The Milestone Protocol by Ernest Dempsey (best books to read in your 20s txt) 📕

he’d heard of a group, the Fellowship of Thoth, that supposedly permeated everything in the world from wars to businesses and even to the rise and fall of nations.”

“A deep state,” Carolyn realized.

“Yes, the deepest. This shadow caste, as I’ve heard Sean refer to it, is easily dismissed by most. They call it a conspiracy theory or a harebrained notion from people who have too much free time and too little imagination. John couldn’t tell me much, and it sounds like he sincerely doesn’t know, but he said he always suspected that his election wasn’t won just by hard work, that it always felt like some other force was involved, swaying the minds of the people one way or the other.”

“The Hermetic Cult of Thoth,” Tara blurted. “We’ve studied them, not in depth but enough to know they’ve been around a long time.”

“Except I was under the impression they haven’t been doing anything for the last, oh I don’t know, few centuries?”

“Sean believes that they operate under guises, that they use other names—secret societies—to conduct their business. He claimed that the Illuminati, the Bilderbergs, and even the Thule Society and the Ahnenerbe were all part of the same bloodline—from the Cult of Thoth.”

“Ahnenerbe?” Tara asked, her voice suddenly distant.

“That’s one he mentioned, yes.”

Dak looked over at Tara and then at Alex.

“We had a run-in with them down in South America,” Dak said. “As far as we can tell, anyway. They didn’t show us a membership card.”

The last comment diffused a portion of the tension in the room.

“He’s right, though,” Tara said. “We thought the Ahnenerbe were extinct or defunct. No one has heard anything about them since the war.”

“Until we did,” Alex corrected.

“They were after that new element, right?” Helen asked.

“Quantium,” Tara answered. “Yes. And if I were a betting woman, I would wager that the two attempts to steal it from our lab was ordered by the Ahnenerbe…or rather, the Cult of Thoth.”

No one said anything, and the only sound came from the fireplace with an occasional crackle or pop.

“Do we know where Sean is right now?” Emily asked.

“Last we heard, Moscow,” Alex said. “There’s no telling now, knowing him.”

“True.”

“And Tommy is with him?” June asked, evident concern for her husband muting her voice.

“Last we heard.”

June looked relieved at the answer, but only slightly.

“Do we know what they’re up to?”

Alex filled the group in on what they knew, which wasn’t much. He and Tara had been dealing with their own issues.

Emily looked down at her watch. “It’s early morning hours over in Russia right now. I imagine they’re asleep. We’ll need to check in on them in the morning.”

“I’ll take first watch,” Dak said, biting back the weariness that tugged on his eyelids.

“I’ll join you,” Emily said. “Two pairs of eyes and ears are better than one. The rest of you get some sleep. If this cult was able to find you here, it’s a good bet they can find you again.”

“I’m sorry,” Carolyn said, “but do any of you know what this has to do with my boy and his friends?”

Tara fielded that one. “They sent Tommy a text message about an explosion at the cave they discovered. Best we can figure, someone tracked the message and flagged it. Then they sent a team to pick up the kids. Luckily, the children saw what they assumed were federal agents and got spooked. They ran away and called us.”

“Smart and brave kids,” Alex added. “We called Corin and Diego’s parents earlier to let them know they were okay and safe, having a cabin sleepover. Naturally, they were concerned, but when Tara spoke with them they felt better.”

The compliment regarding the kids sent a beam of pride through Carolyn’s face. There was also pain there, a struggle in her eyes that only a parent could feel knowing that their child was in danger.

“Good idea,” Mack said.

Carolyn took out her phone and stepped out of the room, walking into the hallway as she updated the other parents.

“What’s the plan?” Daniel asked bluntly. “You guys are talking about staying up all night to keep watch in case these goons send reinforcements, but we can’t stay here forever.”

Dak had the answer, or part of it. “You can use my cabin up in Tennessee, just past Chattanooga. It’s not much, but there’s enough room there for you, the kids, and Mack and Helen if they want.”

“We’ll be fine here,” Mack insisted.

“I’m sure you would be. This isn’t for your protection. It’s for theirs. They’ll need a couple of folks who are good with firearms, just in case.”

Helen and Joe looked at each other and acknowledged the suggestion with a nod.

“Okay,” Helen said. “We can do that. If you think that’s what’s best.”

Mack considered saying something about them being safe there at his cabin, but the attack had already disproved that notion.

“We’ll take good care of them,” Mack said.

“What are you going to do?” Carolyn asked.

Dak turned his gaze to June and Emily. “Well, I’m not sure what you two are up to later, but it might be a good idea if we locate Sean and Tommy. From the sound of it, they could use all the help they can get.”

32

Moscow

The night before had been a restless one for Sean. While he was glad to share the bed with his wife again, the things she’d told him were deeply troubling. She had confirmed that his and Tommy’s theory about the Cult of Thoth was correct. Adriana had even been impressed that they’d figured it out in pretty close detail. She’d heard his ideas about a shadow caste before and had wondered herself about the plausibility, given that the scope of the entire world being played seemed impossibly big.

He could see it didn’t make her feel better to confirm his fears, fears that had grown into a very real and present danger. On top of that, learning of Adriana’s family and the secret order they’d maintained over the centuries was both bewildering and, well,