Charles Brokaw - The Lucifer Code

‘In 398 AD,’ Joachim interrupted.

Lourds sipped his beer. ‘I suppose there’s a lot of rote work in the Brotherhood.’

Joachim smiled.

‘While holding his office,’ Lourds went on, ‘John Chrysostom ran foul of Theophilus, who was Patriarch of Alexandria at the time, and Emperor Arcadius’s wife-’

‘Aelia Eudoxia,’ Joachim supplied.

‘Thank you. With the patriarch, John Chrysostom refused to bow down, and with the empress, John Chrysostom took to task women who chose to flaunt their wealth in clothing. The patriarch and the empress arranged the Synod of the Oak in 403 AD and banished John Chrysostom. The people became enraged and demanded that he be returned to his position.’

‘There was more to it than that,’ Joachim said. ‘On the very night that John Chrysostom was arrested, an earthquake occurred. Many people, including the empress, believed it was a sign from God.’

Lourds thought he remembered something like that, but wasn’t certain. ‘During that confrontation, the first Church of the Holy Wisdom was destroyed.’ He studied Joachim. ‘How are you sure that the Joy Scroll wasn’t incinerated in the fire that claimed the church?’

‘Because the Joy Scroll was hidden in the maze of tunnels beneath the church.’

‘Beneath the church?’ Lourds rubbed at the stubble that covered his jaw. ‘Not in the church?’

‘Exactly.’

‘Then why haven’t you found the Joy Scroll before now? Your Brotherhood has had sixteen hundred years to accomplish that.’

‘Because for many years we weren’t supposed to find it. Emperor Constantine and a few members of the Brotherhood knew the hiding place where the scroll was kept. Despite being in a land where everyone felt the scroll was protected, the emperor and the elder brothers knew that many enemies remained outside the city walls. The choice was made to keep the number of people who knew where the scroll was to a handful. Each generation in turn handed down the knowledge of the scroll to only a few people. That number was cut further after the Nika Riots.’

‘The war between the Blue and the Green,’ Lourds said.

‘Yes.’

‘What is the War between the Blue and the Green?’ Cleena asked.

‘During this time, the early 530s, I believe,’ Lourds said.

‘532,’ Joachim supplied, then smiled. ‘It is as you say. A lot of rote work.’

‘There were a lot of social associations called demes. They supported the different teams that competed in chariot racing and other contests.’

‘You mean like bookies?’ Cleena asked.

‘Nothing so small,’ Olympia said. ‘Think of the demes like long lines of political parties and street gangs. It wasn’t just about the sporting events. They actively pursued social issues of the times and fought against those they didn’t like. Battles often broke out in the streets between the different groups and the emperor’s soldiers.’

‘To make matters worse,’ Lourds said, ‘many of those demes were patronized by Roman aristocrats. Several of them believed they deserved the throne more than Emperor Justinian, who currently held the throne. There was a riot in 531 that resulted in murder. Members of the Blues and Greens were arrested and held accountable. Most of them were hanged. However, early in 532…’ He looked at Joachim.

‘On the tenth of January, to be exact,’ Joachim said.

‘One of the Blues and one of the Greens managed to thwart their guards and flee into the crowd that had already formed to protest against the hangings. Already stretched thin between internal strife and negotiations with Persia, Justinian elected to rescind the death sentences and give the men life sentences.’

‘I assume they didn’t take it,’ Cleena said.

‘No,’ Lourds agreed. ‘The chariot races took place at the Hippodrome next to the palace and the Church of the Holy Wisdom. During the course of the day, violence broke out and swelled into a riot that lasted five days and left the second church burned to the ground.’

‘And still the Joy Scroll remained hidden,’ Joachim said.

‘Hidden or lost?’ Lourds countered.

‘Hidden only. But, as I said, the Brotherhood decided to limit the number of people who knew the Joy Scroll’s hiding place.’

‘Why?’

‘Because the city seemed to be in chaos. There were enemies outside the gates and unrest throughout the streets. It was feared that if anyone knew the power of the scroll and its whereabouts, there would be no stopping those who came after it. The Elders locked themselves away in the underground tunnels. Those that were chosen never again saw the light of day.’

‘That’s insane,’ Cleena whispered.

Lourds didn’t disagree, but he knew that the practice wasn’t unique.

‘Ultimately that proved their undoing, didn’t it?’ Lourds asked. ‘Too few people with the knowledge, and all of them grouped in one place.’

‘They did the best they were able,’ Joachim said. ‘They thought what they were doing was the best and safest thing to do.’

‘The Brotherhood just hadn’t counted on the Fourth Crusade,’ Lourds said.

‘Maybe I’m misunderstanding here,’ Cleena said, ‘but weren’t the Crusades fought between the Muslims and the Christians?’

‘Yes,’ Lourds said, ‘and no. At the outset, the Fourth Crusade was supposed to be an invasion of Muslim Jerusalem by way of Egypt. Instead, The Roman Catholic Church chose to invade and sack Constantinople. The siege and battles lasted five years. At the end of that time, much of Constantinople lay in ruins. Thousands of citizens were dead in the street or displaced from their homes. Everything of value that the crusaders could find was taken.’

‘But they didn’t get the scroll,’ Joachim said quietly.

Lourds looked at the man. ‘You’re sure about that?’

‘The world still stands and spins in her orbit, Professor Lourds. That’s how I know. Once that scroll reaches the wrong hands, all we know will be lost. I promise you that.’

‘What happened to the Elder brothers?’

‘They stayed in the tunnels below the church. Their guards were slain, but they managed to lock themselves into a small sanctuary. They starved or thirsted to death before anyone could reach them. Much treasure was found, or I should say lost in those tunnels where the king’s soldiers tried to hide it, but the Joy Scroll remains.’

For a moment, Lourds thought about everything Joachim had revealed. Then he tapped the book in front of him with a forefinger.

‘Where’d you get this?’ he asked.

‘Most of the documents in that book were written after the Elders were known to be dead. Some of the papers were copied from notes they had managed to write and leave in a crack in the ceiling of the room where they died.’

Images of the abandoned monks filled Lourds’ mind. What must it have been like to be closed up in a tomb while thirsting and starving to death?

And all you had to do to be free was share one secret.

Lourds didn’t think he could have done it. Then again, he hadn’t thought he would be able to steal the book from Qayin and his followers either.

Yet he had.

‘I’ve been patient so far, Professor Lourds, out of respect for what you have done and gone through, and because my sister believes in you,’ Joachim said.

‘I told you if anyone can do this, Thomas would be the one,’ Olympia said in Turkish.

‘English,’ Cleena stated. ‘Speak English for the slow kids.’

Olympia repeated her comment in English, which only drew a snort from Cleena.

‘I need you to prove to me that you can help us.’ Joachim’s dark gaze held Lourds. ‘Can you do that?’

Lourds nodded. ‘I can, but first I need you to do one more thing for me.’