The Prophecy - 17. Chapter 17

Jason and Leonard arrived in London late at night. Exhausted and tired, they climbed the stairs of their apartment house.

"Oh my God," Jason called out as he opened the door. "Bastards. They've searched my apartment."

He moved on and entered his living room. The room looked like a mess. Every cupboard and sideboard had been opened and the contents were sprawled on the floor. The furniture was moved, the desk was searched also, and sheets of papers covered the desk and the floor. Jason went to his bedroom. The bed was moved, the mattress removed, the blankets thrown on the floor. The cupboard was open and also searched. Jason went to his bathroom. The room was total chaos.

"This is Lambert’s work," Jason said grimly. "He sent his henchmen here while we were in France."

Leonard had followed Jason inside. "But what were they looking for?" he asked.

Jason shrugged. "I suspect they want to find out what we are looking for," he said.

"God," Leonard said. "I must go upstairs and check if they have broken into my apartment also."

He hastened to the entrance door. Jason followed him. They climbed the stairs and Leonard opened the door. He switched on the light in the corridor and startled at the sight of the mess.

"Searched also," he said in a brittle voice.

"Devils," Jason hissed.

They checked the rooms. Each room had also been searched and the intruders had left a terrible mess.

"I can’t say if anything is missing," Leonard said weakly, picking up a scarf from the floor.

"It’s Lambert’s work," Jason said. "Only he knew our names."

"They didn’t damage the doors. They must have opened them with a false key," Leonard said.

"Professional burglars," Jason replied.

Leonard turned to Jason, his eyes widened with fear. "We’re endangering their plans. They have searched our apartments, the black Bugatti was following us, what are they going do next?" he asked.

They exchanged a look.

"Get rid of us?" Jason asked back.

"We must complain to the police," Leonard said, looking again at the mess in the room. "Goodness," he exclaimed. "I must call Gary and ask if he's all right."

He went into the corridor, seized the receiver of his telephone and typed Gary’s number. Gary answered a short while later.

"Thank God, you’re all right," Leonard said. He recounted their story. "Yes, it’s a good idea perhaps. Just a minute, Gary," he said, turning to Jason. "Gary wants us to come to his house. What do you think?" he asked.

Jason nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. Let’s pack a few things and go. Once they find out we have left France, they might come here again," he said.

Leonard ended the call. They got a few things and then left. One and a half hour later, they drove up the drive to Gary’s house. It was one o’clock in the morning. The lights in the house were on and Gary opened the door when they climbed out of the car. He looked concerned and had obviously dressed in a hurry, his cardigan was buttoned up the wrong way and his hair was uncombed, but neither Leonard nor Jason paid much attention. Gary led them to his living room.

"Take a seat," he said. "I’m getting us coffee."

Gary left the room. Jason and Leonard sat down in the plush chairs at Gary’s research table. His new notebook and a printer were placed on it. Gary returned with biscuits and coffee. He sat down as well. Leonard and Jason told their story.

"It deems me you opened a can of worms," Gary said when they had finished. "The end of the world on Ascension Day. Downright weird." Gary was shaking his head.

"Unless they plan to set off something, a terrorist attack or so," Jason said.

"True," Gary replied. He looked at the watch in the room. "I suggest we rest now and talk again tomorrow morning," he said.

They agreed. Gary showed them to the guestrooms. Jason slept well and only once awoke with a start when the monk shouted into his ear.

They got up early. Gary made breakfast. He told them his grandson had called and had asked if he had heard from them. After learning the news, Alec had insisted on coming in the afternoon right after school. He had already generated a list of secret orders and societies, but unfortunately had not found one that was founded around 1020 in England.

The three men sat down in Gary's living room.

"The end of the world is a common theme throughout history," Gary said, pouring them coffee. Ancient prophecies announcing the end of the world are somewhat common. Think of the Book of Revelations. The Apocalypse. Doomsday."

"But why the hell on the 17th of May 2012?" Jason asked.

"Who knows," Gary said. "It doesn’t really matter. Far more important is: Will the prophecy fulfil? Or, rather, is somebody working on its fulfilment?"

"Maniacs," Leonard said, seizing a toast with jam. "Fanatics, terrorists."

"Or firm believers or zealots," Gary said.

"Pretty much the same," Leonard replied.

Gary took a sip of coffee. Jason gazed into his cup. Leonard eyed his toast and took a bite.

"Yes," Jason said. "Zealots. I think that’s what they are. A sect, a secret order, whatever. They firmly believe in the end of the world on Ascension Day. They are determined to bring it about themselves in case their god fails. They missed the end of the world in 1012, they won’t miss it a thousand years later. Totally weird and therefore dangerous."

"Could it be that the four monks established a new belief, based on the old parchment with the prophecy?" Leonard asked.

"They were Black Monks, but fled St. Denis and later Buckfast Abbey, both Benedictine cloisters," Gary said thoughtfully. "They were accused twice of being in league with the devil. It was a somewhat common accusation often used by the Catholic Church."

"Heretics," Leonard said.

"Yes," Gary replied. "Heresy was redefined by the Catholic Church as a belief that conflicted with established Catholic dogma. I suspect the monks were heretics."

"Heretics in a Catholic cloister?" Jason asked.

"The cloister provided them with food and gave them shelter. They were most likely unable to sustain on their own, at least in the early years. They are said to have founded their own community later, after they had fled Buckfast Abbey," Gary said. "I guess they practiced their belief in secrecy. But when their secret was unconvered, they fled the cloister."

"Could it be that the accusation was true?" Leonard asked thoughtfully. "Did the monks worship the devil? Did they follow a satanic belief?"

"Heretics," Jason said. "A new belief based on an old parchment with a prophecy. What a crap! I think the four monks were not right in the head."

"Heresies were part of church history," Gary said. "The Roman Catholic Church has always dealt harshly with strands of Christianity that it considered heretical, but before the 11th century these tended to centre around individual preachers or small localised sects. By the 11th century, more organised groups were beginning to appear in the towns and cities of Europe. In western Mediterranean France the Cathars grew to represent a popular mass movement and the belief was spreading to other areas."

"Heresy, a mass movement," Jason replied, shaking his head.

"It seems the four monks had a sound grasp of contemporary developments," Leonard said drily.

"I suspect they were influenced by one of the major groups and mixed up a heretic belief with their own apocalyptic scenario. And it seems there is still an active group in these days," Gary said.

Jason gave a sarcastic laugh. "In fact, there is. They have searched our apartments. They are after us. I think Antoine Lambert is the key figure."

"Or just an informant. There might be others behind him," Leonard said thoughtfully. "But I agree with you, Jason. Antoine Lambert is one of them. And they are pretty much aware that we know he is. Else they would not have searched our apartments. They fear us for a reason, whereas we still have no clue of their plan."

"They fear I will stop them," Jason said drily. "I could do so, according to the message that I received in my dreams. I’m their archenemy."

"But how could you stop them? It’s about time we find a solution,” Leonard said.

"Archenemy," Gary said absently. A thought occurred to him. "Who is the devil’s archenemy?" he asked.

Leonard and Jason turned their heads to him.

"The Catholic Church," Jason replied.

"A more abstract idea," Gary said.

"God," Leonard said. "He banned Lucifer from Heaven."

"And who are God’s agents?" Gary asked.

"The angels," Leonard said.

Jason spilled his coffee and started to laugh. Gary Leonard looked at him.

"I beg you," Jason uttered between laughs. "I'm neither superman nor an angel. I don’t think I like the idea."

"Calm," Gary said. "Think more thoroughly, please. Let’s proceed on the assumption. Antoine Lambert’s group, possibly a satanic circle, aims at destroying the world. We don’t know yet about their exact plans, but we know that they fear you could stop them.” Gary studied Jason. "We have never read the original text of the prophecy. Could it be that the text mentions the name of their archenemy’s agent?"

"Goodness," Leonard said. "You mean they fear that a man named Jason was able to stop them? They think Jason is the chosen one? Oh my God." Leonard leaned back in his chair.

"Strangely, the man in my dreams also insists that I am the one," Jason said drily.

"You should finally get accustomed to the idea, regarding the limited time window we have,” Leonard said.

Jason shot him a dark look and opened his mouth to protest, but Gary raised his hand.

"Stop it," he said. "We'd better find out what’s it all about. Why would they think that Jason was the one to stop the devil?"

"I have no clue at all," Leonard replied. "God banned Lucifer from hell, but, if I remember correctly, it was one of the archangels who threw Lucifer out."

"Yes," Gary replied. He rose to his feet, went to a bookshelf, and returned with an encyclopaedia. He looked up an entry. "Here it is," he said. "Michael is the archangel who defeats the dragon. His name means: who is like God?"

"They picked the wrong man then," Jason said grimly. "Michael, not Jason. They made a big mistake."

Gary looked up. "The meaning of the name," he murmured.

"What?" Jason asked brusquely.

Leonard reached out and touched Jason’s arm in order to calm him. Jason leaned back in his chair.

"The meaning of the name," Gary repeated. He turned the pages and then read an entry. "Goodness," he said. "Jason is of Greek and Hebreworigin, and the meaning of Jason is ‘healer’ or the ‘Lord is salvation’."

Gary raised his eyes and gave Jason a surprised look. Leonard also gazed at him. Jason straightened. He opened his mouth, but then shut it again.

"Many are called, but few are chosen," Gary said in a solemn voice.