The Project 02 - The Lance

the future?"
    " That's different."
    " How is it different?"
    " Well, you can't pick up a dream. It's not an object."
    " Yes, but it's still mystical somehow. How can you know things that haven't happened yet?"
    " I don't know that. I just get images of things that later turn out to be connected to something in my life."
    Harker tapped her pen on a glass.
    "This is all very interesting, but it doesn't get us any closer to finding out who's behind the Jerusalem bombing, or why Arslanian was killed."
    "W e should be able to figure it out," Nick said. "At least some of it. The documents and the diary say there's a Nazi plan for after the war, 'Parsifal'. Arslanian found out about it and they killed him. The plan must be active and someone is following it. Dysart mentioned Parsifal, so we know he's involved."
    Harker set her pen down. "Yes, but he's taking orders from someone else."
    " Dysart and whoever 'commands' him knew about the Lance." Nick looked at the others. "The Lance was hidden in 1945. The only people who could have known that were the Nazis in Himmler's secret Council. Maybe the Council kept going after the war and Dysart is one of them. If he is, someone in the Council could command him."
    " You think a secret SS Order is still in business?" Harker picked up her pen.
    " It would explain a lot. If they are, we'd better find out what the hell they're planning."

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

    The thirteen members of the Council sat at a large round table made of dark oak. The Grand Master sat in a wooden armchair like the others, the only distinction being that his chair was upholstered in black. The others were brown. The wooden box recovered from Antarctica rested on the table before him. The lid bore a golden wreath and a large swastika of solid gold set with hundreds of diamonds. The diamonds glittered in the light of the overhead chandelier.
    General Dysart sat on the right of the Grand Master. Next to him was Eric Reinhardt. He was the son of SS General Dieter Reinhardt, the man who had hidden the Lance in the last months of the war.
    Reinhardt had come to America with his mother in 1948. The money concealed by his father in Switzerland had provided the capital needed to start his business ventures. Now almost seventy years old, Reinhardt had built an industrial empire. He was one of America's largest defense contractors. His company had developed the new explosive that had brought down the Mosque in Jerusalem. His device had led to the hidden base in Antarctica.
    Two of the members of the Council, like Reinhardt, had been born into families of SS officers who had made their way into the United States in the years after the war. The others were from families of deep cover agents known only to Himmler and a few of the original Council, placed in America before the war had begun.
    All were dedicated to the SS philosophy; annihilation of the Jews, purification of the race and loyalty to the cause of Aryan supremacy and it's leader. All had attended the best American universities and colleges. All had risen to the top of their respective professions. They represented the success of Himmler's plan, if not yet the culmination.
    PARSIFAL.
    No one would have thought there was anything unusual about this gathering, if they had bothered to pay attention. It was common for these powerful men to meet for a social evening of cards and drinks. Everyone knew that. It was even dubbed "The Movers' Club" by the media.
    The Council had been gathered for over an hour. The Grand Master addressed the group.
    "Everything is now in place." He placed his hand on the box containing the Lance. "The Holy Spear is in our possession. Our success is assured. Events are going well in the Middle East. The Muslims are convinced the Jews destroyed al-Aqsa. They are preparing to attack. The Jews argue among themselves. They are likely to launch a preemptive strike, provoking an even greater response."
    The Grand Master turned to Dysart.
    "It's time to begin the next phase. Is everything ready?"
    "Yes. The warhead will detonate on the Jew Sabbath. Our analysis indicates full-scale escalation within 24 hours. This isn't 1967. The Jews will be defeated. This time, the Angel of Death won't be passing over."
    There were smiles and chuckles all around the table.
    Dysart went on. "Intelligence after the blast will point to Iran. The Jews are certain to retaliate but it will be too late."
    "What about the oil fields?"
    "None of our scenarios indicate more