Staff Dominion: A Relic Hunter Thriller (Treasures of the Ark Book 2) Read online

  Staff Dominion: A Relic Hunter Thriller

  Treasures of the Ark #1

  Neena Roth

  Text copyright © 2021 by Neena Roth

  www.NeenaRoth.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission from the author. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  Contents

  Aaron’s Staff

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Deception

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Defiance

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Desecration

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Destruction

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  A Note from Neena

  Convergent Revolution: Sample

  33. Episode 1: What If…

  34. Episode 2: Fearful Dreams

  35. Episode 3: Joshua’s Mission

  So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them.

  — Numbers 17:6 (NIV)

  Prologue

  Kneph, Egypt—Three Days Ago

  Children froze mid-play to watch him stride down the street. Dust bulged around each step, like a man riding in on a storm. Their young years didn’t shield them from the purpose surrounding him—his destiny. Wariness filled their eyes and fear propelled them home to the safety of their parents’ arms. But they’d soon see his true power and clamor for his favor.

  He remembered this village, had played here as a child. And now Kneph would play a key part in revealing his true destiny. The one destined to be his at birth, yet denied him.

  Until now. Because he possessed the staff of Aaron.

  Its power pulsed through him, beckoning him for release, driving him to find the one who needed what it had to offer. The staff knew his desire, fed his need, just as he fed the staff’s. Each time he wielded its power, they became more united…inseparable.

  A woman darted out of a small house and stood in the doorway like a barricade. Didn’t she understand? Didn’t she know he came to save her son?

  “Where is he?” Even he could hear the force in his voice that caused her fear to grow. He said it again, softer this time the growing vibration of the staff. His heart beat louder in his chest like a cacophony of war drums.

  He pushed the woman aside. A young boy lay on a cot. His sickly pallor matched the pale covering over his slight form. Sunken eyes surrounded by dark circles stared back. Death huddled near.

  The living force of the staff pulsed in tune with the man’s heartbeat. So close, so close…

  He stood in the middle of the simple house, surrounded by power. His senses overloaded.

  The woman ran to her son, a soft cry slipped from her trembling lips. She shook her head as she grabbed the boy and held him against her. Terror filled her eyes.

  The room shifted and jarred into a juxtaposed reality. The woman’s form doubled then blurred. As her two parts reunited, her expression spewed cruel accusations from a familiar face from his past.

  He slammed his eyes shut, head turned away. Blinking, he dared to look again. Not real. Lies. He would not listen to the falsehoods of the past attacking him.

  The woman appeared as before, fear-ridden and still clutching the boy, her lips moving as she spoke into his ear. Words of comfort most likely. Surely she must see that he held the promise of life for her child.

  This was his destiny. His time. He focused his mind.

  The power vibrated down his body to his feet. He knelt, fingers outstretched to the child. Doubts regarding his purpose attacked him again, but determination grew stronger. Resolute, he pushed the fabric aside laid his hand on the boy’s chest.

  Light burst out from the staff in a familiar yet silent explosion. Just as before, but the power unleashed each time seemed to increase. Just as it did now.

  Fear tried to overtake him as he felt himself start to lose control. He grasped the staff with both hands. Power rumbled up his arms and shoulders in a violent torrent. The force of the staff stretched beyond his mind and control. He squinted his eyes against the blinding light as a roar filled his ears to a deafening pitch until he realized his own scream had melded with it.

  The surge stopped, like a flick of some supernatural switch.

  He gasped and fell to his knees.

  Darkness, filth, unworthy…

  No, this can’t be. His destiny said otherwise. He’d fought to regain dominance but failed. He released the staff—released his feeble attempt to control its power. Now lifeless, it lay on the ground, taunting him with temptation.

  An eerie stillness reached his ears and tormented his soul. Had he failed again? He lifted the staff from the ground and rose to his feet. He stood in the doorway. Outside, bodies lay everywhere. Children no longer played.

  He turned around to look behind him. The boy crouched next to the inert form of his mother, no longer sickly, but healed. Full of life.

  And fear.

  “I’m sorry.” He clutched the staff to his chest, determined to continue trying until he got it right.

  Sometimes destiny came with a price.

  His would be blood.

  Chapter One

  El-Minya, Egypt

  Nichole Strauss tossed her work gloves into the back of the pickup truck and smacked her hands against her jeans. A cloud of dust floated from her hips, joining the powdery coating on her boots. One more night in a tent and then back to Cairo and a hot shower.

  Just in time for lunch. Her stomach growled as a confirmation.

  Despite their meager resources, she admired how these people endured. Somehow their semi-nomadic lifestyle had kept them alive for generations. Until recent months. Drought now threatened their very existence. That, and the growing communities crowding access to the Nile. She prayed the well they just drilled would be the answer to their needs without diminishing their traditions. Thanks to the Strauss Foundation’s partnership with Jaensen Investment Group, the people here would soon see desert land converted to large-scale farming.

  And if the new investors came on board for the Clean Water & Farm Project, they’d have a solid infrastructure started by this time next year. Which reminded her—she better call Robin tonight and see where things were on that end. Plans needed to be made and contracts signed.

  Twenty yards away, Jerad shook hands with the foreman. Both held the satisfied look of a goal accomplished. Half a dozen local workers stood nearby, smiling and laughing. The first gurgle of water never ceased to evoke joy and triumph. Her father would’ve been proud. The
melancholy she carried over his death had become a constant companion over the last year. At least now she could think of him without breaking into a torrent of tears.

  Jerad left the group, heading in her direction. She loved his swagger and easy smile. Contracting for the Strauss Foundation suited him. And her. As their official, on-staff environmental scientist, Jerad Nebal’s skills, coupled with her archeological expertise, presented a unique safety factor that most countries found trustworthy. The Strauss Foundation had never received so many requests for aid as they had in the last six months.

  Nichole snagged her engagement ring from her pocket and put it back on her finger. Perched on the tailgate, she admired how the modest diamond twinkled in the late afternoon sun.

  “You’re gonna lose that thing if you keep carrying it around.” Jerad leaned against the side of the truck next to her.

  She reached out and ran her fingers through his hair above his ear. The sunlight gave his nearly black hair silk-like sheen. “I waited five years for this ring. What makes you think I’ll let it out of my sight?”

  Holding her hand, he kissed her finger by the ring before pressing dusty lips to hers. The smell of dirt and sweat coated him, but she didn’t mind. The degenerative nature of Jerad’s seizures made every moment matter. The aftereffects of Soren Umberber’s poison may still be wreaking havoc with their lives, but nothing would separate them again. She’d see to that.

  His smile faded to a look of puzzlement as he stared at something over her shoulder. She twisted around to get a better view. A sandy plume approached from the distance. Much too small for a dust storm, but certainly large enough for a vehicle. The brown, swirling mass mixed with the vibration of a rumbling motor drew closer. A Jeep emerged from the cloud of dust.

  Nichole shielded her eyes from the lowering sun. “Please tell me this isn’t another one of those hecklers.”

  “Don’t worry about it. The well’s finished.” He glanced at the small group of children nearby, their play poor camouflage for the intense curiosity feeding their bravery. “You’d think we’d just installed a swimming pool.”

  “Can you imagine what they’d do if they saw one?”

  A shout came from the direction of the newly completed well. The Jeep edged away from the workers and continued toward them. Nichole hopped to the ground. “I bet you a steak dinner it’s a reporter.”

  “Good thing we’re not in India right now, cuz you’re gonna lose.”

  Even with the intended humor of his words, his serious tone stopped her short. What did he sense that she couldn’t see? She picked up her pace when she recognized the black clothing of the two men climbing out of the dirt-coated Jeep.

  Nichole didn’t break her stride until she barreled into Achem Mizrahi’s outstretched arms. “Never expected to see you here.” Memories of her father flooded her in an instant. In her mind, Achem and her father had become inseparable in some ways.

  She stepped back, frowning. “Why are you here?”

  A concerned smile broke Achem’s stern features as he gestured to the man with him. “You remember Liran Dakarai, my second-in-command?”

  The young man’s face seemed familiar despite her reluctant recall of their last encounter with Soren Umberger. Thankfully any damage Soren’s genetically modified superseed caused had been reversed or prevented, and the Strauss Foundation hadn’t suffered by association when Umberger-Broadman Biotechnology declared bankruptcy.

  And the Natsar had receded back into anonymity with the gold manna jar in their possession, never to cause the world harm again. She hoped so anyway. Maybe one day the manna jar could be used for good. Maybe even the Ark too.

  “Yes. Good to see you again, Liran.”

  Hands behind his back, he nodded at her with a hint of a smile that didn’t quite reach his dark eyes. His apparent shyness and wavy, dark brown hair gave him an almost boyish appearance. He had to be younger than she and Jerad.

  Jerad shook each of the men’s hands. “Glad to see you both, but I don’t get the feeling you two came for a social visit.”

  An inquisitive expression draped the Achem’s face. “I see you still have the discerning gift the jar left you.”

  “Yes, among other things.” He shot a glance at Nichole.

  Nichole locked stares with Jerad as she entwined her fingers with his.

  Achem moved closer. “No change?”

  Jerad pursued his lips and shook his head.

  Nichole squeezed his hand. “We’re going to see a doctor in New York next month. I’m sure he can help.” She detested seeing the doubt in Jerad’s eyes whenever she mentioned their trip.

  He let go of her hand. “So, what brings you our way? Interested in learning how to drill a well?”

  “A noble cause, to say the least, but unfortunately we’ve come to warn you.” Liran’s quiet demeanor did nothing to diminish the deep rumble of his voice, which in light of his youthful appearance, took her by surprise.

  He hadn’t spoken when they’d met briefly in the midst of the turmoil last year. No way she’d forget a deep and melodic voice like his with just a lilt of the Egyptian cadence she’d grown accustomed to.

  She darted her gaze between the two men. “Warn us about what?”

  This time Achem spoke. “There’s been a plague outbreak in the next village. We knew you were here and wanted to make sure you weren’t planning anything in the area.”

  Jerad frowned. “Bubonic?”

  “No, they don’t know for sure, only that there have been several outbreaks in the last six months in outlying areas and it’s more deadly than anything they’ve seen.”

  Nichole took a step closer to them. “I appreciate the warning, but why are you two involved?”

  Liran looked to Achem as an unspoken dialogue flitted between them.

  Achem’s eyes seemed to darken, contrasting even more with his near-white hair. “There’s rumors of a man coming into these communities just before the outbreaks.”

  Jerad shrugged. “It’s just been our regular crew here. You think this man is the one spreading the disease?”

  “Not him directly, but what he carries. A staff.” Achem pulled his shoulders back, giving him a taller appearance as if to carry the gravity of what he was sharing.

  The heat of the day did nothing to stop the chill running down her body. Her vision of Achem holding the staff had haunted her dreams more frequently in recent weeks. Along with the other dream of a mystery man on a stage and drums beating in the background. “A staff? You think it’s the…?”

  Achem nodded. “Yes, the staff of Aaron.”

  “If you’re right, then why? What does he have to gain? Is he just killing people for fun?” Her words tumbled out with the force of the injustice she felt hitting the core of her being.

  “We weren’t sure until this last incident. Something different happened. A young boy who was dying not only survived but appears to be healed. We’re on our way to investigate.”

  “Where?” Jerad tossed his gloves into the back of their truck.

  “A small Coptic village called Kneph.”

  Jerad furrowed his brow. “Can we come with you?”

  Achem took a couple steps closer to Jerad. His eyes glittered like a man driven to a higher purpose. “The manna jar had the power of provision. The staff could very well have a special power of its own.”

  Nichole lowered her chin as her gaze focused to a narrow pinpoint on Achem. “Like what?”

  “Healing. The staff of Aaron has many mysteries surrounding it, some true, some not. We will soon find out.” His gaze now shifted and settled on Jerad.

  A pregnant silence followed Achem’s words and flooded the space between them. Nichole’s shriveling hope jolted to new life. Could this be why the dreams had intensified? Did she dare to hope God would do such a thing for Jerad? Heal him?

  Jerad clasped her hand and searched her face. An inner battle waged behind his green eyes. “We could head out early. Be there by mid-mo
rning and still get back to the hotel according to plan.”

  She tucked her doubts into a deep crevice for later review. Jerad clearly needed to do this. She wanted this. “Let’s do it.”

  “I must warn you, I have no idea what we may be walking into.” Achem’s remark brought all focus back to him.

  Puzzled in expression, Liran closed the gap between him and Achem. “Then why—

  Achem jerked his arm out, palm flat, signaling Liran to silence.

  The volley between them made her antsy. She’d known Achem long enough to understand how deeply his wisdom connected to his faith. Yet, the obvious discord between him and Liran—did Achem doubt his choice of second-in-command?

  Jerad’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Must be stronger than that to bring you all this way.” He gestured toward the village behind them. “Our camp is on the other side. There’s room if you two want to bunk here for the night.”

  “Your hospitality honors us. We’ll head out first thing in the morning.” Achem bowed his head, then walked toward his Jeep. Liran strode next to him, body stiff. No doubt an argument brewed there.

  Jerad faced her. “I wouldn’t call a dusty tent much in the way of hospitality.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Hospitality is deeply steeped in Judaism.”

  He trailed a finger down her cheek and sported a grin that lit up his green eyes. “I don’t want to get your hopes up.”