Sabina's Pursuit of The Holy Grail

As I came back to my hideout, I visited the same site on the dark web that I had ordered from twice before. I didn’t need to buy anything, but I needed to meet with the young hacker girl that had delivered my last two deliveries. I put through an order, and I waited eagerly for the delivery, hoping that the same girl would deliver it.

While I was waiting, I realised that I was starving. With all the stress from the last few days’ events, I had forgotten to eat. I decided to order the food from the same website, as I didn’t want to be away from the room, when the girl came with the delivery. I hoped that the food would be worth the hefty price tag, but I had no illusions. The prices were steep because of the secrecy of the platform, not because of the quality of the food.

A few hours later, the young hacker girl delivered the goods. But this time, I wouldn’t let her leave without saying a word. I grabbed her hand and said. “Hey, wait. We need to talk. I don’t know your name yet.”

I sensed anxiety from the lanky, boyish girl, and I tried to send her a calming emotion. This was a lot harder than it usually was, as the events that I had witnessed, had upset my inner peace, but eventually, she seemed a bit calmer.

“What do you want to talk about?” the girl said carefully, staring at the floor.

“You don’t need to be afraid of me.” I said, and I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The girl looked up, and I saw her eyes. She had beautiful features, hidden by her boyish and alternative looks.

She talked softly and replied, “Perhaps not, but someone who spends nearly 100,000 Shekel on discreet accommodation, clothing necessities, laptops and fake ID’s, must be up to something?”

I nodded and replied. “Yes, I am here on a mission. But first, what do you know about the conspiracy within the Mossad?”

The girl shook her head and replied. “There are many conspiracies in the world. But the only way for someone like me to survive, is to stay off the grid, and don’t put my nose where it doesn’t belong.”

I pondered on what the girl had said. She was doing the right thing by staying out of trouble, but I really needed her help. Then again, what moral rights did I have to risk her life and well-being to pursue my own goals? I closed my eyes, and I could hear the voice of the True Maker. “Human lives are finite; the future is what matters.”

I felt relieved that I had gotten the True Maker’s approval, but I was still uncomfortable with what I had to do. I looked the girl into her eyes and hypnotised her with my soft and yet commanding voice. I said, “Listen. I really need your help. It’s important, for all of us, for the future of humankind.”

Upon hearing these words, the girl relaxed, and she entered my room, closing the door behind her.

“Okay, Sabina Hines. I will help you,” she said.

“How do you know my name?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t last long, if I didn’t know how to research my potential customers,” the girl replied. I nodded in acknowledgement; this hacker girl clearly knew what she was doing.

“So, you know everything about me, but I don’t even know your name?” I said.

“Simona, Simona Fischbein is my name.” Simona replied

“Is that your real name?” I asked.

“Well, names are just imaginary, a human construct that doesn’t exist in nature. Simona Fischbein is not the name that my parents chose for me, but it’s the name I am using now.” Simona replied.

I nodded. While Simona had used a lengthy way of telling me that she was using a fake name, I understood her predicament, and I didn’t want to push the issue further.

“You are very beautiful, Sabina,” Simona said, while looking nervously at the floor. “Do you feel the same way about me?” She continued.

Hearing this, I was a bit lost for words. Was Simona sexually attracted to me, or was she just a lonely girl that needed a compliment?

“What matters is the beauty of the soul, and I don’t know you well enough to determine the beauty of your soul.” I replied, and then quickly added in. “But I am very grateful for your compliment, and that you’re helping me out.”

Simona seemed hesitant and indecisive, but eventually, she spoke. “But have you been with a girl before?”

Ouch, this was awkward. Being a divine reincarnation of the Chosen One, Sabina Eisenstein, I don’t focus on sex and physical attraction. I do know, however, that my physical body is attracted to boys my age. I had felt very attracted to a guy called Alexander O’Neill at my school, but I had never pursued that attraction. I felt no spiritual connection to him; purely physical attraction, and I hadn’t figured out whether I should pursue the desire of the flesh or if I should wait for the individual that would fulfil me both physically and spiritually.

Things were getting more awkward as Simona was interpreting my silence as a signal to seduce me, and I could feel an unpleasant shiver when her hand stroke the side of my breast. “I am not comfortable being touched that way,” I said with a meek voice.

“Am I too ugly for you?” Simona said, with a shivering voice.

“No, you’re beautiful. But I am not into girls,” I replied.

Simona crashed onto the bed, with tears running down her cheeks. “Do you know how hard it is for me, being a lesbian in a country where my desires are shunned upon, and I can’t live openly?” Simona said.

I grabbed Simona’s hand, and I spoke to her. “Simona, the increasing oppression in this region is terrible, and I am here to help. But to do that, I’ll need your help,”

Simona dried her tears with the bed sheet and replied. “But I need you right now.”

“Well, you cannot have me without disrespecting my physical integrity. Surely you wouldn’t want to do that?” I replied

“But I thought we had such a strong connection,” Simona said.

“What you believed to be physical attraction, was actually me trying to connect telepathically with you. I am an empath, not a lesbian.” I replied calmly.

After a moment of tranquil silence, I telepathically soothed Simona’s struggling mind, and Simona finally came to peace. “So, why are you here, and how can I help you?” Simona asked. I exhaled, relieved that I was no longer an object of Simona’s unrequited attraction and replied. “I am here because I need to find something. I need to find the primordial Zeto Crystal, commonly known as the Holy Grail.”

Simona studied me for a while. Then then she nodded and replied. “So, you are a young white girl, travelling on her own, to seek a mythological Arthurian treasure?” Simona said.

“Yes, that’s right.” I said with a light-hearted tone hoping to ease up the tension

For the first time, I saw Simona smile. Simona had a beautiful warm smile, and she replied. “You are crazy. We must be soulmates.”

“Perhaps spiritually, but not physically!” I replied.

“I guess that’s better than nothing.” Simona replied, and we both laughed at the funniness of the awkward friendship-budding situation.

“So, tell me. How can I help you?” Simona said with a more serious tone.

“I was shown this strange-looking tattoo by a mysterious man, Martin Al-Sham. Martin then pretended to be murdered by a group of Mossad agents. One of the agents dropped his ID card at the scene.” I said. I showed Simona the picture of the tattoo that I had on my cell phone, and I handed her the ID card of the mysterious Mossad agent, Ben Yehuda,

Simona studied the pictures and the ID card carefully. She opened her laptop and searched on the dark web, looking for answers on a discreet hacker forum. Eventually, she spoke. “I have made some queries on the dark web. I think you might be onto something thrilling.”

I could feel my pulse rise in anticipation, and I replied. “Please tell me what you know, Simona.”

“Martin Al-Sham is a prominent member of the Templar Order. If he is in Jerusalem, that must mean that they have resumed an archaic project,” Simona said.

“Which project?” I asked.

Simona hesitated for a bit, looked around in the room, and then spoke again. “In 1099, the Templars invaded Jerusalem during the first crusade. They located their headquarters at the Temple of Solomon and immediately started to dig under the Temple. Rumours have it, they found magnificent treasures under the temple.”

“What did they find, and why did they stop digging?” I asked eagerly.

“No-one knows, but rumour has it, that they found the Holy Grail. They disappeared with all their treasures in 1307, and the Templar Order hasn’t been seen since,” Simona stated.

“Except that Martin Al-Sham introduced himself as a Templar, so they are not seeking secrecy anymore,” I said.

Simona paced back and forth nervously in the room before she finally spoke again. “Yes, they are getting bolder. That must mean they have found what they are looking for. The first place to look would be in the tunnels under the Solomon Temple.”

“I assume they are not organising tours down there?” I said innocently.

Simona smiled and replied. “Not exactly, but that’s where you are lucky to have met me. I can make you a fake ID that will give you easy access.” Simona smirked and looked at me wittily.

“Except that, your services are not cheap, and I have run out of SplitCoin.” I replied shortly.

Simona bit her fingernails and stared at the floor in silence. I could sense that she was conflicted and didn’t know what to do. I thought of influencing her but decided not to. This was her choice to make. Eventually, Simona spoke to me with righteous conviction. “I’ll help you for free on one condition: That you are taking me with you.”

“You want to come with me to the tunnels under the Solomon Temple?” I asked with a confused voice and then added in, “But why?”

Simona looked at me with a serious face and spoke. “This Mossad agent you came across. His name is Ben Yehuda, and he murdered a dear friend of mine. Whatever he is after, I intend to stop him!”

“You’ll be up against some very dangerous men, I am not sure I can keep you safe,” I said with a grave voice.

Simona looked at me with a confused expression and replied. “So, you are worried about me, but not about yourself?”

I nodded and replied. “Yes, I can foresee my future and I know the date of my death. 20th October 2131, about 94 years from now. I haven’t seen your destiny though, as it is outside the scope of my powers.”

Simona shook her head, laughed, and spoke. “You are crazy, Sabina, do you know that?”

I smiled at her and replied. “Yes, I have been told.”

“Well, at least we are on the same page. So, am I coming with you?” Simona asked.

“Sure, I need all the help I can get.” I replied.

“Great, I am heading home, to gather our equipment and make fake ID’s for both of us. I will be back in a couple of hours.” Simona said. Then she took off before waiting for my answer.

After Simona had left, I felt melancholy gripping my body. Simona was young, lively, had a pure soul, and we could become good friends. But I was certain, that she wouldn’t make it through this ordeal alive.