The Cybersybils present Sign of the Dove

Juan Carlos hurriedly ushered his new best friend through the garden and into the House of the Doves. Although the residence was decorated in a garish style, Maddie did not notice, so intent was she on fooling the Jackal by turning a genuine esoteric document into a wild goose chase. She was certain that the jackass knew Miss O's whereabouts, whether at Château Chien or some other hiding place.

Once settled in the Jackal's study, Maddie was shown a brand new, state-of-the-art personal computer and told to get cracking. Long fingers speeding across a black keyboard, the Hague employee soon accessed her email, made a few modifications to the text in question, then hit the send button, winging the missive to Carlos' account: Jackal006@hitman.org

"Shouldn't your email read 007?" the lovely Belgian inquired with a toss of her head.

"Everybody knows that Ian Fleming got it wrong - 006 is the proper moniker," Juan Carlos sniffed. "I hope your treasure map proves more accurate."

"Have a look," Maddie challenged, rising from the seat, motioning towards the desk.

"Fine, I'm in. All right...here it is...let me see," and the Jackal began to read aloud:

From Elizabeth van Buren, resident author, Rennes-le-Château-Gâteau:

At RLC, in the church dedicated to Mary Magdalene, is a beautiful stained glass window depicting Lazarus coming forth from the tomb...He is portrayed in such a manner that he appears as an Egyptian, and the cave from which he emerges is shaped like the case of a mummy. Lazarus was the brother of Mary of Bethany who anointed Christ's feet.

There are legends that say she sailed to France with her sister Martha, her brother Lazarus and a small company of early Christians. The coming of Lazarus and his sisters to the West was not only to convert the people to Christianity, but to perpetuate the old Mystery Religion.

A French tradition states that MM brought the Grail with her from the Holy Land. A story relates that René d'Anjou (nee 1408) owned a beautiful cup that he had obtained at Marseille, where MM is thought to have disembarked. Another version states he engraved the following strange inscription on a chalice: Qui bien buerra, Dieu, voira. Qui beurra tout d'une baleine, Voira Dieu et la Magdeleine.

Before their persecution by the Inquisition in the Middle Ages, the Cathari dwelt in this part of France, close to the Pyrenées. In the 'Secret of Mont-Segur' we learn that there is a book in existence, a book that had been guarded and preserved by the Cathari, a manuscript which lies in a leaden casket in the depths of a cavern. The manuscript is called the Book of Love. When certain of the Cathari underwent torture, they admitted the existence of the book, known only to a few high initiates. The manuscript is attributed to John the Divine and is said to contain: ...sublime teachings, marvelous revelations, the most secret words confided by our Lord to the Beloved Disciple. Their power would be such that all hatred, all anger, all jealousy would vanish from the hearts of men. The Divine Love, like a new flood, would submerge all souls and never again would blood be shed on the Earth.

A prophecy states that this book will be found at a pre-ordained time by a predestined person. Furthermore, it stated that this predestined person, a being of perfect candor, innocence and absolute purity, would be under the sign of the Dove.

If the Book of Love is really hidden in a cave in the southern part of France, the story of Lazarus might be speaking of the book itself. Lazarus was dead and lay entombed in a cave. ... When the predestined time arrives, the Book of Love will be called forth for all the world to read.

The Book of Love is said to be the book given to the Beloved Disciple by Jesus Christ. But there is reason to believe that it might be of much older date.

You are bothering me about a book?" the fiery Spaniard exploded, his cheeks flushed with anger. "All this intrigue over a stupid...BOOK?"