Chapter fifty eight
The Alignment
And when the dragon’s tail is gone Man forgets and smiles and carries on. To apply himself – too late
For mankind has earned deserved fate.
Mother Shipton 1488-1561
Christopher Golde
Date: 18th April 2002 Location: Central Australia
Jason watched as the Cessna twin-prop touched down on the rich red Central Australian soil of the Ayres Rock Airport runway. Once the aircraft had completed its landing, it taxied back to within twenty yards of Jason’s four-wheel drive and the engines toned down as the props began to slow.
Moments later a side door opened and a small staircase dropped down to within inches of the red dust of the desert floor. The first to alight was a tall balding man with sunglasses, short sleeve white shirt, black tie and labels on his shoulders.
Soon as his feet touched the ground, he turned, offering his hand to a woman with long black hair, red billowing dress and spectacular, long, shapely legs, who stepped cautiously out onto the top stair.
Jason could not see her face through the hair, but he knew Julie’s stunning figure anywhere. Once down on the red dirt of the airstrip, she stopped to talk to the balding man, her hair and loose skirt wrapping about her in the wind still generated by the slowing propellers of the aircraft. The bald man escorted her wide of the wing to avoid any danger, then pointed in the direction of Jason. She looked up and smiled; Jason waved to her. He began walking toward her and when they met halfway he embraced her warmly.
He had only seen her once since her abduction and that time she had been in hospital recovering and in a challenged state both physically and mentally. He was very relieved to see how she had recovered physically. He hoped mentally she had coped just as well. He knew he would soon find out.
“Welcome to Ayres Rock my dear, have an exciting flight?”
“What are you doing to me, I was scared stiff. You know I don’t like flying in anything much smaller than a jumbo jet.”
She laughed and he laughed and then he threw an arm around her waist.
“Come on, let’s get out of the heat and you can tell me all about it.”
“You can tell me why you dragged me out here first,” she said, as they walked towards the car.
Jason looked back at the aircraft and saw that the bald man had unloaded two suitcases from the plane and was now pulling them across the tarmac towards them. Once at the car, Jason opened the driver's side door first and reached in starting the engine so that the car would cool down inside quicker with the air conditioner on. He then went round to the front passenger door and opened it for Julie, before going to the rear of the vehicle to open the tailgate. The balding man arrived at that moment, sweating profusely and handed Jason one of the suitcases.
“Thanks, Jim,” said Jason, as he took over the baggage. “You don’t have to wait around; we’ll stay here tonight and catch a commercial flight home tomorrow.”
“Okay Mr King,” said the pilot appreciatively, as he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping the sweat from around the edges of his scalp and then his neck, “see you when you get back to Cairns.”
“No worries.”
With that Jason waved to the retreating pilot and returned to the four-wheel drive, placing Julie’s cases in the back. Jumping into the driver's seat Jason looked at Julie who was airing her face in front of the vent that billowed cool air into the cabin.
“Feeling the heat yet?”
“Are you kidding,” she said, waving her hand like a fan in front of her face?
Jason looked at her and smiled as he put the car into gear. ‘She was definitely back to her stunning self’ he thought, admiring her perfectly manicured bright red fingernails, lightly dusted smooth complexion, long silky legs and perfectly painted matching toenails protruding from the delicate straps of her designer sandals.
“So you want to know why I asked you to come here,” he started as if teasing her.
“Well I haven’t seen you since the hospital and that was at least three months ago and then all of a sudden, I get a call from you telling me to pack bags for an overnighter and you will send someone to pick me up in two hours, and on top of all that, make sure I bring hiking attire.”
She looked at him as matter-of-factly.
“I don’t even own any hiking attire, as you will no doubt not be surprised. So I rushed out to buy a hiking outfit, which I might add, have very limited fashion accessories, and next thing I’m landing at Ayres Rock. Not to mention, that I was not warned that I would be flying in a little coffin all the way out here,” she paused, but only briefly. “So yes, I would like to know why.”
“I’m happy to see you too,” he said, smiling.
“Of course darling,” she said, softening and putting her perfectly manicured hand on his shoulder, “I’m always excited to see you too, why do you think I would drop everything and come running blindly whenever you call?”
‘That’s true,” he said, turning to flash a glance at her while he drove.
‘Oh how I miss looking at her,’ he thought.
“Sorry I have been neglecting you lately,” he continued “too absorbed in this quest, I didn’t even realize it had been three months. How’s the newspaper business," he paused "and how are you?”
She didn't answer immediately and he felt the hand on her arm tighten slightly.
“News is the news and it goes on even if I am not there, but to be honest, it’s hard for me to concentrate at the moment."
He glanced again at her. She looked sad.
"And not having you around or even knowing where on earth you are...” she paused, and he interrupted.
“Sorry, I have been distracted lately, but you are right I should have been there for you, especially after what you have been through. Hopefully, I’ll be back soon; I hope.”
They hadn’t been driving long when Julie noticed they were approaching the massive colossus of ‘The Rock’.
"Wow," she said, "it looks amazing."
At its base, where they were heading, was what looked like the white sails of an ocean yacht race.
“That’s the motel we’re staying at,” said Jason, pointing at the sails, “cool isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it looks so beautiful.”
The Ayres Rock Motel was built not only to lend itself to the pristine desert setting but also to make the guests feel cool in the above forty degree Celsius temperatures common at the rock. Among the many unique features that it boasted, were the eco-friendly and self-sustainability attributes of every aspect of its operation. The hotel itself was a postcard moment, even without the natural rock monolith it sat alongside.
Jason had decided to wait until they were settled in their rooms before he would tell her exactly why they were there.
They arrived at the area marked reception and Jason checked in Julie's bags and got her room key. After delivering her to her suite he returned to his own room and waited.
He did not wait long and there was soon a soft knock at the door. When he opened it, Julie stood there arms spread.
“What do you think?”
She had put on her hiking gear and Jason was just amazed. She was fully equipped with long pants, light full arm-length blouse, good durable boots and yet still, she looked like she was about to step out onto a catwalk.
“As always,” he said smiling, standing aside to allow her to enter, “perfection.”
She just smiled and paraded past him, swaying her hips teasingly. He nodded his head slowly and closed the door behind her.
“Have a seat,” he offered, but already she had dived onto the bed, bouncing playfully. He smiled.
“So what is this big adventure you have for us today, not anything like Sydney I hope,” she said, with genuine fear. Those memories were still all too fresh in her mind.
“Hopefully not,” he said, “and although I could have done this on my own, I wanted a witness and frankly, I don’t trust too many people and your journalistic skills may come in helpful. Apart from that, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
He blushed, and she thought to herself that she couldn’t ever recall seeing Jason King blush.
“Okay, then tell me,” she said to rescue him from himself.
He pulled a chair towards the bed and sat down.
“I have never told anyone this before, but when I was in the monastery in Tibet, I was told of a place that was supposedly a part of my destiny. Not only that, but I was told I should visit this place as soon as possible. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you, but I guess at the time, it was all new and a bit too mystical to be believable. Well, after we came back to Australia, I came out here to Central Australia to see for myself.”
“So Ayres Rock was where you were told to come,” she interrupted?
“Well sort of, there’s other sacred Aboriginal grounds near here and the people that sort of live near there, are the caretakers of the rock. It was that tribe I was told I had to find.”
“I see, so what happened then?”
“Well, when I arrived at the local reservation I was informed that I would not be permitted to enter, as I didn't have a permit. As usual, I followed my instincts and went to the place described to me by the monk at the monastery where you wouldn’t believe it, I met an ancient Aboriginal warrior who goes by the name of Albert Armstrong. It was really quite amazing and when I met him, it was as if he had been expecting me.”
She looked at him smiling.
“I know all this seems bazaar…”
“No, I’m not smiling that way,” she said, putting her hand on his knee, “I haven’t known you for long Jason King, but I think you are a very special person and nothing would ever surprise me when it involved you.”
“Well,” he continued, feeling much better because she was so understanding, “he took me to see a cave painting and told me that the monks from Tibet had come all that way years before asking to see it. In this painting, a hooded dark figure is standing next to a small billabong talking to some of Albert’s aboriginal ancestors. In the water of the Billabong, stands a white man, the monks believe is me, or a reincarnation of me, and behind them was a burning bush and behind that, Uluru, which is Ayres Rock. He said that Uluru was the heart of his land and a rock of great magic. On closer examination of the painting later, I noticed that around Ayres Rock in the drawing, were numbers that amazingly enough were Egyptian numerals.”
Jason paused.
“And…” Julie prompted.
“But that’s not all,” he continued, not answering her directly, “I did some research of my own and finally came to the conclusion the numerals represented a date,” Jason’s face was alive with enthusiasm. Julie had never seen him quite like this before, “not only is today the date I believe is on the painting, but today is the day that all the planets in our solar system come into near-perfect alignment.”
He waited expectantly for her reaction.
“Amazing coincidence don’t you think,” he prompted her for a reaction.
“I guess,” Julie started to say, trying to look like she could see it his way, “but what does it all mean?”
“I haven’t got a foggy,” he said bluntly, “but it must mean something. To add to that, Albert told me that the prophecy passed down from his elders is that a white man with green eyes will come to the rock, awakening the Rainbow Serpent and saving his people from extinction.”
“I assume you believe you are the aforesaid ’white man,” she said mockingly but with a smile.
He looked at her a bit embarrassed. She came to his rescue.
“So what do we do?”
“Go to the rock I guess.”
“Okay then let’s go.”
Jason recovered from his embarrassment immediately and beamed at her like an excited child. They both got up. Jason grabbed the camera.
“Wait,” he said, “you’ll need this.”
He was holding in his hand a can of ‘Aerogard’ insect repellent.
“Hold your breath and close your eyes.”
As she did, he sprayed her all over, then himself then sneezed.
“Okay we’re ready, just grab my hat.”
With that, they left for Uluru.
As they walked out of the motel towards the walking track, Jason noticed a commotion up ahead and one person ran past them in the opposite direction. Moments later, a police four-wheel-drive went by heading towards the rock.
“Something’s happening,” said Jason, to his beautiful companion, hope in his tone of voice.
As they got closer, he noticed a group of people gathered around two police officers. One who was talking hysterically was a distraught woman with blonde hair. Jason went up to an aboriginal man standing at the fringe of the group.
“Excuse me,” he said, “what’s going on mate?”
The aboriginal, who was obviously a local, seemed to recognize Jason.
“Hey brother, how are you,” he asked with a local accent?
“Good brother, good, what’s happening,” asked Jason, returning the familiarity, even though he didn’t remember him?
“Some little girl, she’s lost; dat be de mother getting all upset.”
“That’s bad eh, what are they going to do?”
“Dey puddin togedda a search pardy now.”
“Thanks, brother,” Jason said with a smile and turned to walk back to Julie.
“No worries brother,” returned the aboriginal, turning to look into Jason’s eyes with a knowing expression and a big grin. His decaying white teeth flashed in the sunlight and he held out a weathered, cracked, large hand for Jason to accept.
Jason shook the aboriginals hand warmly and went back to Julie.
“A little girl is lost, come on let’s go,” he said, grabbing her hand.
“Where?”
“This has something to do with why we are here, I can tell.”
“What,” she said, as he dragged her along?
“You didn’t say anything about a lost little girl.”
“No, but I know this is no coincidence.”
They walked quickly past the crowd that was building and headed up the track towards the rock. As they got closer, the rock towered overhead and the crowd was left far behind. Jason looked about and seeing no-one was in view of them, veered off the main track, dragging Julie along behind him.
“Where are you going,” she objected, though already too out of breath to put up much resistance? “The signs say to keep to the track.”
“We have a meeting with destiny,” he said, without missing a step, “but we need to get out of sight first.”
They had soon dropped out of sight of the main walking track and were rounding a corner of the monolith when Jason suddenly stopped.
“My god, this is it,” he exclaimed!
Julie appreciated the break and breathed heavily. She could feel the scorching sun biting into her bare skin.
“My god it’s hot,” she said, looking about for some shade. “What exactly is it?”
“I’ve been here before.”
“When? Did you come here last time?”
“No, I’ve never actually been here, but I have seen it before, you know, de-Ja-Vu, that sort of thing.”
“Oh,” she said, unconvinced this was where they should be at all.
“Come on, we have to get to a cave that is up here further.”
“What cave, I can’t see a cave?”
“You can’t see it; I just know it’s up ahead in that ravine.”
He grabbed her hand, but this time he did not race. As he walked, he looked about, scouring the landscape. Closer to the rock, the vegetation was bushy and rather green, especially compared to the rest of the surrounding land. After about another five minutes of walking, Jason suddenly stopped.
“There it is!”
Julie looked in front of them and sure enough, in the overhanging folds of the big red monolith, she could see the darkness that did look like a cave. Jason pointed to a tree in front of the cave that was larger than most of the surrounding bush.
“And that’s the tree,” he said, as if amazed, “it’s the same type of tree that was in the cave drawing and I feel like I’ve been right here before.”
“So what do we do now,” Julie asked, wiping her brow?
“We wait, I guess, do you want to get some shade in the cave?”
“As long as there are no beasties in there; are you coming too?”
“No, I have to wait here, it was from this angle,” he said, not taking his eyes off the tree.
“Then I’m staying here,” she pouted.
They waited patiently and he finally talked her into sitting on the ground by taking his shirt off and putting it down for her. He also gave her his hat and stood under the blazing sun naked from the waist up, never taking his eyes off the tree for a moment. Julie could see that the wound in his side had healed, two distinct scars joined by a fine line, where the Chinese doctor had obviously opened the wound.
After an hour, she was wondering just how much more she could endure, when it happened.
Jason spun around and said, “Listen!”
Julie concentrated but could hear nothing, then it dawned on her, ‘absolutely nothing’. Not a bird, not a fly, not a sound. The bush had fallen unearthly silent. Jason suddenly looked up and she followed his gaze. The sky was changing colour dramatically. The blue had become red, then orange, then bright, bright white, so white it was blinding. They had to look down, but then Jason pointed at the tree.
All he said was, “The bush!”
Julie looked at the bush and it was as if it were on fire. She sat still and Jason walked closer. The bush seemed to burn, but not with any ordinary flame, it was as if it sparkled. The absolute silence was suddenly broken, as they heard a strange synthetic sought of voice that seemed to come from the direction of the tree.
“You are the chosen,” the voice announced, carefully and robotically “the numbers you need to follow to save your people are 196-56-462-64. You will find them on the rock!”
Then there was silence. The light paled and the tree returned to normal. The sky melted to blue. Again there was not a single noise. Jason stood absolutely still, staring at the bush. Slowly, familiar noises returned to their ears and Jason turned to look at Julie, his eyes wide and very green. A smile slowly consumed his face.
“Was that not worth waiting for,” he said, as he walked over to her?
Julie was still sitting, wondering what it was she had just witnessed. He laughed, reaching for her hands and pulled her up slowly till she was standing. He gave her a hug and then picked up his shirt dusting it off.
“Was that not amazing,” he continued, putting on his shirt?
All she could say was “But what….”
“Come,” he cut her off, “we have to find the message.”
She looked at him not understanding.
“The message on the rock, it will be here somewhere.”
They walked over to the tree. It looked normal. Jason headed for the cave looking about the ground. Julie followed.
Once at the entrance to the cave, Jason said with surprise,
“Julie, quick, come here.”
She shuffled over as quick as her reluctant legs would carry her and when she was close to Jason, she heard him saying something, but just couldn’t make it out. He seemed to be talking to himself, or, somebody else. Then, she saw the little girl and Jason knelt down and picked her up. She had been sitting on a rock with her eyes covered. When she lifted her head to look at Jason, Julie could see she was crying.
Jason cradled her gently, as the little girl sobbed laying her head on his shoulder. Julie noticed that Jason still seemed to be staring at the rock where the little girl had been sitting and walked up behind him. When she got to them, she looked into the little girl’s tearful face and stroked gently her soft brown hair.
“You okay darling,” she asked softly? The little girl nodded her head without lifting it from Jason’s shoulder.
Julie came around to face Jason and saw that he was still looking down at the ground. She followed his gaze.
“Jason,” she exclaimed! “That’s incredible!”
The rock the little girl had been seated on when Jason found her, appeared to be a piece of Uluru broken away. The flat smooth surface facing them was engraved or etched somehow with the numbers:
196-56-462-64.
Jason looked at Julie.
“Well, we found it, or I should say she found it.”
“Yes, I guess she did,” said Julie, as if mesmerized.
“Come,” said Jason, “we’d better get her back to her mum.”
Jason started to walk, then stopped. With his free hand, he took his camera from his pocket and snapped a picture of the stone. Julie nodded, clasped his free hand that had the camera in it and they walked back in the direction of the track.
And so it was, that the next day on the front of every newspaper in Australia, and even in some international newspapers, was the story of the finding of a lost little girl at Ayres Rock, in the red centre of Australia, by billionaire, reclusive businessman, Jason King and his companion and reporter Julie Pierce.
In most papers, there were pictures of Jason, Julie, and the little girl and in some, even the tree and the cave where they had found her. A much smaller news piece, seemingly unrelated, ran in the later pages of some of the local papers, about a voice that interfered with local communications networks, including radio and TV, in the remote area of Central Australia, on the same day the little girl had been found.
People reported a strange voice interfering with their programs and coming over their radios and there were even reports of strange lights coming down out of the sky.
Nothing much ever came of these reports, as they were drowned out by the more thrilling story of the little girl's rescue. There had been, however, one small consequence of the strange phenomenon and that had been a phone call from Australia to Japan the following day. The call was from a Japanese tour bus operator who had been sitting at Ayres Rock listening to the radio while he waited for his entourage of tourists to return.
“Cousin Ieko,” the tour operator had said to his wealthy cousin in Japan, “I have something you may be interested in hearing about.”