“You can,” he told her. “He’s bringing you in because he believes in you like I do.” He then pulled her close once again, this time kissing the crown of her head. “You can do this, Shari. This is what you were built for.”
When she drew back he saw the worry in her eyes and the uncertainty on her face. Normally she was brimming with the fortitude to meet a challenge head-on. But this time she was different. This time she appeared unusually troubled, which seemed to shake her normally stalwart confidence. Always keeping to the adage that a single setback doesn’t crumble an empire, she undoubtedly knew in this case that a single error in judgment could endanger not only the pope’s life, but also the stability of the world order. But how could she save the world if she couldn’t even save her own marriage?
Grateful for his vote of confidence, she hugged him, the feeling not so vulgar, and then departed to do battle against the Soldiers of Islam armed only with excellent judgment.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
They had taken their names from the Books of the Old Testament, with the exception of Kimball Hayden, who held the moniker of Archangel but never used it. Danny Keaton had taken the name of Leviticus, Joey Hathaway the name of Micah, Lorenzo Martinez became Nehemiah, and Christian Placentia was known as Isaiah.
After years of growing up behind Vatican walls, these men had developed into a band of brothers groomed to be the Crusaders of a new age. They had been trained by the best in the world and had mastered much more than the martial arts. They also studied a variety of philosophies, from Aristotle to Epicurus, with an emphasis on the works of St. Thomas Aquinas. Art also had its place in their education; they developed insight into the subtleties and symbolism of Da Vinci and Michelangelo. For a Vatican Knight, it was believed that development of the mind was equally as important as development of the body.
Under Kimball’s command they had entered the jungles of the Philippines and South America to save the lives of missionaries held hostage. Other times they had traveled to eastern bloc countries to protect priests from dissident insurgents. And often they interceded in bloody skirmishes between opposing religious factions in Third World nations.
But those who took out the president’s detail did so with deadly precision and sophistication that would rival the proficiency of the Vatican Knights.
With the exception of Kimball Hayden, Leviticus was the most battle tested, having served in more conflicts than any other Knight with mêlée scars to prove his conquests.
Micah, Nehemiah and Isaiah were less rough-hewn, though their fresh-scrubbed appearances made them no less deadly. Their acquired skills marked them as some of the most formidable combatants in the world. Micah was an expert in double-edged weapons. Nehemiah and Isaiah were masters of silent killing. But all these men complemented each other like connected pieces of a puzzle.
Spiritually, there was no one more deeply entrenched in their faith. Mentally, there was no team more dedicated to doing what was right. And physically, they were the finest any commander could ever hope for. Kimball was fully confident that they were the best in the world, not only as soldiers, but as men.
He was proud of his team.
Walking along the path that divided the Old Gardens, Kimball moved with urgency until he reached Divinity House, the garrison of the Vatican Knights, an uncharted building situated between St. Martha’s Chapel and the Ethiopian College, about 200 meters west of the Basilica. The building itself was simple and nondescript, its purpose to draw little attention.
The building’s interior was constructed of stone and rock shingle. Located along the walls where torches once burned were electric sconces. Natural light came in through stained glass windows that signified the Stations of the Cross. In the center of the structure was the Circular Chamber, a huge rotunda that separated the building into two distinct wings. It was a room of ceremony where men became knights of the Vatican and where viewings were held for knights who had fallen in battle.
The floor was a masterpiece of mosaic tile, majestically cobbled together to form the emblem of the Vatican Knights. Centered within the coat of arms was a Silver Cross Pattée set against a blue background. The colors were significant. Silver represented peace and sincerity, and blue signified truth and loyalty. Standing alongside the coat of arms were two heraldic lions rising on their hind legs with their forepaws against the shield, stabilizing it. The lions were a symbolic representation of bravery, strength, ferocity and valor.
The emblem appeared repeatedly throughout Divinity House. The coat of arms also appeared as a branded insignia on their uniforms and berets. It was even acid-etched on the stone wall of their living quarters above the door.
For the moment it was quiet, the Knights either at prayer or in meditation. Kimball wished to take part in neither of these activities, since he struggled to find his faith. By blood he was a warrior; by nature, a patriot. But as a child of God he found himself in constant turmoil. Peace eluded him like something flitting at the corner of his vision, something close but unobtainable. What he sought could not be found at the altar or within the confines of a confessional. What Kimball truly wanted was to be more than what he really was — a killer.
What he sought was salvation.
Opening the door to his chamber, the hinges squealing, the sound echoing throughout the hollow halls of Divinity House, Kimball began to pack for his journey to America.
His room was small, with the barest necessities. Other than a single-sized bed, nightstand and dresser, there was a small dais with a Bible upon it that had gone unread, and a votive rack and kneeling rail meant for prayer, but the candles had never been lit and the rail never knelt upon. High on the wall, a stained glass window provided the only light into the room. The pieces of leaden glass formed the colorful image of the Virgin Mother reaching out to him with outstretched arms.
After carefully folding his cleric shirts and placing them in a backpack, the act itself homage to the cloth, he made sure he was equally careful with the pristine white Roman collars. Whatever else he and his Knights would need, they would receive from Cardinal Medeiros in the States.
After running the zipper along the backpack, Kimball stood before the mirror and appraised himself, noticing the telltale signs of age beginning to show. After arranging his beret so it tilted to military specs and making sure the Roman collar was straight and clean, Kimball grabbed his backpack and headed off to confront his new challenge. He felt invigorated, a feeling he hadn’t felt to this degree since he was a member of the US Force Elite, the one-time assassination squad covertly sanctioned by the president of the United States.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Team Leader had divided his unit into two groups: Alpha Team, consisting of five of his most seasoned combatants, and Omega Team, left behind in D.C. to monitor the political maneuverings of the White House and its law enforcement constituencies.
To secure the hostages, Alpha Team placed them in a military cargo truck that had been modified with a false floor. Beneath the cargo bed was a compartment capable of carrying up to nine people in tight quarters. To ensure safety throughout the transportation process, the muffler system was customized so the noxious fumes were directed away from the cargo space at all times. And since the hostages were immobilized by a ketamine derivative, it was highly unlikely they would wake and panic and find themselves cloistered in a dark compartment during the drive north.