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〃Don't tell me you found God。〃
Broadbent wagged his head and clapped a hand on Philip's shoulder。 He gave it an affectionate shake。 〃Good to see you； son。〃
He turned to Vernon。 〃And you； too； Vernon。〃 He looked around； turning his crinkly blue eyes on each of them。 〃Tom； Vernon； Philip； Borabay…I'm overwhelmed。〃 He placed a hand on each of their heads in turn。 〃You made it。 You found me。 My food and water were almost gone。 I could only have lasted a day or two more。 You've given me a second chance。 I don't deserve it but I'm going to take it。 I did a lot of thinking in that dark tomb 。。。〃
He looked up and out over the purple sea of mountains and the golden sky； straightened up； and inhaled。
〃Are you okay？〃 Vernon asked。
〃If it's the cancer you're talking about； I'm sure it's still there…just hasn't kicked in yet。 I've still got a couple of months。 The son of a bitch got into my brain…I never told you that。 But so far； so good： I feel great。〃 He looked around。 〃Let's get the hell out of here。〃
Tom said； 〃Unfortunately； it's not going to be that simple。〃
〃How so？〃
Tom glanced at his brothers。 〃We've got a problem； and his name is Hauser。〃
〃Hauser！〃 Broadbent was astonished。
Tom nodded and told their father all the details of their respective journeys。
〃Hauser！〃 Broadbent repeated； looking at Philip。 〃You teamed up with that bastard？〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Philip。 〃I figured 。。。〃
〃You figured he'd know where I went。 My fault： I should have seen that was a possibility。 Hauser's a ruthless sadist； almost killed a girl once。 The biggest mistake in my life was partnering with him。〃 Broadbent eased himself down on a shelf of rock and shook his shaggy head。 〃I can't believe the risks you took getting here。 God； what a mistake I made。 The last one of many； in fact。〃
〃You our father；〃 said Borabay。
Broadbent snorted。 〃Some father。 Putting you to a ridiculous test like this。 It seemed like a good idea at the time。 I can't understand what got into me。 What a damn stupid； foolish old bastard I've been。〃
〃We haven't exactly been My Three Sons；〃 said Philip。
〃Four sons；〃 said Borabay。
〃Or 。。。 perhaps there are more？〃 Vernon asked； raising one eyebrow。
Broadbent shook his head。 〃Not that I know of。 Four fine sons if only I'd had the brains to realize it。〃 He fixed his blue eyes on Vernon。 〃Except for that beard； Vernon。 Good Christ； when are you going to trim that hairy appendage？ You look like a mullah。〃
Vernon said； 〃You don't look too clean…cut yourself。〃
Broadbent waved his hand and laughed。 〃Forget I said that。 Old habits die hard。 Keep your damn beard。〃
There was an awkward silence。 The sun was rising higher above the mountains； and the light was turning from gold to white。 A flock of chattering birds flew past； dipping and rising and swerving in unison。
Tom turned to Borabay。 〃We need to think of our plan of escape。〃
〃Yes； brother。 I think of this already。 We wait here until dark。 Then we go back。〃 He glanced up at the clear sky。 〃It rain tonight； give us cover。〃
〃What about Hauser？〃 Broadbent asked。
〃He search for tomb in White City。 He not yet think of looking in cliffs。 I think we get by him。 He not know we here。〃
Broadbent looked around。 〃You didn't bring any food with you； by any chance？ That stuff they left me in the tomb wasn't fit for an in…flight meal。〃
Borabay unpacked food from his palm…leaf backpack and began setting it out。 Broadbent shuffled over a little unsteadily。 〃Fresh fruit。 My God。〃 He picked up a mango and bit into it； the juice running out of his mouth and dripping onto his shirt。 〃This is heaven。〃 He crammed the mango into his mouth； ate a second one； and then polished off a couple of curwa fruits and some smoked lizard fillets。
〃Borabay； you could open a restaurant。〃
Tom watched his father eat。 He could hardly believe that the old man was still alive。 There was something unreal about it。 Everything； and nothing； had changed。
Broadbent finished his meal and leaned back against the stone wall； gazing out over the mountains。
〃Father；〃 Philip asked； 〃if you don't mind telling us； what happened to you in that tomb？〃
〃Philip； I'll tell you how it was。 We had a big funeral…no doubt Borabay told you all about it。 I drank Cah's infernal drink。 The next thing I knew； I was waking up。 It was pitch…black。 As a good atheist I'd always believed death was the end of consciousness。 That was it。 But here I was； still conscious； even though I was sure I was dead。 I've never been so frightened in my life。 And then； as I fumbled around in the darkness in a total panic； I had a sudden thought： Not only am I dead； but I've gone to hell！〃
〃You didn't really believe that；〃 said Philip。
He shook his head。 〃I did。 You have no idea how terrified I was。 I wailed and howled like a lost soul。 I begged God； I prayed on my knees； I repented； I swore I'd be good if only he'd give me one more chance。 I felt like one of those poor sods in Michelangelo's Last Judgment crying out for forgiveness while being dragged down by demons into a lake of fire。
〃And then； when I was all tired out with wailing and self…pity； I began to recover a bit of my sanity。 That's when I crawled around and realized I was in the tomb…and it dawned on me that I wasn't dead after all； that Cah had buried me alive。 He'd never forgiven me for what I'd done to his father。 I should have known it； Cah always struck me as a shifty old fox。 When I found the food and water I knew I was in for a long ordeal。 I had planned this whole thing to be a lighthearted challenge for the three of you。 And then suddenly my life depended on your success。〃
〃A lighthearted challenge？〃 Philip repeated skeptically。
〃I wanted to shock you into doing something more important with your lives。 What I didn't realize is that each of you is doing something important…that is； living the life that you want to live。 Who am I to judge？〃 He paused； cleared his throat； shook his head。 〃Here I was locked up with what I thought was my treasure； my life's work…and it was crap。 It was useless。 Suddenly it meant nothing。 In the dark I couldn't even look at it。 Being entombed alive shook me to the core。 I found myself looking back on my whole life with a kind of loathing。 I had been a bad father to you； a bad husband； greedy； selfish…and then I found myself praying。〃
〃No；〃 said Philip。
Broadbent nodded。 〃What else was there to do？ And then I heard voices； a bang； then a rumbling sound； and the light came in； and there you all were！ My prayers had been answered。〃
〃You mean；〃 Philip asked； 〃you found religion？ You're a believer？〃
〃You're goddamn right I found religion！〃 He lapsed into silence； looking out over the vast landscape stretching below； the endless mountains and jungles。 He shifted； coughed。 〃Funny； I feel like I've died and been reborn。〃
69
From his hiding place； Hauser could hear the murmur of their voices carried up on the wind。 He couldn't make out individual words； but he had no doubt what was going on： They were having a grand old time looting their father's tomb。 No doubt they were planning to take out the smaller stuff…including the Codex。 The woman； Colorado； knew what