"You say Suzama gives exact dates as to the births of these various avatars," I say. "Yet the solar calendar was not used in ancientEgyptuntil two thousandb.c. Suzama surely must have used a lunar calendar when presenting her dates. How did you translate one to the other?"
"No translation was necessary. The dates are not expressed in terms of a lunar calendar but a solar one."
I am disappointed in his answer." But you realize as an archeologist how unlikely that is. It almost certainly means the scripture you have found is either from a much later period,or that it is fake."
Dr. Seter is not dissuaded."As an archeologist I was surprised she predicted the birth of these masters in terms of a solar calendar and not a lunar one. Yet if we accept as true her profound intuition, then we must also accept that she would understand that in the future her lunar calendar would not be used. Actually, at least to my mind, the fact that she did not use a lunar calendar supports her claims."
"Did she mention any other avatars besides the three you mentioned?"I ask.
Dr. Seter hesitates. "Yes. But she says they are of a different line."
"Does she mentionIsisfor example?"
Dr. Seter is taken aback. "I did not discuss that in any of my books. But, yes, it is true, Suzama was a high priestess of a group that worshippedIsis." He pauses. "May I ask why you ask that question?"
"We can talk about it another time," I say and quickly sit down.Seymourleans over and speaks in myear.
"You're drawing attention to yourself," he warns.
"Only enough to make him want to meet me afterward," I reply.
"Do you think he's telling the truth?"
"He is definitely convinced he is telling the truth. There is not a shred of deceit in him." I pause. "But that is not the same as saying he is right. Far from it."
There followed dozens of questions.
"How did Suzama describe California ?"
Answer "At the other end of the great continent across the ocean, where the sun always shines."
"What kind of family was Christ reborn into?"
Answer"A poor broken family."
"What nationality will the Christ be?"
Answer"Brown skinned."
A lot of people didntlike that answer. Of course it would have made me chuckle, except Paula's baby had brown skin, like his mother.
Toward the end there was one question that disturbed me, or rather, Dr. Seter's answer did. He was askedi f the reborn Christ was in any danger, as an infant. Dr. Seter hesitated long before responding. Clearly the Suzama text contained a warning of some kind.
"Yes," he says finally. "Suzama states that the forces of darkness will bend even the will of the righteous to try to find the child and destroy him. She further states that it is the duty of the old and powerful to help locate the child and protect him."
My hand is up in an instant.
"Does Suzama describe the form these forces of darkness will take?" I ask.
He pauses. "No. Not really."
It is the first lie he has told all night. Curious.
The old and powerful?
Who on the planet is older and more powerful than I am?
2
Itis my desire to have coffee with Dr. Donald Seter this very night, and to increase my chances of success I sendSeymouraway. He's only too happy to try to catch a late movie in Westwood.Seymour, I feel, may hold me back because I plan to reach the esteemed doctor through the son,James Seter. Picking up a copy of Dr. Seter's book, The Secret of Suzama,on the back table for a mere twenty bucks, I stroll over to where bright-faced James is saying good-bye to people. He stands near the exit and thanks people for coming. Such a nice young man,with a firm handshake, no less. He lights up when he sees me.
"Alisa," he says."Your questions were very interesting."
"You remember my name. I am flattered." I pause. "I am perhaps a little older than I look,and a little more educated I have made a thorough study of ancientEgypt, and would enjoy chatting with you and your father about the Suzama scripture."
He doesn't take me seriously. "I'm sure that would be fun and informative, but my father has to catch a plane forSan Franciscotomorrow morning early."
I catch his eye, put an ounce of heat behind my words. "Maybe you could talk to him about me. He expressed an interest in my knowledge of Suzama's connection toIsis."
James blinks a few times. He must have a strong will; he does not immediately jump at my suggestion.
"I could talk to him. But as you can see he is not as young as he once was. I worry about tiring him unnecessarily."
I do not want to push James too hard.There is always the possibility I might damage him in some way. Since my rebirth as a vampire, I have found the power in my eyes particularly biting. I use it in small doses. But I do not want Dr. Seter to just walk away. I decide to let a portion of my ancient knowledge drop, but in the form of a lie. Making a drama of it, I pull James Seter aside and speak in hushed tones.
"Your Suzama scripture is not the only one in existence," I say. "I have another one, but I think it is different.I would be happy to trade information with your father."
James pauses a moment to take this all in. "You can't be serious?"
I speak evenly. "But I am. If your father will meet with me, I would be happy to talk to him about it." I pause. "He will know within a minute whether I have discovered something authentic."
"He will want to question you before spending time with you."
I shake my head. "I will not talk here about what I have found. But please assure your father that I'm not a crackpot."
"Where do you want to meet?"
"There's a coffee shop three blocks from the ocean nearOcean Avenueand the freeway. I can meet you there in, say, half an hour."
That is the coffee shop where my beloved Ray came back to me, where he in fact returned to life. He appeared just after I shot two men to death after they'd tried to rape me. I was covered with a fine spray of blood at the time, a fitting ornament for dark delusions. I have not been back to the coffee shop since, but for some perverse reason I want to go there tonight. Maybe another phantom will appear to spice up my life. Yet I hope not. The pain of the last one is still an open wound for me. Just the thought of Ray fills me with sorrow. James is studying me.