The Secret Chapel

was still very much alive, Leo’s suspicion began to fade.

“Do you have it with you?” Morelli asked.

Leo swung the backpack off of his shoulder and opened it up. Morelli peered inside at the object he had known existed-but was forbidden to see. The red book looked innocent enough to him, but he could sense the evil inside.

“Close it up. I don’t want to look at it anymore,” Morelli said. “We have to reach the chapel before it’s too late. Things are happening in the world, and we have to stop them. Follow me.”

The group fell in behind him, their senses on high alert for any unfamiliar sound or quick movement. Within minutes, Morelli found the tunnel he was looking for and veered off to the right. After leading them up a slight incline, he stopped next to the pinkish-colored stone that marked the outside wall of the ancient holy chapel.

Leo and John stood next to Morelli in silence. The joy they felt at finally arriving back at this special place pushed aside their fear and exhaustion. The others gathered quietly behind them, no one wanting to say a word. They had finally arrived at their destination. Now what?

John ran his fingers over the rock. “I know where I’ve seen this stone before. This is the same pinkish stone we saw in buildings all over Israel.”

Alon moved to the wall and studied it for a moment. “It’s limestone from the Holy Land. Ancient buildings all over Israel are constructed from it. How did it get here under the Vatican?”

“I have no idea,” Morelli said. “My best guess at this point is that ancient Christians transported the stone here somehow and used it to construct this chapel with a definite purpose in mind.”

Morelli quickly spotted the section of the wall they had sealed back up when they first discovered the chapel. “The stones are just piled on top of each other with mud in between, so the wall should be easy to push in.”

Alon put both hands against the wall and shoved. It gave way quickly, the stones falling into the chapel with the muted sound of stone hitting stone. In their excitement and haste to gain entrance to the chapel, the men began knocking more bricks loose with little thought to the structural integrity of the surrounding wall. Suddenly, a loose stone fell from a spot above, striking Morelli on the head and knocking him unconscious.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the limp figure of Father Morelli lying on the tunnel floor, blood running from a small gash on the top of his head. Leo rushed to his side. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe it. We’ve got to get him to a doctor.”

Lev grabbed Leo by the arm and lifted him to his feet. “There’s no time for that now. Ariella was a field medic in the army. Let her tend to him.”

“I’m not letting him die in this tunnel with help only a few stories above us.”

“I’m afraid the help above is from God now, Leo. If we don’t get that book into the chapel right now the whole world will suffer. Father Morelli is a Jesuit, one of God’s soldiers. Soldiers get injured in battle, but the others must keep going. I promise you, Ariella will take good care of him.”

Leo was torn but realized that Lev was right. Time was running out, and they had to go forward without Morelli. Leo made the sign of the cross over his friend and said a prayer for his recovery before turning away to face the gaping hole in the wall. Ariella cradled Morelli’s head in her lap and held pressure on his wound while the others found themselves shining their lights into the dark, empty space of the ancient chapel. They paused to collect themselves before stepping across the rubble into the large room beyond.

Leo, Alon, and Lev stood silently inside the chapel, while John began frantically looking around.

“Where should we put the book?” John said.

Leo took in the surroundings. He had no idea. He set the backpack down and slowly pulled the Devil’s Bible from within. It was still sealed in plastic covered by the outer case filled with holy water. The group formed a circle in the middle of the chapel and stared down at the book. No one had a clue as to what they were supposed to do next.

Alon rested his hand on the radio strapped to his belt, inadvertently pushing the antenna wire farther down until it clicked into place. The radio suddenly came to life as they all heard the strained voice of the yacht’s captain calling them. “Lev, Alon, anyone … can you hear me?

Alon keyed his mike. “Yes, Alex, we read you. What’s wrong?”

“Oh … thank God I finally reached you. A missile was just launched a short time ago from Pakistan. It’s heading straight for Israel … probably Jerusalem!”

“Oh, my God,” Lev said.

Alex shouted into his radio again. “They think it might have a nuclear warhead.”

The team stared at one another in disbelief. Not again.

John grabbed Leo by the arm. “I thought bringing the book here would stop these kinds of events from happening in the world.”

Leo was lost, all emotion draining from his body. Nothing in the Bible code had told them what to do next. Would it even matter? “Lev, do you have any ideas?”

“Give it to God.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We have to give it to God … place it on the altar.”

Leo was staggered by the response. Why hadn’t he thought of that himself? Lev had stated the obvious. Without waiting a second longer, Leo picked up the case holding the book and began walking toward the altar. A rush of hot wind suddenly blew against their faces while, at the same time, the acrid smell of sulfur filled the air. The same reddish glow they had seen in the desert began to radiate around them. They could hear low, guttural growling coming from every side of the room as they jerked their heads around, realizing to their horror that they were surrounded by six black-robed entities advancing on them, their yellow eyes staring out from behind the slits of their black robes.

Leo and the others froze. There wasn’t enough holy water in the world to defeat six demons bent on retrieving their master’s unholy book. Father Leo began to pray. Their time had run out and they were obviously defeated before they had even begun. Six against four. The odds mattered little to Leo in what he believed were his last moments on earth. He cast a final helpless look at the demons surrounding them. God, please let death come quickly!

Chapter 46

Above ground in Vatican City, people were gathered shoulder to shoulder in Saint Peter’s Square. Many had gathered to pray in the aftermath of the attack on America, sensing the worst was yet to come. Several of the older Italian people seeking comfort in front of the huge church had lived through the horrors of World War II, and they knew how fragile peace was in a world so engulfed by fear, evil, and suspicion. One small flame could ignite a whole forest, and they had lived in the forest before.

The clear blue skies were beginning to be replaced by an army of rapidly moving black clouds flowing over the city like a dark curtain. A hot wind began to blow, while an eerie haze formed in front of the church, causing people to shrink with fear. Dust and paper flew from every crevice and swirled about Vatican City, forcing people to shield their eyes and seek cover.

Without warning, a young girl fell to the pavement and her eyes rolled up in her head. She began to speak with a strange, otherworldly voice in a language those close to her knew was not Italian. Two priests nearby grabbed the girl and began carrying her toward the church.

The people began to shout. “What’s happening?” They began to pray … Father, deliver us from evil!

The skies became darker as the wind grew in its ferocity. Solid objects like trash cans and chairs bounced across the pavement as people instinctively began running across the square in the direction of the church. Mothers grabbed small children as whole families ran from their homes toward the Basilica. They were blinded by the swirling dirt and debris, groping their way forward in the darkness until they reached the steps of the world’s largest church.

Together, the multitude stumbled and fell through the gigantic doors while turning to look back over their shoulders at the scene outside. It was now as dark as night, and the wind had a reddish cast to it.