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    X X I V
    X X I V
    X X I V
    Ebook168 pages2 hours

    X X I V

    By Mac Wilkey

    ()

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    About this ebook

    During the promotion of his new book, Forgotten Crusade, Ryan Parker becomes the target of a greedy terrorist who attacks the members of his team. Ryan agrees to go underground, literally, to avoid the terrorist and while investigating a 2000-year-old structure, the team finds relics from the first century which could impact 21st century Christianity if authentic.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLulu.com
    Release dateMay 26, 2015
    ISBN9781329181793
    X X I V

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      Book preview

      X X I V - Mac Wilkey

      X X I V

      X. X. I. V.

      By

      Mac Wilkey

      Sempine Publishing

      Copyright Page

      ©2015 by Mac Wilkey

      All Rights Reserved.

      No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher and/or author.

      While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein.

      Cover Design by Sempine Publishing

      ©2015 by Mac Wilkey

      Prologue: AD 30, East Jerusalem, Mount of Olives

      Nicodemus and Miriam walked up the mountain side by side.  Miriam was older, in her forties, and had known the younger man since he was a baby.  She had watched him grow up and had often wondered what career he would choose.  How surprised she had been when he decided to become a Pharisee; he seemed too rebellious to succumb to the strict religious dogma of that sect.

      Nico had successfully completed the rigorous training, married a pretty young woman, and was generally well-regarded by the Jewish community in Jerusalem.  When his son was born, Miriam had visited Nico’s home and had been surprised again—not by the child, a beautiful boy, but by the offer the young Pharisee had presented to her.

      We want you to join us, Miriam.

      A woman can’t become a Pharisee, she said, obviously toying with him.

      He smiled, but the serious look remained in his eyes.  I’m a member of a much more select group—a secret group of men and women who have dedicated themselves to a single objective.

      But why? she wondered aloud.  Why did you become a Pharisee?

      Talk quietly, my dear Miriam.  Even Rebecca doesn’t know.

      Miriam doubted that Nico’s wife didn’t know.  His voice, even in ‘quiet’ mode, was high-pitched and could easily be heard at a distance.

      We have members from all walks of life—even a religious leader.  He smiled again as he provided the answer to her previous question.  Apparently, he had become a ‘religious leader’ because this group needed one.

      He continued talking.  Someone with your wealth and stature would be a great addition.  With you, the foundation for our group would be complete.

      Miriam considered herself financially secure, but not extremely wealthy.  Nicodemus had come from a far wealthier family.  She guessed that his group’s real interest in her had more to do with her own interest in a particular young man who lived in Galilee.

      We are to be secret followers of the Christ child? she asked.

      It was Nico’s turn to be surprised, but he recovered quickly.

      We are to be observers and collectors, not followers.  At least, that’s not the purpose of our group.  We’ve already seen what King Herod has done.  The high priests are no better.  No records remain of the Eastern Magi visiting him; nothing has been written about his visit to the temple when he was twelve.

      Miriam nodded before speaking quietly.  And that’s about to change, isn’t it?  Count me in.  Tell me what you want me to do.

      Now, twelve years later, the first significant items for their collection were being delivered to a special storage location on the Mount of Olives.  A long procession, including two donkey-drawn wagons, followed them.  Israel’s hot summer sun cast shadows at their feet, but the ten men and eight women walking behind them were excited, unaware of how long ago breakfast had been.

      Generally, the members of the procession were walking in groups of two, but the groupings were random, two men, two women, or a man and a woman.  Enough separation between the groups existed so that their conversations would not be overheard if they spoke softly.  Of course, ‘Nico’ never spoke softly. 

      Further back down the mountain road, Joseph and his sister, Julia, rode in a brand new wagon drawn by a team of donkeys.  One might have taken them for twins—they looked so much alike, but they were ten years apart in age.  Both sat up straight on a wooden box that had been nailed to the wagon bed to form a seat.

      In the wagon were two full wine jars, three baskets of food, and two other jars full of water.  Joseph and Julia had called for this special meeting; they promised a celebration.  The trip up the mountain road was not an easy walk, but the twenty ‘walkers’ seemed to be enjoying the scenery.  An onlooker might have been surprised to learn that they had made this trip several times before during the last few years.

      On this occasion, the second wagon was empty except for two petite women, Vera and Sophia.  Vera was in her sixties and Sophia was much younger, but neither woman held the reins.  They knew that, if necessary, the man or woman walking in front of them could grab the donkey’s bridle and coax him in the right direction.  However, the only attention given the donkey on this trip was an occasional rubbing of his head or feeding him some grass plucked from the roadside.

      Joseph had only leaked enough information to the other group members to ensure that they would all come; they only knew that something very special was to be added to their collection.  Most of them had decided that the special item, whatever it was, must now be inside one of the wine jars or baskets that were being carried by the new wagon. 

      Before leaving Joseph’s residence, a large stone house with three different gardens, Joseph had only asked for help loading the wine jars; the baskets were light enough for Julia to carry, but Gabriella, a tall young woman, had taken them from her and placed them on the wagon behind the seat.  When she was finished, she looked at Samuel, the tallest of them all and shook her head to indicate that the special item was not in one of the baskets.

      Joseph had called the other two jars ‘water jars,’ and their contents were obvious.  Neither had been sealed and some of the water sloshed out of them when one of the wagon wheels rolled over a rough place in the road.  Neither Samuel nor Gabriella could figure out why so much water was being transported to their special building. 

      When the last of the procession reached a long building with a flat roof, the procession stopped.  While the older wagon was being ‘parked,’ Nicodemus and Miriam used special keys to unlock a set of large wooden doors. 

      Several men carried the wine and water jars inside, and Gabriella grabbed both of the food baskets.  Torches were lit, the doors were barricaded from the inside, and the procession soon moved to the far end of a single narrow room, about seventy cubits long. 

      After they were settled, taking seats on the floor or just standing against one of the walls, Joseph smiled at Julia and then addressed the group.

      We have come today to vote on whether these two wine jars are worthy of being added to our collection. He used his right arm to indicate the wine jars that had been unloaded from the newer wagon and placed on the floor near the top of a stairway.

      Julia and I had these wine jars transported from Cana where they served the guests of a very special wedding.  I’m sure all of you have heard about that wedding.  Even Vera, a woman of little emotion, gasped when Joseph described these special jars. 

      Is there still some of that wine in the jars? asked Miriam, the doubtful one.  Surely they aren’t still full.

      The men that had unloaded the jars knew that they were full of some liquid, but they kept quiet, content to let Joseph ‘run the show.’  However, everyone was very surprised by what Joseph said next.

      Pour out the wine.  Use the drain over there.  Joseph pointed to the northwest corner of the room where a large circular grill had been installed in the floor.  Samuel and Gabriella slid one of the jars to the grill and tipped it over.  As the wine splashed into the drain and disappeared, gasps and murmurs of surprise could be heard throughout the room.

      Wait; what are you doing? exclaimed Miriam.  The murmuring was taking on an angry tone.  No one could believe that Joseph was getting rid of the wine.  Some wondered aloud if Joseph had been deceiving them about the wine jars being those from the wedding in Cana.

      Be patient, my dear friends, pleaded Joseph.  As if waiting for confirmation, the two men with the second wine jar tilted it to pour out its contents.

      Perhaps I should not have been so dramatic, said Joseph. However, I don’t think any of you will ever forget what is going to happen next.

      He turned to his sister who stood beside him.  Julia, if you will serve each of our members a cup of water from one of the water jars.

      Two of the women helped her distribute mugs of water as Julia filled them by dipping into the ‘water’ jars.  Although not entirely satisfied with the partial explanation, each man and woman sipped from the cup of water offered them.  There didn’t seem to be anything special about the water.  They looked from one to the other, seeking a sign or a clue, or even a reassuring smile.  None was given.

      Now, I want Samuel and Gabriella to pour from one of the water jars into either of the empty wine jars.

      Even Miriam needed no further explanation.  Now, each one of them knew what Joseph expected to happen.  Will it happen? each one wondered to himself.

      Miracles do not have an expiration date, Julia promised.

      Chapter 1 : August 14, 2015 in Jerusalem, Israel

      Even as a teenager, Ryan Parker had never liked roller coasters.  He had ridden them, of course, but mostly because his wife, Sara, loved to ride them.  Now, at age 47 with no children and therefore no grandchildren prospects, he doubted that he would ever ride one again.  Unfortunately, he felt like he had just climbed out of the wildest roller coaster ride ever, one that crashed time after time but kept on going. 

      In reality, he was riding in a black SUV beside a pretty brunette who had introduced herself as Judith Davidson with the Jerusalem Police.  She occasionally looked at him, as if still trying to decide whether Ryan was a suspect or a victim.  Their ride together had started at the King David Hotel in downtown Jerusalem, just a few hours after she had introduced herself to him. That now seemed like it had occurred ages ago.

      He wondered again about their destination, a safe house.  How could that be?  Just last week, he and his assistant had been finalizing plans for the Jerusalem premiere of his soon-to-be best seller, Forgotten Crusade.  From that point, arguably the highest point of his professional career, he had spiraled downward to a point to where his own life might be in danger.  In fact, once he thought about it, he was sure he was in danger; maybe even his wife back in the United States was being targeted!

      He thought back to the day she kissed him goodbye at the airport in New York.  With so much going on, he had barely hugged her before leaving with his assistant, Megan Jones.  It bothered him now to remember that he only turned to wave at his wife because Megan turned back to wave at her fiancé, Roger Culpepper.

      Chapter 2 : August 13, 2015 at JFK Airport, New York City

      With almost an hour remaining before they would board the El Al jet to Tel Aviv, Ryan and Megan went over the checklist for the book premiere. The publicity for his book, Forgotten Crusade, had been much more secretive than any of his other best sellers.  Of course, this one wasn’t yet a best seller, but Ryan was sure it would be.  Neither of them

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