PARADOX - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

May 4, 2012 – (Ezeiza) Ministro Pistarini International Airport – Buenos Aires



“The Americans are talking with an officer from the Argentine Army.” Cencio was at a safe speaking distance from the Team. He had excused himself to make a personal call, even waving Dom off when he started to join him.

“What is your next destination?” the Cardinal was sitting in his office in the Vatican using a secure line. He was both physically and mentally tired, having been up since well before daybreak and it was now nearing midnight.

“We’re changing to a local flight to a town named, San Carlos de Bariloche. From there I haven’t been advised of the next destination. Even Doctor Prestano has cut me out of the conversations when it comes to their plans.”

“Your assessment of Doctor Prestano?”

“I’m afraid, Your Imminence, that the good doctor is far too friendly with Doctor Stiehl and the German girl. I feel that he is nearing the end of his usefulness to our cause.”

“I have nurtured Dominic since he was a boy,” the Cardinal whispered into the phone. “He is like a son to me, the son I was forbidden to have. I assume he is unaware of the truth hiding behind our mission?”

“He knows that everyone is to be eliminated, that no witnesses are to be left.”

“Dominic knows nothing about The Brotherhood, Cencio. He devoutly believes that his mission is for Mother Church. Should he find out that he has been deceived, I do not know how he will react. My instinct tells me that he would betray us.”

“Should I remove him from the equation, Your Imminence?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Cencio thought the Cardinal had hung up or been cut off until his tired sounding voice answered. “Not yet. I may try to remove him from the operation without telling him the truth. I believe he will obey my orders if I command him to return to Italia and forget about what he has learned so far. I owe him that much.”

“Prestano did tell me that men from Doctor Stiehl’s Team found another jewel,” Cencio added.”

“Two jewels?” the Cardinal gasped. “Another jewel in addition to the one Colonel Dorbec stole?”

“Yes, Your Imminence.”

“Two jewels are all we need to begin the ultimate project. You must obtain them, Cencio! Centuries of patience and planning will be fulfilled when we have them in our possession. By all means and at any cost you must obtain them!”

“I am somewhat outnumbered, Your Imminence. The Primary has Colonel Dorbec and his superb mercenaries as backup. Doctor Stiehl has his Special Forces Team, and by now we can assume he has immediate access to American Black Operations Teams, even Delta Forces. The documents his men uncovered with the second jewel contain astonishing information.”

“You will obtain a copy of those documents and send them to me,” The Cardinal demanded. “I will immediately activate an Alpha Cell and send them to your assistance.”

“Thank you, Your Imminence. I will complete both assignments, I assure you. The commander of the Alpha Cell will be?”

“Bishop Arash Khan.”

“The Best,” Cencio whispered. Cencio knew that Bishop Arash Khan was unique in, The Brotherhood. Unique because he was an Iranian Christian and named after the legendary Iranian hero, Lotf Ali Khan. Whether or not he claimed to be a descendant of the hero was mute because Bishop Khan, under many assumed names, was one of the greatest military leaders in existence. Not only that, an Alpha Cell consisted of fifty highly trained and superbly equipped commandos. With a force like that, he should be able to overwhelm Stiehl and his men before they became aware of the importance of the jewels.

“Should an opportunity arise to eliminate, The Primary or any of his leaders, it would be very beneficial to our cause,” The Cardinal added. “And, I will contact Dominic personally.”

“They are signaling for me to join them, Your Imminence.”

“Go with God my son.”

Cencio shut the cell phone and placed it into his coat pocket. Things were looking better for him. No, things were looking great! He smiled and headed towards the Team standing next to a twin engine plane.

The Cardinal gently dropped his phone into the ivory cradle on its stand. He rubbed his temple with both hands then reached for the lukewarm cup of tea sitting on his desk. The search was finally over. The objects they had been searching for since Bishop Malsapina entrusted them to The Church in the Sixteenth Century, had finally been located. The accursed Nazi’s had both of them. The Brotherhood had been searching for five hundred years, spent a king’s fortune, and raised Cardinals, Bishops, Senators, even Dictators to help in the search.

The world was about to change. The Brotherhood would reign supreme at last!