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Chapter -9- In Too Deep

Monday Morning, 6:30am PDT San Francisco ...

Jack Wells opened the door and stepped into the interrogation office. "Wake up, sunshine."

Reno sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Hey, thanks for dimming the lights, earlier."

"Yeah, not sure what that was about, Carrington. Electrician can't make it in until seven or eight. Don't tell me you're responsible for that, too."

"You never know." Reno offered a wan smile. All at once, the lighting in the room returned to its original luminescence. "Still, thanks for the nap. Much quieter in here than in holding."

"Yeah, uh," Wells looked around himself at the recessed lighting, brows furrowed. "Don't mention it. Anyway, you're free to go."

Reno stood up and stretched. "Yeah? Is that a fact?" He pushed in his chair and saw the lights come up behind the reflective mirror on the other side. Reno turned back to Wells. "Change of heart?"

"Someone came for you. Someone with ties to some sort of Government agency calling themselves Osprey. Sounded like crap to me but when I started looking into it, the Captain called me directly. Said I was in too deep, to cut you loose and leave this thing alone. To be clear, I've never heard her speak to anyone like she did on that call. So it's your lucky day."

Reno sighed and put his hand out. "It's nothing personal."

"Save it. You've been condescending and I think you're a jerk."

"Oh yeah?" Reno walked around Jack and stopped in the doorway leading out to the hall. He glanced up, seeing that the camera didn't have a good angle on him, due to the direction the door opened. Reno held his hands together then opened them, slowly, creating an arc of lightning. He closed his fingers into a fist, all except his two middle fingers, sustaining the arc of current between his two extended fingertips. "I fried the security computer as a matter of national security. Our secret, Jack. I'd have told you earlier if you turned off the recording gear."

A voice came from behind Reno, further down the hall. "Are you serious with that nonsense right now??"

Reno dissolved the current and turned towards the familiar voice with a grin. "Wilf?"

Wilfred Greg came up the hall and slugged Reno in the shoulder. "I saw what you did. Don't be a showboating dick, man. Y'know, twenty years ago, government agencies would have hunted you down and killed you for that? You'd better be glad this country has a short memory, and shorter attention span."

Reno reached for Wilfred's hand and pulled the older man into a half-hug. "How'd you know I was here?"

"The people I've been working for called me an hour ago and told me my 'friend' was in holding. Apparently they watch you. You showed off for some grunt named Lancaster? And now you're showing off for a cop? Get it together, man. You can't be doing that crap."

Reno held his hands up defensively. "Alright, Wilf, okay." He turned back to Wells, standing halfway in the interrogation room. "You didn't give me a lawyer, you didn't read me my rights. All I asked for was two minutes of privacy to talk to you. You wouldn't even meet me halfway. You suck at investigating."

Jack narrowed his gaze. "I have a feeling we'll see each other again. Especially if you're so smug about this."

"It's not hubris, pal. It's being cavalier. And I'm doing it to piss you off." Reno turned back to Wilfred, and slammed the door to the interrogating room, leaving Jack alone. Reno walked up the hall with Wilf and said, "Thanks for getting me out of here, man. I appreciate it. I really do. Are you still doing autopsies for those Fed jokers?"

"Yeah," Wilf said as they headed through the hall together. "I saw the bodies that Sekhmet attacked. I went back and looked at the videos that wound up online where she attacks people in Egypt. She's scary as hell. I don't know if I'd be able to be in the same room with her."

"I wasn't afraid of her," Reno said. "She startled the hell out of me, but I wasn't afraid of her."

"Uhm, okay. That wasn't what I asked."

"You didn't ask anything. I was just making a general statement, Wilf. Now I just need to find someone in USPRI who will vouch for me. I can't do any investigating without a contact."

Wilfred shook his head. "I got a call from Ms. Loupe, and a lead on a contact for you." They headed out through the lobby together and out through the front door. "You really shouldn't use your powers in public, Reno."

"Yeah, yeah. I can handle my shit, bud." Reno's expression lightened, seeing his Chevelle parked on the street, in front of the precinct. "Oh, baby, I missed you."

"Tch." Wilf shook his head and gave Reno the keys. "I have to place a battery on the steering column and wear gloves to drive it."

"You know what this car needs? AI, so it can tell me it's glad to see me, and help me investigate..."

"Reno, having powers doesn't make the world a comic book. And you're not Michael Knight."

"Who?" He paused and shrugged. "Wait, that's a TV show from before I was born, right?"

Wilfred closed his eyes with a sigh, shook his head, and dropped into the passenger seat. "Yeah. Just ... yeah. Anyway, AI doesn't exist, and even if it did, in some lab somewhere, it wouldn't fit into a car." He pulled the door shut, reclined the seat a bit and folded his arms.

Reno sank into the driver's seat. He adjusted it to his preference, fixed his mirrors and put his hands on the wheel. The car hummed to life. "There's my baby."

"Why does your personality treat cars like an extension of their dick? It's phallic, man."

Reno snorted. "No, Wilf. It's the exact opposite. Dudes like me give cars a girl's name. It's the perfect woman. It doesn't cheat, it doesn't lie, and it doesn't betray you, so long as you give her some love and keep her maintained. She does what she's told, she is quiet except when I open the throttle, and then she purrs for me. She's not an extension of my junk, she's my baby-girl."

"Right. Anyway, Karla said you'll finish your investigation into the disappearance of Lance Patterson when you arrive in New York."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah. Apparently Gregory Watson is alive and living there. He's still the director at USPRI, but he's officially on hiatus. Like a vacation or something. Anyhow, you're going there to find him."

"Damn. Well, alright." Reno put the car into gear and pulled away from the SFPD.

X

X

Meanwhile, Axum, Ethiopia ...

"Here it is." Conner gestured towards the once-majestic square looking building. The fancy top was missing tiles, the metal floodlights above the doorways were weather beaten and the exterior was in need of preventative maintenance.

"This is it?" Evan quirked a brow. "It's a ... I mean, the thing isn't all that big... I really expected some insanely grand temple or something."

Karla folded her arms. "Moses wasn't ... how you say, 'down with that', Evan. The Ark was made from acacia wood, not platinum. The rails were golden so that they wouldn't rust. But other than that ... the whole false idols thing, remember? This building isn't very large, either. Keep it simple-stupid and humble as hell."

"Bad pun." Conner kept his eyes on the building across the way.

"Not intentional," she replied. Karla's eyes narrowed at the building. She turned to Evan with a wan smile and said, "There's supposed to be a jar of mana in there, Evan. You can level up your magic."

"Oh geeze. And besides, mana is for _refilling_your magic, not leveling it up."

Karla grinned. She cracked her knuckles, restless and ready for a challenge. "I'm all psyched up for this. Any one of us could easily die right here and right now. That thing is supposed to be nightmarishly awesome in power. Not the contents alone ... but with all of them mixed together ... yeah. I imagine that any piece alone is like a bomb without a detonator. You combine them ... and now it's capable of stopping legions of 'heathens'."

Carmen frowned. "We're a band of thieves ... it doesn't get too much more heathenistic than us."

Karla eyed the building. "Okay, maybe I'm not all psyched up for this after all. Is it weird I'm having second thoughts?"

Conner kept his gaze forward. "What's the matter, Karla? You afraid of abruptly catching on fire if you go inside?"

"Not for all the reasons you're thinking, Parker." Karla elbowed him in the side, gently. "It wouldn't be like a vampire walking into sunlight."

No one spoke.

Karla reached up and toyed with a lock of blond. Her other hand dipped into her handbag and scooped out Kuda, bringing him to her chest. "Thank God Falcon didn't find this twenty-five years ago."

"He would have if he bothered to use the internet," Conner said.

"I mean, if he found out the last artifact was the staff," Karla said, adding, "Sire could've forced the guards into giving up the staff. Then we'd have been screwed."

Conner said nothing. He kept his eyes on the building. After a few moments of silence, Carmen placed a palm on his forearm.

Karla sighed softly. "If Lance were here ... he would give us this really budget success ratio guesstimate."

Conner withdrew his cane from its holster. He unshouldered the canvas bag and passed it to Evan for safekeeping. He stepped forward, gave the cane a gentle twirl then took a deep breath. "Karla, I'm going to try this the old fashion way. If I don't make it out of there in just a few minutes..."

"Yeah?"

"Then ... I want you to teleport in and try. If things get dicey ... Carmen, blow the building up then you and Evan do what you can to get that thing..."

"I can't believe we're going to steal from God," Carmen murmured. "Strange as it is, I never really had any set belief system ... and yet I can't tell you how effin' scared I am about this. It's like ... you don't believe in ghosts but when you're alone in a dark hallway and you feel your hair standing up on the back of your neck ... and you feel a chill run down your spine ... and you know someone or some_thing_ is watching you ... I feel that way right now."

Karla stepped forward and patted Conner's bicep. "You can do it, kiddo. You'll be fine."

Conner smirked. "What's to be afraid of? If it was that deadly, we'd have heard about this in the news by now, right?"

Karla snorted. "No body, no case. If that thing turns people to dust or melts them to a small pile of steaming goo ... it wouldn't make the news. There would be no witnesses except that guard."

"And God," added Conner quietly. "Okay ... first of all, I'm not stealing this. I'm borrowing it for the good of ... well, everybody. Second of all this thing is an object of the Old Testament. But people who believe in the New Testament have it in their possession. Fact is, several religions find this thing to be a holy relic. It hasn't melted off their face ... or turned _them_to ash, or a pile of goo or whatever..."

Karla nodded with a semi-impressed expression. "Not bad. I like your logic, kid."

Conner continued. "So whoever is ultimately right in their belief system, the fact remains that it isn't killing the guards. So everyone calm down and let's hope this guard isn't a Christian Crusader. I don't need to get run through with a broadsword."

Carmen jabbed him in the arm with a glare. "...Conner!"

He lifted his hands and waved them quickly from left to right. "Figure of speech, relax! I'm not going to die today, okay? Let's just ... get this thing and go on our way."

"It probably isn't even really here," murmured Karla.

Carmen arched her back, looking passed Evan, over at the succubus. "You want to teleport in there before Conner and do some recon?"

"Hell no I don't want to teleport in there." Karla shook her head and sighed. Everyone but Conner turned to look at her. She smirked. "What? I'm not allowed to be scared white?" She cut her eyes back to Evan and added, "Figuratively, of course."

"Believe it or not, that expression doesn't offend black people, Karla."

The succubus turned back to Conner. "So anyway, pardon me for having a built in self-preservation mechanism."

"One of us has to get off our laurels and make a try." The whole team turned to look back at Evan. He shrugged then reached down and rubbed at his hip. "Maybe I could glass the security system before he could hit the alarm. I just don't know where it is, and lord knows we don't want to hurt him; he's just a holy roller doing his job."

Carmen cleared her throat. "Yeah, for the rest of his natural-born life. Poor guy."

"He's a volunteer, right?" Karla folded her arms and turned her gaze back to the building again.

"No," replied Carmen. "I read that he's appointed by the last guard. If the guard dies before nominating someone, the priests at the church, next door, have to vote on someone. Goodbye social life."

"Zealots like those people don't have lives anyhow," countered Karla. "Conner ... you look like you're building up the nerve to do this. Are you ready?"

"I'm weighing the pros and cons of doing it now compared to waiting for nightfall."

"How's that going for ya'?" asked the succubus with an amused smirk.

Parker gave the cane another slow twirl. "The floodlights are probably motion activated. It's a fortress, so it's difficult to get in without those things coming on and drawing attention with the bright light. So, if I go in by day, now, I have a pretty good chance of getting in without being seen by anyone outside of the building. I'd consider leaving my staff here since I won't need it to take the lid off of a wooden box. Then again, maybe I better take it with me for protection. Just in case, right?"

"You're the man," said Karla. "Go show the cosmos how this is done. Just remember, if Aris Falcon ever gets wind that this is the final piece ... he'll wind up nuking this place and picking up the metal staff from whatever ashes are remaining. We don't want that. So it's up to you else Axum is going to be wiped the rest of the way off the proverbial map."

Conner swallowed. His voice was soft, humble. "Yeah."

He approached the building but stopped in front of a short white wall that surrounded the perimeter. Karla appeared besides him and said, "It's probably not in there. Deuterocanonical '2' Maccabees '2', four through ten, claimed the prophet Jeremiah took the Ark, the tabernacle, the altar of incense ... the whole kitten caboodle, and buried that crap in Mount Nebo, Deuteronomy thirty-four, verse one. Revelations claim the thing is in the 'temple' of God, in Heaven. Eleven, nineteen - it's last seen in God's temple just before Mary gives birth to Jesus, and the Muslims believe that Mahdi, whoever he is, will find it near the end of times, from Lake Tiberias. So ... just ... relax. It's probably not even in there."

He pursed his lips. "If it isn't, then we're all in trouble because we need what is in it."

"Prior to building Solomon's temple, I Kings chapter eight verse nine claims there's nothing inside the box save two tablets of stone. Whatever used to be in there, if it's there, probably isn't there anymore, right? Besides, Hezekiah was said to have destroyed the rod of Moses, possibly Aaron's as well. So just calm down. It's a rotting old wooden box. You can do this."

Conner turned to glare at her. "How the hell do you know so much about this stuff? You're quoting bible verses. I've never heard you quote bible verses. Ever."

Karla glared back to play off his concerns, after unintentionally outing herself. "I've lived for a long time, remember, douche bag? I've had bibles thrown at me, and I was surrounded by it. Okay? God. I was Lance's student, and Natalia, too. They both like their academic reading. Don't judge me."

"Shut up and let me work, okay?" He narrowed his gaze at Karla who disappeared. She returned to Carmen and Evan's side. He looked back at his team, all of whom appeared rather uncomfortable with the mission.

Carmen folded her arms, looking pensive.

Karla said, "On June 25th, 2009, this dude named Abune Paulos or something - he said he was going to show the ark to the world. You know, like, prove it exists. The very, very next day, he rescinded his statement and said he can simply attest that it is in good condition. He changed his mind real quick."

"Why?" asked Evan.

Karla shrugged. "I think he bent to pressure from the Esoteric Council, who demanded he keep it safe and unseen."

"Dang."

Conner took a deep breath and licked his lips to get his nerve up. "Okay, let's get this over with." He hopped over the white wall, approached a tall red fence, and used his cane to pull himself up over the top. He dropped down in a semi-crouch on the other side and gave his cane a twirl. Parker looked back at his team, then started forward again.

He waded through a garden and approached the building. Conner tightened his jaw and went for the door. It was unlocked much to his surprise.

A square hallway surrounded the interior of the building with another room at the core. He opened another door and came face to face with a bearded man in decadent red robes with a pillbox hat. The olive-skinned gentleman's peppered beard was close to the coloration of the milky cataracts in his eyes. "My name is Mikail Johannes Kioko. You won't be going any further, young boy." A sheen of sweat glistened on his brow from the day's heat.

"I'm ... I'm sorry; I've come for the contents of the box. There's a staff in there and I need it and..." Conner blinked. "You're speaking English?"

"I don't know English," said Mikail. "Do you speak Amharic? I doubt it. Do you not know the holy language of Tongues? Fortunately for you, boy, I am gifted with such. You are in danger, here. You must leave - your entrance is not permitted." The man reached for a red alarm button mounted on the wall nearby.

Conner used his cane, snagging the man's wrist with the hook to keep him from reaching up for the alarm panel. "Please ... don't make this hard on us both, sir. I require the staff inside the box."

"There is no staff inside the box," said Mikail, "there is no box in this building."

"What?" Conner exclaimed. "There's supposed to be a wooden Ark with gold-plated trim. Inside of it, there's supposed to be some stone tablets and a staff. And I need that staff else this building isn't going to mean squat much longer."

"There is an Ark with relics inside. But there is no 'box'. Whatever you think you know about the Ark is beyond your comprehension. Release my arm and leave, now."

Conner gritted his teeth. "I've come for it and I'm not leaving without it. Step aside, old man. Don't naively become the reason the whole freaking world goes to hell - let me do my job. I'll return the thing when I'm done with it, now move." Conner lifted his free hand and pushed the man back towards the center of the inner sanctum. He turned his staff about, until the hook was now against the man's neck. "Don't shout for help, either. I'm not here to hurt anyone."

The Mikail's eyes widened, getting a closer look at the golden-hued cane. "...Fantastic. It's the cane held by the Seraphim."

"I'm not here to play games, Mister Kioko. I'm in a hurry, sir."

"You're related to Jonathan Parquer, aren't you? He was God's thief, and used a Canaanite sickle-sword versions of this cane, known as the Khopesh. Its origins are traced to the third millennium BC Sumer. It was surrendered to Hezekiah and destroyed before Christ, to ensure the survival of this very cane you hold in your hand. Do you realize what you hold, boy?"

"My family heirloom. I don't want trouble. I'm here to take the rod inside the Ark. I need to borrow it ... this sounds weird but ... I need it to save the world, Mr. Kioko. Where is the Ark?"

The man stepped back further. He lifted a hand to Conner and said, "I ask you to wait. Have faith that I will not sound the alarm - wait here." He turned about and came face to face with an old rectangular box. It sat in the dark but every detail was easily seen. Atop of it were two wooden angels or birds of some sort.

From behind Mikail, Conner couldn't see the box very well. The lid had twin Seraphims identical to the ones carved into Egypt's King Tutankhamun's tomb. The sides of the box were very plain yet elegant. Halfway down were golden rings but there were no poles within them.

Conner brought his hand to his temples, immediately developing a headache. "I've seen the marks on the lid of that thing. They were on King Tut's tomb. The design around the angels are different but the winged angels, themselves, are ... they look identical."

"The more you look in the Ark's general direction, the more your head will hurt. Energy from your eyes causes capillary swelling, which will eventually cause a stroke or similar type of brain bleed. Just because I'm a guard of a tiny little building in East Africa, don't go thinking I don't know anything about the modern day, like medical technology. Did you know we have Wi-Fi, here? Do yourself a favor and avert your eyes. Oh, and by the way ... the angels were Metatron's idea."

"...Who?"

"The angel who caught the hand of Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, his son. He's not seen, only heard but can be punished, as he is not a godly being, but a simple servant. Now, turn your back, Son of Parquer."

Conner tightened his jaw again then turned away. Seconds later, the walls glowed with an ethereal light. It lasted for mere seconds before the room darkened again. Before he could turn around, the man placed a gentle palm on Conner's shoulder.

Parker turned about and murmured, "You're fast for an old man." He blinked, seeing the elegant staff in the man's other hand. "...Wow." He was amazed at how unsophisticated and plain the staff appeared. The simplistic bronze snake that coiled around the staff was corroded and old. "It looks really brittle." On the backside of the snake's head, there was a marred section that looked as though a small piece may have been broken off once upon a time.

Mikail lowered the cane and tapped the top against the concrete floor firmly. "A clear protective layer, most likely God's divine power, now protects this ancient artifact. It's not nearly as old as yours, though. Be sure to return this." He passed it forward to Conner then asked, "How did you know Moses' staff survived the wrath of Hezekiah's new order? Let alone, how did you know it was here?"

"Someone told me it would be here and that Aaron's rod was the one destroyed. But now I'm hearing Aaron's rod was used to rip America into two sections."

"Mm, Aaron's rod is certainly capable of that in the wrong hands. Such a tragedy when so many die."

Conner frowned. "So, this rod of Moses - what can it do?"

"Heal snake bites," replied the man. "It's merely an antenna of the will of a God-loving man. Look into your heart. If it's pure, He will look into your soul and it will do as you need it to do."

"But... I'm a thief. It won't work for me."

"Do you steal from people or do you steal from the wicked?"

Conner tilted his head, bringing both canes together. "I only steal from thieves. It's our way."

"Then perhaps your shame is not what you thought. You punish the wicked. It is your way - have faith in yourself and in your Creator." The man placed a gnarled old hand upon Conner's shoulder, patting it firmly. "And know that I'm not some lowly old man, boy. I could easily have stood up to the pretty little golden-haired female you left out in the street. God is my power, boy. My only crutch is age - the most natural of all our abilities. One day you, her, and all your friends will be as old as I am. Although, you should probably know that I'm only forty-eight. Being in the presence of the Ark is difficult on the body."

"I ... why do you do it?"

"For God. And rest assure, son of Parquer, your body will look frail and aged one day soon. But without the power of God, you'll be frail and weak."

"No offence but..."

"None taken." Mikail, with his palm still upon Conner's shoulder, shoved the teenager up against the wall three feet off the ground with relative ease. "God's power is something you cannot understand until you've given yourself to Him. Perhaps you'll one day understand." He released his grip and Conner dropped to his feet.

Conner stared at the aging man, eyes wide.

Mikail cleared his throat and said, "There is Godly power endowed within the object of your fancy. Worry not if your faith is lacking ... perhaps the power of God will help to restore your faith. Miracles aren't simply a thing of the past. You'll see."

"My uncle, James, is supposed to be the one to wield this. But he would never steal it, so I retrieved it for him."

"Ah, I see." Mikail offered a smile then motioned for the door. "When you step through that archway, you'll stand before Metatron. He'll become visible to you and you will prove to him your worth. He'll deem you worthy to deliver that artifact to your uncle. And if your uncle is worthy, he will hold the staff with no such judgment. For now, prepare to meet Metatron. Stand tall."

"Wait, I had a question about that other staff my ancestor used. What was the difference between his and mine?"

Mikail stepped forward again and gave Conner a push, backwards, through the doorway. The physical realm melted around the teenager and everything went dark.

X

---

A voice that boomed like a roll of thunder filled Conner's ears. "Welcome, Conner Parker, my boy. Aren't you a bit young to handle that family heirloom? You need to learn how to hold it properly, that's why it tingles when you touch it, and burns when you hold it. Ah! And I see you've been brought here by the Nehushtan!"

Conner reached up and rubbed his head. He looked up and saw a blurry man. In his hands, he held a staff similar to the one Conner owned.

The luminescence of the room was caused by the glow of a beautiful metal rod with wings and two snakes perched atop.

Conner squinted. "Is ... is that the Asclepius? The, uhm, rod of Aaron?" He eased his body up onto his left elbow, eyes narrow from the brilliance of the immediate area.

"No, that rod has a single snake and no wings. This," the man held his cane aloft, "Was called this the Caduceus. The 'winged staff.' It had two snakes wrapped about it like DNA ribbons. The double helix; it represents the human DNA strand. The symbolic healing staff of the Greek 'god', Hermes ... protector of merchants and thieves. This rod was once much longer. A piece of it was cut away and, combined with orichalcum, a master forger created the staff you now own."

Conner looked over at his family staff, across his lap. "Merchants and thieves?"

The man's voice brightened, speaking with a smile. "Ironic that it should end up in the hands of your family."

Conner Parkers sat up and rubbed at his eyes. He got to his feet, one at a time, and stood before a tall man seated in a chair.

Draped in elegant red robes, the man sat taller than Conner stood. Thirty-six fantastic groupings of vibrant white fathers emanated from his back but appeared translucent and illuminated. The man wore a crown and held a long white cane made of Platinum in his left hand, and the shorter glowing rod, Caduceus, in his right. "The Winged Staff could bring a gentle death to the dying, and restore life to the dead. It is technology forged by the First Age, and can restore degraded DNA and heal injuries, thus restoring life. It is far too powerful to stay on Earth and so I possess it. However, as I said, a piece of it was used in the creation of your family staff. Use it with care and treat it with respect."

"You're treating me like a child. I have treated it with respect."

"You are a child."

Conner scoffed. He brought his hands to his head and rubbed firmly, from the headache he developed back in Ethiopia. "In some cultures, thirteen is considered a man. I consider myself a man."

"I am Metatron." The enormous man stood up, towering over the teenager. He radiated with simplistic beauty. "And you are Conner: a lost soul who wishes to understand his place in this world."

"I guess you're here to tell me that God exists and that I have to be worthy to deliver this staff?"

The towering angel shook his head. "That will not be necessary, dear boy."

"So you're an angel? Does that mean I'm in the Celestial Realm?"

"No. We are in my realm. And I am many things. I'm an icon of many religions. I am a symbol of witchcraft. I am called an angel. But in reality I am a mere messenger and a scribe."

"So what do you represent? God or witchcraft?"

Metatron smiled softly. "I am not here to tell you what religion is right, or if witchcraft is the way to truth. You must find that answer for yourself and then you must have faith in your choice."

"So why am I here?"

"I am here to deem you worthiness, personally. You may call me Enoch." He turned away from Conner and gestured with his long, straight metallic staff to the empty wasteland the teenager failed to notice until now.

"Where am I?"

"Limbo is a good mortal name for this place. You may call it such. I once walked the planes of the Earth, as you do, nine thousand years ago."

Conner smirked. "I suppose that disproves the people who claim the earth is only six or seven thousand years old."

"There are ages that we pass through. The first major age happened twenty-six thousand, five hundred years ago. Life became common as it is today. I don't expect you to understand something that far back. It is of no consequence - just know that is when the consciousness evolved and humanity changed."

Conner rubbed his head. "So, what was it like?"

"There was one magnificent city. They were the ancestors of those who dwelled in the Enchanted Land that floated above the waters."

"Atlantis? It's that old?"

"It has many names. You may refer to it as 'Atlantis' if you wish. The city fell from grace thousands of years ago. They once called themselves the 'Enlightened Ones' and the people of the earth were referred to as the "Earthbound Ones". Not bound for Earth; bound to Earth. Gabriel sounded her horn as the city crashed into the ocean. She will not sound the horn again until Judgment Day."

"She? Gabriel is actually a female?"

"We have no gender. The word I used was merely a pronoun. We do not dwell in a place of dust and matter the way you might imagine. We exist only in the hearts of mortals. There, within that place, is the Kingdom of Heaven. It exists within the hearts of mortals and that is why I am here. I've looked into your heart, Conner ... I exist there."

"So I'm actually back in Ethiopia right now?"

"Yes, my boy. I need you to understand that you cannot succeed what you are about to do should you do such with vengeance. Your journey must take place for reasons other than wrath or you will fail." He lifted his staff, and placed the smaller, shorter rod on his chair. "And I see your desire for revenge in your heart, Conner. Do not go, seeking revenge for your parents. Go to save the lives of everyone as-of-yet untouched by the man who abused the power of Aaron's Rod."

"I ... okay. I'll do my best."

"You should also know that there is another artifact that Aris Sokolov does not yet possess. And he has people searching for it. It is a fragmented nut, the size of a fist. He has two pieces and is missing the third."

"I'll find it."

"Very good. But you should know something else."

"What's that?"

"You are not personally worthy to hold the Nehushtan. It will not protect you."

"What?"

The man calling himself 'Enoch,' waved his large platinum scepter.

Conner held the Parker Cane in one hand, the Rod of Moses in his other. Neither of them were enough to protect him from the beautiful metallic staff held by Enoch.

The teenager toppled to the dusty ground with a grunt. "What's happened to me in the real world?"

"Your corporeal form appears in a coma. It is being whisked away by three people who know only loyalty to your cause. These canes predate the current age and must be respected. Treat them with reverence."

"All of this nonsense is awfully religious."

"You need to find faith in something and fill your heart with that faith. Without faith, you cannot use the Nehushtan properly."

"How do I know I'm picking the right one? I mean ... everyone has a set of beliefs but ... what's right? And what about all these artifacts being gathered by that guy, Aris Falcon?"

"I'm not here to alter your beliefs. That is for you to ponder. Make a decision. Have faith in whatever it is that you decide. As I said earlier ... I'm only here to ensure that you are ready to deliver the Nehushtan to the proper person. The both of you have an immense task ahead of you."

"W-what kind of task?" asked Conner.

"You will be forged in flames to ensure you are prepared. You must have motivation, enough that you could walk through fire if necessary. Meanwhile, James Parker will be forged in a different way. He must learn to do whatever is necessary to save the lives of others, and to protect the one he loves. It will not be easy for either of you."

Conner grimaced. "James is in danger?"

"Yes. He has boarded a vessel used by humans to fly from one destination to another. He has brought his fiancée. They are both in grave danger. How he handles it will be his test. Do not concern yourself with that. Your test will be different, and will be conducted here, in this ... Limbo. Are you ready?"

"I am."

"Do you remember the burning building your sister rescued you from when you were a little boy?"

"I do."

"You did your best to repress that memory, but it is the source of your nightmares."

"I'm not afraid. My sister saved my life."

"That is where your test will begin. This time, you must escape the fire alone. You must prove to me and to yourself that you can handle your greatest fear alone. Into the flames with you." The towering man waved his platinum scepter and Conner found himself atop the building from his darkest nightmare.

Conner approached the edge of the roof and gazed out over the side. The streets were missing. They were instead replaced by the dusty plains of Limbo.

X

---

"He's burning up." Carmen placed her palm against Conner's cheek then trailed her hand up to his forehead "He's way overheated but he's not sweating. We need to find some water and pour it on him..."

"Where are we going to find ice cold water, here?" asked Karla.

Carmen shook her head. "No, we don't need cold water. Cold water will close his pores. We need something lukewarm that will open his pores. Let's get him into the shade. Karla?"

"Grab his feet, I'll take his head and shoulders." The succubus watched as Carmen displayed an expression of incredulousness. "Will you relax? I'm not going to make you carry him ... but he doesn't want me using my abilities for public display. Grab his feet." Using her telekinetic powers, she bolstered their strength tenfold so that his body seemed to weigh less than five pounds.

Evan approached them, grabbed Conner's canvas guitar-bag and used it to pick up both canes.

"Becareful not to touch them," Karla warned. "Touching the one knocked him out, and the other will burn your skin."

Evan frowned and nodded. "Okay, girls. Let's head back towards the hotel. There was a place across the street that had an awning and looked abandoned."

Carmen looked to the left and frowned. "You mean that building across from the hotel that looks like it's on fire from here, Evan?"

Evan frowned. "Holy crap."

Carmen frowned. "I saved Conner from a structure fire, once. Last I saw him, he still had bad dreams about it from time to time."

Evan fidgeted with the canes, working to zip shut Conner's canvas guitar bag. His fingers brushed against the Parker family cane. "You're right, Karla ... Conner's cane is hot to the touch."

Karla nodded to the side. "Let's walk sideways together. It'll be easier. Also, I saw a fountain back towards that smoking building." She lifted her head and located the smoke rising into the sky. "That way - let's go."

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Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/780804