replaced, everything was lost. Then, Leonie was dead.
»I understand, Your Eminence.«
»Good for you. You may leave, Colonel.«
----
From:
[email protected] To:
[email protected] May 15, 2011 10:45:11 GMT+01:00
Re.: Curriculum Vitae Cardinal Alberti
Attachment: AlbertiCV.pdf
Dear Mister Manzoni,
As previously notified, I am sending you a detailed curriculum vitae of the Bishop of Turin, Sig. Cardinal Alberti. His Eminence is already filled with pleasant anticipation regarding the conclave, which is now only a few days away.
As Cardinal Alberti stated during the recent New York City Conference on the Improvement of the Relationship between the Catholic Church and Judaism, »The papacy and the pontiff himself remain guarantors for stable relationships, peace, and tolerance between Jews, Christians, and other religious communities.«
Cardinal Alberti, who is personally not aspiring to the Papacy, has been actively advocating interreligious dialogue with Islam since 1985, and as Bishop of Turin, he has made decisive contributions to important Curial Encyclicals. As you know, Cardinal Alberti is furthermore very popular in the Diocese of Turin and also known as the »People’s Bishop.«
In the days to come, the Cardinal will be pleased to make himself available to you for an interview.
Sincerely,
Mons. Franco Meli
Private Secretary to Cardinal Alberti
Via Lombardi 27
00187 Roma
----
----
From: stempf@erzbistum_koeln.de
To:
[email protected] May 15, 2011 12:23:51 GMT+01:00
Re.: RE: Interview with Cardinal Schiekel
Dear Mister Hilmer,
It is with pleasure that we reconfirm the interview you requested with Cardinal Schiekel for May 16, 2011, 10:30 am, at the Hotel Columbus. I will be waiting for you in the lobby.
Cardinal Schiekel would like to talk to you about his visions for an internal renewal of the Church. However, please understand that he will neither make any statements about internal matters or conclave preparations, nor speculate on the chances that individual cardinals have of being elected Pope.
As the second largest diocese in the world, the Archdiocese of Cologne has a particular responsibility when it comes to issues regarding the unity of the Church. Therefore, we will watch the election of the new Pontiff with particular attention and interest.
Sincerely,
Christoph Stempf
Press spokesman of the Archdiocese of Cologne
Marzellenstraße 32
50668 Köln
----
LXII
May 15, 2011, Ile de Cuivre, Mediterranean Sea
P eter heard distant footsteps above his head. Murmuring voices culminating in a monotonous chanting. Immediately, Kelly began to panic.
»He is coming! Vaunala cahisa! Kill me, Peter! Kill me fast! I’ve told you everything, Micama. Bajile madarida cahiso darisapa! I don’t want to talk to the angels again.«
» Who is coming?«
» HE is! Wearily Electors. Hoathahe Saitan! Kill me, Peter! You swore it to me.«
The footsteps were approaching the cell. The door was being unlocked. Kelly uttered an insane howl and fled into the backmost corner of the dungeon.
Two hooded monks entered the cell. They grabbed Peter without a word and dragged him with them. Peter tried to fight them off but the monks were strong and relentless. They simply hauled him along.
»You swore!« Kelly shrieked after him.
The two monks yanked Peter up the stairs and into the hall with the Sigillum Dei where Peter had watched the incantation ritual. Just like the night before, eleven monks in white cowls had formed a circle around the big stone with the occult symbol and were humming the exact same imploring chant. In the middle stood an additional monk, also clad in a white cowl, but his face was covered with a mask under the hood.
The two monks who had brought Peter in left him in the middle of the hall in front of the stone and joined the other monks in the circle. Fourteen monks. A thought flashed through Peter’s mind.
Why fourteen? Why not twelve or seven or nine?
»Welcome, Peter!« The monk