The Scroll

Chapter Fourteen

Night had fallen and the Alliance were assembled in the courtyard. A pale spring moon lit up the lodge and cast long, ominous shadows from the surrounding trees. In the centre of the yard two of the crosses now stood upright. The Alliance's two disciples were bound to them with rope, sedated but conscious, in a parody of crucifixion. As a precaution against accidental fatality wooden blocks had been nailed to the crosses to support the disciples weight. The third cross still lay on the cobblestones. A heavy hammer and three large nails lay alongside it. The members of the Alliance, awaiting the Grand Overseer and Reverend John, formed a sombre semi-circle in front of the crosses. They were dressed as if they were simply going out for dinner, plain dark suits, shirts and ties. The Alliance considered the fancy dress worn by some secret societies to be trivial and below their intellectual standing and purpose.

Cue Ball stood at the lodge gates scanning the rooftops and courtyard. Flat Top was outside patrolling the walls. They had agreed that it would be better to keep Bonnie and Clyde out of the way to which end they were now sat huddled in the stable. When Bonnie had returned earlier they had felt awkward in each other's company, Clyde because of his reaction to his gun going off that morning and Bonnie because of the way she had acted to dupe the Alliance's disciples. Flat Top, leaving them at the stables when he collected the horses, had spoken with surprising softness. "Look, you're young. Whatever happened earlier is done and nothing will change it. I would leave it behind and take the next step." It had worked and the couple were now looking forward to tomorrow when they would leave their fantasy world for good.

As he walked around the walls Flat Top was also thinking of tomorrow. He had gone with Cue Ball to check on Marilene and listen to their theory about Templer. As impossible as it sounded Flat Top had found himself being drawn to the idea despite his doubts. He could accept that Templer was not dead but the rest of it? What, he had asked, if Templer was working with a partner. Marilene however seemed even more convinced than when she had spoken to Cue Ball earlier, no it was Templer that she had seen at the side of the road. Tomorrow, they had decided, they would leave. Cue Ball and Flat Top would take Marilene away from the lodge and make sure that she was safe from Reverend John and the Alliance. Then they would plan what to do about finding Templer. Flat Top cued his walkie-talkie. "Still quite as the grave out here."

Cue Ball smiled. "Funny. Looks like they're about to get started at last. The Rev's got his dancing clothes on."

The Reverend John stepped solemnly into the courtyard. He was wearing a lavishly embroidered golden cope over the top of a long, red cossock. A red pointed hood hung down his back whilst on his head he wore a golden mitre decorated with a triangle of crosses, the largest at the top formed by rubies. In his right hand Reverend John carried a gold plated, jewel encrusted crozier. Next to him walked the Grand Overseer dressed in purple graduation robes that were edged with gold. A matching mortar sat on his head, a golden tassel swinging at the back. In his hands Victor Lowe held a golden tray on which lay a crown of thorns. In the middle of the crown was a small clay tube; Marilene's heirloom.

The Reverend John and the Grand Overseer considered themselves to represent faith and wisdom and on this night they would unite the two for the glory of the Alliance, and God. Once the nails were driven into the cross in would be raised with the crown of thorns hanging at the top. Reverend John would then break open the clay tube and read aloud the ancient words written on the scroll that it contained. It would then be Victor Lowe's honour, as Grand Overseer, to place the scroll in the crown of thorns and set it alight. The smoke from the burning scroll would then be drawn up towards heaven and the Lord God would answer. And the Lord would proclaim to the world his prophet; the Reverend John.

Reverend John looked at each member of the Alliance in turn. Soon they would be of no further use to him. Their money had brought him to his moment of destiny but the glory would be the Reverend John's alone. Even his lifelong friend Victor Lowe, the Grand Overseer, would bow to him. He took a deep breath to quell the excitement building up inside him. Reverend John turned his back to the Alliance and raised his arms. He saw his image mirrored in the cross that lay at his feet. The Grand Overseer spoke. "Honourable members of the Alliance. Tonight ..." He said no more. A look of horror spread across the faces of the Alliance and, as one, they took a step away from the Grand Overseer. Victor Lowe turned around and, over Reverend John's shoulder, saw a figure standing silhouetted on the rooftop.