Blood of Christ

“Just think..” Johnny's eyes were on the creeping dawn. “We've spent our entire lives swimmin' and climbin', smokin', drinkin' and partyin' in the shadow of the greatest archaeological discovery of all time. Screw King Tut, ya know?” He turned his head to find Wyatt watching him. “Y’all have found the lost treasures of the Templar Knights, brother. Maybe even the Ark of the Covenant. You've turned legend into fact, myth into truth, mystery into cold, hard evidence and you did it with a cold beer in one hand, a lit joint in the other and a rockin' chick under your arm. There are worse ways for life to change forever, Dove.. just ask Boodie.” “Stupid for me to be scared, huh?” “Nuh uh.” Johnny shook his head. “Fear is healthy. It keeps you sharp and focused on what's important.. it won't change anything, mind you. It won't slow anything down or give you newer, better options.. but you'll appreciate the absence of it when it does fade.” “I don't want to be the last of their line, Johnny.” Wyatt told him quietly. “I don't want this land to fall into strange hands. Ever. But the thought of havin' kids scares me more than all of this.” His hand gestured to the lake and cliffs that surrounded it on three sides. “Me and Pejo.. we're direct descendants of Sir Rene Coultron.. Master of the Templar Knights of the Corpus Christi settlement.” Wyatt blew his breath out hard. “That's the first time I've said it out loud.” “How does it feel?” “Heavy.” Wyatt said shortly. “I feel like he's watchin' me so damned close, Johnny and I can't help thinkin' that I'm disappointin' him. I'm as far from Templar values as any one man can possibly get.” “Because you're a beer drinking, pot smokin', unabashed whore, you mean?” “Yeah, you bastard.” Wyatt cut his snickering friend a narrow eyed look. “That.” “Seems to me that Sir Rene was a pretty smart guy, Dove. I'd like to think that he sees your heart and knows that you're a good man who spent the last ten years protectin' the good folk of this County. If he's not proud of the bone-deep love and loyalty that you show at any given moment, then he damned well should be.” Johnny straightened and clapped a hand to Wyatt's shoulder. “That's what the Templars were about, right? All that honor and integrity wasn't just publicity or they'd have divided up the treasure between themselves and run with it and we wouldn't be standin' here talkin' about them. At all. Ever.” Johnny gave a sudden roll of laughter. “I mean.. c'mon, bro.. would you ever have imagined that we'd be standin' here talkin' seriously about the Templars?” “Hell. No.” Wyatt said ruefully. “Not in a million.” “And yet, here we are.. up to our nipples in it. In crystal clear reality.” “This is happening.” “As we speak, bro..” Johnny nodded towards the house as the kitchen light came on. “We have three of the world's leading experts on all things Templar wakin' up and ready to go back to work. In two hours, Gramps and the Council will be here to protect us while we help the experts do their thing. We get to HELP them, Dove. We get to set our feet in a place that hasn't heard voices in seven HUNDRED years. We're goin' to be walkin' the same halls and touchin' the same damned things that Jacques de Molay and too damned many of his Knights died horribly to keep safe.” Wyatt blew his breath out slowly. “And I'm back to being scared, Johnny.” “C'mon, bro.” Johnny clapped his hand to Wyatt's shoulder. “I'll pour you a coffee and find you a woman to hug on for a while.”