Cardinal Porter looked at his watch. “We’ve got a lot to tell you. In thirty minutes, meet me at the gate of the Apostolic Palace.”
Briefly, Kevin stewed over this. “I’ll be there, Eminence. And after I hear what you have to say, I’ll make up my mind about two things: whether I’m sticking it out with you and your melodramatic puppet show, and whether I’ll be staying in the priesthood.”
Chapter Thirteen
Pope Quintus II
Following the contentious meeting, Kevin walked back to his apartment to freshen up before the appointment at the Apostolic Palace. Although the clear air lifted his mood, his calm was abruptly eclipsed by the buzz of his cell. He hoped it was Katie.
It was Toby.
“I think we solved the Teheran mystery.”
“Meaning you know why Alameda went to Tehran?” Kevin asked.
“Precisely. We got some good intel that Alameda brokered the sale of the triggers between Pakistan and Iran. The Tehran trip was to complete the sale. After that, the Iranians arranged for delivery by truck from the Pakistani embassy in Teheran to the nuclear site. Problem was, the package had a secret tracking device, a thin array of electronics built into the brown wrapping paper, to tell Alameda exactly where it went. But when the package location data was uploaded, the signal, the tracker, fizzled into burnt cardboard.”
“So now what? We don’t know where it is?” Kevin asked, keeping an eye on the time.
“No. We assume Alameda sold this information to the Israelis so they’d know which site to bomb. I’m telling you this to give you a sense of how dangerous this is. If you can find out anything—anything at all—about these wackos or their plans, pass it on.”
“OK, OK. I will, Toby. Promise.”
With no time to spare, Kevin turned around and went straight to meet Cardinal Porter. In short order, he arrived at the black iron gates marking the entrance to the largest building in the Vatican, the Apostolic Palace. He waited for security to let him in.
Moments later, Kevin saw Cardinal Porter approach. He was dressed formally in a scarlet red cassock, a red mozzeta cape, and the traditional red biretta cap. He was the picture of a prince of the Church.
The cardinal nodded to Kevin, who nodded back.
The colorful Swiss guards on duty made their way over to Kevin, where officiously they scrutinized his credentials. They didn’t ask to see Cardinal Porter’s credentials. With a snappy salute, the guards affirmed both could pass into the dark hallway leading to the offices of the most powerful men in the Catholic Church.
Kevin was curious about the next meeting. Who would be there? Would he finally get the first honest briefing on his mission since this whole mess started?
As shoes pounded the wooden floors, the clatter echoed through the cavernous halls. A welcoming party consisting of two monsignors and two Swiss guards approached Cardinal John Porter, walking on either side of him. Kevin followed the group up three flights of stairs to a large regal room. At first, it seemed to be a library. Period desks and chairs, gold candelabra, and tall cherry bookcases were clues to his whereabouts. The coffered ceilings were, Kevin guessed, easily twenty feet tall. A magnificent vista of St. Peter’s was visible through the window. Kevin was impressed by the whole aura of opulence. This would be a high-level meeting.
As the library door opened, a dark-suited official with a chain around his neck and a silver walking stick entered. He banged the stick on the floor, commanding the immediate attention of everyone in the room.
“Il Santissimo Padre!” the man announced in a high-pitched voice.
Behind him stood the recognizable figure of Pope Quintus II, his white zucchetto resting elegantly on his head, descending to layers of white silk robes. As always, a large pectoral cross hung from his neck.
As the pope entered, everyone in the room bowed simultaneously. The pope waved the traditional backhanded greeting.
Cardinal Porter approached the pontiff with reverence, kissing his ring. “Your Holiness,” Porter began, “may I present Father Kevin Thrall.”
Instinctively, Kevin bowed his head.
The pope addressed him in nearly flawless English. “I am happy to meet you. Come, sit over here.” His Holiness directed Kevin to a table and chairs. With a simple hand gesture, he dismissed some of his official entourage, leaving Cardinal Porter, Kevin, Cardinal Claudio Marini, and Cardinal Gianni Serrano alone with him in the papal library.
Marini was well known, a cardinal who’d spent most of his career behind Vatican walls in a variety of top-level posts. His face was unusual, with contours which, on first glance, made it seem like he’d been pummeled at birth.
Cardinal Serrano had been bishop of Venice and now was in charge of special missions, a job calling for experienced administrative and managerial skills. At sixty-eight, he was young by senior church standards. He stood tall and had a stately demeanor and a regal Italian expression.
“Welcome back to Rome, Father,” Marini said in serviceable English.
Cardinal Serrano nodded, his hands crossed on his lap.
Kevin thanked them in Italian. To Kevin, this was all surreal. He was sitting in the presence of the spiritual leader of a billion Catholics. It defied reality. Kevin noticed the pope’s skin was darker in the light of day than it had appeared in pictures, perhaps reflecting his Tuscan origins. At only sixty-three, his relative youth explained his exuberance and high energy. Kevin recalled how impressed he’d been when he first read how Pope Quintus II had revolutionized the Vatican by bringing in a top management consulting firm, KPMG Consulting. They’d swarmed over the place, looking for ways to improve its efficiency. The consultants’ conclusion was that the venerable institution had a long way to go to undo eight centuries of deeply-rooted, essentially ineradicable habits and systems.
“I have heard much good about you from Cardinal Porter, Father,” the pontiff said. “How have you found your assignment so far?”
“I’m honored to be in your presence, Your Holiness.” Feeling unsure of himself, Kevin decided to not say more, and listen for what was coming.
The pope looked over at Cardinal Serrano and nodded for him to continue.
“Father Thrall, do you know about the secret of Fatima?” Serrano asked.
Is this what they brought me here to ask? Kevin thought a moment and decided he’d best play along. Let’s see if I pass their little test. “The Virgin Mary appeared to three children in a village in Portugal in 1917 and told them secrets. When the villagers disbelieved them, Mary performed a miracle called the ‘Miracle of the Sun.’ Seventy thousand people were present and observed the sun spinning on its axis, plunging to earth. That is, until it stopped.”
“Very good,” Cardinal Serrano said, brushing his palms together in mock applause. Apparently, here was a cleric well versed in ecclesiastic sarcasm. “Now, how much information have you learned about the secret—the last secret?”
“Well, for many years, the secret was known only to Lucia, the surviving child, who wrote it down sometime during the Second World War, I believe, and sent it to the Vatican to be read only by the pope,” Kevin said. “It was rumored to contain apocalyptic information that, if released, would terrify the world.”
“Very good, indeed,” said Cardinal Marini.
“I happen to be a student of Fatima,” Kevin said. “Given that it was witnessed by thousands and widely reported in the press at the time, I find it the most credible of miracles.”
“I agree,” Marini said. “So you’re probably aware that His Holiness, John Paul II, revealed the secret publicly in the year 2000.”
Kevin still hadn’t a clue why he was discussing the secret of Fatima with the leaders of the Catholic Church. “Of course. I recall that the secret predicted that a future ‘bishop in white’ would be shot or assassinated. In 1981, that’s what happened to John Paul II. He was shot in St. Peter’s Square.”
“Correct,” Marini said.
His Holiness joined the conver
sation. “Father Thrall, you might not be aware that the date on which John Paul II was shot, May 13, 1981, was the anniversary of the first apparition at Fatima.”
For Kevin, it took a moment for that information sink in. “Actually, I was aware of that, Your Holiness,” Kevin said, recalling his conversation with Max Drotti on the same subject. “It is indeed a remarkable coincidence.”
“Perhaps not a coincidence,” Cardinal Serrano added. “We believe there is a connection between the secret and Opus Mundi’s attempt to take over the Church. If His Holiness’s life is at risk, we must find out what it is in the secret that has them so worried. Some believe there’s nothing to this, but others …” Marini raised his eyebrows and looked in the direction of the pontiff. Marini seemed to correct himself and continued, “Others believe that we must explore this possible connection.”
Kevin was confused. “The secret was made public, so we have as much access to its contents as Opus Mundi, correct?” The men nodded. “So, what is it that they seem to know that no one else does? This doesn’t make sense.”
Cardinal Porter spoke up, “We have an Opus Mundi defector who told us that the key to their operations was the secret of Fatima. But all we know is that the secret accurately predicted that a bishop in white would be shot. Then there’s the remarkable coincidence that the assassination attempt on John Paul II occurred on the anniversary of the first apparition at Fatima. Beyond that, we’re stuck, Kevin. We need fresh eyes on this mystery.” Porter looked at the pope and then back at Kevin. “You were chosen for this assignment because of the combination of your skills and your devotion to the priesthood.”
Kevin nodded, keeping his eyes on the floor while he gathered his thoughts. If you only knew, Blessed Father, how my priestly obligations are challenged every day.
The pope’s secretary, a young man dressed in a black suit and tie, entered and whispered in the pontiff’s ear.
As he stood up, Pope Quintus II nodded and announced softly, “This meeting will end now. Thank you, my friends.”
As the pontiff left the room, the men all rose. Cardinal Porter walked out with Kevin and they chatted quietly.
“The meeting was short, I know,” Cardinal Porter said, “and there’s something else you need to know about John Paul I.”
Kevin stopped in his tracks and looked at His Eminence. “I remember. Quite a shock. He was the one who died in 1978 after being in office just a month. What about him, Eminence?”
“I must share with you one of the most sacred secrets. You need to know it. The pope’s death occurred on the thirty third day of his reign, while he was reading the secret of Fatima.”
Kevin was speechless. This conversation was getting just too bizarre. “He died reading the secret?”
“Yes,” Cardinal Porter said. “And it is a mystery. We’ve all read the secret. It was made public in 2000. There’s nothing in the secret that would—or should—cause a heart attack.”
“Maybe it was unrelated to his reading. Could it have been a coincidence? Maybe it was his natural time to die.”
Cardinal Porter shook his head. “We don’t think so. He had no previous heart problems. Remember, Opus Mundi believes there’s an apocalyptic message in the secret.” The cardinal stopped and rubbed his eyes. “The problem, Kevin, is that we really don’t know exactly what John Paul I saw and we don’t know what Opus Mundi sees or what mayhem they’re concocting. That’s why we sent for you.”
Kevin nodded but said nothing.
“Look,” Porter continued, “I took a risk sending for you, given your colored background.” Porter paused for a moment, looking for the right words. “You’re a good priest, Kevin. Your calling was genuine, your faith is strong. I want you to hear this from me because I trust you completely.”
“Thank you, Eminence.” Kevin breathed deeply. “I appreciate your confidence and I’ll do everything I can not to disappoint you. I’m overwhelmed by all this new information: papal assassinations, wars between nations, and now a mystery surrounding the secret of Fatima …”
Well, this was certainly getting more interesting, Kevin thought silently. One pope died reading the secret of Fatima just a month after being elected. Another pope, John Paul II, was shot, but survived. When the secret of Fatima was revealed publicly to the world, it predicted ‘a bishop in white’—the pope surely fit that description—would be assassinated. But nothing in the secret, revealed publicly, pointed to a cataclysmic event that would have given an earlier pope a heart attack and excite a fringe group to commit atrocities against Church leaders. So, what was hiding in the secret that no one but Opus Mundi could see?
The awkward silence passed. Finally, Kevin said, “I’ll do everything I can, Eminence.”
Porter seemed relieved. “May I answer other questions you may have?”
“Did Monsignor Drotti know about the test I was given?” Kevin asked.
“Yes, he did.”
“Okay, I’ll stay on the job, Eminence. But Drotti must go. I can’t work with him. I want him off.”
“As you wish.”
“And I’ll need him replaced with someone I can trust,” Kevin said.
As the men exited the Apostolic Palace, Cardinal Porter stroked his chin. “That will take some time, Kevin.”
“Then, in the interim, I’ll work alone.”
Chapter Fourteen
Rome, Italy
Back at his apartment, Kevin collapsed on the bed, mentally wiped. For any Catholic, a meeting with the pope would be emotionally draining. In his case, given the weight resting on his shoulders, it was both exhilarating and enervating.
Kevin clicked on the flat screen TV. CNN was showing an ominous screen title in a box just below the picture: Middle East Turmoil. The news stories were ablaze with reports that Israel had bombed a nuclear arming site near the holy city of Qum in Iran. In its third “Special Report” of the morning, CNN was saying that the U.S. President was expected to make an announcement from the Oval Office imminently.
Then CNN was airing live scenes of ambulances with sirens screeching and dense black smoke hovering over minarets in Iran. Minutes later, the White House appeared on the screen with the president facing the cameras from the Oval Office. His address was brief and to the point. The United States had nothing to do with the attack. That said, the United States was committed to the defense of Israel. An attack on Israel would result in an immediate and appropriate response from the United States.
“All parties involved are encouraged to remain calm and resolve their differences through negotiations to be hosted by the United States.” The President paused. “And I urge outside parties to refrain from involvement in this situation. If left to ourselves, we will peacefully resolve this.”
When the President had completed his statement, NBC announced that Hezbollah, the Shiite party funded by Iran, had launched a missile attack on Israel from the South of Lebanon. In retaliation, the Israeli Army was moving to invade Lebanon.
The world paused in anticipation of the Iranian reaction to Israel’s strike. Did Iran have nuclear missiles?
Kevin sat up in bed, clenching his jaw. He was transfixed by the images on the screen. His nap had been short and was over now. No way could he go back to sleep. The world was teetering on the brink of a nuclear holocaust.
He went into the living room, turned on the television there, and got himself a Peroni out of the fridge. He kept the TV volume on low and as the stories were now getting repetitive, decided to do something while he watched.
Kevin retrieved his two pistols from safekeeping and started cleaning them. He reassembled the smaller Glock, then put the weapons away.
His mental inventory of recent days was hitting overload. Like shuffling through files, he organized his thoughts: a review. First, he was brought to Rome, initially, as some kind of test, because of his one-of-a-kind military skills, traits, and experience. Now he’d learned that the real mission was for him to solve “The Big One,” which had s
omething to do with the famed secret of Fatima. The only problem was that Opus Mundi was cognizant of things in the secret that nobody else could figure out. So, the first task would be: Read the actual text of the secret as written in Lucia’s hand. But would this be possible?
Second, according to the news, a nuclear war was about to start. That had been part of his initial assignment, the “test,” so to speak. Kevin had gotten wind of the plot to bomb Iran and the Israelis did just that. Now the world held its breath waiting for the Iranian response. Would it be nuclear? Where would they hit? It seemed inconceivable that a shadow organization like Opus Mundi could have had a role in starting this war, but the evidence was pointing in that direction. And despite the devastating consequences of a nuclear war in the Middle East, why was the Vatican more concerned about the secret of Fatima?
Kevin picked up his phone and pressed the numbers for Cardinal Porter’s office. His request was simple and direct. He needed access to the primary source, the original text of the secret of Fatima. The cardinal’s chief of staff put him on hold, then came back on the line, explaining that Kevin would be given the access code to an encrypted website where he could read the secret in both its original form and in the translation. Well, they’ve come a long way, Kevin thought. To think that he now could access a secret document held in the Vatican archives, via electronic technology!
Minutes later, the link appeared on Kevin’s laptop. He typed the access code. The original, handwritten text of the secret popped up on the screen, followed by the English translation. Kevin first studied the original, then the translation.
TRANSLATION
The third part of the secret revealed at the Cova da Iria-Fatima, on 13 July 1917.
I write in obedience to you, my God, who commands me to do so through his Excellency, the Bishop of Leira, and through your Most Holy Mother and mine.
After the two parts which I have already explained, at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: “Penance, Penance, Penance!”
The Secret of Fatima Page 9
