The Night Church Part 8

27 JUNE 1983.

MOST PRIVATE.

To: The Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Defense of the Faith From: The Chancellor for the Inquiry in North Amer-ica Your Eminence: I am sorry to inform you that the Night Church has surfaced publicly with a b.l.o.o.d.y ritual at a parish in the New York City borough of Queens.

Location: Holy Spirit Parish, founded 1892, church dedicated September, 1894. Present population 16,231.

We have known for some time that rituals were being held at this church, but, in accordance with your Directive 1516, 28 October 1971, In Causa Clandes-tina, In Causa Clandes-tina, we have done no more than insert operative observers into the congregation. we have done no more than insert operative observers into the congregation.

A full report of the service from observer Brother Alexander Parker (Judist) is attached. Here are the highlights: 1. The ritual was conducted by Prince Franklin t.i.tus himself, attesting to its canonical importance.

2. Princess Mary t.i.tus was in attendance at the ceremony.

3. The ritual appeared to be the Rituale Pudibunda Coitus, Rituale Pudibunda Coitus, the Shameful Coupling. (See the Shameful Coupling. (See Grimoire Grimoire t.i.tus, t.i.tus, Rev. XIV, vol. 11, pp. 2112-2177.) Rev. XIV, vol. 11, pp. 2112-2177.) 4. Apparently the princ.i.p.al partic.i.p.ants Were the two heirs who were successfully hidden from us dur-ing our last Oppugnatio. Oppugnatio. According to our statistics these two are the only viable heirs left: a. Patricia Murray (from Pantera to Roland to Sheil to Murray, see According to our statistics these two are the only viable heirs left: a. Patricia Murray (from Pantera to Roland to Sheil to Murray, see Genealogies Pantera, Genealogies Pantera, Sec. 42.Family 58, Branch Irish, yrs. 1718-1952, for lineage to Murray, Jean Patricia Roisin Margaret out of Samuel and Rebecca). Sec. 42.Family 58, Branch Irish, yrs. 1718-1952, for lineage to Murray, Jean Patricia Roisin Margaret out of Samuel and Rebecca).

b. Jonathan Banion (believed to be Jonathan t.i.tus, Prince, see Genealogies t.i.tus, Genealogies t.i.tus, Sec. 113, Family 71, Branch Anglo-American, yrs. 1691-1951, for lineage to t.i.tus, Jonathan Martin Flavius out of Martin and Mary). Sec. 113, Family 71, Branch Anglo-American, yrs. 1691-1951, for lineage to t.i.tus, Jonathan Martin Flavius out of Martin and Mary).

5. Because the two viable heirs were partic.i.p.ating, we must view this ritual as extremely dangerous.

6. Because of the urgency of the situation I would suggest Directive 801, 14 June 1831, Contra Contra Poenam Ultimam, Poenam Ultimam, be revoked, and that His Holiness be pre-vailed upon to authorize the Ultimate Measure against these two individuals. be revoked, and that His Holiness be pre-vailed upon to authorize the Ultimate Measure against these two individuals.

Yours in Christ & for the Defense of the Faith, Brian Conlon (Msgr.) Doc.u.ment Cla.s.s: Urgent A, most private, Swiss Guards courier Destination: Paolo Cardinal Impelliteri, the Hidden Collegium, Prefecturate for the Defense of the Faith, Vatican City Ad: Cancellarius Inquisitionis in Septentrionalis Americanensis Cancellarius Inquisitionis in Septentrionalis Americanensis Ex: Ex: Prefectus Congregationis Defensioni Fidei Prefectus Congregationis Defensioni Fidei You are by this order directed most specifically not to undertake any actions contrary to Poenam Poenam Ultimam. Ultimam.

His Holiness certainly has no intention of condoning the sort of excesses that have marred the history of the Hidden Collegium.

However, we do authorize you to submit either of the heirs to pa.s.sive pa.s.sive questioning if you can find a means of doing so that does not violate the civil laws of the jurisdiction in which you reside. questioning if you can find a means of doing so that does not violate the civil laws of the jurisdiction in which you reside.

You are proceeding under the following authorities of the Holy Office of the Congregation for the Defense of the Faith: 1. In Defensione Fidei, In Defensione Fidei, Ch. V, Pt. C, Para. 5: "The Holy Office of the Inquisition shall retain its full powers and authorities, as granted in Ch. V, Pt. C, Para. 5: "The Holy Office of the Inquisition shall retain its full powers and authorities, as granted in Justinian, Lex. Justinian, Lex. 1.023:325, 1.023:325, In haeretici, In haeretici, and affirmed many times sub-sequently." and affirmed many times sub-sequently."

2. Canon Lex. 221.04 (Privatus): Canon Lex. 221.04 (Privatus): "The Defenders are authorized in cases of extreme necessity, where the whole life of the Faith is threatened or the very existence of the Church called into question, to take up arms in defense of our Holy Faith." "The Defenders are authorized in cases of extreme necessity, where the whole life of the Faith is threatened or the very existence of the Church called into question, to take up arms in defense of our Holy Faith."

As there is a possibility that there will be sin committed in the heat of your effort, and that you may be unable to confess before death, I now p.r.o.nounce the customary absolution In Futuro In Futuro upon you and your subordinates: upon you and your subordinates: Auctoritate a Summis Pontificibus mihi concessa plenariam omnium peccatorum tuorum indulgentiam tibi impertior: in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. indulgentiam tibi impertior: in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.

Mea Auctoritate, Paolo Cardinalis Impelliteri Paolo Cardinalis Impelliteri Doc.u.ment Cla.s.s: Urgent A, destroy in presence of courier Destination: Monsignor Brian Conlon, Chancellor for the Inquiry, North America, 1217 Fuller Brush Build-ing, 221 E. 57th Street, New York, N.Y., 10022

12 JULY 1983.

MOST PRIVATE.

To: The Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Defense of the Faith From: The Chancellor for the Inquiry in North Amer-ica Your Eminence: Of course we understand and respect the position of His Holiness and of the Hidden Collegium.

In no way will this office violate the provisions against execution and torture promulgated in Contra Contra Poenam Ultimam. Poenam Ultimam.

But we also apprehend what is hidden between the lines of your memorandum, that we are to act exactly exactly according to the statutes you cite, which granted the Holy Office its original authority. according to the statutes you cite, which granted the Holy Office its original authority.

Be a.s.sured that we will do so with all vigor.

May G.o.d have mercy on our souls.

Yours in Christ & for the Defense of the Faith, Brian Conlon (Msgr.) Doc.u.ment Cla.s.s: Extraordinary, destroy after reading, Swiss Guards courier Destination: Paolo Cardinal Impelliteri, the Hidden Collegium, Prefecturate for the Defense of the Faith, Vatican City.

Chapter Five.

MIKE WATCHED Terry Quist open a Baby Ruth, stuff it into his mouth, and toss the wrapper to the floor. The poor guy. He always gobbled food when he was tense. Or scared. Mike eased his friend into telling his story. "You still write the blotter, don't you?"

"That and the bus plunges at the bottom of the pages- '158 die in Surinam bus plunge' typa junk. I'll never get anywhere on the Times. Times. I'm more of a I'm more of a National Tattler National Tattler kind of a guy." kind of a guy."

"So What're you doin' here? Go plunge a bus."

"I've got serious business with you. You wanna hear my story or not? I might have a line on your raped girl."

"Anything about Patricia Murray I want to hear. Are you lookin' for pay, or what?"

"Come on, man. By rights I ought to be back at the shop doin' my investigative reporter bit. But I'm here because I'm a coward. I want to stay alive. Just one thing, though, before I lay what I've got on the table.It's very weird. I want you to suspend disbelief."

"No."

"Please remember we been friends since I taught you to smoke in fifth grade."

"Fourth."

"I forget. Anyway, you promise me that you will will check this one out, no matter how wild it sounds." check this one out, no matter how wild it sounds."

"You're settin' yourself up for a putdown. You been takin' rides on a UFO or Somethin'?"

"I wish I had. I'd be better off gettin' f.u.c.ked over by little green men than by the Night Church."

He fell silent. His hands, Mike noticed, were gripping the edge of the desk so tightly there was a flush beneath his fingernails. "Keep goin, buddy."

"Just that I have reason to believe from the nature of the crime that your lady was hurt in a religious service."

"The priest in that parish is a good friend of mine."

"You're dealing here with something much bigger than any single priest or parish. The way I see it, this thing is gigantic. World wide. A festering, deadly cancer hidden in the Catholic Church, rotting it from within. And evil, Mike,G.o.d is my witness. Unbelievably evil."

"Something as big as that fools around with rape? This is lone pervert stuff."

"I said you wouldn't believe me."

"I didn't pa.s.s judgment yet. Keep convincin' me. You're doin' a wonderful job so far."

"I'll bet."

"You are. I'm takin' you seriously."

"It's got a congregation that meets at Holy Spirit. Ah, come on, Mike, I see you smilin'! I'm telling you something big." big."

Mike had smiled just a little, to test Terry's resolve. Terry's reaction meant that he, at least, believed the story he was telling. "Prove Somethin'."

"What do you want proved?"

"Anything. Any part of it."

"The constant whine of the cop to the reporter: do my work, I can't do it myself. Okay, I got onto this through a guy named Alexander Parker, lives across the street from Holy Spirit. This guy is not connected with the media. He started comin' in to the Idle Hour about a week or so ago. He hears I'm a reporter and he tells me he's got a story."

Mike nodded.

"He tells me how he goes home late a lot. Night person, he says. And every Sunday and Thursday night he's noticed Somethin' funny. It's not that big a deal, just slightly more people around than usual. One night, he's in his apartment. It's quiet, see, and he hears this real low noise. Like music, but so low he more feels feels it than hears it. He thinks maybe it comes from the church. So he goes over there." it than hears it. He thinks maybe it comes from the church. So he goes over there."

"Ought to be on the force."

"He tries the door, but it's locked. So he listens. He hears people moving around inside, like lots of people just walking around and around in the church. Every so often a baby screams and gets stifled. That spooks him a little, and he goes home. He watches. Along about four-thirty he's been asleep, and all of a sudden he sees people leaving."

"He's asleep and he sees the people?"

"Will you cut it out! He wakes up wakes up and he sees the people. Clumps of two and three, like. He counts three hundred people leaving over the s.p.a.ce of half an hour. In the small hours of the G.o.dd.a.m.n mornin'. He can't figure it." and he sees the people. Clumps of two and three, like. He counts three hundred people leaving over the s.p.a.ce of half an hour. In the small hours of the G.o.dd.a.m.n mornin'. He can't figure it."

"So he runs off and tells New York's most brilliant reporter."

"He lets it sort of slip out. Like he was trying to lead me on. He tells me they're dangerously crazy.

Something about a disease they're gonna spread. Something about a new species-the anti-man. He asks me, almost begs me, to write it up. 'Tell the world,' he says. 'Warn them.' "

"So?"

"So doesn't that sound pretty d.a.m.n dangerous?"

"h.e.l.l, I'm all for it. Anti or not, a new species'll probably do a better job than we have."

"You don't understand, do you, you jerk? You're sittin' there straight as a razor and all the time laughing at me. It's what they plan to do after the new race gets going. The rest of us It's what they plan to do after the new race gets going. The rest of us- they're gonna just kill us.All of us." they're gonna just kill us.All of us."

"Lotta work."

"Not for people with the kind of weapon they have. A disease has been developed. When they release it everybody dies."

"Including the new race-and the Night Church?"

"h.e.l.l, no. Everybody except except them. They all get vaccinated." them. They all get vaccinated."

"Your friend found out a lot. I mean, considering he just watched these people from across the street.Supposedly."

"I thought about that. I think Alex is more than he seems. He told me, 'You're a reporter, get your story and publish it.' "

"So you're here."

"I'm afraid for my life! This is bigger than me. I can't get the story and and stay alive." stay alive."

"How can I identify these people?"

"Well, most of 'em are in Holy Spirit Church in the middle of the night. Go over and pick 'em up."

"And hit 'em with a trespa.s.s misdemeanor? That'd just tell 'em to get cautious."

"Find their labs or whatever. They must have storage facilities for their disease bacteria, not to mention delivery systems. It can't be simple to infect the whole world. There's got to be plenty of evidence of what they're plan-ning."

"This sounds like some kind of crazy science, not a church,"

"Well, maybe that's accurate. Religion and science mix and a monster is born."

"You still haven't given me anything to go on."

"h.e.l.l, Mike-"

"You bring me a load of c.r.a.p like this and you'd better have some tangible evidence to go with it.Something I can G.o.dd.a.m.n well put my hands on. Come on, Terry. I'm a busy man."

"So talk to Alex Parker! Do your G.o.dd.a.m.n job, follow the lead."

Terry's tone made Mike want to slug him, but he resisted the temptation. "Everybody in the neighborhood's being interviewed, you can bet on that."

"Oh, come on! You get your a.s.s out of that chair and go and personally talk to Alex Parker. Do it for me. For old times."

Mike regarded his friend. Too many disappointments, too much booze, too many hopes down the drain.

"OK, buddy, I'll give him a call right now." Terry had the number. Mike dialled, waited through three, then five, then seven rings. He shrugged, put the phone down. "What can I tell you? No answer. We'll have to try again later."

Terry Quist's face was covered with a fine sheen of sweat. Mike could smell the stink of his fear.

It was the nausea as much as the riot of birdsong that awoke Brother Alexander. He opened his eyes to blue morning sky. The lurching vertigo told him that he had been drugged. He could smell the thick ether fumes still in his nose, could taste them in his dry mouth. His stomach heaved and twisted.

Above him puffy white clouds crossed the clear blue. He was bound hand and foot, chained to an iron bedstead. He was in a forest glade. He could not move his head enough to see them, but he could sense people about.

When he turned his head far to the right he caught a glimpse of a familiar face. His heart began to pound.

It was the notorious Jerry Cochran, and he was carrying something that looked very much like a blowtorch.

"Good morning, Brother."

Tears sprang to Alex Parker's eyes. He had heard stories of this man, terrible stories of flaying alive and burning, of tortures beyond belief.