The Victory Conspiracy on going

Prologue

What were the secrets the men held, why had they been accused of heresy. Under torture they would not give up the hiding place of suspected maps, codes, trading routes where only the most knowledgeable would tread. Rumours abounded about a manuscript detailing every safe deposit, holding riches beyond dreams of the Kings of Europe. The manuscript had not come to light. Warrants had gone out all over the land spreading out to Scotland, Spain, Turkey and the holy lands nothing had come back.

A page, suspected to be part of a manuscript had turned up on the HMS Victory. Under a cloak and dagger farce, played out by the police and MI5 the page thought by the British Museum to be part of a Medieval manuscript written by a nun of the Carmelite Order.
According to reports, HMS Victory was undergoing repairs. It was on this occasion 19th December 2013 that a scroll had been found hidden inside a floor board in Nelson's cabin. Wrapped in the scroll was an elaborate piece of art work. Made of papyrus, bold gold letters intricately weaved with flowers in bright colours of a fine artists' hand. The wording was still! good enough to read. The British Museum held the scroll while examining its authenticity and meaning. All that had been in the tabloids was a scroll found on board HMS Victory in Portsmouth Hampshire was believed to be part of a manuscript from a Monastery in France. At the same time in France the tabloids reported strange goings at the Norte Dame, culminating in the sighting of three men walking slowly, the heads bowed down, cream robes bedraggled followed by a acrid smell of smoke. Concern had been mounting whether to close the Cathedral for a while and have a thorough search, the resistance had been greater than the council members of health and safety had anticipated, so the subject was dropped.

The cell was cold and damp, walls dripping constantly from the Seine flowing above. This was hell, every day alive, was torture.
The location of the cells had been secret, the King of France Phillip IV and his closet adviser Canon Simpson had found the perfect hiding place only they knew the tunnels with the secrets they held. Keeping the prisoners under the Norte dame had been a fate accomplished, away from prying eyes the plan was exquisitely executed by the Canon. Below the Norte Dame lay a series of tunnels where screams of the tortured could not be heard. The intricate passage ways running off the main spiral staircase going down turned into tunnels running for miles leading to various ports, along the Seine. Escape routes used by pirates and merchants exchanging cargo stolen to aid the many wars raging in the holy lands and Europe. The whereabouts of the tunnels had been a chanced upon act coming from an unusual source, one that had ended in bloodshed.

A croaky voice from somewhere in the darkness asked "Who, who has been charged with delivering such valuables?"

" Don't worry, as planned, the artefacts are on the way. Monsieur Salon rode out yesterday with ten pieces of exquisite gems, turquoise, Ruby, Amber, onyx, each gem lovingly made into necklaces, the gold seals have ducks imprinted into them, the voice chuckled, pray beg my forgiveness a momentary laugh at the disguise for the duck has the 'fluer De lis in its beak with a webbed foot on the crown. So small is the detailing that a learned craftsman may notice the real significance, for most, the enjoyment of wearing precious gems with the chevrons in ruby on gold encrusted diamonds, the pious will look no further. Madame Redouire is the only lady that has the hand of the Pope, Pope Clement. Madame Redouire has been given a very special diamond encrusted brooch for the Pope the Turquoise gem atop of seven rubies has part of a map showing the resting place of my last testament I wrote before coming here, she will not be displaced or her cover blown. She will ensure everything reaches  it destination arriving in style befitting the new owners. The creator of such fine pieces Monsieur Salon from Venice, his work is worn in the highest palaces, it was I that sought out his work for the Pope, knowing he could be trusted. Madame Redouire  commissioned the necklaces matching the Popes brooch, they will be going to noble owners picked for their greed and indulgence in everything lavish. No one will have any idea that they are the custodians of such important information, thus the survival is greatly magnified. My hope is each family will pass down the heirlooms until a time when clues are being searched for. There is one other item a gilted Manuscript our story is still being written until our deaths have finally consumed us. Then the scribe has been instructed to send the Manuscript abroad for its own safety I have left nothing to chance, my faith in Jesus son of God is as great now as it was when I became a knights Templar Mihi in salutem."  The words echoed in the dark by each mn.