Apocalypsis 1.03 Thoth (5 page)

XXXI
ONE YEAR EARLIER …

May 8, 2010, Vatican City

J
ohn Paul III and Don Luigi continued their conversation in private in the personal library of the Pope. John Paul III opened the window overlooking the courtyard and pushed an ashtray onto the table for his guest. Even though smoking was strictly prohibited within the confines of the Vatican, the Jesuit lit an
MS
, a
morto sicuro
 –
certain death
, as the national cigarette brand was called in popular parlance. John Paul III himself didn’t smoke, but he knew his chief exorcist well, his special envoy, whom he had sent all over the world on the most precarious missions.

»I need you, Don Luigi,« he said, as the Jesuit stood by the window taking his first puffs. »Throughout these years, you have always been of great support to me. But soon I will need even more from you. Possibly so much that it will push you to the brink.«

»I am all yours, Your Holiness,« said Don Luigi and glanced at the Pope, who looked as if something weighed heavily on his soul.

»I won’t sugarcoat it, Don Luigi. What I will soon expect from you might endanger your life.«

»My life belongs to the Church, Holy Father. I am not afraid.«

John Paul III looked intently at his chief exorcist. »No, Don Luigi, you really aren’t afraid. I admire you for that.«

»I feel honored, Holy Father,« the Jesuit replied, »but with all due respect, it would be helpful for the success of my mission if you gave me more information about the danger you are talking about.«

»Not just now. You will get to know everything – when the time has come.«

Don Luigi nodded but he seemed dissatisfied.

»Please, Padre. Trust me. … Do you have the list?«

Don Luigi pushed a folded piece of paper over the table and John Paul III glanced through it.

»Are these all the names?«

»No. According to the information I have, there are still some missing. I fly to New York tomorrow to investigate a new case.«

»Weird symbols appeared on his body?«

Don Luigi nodded. John Paul III gave a sigh and held the list with the names over the flame of a candle on the table. He watched absentmindedly as it turned into ashes on a pewter plate. Then he looked with serious eyes at his guest.

»You once said that Satan does not stop at anything, not even at the gates of the Vatican.«

»This was not addressed at you, Holy Father.«

»Do you think that I’m a nutcase, Don Luigi?«

»No,« the Padre replied without any hesitation, »and I know a whole bunch of nutcases within these walls. You, Holy Father, are most definitely not one of them.«

Pope John Paul III nodded. »Then listen to me now. It won’t be much and I will only say it once. But you should at least know enough to understand what it is that might cost you your life. I am the second to last Pope. After me, chaos will rule.«

»With all due respect, Your Holiness, but the Prophecy of Saint Malachy – it’s nothing but a forgery!«

The Pope stopped him with a wave of his hand. »I am not talking about the list, and I am not talking about the Secrets of Fátima. We are near the end of time.«

John Paul III made a gesture with his hands that included the room, the Palace and the entire Vatican. He seemed serious and determined. Don Luigi could even see hints of wistfulness and grief in his eyes.

»This Church is my life. But as Pope I am also the keeper of a terrible secret. Of a secret so ancient and immense that I don’t even know its full extent myself. I am just a sort of guardian who has to make sure that what lies hidden underneath these walls will never see the light of day. But unfortunately, the signs of the time speak a different language. The apocalypse is near; we are running out of time. And you, Padre Luigi, you need to be my early warning system.«