Lost Sols 1: Ancient Treasure Read online

  Lost Sols

  Book One

  Ancient

  Treasure

  James Kirk Bisceglia

  Copyright © 2014 by James Kirk Bisceglia

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Barbara Rosell http://barbararosell.com

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Visit my website at www.JamesKirkBisceglia.com

  First Printing: August 2014

  ISBN-13: 978-1500617653

  ISBN-10: 1500617652

  Contents

  Copyright

  Prologue – Egypt 1229 BC

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue – Vandi

  Prologue – Egypt 1229 BC

  As Khay looked to the horizon there were dead soldiers as far as the eye could see. The battlefield was littered with death and destruction. Victory had come with a high price. Khay was getting old and no longer had the energy of a young man. He had great respect for his Pharaoh, but wondered how long he could continue to carry out the orders from his master. He had toiled for his Pharaoh, Ramesses II for thirty years. It was his job to ensure the spoils of war made it to the Khafra Pyramid. The Pharaoh had enough riches to last ten lifetimes. A messenger interrupted his thoughts. "Ramesses has summoned you. You are expected at midday, three days from today."

  Returning to his work, Khay knew he would have to complete it quickly if he were to meet his Pharaoh at the appointed time. Orders were issued to his men to collect the treasure and place it in carts for the long journey home.

  His men worked tirelessly and completed their task. The treasure was delivered on time and the Pharaoh would find their work acceptable. He was proud of the men he recruited and could report success when he arrived the next day.

  Ramesses was a proud leader. He cared for his people and took care of them. His soldiers numbered more then anytime in the past, and the kingdom was as prosperous and as safe as he could make it. Another victory was at hand and he had no worries from his mortal enemies. Sleep came easy as his heart was at peace.

  On this night he awoke quickly and found a God standing before him. Only the Gods could unsettle Ramesses and make him anxious. It had been many years since one had been seen and he hoped they would be pleased. This God instructed Ramesses to appear in seven days time at the Khafra Pyramid. It was time for them to receive their tribute. Ramesses hoped it would be enough. He had sacrificed many soldiers to please them. Every effort had been made to do the work the Gods demanded.

  Khay arrived to meet with his Pharaoh at the appointed time. Ramesses was waiting for him. "Khay you have done well. All these years and you’ve never failed me. Tomorrow night we will meet at the pyramid. Bring five of your most trusted men. A God will be in our presence to receive their tribute." Ramesses said as he brushed back his flowing red hair. "I am not worthy enough to stand before a God great Pharaoh." Khay said. "Your desire in this request is of no consequence. The choice is not yours to make. You will not fail our Gods Khay. Arrive at the pyramid tomorrow night with your men. This will be your last task. You have been a good servant to the people and a valued friend, your rest has been well earned provided you follow your final instructions."

  Sleep did not come easy for Khay. He was not prepared to meet a God. He gathered his men and traveled to the pyramid. Khay and his men were stopped a great distance from the pyramid by soldiers. The soldier in charge addressed him. “By orders of our Pharaoh no one is allowed near the pyramid tonight.” He would not fail in this last task. “I am Khay, the Pharaoh is expecting my men and I.” he said. The soldier had orders to let Khay and his men pass.

  Approaching the pyramid he saw Ramesses standing next to a chariot. The chariot was like nothing he had ever seen. It had to belong to a God. Ramesses addressed him when he arrived. “You and your men are to bring the treasure and the scrolls out of the pyramid and load it into the chariot. Instruct your men to remain quiet. There are to be no questions. Complete the task as quickly as possible and you will be rewarded.” Khay told his Pharaoh it would be done. He instructed his men, and his orders were followed without question.

  The work was not difficult. Khay and his men were done in a few hours and he had not yet seen a God. The last of the treasure was placed in the chariot and Ramesses approached. “You have done well Khay. There is more to do this night. For now, you and your men can rest. Our God will provide some refreshment for your fine work. Ramesses left and returned with a jug of wine. Khay poured a drink into a goblet for himself and for each of his men. The wine was of the highest quality. After a few minutes he became dizzy. Just before he lost consciousness he noticed his men had fallen asleep.

  He wasn’t sure how long he had been asleep. He awoke inside a large chamber he had never seen before. The other men were waking up as well. He came to attention when he heard Ramesses speaking to him. “Khay, it’s time to finish your work. You and your men are to bring the treasure out of the chariot and into this chamber. His men heard the instruction and began bringing the treasure out of the chariot. There must have been a poison of some kind in the wine. It was not in his nature to be effected by wine in such a manner. He drank often with his men without such a thing happening. The work was completed quickly. His Pharaoh approached and Khay risked asking a question. “Ramesses, where are we, and how did we get here? Did we ride in the chariot?” Ramesses was annoyed by the question. “You are to ask no questions Khay. Do not ask another.”

  Wine was brought from the chariot for the men once again. When Ramesses and his men were not looking, Khay spat his on the floor of the chamber. The men were falling asleep and he feigned to do the same. Ramesses himself carried Khay and each of his men into the chariot. They were placed in strange chairs and tied down with straps of some kind. The inside of the chariot overwhelmed him. In all his life he had never seen anything like it.

  The voice of God was loud. Unable to see the God, he could hear his words. “Ramesses you have done well. Your tribute is acceptable and you are a good leader for your people. If you are to expand your empire you must teach your people. Those with knowledge should instruct those who have none. It is important you explore the most intelligent minds of your people and embrace their ideas no matter how strange it may seem. Expand your empire and surround yourself with wise advisors. If you stay on this path you and your people will prosper. This will be the last time you see one of us in your lifetime Ramesses. From this point forward you must use the knowledge we’ve given you. We will not help you with our devices and machines like we did in the past. This empire is now completely yours. Continue on the path we’ve given you. Help your people to prosper and to learn.”

  The chariot rose from the chamber into the sky like a giant bird. He was able to see outside of the chariot. White mountains and a large sea to the west were breathtaking seen from above. He would remember this land where the Gods lived. The land passed by more quickly and soon the chariot returned to the Khafra Pyramid. One
by one, he and his men were brought from the chariot and placed gently on the ground. The chariot rose into the sky and was quickly out of sight. Ramesses held something with a strong scent under each of their noses and the men awoke. He opened his eyes and found Ramesses standing over them. “We have pleased the Gods. You have done your work well.” The five men took their leave and Khay was alone with his Pharaoh. “Your work is now done Khay. You have been a loyal and valuable servant. Should you ever require anything come see me. Goodnight my friend.”

  When he returned home he wished to sleep. It would not come. Taking out his papyrus, he carefully sketched the lands where the Gods lived. He would take it with him and use it as a guide to find his way in the afterlife. He enjoyed wine and the company of women for his remaining years. Khay died in his sleep eight years after riding in a chariot with a God.

  Chapter 1

  Vincent didn’t like funerals, it was a reminder of his own mortality. He’d lost distant friends and relatives he barely knew, but today was different. He felt as if he had lost a part of himself. His only parent and mentor Maria was gone. Technically she was his grandmother. She had raised and cared for him. The loss was felt deeply. His parents were killed by a drunk driver when he was three. Only vague and fleeting memories of them remained. He was surprised when he received the phone call at the university and learned how Maria died. She died the same way she lived her life. Always on the go, she went down in a float plane crash on the way to Rimrock Lake in Washington State. The plane crashed into the forest due to mechanical failure during a rainstorm. Somehow the pilot survived but his grandmother wasn’t so lucky. Undoubtedly she was on her way to investigate something new she thought she had uncovered.

  As an archeologist Maria was an outcast within her profession. She was obsessed with finding correlations in ancient writings, artifacts, and hieroglyphs. She was determined to prove Earth had been visited in the distant past. She was the engine which drove him into becoming an archeologist. He had always been fascinated by her stories, theories, and discoveries.

  He took one last look at her as she lay in her casket and was proud of all she had accomplished. He vowed to continue her research, but in a quieter way which wouldn’t come to the attention of his associates and colleagues.

  It was nice to see his uncle Enzo again. It was too bad it had to be under such circumstances. Enzo and Maria had always been close. “She was always grateful to you. Whenever she needed help financing her research you always came through for her. Thank you for being such a good brother to her Enzo.” Vincent said. “I loved her. She was family just like you. If you ever need anything come see me. I’d like to help you as well. Maria always spoke very highly of you.”

  As he headed to his car in the church parking lot a short red haired woman in a business suit cut him off. “Are you Vincent Moretti?” she asked. He was tired of mourners and well wishers, and simply wanted to go home and open a bottle of wine and call it a night. “Yes, I’m Vincent, I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.” he said. “I’m Special Agent Murphy with the Central Intelligence Agency, can I have a few moments of your time?” she asked. “Agent Murphy, it’s been a long day, can this wait till later? By the way do you have a first name, or is it a classified government secret?” Vincent wondered how this could possibly be a CIA agent. She looked like she was still in high school. “My name is Monique, Mr. Moretti. This will only take a few moments, can we go back inside and talk? I know it’s been a difficult day for you and this will be brief.” Vincent turned around and headed back toward the church. “Come on Agent Murphy, if we’re going to do this, let’s get it done.”

  Vincent’s defenses started to come up as he wondered what this agent could possibly want. He knew about the work his grandmother had done. It was classified and she wasn’t supposed to disclose her work to anyone.

  After finding a couple of chairs in a small office Agent Murphy smiled and tried to turn on her charm. “Mr. Moretti, did your grandmother ever discuss her work with you?” she asked. “Of course, she raised me and she discussed her work with me my entire life. If it weren’t for her I never would have become an archeologist. When I left for Boston College we didn’t have time like we used to, but we stayed in touch.” Vincent said. “Did Maria ever discuss what she was doing in the Antarctic with you?” Agent Murphy asked. Vincent knew almost everything Maria was doing in the Antarctic but Monique didn’t need to know what he knew. “No, she was pretty cryptic about what she was doing there. It was actually quite annoying, she usually told me about any research she was conducting. Why is the CIA interested in talking to me?” Agent Murphy paused as she was deciding how much she wanted to reveal about the most secret project ever conducted by the agency. It was now 2047 and the agency had been working on Project Ark for twenty six years. “Let’s just say it’s a matter of national security. Are you aware of any ongoing research projects in the Antarctic?” Vincent decided total deniability was the best course of action. “No, not beyond the rumors you see in the news and the tabloids. First it was Roswell and Bigfoot, and then the supposed pyramid under Lake Vida in the Antarctic. It all sounds a little far fetched to me. I’m sorry Agent I really don’t know anything about what my grandmother was doing. Like I said it’s been a long day and you’ve had your couple of minutes now.” Agent Murphy appeared ready to continue as he rose out of his chair and headed for the door. “One more thing Mr. Moretti. Did Maria ever mention anything about any artifacts she may have found in Antarctica?” In this instance Vincent didn’t have to lie. Maria never told him about any artifacts. “No agent, I have no knowledge about any artifacts. Good day to you.” he said as he left.

  It was a strange feeling being alone in his grandmother’s house. At last Vincent took his first sip of wine after the long day and his encounter with Agent Murphy. She was charming in her way, and had curves in all the right places. In another place and time he would have been happy to talk to her.

  Turning on the news he learned the story of the day was happening on Mars again. With a planet wide population of about seven hundred people there was a faction against terraforming the planet. The group opposing terraforming had intercepted and destroyed a methane shipment from Titan. He turned off the television and thought about the final project his grandmother was working on. In 2021 a robotic probe had discovered a massive pyramid in the most unlikely of places. It was located under Lake Vida in the Antarctic. The lake is covered by seventy feet of ice and contains water seven times saltier then the water found in the ocean. The CIA immediately closed the area and considered it a stealth project. He found it amusing the CIA closed an area humans couldn’t get to without extreme effort anyway. It took twenty five years to construct a dome around the pyramid, pump the water out, and make it airtight. The CIA not being renowned for their archeological work recruited Maria. It couldn’t have been a better plan by the CIA. In the event Maria disclosed the project she never would have been taken seriously. She had already been discredited by the entire scientific community.

  The pyramid was constructed of an unknown dark black metallic material which somehow was able to resist the extremely briny conditions in the lake. When the CIA and their scientists were finally able to enter, the findings were extraordinary. There were eight chambers within the structure and all were filled with cylinders of what appeared to be biological material. There was no doubt the pyramid was constructed by an extraterrestrial intelligence.

  As it turned out the CIA and the scientists they hired ended up with very little time at the pyramid. After retrieving just a handful of samples to be analyzed, the protective dome mysteriously imploded. Those on the project were told the dome implosion was caused by construction flaws. Vincent poured himself another glass of wine, and stretched out for the night. As he began to doze off a report came on about how the national police were increasing drone surveillance across the nation.

  In the distance Vincent could swear he heard a phone ringing as his head pounded. As
he became fully awake he cursed himself for opening that second bottle of wine and answered the phone. Looking at the caller ID, he saw it was Dalton Webb an Egyptologist and a long time friend of his grandmother. “Vincent it’s Dalton, I’m calling to offer my condolences and to apologize for not making the funeral. She was a hell of a woman and she will be missed.” he said. “Thank you Dalton you were always a valued friend of my mother and a trusted friend and colleague. She was lucky to have a friend like you.” he said. “Thank you Vincent, I appreciate that. As you know I worked with her on our last project in the Antarctic. She shared some new information with me, can you meet me tonight?” Vincent was surprised by this. “Yes why don’t you come over to the house tonight?” he said. “Sure, does seven work for you? I’ll pick up some pizza and beer.” Dalton always enjoyed good food and having a few drinks. “Sounds like a plan to me, I’ll see you then Dalton.” he said.

  As he entered his attorney’s office Vincent couldn’t help but wonder what Dalton was talking about. He hadn’t heard anything substantial from his grandmother before her death. Perhaps there was more to her business in the Antarctic then he knew. His attorney was there to greet him. “Hello Vincent this shouldn’t take too long and will be fairly painless.” he said. “Your grandmother left the house and all of her assets to you. In addition she left this key with specific instructions for you to use it immediately. It’s to a safety deposit box at her bank. She didn’t tell me why, but she was insistent that if anything happened to her you were to retrieve the contents immediately.”

  After signing the required paperwork and thanking the attorney Vincent immediately went to the bank. The only thing in the safety deposit box was a large manila envelope. Vincent decided not to open it at the bank. Some things were better left to do in private.