Chapter Nineteen:
Eridu
"When kingship from heaven was lowered, the kingship was in Eridu."
It was a humbling thing for Chris Larabee to know these words were spoken about a city built seven thousand years ago. Eridu was the first city of the world, the jewel of the first human empire. Here, it was claimed the god Enki had done battle with Tiamat, cleaving her body in half to create the great river Tigris and the clouds in the skies above. Even if the desert had claimed Eridu for its own, the power of what she once was, remained in every grain of sand covering the place where she stood.
The Tigris no longer ran across the land before him. Time, changing weather patterns and harsh desert winds had shifted the path of the great river, leaving behind dry river beds and baked earth, where there was once water and loamy soil. The land once capable of sustaining everything from wheat and barley to garlic and dates, was now empty desert and the verdant fields where goats, oxen and sheep once roamed had withered away, leaving behind the hardier desert creatures like the spider, scorpion and snake.
Ahead of them, perched on top of a hill, looking nothing like a majestic city of ancient times, Eridu waited. What remained of the impressive temple ziggurat, once surrounded by small buildings covering almost the entire plain, was a nub worn down by time and erosion. Only faint edges of the construction could be seen, the geometric shapes blunted by history. I
It had taken them the better part of a week on the Darlin' Millie to circumnavigate the globe and find themselves here at last, at the foot of Eridu, located in what was now the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Once Chris had determined the location of the city where the Tablet was found, they left Four Corners immediately, refusing to linger in the event the Erran was able to trace their location.
After the cult's amazing ability to ferret out their hiding places, Chris was taking no chances. Not only were the Pillars in their possession, but they now knew the location of the city. The leader of the Seven had no doubt, the Erran would kill them all for usurping their holy crusade from right under them. Buck mapped out a route that would take them a little longer to reach the Middle East but would be obscure enough to ensure even the Erran would be left scratching their heads at the Millie's fight plan.
Instead of heading to the East Coast, Buck had instead chosen to fly north, leaving the North American continent via Canada and the Hudson. Crossing the freezing waters of the Labrador Sea, they set down briefly in Greenland before continuing onto Europe through Norway and the Ukraine, before finally descending over the Black Sea into Turkey and finally Riyadh. The journey had been exhausting even with the brief intervals of freedom when the Millie needed refuelling.
They landed in Riyadh in a private airfield recommended by one of the Professor's contacts in the city. Before Orin Travis enlisted the seven to procure his antiquities, the scholar had travelled widely across the Middle East, forging friendships with his peers in the antiquities world. Orin assured them the Millie's entry in the Kingdom of Saudi was entirely anonymous.
It was just as well because the politics of the region made Chris wish to conduct their business and depart as soon as possible. A short three years ago, the House of Saud had unified the country and its prosperity was evident in the urban sprawl Chris saw when they were flying above the city. Still, it was an uncertain place for foreigners, who not too long ago, had exploited the country and its people. Furthermore, he was painfully aware of how easily the Erran could hide in the crowds, now that they were in their native regions.
During the journey, Mary revealed what she knew of the Erran, beyond what they had discussed about the cult itself. Her investigations had revealed a vast network of operatives, not all warriors like the ones the seven had been encountering since the museum. The fanatics had infiltrated branches of governments and had a supply of paid informants that could easily give them away if they were not careful.
Thus, when formulating the plan to reach Eridu, Chris had opted for an unconventional approach. While it would have been expedient to simply race across the desert to reach their destination like tourists, Chris had a feeling if the Erran's reach was as vast as Mary indicated, then chances were likely they had agents in most of the cities across the Middle East. He had no desire to give themselves away by using familiar methods of travel to reach the city.
Instead, they'd surrendered the creature comforts of cars and with the aid of one of the Professor's acquaintances, had set out from Riyadh in the dead of night, on camels, wearing native dress and looking like just another local caravan journeying across the desert. As usual, Ezra Standish had little difficulty procuring what they needed, even though he was none too happy at being forced to travel this way, even if it was for the best of reasons.
"Mr Larabee," Ezra grumbled as he shifted in his saddle, still trying to wrap his mind how the Bedouins could stay on the infernal creatures for hours on end without suffering permanent back injury. "I wish it known that as former men of the cavalry, this method of transport is completely undignified."
Offended by the remark, the camel Ezra was riding promptly spat on the desert floor.
"You stay out of this!" Ezra snapped, giving the creature a dark look.
"You're just pissy because you have to hide your Abercrombie and Fitch under all those robes." Nathan teased, finding it highly amusing to see Ezra struggling to control the beast beneath him. Like all cavalry men, Ezra found the notion of a camel, beneath him. Nathan couldn't claim to feeling the same attachment. During the war, he had been with the 92nd, better known as the Buffalo Soldiers, who were strictly foot soldiers. It was only after Chris, with Orin Travis's pull behind him, had him transferred to K Troop, did he come into contact with the animals and even then, he was always a medic, not a rider.
"I hate you," Ezra glared at him, "I cannot believe I consider you my best friend."
Chris rolled his eyes and exchanged an amused look with Vin, accustomed to listening to Ezra bitch over the years. Just like it had been in the aftermath of the Oise-Aisne Offensive when Nathan had become a part of their number, the healer seemed to be the only one who knew how to diffuse Ezra's verbal rages. When Vin dragged Nathan across the muddy trench to save Ezra's life, it had been the start of an unlikely friendship, considering the origins of both men.
Although no one ever voiced it, Chris suspected their friendship thrived because Nathan appeared to be the only one who could tolerate Ezra's sometimes overbearing manner, perhaps because in life, he was accustomed to people talking down to him, or regarding him as less. Since Ezra thought the same of just about everyone, colour notwithstanding, Nathan was able to give as good as he got.
Of course, unlikely friendships were what the seven was about, Chris thought as he faced front again. Vin Tanner was a scrawny child when Chris met him, wearing a uniform all too big for him, looking terrified because his plan of joining the army to flee the orphanage had not prepared him for the utter carnage of the Western Front. The recruiter had thought him to be at least twelve, but he was just past ten. Chris had almost sent him back until he realised Vin's situation would not be improved and a part of him knew even then, Vin's place was at his side.
At the moment, the sharpshooter was riding a double saddle on the camel, dressed in flowing white robes that revealed his cobalt coloured eyes, while behind him, Alex Styles had her arms wrapped around his waist, looking like any young native couple. Like the rest of them, Alex was forced to adopt the traditional costume of a female Bedouin, with light coloured fabrics that covered her hair and body, with a thin veil across her face. It was a testament to the lady, she still managed to look lovely in such exaggerated clothing.
"Is he always like this?" Mary asked as she was seated behind him in the double saddle, her arm wrapped around his body, as they saw Eridu approach, resembling a man-made plateau, perched on a hill. Like Alex, she was dressed like a local, although Chris thought the veil made her blue grey eyes stand out even more.
"Yeah," he drawled after a moment. "You should have heard him when we were in India, having to ride elephants."
"Elephants?" Mary glanced at the gambler who was having a heated discussion with the dromedary ferrying him across the desert, about the proper conduct of a steed, which had little to do with the ejection of bodily fluids wherever one pleased. The idea of the pernickety gambler seated on a howdah made Mary smile.
"Oh yeah," Chris grinned. "I usually leave him to Nate, who'll either shut him up or shoot him, whichever comes first."
Mary uttered a short laugh and Chris had to admit, when she wasn't being a pain in the ass, it was quite a nice one and made her look radiant.
Despite himself, he liked how it felt having her ride double with him, even though Chris told himself it was because he wanted to keep an eye on the woman. The way she tended to stick her fingers in everything, she'd probably violate some local custom which would end up getting herself thrown in to a Saudi jail. Best he kept her close so that he could save her from herself.
Yeah right, an inner voice snorted with derision.
From a distance, Eridu looked like a moderately sized hill with a few terraced steps running the length of one slope. No more than thirty feet high, it was obvious in its day, the base of the hill supported a higher structure now vanished thanks to time and the harsh desert winds. Indeed, one could see what remained of the baked brick wall that made up its foundations. Where there might have been a stone path leading to the main entrance of the structure, there was only a gradual ramp of broken stone and gravel leading to the peak.
From what Chris, JD and Orin learned during their journey across the globe, having reviewed what texts they were able to acquire regarding the city, the unimpressive and somewhat denuded hill was once 18 levels deep beneath the ground. Chris was convinced if the Tablet was here, it would most likely be kept at the lowest level of the building where the original temple was constructed in the earliest days of its existence. Over time, the Sumerians would build more floor above it but if this city was where the god Enki had begun, then it stood to reason the Tablet would be placed there.
Buck Wilmington stared across the parched, desert landscape surrounding Eridu and saw nothing but emptiness and yet his gut told him, just like it had told Chris when Chris, Vin, JD, the women and the Professor headed into the ruined city, the Erran would be coming. Even though they had taken every precaution to ensure otherwise, Buck just knew that the sons of bitches would ferret them out.
This part of the world was their home. Their religion had probably risen from the sands of this very desert. Back in the States, they were limited to how many men they could bring into the country without raising too much notice. But here, there was no telling how large the cult was and their singular purpose for being had been stolen away by infidels who were intending to claim the Tablet for their own. Of course, they were coming.
The question was how many there would be when the axe descended.
Across the eroded plateau of the city, he saw the others getting ready for a fight. Josiah was stretched across the ground, checking the sight on the sniper rifle he had poised on its tripod, ready to take out long distance targets when they presented themselves. Next to him was a FN M2HB machine gun, with enough ammunition to take out a small army, which Buck hoped wasn't what they were facing. Buck himself wish he was in the air, being able to offer air support but the Millie wasn't made for that kind of combat.
Buck was cradling his own Breda 30 light machine gun, his shoulders heavy with the ammunition belt of additional rounds and noted Nathan setting up a space behind one of the few walls still standing, with his first aid equipment. While Nathan was good in a fight like all of them, with him it was always keeping them alive that commanded his attention first. Then again, hadn't it been that way during the war. It saddened Buck that Nathan never got a chance to be a real doctor because the man would have been a damn fine one.
"Mr Wilmington, I have a confession to make."
Buck shot Ezra a look. "We ain't dying up here Ez, you don't need to make any confession."
Ezra returned Buck's look with one that was equally withering. "If I felt the need to make that kind of confession, you would not be the person to whom I would seek absolution. I am needing a second opinion and Mr Jackson is preoccupied at the moment."
"Okay, okay, don't get your panties in a bunch, what do you want to get off your chest?"
Suppressing the urge to call the man an idiot, Ezra spoke up. "I was considering buying Paloma's."
Buck stared at Ezra in surprise. "No kidding. You got that kind of money lying around?"
"Mr Wilmington, did you forget what I did for a living prior to our current situation?" Ezra asked, a little offended by the assumption he would make such a suggestion without the capital to make it happen.
"Yeah," Buck nodded and then added with a smirk. "I also recall Chris having to bail you out of jail because you lost your shirt in the crash."
"Do not remind me," Ezra grumbled, remembering the humiliation of that entire period. He'd been good at stock broking but the truth was, no one could have seen the catastrophe coming. Maude perhaps, but then he hadn't spoken to her in years at that point, so she wouldn't have been able to warn him, even if she had the foresight. "As a matter of fact, I have been making good investments from our earnings and you recall Roberto had some difficulty in '32?"
Buck did remember. The man was on the verge of losing the place. Fortunately, at the eleventh hour, their favourite watering hole had been saved by a secret investort. Suddenly, Buck realised what Ezra was implying.
"You?" His tone was almost an accusation.
"Yes, I own forty-nine percent of the establishment," Ezra shrugged. "I had no desire to see the place meet its demise, so Roberto and I came to an agreement. I would be a silent partner and he would continue to run the place as normal."
"So, what happens now he's gone?" Buck asked, uncertain if he liked the idea of Ezra having a stake in Paloma's but supposed it couldn't be any worse than having some stranger come who would come in and try to change everything around. Besides Ezra had been content to let Roberto run things without interference so Ezra might continue to do the same, if he owned the place outright.
"I was considering buying the place outright from his heirs." Ezra explained.
"Does he have any family?" Buck couldn't recall Roberto ever mentioning anyone. Of course, Roberto had been a quiet sort, much in the way Josiah and Chris were, keeping things pretty close to the chest.
"I do believe so," Ezra nodded. "I am hoping I can convince her to sell me her share in the business when this affair is done."
"Her?" Buck's baser instinct kicked in.
"Yes," Ezra rolled his eyes, unsurprised by the reaction. "A daughter. I think her name is Inez."
If the mound they had entered to find the Pillar belonging to William Styles was ancient, then this place felt positively biblical. As they slipped through the triangular shape doorway leading into the top most level of the structure, they were confronted by pitch black darkness. Once again, they came prepared and torches lit the way down the slowly descending staircase of hard brick, covered with dust and sand. There was enough wind to reach down the throat of the stairwell, ensuring what cobwebs there were, did not remain long enough to become overwhelming.
By the time they penetrated two levels of the construct, punctuated by smaller chambers that were either newer altar rooms or additional priestly chambers, the arid winds had slowed into stale, musty air. The cobwebs regrouping without the assault of strong air currents began to create a canopy of dust over their heads as they moved along. Naturally neither Mary nor Alex were too fond of this situation after their previous experience in the mound. In truth Chris would have preferred both women were kept far away from the Tablet, considering their role in the ritual of uncreation. However, the risk they might be abducted by the Erran was one Chris or Vin for that matter, was unwilling to take.
"So, what are these trials we have to face Mr Dunne?" Mary asked, trying to distract herself as she brushed away another strand of cobweb from her face. Even though Mary was braver than most women, she did not much like the skittering sounds she could hear in the darkness.
"Oh, you can call me JD, ma'am," JD said politely, feeling uncomfortable at being addressed so formally.
"Alright JD," she flashed him a little smile through the light of the torch she was carrying.
"Yeah come on JD," Vin urged, noticing how Alex was clinging to him every time something scurried along the ground, he just knew had more than four legs. "Don't keep us in suspense."
The Professor laughed shortly. "Go on young man, your audience awaits."
Despite the situation, Orin Travis was exceedingly pleased with how well JD fitted into Chris Larabee's team. When he first recommended the boy take up the position of linguist, it was because he had no wish to see a brilliant mind go to waste, simply because of Mariette Nichol's desire for vengeance. Peter, who had grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth, had sorely deserved the trashing he got and if Orin could have pinned a medal on JD for it, he would have. The best Orin had been able to do was give JD an alternative, but it appeared he'd given the boy something infinitely better.
He'd given JD a family.
"Well the translation I got from Akkadian texts says 'Only the worthy, those who have been touched by Enki, close in heart to his spirit may breach the mid realms between creation and entropy. And he who walks through this nightmare realm, with pearls of wisdom granted to the first man, may escape the stark horror of Tiamat's mad children to claim the Tablet of Destiny."
"What the hell does that mean?" Vin had to ask. t was Chris, JD and the Professor who were the experts. His entire purpose on this expedition was to keep everyone safe and watch their backs. Of course, he was also greatly motivated by his feelings for Alex but he had more faith in the weapons he carried than the clues provided by ancient riddles.
"Well the mid realms sound like what existed before the Ea, where the world was neither tangible but not completely air either." Orin explained. "A plane of existence before the gods got together to make the world."
"And we have to walk through it?" Alex was still having trouble wrapping her mind around all this. To her it sounded like superstitious nonsense and she couldn't believe how much effort had gone into the belief of such a fable.
"I don't like this business of a nightmare realm," Mary said unhappily. "That sounded most ominous."
"Can't say I blame you," Chris replied, concerned about the quality of air the further they descended into the tomblike structure. They could see the eroded inscriptions on the walls, records of days from a time so far back in history, it was hard to imagine it was able to survive into the present. "I'm pretty sure, whoever decided to hide the Tablet here, wanted to make sure it didn't fall into wrong hands, so everyone keep your eyes open."
"Chris, I'm concerned about these torches," Alex spoke up as they continued moving through the dark. The smell of something acrid and sickly sweet was growing gradually stronger in her nostrils and Alex really had no wish to know what it was, however the healer she was couldn't help but try to identify it. In the process of the attempt however, Alex reached a rather unpleasant observation. "We don't know how much air is down here. The further we go, the thinner it might get. The torches are going to burn it up a lot faster."
"Darlin, it ain't wise to go wandering around here in the dark," Vin pointed out even though he understood what she was saying.
"She's right though," Chris had to give the lady the point and he could smell something too, it was acrid but with a sharp, sweet tang that was also unsettling. "We should reduce how many torches we use. Vin, you and me will keep our torches lit, everyone else put it out. Between the two of us, that should be enough light."
"If something crawls into my hair, I blame you." Mary shot Alex a look.
"Don't even joke about something like that." Alex grumbled as they entered another chamber, this one occupied with two stone columns, with cuneiform engravings that were barely readable along its shaft, thanks to erosion and time.
"Don't worry Mary," Chris couldn't help but tease. "If something crawls on you, It will probably bite you long before you can worry about it getting into your hair."
And as it was whenever Chris Larabee chose to throw down a gauntlet at Fate, she chose to answer with spectacular results. The first of the hand-sized scorpions, chose that moment to crawl into the glow of the torches, their black gleaming bodies heading toward the intruders in a swarm.
