Babylon (Eden Saga Book 2) Page 20

  With her internal alarms now blaring at full volume, Alexandra halted ten paces away from the throne. Something unnatural was clearly at work within the child. She wasn’t sure if he deserved her fear or worship. Was this a divine creature? Or was he something else? A freak of nature? A manufactured being like an angel? Something she hadn’t seen before?

  One thing was certain – not knowing unnerved her. As much as Nebu’s questions about Alexandra were obviously first on his mind, so too were her questions about him. Where did he come from? What were his true motives? Was he responsible for this tower? Why a throne of gold? Where did he even find so much gold? Why Babylon?

  He leaned towards her, awaiting her answer to his query.

  She exhaled and decided to answer truthfully. Fact was, she had no clue what force of nature or divinity she confronted. Part of her felt compelled to answer the boy truthfully. After all, what harm could possibly come of it?

  “Thank you for your greeting,” she said as she glanced towards Padre Hernon. “It’s the warmest I’ve gotten so far. As far as my miracles, I think I’ve always been different. A freak. Some memories from my childhood are starting to make sense now. Perhaps the quake and events of the past year have just heightened my sensitivity to whatever is going on within me.”

  Her thoughts wandered to her recent wounds and apparent indestructibility. She decided to keep that piece of information to herself for now. If Nebu and Zaph were her enemies, they didn’t need to know all she could do. Let them find out the painful way.

  “Freak?” Nebu said. “Your gift is from God and should be something you are thankful for. Why do you speak like this?”

  Hernon leaned towards Nebu and whispered in the child king’s ear. No doubt, more lies.

  Interrupting them, Alexandra said, “I’ve been in the dark about most everything since the quake. My guides have been enigmatic at best, treacherous at the worst.” Henry and Marco made a cameo in her memory. “So, I’m left to draw my own conclusions about many things.”

  “Well, you needn’t wonder any longer,” Nebu said with a warm smile. “And you needn’t fear. You are safe in Babylon.”

  She glanced at the padre. “Am I?”

  Hernon turned towards the child king, seemingly expecting some proclamation or judgment on her. Perhaps some form of divine wrath.

  Instead, Nebu maintained his smile and said, “She is not who you think she is. I can tell, now that we are this close, that she is no demon.”

  Padre Hernon fumed. “She is a heretic and in league-“

  Nebu silenced him with a wave of his hand. “So say you and Marco,” Nebu said, his smile retreating. “I’m questioning that assessment and your divine sight. Clear as day, her gift is from Heaven and she is Holy.”

  The padre bowed his head and said, “As you say, My Lord.”

  Alexandra glanced to Medina, whose eyes were wide and curious. Chances were, the girl was only capturing half the conversation.

  “You saved Medina too,” Nebu said. “Her mother told me the story and it is a different one than yours, Padre. It is a story of bravery and love, one where Alexandra risks her life to save another. Now that she is before me, with Medina, I know truth. Alexandra is no enemy to us. However-” He paused as he inspected her again. “You must tell me how you came to us looking as you do, ready for battle. Has necessity turned you to sin?”

  She exhaled again. “Necessity has been as much my guide as-” She stopped, not certain she wanted to talk about Koneh and Erzulie. Then, she remembered why she was there and said, “as much as my companions – one of which you now hold at the hill. I came here to see him free.”

  “Ahh,” Nebu said, “straight to the point. Not so unlike your companion, Koneh, I see.”

  Padre Hernon must have talked about her at length to the child king. She was at a clear disadvantage in the information department.

  “I am happy to have found you, finally,” Nebu said. “Do you know what sort of danger you were in, traveling with such dangerous sinners?”

  “Sinners?”

  Nebu smiled again. “My dear child,” he said, “Koneh isn’t who he said he was. He was no agent of Heaven, and certainly not sent to keep you safe.”

  “I never thought that,” she said, realizing the padre’s knowledge of her journey ended when she fled Brasilia. They likely didn’t know the rest.

  “This may be difficult for you to hear,” Nebu said, “but Koneh is the first murderer. The greatest sinner of humanity and evil in its purest form. Koneh is the man you know as Cain, from your Bible. The first son of Adam who slew his brother in a jealous rage.”

  Since Nebu referred to Koneh in the present tense, it was likely he didn’t know Koneh was dead. Safe in Eden where the church and Heaven could no longer harm him. Safe in paradise. Perhaps she wasn’t at such a wide information disadvantage after all.

  “He told me,” she said flatly.

  “Actually,” came a voice from behind her, “I told you.”

  Her blood temperature rose and the hair on the back of her neck crawled upwards. The voice was recognizable and loathsome.

  Marco.

  Chapter 21

  Alexandra whirled and drew her sword from under her long coat. The familiar ring of steel sharpened her senses and resolve. Koneh warned her to never leave an enemy at her back. She scolded herself for allowing Marco to live after he tried to rape her and again when she stole his horses.

  Three times a mistake is a mortal one, as Koneh also said. This time, she realized she needed to end their feud.

  Alexandra saw everything as the room exploded into motion and noise.

  Marco reached for his pistol. Zaph crouched and drew his own sword. Nebu shouted from behind them. Padre Hernon dropped his book and was likely scrambling for cover. Medina fell to the ground as Alexandra pushed her aside.

  Alexandra’s first two steps brought her close enough to her target before he could raise his weapon. But Zaph was there. A flash of silver and white, the angel blocked her swing and stared into her with his all-white eyes.

  “You must not fight!” Nebu said.

  Marco would have killed her if she didn’t act without hesitation. Deep in her heart, she knew he wanted blood. His hatred was etched on his face.

  She spun from the angel and tried to slip past him but he was too fast. Zaph whirled in the opposite direction and blocked her passage again.

  Marco laughed as he raised his pistol towards her. She was beaten.

  Then, Zaph pushed one of his wings outward and slammed Marco aside. He landed a few feet away, dazed and unarmed. The angel kept his sword leveled at Alexandra and retrieved the pistol.

  “Your king orders you,” Zaph said. “Lay down your arms.”

  “He’s not my king,” Alexandra said as she eyed Marco. If he pulled another gun she knew she’d have to be faster.

  “Peace,” Nebu said as he approached the violent scene. “I beg you, peace in my sanctuary.”

  “Sorry, My Lord,” Marco said as he rose to a knee and bowed his head. “I heard who was here and I thought you were in danger from this heretic.”

  “Far from it,” Nebu said as he put his hand on her arm. “Please, Alexandra.”

  She looked from Marco to Zaph to Nebu. There was no winning this fight, she realized. Not here. Not at that moment.

  She lowered her weapon and exhaled.

  “He tried to kill me on more than one occasion,” she said. “I didn’t know-“

  “Quiet now,” Nebu said softly. “There is blood between you, I understand. There will be no blood here, however.”

  Maybe she was wrong about this child king. Though something about him unnerved her, his actions and sympathy towards her were nothing short of friendly. Perhaps he was who he said he was? That left her to the original assumption: she was a freak of nature, nothing more.

  Alexandra helped Medina to her feet and said, “Sorry. I didn’t know if he was going to shoot.”

  Medina for
ced another smile and grasped Alexandra’s hand again, as if she was afraid of everyone else. She hid behind Alexandra and watched the others closely.

  “That’s better,” Nebu said. “Marco, Padre Hernon, please wait outside. Take Medina with you. I wish to speak with Alexandra alone.”

  Apparently, ‘alone’ meant with a seven foot tall angelic bodyguard. Zaph ushered everyone else from the room. Medina’s eyes cried for help, but the girl complied.

  “Wait,” Alexandra said. “Medina can stay.”

  “The king ordered-“ Zaph said, but he was interrupted by Nebu.

  “That is fine,” Nebu said.

  Medina ran and clasped herself to Alexandra’s leg. Despite Nebu’s apparent pleasant nature, Alexandra held her earlier assumption that all was not right in Babylon. Medina feared for a reason, and Alexandra realized she would now likely need to discover that reason.

  “I guess she misses me,” Alexandra said, attempting to mask Medina’s fear. While the angel was oblivious to the emotions in the room, Nebu narrowed his eyes and likely realized Medina was giving away some information Alexandra wasn’t supposed to have.

  At least, that was her assumption given the facts.

  “Indeed,” Nebu said as he climbed back atop his golden throne. “Now that things are quieter, I need you to start from the beginning with me. Tell me all that has happened since the earthquake ravaged the world. Tell me all that you know, and I will do the same for you. Perhaps together, we can find comfort in our knowledge lighting the darkness.”

  Certain she was being played, she refrained from showing her full hand. Instead, she divulged mundane traveling stories. She kept to the story she fed Padre Hernon – they were simply trying to survive and get Santino and Delia home, nothing more. She did include Erzulie this time, as she assumed Nebu had that piece of information. Focusing on General Ryan and Benjamin, she wrapped it up with how she heard Benjamin was in danger, so she traveled to Babylon.

  The entire exercise didn’t take her very long, as she didn’t relate too many details. Just enough to tell him what he probably already knew, with some hopefully benign filler material. She was the courtroom witness and her goal was to feed him what she thought he wanted to hear. In the end, she made no mention of a journey to Eden or Eden itself.

  He pondered her words for a few long moments and then said, “How did you come across Koneh’s sword?”

  Alexandra refrained from divulging the fate of Koneh. Now, she was faced with a decision. Lie or surrender information only a few people knew. Dammit, she thought, how did he recognize the sword?

  Deciding a half-truth was better than a lie, she said, “He died protecting me.”

  Nebu shook his head. “Koneh cannot die, he was gifted with the glory and curse of immortality.”

  “He thought the bonds that kept him alive were weakened when God left us,” she said. “Erzulie thought so too.”

  “Is that what they told you? That God has left you?”

  Alexandra nodded.

  Nebu laughed. “Clever sinners. Clever, clever.”

  “Your turn,” she said. “I told you what I know. Why don’t we start with God. Koneh once told me that Heaven and Hell had fallen. What do you know of the quake, red skies and general destruction delivered to Earth?”

  “That’s quite a question, Alexandra Contreras,” he said. “It is all as it was written in the Revelation. God has taken his faithful and awaits what the rest of mankind will do. This is their judgment and I am here to assist the faithful. Of this I can assure you – God is very much here and active. I have spoken with Him on many occasions. Humanity’s plunge into barbarism over the remaining resources here on Earth has saddened Him. He thought you would have learned your lessons by now and cooperated to rebuild your world. Instead, you strap weapons to yourselves and make conflict. This saddens me as well.”

  “So, if this is our test,” she said, “what’s this I hear about Eden? Can we really go there?”

  “Indeed,” he said. “Eden is a place where Heaven and Earth intersect. You are free to visit once before your time of the flesh has ended. After that, you must earn your place in Heaven.”

  “If all is how it is written, I don’t remember that from my Bible.”

  “Some texts were lost, misinterpreted or destroyed as the millennia rolled past,” he said. “Information about the fate of Eden was a long standing mystery to the church. I helped enlighten them to Eden’s purpose and, more importantly, how we can use it to train the faithful.”

  And to exploit its resources, she thought as she recalled the recent scene at the gates.

  “In fact,” he said, “the Catholic scholars had grossly misjudged the time of Genesis, as your science has postulated. But that is another topic for another day. You are here for your friend, Benjamin, correct? We can discuss the matter unless you wish to use your time to talk about the cosmos. I am happy to do either, but my time is short. I must attend to other matters.”

  Several different sources, several different stories. Alexandra wasn’t sure she’d ever know the truth about what happened to Heaven and Earth.

  “Right,” she said, “Benjamin and his fellow soldiers are imprisoned at the hill.”

  “They were caught spying,” Nebu said. “This American army general covets Babylon, as do many of these new warlords who have risen.”

  “General Ryan has no desire to conquer Babylon.”

  “So you say.”

  “But he will come here for his men,” she said.

  “Yes, I hear you used a radio to ask him to come here and he marches even now.”

  She shrugged. “You forced my hand. Trust me, General Ryan just wants his men back. He’s got his hands full in Brasilia, taking in survivors. He’s a good man.”

  Nebu contemplated her words and she was again struck by his immense intelligence. He spoke like one of her law professors, deliberate and knowledgeable.

  “Padre Hernon describes this Benjamin as a terrorist and warmonger,” Nebu said.

  “He’s a kid from Indiana. Anything else was forced upon him by our new world.”

  “And it is how we react to these external forces that forge our souls,” he said. “Excusing his actions because of a new set of circumstances does not forgive a sinner.”

  “New set of circumstances?” Alexandra said, her frustration mounting. “The world was basically turned upside down! If Benjamin acted in anger it was because his friends died in Padre Hernon’s prison.”

  “Wrath is a sin, one of the most terrible,” Nebu said.

  “Well, forgiveness is a virtue,” she countered, “and I’m telling you nobody wants to conquer Babylon and this whole thing can be solved if you set them free.”

  “I also hear tanks are coming?”

  Alexandra sighed. “General Ryan doesn’t want to fight you. He just wants his men back.”

  “And he would risk all that precious fuel and the lives of men he cannot replace over the lives of just a handful?” Nebu said. “I don’t see why he would do this.”

  Alexandra paused as she never considered that angle before. Why would the general risk so much over a few of his men. It’s not like he could requisition more fuel or soldiers from the government. The journey was a tremendous one. Was it because of his feelings towards her? She asked him to help and he jumped at the chance. Would he have mobilized if she wasn’t involved? Surely it would make more sense for a leader trying to conserve resources.

  “You threaten us with tanks and ask why we do not trust you,” Nebu said. “Healing the sick and lame got our attention, and I think that was your goal. If you were truly interested in saving people, we would have heard reports of you doing this before. Medina aside, of course. Instead, I hear how you brought demons to Brasilia and Tampico. Your gift is amazing and I hope to teach you how to use it for the good of humanity, rather than for your own selfish ends. However, you have not convinced me to let these spies free. They will remain imprisoned and receive whatever
punishment was planned for them.”

  Execution.

  “Wait,” she said, realizing he exposed all the holes in her flawed plan with the precision of a sniper. “At least, downgrade their sentence from execution. If General Ryan arrives with his army to find his men killed, he will attack.”

  “Warmongering.”

  She held a finger up. “Just hear me out.”

  “Very well.”

  “Okay,” she said. “People will die if a battle ensues. Many of those deaths will likely be from noncombatants, like Medina here. Do they deserve that? For the price of a few weeks delay, we can avoid all that suffering. We can talk like civilized people and work something out. This is all a misunderstanding, and you can believe me or not. But if you think there’s even a chance I’m telling you the truth, and General Ryan has no interest in Babylon, then what harm can come from waiting? We can both save lives here.”

  He considered her proposal and said, “One month. I will order a stay of execution for one month to avoid conflict with this American warlord. He can convince me himself, or burn before the light of God for his sins.”

  “Thank you,” she said, though she felt defeated. Benjamin’s suffering would continue and she was powerless to help.

  He nodded to her and turned to the angel. “Zaph, you will ensure a room on the third floor is cleaned for Alexandra. Her gift shows she has favor with God and she will be treated like we would a saint. I only hope her heart leads her to the church each day to help the sick and crippled. Such a gift should not be wasted.”

  “As you command,” Zaph said.

  “Again, thank you,” she said, not sure she should accept the offer. Of course, a roof over her head was welcoming, even if that roof unnerved her. She was almost through the doors when she stopped. “What about Medina? Can I stay with her family instead?”

  “Medina lives here at the tower,” Nebu said. “She is my betrothed.”