Atlantis

Chapter 48

Jade stood, hands on her head, her lips pressed tightly together. She trembled slightly, but the fire in her eyes told Dane she wasn’t frightened, but enraged. A tall, weedy blond man stood behind her with his rifle pressed against the back of her neck. A second man, dark-haired and broad shouldered, trained his weapon on Dane and Bones.

“You two drop your weapons, put your hands on your heads, and stand up slowly.” The dark-haired man gestured with his rifle.

Dane assessed the situation in an instant and knew there was nothing he or Bones could do without Jade paying the price. Charging the men or throwing their knives was out of the question — the distance between them was too great and retreating to the archive room wouldn’t work. The men would kill Jade and probably get to Dane and Bones before they could reload their weapons. And then there were the men coming up behind them. He dropped his Walther and stood, Bones following suit an instant later.

“Don’t hurt her. We’ll cooperate.” His only hope was to stay alive long enough to rescue Jade and, hopefully, sabotage the Revelation Machine.

“I’m sorry, Maddock. I didn’t see them until I ran right up to them,” Jade said through gritted teeth.

“It’s all right.”

He heard footsteps behind him, and felt the cold metal of a gun barrel pressed against his neck.

“Wilson, they got Douglas,” a voice behind him said to the dark-haired man. “I think we should waste them right here.”

“I don’t know. I think the Bishop should make the call. Frisk them. And if you two,” Wilson’s eyes moved back and forth between Dane and Bones, “do anything stupid, I’ll kill you in a second. The girl, I’ll kill slowly.”

The agent patted them down one at a time, relieving them of their recon knives and spare magazines. When he got to Dane’s front pocket, he paused.

“I’m not your type,” Dane said.

Ignoring him, the agent reached into Dane’s pocket and drew out the pouch that held the Atlantean crystals. He tossed the bag to Wilson, who upended the contents into his hand. He held the crystals out, letting the light dance off their surface.

“What do these do?”

“I found them on the floor and thought I’d add them to my rock collection.” Pain blossomed through Dane’s skull as the man behind him struck him at the base of his skull with the butt of his rifle. Dane grimaced but didn’t fall or even cry out.

Smiling, Wilson pocketed the crystals.

“We’ll take you to the Bishop. If, by the time we get there, you haven’t decided to come clean, we’ll cut pieces off of your girl until you tell us what we want to know.”

Dane and Bones exchanged glances. Bishop Hadel was here? Dane made up his mind then. If he decided escape was impossible, he’d find a way to kill Hadel.

The Dominion’s operatives escorted them, at gunpoint, through the Atlantean complex. They passed through empty rooms, and others where alien-looking artifacts lay on shelves or in the strange, hexagonal alcoves. This place would be a treasure trove of information if they could ever get away, but Dane scarcely considered the thought. Rage burned hot inside him. His failure to protect Jade and Sofia was almost more than he could bear.

Bishop Hadel stood in the midst of a massive chamber — the largest they’d seen since entering the underground city. Dane took in his surroundings. This room was clearly the model for the Atlantean temples they’d discovered. It had the same exact layout as the others, down to the pyramid-shaped facade at the back. But it was what stood at the center that separated it from the other sites they’d uncovered.

A circle of crystal spikes, each twice a man’s height and breadth and tilted inward so that their points almost touched, stood behind a ring of gleaming silver metal reminiscent of the Stonehenge-like altars in the temples. A silver hand, its palm open, rose from the altar.

The bishop paced back and forth, staring at the crystals.

Another man, large and powerfully-built, stood nearby. He turned his gaze on Dane and Bones as they entered the room. His green eyes bored into Dane.

“Who are these people?” he snapped.

Before anyone could reply, Bishop Hadel turned on his heel and stalked toward the captives. His hands trembled and there was a gleam in his eyes that bordered on manic. Dane had seen Hadel on television and in pictures, but the man always seemed so calm and self-assured. What he’d seen down here had unhinged him.

“I know who they are.” Hadel’s voice shook. “The Indian is Uriah Bonebrake, which makes this one,” he pointed a trembling finger at Dane, “Dane Maddock.” He lowered his voice. “You two have a knack for stepping on my toes. I ordered you killed months ago, but we couldn’t locate you. And now, here you are.” He laughed, a cold cackle that echoed in the stone chamber. “Did you imagine you would stop us from setting off the Revelation Machine?”

Dane glowered at him, but remained silent. If Hadel planned to set off the machine, the situation was worse than he had feared. Of course, now that he saw the device, if that’s what this crystal circle was, he realized it wasn’t something that could be carried away. If Hadel wanted to use it, he’d have to do it here.

“Bishop,” Wilson began, “he had these with him.”

The bishop took the pouch containing the Atlantean stones, looked inside, and smiled. “I think we now have what we need.” He leaned in close to Dane until their faces were inches apart. “Are you ready to die?”

Dane didn’t speak, didn’t think. Instead, he head-butted Hadel across the bridge of the nose.

Hadel cried out in pain and reeled away, his hands unable to hold back the crimson flow that streamed down his chin and dripped onto the stone floor.

Behind him, the Dominion operative clubbed Dane across the back of his head with the butt of his rifle. Dane dropped to one knee, his head swimming. Hadel was about to use the machine. What could he do?

The big, green-eyed man hurried to Hadel’s side, but the bishop shook him off.

“I’m fine, Robinson. Just keep an eye on these three in case they try anything else.” His broken nose still dripping blood, he turned and headed for the machine.

“Shall I kill them?” Robinson asked.

“No. Let them see it happen. I want them to feel their failure deep in their bones before they die.”

“With all due respect,” Robinson said, “I don’t think we should try the machine until we’re certain of what it does.”

Hadel turned a beatific smile in Robinson’s direction. “I know what it does. It will bring about the end of times, as promised in the Book of Revelation.”

Robinson swallowed hard. “I understand, but we should learn to control it before we use it.”

“Control? You do not presume to control the power of God.”

Dane’s vision cleared and he noticed the guards behind Jade and Bones shift uncomfortably. The time was drawing near and the only possible action would be desperate and likely fatal. Of course, if Hadel discharged the machine, the result would be the same. As Dane planned his last, desperate attack, Hadel continued to rant.

“You saw what lies in this place. Abominations! The earth must be cleansed of this filth.”

Robinson tried to argue but Hadel went on.

“This world has become an abomination. Our faith is persecuted daily as people bow to the altars of science and government. Imagine what the idolaters would make of what we’ve found here. They would use it as evidence,” he spat the word, “against the truth of our Lord.” His voice fell to a hoarse grunt. “Better they die in the Lord than live in confusion.”

The bishop turned again and, as he approached the machine, the crystals in his hand began to flicker. He knelt before the machine and began to recite the Lord’s Prayer.

“Robinson?” one of the guards said.

“Stand firm.” Robinson ordered. “He is about the Lord’s work.”

Hadel laid a gleaming crystal in the silver hand rising from the altar. It snapped into place and began to glow. Behind the rail, the giant crystals that formed the machine also began to glow.

High above, unnoticed by anyone except Dane, crystals set in the stone began to glimmer as Hadel laid more crystals into place. With each one, the machine shone brighter and the crystals in the ceiling sparkled.

Soon, Dane recognized their shape. He took another glance in the direction of the machine, and then back up at the crystals in the ceiling. He now understood the machine’s purpose.

As the bishop made to place the last stone, Dane stole a glance at Bones and Jade. Their eyes met and he mouthed instructions. He didn’t know for certain if they understood, because, just then, the last crystal clicked into place and the world exploded in blue light.