Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

"Why?""She pretty much despises me, and I don't want to cause a fuss and draw attentionto her.""She's too smart to let that happen if she's really fishing for information. Shewouldn't show her hand that easily.""I hate it when you use my own logic against me.""So?"Brian sighed. "All right."He took a deep breath and walked over to where Melissa stood transfixed inthought. If she'd noticed his approach she gave no impression of caring. He hesitated."What is it, Melissa?" he finally asked in a whisper. "What do you see?"She maintained her silence."C'mon, Melissa," he persisted, "I know you're onto something; what is it'?"She looked up from the corpse and gave him an annoyed glance. The two of themlooked at each other but said nothing. Suddenly the words of her mysterious assailantcame back to her. He's the only one here you can trust. She flushed with anger, not onlyat the recollection of the incident, but at the very thought of trusting a man, especially thisone. Just you wait. I'll expose you like all the others. All in due time."Stuff it," she snapped, and walked away.Brian hung his head in frustration. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned tosee Father Benedict's friendly, but concerned face."You must keep your wits about you, son. Your time is now," he paused, as ifovertaken by some dramatic realization, "and you must be singleminded.""What do you mean?" Brian asked a little uneasily. He wondered where Andrew'sprophet imitation had come from."You weren't brought here by those arrogant bastards. God sent you here. Thefinal pieces of the puzzle are coming together for me. I've pursued them most of my life,but God has shown me that it will be given to you to expose them. I'll help you all I can,but after tomorrow morning, my days will most likely be numbered."Brian didn't know what surprised him more, the priest's language or his ominous,cryptic declarations. "Andrew, what—""Your dissertation—I keep telling you! It holds the answers to our questions.Especially now."Brian was confused."Look at its face," the seasoned scholar whispered, taking Brian's shoulders andturning him toward the alien corpse. "Look at it and think about what you just said toNeil! Look at it and remember:`and behold, one of the Watchers appeared fearsome—like a serpent."A chill ran up Brian's spine as the priest repeated the text of the Dead Sea Scrollfragment so familiar to him. He looked down at the gray figure in startled disbelief."It can't be.""It is.""It makes no sense," he protested."It will. Look at its hands."163