Part 3 - In the beginning – Marcell

Marcel always wanted to live a pious life.
He grew up near the Abbey of St Benedict’s, was taught by it’s brothers and worshipped in it’s chapel. He often played in the grounds and volunteered his services to help in the gardens or the fields and when he was old enough he joined the Order.
Marcel had no theologian ambitions he was in love with his God and the atmosphere of the Abbey. Marcel loved the simple life. Marcel also loved to sing and every moment he had spare would be practising Gregorian chants with the other brothers or leading works songs in the fields picking the hops.


Sometimes Marcel singing rivaled St Francis of Assisi when came to calling on the birds and beasts

Marcel from his earliest memories wanted to live his life in the Monastery succumbing to a life of devotion.
The Lord blessed Marcel with the voice of an angel and sang every chance he could. Most times it had a calming effect on those around him.

Marcel was in the room leading singing practice the day James discovered the music room. Marcel was one of the brothers who discovered James and found the note clasped in his hand. Marcel hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to James since he had recovered and came back from the hospital, though he did intend to. The numbers and letters on the note which he read were tantalizing familiar to Marcel.



But when James played Marcel forgot all about the note and his heart filled with joy as the music James played entwined with his own voice to create something other-worldly. As James picked up a new instrument Marcel changed in pitch and tone in perfect synchronicity. It all came to a halt when James collapsed.
When it ended Marcel felt as if his heart had been squeezed.

Part 2 - In the beginning - James

James woke up in the Monastery one day and doesn’t remember how he got there. He was discovered unconscious on the Abbey grounds dressed only in jeans and
T-shirt- in his hand he grasped a piece of paper.
Written on the paper was an alpha-numerical codeT407R005B that seemed to be some sort of password.

He was taken for tests at the local hospital who found him in excellent health and with no reasoning for his condition or why he was unconscious to start with; his body was clean of any traces of narcotics.
When James eventually awoke some hours later he had no recollection of his past life. The brothers even left photos of him and details of where to find him with the local constabulary in case someone came inquiring.

Because he couldn’t remember his real name and he was found on the feast of St James the brothers started to call him by that name.
Due to his lost soul status the Order of St Benedict offered him shelter which James accepted wholeheartedly. After some adjustment James came to love his new home and the brothers who were kind and didn’t push for him to remember. James found the life of the Abbey and the Order tranquil and much to his liking.
But sometimes he felt as if someone or something was calling him, but he couldn’t quite catch who.
The voice and recognition of who it was always danced on the peripheral of his mind.
One day James stumbled upon the Abbey music room. The brothers were practising Gregorian Chants and the sound filled James with joy. He sat down at the piano and his fingers played along with the baritones then he added the melody line, soon both hands were dancing over the keys. The singers stopped to marvel, except one who followed and melded with James playing. James then picked up the violin and once again he played it like a virtuoso. James tried the cello, guitar and flute all with same result. James smiled at the singer and felt a tinge of familiarity he then fainted on the spot. When he was revived the Brothers proclaimed him a miracle and a gift from the Lord.
James for some unknown reason felt compelled to beg them to tell no one outside the Abbey.

Part 1 - In the beginning - David

David is hiding in the Monastery after stealing €500,000 worth of untraceable valuable stones from his employer Mr Blanc- a shady entrepreneur who dabbles in international conflict diamond smuggling.
There is now a contract on David’s head.
David did have a plan of escape – the only problem was – he formulated it while “off his head on acid”. This included hiding the stones in a locker somewhere.
Of course when he came down he had huge memory black outs of what he had done and these included where and what he did with the contraband and the key that released it..
All he has is a receipt with the writing:

Key 74071200– Locker 513.

The top of the receipt identifying the location had been ripped off.
When word had got out that David was responsible for the missing stones, Mr Blanc was furious that some lower level courier boy had stolen from him made it a high priority that David was wiped from the planet, whether he got back his diamonds or not.
David in a fit of panic thought of the least likely place Mr Blanc’s henchmen would find him.
David escaped to a Trappists Monastery in the French countryside The Abbey of the Righteous Order of St Benedict- where he was given sanctuary and he tried like mad to remember his Catholic upbringing.
David knew he would be safe living with the monks but wasn’t sure if death wasn’t a better option when boredom hit him an hour and a half after entering the grounds.
It wasn’t until he discovered the brewery that he found solace.
David liked home brew, David liked anything that gave him a buzz but he managed to find his chops working in the Monastery Brewery where he was forbidden to partake in excess amounts of tasting.
The brewery was a traditional operation and brought in much needed financial support for the Order by being a popular seller in the surrounding areas. It wasn’t long before David’s enterprising ways and the Order’s misguided trust in him led to David’s alternative business operations.
Of course a percentage always went back into the Monastery which was now his new home

Part 0 - Addis Ababa Airport Ethiopia

“Mister Blanc, it’s David, the professor has found it and told me to ring you as soon as I was on my way”
“Good. Now listen carefully. If anyone who may hinder your progress stops you along the way I want you to use the diamonds as a bribing tool. Understand?”
“Yes sir, what happens if I run out of diamonds?”
“Kill them, I want that red gem no matter what the cost”
“Yes sir mister Blanc. See you on Sunday”
Mister Blanc never saw David again.

Part 00 The North Western Ethiopia

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After the third near miss in less than a week, it started thinking to itself and wondering why these people call themselves professionals.
Heaven’s knows it was going to take some time to get this thing started as it was.
All of a sudden a bright red sparkle caught the eye of one of the archaeologists.
“That should get the ball rolling.”