were more pleasurable thoughts on his mind. Looking around the room, he saw no sign of Gudrun, perhaps she was down by the river.

### His stomach churned at the sight of a cross roughly carved into the wooden table in the centre of the room. There was another carving at the bottom of the cross. It depicted what looked like a river leading to a waterfall.

Embedded in the table stood a dagger with a lock of Gudrun's hair attached. His head reeled at the thought of who might be responsible for this. There was no question, everything pointed toward Jean. Somehow, he had survived the desert, and now he was here looking for the Ark.

"That slimy bastard sure knows how to get to me." He grasped the daggerthe Knights Templars onto the ships. By the midnight, all eighteen ships were fully loaded with their precious cargo. Lines of Templars and their families stood ready to board the ships taking them to safety. Rumours abounded. Some said they were heading to the new world where they would set up a base for future Templar operations while others spoke of Spain and Portugal.

"All aboard and ready to set sail Sire." The Captain stood before Steele.

"Set sail Captain and let's not attract too much attention." Slowly the ships sailed down the Seine into the darkness only hours before the King of France sent his troops into the Templar strongholds all over the country.

"Heading confirmed as La Rochelle Sire?" Steele watched the silhouette of the repository merge with the