Everything around spoke of the fact that once there stood a magnificent temple dedicated to some ancient deity, the worship of which was an integral part of the lives of people who lived on this land long before the advent of Christianity and Islam.

He tried to imagine what this temple looked like in its heyday: its high vaults, decorated with carvings, its altars, sparkling with gold, its priests performing rituals while chanting prayers. He wanted to touch these stones, feel their energy, feel a connection with those who once lived and believed here.

Alexander saw the workers carefully extracting from the ground the remains of an altar, covered with a layer of ancient dust. He saw one of the workers carefully lift a small clay pot, possibly a vessel for sacrifices. Questions were born in his head that he could not allow himself to voice, fearing to attract attention. He realized that he was opening not just an archaeological find, but a window into the past, which could overturn all his ideas about history.

Suddenly, one of the workers, busy cleaning the clay vessel, accidentally raised his head and noticed the uninvited guests, frozen in the shadows. His face twisted in surprise, and he shouted loudly:

«Who’s there?»

At the same second, as if on command, the lights went out in the room. The dim lamps that illuminated the excavations went out at once, plunging everything into impenetrable darkness, which seemed to thicken and become even denser.

«Run!» David shouted, his voice sounding sharp and agitated. He immediately grabbed Alexander’s hand and, pushing him in the back, dragged him away from danger.

Panic gripped the room. The workers screamed, trying to understand what was happening. There were sounds of stumbling people, falling objects, the stomp of feet running in different directions. Alexander, stunned and disoriented, felt his heart beat wildly in his chest. He tried to get his bearings in the dark, but could not see anything. He fully relied on Amir and David, who knew the way and had to get him out of this death trap.

They rushed back to the door, hoping to find salvation in the catacombs, but it was too late. Harsh voices were heard from the darkness, and figures of guards, who appeared as if from underground, loomed over them.

«Stop!» one of them shouted, his voice sounding stern and commanding. «You are under arrest!»

Alexander realized that he had fallen into a trap, that all their efforts and hopes had been in vain. But he was not going to give up without a fight. He had to see what these excavations were hiding, to find out the truth, no matter what it cost him. He could not allow himself to be caught before he knew the answers to his questions.

Flashlights flashed, snatching the figures of the guards from the darkness and blinding them. The guards surrounded them, pointing their weapons at them, ready to use force at any moment. Alexander looked around for a way out, hoping to find some chance, some way to escape. He saw Amir and David peering intently into the faces of the guards, trying to understand their intentions.

Alexander understood that this could be the end of his research, the end of his path to the truth. And, possibly, the end of his life. Cold fear gripped him, but deep down he felt the determination to fight to the end, not to surrender without a fight. His gaze darted around the room, looking for a way out, looking for at least some hope.

 
Chapter 2
Escape to Syria
 

Time seemed to slow down, turning seconds into eternity. The bright beam of a flashlight, snatching a huge hall from the darkness, showed Alexander something he did not expect at all. Around them, tightening the ring, guards emerged from the shadows, their faces impenetrable, and in their hands gleamed, reflecting the light of the flashlights, the barrels of pistols. Moments ago, their surroundings were filled only with dampness and antiquity, and now – with deadly threat. Adrenaline rushed into his blood, instantly sharpening his senses. His vision became clearer, his hearing sharper, even the smell of dampness seemed sharper than usual. Every movement, every breath of the guards seemed to take on special significance. Alexander understood that now, at this critical moment, not only his own life, but also the fate of his companions, and perhaps what they came to find in these catacombs, depended on his next step, on his next decision. The realization of this pressed down on him with an unbearable weight, demanding an immediate decision, an instant reaction.

«Don’t move!» one of the guards roared, his voice, distorted by the echo, sounded like thunder in the middle of the night silence. It was a young guy, with a malicious expression on his face, as if hatred for the intruders was overflowing him. «Hands behind your heads! Otherwise, we’ll open fire to kill!»

Amir and David exchanged glances, despair and determination flashing in their eyes. Slowly, obeying the order, they raised their hands behind their heads. Alexander followed their example, feeling the cold metal of the pistol touch his temple. He was frantically figuring out what to do, how to get out of this death trap. Run? Useless. They are surrounded, and it is simply impossible to leave unnoticed. Resist? Pointless. They have no weapons, and they will not be able to resist the armed guards. There was only one thing left – to improvise, to try to wriggle out of this situation, using all his knowledge and skills.

«We are tourists,» Alexander blurted out, trying to speak calmly and confidently, so as not to betray his fear. «We just got lost. We were walking around the Old City and accidentally stumbled upon this entrance. We didn’t know that excavations were being carried out here.»

«Don’t lie!» the guard shouted, his face contorted with anger. «We know who you are. We’ve been watching you since this morning. You wanted to steal ancient artifacts! You’re spies sent by competitors!»

«We didn’t want to steal anything,» Alexander continued, not losing hope of convincing them of his innocence. «We just wanted to see. We are fond of history. We are scientists; we are looking for the truth.»

The guard snorted contemptuously, his eyes narrowed, expressing complete disbelief.

«Shut up! Now you will all tell us everything at the police station. But first, tell me who sent you here! Otherwise, I will be forced to use force!»

The guards began to approach, tightening the ring, ready to tie them up and escort them to the nearest police station. Their hands reached for handcuffs, and their eyes burned with malice and suspicion. At this critical moment, when it seemed that there was no hope of salvation, Amir suddenly shouted something in Arabic, his words sounded like a spell, like a call to action. He leaned over sharply and threw a handful of earth under the feet of the nearest guards. A cloud of dust rose into the air, blinding eyes, causing coughs and tears.

Taking advantage of the sudden confusion, David pounced on one of the guards. Grabbing him by the arm, he sharply pulled him towards himself, using his weight against him. The guard lost his balance and fell to the ground with a dull groan, pulling down two more who were nearby. A small scuffle arose, in which dust and darkness created chaos and confusion.

Run!» Amir shouted, pushing Alexander in the back. His voice sounded desperate but at the same time resolute.

They rushed into the darkness, dodging rubble, boxes of artifacts, and deep pits dug by archaeologists. Adrenaline propelled them forward, making them forget about fear and fatigue. The guards, blinded by the dust and confused by the sudden attack, hesitated for a moment, trying to recover and orient themselves. But then, cursing everything in the world, they rushed into the chase, their steps echoing in the empty corridors.

Alexander ran, gasping for air, his lungs burned as if boiling water was splashing in them. His heart was pounding at a frantic rate, as if trying to break out of his chest. He did not see where he was running, orienting himself only on the vague silhouettes of Amir and David, looming ahead. He completely trusted them, knowing that they were leading him to salvation. Behind him, he could hear the shouts of the guards, their angry screams and the thud of approaching footsteps drove them forward, not allowing them to stop for a second.

Suddenly, Amir sharply turned into a narrow passage, which turned out to be a dead end. A wall blocked their path, leaving no chance for further escape.

«What now?» Alexander asked, gasping for air, feeling despair beginning to grip him. He didn’t understand why Amir had brought them to this dead end, was it the end?

«There’s a secret passage here,» David replied, not losing his composure. He ran his palms over the rough stone wall, carefully feeling every protrusion, every crack. «I know this place. My grandfather told me legends about these catacombs, about secret passages leading to freedom.»

His fingers felt something different from the rest of the wall’s surface. He pressed on a barely noticeable button, and a narrow gap opened in the wall with a quiet creak, wide enough to squeeze through.

«Faster!» Amir commanded, urging Alexander. «We don’t have time! They’ll be here soon!»

One by one, they squeezed through the opening and found themselves in a narrow, dark tunnel. David closed the hidden door behind them, and they were left in complete silence, broken only by their heavy breathing. Behind the hidden door, the shouts and stomping of the guards could still be heard, but they were safe, at least for the moment.

«Where are we?» Alexander whispered, trying not to raise his voice. He looked around, but nothing could be seen in the pitch darkness of the tunnel. A feeling of disorientation and fear paralyzed his movements.

«In an ancient aqueduct,» David replied, his voice sounding muffled but confident. «It was built centuries ago to supply the city with water. It leads to an exit from under the Temple Mount, to a safe place.»

They moved through the tunnel, stumbling and bumping into the damp walls, like blind kittens wandering in a maze. Thick moisture hung in the air, soaking their clothes and skin. Each step echoed in the narrow space, creating the feeling that they were being pursued.

After a while, which seemed like an eternity to Alexander, they came to a narrow well leading to the surface. Iron staples went up, hammered into the wall of the well, like steps leading to salvation.

Amir was the first to start climbing the staples, his movements were quick and confident. David followed, helping Alexander find a foothold. Alexander, feeling his muscles aching, his hands trembling, began to climb after them, overcoming the fear of heights and fatigue.

Finally, exhausted and soaked to the skin, they got to the surface. It turned out that they were in the old Arab quarter, away from the Temple Mount, in a narrow alley, between two dilapidated houses. The night air was fresh and cool, like a breath of life after the stuffy and gloomy dungeon.

«We got away,» Amir sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. «This time. But we can’t relax. They will be looking for us.»

«What was that?» Alexander asked, trying to catch his breath and gather his thoughts. «Who are you? Why are they hunting you? And what were you doing there, under the Temple Mount?»

Amir and David exchanged glances, as if exchanging unspoken words. Their eyes revealed determination and mystery.

«We are those who seek the truth,» Amir replied, his voice sounding quiet but firm. «And we are ready to risk everything to find it. This truth can change the world, but many do not want it to come to light.»

«But what did you find there, at the excavations?» Alexander insisted, his curiosity flaring up with renewed vigor. «What is hidden there? What is so valuable that you are being hunted like this?»

David paused, as if weighing each word before answering.

«We saw ancient symbols there,» he said. «Symbols that unite Islam and Christianity. Symbols that prove that we have common roots, that our religions came from the same source.»

«What kind of symbols?» Alexander craved details. He felt excitement wash over him. Could they have found something that really could turn history upside down?

«It’s a complicated question,» Amir replied, his voice sounding evasive. «We can’t tell you everything right now. It’s too dangerous. But if you want to know the truth, if you really want to help us, you must trust us. And be ready for anything. Because those who hide this truth will stop at nothing to stop us.»

Alexander looked at Amir and David, trying to penetrate their thoughts, to understand what they were hiding behind their mysterious glances. He felt that they were holding something back, that there was much more behind their words than they were willing to reveal to him. But he also understood that they were his only hope of uncovering the mystery that had haunted him for so long. He stifled his doubts, deciding to trust his intuition.

«I trust you,» he said, looking them straight in the eyes. «What’s next? What should we do?»

«Next, we must leave Jerusalem,» David replied, his voice sounding serious and worried. «It’s too dangerous here. We are already being hunted, and staying here is certain death. We need to find a place where we can safely study these symbols, where the agents of the government and religious fanatics will not get to us.»

«Where are we going? Where can we hide?»

«To Syria,» Amir replied, his gaze becoming thoughtful. «There, in one of the ancient monasteries lost in the mountains, lies the key to solving this mystery. This monastery is a real treasure trove of knowledge; its archives contain ancient manuscripts and scrolls that can shed light on the origin of these symbols and their true meaning. The monks of this monastery are the guardians of ancient traditions and secrets; they have been protecting knowledge for centuries that can change the world. But the road to Syria will not be easy. There is a war going on there now, and getting to the monastery will be extremely dangerous. We will have to cross borders, avoid checkpoints, and take shelter from bombings. But if we want to know the truth, we must take the risk. In Syria, we will find not only danger, but also hope. The hope that we can find answers to our questions and uncover the mystery that unites Islam and Christianity.»

They fled, like thieves in the night, leaving behind Jerusalem, the sacred city, which had become a death trap for them. Alexander watched through the taxi window as the night city, like a mirage woven from lights and shadows, gradually melted into the rearview mirror, turning into a memory full of danger and mysteries. Adrenaline, which had recently been surging in his blood like a rushing stream, gradually receded, leaving behind only exhausting fatigue and gnawing anxiety. He felt like a squeezed lemon, exhausted physically and mentally.

Nearby, in the back seat, sat Amir and David, immersed in silence. They seemed detached from what was happening, as if they were somewhere far away, in their own thoughts. Alexander felt their wariness, their hidden tension, as if they were constantly expecting an attack. Who were they really? Allies sent by fate to help him uncover the mystery, or a cleverly laid trap, part of a complex game in which he was just a pawn? He couldn’t trust them completely, but turning away from them now would mean condemning himself to certain death. He found himself in the position of a person walking on thin ice, where every wrong step could lead to disaster.

«We are those who seek the truth,» Alexander repeated to himself, trying to understand the true meaning of this phrase. But what is hidden behind these words? What hidden motives, what personal goals do these two pursue, risking their lives for ancient secrets, for certain symbols found in the catacombs beneath the Temple Mount? Alexander wondered: what is the price of this truth? And is he ready to pay it, even if it costs him his life?

Yesterday’s escape from under the Temple Mount now seemed to him like a wild dream, terrible and incredible. As if in delirium, he again and again scrolled through all the events in his memory, starting from the anxious whisper of Amir at the wall overgrown with ivy, and ending with the rapid escape in the narrow corridors. Alexander recalled the cries of the guards, their angry faces, the narrow, dark corridors, smelling of dampness and mold, and the icy water of the ancient aqueduct, burning his skin. He felt in his memory every heartbeat, every drop of sweat, every breath taken on that day.

And most importantly – those strange, mesmerizing symbols, which they managed to see in the flickering light of the lamps, as if snatched from the depths of centuries, mysteriously shining in the twilight. Symbols, in which, according to David, the key to solving the mystery of a common faith is hidden, a mystery capable of changing the world. Alexander understood that it was these symbols, this mystery, that had now become for him the only goal, the only meaning of existence.

«What symbols?» This question gnawed at Alexander’s brain, like a pesky fly, not giving him a minute’s peace. It was as if he was stuck on repeat in his head, interrupting all other thoughts. He repeatedly tried to imagine what these signs could be, uniting two such different, warring religions. David promised to tell everything later, when they were in a safe place, but his evasiveness, his constant reservations only increased Alexander’s suspicions, making him doubt the sincerity of his companions.

The car sped down the highway, slicing through the night darkness, carrying them away from Jerusalem, a city full of secrets and dangers, into the unknown, into a country engulfed in war. Alexander did not know what awaited him ahead, what trials he would have to go through, what dangers lurked at every step. But he knew one thing: he could not stop, could not back down. He had gone too far, had gotten too close to solving the mystery, to turn back now. He felt that something unknown, but powerful, was pulling him forward, like a magnet, attracting him to the unexplored, to the disclosure of the truth, which might change his life forever.

«Where are we going?» Alexander asked, breaking the oppressive silence that reigned in the car. His voice sounded a little hoarse, betraying fatigue and tension.

«To Damascus,» Amir replied, his gaze fixed ahead, into the darkness of the night. «From there we will go to one of the ancient monasteries, lost in the mountains, far from cities and human eyes.»

«There is a war going on in Syria now,» Alexander reminded, anxiety in his voice. «It’s dangerous. There are constant battles, bombs exploding, people dying.

«We know,» David nodded, his eyes meeting Alexander’s for a moment. «But this is the only way to get to what we’re looking for. There’s no other way. The monastery is located in a remote area controlled by rebels. It is impossible to get there legally.»