01 Babylon Rising Read Online Free

can’t resist. I know you too well. You’ll go back at him; you can’t stop yourself. And this time … heh-heh-heh, your curiosity’s going to get the cat to kill
you
for sure.”
    Murphy looked at the knife in his hand and was tempted, but he folded it back and pocketed it.
    “Ooh, ever the good Boy Scout, Murphy. Going to make it a fair fight.”
    Murphy shook his head as he walked over to the pole nearest the downed lion. “No, Methuselah, not exactly fair, but I can live with it. I’d never kill that lion any more than I’d kill you tonight, and Lord knows you’ve given me more pause for thought than he has. But that won’t stop me from taking advantage of him when I get the chance.”
    He picked up the heavy bag that was weighting down the nearest pole. He needed both arms to hoist it, but his bleeding shoulder made him shout with pain, and he almost dropped the bag on his foot. Instead, he dragged the bag over to where the lion was still tearing at the rope netting that hopelessly tangled his paws.
    “This is definitely going to hurt you more than it hurts me,” Murphy grunted, and he dropped the heavy bag right on the lion’s head. The lion dropped in an unconscious heap.
    Murphy watched the stilled beast take several shallow breaths before he reached slowly for the leather cord that held the red tube to its neck. He held his own breath and yanked the tube free of the lion’s mane.
    He grasped his prize. It was so light, he feared it was empty. “What gives here, Methuselah? This better be something besides a cigar.”
    At first, Methuselah did not say anything in response. Then the metal door rolled up. “You won, Murphy, now get out. Enjoy your spoils of this war on your own time. However, I will tell you these three things, because a warrior in victory does deserve some respect. First, like I told you, this one is hot, really hot.”
    “Hot as in stolen?”
    “Never mind how I got it. Like the others I’ve given you, there’s no angry owner going to come hunting you. But there is somebody who will want to come after you once they know you have it. I don’t know who they are or why they’re so interested, but I cover my tracks very well, as you know, and I’ve picked up several hints that somebody is desperate to get this, and will stop at nothing—and I mean nothing—to get it.”
    “But get what? What’s in here?”
    “That’s the second thing. The tube doesn’t have the artifact. The tube has the key to finding the artifact. And what the key is and what the artifact is you’ll have to figure out for yourself. But I think you’re maybe one of a handful of peoplealive who can figure it out. And I also know that if you do figure it out, it will get you the find of your life. If you live.”
    “But Daniel, it’s got something to do with Daniel?” Murphy was getting exasperated now.
    “That’s number three, and then that’s all I’ll say. The connection’s not going to be obvious to you, but I swear to you, I’m certain it’s the real thing, and it will make you the reigning king of your precious Bible circle. I guarantee it. Now get out.”
    “Come on, Methuselah, you can’t leave me hanging like this. What is it?”
    “Can and will, Murphy. Get out. I’m a sore loser and you know it.”
    Wincing with one last painful look over his wounded shoulder at the lion, Murphy walked toward the door, clutching the tube tightly. “Good-bye, then, you crazy coot. And thank you, I guess.”
    Just before Murphy was through the doorway, Methuselah growled, “Murphy, don’t get overconfident with your Bible-boy heroics. I’m telling you to be careful with this one. If somebody’s going to kill you, I want it to be me in one of our little contests.”
    Murphy looked up at the platform. “Ever the sentimentalist, Methuselah. Thanks for the warning, but so far, the way I’m scoring, it’s Christians one, lions zero.”

TWO
    Babylon, 604 B.C .
    THE SCREAM PIERCED the Babylonian