The Atlantis revelation

52

Midas was with the Flammenschwert at the banks of the Gihon River when Vadim and Serena emerged from the two pillars that guarded the entrance of the tunnel back up into the Temple Mount.

"Behold the Gihon," Midas told her with a sweeping gesture across the vast subterranean cavern. He made a show of punching in the activation code on the instrument panel. The display lit up as the Flammenschwert came to life.

The timer counted down from 6:00…5:59…5:58…

Midas let out a sigh of relief. He had done it. He had obtained the Sword of Fire. He had found the gate to Eden and the primordial waters of life on earth, the waters that could heal his fatal neurological condition and let him live forever. The very River of Life that had scared even the God of Genesis. Now Midas would blow it open and restore paradise on earth.

The old order would pass. The old religions would be swept away in the cleansing fire of Armageddon. Then the cool water of the new world order would come. And he would control it. He, the Water Bearer. Truly, this would be the Age of Aquarius. The age of Pisces and the Church was over.

"Vadim," he called. "It's time." He motioned Vadim over to the Flammenschwert and watched him take it to the water.

"It's going to work like this, Sister Serghetti," Midas said, digging his gun into her side. "The Flammenschwert will ignite the water. The heat will force it to rise like a coil through the well shaft you just emerged from, gather steam from the chambers above, and ultimately spew out fire like a geyser, destroying everything topside. It could alter geography significantly. In fact, I think that's what this whole complex was built to do, like some sort of geothermal machine."

"I know how it works, Midas. I've seen it before."

Midas said nothing for a moment, making sure Vadim launched the Flammenschwert into the water correctly. The casing assembly floated by itself, an amber light blinking six times before burning a steady red.

Serena said, "Hope you've got a place to hide when this blows, Midas, because you're going to fry when it does."

"As a matter of fact, I do," Midas said, then barked his final order to Vadim. "You stay with the Flammenschwert until the two-minute mark. Then you can join us in the Map Room. It should be clear by now."

Vadim looked unsure about staying behind but nodded.

Midas could feel Serena shaking as he pushed her back toward a stone stairway she hadn't seen before. "The Map Room, above the King's Chamber, is separated from the main line and closed off. We'll ride out the chaos for a few days and then emerge into a new world."

Midas knew Serena was smart enough to accept that he was going to kill her, but she would go along with him in the vain hope that her beloved Conrad Yeats would come to the rescue. Midas doubted that. But just in case, he would keep her close.

"I see what Gellar thinks he's going to get out of this, Midas," she said as they began to ascend the narrow stairwell. "And I see what the Alignment is sure it will get out of this. But I don't see what you get out of blowing up the Dome of the Rock."

"That's not what I'm blowing up, Sister Serghetti. I'm blowing up what is at the other end of the Gihon River, buried deep beneath us. The very Gate to Eden. The primordial waters of life itself. If you can live forever, you don't need heaven. You don't need God. Because you are a god."

"You know, Lucifer had that problem. He confused himself with the Creator."

Midas laughed, but then the steps started to shake from an explosion high above. He felt an elbow in his gut as Serena tried to push him down the steps. He recovered swiftly and gave her a blow across the face with his gun. She cried out in pain.

"I'm in control," he hissed in her ear. "Soon the world will know it."

She said nothing in the dark, but he could hear her breathing.

He was pushing her forward when he heard a gunshot back at the Gihon. Then the voice of Conrad Yeats rang out.

"Vadim bit the big vitamin, Midas. I've got a deal for you: the Flammenschwert for Serena."