Indisputable Proof (11 page)

CHAPTER 17

September 11. Tuesday – 4:19 p.m. Northwest Coast of Costa Rica

It all felt so surreal to Jade. It was the archaeological discovery of a lifetime; of a hundred lifetimes.

Without much thought, she sank to the stone floor and began taking off her wet tennis shoes.

“What are you doing?” Diaz asked.

“That stone over there is our next clue,” she said, tugging off one shoe. “Look around. The tomb’s not in here, but it must be nearby. That sphere will tell us where it is. The first jar is probably inside it, like the roll of parchment was inside the stone sphere at Harvard.”

Tolen stepped to the edge of the walkway and looked down at the water with a flashlight beam cutting through the surface. “I’d advise against swimming, Jade.” He bent down, placed a finger in the water, and raised it to his lips.

“You can advise all you want. Nothing’s going to stop me from getting over to that tiny island and examining that stone.”

Tolen pointed down. “It’s saltwater. I didn’t recognize the scent before. It was masked by other smells.”

“Salt...fresh...doesn’t matter,” Jade said, ripping off her second shoe and rising.

Tolen continued. “The water is very deep. It’s not a gradual drop off like a beach. The flashlight beam doesn’t reach the bottom.”

“I know how to swim,” she said, making her way beside him.

She started to squat in preparation for lowering herself into the water when Tolen grabbed her firmly by the underarm and kept her standing.

“What the bloody hell are—!” she cut herself off. Where Tolen had aimed the beam into the water, a large, dark, torpedo-like shape flashed by underneath the surface. She involuntarily gulped so hard her throat burned.

“What in God’s name was that?” Diaz barked.

She saw another black form move past. This time it had a wide, thick, perpendicular appendage at the front of a body of considerable girth and length. Surprisingly, it turned and was lost from view underneath where they stood on the perimeter walkway.

“What we’re standing on is not solid,” Tolen said. “It’s a ledge over water and runs in a circle along the wall of this room. Somewhere below, probably underneath the ledge, this pond leads out to the ocean. This ocean water was already in this cave before Joseph of Arimathea carved this room. It’s a natural body of water.”

Jade continued to stare into the water. Ghostly large figures moved by more frequently now. Each had the trademark feature jutting out to either side of its head. “Hammerhead sharks,” she finally realized with a sigh.

“Not good,” Diaz added.

“Hammerheads rarely attack humans, but as I said before, I would advise against going in the water with them.”

Jade felt a sting of defeat.

Unexpectedly, Diaz pulled his pistol and aimed it at the water.

“Please don’t,” Tolen commanded firmly. “That will complicate any chance we have of making it to that stone. If you fill the water with blood, even shark’s blood, you’ll create a feeding frenzy that will exacerbate the situation.”

Diaz eyed Tolen with disdain. It was obvious to Jade the inspector did not like being told what to do. For a moment, they remained locked in a stare.

“Let’s reconnoiter the cavern to see if there are other options,” Tolen finally said breaking the silence.

Diaz grimaced momentarily then begrudgingly re-holstered his weapon.

Jade watched Tolen as he used his flashlight to examine the walls and ceiling. Something in the distance caught his interest. “There’s a cone extending down from the ceiling. It appears to be directly over the small island.”

Jade raised her flashlight beam above the island. Sure enough, nine or ten feet up, the cave dipped to a point like a large stalactite. “Manmade?”

“Not sure. Leave one of the lanterns here, and we’ll take the other two.” Tolen began walking counterclockwise, following the stone pavement along the wall. Jade fell into formation behind Tolen and Diaz, eyeing the water nervously and remaining as close to the wall as possible.

They passed one niche after another. Jade longed to stop and examine each of them, but that would have to wait for another time. Each unique cross was carved out of natural rock polished to a smooth shine and was adjoined to the solid stone altar. Some had squared sides, some had rounded edges. The craftsmanship of these ornate crosses was unsurpassed. By her reckoning, in order to complete the several dozen in the room, plus the idyllic frescoes upon the domed ceiling, it would have taken either many years or many artists working on them simultaneously, or both. Joseph of Arimathea’s stories of Jesus must have had a dramatic effect on the locals to garner the amount of skilled artistic labor needed to create this magnificent place.

She looked across the water at the large stone mounted upon the island as they followed Tolen. It seemed perfectly round, and much larger than the Harvard courtyard stone. Jade now wondered if this sphere on the tiny island might have been the first stone sphere carved; the parent of all the rest the Costa Rican villagers created over the last two millennia.

Then an even more astounding thought struck her:
Could this be the original stone which once covered Jesus’ tomb?

The thought was mind-boggling, and she shook it off just as Tolen came to an abrupt stop. They were about a third of the way around the circular cavern. The craggy entryway was still visible across the water where they had left the first lantern.

Tolen faced one of the niches. He looked at Jade. “Why do you think the stone sphere was placed in the center of the room where it’s inaccessible?”

“It may be a test. We’re not supposed to be able to get to it easily.”

“Very unlikely,” Diaz retorted. “You think someone wanted to test
our
fortitude 2,000 years after constructing this place?”

“Not necessarily us, but
someone
,” Jade responded. “Why leave clues and riddles? Joseph of Arimathea wanted someone who was righteous and diligent to follow the path he had laid out.”

“Look,” Tolen pointed to the niche at their side.

It was not that different from the others they had passed, although the cross was the smallest one yet. Jade knelt down to examine it closely, drawing her flashlight to illuminate the small cross and the concave wall behind. There were tiny dark splotches near the four ends of the cross, and more dark stains scattered on the wall at the rear.

Jade looked over her shoulder at the men quizzically. “Blood?”

Diaz squatted, nudging beside her. He seemed just as intrigued as she was. “What could it mean?”

“This is the starting point,” Tolen said.

Jade rose, not understanding the message Tolen was trying to convey.

Tolen spoke, “If you’re trying to reach a destination, there are always three possible choices: ground level, which, in our case means swimming through shark-infested waters; underground, which is obviously not an option; or, lastly, above ground.”

Tolen guided the beam up the gray wall immediately above the niche. Jade followed the light. She spotted a small groove of cutout stone with a solid piece the thickness of a broom handle embedded within. She had no idea what she was seeing until Tolen roamed the light upward, and continued to trace a path to the ceiling and out over the water. The procession of carved handholds continued every several feet, blending into the fresco overhead, and finally stopping at the point of the inverted cone which stretched downward toward the tiny center island.

It was a way to get to the stone sphere.

CHAPTER 18

September 11. Tuesday – 4:41 p.m. Northwest Coast of Costa Rica

Jade appraised the line of handholds cut into the stone. It was a test, she thought, not only of spiritual belief, but of strength.

Tolen wasted no time. He pocketed his flashlight and stepped onto the niche altar, avoiding the small cross. The first handhold was at the top of the six-foot-high niche. He gained a grip and hoisted himself up using only his arms. His muscles tightened like a twist of iron, and he pulled himself upward and grabbed the next handhold with his free hand. Once again, Jade noticed the lengthy scar on Tolen’s right forearm and wondered what had been the cause.

Although she kept in shape, Jade knew this was going to be difficult. She had been a gymnast in college, but that had been more years ago than she cared to consider. She tried mentally to block out the fact they would be moving over water where sharks awaited any slip.

“Jade, you go next,” Tolen said, after lifting high enough to lock a foot in the lowest handhold.

Jade jumped up on the small altar and grabbed the first handhold. She was straining to support her weight while she reached to grab the next one. Tolen snagged her hand and pulled her up. It had been unasked-for assistance, and she did not appreciate the assumption she needed help. She looked up and started to object, but then saw the earnest gaze in Tolen’s eyes. It was not one of pity, but of caring. Once Jade secured her grip, Tolen turned and continued to climb. Jade followed, but at a slower pace. Soon Diaz was also scaling the wall, muttering and complaining.

Once she got her feet in the holds, the climb became much easier. The light from below elongated her silhouette, casting an eerie shadow on the wall above. She moved slowly, ensuring each grip before she released the other hand. The walls were cold and reeked of dust, and the only sound in the massive chamber was the heavy breathing and grunting as the threesome climbed.

Tolen quickly arrived at the curvature of the domed ceiling. “This is where it gets tough,” he called back down.

Jade paused and looked down. Diaz was laboring to catch up. She wondered if the man was up for the challenge.

Below, the lanterns kept the cavern lit, but the surface of the water remained dark. Jade saw black shapes patrolling the depths, indistinguishable forms swishing past as if waiting for their opportunity to feast. They occasionally created large eddies where their hulking bodies meandered close to the surface. Jade felt her breath catch at the sight. She paused and looked away from the water, staring at the wall inches from her face. She had to remain calm and fight the panic that was on the verge of setting in. Jade took a deep breath, exhaled, and looked up at Tolen.

Tolen swung out to one of the handholds at the curvature and was now dangling precariously. Jade watched him stretch to the next higher handhold. He moved slowly. The handholds here were closer together, accommodating the strenuous climb. When Tolen was four handholds away, Jade followed.

She was not prepared for the pain which enveloped her arms and shoulders as she strained to secure her grip to each new, higher hold as the ceiling curved up. It was a grueling endeavor, and she forced the thought of both the pain and the sharks from her mind. Beads of sweat broke out on her arms, face, and neck, and she prayed her hands would not become slippery. Her muscles ached, and her body twisted back and forth as she slowly proceeded. On and on she went, pulling herself up and over, following in Tolen’s path. Behind, she could hear Diaz struggle as he breathed mightily.

As she went, she was vaguely aware of the marvelous artwork on the ceiling. She was too preoccupied to pay it much attention, yet she knew it was truly masterful. Even after all this time, the faint smell of paint oils was still detectable, commingling with the aged stone.

Ahead, she saw Tolen moving lithely, swinging from side to side as he pirouetted in mid-air from one handhold to the next. She followed after him steadily, trying to ignore the intense burning of her arms. When she had secured her very next hold, she ventured a look back at Diaz. The man was closer than she had expected; his face red from the effort. Sweat was pouring from his brow, and he grimaced as he went. “This is
not
where I imagined myself: hovering above hammerhead sharks!” He shouted cynically.

Suddenly, a harsh pop sounded. Jade was so startled she nearly lost her grip. She struggled to secure two hands on a single handhold as the echo bounced from the far side of the massive cave. She looked down toward the direction of the sound. Near the entrance was a man clad in dark pants and a light shirt holding something. There was a flash of light and another resounding pop. Jade felt something whiz by her face. Rock fragments scattered above her head, ricocheting into her cheek.

The man was shooting at them!

“What the hell?!” Diaz yelled from behind.

Jade looked to Tolen in desperation. Her mind was reeling, and she was seconds away from losing her grip on the handholds. Everything was happening so quickly. She watched Tolen reach to his holster and withdraw his pistol as he held on with one hand. He swiveled his body in the air and fired a shot at the man.

In the distance, the man seemed surprised and dropped to his knees. He lifted the rifle and fired again. This time the shot struck the ceiling near Tolen. The CIA agent had drawn the gunfire away from Jade. Tolen fired two times in succession, but he was unable to steady his body, and the shots missed. One struck the water near the ledge where the man now knelt. The man returned fire, and in a horrifying instant, Jade watched Tolen wince, let go of his grip and freefall to the water some 35 feet below. He landed with a loud splash.

Jade could barely comprehend what had just happened. “Tolen!” she screamed.

“
Mierda
!” Diaz screeched from behind her. A second later, she heard another large splash.

She looked down to see Diaz break the surface as gargantuan shadows hovered around him.

Tolen was nowhere in sight.

A chill swept up her spine and filled her very being. She was the last one hanging and was completely vulnerable. Jade did not have the nerve to look back at the shooter. She knew what was coming. Her arms were cramping, and she could barely hang on. She felt a wave of nausea as she braced for the inevitable.

The sharp crack of gunshot was immediately followed by a burning sensation on her forearm. The sight of the blood pooling on her skin, more than the pain, caused her to jerk and release the stone handle with both hands. The fall happened so fast there was no time for her to think. The next thing she knew, she was under water with saltwater burning her nostrils.

In a moment of morbid fear, she opened her eyes. Amidst rising air bubbles, she saw devilish looking creatures swimming nearby, so close she could have reached out and touched them. Their wide snouts cut through the water like long, flat razorblades, leading thick torsos and arcing tailfins. Beyond, more of the dark, cloudy shapes moved aimlessly. There were too many to count. She screamed inwardly in terror, struggling to keep her mouth closed and hold her breath.

She now saw the dark tendril of fluid spinning into the water from her stinging arm. The bullet had grazed her, and she was bleeding into the water. She froze in horror.

Then a primal urge took over. Her lungs burned for air. Instinctively, Jade clawed and raked her way to the surface. A long, slimy object slid against her, and she thought her heart would burst from her chest. She continued to push upward, bursting through the surface, gasping harsh lungfuls of air.

Jade tread water as large hammerheads swirled by her, brushing her legs as she kicked. Each time they made contact, she yelled, expecting to feel teeth ripping at her flesh. Her breathing became uncontrollable, and she felt as if she were going to hyperventilate.

Then it happened.

The strike came at her shoulders. She was yanked backward with force. She loosed a bloodcurdling scream. In a panic she fought to break the hold, yelling and slapping the water around her.

“Stop! Stop!” she heard the familiar voice call from behind her. “Jade, stop fighting me!”

It took a moment for her to realize it was Diaz. He was trying to pull her away from the mass of hammerheads converging upon her.

She was only vaguely aware that the lantern near the cave entrance had been extinguished. The man with the rifle was no longer visible in the dim light.

“We have to get to the island!” Diaz yelled. A series of pops struck the water around them. One narrowly missed Diaz.

The man on shore was still firing from the concealing darkness. Jade heard a bullet sizzle by her ear as a sense of impending doom enveloped her.

“Swim…now!” Diaz commanded.

Jade did not have time to think. She merely turned, spotted the island 20 feet away, and began stroking toward it. Even with her aching arms and the laceration from the bullet wound, she pushed on. The mammoth body of a hammerhead bumped against her, sending her into a frenzied churn through the water. With each stroke, she prayed the sharks would not attack.

When her feet struck solid stone, she realized she had reached a ramping plateau which led up to the tiny stone surface of the island, but her progress was impeded before she could clear the water. The smooth, slanted sides of the island’s underwater surface made it impossible to scale. For the moment, she would have to remain in the shallow water. Diaz threw the wet coil of rope ahead onto the dry stone and directed her to the backside of the island where they could take partial cover behind the large stone sphere. Bullets continued to whiz past intermittently, striking the water nearby.

Jade was uneasy about still being submerged in the water, but in reality, she knew it was too shallow for the hulking hammerheads to reach them here. At least for the moment, they were safe from the sharks and out of the shooter’s line of fire, but it would not be long until the attacker moved around the room’s circular ledge to get a clear shot. They could avoid him for a while by shifting around the stone, but for how long?

“Mierda! I lost my gun in the fall,” Diaz cursed.

Diaz pushed his wet hair back over his forehead. His features softened into a look of uncertainty. Jade recognized the expression for what it was: pessimism regarding their chances of survival. It shook her to the core.

“Do you have any other weapons?” she asked.

“I only have this,” he said, reaching to his ankle under his pant leg. He withdrew a knife from a scabbard.

A knife was no defense against a man with a rifle 70 feet away. As bullets continued to strike the water nearby, an equally disheartening thought struck her.

Samuel Tolen was dead.