ll he asked in return was their worship； their veneration of his ways。 Burnt offerings pleased him； the roasting of men； women and children。 Defilement of the other gods he demanded。 The torture of innocents was an appeasement to him； for they also feared Marduk as much as their rulers did。 The kings and princes； the other high priests； were powerless to act against him。 Until King Hammurabi； that is； who united all the state leaders against Marduk； whom he declared was an evil god who should be known forever more as Bel…Marduk。' Halloran glanced up at the stairway。 He thought he had heard movement in the passage。
'The king denounced Bel…Marduk as a fallen god；' Kline went on in a voice that lurched with anger。 'Much later the Jews referred to him as the Fallen Angel。' Halloran frowned。
'Ah； I see a glimmer of understanding；' Kline remarked。 'Yes； I do mean the Fallen Angel of the Bible； later to bee known as the Devil。' The lilt of Irish was in Halloran's mild ment。 'You're crazy； Kline。' A silence。
Then a low chuckle。
'One of us might be；' said Kline。 'But listen on； there's more to tell。' The staring eyes of the stone effigies around the shaded figure seemed threatening。 Halloran tried to close them from his mind。
'Bel…Marduk was destroyed for preaching the 〃perverted message〃。 His limbs were torn from him； his tongue cut out； so that his immortal soul would be trapped inside a body which could only lie in the dirt。 The priests rendered him as a snake； and they called him Serpent。' The dark figure leaned forward。 'Does it sound familiar to you； Halloran？ Didn't your Catholic priests teach you of Lucifer； the Fallen Angel； who was cursed to crawl in the dust as a snake for his corruption of the innocents； for revealing the secrets of the Tree of Life to the unworthy？ Don't you see where those stories of the Bible e from？ I told you last night that the traditional site of the Garden of Eden was the land between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates in Sumeria from where； according to tablets found in Mesopotamia； the Jewish race originated。 It was from Ur of the Chaldees that Abraham led his tribe north into Syria； then through Canaan into Egypt。 They took with them stories that later became the myths of their Bible。 The Great Flood； the baby Moses found among bulrushes…borrowed history！ The Hebrew account of the Creation and the first chapters of Genesis…they were based on old Sumerian legends。 Legends because the old kings had ordered all records of their early history to be destroyed； their way of ensuring Bel…Marduk's corruption would not be passed on to other generations。 But they didn't understand how； evil can be inherited； not learned from the written word。' There were figures at the top of the stairs； but Kline appeared not to notice。
'We Jews even adopted the Cabala as our own； claiming it was passed on from Noah to Abraham； from Abraham to Moses； who initiated seventy elders into the mysteries during their years of wandering in the wilderness。 Bel…Marduk's teachings were never discontinued； nor was his revenge on mankind！ Even the other man…god； Jesus Christ； who chose the Jews as his people； couldn't stem the flow！ He came to undo the Serpent's work； the only way of redeeming earth's people。 And look what happened； Halloran。 He was executed； just like his predecessor； Bel…Marduk！ Makes you wonder why he bothered； doesn't it？ Look around you today； Halloran； and you'll see the conflict still goes an。 You're part of it； I'm part of it。' Kline leaned forward once more。 'The question is；' he said craftily； 'on which side of the struggle are you？' Halloran could give no answer。
Kline pushed himself back into the chair。 'Bring her dawn！' he called out。
There was movement from above and Halloran raised his eyes to see Cora； flanked by Palusinski and the other Arab； descending the stairway。 She wore her bathrobe； its belt tied loosely at the front； and her step was unsteady。 When she reached the bottom and looked around the soft bewilderment in her eyes was obvious。 He wondered if the drug had been forced upon her。
'Liam 。 。 。' she began to say on seeing him。
'Concerned for your lover； Cora dear？' came Kline's voice from the shadows。 Now there was fear as she looked to…wards the source。
'What are you going to do with her； Kline？' Halloran demanded。
'Nothing at all。 Cora won't be harmed。 I haven't groomed her for that。 But I need a new ally； you see； someone who'll watch for me。 I always knew a replacement would be necessary one day； I just didn't realise how imminent that day was。'
'You can't make her take his place。'
'Oh； I can。 She's filth； Halloran； degenerate。 You must understand that by now。 She's bee…no； she's almost bee…what I've always wanted her to be。 The final depravity is about to happen。'
'You made her like this？'
'Of course。 Cora was a sweet little thing when she first came to my attention； much too good for the likes of you and me。 An English Rose； you might say。 It was an interesting exercise turning her into something else。'
'With drugs？'
'At the beginning。 She never even realised。 A few drops of something mixed with her food or her drink； enough only to soften her inhibitions。 A gradual process； an extremely slow journey into degradation。 Eventually the drugs were hardly necessary…I'd helped Cora develop certain 〃tastes〃。 There was more to be achieved before she became mine pletely； but now time is too precious； the process has to be hastened if she's to fulfil her role。' The wire was cruel against his throat as Halloran tensed。 'You can't make her into something like that。'
'Like my Keeper？ Why not？ Who would know； who would care？ She'll merely leave the employ of the Magma Corporation to bee my private assistant。 These kind of relationships develop all the time in business； surely you know that？'
'This is insane。'
'That's a stupid assertion you keep making； Halloran。 You don't believe anything I've told you。' Despite his anger； Halloran smiled。
'You confuse me；' Kline said； weariness heavy in his voice。 'For a while I thought you could be of use to me； like the others。 I searched the world for men such as Palusinski and Monk； Khayed and Daoud； seeking out wickedness wherever it might lurk。 They're indebted to me； these men； because I gave them a channel for their evil…and such a fine evil it is。 There are more； many more； as these four； and I use them on my journeys。 You could have joined us because you're not unlike them。 Yet I can't know you； and that makes me wary。 You saved me from assassination…my dreams and my senses have told me the threat is near…but still I can't bring myself to trust you。 You're an enigma； and while that may have its fascination for me； I see no reason to have an unknown quantity so close； particularly at a time when things are not as they should be。 No； you'll have to be disposed of。' The wire bit deeper as the Arab behind Halloran giggled。
'Aren't you forgetting something？' the operative managed to say despite his throat's constriction。 The wire loosened once more and he swallowed hard。
'Tell me。' It came as a sneer。
'My organisation knows where I am； who I'm working for。 I can't just disappear。'
'Tut； tut；' Kline said flatly。 'What a fool I am for overlooking that。' The mocking ceased just as abruptly。 'Don't you see？ You put up a valiant fight against intruders； but they murdered you before my own bodyguards drove them off。 How's that？ Convincing？ Who can prove otherwise？ And incidentally； Monk was one of them； a traitor in our midst。 He went with them after we fought them off。 In fact； he was the swine who murdered you。' Halloran ignored the laughter。 'Cora …'
'She won't be saying anything against me after tonight！' Kline snapped。 His hands thumped the side of the chair。 'Time to press on。 All this talk is wearying。 Help me； Asil。' The Arab brushed past Cora and Palusinski and hurried to where his master sat among the effigies。
'Let Halloran stand； Youssef； but watch him； keep him harnessed。' The wire brought Halloran to his feet and he had to concentrate to keep himself steady； for his head was still groggy。 Cora took a step towards him and Palus