The Eye of Moses - Vatican Knights Series 22 (2020), Rick Jones [learn to read books txt] 📗

stolen or appropriated blueprints of smart weaponry, then fashion them to perfection for sale on the black market. The overwhelming view here is that the organization wants to refine the power of this particle so that it can be turned into a weapon for themselves. Strictly conjecture at this point, but one that makes sense since the treasures within the Croatian Vault remained untouched. These people knew what they wanted and took only the staff. If given the chance, it is believed that they will try to develop the ultimate weapon to promote their ideology.”

“Which is?”

“The Consortium principals believe that the goal may be to create a totalitarian state for which there is one government under one rule. In their eyes, creating a totalitarian society is their answer to global harmony.”

“It would be far from it. But why call on me? You know I’m not on Vatican grounds at the moment. Isaiah is more than capable of leading the mission.”

“This is at the direct insistence of the pontiff,” Father Auciello answered. “He wants you to work a joint operation with the Consortium team to regain the staff. A second item, a crucible belonging to Nostradamus, will be property belonging to the Consortium, which is why they will be involved. They will attain the crucible since it is a key that holds many global secrets that should never be unlocked and place it within a hold for safe keeping.”

“You know I’m better with my team.”

“The pontiff clearly indicated that the Vatican Knights would be needed elsewhere.”

“What’s more important than claiming an interest of the church that can be turned into a super WMD? Did the Society of Seven approve this?”

“I’m afraid that Pope Clement chose not to call into council the cardinals so they could decide in unison on whether the Vatican Knights needed to be employed. He made this decision on his own.”

“I see. New pope, new rules, is that it?”

“Please keep in mind, Kimball, that there are two treasures involved here: the crucible of Nostradamus and Aaron’s rod. You must aid in finding these treasures for which you are to return the crucible to the Consortium. The Vatican will keep the staff and the Eye of Moses. These two items, when pieced together, hold secrets that should remain buried. The crucible is the key to unlocking them all. And the dark particle would become the ultimate weapon, should those secrets be revealed.”

“I don’t understand the correlation between the two,” said Hayden.

“You will,” said Father Auciello. “Mr. da Vinci will brief you fully. It’ll make sense.”

“Going up against the Shadow Klan doesn’t sound like something we normally do,” he told the priest. “This sounds more like a political or corporate mission.”

“I won’t lie to you, Kimball, this is going to be incredibly dangerous. But the Consortium has their own highly skilled field agents—well trained and combat ready. Your agenda will be to aid them on this mission to retrieve these treasures. In fact, it’s paramount to stop the potential manufacturing of a weapon so powerful, it could toss the entire planet into chaos, political or otherwise.”

“And what exactly is a dark particle, anyway?”

“Some believe it to be a remnant of the Big Bang that happened more than fourteen billion years ago, and an energy so condensed and so powerful, it would make a nuclear weapon appear like a firecracker. Should the Master Techs analyze the powers within the crystal, there is no doubt that the principles of what they discover will be used for military utilization.”

“That could take decades. Maybe longer.”

“That may be true. But it could also take weeks or months. The Master Techs, from what I’ve been told, possess the best analytical minds in scientific discovery.”

“Where are they located?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it? But it’s believed that their home base is in Switzerland. The Consortium is doing whatever they can to confirm this.”

“You know I’m not too crazy about leaving Shari. Not now. Not when I’m on leave from the church.”

“Believe me, Kimball, I understand.”

Kimball Hayden closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, which caused the muscles in the back of his jaw to work. Then: “When do I leave?”

“I’ll have a private charter ready for you at the airport in one hour. From there, you’ll pick up a connecting flight in New York. And then from there to Cochem, Germany.”

“That’s a long flight.”

“Time, Kimball, as you know, is never a luxury when the stakes are high. You’re needed in Germany.”

Hayden knew this to be true. Time management was always critical in every mission. When all you needed was one more second to achieve the means, it was never there.

“Understood.”

“In one hour,” said Father Auciello, then he hung up.

Kimball, placing the phone aside, pulled out the chair at the table and sat down. The muskrat was on the table in front of him, still caught within the snare with its eyes having the milky sheen of blindness to them, as it looked in his direction. Having been dead for so long without the trappers retrieving it, led him to believe that the creature had been killed for no reason.

A lot of things die for no reason, he thought. Such was the way of people who placed little value in life. Kimball Hayden, however, was not one of them.

Picking up the phone, he called Shari. On the third ring she picked up. “All right,” he began, “You want the bad news first? Or do want the bad news first?” In other words, there was no second option.

There would be no date night tonight.

 

CHAPTER

TEN

Switzerland

On a mountainside terrace 6,500 kilometers above sea level, a glass and concrete facility that overlooked Lake Lucerne was reachable by three means: chopper, cable car, or by making a vertical climb. It stood along a precipice that resembled the horn of an anvil. It had the architectural and geometrical curves with circular and parabolic designs. The main lobby area was an expansive area filled with futuristic furnishings and acrylic fixtures. Recessed lighting worked in