On the bridge of the yacht, Alex was frantically trying to raise Lev and the others on their radios in the tunnels under the Vatican. Lev’s words before he departed the ship echoed in the ship captain’s mind. We’ve got to get that demonic book into the chapel soon. The world has been on the verge of a total meltdown since we took it from the desert. We’ve become soldiers in a war between heaven and hell, and this is one war I don’t want to lose, for all of our sakes. Alex tried once again to raise them on the radio, but only static hissed from the speakers on the bridge. He felt helpless as he pounded his fists on the radio and listened for a response.
Unable to reach Lev, the Carmela’s captain walked out on deck and lit a cigarette. He gazed out across the dazzling harbor at all the gorgeous people lying in the sun on the decks of their boats. Eating from picnic baskets and playing with their children, they were totally unaware of the horror that was about to befall the world’s holiest city as they enjoyed life to the fullest. What if Lev and the others don’t make it to the chapel?
South of the harbor, at Morelli’s country estate, Daniel had called the yacht for instructions. He wanted to know what he and Sarah should do in view of the impending attack on Israel. Unable to reach Lev, the communications officer on the yacht had told him to stay where he was. Daniel held the satellite phone in his hand and paced back and forth outside by the fountain in front of the house, wondering why he and Sarah were staked out in a village so far from Rome. Wouldn’t he be of more value back on the yacht?
Sarah came down from the tower and called him into the house. The caretaker’s wife had already laid out a simple meal for them in the kitchen and placed a bottle of red wine on the table. Daniel uncorked the bottle and filled Sarah’s glass halfway to the top before pouring his own. They ate their meal in relative silence, neither one knowing what or who they should be guarding against.
Sarah stood up and walked around the kitchen. “Why don’t we just get in the car and drive to the yacht?”
“Because Lev and Father Leo decided that we should remain here for some reason. Believe me, if I knew, I’d tell you.”
“But it doesn’t make any sense. I’m not complaining, Daniel, it’s just that I kinda want to know what we’re doing here.”
“So do I, but Lev always has a plan, and he’s never let me down. He’s honest and smart and possesses a psychic ability to know what people need to do and where they need to be. I’d trust him with my life … so for now, we wait and keep a close eye on that road.”
Chapter 45
Leo and the others raced toward the chapel under the Basilica through the maze of tunnels. Leo couldn’t be certain exactly where he was, but he had retraced their steps as closely as he could remember. Stumbling forward, they came to a Y-junction ahead of them. Right or left? John pointed to the left, and they all took off in that direction. Within minutes, they had arrived at an area both Leo and John recognized. Above them, the wall Emilio had constructed to keep Morelli from entering the catacombs was now open, the broken bricks strewn about. Only darkness lay beyond the gaping hole. If anyone was on the other side, they were hiding in the darkness.
Gradually, as if in a dream, a figure stepped through the opening and stood before them. Leo focused his eyes on the familiar red-headed man wearing a Roman collar.
“Anthony …?” Father Morelli? Leo rubbed his eyes and backed away. Was this some kind of demonic trick? Everyone present had known Morelli and had been deeply touched by the news of his death, yet all were hesitant to approach him. Morelli descended the pile of rubble and stood in front of a shocked Father Leo.
Leo just stared at Morelli with disbelieving eyes. “This can’t be.” Leo grabbed his old friend by the shoulders, halfway expecting his hands to pass through a ghost-like vision.
Morelli hung his head in shame. He knew he had purposely lied to his closest friends and feigned death for reasons he had not been able to share with them. “I pray that you can all forgive me … but we had to make everyone believe I was dead so that I could intervene on your behalf while you went to Israel to find the Devil’s Bible.”
Leo’s mind was reeling. “You … you knew about the book!” Leo was caught between the emotions of surprise and anger. “Why the charade? You’ve been my friend for over thirty years … and suddenly you can’t trust me?”
“We were trying to convince others that I was dead and that the search for the book was over while you and John went to Israel. Real grief is hard to fake, and you were being closely watched. Vatican security had just learned that I was the target of an assassination plot by Emilio’s men and it was necessary that they believed I had died a natural death. Unfortunately, the attention shifted to you and John when they discovered both of your names in the code and found out you were on your way to Israel.”
“They know about the code?”
“A lot of people know about it; it’s not a secret. They may even know things we don’t.”
A look of comprehension was beginning to cross Leo’s face. “How long have you known about the Devil’s Bible, Anthony?”
“Since Father Bianchi told me about it on his death bed. He told only one other person, and that was the last pope, whose cross you’re now wearing under your shirt. That cross was meant to be used by the leader of those chosen to enter the cavern. Bianchi was used by Satan to take the book out of the cavern before he realized what he had unleashed on the world and returned it to its hiding place under the desert. It wasn’t until after Lev showed me the Bible code that I knew only the chosen ones would recognize the object in the cavern for what it was and be allowed to take it against Satan’s will when the time was right. Only God could lead you to the book through the code. That’s why I couldn’t tell you about it. No one on the Bible Code Team was allowed to know about the book in advance. Its existence was a closely guarded secret. Even Lev was unaware of what he was looking for. If I had told any of you about the book, and you weren’t one of the chosen, all of you would have been killed by the demons while you were trying to remove it.”
Leo just stood there. The situation had an unreal quality to it, and he was having a hard time trying to process everything. The tension was finally relieved when John stepped forward and embraced Morelli. “Glad to have you back, Father.”
The others still held back, not sure of what would follow next. Slowly, with the realization that his old friend was still very much alive, Leo’s suspicion began to fade.
“Do you have it with you?” Morelli asked.
Leo swung the backpack off of his shoulder and opened it up. Morelli peered inside at the object he had known existed-but was forbidden to see. The red book looked innocent enough to him, but he could sense the evil inside.
“Close it up. I don’t want to look at it anymore,” Morelli said. “We have to reach the chapel before it’s too late. Things are happening in the world, and we have to stop them. Follow me.”
The group fell in behind him, their senses on high alert for any unfamiliar sound or quick movement. Within minutes, Morelli found the tunnel he was looking for and veered off to the right. After leading them up a slight incline, he stopped next to the pinkish-colored stone that marked the outside wall of the ancient holy chapel.
Leo and John stood next to Morelli in silence. The joy they felt at finally arriving back at this special place pushed aside their fear and exhaustion. The others gathered quietly behind them, no one wanting to say a word. They had finally arrived at their destination. Now what?
John ran his fingers over the rock. “I know where I’ve seen this stone before. This is the same pinkish stone we saw in buildings all over Israel.”