A humane man, he’d always favoured eugenics rather than extermination. Which is why the Seven Research Foundation had spent years formulating a Universal Intelligence Quotient Policy, consulting with a wide range of experts that included social scientists, geneticists, neurologists and psychologists. Several standardized tests had been designed to measure both intelligence and aptitude. These tests would be administered to every man, woman and child, the results stored in a central data bank. Additionally, all citizens would be implanted with a microchip that not only indicated their IQ test scores, but pertinent medical and genetic screening data. Those who refused to take the IQ test would be summarily sterilized. To enforce the policy, the police would have broad authority to use a hand-held digital scanner which would quickly determine if a citizen was microchipped.
Those with an IQ less than 100 would be sent to a Eugenics Centre where they would be sterilized before being assigned to a Work Detention Programme.
The last thing that anyone wanted was another holocaust; a disastrous policy that cost the Third Reich its true place in history. Besides, he had nothing against the Jews and admired a good many of them. An enlightened plan, the Universal IQ Policy would create a society of Übermensch, Supermen, fit of body and mind, who would populate their glorious new Reich.
Hearing a sudden childish peal of laughter, Ivo glanced at the shallow pond. A colourful regatta of toy yachts gracefully bobbed and weaved on the glistening surface. A charming sight, it put a smile on his face.
With good reason, this was his favourite spot in the park. From where he sat, he could see the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel to the east and the Obelisk at Place de la Concorde to the west. Both monuments were part of an elaborate blueprint originally devised by the Knights Templar that could unlock the entire scientific mystery of the universe.
Provided they find the Lapis Exillis.
‘And we will find it,’ Ivo rasped, not about to let Finnegan McGuire – or any man for that matter – stand in his way.
32
‘… but, of course, the trick is to maintain that power once it’s been seized,’ Cædmon Aisquith continued, having just dropped a bombshell about Freemasons controlling the world. ‘That said, I should preface my next remarks by saying that I’m about to go out on a limb –’
‘Buddy, you’ve been hanging from a twig since we got here,’ Finn muttered under his breath.
‘– but I believe the Axe Historique in Paris was constructed so that some unknown group could harness the astral energy that emanates from Sirius at the heliacal rising and fuse it to the telluric energy that emanates directly beneath the axis.’
A thoughtful expression on her face, Kate took a moment to digest Aisquith’s assertion. ‘When you say “telluric” energy, you’re referring to the earth energy that moves underground along the Earth’s crust and mantle, right?’
Aisquith smiled fondly at his favourite pupil. ‘Telluric energy is derived from the primary water system that exists inside the Earth as hydrated minerals. It’s considered a geophysical phenomenon which emits radiation and can be enhanced when there are changes in the magnetic field. In fact, telluric energy was used during the nineteenth century as a type of earth battery to power the early telegraph grids. Although little understood, some scientists believe that the power potential of telluric energy is far greater than the electricity we generate above ground.’
‘Begging the question: how do you fuse astral and telluric energy?’
‘By building a ley line.’ Just warming up, Aisquith’s smile broadened. ‘Which is exactly what the ancient engineers constructed at Thebes. And, no coincidence, it’s what their French counterparts have constructed on the Axe Historique.’
Half tempted to tell the Brit to pull the wine cork out of his ass, Finn instead said, ‘That’s a ley line?’ As he spoke, he jutted his chin at the chaotic scene below, tourists milling around as far as the eye could see.
‘Ley lines are man-made energy conduits. Built over the top of telluric currents, the stones used in ley lines can carry electromagnetic energy for hundreds of miles,’ Aisquith replied. ‘This particular ley line is comprised of five monuments: the Pyramid, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, the Obelisk, the Arc de Triomphe l’Étoile and the Grande Arche. Not surprisingly, during the Paris Occupation, the Ahnenerbe spent an inordinate amount of time mapping and measuring the Axe Historique.’
Clearly on board, Kate’s head energetically bobbed up and down. ‘Let me make certain that I comprehend how the pieces fit together: there’s astral energy radiating from Sirius and telluric energy radiating from beneath the ground. But in order to fuse these two different forms of energy, a ley line must be constructed.’ She pressed her palms together to illustrate the point.
‘Precisely. As above, so below.’
‘And then what?’
‘Then, if all the pieces of the puzzle have been properly placed, you can now create the Vril force. Vril, chi, orgone, mana –’ as he reeled off the list, Aisquith waved his hand in the air – ‘they’re all names for the same fused energy force.’
‘How very interesting,’ Kate murmured. ‘Were the ancient Egyptians able to fuse astral and telluric energy and create the Vril force?’
‘The Germans were convinced that the megalithic structures built along the Nile delta enabled the Egyptians to do just that. Determined to resurrect this lost science, the Ahnenerbe spent a small fortune studying the texts and monuments of ancient Egypt. As I said earlier today, the Ahnenerbe were desperately trying to devise military applications for the Vril force.’
‘Just a pie-in-the-sky theory,’ Finn said dismissively, certain he was the only one in the group able to distinguish fact from fantasy.
‘All great ideas begin with a theory,’ Aisquith was quick to assert. ‘If the Vril force could be harnessed, it would create a powerful biodynamic comprised of magnetic, electromagnetic and electrical energy.’
‘Yeah, whatever.’
Needing to clear his head – having reached his bullshit quota – Finn strode over to a nearby display case and peered inside. For several seconds he stared at a little bronze statue of a nude dude hefting a weird-looking beast on to his shoulders. He read the neatly typed tag: ‘Anonymous; Archaic Period; Around 530 BC.’ Guess that was before they invented pants.
Bored, he glanced at his watch. 1203 hours. Jesus. How long was it going to take for Aisquith to get the dossiers? He still needed to buy supplies and find a hotel room so he and Kate could hunker down and get some shut-eye. Tomorrow the mission would kick into full gear and they needed to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. And here I am fucking around at the Louvre.
Just then, Kate looked over and smiled shyly at him. As though his eye muscles had a mind of their own, Finn winked at her. A split-second later, self-consciously aware of what he’d done, he lowered his head and feigned an interest in the display case.
Not for the first time, he was surprised that he could be turned on by Kate’s winsome personality. In the past, sexual arousal had always been linked to lots of cleavage, swaying hips and pouty lips. But Kate roasted his nuts because her dainty femininity was wrapped around a steel core of quiet strength. And, yeah, he found that sexy as hell. He also found that scary as hell. If he lost his focus for one moment, the Dark Angel could blow them away. Or the French authorities could catch him in a dragnet, allowing CID to extradite his ass to the US. Who would protect Kate if that happened? Though he’d never admit it to Aisquith, that business about the photo recognition software spooked him. Just one more thing to worry about.