War: A Business

Chapter 47:Holy Vatican Empire

After weeks of training inside the Papal Military Police,I learned how to pass off as a Catholic because other religions, even Protestants weren't allowed, except Orthodox Christians. But I heard rumors that the pope will allow protestant sects to join his upcoming crusade soon.

They seemingly didn't care if I was a Italian citizen or not. After all, different people from different countries flock here to join the war against the United Islamic States.

We were assigned in Rome, the capital city of the Empire. We were the military police of the streets wearing riot gear and armed with less-lethal weapons.

Q and I sat on a guardhouse beside the cobblestone streets amidst the restored classical-era styled buildings, waiting for our next mission. The guardhouse is entirely made out of concrete. We are sitting in foldable plastic chairs.

On our table, we have a statue of Mother Mary, a cross standing on the table and daily prayers pasted on the wall; a unorthodox requirement for every guard's post here in the Papal Military Police.

Other things including our spy gear and our standard issue military police loadout, tear gas grenades, metal riot shields, taser batons and SOW-40 riot guns, made by our company.

Surprisingly, both Sons of War and RavenClaw both funded the Vatican Army.

Our weapons, including our shields has Bible verses etched in it. From Genesis to Revelation.

According to the information we've gathered they are a symbol of loyalty to the Holy Trinity, and to Pope John Florentine.Even our riot gun has these. It is standard issue, including the pocket-sized Bible in our vest pocket. The people in the "listening stations" of the GIF have eavesdropped in every conversation in the area using the GIF's acoustic sensors we've clandestinely placed in the area for the past few weeks here.

"Do you have a family?" I asked Q.

"A family of two children and a beautiful wife." he replied.

"Well, I recently had a infant daughter." I interjected.

"Congrats." He congratulated.

"Thanks." I smiled.

"When we get back home, I'm gonna make sure that we go get a drink when we get home." He jesters.

He stroked his beard, like he had thought of something.

"If one of us gets injured, the drinks on you, but if we leave unscathed, the drinks on me." He wagered. "Deal?"

"Seems unfair." I commented."But, the odds make it even more exciting."

"So, deal?" He asked.

"Deal."I confirmed.

"Want tequila?" He asked.

"I prefer wine." I requested.

"No problem." He reassured." I know a old friend in Italy that makes the finest wine the world has ever seen."

"That is a overstatement." I contradicted.

"Nope." He contradicted back."Its no joke."

Our Holo's suddenly formed a hologram inside the guardhouse. The face of Madame appeared, made with bits of light from our hologram.

"This is your final mission here, as you have gathered enough information. You two will place a suitcase bomb in the PMP headquarters to make the Nordic- Scandanavian Pact think that the Vatican Knights were assassinating them, cutting their ties with each other,while the other members are suppressing the pro-peace rioters that we have funded to slow down their efforts." She instructed." Before you place the bomb, assassinate the officers on either side. Commence Operation Inner Hell at 1700 hours. Good luck." Madame announced.

The hologram faded.

"Why we cant refuse this mission? The Vatican Knights are the good guys. They are trying to liberate Europe from Islamic tyranny and restore Europe's cultural heritage.Why does the GIF trying to stop them?" I asked.

"I don't know either." He weakly answered." The Vatican Empire executes non-Christians, but they kept the remaining native Europeans safe, but if we disobey the GIF, they will blow my head out. Literally. There are micro-Philippinium explosives in my nape." Q answered.

"Fuck! Then we gotta do this mission or else you die. They better pay us for this."

While we waited, we told stories and joked for hours to pass the time.

Then, a convoy of trucks, tanks, APCs and IFVs,full of burly soldiers, with battle axes on their backs and tattooed arms, drove past our guardhouse. They headed towards the PMP headquarters.

"Wanna do Procedure 420?" Q asked.

"As long as we don't get caught." I slyly answered.

We set the alarm on our Holo's clock to 1700. We grabbed our E-cigs on our table. I put it on my mouth and I pressed the button on the cigar.

I inhaled the smoke. I felt lightheaded. I cannot feel my body. I felt like my soul is escaping my body. I hear strange vocal music, like someone in singing directly into my ear. Colors bounced around the corner of my eye.

Time seemingly sped up. People started walking faster, like in time lapse videos. Cars drove past us at a blink of a eye. The sun quickly climbed down on the horizon. The sky quickly turned purple and dark, like blueberry purple.Its reminds me of my favorite ice cream flavor, blueberry.

It felt good, no, not simply good, euphoric even.

The timer ringed, in a sound that sounds like a alarm clock underwater.
The effects of the marijuana in the E-cig worn off. My perception of time returned to normal.

"Best trip ever." Q exclaimed.

Our Holo's rang.

"This is CP! Rioters has reached the area nearby HQ! All nearby PMP units, head to waypoints Alpha, Bravo and Charlie! Suppress and apprehend the rioters! Report to CP immediately!" a raspy voice shouted loudly in my ear.

"Heading to waypoint Charlie now!" Q answered. This is our chance. I'm sure that this is the work of the GIF.

We carried our spy gear using normal looking duffel bags.

We ran at the area at the back of the Papal Military Police's HQ. We arrived at a empty cobblestone street. The Papal Military Police lined up with their shields in front of the rioters. Some of the police rode armored horses at the back of the vanguard.

We scrambled our Holo signals to make the CP that our Holos have been destroyed by the rioters.

We removed our combat gear,burned the gear with thermite and replaced it with our spy gear.

Our specialized body armor is made up of artificial muscles and tendons,simulating the human body to increase flexibility.

We readied our XR-1 multi-purpose pistols and activated another barrel of the weapon full of tranquilizer rounds. We applied suppressors by screwing it into the barrel.

We fired our grappling guns and ascended onto the edge of the roof. Luckily there was a hatch that we can get inside of the building.

Q presicely cuts a small circular hole using a small blade. Then we dropped down in the hole.