The SPECTRE Of The VATICAN ©

Chapter 67 - The Pizza Hits the Fan.

Time: Present Day
Location: Vatican City

There was a knock on the door. Two Swiss Guards entered the room, checked the room thoroughly but missed Carter and Teacher as they scanned the room. They stepped aside and the Black Pope entered the room.

Enrico strode over to behind the desk and sat down next to Graz. Without any niceties the Black Pope asked, "Well what went wrong this time Graz? What's your excuse this time? I hope you realise that this has put both Andre and Anton at risk. Theoretically they both have just one more chance to redeeem themselves. His Holiness is getting fed up with my 'in danger' reports."

Graz thought carefully about his answer,  "I don't know Enrico. They seem to anticipate our every move. It's almost as though they have a spy in our midst."

Enrico turned his attention to Peter, "Well Peter, do we have a mole in the Vatican?"

Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He seemed to be doing that a lot in this office. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this after all. Carter felt his Dad's pain.

"I'm thinking it was you that didn't want Amanda hurt, though for the life of me I don't understand why. Did you want to protect her enough to wreck our mission, is that it Peter?"

"It wasn't me. Yes I was upset that you two lied to me, that you were trying to kill Amanda just as you killed Amelia. But I didn't warn anyone, you can check my phone if you like."

"You don't think we haven't already done that Peter. If we had found anything we wouldn't necessarily be having this conversation, you understand?"

Graz intervened now. "Look Petros, what I think Enrico is trying to say is that we aren't used to failure around here. That we must now succeed at all costs. There is too much at stake now, and too many eyes on us. We cannot afford another failure. Andre and Anton cannot afford to fail again. That's why Enrico and I have taken them out of the equation. Next meeting here we have invited a special guest. We are going to leave it in his hands. You must comply with our plans now Petros. You must forget this obsession with Amanda. She could have told you the truth any time in the last twenty years. We were not stopping her. We need to intervene now though because her and her family, and their friend's meddling is putting the Secrets at risk. We can't abide that. We want to please you Petros, but I'm afraid this is not negotiable, the whole Cheval family must go now, including Layla and her new lover boy."

Peter let out a sigh, "Alright, alright, but I'm committed now, no-one will change my mind. I've lost everything except what's here. Can't we just leave them alone."

"If I was sure they would do the same it might be possible, but my spies tell me they will not, and my gut tells me we must act now..to protect the Secrets, or the world will never be the same. So are you in Petros or again shall I call the guards?"

"Alright, alright, I'm in, might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb as they say in my country."

Enrico looked at Graz with a puzzled expression, "I guess that means you're in Petros . . . good."

"Can I be at the SPECTRE meeting. I need to see how these things go sooner or later?" Graz deferred to Enrico with a sideways glance.

"I suppose you are right Peter, yes you may attend, Graz see to it."

Enrico arose and left without saying another word, flanked by his personal guards he departed the room.