The Solomon Scroll (21 page)

Jibril spoke fluent Hebrew and was a gifted actor, a survival skill he'd developed from an early age. He needed all his skills to conceal the hatred he felt for the Zionists.

His co-workers knew him as Gabriel. Not everyone who worked at Mossad was a spy. Like any large bureaucratic institution most of its employees were office workers. Jibril's job was to make sure that the endless stream of paperwork churned out every day reached the right desks. He was a familiar sight, wheeling his cart around Mossad headquarters with classified files destined for one of the many offices.

Even in a world of suspicious men, people like Jibril were invisible. He had become part of the daily environment, something taken for granted like electric lights or potted plants. Everyone was used to seeing him. If someone had been asked to describe him, they would've had to think about it.

In Mossad HQ, a simple inter-office memo could contain valuable information. Everything Jibril discovered went to Al-Bayati, the man who had saved him from a life of poverty or martyrdom. The martyrdom might still come, but Jibril was untroubled by that. Death was a release and paradise waited for the faithful.

He wheeled his cart into the office of the brigadier who served as liaison with the special ops units of the IDF. Coordinated operations with military units were funneled through him for authorization. Sooner or later, they all ended up in this room. Jibril thought about the man, a self-important cog in the vast Israeli intelligence network. The general was the sort of person who thought himself above the rules that applied to others, which was why he sometimes left files unattended on his desk. It was the kind of mistake that would have gotten a lesser employee in serious trouble. As it was, there were rumors he would soon be forced to retire.

Word had reached Jibril that Al-Bayati wanted information on any operation in Western Saudi Arabia or the immediate vicinity. As he placed the day's memos on the general's desk, Jibril saw a file with the winged sword of the Duvdevan on the outer cover. He looked around. No one was watching. Jibril opened the folder. As soon as he started reading he realized that this was what his patron was looking for.

Jibril took out his phone and began taking pictures of the file.

CHAPTER 45

The door into the cave was made of thick cedar, turned dark and dry and hard by the passage of time. Iron hinges held it fast in a heavy wooden frame. A pitted ring of black iron hung in the center, mounted on a back plate in the shape of a six pointed star.

"There's the star again," Selena said.

"It opens out," Ronnie said.

Nick grasped the ring and pulled. Nothing happened.

"Figures. Give me a hand, " Nick said.

They both pulled on it. The door didn't move.

"Try twisting the ring," Selena said. "Maybe it's a lock."

Nick wrapped his hands around the ring and tried twisting it to the left.

"Nothing."

He turned it the other way. Something moved on the other side of the door and stopped.

"It moved."

He took out his Ka-bar, put the hilt through the opening and used it as an improvised lever. The ring turned with a harsh squeal of dry metal. Nick stepped back and sheathed the knife, took the ring in both hands and pulled. The heavy door scraped open.

A stale odor of faded incense and dust drifted from the opening. Selena sneezed.

They stood in the opening and Nick took out his flashlight. The halogen beam illuminated brilliant paintings in vibrant color on the walls of a large room.

"Looks like nobody's home," Nick said, "Maybe this was a monastery."

"Or a retreat."

She swung her light around and stopped on a painting. "Look at that. That's St. George slaying the dragon. Look at those colors."

They stepped inside. Diego played his light over the paintings.

"Bunch of saints, too. There's Christ and Mary."

"And the devil," Ronnie said. He pointed. "Not somebody I'd want to run into."

The painting was a scene of hell. Walls of flame rose around suffering black faces and bodies. The central figure was a sharp toothed, winged creature with blood red lips and open mouth, painted in vivid blue. Wide, frightening eyes stared out at the observer. The devil looked as if he was about to step from the painting into the room. His arms were crossed around severed heads held close to his chest. A green and white snake wound around him. His legs were tied to one of his arms and he was chained to a rock. In the background, blue demons tortured agonized souls. It was a terrifying image, a grim warning of what waited for the sinner.

Every part of the room was painted. The ceiling was decorated with crosses and circles. In the middle of the ceiling was the same six pointed star that had been chiseled on the stone they'd found in Saudi Arabia.

"Must be the right place," Lamont said.

"There's another room." Diego went to it and shone his light into the space. "Looks like someone might have slept in here. There are some old coverings on the floor. He pushed the rags aside with his foot. A cloud of dust rose into the air.

Selena sneezed. "Probably a caretaker or guardian."

Diego leaned over and picked up a large piece of paper.

"It's part of an old newspaper. It's in Ethiopian and I can't read it."

He handed the paper to Lamont.

Lamont looked at the writing. "It's an article about Mussolini and the emperor Haile Selassie, dated April 30, 1936."

"That's right before the emperor fled and Mussolini took Addis Ababa," Selena said.

"Did Mussolini's troops come this way?" Nick asked.

"They probably occupied Adigrat. Why?"

"The Italian invasion could be the reason this place was sealed off. The Coptic church could have been worried the Italians would find what was in here."

"If that's true, why didn't anyone come back and open it up after the war was over?"

"I don't know. Maybe the people who knew about it died."

"There's another opening over here," Ronnie said.

He aimed his light into the darkness.

"Steps going down."

"You see any spiders?" Selena asked. "Webs?"

"A couple of webs, old. I don't see any spiders, though."

She turned to Nick. "Why do we always end up somewhere with spiders?"

"We haven't seen any yet. Ronnie said the webs are old. It can't be as bad as California."

"It better hadn't be. You go first."

"What happened in California?" Diego asked.

"Long story," Nick said. "This isn't a good time to talk about it."

"There were spiders?"

"You could say that. How about you go first?"

"Why me?"

"You're the new guy, remember?"

"I don't like spiders. They had these big ugly bastards in Iraq."

"You're still the new guy. Lead on."

They started down the steps. The walls on either side of the stairway were covered with paintings. At the bottom of the steps the passage opened into a second room. There were more religious paintings, their colors bright as the day they'd been made. Aside from the paintings, the room was empty.

"That's it?" Ronnie said. "An empty room?"

"Not much to show for that climb up the side of the mesa," Lamont said.

Selena said, "These paintings are different from the ones upstairs."

Nick walked over to stand by her. "How so?"

"Well for one thing, that's Sheba over there on the back wall." She pointed at a painting of a handsome black woman dressed in vivid colors. "That fancy headdress is a crown."

Servants knelt around the figure, offering food and fruit. Sheba was looking at the next panel over. It showed a brown-skinned, white-bearded king with a look of compassion on his face, his right hand raised in blessing. His left hand held a scroll, two fingers pointing at the ground. He sat on a golden throne. A sword lay across his lap. Supplicants knelt before him.

"I think that's Solomon," Selena said.

"It could be."

"Something's not right about this."

"What do you mean?"

"Why would Ephram leave that map if this is all there is? Besides, these paintings weren't here when he was alive. They were done hundreds of years after he died. It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe there was something here back then. If there was, it's gone now," Nick said.

"There's another one of those stars over here." Lamont pointed. "It looks different."

Selena went to the wall where Lamont stood. About two thirds of the way up was the six pointed star. Like the others, it had dots within the points. Unlike the others, it had symbols around it and was chiseled out of stone instead of being painted.

"I wonder...it can't be that simple," Selena said.

Nick gave her an odd look. "Wonder about what? What can't be simple?"

"Reach up there and push against that star."

"What are you thinking?"

"Humor me. Just push it."

Nick shrugged, reached up and pushed against the stone. It moved.

There was a harsh, grinding sound and the wall with the paintings rose into the ceiling.

CHAPTER 46

Elizabeth was studying a report on Russian satellite surveillance when her secure line signaled a call.

"Yes."

"Director Harker?"

"Speaking."

"Please hold for the president."

What now?

"Good morning, Director."

Elizabeth had known President Rice for years. He sounded stressed. That was nothing new. Today she sensed an undertone of annoyance.

"Good morning, Mister President."

"I just finished a meeting with the Israeli ambassador," Rice said. "He wants to know what we're playing at in Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. He demanded an explanation."

"Demanded, sir?"

"The Israelis know we're following up on that scroll. The ambassador reminded me that the scroll could lead to the discovery of, as he put it, 'cultural artifacts of the greatest religious significance to the Nation of Israel.' He wanted to know why we're not keeping them in the loop. He all but accused me of having found relics from the Temple and concealing them."

"What did you say to him, sir?"

"I wanted to tell him where he could put his demands and throw him out of the Oval Office. One of the frustrations of this job is that I can't do things like that without creating an international incident."

It didn't seem to require a comment. Elizabeth waited.

"Instead I told him I understood his concerns and reassured him that although we were indeed following up, nothing had yet been discovered. I also told him he would be the first to know if we found anything in Ethiopia or anywhere else."

"Did he happen to mention how he knew we were looking in Ethiopia?" Elizabeth asked.

"He did not," Rice said. "By the way, what are we doing there?"

"Based on a map we found in Saudi Arabia, I used the Onyx GPR satellite system to search for the tomb of Solomon in Ethiopia. As you know, sir, that system is highly classified. The only people who are supposed to know about Ethiopia are myself and my team. If the Israeli ambassador knew we were there, security for Onyx has been compromised."

"Wonderful. I'm sure the Pentagon will be happy to hear it."

"Yes, sir."

"What is the status of your operation, Director?"

"My team is currently on the ground in Ethiopia. They've found a location that may be the tomb. If the body of Solomon or anything from the Temple is there, they'll find it."

"When will you know?"

"They are underground and out of contact. They should be checking in soon."

"Very well. I want to know immediately if they find anything. Or if they don't."

"Yes, sir."

"Elizabeth, this is a delicate situation, as I'm sure you understand. It's imperative that anything found is kept safe. Your team has a habit of blowing things up. I don't want that to happen here."

"Yes, sir, I understand."

Rice changed the subject. "I was sorry to hear about Ms. Willits and her loss. Please convey my wishes for her quick recovery."

"I'll do that, sir."

"Keep me informed, Director."

"Yes, Mister President."

Rice ended the call.

Elizabeth considered what Rice had said. How had the Israelis discovered the team was in Ethiopia? At least this time it wasn't her responsibility. It was an issue for the Pentagon's DIA security watchdogs.

Israeli involvement complicated things. She wouldn't put it past them to send a team of their own to Ethiopia. She'd give Nick a heads up when he was back on the surface.

Elizabeth got up and went over to the coffee set up. The pot was empty. Usually Stephanie made sure there was some on hand, ready to fuel the next hour of insanity. She was as addicted to coffee as Elizabeth, but Joe Eggleston seemed to exist on energy drinks from cans with bright colored graphics on them.

Elizabeth changed the filter, refilled it, replenished the water and turned the machine on. She waited for the coffee to brew and thought about the team. She missed Stephanie. Steph was much more than a deputy, she was a close friend. Really, the only friend Elizabeth had. Losing the baby was a terrible thing to have happen. The doctors had told her she could have another. It was poor consolation. At least she had Lucas to help her through it.

Having Lamont back was a relief, even if it turned out to be temporary. She was feeling optimistic about Sergeant Ramirez. So far he was working out just fine. It was strange to have a new face in the family, for that's what it was.

Her family.

CHAPTER 47

They walked through the doorway of the hidden room and into the past. The beams from their lights danced over a row of wooden chests piled along one wall. At the back of the room stood an altar with an elaborate Coptic cross of gold and precious stones, flanked by tall candlesticks of gold. In front of the altar were two white marble boxes, each about three feet long by two high. The walls were painted with scenes from the Old Testament. The yellow gold and jewels of the cross gleamed in their lights.