The story of the FALLEN

20.Relative

“All things in life and death are relative.” Zack shrugs. The news about the portal shook him, but he shakes it off. What use is it to think about something that already happened? They need solutions, not guesses about who is behind this.

“So you are just brushing this off? Don’t you want to know who did it? Why? Why in the park? How did they conceal it so well that Nakir missed it?” Layla asks him.

“No. I want to know who is behind this. But not at the expense of losing time.” He answers. “We have to find a witch.”

“That might be a problem. There are no witches who would work with us. The chances are that we find one who will be out to kill us first and worry about this demon threat later.” Tammy scoffs. None of them hold witches in high regards. History speaks for itself here. They only have bad experiences when it comes to witches.

“Would a Wiccan priestess help?” Garry inquires. “I think I know one. I’m not sure if she’s a witch. Wicca is a way of life.”

“Good idea.” Zack nods. A priestess is almost certainly a witch, but Garry doesn’t need to know that. Not until Zack is sure that the woman is not a friend of Garry’s. That is something he should hear from her. “Can you arrange a meeting with her? Somewhere neutral.”

“The park?” Garry wonders. “They love nature.”

“Where does she live?” Nakir asks. He was staring out the window for the entire time. Is he making sure he’s still on the mortal plane?

“In Sutton. By the park.” Garry answers.

“I’m coming with you.” Nakir turns to the detective. What is going on there? Has the angel of death formed an attachment? Zack wonders if this is good or bad for Garry. Only time will tell. But for now it’s a good thing that Garry has a personal bodyguard.

“I have a few questions. Does anyone think these murders are related? What is the connection between Father Angus and this new victim? Did they know each other? Who did the demon kill this time?” Nakir continues.

“Might be good to know. Who’s the dead guy?” Layla looks over at Garry with narrowed eyes.

“You know I could lose my job if I tell you?” Garry shakes his head.

“What is more important to you? Your job or your life? It’s just a name.” Zack inquires. He knows what bothers Garry. But who are they gonna tell?

“We can find out in a few days. It’s going to be all over the news anyway. You are just giving us a head start.” Nakir tells Garry. “I thought we were partners in this? Why do you want to go solo, if you can have help?”

“The dead guy was Father Frank MacDonahue. Opus Dei financial secretary.” Garry says quietly.

“Two dead priests? What have they stumbled upon? What did they get mixed up in?” Nakir wonders. “Were they in on something and now the other side is cleaning up loose ends?”

“Were they corrupted? That could explain a few things.” Tammy inserts another question.

“Corrupted? We’re talking about Opus Dei? The most dubious organisation the Church has ever set up. Nobody knows what they do. Half of the Vatican doesn’t talk about them and the other half just looks away.” Nakir laughs. “You bet there is something devious going on. We have to find out how and why it affects us.”

“Tammy and I will go see what they are up to. If we can get any information out of anyone there. You go see the Wiccan priestess.” Zack delegates the work to everyone. “Layla and Simon can continue the research of the ley lines.”

“In the morning, right?” Tammy looks at him sharply. “We still need sleep.”

“It will be a short night.” Layla grumbles. They all have different reasons for staying up late, but no one can afford the luxury of sleeping in.

Zack has trouble sleeping. He always had. It’s either his dreams or too much to think about. Tonight it’s Opus Dei. What Nakir said is true. They are a dubious organisation. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if they are corrupted. It happened before. He’s thinking who to talk to? They don’t know many people here in London, but he can always pull out his Vatican investigator card and go official on them. If they check him out, they will hit so many walls they can stay busy for a few years. His credentials are one of the highest, but he rarely uses that. He feels it's an abuse of power.

What should they do if Opus Dei is indeed corrupted and in league with the demons? Or witches? They have the power and the money to cover things up. Father Angus is dead and there was not even an obituary. No mention of his death in any paper or the local news. Nothing at all. Like he never existed. He wonders how this newest murder will be covered up. According to Niki, there were a lot of people on the scene. If the police don't give a statement about it, that means that someone very high up the command chain is involved. Who could the opus Dei have in their pocket? They are known to have civil contractors and supporters. There is no need to be a priest to be a member, just a loyal Christian. Loyal to them and their cause, whatever that might be right now.

There is no use to dwell on things. He needs sleep. This Earthly plane is a nightmare all on itself. Is the need for sleep tied into their human appearances? He tried this before, but he always slept eventually. Form is not it, but not using magic might help to relax him. He lets the glamour go, but he holds a tight leash on his wings. His room is spacious, but not large enough to let his wings unfold. The noise of breaking things would draw the others. He relaxes a bit on his bed and tries to empty his mind. Finally falling asleep.

Morning brings no rest at all. Since it’s the weekend they don’t have classes, but their investigation continues. Breakfast is a quiet affair. They all look like death warmed over. Something that would go well with Nakir and his doom and gloom personality, but not with the others. And surprisingly, Nakir looks the best. Is he using glamour or something else? Nobody slept much, including the two humans. Simon looks like he will fall over at any moment, and Garry is nursing his coffee like it’s his lifeline. Talking seems redundant. Zack doesn’t mind the silence.

“Can you use glamour to force opus Dei into cooperating?” Simon asks. The priest seemed to be thinking about the problems they have.

“No. It doesn’t work that way.” Zack shakes his head. There goes the silence. “I have something better. I just don’t want to use it, if I don’t absolutely have to.”

“Your investigator badge?” Tammy laughs. “Steamroll the bastards. Shut them down. Make their lives a living hell. I would enjoy watching that.”

“What investigator badge?” Garry looks over at him in wonder.

“Zack is the high inquisitor of Rome.” Nakir chuckles. “He made one mistake in the last millenia and ended up as inquisitor for the Catholic church. Talk about divine justice…”

“Stop laughing! I don’t find that funny at all. I never wanted the post. It just brings more trouble.” Zack growls. He really shouldn’t have started this, but he can blame his lack of sleep for this blunder.

“It is funny.” Layla nods. She is keeping her laughter to a snicker: “Zack was supposed to get an artefact from the Angel’s castle. We needed to borrow it for a few days. He was there in all his glory when the pope walked in. Pius XII had trouble sleeping and he took regular strolls around the closed castle. Upon seeing a real angel, he offered Zack a position that allows him unlimited power in culling the bad seeds from the church.”

“I don’t use it much, but if I must…” Zack shrugs.

“So modest.” Nakir snickers. “I would have killed them all with that kind of power.”

“That’s why you didn’t get the badge. Pius might have been a radical, but even he didn’t condone murder for mistakes.”

“Just saying, we would have far less trouble without certain people.” Nakir shrugs.

“I have to look into this. What exactly can you do?” Simon grins. The historian will be busy with a few more books. The inquisition has a long, gruesome history.

“Basically? Whatever I want.” Zack smirks. “The power behind the inquisitors comes directly from the pope.”

“Getting those credentials in the modern times is close to impossible. Witches and demons are a myth. Everything was explained away by science.” Tammy tells Simon.

“But the office still exists in Rome?” Simon inquires.

“Yes. Now it’s included in the Internal affairs office that is run by the head of the Swiss guard. Camerlengo is my direct link, but he’s not my boss. I only answer to the pope.” Zack explains.

“At any given time, there is only one person in the Vatican that knows what we really are. Right now, that would be the pope.” Nakir adds.

“You said you had a liaison in Rome?” Simon looks at Zack.

“Father Romano died. His personal secretary gave a letter to the pope. Under strict orders that nobody else is to know what is inside.” Zack answers.

“Siobhan texted. We can meet, but in the evening. She’s busy all day.” Garry breaks the tension between them.

“All right. But we’re still going over to the opus Dei. I want to know what is going on in that house.” Zack nods.

“Then, I guess we better get back to the books.” Layla sighs. “That map you bought helps a lot with defining landmarks in London.”

Zack leaves the house with a bad feeling. Something is off today. He can’t say what is bothering him, but he is not used to this feeling. Is this because of the change of structure? The humans? They have had human helpers in the past, even servants. It shouldn’t matter that there are humans in their home now. But the bad feeling doesn’t want to go away. It stays with him throughout the day.

“Stop worrying. Layla will make sure that Nakir behaves.” Tammy nudges him.

“That’s not what I worry about. I have a bad feeling about all this. Something big is going on, we have to find out what it is.” He answers.

“The portal to hell?” She inquires.

“Yeah. Did you notice how skittish Nakir was about it? I’m sure he knows exactly what hell realm it led to. I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop and we get smacked in the face with it.” Zack shakes his head.

“How bad can it be?” Tammy asks.

“If Nakir is this careful? Bad.” He sighs.