PARADOX - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

May 10, 2012 – Near Isla Wikham in the Tierra del Fuego - Chile



“Old fish eyes,” Chester whispered, as Cencio walked towards them. “He looks more like a dead mackerel every time I see him.”

He returned his gaze to the man Cencio called, Bishop Khan. He did not look like a Bishop, walk like a Bishop, or talk like a Bishop. He had no clerical visage at all about him. Chester knew the man was military or exmilitary. The uniform he and his men wore resembled the camouflage uniforms worn by the British SAS.

“You don’t look happy to see me?” Cencio glared at Chester then glanced towards Dorbec. “Had I been ten seconds late, all of you would be nothing but memories now. Bishop Khan here has a tendency to follow his orders to the letter.”

“A promotion,” Dorbec smiled. “The last time I saw Ali Baba here, he was a sergeant in the South African Army. Senior Sergeant, Arash Khan, I believe his moniker was at the time.”

“Ali Baba was Arabic. Arash is Iranian,” Cencio smirked. “He is Aryan and the descendent of the great hero, Loft Ali Khan.”

“Heard it all before,” Dorbec gave an exagerated yawn. Bishop Khan was completely unpreturbed by Dorbec’s remarks.

“You will proceed down to the shore line in a single file.” Cencio pointed in the direction of the lake where one of the few flat areas could be seen. “Any attempts to escape and I will simply have to tell His Imminence that we suffered casualties in the skirmish.”

Ten minutes later they lined up on a flat rocky beach no more than sixty feet wide, where Khan ordered several men to secure their hands behind their backs with plastic electrical ties. As soon as this was accomplished he pulled a hand held radio from his pocket and said something into the mike.

“You were close.” Cencio strode up to Chester. “Wrong Isla. We’re at a small base at Isla Riesco a bit north of here. There are some very nice restaurants in a little town named Punta Arenas near by.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Chester glared. “I don’t like little turds like you and you know it.”

“I figured you were intelligent enough to read between the lines. By divulging our location, surely you’ve got to realize that escape is impossible.”

“You Nazi’s are all alike, you think your shit don’t stink.”

“Nazi’s! You think we’re Nazi’s?” Cencio’s eyes suddenly squinted in anger. “The Nazi’s are degenerative monsters! We represent the future of mankind, a peaceful, benevolent society, free from war, hunger, and hatred.”

“So, you’re the other Lollypop Kids!” Chester grinned. “The puppets that the Vatican pulls around! Be peaceful and love one another or we’ll kill you.”

“The Church has nothing to do with The Brotherhood,” Cencio blurted. “The Babylonian Brotherhood was in existence long before The Church and it will still be active long after The Church has been destroyed.”

“Oh Brother, Where Art Thou!” A pretty good flick Chester laughed. “What should I call you, Brother, or de other Brother?”

Cencio turned and walked off in anger. He had a problem controlling his temper and did not want it to interfere with this mission. His Imminence wanted these men alive, but he would be just as happy to butcher them on the spot.

A sudden loud noise gurgled from the lake. The water in a large circular area started to foam and rise up like a gigantic air bubble. A tremendous craft broke free from the water and slowly headed in their direction. Fifty yards in diameter with the thickness of a three-story building, the disc spun like a plate on a stick and a strange humming noise permeated the air. A few moments later it hovered above the small strip of land they were standing on and a ramp slid down to within inches of the rocky ground. Another larger ramp slid down on the lakeside and hovered at the water’s edge.

Chester and his men gawked at the air ship, their mouths open. They watched as the three enemy zodiacs were loaded into the ship one at a time and then their own smaller zodiac followed loaded down with their weapons and equipment.

“Into the ship!” Bishop Khan demanded, pointing at the smaller ramp.

They turned and followed a uniformed soldier up the short walkway and into the body of the huge air ship. As soon as they cleared the opening, they turned to the right and followed a small corridor. On each side of the corridor were rooms with the doors closed. Fifty or sixty feet later, they halted and four team members and Carney were ordered by the guards to enter a small utilitarian room. Chester nodded for them to do so.

They took Chester and Dorbec further down the corridor and ordered them into a different room, one with three chairs and a small table. The soldiers closed the door, after cutting the bonds from their hands, without saying a word.

“I thought it was the new Nazi’s who had the flying saucers!” Dorbec stated, as they made themselves comfortable in the soft chairs.

Chester put his hands behind his ears and looked around the room. He was telling Dorbec that others could be listening to their conversation, so to be careful of what he said. “Looks like everyone has them but us,” he finally replied. “Even at that, I’m not too sure. The government isn’t particularly forthcoming with their secret projects.”

“I know what you mean, Mon ami.”

The door opening interrupted them. In walked a strikingly beautiful young woman carrying a tray with several beverages on it. She placed the tray on the small table, took a glass and poured herself a drink from a bottle of chilled wine. “Excellent French wine,” she remarked, her dazzling smile lighting up the room. “There is a large carafe of good German Monastery beer for you also, Chester, as how you prefer a ‘cold one’ over wine.”

They looked at her with puzzled expressions. She was tall, slim, with perfect proportions. Her lips were a soft pink, her eyes were wide and a light violet color, her skin was velvety smooth and a dark shade of tan, and her hair cropped short in an Audrey Hepburn style cut. She actually resembled a young Audrey Hepburn and appeared to be in her mid twenties. She was dressed in a casual skirt with a white blouse and comfortable shoes without heels. She possessed a very sexy voice and talked with a strange but charming accent.

Dorbec finally broke from his stupor and reached for the wine. “If all my jailers look like you, I am very happy to be your prisoner.” His eyes followed her generous smile.

“Je ne suis pas votre geôlier,” the woman replied. “I am not your jailer,” she continued in English for Chester’s benefit. “I am the commander of this ship. Actually, I am the leader of this entire sector.”

“Sector?” Chester reached for the large carafe of beer and poured himself a foaming glass.

“My sector covers all of South America, Africa and Australia. The composition of our organisation will be given to you during your briefing after we arrive at Alpha Base. I feel it my duty to welcome you aboard my ship and to make your trip as comfortable as possible. I assure you that your men are safe and also, please enjoying refreshments.”

“Who are you people?” Chester bluntly questioned. “We’ve met the fish eyed Brother and Ghengis Khan and heard of His Imminence, but, who are you?”

“They are who they claim to be,” she replied with a smile. “You may call me Ariana. Brother Cencio is a field operative for The Brotherhood and Bishop Khan is of the Brotherhood warrior sect. They both report to the Cardinal, the man they refer too as, His Imminence. I do not belong to their Brotherhood because I am not one of them.”

“Not one of them?” Dorbec raised his eyebrow.

“Not one of you or them.” She smiled and took a sip of her wine. “My name, Ariana, comes from what my people call themselves, The Arianni. We have lived on this planet for two hundred thousand years.

Chester almost dropped his glass and Dorbec had tears in his eyes from fighting down a sip of wine that tried to crawl into his lungs.

“Two hundred thousand years!” Chester blurted. “Are you bonkers or just an escapee from the funny farm?”

“Your reaction is expected,” Ariana chuckled. “I think I would be quite shocked and would resort to denial were I in your position.”

“How is this possible, mon chéri?” Dorbec asked. “Wouldn’t you be ruling the entire world if such was the case?”

“It is a very long story, one which you will soon learn. The Arianni did inhabit the surface many thousands of years ago, but incredible technology combined with evil leaders and gullible people destroyed our civilization. We are the remnants of a once powerful world-wide race, now content to live in solitude away from the barbarian hordes of the surface world. Do not misinterpret my meaning. We have no animosity against any nation on the surface, we simply prefer to live by our own peaceful laws and in our society which has finally matured and outlawed war, disease, hatred, and suffering.”

“Why have we never heard of your people?”

“You have in a way,” Ariana replied. “In 1947 one of your American Navy Admirals made contact with us. His name was, Byrd I believe. He talked with one of our leaders and then returned to the surface. I believe he got the message all wrong though and also the location of our Alpha Base.”

“I’ve heard of Admiral Byrd’s secret diary,” Chester muttered. “He allegedly went insane and made up the entire thing, I think.”

“Which brings back the question, why were we abducted?” Dorbec demanded.

“Unfortunately, our Supreme Council have made a pact with The Brotherhood,” Ariana shook her head. “Many of us disagree, but if their goal succeeds, then there will finally be universal peace on the surface.”

“Universal peace at what price?” Chester asked.

Ariana took another sip of wine and sat her glass down gently on the table. “I am not part of that program and therefore I have not been briefed on it. It is my understanding that one of you is needed in order to expedite the program, however, I am not aware of which one of you that may be.”

“Well sweetheart, suppose we refuse to cooperate?”

“You will cooperate.”

Ariana stood and looked down at them. “I know your character. You are both honorable men. You do not have evil in your hearts or minds and you both possess a trait that will make you cooperate.”

She walked to the door, which opened, as she neared. She turned as she left and said one word.

“Loyalty.”