The Devil’s Peak II, page 22
The resident who met them, Cardinal Tommasini, was tall, craggy faced, but friendly. And once again, he knew everything about Drake and his background.
They were taken to a separate room and Drake, Isabella, Leonidas and Marco were seated in amongst several dozen other senior members of the city, and also a rank of about eight more powerful and formidable men and women who Drake assumed were more Templar Knights.
It was soon confirmed when they swapped greetings with Isabella, and spoke rapidly to her in Italian, locking him out of the conversation.
There was a small dais at the front of the room, and for all the archaic, old world wealth and history, it seemed it had kept pace with technology, as a presentation was about to begin and it looked to be something he had never experienced before in his life as the images were holographic, and appeared to be floating before them in a three dimensional display.
“Wow,” Drake whispered.
Isabella nudged him and smiled. “Yes, we’ve come a long way from brandishing crucifixes and throwing holy water.”
“I still don’t know why I’m here,” he said.
She squeezed his thigh. “Everything will be explained. I’ll be back soon.” She left her seat.
Drake turned, beginning to rise. “Hey, where are…”
“You’re here for balance, Captain Stoker,” Cardinal Tommasini replied, obviously hearing him.
“Oops.” Drake sat back down.
The room quietened and their focus split between Tommasini and Drake. And he guessed there were many others wondering why an outsider had been brought in as well.
Tommasini motioned to a priest to the side who was working the technology, and an image began to take shape at the front of the room, just hanging in the air. It was of the ancient silver scroll he had encountered in Isabella’s possession all that time ago. Now, it was shown stretching and unfurling, and the ancient dyes and inks were visible.
“You are familiar with this object, Captain Stoker?” Tommasini asked.
“I am.” Drake held his hands wide. “But I still don’t know how I can help. Your Knights are a formidable force, and you have all the intel.”
“What is more valuable?” Tommasini began. “An unbeliever who has seen, or a believer who has never seen?” He smiled. “Where you have been, few have ever travelled and even fewer have ever returned.” He clasped his hands together. “So, it is really you that has all the intel.”
Drake wasn’t convinced, but as Isabella wanted him there, he’d play along.
Tommasini then motioned to the image of the scroll. “We are people brought up in our faith to believe in the word of God. But maybe that can blind us sometimes. We need people who are skeptics, but have seen enough so that they retain an open mind. That’s you, Captain. And just remember, though you may not believe in God, he believes in you.”
Drake nodded.
“There is a mission that is needed. The most vital mission for over two thousand years that we must undertake. There will be a battle, and it is one we cannot afford to lose. One the world cannot afford to lose.”
The image changed to a floating picture of Barak, the Knight they lost in the deep caves when he was pulled into a crack in the wall by some abomination from the deep.
Tommasini clasped his hands as if in prayer. “We honor our fallen.” More faces appeared and vanished, and Drake guessed they were other Knights that had died recently. So many, he thought.
The images faded away.
“And we celebrate the victors.” Marco and Leonidas’ faces appeared. “The rank of captain of the Templar Knights goes to Leonidas Bianchi and Marco Stromo, for courage, duty and honor.”
There was a round of muted applause, and Drake turned and smiled at Leonidas and Marco. The men nodded back.
Then the face of Isabella appeared, but it dissolved away, and when it vanished she stood there coming from somewhere at the back of the room. She had on a deep scarlet cloak, and an attendant came and handed Tommasini a large and long wooden case.
He placed it on the dais as Isabella came and stood before him.
“To Isabella Romano, promotion to the rank of Commander of the Templar Knights.” He smiled and waited for the applause to die away. “And with that rank we also bestow upon her the sword of the righteous. It is the cleaver of the dragon’s heart wielded by St George, and also known as the piercer of the stone, once called Excalibur.”
Drake’s mouth dropped open as he stared at the beautiful blade.
Tommasini lifted out the magnificent sword, whose blade shone blue and was fixed with a single huge gem in the pommel.
The cardinal went on to explain how the blade had been blessed by every Pope since the very beginning. Tommasini held the sword out on the palms of both hands. “Use it and wield it with wisdom, strength, and righteousness.”
Isabella bowed, and reached to take the sword, holding it up in front of her face for a moment. She then turned it blade down and, gripping the steel, held it aloft again and turned to the room.
The Knights burst into applause and got to their feet. Drake did the same, almost becoming overwhelmed by the spectacle and gravity of the event.
When the room quietened, she gripped the sword by the hilt again and swept it back and forth, testing it, the soft zing of it cutting the air, satisfying to listen to. After another moment she placed it in her scabbard over her back and bowed.
Isabella then left the stage and in minutes more she retook her seat beside Drake.
“Congratulations, Commander.” He nudged her. “So now you outrank me.” He smiled.
“I always did.” She nudged him back.
With the formalities completed, the screen changed again, this time back to images flashing up of the abominations and diseased hordes sweeping over the countryside. It showed the roving herds of the horrors; most of the deformed things Drake was familiar with, but in amongst them were monstrosities that were enormous, some the size of elephants, and some ten times that.
Drake had seen such things in the pit of Hell, and now he saw they were out and walking the Earth. It was clear that in this war the odds were already near insurmountable, and it had only just begun.
“The war is not going well. The Devil prepares to rise as his minions till the earth in preparation for him. There is no cure, and cleansing fire is now also being shown to create even more challenges as the seed of evil infiltrates the very soil.”
The images changed to show the red tendrils spreading over the earth, and in some places covering miles, with nothing else living or growing there.
“We prayed for a cure.” Tommasini smiled. “And now, there is a chance one might exist.”
“What? A cure?” Drake sat forward.
The image resolved into a section of the scroll, and focused in on the ancient words.
From amongst the crowd there was an intake of collective breaths, and expressions of wonder at the revealed words. Drake couldn’t understand a bit of it.
He turned to Isabella. “What is it, what does it say?”
“The Garden,” she said almost reverently. “It’s real.”
“What Garden?” He grabbed her arm.
She smiled. “Gan Eden – which means, the Garden of Eden.”
***
Tommasini quietened the murmurs of animated conversation. “The scroll has told us that the answer to our prayers lies within Gan Eden. The Garden of Eden. But we do not know where exactly, or even what it might look like.”
The image floating in the air resolved to a high level map that was a satellite image of a dry and mountainous landscape, but had borders and names written upon it.
“The location of the Garden of Eden was never definitively known. However, it is believed to be situated in the Middle East, potentially near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in what is now modern-day Iraq.”
Tommasini looked across at the map. “The area makes logical sense as the Tigris and Euphrates are two major rivers in Western Asia, defining the historical region of Mesopotamia. They originate in the highlands of eastern Turkey and flow southeast through Syria and Iraq, eventually converging to form the Shatt al-Arab waterway before emptying into the Persian Gulf.”
He nodded as if seeing the ancient lands in his mind’s eye. “These rivers have been crucial for the development of ancient civilizations and in fact, the fertile land between the rivers, known as Mesopotamia, was often referred to as the cradle of civilization.”
He meshed his fingers together at his waist. “The rivers have seen the rise and fall of numerous ancient civilizations, including Sumer, the Akkad, Babylonia, and Assyria. And before any of them, there was a garden there, a wonderous place, where everything began.”
Tommasini looked across at the map that changed to a physical image of the land, from the dry valleys to the craggy mountain ranges.
“Somewhere there, perhaps hidden, is the place we seek. And one we must find, as the scrolls have foretold that within its wonderous gardens there is a cure to the Hell’s plague. And if we can do that then perhaps it is a way to stop the Devil rising.” He turned to the group. “We will not rest until we have found it.”
“Are there clues?” Isabella asked.
Tommasini turned to her and smiled. “We believe so.”
The map changed again to show a mountain range, but this one covered in green.
“Northern Iraq, and just inside Turkey. There are many areas that are forbidden to enter. No one knows why or remembers. But there is a place there the locals call ‘the Eye of God’, and there is a story that says that the setting sun through the Eye will see the way to Eden.”
“To the Garden of Eden?” Drake asked incredulously. “The Adam and Eve, Garden of Eden?”
Tommasini held his hands wide. “This is just a legend on the end of a myth. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Sorry, but it’s all we have.”
“Where is this mountain range?” Isabella asked.
Tommasini pointed at the map. “There.”
The map enlarged, showing a place called Elbaşi on the Solhan River.
He turned to the group. “If there is a chance that Eden is there, then we must take that chance.” He looked down at Isabella. “Isabella, take your strongest team. Leave tonight. Let nothing stand in your way, as soon, the forces of darkness will even overrun us here.”
Isabella stood. “It shall be so.”
She turned and called out nine names, including Marco, Leonidas, and Drake, plus six other men and women.
“Prepare yourselves,” she said. “We leave immediately.”
Isabella turned and bowed to Tommasini who made the sign of the cross in the air over her. She then headed for the side doorway, with Drake in tow.
“Guess we’re leaving,” he said, almost jogging to keep up. “Think we might find it? The Garden of Eden? I mean if its real.”
“It’s real.” She turned and smiled. “And I don’t think we will, I know we will.” She held her hands out, palms up. “Can’t you feel it?”
He half smiled and shrugged. “I’m the doubter, remember?”
***
The high speed plane took them directly to Ankara where they cleared what could only be loosely defined as customs and immigration. Just like the rest of the world, there was chaos, and few people working.
Still, a lot of money changed hands to allow the ten Templar Knights to pass through the checkpoints as a Vatican diplomatic party without any searches or X-rays of the mountains of baggage they brought with them.
They then had two helicopters take them all the way out to Solhan, a small town that was on the edge of the Solhan River.
Boats were acquired at a greatly inflated price. Where they were going was Kurdish territory, and was not only forbidden for strangers to enter, but was so volatile and dangerous even the Turkish military avoided it.
And that was as far as the helicopter pilots would take them. From there the boats would be taken along a deep and languid river bordered by huge craggy cliffs on each side making it look primordial and secretive.
The water was a deep green and freezing cold. Where they were headed was the mountain region, and even though it was the end of spring, the rivers were still carrying the temperature of the ice melts from the mountainous region higher up.
The boat rides were also a time for Drake to meet his fellow travelers, the other six Knights.
They had a single large boat that fit all of them and their gear. They had packed significant armory, provisions, and both cold weather gear, climbing gear, and even wetsuits and diving gear with air tanks. It seemed they came prepared for everything, as they all knew there would be no going back to restock – it was all bet on this mission.
Drake talked to all of the Knights, assessing the team as he would for any of his own Reaper missions.
With them were two Knight scholars: Matteo, a language and cultural specialist for the Turkish region, and Francesco, who was a biblical scholar who had made it his life’s work to look into the existence of lost or hidden places such as the Garden of Eden. He seemed the most electrified by the chance of what they might find. He was also the one who pinpointed their destination – Elbaşi.
Further back in the boat were two female Knights, Bianca, and Aria. Both looked competent and as if cut from the same mold as Isabella. They were young, dark eyed, and formidably fit.
Bianca smiled at him, and he nodded and smiled back. Isabella then kicked his foot, and gave him a fiery glance – message received – he looked away from the other women.
Right at the back of the boat were two huge and fearsome-looking men, Rocco and Enzo. Both must have been between six three and six five, and had the square jaws of heavyweight boxers, and hands to match.
He would have put these two guys up against his best Reapers, and he wondered how they’d go against Thor and Benson.
He felt the pang of regret and guilt then; just thinking of his lost team members still cut him deep. Both had fought to the end and were honorable men, and big Benson had given his life to save him. He was more than a colleague and comrade; he was a lost friend.
Drake sucked in a deep breath and stared straight ahead, but his vision had turned inwards. So much had happened to him over the past year, and so far, most of it was shit.
He turned to see Isabella looking up at the cliffs and observed her in profile. The smooth jawline and brown slightly olive skin, with dark hair and even darker eyes to match. She was way too good for him and he couldn’t understand what she saw in him. And yet, she had climbed into Hell to pull him out.
He smiled, and guessed that not everything that had happened to him was bad.
The river narrowed as the cliffs seemed to press inwards. Drake watched the tops and from time to time was sure he saw the outline of a head pop up, all the way up there.
“Yes, we’re being watched,” Francesco said. “They’ve been following our boat for the last five miles.”
Drake scoffed, marveling how he missed it but the Knights were on top of the surveillance.
“Kurds?” he asked.
“Yes, and in this area, very tribal,” Francesco replied. “These are the desert Kurds that adhere to ancient customs and dress. And are very distrustful of strangers.” He turned to Drake and smiled. “But they love guns and ammunition. That’s why we brought extra.”
“We pay them to cross their country?” Drake asked.
“We pay them to stay alive.” Francesco grinned. “And also, hopefully to hear any secrets or legends they have heard of Eden, and this mysterious Eye of God.”
The cliffs narrowed again, and Drake suddenly worried about what would happen if it got too narrow for the boat. He looked at the sheer cliff walls – hundreds of feet straight up. Be a helluva climb, he thought.
“Twenty miles,” Matteo chimed in.
“Not bad, if push comes to shove, we can walk that,” Drake replied.
Francesco shook his head. “Not without the Elbaşi Kurds’ approval.”
“How many of them do you think there are?” Drake asked.
“About two hundred living in Elbaşi. More living out in the desert. And thousands more spread all over. The best case scenario for us is to get in their good graces, and pick up a guide. I know a lot about this area and the people, but there’s nothing like someone who grew up here to show us what and where things are.”
“I heard that,” Drake said.
“Something coming up,” Isabella said.
The narrow gorge-like crack opened up to a large still pond. It was around two hundred feet across and at the far end the river started up again. But cut into the cliff wall was a series of zigzagging steps leading to the top.
And standing there were several men cradling guns.
“Our welcoming reception,” Drake said, feeling for his gun.
Isabella put a hand on his arm. “No one is to draw weapons. Yet.” She turned to Francesco. “Weave your magic, Francesco.”
Francesco stood in the boat, placed a hand on his chest and yelled a Kurdish greeting. He bestowed good luck and fortune on the people, the land, and the village elders, who they had brought gifts for.
He pointed to the team in the boat. “We come just seeking something that is lost and would have some information from you. That is all.”
A few of the people watching had disappeared.
“What now?” Isabella asked.
Francesco continued to wave up at the Elbaşi Kurds. “Now, we wait and see if they will allow us to come up. Or they will kill us all and simply take what we have.”
They waited on the water for twenty minutes, mostly just watching the cliff rims, and trying hard not to lift their weapons. They were all within reach if they came under attack, but basically, Drake knew, they were in a kill box, and the only cover was to jump over the side of the boat. And then get picked off when they tried to come up for air.
More people appeared at the cliff rim.
“Here we go,” Francesco said.
One of the men yelled down at him, and Francesco breathed a sigh of relief.
“We’re on. Let’s go,” he said.
