The Third Day by David Epperson Read Free Book Online

beg,” he said. 
    “Just think of the knowledge you’ll gain from just a short visit.” 
    “I said I’d do it,” he snapped. 
    ***
    The rest of us heard the words, but like so much of what we had seen over the last few days, their meaning failed to register immediately. 
    “You’re serious about this?” Markowitz finally asked.  “Someone else can really go back?” 
    “Yes,” said Bryson.  “It will involve an element of danger, but the odds of success are high enough to justify the risk.” 
    Markowitz pondered this for another moment; then his face lit up. 
    “ Fantastic! ” he said.  “I want to go, too.” 
    Lavon shook his head, as did Bryson.  This was a bad idea. 
    “Ray, I’ve never heard you express any interest in the Biblical era,” I said. 
    “No.” he admitted.  “But what an adventure this could be.” 
    “This will be incredibly hazardous,” said Lavon.  “I don’t think you have the slightest comprehension of the dangers we’re likely to encounter.” 
    “I can handle it,” said Markowitz.  “Climbing K2, that was hazardous.  Diving the Andrea Doria – people die doing that every year, too.  We have to have confidence in ourselves.  If we listened to the naysayers, we’d be afraid to walk out the front door . ” 
    “Ray, that may be true,” I said, “but this enterprise has already lost one man.  You’ve seen the photos of the skeleton.  You saw Dr. Bryson’s finger sitting right here on this table, in a jar.” 
    “Yes, I did.  And we’re going to get him.  Actually, we have a golden opportunity not only to save Dr. Bryson, but also to complete his original plan.  While you were gone, Juliet told us why he was there; the question he sought to answer.” 
    I was afraid of that. 
    “No, we are not going anywhere,” said Lavon.  I am going to retrieve Dr. Bryson and come straight back.  The risk is too high to attempt anything else.” 
    “You exaggerate,” said Markowitz.  “I’m sure he just ran into a freak infection or something.  Don’t those stories about the Black Death all say that the victims died within the hour?” 
    Lavon sighed. 
    “Ray, tell me:  would you go to Iraq today, as a tourist?  It would be a fascinating trip.  Some of the greatest archaeological treasures on the planet are there:  Babylon, Nineveh, the seats of ancient empires, most never completely explored.”  
    “No,” said Markowitz.  “I’d probably get blown up.” 
    “And why is that?” 
    “Religious fanatics – nut-jobs who think killing an American is God’s will.” 
    “I’m going to give it to you straight,” replied Lavon.  “By the time of Christ, ancient Judea had suffered through nearly two centuries of very similar religious and political strife.  Two hundred years of constant low level guerilla violence – not to mention the regular depredations of ordinary thieves and highway robbers.”  
    Markowitz paused for a moment, but then his expression grew firm.  “It’s not like we’re planning to stay long.  Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it. 
    He glanced over to Juliet.  “My family’s money made your initial work possible.  I don’t mean to be obstinate, but either I go or I’ll shut this place down.” 
    Bryson didn’t speak, but she finally nodded her assent.  After all, he had the ability to do just that. 
    “Then I’m going, too,” said Sharon.  “I’ve studied the Bible my entire life.  There’s simply no way I can pass up the opportunity to see what it describes for real.” 
    “No!” said Lavon. 
    Though his forcefulness surprised me, I agreed with Lavon’s thinking.  However intelligent and capable she might be, Sharon didn’t strike me as a person who had ever experienced anything going completely and horribly wrong. 
    I could imagine many things happening to such a woman in the first century – none of them good. 
    “You can’t tell me what to do,” she