King Solomon's Journey (The Dominguez Adventures) (6 page)

            Antonio lost it; he swung at the guy, and immediately realized his mistake. He had let the man goad him into the first punch, and while off balance the guy took him down with one neat trick. Flat on his back, he watched in amazement as Amanda stopped the guy from kicking in his ribs, and performed a perfect double sweep kick and followed it with a reverse side kick combination that even Jean Claude Van Dam would have been proud of.

            Looking over at the guy laying beside him, he imagined they both wore the same stupefied expression. Looking back up at Amanda, he saw her hand reaching down. "If it is all the same to you, I believe I would like to go back to the hotel now."

            Antonio levered himself off the pavement with the help of Amanda. She took his arm and started leading him back across the street. Antonio tried to stop her, saying, "Wait a minute, I still don't have the answers to my questions."

            "Sure you do." She pertly replied.

            Confused, Antonio kept walking. "I do?"

            "He gave you one great answer."

            "Oh yeah? What was that?"

            Stopping beside the car and the astonished looking Tommy, Amanda succulently replied, "He told you just how unprepared you are to address an unknown assailant." With that flippant response, she got in the car, straightened her clothing and crossed her legs. Flipping her hair over her shoulder; she asked;"Are you boys coming?"

            Tommy looked at Antonio, Antonio looked at Tommy, and they both looked at the guy still lying across the street. Then they got in their respective doors and remained quiet.

            What they did not see, was the second man who stepped out of the shadows and stood over the man laying there. "Nice move dumbass, are you trying to get us fired? Get up, come on we have to be sure the coverage stays in place." With his help, the other man stood and limped over to the car down the street.

CHAPTER 5

"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive."
C. S. Lewis

            Antonio’s thoughts were on just what had happened here tonight. He tried to be unobtrusive and rub his back, and then he turned to Amanda. Something flustered her. As they rode back to the hotel in silence, she seemed sad, distracted.

            Leaving the car as soon as she arrived at the hotel, Antonio followed. He wanted to say a couple of things to her. Running from him wouldn’t work. He could easily catch her. She may be a Yogi, but he ran every day.

            Taking off, he yelled back to Tommy. “I’ll be back to take care of you soon. Amanda!” He called out to her.

            She was already on the elevator, but he knew her room number, he saw Tommy’s fingers dial her digits earlier. Up three flights of stairs, he ran around the corner and saw.

            “Amanda, aside from the fight, you should at least tell me what I did in the restaurant to piss you off. That’s only fair.” A little hard ball couldn’t hurt. “You are not a cougar on the prowl with me. I promise. Come on. Talk to me.”

            She stopped walking. Taking this as encouragement, he went to her. “Tell me what it is. You want to. I know you do. Quite simply, I can’t let you go.” He used his most persuasive voice; he had been told he could charm birds out of the trees if he wanted to.

            “Antonio, if you’re looking for a roll in the sheets...I’m just not your gal. Even though I imagine it would be an experience far beyond the average.”

            Antonio gave her a grin, gently squeezing her elbow, “So, you want more?”

            “I didn’t say that,” she muttered.

            “Okay then, why would you think that? Listen, I don’t stand a chance at infiltrating your invisible force field, and, at the risk of sounding like an egomaniac, I think I could probably score better than average, especially in Vegas.” He knew how to play this game.

             “I can’t, that's all. I can’t,” she stated.

             “You’re making me crazy. I want a date, a real date. Something exists between us. I know you feel it too. I’m trustworthy, ask Max. You know Tommy would never have let you eat with me if he thought I wasn’t reputable.

            Her smile was apologetic, and her hand on his cheek only made what she said next all the harder to deal with.

             "Antonio, thank you for a memorable evening, it will stay with me for a long time. Yes, I feel our connection, and in another place and time, we might have stood a chance. My life, me, I come with far more baggage than a casual relationship could stand. There is one more thing to add; I am not an easy lay, nor am I woman who enjoys the usual egotistical ramblings of men."

            Thunderstruck, Antonio stood there as she entered her room and closed the door in his face.  Nothing would have surprised him more than the end to this evening.  Antonio walked away and returned to tip Tommy. “Here, thanks man.”

            “What did ya' do, Antonio?”

            “That’s it Tommy, nothing. Something is up with her. She said she had too much baggage. You know, I think she’s scared of something, and I don’t know what.”

            “Amanda...scared?” Tommy looked skeptical.

            Antonio left Tommy with his car, and went to his room.

            Kicking off his shoes, Antonio loosened his shirt, and mentally kicked himself for tonight's performance. He was suppose to be holding his dream woman right this minute, they were supposed to be forming this team the Scrolls Legacy spoke of. Instead here he was, alone, had his ass kicked by who knows who, embarrassed in front of Tommy…by many things, saved by his sprite, and then told he was egotistical cougar bait.

            Dropping into a chair, Antonio thought about her remark concerning her baggage. If Antonio knew anything about women, he knew they all had baggage. Just how her baggage was, or what in the hell she was making such a big deal out of, he didn't know, but surely he could handle it.

             A knock at the door broke his concentration. Answering, Antonio greeted a hotel employee delivering a small bag. Upon tipping the young man, he closed the door and opened the package. Inside, a note attached to a small bottle of oil.

Dear Antonio,

Rub this onto your bruise and laceration tonight. It will be well tomorrow. I am sorry for everything else.

Thank you for dinner.

Sincerely,

Amanda

            Rolling his eyes, at least now she kept her word. He walked to the mirror and applied the witch’s voodoo to his injury. At the very least, he’d received something from her. After several days of work, it was something, and tomorrow was another day.

***

            Retreating to the desk, he removed his copy of the Scrolls, along with his notes for translation. Determined to use his time wisely, he would continue translating.

            His thoughts returned to her and the note, proof she felt the connection. Amanda exhibited no signs of experiencing a similar hallucination involving him. He thought he was going crazy.

            He began studying the Ancient texts. The ‘13’ suddenly intrigued him, ahava echad, ‘love one’. The multilevel structure of the Ancient Hebrew fascinated Antonio. There was always more than one possible meaning. This one really captured his attention, and he didn’t know why.

            America, a diverse nation, is home to people from all 13 Tribes, predominated by the 13th , Manasseh. America was Manasseh. Hell, America started with 13 colonies. The original flag reflected 13 stars, and 13 stripes. Regardless, many people feared the number 13. Hotels and other high-rise buildings omitted the 13th floors number on their elevators. In Hebrew, it meant ‘love one’ yet, half the people in the world lived in fear of it. He wondered if Amanda feared the number 13. She was sure-as-hell afraid of the translation ‘love one’. Her assertions made it clear, if a hint or possibility of love was out there, she did not intend to get close to it.

            He continued his thoughts. A boy comes of age at 13 with his bar mitzvah, celebrating his entry into manhood. Judaism had 13 principles. The Temple included 13 Gates: (1) Shaar Ha’Elyon (The Upper Gate), (2) Shaar HaDelek (The Kindling Gate), (3) Shaar Habechorot (The Gate of Firstborn), (4) Shaar HaMayim (The Water Gate), (5) Shaar Yechonyah (The Gate of Yechonya), (6) Shaar HaKorban (The Gate of Offering), (7) Shaar HaNashim (The Women’s Gate), (8) Shaar Hashir (The Gate of Song), (9) Shaar Nikanor (gate between the Women’s Courtyard and the main Temple Courtyard). Counting the two minor doorways and two gates of relative unimportance without names, the total; was 13 entry-points.

            Maintaining this theme, the Seal of the United States encompassed the ‘13’ it dominated. Reaching into his pocket, he removed a dollar bill. The U.S. Seal possessed 13 letters, 13 arrows, 13 olive leaves, 13 berries, 13 stars, and 13 constellations. Was it possible that the Founding Fathers and Authorities within the Government have always known? Antonio thought it sounded extreme, but then again, the entire damn thing was insane.

            Antonio was tired, tomorrow would be here soon enough, he needed to rest and make plans for achieving success with Amanda. Unable to boast of anything today, he had crashed and burned. It was not completely clear why, but he needed her, and he sure did want her.

Chapter 6

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

— Winston S. Churchill

            As Antonio put toothpaste on his toothbrush the next morning, and looked up at blurry image in the mirror, the first thing he noticed was the circles under his eyes, and that is when his brain caught up with reality.

             “Shit.” He dropped his toothbrush. His forehead was healed, without any evidence remaining of the bruise or laceration from his fall into the cavern! His witchy woman was more than she appeared. Cleaning his glasses, he placed his head near the mirror to inspect the former wound. It was supernatural. The situation now demanded that he get through to Amanda, failure was not an option.

Determined, he finished dressing and headed downstairs.

            As he crossed the lobby, Tommy called out to him, “Antonio!”

            “What's up Tommy?”

            “I shouldn’t be tellin' you this, but, I trust you.” Tommy hesitated.

            “Go ahead, what is it?”

            “She’s leavin' today, three days early,” Tommy, sounded shocked.

            “She can’t.”

            “She booked a flight, and she’s not flyin' home.”

            “Where is she going, Tommy? This is more important than I’m willing to explain right now. Where is she going?” Tommy had to tell him.

            “She’s goin' to a cabin to write.”

            “Where’s the cabin?”

            “I don’t know.”

            “Tommy, you do know. Understand I have another job. I am an anthropologist. I’ve found something. She has connections with it. I knew it before I got here. Amanda does not know yet, and her fears about having a relationship made it too difficult to explain, so I didn’t get a chance to discuss it with her. It’s important, Tommy. You were right, she is special, and in many ways similar to the books she brings you.”

            Tommy believed him, knowing her on a personal level made Antonio’s story less bizarre.

            “She is goin' to some cabin in New Mexico. I think close to Santa Fe.”

            Tommy could have shot Antonio with a shotgun and shocked him less. Could it be supernatural or divine intervention, he didn’t have time to decide.

            “Tommy, when is she leaving?”

            “I’m takin' her to the airport at noon.”

            “Thanks, Tommy.” Antonio ran to his room, booking the 2:00PM flight to Albuquerque, he'd have to drive to Santa Fe from there. He would take a cab to keep out of her sight prior to boarding the plane.

            He packed in a rush. Calling Max, he would claim an emergency. After all, this was urgent. King Solomon’s Scrolls suggested a worldwide catastrophe. Maybe Tommy could find the name of the resort. How in the hell did she end up with a reservation in New Mexico?

             He dropped his luggage by the door, glancing, he found a folded paper on the floor. Damn, the note was from Max.

Antonio,

I made a suggestion to her, Angel Fire Resort. She is going there to write. I knew you would need to know. I would lose my job if it ever got out that I helped you like this.

Max

            He didn’t understand why Max would exhibit such behavior, acting as if he knew something depended on a connection between Amanda and Antonio. The Temptress ran from him now, but he tailed close behind her.

            Amanda was ready to get away from Vegas, swearing never to find herself near Antonio again. His powerful lure left her unable to resist him. Without Tommy, as chaperone the night before, she would be in a worse predicament now. Relieved to be escaping, another glimpse of him could prove fatal.

            “Miss Amanda, I hope Antonio didn’t upset you last night.”

            She did not want him to believe anything of the sort about Antonio.

            “No, he was a nice guy. It’s me, Tommy. It would mess things up for everyone, if I fell for some guy.”

            “Well, Miss Amanda, if you don’t mind me sayin', he’s a great guy, and you’re a nice lady. I was hopin' you would like him.”

            “Tommy, he is a great guy. That is the problem.” Tommy shook his head.

            Antonio took a cab to the airport to avoid attention. He planned to board the plane as late as possible to intercept the Sorceress. His phone rang.

            “Hello? Tommy...She did? Did she say anything else? Okay, thanks a lot. I owe you big time.”