cursed as he groaned to the heavens. He looked at Laura who was beginning to laugh,
then at the pontiff. “How about a snap conversion?”
The old man chuckled, shaking his head as his Bible snapped shut. “I think God has other plans for you tonight.”
Acton exchanged glances with Laura then Reading, not sure he liked the sound of that.
What more could He possibly do to us?
THE END
Acknowledgements
For those who have followed the James Acton series, the Triarii and their crystal skulls are familiar territory. Loose ends had been intentionally left through the previous seven novels, with the idea of this novel left to tie everything up. It is always a challenge to write an Acton novel so that it can be a standalone story that everyone can enjoy, not just those who in this case have read the previous seven installments. In order to do so, repetition is quite often necessary, and with this novel tied so intimately with The Protocol, more was necessary than normal.
I hope I got the balance right!
For those who haven’t read The Protocol but enjoyed the lore of the Triarii, check it out. It was my debut novel and led to this entire best selling series. For those who had already read it, I hope this was an enjoyable experience revisiting the past.
I’d like to thank my researcher—my Dad—who knocked himself out again, and once again was left spinning from time to time when I changed my mind about where the story was heading. Fun fact: the monastery was supposed to be in Syria, but when he found St. Gerasimos in the West Bank, I thought that would be even more fun to write.
Acton #9 is on the way, ideas already percolating in the old brain. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
And one final thing as a reminder to those who have not already done so, please visit my website at www.jrobertkennedy.com then sign up for the Insiders Club. You’ll get emails about new book releases, new collections, sales, etc. Only an email or two a month tops, I promise!
And as always, to my wife, daughter, parents and friends, thank you once again for your support. And to you the readers, thank you! You’ve all made this possible.
Thank You!
Thank you for choosing and reading my book. If you enjoyed it, I would be grateful if you could write a review and post it on Amazon or your favorite book site.
James Acton will return!
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About the Author
J. Robert Kennedy is the author of fourteen international best sellers, including the smash hit James Acton Thrillers series, the first installment of which, The Protocol, has been on the best sellers list since its release, including a three month run at number one. In addition to the other novels from this series, Brass Monkey, Broken Dove, The Templar’s Relic (also a number one best seller), Flags of Sin and Circle of Eight (also a number one best seller), he has written the international best sellers Rogue Operator, Containment Failure, Depraved Difference, Tick Tock, The Redeemer and The Turned. Robert spends his time in Ontario, Canada with his family.
Visit or subscribe to Robert's website at www.jrobertkennedy.com to be notified of new book releases.
Books by J. Robert Kennedy
The Protocol (James Acton #1)
Brass Monkey (James Acton #2)
Broken Dove (James Acton #3)
The Templar's Relic (James Acton #4)
Flags of Sin (James Acton #5)
The Arab Fall (James Acton #6)
The Circle of Eight (James Acton #7)
The Venice Code (James Acton #8)
Rogue Operator (Dylan Kane #1)
Containment Failure (Dylan Kane #2)
Cold Warriors(Dylan Kane #3)
Depraved Difference (Detective Shakespeare #1)
Tick Tock (Detective Shakespeare #2)
The Redeemer (Detective Shakespeare #3)
A Detective Shakespeare Mysteries Collection (Books 1-3)
The Turned (Zander Varga, Vampire Detective #1)
The Protocol
A James Acton Thriller
Book #1
For two thousand years the Triarii have protected us, influencing history from the crusades to the discovery of America. Descendent from the Roman Empire, they pervade every level of society, and are now in a race with our own government to retrieve an ancient artifact thought to have been lost forever.
Caught in the middle is archaeology professor James Acton, relentlessly hunted by the elite Delta Force, under orders to stop at nothing to possess what he has found, and the Triarii, equally determined to prevent the discovery from falling into the wrong hands.
With his students and friends dying around him, Acton flees to find the one person who might be able to help him, but little does he know he may actually be racing directly into the hands of an organization he knows nothing about...
To sample or purchase The Protocol, please visit Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0059Y4QNO
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Brass Monkey
A James Acton Thriller
Book #2
A nuclear missile, lost during the Cold War, is now in play—the most public spy swap in history, with a gorgeous agent the center of international attention-triggers the end-game of a corrupt Soviet Colonel’s twenty five year plan. Pursued across the globe by the Russian authorities, including a brutal Spetsnaz unit, those involved will stop at nothing to deliver their weapon, and ensure their pay day, regardless of the terrifying consequences.
When Laura Palmer confronts a UNICEF group for trespassing on her Egyptian archaeological dig site, she unwittingly stumbles upon the ultimate weapons deal, and becomes entangled in an international conspiracy that sends her lover, archeology Professor James Acton, racing to Egypt with the most unlikely of allies, not only to rescue her, but to prevent the start of a holy war that could result in Islam and Christianity wiping each other out.
From the bestselling author of Depraved Difference and The Protocol comes Brass Monkey, a thriller international in scope, certain to offend some, and stimulate debate in others. Brass Monkey pulls no punches in confronting the conflict between two of the world’s most powerful, and divergent, religions, and the terrifying possibilities the future may hold if left unchecked.
To sample or purchase Brass Monkey, please visit Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005L40KBO
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Broken Dove
A James Acton Thriller
Book #3
With the Triarii in control of the Roman Catholic Church, an organization founded by Saint Peter himself takes action, murdering one of the Pope's operatives. Detective Chaney, called in by the new Pope to investigate, disappears, and, to the horror of the Papal staff sent to inform His Holiness, they find him missing too, the only clue a secret chest, presented to each new pope on the eve of their election, since the beginning of the Church.
Interpol Agent Reading, determined to find his friend, calls Professors James Acton and Laura Palmer to Rome to examine the chest and its forbidden contents, but before they can arrive, they are intercepted by an organization older than the Church, demanding the professors retrieve an item stolen in ancient Judea in exchange for the lives of their friends.
All of your favorite characters from The Protocol return to solve the most infamous kidnapping in history, against the backdrop of a two thousand year old battle pitting ancient foes with diametrically opposed agendas.
From the internationally bestselling author of Depraved Difference and The Protocol comes Broken Dove, the third entry in the smash hit James Acton Thrillers series, where J. Robert Kennedy reveals a secret concealed by the Church for almost 1200 years, and a fascinating interpretation of what the real reason behind the denials might be.
To sample or purchase Broken Dove, please visit Amazon.com:
Click here to visit this book's Amazon page now.
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The Templar's Relic
A James Acton Thriller
Book #4
The Church Helped Destroy the Templars.
Will a twist of fate let them get their revenge 700 years later?
The Vault must be sealed, but a construction accident leads to a miraculous discovery—an ancient tomb containing four Templar Knights, long forgotten, on the grounds of the Vatican. Not knowing who they can trust, the Vatican requests Professors James Acton and Laura Palmer examine the find, but what they discover, a precious Islamic relic, lost during the Crusades, triggers a set of events that shake the entire world, pitting the two greatest religions against each other.
Join Professors James Acton and Laura Palmer, INTERPOL Agent Hugh Reading, Scotland Yard DI Martin Chaney, and the Delta Force Bravo Team as they race against time to defuse a worldwide crisis that could quickly devolve into all-out war.
At risk is nothing less than the Vatican itself, and the rock upon which it was built.
From J. Robert Kennedy, the author of six international bestsellers including Depraved Difference and The Protocol, comes The Templar’s Relic, the fourth entry in the smash hit James Acton Thrillers series, where once again Kennedy takes history and twists it to his own ends, resulting in a heart pounding thrill ride filled with action, suspense, humor and heartbreak.
The Venice Code (A James Acton Thriller, Book #8) (James Acton Thrillers) Page 26
