Chapter 17
Egyptian Desert
Sean had been on his share of airplanes. From small, one-prop puddle jumpers, to jet fighters, he’d pretty much seen it all. He had never traveled in the back of an old cargo plane before, but it didn’t seem to bother him much. Professor Firth, on the other hand, was quite uncomfortable.
Jabez and his men had hurried them over to a local airstrip, if it could be called that. The airport was little more than a flattened out field of dirt and sand. Their new acquaintance had a pilot in their group, along with an old twin-prop plane, a DC-3 if Sean hadn’t missed his guess. Sean had seen lots of those kinds of planes in the movies, but he had never had the chance to get up close to one in real life. Now he was flying in one.
Despite the plane’s age, it flew fairly steadily, though the few times they hit pockets of turbulence, the metal body creaked and moaned as if it might bend, and eventually snap in two. Sean was unconcerned about that. The professor was an entirely different story. The older man leaned over with elbows on knees, trying not to get sick.
Adriana seemed unaffected, completely absorbed in a worn, leather-bound book. It carried a similar appearance to the diary they’d used to help find the chamber of gold in Ecuador. But it wasn’t the same book. This one displayed Greek lettering on the outside, and had a strange marking in the center of the cover. The symbol looked like an ancient clock, or maybe a compass. It was hard to tell.
“We should arrive in Istanbul within a few hours,” Jabez interrupted Sean’s thoughts suddenly, approaching from the cockpit. “From there it is only a few hours drive to the Valley of the Eight.”
Sean thought about the city. Istanbul. It was an odd mix of cosmopolitan life and old world tradition, thrown into a blender and set on puree. Very few places in the world had people’s lives on display the way that town did. The poor, the wealthy, and the huge middle class were all out for everyone to see.
He hadn’t been there for pleasure or people-watching though. Sean had been there on a mission with Axis. Those were memories he’d rather not relive. But as the plane cruised through the sky, he knew it was a distinct possibility.
“Have you ever been to Istanbul,” Jabez sat down and looked over at him.
“Only once,” Sean nodded.
“It is fascinating place.”
“I didn’t really get a chance to look around. I was trying to not get killed.”
“Oh?” Jabez asked, puzzled.
“Yeah. I was there on a mission. Not as a tourist or a treasure hunter.” He added air quotes to the last few words, remembering what had been said about his current agency.
Sean’s Middle Eastern companion smirked at the comment. Six of Jabez’s men had come with them on the plane. Each one of them stared straight ahead, like the guards outside Buckingham Palace.
“How did you, and all these other guys come to be in this order of guardians?” Sean waved a finger at the men on the other side of the plane.
“One does not choose to become a member. We were each chosen, picked by former members.” As he spoke, Jabez stared across at his men with reverence.
“How did the Brethren come about? I think it’s a little weird that you guys are the protectors of the ark, but you don’t know its true location.” Sean didn’t try to hide his skepticism.
“We are direct descendants of Japheth, one of the three sons of Noah. When Canaan, Noah’s grandson, left the Valley of the Eight, he swore that, someday his children would return and claim their rightful inheritance. Japheth made his sons take an oath to never let that happen. We are to keep the children of Canaan from finding the ark. The safest way to do that was to keep the true location of Noah’s ship in total secrecy.”
Sean frowned, clearly lost. Adriana had closed her book and scooted closer to listen in on the conversation. Seeing Sean to be a little confused, she spoke up.
“You are referring to the curse, aren’t you?” The question seemed random, but Jabez’s eyes widened slightly, telling her she’d hit the mark.
“What do you know about it?” His eyes continued to pierce hers.
She merely shrugged. “I have heard things.”
“In your line of work, I am sure you hear many things. Don’t you?”
She cocked her head sideways but never gave in to his stare, holding it firmly in her own. “It is advantageous to keep aware of whisperings in the shadows. That is where I get most of my information.”
Sean listened intently to the conversation, wondering where it would lead.
Adriana went on. “The legend of the curse comes from the Bible, in the book of Genesis, to be precise.” Jabez nodded, so she kept talking. “As the story goes, Noah became drunk one night. When his son, Ham, came into his tent, the scriptures say Ham laughed at his father. The other two brothers, Shem and Japheth, heard a commotion and came to see what was going on. Upon entering the tent, they saw their naked father and Ham, apparently shaming him. The other two boys clothed their father and took care of him.”
The plane hit some turbulence, and dipped down quickly for a few seconds. The professor leaned over even further. His face was bright red, clearly on the brink of vomiting. He reached over and grabbed a small paper bag from a nearby rack then held it in front of his mouth, just in case.
Adriana ignored Firth, continuing her tale. “The texts said that God placed a cursed on Ham, and his descendants. In particular, his son Canaan would be the first to feel the curse, and all of his generations after.”
“Very good,” Jabez nodded. His eyes were slits, studying the Spanish woman. “I am impressed. You have learned your Bible stories. But what do you know of the stories not in the old books?”
Sean was basically on top of the two of them, as he pressed in further to better hear what she knew.
Adriana rolled her shoulders. “Just myths and legends.”
Jabez continued his stare, as if willing the words to come from her mouth.
She finally submitted. “It is said that Canaan left the sacred mountain and the Valley of the Eight. He took his wife and children, moving southwest.” The Arab nodded as she went on. “Canaan’s family traveled far, going through what is now Jordan and Israel, to settle in Egypt.”
Sean finally interrupted. “So, the first settlers of Egypt were the grandchildren of Noah from the Bible?” He sounded skeptical, though based on the things he’d seen over the past few months, anything was possible at this point.
“That’s the legend,” Adriana agreed.
Jabez cut in. “It is more than a legend, my friends. It is a historical fact.”
The plane surged again. This time was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Firth. He stumbled toward the back of the plane and heaved into the bag. Jabez raised a suspicious eyebrow.
“It seems the professor does not enjoy flying.”
Firth was doubled over in the rear of the plane, but he heard the comment and twisted his head over his shoulder to cast an annoyed gaze. “I am sorry if I am just not used to flying in a cargo bay,” he replied in a barbed tone.
Sean was intent on finishing the story. “So, Canaan left and came to Egypt. What does that have to do with the chambers, especially the ones in the western hemisphere?”
“Do you not see?” Jabez almost seemed sympathetic.
“No,” Sean shook his head, clearly not connecting the dots.
Jabez took another deep breath. “When Canaan reached southern Egypt, he established a community there, in Nekhen. His ancestors became the first settlers of the ancient land.”
Sean interrupted. “That would explain the old age of the site.”
“Yes. But the ruins at Nekhen are only part of the story,” Jabez apprised. “By the time they had settled the village, Canaan was a fairly old man. He had grown tired of running. So, he stayed in southern Egypt, where he died.
“After a generation had passed, many of the people in the area referred to Canaan as a minor deity. A few even claimed his father,
Ham, was a god of gods. Many of the original Egyptian myths were derived from the stories of Canaan and his father. There were many, though, who remained true to the one God. And they remained afraid of the curse that had been placed upon their family.”
“It all makes sense, now,” Sean cut in again.
Adriana’s eyes stitched together. “What do you mean?”
“All the stuff we found back in the U.S. down in South America. Tons of Egyptian artifacts.” Sean could see she still didn’t follow what he was getting at. “Before we found the first chamber, Mac told us that he believed the ancient Egyptians had built boats, capable of travelling vast distances. His theory was that the Egyptians travelled to the Americas in search of a new life and possibly more resources.”
Jabez grinned slightly at the revelation.
Sean went on. “But what if they weren’t coming over to establish a colony? What if they were running from something, something that was so powerful, it would mean the end for their entire existence as a people?” He thought for a moment, rubbing the right temple of his head to hone his thoughts. “The pyramids. The symbols. Even the language. All of it made its way to the Americas. We found pyramids in Georgia for crying out loud. I can’t believe Mac was right about all that.” The last part came with resignation.
“Yes, Mr. Wyatt. Now you see. Many children of Canaan built boats. It was easy for them since their ancestors had pioneered the idea.” Jabez gave a good natured grin as he spoke.
Sean still seemed in a daze of hurried thoughts. “Mac said they found an ancient navy out in the middle of the desert not too long ago.”
Jabez confirmed with a nod. “They went as far away as possible to escape the curse, traveling through what is now the United States and South America. The native cultures that were established are all descendants of the line of Canaan.”
“And they left clues as to where they came from and how to get home,” Adriana included.
“That is correct.” Jabez wringed his hands for a minute in quiet contemplation. His fingers were worn, and dark, probably from years in the sun. The man was visibly concerned. On his face, Sean and Adriana could see the wheels were turning.
“How does your group fit in to all of this?” Sean voiced what his thoughts had rolled over for a few hours. “You said you were the descendants from the other sons of Noah. Then, you said you were chosen. Which is it?”
Jabez’s face creased slightly at the question. “Good question. We believe every person in the world comes from one of the three sons of Noah. We are chosen based on that lineage. Though, now it must have surely been diluted. We consider ourselves descendants based on our creed more than blood at this point.”
Firth seemed to have gotten over his nausea and was leaning back against the wall of the plane in an attempt to relax. His chest still heaved huge breaths, and his face was pale. The paper bag hung loosely in one hand.
He spoke up for the first time in a while, his eyes staring up at the ceiling as he did. “You still haven’t told us how we will be able to find the ark. You said you don’t know the location of it. If Lindsey has the clue, and we get there before he does, it won’t make a difference. What are we going to do, sit around and watch where they go and simply follow?”
The grin on Jabez’s face grew a little bigger. Wrinkles creased under his eyes. “Mr. Lindsey may not have the only clue to the ark’s location.”
Chapter 18
Cairo, Egypt
A tin-colored airplane hangar sat off to the side of the main airstrip to Cairo’s international airport. Inside, Alexander Lindsey’s private jet, a white G6 Gulfstream, was revving up its twin engines, getting ready to depart. Lindsey had called ahead for the pilot to make preparations, so they could depart immediately upon arriving in Cairo.
Kaba whipped the vehicle around on the tarmac and stopped it inside the cavernous shelter next to a black Yukon Denali. Lindsey didn’t wait for anyone to open the door for him, even though there were six men in tight, black outfits standing by when they pulled in. He had a plane to catch, and time was of the essence.
The old man flung open the door and shuffled toward the plane, moving faster than DeGard expected possible. The Frenchman took his time, allowing one of the bodyguards to open his door.
“Load everything up immediately,” Lindsey ordered over his shoulder to Kaba.
She nodded and began issuing orders to the six men standing in a forward facing line near the other SUV. They simultaneously broke rank and began opening doors and unloading black plastic cargo boxes. They systematically carried the units over to the underside of the plane where a nearly empty storage bin awaited with a door propped open.
DeGard watched as the men busily emptied the vehicle and loaded the plane with the supplies. He frowned and raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Are you planning on starting a war? Or starting a colony?”
Lindsey had already begun his ascent of the stairs to board the plane. He looked back down at DeGard and frowned. “We are already in a war,” he said loudly over the whine of the jet engines.
DeGard wasn’t sure how to react, and simply stood at the base of the staircase, watching the older man as he disappeared into the innards of the plane. After a few moments, he followed reluctantly up the steps and into the cabin.
Inside, the interior of the G6 was luxurious. Every seat was upholstered in tan colored leather. The floor was a dark hardwood, contrasting the color tone of the leather seats. DeGard slipped into one of the backward facing seats across from his employer and fastened the seatbelt.
Lindsey was deep in thought, staring out the nearby window. His chin rested on the two middle fingers as his index finger slowly scratched the skin on his cheek. The white hair on his head was disheveled and scraggily, showing parts of his freckly skull beneath.
“What are you thinking about?” The Frenchman’s voice was huskier than usual.
Lindsey snapped from his thoughts suddenly, slightly surprised. “It is a shame that Will hasn’t reported in. I fear the worst has happened. It isn’t like him to go more than a few hours without checking in.”
DeGard offered no sympathy. “He is expendable. Just like all the other grunts who work for you.” He shrugged and played his hands as if he were throwing away a piece of wadded up paper. “Let it go.”
The old man’s face boiled. His tired, gray eyes filled with fury, and he leaned over the space between the seats so he was close to level with DeGard’s knees. “You shut your mouth, Frenchman, or I will shut it for you permanently. Do you understand? Will is not expendable. He is my most trusted asset.
Kaba entered the cabin of the plane and saw Lindsey’s blushing face hovering close to DeGard. She interrupted their exchange with a rare smile. “Someone is here I think you will be happy to see.”
Lindsey’s expression turned curious. “Who could I possibly want to...” Before he could finish, Kaba stepped out of the way and allowed a young man, probably in his upper twenties, to walk by. He was lean and athletic, with shortish brown hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in a few days. His jacket was torn, and the dust on it matched the grime and dirt on his pants.
“Sorry I’m late, Sir. I had to catch a ride out in the desert.” Will staggered in, but remained standing.
The old man’s face lit up in a fraction of a second, but he squelched the emotions just as quickly. The brief joy that Lindsey had shown was strange for DeGard to behold, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
Lindsey stood up and offered the younger man a seat next to where he’d been. Will slouched down, exhausted.
“What happened to you?” Lindsey asked, sounding slightly annoyed. “I’ve tried calling you but your phone goes straight to—”
“I got shot,” Will interrupted. “Sean Wyatt shot me, and I fell off the train.”
Lindsey appeared genuinely concerned for the briefest of seconds. “Shot? Where? Do you need medical attention?”
Will shook his head slowly and po
inted to the side of his chest that the bullet had stopped. “Those phones you gave us, they’re pretty tough. The thing stopped the bullet. Otherwise I’d have a ripped apart lung, and probably be dead.”
The realization hit Lindsey. “The phone stopped the bullet?” Again, Will nodded. He doubted his employer would bother him about the phone calls anymore. A bullet explained everything.
“You’re quite fortunate,” the old man stated. “We need to get you some food and water.” He turned his attention to the young woman still standing at the front of the plane. “Kaba, could you get something for Will to eat and some water.”
She gave a quick nod and started to head to the back of the plane, but Will reached out and grabbed her leg, stopping her in mid stride. The move would have been one that could have gotten an ordinary man killed, or at least the arm bent in an awkward and broken direction. For Will, she would allow it.
“Along with that water, could you bring me a scotch on the rocks. I need a drink in the worst way.” She passed him a sliver of a grin and continued down the aisle.
Will turned his attention back to the other two who were looking at him like he was a breathing dead man. “So, where are we going?”
“Turkey,” the Frenchman spoke up. “I believe that the clue we discovered points the way to the mountains of eastern Turkey. Not that we’ll find anything of interest there.” The last part he nearly said under his breath, but both counterparts heard the jab. They also both decided to ignore it, Lindsey merely casting a snide glare.
Will leaned back in the leather chair and put his head against the headrest. “So, that’s where this journey will end and a new one will begin.” Before he could begin to relax, a thought occurred to him and he sat back up quickly. “What about Wyatt and his little group.”
Sean Wyatt Compilation Box Set Page 69
