The Ancient Gate Into Another World: An Arcadia Jones Mystery, #2

By Joshua Elliot James

Archaeology Professor Arcadia Jones returns in the latest action-packed mystery novella from Joshua Elliot James, a sizzling story of love, adventure and rescuing the world from Aliens dominating the Earth.  
The Antikythera mechanism which suddenly has come to live is the key that will unlock hidden secrets older than the world itself. Arcadia races against time to recover the artifact against overwhelming odds, and at great personal danger leading her to the ancient Greek island of Antikythera. There she discovers ancient unknown ruins, hidden deep within the recesses of an undiscovered cave. A mysterious figure steals the valuable artifact from her, leaving a trail of secrets behind. Arcadia discovers the deadly plot and together with her new found Love tries to stop those crazy and dangerous plans.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joshua Elliot James
• Release date: Mar 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781519931467

Book preview

Introduction

This is an Arcadia Jones Archaeological Mystery Thriller. All Arcadia Jones books can be read alone. They are complete stories but if you would like to read them in order, the following would be recommended:

Arcadia And The Traitor’s Tomb, Book 1

The Ancient Gate Into Another World, Book 2

The Perfect Killing Machine, Book 3

The Mysterious Dragon God Of Yonaguni, Book 4

The Ruby Red Eyed Beast, Book 5

The Stolen Da Vinci Manuscripts, Book 6

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PART 1:  ARCADIA  AND  THE  ANTIKYTHERA  MECHANISM

Chapter 1

Arcadia was at her desk cataloging the latest shipment of Atlantis when the phone rang. She had her long black hair tied up in a messy bun on top of her head and her glasses sliding down her nose. The first half of the day had been busy, and even as disheveled as she was, one could easily tell she was gorgeous.

She had a long white lab coat- stained with various hues of dirt and rust from the diverse array of artifacts she had processed today- over her blue blouse, beige skirt, and her most comfortable pair of work flats. She had simple oval-framed glasses over her gorgeous brown eyes, which she wore only for work and reading, and along her high cheekbones were a few light small sunspots on her otherwise glowing bronze skin.

It was a foreign number she didn’t recognize, and she answered it with suspicion and intrigue rising inside of her. You’ve reached the desk of Arcadia Jones, head of archaeology, Smithsonian Institute. How may I help you today? It was odd that anybody outside of the museum would have this number. She was certainly very interested to see what this was all about.

The voice that answered had a very thick Greek accent, and a poorly concealed excitement racing beneath its surface. She could feel the tension, even over the phone. Hello, Missus Jones-

It’s Miss, she corrected autonomously.

"My apologies, Miss Jones. My name is Alexandros Christopoulos. I’m the curator at the National Archeological Museum here in Athens. I’ve contacted you today because there is something... Well... I’m not quite sure how to explain it."

Now her interest was certainly piqued. Exploring the unexplainable was one of her favorite pass-times, next to dancing the Argentinian tango in high heeled red stilettos. That and riding horseback, like she used to do on the reservation. Well, Mr. Christopoulos, she struggled through his last name with impatience, Just take a moment and gather yourself, then start from the beginning.

There were a few deep breaths from the other end of the phone, and he cleared his throat. Ok, thank you for your patience and understanding Ms. Jones. I’m sorry I’m so distraught at the moment. It’s just... It’s unlike anything I have ever seen in my thirteen years of administering to this museum.

Now her heart began to beat more quickly. This sounded like it was to become yet another adventure. Go on... she said, a little timidly.

Well, I came in today like any other day and went to my office which sits behind the exhibit of a specific artifact you’ve written about at length-

She knew immediately. The Antikythera Mechanism, she answered.

Yes! It is one of the prizes of our collection here. Very well preserved and surrounded by mystery. It’s been rumored to be some type of rudimentary astronomical device, even an ancient analogue computer-

She interrupted, It was discovered in the Antikythera shipwreck in 1901 by Greek sponge divers. It was housed in a small wooden box containing the mechanism itself, and thirty bronze gears that we know of, the largest of which is one-hundred and forty millimeters in diameter and sporting two-hundred and twenty three teeth. The mechanism was found in 80 different pieces, only seven of which had inscriptions and gears. The technology the device implements is centuries advanced for the era it has been dated from. It astonished the whole international community of experts on the ancient world. Was it an astrolabe? Was it an orrery (a mechanical model of the solar system), or an astronomical clock, an existence evidence of time travel left by aliens? Or something else?

There was a brief silence from the other end of the phone. Then, You’ve done your homework, Miss Jones.

She gave a small exasperated laugh. It’s my job, Mr. Christopoulos. Now what is it about the artifact that you’ve called me for today?

"It’s... moving."

Arcadia froze. I’m sorry, sir, did you say it’s-

"Moving, yes!"

She had no idea how to respond for a while. Then she finally said, Moving... how, exactly?

The pieces are no longer in their individual displays, but they’ve fused together, and the gears are turning, all by themselves!

She was speechless.

That’s not all, though. The device... is... well... He fell silent.

It’s what? What is it doing?

"It’s... glowing."

Now she was silent. This was unlike anything she had ever encountered before. How could an ancient device made of nothing more than bronze gears, assemble itself, turn itself, and glow?

Alexandros continued, There are strange runes, glowing all over the pieces that didn’t have inscriptions on them before. The picture isn’t quite complete. They seem to tie into the visible Greek inscriptions. I’ve been studying them all day, but I can’t place them. That’s why I’ve called you. I would like to fly you out here so you can investigate, and help me figure out what’s happening here.

She didn’t know what to say. It could be incredibly dangerous. The device might have an extraterrestrial origin. It might be a weapon which was just now activating for the first time. Or... it could be a map that led to something incredible. Now her heart was bounding in her chest. This was exactly the type of mystery she lived to chase, why she had become an archaeologist when there were so many easier and more lucrative careers.

I’ll be on the first flight to Athens.

She hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

Chapter 2

She had left later that same afternoon, grabbed a single small bag’s worth of equipment from home, and then flown ten hours before landing in Athens. So when she arrived, with the time difference, it was early in the morning. She was exhausted from the first half of her days work and had slept very briefly on the flight. When she got off the plane a wave of heat and dust hit her exhausted body. And then, even in her groggy, under-rested state she realized she was being followed right away.

The first one she noticed had been keeping his eye on her all the way through the airport since she had been processed by Greek customs. He looked innocuous enough, if not for the fact that he was clearly trying to remain at an unnoticeable distance, and his occasional nods to the other followers that had tipped her off to their presence. They were all dressed in plain clothes, but shared a common crew-cut and clean shaven countenance. The one she’d noticed wore a ball-cap to keep his face and eyes concealed, and the other two were wearing dark glasses. She simply walked calmly, as if nothing were out of the ordinary, hoping not to alert them to her awareness of their presence.

Alexandros was there at the entrance waiting for her in tan slacks, and a grey short-sleeved polo as he had described to her on the phone before her departing flight in America. He was an older man, but in great shape, and no less handsome despite his age. She could tell he took pride in his physical fitness. He had short curly black hair with touches of gray matching those in his goatee.

Miss Jones? he called out to her approaching.

Yes, a pleasure Mr. Christo - she began, offering her hand.

Just call me Alexo, okay? he said, embracing it firmly. "I understand Alexandros Christopoulos is a real mouthful."

She smiled as she suppressed a laugh, despite her growing tension at being followed. Alexo, then. It’s a pleasure. You may call me Arcadia, sir. She continued walking out of the airport and he fell in behind her. She caught ball-cap nodding and his two buddies, the glasses twins, breaking into a trot to keep up in the reflection of the glass door.

The pleasure is all mine, Arcadia, he said catching up to her and returning her smile. It is a shame that I meet such a beautiful and intelligent woman under these dire and confusing circumstances.

"While I appreciate the compliment, Alexo, you might want to stow the flattery. Don’t look now, but we’re being followed."

The guys in the airport... he said with a slight nod over his shoulder. I noticed them. They look like Golden Dawn foot-soldier types.

You’ve dealt with them before?

Everyone in Greece has. They make up a large portion of parliament, and they are a rapidly growing and extremely aggressive political force here in the country. They operate on a platform of immigration reform.

They want immigrants to be represented and given citizenship?

They want them deported and barred, he spoke in a sober and sad tone. They give Nazi literature to new recruits, and openly profess that their goal is to keep the Greek race ‘clear.’

Arcadia was appalled. That’s disgusting... she said with a pause. There were neo-Nazis back in the states, and even plenty in her home state of New Mexico. She remembered reading in the news about two of such men who had branded a fellow Navajo man with a swastika on his forehead. We need to lose them, because I don’t want to find out why they’re here.

I agree, but I think I might already know. They’re after me. Right now the museum is heavily guarded, and they aren’t even letting public officials in, at my command. I wanted you to see what you could surmise first before I let an important political figure approach it, since it might be extremely dangerous. I understand you are also a scientist as well?

Arcadia nodded matter-of-factly, and said, I got my doctorate in archaeology, but I also took post-graduate courses in biology, chemistry and physics.

You are too modest, Arcadia. I’ve studied up on you; you’re also a respected mathematician!

She couldn’t help but blush a little. One needs to be in order to make advancements in quantum mechanics, sir.

What’s with this ‘sir’ stuff? Do I look that old? he asked leading her around a corner, then, suddenly pressed his back against it pushing her back with him. He gave her a quick shushing gesture then waited, silent as the grave, as the three followers passed into view. He moved with sudden and unexpected ferocity. He grabbed the two on the ends’ heads and then brought them together on either side of the third guy’s