"Arnold,” Harold frowned, “you aren't seriously considering we go public with this? You've just broken about a half dozen laws here. This is all your enemies need to screw your ass into the floor."
"No, I'm not proposing that ... yet,” Arnold said. “I'm proposing we work together quietly and when the time is right, we go public. I'll take my chances with the Attorney General on this. There is more at stake now than just a crooked president. He has to be up to his neck in this thing. He probably knows about de Charny's visit to your office, Ray, and I'm sure he knows about Michaels. That points right to my office. To be honest, this is a bit more than I signed on for, but now I'm signed on, I can use all the allies I can get."
* * * *
Ray grew serious, considering if he should share his latest news with them. He decided he would.
"There's more, Arnold,” he said gravely. “I've just received another tape from Angelino and Susan Morgan. I haven't had time to view it yet."
"Damn,” Harold whistled. “Don't you think you should think twice about airing it, Ray?'
"I thought twice, and then a third time before I aired the first one, Senator Bennett. I gave it a lot of thought. Do you want to know what was the determining factor in making me decide to air it?"
"What?"
"Truth, Senator. I went with what felt true. It looks like I had it right, too. So there is nothing to think about. The tape airs."
Harold nodded in understanding, but added, “If I were in your position I probably would have opted not to air it."
Ray couldn't resist one friendly jab at Harold. “Still hot to be president, Harold?"
Harold was not in a mood to see the humor.
Chapter 14
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, Good evening. I'm Ray Cutler and this is another edition of Special Report.” Ray's image filled the screens of televisions all over the world. After Ray's previous explosive broadcast, everyone was anxious to see what other news might follow. No one could have known how the world was about to change during the next fifteen minutes.
"Tonight we have another tape which I received from Susan Morgan earlier today. It contains a shocking revelation which will undoubtedly be the story of the century ... indeed, the story of the millennium. Tonight, science meets religion in a way it never has before, as we learn the purpose behind Father Angelino's theft of the holy Shroud of Turin. Now ... here is Anthony Angelino Sabbatini, Father Angelino."
The kindly image of Angelino appeared all over the world.
"Greetings. Most of you know who I am and many of you have been told I am not to be taken seriously, that I am a crackpot ... a lunatic ... a madman. Today you can judge for yourself if any of those charges are true.
"A few months ago, I removed the Shroud of Turin from its display in Turin. I told the people of the world this was done with a greater purpose in mind. The time has come for you to know that purpose."
The camera panned back and revealed Steven Hamilton and John Barber standing on either side of Angelino.
"Most of you will recognize these two gentlemen. For those of you who do not, allow me to introduce Doctor Steven Hamilton and Doctor John Barber. These gentlemen have discovered the secret to exact duplicate cloning. They were in the news a lot a few weeks ago, when their process was announced to the world. I have studied their progress for many years and was aware of the great work they have done.
"A couple of months ago, the American Congress passed a bill making the cloning of human beings illegal. Nevertheless, I approached Doctors Hamilton and Barber with a proposition. I asked them to clone Jesus from DNA contained in the blood which stained the Shroud of Turin. Overcoming their initial reluctance, I was able to persuade them to do so.
"Being the scientists they are, they made a full video record of their progress. We have supplied a copy of the tape to Ray Cutler for him to show at his discretion. We have done so to show what I am telling you is true."
The camera panned left to reveal the figure of Armand Mathias. Angelino continued.
"Reverend Armand Mathias, who is familiar to most of you, had learned of the attempts to clone a human being, not knowing at the time it was Jesus who was being cloned. He arrived at the Genetic Engineering Project laboratories intending to stop them. Upon learning the identity of the subject being cloned, he changed his mind and remained with them to help in this project.
"Today I am here to tell you the cloning of Jesus has been successfully accomplished."
The camera panned right to reveal Jesus, dressed in the same red flannel shirt and jeans he was wearing the day he stumbled upon Susan's cabin.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the world, I present to you Jesus of Nazareth."
The entire world virtually came to a halt. Those who had been watching had called friends and relatives who were not and in a chain reaction that rippled across all but the most desolate regions of the globe, the entire consciousness of the world tuned in to NBS.
"Susan Morgan and I have been biding our time in a location I choose to keep secret for the time being. Coincidentally, Doctors Hamilton and Barber with Armand Mathias had chosen a location about five miles from us to bring Jesus where his mental development could catch up to his physical development. We came upon each other quite by accident,” he smiled, “if you believe in ‘accidents,’ that is.
"Do not attempt to locate us. By the time this tape is broadcast, we will be long gone from this location. We are returning to Washington. Jesus has decided to begin his ministry once again. Armand Mathias has chosen to follow him. You will have the opportunity to talk to them very soon. For now, Jesus would like to address you."
The camera settled on the face of Jesus. Much of the world was still in a state of shocked disbelief. Most had not yet absorbed the face which stared at them from their television screens was the very face of the man upon whose teachings the entire Western culture had been built. Some fell to their knees in worship in their homes, others merely stared in utter disbelief. Still others ignored the news completely and continued with their normal routine, content to remain oblivious to all but the events that effected their daily living.
"Hello,” Jesus smiled warmly into the camera, as if he had done this a thousand times before. “I am Jesus. You must forgive me. My English is not too good yet. Armand has tried to teach me.
"It is not easy to wake up two thousand years in the future. Everyone I knew has been gone for so long, the world I knew is so far away. I am told my old country is not all that different from the time I lived, but I know that cannot be entirely true. You have so many remarkable devices and machines which move you from place to place. In my day we moved about by camels or our own feet. I have had much to absorb and get used to.” He tugged lightly at his shirt and said with a smile, “I do not much care for the restrictive clothes you wear these days.
"We have been alone, hiding since I became aware of who I am. I am eager to know the rest of your world. It is time for me to walk among you again."
Jesus grew intense and forceful behind his charismatic smile.
"I have come, just as I promised. I am here to bring you the word of my Father, the rightful Sovereign of the World. I will soon be among you again and I invite all who seek the true Word to follow me. All who choose to follow will be welcome at my side."
The camera panned back to Angelino. The absence of Susan in the scene made it clear it was she operating the camera.
"We must prepare to leave so we must end this tape now,” Angelino said. “Thank you for taking the time from your lives to hear us out once again. Libertus Kristos est, Kristos Libertus est."
The screen went blank for a moment and then the image of Ray faded in. Somber, unsmiling, grave, he addressed the worldwide audience: “I have seen many remarkable events in my journalistic career. The landing of a man on the moon; the devastation of Vietnam; the explosion of the space shuttle, Challenger; and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy, Gandhi, and Malco
lm X. I have watched the fall of a president, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the crumbling of the wall in Berlin. I have learned that however large an event might be, there will always be an event which supercedes it sooner or later, in its scope and importance and its impact on the lives of the people. All that said, it is hard for this reporter to imagine an event that can rival the return of Jesus to the world.
"Here with me to sort all of this out is a panel of experts..."
* * * *
"THIS IS GREAT!” Eugene Crowley was practically jumping up and down with delight as he flipped the television off. Harvey Thatcher and Roger Harmon exchanged glances
"Chief, I'm sorry, but I don't see it. How can this be a good thing?” Thatcher asked.
"You disappoint me, Harvey,” Crowley said with a smile. “Think about this for a moment. What is the one thing we have needed to get Wills off our ass?” He paused for a response.
"A distraction,” Harmon said. “I think I'm beginning to see."
"Very good, Roger,” Crowley said. “Can there be a bigger distraction than the second coming of Jesus? This is great.” Crowley repeated, laughing.
"Think it through a little further, gentlemen,” Crowley added. “What happens to Wills’ investigation if Jesus becomes a friend of this administration? How can Wills hope to get any public support if he finds himself lined up against the Son of God? This is too good to be true."
Crowley was pacing the Oval office and thinking out loud. “We can honor him with a White House banquet. Give him the Distinguished Service Medal. Take him with us on the trip to Israel in the spring. That's still on, isn't it, Harvey?” Thatcher nodded.
"Chief,” Harmon interrupted. “Are you suggesting we buy Jesus’ favor?"
"Sure, Roger. Why not? Everybody has their price. We can give him what he wants and needs ... an international forum in which to spread his gospel. We can get him before the UN..."
"Mr. President,” Harmon again interrupted. “Forgive me, but why would Jesus need us for any of that? Everyone will flock to him without any assistance from us."
Crowley considered this as he continued pacing, now deep in thought. “You could be right, Roger. We'll just have to make sure we get his ear then.” He lit up with realization. “Say, isn't Armand Mathias one of our big contributors and supporters?"
"Yes, he is,” Thatcher smiled.
"Great! There's our ‘in.’ If I know that scoundrel Mathias like I think I do, he hasn't stopped scheming and planning how to take advantage of his proximity to Jesus since the day all of this started. We will generously extend the help of the American people to Mathias and his own ambition will take care of the rest."
* * * *
"STEVEN, I DON'T like what's going on here.” John kept his eyes on the road ahead, following the van containing Jesus and the others.
"What's bothering you?” Steven asked. He, too, was ill at ease with the way events were moving. He was beginning to feel like a pawn in a larger game being played by Angelino, and he didn't like the powerlessness of the role. He had seen nothing in this clone of Jesus to convince him he was anything more than human, nothing he could discern as divine at all. He had never really expected to, and yet he found himself feeling disappointed he had not.
"Have you paid attention to Mathias, Steven?” John asked. “I don't trust him. I never trusted him when I saw him on his holy-roller-hour TV show and I trust him even less now that I have gotten to know him. He is going to use his closeness to Jesus to advance his own agenda. What a fucking hypocrite."
"Yeah, I'm sure you're right about that. But we're not any less guilty than he is.” Steven paused and considered whether to share his thoughts. He decided there was no reason not to. “The one I'm not sure I trust is ... Jesus."
John chuckled.
"Why do you find that funny?” Steven was genuinely surprised at John's amusement.
"I don't know. Just something about a person not trusting Jesus strikes me as funny. I mean, if you can't trust the Son of God, who can you trust?"
"Ok, ok, I see your point. I guess I expected something more."
"What did you expect, a voice from Heaven proclaiming Jesus to be the Son of God?"
"John, hasn't it occurred to you someone with that much ‘godliness,’ or whatever you want to call it, would radiate some of that? I don't get any of that from Jesus."
John remained quiet for the next couple of miles before speaking. “I'm having some serious second thoughts about having helped Angelino with this. I let myself get seduced by the promise of glory, at how we would awe the entire scientific community with our discovery. Frankly, I just wanted to show all of those who had shut us down how wrong they were."
"Don't blame yourself. I got you into this. I was caught up in the same bullshit. I was pissed about the cloning bill and all I could think about was fighting back somehow. But, now I don't like this feeling of being swept along on something we have no clue about."
"So why are we doing it? Why are we going along with it?"
"What would you have us do? Can't hardly put the toothpaste back in the tube now, can we?"
"No, I suppose not,” John frowned.
"John, look. I'm not too comfortable with all of this either, but why don't we just make the best of it? At least we can maybe keep things under control. And no matter how you slice it, what we did was pretty damn amazing. I mean, shit, we cloned a live human being from two-thousand-year-old blood. And it's not like we chose Attila the Hun as our subject. I mean, this is Jesus, for crying out loud. That should be OK, shouldn't it?"
"Yeah,” John said, knowing neither of them believed it. “But you know what really pisses me off?"
"What?"
"Jesus has screwed up all my swearing. Oh, sure, we still have the old standbys, ‘shit,’ ‘fuck,’ and, ‘bullshit.’ But we've lost ‘Goddamn', ‘Jesus', ‘Christ', and my personal favorite, ‘Jesus H. Christ'. What does the ‘H’ stand for anyway?"
"Hubert,” Steven said, deadpan.
Steven turned to look at John, who was smirking, and they both broke out laughing.
* * * *
THE LARGE FLOWER shimmered with color and vibrancy, so much so it not only was a vision of splendor, but even seemed to emit a musical sound. The sun overhead was warm but not hot, illuminating a cloudless azure blue sky. An eagle soared high above, circling with majestic purpose, its noble cry periodically piercing the peaceful silence. The flower drew her toward it. She slowly reached out her hand to touch it and it bent toward her, accepting the soft touch of her fingers, much like a pet might. Her heart filled with a profound love and hope, as if her very being was melting into a serene oneness with all that was good. As her fingers stroked the petals of the living flower, she closed her eyes and allowed the peacefulness to consume her.
Then she saw the eyes. Fiery. Fierce. Penetrating. Eyes that seemed strangely familiar hovering disembodied over the horizon, moving slowly toward her with malevolent menace. She felt the numbing cold of mindless terror, without understanding its source. Her first reaction was to flee, but some unbidden maternal instinct overrode that impulse. She became consumed with the primal need to protect the flower at all cost, although she did not know why.
She fell to her knees and draped her body over the flower, shielding it from the penetrating eyes of evil. The wind began to gust strongly, as if willed by the demonic eyes. Dust encircled her, blinding her, and the serene peacefulness that had embraced the region just a short moment ago was replaced with a maelstrom of fury. Black clouds rolled in like waves of ebony doom, and darkness enveloped the wilderness.
Squinting through the storm, she saw the eyes grow larger, and she could feel the force of pure evil emanating from them as clearly as if it had been encased in steel arrows and aimed at her soul.
The eyes began to glow a fiery red. An intense heat rose around her. She redoubled her efforts to protect the fragile flower beneath her, as the air grew hotter and hotter. Suddenly, she w
as engulfed in a brilliant, explosive blast of intense heat. She felt her skin begin to melt....
Susan awoke with a start, momentarily disoriented. It took her a moment to realize she was riding in the van with Jesus, Mathias, and Angelino. She must have yelled out just before she jolted awake, because both Angelino and Jesus were looking at her. She suddenly felt self-conscious and embarrassed.
"Are you ok, Susan?” Jesus asked kindly. She was unable to face him directly. She glanced quickly at Angelino, whose gaze was shifting from Jesus and back to Susan repeatedly, as if he was trying to glean some significance from their interaction. She pulled her gaze from him and shifted it to focus on the countryside outside her window.
"Yes, I'm fine. I ... I ... must have drifted off."
Angelino nodded, turned back to the front and continued his previous conversation with Mathias. Susan almost allowed herself to feel amused at how Angelino seemed to be able to get along with anybody, even someone as obnoxious as Mathias. But before she could fully engage the thought, her focus returned to the dream. She stared out the window, not seeing the Iowa countryside drift past her window. She shuddered involuntarily, still possessed by the emotional remnants of the dream. What did it mean? Again, the flower, this time more splendid and radiant than before, but now threatened by some malevolent power of enormous intensity.
Gradually, the fear subsided and what remained was confusion. She marveled at how her life had changed in just a few short months. Why had she been pulled into this series of events? What possible significance could she be to this larger game Angelino playing?
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