Tomb of Zeus (Atlantis) (19 page)

Javi felt the blood drain from his body. He felt weak.

“Mr. Arista, I’m just not getting a warm feeling about your future cooperation. Please allow me to be very explicit: We’re bringing you both to the airport. There’s a private jet waiting as I speak. You two will board the plane and fly to Greece. From there, you’ll take us to the Atlantean pyramid where you’ll open Zeus’ chamber.” He paused a moment, allowing the information to register in Javi’s mind, then continued. “If at any time you resist, we’ll kill the girl.”

Helena instantly shot Frank a worried look. She didn’t know what to make of his statement.

“Jack… oh my God, where’s Jack?” Javi asked in near frantic tone, already knowing the answer.

“Jack met his unfortunate demise at sea,” Frank replied coldly.

“You killed him?” Javi asked in horror.

Frank shook his head.

“Didn’t need to. The storm will take care of ‘im,” he said cryptically, glancing up at the menacing skies.

“You bastards!” Javi shouted in angst. “You left him out there to die?”

Javi’s spontaneous rage exploded. He lunged at Frank, grabbing at his windbreaker. In reflex, Frank blocked the advance. Instantly, he slid his hand along Javi’s arm and grabbed his thumb. He wrenched Javi’s hand backward, applying force to the pressure point. Javi’s knees buckled from the extreme pain. Quickly, two men stepped on each side of him and forced him to stand while Frank maintained pressure.

“That was a very stupid move, Mr. Arista. I have my orders to bring you back alive. No instruction was given to your condition. You can make this very easy for yourself… or
very
painful,” he said.

Seeing the intent in Frank’s eyes, Helena quickly wrapped her arms around Javi in a defensive posture.

“Javi, don’t do it. Don’t fight ‘im. He’ll hurt you. He’ll hurt the both of us,” she blurted in panicked tone. “Just do what he says.”

Frank smiled to Helena, then stared back into Javi’s eyes.

“Yes, Mr. Arista, do exactly what he says,” he stated once more.

Javi looked toward Helena. He saw the fear in her eyes. For a moment, she reminded him of his daughter Selena and his parental instant flowed inside him. Fearing for her safety, he relaxed his muscles, signaling
to the men he wasn’t resisting.

“Look, I’ll do what you want, just don’t hurt her,” he pleaded.

Frank released his hand and the two men stepped away.

“Mr. Arista, we’re not monsters. We don’t enjoy killing people. It’s just part of our work,” he explained. “Sometimes our work is unpleasant.”

He nodded to his men and said, “Move ‘em out.” He paused, then stared at Javi and added, “Quietly.”

----- ----- ----- -----

The following morning…

The Gulfstream G650 aircraft departed Caicos Island and headed east across the Atlantic Ocean. Flying at nearly six hundred miles an hour, it would make the fifty-five hundred mile journey to Kythera, Greece in just under ten hours. As they cruised along at forty thousand feet, Javi and Helena mourned the death of their friend.

“I can’t believe it. Jack’s dead,” Helena muttered softly.

She glanced to Javi, then began to cry. As she sobbed openly, Javi put his arm around her to console her.

“I know, I can’t believe it either,” he responded sympathetically.

“I loved him,” she added, becoming more vocal with her grief.

“I
’m so sorry, Helena,” he said, holding her tighter, his own heart breaking inside.

She turned and stared into his eyes. He could see her torment in them.

“I’m so scared, Javi. If you don’t do what they say, they’re going to kill me. I just know it,” she said, now crying even harder.

He hugged her, hoping his warm touch would help to soothe her fear.

“Don’t worry. I plan on doing exactly as they ask,” he reassured.

Helena slowed her tears. She looked up at Javi and smiled in gratitude.

“Thank you. You have no idea how comforting your words are,” she responded.

----- ----- ----- -----

Ten hours after leaving Caicos Island, the Gulfstream aircraft lined up on final approach to Kithira National Airport on Kythera Island, Greece. Five miles from touch down, Javi could see the great white limestone Atlantean pyramid brilliantly lit in the evening darkness. Landing so late at night, he knew the likelihood that they’d visit the pyramid that evening was slim. He glanced at his watch and wondered if he’d be alive at that same hour the following day.

Jack mentally prepared himself for what he knew was coming. Three years before, he had been stranded at sea and forced to fight for his life. His greatest hurdle at that time was not so much the weather, but his own self-doubt. Now, years later, there was no question in his mind about his abilities to survive. He knew if he forced defeat from his mind, he stood a strong chance at making it through.

Lying on his back, he watched the swirling clouds. Suddenly, he spotted another bolt of lightning in the distance and began to count aloud:

“One one-thousand; two one-thousand; three one-thousand.”

He continued counting till he reached ten.

Moments later, he heard the sound of thunder. From his years in college, he had learned that sound travels one mile every five seconds. With that simple calculation, he roughly determined the storm to be two miles away. Being so close, he knew it would be on top of him in less than five minutes.

Laying and waiting, he felt the storms winds strengthen as it neared. As they dramatically increased, so too, did the size of the wave. He tried to float on his back, but the waves grew too high. One crashed over him, causing him to choke. He coughed the water from his throat as he came to an upright position. With his hands now extended, and his flippers lightly kicking, he steadied himself in the water.

Seconds later, a large wave rolled under him. He kicked hard and moved with the flow, ascending and descending with the wave. Again, another wave rolled in, this time,
it size was nearly eight feet. Even before he reached the top, the crest broke and crashed down onto him. He held his breath and ducked into the advancing wave. Popping out the other side, he now descended down into the trough between two waves. As the next wave rolled in, it lifted him higher. Suddenly, it broke and crashed over him, knocking him backward. He held his breath, then quickly righted himself.

He felt his fears beginning to take hold, stripping him of his confidence.

“I can do this. Just keep fighting,” he shouted to himself.

Off in the distance, a massive wave approached. Standing fifteen feet high, he knew the raging wall of water would be nearly impossible to negotiate. In his mind, he quickly formed a plan of attack. As he watched it roll in, he took several large breaths. A second later, as the enormous wave drew him in, he dove into it and forced himself to swim downward. He felt the flow of the water caused by the wave’s sheer size, draw him higher. He pumped his arms and legs harder, and swam against the current. Suddenly, he popped out of the water at the trough of the next wave. He had swum directly under it.

Jack gasped for air. As he breathed in, he pumped his leg and propelled himself higher. The next wave struck him in the chest, knocking him head over heels. He rolled to his stomach and lifted his head. He gasped in another breath and felt the next wave crash over him.

He swam deeper, then angled back. Nearly out of breath once more, he charged for the surface. Kicking his legs hard, he broke free and gulp in large breaths of air.

Suddenly the sky lit up above him. The thunder was instantaneous. He could feel his strength waning. He felt out of breath and scared.

Knowing he was defeating himself, he forced hi
s mind to believe he would live. As he drifted higher on the next large wave, he relaxed his muscles and rested momentarily. It was all the advantage he needed. Seconds before the wave broke, he plunge straight down, stopped, then surged straight up. As he broke through the surface, he realized he was now riding down the backside of the wave. The maneuver bought him two more seconds of time. He breathed in the fresh air and relaxed. The next wave drove him higher, and he was ready. He repeated his previous move, breaking out once more on the backside of the wave.

For the next hour, Jack fought for his life. The waves continued to grow, and he began to doubt his survival once more. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. This time, it was behind him. He counted the seconds as he struggled to stay above the raging waves and the ever increasing gusts of wind. As the thunder sounded, he calculated it to be more than two miles away. The worst of the storm was passed him. It was a small victory in his mind and exactly what he needed to rebuild his confidence.

With the next wave rolling in, he took two more breaths and dove deep.

For the next hour, the strength of the storm greatly diminished. The waves had reduced from fifteen feet, back down to three. Only the winds seem
ed to continue in their intensity. Exhausted, he now floated on his back and rested. He had made it through the worst.

Half an hour later, with his strength nearly returned, he slowly began to kick his fins. He stared up at the clouds and determined the direction of the current. Like before, he angled his body in the direction of the flow and now began to swim with purpose. Over the next few hours, he swam till he tired, then rested, repeating the routine over and over.

As nighttime fell, the seas were nearly calm and he used the stars to keep track of his course. Every so often, he lifted his head, searching for land. Although he saw none, he knew somewhere ahead of him lay Caicos Island. If he could only keep up his pace, he knew he’d eventually run straight into it… and probably soon.

The hours ticked by and Jack began to see a welcome sight on the distant horizon: dawn. He had made it through the night. He felt elated and now worked his swim even harder.

Five hours later, he spotted another welcome sight. As his body moved swiftly through the water, he passed a small palm branch that floated nearby.

“Land!” he shouted excitedly.

He spun around and floated upright. He saw nothing. He dove under the water, reversed his course and charged for the surface. As he thrust up through it, he launched his body three feet into the air. The height above water allowed him to see for miles. In the second he was able to look, he spotted something. His heart now surged with excitement. He dove once again, then charged for the surface. As he broke through, he continued to pump his fins, forcing himself to remain in the air longer. As he sunk back into the water, he floated on his back. A smile came to his face. He found it: land.

“
YES
!” he shouted aloud.

Although he estimated the land to be at least five miles away, he now had a newfound sense of energy. Knowing he was going to live, he refocused his objective. There was no doubt that Javi and Helena were in trouble. If he hurried, he knew
he might have a chance to save them with the only card he had left to play.

“They think I’m dead,” he said with a wily grin.

He paddled harder and increased his pace through the water

The following day…

Javi woke abruptly from his sleep as h
is bed shook with a violent jolt.

“Mr. Arista, it’s time. Get up,” the voice called to him in his sleep.

Javi’s eyes snapped open and he instantly recognized the face: Frank Chelmsford.

Staring down at him, Frank insured he was awake, the
n spoke once more: “We’ll be leaving in an hour. Please be ready,” he said, cordially but with authority.

Javi merely
nodded his head. As Frank was leaving, his mind began to clear.

“How’s Helena. Is she alright? You haven’t hurt her, have you?” he asked in quick succession.

Frank stopped and turned. His face looked annoyed.

“Mr. Arista, I told you before… we’re not animals. She’s fine. We only plan on hurting her if you don’t cooperate,” he responded coldly.

Without waiting for a reply from Javi, he turned and exited the room.

Javi breathed a momentary sigh of relief, then apprehension of the unknown
begun to plague his thoughts. He looked at his watch and once again, wondered about his fate.

An hour later, Javi and Helena sat nervously on a couch and avoided eye contact with their captors. In the modestly furnished home in the mountainous region ten miles west of Atlantis, three men sat stationed around the room and waited on their signal. As Frank entered the room, he closed up his cell phone and called to his men:

“Ok, that’s it. Let’s move,” he ordered, his tone lacking emotion.