CHAPTER SEVEN—21ST CENTURY

 

Lying in bed I tried to put the evening’s events into perspective. Here I was in the middle of the Arizona desert. Just north of Mexico in a strange industrial complex waiting to meet a billionaire who has offered me five thousand dollars just to chat for a couple of days. I’ve just finished a gourmet meal, drank very expensive scotch, and now I’m smoking a real Cuban cigar. Another little treat Doctor Staan had in my trailer. There’s a high-speed guard outside my door, I continued, I’m surrounded by a chain link and razor-wire fence guarded by some of the best-trained rent-a-cops money can buy but I have no idea what I’m doing here.

Had I missed anything? No, that about puts everything into perspective. Might as well get some sleep.

I sat up and put the cigar in the ashtray on the nightstand. Taking another pull on the scotch I laid back down and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

 

The wide-screen monitor was filled with the bunker view. Members of Hitler’s staff were running in and out of his office reporting on the Russian advance into Berlin. Their voices were automatically translated by a Mark Nine Universal Translator developed by Abaddon Research and could be heard over loudspeakers in the operations room. There was a slight delay in the translation and the lips were out of sync giving the scene a B-grade foreign movie feel.

Doctor Leonard Staan, Danny Sullivan, and Lisa Lyons, Staan’ personal assistant watched the scene with three operations technicians there to monitor the computer and other equipment in the room.

“What time is Karl required to make the jump back”? Staan asked turning to one of the technicians.

A pimply-faced young man in a lab coat answered, “Sir, according to Karl, Hitler will commit suicide at approximately, 1330 hours Zulu. According to the mission clock he has about three more hours of useful past-time.”

“Good, very good has Karl been able to find the documents yet”?

“No sir, he’s still waiting for a full link with the host. He’s having trouble because of the interruptions by Hitler’s staff.”

“OK, then let’s keep him there until he can either pinpoint the documents’ location and get them to a safe place or it is time for Hitler to commit suicide, whichever occurs first. I don’t want to lose Karl,” Staan said turning toward the door.

“As you wish sir. Shall I keep you posted on Karl’s progress”?

“We need to get those papers. We need to find the next set of relics if the deep jump is going to work.”

“Will do sir,” the technician said returning to his computer screen.

Staan walked out of the operations room and into his adjoining private office. Sully and his assistant following closely behind him.

“We’ve got to find those papers if the deep jump is going to work,” Staan repeated to no one in particular. “Everything we’ve done to this point depends on finding those relics so we can send Karl to scout for us.”

Turning toward his partner he asked, “Sully, has the research department found any other possible sources?”

Sully looked at Staan. He never got tired of looking at him. Not that Sully was gay or anything like that, he assured himself, it was just that Staan was such a handsome man. Tall, about six feet four inches, and muscular his face was almost effeminate. His eyes were dark, almost black, they reminded Sully of a shark he’d once caught off of Cancun. His hair matched the eyes, jet black, and pulled back into a small ponytail. As usual, he was dressed in a Saville Row suit topped off with hand-made Italian shoes. Always impeccable, always in style, that was his partner, Doctor Nicholas Staan.

“Well Nicholas,” Sully began, “there is an obscure reference to a group called the Illuminati or the Knights Templar who may have stumbled upon an heir to our target.”

“The Holy Grail legends and the reference to Mary Magdalene is that what you are referring to Danny”?

Danny nodded.

“I hate to tell you but that is all a bunch of bullshit. I have personally researched that theory and even sent Karl back to talk with De Vinci to verify the theory. Karl said De Vinci heard about the legend and used some obscure references to build upon then added some of his love for codes to perpetuate an elaborate hoax. It was all a sham to get back at the Church. No, Danny, I am afraid that is a dead end.”

“Well, there’s…”

Danny was interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Yes, come,” Staan yelled.

The pimply-faced young man in a lab coat opened the door and stepped in.

“Excuse me doctor but Karl’s found the documents.”

“Outstanding Lewis, have Karl brought back as soon as he secures them.” Lewis turned and left the room.

“Alright Danny, Karl’s confined to the bunker so we’re going to need access to the bunker site to get the papers.” Danny nodded. “Do whatever it takes, pay whoever you have to, whatever, but get to those papers and get research moving on them as soon as you secure them.”

“Sure Nicholas, if you’ll excuse me.” Danny nodded at Staan then Ms. Lyons then turned and left the room.

Staan turned to Lisa.

“It’s all coming together. The relics are as good as in our hands. Professor Jason has arrived and if he agrees we’ll have just the right person to help us put our plan into motion.” Lisa smiled and moved toward him.

“Do you think he’ll be able to pull it off, doctor”?

“Yes, I do. I’ve spent a lot of time and money searching for just the right person. If he’s the man, I think he is he won’t have any problems accepting what needs to be done. In many ways he is a lot like me. He lost his wife, a devout Christian to a long, torturous bout with cancer. His writings and public appearances prove he is no friend of the Church and Christianity.” Staan turned and looked up at the large portrait behind him. She was so beautiful, he thought, so young when she was killed.

“I’ll need to interview him of course but I’m usually not too far off on people. No, we’ll have him on the team you can bet on that Lisa.” Staan smiled and wrapped his arms around Lisa’s waist. “Let’s call it a night shall we”?

Lisa smiled an impish smile and nodded. Staan turned and embraced her looking deep into her loving eyes. “Go ahead on up to the apartment I’ll be up shortly.”

She gave him a pout and thrust out her lower lip. “Don’t give me that look,” he said. “Go make yourself ready, I’m in a playful mood.”

“Yes dear,” she cooed. Parting from his embrace she kept her eyes on his as she backed toward the door then suddenly spun around and opened the door. Her hips swung just so as she turned, and he could feel a warmth in his loins. She knew just how to move her perfect body to arouse his desires.

He smiled thinking of her innate ability to tease him like that. Staan moved to the bar and poured a glass of brandy while studying his mother’s portrait. “Well Mother, we are almost there. Everything I’ve worked for these many years is beginning to fall into place. We’ll soon meet your so-called savior face-to-face and see if all the years you spent groveling at his feet were worth it. We’ll soon see this con artist for what he is, nothing more than a carnival huckster.” He lifted his glass in a toast to himself and slowly sipped the warm liquid.

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Filed under: Crossroad In Time • Writing

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