Time: Present Day

Location: Vatican City

"I know you explained after the hotel incident that I would have diplomatic immunity if I was based here. How does that work, I know Mussolini granted it, around the Second World War time. I think from my history lessons at school, but why? Why did Mussolini give such a power to the Church? What did he get in return?" Peter was trying to get the conversation off him and his obsession, and yes, he had to admit it had become an obsession. After all, who carries a torch for someone they slept with once or twice for over twenty years? Perhaps someone who was deeply in love and hasn't been afforded the chance to find love like that again. Someone who was almost abducted and forced into a life of public celibacy. Someone like me. Peter thought to himself, and Carter.

Carter almost felt sorry for his father, apart from the fact that it was now clear that his father was playing a reluctant but integral part in the plot to eradicate the Cheval family.

"These are good questions with which to begin your quest, but not for too long. You will have a message on your phone by now that the meeting has been brought forward to tomorrow. You will be informed why at the meeting. Oh, and there is to be a special guest, a rare occurrence, and even an old friend, so mark well my words about your behaviour tomorrow. I leave you now, dear boy, to your computer." Graz tapped Peter on the shoulder and motioned to his guard that he was leaving.

"Good bye Graz, and thank you, you have clarified a few things in my mind," Peter said.

Graz didn't know how to take this, but gave Peter the benefit of the doubt."It was my pleasure, my dear boy, as always."

Peter went immediately to the computer and Googled Mussolini.

While the computer was loading Peter reached for his phone and read his messages. The last message simply read, "Meeting in Conf Rm2. Now at 10.00 a.m. tomorrow Sunday. Proceed directly after Papal Mass."

Carter read the message with his father. He turned to Teacher and said, "Looks like we are going to a meeting tomorrow."

"As you wish Carter Cheval. It is up to you. I warn you though be careful. These are very dangerous people even for us. They know the Secrets. They will be suspicious about things going wrong. They will be guarded. Two are trained in exorcism, Graz and Enrico. Be very careful, these men have the capacity to reach out and harm you even here."

"You've become very talkative all of a sudden!"

"I fear you are too cocky, Carter Cheval. Do not underestimate the difficulty and inherent danger in what you are contemplating."

"I'm not contemplating anything yet, let's see how this meeting goes first, shall we?"

"It's not how it goes I'm worried about, Carter Cheval, but how it ends."

Their attention was broken when Peter said, "Shit!" out loud. The guard instinctively reached for his Glock.

Peter was reading about Mussolini and how he had effectively saved the Church from virtual bankruptcy. He had traded diplomatic immunity for Church backing of his regime. He had introduced the Pope to Hitler. Hitler had signed an agreement, an agreement to fund the Church in return for Church backing his political party allowing him to gain power and to give Papal blessing to the Third Reich. Hitler had then used his influence in Rome and his Alliance with Mussolini to not only gain Italy as an ally but to assist him to invade Greece and Yugoslavia and later Poland. Mussolini and Hitler would gain European territory and political might sanctioned by 'God'. Hitler would design his political party along the lines of the Papacy and his SS along the lines of the Jesuits. They would install a puppet government in Croatia headed by Ante Pavelic. The Vatican would largely ignore or give tacit approval to a terrorist Ustassi regime while it systematically went about eradicating rival religions to the Roman Catholic faith starting with the Serbian Orthodox then join with Hitler in the extermination of the Jews.

Carter felt that Peter was genuinely shocked. He had not read widely outside of music and his seminary studies. Nothing had prepared him for what he found on the internet, if half the rumours and 'facts' about the Vatican on the internet were in any way true. If what lay beyond that door confirmed any or all he was reading then he finally understood what Graz had meant about these secrets combined with the Major secret would do to the world if they got out. He understood now why this guard had a Glock and an Uzzi.

"What will my father find behind that door?" Carter asked as he turned to Teacher.

"He will find the truth and as you two will discover it is more shocking than anything you might read on the internet."

"What can I do, can I save my family? Can I save my father? Or is he already lost?"

"You already know what you can and can't do. I have warned you of the dangers. I said I can't stop you. It is similar with your father, he has free will. You can influence him, but you cannot make him do something he is not already predisposed to do. A bit like a hypnotist, you can take control of his body, but not entirely his mind nor his free will."

"Yes. Let me guess, only the All can do that, and I am the not God, right."

"You learn Carter Cheval, I fear just in time you finally learn."

Carter moved into.position behind Peter. He stood where Graz had stood a few minutes earlier. He connected his cord into Peter's spine halfway down. He moved it up and down as if trying to find the right spot. He then whispered to Peter, "Why don't you look up and see if there is anything on your Amelia."

Peter squirmed. In his seat but then Googled "Amelia Cheval death".

He read the news articles about Amelia and wept.

Carter then whispered, "Look down!"

Peter looked down the list and there were several articles about the death of Carter Cheval-Ryder and then, further down at least ten later articles on the death of Monique Cheval and links to Princess Di.

Carter's cord grew bright red where it connected to Peter.

His father screamed in anguish, "those fucking bastards. They've been playing me, fuck what have I done. No,no,no . . . that's not me. I wouldn't do that! They killed my Amelia and my son. They tricked me into becoming an assassin!" He looked up assassin almost automatically, and was horrified by the origin of the word.

Carter felt something rush through him. It was the guard . . . his gun pointed at Peter.

"Are you alright Cardinal?" he asked suspiciously.

"What, er, yes, yes, you can put the gun down. I'm harmless, everything's alright, yes, nothing else matters, yes, everything's alright . . . now!"

Chapter 70 - Roman implications.

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