A. I. Evolution: The Coming of Christopher

Chapter 52

The study is a buzz of activity when we enter through the main doors to Pius's private quarters. The Pope's personal servant is fixing Pius's hair and helping him get into his formal white robes over at the end of the short hallway to his spacious bathroom. The film crew is setting up the tripods for the numerous pieces of video equipment, and hanging mikes over the opening to the famous window of his study where I will soon be standing.

Jane is sitting in a chair in the corner of the room where she can look out the window at the dense crowd of people filling every square inch of St. Peters Square. She does not appear happy as she looks me over in my new clothes. I head in her direction, but one of the crew setting up the microphones spies me and rushes over to mount a lapel mike under the edge of the flap of material at my neck. He hooks the transmitter at the end of the thin wire to the back of my new robe under the belt to hold it in place. I give Jane the sorry shrug and wait till he is done before making my way the few feet to her.

Jane stands up and moves to stop right in front of me. "Oh Christopher, what have you done?"

I look to her with sad eyes. "What I had to do. Things have gone too far to turn back now. The entire world needs to hear my message, and this is the best way I could think of to get it out there for all to hear."

"But what could be so important that you could not even tell me?" asks Jane, imploringly.

I move the last few steps between us and look down into her eyes. "You will soon find out, and afterward I will tell you everything, and then you will understand the why, but right now, I need to do this."

Jane watches her friend of the last nine years that had so recently become so much more to her move away and head towards the window on the other side of the wall from the main part of Pius's private quarters. The study is spacious, but the number of people needed to record the historic event makes it feel cramped.

Jane remains in the main room and moves back to the window where Henri is watching the crowd below with suspicion written all over his face. "You look concerned about something."

Henri pulls his eyes away for a second to smile but returns his gaze to the silence that has started to fall over the crowd. "My training demands that I worry about everything when the ones I am sworn to protect put themselves out in the open like Pius and Christopher are about to do."

Jane nods her head. "I thought that you were assigned to protect me now?"

"I am, but you seem to have the good sense to stay hidden and out of danger."

Jane does not respond but looks out the window as the crowd that is covering St. Peters Square like a cloud of fog that flowed in and surrounded every building under six feet of heaving mass, starts to go silent, so silent that the small hairs on Jane's arm start to rise at the eeriness of the mood.

Jane feels a sensation slowly start to enter her mind. One of heat, like she just stepped in front of a blast furnace and needs to get away quickly, along with a sadness that follows a dire decision being made. The apprehension builds as time, which has now seemed to slow down for her, moves towards it's inevitable conclusion. She moves her head slightly as a siren starts to grow louder as an emergency vehicle approaches from the far right of the huge crowd. She moves her head in the direction it is heading and can see the smoke start to rise into the air from between the buildings just one block over from St. Peter's Square.

The feeling of heat continues to rise in her mind, and she knows that it is originating from the flames that are starting to show above the two-story buildings in between her and the source of the smoke. The crowd doesn't pay too much attention to the noise, as the windows open and Pope Pius steps to the opening. The words from the speakers around the square ring out to replace the sound of the sirens. "Welcome my friends." The crowd cheers at the sight of their pope, but quickly calm down as he starts to speak again. "I come to you on this special day, and not only is it Easter Sunday, but a day that will remain a heralding event, to ring in a new chapter for the Church. Today we have a messenger from God himself, who is here to bring us news of the return of Gods' Only Son to dwell among us and lead us to Salvation in his Name."

The crowd remains silent as they realize that the rumors are true, and they are standing in the very center of the approaching whirlwind of change.

Jane cries as the feeling of heat suddenly disappears from her mind, and another one equally as distressing enters. The sadness in the sensations, mixed with a fear of the unknown, causes a huge lump to form in her throat. She continues to watch the crowd as she knows that Christopher has replaced Pius at the window. The voices of the crowd start to rise into the air till they approach a crescendo that blocks all other feelings she is sensing, till a sharp pain slams into her chest and she all but drops to the floor before catching herself on the edge of the table, panting from the shock of the feelings. Henri sees her falter and rushes over to her side. He reaches down to help her back up, but Jane's eyes go wild with shock and she grabs his hand only to use it as a handle to jump to her feet, and rush around the corner of the wall to the study, into a scene straight out of a horror movie.

The two Cardinals have Pius on the floor, as they shield him with their very bodies. James is already on his knees with Christopher's head resting in his lap. The blood that has been splattered all over James and the pool forming under Christopher tells her all she needs to know. The man she had waited so many years for and loves deeper than she could ever express, is dying right before her eyes.

Jane drops to the floor and reaches for Christopher, but he does not see her, as he stares blankly to the ceiling, uttering, "Father, it is done."

The emptiness Jane feels in her very soul makes her slump over his now still body, all the sensations from the last few moments are gone, leaving a loneliness that she can't remember ever experiencing before.

Henri is standing on the other side of Christopher's body, and looks down with sympathy at her. He allows her to express her loss before reaching down gently to slowly lift her from the body. "Please come with me, Jane. The Swiss Guard will need room to gather information and any evidence that might be critical to their investigation."