Parousia

Michele was just about to get out of bed on December 27 when she heard her phone signal a text message. Reaching to her nightstand, she opened the text from Gloria. “Zack is here with local police. Bad situation.”

She jumped from bed and roused Jimmy. “Jimmy, get up! We have a problem. Zack is at the facility with the local police.”

“What?” he asked from a dead sleep as she slipped into jeans and a t-shirt.

“Get the car. I’ll meet you out front!” she called as she left the bedroom.

She ran as fast as her legs would carry her to the chapel. There she pounded the specific three stones to gain entrance to the underground bunker. “Come on. Come on!” she screamed as the floor opened to reveal the stairs.

“Oh God, I hope I’m doing the right thing,” she screamed as she went to the armory her grandmother had left. Quickly grabbing two automatic rifles and lots of ammunition, she ran up the stairs and rapidly pressed the stones in reverse to hide the underground facility.

Again she ran as fast as she could to the back door and through the house to the front, where Jimmy was pulling up in the Humvee that had brought Uncle Michael and Will home during the Dark Awakening.

Jimmy threw open the passenger door. She quickly handed him the weapons and jumped in. As they sped down the driveway, she called Will.

“What’s up?” he asked casually.

“Zack is at our camp with the local authorities. Can you get rid of the cops?”

“On it right now,” he said crisply. She heard him pounding his computer keys.

“Keep me on the phone,” he commanded. “I’ve sent an urgent communiqué to the mayor, the governor, and the president telling them to get their men off Vatican property this instant.”

“Good,” Michele barked. She held tight as Jimmy made a speedy right-hand turn.

“Will,” Jimmy said. “We’ll be there in ten minutes, and we’re armed. Will the police be out of the way by then? I’m not looking for a confrontation with the authorities.”

“I don’t know, Jimmy!” Will shrieked, “In no event will you produce your weapons to the police! Do you hear me?”

“I’m with you on that one,” Jimmy said.

“I’m sending the Swiss Guard from the house to assist,” Will said as his keyboard rattled.

They heard a ping. “Okay,” Will said. “The governor has just ordered the local police to vacate the premises immediately.”

“Good!” Michele exclaimed as she loaded ammunition into their rifles.

“Uh-oh,” Will said glumly. “The governor apologized for any casualties and damage done to the facility. Looks like it was a raid.”

The Hummer careened through the security gate as Michele shrieked. Jimmy joined her.

“What? What is it?” Will cried.

“It’s … it’s on fire,” Michele screamed. “Oh God! Will, I can see nothing but flames.”

“I’ll tell the mayor to send firefighters. Do you see the police?” Will asked.

“No. Wait. There’s a limo coming toward the gate. Jimmy, block him!” Michele screamed. Jimmy moved the Hummer directly in the limo’s path. Michele holstered her phone and jumped out with a rifle. She released the safety and pointed the barrel at the limo’s back seat. Jimmy jumped from the Hummer with his rifle pointed at the driver.

As Michele watched, Zack slowly exited the limo holding Manny. Chastity followed.

“Give me the baby!” Michele shrieked. She wanted to kill Zack. Her mind raced with the prospect of taking out the man trying to rob them of the little happiness they had found.

Zack didn’t move, but held the child in front of him as a shield. Michele pulled the trigger in a rage, shooting into the limo. Manny wailed in fear.

“Give me the baby!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. Her trigger finger itched to finish the deal, but Manny’s cries moved her to reason. She wanted to comfort him more than she wanted revenge.

Zack stood frightened and confused. Jimmy moved toward him silently, his gun barrel pointed at Zack’s head. “Do it!” he yelled, startling Zack, who had not taken his eyes off Michele. Cautiously, he held Manny out to her.

Michele engaged the safety on her rifle and handed it to Jimmy. Her tears and sobs echoed Manny’s as she took him from Zack and held him close to comfort him. Only after her heartbeat slowed did she realize Will had been screaming to her through the phone. Holding the baby close with one arm, she pulled the phone out of its holster.

“Are you okay?” Will demanded. “I heard gunfire.”

“We’re okay. Jimmy has a gun on Zack and Chastity. Chastity!” she screamed. “We were never anything but nice to you! Why would you do this?”

Chastity remained defiantly silent. Zack spoke for her, “Money. Of course,” he said smugly.

Michele accused, “Gloria would never have handed Manny to you unless …”

“You’re right. She’s dead,” Zack said with no emotion.

“Why, Zack?” Jimmy asked. “She wasn't hurting you.”

Zack shrugged. “I couldn’t let Michael be the hero yet again. The man ruined my marriage. I wasn’t about to let him ruin my chance to be a widower.”

Zack haughtily flashed his trademark smile. “And I’ll tell you something else, when Isa finds out what you guys have been doing behind his back, your whole damned family will wish they had died as quickly as Gloria.”

Fire sirens wailed in the distance. Michele glanced at the blaze, hoping against hope some could be saved. She shook her head slowly as she realized it was already too late. The smell of burned hair and bodies wafted through the air.

“Michele!” Will screamed through the phone. “Let me talk to him.” Michele held the phone out to Zack as the Swiss Guard team arrived.

“Zack,” Will said sternly, “It’s over for you. I have records of all the funds you stole from Kurtoglu. I’m going down the hallway as soon as I hang up to clue him in.”

Zack stared fiercely at the phone, his face frozen in an aspect of contempt. And then the contempt slowly dissolved. His eyes turned red and filled with tears. His shoulders slumped. “D … don’t do that, Will,” Zack begged. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t tell Isa.”

Will ignored his plea. The sirens were closer. Will spoke louder to be heard. “Did you kill Gloria and the others?” he asked.

“I only killed Gloria,” Zack answered. “The police killed the others.”

“H … how did she die?” Michele asked.

“I shot her. It was all recorded.” Zack grinned. “I sent the recording to your uncle.”

The Swiss Guard arrived quickly. They immediately patted down Zack, Chastity, and the driver, relieving Zack of his pistol and his phone. Will spoke to them, “I need two of you to accompany him back to Jerusalem on his plane. I’ll have a detachment meet you there to take him into custody. I need two of you to escort my family back to Castello Pietro. The other two, turn the driver and the girl over to the local authorities.”