funny feeling however that we’re going to have our hands full.”
Acton pulled his Blackberry off his belt. “I’ve got a signal but there’s no new messages.”
“So they’re still missing.”
Acton nodded. “Appears that way.”
Laura lowered her voice and leaned in. “They’re both Triarii. Do you think that might have something to do with it?”
“The thought had crossed my mind. But then why was the Father murdered?”
“He might have been Triarii too for all we know.”
Acton pursed his lips. “Hadn’t thought of that.” He leaned back. “So, someone knows who and what they are, decides they don’t like them hanging around, running their church, so kills them?”
Laura’s hand darted to her mouth. “Oh God, I hope not.”
“Well, if they were murdered, then I would think we’d know by now. After all, they had no problem having the Father’s body discovered, so why not Chaney and the Pope?” He shook his head. “I hope Hugh can tell us more when we get there.”
They both leaned into their chairs as the plane touched down. Minutes later they had taxied to the charter terminal, and were descending the steps, a limousine with Vatican flags waiting at the bottom. The driver tipped her hat and opened the door. “Mr. Acton, Miss Palmer. I trust you had a good flight?”
“Yes, thank you,” replied Laura as she climbed into the limo, Acton following. The door closed behind them and interior accent lighting kicked in, revealing they weren’t alone. Across from them, facing the rear, sat a woman Acton didn’t recognize. Laura gasped. She was holding a gun, pointed at both of them.
“Welcome to Rome, professors.”
Ciampino Airport
Rome, Italy
Acton instinctively slid closer to Laura, putting his shoulder over hers, partially blocking her body from the woman. “Who the hell are you?”
“Tsk tsk. Such language. Do you not realize where you are? Why you are here?”
“Don’t act so pious with me. You’re the one with the gun.”
She flicked the weapon, as if dismissing it. “Purely to illustrate a point.”
“And that point is?”
She leaned forward. “That I am in control. Not you.”
The driver’s door opened then slammed shut. The car started to move and Acton looked at Laura. “Where are you taking us?” she asked.
“To the Vatican of course.”
What the hell is going on here?
“Then why the gun?”
“Because I am not with the Vatican.”
Acton felt Laura’s hand on his arm squeeze tighter. “Then who are you with ?”
“The Order of the Blessed Virgin.”
Acton exchanged a quick glance with Laura, who shook her head slightly.
“What the he—” He stopped himself, and sneered slightly. “What is that?”
“We worship the Blessed Mary.”
Acton’s eyes narrowed. “Then what do you want with us?”
“We want you to retrieve something that was stolen from us long ago.”
“What?”
“The Gospel of Mary.”
“There is no Gospel of Mary.”
The smile grew. “So you’ve been told.”
“What does that mean?” asked Laura. “There are four Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.”
“No, there are several more, however they didn’t fit in with the likings of the Nicaea council.”
Acton knew what she was talking about. The First Council of Nicaea, convened in Bithynia in 325AD by the Roman Emperor Constantine. The month long meeting defined the nature of Jesus, leading to the Nicene Creed, and ultimately the bible as it is known today, with many texts describing the life and teachings of Jesus abandoned for various reasons, mostly due to them conflicting with the newly agreed upon truth. After the bible had been defined, and disseminated, all other texts were destroyed as blasphemous. Over the coming thousand years, the Church slowly tightened its iron grip over Europe and none questioned the contents of the Holy Book, most not capable of reading it, and none outside of the Church allowed to possess a copy, aside from
Acton pulled his Blackberry off his belt. “I’ve got a signal but there’s no new messages.”
“So they’re still missing.”
Acton nodded. “Appears that way.”
Laura lowered her voice and leaned in. “They’re both Triarii. Do you think that might have something to do with it?”
“The thought had crossed my mind. But then why was the Father murdered?”
“He might have been Triarii too for all we know.”
Acton pursed his lips. “Hadn’t thought of that.” He leaned back. “So, someone knows who and what they are, decides they don’t like them hanging around, running their church, so kills them?”
Laura’s hand darted to her mouth. “Oh God, I hope not.”
“Well, if they were murdered, then I would think we’d know by now. After all, they had no problem having the Father’s body discovered, so why not Chaney and the Pope?” He shook his head. “I hope Hugh can tell us more when we get there.”
They both leaned into their chairs as the plane touched down. Minutes later they had taxied to the charter terminal, and were descending the steps, a limousine with Vatican flags waiting at the bottom. The driver tipped her hat and opened the door. “Mr. Acton, Miss Palmer. I trust you had a good flight?”
“Yes, thank you,” replied Laura as she climbed into the limo, Acton following. The door closed behind them and interior accent lighting kicked in, revealing they weren’t alone. Across from them, facing the rear, sat a woman Acton didn’t recognize. Laura gasped. She was holding a gun, pointed at both of them.
“Welcome to Rome, professors.”
Ciampino Airport
Rome, Italy
Acton instinctively slid closer to Laura, putting his shoulder over hers, partially blocking her body from the woman. “Who the hell are you?”
“Tsk tsk. Such language. Do you not realize where you are? Why you are here?”
“Don’t act so pious with me. You’re the one with the gun.”
She flicked the weapon, as if dismissing it. “Purely to illustrate a point.”
“And that point is?”
She leaned forward. “That I am in control. Not you.”
The driver’s door opened then slammed shut. The car started to move and Acton looked at Laura. “Where are you taking us?” she asked.
“To the Vatican of course.”
What the hell is going on here?
“Then why the gun?”
“Because I am not with the Vatican.”
Acton felt Laura’s hand on his arm squeeze tighter. “Then who are you with ?”
“The Order of the Blessed Virgin.”
Acton exchanged a quick glance with Laura, who shook her head slightly.
“What the he—” He stopped himself, and sneered slightly. “What is that?”
“We worship the Blessed Mary.”
Acton’s eyes narrowed. “Then what do you want with us?”
“We want you to retrieve something that was stolen from us long ago.”
“What?”
“The Gospel of Mary.”
“There is no Gospel of Mary.”
The smile grew. “So you’ve been told.”
“What does that mean?” asked Laura. “There are four Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.”
“No, there are several more, however they didn’t fit in with the likings of the Nicaea council.”
Acton knew what she was talking about. The First Council of Nicaea, convened in Bithynia in 325AD by the Roman Emperor Constantine. The month long meeting defined the nature of Jesus, leading to the Nicene Creed, and ultimately the bible as it is known today, with many texts describing the life and teachings of Jesus abandoned for various reasons, mostly due to them conflicting with the newly agreed upon truth. After the bible had been defined, and disseminated, all other texts were destroyed as blasphemous. Over the coming thousand years, the Church slowly tightened its iron grip over Europe and none questioned the contents of the Holy Book, most not capable of reading it, and none outside of the Church allowed to possess a copy, aside from
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