God's Lions - The Dark Ruin (46 page)

“Who do you think really runs your countries?” Acerbi grinned as he leaned back from the podium. “I can tell you it’s not the people. Countries are run by corporations, and they have been for some time. Your elected leaders are nothing more than bobble-heads that nod to the whims of their corporate masters, and it is the vast number of warring corporate entities with their armies of lobbyists that has brought your democratic governments to a standstill. If anything, your governments have become more oppressive under corporate control. As society disintegrates all around you, you sit by idly and allow these so-called democratically elected rulers to do nothing but fatten their corporate portfolios while you work two jobs to support your family.”

Acerbi paused as the assembly hall grew quiet. “Now, having demonized corporations, let me say that it is not the entity of the corporation itself that is the source of all of your problems. It is the types of corporations that are behind your troubles. I myself sit at the head a world-wide corporation, but ours is a very different kind of corporation. In fact, it is not a corporation at all in the true sense of the word, but an organization dedicated to the welfare of mankind. For some time now we have been working to bring comfort to the masses. Ours is like a shining light on the hill, and our goal is to lead humanity out of the darkness that it has endured for thousands of years at the hands of those who pretend to be concerned for the welfare of their brothers and sisters when in truth it is personal wealth that drives them.”

“You contradict yourself, Acerbi,” the president shot back. “Why, that’s the biggest load of ...

“Excuse me, Mr. President, but it is the greed of the corporations and their ability to shape public policy through their elected leaders that has been the source behind all of your problems. I represent a single corporation ... a worldwide entity that has only the welfare of the people to consider.”

The president glared back at Acerbi. “You won’t get away with it, Acerbi. The people will soon look behind your wall of hypocrisy and see that there is nothing there but hollow promises, and if anyone is stupid enough to believe in what you are saying then they deserve whatever they get.”

With that, the President of the United States stood and strode from the hall accompanied by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and at least twenty Secret Service Agents. Following close behind, several other world leaders also began heading for the exits, but strangely others remained seated, nodding their heads in agreement with Acerbi as he continued to smile up at them from the podium below.

“I genuinely feel sorry for those who won’t even give me the courtesy of hearing me out, because it will only delay the inevitable relief their countries will feel when they join the brotherhood of man under the umbrella of a single world-wide entity. Tribes who elect their own leaders sometimes make mistakes ... with disastrous results I might add ... and dictators and theocracies rule through fear and intimidation with equally disastrous results. The only recourse we have is to dissolve the individual countries around the world.” Acerbi could hear a collective gasp rise up from the audience, but he never missed a beat.

“In truth there really are no countries. Our invisible borders are nothing more than an illusion left in place by questionable governments to placate the masses who continue to function solely on a primitive tribal instinct. That’s why we still have things like gangs, which are nothing more than tribes. Thousands of years of tribal behavior has wired our brains to function in tightly-knit groups of hunter-gatherers—hunter-killer apes that roam at will instead of joining a world-wide community centered around a single entity for the common good.

“For lack of a better word we will call this entity a corporation, but as I explained earlier, it is a very different kind of corporation ... a corporation that will supply every single living soul on the planet with the freedom to live their lives in an abundant and safe environment. It will provide adequate food and free health care on an impartial basis, and it will provide those who don’t have one a roof over their heads so that they can live unmolested with their families into a comfortable old age. With a corporation led by a single chairman sitting at the head of the board of directors, there will be no more squabbles among the former countries of the world, because a corporation will not go to war with itself. There will also be a system of checks and balances, because if the chairman of the corporation becomes ineffectual or corrupt or insane, they can be voted out by a board of directors chosen from around the world.”

The Prime Minister of Britain stood in the front row and shouted. “And who would the chairman be? You, Acerbi?”

“Yes, it would be me, and by now you know that the corporation I speak of already exists. It is the Acerbi Corporation, and we are ready to work with the people of the world to embark on a new era in human history ... today ... right now. It will be a new epoch in the history of mankind beginning right now.”

Like a salesperson winding down from their pitch, Acerbi exhaled and looked out over his audience to judge the effect his words were having on them. “Admittedly a transition like the one I suggest will take time, but my people will work with your individual governments to make sure it is a smooth one. When you walk out those doors today you will all be heroes to your people if you agree to my plan, for in one fell swoop you will have come together as a single entity to help solve the multitude of dilemmas that have plagued mankind since the beginning of time.”

No one spoke as Acerbi’s eyes narrowed, revealing a menacing glare. “Now comes the part where I fear many of you will feel threatened, but you must believe me when I tell you that what I am about to say comes only from my desire to serve. In time, I have no doubt that you will come to see that everything I said here today is true, but if you fail to cooperate with me now your countries will be left in the wilderness and your citizens will be denied access to the basic necessities of life. As you have already seen, with your distribution networks shut down you will be cut off from the global supply of food and energy that my corporation will distribute on an equal basis around the world. Your citizens will be issued I.D. cards that will give them access to a global community that will supply them with everything they need to live a happy and productive life. For those leaders who choose not to join with us, they will only be denying the people that look up to them a better way of life—a life without borders, where every man, woman, and child will want for nothing and be truly free and equal under the law.”

Adrian took another sip of water as he gazed out over the audience. No one else was leaving. In fact, some who had stood to leave were now sitting back down. Silence reigned, until slowly, the sound of clapping began to erupt in small groups around the auditorium, eventually spreading around the cavernous space. Soon the entire auditorium was filled with clapping and cheers that shook the air, and all over the world people watching the live broadcast on their televisions and smart phones began to cheer. They were cheering in their homes, cheering in restaurants, cheering in public squares. Anywhere there was a television set or smart phone in someone’s hand, people who were tired of wars or rumors of wars were cheering.

People who were afraid that the power grid would be shut down were cheering, as were those who feared that the food and fuel would once again be stopped from flowing into the cities. People who had been victimized by greedy Wall Street bankers and the endless partisan debates of an ineffectual Congress were cheering. People of the former middle class who couldn’t afford to buy a home and were tired of trying to exist on a minimum wage salary were cheering.

Leo looked on with astonishment at the uplifted faces and glistening eyes all around him. The audience appeared hypnotized by Acerbi’s words as they called out his name. They were caught up in the moment with the promise of a new era in the history of mankind, and for all of those listening in around the world who were tired of the corrupt, brutal, and ineffectual governments, a savior had just arrived and they were about to be rescued. By following Adrian Acerbi’s plan they would be joining a worldwide community, and they were grateful—grateful to the man who had turned their power back on. Yes, a savior had arrived, for that’s what many were now calling him.

Slowly, Leo stood. With his red cassock trailing behind him on the green-carpeted aisle, his mind was reeling as he passed beneath rows of glass-enclosed booths lining the walls above his head, where the translators inside were cheering and clapping as he made his way to the exit.

Walking quickly through the lobby past blue-coated UN security personnel, he pushed against one of the engraved bronze handles that lined the row of glass doors fronting a building that had been built in the wake of World War II and made his way outside. Looking back over his shoulder at the mob of reporters trying to crowd into the building, he descended the broad steps to his waiting limousine and closed the door against the sound of cheers and clapping that had drowned out all semblance of reason.

From the back seat, he peered through the tinted windows at all the cheering people who had been promised a better life by a master politician. They were hypnotized by evil, and their eyes were blinded by the promise of a better life with greater material wealth. It was human nature—a nature Acerbi was counting on to propel him to the top, for he knew that once the people had attained a certain degree of comfort they would never want to go back—and they would be his forever.

Leo pushed himself back into the padded leather seat and closed his eyes as the limo pulled away from the curb and headed for New York’s JFK International Airport. Adrian’s sudden transformation had jolted him, and just as predicted, he now possessed a tongue of gold that held the power to sway masses of people, blinding them to his real agenda. The ground was fertile, for many had come to believe that biblical prophesies were nothing more than fairy tales, and for those looking for a savior, he had appeared from out of nowhere—a powerful figure who now held sway over nations because he had provided answers to their problems.

Opening his eyes, Leo looked through the tinted glass at all the people rejoicing in the streets. Like a lion warming himself on a flat rock overlooking a treeless plain, he could detect a scent in the air. It was the scent of a predator—a predator who had just wandered into a flock of grazing sheep without being noticed, and he was preparing to pounce.

As the limo approached the airport, Leo could feel his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. “Hello.”

Morelli’s strained voice struggled to speak. “Leo, where are you?”

“I’m on my way to the airport. I take it you and the Holy Father just watched Adrian’s speech.”

“Leo, I ...” As Morelli paused, Leo could hear the sound of crying in the background.

“Anthony ... where are you?”

“Leo ... Pope Michael ... he’s ...”

Leo could feel his hands turn cold as the limo headed up the ramp to the international terminal

“He’s dead, Leo ... he’s dead!”

“What did you say?”

“The Holy Father is dead, Leo. We thought you should be informed first before his death was made public.”

Leo held the phone away from his ear as if it were a snake. In the darkened backseat of the limo, he caught his reflection in the window as the background outside blurred in a spinning tableau of color that had no meaning.

This can’t be happening!
But it was. Leo fought back the tears as all sound around him seemed to disappear in his grief.
They had gotten to him!
Somehow Adrian had reached into the Holy City and taken out a man who had become like a brother to him. Leo pounded on the seat as his body shook with anger. Looking up at the frightened-looking limo driver, he suddenly heard the far-off sound of Morelli’s voice coming from the phone in his hand.

“Leo!”

“Yes, Anthony ... I’m here.” Leo choked. “What happened?”

“We don’t know. Apparently he died in his sleep.”

“I’m on my way back right now, Anthony. I want Vatican City sealed off, and let no one near the body!”

“Don’t come back, Leo. The doctors said it was his heart, but Francois isn’t buying it and neither am I. The timing is just too suspicious. Francois is beside himself with grief. He knocked a hole in the wall before he sealed off the Apostolic Palace. He blames himself, Leo, and there’s no telling what he’s going to do. He’s like a raging bull.”

“Where’s Acone?”

“No one knows, and that’s probably a good thing right now considering the mood Francois and his men are in. They loved Marcus.” Morelli stopped for a moment as Leo heard him speaking to someone in the background. “Sorry, Leo. Now listen to me. You’re in line to become the next pope, and if the pope’s death is the result of a plot against the papacy, then your life will also be in danger if you return.”

“I don’t care, Anthony. The pope is dead, and as the Vatican’s Secretary of State I must return to Rome.”

“Listen to me, Leo. Stay where you are. We don’t need another tragedy right now. We’ll take care of things on this end.”

“I know you will, my friend, but I’m returning to Rome. Marcus may have been the pope, but he was also one of my closest friends. Tell Francois I’ll be on the next flight.” Before Morelli had a chance to respond, Leo switched off the phone. Wrapped in a cocoon of denial, events happening around him seemed to be taking place in another dimension, and in the fog-like state that surrounded those who had just received the terrible, awful news that someone close had just died, he could hear the faint voice of the limo driver speaking to him from the sidewalk outside. “We’re here, Cardinal ... Italian Airlines. Are you OK, sir?”

Looking up through the open door, Leo suddenly realized where he was when he saw the airport terminal building. “Yes ... I’m fine ... thank you.”

“Would you like me to bring your bag inside for you, Cardinal?”

“Uh, no ... I’ll take it from here.” Leo reached beneath his red cassock and handed the man a ten-dollar bill before grabbing his bag from the seat beside him and slowly making his way into the crowded terminal. Above his head, he saw the words
Now Boarding
flashing on the screen next to his flight number, prompting him to step up his pace. He was always running late for flights, and here in New York there were no Swiss Guards to hurry him through security.