Destroyers of the Lost Garden (The Lost Garden Trilogy Book 3) (3 page)

Chapter Four

Evan Knight mentally searched his notes on Eden as the trio stayed on foot and off the main roads to avoid detection by any armed forces. He knew most of his theory, but without his notes, there were holes.
His notes were in the hotel.

Until he remembered something significant, they would continue to head south toward Sahand. Maybe something along the way would jar his memory. He hoped that Jess would recover before that happened, so he didn’t have to carry that load.
He was the Chosen One though.

He didn’t ask for the job, but he felt he was up to the task. A task that could end his life. Doubt crept into Evan’s mind as he tried to convince himself that three people added to less than twenty female warriors could ever hope to stop 27 trucks and whatever else might be waiting for them.

What the hell was he doing here?

Jess. He loved Jess.

If he was going out, then it would be by the side of the woman he loved.

***

Jess was able to walk without incident, but her mind was still caught between Mother Daughter’s telepathic message and her present whereabouts. Visions of the Mountain of God would merge with the current scenery causing confusion for the Daughter of Eve.

She tried using the meditation techniques that Mother Daughter taught her and her sisters, but something happened to prevent Jess from completing her meditation. Something that Mother Daughter warned her would destroy her concentration and could jeopardize everything.
Emotions.

Jess had always been able to control her emotions when she was within Eden’s walls. The distractions of the outside world and her feelings for Knight clouded her warrior’s judgment and her instincts. Her only thoughts were on Evan Knight; not as the Chosen One, but as her lover.
He was her Chosen One
.

She had been warned that being led by her emotions would corrupt her reasoning power. She felt it. She felt the confusion as the battle for importance waged between her feelings for Knight and her duty as a Daughter of Eve. She could not…
would not
betray her sisters. Knight was the one who was supposed to save Eden. She knew he was the Chosen One. He was also something more. Much more.

When the time came, Jess would have to make the right decision and maybe even have to sacrifice her love for the greater good.

***

Geronimo kept an eye out for any vehicles and anyone who might be on foot. He was more determined than ever not to get caught by the Iranian Army. It was bad enough that they were waltzing into a no-win situation, but being captured before they reached their destination, would end the battle before it ever began.

He wondered how seriously Evan took this mission. Gerry wondered if his emotions would get in the way of his judgment. Geronimo was also concerned about the fact that the bigger this mission became, the more he doubted Jessima IL Eve.

What did Evan really know about her?

With the odds against them, there was no room for mistakes. He watched Knight and Jess closely as they walked. He could see some kind of turmoil within both of them. He was no psychologist, but his training enabled him to determine peoples’ weaknesses by reading their body movements, emotions and, most importantly, their eyes.

He had mastered the ability to match someone’s body language with their words. He made it a point not to pay that much attention to what people said, unless it was someone that he had experience with, like Knight. He would watch the subtle actions and gestures of people he wasn’t familiar with so he could try to determine if they could be trusted.

Words were so easy to say without backing them up. Geronimo had learned that hard lesson all of his life. His parents told him that they would always be there. They were until they decided that having children was too much of a burden. It got in the way of enjoying life.

They had left him with his aunt without so much as a goodbye. He decided from that moment on that he would only surround himself with people that wanted to be in his life. He smiled as he thought about his wife, Molly.

She was his miracle. She saw Geronimo for who he was and loved him anyway. She saw passed his defenses. She didn’t judge him and even understood why he was the way he was. She was his angel. Molly was the reason that he made a promise to himself every day to try to not get killed. He might have been on a suicide mission without her, but no longer.

He had something to live for.

Geronimo looked at Jess and Knight again. He realized that their emotions lead their actions. He had enough of the silence.

“Yo, guys!” His conviction was noted. “I’m sick of this shit, man! Evan, I’ve known you forever and you were always my go-to man for…well everything. You were always able to keep emotions separate from the mission. Now Jess comes along and everything goes to shit! Damn it Evan! Do you realize what the hell we’re getting into? And Jess! I don’t know you from Adam…”

She glared at him. Geronimo realized what he had just said.

“You know what I mean! I embraced you as one of my own because of my boy here, but damn it woman! If your love, or lust or whatever for each other, distracts you from what’s going on then you’re going to get us all killed! I don’t know you Jess, until you prove yourself in a situation, I may not trust you. But you’re supposed to be a warrior or some shit from Eden. You’re supposed to have been trained for centuries. I was trained for a couple of decades and I have more control than you do!”

Geronimo had Jess and Knight’s full attention. They remained quiet as they allowed him to the finish.

“Jess, I’m real sorry that something bad happened to the Mother Daughter, but isn’t this what you’ve been prepared for all your life? This is your time to shine. And Evan, you’re my brother, but I have never seen you so crazy over a woman that you forget what’s going on around you. If we’re going to do this, then we all have to be on our “A” game. If one of us gets distracted then it’s
game over!
I agreed to do this, so the least you can do is give the mission your undivided attention. I don’t want to die because you two are giving each other lovey- dovey eyes!”

“Не перемещать или вам будет снимок!”

Geronimo, Jess, and Knight slowly turn toward the voice. There were seven men, each armed with PK machine guns and dressed in black jumpsuits. All of the guns are pointed at the trio.

Knight raised his hands with his team as he leaned over to Geronimo. “They’re Russian,” he said, softly.

“Yeah,” Geronimo responded. He felt the irony in getting caught for being distracted.

“If it’s any consolation, Geronimo…” Knight added. “…you were right about distractions.”

Chapter Five

East Azerbaijan, Iran. The south face of the stratovolcano known as Sahand. Fortunately Alexey and his army came prepared for the colder temperature at the base of the mountain. Sulina didn’t need the same kind of protection as the mortal did. She was almost immune to the temperature; one of the benefits of being of the Fallen.

Their rogue Iranian military force had set up a temporary camp and were now waiting for air support. Alexey wore a thick Iranian military jacket and gloves, as he searched the skies with his binoculars; looking for any trace of the helicopters.

He was also beginning to lose his patience as he became more curious about the whereabouts of the two Zulfiqar tanks that were supposed to be there waiting for him. He was  infuriated as he approached the driver of the lead truck.

“Where are they? Where are my tanks and helicopters? They were supposed to be here by now!”

The driver looked expressionless at Alexey.

“Forgive me, but it has only been a few hours since you called for the helicopters. They will be here. As for the tanks…I do not know.”

“Not knowing isn’t going to win wars, comrade,” Alexey said, with gritted teeth. “Preparation is the key to success!” Alexey was not used to being kept waiting…by anyone.

“Forgive me again,” the driver responded. “Please remember that this is not our war. We are here for the money and the money alone.”

Alexey practically growled at the man.

“Does that mean your loyalty should be questioned?”

The driver appeared to take offense to that statement.

“Our loyalty should never be questioned. We do what we do to take care of our families where the Iran army would not. You are in this for a different reason altogether.”

“You think you know me, grunt?” Alexey snapped. “You think you understand why I am here?”

The driver moved in close to Alexey.

“You represent everything we have fought against. It is funny that we end up working for someone who shares ideals of the people who oppressed us to begin with. Do not doubt our loyalty, Mr. Konstantin.”

“Why shouldn’t I doubt your loyalty?” Alexey huffed back.

“Because…” the driver continued, “…we are being paid and once this is over we will be dead or on our own way. Either way, we will be assured of being away from you forever.”

Alexey stormed off and pulled out his phone and made a call. It rang for a while and then was answered by a familiar voice. It was the Iranian in charge of bringing the tanks to Alexey.

“Yes. I know I am late.”

“Why are you late?” Alexey barked. “You are slowing down my mission!”

“I mean no disrespect to your mission,” the Iranian nervously responded. “The tanks…they have some minor problems.”

Alexey’s war seemed to be disintegrating before his eyes.
Another problem. Another delay.

“Always problems! There wasn’t a problem with taking my money! Get here now!”

Before the Iranian could respond, Alexey hung up. He was silent with his thoughts for a moment, then he shook himself dramatically and looked up, smiling again. Clearly, these people did not know exactly who they were dealing with. He would have to teach them that lesson.

***

Evan, Jess, and Geronimo had their hands zip tied behind their backs. They were forced to kneel in a clearing in the desert. Dawn started to break and the Russians who surrounded the trio turned off their flashlights. They remained silent as a non-military jeep approached.

Knight realized that it would be in their best interest to find out what they wanted from his team.

A thin and weak looking Russian man exited the vehicle. What he lacked in muscle mass, he made up for in confidence. The man approached Knight’s group. His Russian accent was thick.

“Greetings. I believe we have Evan Knight, Geronimo Bismark, and Jessima IL Eve. You are one of the Daughters of Eve. Sworn protectors of the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life. Yes?”

No one is more shocked than Jess.

“How? How could you possibly have all of that information?” she asked, holding back her anger and frustration.

The man crouched down in front of Jess.

“I mean you and your friends no harm.”

“Yeah, right,” Geronimo scoffed. “That’s why we’re on our knees and we have these zip ties lovingly choking the blood out of our wrists.”

The Russian laughed. You Americans amaze me! Even when there appears to be a threat on your life, you joke like in the movies. He snapped his fingers trying to remember. He then turned to his men.

“That action movie star. You know! Yippy Ki Yi ay…”

“Retard,” Knight interrupted. “That’s Bruce Willis in the Diehard movies.”

“Yes!” the Russian exclaimed, as he jumped up and nodded his head in agreement. “Bruce Willis! Haha! I love him! He makes sarcastic statements even when his life is in danger. The only difference between his situations and yours…is that you will not be killed.”

“That’s the second time you’ve said that,” Knight huffed. “If you keep saying it, I might be willing to start believing you. What’s this all about? Why are you in Iran and what does it have to do with us?”

The Russian laughed again.

“All these questions and I haven’t had the chance to ask you any yet. Is that any way to treat your host?” He looked questioningly at Knight. “Who do you give your allegiance to?”

Knight looked around at Geronimo and wondered if he should say the United States. He then looked at Jess and remembered why he was there.

“The Daughters of Eve. I am here to protect the Garden of Eden and use the flaming sword…”

“Actually I will be using the sword, Evan Knight,” Jess interrupted.

Knight flashed her an angry grin.

“My bad. Anyway, I am the Chos…”

Jess shook her head ‘no’ as her eyes widened.

“I’m the one leading this little group,” Knight concluded.

The Russian paced back and forth around them still kneeling in the sand.

“I believe you, Mr. Knight. Since I am satisfied with your answers, I will help you. I am the squad commander of the Spetsnaz.”

Geronimo and Knight’s mouths drop as Jess wondered what he was talking about.

“I see that most of you have heard of us,” The Russian continued. “For the one person among us who is unfamiliar with who we are, we are like the Russian equivalent to the America’s Black Ops forces. We have been on the trail of Alexey Konstantin. He is well known in our country as a Pharmaceutical pioneer. He has, however, turned his attentions to other things recently. He has hired an army to storm the Garden of Eden and take the healing oil of the Tree of Life for himself. He has military trucks…”

“27!” Geronimo interrupted.

“Yes, my large friend, 27 trucks. He has also acquired some
other
military vehicles. Fortunately for us, we intercepted some of his toys.”

The Russian looked behind the jeep he arrived in, as two Zulfiqar tanks rumble to a stop about thirty feet from Knight.

“Holy…” Geronimo started.

“Be careful,” warned Jess.

The Russian stood by his jeep.

“These are my gifts to you. To stop Konstantin. I have acquired intelligence which I will give to you for the sole purpose of stopping this madman and preserving the Garden of Eden. I don’t have the extra men to give you, but before you leave, you will have full operational knowledge of each tank.”

Geronimo and Knight’s eyes lit up.

“Are you serious?” asked the unbelieving Knight.

The Russian pulled out a pocket knife and went behind each of them. He cut the zip ties and helped each one up.

“Скорость Бог. I am sorry. Godspeed.”

Knight shook the Russian’s hand with more sincerity than he ever had.

“Thank you…uh. I’m sorry. You know who we are, but we don’t know who to thank.”

“Forgive me, Mr. Knight,” The Russian responded. “My name is Boris Milek.”