The Covenant of Genesis

said. ‘The Covenant was right.’

‘Yeah, it’s true,’ said Nina. She got to her feet. Both soldiers tensed, rifles tracking her. A nod from Dalton and they eased off, slightly. ‘So why did you turn against them? And why did you destroy Eden?’

‘Because it was in Sudan. Do you really think I’d let a group of backwater barbarians lay claim to it? Especially when it would give the foundation of the Christian faith to the Muslims.’ He sneered in distaste. ‘Better no one has it than they do. As for the Covenant, every politician has skeletons in their closet, and the Covenant has taken advantage for decades. It was time that situation ended. I should thank you and Chase for that much, at least - between you, you’ve decapitated the entire organisation.’ He glanced at di Bonaventura. ‘There’ll be others to replace them, but right now the Covenant’s in total chaos. It’ll take a while for them to recover - and by then, it won’t matter.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You were making a deal with him,’ said Dalton. ‘Well, now you get to make that same deal with me. Only there won’t be any pussyfooting around, gradually preparing the world for the Veteres. As soon as the DNA analysis confirms what that thing really is, you’ll be back at the IHA announcing what you’ve discovered - a non-human race that was the basis of the Book of Genesis.’

Nina regarded him with growing suspicion. ‘So . . . what’s the catch?’

‘Catch number one is that if you don’t agree, you die right here and we find someone else to do it. But we’d prefer it to be you; you’ve got the credibility.’

‘Who’s “we”?’

‘Catch number two,’ he went on, ignoring her question, ‘is that in making that announcement, you’ll become the most hated person on the planet.’

Some of her old defiance returned. ‘What, even more than the President of the United States?’

A brief smirk. ‘Presidents are hated for political reasons. With you, it’ll be personal. You’ll be telling billions of people that their deeply held beliefs are wrong, that the basis of their entire religion is false, and you can prove it. They won’t like that.’

‘If I can prove it . . .’ Nina began, before realising where he was heading.

‘There are people who believe the earth was created in 4004 BC, that fossils are fakes put there by God to test their faith, that there were dinosaurs aboard Noah’s Ark, that they can talk to ghosts, that a UFO crashed in Roswell. It doesn’t matter what “proof ” you show them otherwise: they have their beliefs, and they won’t change them. These are the people who will consider the revelation of the Veteres as a personal attack on their faith. Not just in America, but all over the world.’

‘And what does that gain you?’ she asked. ‘Sounds like you want to stir up the Danish cartoon riots, times a thousand.’

‘More than that. We want to stir up the entire world. Religion against science. Religion against religion. Believers against atheists. Individual countries against the United Nations. And the outside world against the United States. And you, as a scientist, a part of the UN, an American, will be the lightning rod for it all.’

‘I don’t think I like your deal,’ Nina said quietly.

‘You don’t have a choice. Either you do what we say, or you die.’

‘But why?’ Nina cried, the numbness swept away by a resurgence of emotion. ‘This is insane! Why would you want to turn the world against America?’

‘To protect it!’ said Dalton, a flash of fervour in his eyes. ‘There are too many people pulling in too many different directions, and in the end they’re going to tear the country apart. But this will splinter the outside world - and bring America together. The silent majority will finally speak with one voice. A God-fearing, American, Christian voice. Not Catholic, not Jewish, and certainly not Muslim.’

‘Last I heard, Catholics are Christians.’

‘Who give their loyalty to Rome, not their country. It’s time America was unified against threats from inside and out. One voice, one God, one people.’

‘You actually have the arrogance to say you speak for every Christian in America?’ Nina held up the skull. ‘And you think all that will happen just because of this? You think the American people are that frightened and gullible?’

Dalton looked smug. ‘The people believe whatever they’re told because they have faith in something else - the system. They want - they need to believe it works, that their faith is justified. So what the leaders say, the followers accept.’

‘Because it’s easier and safer than having their beliefs challenged, huh?’ said Nina. ‘Well, you know what I put my faith in? I put my faith in the people. To be better than that.’

‘You’re going to be sorely disappointed, Dr Wilde.’ He took another step towards her. ‘But enough philosophical discussion. You’re either with me or against me. And believe me, you don’t want to be against me.’

‘I sure as hell don’t want to be with you.’

‘Your choice.’ He nodded at the soldiers. Their rifles came back up, laser spots rock-steady over her heart.

She whipped out one arm and held the skull over the edge of the platform. The shroud fell away into the spray below. ‘If I drop this, you’ve got nothing. No proof of the Veteres, so no way to set the world on fire.’

Dalton shook his head. ‘I’ll be in exactly the same place as before. The Covenant’s been crippled, and I’ve got Sophia’s recording. And what I’ve told you will happen, will happen, one way or another. This was just an unexpected bonus, a way we can advance our timescale.’

‘There’s that “we” again,’ Nina said. ‘Who are “we”?’

‘As I said, there are leaders and there are followers.’

‘So which are you?’

That seemed to sting him, his superior expression turning to irritation. ‘I warned you I won’t ask twice, Dr Wilde. Face it: you’ve lost everything. Your job, your fiance . . . Do you want to lose your life as well?’

The laser points moved up to her face. She closed her eyes - and just for a moment saw Chase, smiling at her from the darkness. Everything they had shared over the past three years flowed through her mind: the adventures, laughter and tears, exhilaration and fears, the highs and lows of the roller coaster ride that had been their relationship. And through it all, the love underpinning it all. Whatever differences they had, in the end he had always been there for her. A friend, a lover . . .

A guide.

She knew what she had to do. What he would do.

Nina opened her eyes, and met Dalton’s. Her gaze was unwavering, resolute. Fearless.

For the briefest moment, his eyes flickered with the realisation of failure.

She opened her fingers.

The skull dropped into the void. There was a faint crack as it hit a protruding rock and shattered, the fragments caught by the wind and vanishing into the empty waters.

Nobody moved. The soldiers still had their guns fixed on Nina, who stared unblinkingly at Dalton. He looked back, until finally turning away with a small grunt almost of amusement. A gesture, and the two men lowered their weapons.

‘Well?’ Nina demanded, breathing heavily.

One of the soldiers turned questioningly to Dalton. ‘Sir?’

‘Leave her,’ said Dalton. He met Nina’s eyes again. ‘You’ve got nothing, Nina. No concrete proof, just a few photographs - and they’ll be debunked as fakes, I can guarantee that. The news networks will make you a laughing stock before you even open your mouth. You’ll just be another crank, a has-been who had her moment - then went off the rails.’ The smug smirk returned. ‘Living with that will be worse than killing you.’

‘This isn’t over,’ Nina insisted.

‘Oh, it is.’ He spoke to the nearest soldier. ‘Get rid of these bodies and clean up.’

‘And her?’ the man asked.