Chapter 15C: Jerusalem, December 2037

The coffee shop was empty as we walked in, except for Sabina and the owner. I signalled the owner to leave the premises. The fearful owner complied without a word, and I locked the front door behind me. It was time to act. I removed my turban and approached Sabina. "Keila Eisenstein. We have been looking for you." I stated.

The girl looked at me, and I sensed that she emitted a powerful aura and strange aura. I heard Rangda whisper in the back of my head. "This girl is incredibly powerful, be careful."

"Yes, I am Keila Eisenstein. Who am I talking to?" Sabina replied.

"I am Martin Al-Sham. I have been looking for you for almost 20 years." I stated.

"How can that be? I am only 18. You must be mistaken?" Sabina replied.

"No, I am certain that you are the Chosen One. I met with Zetan deities 20 years ago. They gave me this tattoo, and they tasked me with finding Keila Eisenstein and asking her to decipher its message." I claimed.

Having said this, I rolled up my sleeve, and I showed Sabina my tattoo. Sabina looked attentively at the tattoo. She grabbed my hand and stroke the tattoo with her other hand. Feeling her touch, I experienced opposed feelings. On the one hand, I felt complete bliss and peace. But I also felt terrified. Ben was correct, Sabina must be some kind of sorceress.

"I told you to be careful. The girl is trying to access your mind. I'll try to block her powers!" Rangda whispered at the back of my head.

"I can sense that there is a message in these markings, yet I cannot decipher them," Sabina said.

"Her mind is too strong. I cannot hold her off for much longer. You need to get out of her grip." Rangda urged me.

I felt that I was losing grip of my mind. My mind wandered all over the place. I saw things that had been, things that were and some things that would be.

I woke up from my trance when there was a hard knock on the door followed by "This is the police. Open the door now."

Hearing this, Sabina released her grip of my arm, and I got back to my senses. "Hide in that ventilation shaft. We'll delay them!" I said.

Sabina nodded, took a photo of the tattoo, and hid in the ventilation shaft.

I opened the door, and Ben Yehuda accompanied by two masked police officers, entered the coffee shop. We had our scripted conversation, and we made sure to mention the Templar Tunnels. After that, Ben Yehuda shot me ten times with the blank bullets. It hurt a lot, but I shut up. After all, people that get shot ten times tend to die, not complain about bruises.

A few minutes later, Ben signalled that the coast was clear, and we got up. We walked away from the coffee shop. Once we were a few blocks away, Ben pressed a button on his phone, and I heard a loud detonation.

"What was that?" I asked.

"I didn't see any shop owner in there. I am making sure that he or she didn't survive eavesdropping on us. Ben said maliciously.

"What now?" I asked.

"You don't look that well. Go get some sleep. I will contact you when we the sorceress makes her move." Ben replied.

***

"Let me in. I need to see Martin!"

I woke up to the voice of a young female arguing with James downstairs. I looked at my watch. The time was 8AM, and I had slept for over 12 hours!

I walked downstairs to see what the commotion was about. I saw Simona arguing with James.

"Simona? What are you doing here?" I asked in bewilderment.

"I needed to see you," Simona replied.

"Come with me!" I urged, and we walked upstairs to my office, far away from James prying ears.

I made two cups of coffee, and I got seated.

"You could have organised a meeting," I stated.

"Yes, I suppose. I met Sabina 30 minutes ago. She wanted me to supply her with a new ID, phone and some cash." Simona revealed.

"I hope that you planted a tracking chip in the new phone as well?" I asked

"Yes, I'll send you the tracking code," Simona replied.

I accessed the tracking program, and I saw Sabina's current location. I smiled at Simona, and then I picked up a wad of Shekel notes from my drawer and handed them to her.

"Smart girl. You are getting paid from both sides. You'll be rich in no time." I sneered.

Simona ignored the sarcasm in my voice and spoke again. "There is one more thing bothering me. I am falling in love with Sabina." Simona admitted.

"This is a complication. You are only meant to supply Sabina with equipment. You're not meant to sleep with her." I warned.

"I haven't slept with her. I haven't even spoken to her!" Simona protested.

"And yet, you love her? Foolish girl!" I mocked.

"I am not proud of it either. But Sabina's aura is unique. We had a short physical contact when I handed her the package. I have never felt anything like it." Simona admitted.

I nodded at Simona. Her story proved what Ben Yehuda had told me and what I had sensed. Sabina was unique and had unique powers. I would have reacted the same way to Sabina's touch if Rangda hadn't warned me about her abilities.

"Don't worry about it, Simona. I am sure you are still grieving Leah's death. Your mind is playing tricks on you. After this mission, I will take you out of here so you can start a new life." I replied.

"So, what should I do now?" Simona whined.

I thought about what the best option for the mission would be. I realised that Sabina was a powerful entity. But was she good or bad? The Zetans had told me to find Keila Eisenstein, and Sabina was no doubt the same person. I had stopped justifying the actions of myself and my peers in the monocle conspiracy a long time ago. It wasn't the greater good that drove our actions, but greed, selfishness, and fear. Was Sabina like us, or was she our opposite?

"Tell Sabina how you feel, the next time you meet her. Perhaps you're destined to be together. Or maybe you delude yourself. In either case, you are better off knowing." I replied.

"What do you think?" Simona asked.

"I am too old to cast judgement on teenage love affairs. Now go my protégé. Get some sleep and be ready to serve if the need arises." I said.

After saying this, I firmly put my hand on Simona back and expelled her from my office.

***

Eight hours later, Simona returned to my office. I gave her a disapproving look. If she kept visiting my office, the others would find out that she was working for me in no time.

"It's happening tonight!" Simona said excitedly.

"What? Is Sabina going to the Templar Tunnels tonight?" I asked.

"Yes. Sabina asked me to tag along. Apparently, she is looking for the Holy Grail. Is that what this is all about? An ancient mythological treasure?" Simona asked, and gave me a very sceptical look.

I decided that there was no point in lying to Simona. She was dependent on me, and if anyone would betray me, it was James that I worried about.

"We are looking for an ancient treasure but not the Holy Grail," I replied and paused.

"We are looking for the primordial Zeto Crystal, which contains a part of god's soul. The Zeto Crystal is a potent artefact," I explained.

"That sounds very much like the description of the Holy Grail," Simona smirked.

I realised that Simona didn't believe me and that it was better if she didn't. But her participation was problematic for the mission. I wanted to keep her alive, but I was confident that Ben Yehuda would see things differently. I came up with a solution. The only way to save Simona was to fake her death!

"Simona, your participation tonight is causing us problems. Ben Yehuda will insist on killing you to avoid leaving witnesses, but I have a solution." I started.

"Yes, we must kill Ben Yehuda. He killed Leah, and he caused terrorists to attack my people." Simona stated.

"I agree, but we cannot kill Ben Yehuda yet. Instead, I need to fake your death. Wear this body armour with attached blood bags. When the time is right, I will shoot you. The blood bags will burst and drench you, creating the illusion that I killed you." I instructed.

"But, why not kill Ben Yehuda straight away?" Simona objected.

"Simona, don't question me. I am trying to get you out of this alive. I want to help you start a new life. What more can you ask for?" I replied.

Simona didn't say anything. Instead, she took off her jumper, put on the body armour with attached blood bags and then put her jumper on top. "We will be at the Templar Tunnels in two hours, send Ben Yehuda to the afterlife for me!" Simona said and left the room.

***

I was down in the Templar Tunnels together with Ben Yehuda, James, and Michael. Ben picked up a replicated Zeto Crystal and smashed it against the wall to reveal the control panel for the door.

"The sorceress is here. Let's hide until she opens the door. After that, we move in and seize the Zeto Crystal." Ben ordered.

"How do you know she is here?" I asked.

"I put out hidden security cameras around the temple complex. I connected them to my monocle, so they are for my eyes only. Sabina knocked out the security guard with her powers, and they walked down the tunnels." Ben stated.

"They?" James asked.

"She is bringing some skinny, black-haired girl," Ben replied.

Before James had the time to answer, Ben spoke again. "Enough questions, let's get out of the way!"

I was shaking with anticipation when following the group. If everything went well, I would finally see the primordial Zeto Crystal. But the prospect of risking the life of Simona, made me feel sick.

We went to the opposite side of the complex, and the others spoke in loud Hebrew to give Sabina and Simona a false sense of security. Ben wanted to make it seem like we discussed something and wouldn't notice them.

"Now!" Ben commanded. We snuck towards the locked room, without making a noise, thanks to our Mossad issued, noise-reduction shoes.

When we reached the girls, Sabina was close to the altar with the Zeto Crystal and Simona was ten steps behind her. I grabbed Simona from behind, and we all aimed our pistols at her.

"Not so fast, or your friend will die!" Ben Yehuda commanded.

Sabina turned around and gave us a resigned facial expression.

"Thank you for opening that door, Keila. We have been trying for the last decade." Ben taunted.

Sabina didn't reply, and she looked anxiously at Simona.

"You are here to steal the Zeto Crystal? Isn't that so, Keila? That is never going to happen. It is the tool I need to become the messiah for my people. The man who cleansed this land from foul heretics and fulfilled my God-given purpose." Ben ranted.

"My name is not Keila Eisenstein. I used a fake ID." Keila revealed.

"I care little for your real identity." Ben taunted and continued. "But I do know of your powers. Very impressive, albeit not particularly useful at gunpoint."

Sabina stared away in the distance, mumbling to herself before she gazed towards Ben and spoke with a commanding voice. "Ben Yehuda. How do you intend to achieve your goals?" Sabina asked.

"Why would I tell you?" Ben scoffed.

"Because I need to know whether I should stop you or not," Sabina stated.

"Very well. I intend to use the crystal to drive the unbelievers back into the desert. The rivers will run red with blood, but I will fulfil the Divine Plan. The master race shall be the sole inhabitants of this Holy Land." Ben stated.

Sabina sighed and replied. "It seems that I have to stop you, Ben Yehuda." Sabina turned her gaze towards Simona. "Sorry for failing you, Simona," Sabina whispered, turned around and dashed for the Zeto Crystal.

Acting instinctively, I shot Simona several times at the body armour with the blood bags to make it look like I killed. Seeing Simona collapse to the ground, Ben, James, and Michael pursued Sabina to the other side of the altar, and I heard dozens of pistol shots.

Witnessing the murder of my potential daughter, was too much for me. Murderous frenzy filled my mind. I grabbed my pistol, and I ran up to the others, quickly shooting them all in their heads.

I dropped my pistol and shock took hold of my body.

***

"You saved me." I heard Sabina say.

I looked at her in amazement. She was clinging the primordial Zeto Crystal to her chest. The dozens of bullets fired at her had only pierced her skin with the tip, with the rest of the bullets hanging out at the front.

"Michael and James were good friends, and yet I killed them," I mumbled, in shock from the whole episode.

"Why did you save me?" Sabina asked.

"I… I don't know. How did you survive all those bullets?" I replied.

"The crystal saved me," Sabina stated.

We looked at the Zeto Crystal. It was almost drained now. 'Had this been for nothing or could I recharge it with Pachamama's Veil?' I asked myself.

I noticed how Sabina rushed over to Simona and almost touched her. I signalled to Simona to stay quiet, and I dragged Sabina away from Simona's 'dead' body. "We need to hurry up. I'll patch you up at the Templar Headquarters, and then we need to leave Israel." I urged Sabina.

"I am sorry for causing your death, Simona!" Sabina said, got up and left the scene with me. I thought of closing the door behind me, but I didn't. I wasn't sure whether it was possible to open the door from the inside, and I couldn't trap Simona in there.

We ran as fast as we could, leaving the others where they lay.