William Tyree - The Fellowship

Fleischer blew several rings of smoke. “Let’s dispense with these fantasies and get back to the logic of this plan, shall we? Wewelsburg Castle is already full of Christian artifacts, and the Ahnenerbe journals are full of theories about Nordic people at the root of virtually every great civilization. How exactly will another expedition prove the ethnicity of Jesus?”

Dr. Seiler opened his brown leather attache, removed several sheets of printed paper, and began distributing them. The first page contained a sketch of a chalk ossuary with dimensions of 51 centimeters by 28 centimeters by 31 centimeters. The estimated weight was between 15 and 25 kilos.

“The artifact we seek is none other than the ossuary of Jesus Christ,” Seiler said.

Wolf’s heart was a kick drum within his chest. He remembered Father Kruger’s translation of the Aramaic that Hoffman had written in his own blood: Yeshua bar Yehosef. Jesus, son of Joseph.

Seiler continued with his explanation. “As you will read in this report, our spies have infiltrated the highest levels of the Holy See.”

“The same spies that told us that the Holy Grail could be found in Spain?” Fleischer said.

“Our sources are sympathetic church officials from the Gnostic tradition,” Seiler said. “Contrary to official Church doctrine, newly located Gnostic scripture tells us that early church leaders possessed the body of Christ. There is also substantial evidence that the Apostle Paul arrived in Rome with the remains as early as 46 AD. But once the extent of Nero’s campaign wipe out the religion was realized, an effort was made to conceal the ossuary for fear that it would be destroyed. The easiest way to do that was to deny the remains ever existed in the first place.”

“Even if this fantastic tale is true,” Fleischer politely objected, “the bones would not be in good condition today.”

“As you will read, the remains were said to be carefully wrapped in clean burial shrouds, especially in regards to the skull. As our anthropologists have witnessed in Egyptian tombs, bone integrity can be very wildly in relation to storage variables.”

Fleischer seemed bored, or at the very least, far from convinced of the evidence’s authenticity. Wolf envied his skepticism. He wanted to believe that this was all a fairy tale, as Fleischer seemed to. But his heart could not let it go.

*

The sound of shuffling papers filled the room as the team eagerly devoured the intelligence brief. Dr. Hahn munched from another helping of cooling sausage, Ritter chewed his nails anxiously, and Fleischer continued to chain smoke.

Nagel checked his watch. “We must stay on schedule,” he urged Dr. Seiler. “Please push on.”

“As you will read,” Seiler continued, “It seems that by the second century, the secret location of the ossuary — which had been buried in what is now the grotto underneath St. Peter’s Basilica — was passed from one pope to another through a single apostolic messenger. The secret was apparently well-kept for nearly 1,800 years until the Napoleon invasion of Italy. Pope Pius VI was taken prisoner and, in the weeks after his removal to the Citadel of Valence, he grew ill. At some point in the weeks before he died, Napoleon learned of the ossuary, perhaps from the pontiff himself. And so he secretly moved the bones, along with much of the Vatican archives, to France.”

Ritter sat up, in rapt attention. “Where, specifically?”

“As some of you may be aware, the relic of a saint was placed underneath an altar stone of every Roman Catholic church. These relics come in various degrees of importance, ranging from a tooth to a bone or a keepsake to an entire skeleton. Having come into possession of the ossuary of Jesus Christ, Napoleon could think of no better place with which to hide it than beneath the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral.”

For the first time, Wolf observed the look of utter surprise on Nagel’s face. “And this was the reason for the Paris operation?”

“Correct. It is Himmler’s opinion, and mine, that the fierceness of the ambush on our anthropological team in defense of the ossuary only confirms its authenticity.”

“And who was it that ambushed us? French Resistance?”

Dr. Seiler shook his head. “The assailants were a group known as the Black Order. They have ruthlessly protected both the ossuary and the pope for hundreds of years.”

“I was under the impression that we had the pope under our control,” Nagel said.

“The Black Order appears to be beyond the pontiff’s reach. The Holy See seems to have even less knowledge of their operations than we do.”

Nagel turned his gaze to Fleischer, whose aura of smug negativity seemed to be eroding. “What do you say now, Bruno?”

“I must admit that the historical significance of this ossuary is interesting. The war strategy is far-flung, but ingenious. I’m still not clear on how this proves anything in regards to ethnicity.”

Seiler looked up at Fleischer. “You have no doubt examined thousands of living and dead skulls with conclusive results, have you not?”

Wolf remembered a photograph his father had taken of Fleischer in Tibet, which had eventually been published in the Ahnenerbe journal. He was using his skull calipers on natives and recording the measurements in a moleskin notebook.

“I have indeed,” Fleischer confirmed.

“And through this work, you have discovered patterns in cranial structure that indicate Germanic ancestry.”

“I have,” Fleischer agreed as he imagined his calipers measuring the nearly 2,000-year-old cranium of Jesus Christ.

“Himmler believes,” Seiler said, “That this evidence, taken together with our other research, would be all that would be needed to persuade the fuhrer of its authenticity.”

“And what if the bones are not in good condition?” Ritter asked. “What if they have crumbled?”

Dr. Hahn cleared his throat. “I spoke earlier about apparent breakthroughs in blood identification. I am told that our scientists in Switzerland are making equally exciting progress in the study of DNA. One emerging theory is that genetic identification may be achieved through bacteria that have remained intact within bone marrow.”

“And barring that,” Seiler continued, “it’s possible that symbols on the ossuary itself might offer compelling evidence. The presence of runes, perhaps.”

“Where is the ossuary now?” Fleischer queried.

Nagel stood and went to the map. “Our spies tell us that the relic has been taken to Italy,” he said, his fingers tracing a rail line stretching between the Austrian and Italian Alps. “The Black Order intends to return the ossuary to its original resting place in the vast grottos beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. But as they are well aware, the perimeter we have set up around Vatican City will make that difficult. Therefore the decision was made to place the ossuary in one of two temporary locations until the end of the war.”

Dr. Seiler stood. “Any final questions?”

Fleischer finished the last of his whiskey-spiked-coffee. “Just one. Who’s going after it?”

“You,” Nagel responded.

The unflappable Fleischer looked fearful for the first time. “You must be joking. I’m an anthropologist.”

“And an excellent marksman,” Nagel countered. “We have no other options. The situation in Stalingrad is grim, gentlemen. All available reserve officers with combat experience have been deployed to the eastern front to stop the inevitable Russian advance. Your orders are simple: Bring the ossuary to Wewelsburg Castle by any means necessary. The outcome of the war depends on it.”

*

The double doors opened once more. Nagel’s aide reappeared in the doorway. “Sir, the reichsfuhrer requests your presence in the crypt.”