James Rollins - Altar Of Eden

Lorna had only confided in two others-Carlton and Zoë-knowing she’d need their help in establishing this secret sanctuary. It had been an easy sell. ACRES had been started to protect and nurture endangered species.

Lorna watched the children play.

Was there any species more endangered, more at risk?

To help matters, the project had the backing of an open checkbook from a silent partner.

After reaching U.S. shores, Bennett had turned himself over to the authorities. He did not hold back, exposing all the crimes done in his name, opening the balance sheets to Ironcreek-but as promised, he had remained silent about the children. He told authorities that the facility on Lost Eden Cay had been a viral lab undergoing human trials, that a weaponized organism had gotten loose, and that it became necessary to burn it all down.

Afterward, Bennett had been moved to a high-security facility while he assisted the Justice Department in rooting out other guilty parties both within the government and out in the private sector. His testimony continued to shake up Washington.

Hopefully for the better.

But Bennett’s largesse didn’t end there. Through the use of dummy corporations and financial channels that made Lorna’s head spin, he secretly financed both the rebuilding of ACRES and the establishment of this secret sanctuary.

Lorna understood the motive behind this generosity.

Bennett had started down a path to his own redemption.

If she ever doubted it, she only had to turn around. At Bennett’s personal request, a message had been carved into the lintel above the new home’s doorway.

MATTHEW 19:14

She had to look up that particular Bible verse. When she did so, it left her smiling. She found it entirely fitting.

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Lorna stared across at the joyful play and youthful innocence. Her smile grew as she took it all in. While this might not be Heaven, it was definitely a little slice of Eden.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

She turned to find Jack crossing toward her, Burt trotting at his side. The shock must have been all over her face. She hadn’t known he was coming.

Stella retreated toward the house with Eve in her arms.

Jack took her place. He was dressed in a crisp black suit, his hair wet and combed back, like he’d just stepped out of the shower-though he still had a day’s worth of stubble over his chin and cheeks.

She was confused. “What are you doing here?”

He lifted his arms to encompass this new Eden. “Where better than here?”

She still didn’t understand. “For what?”

As answer, he dropped to one knee.

SPRING

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Two young men hurried through the Al-Zawraa Gardens toward the main gates of the Baghdad Zoo. The smaller of the two sped ahead of his older brother. He called back impatiently.

“Yalla! Come on, Makeen!”

Makeen followed, but with less enthusiasm. He had no particular desire to ever set foot in the zoo again. The place still haunted his nightmares. But many years had passed. He had a girlfriend, a job at a video store, and hoped to save one day for his own car.

Yet, more than all that, today was his little brother Bari ’s sixteenth birthday, an auspicious day. A party was planned in the park later. His mother had spent the past week preparing this birthday picnic. The apartment still smelled of baking bread and cinnamon. With the promise of a full stomach, even nightmares lost their power.

Bari hurried through the gates. His younger brother showed no hesitation. Over the years, Bari often visited the new zoo, but whenever Makeen tried to talk to him about what had happened, his brother said he didn’t remember. And maybe he truly didn’t. Bari hadn’t seen the monster, not up close, that black beast of Shaitan.

Even to this day, Makeen sometimes woke with his bedsheets tangled, soaked with sweat, a scream trapped in his throat, picturing eyes aglow with a smokeless fire.

As he crossed the gardens he lifted his face to the sun and burned away such dark thoughts. On a bright morning like today, amid the bustle of the early-morning visitors, what was there to fear?

He found Bari dancing at the entrance. “You move like a constipated camel, Makeen. I want to see the new baby chimp, and you know the crowds gather later.”

Makeen followed. He didn’t understand his brother’s love for all things furry, but on this special day he’d tolerate it.

They wound through the various exhibits-birds, camels, bears-and headed straight toward the chimp enclosure. He strode quickly with his brother, matching his stride. Thankfully their path did not take them past the old lion cages.

Subhan’Allah, he thought to himself. Allah be praised.

At last they reached their destination. The monkey-and-ape exhibit had been refurbished after the bombing. It was a popular site. After the war, a few escaped apes had been recaptured and returned to the new exhibit. For Iraqis, such continuity was important. It held special significance for the besieged city, a symbol of recovery and stability.

So the birth last year was doubly special.

An older chimpanzee-one recovered in the streets-had given birth to a baby, a child born bald. It had caused a media sensation, declared an omen of good fortune.

Makeen didn’t understand that.

Even a year later, the naked chimp continued to draw large crowds.

Bari hurried to a separate entrance off to the side. It led into a small nursery ward.

“Over here, Makeen! I can’t believe you’ve not seen it!”

Indulging his brother’s enthusiasm, he walked into the enclosure. A short hall ran past a cage enclosed behind glass. At this early hour, they had the ward to themselves.

With his arms crossed, Makeen stared into the exhibit. A fake tree sprouted from a sandy floor, its limbs draped in ropes, tire swings, and woven slings.

At first, he failed to spot the star of the exhibit.

Then something as black as oil dropped from above and landed in the sand. With its back to the glass, it looked like a tiny bare-assed old man. Its skin was all wrinkled, like a suit cut too large.

Rather than being charmed, a wave of revulsion swept through Makeen.

The creature held a long stick in front of it and beat at the sand.

Bari got excited. “Look how close it is. I’ve never seen it up against the window.”

His brother rushed forward and placed a hand against the glass, trying to have an intimate moment with the chimp.

“Get away from there!” Makeen yelled, louder than he intended, allowing his fear to ring out.

Bari turned and rolled his eyes. “Don’t be a shakheef, Makeen.”

The creature ignored them both and continued to dig at the sand with his stick.

“Let’s head back to the gardens,” Makeen said, moderating his tone. “Before Mother feeds your picnic feast to the birds.”

Bari sighed with much exaggeration. “There’s so much more to see.”

“Another day.”

“You always say that,” he said in a heavy sulk and headed off.

Makeen remained a moment longer. He stared at the small chimp, struggling to calm his heart. What was there to fear? He moved closer to the window and looked down at what the creature had drawn in the sand.

With its stick, it had scratched a series of numbers.

Makeen frowned. Clearly it was mimicking something it had seen. Still, a shudder passed through him. He remembered reading in the local newspaper about how quickly this chimp was growing, how it had escaped its first cage by stacking boxes to reach a grate. It had even fashioned a crude spear by chewing a tree branch to a sharpened point.