Page 85 of Dark Chains: First Link
"Imagine billions of people whose entire belief system is based on the existence of an invisible creator god, or no god at all, or that the creator god has several earthly manifestations, suddenly confronted with proof that aliens created their world. That the real gods were flesh and blood and left behind physical evidence of their advanced, alien technology. The chaos that would follow would destabilize governments, fracture societies, and create wonderful upheaval that would play right into the Brotherhood's hands. We would emerge like a phoenix from the ashes of the world they would burn down in their despair."
Hocken and Hazok, who had been watching the exchange like spectators at a verbal ping-pong match, both leaned forward, their eyes shining with excitement. They loved the image he had painted in their minds, and hopefully, so had Kolhood.
But perhaps that was too much to hope for.
Kolhood shook his head. "If our father had something like that, he would have used it years ago. He wouldn't have just sat on it for thousands of years."
"He absolutely would until the time was right," Losham said. "Our father is a brilliant strategist with an impeccable sense of timing."
"If he had physical proof that the gods existed, he would have shared it with us. Why hide such an important weapon?"
"As it turns out, our father hid many things from us." Losham didn't need to feign the bitterness in his voice. "He must have his reasons."
Kolhood's expression said that he wasn't buying it, but he couldn't disprove it. The beauty of the story was that it was unfalsifiable. No one could verify what Navuh had or hadn't stored in the basement until the excavation reached the chamber, and by then, Losham would have a different set of problems to manage.
"Our father is a complicated male," Losham added. "He's unpredictable and very difficult to work with."
That was true, and the truth was always the best seasoning for a lie. It made everything around it taste more credible.
The three brothers exchanged glances, and as Losham watched the silent communication, it was clear that Hocken and Hazok had bought the story, but Kolhood was still skeptical.
Two out of three was not bad.
Kolhood pushed back from the table and stood. "I'm running out of patience, Losham."
"We have no choice but to be patient." Losham lifted his hands in the air. "The excavation proceeds as fast as safety allows."
Kolhood held his gaze for a moment, then turned and walked toward the door, with Hocken and Hazok following.
As the door closed behind them, Losham let out a breath. "One more round in the boxing ring done."
The bedroom door opened, and Rami walked in, looking worried. "May I speak freely, my lord?"
Losham nodded, rose from the table, and motioned for Rami to follow him to the bar area, where he turned on the faucet. They had swept the suite for listening devices, removing everythingthat had been installed there to monitor the guests, but in case someone was using a listening device from across the street, the sound of running water would muffle their conversation.
Rami understood immediately. "What would you like to drink, my lord?" he said in a casual tone.
"A cup of tea would be nice."
They stood close to each other beside the bar, and Rami looked flushed. What did he want to talk about that made him so uncomfortable?
"What is it?" Losham asked quietly.
Rami filled the electric kettle with water. "You are buying time. The stories you tell them are clever, but they are just stories. The artifacts cover is not going to last. Once the excavation reaches the chamber and they see what's actually there, whatever it is, the fiction collapses."
"I'll deal with that when it happens."
"How? You don't have an army at your back. Kolhood does."
Rami was right, and Losham knew it.
"Dave is doing the compulsion rounds," Losham said. "The warriors are being conditioned to support my leadership."
"That's a temporary fix, if it is a fix at all. The Eight are not powerful enough to compel the entire army, even if they do it slowly over time. By the time they reach a thousand warriors, the compulsion will start to fade on the first hundred. With all due respect to Dave's ability, they are not the solution."
"Then what would you suggest?"
Rami poured the boiling water over a tea bag and set the cup in front of Losham. "Leave," Rami said. "Get away from this place while you still can. You amassed a fortune for yourself during your years in America, and your investments are still producing profits for you. You could live like a king, not beholden to anyone."
