A press conference was held to announce the verification of the carbon dating of the items back to the first century. Millions of the faithful now flocked to the Canary Islands to view the purported cup of the Last Supper and remnants of the crown of thorns.
Heated discussions among theologians had already begun and would rage on for years as to the validity of the finds. However, the upwelling of faith served to silence groups, such as Alton Burr’s Secular America Movement, which propagated the removal of religion from society. Alton Burr’s name became synonymous with a modern day Judas Iscariot; the one who tried to betray the truth and murder to achieve his goals.
The Zero Point Generators that would have made Pencor and Osama the most powerful men in the world, once again faded into obscurity, no doubt aided by those who had the most to lose.
Three days out of the Safi seaport in Morocco, the two container ships bearing the huge industrial ZPGs that were seized by Osama’s minions exploded in a fireball that lit up the night sky over the Indian Ocean. The two ships mysteriously disappeared beneath the waves and all hands were lost. That same day, Pencor’s production factory in Morocco erupted into flames from incendiary explosive devices that were strategically placed. Both incidents had been carried out by Kasim and his operatives under contract with a group of wealthy businessmen located in the United States.
That evening, in an office on Capitol Hill, the phone rang in a room occupied by a lone individual smoking a cigarette.
“Is this line secure?” the voice on the other end of the line asked in his southern drawl.
“Yes it is, my friend,” the man in the dimly lit room in Washington replied, flicking the ash from his cigarette into the ash tray. “I trust you have good news?”
“You betcha',” the voice said amiably. “I’ve just received confirmation from our contact we've had working in Morocco. Pencor’s ZPG production facilities and his ships have been eliminated completely. Your efforts in persuading the President to launch the missile strike against Pencor’s facility in Tenerife assured the disposal of the ZPG patents and their designs. I guarantee that no documents will ever reach the public regarding this affair,” the southern man said.
“You are certain that no links can ever be made to my office?”
“No links at all. My associates are quite thorough and cautious, especially when it comes to our continued profits,” the oil company executive stated boastfully. “Don’t worry, Senator Dobson, your secret is safe with us. A most handsome campaign contribution will be made to you for your efforts in this matter.
Senator, the Zero Point Generator may someday become a viable energy source,” he said in a cold tone, “but not today.”
Epilogue
Two weeks after their harrowing brush with death at the Bishamon facility and on the island of La Palma, a healing Josh Turner and Maria Santiago sat silently at a table in the Cofradia de Pescadores restaurant in Santa Cruz. The coolness of the Tenerife evening was a welcome respite from the unseasonably warm weather that the Canaries were experiencing over the last week.
With all the festivals now over, a quiet hush permeated the island, especially in the wake of the events on La Palma. Thanks to the quick actions of the La Palma authorities, very few deaths were reported in the wake of the horrendous landslide that buried the city of Puerto Naos and a few other unfortunate towns. Geological teams from around the world descended upon the island in the aftermath to study the effects of the slide and the Cumbre Vieja eruption.
When the news of the terrorist plot came to light, many in the island administration came under close scrutiny. Most officials resigned to avoid the formal inquiry that was scheduled to commence later that month.
Administrator Fuentes, who had been instrumental in setting up the Yakuza element on Tenerife, was found executed in his car three days after the La Palma event. His pinky finger had been cut off and placed in an envelope. A calling card from his former employers, the envelope was stapled to his forehead. Found in his coat pocket was forged documentation that implicated him to the terrorist plot, in the company of a now demonized Robert Pencor.
The heroic action on Captain Saune’s part to stop the terrorists catapulted him into the limelight. He was unanimously offered the unexpired term of administrator by the island’s governing body, which he gratefully accepted. He was handily reelected at the next election and became a force for good throughout the island of Tenerife.
Turner sat reflectively, staring at his Jose Cuervo Black on the rocks as Maria watched him in silence, allowing him his quiet reverie. The dislocation and fracture of his left arm during the rescue of Maria was still tender, but the treatment on the USS Hazleton allowed it to heal quite nicely.
Sitting in silence, Turner's mind drifted back to a week ago. His father had been interned at a special place of honor on the island of Tenerife. His final resting place was on the western slopes of Mt. Teide, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was a small, simple ceremony commemorating the life and achievements of the prominent archaeologist, recognizing his extensive contributions to the field.
Turner recalled with fondness the eulogies shared by Maria and Carlos Santiago, along with a special and surprising testimony by Samuel Caberra. Samuel brought tears and laughter to all present with his eloquent and hilarious memories of his adventures with Eli Turner over the years. Even Yashiro Fuiruchirudo, who risked everything to stop Osama and his gang, attended the ceremony to pay his respects.
The solemn assemblage was joined by Colonel Kyle Sears and Major Sidney Zibrinski, along with a complete honor guard unit of the United States Marine Corps. The twenty-one gun salute at the conclusion of the ceremony echoed throughout the high, snowcapped peaks of the ancient volcano as Turner’s father was finally laid to rest. Eli Turner would always be remembered by those fortunate enough to have been a part of his life.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Maria.” Turner said, coming back to the present. “I was just thinking about Dad. Do you think that he would have changed things if he could have?” he asked pensively.
“Not a chance, Josh. He knew the danger involved,” Maria replied. “Even at the end, knowing the risks involved, he did what he had to do for the sake of preserving the past. It was very much a part of him.”
“I still don’t understand why he chose to confront Burr in the lava tube on La Palma,” Turner said. “He had to know that it would end badly.”
“Josh, all I can say,” Maria said sincerely, “is that something came over him; something I can’t explain. It’s as if he knew his sacrifice would not be in vain. It all began when the copper scroll started to glow.”
“That’s the strangest part of the story, Maria. You don't really believe it was some mystical event, do you?”
“Well, Samuel insists that the luminance of the scroll was probably due to the Scalar weapon’s EM wave somehow affecting it, but Yashiro told me later that at that precise time the weapon was not transmitting its waves towards the island.”
“I guess we’ll never know for sure,” Turner said in resignation, taking a sip of his drink.
“Josh, your dad knew that you love the archeology field as much as he did,” Maria stated, grabbing his hand across the table. “His real hope was for you to be happy in whatever you choose to do with your life.”
“I discovered too late that he was a good and wise man,” Turner said as the waiter brought over a basket of fresh baked bread. “I owe it to him to continue his work and the ICAP organization,” he added as the musicians in the lounge began playing a song called Twilight’s Love.