King Solomon's Journey (The Dominguez Adventures) (25 page)

            He brushed his hand across his head. Sure enough, Amanda hit the jackpot. As soon as she finished her conference call, he would need to tell her. He decided to glorify her win, by grabbing a bottle of wine.

            Amanda, at the bar in the kitchen, appeared engrossed in the material on her computer, and whoever was on the other end of the phone call she had made. Antonio passed her on his way to the storage room’s wine closet. He chose a nice, deep, dark bottle of burgundy for her.

            He stepped into the hallway, and as he neared the kitchen, he noticed Amanda’s concentration had deepened.

            As he entered he waved the bottle of wine like a victory flag. Amanda laughed at him and said; "You are in a great mood, what happened?"

            "Oh, just the confirmation of your theories, I mean, I knew it all along, but having the lab guys confirm it, well, that's just icing on the cake." He finished smugly. He was holding onto the other test results; he would give them to her, but one victory at a time…

            Amanda's face said it all, she was excited about the confirmation, but not too thrilled with his smug delivery.

            He watched her bend over, pulling a disc out of her bag.

            “Install this on your hard drive.” She instructed Antonio.

            The drive ejected, and he inserted the disc. While waiting for the files to load, he gave Amanda a sip of wine, once again mesmerized by her beauty. She shifted to reach the keyboard.

            The monitor demanded his attention. Smoothing her hair to the side, he saw the entire screen and his voice gained several decimals.

            “Aw hell no, you’ve got to be kidding…Torah Codes?”

            Without flinching, her fingers tapped out the answer. Next thing he knew, the printer spit out her results.

            “See Antonio, the gold dust at Hidden Mountain. It says it right here.” She paused, and then continued. “…The Lord give you the bread of adversity…yet shall not thy teachers be hidden anymore, but thine eye shall see thy teachers….thine ears shall hear a word behind thee…”

            The stunned expression on Antonio’s face was indescribable. The wave of her hand in front of his face regained his attention.

            “Amanda, Honey, I can’t go here. Damn, it’s too far, they’ll lock me up.”

            “Antonio, you asked me a question and I answered it. That does not exactly make you accept, or do, anything.”

            “Yeah, right…!”

            “Here, I can uninstall the software and you will never need to corrupt your beautiful mind with it.”

            “Don’t be silly, leave it on the computer. I’m just not letting you seduce me into this concept.”

            “Seduce you?”

            “Yeah, seduce, you know pears and grapes and things…oh my.”

            “Yes, funny, I just remembered that we have a deal. You, gorgeous man, out of an airplane you must jump.”

            His eyes rolled. “I haven’t forgotten. Amanda, your deal proves it.”

            “It feels great.”

            “Wait a minute. Amanda, you didn’t check that before we found the powder?”

            “Oh, you are so correct. I ran my hunch.”

            “You’re killing me.”

            “You say that every day, and I want nothing more, than for you to stay alive. I like tormenting you too much.”

            “I can’t argue with that. We need to fix this text.”

            “Antonio, I am so touched with your willingness to do this for me.”

            “I told you, I respect your findings, and believe in all you do.”

Chapter 24

“Mathematics is the Language with which God has written the Universe.”

— Galileo Galilei

            Her demonstration of the Torah Codes was too compelling for him to discount. He meant to research with some criteria extracted from the Scrolls of King Solomon.

            His fingers tapped the keys as pertinent words appeared on the line. Swallowing his breath, he hit enter. The communication took seconds.

            “Damn!” he blurted without thinking.

            Concluded, the data was humongous. According to this, the King knew Hidden Mountain was holy and would provide a protection that would manifest in the beginning of a new era. The new era projected by the Prophet Isaiah.

            Nervous, Antonio reached for a reference in the Hebrew Bible. Sweat pellets squeezed from his pores, attempting to cool the heat that flushed through his body. His hand brushed over his hair as he thumbed the pages.

            Still, it always returned to King David, God’s favorite. The House of David always influenced by David. Antonio felt he had missed something important.

            Dwelling on any issue would only prove counter-productive. The click of the keyboard sent his next puzzle up to the equation. This one was difficult. Perhaps, his intention screamed passive aggressive to an onlooker, but his brain moved at incredibly speeds. His haughty attempt to make the system fail was in vain. Instead, the system was alive and met him with clues that contributed even more.

            Engrossed in the madness, her words knocked the wind out of him.

            “Antonio.”

            “Damn, Amanda! You startled the hell out of me.”

            “I apologize.”

            He quickly tried to diminish the computer’s screen, but the damn thing wouldn’t cooperate. He was busted. Not that he would have deceived her, but still, she caught him and he felt so devious!

            “Antonio, what kind of shenanigans have you pulled? Hours ago, you discounted the Codes, and now you sit here, all alone looking like a criminal.”

            “Damn it, you’re right. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Honey, this is crazy, it defies my life’s work. You know I would have told you the minute you were awake. Hell, I’m so mesmerized by you I can’t control my urge to treat this as a confessional.”

            “I am not sure I wanted you to get so sappy. Do you understand how it works?”

            “Presently, it is turning me into a lunatic. I need you here with me, come sit.”

            She honored his request and joined him.

            “Feel me, it has me all jittery. I need you really bad.”

            “You need some sleep. Antonio you have been awake for more than two days.”

            “I guess I have. Take me to bed, do something. Can you make me sleep?”

            “I am willing to try.”

            “Why are we waiting? Do we have anymore of those pears?”

Chapter 25

"Doubt yourself and you doubt everything you see. Judge yourself and you see judges everywhere. But if you listen to the sound of your own voice, you can rise above doubt and judgment. And you can see forever."

Nancy Lopez

            Amanda watched Antonio closely. All afternoon he had obviously struggled with something. When he finally threw a folder across his office, and papers fluttered down amidst a spate of words that turned the air blue, she invaded his space. "Hey, my sweet man, what is up with the attack of the flying papers?"

            Antonio turned to her and ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair. "I can't get it right! Never before in my life have I had to work so hard to convince myself of the validity of a project I am involved in.

            Looking around at the mess, he shook his head. "Let's get out of here." He walked over and took her hand, leading her downstairs to the sofa in the great room. They sat with Amanda’s back against Antonio’s chest, and her legs stretched out between his. He wrapped his arms around her.

            “Amanda, be honest with me. Where do you believe my struggles originate?”

            “The struggle has to do with credibility. In this case, you have to ascertain King Solomon’s credibility. You, Antonio, have to believe he was, and still is, credible enough to justify the instructions within the Scrolls, as well as the validity of the ‘13’.

            Without credibility, they are just artifacts. They are awesome, but still just artifacts.” She tried to explain, not to preach.

            Antonio gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head. “How is it you understand?”

            “I desperately wrestled with this early on, especially in college. My personality would not allow me to get beyond the duality of opinions. I was a rebel deeply disturbed by the systematic use of facts.

In my psychology classes, we had facts. Then, I would go to my philosophy or anthropology classes and their facts would defy facts of the other classes.

            Now, if I am to believe a fact as an unwavering truth, whose fact am I to believe or accept? Despite my love for knowledge, I had to conform to get a degree in Psychology, and again, several years later for a Masters Degree in Social Work.

            Nevertheless, I am a lifetime student without all the letters behind my name. It would be hard to convey the depths at which this holds true for me.” She waited for a sign that she should continue.

            “Amanda, I’ve dedicated my whole life, and sacrificed more than I care to discuss to a discipline that I now doubt and question. If I act upon Solomon’s Scrolls, I stand to become the laughing stock of my profession, where I’ve gained a great deal of respect.

            At the same time, you’re right, I’ve become sick to my stomach thinking about leading students down either a road made too narrow or some false path. I know that’s why I don’t want to go back to the classroom anymore.

            I began questioning some of the validity when the system demanded insignificant specialization. It was the same as taking a pair of scissors and clipping away the interconnectedness.

            I saw the small gain, but the magnitude of loss has become monumental, chaotic. Worst of all, specialization has created a political atmosphere where it doesn’t belong. We criticize and admonish those that speak out of their discipline.

            I, myself, am part of the last group of anthropologists before they instituted stringent specializations within the discipline.

Amanda, what do I do? I feel damned either way.” His trust in her grew stronger. He respected her opinion.

            “I am unable to answer that for you, Antonio, but I may be able to help you decide. I do not know myself. I have studied King Solomon, and lean towards his credibility, but if I had to make your decision, I would need a lot more information.”

            Antonio interrupted, “I’m glad you said that. It was honest.” He felt the need to comment on her admission. She continued with his support.

            “There are several groups and professions that have learned to deal with the duality. Within these groups, there is also exploitation, but that is not important in this particular instance.

            I remember you told me that you came from a family of attorneys. I assume that makes you more than casually familiar with the courtroom.” She looked up at him for affirmation. He nodded, reluctantly.

            “The legal system, despite all its faults, gives rise to a specific type of evidence coined as ‘plausible.’  Without going into the details you already understand, I say, give King Solomon his day in court.

            You must give him the same rights as anyone else on trial...plausible evidence. Based on facts and plausibility, you decide.” She rested her case.

            Antonio took hold of her arm and flipped her over onto him. Facing her, he felt flutters in his abdomen and looked deeply into her eyes. He felt closer to her at that moment, than he’d ever felt with another woman.

            “You’re incredible.” He gave her a sweet, loving kiss and asked, “What courtroom should we try King Solomon in? How about taking it to my father’s?” he laughed.

            She did not.

            “Amanda, I was joking. Sometimes you get to me. I have to do something to switch gears before I become mush or something worse.”

            She intended to make a dual point here. “No, Antonio, this time you are Judge and Jury, not your father. I will gather the evidence, not that I have to be the exclusive source of evidence. Nevertheless, I will take on that task. I will not, without making a deal of course. I’m sure a true Taurus will appreciate that.”

            “I won’t argue with the need for a deal. Make your case.” She made life fun, he thought.

“I have my own soapbox, you see. I hate dirty Judges or a ‘Judge with an agenda’. In light of this, I have to be sure I am presenting the evidence to a fair Judge. Do you agree I should be afforded the privilege of a fair Judge?” She played, but it was no joke.

            Antonio had to think on this for a moment.

            “I’m going to plead the fifth until I’m presented with the gentle lady’s plan of how to determine the Judge’s fairness.” He raised his eyebrow, and dared her to give an answer.

            “Your honor, if it pleases the court despite the conflict of interest involved, the gentle lady would like Your Honor to take a soulful journey.”

            “The gentle lady better approach the bench and explain her proposal of a soulful journey. The bench reserves the right to inject a point at this time. The Honorable Judge presiding over this case does have knowledge of one particular soulful journey he would be delighted to take, anytime, and at this point, anyplace with the gentle lady.”

            “I think it would be in the Court’s best interest to go ahead and agree without much further exploration. I believe the journey that the gentle lady has in mind, meets the end.

            In other words, the Judge’s reference to said soulful journey is but one component of the gentle lady’s version. In fact, Your Honor, it is an important component. Again, the gentle lady rests her case.” She gave Antonio a seductive smile.