“What about our sample woman?” Cosward asks.
“She is ready and waiting,” Solor says.
“Good, then it looks like the stage is finally set,” Clovis says.
“This time tomorrow my brothers impregnation shall begin. The time of the 27th generation will be illuminated!” Logo says.
“Let’s have a drink,” Cosward says.
“Let’s have two or three of them! This is great news,” Clovis says.
“One thing though, about our hostage woman and Dunbar,” Logo says.
“What?” Solor asks.
“After the deal is done have someone follow them,” Logo tells them.
“Why?” Solor asks.
“We can’t let them have the opportunity to talk. And with her being an FBI agent they’ll be down our throats in a second. It is time for the glory of the 27th generation to be realized not to be setting in a federal prison,” Logo says.
“You’re right,” Clovis says
“Follow them and when you have a clear shot blow their freaking heads off, especially Dunbar’s!” Logo tells them.
“Consider it done,” they all raise their drinking glasses.
CHAPTER 75
“That went better than I expected,” Jim says standing in the abandon warehouse, the place they were told they would find Jill after they dropped off the sample.
“I can’t believe they let me go, I thought for sure they were going to kill me” Jill says looking pretty calm and together for someone who was just facing certain death.
“We did the exchange. They have the first sample now but we’ve lied to them. They think it’s the sacred sample,” the One Who Turns says filling Jill in on the details.
“They will begin impregnation,” she tells him.
“Doesn’t matter, it’s not His. They have no claim to anything Sacred,” he answers.
“So where is the sacred sample?” she asks.
“We’ve destroyed it,” the One Who Turns says. “It is in the best interest of everyone.”
“Probably,” Jim adds.
“Was it His?” She asks.
“I didn’t test it, didn’t really want to know. The Elite need to focus on the message that Christ brought to Earth, not on scientific data concerning DNA,” the One Who Turns says.
“I’m surprised they didn’t kill us all,” Jim says.
“I wouldn’t be so sure they’re not planning on it,” Jill says.
“What?” They both ask.
“The Elite are tricky you really think they’re going to let us walk away from all this?” Jill tells them.
“Why not? They finally have what they want,” Jim says.
“We should get out of here,” the One Who Turns says.
“Yes, I have to call in. The FBI wants to talk with the Elite senior members,” Jill says.
“I’m sure they do,” he says.
They turn and begin walking toward the exit. Suddenly, Cosward and Solor burst through the door with hand guns drawn.
“A deal’s a deal. Why did you follow us?” The One Who Turns shouts.
“Face the wall!” Solor yells.
“You realize I’ve had time to contact my superiors. They’re going to be FBI agents and police all over this place. You’ll never get out of here, killing us just digs you into a deeper hole,” Jill says.
“We can take care of ourselves,” Cosward says.
“You can’t kill all of us. Elites are forbidden to kill other Elites,” the One Who Turns says.
“You! Selling us out, I should kill you right now but as an Elite you are entitled to a trail before we hang you,” Solor says.
“Him too,” he says nodding toward Jim.
“Him?” Cosward looks at Jim. “He’s the first one to go, what the hell are you talking about?”
“He’s one of us; He’s from the lost bloodline,” the One Who Turns tells them.
“Bull! You’ve got to be kidding,” Cosward answers.
“No, it’s true He’s a lost Elite.”
“Hell of a time to show up lost Elite.” Solor says turning to face Jim. “You haven’t done the brotherhood any good causing all this trouble. Why couldn’t you just do the DNA testing? You could have just taken the payment and everyone would have been happy. Now look at what you’ve done, all this trouble is because of you!” Solor says.
“He didn’t know he was one of the lost bloodline. I just told him the other day,” the One Who Turns says.
“Still, he’s as guilty as you are, but as an Elite he has the right to a trial too.”
“Listen, there are very good and noble reasons for what we’ve done. Can’t you see that the mission of the Elite has been distorted? Don’t you remember the original oath? What’s happen to that? Where did the true message of Christ go? The Elite are suppose to follow it, it’s suppose to be the center piece of our existence!” The One Who Turns pleads.
“This isn’t the place for your arguments. This isn’t your trial, save it for then. You and Dunbar will go back with us. You!” Solor points to the Jill, “Face the wall.”
“No, Don’t! Why kill her?” Jim says.
“Because she’s an FBI agent what else am I suppose to do, buy her a sandwich?”
Everyone swiftly turns as the door slams open.
“You’re alive!” Jill yells in disbelief. as Go-man and Mountain Man stand in the doorway with two sawed off shot guns.
“Drop your weapons!” Go-man yells.
Cosward and Solor do so with a look of great bewilderment and defeat upon their faces.
“Knew these would come in handy someday,” Mountain man says smiling.
“How did you know?” Jill says running over to her friend.
“I followed you from the church,” he tells her.
“I thought they killed you,” Jill says.
“He hid out at my place,” Mountain Man says with a smile as she looks over at him with a mix of puzzlement and joy.
CHAPTER 76
“They’ve arrested Cosward and Solor, the others have escaped. The main office and warehouse are empty,” the One Who Turns says as they meet back at the hotel.
“The doctor and the woman?” Jim asks.
“They must be in hiding. We can only assume that they will carry out the impregnation.”
“But not with the Sacred sample.”
“No, though they do believe it is sacred it is only ordinary human flesh.”
“I wish they could have got them all. Now with them in hiding, if they clone the sample they have it will be difficult to reorganize the Elite,” the One Who Turns says.
“Yes, but with this arrest won’t they be discredited in the eye of the members?” Jim asks.
“I hope so but it’s too early to tell which way the brotherhood will go.”
“The third sample is destroyed. The Elite have the first: what of the second?”
“I went to retrieve it but it’s gone. Maybe they destroyed it or lost it,” the One Who Turns says.
“Why would they destroy it?” Jim asks.
“Doesn’t matter, it was only ordinary human flesh. I’m not worried about that. What I want to do is try and rebuild the Elite into what it was originally meant to be: a vehicle serving the message of Christ. No one in their right mind will believe those fools in hiding. No one’s going to buy their story that they’ve have cloned a child from the DNA of Christ. They’ll be seen as nuts and laughed off. We can excommunicate them and begin to reorder the Elite mission, one not bent on power and revenge but upon the true compassion of Christ. Join me Jim. After all you are an Elite too,” the One Who Turns says.
“I’m a ‘maybe Elite’ I don’t know a lot has happened, but you may have a valid point.”
“You’re a smart man Jim Dunbar. Surely, you can see the road placed before you.”
“Yes, I can see it and I’ll help you as much as I can but first there’s some business I must attend to. So much has happened, so much more than I ever
intended. All I’ve ever cared about was my work and look where it has gotten me. I just need to call my wife, we have a lot to talk about,” Jim answers.
CHAPTER 77
“They’ve taken me off the case, too close to the action with my sister being the sample woman. But you know I almost don’t even care what happens to her. I’ve tried to save her so many times through the drinking, drugs and her abusive relationships,” Jill says as they stand on the sidewalk outside of a restaurant that Go-man has offered to buy a celebratory dinner for the both of them.
“Some people don’t want to be saved Jill. They just keep falling further and further. They have to hit rock bottom before they look up.”
“I still want to be there when they find her, alive I’m hoping; with mom and dad gone I’m the only family she has,” Jill says.
“I’ve had enough excitement for awhile. I’m not into chasing anyone,” he states.
“I’m not talking about chasing, but about just being around when they bring her in.”
“If they bring her in, The Elite are like vapors they can disappear pretty good when they want to. Oh, remember that cloth bundle I found?” he asks.
“What about it, what was it?”
“A key there was a key in it,” he says.
“A key to what?”
“Not anything I thought it might be. I told The One Who Turns about it and he took me back to the Elite offices. It seems Haggai had a secret liquor cabinet. He kept his booze in there the man liked to drink I guess and then there was something else too.”
“What?”
“A bottle of poison, he kept a bottle of poison in there and we noticed that it was opened, someone used it, maybe Haggai himself, maybe he was mixed up and thought he was taking a shot, maybe that lead to his death I don’t know.”
“Wow, that’s crazy, all those guys are nuts. I’m so sad my sister got involved with them I feel like it’s my fault I should have done more for her. I don’t know I just have to believe they’ll find her that’s all I have going for me right now.”
“You know, we could do this together if you want,” he says looking at her deeply.
“Aren’t you going back home to Europe? What about your inheritance?” she asks.
“That money was always based on lies. I want something that’s real.”
“Real?”
“Yeah,” he says stepping toward her.
“Well, if you’re going to stay in this country there are some things you are going to have to learn.”
“And you could teach me?” he asks.
“There’s a lot I could teach you,” she says with a wide smile.
21 Years Later
The Wise Path
CHAPTER 1
“You are the Son of Jesus Christ our Lord and Almighty Savior.”
“What?”
“I’m not kidding Eric. It’s true,” Jerome proceeds to fill him in on the origins of the Sacred Flesh from which he was cloned some twenty one years earlier. Jerome: his guardian protector assigned to him since birth, a combination of big brother and father always there making sure everything goes smoothly. Eric looked up to him throughout the years and how couldn’t he with Jerome a towering figure at six feet five, usually dressed conservatively in a dark suit, never allowing his hair to grow long enough to touch his ears or collar. It’s the little things that make the biggest difference he reminded him: be it a constant look or approach to an issue, never waver, pick yourself a good course and stay true to it no matter what. This he was told over and over as part of his preparation. He took it all in, knowing that the holy plan must continue forward and that as the young leader of the rightful Elite church he must be well prepared for his great role. Though over the years the message lost some of its import, why have they chosen me to lead this church? He asked himself repeatedly. What are they not telling me? He often found himself questioning his strange lot in life. He dare not speak it but at times when alone he wished he had more say in this predestined fate.
“Well, that explains a lot,” he says while sitting down in one of the three red leather chairs in Jerome’s office. Looking out the large window his mind is suddenly empty, not sure what to say or think, “I had a feeling something was different, I’ve always had an odd feeling about everything.”
“I know your upbringing has not been what one would call normal,” Jerome says sitting down across from him.
“Yeah,” he shakes his head.
“It had to be this way Eric,” Jerome says lending forward in his leather chair. “The secrecy, the moving around, it was all part of our plan. Please understand you had to be protected at all cost. We couldn’t afford to lose you.”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” he says while continuing to stare out the window overlooking the large grassy meadows. These yards were his playground when he was a boy, at least when they weren’t moving him around the country. He played here for hours, mostly by himself, long before he had any idea of what the future held, a future that was carved out for him long before he was born.
“Believe these words. It is true. Your very flesh derives from the DNA of Christ our Lord. You are His son upon this ill and tortured Earth,” Jerome gets up out of his chair and bows down upon one knee. Eric, feeling embarrassed looks down at Jerome then again out the window, “I don’t know about all of this.”
Standing up, Jerome tries to assure him, “As such, you are the leader of the true and rightful church. You will be installed upon your Earthly throne in the official Elite ceremony. You must understand that the Elite have waited centuries for this glorious day. As the Son of Christ you possess the rightful title as the leader of His people on Earth. No one, especially Rome can dispute this; their power will soon mean nothing. We have the rightful claim!”
“The rightful claim, me? Well, what exactly do I do?” he asks while getting up from the chair and walking around the office.
“Not to worry, we the senior members will guide you upon theological decisions and other matters. It will understandably be a major shock to the world community when we reveal you to the masses. I’m sure there will be a period of great upheaval within the global community. Even those who do not consider themselves Christians will surely turn upon the wise path and follow us. How could they ever dispute the fact that you are the Son of Christ Almighty and as the Son of Christ millions will follow you.”
“Millions? Are you sure about all of this? You really think the world is going to stop and pay attention to this? Is there is proof? And why don’t I feel like the son of Christ, shouldn’t I feel different somehow? I mean right now I’m just debating if I should have chips or fries with my sandwich for lunch.”
“Yes we can quite easily prove it; we have all the test results from twenty one years ago. It’s clear proof. The other two samples were ordinary human flesh. Thus, the sample that you were cloned from was the sacred sample.”
“This all sounds so bizarre, I don’t know what to say. I feel like I should have something great to say but I don’t. I know you have been preparing me for this day but still it’s a lot to take in,” Eric says.
“To say the least, but first there is someone we must remove from the picture.”
“Who?”
“The pretender to your throne.”
CHAPTER 2
“They’re going to be coming for you soon,” she says standing at the doorway of his room.
“I know. I’ve been expecting them,” he says turning toward her.
“Today is an important day Roland, important for everyone, you should be excited. Today you will begin your advanced training in order to assume your holy office. It’s not every day one prepares to become Pope.”
“But Popes are chosen by the conclave upon the death of the current Pope. I don’t understand. Everyone has been preparing me for this time but it still doesn’t feel right. I’m only twenty one years old what do I know about leading The Church?”
“Yes, the conclave is t
he long tradition but you were already chosen some twenty one years ago. It is the Sacred Flesh from which you derive that makes you holy, the chosen Son of Christ our Savior and as His son your rightful place is upon the Holy Throne of His Church.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for all of this. I’m not sure if I really want to go through with it,” he says, expressing his doubt but at the same time knowing that he has no choice in the matter. The idea that he was cloned from the DNA of Christ was exciting at first but then he began to wonder, what will they expect of me? Surely, the son of Christ must be capable of great acts to bestow upon humanity. But I don’t feel any great acts inside myself trying to get out. Then this whole affair will be considered a flop. I don’t wish to be thought of as history’s greatest flop. Let someone else assume that role.
“Relax, there is time. Your advanced training will school you in the detailed operation of The Church. It will take a few years to complete and then you will officially be installed as His Holiness. But that is still awhile away. No need to be nervous,” she assures him as she has often done for it is her job to assure him and slowly prepare him for life at head of The Church. She is not his mother but certainly a mother figure. (He does have a relationship with his birth mother but it is not close.) The Church has been his home all his life, his entire community for he has known nothing else. She has been here all these years to help him however she can, mostly her assignment is to above all else: make sure he is ready when the time comes, the clone, the very son of Christ Himself cannot get cold feet.
“I’m not nervous,” he tells her.
“Good, now gather your things. I’ll be back later,” she says walking out the door.
“Okay,” he says turning back to the window. As she exits he grazes out past the rolling green hills, the horse barns, the line of olive trees leading down to the lake. He thinks of his life here, all the years since he was a small child. Little by little he put it together. The other children were destined to enter service to The Church but he was different. He could sense it from the very beginning in how his teachers spoke and acted toward him with a degree of respect not afforded the others (or anyone for that matter.) They revealed his destiny to him bit by bit until recently when The Church fathers decided he was ready to know all.
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