by Alex Thomas
"No clues? Not a single one?" pressed Massini further as if he didn’t notice Ciban’s reserve. Ciban stared at the younger man. Just as Leo wanted to intervene, Ciban said: "Well then, the usual suspects can be eliminated. Extremists, the Mafia, our friends the Free Masons, the directorate, the council, the league, the syndicate, the alliance, Opus Dei…there isn’t a shred of evidence pointing to any of these groups’ involvement in the murders."
The words "Opus Dei" echoed in Leo’s brain. At the beginning of his papacy, he thought Ciban might just be a member of the ultraconservative Catholic federation. But then he had learned from a significant prelate in the Papal State that the cardinal and the Opus were not exactly on friendly terms. Although the Opus had tried to woo Ciban to become a member for years, the cardinal began an investigation against the order and started a fight with his predecessor instead. The old, power-hungry cardinal of the Roman Curia Sergio Monti, an incurable archconservative, had the reputation of eating his opponents alive. Leo liked the fact that Ciban defied Monti and even triumphed over him. As fate would have it, the elderly cardinal, who was the Grand Inquisitor during Innocence’s papacy for nearly two decades, was one of Leo’s worst enemies.
Because he noticed the Pope’s doubts, the significant prelate went one step further in his comments about Ciban. "Cardinal Ciban and I are not the best of friends, Holiness, but I would trust him with my life. And I can’t say that about many of my other colleagues. You may view him as an extremely conservative and closed off man, but you must know that he is quite capable of seeing the big picture and to do what’s necessary. That’s what several cardinals, including Signore Monti, realised too late."
Not only Cardinal Monti, but also Steffano Cardinal Gasperetti exhibited veiled hostility since the last conclave. He was the chairman of the congregation for the bishops, which stood under the watchful eye of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He was also the chairman of Lux Domini. Gasperetti was much more subtle than Monti. Lux Domini believed in the youthful spirit of the progressive Pope Leo and hoped for an appropriate church reform for the third millennium. Leo would have loved to cast a glance at the order’s membership list. But Lux kept its list just as private as Opus did. In any case, the order had fine-tuned the Catholic community during its nearly fifteen years in existence. As a result, its members had moved up the ranks to the highest levels of the clergy as well as in the Catholic community outside the Church. In other words, due to their opposing political views, both organisations were enemies, especially since the founder of Lux had been a religious figurehead with a talent for channelling who founded the very first Catholic Institute for the Psychically Gifted. At any rate, Leo decided that due to their powerful positions both Lux and Opus were to be handled with caution.
"Well then, if the usual suspects can be eliminated," said Massini, "we’ll just have to wait for the results of Monsignor Hawlett’s investigation."
Ciban nodded. "Looks like it."
Leo knew that it didn’t look like it at all. Hawlett’s mission was important, but it was only a small part of Ciban’s entire investigation. The prefect had already put out his feelers in every possible direction and had exhausted sources that the Pope would rather not know about. Lux Domini might just be one of his main sources. Even though Leo doubted that the cardinal was an active member of Lux, the order under Gasperetti’s command still stood beneath the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and thereby beneath Ciban himself. There was a list of names spanning from the last five Inquisitors, anonymous Lux members to the last six Popes. Not only Ciban, but also Cardinals Sarcina, Castelli, Leone, deRossi and Monti as Grand Inquisitor knew of its secret.
Regarding the Popes that knew not only of the secret but also of the identities of the congregation members… "You’re researching all the way back to Pius?" Leo had asked with disbelief during one of their last private conversations.
"There could have been a leak as far back as Pius. But to be honest, what interests me more in this case is John Paul’s papacy."
"John Paul? His papacy lasted only thirty-three days."
Ciban nodded and began to talk about a certain Dr. Thomas Kleier who, along with his assistant Sebastiano Luca, made an amazing discovery in the grottos beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. On behalf of John Paul. The cave was clearly marked by archaeological digs and soon thereafter partly collapsed. Upon Cardinal deRossi’s instruction, further digs came to a halt, but not before the scientist was able to save a book about the secret and bring it to the surface. It is said that the book is preserved in a strongbox in a secret archive somewhere.
"Do you think Kleier read the document?"
An amused smile, quick as lightning, passed over Ciban’s lips. "Before deRossi could prohibit him to do so. Although Kleier took a sacral oath to keep the knowledge to himself, I am not so certain he is as strong-willed as you are, Holiness." A mild side blow that, despite its gentleness, did not go unnoticed.
"What happened to the assistant?"
"He doesn’t seem to know anything about the contents of the book. But we are still checking into that. He works and lives in Milan."
"And Kleier?"
"Been retired for the past eight years and has returned home to an idyllic city by the name of Saarbrücken, the capital of Saarland, a Catholic stronghold in Germany, Holiness."
"I cannot imagine that the archaeologist or his assistant could have anything to do with the murders."
"Maybe not with the murder, but they may have unwittingly served as a source of information…"
Ciban briefly paused, shifted his slim, stately figure in the large chair across from Leo’s desk and casually pointed to the list of numbered names that sat on the massive table between them. There were actually more numbers than names, at least those names pertaining to the papal congregation. Behind each of the three murdered people was a simple cross.
"Out with it, Marc. What are you thinking?" Leo had never seen the cardinal be this hesitant.
"I was wondering whether you have noticed any suspicious activity of late. This spiritual connection between you and…"
"Yes?"
"Could it be that one of your special advisors…how should I say…is emitting dark energy?" Leo shook his head. "I don’t sense anything like that. Like most of the Popes before me, I am not a medium. That is why this covenant is so important for us."
"Could Sister Isabella, Father Sylvester or Father Darius have noticed anything?"
"Possibly. They were all talented mediums. What are you getting at, Marc?"
"Unlike me, every single member of the community knows both the secret as well as the names and locations of the others…knowledge that the murderer must have had."
"A traitor? Please!"
Ciban’s eyes rested as calmly on him as they had on the sensor device at breakfast. "I’m afraid so."
"I don’t believe it," Leo barked. "I know you don’t think much of Lux Domini. But why would one of the congregation members do such a thing?"
"Why did Judas betray Jesus, Holiness?" Ciban said dryly. "What if the covenant wasn’t broken by the papacy this time?"
Leo swallowed hard and had to admit that the idea was much more plausible than he had hoped. Sometimes he wished Ciban weren’t so pragmatic. On the other hand, what use was a overly trusting man at the head of the Vatican’s security to him after all?
"Another cup of coffee, Holiness?" asked Massini, thereby pulling Leo back to the present in the papal dining room.
"No, thanks, Corrado."
Leo thought about the possible consequences of all those decisions he had made based on his personal congregation’s advice. The most secretive and loneliest decision he had ever made was entrusted only to his journal. He didn’t want to even think about what would happen if the traditionalists such as cardinals Gasperetti or Monti came across it prematurely…
Oh Lord! What if Ciban were right? What if there was a traitor lurking within the congregation? Then
Leo could forget trusting any of his advisors ever again.
9
Present-Day, Munich Airport
Even if he would never admit it, Ben hated to fly. He felt a great level of unease when several kilometres of air and nothing else lay between his feet and Mother Earth. Unfortunately, it was also the fastest method to get from one point to another in the world. From Munich to Rome, for instance.
At the Munich airport, he had treated himself to a Bavaria specialty while he waited to board his flight. Two Munich white sausages with a pretzel and sweet mustard. As an Irishman whose family had emigrated to the United States, he loved foreign cuisine. No matter where his job took him, he would eat at least one traditional dish. Admittedly, Munich white sausages, sauerbraten and fried potatoes were among his favourites in Germany. They tasted better than the customary airport fare. He certainly couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed the wheat beer that went along with it.
Upon his return to Rottach after viewing the crime scene with brother Andreas, Ben had looked through Darius’ personal belongings. He had sat along in the priest’s cell, allowing the coolness and peacefulness of the small, sparsely furnished room to sink in. He had searched the room systematically until he came upon a small, unlocked oak chest in Darius’ wardrobe.
The chest didn’t contain much. A few letters, several photos, an old pocketknife, an old watch…and an old leather-bound Bible. Darius had received the Bible from his parents as a young man after his ordination. As a young boy, Ben had admired the black, supple leather-bound volume with its golden edges so much that his mentor had even promised to give it to him one day. Ben reverently opened up the well-worn book and flipped through the pages.
The priest never spoke of his parents. Sometimes Ben had the feeling that Darius feared he would endanger them both if he even mentioned them. He slowly flipped through the Bible. The pages were wafer-thin. He discovered a photograph between the Old and New Testament. The image showed him as a twelve-year-old, earnest young boy along with Darius, who smiled lightly into the camera and a joyful Catherine Bell. Ben remembered every detail of that day. They had made an excursion to Sears Tower. Catherine had enjoyed the breath-taking view over Chicago from the one hundred third floor while he fought against his revolting stomach. Looking closely at the photo, he could see that his face was rather greenish.
Ben wondered if there was more to the priest’s research work at the Institute than he had suspected. But why had Darius spent so much time in Rome over the last decade?
He carefully closed the Bible and pocketed it. It was the only keepsake, other than his memories, that he had of Darius. After leaving the cell, he had posed a few questions at the abbey. Questions that were not unsettling to the abbot. No, none of the monks had seen a stranger on the day of the accident, neither the day prior nor the day thereafter, although…Dominikus faltered slightly. Hadn’t Brother Johannes complained about a fresh patch of oil near the monastery on the day of the accident?
It turned out that on that day Brother Johannes had indeed seen a suspicious patch of oil in the forest along with two tyre tracks. Johannes stated further that due to the size of the tyres they must have belonged to an SUV, much like the one Ben had rented.
Ben could hardly believe his ears. The first trace!
Two hours later back in Munich, he had put together a list of all SUVs that had been rented in Munich on the day of the accident with the help of the German Federal Intelligence Service staff member Ralf Porter, one of Cardinal Ciban’s sources. With just five automobiles on the list, Porter’s search quickly led him to discover that one of the renter’s identification had been forged.
"We need to look at the surveillance video," demanded Porter from the airport car rental employee. With his neatly combed blonde hair, square glasses and black suit, the man looked like an FBI agent straight from the 60s.
Impressed by Porter’s agent ID and overall appearance, the car rental clerk asked one of his colleagues to take over for him at the reception desk and brought Ben and Porter to a tiny, windowless side room. Not only was the technical core of the electric monitors and surveillance equipment housed here, but also multiple DVDs. The entire place looked like an unmanned control room. The clerk took out two of the chronologically stored tapes from the shelf and placed one of them in the DVD player.
"It must be these two. One from reception and the other recording from outdoor camera two on the parking deck."
"The car has yet to be returned?"
The clerk shook his head. "It was rented for an entire week."
"What about the GPS?"
"Our SUVs don’t have them yet."
"Thanks," said Porter. "We don’t want to keep you any longer."
"No problem. I have time," said the man calmly and waited expectantly to see what the tapes might reveal.
"If you might leave us alone," asked Porter politely, yet firmly.
The clerk got it, exchanging glances briefly with Ben and clearing his throat awkwardly. "Oh yes. Of course. If you have any questions…you know where to find me."
Ben started the first of the two recorders. The image was crystal clear. Finally a company that invested in high-quality recording equipment and didn’t just bank on the deterrent effect of its cameras. He fast-forwarded to the moment in which the SUV was rented. Shortly thereafter it showed the man with the forged papers as he entered the office, approached the reception and exchanged a few words with the clerk to finish his business. Suddenly, the image quality grew fuzzy.
"How annoying! He is using an interceptor," said Porter.
But that wasn’t the only problem. Ben sighed. The stranger wore glasses and a baseball cap pulled so far down over his face that identifying him was simply impossible. The tape showed no other identifying markers such as a conspicuous ring on his finger or a wristwatch.
"Perhaps we will have more luck with the second tape," said Porter. He didn’t think they would. "At least we now know he may not be right-handed. Note how he signed the papers with his right hand, but placed them in his right interior pocket of his jacket and also pushed up his glasses with his left hand."
"He’s left-handed?"
"Looks like it."
Ben played the second video. It showed a part of the parking deck in which the SUVs stood at the ready. The stranger kept his hat on as he got in the car and drove away. He knew exactly what he was doing.
"I’ll take the tapes with me to the lab," claimed Porter. "Should I find anything, I will let you and your boss know right away. I will also question the clerk on the tape. It appears he is not here today."
"His Eminence will be most obliged."
Porter’s blue eyes lit up with amusement. "I am the one who owes him something, Father."
They left the tiny side room and walked down the hallway to the reception area where Porter asked about the clerk who was on duty the day of the accident.
"Eric Zander?" asked the clerk. "Sorry. I haven’t seen him since the day before yesterday. He hasn’t even called in sick."
"That doesn’t sound good," said Porter as he strolled toward his company car.
"Do you think the perpetrator killed the man from the rental car company?"
"If he discovered something that could be of use to us?"
Ben remained silent. If Darius’ murderer eliminated the young clerk as well, then he didn’t have much regard for human life in general. Words such as conscience and compassion were not a part of his vocabulary. As a child, Ben once looked into the soul of such a murderer. He would never forget it for as long as he lived. Mr. Eliot haunted him to this day.
"I’ll look into it," said Porter finally. "I’ll call you as soon as I know anything. Tell His Eminence ‘hello’ for me…"
The boarding announcement over the airport intercom pulled Ben back to the present. He grabbed his bag and Vatican papers. A part of his consciousness thought about the pending flight altitude and with every step toward the aircraft, his knees grew weaker and wea
ker. But then he remembered with some degree of happiness that he would see Catherine again once he landed in Rome, even if her visit was at the request of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and would be anything but joyful. He had had to postpone the meal they had planned to share a few days prior due to the investigation in Rottach. They would certainly make up for it now. In the midst of his pleasurable feelings about their reunion, he felt a twinge of unease because Catherine thought Darius was still alive. The old priest had meant at least as much to her as to him, yet Ben wasn’t allowed to tell her about his death just yet.
Before storing his hand luggage in the overhead bin, he pulled out the priest’s Bible. He needed a way to distract himself during the flight. As the aircraft took off, he once again flipped through the Bible, looking at the old, faded photograph of himself, Darius and Catherine for a second time. That excursion to Sears Tower was half a lifetime ago. So much had happened since then.
Acts 4:20 – "For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."
Acts 8:37 – "If you believe with all your heart, you may."
Acts 17:28 – "For in him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, For we are indeed his offspring."
Acts 26:31 – "This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment."
Ben continued reading, nearly forgetting about the flight altogether. Darius had a soft spot for Bible verses and aphorisms. He had highlighted the passages that fascinated him most.
10
Rome, The Vatican
After experiencing the past few days in Rome with the various meetings in the palace of the Roman Inquisition, not much else could surprise Sister Catherine Bell at this point. The heart-warming email from one of the employees at the Internet office, a Franciscan nun by the name of Thea asking for a personal meeting, surprised and moved her:
Dearest Sister Catherine:
