David Golemon - Legend

Sarah tossed the flame-scorched rock to the floor of the giant cave and briefly glanced at Carl. She knew he was far better than just adequate to provide security for the unsuspecting students and professors on this dig, but it didn't stop her from wishing Major Jack Collins, the head of Event Group security, was here also. The ancient lava-formed caves were dark and powerfully evocative of a past conflict that had been brutal in its cost in human misery.

"There's not only detonation marks on the stone and surrounding lava rock formations, but the density of the back wall shows its loose fall. In layman's terms, Professor, that wall had once been open to this side of the cave and has since been hastily sealed." She adjusted one of the floodlights to show the rock fall she had just examined. "I suspect our Mr. Seito is correct, that there is another chamber behind the rock fall, just as he said there would be."

Carl looked at the old man sitting on a large rock. He had his eyes closed and was slowly rocking back and forth. The interpreter they had been using was standing next to him, silent, as he watched the analysis of the cave progress. The old man mumbled something and then the Japanese linguistics student from the University of Kyoto smiled and translated it.

"Mr. Seito says that his memory has failed in many areas, but it will never shed what had occurred during his last days on this island."

Carl half-bowed toward the old man who had reluctantly explained in detail the last terrifying days on Okinawa. He had told them with complete clarity that he was one of the men who had sealed this very cave in 1945. That he had joyously destroyed that which Professor Fallon was desperately seeking. The old Japanese soldier had closed his eyes when he recounted how he had assisted in the ritual suicide of the island's commander, Tarazawa.

"I must remind you, Professor Fallon, if the find is actually there, it must be immediately secured by my government," said Mr. Asaki, an official from the government of Okinawa, as he carefully eased his way over the loose stone. He stopped before the professor, removed his glasses, and cleaned them with a white handkerchief.

Carl kept quiet as the professor nodded and responded, "We're all well aware of your orders, Mr. Asaki, and we will be glad to turn over any substance find along with the vessel itself as soon as we verify it was actually a part of Kublai Khan's battle fleet, and not until then; that was our deal with Tokyo."

Asaki didn't comment but did bow quickly, and then he waved for his man at the cave's opening to allow the woman scientist into the excavation.

Sarah smiled and started to move away from the group to continue her inspection. She couldn't resist saying, as she patted the naval officer on the shoulder on her way by, "Oh boy, Ms. Personality is coming in, Carl. I think she has the hots for you."

Carl didn't respond, but Sarah could see him shudder at the mention of the woman they both disliked. The navy man watched as the two women passed each other and nodded their heads out of courtesy; their greeting was chilly at best. The woman was Dr. Andrea Kowalski. She had been recruited by Dr. Fallon and held credentials from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Unlike Sarah and him, she was here legitimately and not undercover. She was of average size, and that was the last place you could use the word "average" when describing this woman; she was a knockout. Her red hair was done up in a ponytail and she wore her extreme-environment suit unzipped and tied at the waist. Her one flaw as far as he could see was the small fact that the woman was a total bitch.

"I find your friend extremely rude," Andrea remarked to Carl as she joined the group of people at the mouth of the excavation.

"She has a fondness for you, too," Carl said, looking away and winking at the old Japanese soldier.

"I know she is a geologist and is needed on this venture, but what is it you do again, Mr.—"

"Knock it off, Andrea, you know he's in charge of logistics. Remember, he's the one that got all that fancy lab equipment here in one piece," Professor Fallon called out. "Now I suggest you go and set up; Sarah says we can be through the wall in the next hour if we're lucky."

After giving Carl one more questioning glance, Andrea turned away and started setting up her equipment.

"Wonderful analyst you found there, Doc; she has the personality of a vampire bat." Carl smiled and bowed at Seito, whose toothless grin seemed to indicate he understood the insult directed at the viral specialist.

As the old man sat his mind drifted back in time to those awful last days on Okinawa — the original discovery of what they now sought, and the horrible consequences that once could have changed the course of a war that had ended seventy years ago. Seito shuddered at the memory and, as he looked around the cavernous enclosure, he couldn't help but see and feel those days once again…

The American F4F Hellcats from no less than five fast attack carriers had been bombing the Ryukyu chain of islands since mid-March. For the past several weeks, the sorties had gained in intensity as the Americans prepared for the invasion of the last stepping-stone before their final thrust at the throat of the Japanese Empire.

Admiral Jinko Tarazawa, once a trusted advisor to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, had been in disgrace for two years for his failure to stem the tide of American resistance in the Pacific at the war's turning point, known to the Americans as the Battle of Midway. He had been blamed for this along with his commander, Chuichi Nagumo, and as a result was now in command of the island's defense instead of fighting and dying for his beloved navy. A hero of the empire only three years before for his coleadership in planning the greatest naval attack since Lord Nelson ruled the seas, he now found himself a long way from Hawaii and Pearl Harbor. His dishonor was great. To be relegated to building bunkers instead of commanding one of the last battle groups remaining to the Imperial Japanese Navy was humiliation nearly beyond endurance.

As the admiral stood with his arms behind his back, looking out to sea, he was approached by his intelligence officer and handed a message. He read it quickly and gave it back to the Imperial Marine captain. The message burrowed deep into his mind, lodging there and bringing on a new wave of despair. The estimate from the naval attache based in Spain had reported to Tokyo that the Americans were mounting the largest invasion force one nation had ever assembled. More than one thousand ships of war would soon be pointing their guns and sending their young men to the shores of this island. Tarazawa quickly nodded for the young marine to return to his duties, then closed his eyes and prayed for the safety of the emperor, for he knew this was to be the last blow before the Americans invaded Japan itself.

As rumbling from the excavating of caves shook the volcanic island, he saw several Hellcat fighter aircraft fly low over the island, bringing quick eruptions of antiaircraft fire from their hidden batteries.

Tarazawa was interrupted by another marine, this one a fresh-faced lieutenant who was running up waving his hands, forgetting even to bow to his commander.

"Sir, I have a report from the naval engineers on the north side of the island."

"What is it? I cannot go rushing off from here every time they have a small cave-in!" he said. "Just tell them to clear it and start moving the medical supplies and civilians in as soon as possible; we are very short of time."

Tarazawa was surprised when the young man stood there, disobeying his order.

"I beg for your indulgence, Admiral."

"What is it?" he asked.