“There was always someone else.”
The heartless answer echoed against the cavern walls. Gruber stepped back.
“There always is,” he said softly.
Enraged, Kavanaugh finally lunged at Martin Gruber who stood very close.
He was wrong about Gruber’s commitment to pull the trigger. Gruber shot the younger man in his right kneecap.
Colin Kavanaugh dropped his flashlight and grabbed his wound. “Damn you,” he said writhing in pain. “I was only trying to live up to you.”
“You didn’t come close.”
Gruber shot Kavanaugh’s other kneecap.
Kavanaugh shrieked, “Please!”
“Our discussions are over. Just as you wanted.” Gruber kicked Kavanaugh’s flashlight into the water.
“Good-bye, my boy. You have much to think about, but little time. I suggest you get to it.”
Martin Gruber left.
“Don’t leave me,” the dying man screamed. “I just wanted to succeed, to follow The Path. Please!”
Gruber disappeared into the darkness leaving his former protégé alone.
“Please!” Kavanaugh yelled in agony. “Please, Mr. Gruber! Please!” His cries echoed through the chamber.
Gruber recovered a package he’d left against the rocks and quietly said, “Too late.” He reached inside, adjusted the contents, and carefully stepped away.
Eighty-one
“Who are you people?” McCauley finally braved.
The only man tasked to speak remained silent.
“Government? No.” McCauley answered the question himself. “You’re on your own, aren’t you? This is all ideological, not political.”
McCauley wanted to engage them, but he also wondered why they were waiting or whom they were waiting for.
“You’re part of some organization. You believe in what you’re doing. You’re committed. But, hell, you’re not holding high value assets. We’re just…”
At that moment, an out of breath voice from behind interrupted with a polite, but urgent instruction.
“I suggest everyone move away from the cave as quickly as possible.”
McCauley and Alpert looked over their shoulders. They saw an old man carrying an umbrella. He stepped around them and repeated the warning. “I must insist, now!”
They hustled as a group.
“Faster,” he implored.
“Why?” Katrina shouted as they raced downhill.
The answer came with a deafening explosion. If the blast weren’t convincing enough, the accelerating force and debris field that funneled out of the cave certainly was. Katrina and Quinn were bowled over. Martin Gruber was able to stay upright only because one of his men steadied him.
Katrina wasn’t sure how long it took to recover. Her ears ached and she felt dust in every pore. She reached for Quinn. His fingers grasped hers.
They slowly helped one another find footing. Quinn steadied Katrina with his arm as they stood.
“Ah, Dr. McCauley. For the present, it’s good to see that you and Dr. Alpert appear no worse for the wear.”
“For Christ’s sake, how can you say that? Father Eccleston is dead. And who are you? What’s this all about?”
“I’m sorry, no climactic admissions except that this is all about you. Who I am is of no matter. Simply consider me someone who holds the upper hand. And despite my advanced years and obvious ill health, I remain in good company. You’ve met my associates. Trust me, there are many more.”
“What about the man inside?” Katrina asked.
“Dead or dying. With a great deal of regret. His, not mine. What’s more, I have no qualms adding to the death toll today.” He looked smug and satisfied. “Tell me, what did you find inside before all the commotion began?”
Katrina was appalled by the comment. “He killed Father Eccleston and you call it commotion?”
“My sincere apologies, Dr. Alpert. Admittedly a poor choice of words,” Gruber said. “However, the answer remains important. How far in did you get? What did you see?”
McCauley interrupted before Katrina could say anything. “We were on our way when we were confronted.”
“Oh is that so? Should I believe you?” He turned to his troop. The officer who had spoken only shrugged his shoulders.
“Quite the dilemma, wouldn’t you agree? You could be telling the truth. If that’s the case, then I should feel a modicum of guilt. Conversely? Well, then I will have no remorse. But for clarity’s sake, back to my question. How far…?”
“Where Father Eccleston was shot,” Katrina stated. “Quinn threw a rock at the guy and then he dove into the water to try to save the priest. It was too late. I helped Quinn out and we left.”
Gruber applauded while resting the handle of his umbrella on his arm. “A very nice recital.”
“What did we miss?” Katrina asked without flinching.
“Oh, Dr. Alpert, you do us a disservice. As I said before, no climactic admissions. Let the explosive charge we all felt finally close that chapter. Of course this should have been properly taken care of in the day. Such secrets potentially exposed. But now it’s done.”
“In the day?” Katrina knew what he meant. “Galileo’s day?” she boldly proclaimed.
“Ah, before my time,” Gruber stated. “But I see you know your history.”
“We’re actually pretty much in the dark,” McCauley admitted. “…and were when we were interrupted by the assassin you’ve since sealed in.” That much was true.
Gruber studied McCauley. “Well, this is the very thing that leads to my dilemma.” Gruber aimed his gun at McCauley. “What to do with you?”
“Dr. Alpert,” McCauley started again. “Katrina and I are grateful to be alive right now.” He held her tighter. “That makes us very eager to listen.”
Gruber nodded. He looked around for someplace to sit. The boulder that they’d moved was a few steps away. He rested himself against the rock. “Impressive feat. Dislodging this boulder couldn’t have been easy.”
“It wasn’t.”
“You mentioned secrets,” McCauley said.
“Observant, Dr. McCauley. No doubt in academics you believe you have a responsibility to report what you have found. I am in the business of doing the opposite. As such, I’m methodical to a fault.
“That underlying character trait makes me believe that you understand more than you admit. After all, your travels took you beyond your own discovery to a researcher, an academician, an explorer, and lastly a priest. Have I missed anyone?”
McCauley did not volunteer Marli Bellamy’s name.
“California, London, France and quite deep, as I understand, within the Vatican library,” Gruber continued. “Very impressive. With some extremely intuitive and focused requests. Isn’t that so?”
It didn’t require a response or confession. Gruber clearly knew what he was talking about.
“Considering what you have likely seen here, your own exploration as well, and your association with a recently departed Galileo scholar, I’d say your emergent conclusions and my avowed duty are in direct conflict.”
“We followed clues to Le Marche, but they haven’t led to any understanding,” Katrina admitted quite honestly.
“Yet, you may have a theory. And that alone can lead to risks civilization can ill afford.”
“I don’t understand,” McCauley said.
“Keeping it strictly philosophical?”
“Of course.” McCauley felt their only hope was to string out the conversation long enough for the police to come — if, on the chance, anyone heard and reported the explosion.
“You seek a different truth than I do,” Gruber explained. “You may call it reality. I would argue that you know nothing of what is really real. However, you both have surprised me. You’ve traveled far in your quest. Perhaps farther than I believed possible. However, no matter what you might think you saw, would you be prepared to live with the knowledge that your discovery could become the catalyst for sweeping revolutions…that you, Dr. McCauley and Dr. Alpert could cause a rise in fanaticism on a scale the world has never known? I’ve ordered deaths to keep the secrets. What I’ve done would not compare to the devastation that you would cause.”