by Adam Rushing
She held her hand up in the direction of a pen that was on the desk next to Gallo. The lights began to flicker slightly before the pen jumped from the desk to her hand.
Gallo looked at her in wide-eyed wonder. “Santo Cristo.”
“I wasn’t assigned to him,” she laughed lightly. “Listen, I have a plan that may help give us an edge. You two are my best avenue into the Vatican right now, and the support of the Church is critical. I can hide myself even if we are in the same room as another of my kind, as long as Emily takes control. That is how I took Contri by surprise and broke his tether. Even then, we need to be careful. No one else can know of me or my involvement in any of the events to come.”
“Sounds like a blast,” muttered Jude.
Gallo was growing pale and appeared to be slightly nauseous. “I think I need to go home for tonight,” he said. “I...I think my dinner is beginning to disagree with me. Jude, please contact me tomorrow. Miss Cooper…” he trailed off as he passed her on his way out. He stopped and turned, his mouth working as if he were trying to say something else. “I guess you’ll be there too,” was all he could muster before he hurried out of the room.
“Poor old soul,” Emily said with pity in her voice. “His world has just been absolutely shattered. Don’t go after him, Jude. He needs time to sort these things out on his own.”
She turned to him questioningly.
“So what is your verdict on the two of us?”
Jude stood and pondered.
“Well, the truth is crazier than I ever imagined it would be, but you did save my life, after all. Whom am I really talking to, though? Is it Inanna or Emily?”
“Silly man,” she said drawing nearer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “Like I said before, Emily and I have temporarily merged our consciousness. We are both separate and the same. Granted, I may technically be thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of your earth years old, but shouldn’t that make it that much more flattering that we both enjoy being with you?”
She gave him a small kiss to test his receptiveness and found little resistance. “We hope it’s not too much pressure to know you’re pleasing two women now instead of one,” she said playfully and pushed him backward onto the bed.
Chapter Thirteen
Jude woke the next morning, Emily fast asleep on his shoulder. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the existence of extraterrestrial life and the major role their species had played in almost all of human development. This was the type of event he had been searching for his entire life! His sense of elation faded, as he thought about how civilization was merely a project to pass the time while these passed eternity. Now others sought to enslave humanity. What could he do? They might as well be gods, given their capabilities, and one of them had chosen him as a consort.
Emily rolled over with a moan, freeing his arm. He carefully pushed himself out of bed and walked to the bathroom to relieve himself. Last night’s activity did no favors for his sore body, even though she had been gentle. He performed a few stretches in front of the bathroom mirror to lessen the pain a little before heading back toward the bed to wake her up.
“Good morning,” she murmured groggily.
“Good morning,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Whom am I talking to today?”
“It’s just plain Emily,” she answered. “Inanna tends to other business while I sleep, since she doesn’t need to. She has been quite cognizant of my needs. “
Her cheeks began to flush. “Jude, I really must apologize for being such a coward.”
“What do you mean?” He questioned. “It takes a lot of courage to allow an unknown entity to control your body”
“Well,” she replied. “I think that was more from curiosity and obsession than from courage. I was referring to letting her take more control while I’m around you. I’m really not the best at this sort of thing, and I feel so alive when she is part of me. I never would have approached you at the bar by myself or even left home for Rome on my own.”
“It’s fine,” he reassured her. “I have to admit this whole ordeal has me a bit weirded out, but I’m glad it worked out the way it did. I never would have met you otherwise. Once we help Inanna and she leaves, I would like a proper first date. How about it? Just the two of us?”
She gladly nodded her assent, before she tilted her head sideways. It was as if she was listening to a far-away noise. “She is calling to me again, Jude. Hang on a tick.”
Emily closed her eyes and shivered softly. The nearby lamplight flickered rapidly, and a dark mist coalesced around her head. Her body absorbed it, and she opened her eyes again, staring blankly ahead of her. Jude watched her pupils dilate unnaturally in and out for a couple of seconds, before all external indications of the assimilation passed.
“There we are,” Emily/Inanna said elatedly, once she became responsive again. “Hello, Jude! We have much to do today, so chop-chop!”
She leaned in and gave him a fierce kiss, before she jumped out of bed and ran to the shower. Jude picked up his cell phone to call Gallo and discuss meeting to formulate a plan. He hoped the priest would talk to him.
* * *
Gallo knelt under the Gloria sculpture in the apse of St. Peter’s Basilica immersed in fervent prayer. The Gloria’s beautiful depictions of angels surrounding the sunburst-mimicking stained glass that shone its light upon Saint Peter’s Throne, supported by the four Doctors of the Church, had always been a symbol of God’s presence for him. His current night-long marathon of supplication to the Holy Father had offered him little peace, however. The story he had heard Emily tell and the things he had seen her do could only have been the work of a demon. Angels did not possess humans in any lore he was familiar with.
Her demeanor, however, was the most upsetting thing to him. He had not detected any of the usual signs of wickedness and madness displayed by other demons he had encountered. He almost wanted to believe her story, but the implications of that were more than he was ready to accept. Although he never considered himself the most devout man in God’s service, he had dedicated his entire life to the Church all the same. He couldn’t accept his life’s work up to this point was an exercise in futility…
Fear not, Antonio. I will be with you. A voice resonated down from the center of the Gloria and into the very core of his soul. The sunlight shining through it appeared to shimmer, as if it were alive.
He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and the vision faded away. He shook his head and roused himself from his reverie. He pulled the device out and checked the caller ID. As he suspected, Jude was trying to contact him. He decided it would be best not to ignore his charge.
“Jude,” he said wearily, as he placed the cell to his ear.
“Good morning, Antonio,” Jude replied. “I’m glad you picked up the phone. You really had me worried last night. Are you okay?”
“I’m as fine as one enduring a crisis of faith can be,” he answered, half-jokingly. He rubbed his eyes to make sure the Gloria was still the same it had always been. “How is our friend? I imagine she still wants to set up a meeting with the Vicar.”
“She is up and getting ready. I managed to speak with Emily herself before Inanna returned. She actually does seem to be allowing Inanna to act through her, so we can at least be sure that part of the story is true.”
“How can you be sure it was truly Emily?” Gallo countered. He wasn’t quite ready to trust her just yet.
“I saw Inanna return to her body,” explained Jude. “The process is pretty incredible, Antonio. You should see it.”
The thought of standing by and allowing someone to become possessed still made his stomach turn. “Maybe another day,” he promised falsely. “Meet me at the Obelisk in the Piazza San Pietro later this afternoon. We can discuss what needs to be done next.”
“The Obelisk at Saint Peter’s Square it is,” agreed Jude. “We’ll see you soon.”
Gallo put his phone away and continued h
is meditation. The vision he had experienced at the Gloria did not repeat itself, however. He focused his thoughts on this Inanna. He supposed that he could give her the audience she had requested with the Vicar. She appeared harmless enough. How powerful could a demon be in the heart of the Holy See, anyway? Such a matter was still not to be taken lightly, though, so it was best the Vicar be warned before he met with this mysterious visitor. Deception was, after all, an area in which demons excelled.
The priest exited the simple rows of pews adorning the corner of the Basilica, ignored the curious stares of incoming tourists, and exited the church on his way to secure an appointment with the Vicar. Behind the Gloria, unnoticed by the throng of sightseers, a formless shadow rose up and evaporated into nothingness.
* * *
A few hours later, Jude and Emily stood lost amid the throng of pilgrims to the Holy City, waiting for Gallo in front of the pink granite monolith that was the Obelisk. To Jude, the statues of all the saints that topped the enclosing colonnades of Saint Peter’s Square seemed to act as a protective detail for the masses gathered there. Gallo arrived while Emily was running her hands along the base of the obelisk in awe and studying the ornamentation and exorcisms inscribed on the faces of the monument.
“I remember watching this obelisk being erected here over four hundred years ago with simple hemp ropes and hundreds of laborers. It was truly a sight to see things like this being built back then, even greater with the Egyptian pyramids. It is truly amazing what technologically inferior species can accomplish with a little ingenuity and the strength found in unity. You humans may need that strength soon enough.”
Gallo nodded grimly in agreement and added, “If what you say is true, then I am prepared to do whatever it takes to help achieve your goals.”
She turned to him and gave him a quick hug before he could react. “Thank you for listening to me, Father. I hope I can prove myself to you in time.”
Gallo was momentarily taken aback by her surprise maneuver, but managed to maintain the stoic composure he had decided to don for their rendezvous. “You are welcome young lady, or whatever you are. I talked to the Vicar and managed to get us an audience this afternoon. I didn’t tell him much. It will be up to you to convince him of your claims.”
Emily clapped delightedly before running off to investigate one of the mushroom-shaped fountains in the Piazza. Gallo and Jude watched her from the shadow of the Obelisk.
“Do you think we can trust her? She seems a little… off.” Gallo asked.
“I think so,” replied Jude. “Even if she is a bit rash and impetuous, it seems she has our best interest at heart. The real Emily seems to have no problem with her. I think a lot of her quirks are from enjoying having a physical body again. Just imagine gaining eternity, but sacrificing the majority of what made you human to do so. Imagine gaining so much power, but losing the ability to enjoy even the simplest things in life. It’s no wonder some of them went mad.” He shook his head with pity at the thought. “Nevertheless, that’s no excuse for the Nephilim preying on us like cattle. We have to fight back, somehow.”
“God willing, we will, Jude,” assured Gallo. “Go get Emily, and we will find some food before we see Vicar Savelli.”
Chapter Fourteen
Cardinal Lorenzo Savelli had now been the Vicar General of Rome for almost five years. His role was to handle the day-to-day operations of the Vatican’s government in order to allow the Pope to focus on more public endeavors. He was therefore the second-most important person in the entire Christian world, if not the hardest working. When the trio arrived outside his office, they were greeted by two members of the colorful Vatican’s Swiss Guard and patted down for contraband. The guards, satisfied with the results of their precautionary measures, each grabbed a handle on one of the office’s entrance and pulled the large wooden doors outward.
Inside, the room was lined with ancient texts in Latin and Italian, although Jude recognized some Greek and Hebrew scattered in the shelves also. Small display cases filled with relics lined a thick ornamental carpet that lead toward a wide window on the other side. Stationed in front of the glass was an old mahogany desk faced by four plush, velvet-upholstered chairs, evidence their host frequently entertained guests in his office. Behind the desk sat the Vicar General, who was currently in the process of writing a letter. He held his hand up, signaling for patience, while he signed his name with a flourish at the end of the document. He looked up with the dignified air only someone with the kind of power he possessed could convey.
“Good day to you all,” he said in an accent that was a mix of continental English and Italian, rising from his chair. The black and red robes of his elevated status swished softly behind him, as he came around to greet them. He shook Gallo’s hand amicably then turned to Jude.
“You must be Mister Sullivan. Antonio has told me many things about you. He has put much faith in you, even if you are not part of the Church. “
“I am happy to help, Your Eminence,” Jude said, declining his head with respect. “Even though our interest in our current assignment may originate from different motivations, we both wish for the same result.
“Then you have my blessing,” the Vicar returned. He looked at Emily puzzlingly, as she daintily offered her hand. “I do not believe I know your name, my dear. I assume you are the visitor Antonio mentioned in his call.”
“You may call me Emily, sir,” she answered. “Before we discuss anything, I need to ask if it is safe to talk in this room. The things we need to discuss are of the utmost importance, and there is a possibility my enemies are here even in the Vatican.”
“The room is swept for bugs regularly, and this office is soundproof once the doors are closed,” the old cardinal replied, continuing to gaze quizzically at Emily. “I understand your concern, especially if we are to expect a global surge of demonic activity, but I doubt any demon could penetrate such holy ground.”
“Forgive me. I tend to be overly-cautious, Your Eminence,” was her respectful reply.
“Very well”, the Vicar continued. “Please sit, everyone. There is room for all.”
The three sat down, while the Vicar returned to his own seat behind the desk. He placed his elbows over the top and folded his hands together in preparation for a discussion. “Now, I think we should begin with you, Antonio. What new items do you have to report on regarding our missives on the possessions? I trust we have had no more accidents like in the United States?”
Shame appeared on Gallo’s face for a split second, before he regained his composure. “No, Your Eminence. In fact, I may have discovered the reason behind the attacks, as well as a way to combat them. I only fear that you may find it hard to accept. I am having a difficult time dealing with the ramifications of it, myself.”
The Vicar displayed interest in Gallo’s apprehension. “Please, go on, Father.”
Gallo opened his mouth to speak, but Emily interrupted him.
“Allow me to show you, Your Excellence,” she interjected, as she reached out her left hand and held it out over his desk. The hair on Jude’s arm rose slightly from the sudden static charge in the air. The manuscript upon which the Cardinal had been writing began to drift upward, as if carried on a breeze. It spun around in front of the dumbfounded man before gently falling back into its original position.
“What is the meaning of this?” queried the man, as he shoved his chair away from the desk in surprise. “Don’t tell me you’re a… a…”
“Demon?” Emily offered. “No, I’m far from it. In fact, I’m here to deliver a warning and a proposition.”
She told the Vicar her story, as she had told it to Jude and Gallo the night before.
* * *
“…So, as you see, Your Eminence, the majority of the Grigori refuse to involve themselves directly in the affairs of men. It is up to you to protect yourselves from the coming threat, until we can find a way to convince them to help. We all must find a way to prepare as many people as
we can without drawing the attention of the Nephilim in positions of power. It is their interference that is actively eroding mankind’s natural barriers to possession, and we are afraid of what they will do if they discover the Grigori are finally taking action. Will you help us?”
Cardinal Savelli stared at her for what felt like an eternity, processing what he had heard.
“So the day of judgment has finally come... How do you expect people to do what you need, though?” he finally asked. “The majority of those you tell will think you are a sham, even if you are telling them the truth. Many people may be so unable to distinguish the difference between Grigori and Nephilim that they may very well turn on you.”
“Excuse me for speaking so boldly, sir,” Jude interrupted. “You don’t seem nearly as surprised as I imagined you would be. Were you expecting something like this?”
The Vicar studied him intently. “I’ve read the apocryphal works. Just because some documents have been excluded from the official canon doesn’t make them any less important. The book of Enoch describes the angels known as Watchers and the fall of two hundred of their kind to the earth. It continues to tell us they taught man science and begot giants among men. It seems some of the details have over time, but it seems the basic story was accurate, after all.”
He looked at Emily. “I’m guessing no giants were truly born back then?”
