Chapter 12
Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of prophecy , and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Mouse: Hi, it's me again. I got to meet Angiola, she is so nice and gives great tummy rubs too! I didn't even do my normal, let them scratch me a few times then ATTACK the hand game. He is different around her too. Normally he doesn't talk much, acts disinterested, then they end up in his bed. That never even happened with her, and they both really wanted that. I could smell it on them both, but nope. They just snuggled up and watched a movie, I even joined them. Curled right up in her lap and fell asleep getting scratched behind the ear. It was so wonderful! Then the next thing I know, I'm falling. I was sleeping on her lap then poof, NOBODY was there and I landed on the couch. I know he leaves like that sometimes but this wasn’t that room AND he was sleeping. Something big must be coming. I'll keep you posted.
Tobias
I was dreaming again, I could tell because I was floating. I was hovering over the ground with a birds eye view. I was somewhere In the Midwest, there was a lush forest that went on to the horizon. I could see a highway winding through the forest and I was floating over it heading towards a large clearing. This was pretty bizarre, even by my admittedly jaded standards, and I'm one of the few current members of The Order with the gift of prophetic dreams. In the clearing there was a massive parking lot around a mound of dirt. Still hovering but lower now I found myself ‘standing’ about 15 to 20 feet in the air. There were crowds of people standing around the mound of WOOOOOOOOOOSSH a massive geyser of water erupted from the ground over 150 feet into the air! It was old faithful I realized! As soon as my brain made the connection I heard the word TARGET In a booming voice echoing from the heavens. Then I was suddenly jerked up and away, flying across the sky and cutting through the clouds. Just as quickly I was over an industrial park. I then plummeted toward them and into a single massive complex. The floors all speed by me then the basement, then I was standing inside a laboratory, it was massive. No one was inside at the moment. There were all sorts of computers, microscopes, centrifuges and several machines I couldn't recognize. It was some sort of biohazard containment facility but it didn't make any sense to me. Then I was yanked back through the roof and high into the clouds, almost like I had been dropped in there by mistake on the way to something else. I was flying over land then water, I must have sped up because the clouds rushed past quicker and quicker. A large continent with an unfamiliar shore line appeared, quicker and quicker before jerking to a halt. Then down into a free fall stopping a few hundred feet in the air. I quickly realized that it was the same village from my dream. It had changed, there was a rather large compound and several large wheeled and tracked army vehicles. Large walls had gone up around the perimeter, simple and made of wood supports and mud bricks, with ramparts and guards walking along the tops with AK type rifles. They were kids, but older for child soldiers say 13 to 17 hopped up on brown-brown, a mixture of cocaine and gunpowder. I couldn't tell you how, but I knew all of this information at a glance somehow. They were wearing shorts and faded T-shirts as they paced back and forth looking out into the distance with eyes bulging out. All the details were just available in my dream, I even knew the names and a brief background of each of the men as my eyes lingered over them. This was a truly bizarre experience. I recognized it as the compound from the satellite photos Angiola was able to grab, just with much more construction finished since we last saw it. A large 6 wheeled truck was rolling down the dirt road, the gates were quickly opened up and a large commotion was raised. A man I didn't recognize, with broad shoulders in a tight tank top and black cargo pants, buzz cut and a grizzly scar running from his left ear to his chin, walked out to greet the truck. He stood tall and had an obvious military bearing about him. The truck stopped, idled and was turned off. The driver jumped out and met the man with the scar, they clearly knew each other and embraced warmly with a hug and back pats. I floated down and was behind the truck floating there about 10 feet above the ground, the two men were walking in my direction. The driver walked over and lifted up the flap on the back of the truck, they were speaking in Russian. Driver: “It was a long ass drive but I didn't have any problems. The boys at the port knew what was up and waved me right through”. Scar face: “For what the boss paid them I didn't think there would be any problems. It's like when the iron curtain fell back home, everyone is for sale here. How about home, the Bratva take care of anyone who actually knew we were moving an old warhead?” Driver: “Not to worry, anyone who knew about this project, and all the scientists that refurbished the physics package, all are dead”. Scar face: “Excellent! The boss will want to be moving on from here soon, should be ready in 48 hours. Come comrade, let's have some vodka to toast your safe arrival and the completion of phase two”. With that I was flung back into the sky, straight up higher and higher above the clouds and into the night sky. I heard the voice again booming and from all around say “You must act now. I will continue to aid you in this, however this must be finished by man”. I felt myself slam back into my body and I sat up with a shock.
Angiola was there, laying with her head in my lap, but we were back in her studio in Rome! I leaned back in my seat and ruefully shook my head. Angiola sat up and looked around her studio in shock. Both of the custom 2011's were there as well as the USPSA belts with holsters and magazines all in a neat pile on the coffee table, sitting on top of her rifle case. I started to laugh, catching her off guard. “What?” I asked. “I know this is crazy but I think the bizarre is just getting started. We should probably call another meeting, I know what The Dark Pope is up to”. I said as Angiola stared at me incredulously “How?” She asked in confusion and wonder. “I'll explain it in the meeting but we really need to get going. Trust me”. I said with a rye smile.
Once all the elders had gathered, I began to recount the dream. They were baffled by the fact that I had traveled home and back by accident. Phillip had been busy in the archives, unfortunately coming up empty on dates and getting sidetracked with news of us showing up in Florida. He had been frantically searching for any instances where someone had traveled with anything more than what they were wearing, yet alone taking anyone else with them. There were also no cases of anyone from The Order where someone had traveled by mistake. There was a reference in the bible of God taking someone from one place and putting them in another one, that was part of how we developed the ability to travel. The fact that we traveled back here, also by accident, had them in a panic. All of the miraculous things we were blessed with through our membership in The Order and the blessed silver cross implanted under the skin above our sternum were being amplified, or even taken over completely. I have had many dreams in the past, it was one of my gifts, more and more so in the last 100 years give or take, but they would be jerky and disjointed. It was rare to get something clear enough to know what I was going into and often was more like Deja vu. We were all virtually indestructible but I would get some guidance in a fight, or I could see the victim and that would give me an idea on how to track them. Sometimes I would see just a place, and I could figure out the location from some detail, sometimes waiting days for anything to actually happen. “Honestly Tobias, The gravity of this situation dictates a full response. I am however concerned for you, this is unheard of and despite the respect we all have for your talent... Are you alright?” Simon asked me, concern clearly written on his face. “In all honesty. No... But I'm better than I have been in a looooong time. I'm in love, I have a wonderful woman by my side who actually knows the real me. Things all around me are absolutely insane, but there has to be a reason for all of this. Not in my timing, but his”. I answered, looking up to the sky as I finished. Reginald cleared his throat, “Although this is all rather bizarre, do you really think he will use the bomb in America?” I had gone over the dream already. I had also done some research about super volcanoes, or calderas while I was waiting on everyone else to show up for this meeting. Many scientists believe if a nuclear bomb were to go off inside of Yellowstone, the caldera would be triggered. “I believe so, it also goes with everything both the Vamp and the Owl spirit described. We have two independent resources all describing relatively the same thing. If the caldera blows, it would be similar to what they believe may have killed off the dinosaurs. I can't think of any other way to trigger an extinction level event”. I said to the room. It was hard to say, but the more I had thought about it, the more I could understand where The Dark Pope was going with all this. It was insanity, but I could also see all his goals being accomplished. If the sun was blocked out, enough the creatures of the night would have free reign. The few humans who survived would gladly do anything asked of them for the basics like food and shelter. “According to your dreams, we have 48 hours. I hate to push a mission of this scale on such a short timeline, but I have already placed a call in to Manus Patris. They are ready to mobilize on an hour's notice worldwide. Manus Patris will be meeting us here as well. We will be landing in Chad about 130 miles away from where we saw The Dark Pope setting up on the news. The majority of this mission has already been planned thankfully. The timeline will need to be moved forward quite a bit, but that shouldn't cause any issues. The Manus Patris soldiers have been trained to be ready at a moment's notice anyway. We will branch out and surround the installation. Each of us will be leading a platoon of M.P’s, we will have about 150 M.P. total. Angiola will be setting up with a team of designated snipers and will be there providing an over watch. We will all need to leave for the airfield in 10 hours”. Said Simon, as he was taking the lead on this. Manus Patris, roughly translated to Hand of the father, or hand of God. They were an elite strike force, hand picked and further trained by The Order. They were selected from the Swiss guard, foreign legion and multiple elite military services around the world. They were all put through the familiarity training The Order put us through, and were some of the absolute best of the best when it came to fighting forces. They were not normally used like this, with teams spread all around the globe. Normally they would respond to an outbreak or local issue if The Order couldn't get a member into the area in a reasonable time frame. Simon had recalled every European based team a few days ago, when we found out The Dark Pope was setting up operations so publicly. Simon had gone over the plan in greater detail, going over their individual duties and areas of attack on the compound from the satellite photos Angiola had hacked into as well when the teams were recalled. It was amazing to see all the planning that had happened in the brief time Angiola and I were gone for. We would go over the majority of the battle plan again on the way there, linked via encrypted video conference, so that each of the Manus Patris teams knew exactly what they would be doing, and who they would be supporting. Things were moving quickly and I was thankful we wouldn't have to sit this one out because we were randomly in a different area. I suppose if we hadn't made it back to Roam, I could have called up some local Manus Patris members and had them meet us in Wyoming. On the off chance the advanced teams failed or The Dark Pope somehow ended up in the U.S instead, and the attack in Africa was implemented too late. Come to think of it. “Simon, I'm going to go ahead and call the Manus Patris team leads in the north western United States. I'll put them on high alert and have them mobilize to the Yellowstone area. I’ll tell them what's going on here, and make sure they are in position if we miss him in Africa”. Simon smiled warmly, “I’ve actually already done so. However, I'm glad to hear you thinking about contingencies and backup plans. I have taught you well my son”. Simon finished and grasped my shoulder. It was always nice to see him proud of me.
The meeting ended, and there was roughly 8 hours before we would need to gear up and head to the airfield. Angiola and I were asked to stay in the conference room by Simon and Reginald. I shot a questioning look towards Angiola and could tell she was also in a pensive mood. I really thought with everything else going on we would have a bit more time before having this conversation but I was clearly mistaken. We sat side by side and held hands under the table. Reginald and Simon were both seated across the table from us, Simon with a slightly pained expression. Reginald, looked like he had just chewed up a lemon then swallowed the entire thing. Reginald started in. “It seems that there is quite a bit more to your relationship than meets the eye. Simon and I were against this from the start, and we have both gone to great lengths to keep the two of you from meeting. Tobias, you have a reputation as a wildcard but even I have to grudgingly give you respect. Your work speaks for itself and frankly you are one of the best operatives we have ever seen. Conversely, your lack of cooperation and refusal to take certain vows of The Order has been a black mark on this establishment. Angiola my dear, you are like a daughter to me and I have always been impressed with your work, skill acquisition and focus. At the end of the day it would seem however, that all of this is a moot point. In the last 48 hours things have happened that are too irrefutable to ignore. It seems obvious to both myself and Simon that this relationship, or at least a partnership between the two of you is necessary”. Well, that was… Unexpected to say the least. I was sure this was going to be an epic argument between the four of us. Simon continued with “Reginald and I have talked things over and have agreed that we will not stand in the way of any relationship the two of you pursue together. You do not necessarily have our blessing, but we will not stand in your way”.
I was dumbstruck and I could tell from the look on Angiola's face, she was too. After Simon and Reginald said their peace, Reginald stood up and shook my hand. It was a bit awkward but it was still nice to know we were moving past any outright hostilities. Angiola and I went back to her studio, we didn't have a ton of time. I called Sam from a landline and told her I would be out of town for a week or so. I explained that I had been called away for something urgent and to please fill Mouse's auto feed bowl. Also to be sure add litter to the automatic litter box as well as to empty the old hopper. Both would need to be done every Friday. I told her about a spare key that I had hidden under a paver stone by my sliding glass door. She got really quiet when I mentioned work, after her rude introduction I couldn't blame her. Then again I can't imagine a good intro to this madness so, who knows? I also told her if for some reason she didn't hear from me in 3 weeks to please give Mouse a good home. I choked up a bit making that request but she had seen the elephant in the room and knew what I was asking. The cross implants give all of the members virtual immortality but if that nuke went off I really didn't see how anyone could survive being turned to vapor and ash... After hanging up with Sam I turned to Angiola to take my mind off being turned to ash in an expanding mushroom cloud. Our eyes met and she was in my arms like I willed her there. We kissed passionately for a little bit before she looked up at me and said “I have a room here, if you would like to go somewhere a bit more private?” I hated myself in that moment but I was so ridiculously in love with her, I didn't want this to be another fling. At the same time... Vapor, ash, and one big mushroom cloud. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before saying. “I have an idea, meet me on the rooftop in 20 minutes”. She gave me a befuddled look and I returned it with a sly smile. I kissed her one more time then turned and left saying “Rooftop, 20 minutes, trust me” over my shoulder as I left the room.
In the 20 minutes I was busy running around like a mad man. I grabbed the laptop and projector from the conference room. Then I ran and grabbed the comforter and a few pillows off the bed I never used at the compound then rushed to the cafe and grabbed some snacks. 20 minutes later the door to the rooftop opened and Angiola walked outside. It was a beautiful night, with a clear sky. The stars were bright and the moon was high and round in the sky. It was a bit too cold for my taste, but I wasn't going to let that spoil anything. I had set the projector up to show onto the second story of our building. The area where the pigeons used to be held was on the first floor roof. The building was L shaped and the long portion was 2 stories, with the short part overlooking the river was one story. Thankfully the whole thing was painted white so this may actually work out alright. I had the comforter from my bed laid out as well as a few pillows. I had 2 large hot cups of coffee, as well as some chocolate, brie and crackers. Lastly, I also had some blackberries. The laptop was beside me and ready to start streaming movies onto the side of the building. Angiola smiled at me looking around and asked “What's all this for?” I was sitting on the blankets, patting the spot next to me with one hand and passing her the coffee with the other I answered. “Movie night under the stars. I have cheese and crackers, chocolate and blackberries”. Her smile was beautiful, she sat down next to me after taking her coffee. I reached over to the laptop and hit play. The Disney castle logo appeared followed by the beginning of Tim Burton's classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas. We snuggled in together and enjoyed ourselves, eating the snacks and enjoying both the show and the company. I could hardly concentrate on the show or the food, holding her in my arms and feeling her pressed up against me was almost too much to take. As much as I wanted her I also knew we would have more than a lifetime together. In theory, if we didn't get turned into ash because the nuke went off, we would live forever. I honestly don't know if this is true but I've heard rumor that Simon was the original apostle. As in Simon the Zealot, and although I'm like a son to him, I still have no clue how old he actually is or his origin. The elders are *very* secretive, even within The Order. I guess that's understandable, when you think about the lives they have lived. Hence my hesitation to take things further. Angiola was laying against my chest, my arms wrapped around her holding onto both of her hands. She tilted her head back and whispered. “This is such an amazing night, thank you”. I smiled. “I'm so glad to have you here with me. I never want to let you go”. I told her before kissing her again. “Tobias, don't you want me?” she asked me, a look of apprehension in her eyes. That took me by complete surprise, I could hardly concentrate on the movie because my mind was in constant battle over that. “Of course I do, more than I've ever wanted anything else. However, we have all of the time in the world and I really don't want to mess this up. You mean too much for me to lose. I can't let this turn into”... I grimaced, “Something it’s not, but I don't want this to be just another hook up or whatever”. She smiled sheepishly and kissed me again. “I don't think you could mess this up if you tried”. She said contently.