The last caused her to think about Joe. He’d been a good husband. He was always loyal, always caring. She wished she could have told him more about her previous life. He may have found it intriguing. Helen doubted he would be mad at her for not previously revealing some things. That was another things she loved about him. He always seemed to understand. In the darkness, she imagined his smiling, bearded face. The vision brought a strange sense of peace.
For a second, she wondered if Joe would drop his gun and come out with hands in the air, like her captor had ordered. But Joe was no fool. He would know that the second he did that, the mercenaries would kill them both. If she were going to die, Joe McElroy would do whatever it took to avenge her death, even if it meant dying.
She opened her eyes again, flicking them towards the SUVs that still sat running near the end of the driveway. The people inside them were still awaiting the order to exit and push forward.
“I guess your husband doesn’t care if you die or not, lady,” the man grunted. “Personally, neither do I.”
A solitary tear formed in the corner of her eye. She knew that wasn’t true. Joe loved her very much. The tear rolled down her face and fell to the dry leaves below, making the subtlest of pats as it hit, just before a booming gunshot rang out through the woods.
Chapter 48
The night had been uneventful except for the constant flapping of the wind against the inflatable tent. The room had stayed surprisingly warm, thanks to the heaters in the corners. Alexander Lindsey had known the devices were supposed to have eight hours of power, but usually claims like that were somewhat exaggerated.
The sun was beating down on the white surface of the tent, causing the room to be naturally illuminated. Lindsey sat over a hot cup of coffee, reading through Drake’s diary, scanning it for anything that might prove helpful on the final leg of what had been a tumultuous journey.
Will entered the tent, followed closely by Kaba. “The snow didn’t last long,” he reported. There is a layer of it still on the ground, but down in the valleys it’s already melting. Looks like it will be a clear day, so as soon as we refuel, we can begin the search again.”
“Excellent,” Lindsey nodded at the younger man.
“Would you like us to take the bird back and fill it up then return, or do you want to come along? The nearest airstrip is about twenty minutes away.”
“Thank you for asking, Will. I believe I will stay here until you return. I am still weary from all this travel and I need to continue my research. When we find this place, it is essential we understand how to make it through the three tests.”
Will could tell his benefactor was exhausted. The toll evidenced itself under the older man’s eyes, and in the color of his skin. He didn’t appear to be in good health. Will had never been a big believer in whatever it was Lindsey was looking for. But he did believe he owed the man his life, despite the quirks. More than that, Will hoped his benefactor would leave his vast fortune to him. With the incredible amount of money Lindsey had at his disposal, Will could finally leave a life of danger behind. He and Kaba could buy a small island somewhere and drop off the grid completely. It would be an amazing turnaround for a boy who had been given such a rough start by life.
That difficult period made him strong, though. And it made him ruthless. Will was willing to do whatever it took to get what he needed. When The Prophet had found him, he redirected that combination of resourcefulness and diligence into something greater.
Initially, when Will had met Lindsey, his first inclination had been to simply kill the old man and take whatever he could off him. But something inside the back of his mind thought better of it. It was a decision that could reap enormous benefits in the future. The Prophet had already been extremely generous. Will had no doubts that generosity would continue in the foreseeable future.
“Kaba,” Will turned towards the black haired woman. “You and two of the men stay here while we go back and refuel. If you need anything you can reach me on our SAT phones.”
She gave a quick nod and disappeared back out the entrance of the tent. Even in a heavy coat she was beautiful. Will watched her leave, letting his eyes linger for a few moments.
“You two are my only legacy,” Lindsey spoke with a rattle in his voice.
Will’s head snapped back to the old man. His tired eyes were looking up at him with a sense of pride.
“You have done much for us, Sir.”
Lindsey looked down to the rocky ground then back up again, deep in thought. His breaths were coming in labored efforts. “If we do not find the tree, my time here on this earth will be short.”
“No,” Will disagreed, shaking his head. Though, inside he knew the old man could very well be dying at that moment. “You will be around for a long time, Sir.”
A twinge of guilt stuck through Will’s chest. He’d been snippy with his benefactor during the escapade in Atlanta. Now that he could see the man was dying, Will realized how much he actually cared.
Lindsey coughed a few laughs. “I appreciate the sentiment, Will. But we both know I don’t have much time. If we do not find the tree in time, I want you to keep looking for it. The only thing I ask of you is that you complete the mission. It is all that matters. It must be seen through. You must give me your word, that if I die, you will finish what we have started.”
“You have my word, Sir,” Will answered after a few seconds of thought.
“This world has become a desolate place. The cities are a shambles, and filled with corruption. Crime is rampant, and those who lack, steal from those who have. The world has gone too long in this degenerated state.”
Lindsey reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. On it was a phone number, and another sequence of numbers. At the bottom was a name Will didn’t recognize.
“What is this?”
“That,” Lindsey explained, “Is the direct line to the man in charge of our Biosure facilities. He will carry out the order to ship the vaccinations. You will need to give him that number to verify the order.”
Will stared at the paper for a few long moments. In his hand was the order to execute billions of people across the globe. The weight of that thought wore heavy in his mind. He’d killed more people than he could remember over the course of his life, but billions? That was a strange thing to think about.
Lindsey could sense the apprehension on his apprentice’s face. “The world has needed a new beginning for far too long, Will. Soon, there won’t be enough food for everyone. There won’t be enough space for everyone. And when those things happen, chaos will ensue. It is better to send them all to their rest and start anew. We will bring about the New Jerusalem that Revelation speaks of. We will start over with a new Earth, free of crime and depravity.” He decided to give the younger man one more incentive. “You and Kaba will be the King and Queen of this new world.”
The last part certainly did appeal to Will’s ego. He and Kaba could rule the world. They would gather in the few survivors and bring them under a common rule.
“But if we don’t find the tree, we will not be able to survive the virus.”
Lindsey smiled weakly. “You will find it. We are so close, now. I know you will.”
“You will find it,” Will corrected, though he didn’t really believe it. “But, I have to ask. What if we cannot locate the last chamber? It’s been hidden for several thousand years. What will happen if it remains undiscovered?”
The old man’s eyes narrowed. “I have a backup plan for that contingency. The mission will go on as planned, whether we find the Garden of Eden or not.”