The Moses Legacy

Chapter 85

‘I assume you know who I am?’ Goliath said.

‘I remember you,’ said Daniel, unsure of how to play it. ‘You were the man on the plane. We talked a bit about ancient Egypt and history and all that.’

More than anyone else in the room, Daniel realized that they were in deadly danger, although he sensed that Gabrielle must have at least some idea too. It was now clear to Daniel that the pushy man who had spoken to him on the plane was also the man who had tried to kill them at the tomb.

It made perfect sense. The guardian of the tomb’s neck was broken and this was clearly a strong man. Daniel knew that Gabrielle had figured it out too. Only the high priest was in blissful ignorance of the fact that standing before them was a deadly assassin.

But what was his cause? And what happened to the armed guard outside? This man was certainly strong enough to have dealt with him. But they hadn’t heard a thing. Just as at the tomb, they had only realized when it was too late.

‘Let’s not beat around the bush, Professor Klein. You know who I am.’

‘You’re the man who locked us in the tomb.’

‘Correct.’

‘Did you kill my uncle?’ asked Gabrielle.

‘That too.’

‘But why?’ she asked.

‘What is this?’ asked the high priest.

‘Shut up!’ yelled Goliath, delivering a vicious blow to the priest with the back of his hand. The blow drew blood.

Daniel took a step towards the big man. He was prepared to fight Goliath, despite his obvious size and strength. But the high priest held up a hand to stay Daniel’s advance.

‘What do you want?’ asked Gabrielle in an even tone.

‘I want… that!’

He pointed to the small papyrus scroll. She moved her hand away nervously, but held his gaze.

‘This scroll belongs to the world,’ she said quietly, but with a hint of defiance.

‘Enough! I didn’t come here to argue!’

They all fell silent. Daniel eyed the man carefully, wondering whether he stood a chance if he made a move. At the back of his mind was the thought that everyone has a weak spot, but this man had shown that he had speed as well as strength. He realized that any move he might make would endanger not only himself, but also the others.

He wondered if any support might come from outside. An armed guard had been posted at the door. But that was all rather perfunctory; no one had actually expected any trouble. And where was the armed guard now? Had he just gone to take a leak? Or had this man done something to him?

‘Give it to me,’ said Goliath, pointing to the clay urn that had housed the papyrus. He was staring at Gabrielle. She hesitated for a moment, looking at Daniel.

‘Do it!’ shouted Goliath, grabbing Daniel by the throat to show that they were powerless to resist him. Daniel felt a spasm of agony as the soft tissue of his throat was crushed in Goliath’s iron grip. He couldn’t kick Goliath, either in the groin or the kneecap because the man’s long reach held him too far away, and in any case he was in too much pain.

Then he remembered a self-defence technique he had learnt years before. Reaching over Goliath’s left hand he pressed hard on the thumb, forcing his attacker’s fingers to open. With Goliath’s grip broken, he pulled away, his hands to his throat as he coughed and sputtered.

His eyes met those of the big man, wondering how he would react to being thwarted in this David versus Goliath struggle. He expected to see anger and was fully prepared for an onslaught of rage. But instead he saw a smile, as if his attacker respected him for his effective display of resistance.

Meanwhile, Gabrielle was still hesitating. She looked at Daniel and although he stubbornly refused to nod, it was clear that there was no way they could defy this man. They could shout for help, but who knew how he would react?

So Gabrielle picked up the glass-encased papyrus in two hands and extended it towards Goliath.

‘No!’ shouted the high priest, diving forward to grab the precious relic before the big man could take it.

Through the haze of pain that still engulfed him, Daniel realized in that split second that the high priest was putting his life on the line. Now was not the time to resist, but Daniel’s reactions were not quick enough to restrain the high priest and halt his futile act of opposition. By the time Daniel was able to respond, Goliath had grabbed the high priest by his shirt and pulled him so that the priest was in front of him. With his free hand, Goliath produced a knife and with one swift move he slashed across the high priest’s throat, like a ritual slaughterer in a kosher abattoir, cutting through the priest’s carotid artery and jugular vein.

Gabrielle stifled a scream. Daniel looked on with horror. The high priest had trusted them and they had sealed his fate. There was no other interpretation of the facts. Now Daniel suddenly realized that it was him the big man was interested in. That was why he had been on the same plane when Daniel went to Egypt, and he had been following him ever since. In other words – it finally dawned on Daniel – he had effectively led the man here. And this vile man had killed the high priest when he tried to protect his sacred scroll.

But the question that haunted him now was what should he do? Should he dive for the exit and try to raise the alarm? That would merely endanger Gabrielle. Should he throw himself at the man and give Gabrielle a chance to escape? What, indeed, was this man intending? Did he mean to eliminate all witnesses to his actions?

‘Give it to me!’ Goliath barked at Gabrielle.

This time she did not hesitate. She did as he had told her. The big man put the glass sheets containing the papyrus into the heavy-duty carrier bag he had with him. Daniel’s eyes returned to the high priest whose life was slipping away before his eyes. He wanted to help him, but he knew that there was nothing he could do.

‘What are you going to do?’ asked Gabrielle.

‘I spoke to Aryeh Tsedaka. He told me that there is another scroll. The Book of the Wars of the Lord.’

Daniel was about to ask why Rabbi Tsedaka would tell him that. Then he realized. And in that moment, he also understood that if the rabbi had been forced to disclose that information then he had probably also been forced to disclose where Daniel and Gabrielle were going. Further, if he had been forced to do that, then he would have wanted to warn them of the danger. He clearly hadn’t done so, and that could only mean one thing: Aryeh Tsedaka was dead.

Daniel looked at the man no longer with fear but with hate. This was an evil man motivated by some sort of religious fanaticism, the nature of which Daniel could barely comprehend.

‘He told me that the scroll is in Petra…’

‘But he said that the book is lost,’ said Gabrielle nervously.

‘He thought it was lost. But he doesn’t know. It was entrusted to the Bedouin, and they are very good at preserving the past… and you two are going to help me get it.’

And just to make it clear how serious he was, he reached into his pocket and produced a semi-automatic pistol.

He put it back in his pocket as he directed Daniel and Gabrielle to the door. It was late afternoon and there were not many people about so there was little opportunity to resist or to call for help. Besides, it was obvious that the big man was utterly ruthless and ready to kill anyone who got in his way.

What was not clear was how strong his instinct for self-preservation was, but now did not seem like a good time to test it. So instead, Gabrielle and Daniel complied as he directed them out of the office. Any residual thoughts of resistance were cut short by the sight of the security guard lying dead by one of the lab machines. There was no sign of a wound, but they knew the killer’s strength and his ability to kill with his bare hands.

They walked ahead of him and left the building via the side exit that led to the car park where Daniel and Gabrielle had left their rented car.

He dictated the seating arrangement. Daniel in front, driving. He and Gabrielle in the back, with Gabrielle behind Daniel. That way he could keep an eye on both of them… and maintain his threat against both of them.