A. I. Evolution: The Coming of Christopher

Chapter 58

James had the slight cut to his stomach sewn up in the infirmary, and even though it smarts when he moves too quickly, he has thrown himself back into the service of his Pope. He enters the Great Hall where Pope Pius holds all his inner meetings with his Cardinals.

The noise level is high as they discuss the events of the last two days. Starting with the man named Christopher revealing himself as a Saint of old, to his sudden death in front of millions of people, or more correctly, billions.

James moves to the front row of seats and sits on the end, which is where the Popes Personal Cardinal traditionally sits. Pius is sitting in his chair, listening to the raging of the Cardinals, as they demand that something be done to stop the rumors that are threatening to bury the Church in controversy.

Commander Smit enters the back of the Hall and makes his way down the center aisle to the front of the Great Room, ending the heated conversation of the Cardinals. He steps up to the podium to the right side of Pope Pius and arranges his papers before laying them down on the slanted surface.

James stands and turns slightly so he can see Pius, the assembled Cardinals, and Commander Smit. "Please tell us what you have found so far in your investigation, Commander Smit. Hopefully you have some answers that will enable us to figure out what has happened, so we can stop the rumors that are running wild throughout the Church"

Smit places both hands on each side of the podium as he nods to Pius and then turns to the Cardinals. "Well, all I can give you right now are the facts as we know them at this moment. The weapon that was used to shoot Saint Christopher, was installed in the wall of the financial building when it was renovated three years ago. It has rested there untouched till my guards opened the wall by ripping down the drywall minutes after the shooting. There were finger prints all over the rifle, which belonged to Saint Christopher's long-time companion Wong Fung. This would normally indicate that Wong was the shooter, but he had committed suicide, moments before the rifle was fired, in the fire he had set in the courtyard, right in front of the building housing the rifle."

"Do you have any suspects at all Commander?" calls out Cardinal Matthews.

Smit looks down and shakes his head in defeat before lifting it again and turns to look at Pius. "No, at this time, we are still trying to ascertain how the rifle was fired. There does not seem to be anything that could have released the hammer that hit the end of the shell that fired the bullet at the Study window. Unfortunately, till we have answered that question, we have nothing to go on."

James speaks up quickly from his position at the end of the front row of chairs. "There is the fact that the chair that our Pope is now sitting in, raised into the air, seemingly by itself, witnessed by everybody that is sitting in this very room right now."

Smit turns to James sharply. "I was not told of this. When did he make that happen?"

James is about to answer when Pius clears his throat loudly. "That is a private matter of the Church, and not to be talked about outside of this room and even then, only by the Cardinals of the Church sitting before me."

Smit drops his head submissively. "Yes, of course, your excellency."

Pius nods his acknowledgement of Smit's response to his commands. "If there is nothing else at this time Commander, I would ask you to continue your investigation and keep us informed, but right now we must get back to the business of the Church."

Smit steps away from the podium with his papers in hand. "Thank you for listening to me," he says, as he makes his way back down the center aisle to the back doors and the guards that are standing there.

Cardinal Matthews from New York stands and is quick to get back to demanding answers. "Saint Christopher is an American citizen, and he has been executed at the Vatican. What are the American people to think of the Church and how they treat their fellow man?"

The questions come from all the cardinals and how this situation will affect the faithful in their home countries, with each one trying to build a better case than the one before him.

Pius sits and listens to all the complaints, not responding to any of them. Eventually, the Cardinals run out of things to say, as Pius sits calmly in his chair at the front of the room set a good fifteen feet from the front row of chairs. He slowly stands as the attending Cardinals grow silent, waiting to see how he will respond to their demands.

Pius walks back and forth in front of them three times, looking down at the floor with his hands clasped behind his back. He stops in front of his chair about halfway to the front row of Cardinals, and looks from one side to the other, acknowledging each person in front of him. "In the early days of the Church, there were few true believers, most of the people that flocked to our cause did so with a hope that the Church could guide them, and, in some cases, protect them from their oppressors. It was a time of Saints. Saints that did extraordinary things, which caused the common people to believe in them, and follow them, sometimes into persecution."

Pius pauses for a moment before continuing, to build interest in the next step. "These Saints were the ones who truly caused the Church to grow," calls out Pius, as he spreads his arms wide to engulf the entire room. "Faith played a very large part in that process. A faith that said they would be saved at the end and would be able to enter the Kingdom of God."

Pius looks down and is silent for just a second, before raising his index finger and then his whole hand and arm into the air, to point at the Cardinals. He looks up. "But let's not make any mistake about it. In reality, it is the belief in something, anything that is so compelling that the people will flock to and follow that belief. The Saints that would proclaim the word of God and salvation all the way to the executioner, with their last dying breath, stirred the masses into believing them beyond all reason. That is how the Church grew and prospered for thousands of years. Oh, we have Saints today that reach that point by the virtuous deeds they do throughout their life, and while I don't want to make light of those that strive to do good, the Saints that were Martyred stirred the deepest emotions from the common people."

Pius raises his hands into the air and looks out intently over the group of Church leaders. "Saint Christopher has, with his death in full view of the world, brought back those very same beliefs in the people. It is now up to us to use this gift from God, to use it as a means to re-energize the Church and curb the tide of dissension that has crept into our midst."

Pius lowers his hands and clasps them in front of his body as he looks to the ceiling at the back of the room and waits for the response from the Cardinals. He stands still through the deep silence, until Cardinal Matthews stands and raises the question he has been dreading but knew they would ask him. "What of his claim to be a messenger for the true Messiah that is to come after him?"

Pius nods his head with his eyes closed and takes a deep breath before responding. "All we can do is what we tell our followers to do, and that is to pray that it is true, because if he is telling the truth, then we will truly be saved by his appearance among us."

The Cardinals all lower their heads and say their silent prayers, as Pius moves to stand right in front of them. He spreads his hands and starts the prayer. "Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Hear us this day our Daily Prayers, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," then as one, the Cardinals confirm the prayer, ""AMEN"."

Pius walks slowly back to his chair at the center of the oddly shaped hall and sits back down in his slightly raised chair. James gets up and steps to the side of Pius, looking out over the Cardinals. "I think our appointed leader has spoken truthfully about this situation, and it is now our charge to spread the word to our separate communities of the Church. The procession of mourners at St. Peter's Basilica will be allowed to continue viewing Saint Christopher's body till the three-day period has come to an end. At which time we will place him in a wooden box and create a procession of Cardinals that will take him around St. Peter's Square for the people to see, then back to St. Peters Basilica, where he will be buried with all the rites of a Martyred Saint."

James moves in closer to Pius. "Do you have any special instruction for me concerning the ceremony tomorrow afternoon?"

Pius considers it for a moment. "Yes, after the private burial of Saint Christopher, I will speak from my study window again to the people gathered in the Square, proclaiming the Church's support for Saint Christopher.

James nods his head and helps Pius up from the chair and leads him off the stage to the side rooms behind the guards to their left.