Reginald Cook - The Hammer of God

“That’s why I’m here, to tell you why you’re here, for this celebration,” said the cardinal.

Felipe eased closer. “Celebration?”

Cardinal Polletto nodded. “We, Felipe, depuris te. For you. Tout le te. All of you.”

“Te dire sciocchezze,” said Eduardo, now shoulder-to-shoulder with his American brother. “You talk nonsense.” Samuel smiled. “We’re tired of the bullshit. So tell us the truth, or leave us alone.”

Cardinal Polletto stared at the three, each of them defiant, determined. “Let’s have a seat,” invited the cardinal, pulling up a chair.

The three boys remained standing directly in front of him. “What if I were to tell you, that each of you are royalty, destined for greatness?” he said, splattering his words in French, Italian and English. Neither boy moved or said a word; they stared back at the cardinal, eyes focused, concentrating. “Each one of you has been sanctified since birth, to change history and usher in a new world. I know it will be difficult to understand at first, but over time your minds will be illuminated.”

“How can we change history?” asked Samuel. “We’re children.”

“Yes, for now, but you’ll grow up to be men soon enough. Before that time, there’s much to be done, and much you have to learn.”

“What about our parents?” asked Eduardo, in Italian.

“They’re not our parents,” answered Samuel.

Cardinal Polletto smiled. Yes, you’re the one, the first born. “That’s correct, they’re not. Your real parents are here, in Italy. Eduardo and Felipe have already met your father, Father Charles Tolbert.” Samuel’s chin dropped, his eyes glued to the floor. He almost lost his balance, but caught himself. “How is that possible?” he asked, his voice cracked.

Cardinal Polletto watched Samuel as the truth did its work, bringing the boy under control. “I’ll explain it to you later, when you’re ready.” Samuel looked up, hate burning in his pupils. “What about my mother?”

“Alison Napier is of no consequence at this point in your life. None of the people you grew up with mean anything as we move forward.

You’ll have to learn to deal with life without them.” Samuel’s stern stance weakened. Felipe and Eduardo’s jaws quivered. Cardinal Polletto smiled. “Now, now, all of you have a new family now, a true family that will never leave or forsake you. I promise.” Samuel sniffled, his eyes and cheeks glistening with tears. “I don’t want a new family, I want my mother.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Then I won’t participate. None of us will.” The boys backed up and sat down.

The cardinal’s first impulse was to rush over, snatch and shake them into submission, but one look into Samuel’s eyes told him that would only drive them further away.

“I know this is a shock, and believe me, I understand. Anyone faced with such greatness would be foolish to run blindly into it.” Samuel rocked back and forth. “We don’t care about greatness. We want our old lives back.”

Cardinal Polletto stood, walked just short of the three, and stood over them, their faces determined, intense. “I can’t force you to do what you don’t want to,” he said. “But your mother, Alison, will be disappointed.

All of your surrogate parents will be.”

“I thought you said they weren’t important,” said Samuel.

“Not as important as your destiny,” the cardinal answered.

“I don’t believe you,” snapped Samuel, defiant. “My mother would never agree to this.”

Cardinal Polletto smiled, pulled a cell phone from inside his robe and dialed. Alison Napier answered and he handed the phone to Samuel.

“Hello,” said Samuel, somewhat sheepish.

Cardinal Polletto watched the tears roll down Samuel’s cheeks.

Felipe and Eduardo looked on, curious. Samuel hung up and gave back the phone.

“You see,” said the cardinal, “everything will work out fine. Come, let me show you the area we’ve set up.”

The cardinal extended a hand to Samuel, who took it and pulled himself up. Cardinal Polletto sighed with relief. Samuel’s acquiescence quieted the others, and like sheep, they followed his lead.

Yes, your time will come, but today, follow me.

S amuel wiped his nose on his shirtsleeve and looked up at Cardinal Polletto, who gave him an encouraging nod and smile. Moron!

Seeing Cardinal Polletto there at the castle surprised him, and talking to his mother, knowing she was a part of everything that had happened to him shook him to the bone. Once more, Cardinal Polletto’s words, that Father Tolbert was his father, didn’t make sense, and Samuel refused to believe it.

Samuel and his brothers had made a pact. They’d lost trust in everybody and were determined to escape, for good, even if it meant defying the people they loved most. Everybody had let them down. They were on their own.

Samuel took in as many details about the castle as he could, as they made their way along a dark, eerie hall, downstairs, and then outside.

Along the back of the castle were two sections of stadium seats, with large, bright lights shining down. Samuel stole a glance at his brothers, who, as planned, were taking in as much as they could remember too.

Eduardo nodded to Samuel’s right. Carefully, he turned and saw thick woods and brushes down a slope of rocks. Cardinal Polletto babbled on about their place in history, but Samuel had long since tuned him out. I’m getting out of here. That’s all the history I need.

Yet, something stirred in his gut as they walked through the elaborate stages. When the cardinal first mentioned their royalty and place in the world, a surge of unfamiliar recollection engulfed him, and he felt truth in Cardinal Polletto’s words. Even now, as he looked out into the darkness and stared across the water, something raged inside him, fighting to burst out. A power he’d felt several times since he’d been taken away.

Samuel forced down the feelings, and fed the cardinal a few,

“Yeses,” and “Uh huhs,” but continued to scan the area, making mental notes every step of the way. Later, he and his brothers would devise a final strategy, and run away as far as they could.

As Cardinal Polletto droned on, the voice of Samuel’s mother forced its way into his mind. Hearing her speak was something he’d longed for since this entire ordeal began, but something was wrong. How could she allow this to happen to me? Why? And what about my father?

Samuel shook it off. Cardinal Polletto looked down at him.

“It’s one of the most important days in all the world,” said the cardinal. “Everyone coming will be your servant.” Samuel fixed his gaze hard on the cardinal. “How long have you been seeing my mother?”

He didn’t know where the words came from, but the look on Cardinal Polletto’s face told Samuel he’d hit his mark.

Cardinal Polletto cleared his throat. “I’ve known her for quite sometime. She’s been waiting for this day ever since I told her who you are.”

“Who am I?” asked Samuel.

“You’ll know soon enough.”

Samuel stepped forward. “Did you kill my father?” The cardinal’s face went ashen. “Absolutely not. Why would you ask such a thing?”

Samuel moved even closer. “If I am who you say I am, and I find out you’re lying, I’ll kill you.”

Cardinal Polletto slapped Samuel hard. “Don’t you ever speak to me that way again.”

Samuel let the blood flow from his nose. Felipe and Eduardo took his side. “So, you are lying.”

Cardinal Polletto snatched Samuel and pulled him back toward the castle. Felipe and Eduardo ran to keep up. When they reached the front door, Father Sin was waiting, and soon they were back in their room.