Feldman, dreaming an unpleasant dream, was awakened by an itching nose and the melody of a soft giggle. Above him, captured in a shaft of cascading morning light, was Anke. Lying across his bed, she was dangling her long dark hair playfully across his face, laughing mischievously.
“Welcome back to earth, dream cadet,” she teased and laughed again.
Feldman was overjoyed. “Anke! Where did you come from?”
“It's been so long since I've seen you,” she said, “I figured I'd play truant for a day!”
“I'm sorry,” he responded ruefully, rubbing his eyes, recognizing he hadn't spoken with her since leaving for the convocation.
“I'll forgive you,” she replied complaisantly,
Feldman laughed and gathered her up in his arms. Without realizing it, the tensions and pressures of the last week had taken their toll on him. As always, his time with Anke restored him in a way nothing else could. They spent the rest of the morning together until a phone call forced Feldman back to reality. He had to leave her again and return to his offices for what would prove to be another exceedingly long day.
WNN, he was informed, had not found the Catholics as easy to negotiate with as the Mormons. The Vatican was positioning itself as a reluctant participant in this proposed meeting between Jeza and the pope, and was exercising complete and strict control of all orchestrations. The meeting would not be a closed-coverage operation. At the Church's insistence, the affair would be open to all media. But WNN still held out hope for a prominent presence.
The date of Sunday, March 19, twelve o'clock noon at the Vatican, had been agreed upon. Just as Jeza had assured Feldman it would be when he had deposited her at her clandestine desert drop-off the previous Monday evening. But the Vatican had insisted that the prophetess arrive approximately an hour early to accommodate an involved procedural schedule; it was also insisted that WNN arrange for the now-world-famous Alphonse Cardinal Litti to accompany Jeza and serve as her escort at the Papal Palace.
78
The Papal Palace, Vatican City, Rome, Italy 2:09 P.M., Monday, March 13, 2000
As the pope entered the room, Cardinals di Concerci and Santorini rose behind a table covered with stacks of reference materials, notebooks and documents. They were in the pope's spacious, impressively decorated private library where Nicholas often met informally with his advisors and guests. For today's important presentation, the table and a number of large easels had been brought in and placed in front of the pontiff's elevated receiving throne.
The large double doors of the library were closed behind him as Nicholas waved the two cardinals to their seats and quickly ascended the steps to his chair. The pope was anxious about today's meeting. Anxious in general about his impending audience with the prophetess Jeza. He'd had more troubling dreams and second thoughts.
Di Concerci, as if sensing his pontiff's uncertainty, launched immediately into his introduction.
“Holiness, I'm pleased to inform you that we've concluded our investigations and the information we've uncovered far exceeds our expectations. As you will soon see, we now have everything necessary to implement a successful plan.”
The pope nodded his approval, withholding his enthusiasm. Di Concerci motioned for Cardinal Santorini to begin. Santorini stood, moved to the first easel, and unveiled an enlarged color photograph.
“This is the Leveque family, Pontiff,” di Concerci explained. “Jozef Leveque, his wife, Anne, and their daughter, Marie. This photograph was taken some ten years ago, when the young lady pictured here was in her early twenties.” The pope rose and walked down the steps to have a closer look. He placed his spectacles on his nose and peered intently at the picture.
Di Concerci continued. “Shortly after this picture was taken, the daughter, Marie, was involved in an unfortunate incident in which she became the innocent victim of a terrorist bombing in Jerusalem. She was gravely injured, and although she survived, she was rendered comatose and remains so to this day.”
The pope frowned as he examined the image of the smiling young woman. “Appalling,” he lamented. “Will there never be peace in the Holy Land? But I fail to see the association with the subject of today's meeting.”
As Nicholas turned away from the beaming young face, Cardinal di Concerci pointed back to it, refocusing the pope's attention.
Nicholas returned to the photograph, leaned forward and squinted more intently at the image. His eyes suddenly widened and he exclaimed, “Is this Jeza's sister? I see a resemblance!”
The prefect smiled. “Clone is perhaps the more correct explanation. This is the woman whose ova were utilized to create the genetic double the world knows as Jeza. Just as was presented in the televised program on Jeza's origins.”
“Amazing!” the pope whispered in wonderment, staring at the face. “But I'm confused. While this woman resembles the prophetess, the similarities are not that pronounced. They appear more familial than identical.”
“That is due, we understand, to the processes under which Jeza was gestated,” di Concerci explained.
The pope nodded his understanding and returned slowly to his throne in a thoughtful state.
“We have everything we need to expose the truth, Holiness,” di Concerci asserted. “A secret contact in the Israeli Defense Force has assisted us in providing full documentation. Also, we understand from WNN that Cardinal Litti has accepted our invitation to conduct Jeza to our welcoming ceremony.”
“Excellent.” Nicholas was feeling considerably better about developments. “Describe for me the entire plan as you have conceived it, Antonio.”
“Certainly, Holiness.” Di Concerci took his seat again at the table and gathered his notes in front of him, although never referring to them. He began.
“Cardinal Litti, Jon Feldman and the woman, Jeza, will arrive at the Vatican heliport at approximately eleven A.M., Sunday, March 19. They will be escorted on foot by Cardinal Santorini with a small contingent of the Swiss Guard and papal knights. They will travel through the gardens, enter and pass through the Sistine Chapel, view several of the cortiles and gallerias, and then onward across the square to the front of the basilica. They will then enter the basilica at approximately eleven forty-five and await your arrival. All this will be covered in its entirety by the various TV networks in attendance.
“During this walking tour, it will be Cardinal Santorini's objective to display to the woman some of the exquisite beauty and grandeur of the Vatican, and to imbue her with a sense of the historic, religious significance represented in the culture of the Church. We wish for her to appreciate fully the inspiration of the great works of art commissioned by the Church through the centuries for the honor and glory of God.
“As Jeza, Jon Feldman and Alphonse are escorted by Cardinal Santorini through the front doors of St. Peter's, the Julian choir will be in performance and the entire cathedral filled with all members of the papal court and representatives of all official religious orders.
“Jeza
“We will follow standard procedures for an official, ceremonial audience. Cardinal Santorini will be announced to you first. He will ascend the stairs, you will extend your hand to him and he will kneel and kiss the ring of Saint Peter.
“Next Alphonse will be presented to you, you will extend your ring, and Alphonse will, no doubt, also kneel to kiss the ring. And then at last, Jeza will be presented to you. You will extend your hand once more and, God willing, she will follow suit, kneel and kiss the ring as well.
“Now let me caution you here, Holiness.” The prefect held up a restraining hand. “When you look at Jeza, you
