The Second Messiah

Lela said, “I want to show you a pair of symbols. Can you tell me if they have any significance for you? They may be Aramaic; I’m not sure.”

Lela picked up an indelible black pen from the desk. She crossed the whiteboard and stepped in front of the blazing projector light and drew the two symbols with the pen.

Fonzi wheeled closer to the whiteboard, studied the symbols, and shook his head. “I’m sorry, these mean absolutely nothing to me. Except that they look vaguely like two cruciform shapes. Why do you ask?” Without waiting for an answer, he twisted in his wheelchair and stared toward the door at the end of the room. “Did you hear that?”

“What?”

Jack asked. “I thought I heard a noise in the corridor.”

Jack listened. “I didn’t hear anything. Did you, Lela?”

“Nothing.”

Fonzi frowned and spun his wheelchair to face the door. “Let me go check.”

A split second later a crack sounded and the room plunged into darkness.

102

“What was that?” Jack tensed. He could see nothing, the entire room smothered by blackness.

Fonzi said, “I’ve heard that noise before. It sounds like the main circuit breaker in the switch room down the hall. It must have dropped out.”

Lela answered from the darkness, “It could be the weather causing it to trip, there was lightning earlier.”

Fonzi said, “Then why hasn’t the emergency generator kicked in? It ought to kick in once the main power goes out. It controls the alarm system. I’ll need to check the panel.”

Jack stood. “I’ll go. Do you have a flashlight?”

“There’s a penlight in the desk, if I can find it in the dark, and there’s a big torch hanging in the switch room.”

“Use your laser light, Fonzi.”

“If I can find the blooming thing.”

Jack heard a fumbling noise on the desk for a few moments, then Fonzi said, “Got it.”

He flicked the laser on, directing it toward the palm of his hand. The red-hot rapier sliced through the blackness, suffusing the air with a crimson blush. It was just enough for Fonzi to locate the penlight in a drawer and flick it on, and the beam sprang to life. “That’s better.”

Lela reached into her pocket, removed her Sig pistol, and racked the slide to cock the weapon.

Fonzi startled, his expression confused. “Why—why the gun?”

Lela said, “A precaution in case there’s trouble.”

“Trouble? Why on earth would—”

Jack interrupted. “It’s complicated and now isn’t the time. Let’s just say that I’ve attracted a lot of interest.”

“What kind of interest are you talking about?” Fonzi demanded.

“From the same kind of murderous thugs who killed Professor Green.”

Fonzi studied their faces in the torchlight. “Gosh, are you for real?”

Jack said, “Now’s not the time. Where’s the circuit breaker panel, Fonzi?”

He pointed to the closed door. “The switch room’s down the hall. Turn right at the end and it’s the first door. All the circuit breakers on the panel ought to be in the up position.”

Fonzi considered, then rubbed his jaw. “The alarm system really should have switched over to battery and the power-fail alarm should be going off by now. Maybe it’s an alarm malfunction that’s brought the power down.”

Lela raised an uncertain eyebrow. “Who knows the alarm codes besides you?”

“The police and a few trusted employees.”

“There’s no chance one of them has come in early?”

“Italians? On a Sunday? Are you kidding? Besides, everyone’s off today, we’re closed.”

Jack said, “Stay here, Fonzi. Lela and I will check out the switch room panel. Hold on to the laser, but we’re going to need that penlight.”

Fonzi handed it over. “Don’t you want me to come along?”

“We’ll find it. You’ll have to stay here in the dark and keep your cell phone handy. You’re our backup.” Jack turned toward the door and Lela moved beside him, her Sig at the ready.

Fonzi said uneasily. “Backup? Now you’ve really got me worried.”

Jack aimed the penlight ahead of him. “Don’t be. But keep your cell phone at the ready. If there’s any sign of trouble, call the cops at once.”

103

Jack reached the door at the end of the room, Lela beside him. They listened for noise out in the hall but heard nothing.

Lela moved right of the door frame and whispered, “Yank open the door as fast as you can on the count of three. Then keep back against the wall, just in case we’ve got company.”

Jack passed Lela the penlight. “Whatever you say. Here, you may need this. Ready?”

“On the count of three.” Lela planted her feet firmly apart, her back against the wall. She clutched the Sig in both her hands, the light meshed awkwardly between her fingers.

Jack got a firm grip on the door handle. “Ready when you are.”

“One. Two. Three. . .”

Jack yanked open the door and slammed himself back against the inside wall. Lela aimed her pistol and penlight into the hall but kept most of her body behind the cover of the door frame. Anxious moments passed before she finally said, “It looks all clear. You can come out.”

Jack stepped out as Lela flashed the penlight down the hallway. It looked deserted. The light beam ended after about fifty feet with a blank wall. A hallway led off to the left and right.