Publisher's Synopsis
Steven Savile's second instalment of The Ogmios Directive, volume two is a compilation of the novellas Lucifer's Machine and WarGod.
Lucifer's Machine
During the baking summer heat a university-based archaeology team uncovers an ancient box bearing the image of Baphomet. They are on a remote French island with strong links to the Knights Templar story. The image of Baphomet itself goes a long way to proving those links as far as the team lead by Dr Kytain are concerned, especially as the Templar were accused of devil worship during their trails.
Could this box-a crude yet sophisticated machine centuries ahead of its time-be a vital link to discovering the true nature of the knights relationship to the horned devil? Before they are able to decipher the box's secrets the entire team are butchered horrifically, and all indications are that an extremist group, Al Aler'eyh, are behind the slaughter.
A second linked murder in the hallowed halls of Cambridge University tips off Control to the threat. Enter Sir Charles Wyndham and his Ogmios Team. Tasked with finding the Lucifer Machine and putting an end to this particularly fundamentalist wing of the terror organisation, Noah and Orla find themselves in the adult playground of Dubai, fighting for their lives...
WarGod
It's the middle of the night. Ronan Frost receives a plea for help from his former commanding officer, Tony Denison. Denison is running for his life. An outspoken opponent of globalization and fascinated in Arthurian lore, Frost's old comrade is the target of agents of the New World Order, a shadowy conspiracy trying to prevent him from finding the Crocea Mors, the sword of Caesar, and perhaps the very blade that King Arthur pulled from the stone to win his kingdom. Frost is sceptical, most of what Denison claims strikes him as bullshit, plain and simple, but there's no denying that someone is trying to kill him.
So he's going to help. No matter the risk. That's just who he is.
Across London, Sir Charles Wyndham, leader of the Ogmios Team, dispatches Konstantin Khavin to learn the truth behind the attempted assassination…only to discover that the British government wants Denison dead at all costs. And because Frost is with him, Sir Charles is forced to make a choice-abandon Frost, or lose Ogmios for good. It's not a choice he ever wanted to make, but he's going to have to cut Frost loose.
