The year is 1492 and I am so close to what I seek. I can feel it calling to me, it's song so strong that I know that I have to have it. I slowly walk through the streets, listening to it calling me- the piece of me that I had lost so long ago that I feel empty without it. I follow its call until I come upon the main town square and hear it in front of me. I turn to look at the large building and my eyes widen when I see that it is a church. I want to laugh at the notion that these stupid humans think that they can keep my most prized possession away from me by hiding it in there.

I walk towards it and know that I can bring this place down around them if I want to but I stop myself and walk to the front door. I knock on the door which slowly opens and I look at the face of the priest who is standing there. He looks at me and when he sees they way that I look he tells me that I should come in as I look like I am in a frightful mess. I walk into the church and hear its call getting louder. I look around to see where it is but before I can the priest stops in front of me and looks at me again. The expression on his face is no longer friendly but determined.

"I know what you are you evil creature and I know what you come for- but you will not have it."

I grab him and start to say something but as I do I hear the bells of the church chime and hear several priests walk out, all of them praying. I scream out and drop the priest as their praying gets louder and suddenly I feel something- that wish I seek has been moved and it is moving away swiftly from me. I try to move towards where it is heading but I find that I can not and that the body that I possess is fighting me. The priest that brought me in looks at me and says, "You will never find that which you seek foul creature and you will be banished."

I let out a scream as I was ripped from the body and the next thing I knew was darkness.


It is now the year 2003 and the priest was wrong- I have come back stronger than ever and more powerful. I am the owner of a business that runs almost everything, legal and illegal in this world and I have more wealth than I can count and everything that I want. Except the one thing I truly want. I still hear its call but I can not locate it. That is why I have sought out the best treasure hunters in the world and have asked them to join me. I want what is rightfully mine back.

__________________
Do you think you're fun sunshine?

Adam sat there with his head in his hands and tried to think of what had brought him to this end in his life. If it hadn't been for Randolph then he wouldn't be in this mess and facing extradiction and life in prison. He let out a sigh and looked at the floor but looked up when he heard the foot steps. When he saw who was standing there he got to his feet and moved to the bars of his cell quickly, looking the man straight in the face.

"You, you did this to me."

"I know. I wish I could tell the police officers what I did to you but you see it would be against my nature and my orders."
Adam looked at him with a confused look on his face.

"Your orders. What orders?"

Randolph moved forward and produced an envelope. "I was told by my boss that I had to put you into this predicament so that you could be found and I could give you this. You must read it as what you want most, your freedom depends on it."

Without another word Randolph turned and began to walk away and Adam looked down at his hand to see the envelope there. He looked down the hallway at Randolph but saw that he had already gone. He looked down at the envelope and slowly opened it then pulled out the letter.

Dear Mr. Richards,

I am so sorry to have put you in this place but how else was I to find you. I want you to do a job for me. You can say no if you wish to but I promise you the reward is more than you can wish for. I will also throw in your freedom- to get your record cleared. All you have to do is say yes and you will be free from that jail cell you find yourself in right now. When you are free you will come to the Phoenix Tower in New York- you will find it.

Thank you for reading this letter Mr. Richards and I hope to see you soon. Oh, and go to locker 142 in the airport, all that you need to find me will be there.

Adam looked down at the letter with shock and wondered who knew he was here. He looked down at it and said yes, wondering what was going to happen and the next thing he knew the wall closest to him was shattered by an explosion. As soon as he could see again he saw a gaping hole in the wall and ran towards it then out into the street.

__________________
Do you think you're fun sunshine?

It was 96° out and felt like 110 in the shade. She needed into the air conditioning and an ice cold beer. Messalina swore as she shuffled her groceries in her arms and grabbed the mail from the box before letting herself into the loft.

"Lucy, I'm home!" Messa greeted the blue Himalayan who was head-butting her leg in a manner of greeting. "You'll be fed in a minute, fuzzy one. Patience. Me first today."

She opened the fridge and took out a beer which she replaced with a head of romaine and some brie before turning to open a can of food for the now yowling Lucy. Messalina kicked off her shoes and began to unbutton her blouse as she took a swig of the ice cold brew and shuffled through the mail.

"Junk and bills, Lucy. That's all we ever... " She paused as an envelope with an engraved return caught her eye. "Oooh... high class junk mail. Maybe we should give them a read, huh?" Grabbing a knife from the block on the counter, she slit the envelope open.

Dear Dr. Bishop,

Your educational credentials and recognition as an authority in Art History and Classical Archaeology have led us to seek you out with an offer we believe you will not be able to refuse. Suffice it to say that your NYU project at Aphrodisias in the Maeander River basin may have been a huge discovery but this one will both rival and surpass it. The financial remunerations alone will make it more than worth your while.

If you are interested in learning more, and we are sure that you will most certainly be, please accept our invitation to join us in New York City on Friday, 18 July at 9:00am at the Phoenix Tower.

Sincerely,

Caroline Sandhurst
Secretary, The Phoenix Group, Ltd.

"Well well well," she mumbled as she took another long drink and turned the letter over to look at the back. Why people did that was beyond her, but she did it without fail. One of these days she'd figure out why.

She tossed the empty in the recycle bin and reached into the refrigerator for another as she read and reread the letter. It was tempting. Very tempting indeed. How could she refuse?

__________________
Glistening moonlight caresses the dewed silk petals of a luscious blood red rose, yearning to be experienced, her sweet lusty fragrance uninhibited and irresistible. ~Donovan~

Francisco's eyes started to hurt again. He took up the small bottle with eye drops he always carried on him and released a drop in each eye. He put his thick glasses back on and continued reading the text, making notes in a notepad in front of him. He had been working 15 hours straight now.

The lightning in the archive was damp to avoid damaging the ancient text stored in the room. Francisco DiStephano was used to it by now. He had been living in the vatican for almost 40 years now, working in the secret archives. He had interpreted thousands of texts and was considered by the church and most of the outside world as the number one in his field. Although Francisco didnt care what others thought of him, he didnt even care what the church thought.

An orphan, he had grown up in a monastary near the village of Stephan in south Italy. He later became a priest, not serve God but to get access to the vatican archives. Of course Fransisco believed in God but he didnt love him as most of his fellow priests did. In fact he despised God, he hated the catolic church. It would be hard not to after having read what he had. The texts he had translated and interpreted for the pope and the cardinals, speaking of things he knew never would be acknowledged by them. He knew all about the churchs past and he didnt like it.

Suddenly one of the doors to the archive opened and a young man, a monk came in.

-"Padre, forgive me for interupting but the man said it was urging"

DiStephano took the letter from the boy and read it. He immidiatly went to his chambers to pack. He burnt the letter and took a taxi to the international airport not telling anyone where he was going. They wouldnt miss him anyway....

Attached Images

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Though I can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable, I simple am not there...

Manfred sat in the hot tub on his patio, soaking his sore muscles. The cave-in of the small tunnel, at the ‘Valley of the Kings’, had nearly cost him his life this time. If he’d had permission to be there, he wouldn’t have been crawling through the tunnel, but….

“Señor Doctor.” Maria said in her broken English, approaching the hot tub, “You ‘ave a letter.”

He turned his head as she spoke, seeing the letter in her hand.

“Read it for me por favor, my hands are wet.” He was always encouraging Maria to improve her English.

“Si, Señor Doctor,” she said slipping her finger under the flap. Taking the single sheet out of the envelope and unfolding it she read:

Dear Mr. Allison,
Knowing your sense of…ahvenshur Maria stumbled over the word. “Adventure,” Manfred, corrected her. Knowing your sense of advenshur, I would like to invi you on the greatest treashur hunt of all time. Greater than the finds at the tombs of to….”I can not say this word Señor Doctor,” she said apologetically.

“Here, let me have it,” he said chuckling, drying his hands on a towel and taking the letter.

“Gracias Señor Doctor,” she said handing him the letter. “Supper will be ready in alf an hour.”

“Gracias Maria, you can go home if you’d like. I can fix my own plate.”

“Gracias Señor Doctor,” she said smiling and turning back to the house.

Dear Mr. Allison,
Knowing your sense of adventure, I would like to invite you on the greatest treasure hunt of all time. Greater than the finds at the tombs of Tut•ankh•a•men. I know that you will not be able to turn this down, as the rewards are greater than you can imagine.
Please come to the Phoenix Tower in New York as soon as you get your bags packed. There everything will be explained.

The letter was unsigned. He turned it over and looked at the backside, then held it up to the sun to see any watermark.

“Hmmm, better get my bags packed,” he said to no one. Getting out of the hot tub and heading for the house. Certainly can’t turn down the Greatest Adventure of all time. ”

Adam had made his way to the airport slowly as he kept looking behind him and backtracking to throw off any pursuit. As soon as he walked into the airport he made his way to where the lockers were, wondering what was waiting for him in there. As soon as he made his way to the locker a great shock came to him as he saw Randolph standing there. He walked forward slowly and wondered what he was standing there for.

"What are you doing here. Have you come to set me up and get me sent back to jail?"

Randolph laughed before he handed Adam a key. He then motioned to the locker and said, "This is what you are here for is it not. You better hurry, my boss will not be happy if you are late."

Without another word Randolph turned and walked away from Adam who walked to the locker, put the key in and turned it. As soon as he opened the locker door he received his second shock when he saw a large suitcase sitting in there. He slowly pulled out the suitcase and looked into the locker to see a passport and a airline ticket. He pulled them out and opened up the passport to see his picture staring up at him. His eyes widened when he saw this and then the name. He decided to check the airline
ticket and saw that it was for that night for an hour from now. As soon as he saw that one question came to him.

Who was this person that wanted him and how connected was he?

__________________
Do you think you're fun sunshine?

__________________
Do you think you're fun sunshine?

__________________
Glistening moonlight caresses the dewed silk petals of a luscious blood red rose, yearning to be experienced, her sweet lusty fragrance uninhibited and irresistible. ~Donovan~

The plane touched the ground at La Guardia international airport and Franciscos eyes slowly opened. Sweat formed as drops on his forehead, his hand still firm around his krucifix. He was the first one of the plane, carrying no handluggage except a small package containing a very old document.

A document dated 1492, written by a french monk and stored in the vatican secret archives ever since. Francisco had studied the text many times but did not fully comprehend its deeper meaning. He knew this text was one of the reasons he had been called to this meeting in New York.

Francisco picked up his two old leather bags and walked thru customs. At the passport control, he was stopped but when the customs officer saw his priestcollar he waved him thru. Francisco DiStephano proceeded to the exit and got into the first yellow cab in the taxi line.

-"Phoenix Tower"

He said to the cabdriver who nodded and started the car. When they arrived at the building, DiStephano payed and walked in at the front door. At the reception he was asked to follow a man into an elevator taking them to the top floor.

There he was escorted into a large room with a few others present. They all looked at him as he came in. First at his face and then at his collar. After that most eyes fixated on the packet he squeezed to his chest. After a while they all turned back to what they were doing before and Francisco DiStephano sat down in a couch close to the window....

The plane landed at JFK International on time for a change. Manfred collected his luggage and headed for the taxi stands, going to the first one in line. The ‘rag head’ helped him load his bags into the trunk then jumped into the drivers’ seat, Manfred entered the back.

“Where to,” the driver asked with an Arabic accent?

“The Phoenix Tower please,” Manfred replied.

The ride to the Tower seemed longer than Manfred knew it should be. Finally they pulled up to the entrance of the Tower.

“That will be $50 please,” the cabbie said.

Manfred opened the door and slide out, going to the rear of the cab to get his bags. The driver followed opening the trunk, and lifting the bags out.

“That will be $50 please,” he repeated.

“I tell ya what buddy,” Manfred said, slapping a twenty into the mans hand. “I’ve been to New York before, but I think this is the first time I’ve seen the ‘Chrysler Building’ three times on one ride.”

He picked up his bags and backed through the revolving doors of the Tower, listening to the ‘rag head’ cuss at him in Arabic, he just smiled back. As he turned around he noticed all the Security Guards posted throughout the main floor. Thinking of all the events that had happened in New York in the past couple of years, it didn’t surprise him. He walked to the Information Desk at the center of the lobby.

“Hi,” he said to the receptionist. “I’m to meet someone here?”

“Your name Sir,” she replied.

“Allison, Manfred Allison.”

“Yes Sir, you are expected. Top floor. Bruce here will accompany you.”

Manfred watched intently as Bruce went through the ‘High Security’ checks. The thumbprint scan was a nice touch.

I love this cloak and dagger shit. he thought to himself.

“So, who am I going to meet,” he asked ‘Bruce’, trying to glean any pre-information he could.

Bruce ignored him as they ascended to the top of the Tower. Manfred thought he might have to pay ‘Bruce’ another $50 fare, as long as the ‘ride to the top’ took. Finally the elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened.

“Thank you Bruce,” said the tall, dark haired man standing there. “I’ll take care of Dr. Allison from here.”

“Yes Sir, Mr. Randolph,” Bruce answered.

“Mr. Randolph,” Manfred said, picking up his bags and tipping his head in acknowledgement. “Now what?”

“This way please,” Mr. Randolph said leading Manfred into the Penthouse.

As soon as the plane touched down Adam was out of his seat and grabbing his bag. He couldn't wait to get out of the plane and get to a taxi so he could get to the Phoenix tower and find out just what was going on. He stood there and waited as the door opened then slowly walked out and was instantly hit by the smells of his home town. He walked straight into the main part of the airport and watched as everyone walked around. As soon as he went through customs he made his way to the taxi stand and hailed one of them. As soon as he was in the back the driver asked him where he was going and he told him that he was going to the Phoenix Towers.

He sat back and wondered what why he had been told to come here and why he had been broken out of prison. He watched as the streets seemed to fly by and before he realized it the cab had stopped in front of a large, very impressive building. Adam slowly got up and paid the cab driver then looked up at the building and asked himself what he was doing here. He walked straight to the front desk and up to the receptionist that sat behind it. She looked at him when he was close enough.

"Hi, my name is Adam Richards. I got a letter telling me to be here."

"Oh course Mr. Richards. You have been expected. If you would please follow Bruce he will take you straight up to where the others are."

As soon as she finished speaking a large guard appeared out of nowhere to stand next to him. He looked down at Adam before he walked towards the elevator, the doors opening with no sound at all.

Adam followed Bruce into the elevator and as soon as the doors opened Bruce pressed his thumb to the scanner, the doors closed and the elevator began moving.

After what seemed like an awfully long ride up the doors opened in front of him and Adam's eyes widened when he saw Randolph standing there in front of him.

"You, how did you get here before me?"

"Ah, but that is my secret. Now if you will follow me then I will introduce you to the rest of the team."

__________________
Do you think you're fun sunshine?

Chloe Sutton was late, again! No matter how she tried something always happened to make her miss it - the opening of concerts, the beginning of a lecture, a friend’s bridal walk down the aisle or – in this case – a mysterious invitation to a luxurious hotel.

She had no idea where The Phoenix Hotel was or what was expected of her. All she knew was a letter had arrived last month with an offer. Her credentials and university results had been noted as exceptional. It said. If she was interested she could take part in an unusual exercise with an elite group of handpicked people. The letter had been unsigned and she had balled it up and tossed it – initially.

That night, something woke her with a start at around 3 a.m. She sat up and walked to the wastepaper basket, retrieved the crumpled letter and smoothed it out on her desk. Under the glare of her gooseneck lamp she re-read it. She’d go! What the heck! Everything else in the offing looked boring, unexciting, this at least had some mystery.

When she returned to bed she fell immediately into a deep sleep, waking well after it was light outside.

Now, here she was, looking lost in a huge hotel lobby, a twenty-something with tousled auburn curls and a retrouse nose. Scuffed-knee jeans and “the layered look” stood out as not belonging here, she found an easy chair and sank into it gratefully.

Now she could look around. Who, of these people were “handpicked”. No one looked particularly unusual. Chloe began to wonder if the whole thing was a hoax.

A liveried flunkie appeared at her side looking down his long nose at her. "You're to come this way Miss." he said making the word "Miss" sound like an insult.

Chloe hauled herself up gracelessly and shouldered her back pack to follow the jerk, expecting him to throw her out of this fancy-shmancy hotel. Instead he ushered her into the elevator.

They travelled up many floors, Chloe thought for sure it'd be a penthouse suite. Finally they disembarked into a conference room where a gathering of "handpicked people" stood making polite conversation.

__________________
Glistening moonlight caresses the dewed silk petals of a luscious blood red rose, yearning to be experienced, her sweet lusty fragrance uninhibited and irresistible. ~Donovan~

Adam looked at everyone in the group then walked over and stood by one of the windows. He didn't know how to react around these people as he was used to being alone. He knew that he had to get along with these people but he also wanted to stand to one side and see just what was going on. He then saw Randolph standing there watching one of the females of the group and wondered what he wanted with her but he knew he was just being paranoid.

He slowly walked over to the closest chair and almost sank into it before he sat back and watched the group again.

__________________
Do you think you're fun sunshine?

Fransisco sat very still in his chair. He waited until the persons that held this meeting would come. He knew the text he had brought would please him. This was the beginning, finally he would get back at the church, at God himself. His ignorance would be punished! Fransisco was so proud and this made him feel so glad he laughed.

Every eye in the room instantly turned to watch what he laughed about...

-"Our Lord sais the most amusing things!", Fransisco said. As to explain what he laughed about. A few people shook their heads, some frowned.

Fransisco smiled again. Some other people did too, all thinking to them selves "the priest must be mad"

__________________
Though I can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable, I simple am not there...