Gods and Men- The Hank Boyd Omnibus, page 19
part #1 of Gods and Men Series
41
“Dammit, we need to bail and get out of here!”
Ahmed looked at the man who just spoke, watching him shake with fright. He then glanced at his remaining men, all three of them.
Twelve is now four, he thought, shaking his head in disbelief. Four were severely injured by the Claymore mine and subsequently put out of their misery by his sidearm. Then another four by something else…something alive.
He and his team ducked around a large fallen stone-like tree, the biggest they’d seen so far. As of now, they had outsmarted the monster that attacked them and double backed through the thickest part of the maze.
“What do you think, Viper?” asked one of the men.
He, like the rest of his surviving men, was bleeding from various wounds suffered at the hands of the American, Kane, and by whatever else stalked them out in the confusing tangle of fossilized tree limbs.
Regardless of what happened, Ahmed knew that going back without finishing this wasn’t an option either. He knew Wolf would hunt them down and kill them himself. The man was a psycho.
He stood, checking his surroundings, and answered in a whisper, “We continue on as planned. And if any of you leave, I will personally put a bullet in your head. Is that clear?”
Nods all around.
“Good…” he said, thinking. “Now, did anyone get a look at the thing that attacked us?”
Everyone shook their heads in the negative. The attack had come fast and violently, taking them all by surprise. Whatever it was, it was truly savage in nature. The first thing Ahmed saw was a blur of motion the size of a garbage truck. The second thing was the carnage it left behind.
“Raptor, what about you?” Ahmed asked.
The man named Raptor, the one who was twitching in fear, and the man who was closest to the onslaught, turned, gun raised, eyes wide in fright.
“Shit!” Ahmed yelled, grabbing the man’s gun hand. During the struggle, a single round went off, harmlessly pinging off the ceiling above, barely audible. But, he knew it was enough. The side arm’s discharge rang through the cavern like a bullhorn, giving away their position to the monster that stalked them.
Ahmed covered his ears as the creature roared again, having indeed, heard the gunshot. It knew where they were now and by the sounds of the forest exploding around them, it was close.
He closed his eyes and prayed, something Ahmed hadn’t done in twenty years. Then, he joined his men, and they all quickly got to their feet and moved, doing whatever they could to survive. They ran for their lives.
Ω Ω Ω
I wake with alarm, the feeling of falling sending my stomach into knots. My labored breathing must be pretty obvious because I have twin beams of LED produced light shining in my face. I lift a hand to block them and through the brightness see worried looks on my new friend’s faces.
“I'm all right,” I say and then stand. I flex and crack my lower back in a few spots, following it with my neck. These stone floor naps are going to give my sciatic fits sooner or later. I rub out the tightness and flex one more time.
“So, who’s Rahji-itza?” Kane asks, rolling his own neck. Apparently, the extra firm bedding is having an effect on him too.
All I manage to get out is a, “Huh?”
“You were talking in your sleep,” Nicole says, also stretching her back.
“Right…” I give them the short version of what happened and who we’re dealing with. I tell of the city’s beauty, the families who lived here, and of our new…allies. I also relay that the visions I’ve been having are because of the priests and the fallen one, Nannot.
“So, these warrior priests are the keepers and guardians of this place,” Kane surmises. “Why haven’t we seen them?”
I actually never thought to ask. If they’re still here, then where are they? Why have I only seen and heard from them in my dreams? What I’ve learned from our ancient acquaintances is that the mind is at its most vulnerable during sleep. The subconscious has a harder time fighting off thoughts often turning them into dreams or nightmares or at least that’s what they believe.
“I’m not quite sure why they haven’t shown themselves,” I say, yawning, “but I’m pretty certain that we're going to find out shortly.”
I get raised eyebrows from both parties.
“The one consistent thing from the dreams is an underground cave,” I explain. “I have a sneaking suspicion that’s exactly where we’re headed.”
“You mean another cave under that cave?” Kane asks, pointing up towards the massive cavern above us.
“Probably not directly under it,” I reply. “I don’t think another cavity could survive beneath one that size. It probably would have collapsed without the support of a solid foundation.”
I throw on my pack, shove an energy bar in my mouth and wash it down with some of my water supply. The others are already standing, waiting for me. Kane looks miserable, and Nicole most likely feels the same, though she doesn’t show it. Her eyes give away her exhaustion though. Not to mention the large yawn and stretch she’s in the process of finishing, like a cat waking from a long nap.
That’s when I notice her shirt lift, just for a second. I get a sneak peek at her midsection, specifically the six-pack abs she carries on her strong, lean frame. My eyes must have lingered a little too long because I get an ahem and a cough from someone.
I look up and see Kane staring at me, his eyes glancing over to his left. I take a glimpse and see Nicole staring me down. I blush and try to stutter out a response. After two or three attempts and just stop and turn, dipping my head in defeat.
“Let’s go,” I squeak and start off. But no one follows. I look back and see Nicole, standing arms crossed, waiting for what I’m sure is an apology. Kane is still standing there because I’m pretty sure he’s trying to stay in her good graces.
Plus, I’m pretty sure he just wants to see me squirm. Jerk.
I turn around, take a breath, and walk back over to Nicole. I get to within an arms distance of her and stop, hoping she doesn’t reach out and choke me to death. But luckily, she doesn’t blink or budge an inch. She just stares. I contemplate what to say and get nothing. I’m a little scared myself, primarily because I think I like her…a lot.
She’s perfect. She’s strong and independent, but she has a scarred past and a vulnerability that makes me want to reach out and embrace her. She’s complex, yet simple.
My thought process gets interrupted.
“See something you like?”
That’s when I notice that I’m staring straight at her. Great, now I’m gonna get shot. What do I say now? The only thing I can think of.
“Yep.”
That’s when the greatest thing on planet Earth happens—no check that—the greatest thing in all the known universe. The corner of her mouth turns up into an honest-to-God smile! Just a little one—basically a smirk—but it’s something. As she takes a step around me, she gives my dirty face a pat and keeps on going.
Did that just happen?
Not only can this woman run-and-gun with the boys—actually, she’s probably better than most—but she has an incredible sense of humor too. Oh, and I guess it doesn’t hurt that she’s drop-dead gorgeous and likes searching for dead people’s stuff too. I suppose it doesn’t hurt to have some things in common.
“Ok, Mr. Boyd, now what?” she asks.
I shrug, still struggling to form proper words. “We…uh…still need to find Dad and Omar, and I’m pretty sure they went this way. So, I say we continue our search and head down.” I turn to Kane. “Mr. Watson? Onward please.”
This gets a smile and a laugh out of her. But, not out of Kane. “I ain’t your Watson, Sherlock.” His tone is as annoyed as ever.
“Okay,” I say, trying not to laugh. “How about Robin?”
He just grabs his forehead and sighs, rubbing out a Boyd-induced migraine.
“Alright, you two lovebirds, can we just move out, please? Your flirting is going to be the death of me.”
Now it’s mine and Nicole’s turn to look uncomfortable, both of us blushing in the dim light.
“Oh, and by the way,” he continues, digging the knife deeper, “mating season isn’t until spring. So, cool it. I really don’t want to have to shoot the both of you.”
42
After a few more lighthearted ribbings, we do, indeed, continue towards our destination. The problem is, I really don’t want to go there. The others may not fully understand what we’re going to find, but I do. Him.
We carry on our downward spiral for another fifteen, or so, minutes until we finally reach level ground. We then come across a short tunnel, about twenty feet long give-or-take, and step into another large cave. But considering how massive the one above us is, this just can’t hold water.
Ugh, I think, looking around.
It’s exactly how I remember it in my first dream, the encounter with the frozen black fire. Even, the smokeless torches are lit, floating in the air around the circumference of the room. Then, I see it, the bonfire of doom. It sits in the middle of the chamber, flickering with reflected light.
We enter guns up, ready for whatever decides to pop out at us. Kane heads straight for the center of the cave, in the lead, never wavering in his direction. Nicole and I following close behind, fanning out around him. Right when we get to the halfway point, I see something that wasn’t in my dream. Three somethings actually.
A trio of large rectangular shaped objects surround the fire, perfectly laid out before us. My brain is firing on all cylinders, and I head straight for the closest one. What could they be? I flick on my glasses’ night vision mode, the view coming into focus. The definition is to the point that I know what we are looking at before I make it the rest of the way.
“They’re…sarcophagi—coffins,” I say, stunned and mentally muddled. “What could they be doing down here?” I stop ten feet from the one I was about to inspect, completely dumbfounded.
These things are huge, maybe four feet tall by another ten long.
Nicole strides up next to me, equally perplexed, but silent. I glance over at her and see her eyes taking in everything, dissecting every clue available.
“There’s three of them too. You don’t think…” Kane queries, trailing off into thought.
Then, it’s quiet. My head pulsates with information and…
“I was thinking,” I continue, voicing the supposition. “You don’t suppose one of those Nightmares could have made it down—”
I get cut off by the sound of a hammer being cocked on a rogue pistol.
“Ah, shit,” Kane mutters in displeasure.
We simultaneously put our hands up, assuming the position. It never occurred to me that there could be members of Zero down here already, but that doesn’t make sense. The only people that could possibly be in here besides us are—
“Harrison?”
A man holding a gun steps out from behind the sarcophagus then lowers it.
My night vision specs pick up on his features. I’m off in a sprint when I recognize the form, grabbing him by his shoulders, embracing him.
“Dad, you’re safe!” I squeeze the man with all my strength, not wanting to let go.
“William!” Nicole throws herself onto the both of us. We just stand there lost in the bliss of it all. That is until someone-who-will-remain-nameless interrupts the happy moment.
“Oh…Omar…you’re still alive.”
Omar gives Kane a venomous look as he also steps out from where Dad was hiding, gun also drawn.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” he says with annoyance.
After we finish our reunion, we regroup and go over the last few hours events.
Apparently, Omar did as expected, fleeing immediately after the first explosion back in the pyramid chamber. He said he was scared and just reacted. Once he was deep enough into the trees, he realized he left everyone behind, but by then it was too late. He eventually encountered something that looked like a cross between a tortoise and a man.
“Really? You got a turtle?” Kane says, laughing. “Wow, you got off easy, man. We got a rhino and a cobra. What got you next, a fluffy kitten-lady?”
“For your information, you big ox, he didn’t move like a desert tortoise,” Omar retorts, clearly antagonized. “He ran like a man, but had tortoiseshell armor.”
“Seriously, it was a freaking stone-age ninja turtle!” Kane’s laughter is intoxicating, and I start to smile but stop when Dad and Nicole look at me with disapproving eyes.
“Gentlemen, please!” Dad steps in between the two men, separating them. He knows as well as I do that all Kane would have to do is sneeze hard enough, and Omar would lose a few teeth.
After a few more less-than-family-friendly exclamations are thrown, the tension in the cavern quiets down, and we get down to business.
“So, that’s him?” Dad asks.
I look over and see him staring at the solid black piece of rock…thinking.
“Dad?”
“Huh, what?” he answers, snapping out of a daze.
“You good?”
“Yeah, I’m okay,” he replies, looking at Kane. “I thought if we packed any C-4 or something.”
This gets a laugh out of everyone…except for Omar. I guess he’s still a little agitated.
“I like the way you’re thinking!” Kane exclaims.
“Hank?”
Nicole is back over by the orichalcum forged casket. We all join her, encircling it. This thing has got to be one of the biggest Egyptian-style sarcophagi ever found. It’s beautifully designed, very sleek and almost…modern, like the body of a brand new sports car mixed with a 1960’s-era muscle variant.
“Who are they?” Kane asks, pointing to the three caskets.
“My guess…it’s the Atlantean priests.”
Everyone looks up at me like I just called Mother Teresa a bad name, but I’m all-in about my assumption.
“They said that they’re still here and so is he,” I say, gesturing to where Nannot is being held. “Kane, you asked me earlier where they were. Plus, they’ve only used their mental gifts to contact me. I guess their physical bodies died, or maybe are in a form of stasis or hibernation.”
“So you think their minds are still active and that’s how they contacted you?” Nicole asks.
“Yes, I do.”
Kane walks up to the crypt and brings up his flashlight. He then begins to examine it.
“Not a single tool mark or seam anywhere. It’s one solid piece of the orich-stuff.”
“Amazing,” Dad whispers.
I walk up to the massive coffin and rest my hand on it. It may be just my imagination, but I could have sworn I felt a slight tremor underneath my hand.
Then the answer comes to me. I’m not sure from where though. “I think I know what they did…” I close my eyes, seeing another vision, and describe what I’m being shown.
“They sacrificed their immortal bodies, using the power in them to contain their brother longer, hoping for a chosen individual to come and aid them. They knew one day that Nannot would be set free and that this chosen one would be all that could save the world from his wrath.”
“How?” Asks a distant voice. “How was he to be freed?”
“All he needs is a human host,” I answer, eyes still closed. “The more willing the person is, the stronger his power would be.”
Kneel. A soothing voice resonates through my mind, coaxing me to listen. I do. I know who speaks to me.
“Rahji-itza, is that you?” I ask mentally.
“Yes, it is I. You have been chosen by Lord Thoth himself to defend the world against his fallen son. Do you accept the burden of saving all of mankind?”
“I have a choice?” I ask, honestly a little surprised.
“You always have a choice. You chose to fight against our brother the first time you encountered him. You chose to let us into to your mind too. And you have a choice to accept or deny us now.”
“The will of the chosen to deny…” I say the words for the first time, fully understanding their meaning. “So it’s not just a prophecy against your brother, it’s for you too.”
“Yes, you are correct,” Rahji-itza says. “If someone with darkness in his heart wanted to free our brother then they would be able to. Like I said, you always have a choice.”
You always have a choice, I think to myself.
I choose to kneel.
43
As I kneel, I touch my forehead to the orichalcum sarcophagus. The light vibration I felt in my hand is now a buzzing in my head. I try my best to stay relaxed, but it’s a little difficult under my current setting.
Thousands of visions—no, not visions—memories fly by. Every single one of them is being absorbed into my mind at light speed. And it’s not just one person’s memories, its three sets of them.
I see the quadruplets playing as children in the king’s palace.
I see Thoth educating the kids as well, teaching them about the world around them.
I see the brothers as grown men—maybe in their early twenties, arguing.
I see Thoth again, this time entrusting the four brothers with the elixir, making them immortal, like himself.
I see chaos and destruction.
I see heartache and loss.
I see Thoth on his knees, weeping for his lost child. The three loyal defenders are standing beside him, consoling their father…their king.
I see the king cry out in anger and frustration and strike down Nannot, the same way the priests did in my second dream. He used an unbelievably strong energy beam to subdue him and then used the very Earth itself to entomb him.
Then, all at once, I feel the love these three brothers share. I feel their hope for healing and their continued forgiveness for their sibling.
Wow, they never stopped loving him, I think.
Then a warm, tingling sensation consumes my body. It’s almost like I’m fully immersed in the most relaxing hot tub in the world.
“You are one of us now, son. You have been given a power—a gift greater than anything you could ever dream of.”
