The Project 01 - White Jade

same as you find in Crete . "
    Selena looked up at the symbol of the double axe carved on the pillars outside the temple.
    " This is what the book was talking about. I never thought I would see it in this part of the world. "
    " It ' s a long way from the Aegean Sea . "
    The interior of the building was in gloom. There was something large in the middle of the chamber, a shape Carter couldn ' t quite make out.
    " What more does the book say, Selena? Are there further directions? "
    " After the part about the labrys there ' s a warning. Don ' t go in there, bad things will happen and only the initiated can pass. Pretty standard stuff. "
    " That would be priests? "
    " Priests or cult members. There may be traps to prevent intruders from getting very far. The book warns that the pursuit of life will lead to death. Very dramatic. "
    " Yeah, and not very helpful. " Ronnie looked up at the steep pyramid roof rising into the cold Tibetan sky.
    " The text says only those who see the vision of the great bird will be able to pass. That ' s pretty much it, from what I ' ve been able to translate. "
    Carter looked at the axes on the entrance columns and the g aruda carved over the entrance. " The vision of the great bird. Must be referring to the garuda again. What does that mean? "
    " It could be anything. The words could refer to spiritual vision. Or not. "
    They stepped into the temple. The pyramid ceiling had gaps and looked like it might be ready to fall at any moment . The floor was set with smooth, dressed stone. It was quiet and freezing cold. They clicked on their lights. Double-headed axes carved in stone lined the walls all the way around the room, spaced about ten feet apart and roughly the same height from the floor.
    Dominating the center of the room was a towering statue of the garuda, standing almost thirty feet high. There were traces of color where it had been painted in red, yellow and silver. Radiating outward from the base were four deep channels cut into the floor. Carter thought they might mark the four directions. A quick glance at his GPS confirmed it. The head of the bird faced east , toward the direction of the rising sun.
    The detail on the statue was carved with a master ' s skill. Every feather of the great wings looked ready to ripple in the wind. A huge serpent writhed in agony beneath its claws. The fearsome beak gaped open and the bird sat half back on its haunches, wings spread wide, head tilted back, ready to lift into the air. It looked alive. It looked dangerous.
    Sun shone through an East facing opening in the roof, painting the feet of the statue in a narrow patch of light.
    " I don ' t see anything except that statue. " Nick set his pack down on the floor. The pain in his back had settled to a dull throbbing. He put it out of his mind.
    " There has to be a hidden entrance into the cavern below. " Selena shone her light around the dark interior. " We should look for some irregularity in the walls, or maybe the floor. "
    They began searching for something out of the ordinary. Nick inspected the base of the statue while Selena and Ronnie made a slow circuit of the walls. They covered t he floor. Time passed. T hey didn't find anything. No hidden doors. No openings in the floor.
    The sun worked its way up the statue, illuminating the ancient carving. Suddenly the eyes of the garuda glinted golden as the sun struck them.
    " Why are the eyes shining like that? " Ronnie walked toward the statue and peered up at the bird ' s head. " It looks like they might be made of gold. I want a closer look. " He climbed the back of the idol until he reached the level of the eyes.
    " What do you see? "
    " Pretty sure it ' s gold. Wait a minute. There ' s an opening here. "
    He placed his flashlight behind the bird ' s head. Two intense streams of light beamed out of the golden eyes and illuminated one of the carved axes circling the room.
    " Look at that! " Nick said . " How did they get the light to focus like that? "
    " The vision of the great bird, " Selena said.
    " You think it ' s that simple? "
    " I don't know. "
    Ronnie climbed down and dusted himself off. They walked over to the wall and looked up at the labrys pinpointed by the eyes of the bird. It looked like all the others, one of many.
    " How do we get up there? " she asked.
    " I ' ll boost you up, " Ronnie said. " See if there ' s anything unusual about that axe. "
    Selena stood on his shoulders, bracing herself against the wall as Ronnie