"Sorry, sir. I misspoke. I believe the woman who raised you goes by the name of Colette."

"Yes, I know her name. Go on."

"Apparently, the two Muslims followed the old man and the woman back to Orencik and helped her to escape from the old man's house."

"And just how were they able to accomplish that?"

The man's satchel slipped out of his hands and fell on the deck. "We're not sure how it went down, but somehow they entered the old man's house and took her away before she could be eliminated." The balding man bent over and picked up his satchel. "It looks like we're dealing with two very capable individuals."

"And you call that good news?" Adrian looked like he was about to explode.

"Uh ... no, sir. Like I mentioned before, we tracked them down. Our computers located Sadik's SUV through his vehicle's onboard computer chip. They're in the town of Foix."

"Foix!" Adrian began to smile. "They must have taken her to our old farm house. I suppose she wanted to live out her days there after she found out her husband had died, the sentimental old fool. Well, her sentiment will only buy her a painful end. I want them all taken into custody."

"Even their families, sir?"

"What families?"

"The two Muslims brought their families with them."

Adrian thought for a moment. "No, arrest only the two men and Colette."

"On what charge, sir?"

"Make it a good one. After our men take them into custody send out a press release stating that three enemies of the new world order have been captured and will be executed by burning in three days time."

The intelligence officer turned pale. "Burning, sir?"

"Yes, you heard me. Burning! That should get the attention of Lev Wasserman and his group. I have a feeling they're headed for Foix, and if I'm right they'll try something stupid and we'll have them all rounded up before the day is out." Adrian's smile broadened. "At least the ones who survive."

CHAPTER 62.

Just before the sun dipped below the horizon, rays of golden sunlight crossed the granite walls and filtered down through the trees, landing in large yellow splotches across the vast park-like area that lay at the top of the mountain. Led by Gael, Lev and his followers exited the warehouse and stopped in their tracks as they looked out over the tree-covered grounds and the massive castle towering in the distance. Below them they heard shouts, and in the gathering twilight they could see Leo and Evita running toward them up the sloping green lawn.

Seconds later, Leo was being buffeted by embraces as practically everyone wanted to touch him to make sure he wasn't some kind of mirage.

"I can't believe it!" Morelli said, panting from exhaustion. "We really thought you were dead!"

Leo was grinning ear-to-ear. "I was just getting even with you for doing the same thing to me when you sent me off to the Negev Desert two years ago. How did you know I was still alive?"

"Francois obtained the digital images from the airport security police. We saw you throw your cell phone under some chairs in the departure lounge after the crash. Ariella was adamant that you were here in France. She felt sure you were hiding in the cabins."

Leo pulled a giggling Ariella to his side and kissed the top of her head. "I think you've inherited your father's gift of intuition. Thank you, Ariella." Leo looked up at all the faces staring back at him. "Thank all of you. I'm so glad you all made it here safely, and we have lots to show you, but first you must eat and rest."

"Thanks to Gael we ate pretty well along the way," Lev said, embracing Leo in a tight bear hug. "He showed Alon how to use his crossbow to bag a few deer while he foraged for wild roots and berries. It's good to see you again, Cardinal."

"You too, old friend. I'm just glad you listened to your daughter and decided to risk bringing the Carmela to Spain."

Lev's expression suddenly clouded. "I'm afraid we won't be sailing on my yacht again anytime soon. Acerbi's people were waiting for us when we entered the harbor and we had no other choice but to abandon ship and make our way here."

Alon stepped forward and laid a big hand on Leo's shoulder. "Yeah, we didn't count on a big gray ship with a welcoming committee following us into the harbor. Even though we were electronically blacked out, Acerbi's people knew we were coming. They probably spotted the yacht from their satellites. Anyway, we really gave them the slip. It was beautiful."

"It's a good thing, too," Francois added. "We were probably only a day away from being taken into custody. It's my humble opinion that Acerbi wants to eliminate the Bible Code Team and anyone associated with us. We're just too big of a threat to him. He knows we know who he is and that makes us all targets now."

Leo's smile began to fade. "I'm sorry about your boat, Lev. I know how much she meant to you."

"A boat can be replaced but not the people on her." Lev looked around at Gael and the men standing quietly behind him in the darkness. "I have a feeling we're in a good place now ... a much safer place."

Evita wrapped her arm in his and smiled up at him. "You are, Lev ... you'll see. We have a lot to show you."

The mood in the castle's candlelit dining hall was festive as Julian Wehling sat back and watched the reunion celebration. A long wooden table was piled high with bread and fresh vegetables picked from the castle's gardens, and there was wine; deep red wine made from grapes gathered in vineyards surrounding the village of Foix and aged perfectly in large oak casks stacked high in caves below the castle.

Bursts of laughter bounced off the tall stone walls where multicolored flags hung down from the immense space above the heads of the diners. A towering carved archway framed the entrance, while at the far end of the hall two doorways led to the castle's enormous kitchen where food was prepared for literally hundreds of people every day in a never-ending stream of preparation and cooking that began before dawn and went on late into the night.

Nothing was frozen. Everything was fresh, for the entire castle was run on the premise that modern conveniences like refrigeration were a luxury they could neither afford nor depend on if they wanted to remain hidden. During the construction of the castle they had discovered through trial and error that any type of electrical power, regardless of its source, could be detected at great distances. The only exception to this rule could be found in the caves below the castle, where an electrical system powered by solar panels hidden among the rocks was shielded from the outside world by the mountain's thick granite walls. This was the system they had elected to use to power the elevator and the lighting in some of the tunnel rooms, and so far none of their engineers could find any trace of electrical power emanating from the area.

In this new world, things like phones, computers, televisions, and radios were still forbidden, for these were things that could all quickly be identified and located by Acerbi's forces when they went looking for those who were trying to supply themselves with the necessities of life without accepting the mark of the Beast. Only those who truly lived off the grid and returned to a lifestyle resembling a bygone era would be invisible to the Dark One's forces, and Julian Wehling wanted to make sure it stayed that way-for all of their sakes.

"How did you find this place, Leo?" Lev asked "Actually, they found me."

"The cabins?"

"In a way. They have a network of scouts that still live down in the valley, and one of them found me standing beside the highway out by the old airport. He gave me a ride to the cabins, and as soon as he dropped me off he headed straight for the castle to let Evita know that I was still alive. The next day she turned up and we left before Acerbi's men showed up."

"You know, Leo, the world may still think you're dead, but we believe Acerbi knows you're still alive, and his men will stop at nothing to find you. Acerbi doesn't like loose ends, and he wants you out of the picture." Lev reached into an empty shirt pocket and felt for a cigar. "I want to take the fight to Acerbi so badly I can taste it, because if we do nothing he'll keep hounding us until we're all dead."

Leo's eye's narrowed. "I agree, but for now I think we need to follow Julian's advice. Our primary responsibility is to the people hiding up here on this mountain. We're going to have to play a very stealthy game with this monster disguised as a man ... a game that will revolve around intelligence gathering and basic survival skills. We're going to have to pick our battles carefully in this new world of ours, because we risk losing everything if we try to move too quickly."

"Spoken like a true tactician," Lev said, fishing through another pocket in a fruitless search for a non-existent cigar. "You know, we had contact mines stowed below decks on the Carmela. We could have swum over to the gray ship and placed a charge below the waterline and sunk her right there in the harbor, but then I had to think of all the innocent sailors onboard. I'm sure most of the people working for Acerbi have no idea who they're really working for. They probably believe they're working for some great cause, but from what I've heard Acerbi's true nature is beginning to reveal itself. I heard rumors before we left Israel that he's becoming more vicious when it comes to ferreting out his enemies and maintaining control. If we would have destroyed his ship before we escaped I have a feeling he would have retaliated against the townspeople who live near the harbor. Mark my word, before long we'll be seeing his hand behind acts of terror all over the world designed to terrorize anyone who opposes him."

"What's with the serious faces? You two do know this is supposed to be a celebration, don't you?"

Looking back over their shoulders, Leo and Lev saw Julian Wehling standing behind them.

"Oh ... Julian," Leo twisted in his chair. "Have you met Professor Wasserman?"

"Yes, Gael introduced us earlier, but we haven't had a chance to talk yet."

"Well in that case, why don't you join us?"

"Actually, I'm on my way out to check on the accommodations for the new arrivals. Maybe you two would like to come with me."

"That would be great. I'd love to see more of this beautiful place."

"I'm afraid you won't be able to see much outside. We keep everything dark at night for security reasons, but you're welcome to roam the grounds at your leisure if you wish."

"I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us, Mr. Wehling," Lev said. "I don't know if we would have made it through the mountains without Gael's help."

"That's why I sent him, Professor. My brother is probably one of the most capable people you'll ever meet. He's a very gentle soul, but he can be a fearsome warrior if he's called on to defend his people." Julian stared off into space for a moment, as if a distant memory had just flashed before his eyes. "Come on ... let's take a little walk outside before we check on the accommodations."

Gulping down the last of their wine, Leo and Lev pushed away from the table and followed Julian through a series of tall doors designed to keep light from spilling outside at night. As soon as the big wooden doors closed behind them they found themselves surrounded by total darkness.

"You'll have to let your eyes adjust for a minute," Julian said. "We don't even use flashlights outside up here. A single flashlight can sometimes be seen from the valley floor, especially on clear nights like this."

Standing on the steps of the castle they slowly began to see the curved outlines of trees against the backdrop of a star-filled sky. To Leo it was like looking at the rounded backs of elephants standing in the open at night on an African plain, where no light from man disturbed their nocturnal awareness and they could rest in peace for awhile before the coming of the dawn and the ever-present threat from poachers who wanted to sell off pieces of their bodies for trinkets.

To their right, the dark angular shape of the tall wall surrounding the compound slowly materialized, and as voices whispered from the darkness across blades of grass in the lightness of the high mountain air they caught a glimpse of a shadowy sentry on the granite barrier as he stopped to peer over the side at the lights in the valley below.

Stumbling forward, Leo and Lev followed their sure-footed guide through the park-like area to the far side of the compound and entered the darkened warehouse. Under starlight flowing in from the skylights above they entered the elevator and descended a short twenty feet before stopping at the entrance to a side tunnel.

Pulling a flashlight from his pocket, Julian motioned them forward. "This way, gentlemen."

Leo and Lev followed him around a slight curve in the tunnel before they came to a locked steel door that Julian opened with an old-fashioned brass key. Stepping inside, he flicked on a light and motioned them in. Leo and Lev both gasped as the bright light revealed a room stacked with modern weapons.

"This is what I wanted to show you," Julian said proudly. "As you can see, besides the elevator this is one of the exceptions to our electricity rule. We can't allow fire in here for obvious reasons."

"This is quite an extensive armory," Lev said, walking forward and running his hand over a large fifty-caliber machine gun resting next to several mortars mounted on steel plates. Looking to his right, he saw rows of modern assault rifles lined up above stacks of boxes filled with ammunition, and to his left there were even more weapons, including several mini guns, some shoulder-fired missiles, and boxes filled with grenades. "I was under the impression that you didn't possess any modern weapons."

"We choose not to use any modern weapons, Professor, but if we are attacked this is our last resort. We wouldn't stand much of a chance against modern weapons using medieval technology. If you don't mind, I'd like all of your people who are still armed to store all of their guns down here. We can't allow ourselves to be revealed by accidental gunfire. I'll explain everything to them in the security briefing tonight before they go to bed. Even the children must be present at the briefing, for they are now a part of us and must follow the rules as long as they are here."

Lev exchanged glances with Leo and nodded his head. "Sound fair, Julian. We are your guests and we will follow your rules. I had similar rules back at my villa in Israel, except my security force carried their rifles at all times."

"This is a different situation, Professor. You were guarding against terrorist attacks by people who already knew where you were. Here we are in hiding. Our safety lies in our ability to remain hidden in plain sight. We rely on a totally defensive strategy because the enemy we face has the power to remove us from the face of the Earth with the push of a button if we are discovered. That being said, we won't go down without a fight."

Julian moved to the door. "Why don't we return to the castle and join the others?"

CHAPTER 63.

The following morning, Leo awoke to the song of a single red bird sitting on his windowsill. It was a cardinal. Smiling to himself, he stretched and headed for the shower. The hot water soon began to loosen his taught, sleep-filled muscles, but he knew he couldn't dawdle. Evita had reminded him that hot water was a luxury and that it required a lot of back-breaking work by the men who fired the wood-burning boilers below the castle. He quickly turned the water off and lathered up before turning it back on for a quick rinse off.

Stepping out onto a hand-woven mat made from wool, he dried off with a rough towel and skipped shaving in favor of coffee that he could already smell drifting up through the castle's stairwells. It had been a late night filled with fresh revelations about their new home. Julian's security briefing in the dining hall following dinner had been met with mixed emotions from a group of Israelis who were used to having their weapons within arm's reach, but he had finally convinced them that they were dealing with a whole new set of rules and that their safety now depended on following a routine that had been drafted over time through trial and error.

As large as the castle was, it had been a major adjustment absorbing eighty-four new people overnight, including eight children. One of the things they had discovered in the security briefing was that there were quite a few children living within the walls of the castle and that Julian and his group had started a school right on the premises. In fact, many of the older children lived in a dorm-like setting next to their classrooms by choice, because for them it was like one big sleepover every night, complete with popcorn and storytelling sessions at bedtime.

Single adults also had dorm-like rooms with four people to a room, while families were kept together in small apartments located in a separate wing. In all, there were now close to three hundred people living within the walls of the castle, putting a greater strain on resources. But through it all none of the Cathars who had lived there before the arrival of the Israelis ever uttered a word of complaint, for they were all well aware that there was now an extra margin of safety given the presence of a group of highly-trained fighters who now had a stake in protecting their new home. It was as if they had all suddenly become one big family united in a common goal, but even the least enlightened were aware that the castle had reached its limits and that sudden growth never came without a price.

Over a loud breakfast served in the echoing dining hall, children kissed their parents goodbye before heading off to school, while the adults checked the roster posted at the door to see if there were any communal meetings scheduled for the day before they began their chores. Just like a small town, almost everyone had a permanent job that matched their skills on the outside world. There were teachers, two doctors, three nurses, a few scientists, a maintenance crew, groundskeepers, a security force that manned the walls and performed security patrols in the surrounding forest, cooks, bakers, weavers, mechanics for the vehicles, a janitorial staff, farmers, winemakers, stonemasons-even a full-time librarian.

Drinking coffee at the end of a long table, Leo and Evita sat with Lev as they marveled at the efficiency of the place and tried to figure out what they could do to help.

"I don't think they have much need for a Roman Catholic Cardinal here in a Cathar castle," Leo said, spooning some eggs onto his plate.

"Maybe you can tend the chickens," Evita giggled.

"Very funny. Really, what can I do around here?"

"You were once a professor of history, right?"

"Yes. I suppose I could teach a few classes to the kids, but most of my courses were college level."

Evita ran her fingers through her hair and studied Leo's hands. "What are your hobbies?"

"Fishing and poker."

"Hmmm. I suppose you could open up a casino," she smiled.

Leo grunted as he looked toward the entrance and saw Alon and John heading off with Gael to begin their new jobs in the roving security patrol that made little intelligence forays into town to see what was going on in the outside world. "Maybe I can go with them?"

"You're famous, remember?" Evita said, staring into his green eyes. "I think perimeter patrol would be a bad idea."

"I notice they don't serve any meat here, yet the forest is full of game animals that could be a great source of food," Leo remarked.

"Cathars are vegetarians, Leo," Evita said, spreading some currant jelly on her bread.

"But Alon said they ate deer meat on the way here."

"Gael told me. Because he's forbidden to take the life of an animal, he let Alon use his crossbow so that they wouldn't fire their guns in the forest. I haven't always followed the dietary restrictions of my faith, but since I've come here I've begun to see the wisdom of the ways of my ancestors. We're not strict vegetarians. We eat eggs and fish, which help to provide most of our protein. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. You might even grow to like it."

Behind them, Leo heard loud voices near the door. Following Evita's eyes, he saw Gael and Julian in an animated discussion with a group of men with crossbows who had just returned from their morning patrol.

"Looks like something's up," Evita said, watching Julian and Gael reading from a newspaper as the other men looked in their direction.

"Yeah," Lev said from across the table. "Something is definitely up."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Julian and Gael began heading toward their table, and they weren't smiling.

"Good morning, Cardinal. Can we have a word with you?"

"Of course. What's going on?"