04 The Edge of Darkness (20 page)

FORTY-TWO

MURPHY OPENED the taxi door and got in. The driver turned and looked at him.

“Where to?”

“The Parchments of Freedom Foundation.”

“Okay. It may take a few more minutes than usual. The traffic is really heavy today.”

“I understand,” said Murphy as he settled back in the seat and stared out the window.

The flight from Raleigh to Washington had really seemed long. He hadn’t looked forward to it as he had to previous trips. A dark cloud hovered over his thoughts. He did not want to face what lay ahead, and yet, he knew that it had to be done.

The whole process was made even more difficult by Isis’s excitement over his visit. Murphy pursed his lips and shook his head. There was a dull pain in his stomach. He took a long deep breath and let it out slowly.

Isis was putting some papers into a filing cabinet when Murphy arrived at her office. Her back was to him as he entered and she was humming a tune. He hesitated in the doorway. She was wearing a black pants suit that was tailored to fit her shapely body. Her red hair had a hint of auburn in it.

Murphy softly cleared his throat. Isis turned at the sound.

Her face brightened with a big smile and her green eyes sparkled with delight.

“Michael!”

Isis moved toward him. They embraced and she kissed him.

“You’re early.”

“The plane had a tail wind and we arrived about twenty minutes early.”

Isis gathered her things. “The reservations are for seven o’clock. I’m so glad you’re here.”

The conversation at dinner was very general and somewhat stilted. Isis could tell that Murphy was a little preoccupied. She thought that he must be tired from the trip or maybe that he was worried about Shari… or about Paul Wallach in the hospital.

It wasn’t until they were at Isis’s apartment that Murphy began to open up.

“Isis. We need to talk a little.”

There was something in his tone that made her very uneasy.

“You know, we’ve had a lot of good times together. We’ve been
through some real danger and I’ll always be grateful for you nursing me back to health after the events on Mount Ararat.”

Isis could feel that something was coming.

“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Your research and translation work have been invaluable. You’ve helped in the discovery of a number of important artifacts. It’s been wonderful.”

She thought to herself,
There’s a “but” coming
.

“My feelings toward you have grown stronger over the past few months. But there is an issue that has been hard for me to face.”

Murphy paused and took a deep breath.

“You know that I have a strong faith in Christ and believe the Bible. It is something that is a significant part of my life. I also know that you are not at the same place that I am in your spiritual journey.”

Murphy’s faith in God was one of the things Isis liked about him. It made him different from all the other men she had ever dated. It gave him a sense of purpose that had been missing in other men. It also seemed to change his behavior toward her. He had treated her with more respect and gentleness than anyone she had ever met. And if she was totally honest with herself, it was the one thing that caused her to begin to think about her own relationship to God.

“If two people are to develop a strong and lasting relationship, they really need to be on the same wavelength when it comes to faith in God. Divided families often have great struggles. Both parties are not able to share the same experience or values. It can bring about great stress.”

Isis could feel it coming and she didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. She knew that it wasn’t going to be good.

“I care about you very deeply. However, I don’t think it’s wise for us to continue to see each other and have our feelings develop to an even deeper level. I think we might be headed for greater hurt if we do. I need someone who shares my same beliefs. I respect you so much, Isis. You are a beautiful person inside and out. And I have loved being with you. I just can’t let my feelings go any further. I don’t want to
hurt you any more than I have to. It wouldn’t be good for either of us. I also don’t want you to feel pressure to believe what I believe. Nor would I want you to try and create some type of experience to please me. Everyone’s faith must be his own. Each person has to individually come to a relationship with God.”

Isis felt like she was going to cry.

“It might be good for both of us if we began to see other people. You have so much to offer someone and I don’t want to stand in the way of you meeting someone who will love you with all of his heart.”

Isis felt like the rug was being pulled out from under her. Tears were close to the surface but she held her composure.

“Michael, I don’t know if I agree with you. I think that two people can still see one another and have a relationship grow, and still talk about faith. I don’t think it has to end.”

“But what if the relationship grows and the faith does not?”

“There’s risk in every relationship, Michael.”

He did not respond. She could tell that his mind was already made up and that nothing she could say would make any difference now.

“I hear what you’re saying and I can tell that you’re uneasy,” she said at last. “I wouldn’t want you to be in a relationship that didn’t meet your spiritual expectations.”

Isis didn’t want to press the issue. She didn’t want to come across as begging for the relationship to continue. She had too much self-respect and pride to do that. All she wanted to do was escape from the emotions she was feeling. She felt sick inside. She knew that this was hard for Michael and she loved him so much that she was willing to let him go. She could only hope that he would change his mind and come back to her.

Murphy knew that what he had said had destroyed the evening and maybe even their friendship forever. He took her hand.

“Isis. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. I just think that with the gap of faith between us, we could be in for even deeper hurt in the future. I’m so sorry to do this to you.”

Murphy could tell that she was close to tears.

“I’d better go, Isis. I’ll take a taxi back to the airport.” Murphy stood.

Isis wiped a little tear from her eye and stood as well. She was trying desperately to hold herself together.

Murphy took both of her hands and looked into her eyes. He then embraced her and whispered in her ear, “I’m so sorry.”

She felt so good in his arms and he didn’t want to let her go. Finally, he knew that he had to. He let go and slowly backed away.

Both of her hands came up and she began to wipe away the tears that were beginning to flow uncontrollably.

Murphy walked to the door, turned around, took one last look at Isis, and left.

The flight back to Raleigh was worse than the flight going to Washington. Murphy felt terrible. He knew that he had deeply hurt Isis and he truly hadn’t wanted to do that. He played the conversation back in his mind, and the more he did, the sicker he felt. Had he made the wrong decision? His emotions made him want to catch the next flight back to Washington to try and repair the damage he’d caused. He wanted to hold her in his arms again.

The stewardess came by and offered drinks and a snack to everyone on the plane. Murphy ordered a Coke and began to mindlessly eat the pretzels.

Even though Murphy knew intellectually that he had made the right decision, everything else inside him screamed in protest. Now what was he going to do? There was a large, empty void in his heart. He had lost Laura when Talon killed her and now he had driven Isis out of his life.

Murphy felt angry, depressed, and terribly lonely.

God, why is all of this happening?

FORTY-THREE

WHETHER IT WAS curiosity, a hunch, or just wishful thinking, something motivated Murphy to again drive down Highway—40 to North Myrtle Beach. He had to get more information about the mysterious Methuselah. There were too many unanswered questions about the reclusive billionaire.

This time there would be no deception, no putting on a waiter uniform. He would simply approach Methuselah directly and let the chips fall where they may. He was tired of all of the games. Besides, it would save him another two-hundred-dollar tip.

Murphy parked his old Dodge, grabbed a book, and walked down to the beach. This time he came a little later, figuring that Methuselah would not come until after 11:00
A.M.
, when the sun’s rays became
warmer. There were a couple dozen people scattered about. A couple was fishing, several were jogging, and the rest were just relaxing.

Murphy had no idea if Methuselah would show up or not, but he thought he would play the odds. At the very least, if he did not come, Murphy would get a little relaxation at the beach with a good book. Plus, it would help keep his mind off Iris.

At 11:30
A.M.
, Murphy stopped reading and began looking around. Methuselah was nowhere to be found.
Maybe he’s not even in the country
.

About 12:15
P.M.
he got up and stretched. He was beginning to believe that this trip would turn out to be fruitless. He was heading back toward his car when he saw three men in the distance walking along the beach near the water. They were wearing Hawaiian shirts. Behind them was one man who was followed by three more men in Hawaiian shirts. The man in the center had a slight limp. No one had any folding lawn chairs.

Murphy’s heart began to beat a little faster. He decided that he would join Methuselah in his stroll along the beach. As he drew closer to the group, he could see the lead bodyguards going on the alert, intently watching him approach. One was already starting to reach for the automatic that was bulging under the brightly colored shirt he wore.

Murphy could hear one of them say: “Mr. M.!”

Methuselah turned to his bodyguard and then spied Murphy. The three bodyguards behind were moving forward, closing the distance between them and Methuselah.

The older man began to smile and then let out a little cackling laugh.

“Well, well, well. Dr. Murphy. Curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction brought it back.”

The whole group had stopped and two of the men moved toward Murphy and began to frisk him for weapons.

“It’s all right, gentlemen. I think Dr. Murphy would like to join me for a stroll.”

Methuselah started to walk and Murphy joined him.

“I still have some unanswered questions,” Murphy began.

“I’m sure you do, Dr. Murphy.”

“I don’t understand your game. Why do you keep revealing the location of biblical artifacts to me? What’s behind all of this?”

“A combination of reasons, Dr. Murphy. Part of it has to do with my grandfather, Marcello Zasso. As you know, he was a dedicated missionary and a devoted student of the Bible. He also had a passion for biblical archaeology like you do. He wished to explore for biblical artifacts but never had the opportunity. Instead, he spent countless hours researching obscure historical texts and experts’ papers. As a child I would listen to his stories and his theories about where certain items might be hidden. I used to keep a little notebook of my grandfather’s thoughts.”

Murphy was listening intently.

“Do you mean he had figured out where Nebuchadnezzar’s golden head might be located?”

“Yes, and much more. He had done research on the three pieces of the Bronze Serpent of Moses, the location of Noah’s Ark, the Handwriting on the Wall, and even the site of the Temple of Dagon.”

“You left me notes suggesting that Aaron’s Rod and the Golden Jar of Manna could be found. Have you found them?”

“Not personally, Dr. Murphy. I just use my grandfather’s notes. I am leaving the discovery of the various items up to you.”

“You also mentioned that my discovering various biblical artifacts would hamper the activities of a group of people who killed your family.”

“Yes, yes. These are evil people who do not believe in God or the Bible. I get great joy out of trying to destroy their plans. Revenge, as they say, is sweet.”

“Plans? What do you mean? Who are these people?”

“They call themselves the Seven. They are extremely wealthy and power-hungry. Together, they control the largest banks in the world.

They have influence over the richest oil fields ever discovered. They have infiltrated many governments and have countless political leaders in their pockets. They promote corruption wherever they can. They also influence the movement of the European Common Market and have designed a clandestine conspiracy to control the economies of the entire world. They are the force behind the rebuilding of the city of Babylon.”

Murphy was trying to process the enormity of what Methuselah was saying.

“This group of people wants the United States to become a lesser power in the world. They will try and turn the United Nations against the U.S. They will help to foment war and turmoil within countries, like the crisis between Pakistan and India. They are the financial supporters of a number of leading terrorist organizations and helped to coordinate the attack of 9/11. They have contacts in many of the sleeper cells. And they are rejoicing that America has been stretched financially between the war with Iraq, natural disasters by hurricanes, and the expense of homeland security.”

“How do you know all of this?”

“Being a billionaire does have its advantages, Dr. Murphy. There is a great deal of information for sale if you can afford the asking price. Besides, I have infiltrated their organization.”

“You get information from one of the Seven?”

“Oh, no. But I have an informant who gets me the information.”

“What if they catch him and make him talk?”

“That would be impossible. He cannot talk. He has no tongue. He lives deep within their headquarters in a solitary room. Little do they know, but an air duct runs from their meeting room past the room of my informant. He can hear everything they talk about. It has been a wonderful turn of events.”

“If they’re so powerful, how can you stop them?”

Methuselah stopped walking and picked up a starfish that had been washed ashore. He held it in front of Murphy.

“You see this starfish, Dr. Murphy?”

Methuselah tossed it back in the water.

“I’m sure that you’ve heard the story of the little boy who was tossing starfish back into the sea which were stranded on the shore. When asked what he was doing he said, ‘I’m saving the life of this starfish.’ ‘But,’ replied the questioner, ‘there are so many starfish on the shore. How can you possibly make a difference?’ You’ll remember the little boy responded, ‘I’m making a difference to this one,’ as he tossed it into the sea. So, I may not be able to stop all the evil actions of the Seven … but any action I can stop gives me great joy. I love to be a thorn in their side or a pebble in their shoe. I’m making a difference in hindering them.”

“And what if they try to kill you to put an end to your harassment?”

“Oh, they’ve tried that on several occasions. But my informant has gotten word of their plans to me before their assassin could carry them out. He’s a strange man who has an addiction for killing people with his pet birds.”

Murphy’s heart almost stopped.
Talon
. But if he worked for the Seven, then they were responsible for killing his wife and the attempts to kill Isis and Paul Wallach, plus many others. Murphy suddenly realized that he and Methuselah had common enemies in the Seven.

“You see, Dr. Murphy, I have been using you to hamper the work of the Seven. Your discoveries help to prove the validity of the Bible, which in turn helps to destroy their plans.”

“What does this all have to do with the Temple of Dagon and Aaron’s Rod, and the Golden Jar of Manna?”

“Well, Dr. Murphy … just think about it for a moment. Aaron’s Rod that budded was a miracle. What if someone had Aaron’s Rod and used it to lend credibility to so-called miracles they might perform? People would follow that person. And suppose that same person had the Golden Jar of Manna. Manna was a symbol of God
providing food for the hungry. What if the person began to feed the starving people of the world? Do you suppose that they might generate a big following? I think that this is all part of the plan of the Seven.”

“And how about the Bronze Serpent of Moses?”

“That could become a symbol of the healing of all forms of illness and disease. Remember, Moses lifted up the Bronze Serpent on a rod or pole and the people were healed. I think that someone could do the same thing today using the Bronze Serpent. People would begin to think there was healing power in the snake. Even King Hezekiah knew of the danger in worshiping the snake, which is why he had it broken in three pieces.”

Murphy was amazed at all of Methuselah’s knowledge of the Bible.

“With you knowing so much about the Bible… have you ever come to faith?”

Methuselah began his cackling laugh.

“Just because someone knows the facts about the Bible doesn’t make one a believer. I just listened carefully to my grandfather and my father. They were believers. But not me. I’m too old and bitter for that. God wouldn’t want to have me in heaven.”

“But God-”

Methuselah cut him off before he could finish.

“Enough talk about God.”

Methuselah sounded irritated. He stopped walking and looked at Murphy.

“I know that you are a man of faith. That’s fine. So were my father and grandfather. But don’t try to push your thoughts on me. I think we are through talking. In fact, since you persist in taking away the pleasure of the surprise element of our relationship, I can no longer involve you in my little games.”

Incredibly, Murphy was disappointed to hear it. He certainly had no desire to face any more of Methuselah’s little death traps, but did that mean the old man would no longer provide information on
hidden biblical artifacts? Murphy started to ask him, but Methuselah was clearly through for the day.

“Good day, Dr. Murphy,” he said curtly. “Perhaps our paths will cross again someday. Two of my men will escort you back to your car.”

With that, Methuselah turned and headed away with four of his bodyguards. Murphy watched silently for a moment and then looked at the two large men. They wore sunglasses on their expressionless faces and walked in silence beside him.

Murphy had mixed feelings as he headed back to his car. He had uncovered some startling information about the power wielded by the Seven, and learned who was responsible for his wife’s death. But he’d also managed to offend Methuselah somehow, depriving himself of his considerable help just when he needed it most.