The Second Messiah

“Because at least two others already found contain an important revelation. One is held by Israel. The other by the Vatican. Held in secret, I might add. In locked vaults and accessible only to those in the highest authority.”

“What for?” Lela asked.

Feldstein looked at the Mossad chief, who nodded his approval.

“Tell her, professor.”

60

The professor’s face was grave as he took out a handkerchief, removed his glasses, and began polishing them vigorously. “It’s a very remarkable revelation that would certainly stun the world. The description ‘earth-shattering’ definitely applies in this case.”

“I take it that you know exactly what the revelation is, professor?”

Before Feldstein could reply, Weiss addressed Lela. “The professor works for Mossad and is a keeper of state secrets. The answer to your question is yes, he knows, just as I do. And before you roll your eyes in doubt, Feldstein isn’t talking bull. The code is real. The revelation is real. And we now know that the scroll Jack Cane discovered has been carbon-dated to between 25 and 50 A.D.”

Lela smiled, sat back, and looked from Feldstein to Weiss. “You two are really serious, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” Weiss answered flatly.

“Forgive me, but I’ve heard nonsense like this before.”

Weiss looked affronted. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s the stuff of fiction, age-old myths, and bad movies and comes in various shapes and forms. You know the kind of thing I mean. The incredible Bible secret that will change the world. Or the cipher hidden in Scripture that suggests God has a secret to reveal. Or maybe newly discovered evidence that claims Jesus Christ never existed, or that Mary Magdalene was his wife or his girlfriend and that they produced a bloodline.”

Professor Feldstein said confidently, “This is no myth, Inspector. And I can assure you that the revelation would have far-reaching consequences.”

Lela sat back and folded her arms. “Really? And just what kind of revelation are we talking about? That Scientology got it right? That creatures from outer space seeded the earth? Or that there was no Jesus Christ? Or proof that God does or doesn’t exist? At least tell me if I’m in the ballpark here, or am I so way off beam I’m starting to sound crazy?”

The professor looked worriedly to Weiss again as if for guidance, and Weiss answered. “You’ll have to take my word, Inspector, that it’s certainly a bombshell, and that’s all I can say. Our hope is that when we find the missing scroll it will illuminate our knowledge of the revelation.”

“You said when we find it. Why so confident?”

“Because failure is not an option I can contemplate. The scroll simply must be found. Jack Cane may know more than anyone about its disappearance. That’s why you and Ari will stick to him like glue. You’ll use every means at your disposal to discover what he does, knows, and learns.”

“Will the revelation be made public if it’s found?”

Weiss said, “You want my honest opinion? I doubt it.”

As the Mossad chief went to replace the photographs in the envelope, Lela said, “What about the symbols Father Novara wrote on the wall in his blood? Do they have a significance?”

Weiss shuffled through the snapshots and plucked out the photograph of the blood-drenched symbols and held it up. “Good question. But I’m afraid that’s something of a mystery right now.”

Lela stared at the images. “It looks like it could be a pair of crosses to me.”

Weiss said, “Professor Feldstein, do these symbols mean anything specific to you?”

“The old Aramaic t, pronounced ‘taw,’ was in the shape of a cross, because that’s what it meant, cross or an X. But that was eighth to ninth century B.C. And to be honest the combination of two t’s suggests nothing to me except gobbledygook.”

Weiss shrugged. “It’s hard to say what the priest was trying to convey, or if his mind was simply confused close to death. But it’s a mystery I’m hoping we’ll solve.”

Lela looked at Weiss. Her sixth sense told her he knew more than he was saying.

The ambulance siren died. Lela looked out the window and saw to her surprise that the driver had reached Tel Aviv airport. He drove in through a pair of manned security gates toward a line of private aircraft hangars and braked to a halt.

An unmarked gleaming Lear jet waited. Airsteps led up to the cabin and in the cockpit a uniformed crew was busy performing a preflight check. Weiss put the photographs away, pushed open the ambulance doors, but remained inside with the professor. “Step down, Inspector, the Lear jet’s for you. This time you’ll be traveling in comfort. Forgive me, but I’m already late for a meeting so I’ll say my good-bye now.”

“Traveling to where?” Lela asked as Ari ushered her out of the ambulance. She heard the jet’s auxiliary power unit start up with a whine.

Weiss said, “To the Eternal City. Rome to you and me.”

“But why?”

Weiss was a man in a hurry as he pulled the ambulance doors shut. “Ari will brief you. Good-bye, Inspector. Or I should say, Arrivederci.”

PART SIX

61

ITALY