Keepers of the Lost Ark

by J. Robert Kennedy

  Laura stepped back, pointing at the Ark. “Okay, we need to move the Ark into position.”

  Father Amanuel stepped forward from his perch in the corner. “That’s how it broke.”

  Laura frowned, examining the two poles, one broken near the middle. “Okay, we’re going to have to temporarily replace them. The rings they go through appear to be solid gold and in good condition, so we should be able to use them to move it. Once it’s inside the unit, we’ll put the original poles back, seal it up, then you’ll probably never need to carry it by them again.”

  Amanuel frowned. “I don’t think we have anything that we can use to replace them.”

  Acton scratched his chin as he puzzled out the problem. “What about the fakes? Can you get the poles from them?”

  Amanuel smiled. “Yes.” He barked an order and two of the young men sprinted from the room.

  “How long?”

  “An hour. We should eat while we can.”

  Acton rubbed his stomach. “Good. I’m starving.”

  Amanuel issued some more orders, and within minutes food was brought to them in generous quantities. The workers huddled in one corner, eating in silence, while Acton and Laura sat on the floor, cross-legged, with Amanuel.

  “So, Father, tell me. Your group was created by Menelik about three thousand years ago?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, they were Jewish, then? Rabbis, not priests?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then why do you keep it hidden because of a prophecy from Jesus?”

  Amanuel took a drink of water. “We converted, as did most of the country, and with that came new interpretations of our then thousand-year-old mandate.”

  “And these others you spoke of, are they Christian too?”

  “Yes.”

  “And do they believe in the prophecy as well?”

  “Of course. Remember, nothing really changed. We’ve always worshipped the same God, experienced the same history. What Menelik asked of us wasn’t negated by the prophecy, it merely was reinforced by it. Menelik knew that the Ark must be hidden, he just didn’t know the real reason why. Jesus revealed that.”

  Acton swallowed something delicious. “What will you do if the Ark is found and the world finds out? With the way things are today, there’s no way you’ll be able to put the genie back in the bottle. There’d be photos and video all over the Internet. It would never be forgotten, which means the prophecy could never be fulfilled.”

  Amanuel smiled slightly. “Perhaps, though I’m sure God would find a way.”

  “I hope you’re right,” said Laura. “The way the world is today, I doubt we’ll get a second chance if it takes another hundred years, let alone three thousand.”

  Amanuel regarded her. “Do you fear for the future, Professor?”

  She nodded. “History is my specialty, and every great empire throughout time has fallen, usually when it becomes successful enough to attract those who would take, rather than contribute. Western civilization is at that point now.”

  Acton agreed. “We’re so far ahead of most of the rest of the world, that everyone wants to be inside our borders, and too often for the wrong reasons. It’s one thing to come, work hard, and become one with our ways, it’s a completely different thing to come and expect to be taken care of, then fight our ways. Today, you see it all the time where too many newcomers demand we change our ways to accommodate their beliefs, and being who we are, we too often agree.” He tore off a piece of sourdough flatbread, dipping it in something else delicious. “Let me ask you something, Father. If our society is so bad that it needs to be changed, then why does everyone want to come to America or to Europe? And why would you want to change things so that it’s like your former home? If things were so good there, why did you leave?”

  Amanuel nodded slowly. “I hear what you are saying, though I must admit I’ve never given it much thought. I never experienced your world until this week, and what I saw was both fascinating and terrifying. Your reliance on technology is something I don’t understand, nor do I desire to, though”—he motioned toward the equipment they had brought—“I do feel a little hypocritical saying that, as it is that very technology that is going to save the Ark. I do wonder, though, if it’s these newcomers, as you call them, demanding change, or do they provide you with a window into how others around the world live, and it makes you question whether your way is the only way.”

  Acton regarded the old man for a moment as he let his words sink in. It was an interesting proposition, though he didn’t agree with it. He decided to try being diplomatic. “Wise words, Father, and they’re words to consider, obviously.” He sighed. “I just get so frustrated when I see our great country being attacked by its own people, claiming we’re so terrible because of mistakes made decades or centuries in the past. Let’s move on. Let’s stop punishing people for things they said or did decades ago, and recognize that people, and countries, can change for the better over time.”

  Amanuel wiped his mouth. “Do you think perhaps how you treat these newcomers today is reminding you of your nation’s past, and you don’t like what you see?”

  Acton smiled slightly. This priest was extremely wise, posing questions that were deceptively simple, yet challenging. This was a man he would enjoy spending more time with, if only that were possible. “Perhaps, Father, though one of the problems facing Western civilization is the relatively new concept of multiculturalism. While I believe in embracing the best of all cultures, the fundamental flaw in the official definition of multiculturalism is the fallacy that all cultures are equally good, therefore we should embrace and tolerate all other cultures and their customs and beliefs.”

  “That sounds reasonable.”

  “In principle, yes, however the fallacy is that all are equal, when they are not. I refuse to believe that a culture that subjugates women, for example, is equal to mine, that forces women to cover themselves, or practices female genital mutilation, or sexual slavery, or is against democracy or a free press. I refuse to believe that those cultures are equally good as mine, and should be respected and tolerated within mine. That’s not to say that everything about cultures different than ours is bad, and I’m also not saying that everything about our own is perfect. What I am saying is that we need to realize it’s okay to say to another culture that some of their beliefs are wrong, and won’t be tolerated within our own.”

  “Interesting. You mention female genital mutilation. Here we have another name for it, obviously. It is quite a common practice here. Widely accepted. You think it is bad?”

  Laura nodded. “Barbaric, Father. Sorry, but female genital mutilation is something I can never support, nor can I believe any civilized person could.”

  “So, I am uncivilized?”

  Acton jumped at the opportunity to make his point. “See, and that is exactly the type of argument we see across America today. We built our country on a certain set of values, and it made us the greatest country that history has ever known. And now we’re supposed to believe that every other country in the world is equal to us culturally, and we should be ashamed if we feel pride in what we’ve accomplished and in our way of life that has made us the envy of the world. And if we express that opinion, we’re attacked.”

  “Do you feel I’m attacking you?”

  Acton chuckled. “Of course not, Father, and I hope you don’t feel I’m attacking you. What I’m saying is that everyone is entitled to their own culture, but should that culture, or aspects of it, not be compatible with the country you decide to move to, it is you that should adapt, not everyone around you.”

  “And you think that because of this, your society will collapse?”

  Acton shook his head. “No, it is merely a symptom of a bigger problem.”

  Laura put down her cup. “Don’t get him started on the Internet. You’ll never hear the end of it.”

  Acton laughed. “True. The age of anonymity is one of the major factors destroying our civili
zation. When trolls, hiding behind fake names, can destroy people’s lives and careers, quite often over something misinterpreted, decades old, or simply an outright lie, you have a problem. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

  “That sounds disturbing.”

  “It is, Father. Our country is more polarized than I think it has been in generations, perhaps ever, and it has to stop, otherwise we face a very uncertain future.”

  “One where your society collapses?”

  “Perhaps. Unfortunately, the country seems to be divided into two camps that each think the other is stupid, uninformed, or evil. How can you possibly have reasonable discourse if you think your opponent is a moron, or so evil they don’t have the right to express themselves?”

  Amanuel frowned. “I am but a simple man, but I would think that if one has water to quench one’s thirst, food to satisfy any hunger, and loved ones to surround oneself with, then that is enough. Would you not agree?”

  Acton smiled. “Of course, however it takes a healthy economy to provide that water and food, and it requires communities that respect each other, even if they disagree. How can you live a happy life when you hate the other half of society?”

  “I’ve seen similar problems here. Troubles between our Christian and Muslim brothers. Perhaps all societies are doomed to conflict.”

  “Perhaps, but those two groups have fundamentally different belief systems. In America, we have families that won’t sit down to dinner with each other at the holidays because of politics. How ridiculous is that?”

  “To allow something to come between family, to the point where you wouldn’t break bread together, is something I cannot fathom. I hope your people can find a solution.”

  Acton sighed. “I hope so too, though I’m not sure if there is one. Not with things the way they are.” He grunted, thinking of the Luddites he had encountered when they discovered Atlantis. “Perhaps the world would be a better place without so much technology.”

  Laura continued picking at the food. “Just get rid of the Internet. Problem solved.”

  Acton chuckled. “There’d be a Millennial uprising! Maybe if it wasn’t so anonymous. If people knew who you were when you posted, it might tone it down a bit.”

  “Doubt it.”

  “You’re probably right. The media would just fill the gap, and you know how ridiculous they’ve become over the past decade. Can you imagine if the newsmen of the past knew that one day their paper or television station would only report one side of the news, then claim anything that contradicted them was fake news? Nobody even considers the possibility anymore that they could be wrong. If someone disagrees, they’re lying, they’re evil, they should be tossed from office or tossed in jail.”

  Laura grunted. “Or killed.”

  Acton jabbed a finger at her. “Exactly. And that’s when you have societal collapse.”

  Amanuel regarded him for a moment. “It sounds to me that perhaps you too are filled with the hate that you disdain so much.”

  Acton’s eyes bulged and his jaw dropped at the priest’s statement. “I…” He wanted to defend himself, though wasn’t sure what to say. He quickly replayed his rant, trying to find where he might have crossed the line, but couldn’t see it. These were things he had said before, things his friends agreed with, things he knew others disagreed with. Was he just as bad as those he disagreed with so vehemently?

  He couldn’t be. Could he?

  Yet he had just dropped a ton of vitriol on an Ethiopian priest who couldn’t possibly fathom the problems he was describing, yet had asked questions so astute, and so simple, that he had to wonder if a reassessment of his own thinking might be in order.

  He sighed. “Father, perhaps you’re right. I hate what’s becoming of my country, and I guess, perhaps, I hate those who I think are responsible, though I don’t hate any one side.”

  Laura winked. “You hate both.”

  He chuckled, wagging a finger at her. “Nooo. I hate people on both sides, but not any one side. I guess it’s the extremists on both. Those few percent on the far left and the far right that are ruining everything for everybody. I consider myself part of the silent majority—”

  “Not so silent today.”

  He laughed. “Okay, you got me there. I just wish we’d stop just ignoring things, and instead challenge the idiocy that comes across our social media feeds. And instead of just turning off the news, express our opinions in a civil manner about the bias we see. Teach our children how to find out the truth, rather than have someone else’s version of the truth forced down their throats.”

  Amanuel regarded him. “Perhaps the truth lies in turning back to God.”

  “Perhaps, though most people in America still believe in God.” Acton’s stomach growled, loud enough for everyone to notice.

  Laura motioned toward it. “Perhaps you should shut your mouth and stuff it instead.”

  He patted Laura on the leg. “You’re right. I’ve said too much.”

  “Yes, you have, and poor Father Amanuel is simply too polite to say it.”

  Acton laughed, turning toward the priest. “I’m sorry, Father, if I’ve offended you, or wasted your time. Sometimes I just get so passionate about things, I find it hard not to express them.”

  “My job is to listen, my son, and I’m afraid with the task entrusted to me so many years ago, confession, and simply listening, are things I rarely get to partake in. I must say, I found what you had to say fascinating, and illuminating. I pay little mind to what happens beyond the walls of my church, instead devoting my time to prayer and ritual. It is refreshing if not disturbing, to hear the problems of regular people, especially from a country so different than mine. I will pray for you, and your country, tonight, and hopefully God will find a way to unite you once again, rather than divide you further.”

  Acton smiled. “That would be appreciated, Father. I think we need all the help we can get.” He stared at the food, his stomach grumbling once again, then smiled at Laura, still taking her fill. “I better eat before there’s none left.”

  She shrugged. “I make no apologies for focusing on the task at hand.”

  Acton eyed her. “Wait a minute. Didn’t you start this conversation?”

  She grinned. “Yup. And I egged you on, as well.”

  49 |

  Operations Center 3, CIA Headquarters Langley, Virginia

  “Sir, we’re starting to get hits on the suspicious arrivals Tesfay sent us.”

  Leroux turned to Tong, tearing his eyes away from the aftermath of what had just played out on the streets of Aksum, including the execution of one of the hostiles by an Ethiopian National Defense Force officer. “What can you tell me?”

  “So far, they’re all serious players in the underground antiquities business. It’s a who’s who of people that the professors probably hate.” Tong paused, her eyebrows rising. “Huh, we’ve got some familiar faces here.”

  Leroux turned to the screen as she brought up the files. “Our Russian friends from Athens. That can’t be good. Were they in that shootout we just witnessed?”

  Tong shook her head. “No, it looks like they were an ISIS-linked group, and a South African group. I don’t think we need to worry about either of them anymore.”

  Child agreed. “Ya think? They just wiped each other out. If only it were that easy every time.”

  Tong ignored him. “I think we’re dealing with three remaining groups, including our Russians, unless more arrive. Unfortunately, they all have a propensity for violence, and are all likely well-armed.”

  Leroux nodded. “Okay, check for any more unscheduled flights into Aksum, just in case. I doubt any of them will be flying commercial.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Leroux stared at the images of those that remained. “If they find out where the professors are, they won’t hesitate to kill them, though the Russians have shown some restraint in the past.”

  Child grunted. “If that’s not out of chara
cter, I don’t know what is.”

  Leroux chuckled. “Agreed. Get the files on these guys to Delta so they know what they might be facing.”

  “Yes, sir,” replied Tong.

  “How do these guys know where they’re going?”

  Leroux turned to Child. “Excuse me?”

  “Well, they can’t know more than we do, right? You’ve got all these guys showing up here because they were able to see Professor Palmer’s name and the delivery address for the generator on the invoice. Now they’re all in position, hoping to get some sort of intel on where the professors are, right?”

  “That’s a reasonable assumption.”

  “And we know they got their intel off the Dark Web, all from the same source.”

  “Right. Where are you going with this?”

  Child spun, staring at the ceiling. “Why don’t we just send them all to the wrong place?”

  Leroux stared at him for a moment then a smile slowly spread. “I like it. What did you have in mind?”

  “Maybe we kill two birds with one stone.”

  50 |

  Ganno Residence South of Aksum, Ethiopia

  Ganno embraced his two brothers, Theodros and Baruch, everyone awaiting him in his humble home all smiles and excited to see him despite only having been away for a few days.

  It was the longest any of the brothers had been apart.

  He sat, his wife bringing him water. He squeezed her hand. “It’s good to see you.”

  “It’s been too long. Don’t go away like that again.”

  Ganno chuckled. “I would have thought a break from me would be appreciated.”

  She gave him a look as she placed food out for their guests. “I guess I enjoy the difficulties you bring.”

  Ganno roared with laughter, the others joining in before attacking the food. His wife discretely excused herself, knowing the conversation about to happen wasn’t for her ears.