Map of Bones/Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Cryptography

July 25, 6:23 P.M.
Rome, Italy

I need pen and paper, said Grey. Gray immediately contacted Sigma command. Meanwhile, Rachel calls for two cars. Painter tells him that Seichan called and saying She is playing both of two groups. She had stolen intel from Raoul. Painter advises him that this Seichan person could be more dangerous than the entire Dragon Court. She spoke rather cryptically and gave a passage to read. It was discovered by the Dragon Court]] in Egypt, content that initiated everything.

When the full moon mates with the sun, Its born eldest.

What is it? Where it drowns,

It floats in darkness and stares to the lost king.

What is it?

The Twin waits for water,

But will be burned by bone by bone upon the altar. What is it?

Gray, and everyone were perplexed.

Monk turns to Vigor for information. Vigor recalls the phrase “what is it” as repeated in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The Papyrus of Ani, to be exact. In Hebrew, manna. The passages are not from the Book of the Dead. Vigor turns to Gray, saying the Dragon Court discovered this in Egypt only months ago. Vigor talks t Rachel. There was recently chaos in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and an altert through Interpol was discovered, and allowed the Carabinieri TPC to know. The Supreme Council of Egypt of Antiquities began a painstaking process in 2004 of emptying the basement ot the Egyptian Museum prioer to renovation. When they opened the basement, they discovered over 100,000 artifacts, a dumping ground that was all but forgotten. Estimates said 5 years to catalog it all. Numerous items were to be catalogued. One of the items catalogued came from a collection of Abd el-Latif, an esteemed fifteeneth-century Egyptian physician and explorer who lived in Cairo. In his collection, preserved in a bronze chest, was a fourteenth-century illuminated copy of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, a complete rendering of the Papyrus of Ani. It was stolen, likely by someone at least in their employ. Vigor then reveals, he has solved the puzzle. The full moon mating with the sun. Vesica Pisces.

8;02 P.M.
They left. Vigor insisted alternate transportation. Taking the bus, the group, Rachel, Gray, Monk, and Kat discussed what to do. The Vesica Pisces, or Vessel of the Fieshes, is an important symbol in Christianity. The first one. The images lead to the Catacombs of Saint Callistus.

7:32 P.M.
Vigor knew they were on the right track. He guided the others through Porta San Sebastian. Kat Bryant absorbed every inkling of knowledge Vigor exhumed. They were on the Appian Way. They had to walk as it was getting dark. They had come to the subterrnean cemetery. The caretaker they knew. Giuseppe was a personal friend who knew both Vigor and his niece. They entered the cemetary and it was one of the oldest. Walking through dark corridors, they reached a modest crypt painted with a typical early Christian motif: The Good Shepherd; Christ with a lamb carried on his shoulders. Vigor states this is what “we came to find.”

8:10 P.M.
Gray approached. Frescos were on all the walls. One was symbolic of the first Eucharistic meal. Fish, bread, and wine. It also represented the miracle of the fishes. They see the first fish direction of it was facing. It was further in the galleries. A search found the Magi, with the Virgin Mary on a throne with Christ child on her lap. The Three Magi. “The real question is, why did these ancient alchemists lead us here?” Gray said. “To this particular depiction of the Magi. As Monk mentioned, you can’t turn a corner in Italy without running into these kings. So why this fresco in particular?” A stanza had mentioned a lost king, a fourth magi. The Gray headed back to the Grypt of Lucina, and the answer of a question could be in the third stanza. Use the bones ot find the tomb.

2:22 P.M.
Painter Crowe woke up with a knock to his door. It was Logan Gregory. He had taken a run and made himself look worn out. Logan briefs him on what has happened so far.

Painter drifts slowly into sleep. However, something nagging in his mind. Not even Sean McKnight knew everything. Gray had mentioend a leak. He opened his eyes. It couldn't be.

8:22 P.M.
Back at the Crypt of Lucina, Gray stood by the second fresco with the fish. He needed to solve the riddle. The twin was the meaningful word. Didymus was the word in Greek and Thomas in Hebrew. Didymus Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, one who was in conflict with John, and the one who baptized the Magi. One thing was Moses strike the rock. Thoughts later, it was a key. Things had to quote them. St Peter's Basilica built atop a rock. Above Saint Peter's tomb. The Rock of the Churgch. And a fire will light the rock. Gray sensed the truth. The bones were the key, and the tomb was the lock. That s where the Dragon Court will head next. Vigor provides horrifying news. That night at dusk, a memorial service for the tragedy in Cologne wi th mass at sunset. Thousands will be in attendance.