Stone of Fire: An ARKANE Thriller (Book 1)

Chapter 38

London, England.
 2 weeks later.

      Morgan had been invited to London for a debriefing on the mission with ARKANE Director Elias Marietti. She decided to accept for a sense of closure, and she knew that part of her wanted to see Jake again. There was so much that remained unsaid between them and she had left that night before he had found the stones. Perhaps they hadn’t survived the inferno after all?
    She was met at the official entrance of ARKANE by Marietti’s secretary and taken up to the Director’s office. He rose to greet her and indicated a chair. She glanced at the art on the walls, the books on his shelves and saw evidence of the latent power Ben had spoke of.
“You’ve been a great asset to us, Morgan. Thank you for helping our mission to retrieve the Pentecost stones.”
     “You’re mistaken, Director. It was always my mission. I was never there to help ARKANE find the stones, I only wanted to help my family. You would have sent them to their deaths just to save some relics of the early Church.”
     Marietti gave a thin smile.
     “But you’re intrigued by ARKANE, aren’t you, Morgan? You saw something in the flames that was evidence of another reality. You know some of what we research here and it fascinates you. We have many mysteries to solve, many unique areas of research you could be part of. There are things happening in this world that you can only imagine, the stuff of angelic dreams and demonic nightmares.”
     “Why are you telling me this now?” she asked.
     “I want you to join us,” Marietti replied.
     There was a sharp intake of breath from behind her and Morgan turned to see Jake in the doorway. He was clean shaven and wearing a slate grey suit, his white corkscrew scar standing out against his tanned skin. He was a handsome incarnation of the man she had travelled with, who had been beaten, bruised and smudged with ash from the flames of Pentecost. But this man was a stranger, his face stony as Marietti ignored his entrance and continued.
     “We need a top researcher who can help us solve some of these mysteries, someone with your expertise in biblical matters and psychology of religion and someone who can hold her own in the field. Of course, you would have access to all our research.”
     Morgan thought of the database of which she had only touched the surface, the amazing resources ARKANE had and the secrets they protected. Marietti certainly knew how to tempt her professional side. Being back in staid academia for such a short time already, she was already longing for adventure. But then she thought of what Faye and Gemma had been through, of how close she had come to the flames of Everett’s fire and the bullets of Thanatos. She started to speak but Marietti held up his hand.
     “Just think about it. Right now, you want to see this.”
     He picked up a plain black case from behind his desk and held it out to her. It was dark wood, inscribed with tongues of fire that were picked out in gold leaf.
     “You found the stones?” she said, amazed that they had been pulled intact from the flames. She reached for the case, laid it on the desk and opened it. They lay benign, all twelve, just pieces of rock, each with its own place carved so that they sat snugly. She recognized her own stone, remembering when her father had given it to her, no hint of what powers it might contain.     
“This one is mine, you know, and that is my sister’s. You have no right to keep these.”
     “But I think you appreciate their potential power now.” Marietti said. “Perhaps it’s best that they rest together in our vault. No one will come for you or your family again if we have them.”
     She traced the outline of her stone with a fingertip. Then she nodded and closed the lid, without relinquishing the box. Marietti stood.
     “You deserve to see them laid to rest. Come, we’ll go down together.”

     Morgan glanced sideways at Jake as they entered the elevator. They had still not spoken directly. His eyes were dark and hooded, as if he had withdrawn into his agent self. The Jake she had seen in the ruins of the Biosphere was hidden again. She was confused by his conflicting signals and didn’t trust her feelings enough to speak so she stood away from him in the elevator as they descended into the depths of the ARKANE vaults.
    Marietti stopped in front of the main vault door. It looked like an ancient portal, but inlaid with modern steel bars, protected by a high level security system. He scanned his retina and entered a passcode. Jake spoke his keywords to authenticate the entry. The doors opened and Marietti waved Morgan inside.
     “Few outsiders see this, but I thought you’d find it interesting.”
     A puff of cool air blew over them from the humidity controlled vault as they walked through the doors. Morgan marveled at the size of the hall in front of her. It stretched into the distance with separate opaque sealed rooms for books, religious artifacts and unknown objects hidden inside.
     “This is our treasure vault,” Marietti said, “where we keep the most precious and dangerous artifacts. Here are the manuscripts of heresy and occult knowledge, the bones of martyred saints and secrets the world would have us keep.”
     “Or you would keep from the world,” she countered, but followed him down the hallway. Marietti stopped in front of a doorway and led her in. It was dark and cool inside; a dim light outlined boxes, paintings and scrolls all in numbered places around the walls.
     “The light must stay dim to protect what is here, but these are secrets that the stones can rest easy with, Morgan.”
     She didn’t relinquish the box.
     “After what you’ve put me through, after leaving me and my family to die and taking the stones, how can you ask me to give these back to you? There’s more to ARKANE than protecting religious secrets for the good of mankind, I know that. Why should the stones stay with you?”
     Marietti sighed, age showing in his face.
     “We couldn’t let the power of the stones into the world and you’re a resourceful woman. Clearly, you inspired great loyalty in Jake, and you both made it out, with the stones so no harm done. This time. But this is a safe place for them now, especially if you work with us. Think about it. I know you’re intrigued by what lies within these vaults and we can give you access. You’re a scholar. Knowledge is what you seek.” He paused. “... And perhaps adventure as well.”
     Morgan looked around the vault, at the cornucopia of intoxicating possibility. She bent and gently laid the case of stones down in their allotted place, as if saying goodbye. She backed out of the vault as Marietti followed.
     “I’ve just got my life back,” she said. “I’ve found my family again and have a chance for a normal life. I’ve seen what you do and I don’t want this crazy dangerous ARKANE life. The price is too high.”
     She looked pointedly at Jake then. He met her eyes with a challenge, saying nothing to stop her. Turning away, Morgan began to walk down the long corridor back towards the elevator. Marietti called after her.
     “A war is coming, Morgan. A religious battle where millions may die and ARKANE is the only group capable of stopping it. Thanatos will not give up this easily. We need you.”
     She stopped for a second, but didn’t turn around as he finished.
     “Ask Ben. Ask him about your parents and the pale horse of Thanatos. You’ve heard of the prophecy, that the stones will be together in the end times. Those times are upon us. Ask him, and then call me.”
     She walked on faster then, away from his haunting voice. Up in the elevator through the levels and into the light of another London day, to be lost in the tourist crowds of Trafalgar Square.

***

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