Vatican Assassin
relations arm of the Vatican, The Office of Papal Operations, or OPO, as some call it. There are some who spread rumors about the OPO, but we usually disregard them. The pen is mightier than the sword or the laser. We’re spin doctors and diplomats, governor. There’s the kernel of truth in everything he said, but it was cruelly twisted and distorted.”
    “But why did he know it at all? Why should he care about you at all, Father Campion?”
    “I hesitate to offer my guess as to why.”
    “Why?”
    “I don’t want to sound paranoid.”
    “No, go ahead. Now I’m curious.”
    “I was thinking of Shakespeare. You ever read the Bard, governor?”
    “No, I don’t read. I’ve seen some of his plays in short form. Why?”
    “He protests too much, methinks...”
    “What?”
    BC musters up all the false modesty he can and tries to sound convincingly uncertain.
    “Usually, those things he said about the OPO? The UTZ controlling the Vatican and such? You hear that from UIN sympathizers. And to know details about a new Vatican functionary seems strange, unless he’s gathering information on all UTZ personnel on Luna and just added my folder to his files... I’m sorry, that just sounds paranoid...”
    Edwards shakes his head.
    “I don’t know, that does sound kind of farfetched, Father, if you’ll pardon me for saying so. But if he was with the UIN, why would they kill his wife?”
    “I don’t know, Mr. Edwards. I just don’t know, and it doesn’t make sense. Unless you know something else, too. There is something else I know that I really can’t share too much of.”
    “What? Don’t get all mysterious on me now, Father.”
    “Well, there is a confidentiality, a trust involved. To tell too much will expose the one who told me what she told me in the secrecy and trust of counseling. Suffice it to say Mr. McEntyre is not, sorry, was not, always faithful to his wife. Nor was he always kind and gentle with women... I fear I may have said too much already. You may know the woman who I learned this from, and she came to me for counsel once back on Earth expecting anonymity, after leaving here in disgrace.”
    “I think I do know the girl you mean. I heard what happened. I, um, won’t say anything.”
    The room grows quiet.
    Edwards mumbles, “But I am beginning to see your point.”
Chapter Six
    BC leaves the governor’s office and heads for his rooms to rest.
    It won’t be easy to sleep with those UIN ships just hanging out there. Well, at least I’ve got Edwards starting to think our way... gave him a lot of food for thought. Let him chew on that all night. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing... I’ve planted some dangerous seeds. Let’s see if they take root.
    Back in his rooms, BC reviews the file on Daniel McEntyre.
    You sir, are scum. No matter whose side you’re on. Ah, fuck this for now. He lies down with the lights off, tired, and tries to sleep.
    I really don’t like the idea of those UIN ships out there. I wouldn’t put a surprise, sneak attack past them. There’s probably a target on my back, if McEntyre’s any indication of UIN
    suspicions. Sure was handy knowing about McEntyre’s little flings. One of our men took that girl’s tearful confession, and now I’ve used her just like McEntyre did. I think I feel like I should feel worse. But, you know, I don’t want to think a lot about what I feel. I don’t want to think about it so much, I just want to sleep, just turn it off... gotta try to get some sleep... BC tosses and turns through a restless night. He rises early to get ready to face Daniel McEntyre again, this time at his wife’s funeral.
    Hope he’s all doped up. I know, not so Christian of me, sorry. The guy bothers me. Good thing the church never took that love your enemies thing too seriously. I suppose if they did I wouldn’t have a job...
    Most of the representatives and dignitaries on Luna from Mars and Earth, and several orbital concerns, wait in the governor’s

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