IN CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, ALL radio contact with the outside world had been lost. Except for one of the giant television monitors in the command and control center, all displayed the same ominous words: “transmission terminated.” The one exception was a live feed from a satellite on a station a hundred and twenty miles above the earth.
“The word from upstairs,” a technician reported to the duty officer, “is that, except for that satellite’s transmissions, the world topside is as dark as our monitors. “To be expected,” the duty officer said as he looked at his watch. “It’s one a.m.”
“But past seven in London. Our last contact from there before transmission was lost a few minutes ago said it was dark there as well,” another technician added.
“Then we’re really flying blind,” the duty officer said.
“Except for that.” The second technician pointed again to the single monitor now displaying South America in a warm glow.”
“What’s the source of that light,” the duty officer asked? “It’s certainly not the sun at this hour.”
“Not at any hour” the first technician said, shaking his head in confusion. “All we can tell you sir is that it seems to be emanating from somewhere there.” With his control, he highlighted an area near the junction of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. “Watch closely and you will see that the luminescence is spreading.
It was, the duty officer realized. Since they started watching the monitor, it had spread to the Atlantic on the east and the Andes on the west, to southern Mexico on the north to southern Brazil on the south.
“Take a look at this.” Another man handed the duty officer an eight by ten photo of the area. “This is a picture we captured on the bird’s last pass over the area about an hour ago. Notice the areas that are absent of trees and vegetation?”
“Yes. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Those splotches are areas of the jungle that were clear cut for timber then planted for crops until the soil lost its fertility. Now it’s essentially areas of clay or, as some call it, dead earth.”
“I see,” the duty officer said “but this can’t be true,” he exclaimed as he arrowed the satellite imagery on the screen.
Where only dead earth was visible on the bird’s last pass, a blanket of green now covered everything.
“It can’t be, but sir it is,” the technician said. “Except for this narrow belt just here.” He pointed to a small gray area surrounded by a forest of green between the Orinoco River in southeastern Venezuela and Guiana. “Everywhere but here the dead earth seems to have healed itself!”
None of the travelers knew how long their silent journey lasted. With no sun to rise or set, no hunger or weariness to feel, reckoning time was impossible. The corridor seemed a timeless void between two worlds, one that was passing away…one that would soon appear.
Their insubstantial journey ended as suddenly as it began as they again felt the earth beneath their feet. Neisen was the first to feel it through his heavy fangproof boots. He was also the first to see the pillars looming out of the half-light, like spears of stone, threatening the heavens.
“Wait, my son,” Akhu called out, as Neisen rushed toward the columns. “Do not act in haste.”
Neisen had not heard him, but even if he had, his words would have had no effect. By the time he reached the columns, he was far ahead of the others. Even in the dim light, he could make out the design—the same as on the amulet except for one glaring difference: not raised, like on the stone, but engraved. He recalled words from a sermon his father preached when he still believed the promises of scripture: “Through Adam’s sin paradise was locked away, but Christ is the key to finding it again.”
The key! The stone’s design—raised. The sign on the columns, engraved…so that one will fit the other! If he had believed his voice would carry across the abyss between the living and the dead, he would have shouted to his father, “Dad, I’ve found it, the key that unlocks the gate to Paradise. One he knew would be his on his own terms rather than those of the Christians’ precious Christ!”
Even as a young man, he dreamed of such a place. Now his dreams had come true and the destiny for which he had prepared was about to be fulfilled.
With a trembling finger, he probed the indentation on the pillar. The stone, inserted just here, is the key—to everything.
The others were still too far away to see the sleek jaguar that suddenly materialized from the shadows. “You have discovered your birthright at last, I see,” the beast said.
“My birthright?” Though initially startled, Neisen did not hesitate to talk with the giant cat.
“Certainly. Don’t you remember the teachings of your order?” the jaguar purred.
“You know of The Brotherhood.” Neisen registered surprise.
“Why shouldn’t I? After all, it was I who created it, and I who has preserved and enriched it through the centuries.”
“You? I…I don’t understand.” A shiver of fear made Neisen’s voice quiver.
“I created The Brotherhood to rescue the stone from those who would misuse its powers for their own selfish ends,” the creature said. “Don’t let this form deceive you.” With a paw, he touched the corner of his head. “This is the guise I assume when I walk among the Yanoako. But I have inhabited many other bodies; many hosts, desiring what I can give, have welcomed me as their guest. One you know quite well, in fact. I believe he was your mentor. He has been my frequent home.”
Neisen swallowed hard. “Abelard?”
“None other,” the cat purred. “It was I, in fact, who inspired him to invite you into The Brotherhood. He has been quite helpful over the years. But it is you, Neisen, whom I have chosen to lead mankind to the fulfillment of its destiny.”
Neisen felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. All the years— the study, the sacrifice. Could his reward be as close as this strange beast, now crouching beside him and speaking as an Oxford don, suggested? He forced himself to speak calmly.
“And that destiny is…?”
“The attainment of knowledge and immortality,” the cat said as it turned its great head and glared in the direction of the approaching figures.
“You will soon have all knowledge and an eternity to enjoy it,” the beast said as it raised itself on its back legs and caressed the sign on the monolith with its paw. “Here is the lock, now get the key!” the jaguar growled as it turned from the column and melted again into the shadows.
By the time Akhu and the others reached him, Neisen could barely suppress the blinding, overwhelming need for the stone the creature’s words had spawned in him.
“You should have waited.” Akhu’s flinty voice made Ruth flinch. She had never heard him speak so harshly. Sensing her distress, he turned to her. “Little sister, we are not alone in this place.”
In a few moments, the rest of the tribe had reached the pillars and gathered around Akhu. Jerry realized his feeling of detachment from the physical world was now completely gone and seemed to be from Ruth and the others as well. For the first time, he studied their surroundings. Beneath the bright corridor of stars lay a scene of complete desolation, no sign of any living thing—neither tree, bush, nor stream, not even a sprig of grass.
“It is as the man and woman described it long ago,” Akhu said solemnly. “They came this far and spoke of these stones.” He reached and reverently touched one. “They mark the boundary of the taboo land.”
“It’s not taboo any longer.” Ruth pointed down the corridor of stars that disappeared like a silver ribbon into the distance, directly into the murky darkness of the forbidden land beyond the columns.
Akhu gestured them forward. “It is not good we linger here.” He touched Ruth’s arm and began walking.
“Not just yet.” Neisen strode menacingly toward Akhu, his hand reaching for his revolver. “I would be obliged, Miss Starling, if you would tell him to give me the stone.”
“What?” Ruth stepped back, startled by Neisen’s abrupt change of manner.
“Tell him to give me the stone!” he shouted.
“Dr. Neisen, please.” Jerry held out a tentative hand. “This isn’t right, and you know it. Give me—”
Neisen whirled. “Shut up, you sniveling coward! You have no true heart for The Brotherhood or for what is required. I should have seen it on the boat when we took care of that prying Priest.” He pointed the gun at Ruth.” If you value her life, stay out of this.” The muzzle swiveled back and forth between the Ruth and Akhu. “Now tell him to give me the stone.”
Without waiting for Ruth to comply, Neisen reached out with his free hand and grabbed Akhu’s wrist. The old man twisted away and clutched the stone more tightly to his chest.
“I’ve lied and sweated and killed for it my whole life, you ignorant savage. Give it to me!”
Tired of resistance, Neisen fired.
Akhu stared into the crazed eyes of the white man, who, like many others, had raped his land and slaughtered his people. A sad acceptance spread across his wrinkled face and he seemed not to notice the blood flowing from the ugly wound in his side as he sank slowly to the ground.
In a heartbeat, Neisen was on him, prying the stone from his clenched fist.
“Mine!” he shouted triumphantly as he retrieved the stone and pushed his way through the horrified natives toward the pillars.
Torn from the horror that for several moments kept him frozen in place in disbelief, Jerry rushed after him. “Neisen, in God’s name!”
“God has nothing to do with it, you fool. Get out of the way or die!” he screamed.
“But there’s still time to turn back,” Jerry shouted after the crazed man. “What if you’re wrong? What if you’re just being used?”
Jerry did not see Ruth until it was too late to stop her. Panting, she raced ahead and planted herself between the columns and Neisen.
“Please, Dr. Neisen,” she said desperately, “put down the gun before someone gets killed!”
“That will be you, missionary, unless you get the hell out of my way.”
“No!” Jerry cried and charged, grabbing desperately for Neisen’s gun hand.
“Die,” Neisen shouted as his shot at Ruth went wild.
The explosion and Ruth’s screams echoed off the towering stones as Jerry crumpled to the ground.