The SPECTRE Of The VATICAN ©

Chapter 69 - Secrets Exposed.

Time: Present Day
Location: Vatican City

Peter spent the days leading up to the SPECTRE meeting in the Secrets Vault looking at the books and files that he had been granted access to. He knew there was another room beyond his access clearance. He could see a red door at the end of the corridor at the other end of the room he had been let into by the two guards outside. He mused that in his younger days he may have been tempted to try and breach that door to gain a look inside. If it had not been for the guard he may still have made an attempt, save for the fact, that this was a special Swiss Guard, a Swiss Guard with a Glock in a holster on his right side, and an Uzzi mounted on the wall to his left side, as well as his traditional spear.

He had been told that only two people had access past this guard, the Black Pope and Guardian Angel of Secrets. Not even the Pontiff had access, nor did he want to, according to Graz. Enrico and Graz were the only two people alive who had seen what was on the inside. It was never discussed, not even by the odd rumour monger or speculative staff member in the Vatican. It seemed the mere mention of it's existence was taboo. Peter had then, to content himself in the knowledge that he would someday soon get access, once he had officially succeeded to Graz's current role.

Peter turned back to the books he had taken down from the shelves and started going through the ancient manuscripts. He wore white gloves so as not to get any skin contact on the delicate pages.

Ever since Graz had told him about the manuscripts and letters that had been buried by Mary Magdalene, he had spent every free hour he had pouring over them. They were somewhat difficult to read, as Graz had warned. As much in that the translations left some room for speculation on the proper meaning, as in the destruction of long held beliefs and dogmas that the Church continued to promulgate to the general populace including the Cardinals, Archbishops, Priests and Deacons.

Peter read again how Jesus had escaped crucifixion by agreeing for his twin brother, Thomas to take his place.

He had had children by Mary Magdalene and Mary had been dismayed when having escaped death once he had continued to upset the established religious hierarchy by preaching, what they had termed, blasphemy. She wrote that she feared that it would be discovered that the person calling himself Thomas was in fact Jesus. Either the deception would be uncovered or Jesus would again upset people to the point of endangering not only himself, but his family and his disciples. Her fears had proven correct when Jesus, as Thomas, was accused of being a sourcerer and was killed in India.

He was so engrossed in the story that Mary had written that he hadn't noticed Graz entering the room and coming up behind him.

Graz layed his hands on Peter's shoulders and said, "Interesting reading, eh Petros?"

Peter gave a startled yell that put the guard on alert. He felt slightly uncomfortable whenever Graz made physical contact with him, and it was happening much more frequently than he liked now.

Peter disguised his disgust in the usual way by asking a question unrelated to the physical contact he was recoiling from. "When are you going to tell me what's behind that door?" he asked gesturing past the guard at the end of the long corridor.

"In good time, Petros, all in good time. The Secrets behind that door are of a more intimate nature  requiring an intimate moment for them to be tranferred. They relate more to your new role as Guardian of the Secrets. They will demonstrate the extraordinary lengths some of your predecessors have had to go to to protect the Secrets, to protect the Church.

They will also give you a completely new slant on many moments in history. You will, at last, become one of only four or five people in the world who really know how we got to where we are in historical terms. Why history really unfolded as it did. Who the real power brokers are behind the international financial and political scene. I can tell you that what you will learn will amaze, and at the same time frighten you, as it did me, when the door was opened to me by Enrico. That was many years ago now, but I still remember that feeling and my apprehension, and the glorious sense of being in an all powerful position. Of having a God like power over life and death. It can become quite addictive so you need to guard yourself, Petros, for when the time comes and it comes sooner than you think.