Domain. - Domain. Part 42
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Domain. Part 42

I don't understand- It is not for you to understand. The destiny of your species is still being written. The portal is opening, the Death God and his legion preparing to make the journey across time and space. Tezcatilpoca continues the process of acclimating your world, while the two evil ones harbored within his vessel exert their influence upon your people. They must be stopped. Even now, weapons of mass destruction have been unleashed upon your world, brother threatening brother.

What can I do?

You are Hunaphu. You have the ability to access Guardian's array. This will forestall the end, but only the destruction of Tezcatilpoca and the Black Road-Xibalba Be-can prevent the wicked ones from passing through to your world.

The Black Road-where will its entrance materialize?

The porthole to Xibalba Be will ascend on four Ahau, three Kankin. Only a Hunahpu can enter. Only a Hunahpu can expel the evil from your garden and save your species from annihilation.

You're speaking in riddles. Where is this porthole? Is it aboard that spaceship in the Gulf? Am I supposed to go back inside? And how am I supposed to destroy it?

The porthole will come to you. Use the array to destroy Tezcatilpoca, then enter the porthole. The two evil ones will come forward to challenge you. They will attempt to prevent you from sealing the portal before He arrives.

And if I seal the portal?

Then the two Under Lords shall be vanquished from your world, allowing your species to evolve. Succeed-and two destinies shall await you. Fail-and both our people will perish.

What do you mean, two destinies await me?

Should the time come, then you will know.

What about Dominique? Is she Hunahpu?

She is part of a greater destiny, but she is not Hunahpu. Do not allow her to enter Xibalba Be, or she will destroy you both.

Dominique is seated on the floor of the chamber, her back to the alien marble tub, her head in her hands. She is scared and alone, her exhausted mind engaged in a nonstop tug-of-war between reality and denial.

This isn't real. None of this is happening. It's all pan of some schizophrenic delusion...

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

She jumps to her feet. "Accept the fact that you're here and do something about it. Find a way out-" She walks out of the chamber, then returns, frantic. "No, Mick needs me. I have to wait here."

She bangs on the side of the open sarcophagus again, uncertain of whether Mick is alive or had been vaporized by the neon blue light.

"Mick, can you hear me? God dammit, Mick, answer me!"

Her tears flow, her heart aching. Selfish bitch, you never told him you loved him. You could have given him that. Just because you've denied yourself, doesn't mean...

"My God . . ." She leans back against the granite tomb at the sudden revelation. I love him. I really do love him.

She kicks the side of the granite tub again. "Mick! Can you hear me-"

The sudden burst from an invisible force field knocks her sideways, as a brilliant blue light brightens the entire onion-shaped chamber.

From the tub rises the dark silhouette of a figure. It stands, rising out of the open sarcophagus as if floating, its features enveloped within the alien light.

It is Mick.

Mick is ascending within a sea of energy, moving toward the source of the light. He can feel every muscle, every cell within his body tingling with electricity as he is drawn upward, his soul bathed in intense waves of warmth and love.

The image of Guardian's hand reaches out to him.

Mick extends his arm, his hand embracing the offered palm.

Dominique shields her eyes, forcing herself to stare at the light. She sees the outline of Mick's arm extend upward as if he is reaching for something.

Zap! The invisible wall of energy slams into her like a tidal wave, lifting her up and off of her feet as it sends ripples of electric currents sizzling through her brain. She drops to the floor, her eyes widening as she attempts to focus on the angelic figure.

Mick is now suspended above the floor, his right hand extended.

A roar of hydraulics, as the myriad of high-tech machinery reveals itself all around her. The walls and ceiling are humming, glowing brightly, as the starship's generators power up. Beneath her feet, she sees a labyrinth of computer circuitry glittering beyond the dark, glasslike floor.

A deep thrumming sound builds, the vibration tickling her ears-and then a heavenly wave of blue energy ripples outward from the walls to the domed ceiling, and then straight up into the central chimneylike orifice.

The colossal electromagnetic wave of energy pulsates upward through the central wall of the Kukulcan pyramid, continuing through the roof of the temple via an alien antenna before dispersing outward in every direction at the speed of light.

Racing west, the surge saturates the ancient city of Teotihuacan, powering on an extraterrestrial relay station buried half a mile beneath the enormous Pyramid of the Sun. Continuing its journey across the Pacific Ocean, the charged wave reaches Cambodia, igniting an identical transmitting device hidden deep below the Temple of Angkor Wat.

To the east, the beacon has reached the Andes Mountains. Passing through the geology, it reflects off a long-dormant antenna buried beneath the ancient celestial observatory known as the Kalasasaya, redirected to the south, racing toward the ice-laden continent of Antarctica. Buried beneath tons of snow is another alien relay antenna, the instrument erected during a time when the polar terrain had been void of ice.

Meanwhile, the northeastern-bound ripple of the electromagnetic tsunami crosses the Atlantic to England, the force of the signal causing the mighty sarsans of Stonehenge to tremble. Concealed deep within this rolling hillside of Salisbury is yet another alien antenna.

Having encircled the planet in seconds, the highly charged energy field converges from all directions upon the oldest of the Guardian's relay stations- the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Waves of energy penetrate the limestone block, passing through the King's Chamber and the hollowed-out brown block of granite identical to the sarcophagus within the Kukulkan pyramid. Moving deeper, the beacon activates an alien apparatus hidden well below the Egyptian superstructure, a place where no human has ever been.

In a blink of a nanosecond, the global array is complete, the planet's atmosphere saturated, sealed within a powerful alien energy grid.

Mick drops to the ground, unconscious.

North American Aerospace Defense Command NORAD Colorado One hundred and seven frightened technicians stare at the large overhead computerized map of northern America, which depicts the real-time trajectories of more than fifteen hundred Russian nuclear and biological missiles. Most personnel weep openly as they huddle in prayer groups, grasping pictures of their loved ones who, unknowingly, are just minutes away from death. Others, too numb to stand, lie on the floor beneath their workstations and wait for the unimaginable to happen.

Commander in Chief General Andre Moreau wipes back tears, struggling to refrain from calling his son and daughter living in Los Angeles. What could I tell them? What could I possibly say? That I love them? That I'm sorry...?

Ninety Seconds to Impact: A wail rises from the Command Center, the sound of the computerized female voice causing General Moreau's legs to fail him. He collapses into the seat of his chair.

And then, as if by magic, the missiles suddenly disappear from the giant screen.

Incoming Missiles Destroyed-Incoming Missiles Destroyed- Screams and cheers. Moreau looks up. Giddy technicians are pointing, yelling, hugging, weeping, as a wave of euphoria spreads throughout the facility.

Moreau struggles to his feet, tears pouring from his eyes, his voice a strained rasp as he calls for a systems analysis.

Two exuberant operators and a senior commander compete tor his attention.

"Systems are all on-line!"

"What happened to the missiles?"

"According to our data, they simply self-destructed."

"I want confirmation."

"We're attempting to confirm with our bases in Florida and San Diego, but a dense wave of electromagnetic interference is jamming all communications."

"An EMP?" Fear grips Commander Moreau's intestines. "There shouldn't be any electromagnetic interference, Major, unless there's been a nuclear fallout?"

"No, sir, there's been no fallout. Our ground-based missile warning sites confirm no detonations of any kind. Whatever's causing this interference is coming from another source."

"Where? I want to know-"

"Sir, we're attempting to pinpoint the origin of the interference, but it's going to take some time. Our satellites don't seem to be functioning properly."

"General!" A technician looks up, a baffled expression on his face. "Sir, our missiles were destroyed as well."

"You mean they self-destructed."

"No, sir. I mean they were destroyed."

Raven Rock Underground Command Center Maryland 2:31 a.m.

Personnel within the subterranean command center are silently hugging and weeping, their exuberant emotions held in check by a feeling of sorrow as news of the president's death and the losses in Alaska and Hawaii spread through the facility.

Pierre Borgia, General Fecondo, and Dick Przystas huddle within the president's private office, listening intently to General Doroshow at STRAT-COM command.

"What I'm telling you, gentlemen, is that Grozny's missiles did not self-destruct. It was some kind of electromagnetic force field that disabled Russia's ICBMs, as well as our own."

"What's the source of the interference?" Borgia asks.

"Still unknown, but whatever it is, it's shut down every satellite we have in orbit. It's like God got pissed off and threw a blanket on top of the entire planet."

Beneath the Kukulcan Pyramid "Mick, can you hear me?" Dominique caresses his head in her lap, stroking his hair. She feels him stir. "Mick?"

He opens his eyes. "Dom?"

She pulls his face to hers, kissing and hugging him. "God dammit, Mick, you scared the hell out of me."

"What happened?"

"Don't you remember? You rose out of that sarcophagus like some kind of Mayan ghost and activated this vessel."

Mick sits up and looks around. Alien circuit boards and control stations pulsate with power behind the tinted glasslike walls and flooring. Waves of electric blue energy ripple upward every few seconds along the walls and cathedral ceiling, disappearing up through the chimneylike orifice overhead.

"I did this?"

Dominique stifles his question with her lips. "I love you."

He smiles. "I love you."

Chapter 24.

DECEMBER 15, 2012.

ABOARD THE USS BOONE.

GULF OF MEXICO.

Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery's stomach is still a bit queasy from the early-morning helicopter ride. Crossing the warship's deck, he follows the ensign into the superstructure, then through tight corridors leading to the captain's briefing room.

Seated at a small conference table are Vice President Ennis Chaney, General Joseph Fecondo, and Captain Loos.

The men stand as the judge removes his Bible. He nods to Chaney. "Looks to me like you didn't get much sleep either. You ready?"

"Let's get this over with." He places his left hand on the Bible and raises his right hand. "I, Ennis William Chaney, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God."

"And may God help us all."

A lieutenant enters. "General Fecondo, the Ranger team's on board. The choppers are ready when you are."

Kukulcan Pyramid Chichen Itza Mick leads Dominique through a small corridor which dead-ends at a sealed passage. As they near, the door hisses open, allowing them entry into an airtight lockout chamber.

"This is the way out."

"How do you know?" she asks.

"I don't know. I just do."

"But there's nothing here?"

"Watch." Mick places his hand against a dark keypad situated against the far wall. The frame of a large circular door instantly materializes along the metallic hull.

"Jesus ... I suppose you don't know how you did that either?"

"Guardian must have implanted the knowledge into my subconscious. I just have no idea when he did it-or how."

The outer-hull door opens, revealing a narrow passage cut within the bedrock of limestone. Mick turns on his flashlight, and they exit, the starship's door sealing shut behind them.

The shoulder-width corridor is pitch-dark, the air heavy with humidity. The beam from Mick's light reveals the narrow steps of a steep, circular stairwell rising through the limestone at a near-vertical angle.

He reaches back and takes her hand. "Be careful, it's slippery."

It takes them fifteen minutes to reach the summit, the twisting climb dead-ending at a ceiling constructed of polished white metal.