royalty.
Until Luther and others translated it, and printed it.
Once the masses were able to understand the words, the Church’s grip started to loosen. When people realized they had been lied to, that the words had been distorted, and the Catholic Church had become nothing but a business designed to fleece the population of their money in exchange for passage into Heaven for them or their loved ones, the separation of Church and State had begun. It took hundreds of years, but it was done. And both the State, and the Church, were better for it.
Now we need a separation of State and Business.
“So you’re saying the Gospel of Mary, Mary the mother of Jesus, exists.”
“It does.”
“Where?”
“In the very place you will be going tonight.”
“I don’t understand.”
“After Nicaea, all copies of the Gospel of Mary were destroyed but one. The founders of our order had the original, written some say by the hand of Mary herself, the only Gospel to be written while Jesus was alive, and by someone who knew him perhaps better than anyone could.”
“So—”
“So it is the only honest Gospel. The only true Gospel.”
“How do you know? Have you read it?”
Her chin dropped into her chest. “No. None have.” She raised her head. “Our order was almost wiped out in a clash with the Church’s troops. The few copies we had managed to transcribe were lost in that battle, but the original saved. But only two weeks later we were betrayed, by a farmer who had taken our leader in. All in exchange for a goat.”
“A goat?” exclaimed Laura. Acton looked at her, and had the distinct impression she had forgotten their situation.
Their captor shook her head, as if still in disbelief over an event almost two thousand years ago. “Yes. A goat.” She sighed. “Roman soldiers from the local garrison were in pursuit of the few remaining members of our order, when they came upon this humble man’s farm, and threatened his goat. He pleaded with them, it being his only goat, then betrayed our Sister Berenice who he had agreed to hide. They killed her, and the goat, and took the original text to Rome, where it has never been seen since.”
“Have you asked?”
“Of course. With the opening of the Secret Archives, we immediately petitioned, but the Church repeatedly denied its existence.”
“So you don’t even know if it really exists.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Acton. “It exists. Of that have no doubt.”
Acton shrugged. “I guess we’ll take your word for it.” He pointed at the gun. “Now what does that have to do with us?”
“Everything if you want to see your friends again.”
Acton leaned forward. “You have them?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” asked Laura. “Is this because they’re Triarii?”
“Tree what?”
Acton and Laura exchanged quick glances. “If it’s not because they’re Triarii, then what did they ever do to deserve kidnapping?” asked Acton slowly.
“As the head of the Church, His Holiness is participating in and perpetuating the fraud that is the Roman Catholic Church.”
“And Chaney?”
“A pawn, caught in the middle. Of no value to us, but of value to his friends, who will be motivated to do our bidding, to save his life.”
Acton scowled. “And what do you want from us?”
“To retrieve the book of course.”
“And just how are we supposed to do that?”
“Well, you’re being brought in, aren’t you? Two archaeologists? Did you think you were being brought in because of your legendary police skills?” The woman laughed, flicking the weapon. “The arrogance of you Americans—”
“She’s British.”
“Even worse!” She leaned forward. “Your country rules the world, so you think you all as individuals are so superior to the rest of us. But in reality, you are all pawns in the grandest corporate takeover in history.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“America is owned.”
“Are you one of those Occupy
Until Luther and others translated it, and printed it.
Once the masses were able to understand the words, the Church’s grip started to loosen. When people realized they had been lied to, that the words had been distorted, and the Catholic Church had become nothing but a business designed to fleece the population of their money in exchange for passage into Heaven for them or their loved ones, the separation of Church and State had begun. It took hundreds of years, but it was done. And both the State, and the Church, were better for it.
Now we need a separation of State and Business.
“So you’re saying the Gospel of Mary, Mary the mother of Jesus, exists.”
“It does.”
“Where?”
“In the very place you will be going tonight.”
“I don’t understand.”
“After Nicaea, all copies of the Gospel of Mary were destroyed but one. The founders of our order had the original, written some say by the hand of Mary herself, the only Gospel to be written while Jesus was alive, and by someone who knew him perhaps better than anyone could.”
“So—”
“So it is the only honest Gospel. The only true Gospel.”
“How do you know? Have you read it?”
Her chin dropped into her chest. “No. None have.” She raised her head. “Our order was almost wiped out in a clash with the Church’s troops. The few copies we had managed to transcribe were lost in that battle, but the original saved. But only two weeks later we were betrayed, by a farmer who had taken our leader in. All in exchange for a goat.”
“A goat?” exclaimed Laura. Acton looked at her, and had the distinct impression she had forgotten their situation.
Their captor shook her head, as if still in disbelief over an event almost two thousand years ago. “Yes. A goat.” She sighed. “Roman soldiers from the local garrison were in pursuit of the few remaining members of our order, when they came upon this humble man’s farm, and threatened his goat. He pleaded with them, it being his only goat, then betrayed our Sister Berenice who he had agreed to hide. They killed her, and the goat, and took the original text to Rome, where it has never been seen since.”
“Have you asked?”
“Of course. With the opening of the Secret Archives, we immediately petitioned, but the Church repeatedly denied its existence.”
“So you don’t even know if it really exists.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Acton. “It exists. Of that have no doubt.”
Acton shrugged. “I guess we’ll take your word for it.” He pointed at the gun. “Now what does that have to do with us?”
“Everything if you want to see your friends again.”
Acton leaned forward. “You have them?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” asked Laura. “Is this because they’re Triarii?”
“Tree what?”
Acton and Laura exchanged quick glances. “If it’s not because they’re Triarii, then what did they ever do to deserve kidnapping?” asked Acton slowly.
“As the head of the Church, His Holiness is participating in and perpetuating the fraud that is the Roman Catholic Church.”
“And Chaney?”
“A pawn, caught in the middle. Of no value to us, but of value to his friends, who will be motivated to do our bidding, to save his life.”
Acton scowled. “And what do you want from us?”
“To retrieve the book of course.”
“And just how are we supposed to do that?”
“Well, you’re being brought in, aren’t you? Two archaeologists? Did you think you were being brought in because of your legendary police skills?” The woman laughed, flicking the weapon. “The arrogance of you Americans—”
“She’s British.”
“Even worse!” She leaned forward. “Your country rules the world, so you think you all as individuals are so superior to the rest of us. But in reality, you are all pawns in the grandest corporate takeover in history.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“America is owned.”
“Are you one of those Occupy
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