Chapter 21
Los Angeles, California
Seventeen hours after he received the news from Jianjun about the strange deaths of two of the men in Berosus’ photo, Michael walked through LAX to the car rental area. At first, he told himself to ignore the deaths. They had nothing to do with him. But they ate at him. Father Berosus had called the pearl evil and said it would harm people. Plus, it was a philosopher’s stone, something he took personally. Ever since he looked at it, he sensed its presence, felt as if it were near and watching.
The only personal object the priest had carried was a photo of seven men, and now two of those men were dead. Even if nothing mystical was involved, the deaths had to be more than a weird coincidence.
Michael found himself particularly haunted by the frightened
