The Complete 8-Book Guardians Adventure Saga

by Summer Lee

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Dedication

  To all who are fascinated by the mystery of the Shroud!

  Acknowledgments

  To all who read and edited this book. Thank you so much for your help!

  The Shroud of Turin

  PROLOGUE

  Alan Cranston held the document in his hand. There was more proof on it than he wanted to believe. It read:

  “The blood on the Shroud of Turin has been sufficiently tested, and has been proven to be real, type AB, human male blood. Tested in Turin and confirmed in the U.S., this blood type is rare. Blood chemists found a high concentration of the pigment bilirubin, consistent with someone dying under great stress or trauma and making the color more red than normal ancient blood. A Texas Health Science Center found X&Y chromosomes, representing male blood and approximately 700 base pairs of degraded DNA, consistent with the supposition of ancient blood. Many Bible students believe this shroud was placed over Jesus when His dead body was placed in the tomb. The marks on the shroud occurred when Jesus rose from the dead with dynamite power, right through the cloth.”

  Cranston needed facts. He would find him a man to go in search of the truth about the shroud. Daniel DiBenedetto would be his man.

  ONE

  The Fresno campus of California State University was practically barren due to spring break.

  There was only a skeleton crew, including the assistant to the university president, Alan Cranston. Cranston was handling a maintenance problem and was gone from his office for some time. That would have been alright except for the fact that he had a visitor.

  The office was decorated in cardinal and blue, the school colors. There were banners and various sports balls signed by the entire team and the respective coaches. There was a ceiling high bookshelf beside the desk, which was filled with autographed copies of books written by alumni.

  The desk was old and made of maple wood. There were scratches and nicks all over the antique. The desk was cluttered with papers and paper clips. The round pencil holder, held several pens and pencils with the school’s logo on them.

  The blinds were open just enough to let the morning sun brighten the normally dimly lit office. Dust particles could be seen within the only rays of light coming in.

  Cranston’s leather office chair was a constant reminder to his visitor of how late the president’s assistant was in returning. The chairs for the guests were cushioned, but uncomfortable, nonetheless.

  The visitor fidgeted impatiently and sighed loudly again. He is used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it. He used his six-foot frame to intimidate those smaller than he was. He was in amazing physical shape to impress the ladies. His blonde hair and blue eyes were the icing on the cake.

  His nails were perfectly manicured to add to his grooming. His appearance was everything to him. That’s also how he judged people.

  The only sound in the office was the constant drumming of his fingers on the top of the desk. As his frustration increased, so did his drumming. The sighing slowly turned into low groans.

  As the door opened, the visitor exhaled as loudly as he sighed. “Finally!” he exclaimed, with a mixture of sarcasm and vigor.

  A middle aged man reluctantly entered the room without making eye contact. His expression was solemn as he pushed the wire-rimmed glasses up on his nose. Alan Cranston had black, greased hair with gray on the sides. He was clean shaven and had the hands of someone who had done manual labor all of his life. His green eyes usually sparkled when he smiled.

  He wasn’t smiling. “Mr. DiBenedetto. How are you?” He sat down in his leather chair and finally made eye contact.

  The visitor rolled his eyes and huffed. “How am I? Come on, chief! I’ve been here for an hour and a half!” He frowned. “What’s the deal with calling me by my last name?”

  Cranston took a breath and remained calm. “Daniel. I can’t understand what would bring you back so soon after you graduated.” He studied his face. “How are your parents?”

  “You know how my parents are,” Daniel said, gritting his teeth. “They cut me off! My richer than you-know-what parents can’t afford to keep me in Porsches and Armani!”

  Cranston narrowed his eyes at Daniel. “I was asking about their health. What happens between you and your parents—”

  “... is your problem,” Daniel interrupted. “You and my father go way back, Alan. I figure you owe me because of it.” Daniel sat back in his chair, with a Cheshire smile.

  “You were always a good kid, Daniel. I have no control what happens outside of this institution. You have your psychology degree. Why don’t you open a private practice? Fresno could always use more psychologists.”

  Daniel got up and walked toward the window. He peered out, as if lost in thought. “I like you, Alan. I really do. I’m not here to give you any trouble. I just want you to sponsor me for a grant.”

  Cranston’s eyes widened with surprise. “A grant? For what? You know that we don’t have anything at this campus that could support your degree. What exactly did you have in mind?”

  “That’s the question you should have asked before assuming that you can’t help me,” Daniel said, in a low tone. “I want a research grant for determining psychological ramifications on various cultures concerning artifacts. Specifically, biblical artifacts. You have names and connections to put me in touch with the powers that be who can make that happen.”

  Cranston stood up and turned toward Daniel. “Even if I could find someone interested in putting up a grant, this campus doesn’t have the resources to support that kind of research.”

  Daniel turned to face Cranston. “You and I both know that if you thought you could make a buck from it, you’d be all over this. I’m not stupid, Alan.”

  “I never said you were stupid,” Cranston responded with sincerity. “You aren’t stupid, but I can’t help you. I already know that I wasn’t the first person you approached about this.”

  “So, you’ve been checking up on me, chief?” Daniel smirked. “I thought as much.”

  Cranston placed a reassuring hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Why put yourself through this, Daniel? Why do you always have to take the road with the most obstacles, when there are so many more beneficial ways for you to succeed? I have seen many opportunities for you that other students would love to have. You turned your back on every open door and ended up with nothing. You have so much talent, Daniel. So much intelligence. No patience.”

  Daniel shook his head. “You don’t think I don’t know that? Why do you think I have high blood pressure? I’m not on three different meds for no reason!” He glared at Cranston and then headed for the door. “Fine! If you can’t help me, I’ll go get rejected by one of the other universities I haven’t been to yet!”

  “Wait!” Cranston gently grabbed Daniel’s arm and then immediately let go when the young man stopped in his tracks. “I may have an idea, Daniel. When I knew you were coming today, I did a little bit of research into your proposal.”

  “How did you know what I was going to propose?” Daniel asked with a confused look. “The only people who knew were... oh. You checked into the universities I already talked with.”

  The smile on Cranston’s face was mixed with a nervous anxiousness. “I wanted to be prepared for what I was going to suggest to you. I didn’t want this to be just another dead end for you. Believe it or not, Daniel, I want to help. Not just because I know your parents. I really want you to succeed.”

  Daniel let out a low sigh. “Well, that already separates you from them. They don’t care what happens to me.”

  “Don’t let your thoughts betray you, Daniel. Your parents cut you off to give you an opportunity to spread your wings without a safety net. They believe in you so much that they know you can succeed without their help.”

  Daniel stared at Cranston for several moments
without a sound. He narrowed his eyes as he attempted to figure the older man out. Was he trying to actually inspire, or was he just trying to protect his friends. Daniel’s inquisitive nature tried to take over, but he suppressed several questions that would have given Cranston the impression that he was interested in that line of thinking.

  He opened his mouth several times, as more of a tease to Cranston than anything else. He wanted to see how anxious the assistant to the president of the university was to get an answer.

  Cranston’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. That told Daniel everything he needed to know.

  “That’s a load of hooey, Alan,” Daniel finally replied, calmly. “They cut me off because I didn’t go in the direction that they had pre-programmed me to go in. If we’re done with the psycho-babble, I want to hear your idea.”

  Daniel made sure not to express the anger he felt at having to respond to anything to do with his parents. He learned how to control his emotions for just such an occasion.

  Yet, his foot started to tap impatiently on its own, as he waited for Cranston to reveal his plan.

  Cranston returned to his chair and placed his hands briefly on his desk. “I understand,” he said, with a disappointed tone. “Since I already knew what you wanted the grant for, I decided to make some calls and do some checking on certain potential areas of interest for you.”

  Daniel smirked. “That’s a lot of words, chief. Can you just get to the point?”

  “There’s one biblical artifact that is probably the easiest to access for your first research.” There was some trepidation in Cranston’s voice, which made Daniel feel paranoid. “The Shroud of Turin.”

  Daniel pushed his uneasiness aside and chuckled. “The Shroud of Turin? You mean the one in Italy? Are you serious? I know nothing about it.”

  “You’ll need to learn about it if you want the job. Take a minute and think it over. I’ll be right back.” Cranston stood and walked away. “I need to make another call.”

  Daniel opened his cell phone to his browser and Googled the shroud. He read, “New experiments date the Shroud of Turin to the 1st century AD. They comprise three tests; two chemical and one mechanical. The chemical tests were done with an Infrared, referred to as FTIR and a Raman test. They both examined the age of the cloth and a spectral property of ancient flax textiles. The mechanical test measured tensile strength. The results were compared to similar tests on samples of cloth from between 3250 BC and 2000 AD whose dates are accurately known...”

  Alan returned at that moment. “Well, what do you think?”

  “Looks interesting.” He scratched his head and cocked his head to one side. “Since I don’t think that they would be kind enough to bring the shroud to me, that means that I have to go there!” He intensified his voice. “To Italy!”

  “Calm down, Daniel,” Cranston replied, while obviously trying to stay calm, himself. “I already thought of that. There is one way that you can get to Italy free of charge. You do have to take care of your own food, though.”

  Daniel was surprised. He no longer bothered to contain his emotions. “What do I have to do? Catch a ride with someone who just so happens to be going there and won’t mind paying for someone they don’t even know?”

  Cranston looked up at Daniel over the top of his glasses, which had worked down to the tip of his nose. He seemed to search for the right words to avoid pushing the young man any further into shock. “Mm-m.”

  Daniel was dazed. “I’m right? You’re kidding me!”

  “You’re not entirely correct, Daniel,” Cranston answered, with reservation. “There is someone that I know who is going to Turin, Italy for basically a similar reason.”

  “Someone else had the same idea for research and you’re pairing me with them. Is that it?” He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth to refrain from saying something that he probably would regret, and it would be inappropriate anyway. “Who is this guy? Did he come up with the idea before you did?”

  “No, Daniel,” the older man said in a reassuring tone. “The person I’m thinking of would not be going to Italy for the same reason you would be going. She has her own agenda.”

  “She?” Daniel responded with a grin. “I guess this could be interesting. Is she pretty?”

  Cranston sighed. “She’s not there as an escort for you, Daniel. She would be doing you a tremendous favor by letting you go with her. She is a historian who has a strong passion for the artifacts in the past. In fact, at her age, it’s remarkable how much she has learned about many outdated objects. Quite an amazing young lady, if you ask me.”

  “Of all of the questions I asked you Alan, whether she was amazing wasn’t one of them.” Daniel paced the floor in front of the desk. “So I have to do everything she says. Is that it?”

  “Her trip has been paid for, Daniel. Yours has not. I suggest that you be extremely nice to her since whether you go and get back is completely up to her.”

  Daniel instantly calmed down with the realization of what Cranston said between the lines. “So she got a grant.”

  “How she got the money to get there is not important.” Cranston noticeably picked the words carefully, so he could say the right thing. “This is a great deal for you. You understand?”

  “Not important to you, maybe,” Daniel said, with a disturbing calmness. “It’s important to me. She has a grant and I don’t. You don’t have to hit me with your expanded vocabulary to make it sound better than it really is. I get it. Why choose the shroud?”

  Cranston took in a deep breath and exhaled. “As I stated, it’s the closest artifact that not only matches your criteria, but also exists mysteriously to the best of our knowledge. You can also decline if any of it makes you feel uncomfortable.”

  Daniel felt frustrated at the thought of having to compromise his agenda for someone he didn’t know. He also knew he was stuck in a pretty tight spot. If he wanted to get his foot in the archaeological door, he would have to play ball with Cranston... for now.

  “This proposal makes me uncomfortable right now, Alan.” He tried to show some sincerity, even though he was feeling angrier by the minute. “I guess like all of the other things that are happening in my life, I don’t have a choice in this either.”

  “I’m not going to play games with you, Daniel,” Cranston said, as if he was addressing an undisciplined child. “I believe this is your last chance to achieve anything close to what you want. If you want the job, it’s yours. If not, then don’t waste my time. The student I’m suggesting that you travel with is extremely intelligent. You shouldn’t waste her time either. She leaves for Italy in five days. I need to know your decision within 48 hours. Can you do that?”

  Daniel felt that his life was slipping away. When he had the backing of his parents, he was practically unstoppable with getting his way. He felt the pressure in his chest. His blood pressure was getting the better of him.

  He tried to smile, while his mind raced with thoughts of all of the pros and cons. “Alan. I have a question for you. How am I supposed to conduct my research when I’m on her dime? Won’t I be expected to follow her around like a puppy? Certainly, you have no plan to leave me unsupervised with someone my own age in a strange land filled with wonder.” He paused. “Do you?”

  His sarcasm was his safety valve. He could feel the pressure in his chest starting to ease. He was now in his element.

  Cranston didn’t flinch. That’s what Daniel wanted him to do. Cranston was supposed to be paranoid about the possibilities of Daniel being alone with a woman in Italy, but he was not. He was actually pleased.

  The older man opened up one of his drawers and pulled out a manila envelope. He placed it on the desk in front of Daniel. “That’s a good question. How will you be able to take the time to do your research with no materials?” Cranston’s smile became more apparent, which unnerved Daniel. “Daniel. I’m afraid that for the most part, you’ll just have to play it by ear.”

  Daniel tried to contain his sh
ock, to no avail. He glared at Cranston and then looked down at the envelope. “What am I supposed to do with this? Is there money inside?”

  The assistant to the president, got up and calmly walked to his door. He stood with his hand on the knob, staring at the younger man. “No. I told you about the conditions. The fact that you are even considering it, instills my confidence in you. You are thinking about throwing caution to the wind and taking a leap of faith, as it were.”

  “Come on, chief!” Daniel answered, adamantly. “You know I don’t believe in anything, but cold, hard cash and the many ways to spend it! Hah! I’m not brave or anything else! I... don’t... have... a... choice.”

  Daniel gritted his teeth. He was tired of the games and decided to trust his gut. At that moment, his gut told him to take what he could get and go for it. He would figure out the incidentals later.

  “You do have a choice, Daniel. You can go or not go. The choice is completely up to you. This may be your last chance for satisfaction. Just know that no one will take the responsibility for your decision but you.”

  Daniel looked away from Cranston and peered at a picture on the wall. He had already made up his mind, but he wanted the older man to think he was responsible for talking him into it. He smiled to himself.

  He had not lost his touch.

  “Alright, Alan. I thought about it and you’re right. I’m in.”

  With a wide grin on his face, Cranston looked somewhat relieved. “Good. Please take a look at the contents of the envelope before you leave my office.” He shook his hand. “I assume that your passport is up to date?”

  Daniel believed that the situation suddenly took a turn for the bizarre, as Cranston’s attitude changed in an instant. He was suddenly more composed and sure of himself. Daniel had a creepy feeling and laughed nervously. “Ha ha! This is like some weird James Bond flick. Huh?” He studied Alan’s new facial expression. “Are you okay?”