The Book of Fate

41

“… but that’s the problem with hiding a treasure,” Nico said as the early morning sun punched through the damp Georgia clouds. “You don’t pick the right spot, some stranger’s gonna come along and dig it up.”

But to say they hid it in a map…

“Dammit, Edmund, it’s no different than hiding it in a crossword or a—” Cutting himself off, Nico gripped the steering wheel and turned toward his friend in the passenger seat. It was harder than he thought. Trusting people never came easy. But Nico understood the power of the Lord. The power that delivered Edmund to his side. From the rearview mirror, the wooden rosary swayed in a tight circle, like a marble in its last seconds before circling down an open drain. Edmund was sent for a reason. And Nico knew never to ignore the signs. Even if it meant exposing his own weaknesses. “I’m not crazy,” Nico said, his voice soft and tender.

I never thought you were. By the way, you sure you’re okay driving?

“I’m fine. But just know, if you wanna help, you need to understand that this battle didn’t start eight years ago. It started in ’91.”

1991?

“1791,” Nico said, watching Edmund’s reaction. “The year they drew the battle lines… by drawing the city lines,” he explained, jabbing a finger against the map that was spread out across the wide dashboard between them.

City lines to what? Washington, D.C.?

“That’s what they were designing — the layout for our nation’s capital. President George Washington himself picked out a U.S. army major for the job: French-born architect Pierre Charles L’Enfant. And when you look at his early plans… it laid the groundwork for everything here today,” Nico said, pointing Edmund back toward the map.

So when this French guy designed the city—

“No!” Nico insisted. “Unlock yourself from history’s lies. L’Enfant is the one most often credited with the plans, but after being hired by President Washington, a known Freemason, there was one other man who helped sketch the details of the city. That’s the man who marked the entryway. And used the skills of the Masons to build the devil’s door.”

Is it someone I know, or some other French guy?

“Unlock yourself, Edmund. Ever hear of Thomas Jefferson?”