The Source - Michael Cordy [52]
'Sí. You will pay the men how much, señor?'
'What we agreed. No more, no less.'
For a second, Raul looked as if he might try to renegotiate, then he nodded. The man was an amateur but Bazin had no choice. He had to use him. He had no contacts in the area and time wasn't on his side. This might be God's work but it was the Devil's job finding reliable men willing to steal and kill for money.
28
Lima, the next day
The two anonymous black limousines left the Jesuit Residence and made their way through the wide boulevards of Lima. Tinted windows concealed the two passengers in the back seat of the lead car. A soundproof screen separated them from the driver.
'What if it doesn't work?' demanded Torino, as he listened to Bazin's plan.
Bazin smiled. 'It has to. And if anything goes wrong, I've built in a few contingencies.' He handed Torino a palmtop computer and explained how the device worked. 'The transmitter's global-positioning satellite technology will allow you to pinpoint their exact location on the map to within a few feet.'
Torino sensed new confidence in his half-brother. He was no longer simply accepting his tasks but embellishing them. 'We can't afford any mistakes. This must succeed.'
'It will.'
Torino pressed an intercom button and told the driver to stop. The car pulled into a side-street and came to a halt. 'Do it, Marco,' he said. Bazin got out and Torino leant out of the window. 'But keep me informed.'
The car drove off, entered Prolongacion Avenue and parked by a large colonial building bearing a brass plaque: Ministerio del Interior. His entourage emerged from the second car – his reed-thin, bespectacled personal assistant, and four tall men in anonymous grey uniforms. Before they reached him he told them to wait in the limousine. He entered the building alone.
The Peruvian Minister for the Interior afforded Torino the respect worthy of a visiting head of state. He greeted him personally, then escorted him into his imposing office and introduced him to the only other man in the room: the Peruvian government's lawyer. They exchanged pleasantries, then got down to business.
'First, let me assure you that we've signed the confidentiality agreement your lawyers sent from Rome. Whatever is discussed in this office stays here.'
Torino pulled a document out of his briefcase. It was sealed and stamped with the papal seal. 'That reassures me. I cannot stress enough how delicate this is. Though we favour Peru for our initiative, nothing has yet been officially decided. If this is leaked before the deal is finalized the Vatican will deny all knowledge. You understand?'
'Of course. We'll do nothing to jeopardize this opportunity. I spoke to our president earlier and he instructed me to give you every assistance in this matter. He would be here himself but he's on a trade visit to China.'
Torino handed the sealed document to the minister. 'This confirms that I speak for the pope.'
The minister broke the seal, scanned the letter and passed it to the lawyer. 'How can we help you, Father General?'
'As you know, the Vatican is an independent state within Italy. Ever since the Lateran Treaty of 1929 its unique sovereign status has been enshrined in law. This gives the Roman Catholic Church precious independence and authority to do as it thinks morally right, regardless of the host nation's politics.
'The Holy Mother Church is keen to extend its moral presence in the world. To that end we wish to found a second Vatican in the southern hemisphere, away from the staid conventions of Europe. In contrast to the ancient, urban splendour of Rome, this new Vatican will be a brand new eco-state. A spiritual retreat from the corruption of the modern world, the new Vatican state will be ecologically responsible and self-sufficient. This vision of the future will act as a beacon and an example to the world.'
'A new Eden?' said the minister.
Torino smiled. 'Exactly. Our preferred location is in Roman Catholic South America, and Peru is an excellent candidate. It's