The Cydonia Objective (Morpheus Initiative 03) Read Online Free PDF Page A

destroyed a planet-sized body out beyond Mars, leaving the current asteroid belt."
    "And something else," Caleb whispered, pointing again to the triangle. "It's almost as if this is saying that conflict created Mars itself, and yet…"
    "That's not right," Montross said. "The myth could even read that Mars the planet acted as Marduk and influenced Tiamat into some kind of collision, if you believe cosmic catastrophic proponents like Immanuel Velikovsky. But it may have been something else, and its destruction may have created—what, a civilization on Mars?"
    "Or its moons," Caleb said thoughtfully. "Depending on how long ago we're talking, we know Mars had abundant water—oceans and polar ice—millennia ago. But also, its moons—Phobos and Deimos—are highly unusual, with irregular orbits, perplexing lunar craters and other inconsistencies. As recent as the '60s, some scientists seriously considered the conclusion that they were hollow. Artificial."
    Montross smiled suddenly, pointing to the two scepters of Marduk. "Phobos and Deimos. Translation from the Greek: Fear and terror ."  He sighed. "Whatever this is telling us, can we contemplate it later?  Nina's got to be after us by now, and we're no closer to getting out of here."
    Alexander shifted awkwardly, glancing at the dark passage behind them. "What about going back? Finding the upward shaft and climbing up to the Great Pyramid?  I think I saw a way in there."
    "And then what?" Montross snapped. "Just waltz out the main door?  They'd be on us in seconds."
    "We could wait it out?  Hide inside the pyramid somewhere."
    Caleb shook his head. "Not with Nina out there. And especially not if her… kids show up."
    "You mean your kids," Montross said with a lopsided grin. Then he added, "So it seems I'm blessed with even more nephews, huh?"
    Caleb looked away. Reached for Alexander and squeezed his shoulders reassuringly. "I don't know what to think about them yet. But I've gotten some visions, and I'm… worried."
    Alexander nodded. "I've been seeing them too. For a long time, I think. Without knowing who they were or why I was seeing them. I wonder, were they glimpsing me too?"
    "Probably," Caleb said. "If they're as good as you."
    "Again," Montross said, his voice rising. "Can we proceed?  I say we move on ahead, scout out where this infernal labyrinth winds up. There has to be another exit."
    "Tell that to the minotaur," Alexander said.
    Caleb glanced toward the darkness. "This may be it, and there's no other way out. The path of the initiate was from the Sphinx to the Great Pyramid. Everything else is mere confusion and more tests of the candidate's resolve."
    Montross stared at the shadows ahead of them. "No. There's something else. Another way out. I've seen it. Come along, I know the way."
    Caleb lingered for a moment, glancing one more time at the dragon, focusing on the spear embedded in its skull. He reached out and before he knew he was doing it, he touched the image. Traced the dragon's scales, then after a slight hesitation, put his finger on the raised markings of the lance.
    Nothing happened. With a sigh, a mixture of relief and regret, he was about to start after his son and his brother when a question suddenly popped into his head, and the resulting psychic trigger knocked him flat.
    Where is that spear now?
     
    #
    The Theban Legion, six thousand strong, stands at the ready in a rocky valley between snow-capped peaks, with a sprawling mountain range at their backs. A light snow falls from a hazy, dark mass of clouds obscuring any sign of the late afternoon sun. Heads high, eyes skyward, the legion stands defiant, motionless until their leader steps forward to meet the regal figure leading a larger force of centurions toward them. The thundering steeds strain to break into a rout and plunge into the midst of the legionnaires.
    But one horseman raises a hand and the entire force comes to a stop. Garbed in a purple cloak, with a crown of gold on his