The Goliath Chamber - Vatican Knights 24 (2021), Rick Jones [e ink epub reader .TXT] 📗

the result of its blast a sudden illumination of an underwater fireball. While the swelling gas bubble created a shockwave, an expanding ring of dark water at the surface called the ‘slick’ was followed by a second expanding ring of white water called the ‘crack.’ From the core of these rings, a mound of water and spray called the ‘spray dome’ had formed at the water's surface to become more columnlike as it rose. As soon as the rising gas bubble broke the surface, it then created a shockwave as the water vapor in the air condensed as a result of the expansion fans that decreased air pressure, density, and temperature, which made a spherical cloud at the precise location of the reaction. Water then filled the cavity that was formed by the bubble to create a hollow column of water, a ‘chimney,’ which rose to 3,000 feet in the air and broke through the top of the cloud. Then in response, a succession of surface waves moved outward from the center as concentric circles. The first wave was about 100 feet high and approximately 1,000 feet from the center. Other waves soon followed with some of them much higher than the first wave. Then as gravity caused the column to fall to the surface, it also created a cloud of mist that moved rapidly away from the base of the column, or a ‘base surge,’ which was two miles in diameter and 1,000 feet high. The base surge then rose from the surface to merge with other creations of the explosion to form clouds that would produce heavy rainfall for nearly an hour. And while this was forming within moments, brutal concussive waves moved through the air at more than ten times the speed of sound.

Less than three miles from the eruption point was the U155 helicopter.

It didn’t take long for these atmospheric surges to catch up to the aircraft.

* * *

The chopper began to shudder as though it was riding the edge of a leading wind. Then the alarms inside the cockpit started to signal with the electronic chimes, bells and whistles sounding off in a hideous symphony denoting danger. Nehemiah started to hit the toggle switches while trying to maintain control of the steering mechanism, which appeared to be fighting against his control. And then the helicopter started to lift and bounce as though riding the heavy gales of turbulence.

Isaiah hung onto the straps inside the bay as the chopper began to go into an uncontrollable spin. The alarms continued to sound off, loud and persistent, with each annoying whine predicting a coming tragedy. And then there was a snap and pop with the U155 starting to reel in a clockwise motion with its spinning turning faster and faster like a top.

The alarms.

The spinning.

The quick and sudden loss of altitude.

The surface of the water raced up at them with incredible speed, the churning waves white with caps and froth.

And then the cockpit windshield fractured into a myriad of weblike patterns with Nehemiah’s world, the approaching sea, lost behind the cracks.

And then the rotors started to crack and break away with the pieces thrown to all points of the compass.

The whining of the alarms continued as an awful and bleating rhythm.

. . . And then impact.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Rome, Italy

The Bangladeshi, who continued to wear the ill-fitting police garments, stood beyond the blast radius and watched the countdown on his watch that had been synchronized with the timer of the False Prophet.

. . . 00:00:03 . . .

. . . 00:00:02 . . .

. . . 00:00:01 . . .

. . . 00:00:00 . . .

The Bangladeshi looked south of his position expecting to see the night sky light up, but nothing happened. In dismay, he looked at the numbers on his watch, all zeros, and once again set his attention towards the south.

Night did not turn into day, as expected. There had been no rising mushroom cloud. And the earth did not tremor beneath his feet and the air did not smell of crisping ozone. The False Prophet had failed to detonate.

As a man who often exhibited a thin range of emotions, the Bangladeshi started to pound the heel of his fists against the roof of a nearby car to vent his frustrations. After striking the vehicle enough times to be winded, the Bangladeshi realized his failures. And along with these failures, he thought, consequences would follow him like a shadow.

The Bangladeshi knew that he needed to act immediately in order to set things right.

Hurrying down the boulevard with a sense of dealing with something of great importance, the Bangladeshi moved to save his future.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

The Vatican, Vatican City

After Kimball had been informed that Shari’s condition needed to be observed overnight at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, he immediately made his way to Vatican City. What he discovered to be unusual were the quiet streets and avenues. He could hear the soft whistling of the wind as it caromed off the buildings and skipped off the boulevards. But when he reached the expanse of St. Peter’s Square and saw that he was its only occupant, the open vastness made him realize how truly alone he was.

After making his way to the Apostolic Palace, he was ushered to the pontiff’s chamber by a trio of Swiss Guards. As soon as he stood before the pope’s quarters, one of the guard’s knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for a response. From his position on the threshold, Kimball could see the burning lamp on the pontiff’s desk, but no Pope Clement XV.

Stepping inside, the door closed softly behind him with Kimball’s clothes appearing dust laden and his collar removed, the Vatican Knight appearing as though he did not belong. At first, Kimball thought he was alone, but then he noticed a darkened mass standing on the balcony that overlooked the Square.

“I saw you coming,” the pope said from the shadows. “So, I told the guards to let you