Free The Green Lama: Unbound (The Green Lama Legacy Book 3) by Adam Lance Garcia Page A

power source, has a unique attribute. The Tibetan Tablet, also known as the ‘Sacred Colors, ’is said to alter human life. The Middle Eastern Tablet, sometimes called the ‘Tablet of Abraham,’ can give life. The Greek Tablet, the one we seek, also known as the ‘Fire from Olympus, ’is said to have the power of the gods .”
    Hirsch snorted. “‘Power of the gods.’ Herr Doktor, you have been listening to too many fairy tales,” he said, laughing. “Herr Obergruppenführer, surely you do not believe this foolishness?”
    Gottschalk hesitated before saying, “The Führer believes it, and that is good enough for me, as should it be for you, Herr Sturmbannführer. As to the Oberführer’s concerns, these are delicate times. We dare not risk playing our hand too soon. For the Führer’s plans to work, we must move under the flag of diplomacy, lest we draw unwanted attention from the Greek government, let alone the world at large. Alexei Polyxena, criminal that he is, has facilitated our entrance into the country, and given us access to the ‘masked twins.’ Strange as they are, they claim to know the location of this Third Jade Tablet and, perhaps most importantly, know how to activate it and bring about the power we need to permanently tip the scales in our favor.”
    “How do we even know we can trust them?” the Oberführer asked pointedly.
    “Because,” Hammond began as he reach into his scabbard, “they gave us this.”
    The tent erupted with green light, glowing in the night.
    Jethro opened his eyes, and all was jade.
    • • •
    He was standing in a massive room overlooking a chasm, a rattling wind flowing from up from the shadows. The walls were made of coral, extending out in curves, intersecting at right angles. He was bound to an altar at the center of the room. His right hand was pressed against a stone, fingers splayed, the Jade Tablet wrapped around his middle finger, glowing green. He was the sacrifice. He heard the echo of chanting: maddening, croaking, braying, inhuman sounds. They were all around him, the believers, chanting over and over again, “ Iä Iä Cthulhu fhtagn!”
    Jethro looked out into the darkness before him. The shadows moved and broke open and two red, green, and yellow slits began to form. Tentacles like clouds moved out into the light, twisting and undulating around him.
    Someone gripped him by the hair and pulled his head back, turning his face to the ceiling.
    He looked into the face of a murderer. Karl Heydrich lived. His eyes burned with madness, grinning wildly, his teeth cracked and jagged. He held a glowing green phurba – no, it was a crystal shard – in his hand.
    Heydrich leaned in close, breath like brimstone as he whispered, “Cthulhu rises.”
    He plunged the phurba into Jethro’s throat and all was pain.
    • • •
    Jethro screamed as he lurched out of bed, dripping with sweat. He gripped at his neck, searching for the wound but finding none.
    “ Om! Tare Tuttare Ture Soha! ” he whispered, hoping the mantra would arouse his own inner strength. There was part of him that wanted it to be nothing more than a terrible nightmare, but he knew better than that. It had been prophecy, a portent of events to come, much more lucid than the ones he had experienced before.
    But… it couldn’t be the future, he decided. Heydrich had been dead for over five years. There was no question; he had seen Heydrich die.
    Hadn’t he?
    Jethro stumbled over and threw open the window. He shivered; the cold ocean breeze ice against his skin. He could still hear the chanting; still feel those massive eyes staring down on him. Cthulhu. It was like a darkness encroaching on his mind. Somehow everything he had done since those terrible days at the Temple of the Clouds all those years ago was connected to this creature. Jethro shuddered. What had he done? How many lives had he now put at risk? Caraway’s, Ken’s, and most of all Jean’s. Deep down in the pit of his