The new story title is The Amasa Stone.

Sounds good, Tony th: th: When do you plan to start?

The Historical Prologue I have already written is part of the Amasa Stone story.

Oh okay :)

The man who shot the boy that Adelbert Hay witnessed during the Boer War in South Africa was Fearing Gly. A ruthless killer, a descendant of the Dutch settlers who settled South Africa back in the 1600s. Fearing Gly, after the Boer war left South Africa for the United States and settled in Canada. His next door neighbor was Strom Ulvaeus, an emigrant from Sweden. Fearing Gly courted Strom's daughter, Britta and they married a year later. Britta and Fearing had a son they named Stefan Gly, who was born June 16, 1903. In 1904 Strom and Fearing went into business together owning a Saw Mill. In 1925 Fearing killed Strom in a fight and was sent to Jail. Stefan took over the business and expanded the company into other areas. In 1949 Stefan married a pretty young woman named Lisle Lind. They had a son in 1953 named Foss.

Detective Lindeman was working on an kidnapping case when the Commander of Detectives Abe Madragorias stepped up to his desk. "Detective Lindeman, please step into my office". Inside the office was a tall blonde man.
"Detective Lindeman what is the progress on your Question case?" "Well, sir, all I have come up with about the man is that he's a loner and a conspiracy nut who calls himself the Question. The idea that his reporting of a murder that has not happened leaves a lot to be desired. The only thing about it is that the man who is supposed to die is someone involved in black bags operations named Kurt Austin". "Thank you Detective Lindeman, you may go back to your desk". "Well, you heard it from Detective Lindeman that you are a marked man, my friend". "Thank you, Abe, I appreciate it". Later in the car Kurt wonders how could someone of dubious background could learn of a hit on him. Bad enough that my operations for the CIA's Meta Team leads me into dirty work. D@%# the CIA and their assigning me to this mysterious outfit that calls itself Meta. The Titanic affair must have left some word of me out on the streets somewhere.

Kurt Austin returns home and gets his kayak out and sculls down and back the Potomac River. While sculling Kurt remembers how he and Admiral Sandecker met in the White House back in 1975. Inside the Oval Office President Gerald Ford introduces Kurt to the Admiral. "I am forming the National Underwater & Marine Agency and would like to know if you would be interested in joining me" states the Admiral. The red bearded, short man didn't impress Kurt too much but Kurt was still working in the Marine Intelligence Group of the CIA and was still satisfied with the work he was doing. "I'm sorry Admiral but I must decline at this time because my work for the Meta team in the CIA is very satisfying work and I am not interested at this time to move onto anything else right now. Thank you for asking though". "Well, I am not surprised but I am pleased that you are happy with your work and when you think the time is right, give me a call, young man".

Back in the house, Kurt looks up a book that came to mind when he was in Abe's office. He finds what he's looking for and is pleased. No wonder, that a man who calls himself the Question, hides behind a cloak of mystery. What better way than to deliver cryptic bits of knowledge than someone who works in the darkness of life. Only someone skilled in gathering intelligence can operate in such a way. Just the fact that this person can find information on a killing that has yet to occur leaves a mark of respect.

Now even Foss Gly gets blamed on white South Africans... :P

It's interesting how you explained the background of Foss Gly, and Austin's affiliation to NUMA th:

Southby, England. On a dreary dark night in a cemetery Martin Devane shovels dirt over his shoulder in hopes for a clue that's buried. He find's the empty coffin and roots around inside the coffin and find's a slip of paper that says, "Amasa. Cleveland. HB." Martin flips out his cellphone and calls the Question to let him know of his find. After putting the cellphone back in his pocket a sickening crunch collapsed part of Martin's head and his body is pushed into the empty coffin. The ground was then refilled. Meanwhile, the Question types out the clue on a card and pins it to his corkboard.

i can't wait for more tonym5 kepp up at it

The Question looks at his corkboard at the cards he's posted looking for connections. Recalling that John Hay was U.S. Secretary of State at the time of the Boer War he remembers that John Hay's wife, Clara, whose father was Amasa Stone. Now it all makes sense. It's not just the existence of an actual stone that holds the clues leading back to Atlantis but John Hays' wife's family is somehow connected. But of course, the old eastern establishment included several members from Cleveland, Ohio. The Question looks up information on schools and finds the Hathaway Brown school where Amasa Stone, Marcus Hanna, John D. Rockefeller, John Merrick and others attended. So natural! thinks the Question. Many members of the old Eastern Establishment were not just chums but contrived to use any means for more power. So typical of the descendants of the secret societies that managed to become part of the nation's established centers of power. Now the object is to find all of the clues for finding the stone itself. Niggling on a thought about the grave in Southby the Question wonders if it just may be a headstone somewhere. But where? He tries to call Martin Devane. No luck. Flipping through a magazine idly he comes across the bestseller list. Thunderstruck, the Question see's a novel titled "The Amasa Stone" written by the famed writer Clive Cussler. The Question hurries to a bookstore to find the book and buy it.

Clive Cussler--famous? Who would've thunk!! :lol: :lol:

The Question, after thinking looks up Clive Cussler's phone number and calls him. "Well I got the idea for my novel a long time ago and only fleshed it out recently. I got the idea after meeting the boxer, Rashid Rafiq, back in 1967. And recently I wrote out the story after a bit of research about Africa and the Mid-east. I hope that helps you. Thank you for calling. Good Bye and good luck in your research". The Question, when he heard the name Rashid Rafiq, recognized the name as one of the aliases Radames D'Adamo used back in the 1960s. With a list of some of the aliases that Radames D'Adamo has used over the years, The Question has patched together a good part of the man's life and his many careers. Radames has worked as a crew member for the TV shows Mod Squad and Dallas. And has also raced cars, worked in politics, business, NASA, and several other places. A regular "Pretender" with his high IQ but also has steadily worked as a scam artist amassing a small fortune along the way and keeping ahead of everybody who is searching for the stone.

Kurt Austin, searching his memory both professional and personal has only come up with one name who could still have a grudge bad enough. Edyta Eichorn, a woman he had an affair several years back that ended badly. He starts an investigation about her whereabouts. Finally he learns that she's working for a conglomerate over in Europe. Could she have done this? It's his only loose stone considering his work in Intelligence. But how can he find out? Ask her?

On a sunday afternoon Kurt Austin and a date, Annelise Koronich arrive at Dirk Pitt, Jr. and his wife, Carrington's house several blocks away for a dinner. Kurt is surprised to meet Paul and Gamay Trout there too and is happy that they have come in from Seattle, the new home of NUMA's Headquarters. They all have a pleasant dinner together. After dinner, Carrington announces that Summer and Nicholas are coming over for dessert. A few minutes later they arrive. And a wonderful time is had by all talking into the evening.

Declaration of Independence Stolen! Blares the headlines on the front page of the Washington Post as Kurt Austin picks it up off the ground outside the front door Monday morning. Kurt turns back into the living room skimming the article. Annelise comes out of the bedroom asking "What do you want for breakfast dear?". Kurt walks to the breakfast table and sits down mulling over the news and lays the newspaper for Annelise to see.

Kurt turns on the TV and catches the early morning news listening how a gang of men and one woman blasts their way into the National Archives killing guards and setting off explosives to grab the precious document. A few minutes later a small news story about a man killed in England and how he was found in an coffin that was apparently empty before he was found in it.

Was it because there was a treasure map on the back of it? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Numbers. not a map. :lol:

Any story with Foss Gly as a villian is a-okay in my book. Good stuff, tonym5!! th: th: th:

Foss was happy with himself for stealing the Declaration Of Independence. Now with the numbers on the back of it written down and trying to decipher them is becoming a headache. Now what do I do with the document? hold it for ransom? Hand it off to someone else? Sell it to some collector? Now that I have the numbers hopefully I can find this fabled stone so that I can sell it to a collector or somehow use it.

Radames D'Adamo watches the news stupefied that someone would steal it!!! Just for the numbers?? Are they looking for the stone? Must be! It's the only explanation. Landon DeVilbiss calls and asks "What are they doing? Holding it hostage or looking for the stone?". 'I don't know myself. But an educated guess would be that someone is looking for the stone. We have managed to protect it for millennia from tomb raiders and other hustlers. I am sure we can still prevent such people from getting their hands on it now".

"You have done a good job Foss in organizing this robbery with my financial backing and the back-handed support from the company I work for" says Edyta Eichorn. Walking over to Foss she leans in and smiles seductively. "Yea, well I don't know what to do with the document now". "Don't worry, I will take care of it for you" replies Edyta who walks away provocatively. "As long as we find the stone that will make us rich" Edyta replies and looks over her shoulder with a faint smile. "And don't forget, you still have another job to do, for me". Edyta looks at Foss straight on with an evil grin.

What could that job be? :o

Good work Tony. Keep it comming.w:

Zara Arujo steps into the pizza shop after her recent delivery thinking about the strange group of people she just delivered to and still feeling creeped out. She looks sideways as she walks back to the stack of pizza boxes to deliver and stops n her tracks as she reads the description of the very man she just delivered to. She walks over to an unoccupied phone and calls the police to let them know she has just delivered a pizza to the very man described in the wanted poster. Happy that she has done her civic duty she grabs the stack of pizza boxes on her way out.

Within fifteen minutes the building where Foss and his gang are holed up are surrounded by cops and a S.W.A.T. Team. Edyta Eichorn drives up nearby and is glad that she has removed the Declaration of Independence from the man. Now, if he could get away from this hopefully he will be able to kill Kurt for her. Otherwise she would have to find someone else to do the job. Three minutes later Foss opens her passenger door. "Drive slowly away" says Foss.

The Captain of the S.W.A.T. Team, Giada De Lorenzano is happy that she and her team were able to get the gang of thieves despite losing their leader somehow. After the interrogations the detectives learned that the woman involved was not present when the men were arrested and that she was the financial backer. At least there's a description of the woman that can be sent out to all the law enfocement of the country and around the world. Later, at home Giada De Lorenzano is piqued that a woman was controlling the situation. Usually there's a man that's in control. Giada learned of the woman's description and wants to help in bringing this woman in.

Jenny McMaster Bujold gets ready for her date with Richard Adams. She gets a call from her dad, Tovar Bujold, who asks how his daughter is doing. Jenny rushes the conversation gushing over what she knows about Richard. Tovar, the Chief of Detectives asks if the man has a record. "Of course not daddy!' comes back Jenny. After the conversation ends Tovar looks on the computer at his desk and finds the typical but clean record of a businessman. Tovar wonders if he should dig deeper. Maybe, after getting to meet the man, then I can dig deeper depending on my instincts.

Landon DeVilbiss, the grandson of Wuornos DeVilbiss sits at his desk reading reports when the phone rings. "Landon, I have the Declaration of Independence! I just bought it at a secret auction on the black market! Now the trick is to get it back where it belongs. Can you use your contacts to help us?". "Sure I can, Radames!". "By the way, my new identity for the moment is Richard Adams, just in case someone inquires for a reference". "That's what I am here for, Radames". "Thanks, Landon". "Your welcome, Radames".

Foss watches Kurt sculling down the potomac river. What a better opportuntity, thinks Foss. Picking up a good sized stone and tossing it with sureness, the rock hits Kurt in the back side of his lower head near the neck. Kurt tips over in the kayak as the kayak nears the falls and he and the kayak goes over the falls. Kurt and the kayak disappear in the river as Foss watches.

uh oh i hope he will make it

Slowly his eyes open. Not easily. Feels like they've been glued togather. Finally he manages to look see what's happening. The world is upside down. Go figure. He slips back into unconsciousness. Again his eyes flutter. How long has it been? Back into the darkness. My mind's eye tries to picture what it must be like outside. Again it looks upside down. In and out from the darkness to brief flashes of reality. Finally managing to open one eye fully. The world is still disorienting. White light. Lots of metal. Everything spotless. He realizes he's in bed but something is not right. Back into darkness. Finally he manages with effort to get both eyes open. Looking but not believing. He see's the bed he's in is suspended on a circular metal contraption that has him at a strange angle. Then he realizes he is strapped to the bed with everything else. Looking around he realizes he's in a hospital. Not remembering anything he wonders what got him in the hospital. Someone walks in. A woman. An attractive brunette. He looks at the name plate, Dixie Cooney is the name. He tries to speak but it comes out a croak. Someone else walks in and speaks to him. Barely hearing the words he looks helplessly as he cannot understand. Several days past. Finally with some regular water through a straw his voice comes back. He tries to come onto Dixie when she comes in. She just smiles and replies perfunctorily. Finally the doctor, Michele Narvo, says that he was found on the banks of the potomac river near the tidal basin. Admiral Sandecker walks in and is happy to see that Kurt is back among the living. "Hi Kurt, do you remember anything before the hospital?" "Just the pain and the tumbling in the falls" replies Kurt. Admiral Sandecker waits until the doctor leaves and then, "The press has you presumed drowned and nobody knows that you're here except Dirk, Joe and Me. The doctor believes you are in the navy and was brought in due to an accident".

A series of mysterious acts of vandalism occurs around the country beginning in Cleveland as Foss tries to find the Amasa Stone. Starting off with the cornerstone of Hathaway Brown school and then the cornerstone of Amasa Stone College. Branching out to headstones was risky but infuriated the country as the incidents increase. Where in blazes could that stone be wonders Foss. With Edyta guiding him and his own inspirations is not getting him anywhere.

Edyta, nervous at the possibility of Kurt still showing up alive keeps a tab on the hospitals and private clinics. She has Foss looking up and down the river and questioning people. Finally, Foss learns that a body was found and claimed but no identity as yet. Assuming it's Kurt, Foss tells Edyta about a body found and claimed but nothing in the press yet. A day later, a squib of a notice about Kurt shows up in the paper, buried in the back pages. Edyta and Foss feel relieved and give a sigh of relief.

After an exquisite dinner, Richard Adams takes Jenny McMaster dancing. Later at her apartment they enjoy some drinks but Jenny declines anything more to the evening. Richard leaves. Later he goes to a club and finds someone more inclined for some passion. Jenny calls her girlfriend, Barbara, and talks about her evening with Richard. Jenny prays that this might be the one. Radames wakes near dawn, and slips out of the woman's apartment feeling good with himself. He picks up a newspaper at a kiosk outside a donut shop and walks in. Sitting at the counter he orders a blintz and a cup of coffee. He reads an article about crime in the D.C. area and notices the name of the Chief of Detectives who is quoted in the article as the same as that of Jenny. Radames wonders. He opens his PDA and researches the chief of detectives and finds that Jenny is indeed the man's daughter.

Crying, Jenny hangs up the phone. Two minutes later, Tovar, her father calls. She tells him that Richard won't be around because he has a big job overseas he's leaving for. Knowing that his daughter loves baseball Tovar offers to take her to the Washington Nationals-Minnesota Twins world series game 2. After getting off the phone with Jenny, Radames feels relieved that he avoided a complication by getting involved with her. Thinking about the acts of vandalism that have been occuring across the country for the past week and a half is a smash and grab job of someone trying to find the Amasa Stone. Not knowing that the stone he is looking for, Foss Gly, unkowingly is leaving a trail that is obvious to Radames and the others who know that the Stone lies in South Africa, buried with the boy that was murdered by Fearing Gly.

The Question, after researching the acts of vandalism and also has noticed that Foss was seen up and down the river after Kurt Austin was presumed drown. Zeroing in on the sites of vandalism and their connections leads The Question to the old connections of the eastern establishment of the late 19th century and early 20th century. This brightens The Questions mind about his theory of the secret societies and their ancient history leading back to Atlantis and the diffusion of knowledge that spread across the old civilizations that lead eventually to the creation of the United States and the benefits of knowledge that the United States has been endowed with. The Question, after some thorough investigation comes up with Kurt Austin's location and debates whether to inform Kurt of the identity of his attacker.