by Alex Lukeman
"I want your word that you will not speak of what I am going to show you."
"I give you my word."
"Look to your left, Nick."
Nick turned to his left. A bank of lights came on, illuminating a raised dais covered with a blue cloth. Upon it, the true Ark of the Covenant shone golden under the bright lights. Seeing it, Nick realized the copy had been only a pale imitation. He took a deep breath. Something unseen emanated from the Ark, a sensation of radiant warmth that washed over him. A sense of subtle power. He wasn't a religious man, but he had an almost overwhelming urge to fall to his knees. He gazed on it for what seemed like a long time.
The lights went out. Nick turned back to the gallery. Something had just happened, with the sight of the Ark. Something important. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, exactly. Maybe it would become clear once there was time to think about it.
Adam's electronic voice echoed through the hangar. "Few have seen that," he said. "You have earned the privilege."
Nick knew what he had to do.
"I'll help you with Harker."
"We expected no less. If you wouldn't mind, please return to the car."
The driver waited by the open door. It was always the same man. Nick got in. The door closed and after a moment the Cadillac started and began to move. The ride back from wherever he'd been was silent. It seemed shorter, coming back.
The car stopped. Nick waited for the sound of the lock releasing. The drawer in the partition slid open. It contained his gun and phone. It also held a manila folder. The folder was stamped with red letters.
TOP SECRET
RESTRICTED CLEARANCE ONLY
The folder was scuffed, old. Adam's voice came through the speaker. "We debated giving this to you and decided that you had a need to know. The papers in that folder are the only copies. They will affect you personally. I suggest you think carefully before you do anything with what you find there."
Personally? What the hell did that mean?
The lock on the door clicked. Nick picked up his gun and phone. He took the folder. The drawer slid back into the partition.
"Goodbye, Nick."
He got out of the car and watched it pull away into the Washington traffic. It was early evening. He opened the folder. Inside was a sheaf of CIA surveillance and action reports. The first one was dated January, 1986.
He saw the name of the subject of the reports and knew things were about to change in ways he couldn't predict. Joseph Edward Connor.
Selena's father.
Then he saw the signature of the case officer handling the surveillance.
William Connor.
Selena's uncle.
Acknowledgements
My Wife, Gayle.
Penny, Gloria, Bruce, Valerie. Thank you for your keen eyes and observations.
Another great cover from Neil Jackson. Thanks, Neil.
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The Project Series
White Jade
The Lance
The Seventh Pillar
Black Harvest
The Tesla Secret
The Nostradamus File
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