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Excerpt from:
The Return of the Pleiadians,
The first book of the 2012 Saga
by Richard Brown
"Theodoros was found dead two hours after he gave this to me. He said he feared for his life."
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Prologue: 1993
The old monk shuffled into the chapel of the aging Greek monastery with his guest. Prayer candles flickered in the background casting phantasmagoric shadows on the dark Medieval walls.
"I was wondering if I was ever going to see you again, Cleomedeos. You were such a wanderer as a boy. Thank you for coming."
"I came as soon as I heard. For you, Father Nikolas, I would have to," said the slender 30-ish man with a close-cropped beard.
Even with his limp, he was still youthful and full of energy, clearly out of place in the quiet retreat of a monastery. "And also for Theodoros. I am sorry to have missed him."
"We will all miss him," the old monk said as he shook his head slowly. He glanced around the silent chapel. "We are alone, now," he said quietly.
"Theodoros swore me to secrecy and insisted that I give this to you personally. I do not know what this envelope contains," the old monk said softly to the man, "and I do not wish to know. I am a man of God, and I do not participate in the affairs of the world. But I must warn you. Theodoros was found dead two hours after he gave this to me. He said he feared for his life because of this envelope, but he insisted that you must have it." The old monk paused. "He leaves a widow and two children."
"I know," Cleomedeos said. "I have just visited them. They miss him dearly."
The old monk nodded. "It has not been easy for them," he said in a quiet voice. "Theodoros was also a kind and God-fearing man who helped us here." He motioned with his arm. "The stained glass window there was one of his many contributions. He had it restored after the earthquake." Then the old monk turned to look at the man. "I respect this, his last request," Father Nikolas said, "but it means danger for you, my son. It cost Theodoros his life."
Cleomedeos nodded. "You know Theodoros was close to me, Father, like a brother. I understand his life, if perhaps you do not."
The old monk nodded. "You became a man of the world, which was proper for a boy as restless as you. Theodoros also became a man of the world. While he was not as restless as you, he did travel. I do not know the nature of all his travels. He spoke little of it."
The old monk paused. "I will not ask you, because I do not wish to know, but I sense you also may know the contents of the envelope," the old monk said.
Father Nikolas paused and looked Cleomedeos in the eye. There was a great silence. The silence told the old monk what he needed to know. He sighed. "You do not have to take this envelope, Cleomedeos," he said softly. "If you tell me to do so, I will destroy it, for I fear it bodes no one well."
Cleomedeos nodded. "I respect what you say, Father Nikolas. Since my childhood I have always valued your wisdom," he said, "but like you, I, too, feel bound to respect Theodoros's last request. I think you know I have no choice but to accept the envelope."
The monk exhaled gently and nodded. "I thought you might," he said. "The two of you were always so headstrong."
The old monk again looked furtively around the chapel, and having assured himself that they were still alone, he reached inside his robe and pulled out an aging yellow envelope not much bigger than his hand. It had an unusual script on the outside. He placed it in Cleomedeos's hand.
Cleomedeos quickly shoved the envelope unopened into an inside pocket of his jacket. "Thank you, Father," he said quietly.
"I will pray for you," the old monk said.
"Perhaps that will help, too," Cleomedeos said.
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