Carl R Stokes

Gold

Carl explains that the idea for the book came to him after the sensational story of how the Staffordshire Hoard was found and he wondered what else could be buried, waiting to be discovered.

The story takes us from ancient Rome to Roman Britain and onto 18th Century England where a secret formula to manufacture gold inscribed on a piece of armour exercises the greatest minds of the day. Their dilemma is what to do with it and protect the future of world finance. The story moves on to the modern day when the secret comes to light again.

Private detective Charlie Edwards and his wing man Pete are drawn into a web of intrigue, resulting in them being ‘recruited’ to help Her Majesty’s government locate the artefact that could bring world banking to its knees. Charlie finds himself chasing history then finds history is chasing him across two continents. Will Charlie survive to bring the answers back to his new employers?

Gold is available in print and on Kindle.

Extract from GOLD…

Rome AD32

The Greek sat and looked at the sun setting over Rome. He had lived here all his life but was known as the Greek and had been raised in the traditions of his father’s homeland. His father had been brought here from Greece with a group of artisans. Astronomers, poets, philosophers, artists and his father. They were given everything they needed to explore their given field. His father was not one of the lauded artists and therefore never paraded like a prized acquisition, for which he was always grateful. His father was no stargazer or deep thinker of the human condition. His father dealt in the tangible, the foundation of human life, the very earth he walked upon

He had never married and now in his fiftieth year had requested to be allowed to see his father’s homeland before it was too late. He had several capable assistants who could continue his work.

The sound of hobnails on the stone steps told him that Pathyos, a retired centurion and his overseer, was on his way with news of his request. He was his conduit to the Prefect and in all the years he had known him, Pathyos had always spoken up for him.

Pathyos reached the top of the flight of stairs and paused to let the ache in his thigh subside. He rubbed the scar on his leg, some days it felt like the spear was still embedded in his leg. He cursed his ageing, ravaged body and the fact that all he was fit for was carrying messages. His life would be changing again, his son, a young centurion, would be leaving in two days to attend the territories in the north. His pride swelled in his chest every time he thought of it, followed by the pull of knowing that he may not see him again. Then his friend, the Greek, would also be leaving.

The Greek turned and raised a hand in greeting. Pathyos walked across and sat next to his friend and watched the last of the sun go down for the day.
Without turning from the majesty before them, Pathyos spoke.
“Your wish has been granted.”
The Greek turned to his friend. “I thank you. I will start my preparations to leave tomorrow.”
They sat in silence for a while.
“You know I leave with a heavy heart, this place is all I have ever known.” “I know, but it is right that every man should see his homeland before the end of his days. There will be changes here. The political will to expand the empire is dying. Our dependencies are draining the nation’s coffers. The feeling is that we have reached the tipping point where we no longer gain by advancing into new territories. The world changes with the generations.”
The Greek stood up and walked over to a low wall and retrieved a sack from behind it and brought it across to his friend. “This is for your son.”
Pathyos pulled out the contents of the sack. It was a breastplate shining in the last glimmers of the sun’s rays.
“I crafted it myself. I hope it will keep your son safe.” “I thank you and my son thanks you.”
Pathyos turned the plate over. There was an inscription, written in Greek. “I do not read Greek. What does it say?”
“It is a Greek proverb, the essence of it is, ‘in life we take a journey, where we go and where we finish, destiny decides. Our effect on the earth is but nothing, as we are here but for the blink of an eye. Our effect on each other may last a lifetime’.” “So you think we make little impression on the earth?”
“In a million lifetimes, we have not changed the earth as much one wave crashing on the shore.”
They sat for a while longer then Pathyos sighed and got to his feet. “I will take this to my son.”
Pathyos started towards the steps, after three steps he stopped and turned.
“If your proverb is right, explain how that when my son Sextus and you have left, my earth will have changed forever?”
Without seeking a reply he turned and walked away. The Greek watched as he disappeared down the steps, feeling a sadness he had only felt on his father’s death.

He hated deceiving his friend but what he had done was, he believed, for the greater good of mankind. His keepers would not reap the benefits of two generations of Greek work to enable them to become more powerful in future generations. The formula was cast into the reverse of the breastplate for someone to find in the future. He had done all he could with it and hoped that it would be used for the good of mankind.

Gold is available in print and on Kindle.