Assault on the Vatican

He paced back and forth almost as mindlessly as a caged cheetah.

“How could they?” he muttered in heavy-breathing exasperation. “This isn’t the way it was to happen! My God, an assassination! How could they?”

He fingered his pectoral cross as though he were rubbing a Genie’s bottle. He always did that when he was on the verge of exploding over something he couldn’t control.

“How could they?” he kept muttering over and over.

He had taped the first report and now he listened to it again:

Pope Charles was found dead outside his summer mountain resort shortly before dark on Wednesday. Although there is no confirmation, it seems he slipped and fell into the ravine. As is the custom, there will be no autopsy. Further details will be reported as they are made available. Pope Charles, who was elected on June 29, 2030, died on January 16, 2031. He reigned for less than seven months.

Then there was the usual background of this unusual Pope.

Pope Charles will no doubt be remembered for his liberal leaps away from the traditionalist stance taken by his predecessors. Theological exploration into the possibility of  lifting the ban on birth control, allowing pastoral consideration into the possibility of a married clergy as well as the ordination of women are just a few instances of his embattled disagreements with conservative clergy and laity throughout the Catholic

world. He entered the papacy as a well-known conservative, but within months the conservative Cardinals who had elected him were in a holy uproar. (“Nice touch,” he sneered ).

Viri Lucis had promised that it would be some form of blackmail, forcing the Pope to resign. “Men of the Light?” he muttered to himself. “Or are they disciples of darkness?”

This was out-and-out murder.

Oh sure, “slipped and fell” will be the official stand taken by one and all on the top rung of the hierarchical ladder.

He waved his hand over his Viewphone to activate it. He punched in the sacrosanct number. Even though he was alone, he would not recite the number aloud. After all, that is why it was called sacrosanct. Possibly the most guarded number in the world. He clicked on his  viewscreen.

“Yes, Michael,” came the smooth voice on the other end. The man at the other end never clicked on his viewscreen so that Michael could not see him or his expressions.

“What in God’s name have you done?”

“Ah, Michael, I’ve been expecting your call. I was concerned about the strength of your commitment.”

Michael grabbed his pectoral cross. Was it nervousness or fear?

“I dare say that I have contributed more to Viri Lucis than anyone else in the Church. You know damn well what my commitment’s like.”

“And in return, my dear Michael, your career has been assured. Have we not told you that as soon as his Eminence goes to meet his Maker, you will ascend his throne? You wouldn’t want to spoil it now, would you? Let’s just say that we shoved the church back to a balanced center. What is one man’s life -- or death -- in the universal scheme of God’s plan of salvation?”

“I’ll tell you what his murder means. It means you’ll not get one more cent out of me.”

“Calm down, Michael, take some time to think things over. Pray.”

Michael held the phone in his white-knuckled hand while he fidgeted with his pectoral cross with the other. There was his career to think about. Once he became a member of the College of Cardinals, he’d be able to wield far more influence than as a mere Auxiliary bishop. He might even be able to take control of Viri Lucis.

“I will pray, Mentor. Perhaps God will direct me to see your light,” Michael said reluctantly.

“I feel much more assured, Michael. I’m certain that once you come to visit us, you too will feel more certain that what has been done was done for the greater glory of God.”

The next day Michael listened to the feigned regrets Churchmen throughout the nation were expressing over Pope Charles’ untimely death. With few exceptions like the Archbishop of Rockville Center, he knew that the hierarchy of the United States was secretly thrilled that God had intervened.

Then again, who was to say that God did not intervene through human agents who wanted to ‘shove’ the church toward the center?

By evening two representatives from Viri Lucis paid him a visit. The premonition he had all day now became a physical pain in the pit of his stomach.

“The Mentor sent us,” one of the priests said, “to see if we can be of any help. We know you’re quite distressed and we’re here to assist you in any way we can. We don’t want to lose your allegiance --that’s from the Mentor himself.”

“I’m feeling a bit better now,” he smiled insincerely. As a matter of fact, he was still feeling furious beyond words. Late that afternoon after all the routine daily work had been done,  he had told his secretary, Monsignor John J. Travine to take a few days off just so he wouldn’t see him in such a perturbed state of mind.

Johnny has assumed