Dennis Wheatley - Unholy Crusade

The next morning passed uneventfully. In the afternoon Adam went to the barn and had a look at the helicopter, with the idea of seeing if he could sabotage it. But he knew nothing about engines so, short of actually smashing it with a hammer, there was no way in which he could put it out of action. Smashing it could certainly be attributed to him, and would thereby warn Alberuque of his secret intention to rebel at the last moment. So he decided to leave it and, instead, went up the ladder and lay down in the hay where he and Chela had taken their joy of each other.

He thought of her with longing, then dropped off into a doze. Some while later he was roused by voices below, near the helicopter. Peering cautiously over, he saw that two mechanics were working on the machine. Now much relieved that he had not monkeyed with it, he listened intently to their conversation. One of them had a grouse and, between technical exchanges with his companion about the engine, was grumbling that he could not be able to keep a date with a girl who he had good hopes would let him have his way with her that night. Presently he man said

`If only the old bastard would have stayed put till midnight, could have made it; but take off at ten o'clock means I'll have to stand little Inez up, and the odds are she'll be so furious that she'll not give me another chance.'

So this was `it', and take off was timed for ten o'clock. Impatiently Adam waited until the two mechanics had finished pork on the helicopter and left the barn. Then he got through to Hunterscombe.

`Good show,' the Wing Commander tapped back. `Any idea where the 'copter will be heading for?'

Adam replied, `No, and unlikely I can find out.'

The response was: `Can't be far. Keep your pecker up. I'll be seeing you.'

As soon as he had eaten his meagre supper that evening, Adam went up to bed. As tonight was the night, he knew that he might need every ounce of strength that he could muster; so even an hour or two lying dozing would be all to the good.

For a long time, or so it seemed to him, he lay there in the dark, thinking of Chela: wondering whether somehow they would both come through this awful business and, if they did, he could persuade her to forgo a Mexican millionaire as a husband and marry him.

Then, as he had felt almost certain would be the case, the dumb lay brother came in carrying a lamp and made signs to him that he should dress and come downstairs.

He took his time about dressing and had so arranged his clothes that, by keeping his back to the skull headed mute, he could strap on his shoulder holster without it being seen. He had no fear that Alberuque would attempt to kill him until after he had played his part in the ceremony as Quetzalcoatl, unless he refused to do so at the last minute. But he felt certain that there would be a showdown later, and the feel of the pistol under his armpit was a great comfort. Priest or no priest, Adam meant to get in first and send him to hell where he belonged.

Downstairs in the library he found Alberuque waiting for him, sitting, as before, smugly behind the big desk. But what Adam had not expected was to find two Indian hoodlums in the room posted on either side of the door.

As he came into the room Alberuque greeted him politely:

`Senor Gordon, or should I anticipate by a few hours and address you as Most Exalted One, Essence on Earth of the Supreme Powers, Lord Quetzalcoatl. Tonight is the night of your Elevation. Shortly we shall proceed to the place of the ceremony, where you will be hailed as the representative of the true gods and the restorer of the ancient religion. But first there are two small matters which must be attended to. I have here a paper that I wish you to read.'

As he spoke, the Monsignor pulled open a drawer of the desk and put his hand into it. But when he withdrew his hand, instead of a paper, it held an automatic.

Pointing it at Adam's heart, he smiled and said smoothly, `I have been informed that you are carrying a pistol in an armpit

holster. Be good enough to raise your hands above your head while my men relieve you of it.'

Slowly Adam raised his big hands, He was too stunned, too shattered, even to speak. A single thought seared through his mind with the pain of a hot iron. Only Chela knew that he was carrying a gun; she had betrayed him.

CHAPTER 17

While Time Runs Out

THE two hoodlums closed in on Adam, unstrapped the pistol holster and took his weapon from him. They then patted him all over for any hard objects. The only things he had on him were the money Hunterscombe had given him and the radio cigarette case. As he would not have been allowed to retain money in prison, lest anyone should hear the coins clanking in his trouser pocket, he had put them with the notes in his shoe, under the sole of his left foot. One of the Indians opened the case then, seeing that it contained nothing but cigarettes, snapped it shut and gave it back.

In other circumstances Adam would have thanked God for that. As things were, he was still too overcome by Chela's treachery to care much what happened now. Listlessly, he waited for Alberuque to ask him how he had got hold of the weapon. Since he did not, Adam concluded that Chela must have passed on the explanation he had given her that he had taken it from a dead detective during his escape from prison.

The search having been concluded, Alberuque ordered the two hoodlums to leave the room, laid his pistol down on the desk and took a sheet of paper from the drawer. His fish like, black eyes focused on Adam's, he said

`Your speech to the faithful tonight, Gordon, will be very brief; so you will easily be able to memorize it. Here it is.' From the paper he read

`My people: true sons of Mexico and rightful owners of its wealth. I, Quetzalcoatl, am come again to release you from your bondage, and restore the worship of the ancient gods who once made you great. From on high I shall watch over you, leaving all power here in the hands of my faithful High Priest, Itzechuatl, whom I charge you to obey.'

Adam gave a bitter laugh, `So you mean to come out in your true colours, and all this talk of regaining power for the Catholic Church was camouflage.'

Alberuque spread out his long hands. `One must be practical, my dear Gordon. During the centuries that this country was known as New Spain the influence of the Church was paramount here and she had a fine record as the protector of the people. But since Mexico gained Independence, not only did the Church lose power, but she suffered from a hidden schism. The lower clergy, who are mainly of Indian or mixed blood, have continued to serve their communities to the best of their ability; the higher clergy bent their necks and became the servile puppets of their atheist masters. A revolt under the banner of the Church could lead only to Mexico 's becoming subject to Rome and the Bishops. They are incapable of standing up to the pressure that the oppressors of the people would exert upon them. Within a few years at most, we would be back where we are now. Therefore, the only hope of restoring Mexico permanently to the Mexicans is to do as many other countries have done in recent times. Ceylon, for example; where, having thrown out the foreign blood suckers, they made Sinhalese the official language and Buddhism the State religion. Here Nahuatl will become the official language and the restored worship of the Ancient Gods the State religion.' `And you,' added Adam, `become Dictator.'

`Who could be better fitted for that onerous position?' Alberuque’s uneven teeth showed in a smile. `As you well know I have led here before. Incidentally, I was surprised that you did not recognise me at our first meeting. But you did after I had had you rescued from prison, didn't you?'

`Yes, for the black hearted spawn of Satan that you are.' `Hard words break no bones, my friend.'