An Aegean Prophecy - Jeffrey Siger [97]
Not surprised, thought Andreas. ‘What about the other one?’
‘Clean.’
‘This is clean, too,’ said a cop getting out of the Suburban.
‘Hold these two cuffed in a cruiser until the—’ Andreas stopped himself. ‘Until this gentleman and I come back. Everybody else, thanks, and you can go now.’
He turned to the Protos. ‘Why all this cloak and dagger, engine running, open the door but don’t get out dramatics?’
The Protos shrugged. ‘Your office said you were on vacation, and your doorman said you were out but probably would be back sometime after lunch. I decided to wait for you here, and the driver kept the engine running for the air conditioner. You came back earlier than we expected and when we realized it was you, Sergey started to get out but I told him to wait until you were inside the building. I wanted our meeting to be private. I didn’t want to start a conversation on the street, but you surprised me when you sent your wife inside alone and drove off.’
Andreas shook his head. ‘All you had to do was return one of my calls. It would have saved me one hell of an explanation to my—’ he paused again, ‘to Lila about why I rammed her car into yours.’
The Protos smiled. ‘Your explanation actually may be more difficult to make than the one I’ve come to deliver to you. Come, my son, lead the way and I shall explain many things.’
* * *
They were sitting in Lila’s study, looking out toward the Acropolis. Andreas, the Protos, and Lila.
‘My son, I’m not sure this is appropriate for a woman to hear.’
‘Your Holiness, in your house I respect your ways, in my home I must ask that you respect mine.’
‘As you wish.’ The Protos drew in and let out a deep breath. ‘I do not know where to begin. Not because I haven’t thought of what I am about to tell you, but because I don’t know where the beginning is.’ He nodded for a moment, just staring out the window. ‘Vassilis was my dearest friend, going back to our days in school. He tried to warn me about the scourge we faced.’ He turned to Andreas. ‘But you know all of that.’ He let out another breath.
‘The scourge is gone, or so it seems. He left his monastery Sunday morning, the moment its doors opened, and took a boat to Ouranoupolis. He borrowed a seaman’s clothes, left the man with all that linked him to life as a monk, and has not been seen since.’
‘I assume you’re talking about Zacharias,’ said Andreas.
The Protos nodded.
‘Has he fled or is he dead?’
The Protos shrugged. ‘I have no idea. As long as he does not return we are blessed.’
‘What about all those people he butchered in the Balkans?’ It was Lila.
‘His ultimate judgment is in the hands of God.’
Andreas hoped Lila would let the subject drop. He knew she had strong feelings on the subject of war criminals. Lila looked down at her nails and said nothing.
‘So, Your Holiness, what does all this have to do with me?’
The Protos nodded. ‘You were our savior.’
Andreas looked at Lila, then back at the Protos. ‘That’s a bit much, isn’t it?’
The Protos shook his head. ‘No.’ He looked back out the window. ‘When I realized who was behind this—’
‘Why can’t you just say his real name, or at least call him Zacharias?’ Lila sounded testy.
‘Because, my child, that name was a monk’s name and this was not a monk in spirit, heart, or soul. He does not deserve to be addressed or spoken of with the same words as revere the memory of a man such as Kalogeros Vassilis. I cannot say his name and never shall. He destroyed much and came close to destroying all.’
‘All?’ Lila’s tone hadn’t changed.
‘If who he was, and what he had done, became public, it would have inflicted irreparable wounds on the church.’
‘You mean on the church’s current leaders.’ Lila wouldn’t stop.
‘I mean on the institution of the church. Its leaders did nothing wrong. We did not know his past, we saw a man gifted in bringing men together, working tirelessly without seeking glory, fame, or recognition for himself.’ He paused. ‘Our error was that we never saw the devil among us. Only Vassilis recognized the false prophet.