THE SWORD AND SICKLE

CHAPTER-ONE: EVEN THE GODS ARE UNAWARE

THE SWORD AND THE SICKLE

PART THREE

MEET ME IN NEW MADRID

EVEN THE GODS ARE UNAWARE

Greta Bastion says, "William and Walter, your lives are about to change forever. You serve a vital service to our war plans. Please enter through the gate, where it is much warmer, and we can discuss this further with you." Morgan notices a fourth woman joins them as they enter the Temple. The warmer air comforts him as the four individuals pause in the foyer.

Ruben says, "Gentlemen, excuse us, we take a ritual shower to wash off the outside world, it's a purity ritual and no insult is implied toward you or your world. You may join us if you wish. Otherwise, take a seat on the bench as we enter the communal showers. The two men nodded no and sat on the bench as the four opened the doors to the showers.

Walter says to William, "This is a strange place and almost Biblical in manner. I wonder if we should have turned down their offer to shower, as they say, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans.'"

William replies, "Perhaps, you are right, but best we keep our integrity as ambassadors, and we maintain our culture in this foreign land."

"We are not ambassadors, ambassadors seek peace; we are here as corroborators with a foreign government. We are here to make war, not peace. We are here to make an alliance with the SDL to fight a common enemy. My question to you is, who is the fucking enemy?"

Chief Alderman replies, "First, our enemy is Levi, then my division felt President McDowell is the enemy, and rightfully so, as she is now Supreme Dictator, and she steals our prized super project, 666, in front of us. Now, that weapon guards her. I know Abrams planned to use the failsafe to destroy Six and Victor if we lost control of them, but instead the failsafe that he planted in their heads is planted his brain, and he blows his own mother fucking head off. After all this, Victor and Six still want to protect us from harm. I don't know who the real enemy is, Walter."

Morgan replies, "It would have helped me if I had not been kept in the dark about the 666 project, but I suppose that was on a need-to-know basis. Well, guess what, now the whole fucking world knows and trembles in fear under rule of such a force, and from what I am picking up, this is just the fucking beginning of the mess. With the President in control, all our nuclear options are out the window, and we will have to fight back with only our wits."

The four greeters return from their showers minus their robes, and Alicia speaks to the corroborators. "Gentlemen, relax, the time for vengeance is for the Lord Levi alone. You can't fight back on your own. We will not win this war, not yet, and not in the manner you think. Where are my manners? I fail to introduce you to our wife, Iphigenia. Iphigenia, the men you already know, but they do not know you. Walter and William, Iphigenia is the completion of the Four, the son and daughters of Ruth, the Moabitess. Compare us to the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. We will rain death upon the Earth, and nothing will stop us, but first, we must betray our Lord. Levi and his wife Venus must die!" Walter and William are stunned. Surely, Alicia misspoke. Why would the faithful of Levi seek to assassinate their own Lord?

Alderman says to himself, perhaps, this is the gate of betrayal, are we now to become Judas?