Oh, no .
Murphy tried it again. It still wouldn't start. He tried it a third time and it finally caught hold and turned over.
I hope it can still maneuver .
Talon had pulled in the backpack. He got out of the seat and unzipped the top part and looked in. All three bronze plates were there. He could also see two of the crystal lighting jars. He smiled smugly.
And now for Dr. Murphy .
He had just climbed back into the driving seat when he noticed some movement outside. He turned and looked out the viewing bay and saw a gray object filling up the window. Murphy was coming after him.
I don't think so, Dr. Murphy!
Quickly Talon pushed the lever in reverse and gave the Carson sub all the speed he could. It worked. He was able to go faster than Murphy's damaged sub.
The distance between the two subs grew. Talon briefly considered leaving with his spoils: the backpack and yet another clear victory over Murphy. But that wasn't enough. There was still a chance that the good doctor could make it to the surface. He wanted Murphy out of the picture for good.
340
Talon took the sub out of reverse. He could now maneuver into a better position to ram Murphy a third time.
His attention was fixed on Murphy's sub when he punched the Carson sub forward and to the left. What Talon didn't notice was that he had backed close to the sunken cargo freighter. As he turned and increased the speed, he ran into the crane arm that was sticking out from the ship. The outer point of the arm broke through the window of the Carson submarine like a dart going into a dartboard. Water began to rush in.
Murphy saw it all happen. He couldn't believe his eyes. He began to slow his ship. Finally Talon was getting what he deserved.
He was close enough to see a look of shock and horror on Talon's face. He watched as Talon struggled to undo his harness but couldn't get it to unlatch.
Murphy thought back to Talon choking Laura to death. How fitting that he would suffer the same fate. One of Murphy's outside lights was still working and gave him enough light to see the Carson sub fill with water.
Sweet Laura's justice has finally arrived .
Talon's eyes bulged with fear as the water level rose above his head. Then the lights in the Carson sub went black. Murphy watched as enormous bubbles of air escaped toward the surface. The weight of the water in the Carson sub caused it to slip off of the crane arm and drop into the sand next to the cargo freighter. A dust cloud of sand kicked up off the ocean floor, marking the spot that would forever be Talon's grave.
Murphy maneuvered a little closer and shined the light into the window. He could barely see Talon still strapped into the driving seat, his mouth and eyes wide open. The hair on his head was waving back and forth like grass in a gentle breeze. Murphy could see the backpack on the floor of the sub. Perhaps he could still retrieve it.
He heard a popping sound as the pressure outside the sub dislodged
341
a rivet, further deforming the hull. Water began rushing in even faster.
Murphy knew he needed to surface quickly or this would be his grave also. The plates would have to wait.
Murphy felt a chill and his body began to shake some more. He pushed the lever to maximum speed and began the ascent to the surface.
Murphy looked around. The floor was now a pool of water six inches deep and quickly getting deeper. He glanced back at his oxygen gauges. They were deep in the red. His heart started to beat faster as he realized he had a punctured oxygen line.
Then Murphy noticed that the gauge registering his ascent was not working. He really wasn't sure if he was rising rapidly or not, and had no idea how far he had to go to get to the surface.
Between his injuries and hypothermia setting m, he could feel himself getting light-headed. Or was it the loss of oxygen in the ship? He couldn't tell for sure. He was trying to hold his thoughts together but things seemed to be slipping away.
Murphy began to pray ... and then there was darkness.
342
SIXTY-SIX
SOMETHING INSIDE MURPHY began to stir. He tried to open his eyes but it seemed very difficult. Slowly his eyelids fluttered a little and then opened. He immediately closed them again. The bright light was painful. He tried again, squinting and blinking until his eyes began to focus.
He was disoriented. Where was he? What was going on? Was he dead? Was he in Heaven? Soon his mind started to clear. He was in a bed and there were tubes in his arms and an oxygen tube in his nose. The bright light he saw was the sun shining in the window of the room.
He look around and could tell that it was a hospital but certainly not a modern one. The room was small... there was no television ...
343
the bed was old ... and the green paint on the walls was chipping off. Out the window he saw some distant mountains.
Where am 1?
As he took a breath of air, he felt a pain in his left side. He then became aware of bandages wrapped around his chest and his head. He tried to move a little, only to realize that his left leg was in a cast.
Then it all began to come back to him. He remembered the discovery of the backpack ... the rammings and the breaking of his ribs and leg. He recalled the image of Talon harnessed into the seat of the sunken submarine.
But how did I get here?
An hour passed before anyone entered his room. The first person to come in was an older nun. She moved quickly over to the bed and looked at him and smiled. She was unmistakably excited. She then began speaking to him in a foreign language that he did not understand. Murphy shook his head back and forth.
"I'm sorry but I don't understand you."
She patted his arm and left the room.
It wasn't long before she returned with a doctor and a nurse. They too spoke to him in a foreign language. He again shook his head, indicating that he did not understand. The doctor then began to examine him, listening with a stethoscope and looking into his eyes. Soon they brought him food to eat. This continued for another day.
About midafternoon the next day, Murphy was occupied looking out the window at a bird circling in the sky when he heard a familiar voice.
"It's about time you rejoined the land of the living."
He turned and looked toward the sound. The large body of Levi Abrams filled the doorway. He had a big smile on his face.
"Levi!"
He came over and shook his hand. As he did, Murphy groaned a little.
344
"Oh, are we getting soft in our old age? Can't you take a little blow in the side?"
"It feels like one of your karate punches."
Levi laughed.
"Levi, what happened? Where am I? How did I get here?"
"Somehow you were able to maneuver to the surface with the mini-submarine. No one knows how you did it in your condition."
"All I remember is passing out."
"A fishing trawler happened to be in the area and saw something floating on the water in the distance. They motored in your direction and found the mini-sub. The fishermen opened the hatch and discovered you unconscious in the driving seat. They could tell that you were badly injured. They said that you had lots of blood on you. They loaded you onto their boat and brought you back to the port in Burgas and you were put in the hospital on the outskirts of the town. I swear, you must have nine lives like a cat."
"That explains the hills outside of the window. Those are the Bulgarian Mountains."
"We'd alerted the Bulgarian Navy and they had begun a search for you. When the fishermen found you, they also called the navy and the mini-sub was towed back to the harbor."
"How long have I been here?"
"Three weeks."
"Three weeks? You've got to be kidding."
"No. Your head wound caused you to go into a mild coma. The doctors set your leg, fixed your broken ribs, and repaired your lung. I asked them to contact me when you awakened from your coma ... and here I am."
&nbs
p; "I'm glad you're here, Levi. You've been a good friend."
"Well, that's the least I can do. Anyone who pulls me half-dead out of a collapsing tunnel deserves a vacation in Bulgaria."
"Some vacation. When do you think I can get out of here?"
345
"The doctors say you'll have to undergo physical therapy for the break in your leg. It was pretty bad. It will also take some time for that punctured lung to heal. They say that you will have at least another month before you can leave."
"A month?"
"Aren't you lucky? You get to relax and breathe fresh mountain air for a whole month."
"Well, I guess it will give me some time for reading and thinking."
"Michael, let me be honest with you. You will probably walk with a cane for a while and limp for several months afterward. However, the doctors think you will be able to make a full recovery after rehab."
"Thanks for being truthful. At least I know what I have to look forward to."
"Michael, I've got to ask you. Did you find the backpack? It was not on the mini-sub."
Murphy told Levi about finding the backpack and getting rammed by Talon before he got skewered like a shish kebab and drowned.
"I can't think of a better place for Talon to be," Levi said.
"Agreed. The backpack is still on the Carson submarine at the bottom of the Black Sea."
"Well, at least it's not in the wrong hands yet. We can mount a salvage operation to retrieve it if you tell me where it is."
Murphy just smiled.
"You're not going to tell me, are you?" Levi said.
Murphy shook his head. "After what I've been through, I want to be there when it's found. And I'm not quite up to the trip just yet. I still have a difficult time breathing."
Levi laughed.
"Oh, come on. Are you a wimp?"
Murphy laughed, but it hurt. "Have you found out any information about the Seven?"
346
"No. They are very elusive. But at least we know one thing about them now."
"What's that?"
"They no longer have their chief assassin working for them."
Murphy smiled and nodded his head in agreement.
347
SIXTY-SEVEN
GANESH SHESHA and Señor Mendez stopped to look at the Fountain of Apollo and the Grand Canal.
"Have you ever seen anything like this before, Señor Mendez?"
"No, I haven't. Nothing in all of South America could compare to this."
"I would have to agree with you. I've traveled throughout India and even the Taj Mahal can't quite compare to this. I think it was a wonderful idea for John Bartholomew to schedule our meeting here at the Château de Versailles. I have been to Paris many times but this is my first visit to this majestic place."
"Look, Ganesh. Bartholomew is waving for us to join the others."
348
Shesha and Mendez rejoined the group and Bartholomew commenced speaking.
"If I may have your attention. Today we will meander through the château grounds and the various buildings. Naturally I have arranged to have the entire area for our sole enjoyment, and no tourists will be admitted today. Every now and then we will stop and conduct a little business. I think it's a grand way to combine business and pleasure."
Sir William Merton was not quite as enthusiastic. Wearing his black cleric outfit in the bright sun was making him perspire. That, along with the fact that he was grossly overweight and it was almost a mile walk from the Fountain of Apollo back to the château. It was depressing.
It wasn't long before they reached the Fountain of Latona, with frogs and turtles spewing water out of their mouths.
Bartholomew spoke. "You see how all the animals circle the statue of Latona. This is what will happen when De La Rosa unites the various religions of the world. They will circle around him as the world's religious leader. They will look to him for leadership. Like spokes of a wheel all leading to the hub, he will lead them all to come to him for ultimate wisdom. And when Talon returns with more Christian artifacts, it will only increase his powers and influence."
"Very good," said Viorica Enesco. "May I add to your thoughts, John? Just as the animals of the fountain spout out water from their mouths ... the religious leaders will spout out the same doctrines and the same orders from their leader."
"Well done, Viorica. You now see how to conduct business and pleasure."
After about an hour of walking through the fabulous gardens the Seven arrived back at the château.
When they came to the King's Bedchamber they stopped. General Li began the conversation.
"Look at all the gold in this room, on the walls, the fabric of the bedcovers, and the large hanging drapes. This reminds me of our plan
349
to gain economic control of all the wealth of the world. Señor Mendez is assisting us by gaming control of all of the oil produced in South America. He has been doing a wonderful job in convincing the leaders of Venezuela to withhold sending oil to the United States."
"And don't forget our influence on Syria and Iran," spoke up Jakoba Werner. "By moving the United Nations to Babylon we begin to be able to influence how much oil is produced and who should receive it. It will enhance our ability to manipulate economies around the world. Besides, the environmentalists in the United States are so paranoid about drilling in Alaska and other places. They will hamper oil production in America. And if they have a few more hurricanes, they'll be in a real fuel crisis."
The next stop was in the Royal Chapel. The entire group gazed up at the ceiling high above. They were all silent until Sir William Merton spoke.
"As you look up in the central part of the chapel vault, you can see a painting by Antoine Coypel. It depicts the Heavenly Father in His glory announcing to the world the promise of redemption. It almost makes me sick to look at it. You are looking at our enemy ... and the enemy of our leader, who is just about to make his presence known. Herein lies our struggle. We must do everything in our power to convince the world that redemption does not come through Christ. Redemption will only come through the power of 'the Boy,' who is now a man. He will come in all of his glory in just a few short days."
Everyone nodded his or her head in agreement. They continued the tour into other rooms.
"This is the Great Hall of Mirrors. Look at all the golden statues and the mirrors on the walls. They reflect the majestic paintings on the ceiling and the light streaming through the windows. It reminds me of the reflection of great power and miracles that De La Rosa is able to perform," said Jakoba. "Just as light comes in the windows, I think that he will seem like a spiritual light to the simple-minded followers. To them he will become an angel of light. They will not be
350
able to tell the difference between the reflection of true light or false light."
The group moved on and Sir William Merton spoke again.
"This is the Hall of Battles. Louis-Philippe had artists produce thirty-five large paintings portraying fourteen centuries of French history through great military battles. I want to remind you that we have some great battles ahead of us. One battle will be to destroy the nation of Israel. They have been a thorn in the flesh of all nations around the world. Another battle is to diminish the voice of those who call themselves Christians. They pretend that they have a relationship with God and that God only cares about them. Ridiculous! The world would be a better place without those narrow-minded, judgmental hypocrites. We must renew our efforts against them."
John Bartholomew raised his hand.
"You know, I'm getting a little tired of walking. How about driving back into the city for a good meal and some fine wine. Besides, I'm a little tired of talking about the future. It will come soon enough. We all know what we have to do. We need a little break before we redouble our efforts."
"Hear! Hear!" said Sir William Merton.
General Li spoke. "I think that we all should show our appreciation to our m
eeting planner."
Everyone looked at John Bartholomew and politely clapped.
In the midst of their clapping, Bartholomew's cell phone rang. He answered but said little to the person who called. This made the others curious. They could not hear what was said but they saw Bartholomew's face grow red. He was not happy.
He finally flipped closed his cell phone and looked at the group.
"What's wrong?" asked Sir William Merton.
"That was one of our operatives in Istanbul. They've been waiting to hear from Talon but all has been quiet. They made some inquiries and found out that Dr. Michael Murphy has been hospitalized for a number of weeks in Bulgaria. They bribed one of the nurses, who told
351
them that some fishermen on the Black Sea had rescued Murphy. With some further digging, they discovered information that suggests that Talon may have been killed. It seems that the secret of the Philosopher's Stone may be on a submarine at the bottom of the ocean."
"We must stop this Michael Murphy!" said Jakoba Werner. There was fire burning in her eyes.
"Yes, I agree," responded General Li. "But if Talon is dead, who will do our assassination work?"
John Bartholomew unleashed a sinister smile.
"This is not the first time I've had to think about a possible change in plans. For the last year and a half I have not been happy with Talon and his arrogance. During that time, I made discrete inquires about a possible replacement for Talon. I have found someone, and I have already placed this individual on a retainer. He has just been waiting in the wings for me to give him the green light. He was prepared to eliminate Talon and his murderous falcons. In fact, he can hardly wait to get started."
Ganesh Shesha seemed excited. "That is a wonderful backup plan, John. Who is this individual and where does he live?"