Twisted Linen (18 page)

Simon nods a “me too” kind of nod.

“Still no word from your dad,” Simon somberly
says.

“I assumed not,” Grace murmurs before taking
a deep breath like she’s trying to let go of something. “I’m sorry,
Simon. He was always more of a father to you than me. How are you
handling this?”

“Well, Genovi always said he’d fight the
battle until the very end…that’s what I keep reminding myself.”

Simon turns to look upon Grace’s face, to see
if she’s really “okay” with the death of her dad. Simon knows that
Grace never expected or even desired Genovi to be her dad, but
Simon wants her eyes to confirm it.

Grace was dealt a tough hand in life, never
knowing her biological mother and having a biological dad that
didn’t surface until she was a teenager. But there were blessings
behind those trials. God made his presence known to Grace early in
her life, first in the form of a loving foster family, then through
the Holy Scripture. The Word penetrated all of Grace’s senses, and
she accepted it as truth at the age of seven. That’s when her
journey began, and each step of the way Grace found compelling
evidence for God and His truths.

With Grace’s permission, God was doing a good
work in her life, and the first thing He fixed was her longing for
a father. Grace had unrealistic expectations of what a “real”
father was like. She only saw the best in her friends’ fathers, and
that only fueled the delusion further. Grace painted a picture in
her head of the perfect father, and only God could fill those
shoes. And it was no coincidence; He planned it that way from the
very beginning. What God knew, that Grace didn’t even know, was
that He is a better Father than any earthly father could ever be.
Like everybody, Grace needed something stable to lean on, something
that wouldn’t waiver, no matter what. God the Father is the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the eternal and
unchanging; there is nothing more stable to lean upon. Grace leans
on Him in all her ways, and He brings forth a deep sense of
security and hope that’s carries her through all of life’s trials,
even the trials imposed on her by Magick.

Grace’s eyes communicated the answer Simon
was seeking: Grace is at peace. She rests in a peace that Simon
wishes he could find. Grace decides this is a good time to ask
about the topic they’ve avoided since that night, seven days
earlier at the museum.

“Do you think the Golden Dawn healed
Cohen?”

Simon looks away, toward the shoreline.
“Well, I haven't seen him on the news yet, so I’m hoping Genovi
destroyed the Shroud before they could use it.”

Then Simon looks back toward Grace, wanting
to share a relevant fact. “You know, there were 270 failed attempts
at making Dolly the sheep?”

Grace expresses a “that’s encouraging”
response.

“You've given any more thought to Tahiti?”
Simon asks.

“No,” Grace says honestly. “But now, for some
reason, it feels a little too far away.”

Faithful smiles are exchanged between them
both.

“I think this little boat likes it here in
San Sebastian,” Simon adds with a smirk and a wink.

“No more backup plans,” Grace asserts. “Let's
just live each day as they come.”

After hearing Grace’s revelation, Simon
reaches for her body, gently positioning his on top of hers.

“Live with some faith,” he adds in
agreement.

* * *

40

The Beast

As
The Source
sways consistently,
Grace moves things around a small stovetop, trying to rescue
dinner. Simon climbs down the narrow stairs and sits at the cramped
galley table. There on a small table lie Genovi's Bible and Simon’s
laptop. Earlier, Simon had been using the laptop to watch a YouTube
channel on prophecy in the news. He clicks “play” to resume
watching. Grace glances over toward Simon as she moves a dirty pan
into the sink, noticing the Bible next to him.

“You sure have been reading that a lot
lately,” she comments.

Simon doesn’t hear her. He is lost in
thought, listening intently to the video sermon. The speaker in the
video is Scotty from ERF Ministries, describing the
Sign in the
Heavens
and its reference to the Great Tribulation. The sermon
describes the seven Jewish Feasts, four that have been
prophetically fulfilled and the three that await fulfillment.

Simon has been researching and studying all
this the past few days and he’s now curious what Grace thinks about
it all. Turning his head toward Grace, but his eyes still watching
the video, Simon says in an undertone, “Grace…what do you make of
this?”

The sermon he’s watching describes how
Revelation, Chapter 12, could identify the time where Satan is cast
to Earth by God and permitted to dwell in a man. It’s the point
when the Antichrist reveals himself and begins his cruel and final
three and half year reign on Earth. It’s at this time that Man is
required to accept the “Mark of the Beast” or be killed by the
beast.

Simon pauses the video and points back to the
open Bible beside his laptop.

“Revelation says the beast will take a fatal
head wound and survive. And then, here…”

Simon places his finger on a specific verse
in Revelation. He points to the first few verses of Chapter 12
where the Apostle John gives a description of a great warning sign
in heaven concerning Virgo and Jupiter. Grace reads the passage
silently to herself, and she realizes that John’s prophecy matches
her recollection of what Baculo displayed that night at dinner.

“It’s Virgo giving birth to a king, with the
moon at her feet, clothed in the Sun,” she says.

Simon squints and stares out the window
blankly, as if he is trying to recall the details of something.

After a moment he turns toward Grace and
says, “Genovi described Cohen as man-made. Cohen is man’s creation,
not God’s. And God will not breathe
life
into Man’s attempt
at creation.”

“So Cohen would be…soulless,” Grace
ponders.

Simon nods and says, “He won’t be the
glorious king they are expecting.”

Now Grace puts all the pieces together: The
Golden Dawn knew they could fix Cohen’s head wound; they’d heal his
flesh using modern therapeutic and genome science; then, they’d
evoke a spirit to possess his body. They are not looking for Jesus;
they want to impersonate Jesus.

Grace solemnly concludes, “Three days
dead…resurrected …a counterfeit Christ.”

Grace puts her hand firmly on Simon’s. “He’s
the Antichrist.”

Simon gravely stares into her eyes in
agreement.

“Simon, let's pray. Pray that we are found
worthy to escape all these things.”

“In the name of Jesus Christ,” Simon
adds.

* * *

41

The Revealing

Seven days earlier, the morning of Rosh
HaShanah…

Cohen lay dead on a low wooden table in the
Cave of Souls. He is deader than dead, in full rigor mortis with
his arms iconically crossed over his lower abdomen. He wears an
ancient-looking crown that covers the area where his head wound
once bled; it’s now healed.

Chief Priest Olivier is dressed in a
ceremonial robe, and patiently waits for the honorary guest to
arrive. While he waits, Olivier meticulously adjusts ceremonial
items on a nearby table, one of those items being the Shofar horn.
Rosh HaShanah is a Jewish Feast day that commemorates the creation
of the world, and it’s customary to blow a trumpet at a king's
coronation; therefore, the Golden Dawn finds it fitting to sound
the Shofar horn in honor of Cohen’s resurrection.

Baculo is present too, begrudgingly wearing a
white ceremonial robe. He strolls over to Cohen’s dead body and
slowly descends to one knee, closely watching Cohen’s face as if he
expects his eyes to open at any moment.

Gazing at Cohen, Baculo says, “Rosh HaShanah
is here, my Lord. It is time.”

At that moment the young sage enters the cave
with urgent news. “Chief Priest, your guest has arrived.”

It’s Genovi. He slowly descends the steps
leading into the cave. Genovi also wears the same ceremonial attire
as Priest Olivier and Baculo.

Priest Oliver quickly turns to address
Genovi.

“My brother, may your name be found in the
Book of Life.”

“Same to you, my old friend,” Genovi
graciously responds.

“It has been a long time, my old friend,”
Genovi adds as they separate from their hug.

Priest Olivier grabs Genovi’s shoulders in
admiration.

“It has, but we agreed to play a long game,
and now the endgame is finally here. Today, a New Age begins.”

He gently squeezes Genovi’s shoulders and
asks, “May I see the Shroud?”

“Of course. It is here, as we planned.”

Genovi instructs the young sage to bring down
the Shroud of Turin, and Baculo appears mildly envious that Genovi
is able to command the sage. For decades Baculo served as the
cult’s iron rod, for decades he reported directly to the Chief
Priest. But today, Genovi assumes his rightful place in the cult’s
hierarchy. Baculo has no admiration for Genovi. And how could he?
Baculo was just a toddler when Olivier and Genovi made their
ominous blood pact concerning Grace and her mother. Baculo was not
part of the pre-story and has had almost no contact with Genovi in
the decades that followed.

Regardless of the envy permeating Baculo’s
eyes, he respects and honors Olivier: he’s the one who had the
wisdom and foresight to usher David Cohen into a position of power,
and the faith to bring him back to life. But most importantly,
Priest Olivier led the cult through hard times, maintained its
discipline, and exhibited the patience required to execute a
playbook that has been three decades in the making.

* * *

42

The Reckoning

Just hours earlier, the morning of Rosh
HaShanah…

A predawn alarm startles an utterly exhausted
Cardinal Genovi. It was a very short night’s sleep, but a very long
two days’ time. Last night Genovi and the two dark-suits faked his
kidnapping and left Simon alone at the museum to face Baculo. The
night before that, Grace was kidnapped and Baculo declared the
Golden Dawn’s ultimatum – bring the Shroud or never see Grace
again.

The Golden Dawn required Grace’s blood to
heal Cohen, and Genovi used her contrived situation (death by the
hand of Baculo) to motivate Simon. He coaxed Simon into stealing
the Shroud from the Vatican, serving as a perfect scapegoat for
Genovi. That was the playbook he was given and he’s not proud of
it, but it’s what needed to be done to bring this old “Age” to
completion so that the next millennium could begin.

Genovi lies groggy in bed, stretching his
old, tight limbs, wondering if everything went as planned. He sits
up as quickly as he can and grabs his eyeglasses and phone from the
bedside table. There is a waiting text message from Baculo. It was
sent a few hours earlier, not long after Genovi passed out in
bed.

Genovi blinks hard and reads: “As planned,
Grace is free. Simon survived, lucky bastard. See you in the
morning.”

Genovi’s head collapses back into the pillow;
his arms fall limp to his sides; it’s a full-body sensation of
relief. He never doubted the well-being of Grace, but he feared the
worst concerning Simon. Although Baculo would not agree, Genovi
found good news in Simon’s survival – it being evidence that the
Lord chose to protect Simon.

Genovi forces himself out of bed, pulls a
robe over his aching body, and then shuffles over to the glass
doors leading out to the veranda. There, he gazes toward a
beautiful sunrise. His entire body rides a jerky and deep yawn. The
cause of the yawn is partially due to exhaustion but mostly due to
an anxious feeling deep in his gut. It’s a nervousness concerning
what this morning will bring.

Through the door windows, Genovi studies the
towering statue of Jesus Christ in the distance. The statue of
Christ, bathed in the sunlight with a golden hue, makes Genovi
think of the Golden Dawn and how their time has finally come. This
is the day he has waited thirty-five years to see – the day when he
would look directly into the eyes of a flesh and blood Jesus. He
paid an enormous price to be in this position, and there was little
joy along the way. Now he carries ghostly memories that are hard to
acknowledge, but it was worth the sacrifice, or so the thought
continuously echoes in his mind. Genovi opens the doors to his
veranda and the cool dawn air takes his mind on a journey back in
time, back to the ghosts of his past.

From the time Genovi left seminary he sought
a fast track in God’s Kingdom. At thirty, he was one of the
youngest priests ever appointed to the position of Director of
Vatican Archives. He was in charge of the cataloguing and
safe-keeping of all of the manuscripts, early Bibles and Holy
Relics. The crown jewel of his new domain was, of course, the
Shroud of Turin. With the emergence of genetic science, Genovi
recognized the Shroud’s importance. It held the only biological
evidence of Jesus’ blood. It was the true Holy Grail of the
future.

But Genovi soon became embittered by Vatican
politics. He was a bold young man of ideas and a passion to bring
the Church into the coming millennium and beyond. This ignited the
ire of the old guard. The Office of Archives was not a “fast track”
to a position of influence or power in the Church. It was simply a
depository for rebels, and Genovi begrudgingly knew it.