Leroy rubbed the back of his neck, pondering the matter. “Well, sir, you must set considerable store by the boy seein’ as how you got a barn full of other young ‘uns to swap in if he gets hisself misplaced.”
“It isn’t about Daniel,” Metcalf snapped impatiently. “He is only a minor part of the plan. You recall the granite key I asked you to retrieve for me some while ago?”
Hunt smiled at the memory. “That I do, sir. Truth to tell, I had me some fun on that job.”
Several pigeons had begun milling around the bench where the two men sat. A particularly brave bird pecked hopefully at the ground near Abraham’s foot. The old man kicked at it in disgust, causing it to flap away. Metcalf continued. “Retrieving the key was only the first part of the project.”
Leroy’s eyes widened as comprehension dawned. “Oh ho. So that’s how it is. You figured out what them squiggly lines mean.”
“That is correct,” Metcalf averred. “My son Daniel is a scholar of ancient languages. He was able to translate the markings.”
“I guess you were right to set such store by him then. Boy’s a keeper. No doubt about that.”
Ignoring the comment, Abraham pressed on. “The markings speak of artifacts called the ‘Bones of the Mother.’”
“Bones of the Mother, huh?” Leroy considered the phrase. “Who’s momma was she?”
Abraham gave him a withering look. “That is irrelevant. I want you to accompany Daniel to retrieve the artifacts.”
The two men were distracted by a female jogger in spandex running down the promenade past their bench.
“Mmm, mmm. Now that’s fine,” Hunt commented appreciatively.
Metcalf’s scowl deepened at the sight of the woman’s unseemly apparel. There was a reason he avoided visiting the Fallen Lands too often. The bold behavior of the Fallen females was particularly disturbing. They conducted themselves with appalling forwardness. The fires of the pit would burn away that impudence, no doubt. Nevertheless, the thought of their present freedom to do as they liked galled him. They were a dangerous temptation to the angel brotherhood—luring the righteous away from their own chaste and obedient wives. Fallen females, by their very existence, were a constant threat to the souls of the worthy. Shaking off the image of the jogger, he returned to the topic. “We were speaking of the Bones, Mr. Hunt,” he reminded his companion.
“So, you want I should dig up some old gal’s skeleton and bring it back here?” Leroy sounded less than enthusiastic.
“Of course not!” Metcalf was losing patience. “There is no skeleton. The Bones is simply a name that refers to a collection of artifacts which I want to acquire.”
“These artifacts worth a lot of money, are they?” Hunt’s face had taken on a calculating expression.
“No, they’re not, Mr. Hunt. There is no monetary value associated with them. I want them for spiritual reasons.”
“That so? You gonna send your boy halfway around the world to pick up some old thingamabobs that you got a hankerin’ for?” Leroy shook his head and laughed. “Man, I tell you what. Meanin’ no disrespect, but you’re a weird duck, boss.”
“Be that as it may,” Abraham said stiffly, “I still require the objects to be found and brought back to me.”
Hunt looked away for a moment. His eyes followed the motion of another female jogger as she darted around pedestrians on the promenade. “You got some idea exactly where we’re supposed to look for this stuff?”
“Not precisely, no,” Metcalf admitted. “Daniel has told me that some of the markings on the key are a sort of hieroglyphic code. The rest of the markings on the key are an ancient script that was found in two places in the world. Either in southern Greece or on the island of Crete. I would suggest you begin your search in Greece.”
Hunt whistled. “That’s an awful big haystack you want us to comb.”
“Not as big as all that. Tablets of the ancient language of which I spoke have only been found in four cities on the Greek mainland. In each of those cities, you will have assistance. Communities of the Blessed Nephilim exist throughout the world. I will appoint some trusted brethren in that region to begin the search before you arrive.”
Hunt repositioned himself on the bench to face Metcalf. He cocked his head to the side to study the old man for a few seconds. “Somethin’ puzzles me about this, and that’s a fact. You got all these other fellers runnin’ around like Santa’s elves to do your biddin’, and you got your boy who knows how to read them markings. What y’all need me for?”
Metcalf gave his companion an appraising look. “Because you have a unique set of skills, Mr. Hunt. A set of skills that my flock does not possess.”
“Boss?”
“Although I don’t anticipate any difficulties, I want to ensure that this expedition proceeds smoothly. I don’t want anything to stand in the way of my acquisition of these relics.”
Leroy grinned appreciatively. “You think maybe I might get a chance to use some of my special skills?”
“Let us hope not. But should such a thing happen, you have my permission to use any means necessary to ensure a successful outcome.”
Hunt chuckled and gave a mock salute. “Yes sir, boss. Don’t you worry about a thing now, you hear? I always give satisfaction. I got a reputation for doin’ quality work.”
Metcalf gave a humorless smile. “I have the utmost confidence in your work ethic, Mr. Hunt.”
Chapter 28 – The Concordance
The sun was just about to set as Cassie drove into the schoolhouse clearing. She was glad that she knew the way. It would have been impossible to find the place after dark if she hadn’t made the trip before. To her surprise, she saw a few dozen other cars parked in the green space in front of the building. The tall stained-glass windows in the main
