King Solomon's Journey (The Dominguez Adventures) (18 page)

            "How deep are we going?"

            "All the way back to the beginning of the story."

            "There are four groups that are responsible for the traditions associated with the world's main religious dogmas, associated with biblical beliefs; Jewish, Christian, Medieval Chivalric, and Florentine Neo Platonic.

            All of these groups have been influenced by the ideals posed by the four Cardinal Virtues; Sword of Justice, Chalice of Temperance, Rod of Strength and Mirror of Truth.

            In the Torah, and other ancient writings, we find another sacred four; the Cardinal Compass Points; N, S, E, W.  The tribes of Israel were ordered to make camps on each of the Cardinal Compass Points, with the Levites enclosing the area around the Tabernacle.

            Justice has been represented by the Sword since the writings of Plato, and adopted by Jewish and all other faiths as a symbol. The biblical scholars state that a sword stretched across Jerusalem, and symbolizes the wrath of God. Its orientation lies in the North, the Chalice of Temperance lies in the South, the Mirror of Truth in the East, and the Rod of Strength in the West.

            It's all about the lines Antonio. Whether they are termed Ley Lines, English Rose-Lines, or latitude and longitude, the important thing is, historical documents point out the consistent thought that every place, everything, and every person is connected in some way.

            Now my point to all of that is this. Hidden Mountain has the same point of longitude as the Temple of Jerusalem. Using an old shadow trick I will see if at the suns rising, a shadow forms at 30 degrees on the longitude line; perhaps off by a single degree. Now it would be perfect if today was an equinox, but I believe it does not have to be for the purpose of my experiment."

            "Among that wealth of information, I think I heard why you want to use the clubs, but just how it is done, got lost…"

            "It is a simple experiment in theory, by placing the clubs vertically in the ground, one due east and one due west within a circle, the shadows they cast will form 30 degree angles. Of course the second club would only cast a shadow in the setting sun, but I believe seeing both within the circle will prove the point of the experiment. The rising sun over Hidden Mountain should cast the shadow of the club perfectly aligned with 30 degrees North of Center, the beginning of the Square Root of Three Rectangle, and the Seal of Solomon and the Star of David."

            Lost in quiet thought, he was jarred by the ringing of the phone.

            “Hello.”

            “Antonio.”

            Damn. It was Cynthia. The timing couldn’t have been worse. No doubt back from Asia, she wanted to schedule their rendezvous.

            “Hi, Cynthia...”

            “I’m back. Bet you were starting to wonder about me. I had to stay a month longer than planned, but I’m back now, and more than ready for our date. How about Thursday, same place as usual?"

            Antonio thought she would never going to shut-up. Cynthia worked in marketing for an International IT company. They’d met on a quarterly basis for a few years. The gap was longer this time since he was out of the country while she was in the country, and vice versa. Cynthia resonated corporate, from head-to-toe. She scheduled everything, including dinner and sex.

Antonio never seemed to mind. Cynthia was safe, no demands, and it served its purpose.

            “I can’t do it Thursday.”

            “Let me see, Antonio...I can do Saturday, but we’ll have to start an hour later.”

            It made Antonio sick that he’d actually done this with her, but it was fine back then. “No, Cynthia I’ve met someone.”

            “You’re teasing me, Antonio. Shame on you, I know you were upset that I didn’t call when I said I would, but don’t tease me. I love our little dates.”

            “I’m not teasing you. It’s for real.”

“You don’t want to meet me?”

            “Cynthia I’m done with the quarterly, it’s not about you. I’m genuinely in love with this woman.”

            “Do you mean for good, Antonio?”

            “That’s exactly what I mean. She’s the one.”

            “Okay...”

            “Hey, Cynthia...Good luck.”

            “Thanks, Antonio. Call me when she ditches you.” She hung up.

            Antonio glanced over at Amanda, she was amused… go figure…  Her reaction wasn’t at all what he expected. Amanda was amazed that he said he was in love.

            “I’m sorry.”

            “Why? Is it because you want to go? You know we are not actually…”

            He cut her off. “Amanda, no, I don’t want to meet with Cynthia. Everything has changed, I've changed.”

            “Why would you be sorry?”

            “She called, and you’re sitting right here. You heard the whole thing. I’d be nuts if some guy called you with the same scenario.”

            “So, you are hot, Antonio. You were having quarterly sex with some Cynthia-person. At least you were getting some, sounds pretty serious.” She wanted to laugh.

            "Look, let's talk about something else. How about you tell me about growing wine, what does it take, can you do it anywhere?" Feeling embarrassed, but not wanting to admit it, he figured distraction was the best answer.

            Amanda did laugh then, "Okay, you win, I will say no more on the subject of the amorous Cynthia!" The rest of the trip she told him far more than he ever thought he needed to know about growing grapes.

            Antonio pulled Raven to a safe parking place near the train tracks. With trunk popped open, he walked to the back of his car and prepared the gear. Amanda watched him as he lifted one jean clad leg, and attached a sheathed knife to his calf. Beneath his jacket, he fastened a Desert Eagle .357 Magnum.

            He motioned for Amanda to step closer. “Now that you’re with me, I’m not gonna’ lose you in some hole.” Pulling things from a pack in the trunk, and using its light to guide him, he instructed her.

            “Put these gloves on.” Strapping a belt around her, he attached a hook and a small pack.

            “Amanda, do you see this case I’ve connected to your belt?”

            “Yes.”

            “If you’re endangered, unsnap it. Remove this Glock and shoot-to-kill. Do you understand?”

            “Yes. But just what do you believe is waiting up there?”

            With one word he convinced Amanda the weapon was needed," Snakes.”

            They followed the path through two gated areas towards the Decalogue Stone. Luckily, the weather in the region had been dry, with the recent snowfall not yet melted, the riverbed had remained dry.

            Exploring the site where Antonio found the Scrolls excited Amanda. Strolling up the path, she held his arm as the sky lightened. Amanda’s attention next turned from the scenery towards the Mountain they approached.

            This was the home of an ancient volcano. Without being an expert, Amanda was positive that during the reign of Solomon, this Mountain Summit was much the same as it is today. Most of the rock was loose with coarse sand and silt.

            “I suppose during heavy rains this riverbed flows into the Rio Puerco.”

            “Yes, the Rio Puerco flows into the Rio Grande, and provides water access all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.”

            “The existing access is not new.”

            Antonio grinned at her observation. “Amanda, this is the Decalogue Stone.”

            They stopped, allowing her time to inspect the ancient inscriptions.

            “It is so huge. I am surprised it’s down here. I expected it to be closer to the Summit, or on top of it.”

            “The Stone weighs over 80 tons. See the two large stones, several feet behind the Decalogue?”

            She nodded.

            “The gateway to a site dedicated to ‘Yahweh’. The Stone is a warning to those who enter. Yahweh’s Laws are supreme here. Like at the Temple, not man’s laws - but God’s.”

            “Pretty powerful stuff, the reality gives me chills.”

            Her admission amused Antonio. He now knew her well enough to know that she wasn’t exaggerating. More likely, it was an underestimation. With her, his senses felt heightened, and she felt everything.

            Antonio opened his pack to remove his binoculars. Taking Amanda’s hand, he led her up a short distance along the riverbed, while he explained.

            “Amanda, look through the binoculars to the right. On the ledge is the Eclipse Stone.”

            He felt her excitement swell. Her love for ancient sites and artifacts could rival his. His passions often outweighed his colleagues, and forced him to pay a price.

            Amanda felt her heart leap inside her chest. Bringing her here, showing her this was something she would always remember.

            Antonio just stood and watched Amanda as she moved the binoculars over the mountain. If Solomon’s Legacy wasn’t hanging over them right now, he’d bounce her around the globe for a couple years to show her, watch her, and feel her experience the sites he knew. That would be his greatest adventure ever.

            He’d need smelling salts in his pack to revive her at sites like the Pyramids. No doubt overwhelming, they’d put her down for the count. He might die trying, but he was going to take her. She’d worry about her kids, business, and heaven knows what else. He bet on himself to win that battle. Her voice brought him back to the present.

            “Antonio, the eclipse was important to them. It seems to me that accomplishing the Stone’s inscription was a tough task. The inscriber was in an awkward position for a very long time.” Her voice was inquisitive.

“Wow, you’re so observant.” The opportunity to tease her was always tempting. She gave him a playful elbow to the stomach.

            “No, Amanda. I’m sure you are the first person to think of that.” He laughed aloud.

            “Antonio, stop it.” He had her half-laughing.

            She turned around with playful force, and handed him his binoculars.

            “Amanda, when we get to the top I want to show you around. We’ll go down into the cavern last.          

            “Antonio, may I take these gloves off until I need them?”

            Laughing he told her, “Sure.”

            After freeing her hands, she gripped Antonio’s arm. It made him smile as they ascended. Reaching the Summit, Amanda released his arm and began turning around in a complete circle.

            “Wow…  You can see for miles. How high is it, Antonio?”

            “We’re about 5,500 feet above sea level.”

            Scanning the area, she became excited. “I see the evidence of the structures you talked about. It is larger than I imagined.”

            “It’s about twenty-one acres.”

            Watching her so thrilled gave him a feeling of elation unlike any other he had ever shared with another person.

            Reaching for her, she accepted his hand.

            “Antonio, I am so glad you brought me here.”

            “Let me show you something even more incredible.”

            Guiding her across the Summit, he aimed her towards another stone, and translated. “Yahweh is our Mighty One.”

            She pointed out. “Yahweh is elevated to the highest point on the Summit.”

            “Absolutely.”

            Excited, Amanda shuffled out of her pack; "Let us do the experiment here, the view is wide open and the sun will rise over the horizon any moment."

            Antonio assisted her in laying out a chalk line in order to draw the circles diameter. Hammering the golf clubs into the ground to form a vertical line in the east and one in the west, they stood to the side, and Amanda filmed the event as the sun's rays topped the summit.

            As the shadow of the eastern club lengthened, Antonio rushed to mark its length and placement on the ground. At its apex, the triangular shape formed between the circle and the poles shadow formed an almost perfect, fabulous 30 degree angle. Amanda was jumping up and down in excitement. Antonio laughed, the idea of anyone getting so pumped up over a simple straight line shadow, was amazing!

            Amanda thanked Antonio for his help, and as they continued their walk, she wondered aloud about the sites clear archaeological value.

            “Antonio, why hasn’t anyone excavated the site?”

            “Well, I was hoping one day to take it on myself, when I needed, or wanted to quit going overseas as often. In truth, the implications create conflict with lots of Institutions. Archeology is often at the mercy of beliefs and the status quo. I pretended this was my safety net. In reality, getting past the red tape would probably never happen.

            You see, once an area becomes an official excavation site, the answers produced become fact, or science. Unstudied, everything is unofficial. History doesn’t change and Columbus still discovered America. The Natives came out of thin air one day, and the Tribes of Israel weren’t here with a purpose. Solomon didn’t send ships here. Therefore, Jews weren’t here first. The list goes on and on.”

            “I understand society does not usually want the truth. But, it feels wrong to manipulate the truth. Do you think the truth has a way of coming out anyway?”

            “It always finds its way out, even if it has to knock us down a hole and land us on top of our heads.” He laughed.

            She smiled. “I guess we are standing where the Holy of Holies was, perhaps where it will be. Antonio, look. I gave myself goose-bumps.”

            “Are you ready to repel?”

            “As ready as I will ever be I guess.”

            They moved towards the dugouts. Spotting the mound that led to the infamous cavern, Antonio was happy to see it hadn’t been disturbed. His pack came off and he removed the stones that concealed the opening. Then he anchored his rope.