Pathspace
Page 63
Chapter 63
Enrique: “forever relight the flame.”
He went back into the car and closed the door. “Is everything in readiness?”
“Yes, Holiness.”
“What are the numbers?”
“According to our intelligence, there are ten guards inside armed with swords and crossbows. We have 144 protesters armed with torches to assault the front and back doors and ten snipers armed with crossbows covering the exists.”
“I suppose that will have to be considered adequate,” said Enrique. Even if he's invisible, he can't slip out a door past the crush of 72 people. If he comes out, we have him, and if he doesn't come out we go in and find him, or burn the prison down. “Let's go.”
At the center of the crowd, a man struck flint to steel. As soon as his torch was lit, those next to him reached in concentrically toward him with their torches, then the ones near them reached toward them. The fire spread out as a wave through the crowd. In less than a minute all of the torches were brining, and the crowd began to move.
His driver set the horses walking, and His Holiness followed the protesters at a discreet distance.
“Do you think there will be violence?” asked Cardinal Fuentes.
“That is entirely up to His Excellency,” said Enrique. “He would prefer to prevail without resorting to violence, as would I. But since we cannot both prevail, I fear there will inevitably be violence.”
“Then why are we doing this, Holiness?”
“We are doing it for the violence.”
“Holiness?”
“You have to think of the big picture, Ernesto. Either the protesters will prevail and the devil-worshiper will be handed over, or the protest will be crushed by government brutality, Either the Church will be more respected, or more empathized with. Either is a victory.”