The Judas Line by Mark Everett Stone

Author:Mark Everett Stone [Stone, Mark Everett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9781603819015
Publisher: Camel Press
Published: 2012-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Mike

Can’t say I was too terribly surprised that Morgan kept the ambush from me. Most people think priests are passive, pacifist bead rubbers. Most of the time we are, but in my case I had been a warrior, a man used to blood and death, armpit deep in both.

Moreover, most Americans don’t realize that the Church has a militant order, The Military Corps of the Order of Malta, part of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (better known as the SMOM or Knights of Malta). The Military Corps of the Order has the official title of Auxiliary Military Corps of the Italian Army.

The Catholic Church may be a peace-loving organization dedicated to the teachings of Christ, but it’s not stupid. Faith is one thing, but I believe God does help those who help themselves.

When I heard the Voice emerge from the CB, its tone mocking and contemptuous, I decided it was time to fight fire with fire.

In the space between our seats rested our duffels, filled with none too fresh clothes and other small essentials. My hand reached for the floor where Morgan threw his weapons and emerged with a .45 ACP. A Kimber, nice, but I prefer the H&K. Along with the Kimber I found a Beretta (which I gave to Morgan) and two extra clips for both. In my bag was the manila envelope, which I stuffed in the inside pocket of my Danzinger’s jacket.

“What do you mean?” Morgan asked the Voice. “We’ve already won.”

“Boy, you must think I’m five kinds of stupid to fall for the ‘Oh, I’ve lost the Silver’ routine. Julian had an SS Team deployed in the area ever since the Baphemoloch became aware enough to recognize that the host he was eating carried the Grail, My associate found you near Las Cruces. With the host’s memories, it was child’s play to deduce what you were doing in the southwest, Olivier. This is the last time you will receive this offer; shoot the Holy Roller in the head, give up and rejoin the Family.”

“Understood, sir,” Morgan said through clenched teeth. Rolling down the window, he wrenched the CB off its moorings with one hand and threw it out of the truck. “Damn, his mouth runs like a fucking river. Pardon the profanity.”

“Pardoned.” I said, then, “SS Team?”

“Special Services Team. An elite squad, much like the Israeli commandos, but much, much worse. Basically Dagger Men Special Forces.”

Stomach hitting the floor, I stared out the window for a couple of seconds. “You think he’s lying? It’s what he does, you know.”

His look was bleak, barren of hope. “I don’t think so, Mike. The Patron is a Power and Intelligence like you’ve never encountered. Amp up Stephen Hawking’s brain by a thousand and you might come close. He’s touchy, mean, controlling and unimaginably evil, but he’s no dope. Yeah, I think we’re in big trouble, because he knows we’re going to a church to destroy the Silver.” He shuddered.

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