Mission Lucifer E-Book

Siegbert Lattacher

• Herausgeber: tredition
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 463

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Bathed in sweat, Magnus Lorenzi awakes after a frightening dream: He has seen people die of toxic fumes. The danger comes from space, a mysterious fog. On the same morning, Lorenzi learns of the unexpected death of a dear friend. But there is no corpse. Cryptic hints about his whereabouts lead him and Carla Rubinetti with a friend to Italy. There, they meet so-called humanists whose deeds are only loosely aligned to humanist ideals. They are introduced to the "secrets of the moon" and the "principle of reversal", receive revealing insights about the just elected Pope, prostrating himself the Lamb of God, and the power of paganism within the Church. Finally, they end up in the U.S.A. where the Vatican turns its eye towards the universe on the sacred mountain of the Apaches with the most up-to-date telescope technology has to offer - not just to study the world of stars. Suddenly darkness falls on Earth. Could this be a global power cut or are there other powers at play?

Leseprobe

First published in German as "Mission Lucifer"

on June 11th, 2019.

© 2020 Siegbert Lattacher

ISBN

Paperback: 978-3-347-04390-9

Hardcover: 978-3-347-04391-6

E-Book: 978-3-347-04392-3

Cover photograph: Adobe Stock

Cover Design: Siegbert Lattacher

Translation: Rosie Pinhorn

Publisher and Printing: tradition GmbH Grindelallee 188, 20144

Hamburg

The plot is fictitious. Possible similarities regarding persons, locations and events are likely.

The work, including its parts is copyrighted. Any form of utilization without prior authorisation by the publisher and author is prohibited. This is especially true for electronic or other forms of copying, translation, distribution and publication.

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographical data can be found on http://dnb.d-nb.de

Siegbert Lattacher has so far published four books of non-fiction and three crime novels. Already in print with Tredition are the crime novels Vishnupuran’s Rache and the Owl Sign Conspiracy.

Siegbert Lattacher

Mission Lucifer

Crime Novel

Introduction

When the doors of the great storm burst open above the Earth, the “old times” will be gone. The sun will lose its lustre, this is going to be the first sign. The planet is going to feel the tremors of unspeakable catastrophes.

The story is the continuation of the crime novel “Owl Sign Conspiracy” by Siegbert Lattacher. The dramatis personae were faced with dangerous adventures on Patmos, the island of the revelation, and in Rome in the first part because their knowledge of the truth about Jesus Christ and his teaching did not conform to the ideas of the powerful clerical circles.

After the exploits on Patmos and in Rome, the protagonists see themselves confronted with new dangers that are linked to their mission of spreading the truth about Jesus Christ. Magnus Lorenzi has a vision in which he sees people dying of toxic fumes. The noxious fog is said to arise from the constellation of Orion. Magnus and Carla receive warnings telling them that the Earth will be catapulted on to a new orbit due to an excess of evil. Then they receive a disturbing piece of news: a friend is said to have died suddenly. But there is no corpse. Ominous hints lead the friends to Italy where they gain a surprising insight into the fate of their friend. In the subsequent course of events, they encounter the astronomical research of the Vatican, discover “Project Lucifer” and are inducted in the “Secrets of the Moon”.

Dramatis Personae

• Idelfino Bagnolli, Jesuit and director of the Vatican observatory in the U.S.A. His speciality is black holes that absorb the energy and matter of their partners as well as gas and dust clouds. He makes a disturbing observation in the universe.

• Volker Bartoly, a historian at the Austrian Historical Institute in Rome, expert in extra Christian influences on the development of the teachings of the Catholic Church. He meets Lorenzi and Rubinetti in Italy and stays in contact with both of them.

• Giovanni Carbonari, general of the Order of the Brothers of Priest of the Lord, Cardinal Secretary at the Vatican dismissed. He tries to prevent Lorenzi and Rubinetti from spreading the truth about Jesus Christ. His enemies within and outside the Church plot to eliminate him.

• Michael Fall, Member of an American secret society, go-between for Europe, opponent of Giovanni Carbonari. His mission as an “Evangelist of Patmos” failed and almost cost him his life. He seeks revenge from everybody responsible for that.

• The Prince, proprietor of a castle in Northern Italy and leader of a humanist circle. He unites the threads of a universal brotherhood in Europa.

• Arnold Heinzer, police officer in Vienna and partner of Lorenzi’s niece Sandra. He aids Lorenzi in his undertaking to discover the circumstances of the mysterious fires. They were obviously meant to intimidate people close to Magnus Lorenzi.

• Countess Anna Maria Hellrein, Hermann Warschau’s sister, shamanist, lives predominantly in Africa. She is convinced that her brother has succumbed to the powers of evil.

• Gerry Kramer, reporter, unemployed, acquaintance of Lorenzi and Rubinetti, accompanies them on a journey to the U.S.A. and becomes witness to some uncomfortable truths of a cleric.

• Magnus Lorenzi, retired actor, hobby painter, inherited his grandfather’s teachings regarding the spirits from the realm of the dead. They were the apostles of Jesus Christ on Earth. The writings contain truths about Jesus Christ, his life and work on Earth, as well as his teachings. Since he has been in possession of the writings, Lorenzi finds himself repeatedly in dangerous scrapes. In his dreams, he sees apocalyptic events.

• Arthur Rowin, study colleague of Carla Rubinetti, expert in hidden alchemist connections in the works of Kleist and Goethe.

• Carla Rubinetti, art historian, specialises in the religious symbolism in the paintings of the Middle Ages. She aims to disseminate the truth about Jesus Christ that Lorenzi received from his grandfather together with Lorenzi. Even threats and attacks cannot persuade her otherwise.

• Herwig Schatz, retired manager of a pharma corporation, friend of Magnus Lorenzi and Carla Rubinetti. His house in Carinthia falls victim to an arson attack by anonymous assailants just as Lorenzi and Rubinetti are there for a visit.

• Hermann Warschau, retired film producer, friend of Magnus Lorenzi. The news about his sudden death move Lorenzi and Rubinetti to arrange his funeral which leads to a number of surprises and awkward situations.

Conversation between the student and the master

Master, why are you in such good spirits?

Because the last days of humanity have begun.

Is that a reason for cheerfulness?

At last, the Messiah will appear.

Why are you so certain, Master?

Because the conditions for his appearance have been fulfilled.

You mean those written in the prophecies of the forefathers.

The time has come.

I don’t see any indications for the appearance of the Messiah.

The signs are multiplying – in Heaven as on Earth,

Whole swathes of land are under water, forests are burning

And a terrible war is raging?

We have to give the Messiah a reason to appear.

You mean, start a war?

We are just laying the ground.

Part I

You can feel those in the Dark

Chopped off roots sprout again, ancient things return, hidden truths emerge; it is a new light that breaks forth after the long night of our rationale and that slowly closes in on the meridian of our spirit. (Giordano Bruno)

Klagenfurt, 11 November 2012

He awoke in the middle of the night. Goose bumps were slowly creeping up his back as he made out three figures around his bed. He couldn’t identify much of them on account of the darkness. His heart was pounding, this was not a dream. He thought that they might want money. But he didn’t have much cash in his safe. The men gripped him, pulled him out of his bed and took off his clothes.

“A mistake, you are mistaking me for someone else,” he whined while lying on the floor.

“Son of a whore,” one of the men said and pressed a blade against his main artery.

This is the end, he thought as he felt the cold blade against his skin.

The man holding the blade said to him: “Plead for being bound and not killed.”

“You are mistaking me, I have …”

The man brought his fist down onto his face: “Plead with us!”

“Please, please, don’t kill me, bind me. I implore you.”

*

San Francisco, 12 December 2012

They had invited the candidate that they had chosen to be the next Pope to their club meeting in San Francisco. A handful of men whose names barely get a mention in the public domain. The Frisco Club resided in a multi-storey brick house a few blocks from the financial centre of the city. The club offered all amenities to its members, as is common for a billionaire’s club: a bar in the basement, a dining room on the first floor, a reading room on the second floor and a spa on the sixth floor. On the third floor, one could find an art gallery, on the fourth and fifth floors were the guest rooms. None of its outer appearance betrayed the notion that probably the most influential men of the United States met behind these walls on a regular basis to make decisions that were significant in global politics, finance and the economy. The citizens of the United States had no knowledge of the fact that the decisions of these men did not serve their wellbeing.

A priest from Brazil, who had been raging against people’s greed for profit in Sao Paulo twelve hours ago, was now sitting at the bar amongst the men who were lighting their Havana cigars with dollar bills. The Jesuit and liberation theologian from Latin America whose forbears had emigrated from Europe was just the ticket as regards a religious leader. Rodriguez Hernandez Parsifal was meant to lead the papacy and the Catholic Church into a new era, namely according to their will. His election as the Pope was now a mere formality.

The Jesuit from Brazil sat with three men at table in the club bar. He drank coffee, the men enjoyed a bourbon with ice.

“Thank you for coming, Father Rod,” one of them started the conversation.

“It has been an honour, senator. Thank you again for your generous donation.”

“As you know, we support projects that help the poor in the world.”

“Yes, may God bless you,” the Father stirred his coffee to dissolve the sugar.

“Thank you. Dear Father Rod, the world needs more angels like you that look after the needs of the poor. Look, you could be a model for the whole world.”

“I like to be where God places me.”

“Yes, sure, dear Father. Yet a priest with your humane Christian attitude could be God’s light globally. Father Rod, you have the courage, go forth,” the second man of the group of three encouraged him and patted the Brazilian on the shoulder.

“You embarrass me,” the cleric replied quietly. His gaze came to a rest on the large octagonal window above the bar. A coat of arms was engraved in its midst showing the head of an owl. He drank his coffee, got up and took his leave from the men. “Thank you, dear Father Rod, for you visit,” the senator accompanied him to the door.

*

Vienna, 1 March 2013

Magnus Lorenzi was glad to find himself in his bed when he awoke. The pyjama clung to his body like a second skin. Somewhat dazed, he peeled himself out the bed, went into the bathroom, turned on the tap, held the glass underneath the streaming water and emptied it in one swig. Subsequently, he stripped off his pyjama, entered the shower and enjoyed the warm water on his skin. The city had long awoken when he drew the curtains. Although he had desired more variety in his life, the sort of variety he had experienced in the last few months was a bit much. And then this awful dream from last night. The aroma of coffee tickled his nostrils and steered his steps in the direction of the kitchen. Carla was already up and sat at the kitchen table.

“Good morning,” she greeted him chewing the buttered slice of bread with glee. “I had completely forgotten how nice dark rye bread tastes. Coffee is ready.”

Carla Rubinetti had been living at Magnus’s for a few weeks now. They flew over from Rome to Vienna together. Both had experienced some exciting and dangerous days on Patmos and in Rome. This was obviously linked to the documents that Magnus had inherited from his grandfather. The writings contained messages from the Apostles of Christ from beyond the grave. They were destined to provide answers as to where from, why and where to and also contained the truth about Jesus Christ, about his life and deeds on Earth.

Magnus did not understand why women painted their lips red even before breakfast, applied rouge to their cheeks or coal to enhance their eyes. Is there something less aesthetic than prints of red lipstick on white china, he asked himself.

“And? Slept well?” Carla asked although she sensed that he was out of sorts.

“No, I had a bad dream,” he replied and spread some butter on a piece of dark rye bread.

“Oh dear, which ghosts disturbed your sleep?”

“I should burn my grandfather’s writings, believe me”, he grumpily poured himself some coffee into a bowl.

“Speak of the devil and the devil shows up. You know how important they are.”

“Yes, but also a great burden. My life has become very unpleasantly exciting since then.”

“Since when?”

“Since I visited this old, ill cleric in Italy.”

“This Padre…”

“Francesco. In Austria, he was known as Franzl.”

“Oh yes, a friend of your father’s.”

“I’m a fool. How could I ever have believed to convince a cleric of the truth hidden in my grandfather’s writings? I’m a complete idiot.”

“Don’t blame yourselves, what’s happened has happened, period.”

“Yes, but my subconscious minds very much.”

“What did you dream anyway?” she asked and steeped a teabag in hot water. The aroma of lemon verbena filled the room in no time. “Do I always have to drag it out of you?”

“OK, wait”, Lorenzi drew his hand through his thin hair.

“I saw people, people whose eyes were popping out of their sockets. They put their hands to their throats … died … wheezing.”

“That sounds horrible,” Carla said and drank a sip of tea.

“And then I heard a voice saying:

What you are seeing are the emanations pouring out of the World of Chaos, poisonous gases that are directed against the order of the cosmic light structure.

But I couldn’t see who was saying it. It was dark. Not as if it was night, but the darkness felt like it was a dark wall. I asked myself what it could be. Then the voice said:

“What you are seeing is the dark fog of the black horse head. They are fumes that will envelop Earth three times. The night will end on the third day and it will be a first warning for humanity. When the doors of the great storm burst open over Earth from the universe, the old times will have seized. The sun will lose its lustre – that will be the first sign. And the planet will quake under unthinkable catastrophes. The events will arrive suddenly like a thief in the night, unannounced and swiftly. You have to liberate yourselves from the dark scar of your exodus, then hell won’t have any vantage points anymore. There won’t be any time to escape, be ready. But don’t be afraid, the heavenly army is steeled against the march threatening the order of God the Lord; it is in danger from the actions of manipulated human reason.”

That sounds very dark,” Carla sounded shaken.

“Yes and it’s surely linked to my grandfather’s writings.” Magnus was convinced of it. “Now do you understand why I believe …”

“No, it rather sounds like a message from beyond that you have received in a dream. Remember Patmos? We received similar messages from beyond.”

“You mean, messages from the Apostles?”

“Yes, exactly. Let’s write the message down before we forget it.”

Lorenzi finished his coffee and started up the computer. Carla sat down in front of it and typed the message into a text programme.

“Everything that the spirits tell us is important,” she said.

“Do you think good spirits send dark messages like these?”

“Dark or not, they tell us what could or will occur. This last sentence in the message: We have to liberate ourselves from the dark scar of our exodus, this definitely points to a sign.”

“Yes, you are right, it certainly sounds a lot like it.”

“How did it go with the fumes…?”

“The fumes, oh yes, the voice said something about a black horse head.”

The phone rang.

Magnus got up, walked over to the desk, retrieved the cordless handset and pressed the green button.

“Mr Lorenzi, is that you?” The voice at the other end of the line sounded anxious.

“Yes, it’s me, how can I help?” he replied and passed a glance at Carla that signalled: I have no idea who this is.

“Hermann,” she said with a breaking voice, “Hermann, he is…”

“Hermann,” Lorenzi interrupted her, “Hermann Warschau?”

Lorenzi sensed immediately that something must have happened to Hermann Warschau.

“Yes,” she said, “he is…,” the woman cried uncontrollably.

Rubinetti noticed in Lorenzi’s eyes that their shared friend had obviously gone from us.

More than likely, his unconventional lifestyle had been his end, Magnus thought. Immediately, he felt aggrieved for his friend. It was only a few months ago that they had overcome dangerous situations together.

Carla got up and came closer, she took hold of Lorenzi’s hand.

“What happened?” Lorenzi insisted.

Carla Rubinetti and Magnus Lorenzi had shared some pleasant days in Vienna after their adventures on Patmos and in Rome. The art historian and the guardian of the writings of the truth had decided to see to the dissemination of the truth about Jesus Christ. They had experienced themselves how far people were prepared to go to make sure that religious prophesies unlikely to manifest by themselves did just that. The priest apparently descended from heaven on Patmos had turned out to be a member of an antichristian organisation. The apocalypse on 21 December 2012 failed to occur because the prophecies of the Maya did not foretell the end of the world but the end of a time span and the beginning of a new epoch. The confusion regarding these issues were great Magnus and Carla noticed that the religious teachings of Christianity were being adapted more and more to fit political correctness.

Hermann Warschau, a former film producer and friend of both of them, had been on Patmos with Magnus. They contacted Magnus’ old acquaintance Carla Rubinetti there. Carla researched the life and work of John the Seer and evangelist and had written a book about him. Warschau was fascinated by the idea of making a film about John the Evangelist, about the revelation that John experienced on Patmos, about the opponents of the evangelist: John the Presbyterian. Yet since their return from Rome where they had witnessed the false preacher from Patmos trying to grab power over the church leaders in the Vatican, they had not heard from Warschau. Now the call from his housekeeper. Magnus remembered her ash blond hair, skirts that were too tight and her too heavily applied make-up.

The sobbing abated and the caller said: “He fell to the ground like tree with chainsaw.”

“What does the doctor say?” Magnus wanted to know.

Carla pressed her ear to the receiver.

“Doctor from emergency just shook head.”

“When was that?” Magnus insisted.

“Yesterday, yesterday,” she sobbed.

“Ask where he is,” Carla whispered.

The caller said that the emergency service had taken him.

Magnus asked when the internment will be.

She said: “Not in earth, he wants in oven.”

“You have to stop it,” said Magnus.

“How can I do?”

“Does he have any relatives?”

“No, just brother, I think.”

“So what then: does he have a brother or not?”

“Yes, said once that has brother.”

“And where is the brother?”

“Not know.”

“Couldn’t you have a look, maybe he has the address or telephone number of his brother written down somewhere.”

“Yes, can do. But will charge time.”

“Take, take time,” Magnus grumbled. He thought for a brief moment and said. “OK, I will see to the post-mortem. Please call me when you have found the address or telephone number of Hermann’s brother.”

“Hermann is dead. That is not good news,” Carla said. She sensed that it was linked to the film project about John the Seer and Evangelist.

“We have to clarify how he died before he is turned to ash,” Magnus declared.

Carla and Magnus were just having tea as the news of the reigning Pope broke.

“Turn up the TV,” she said to Magnus, who had the remote next to him on the table.

The reigning Pope Innocent XIV had declared that he wanted to abdicate from his role as Father of the Roman Catholic Church on 17 March at 8pm after just 198 days in his post, it said in the news. The 79-year-old Pope did not feel that his health allowed him to carry on in his role as Pope. In the history of Popes, there had been only one abdication so far: Pope Celestin V had abdicated in 1294 after only five months and five days.

“That’s a surprise,” Carla said.

“Yes, especially as he had not been in his post for long.”

“And he looked fit for his age,” Carla claimed. “There must have been different reasons in the fray. I’m absolute certain.”

“In days gone by, there were different ways to get rid of Popes when they didn’t, how shall I say, do as expected,” Magnus said with some emphasis.

“Yes, you’re right. The abdication must have some form of signal effect.”

*

Rome, Vatican

Monsignor Giovanni Carbonari, General of the Order of the Brotherhood of the Lord’s Priests had been ordered to fill the role of the new Cardinal Secretary of the Vatican by Pope Innocent XIV only a few weeks ago. Carbonari had been instrumental in the election of the candidate of the Brotherhood of the Lord’s Priests, their candidate, as Pope by the eligible cardinals. Their predecessor had died after suffering a heart attack on Patmos; this according to the official version released by the Vatican. Now, the only recently crowned Pope had abdicated – completely unexpectedly. When asked for the reason, he replied: God had instructed him to do so. The abdication of the Pope was a setback for the Brotherhood of the Lord’s Priests, which intended to set a sign with Pope Innocent against the secularisation of the Church. Giovanni Carbonari was not secure in his post of Cardinal Secretary any longer. The government leader of the Vatican sat at his desk and ran his hands through his greying hair. He was in his early fifties and had been a priest for 20 years. The former officer of the Italian army got his calling from God late. Yet the Roman had managed to climb the career ladder quickly. He was target-driven and efficient. His superiors appreciated this very much. Their Pope had now become tired of his duty, as was said in the official communiqué. Carbonari refused to believe it. Only a few days ago, he had exchanged thoughts with his Holiness regarding the revocation of certain reforms within the Church. He remembered his opinions when still a bishop. “The third war began in 1962 with the Second Vatican Council and has not yet ended.” The reforms that had been agreed to at the Vaticanum II had struck deep at the heart of Catholicism. The acceptance of religious freedom had been a heavy blow for all traditionally minded Catholics since the Church thus diverged from its position “There is no salvation outside the Church” and questioned Christ’s kingdom.

All this was going through Carbonari’s head as he cogitated the papal abdication. More than likely, it was the secular issues that clinched it for Innocence, the Cardinal Secretary thought while slurping his expresso. It was the fifth coffee already this morning. The Pope had initiated unpopular measures like the official audit of the Vatican bank that had become repeatedly embroiled in corruption and money laundering. He thus had invited a lawyer and not a member of the clergy to take up the post of head of the bank. The Pontiff’s decision did not sit easy with some members of the Roman Curia. Frequent accusations regarding child abuse committed by priests in various dioceses annoyed the Pope as much as leaking confidential information from the Vatican. Amongst them, the discovery of a secret network of homosexuals in the Vatican. Cardinals within the network had been susceptible to blackmail due to sexual orientation.

A journalist befriended by Carbonari let slip that the Pope felt under pressure because of his unpopular decisions. In his opinion, he had been forced to resign. The more Carbonari thought about it, the more plausible this reasoning as to the resignation of the Pope seemed. It was time to start a counter initiative the former officer of the Italian army contemplated. His mobile telephone rang. That’s telepathy, he thought as he noticed the number of the caller.

Vienna

Carla Rubinetti and Magnus Lorenzi wanted to travel to Carinthia over Easter. Lorenzi’s friend Herwig Schatz had invited them to spend the Easter holidays with him in Carinthia. Schatz had been on Patmos at the same time as Lorenzi and met Carla and Hermann Warschau there. He was also with the party in Rome when they planned to unmask the preacher from Patmos. In the end, he was apprehended by Vatican security and handed over into the custody of the justice system.

It pleased Lorenzi to hear the people held on to the old traditions. In Carinthia, they would use the opportunity to travel to Klagenfurt to arrange Warschau’s post-mortem.

Magnus remembered his last visit at Herwig’s, the aroma of tree resin and decaying soil in the air around the mountains of Carinthia and the silence that was eerie in his opinion because he could hear his heart pound in bed at night. The sudden death of his friend Hermann Warschau rather dulled the anticipation of Easter in Carinthia. Yet they had given a promise to Herwig Schatz and thus packed their things and ordered a taxi.

A green VW Golf was parked across the road. When Rubinetti and Lorenzi got into the taxi and set off, the Golf did the same. The passenger dialled a number and talked to somebody in Italian.

*

Rome

Giovanni Carbonari wore jeans and a brown leather jacket. The majority of his face covered by dark shades, he entered a trattoria close to the Vatican. His conversation partner had already chosen a seat at a table. He was also in casuals. The waiters knew full well that not just a few casually clad guests were in fact members of the clergy meeting their partners here. It was not unusual in Rome, especially close to Church Central. Yet Carbonari was more drawn to women, as far as his sexual orientation was concerned. The meeting of the two men was of a completely different nature. It concerned the future orientation of the Church.

“They are insisting on the candidate from Latin America …”

“But that would mean the death of the Church,” Carbonari interrupted. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, as you know he had already been an opponent of the abdicated Pope at the last conclave.”

Carbonari waved to the waiter and ordered some Grappa. It was incomprehensible to him that the long arm of the kraken reached as far as the Vatican.

“We have to prevent it at all cost,” the Cardinal Secretary said after emptying the Grappa in one gulp.

“That won’t be possible. As you know, the majority of the cardinals eligible to vote are owned by …”

“Please stop, I can’t bare it,” Carbonari replied annoyed while banging the Grappa glass hard on to the table. “Not possible doesn’t exist. Not even in the Vatican. Make some enquiries about the candidate from Latin America. Go through his life, find his weakness, do you understand?”

The man nodded, got up and left Carbonari without saying goodbye.

Rome, Vatican

It wasn’t just the Pope’s resignation date, so shortly before Easter, that had astounded the Christian world. Even more unusual was the date the conclave was set to start. An election of a new Pope over the Easter days was unprecedented in the history of papal elections. The 115 cardinals eligible to vote moved from the Apostolic Palace to the Sistine Chapel at 16: 30 o’clock, where they locked themselves in. It was Good Friday, the day on which Christ had been nailed to the cross. The abdicated Pontiff had himself decreed that the election of his successor should not take place after the 15 to 20 days according to clerical law but much earlier, after 11 days. Cardinal Secretary Giovanni Carbonari had ordered that the papal ring of the abdicated Pope should be destroyed.

The secret ballot via ballot paper began. Every cardinal eligible to vote received a ballot paper on which it said Eligo in Summum Pontifecem – I vote for the highest Pontiff. Each cardinal wrote the name of his favoured candidate on the piece of paper, folded it and took it to the urn on the altar. On this way to the urn, every cardinal held his paper aloft for everyone to see. In front of the altar, each cardinal swore an oath, placed his folded paper on the plate covering the urn and let it slide into the urn. Afterwards the cardinals bowed. The votes were counted, threaded onto a cord that was knotted at the end.

Three election supervisors determined by lot, checked the result. The successful candidate had to obtain at least 66.6 percent of the votes.

One day after starting the conclave, the thirteen day sede vacante as to St. Peter’s chair was over. The candidate for the Throne of the Fisher received the necessary 2/3 majority in the fifth round. At 19: 06 o’clock, the white smoke signalled the election of a new Pope. The Cardinal Protodeacon announced the Habemus Papam at 20: 13 at the Benedictine Loggia. At around 20: 22 o’clock, the new Pope presented himself to the public.

Cardinal Secretary Giovanni Carbonari had hoped and prayed that the opponent of the deceased Pope at the last conclave would not be victorious. And his prayer had been heard, it seemed. Nonetheless, it was worse than he thought. As the Cardinal Protodeacon announced the new Pope, there was a brief moment of silence on St. Peter Square where thousands of cheering and flag waving people had assembled to witness the appearance of the new spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church directly. Television broadcasters from all over the world reported the spectacle from St. Peter Square in Rome.

*

Vienna, 30 March 2013, Good Friday

The taxi took Rubinetti and Lorenzi to the main station from where the trains went south. They boarded the Rail jet to St. Veit on the Glan. The previous year, Magnus had been twice on the route south. Yet the rail service was not his most favourite mode of transport anymore. In times gone by, it was possible to have a conversation on the train, he thought. Nowadays, people talking on the phone throw side glances at you if you were speaking with other passengers and interrupting their phone calls. Previously, people read newspapers or books, now they all look at this oblong and swipe the surface with their fingers.

According to the plan, the train would get into St. Veit on the Glan at 14: 07 o’clock. Lorenzi had told his niece Sandra that he and Carla would be at Herwig’s in Carinthia for the Easter weekend. Sandra was happy that her uncle Magnus had Carla Rubinetti by his side to help him. She had moved in with Arnold Heinzer, a former school friend, who worked for the police in Vienna. They had met again when Sandra had been abducted by unknown men. In those days, she had been involved in a matter concerning her uncle. Sandra had managed to free herself in the end by pushing a pair of scissors into her kidnapper’s neck. The man had been ordered to kill her.

One of the men from the VW Golf had followed Carla and Magnus onto the train. He had seen which seats they took. He sat in a window seat diagonally behind them, opened a newspaper and kept his ears pricked.

The train left on the dot at 10: 18 o’clock. It didn’t take long for the compartment in which Lorenzi and Rubinetti were sitting to fill up.

“Most people are going home because of the fire and the Easter meal,” Lorenzi explained.

“Yes, it’s nice that families get together for Christmas and Easter at least,” the scholar of symbols replied.

“The meaning of both festivals has been reduced to pleasing the senses these days. Only difference being, there are no presents at Easter.”

“Well, what about the eggs and chocolate bunnies? I know what you mean, though. People are not aware of the true meaning of Easter anymore.”

“Remembering the suffering, the death and the resurrection of Christ.”

“Yes, that’s the religious aspect, but there’s also a symbolic one.”

“The one with the light, isn’t it?”

“Yes, the tradition of the Easter fires. It goes back to a time of pagan beliefs when the Easter festival was associated with the ousting of winter, the newly awakened spring as well as the more powerful sun and the light.”

“And the Easter bunny? What’s the significance there?”

“The bunny is a fertility symbol because there are many young ones in spring.”

“I thought, because he lays Easter eggs,” Magnus said jokingly.

“Well, the egg is very interesting symbolically.”

“Really?”

“The egg symbolises zero.”

“You have to explain that to me,” Magnus was getting curious.

“The digit zero has been wrongly associated with nothingness. But since absolute nothingness is impossible, the digit zero is an almost nothingness in which almost everything is saved. An almost nothingness in quantity but an almost everything in quality. The mass of a human body could be fitted into a pinhead.”

“How is that possible?”

“If you extract all the hollow spaces and juices of a physical human body and condense it drastically, there is not much left of it as far as quantity goes.”

“I’m not sure, I really get it,” Magnus said. He was stunned to discover what other things Carla was interested in.

She noticed the astonishment in his face and decided not to bother him with scientific phenomena anymore.

He didn’t enquire further and just peered out of the window. He thought about his grandfather. On Patmos, he had been in contact with him from the netherworld. Now, he remembered his words again:

My dear son, I am grateful to you for having taken on my legacy and treating it in a dignified way. We have brought you here to Patmos via some detours because the truth will travel from here into the world even though the antagonist and his henchmen believe that they are calling the shots. God in his infinite wisdom, grace, love, mercy, forgiveness, justice and self-sacrifice will not allow that his children fall victim to his antagonist. We have brought you together here, help each other, look out for each other, we are always with you and will protect you. In love, your grandfather Karel.

“Life is strange,” he said. “For decades it chugs along as the life of an average person, then all of a sudden, it takes a detour and everything is turned upside down.”

“Are you referring to your grandfather’s writings?”

“Yes and the fact that you and I have met again after all these years. It is steered from above as has been confirmed in the messages that we’ve received from our leaders.”

“And your grandfather’s story hasn’t left any visible tracks?”

“I don’t know, I was merely a year old when he died.”

“And your father passed your grandfather’s writings only on to you when he was nearing the end of his own life. Almost 70 years after your grandfather’s death?”

“My father was ashamed of his father, I’ve always been aware of that. I never knew why.”

“He was probably embarrassed,” Carla deduced.

“Yes, sure. Father was neither a Catholic nor into mystical or esoteric brouhaha.”

“As you can see, nothing has been lost. The knowledge about the truth exists and we …”

“Yes,” he interrupted her, “but it is a dangerous matter. I don’t want to experience a second Patmos. Hermann’s death, what do you think?”

“We have to find out what he died of. Have you thought about how we can make our case to the funeral directors?”

“No, I haven’t, to be honest.”

“A post-mortem can only be ordered by a court of law,” Carla reminded him.

The man sitting diagonally behind Carla and Magnus had noted a few things down on a notepad. He got up and walked down the aisle of the compartment so that he couldn’t be seen by them. Then he dialled a number on his mobile phone. In a few brief words, he informed his conversation partner of what he deemed important about the dialogue between Rubinetti and Lorenzi.

Rome, Vatican, 30 March

Cardinal Secretary Carbonari sat at his desk when his mobile rang. The first two voting rounds had been unsuccessful. He thus waited in his office for a sign that a new Pope had been elected.

The Cardinal Secretary still had a score to settle with Rubinetti and Lorenzi. They were a threat to the Catholic Church and the true creed. His spies had just told him that the two of them were on their way to Carinthia. The writings containing the heretical content continued to exist. On hearing these news, the Cardinal Secretary felt on edge.

With their Pope at the helm, the Catholic Church entered a time of correction. For a short time, they had been in power, they, who deemed themselves to be the true servants of Christ. Carbonari felt sure of his victory. The abdication of the Pope felt like a dampener, for sure, but they would continue to fight against the betrayal for the Church and for the true Christian creed. This meant removing weaknesses, even in their own ranks. The correction demanded great sacrifices.

Cardinal Carbonari made it clear to the caller that the destruction of the heretical writings was of utmost priority.

*

St. Veit/Glan, Carinthia, 30 March

The train reached St. Veit on the Glan almost punctually. Carla and Magnus grabbed their bags, alighted the train and meandered onto the station square. There they saw a man who was waving at them. Herwig Schatz had parked his dove-grey Skoda Octavia in front of the station. They approached him and greeted him warmly. Schatz took Rubinetti’s bag and put it in the boot, Lorenzi placed his next to Carla’s. They got into the car and left.

The man from train had also got off and followed them. He saw them get into a grey car. He hailed a taxi and asked the driver to follow the grey car. The taxi driver asked his guest whether he was a detective. Said man pulled a hundred Euro bill from his wallet and waved under the driver’s nose saying: “No questions.” The driver was convinced by the financial arguments his guest made and stayed silent.

“Your car smells nice,” Carla noticed. She hinged down the sun shade, looked into the make-up mirror and applied some lipstick.

“I have been to the blessing of the meat,” the former employee of a pharma organisation explained the secret of the appealing aroma.

“Oh yes, the tradition of the blessing of the food,” Magnus added.

“Yes, the Easter snack has to be blessed in church after mass; that’s a tradition here.”

They chatted about their shared experiences on Patmos and in Rome during the journey.

“How is Hermann Warschau?” asked Herwig.

“Ah, we meant to tell you. He … he is … Hermann is dead,” stammered Magnus.

“Seriously? How come? How did he die?” Herwig was confused. Warschau was not really one of his friends, but the news about his death shocked him.

“We have only known since yesterday,” Lorenzi admitted and told Schatz what they had learned from Warschau’s housekeeper. He also said to Warschau that they wanted to establish Warschau’s cause of death.

“Yes, that’s a good idea,” Herwig agreed. “Maybe he was … he wanted to shoot a film, as you know.”

After about thirty minutes’ drive, they arrived at Schatz’s house, which stood 1,200 meters above sea level in the mountains of Wimitz in middle Carinthia.

The taxi had followed them and stopped at the corner near Schatz’s driveway. The guest got out and instructed the driver to wait. He followed the path to a point from where he could see the house to which the grey car had been driving. He photographed the estate with his mobile, went back to the taxi and asked to driver to drive on.

“Wonderful, I like it here,” Carla said as she got out of the car and breathed in the fresh air.

The proprietor took both their bags from the boot and led his guests into the timber house.

“This house used to belong to a forest ranger,” he said when he noticed Carla studying the horns and antlers on the wall. Magnus knew the house already from a previous visit.

Schatz showed his guests into their rooms on the first floor and invited them to partake in the Easter snack which he would prepare in the kitchen.

Carla and Magnus had freshened up and went downstairs after half an hour’s rest. They followed the mouth-watering aroma, their apatite led them into the kitchen. Magnus remembered the old square wooden table that he had already admired at his last visit to Herwig’s place. The landlord was in the kitchen and grated some horseradish over a mountain of smoked Easter ham, cooked ox tongue, cooked cured sausages and hard boiled eggs – everything cut into snack size pieces.

“This smell is very enticing,” Carla said as she entered the kitchen. The landlord bade them sit down. He placed the conical Easter snack mountain in the middle of the table and served freshly baked bread and butter with it. In another basket were samples of the regional speciality of Carinthia, Reindling – a yeast delicacy baked with raisins, cinnamon and sugar.

“In some areas of Carinthia, they eat the Reindling with the ham,” the landlord said. “There is beer with the food.”

The landlord placed three beer jugs on the table and emptied a bottle into each jug.

“The beer is brewed in a small brewery in the valley. It is unfiltered and unpasteurised. The water comes from a spring rotating clock-wise.”

“So this is an absolute health drink. To your good health,” said Carla and took a large swig from the jug.

“Easter again,” Magnus noticed deep in thought.

“What do you mean?” asked Herwig.

“The suffering, the death and the resurrection of Christ: The world has not understood what it’s really about.”

“I have learned a lot about the truth about Christ through you. I am so grateful to you,” said Herwig who could barely keep his tears at bay.

“Yes, we are happy when we can open people’s eyes with the true knowledge,” said Carla.

“What really happened in those days in Jerusalem?” asked Herwig. “Does the Bible portray a correct image about Christ’s entrance to the city and his martyrdom?”

“No, and so many other things that have been written about his life and work are not right either.”

Carla gave Magnus a sign with her hand. He understood, got up and said he would return instantly.

“It’s fitting for Easter,” she said when Magnus returned with a document under his arm and sat down.

“I brought something from my grandfather’s treasure. Shall I read it to you?”

They nodded.

“Very well then.” He put the document on the table and started to read.

Pontius Pilate was the supreme Roman commander and procurator of Judaea, Idumea and Samaria. Being married to Claudia, the stepdaughter of Emperor Tiberius, Pilate was also the son in law of the Roman emperor. The procurator commanded the first legion Frentensis, two cohorts each of the third legion Gallica and the fourth legion Ferrata. Since one legion comprises ten cohorts of 500 men each and also 120 riders, the total military might of the governor came to approximately 7000 men. But at this time, Pilate only had three cohorts available because the legate of Syria, Pomponius Flaccus, had demanded the remaining troupes for the suppression of rebellions and marauding skirmishes in Armenia. Flaccus knew thatthe Arabian King Areta IV would not do anything against the marauders from his own people. This is why he sent the Provost Legioni Lucius Pella to Caesarea and Jerusalem to claim all available troupes from Pilate including the apparitores, the executioners in the Roman military, in order to fight the marauding gangs with their help. Pella gave Pilate his word that he would return the troops in good time. But the soldiers did not appear.

Jews from all over the Roman countries flocked to Jerusalem in April 783 to celebrate Passover. Jerusalem was so overcrowded at the beginning of April that roughly two million people camped outside the city walls in tents, mainly Jewish pilgrims but also a considerable number of curious onlookers. At this time, the city gates were open day and night and not locked at night as was the custom.

Being worried, Pilate sent three riders and – since more and more people flooded in, another three riders with letters for Flaccus and Pella demanding the immediate return of his cohorts because he was powerless against the floods of local and foreign Jews in and in front of the city. Pilate distributed the three remaining cohorts all over the land. Half a cohort was left to stay in Caesarea by the sea. The rest together with the few auxiliary troupes, local supporting troops, he had commanded to the larger cities by the sea and to Samaria, Judaea and Idumea. In Jerusalem itself, the procurator had kept behind 130 men of the fourth cohort of the tenth legion Frentensis – amongst them a few men specially selected to guard the praetorium: five Germanic men and five Thracians as well as ten riders. The Centurion Cornelius commanded 120 men to guard the gates. For every of the twelve gates of Jerusalem ten men. The servants of the praetorium trained in arms plus the remaining 30 soldiers counted 50 men. Pilate was not too worried because there was peace in the country and in Jerusalem and he and the Romans enjoyed a kind of friendship with the high priest Caiaphas. He trusted him morethan the others. Pella had given his word to Pilate that he would return the soldiers in time and kept his promise – but they came forty hours too late.

“What’s that got to do with Easter and Christ?” Herwig asked.

“That was the situation report, so to speak, detailing Pilates military might at the time. There is more, listen:”

Jesus Christ arrived on a Sunday 2 April 783 in Jerusalem. The adulation of many people regarding his arrival was genuine since they knew about the healing, reproduction of bread and other wondrous deeds of the Lord which led to them already trying to proclaim him king. The Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish aristocracy didn’t like Christ because they thought he was whipping up the people against them and blasphemed. According to the Law of Moses he had to die for blasphemy. The Jewish aristocracy tried get the governor Pontius Pilate to intervene against Christ by publically putting an incriminating question to him; if he were to reply with yes, he would earn the distrust of the people, if he were to reply with no, death would be certain according to Roman law. The question was: Whether or not the Jews should pay the hateful tax of the Roman emperor.

The Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate sent his trusted followers Leghi, Cartophilus and Alexander with the Centurion Cornelius and some armed servants to Great Square where the Lord God was preaching.

“Don’t you hear how this one here blasphemes in view of the Temple, how he betrays our God and sells us out to the disdain of the heathens. You, who want to be the keepers of the rights promised to us, but who with the scores of the listening heathens are secretly rejoicing instead of getting hold of him and imprisoning him. If you do not do this, we will let our people stone him and then you will seewhat kind of keeper of the peace you are,” the priests of the Temple ranted.

The scores of heathens but also some Jews shouted: “Nobody will throw a stone at him. You disturb the peace because of your hatred, because He defends the non-believers and poor against your evil and rightly charges you with the blood of the prophet.”

Cartophilus then speaks to the Pharisees and scholars spitting hatred and wrath: “Why are you putting so much fervour into your language directed against the words of this preacher, the One you previously defended when speaking to the masses, that he speaks wrongly, to take pity on the poor fool as no fool has ever been stoned in Israel. Don’t rage against us, you can see that his words do not cause an uproar, it only concerns the writings of the laws of your god and even your people are calmly admitting he is right. In the squares and roads and also in the camping places outside the city walls, there are equally large scores of people as this one here and their screaming when haggling for goods and money is great; here, on the other hand, is peace that only you seek to disturb.”

And many of the people asked Christ to bless them. Then Leghi, the trusted friend of the governor and highest ranking servant of the Praetorium arrived to tell the other trusted friends and the Centurion that Pilate was anxious about their long absence and was awaiting them eagerly.

But they said: “Send him your servant Brasu and give the governor the message that there is peace here and that we will report later what the preacher has said and done.”

At this point God the Lord raised his hands and said to the people: “By following the call of the messengers sent out by the Pharisees, scholars and High Priests, you have entered the city with me – and many amongst you are calling: Hosanna the son of David, Hosanna the King of the Jews, calling and screaming with the masses without wasting the slightest thought on what they are doing and what the inevitable consequences these deeds of theirs would have hadfor me had the governor and his people not known where it came from, what it was aiming at and what it was supposed to invoke.

I have come here with you to tell you the truth again in public that I am neither the son of David nor want to be King since my realm is not of this world and I tell you again that I am the Eternal Truth. Those who still don’t want to comprehend. Who do not want to ask further who, what and how is the Eternal Truth should hear this, My Word that My Spirit will remain unchanged-unalterable-eternal: God is The Eternal Truth and the Eternal Truth am I that has come into the desert of darkness into this world, The True Light and The True Path to the true eternal life.

And even you that are called godless heathens I will give witness that none of You are harassing me, none of You are threatening me, none of You are hating me, none of You are cussing me, none of You have been seeking to destroy me. And I tell you that none of you will raise your hand in bad faith against me or lay hand on me even though the worthy sons of David have until now been hoping for this through the spreading of the most malicious of their lies that I am a son of David.

But because they can see how wrong their account has turned out to be and that they will never achieve through others what they have decided against me, they will now in the spirit of their god quench their thirst for revenge on me – and thus it will happen. Do not get it into your minds to prevent this. Since whatever will happen and whatever they will complete through me will happen to bear eternal witness and the knowledge of the truth for all that have courage.”

Magnus looked up and glanced across to Herwig.

“So you are saying that Christ knew he would be tortured and that he wanted it to happen?” Herwig asked astounded.

“Yes, that’s what it says in my grandfather’s writings.”

“But why?”

“Because he thus wanted to prove the highest of his seven characteristics to people: self-sacrifice.”

“To let oneself be killed is a characteristic?”

“Who has the greatest love?” Carla interjected.

“Another one of those Bible sayings,” Herwig grumbled.

“Our John the Evangelist, the favourite disciple of Christ said: Nobody has a greater love than he who sacrifices his life for his people.”

“Christ allows his torture and his death to happen for love?”

“Yes, that is correct,” Carla underlined.

“His death on the cross had another meaning though,” Magnus said. “Because only with this deed could he prove that there is no death in the sense of an eternal end, which was evidenced by his resurrection. And second, it shows how the spirit of Satan has preceded the Father of Life and God of Love.”

“On that news, I need a schnapps,” said Herwig. “Do you want one as well?”

Magnus and Carla nodded in agreement. Magnus thought it didn’t make sense to continue reading the story of the Passion of Christ since Herwig was too worked up.

Herwig fetched a bottle from the cupboard. There was a plop. He swerved the bottle and gave it Carla to have a smell: “Smell this.”

She sniffed it and said: “That’ll surely bring the dead back to life.”

“Privately distilled, from the farmer in the neighbourhood,” Herwig explained and poured out three shot glasses.

Magnus also sniffed the bottle before emptying the glass. “Smells of plum and sugar.”

“Yes, but without artificial flavourings,” Herwig said.

Carla took the glass and inhaled another breeze of the plum spirit. She sensed the strong alcohol rising up her nose.

“That one dispels bad spirits and viruses,” the landlord said, raised his glass and exclaimed: “Bottoms up.”

“I can well believe that,” said Carla, who emptied the shot glass in one gulp – eyes closed – and coughed. Her cheeks went red immediately as if she had a fever.

“Thinking of schnapps, we need to see to the issue with Hermann,” Magnus said.

“Yes, but the funeral parlour in Klagenfurt will certainly be closed over the Easter holidays. The earliest we can try is the Tuesday after Easter,” Herwig claimed.

*

Wimitzhöhe

After the sumptuous Easter snack, Schatz and his guests wanted to stretch their legs. Schatz walked them along a path a few meters behind his house that led into the

forest. There was the scent of earth and a cool breeze caressed their skin. In the distance, they saw smoke rise from the valley and the hills.

“On Good Friday they light the Easter fires here,” Herwig explained. “Heaps of dry branches and shrubs. The people from Carinthia call it Krasnhaufn.”

“Yes, we already talked about it on our journey up,” Carla said. “It is nice to know that the old customs are still being celebrated. I think it must be quite romantic when people stand around the Easter fire and sing together.”

“It’s not quite as romantic as you imagine. People sing because they pour beer and schnapps down their gullets.”

Magnus remembered his dream. “The smoke, I dreamt about smoke a little while ago.”

“That’s right. Magnus received a message in a dream that talked about change. As you know, we already received messages on Patmos about change,” Carla reminded Herwig.

He just nodded.

“And Magnus might have received more details in his dream.”

“Yes, the fumes. It will be the kind of fumes that surround the Earth three times. It’s got something to do with a black horse head. And this smoke or gas could be poisonous, because in the scenarios that I have witnessed, people were choking to death after inhaling the fumes.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” said Herwig.

“Yes, and I remember something else. I heard a voice saying we have to liberate ourselves from the scar of our exodus, then the fumes couldn’t harm us.”

“The scar of our exodus,” Carla explained, “that means the mark. Do you remember?”