CHAPTER 65
PAUL AND SELENE ENTERED the sumptuous vessel of Adam Stillton, the English magnate, and began to prepare the boat for the purpose.
— Does your father know we're using the boat?
— It's been a long time since that old man knows more about things, besides himself, it's not something you should worry about, we're already here and we'll go all the way now.
Paul held her hand tightly.
— Thank you for everything you're doing for us.
— For you, I would give you the world, darling.
— I know...
But she was expecting a...
Me too...
He kissed her and for a brief moment it felt like they were in the paradise they had dreamed of, then they heard a clearing of the throat behind them.
— I hope I'm not disturbing the lovebirds.
— Yulia?
Inevitably Selene's face turned to fury.
Everything but this bastard...
— Glad you're all right. — He said in a tone of indifference.
— Three of the four Zoas are on this boat.
Paul smiled.
— Apparently our little genius genius did his homework right, didn't he, Yuliya?
— I had an excellent teacher.
— How well does he know? — Selene said indifferently to Yuliya.
— Only in nine nights there will be something 'special', nothing more, nothing less. He deciphered the initial code, however, he didn't have time to stop Abbot Nielsen's sacrifice and he couldn't even decipher the others in time, so no need to worry.
— You won't get away with this.
Selene smiled as if she'd heard a bad joke.
— Aren't we going to get away with it?— Whoever said we want to get away with it, I think our little priest is dead w rong about us.
That caught Zumerick off guard.
— What?
Igor looked at Yuliya who nodded.
— We are sacrifices, Igor Zumerick. We want the world to have a new ideal, a new horizon, from time to time someone appears capable of changing the course of history, and that is exactly what we are doing here, changing the country that has the power to change the world.
— Doing terrorism?
— Terrorism? No... we are opening the eyes of the world, and when you know the truth you will know that what we did was justice, this is what your Bible says:
You will know the truth and it will set you free....
— I would love to hear the meaning of justice. According to what they believe, it must be an Oxford — worthy thesis.
Paul said:
— The pure and simple meaning that exists in your Holy Bible, Igor...
What you sow, you reap...
— And who decides that are you?
— And who decided I had raped someone I didn't? — I was tried and convicted for something anyone would know I wouldn't do.
— But we know you've done much worse.
Paul got close to Igor and came face to face with him.
— Someone who spends so much time in the dark of night will always feel that the light hurts their eyes, you have to get used to it, then enjoy all it has to offer, and that's exactly what we're doing, showing the world the beauty of the true light... which will lead the world in a new direction, light is a wonderful thing, except for those who are in darkness.
— The reverse follows the same rule.
Paul smiled.
— Interesting rhetoric to be debated, but it is incoherent for a Christian to think that darkness is more interesting than light, don't you think, Igor?
— At the cost of human lives.
— There's no cost when it's a sacrifice, you should know that, after all, how did Christianity come about?
— They didn't kill lives.
— No? The Bible is a book full of deaths, people who sacrificed themselves for what they believed in, Paul killed Stephen for their religion, the disciples killed Sapphira and Ananias, because they didn't want to give everything they had. How many Christians died in the arenas to amuse the Romans? Even today, how many missionaries give their lives so that the name of their God is spread to the four corners of the Earth, do you know what that is, Zumerick?
— Sacrifice...— said Igor, saddened by reality.
— That's what we are, sacrifices...
— And does that include their lives?
— Mostly ours lives...
Selene came close to him and said:
— You are one of us, Igor. It followed the same path that we did, it would be the most logical of all, and to understand what we are doing. It amazes me that you don't see things the way we do.
— Don't bring me down to the same level as you.
— To demote us? — Leaks said with his well — known charisma — we are the elite of this dark world, Igor Zumerick. We are the angels heralding the new age, an age of enlightenment to all mankind, you as a priest should know this, a prophet cannot oppose your God, remember Jeremiah where God said he would put the words in the his mouth, it was useless to shut up, they would simply speak for themselves, what if Moses did not speak?
The stones would speak....
— And what kind of God could that be, who can command the brightest minds in this world?
— Our God is knowledge, Father. Knowledge that the world will be contemplated very soon, taking off the shackles of hundreds of years.
Leaks walked up to him and nodded in his head, as if he was opening up his idea and it was a volcano erupting.
— Can you conceive of that, Zumerick? — And you are part of it.
— Are you seriously supporting this, Yuliya?
She was silent.
— She doesn't have a choice, does she, Yuliya?
She remained silent.
— We always have choices.
— No, my dear priest — said Selene — a man of God does not make choices, he fulfills what is determined, if a man of God fails to fulfill his obligation he is cut off, and even if he tries to escape his fate, fate will him. will find and do what needs to be done at the cost of his own life.
Zumerick was silent, trying to think of some way out.
Had Greg thought of that too?
— Apparently our priest here was speechless, didn't he?
— If God prefers silence, it is because it is His will.
— Exactly, Zumerick, and this is our god's will...
He pointed to Tower Bridge.
— See that wonder over there? — It will light up London today in a very special way.
They looked at the clock and it would soon be dark.
— Let me tell you a little story, Zumerick. This river is the postcard and symbol of London. The River Thames is much more than a watercourse that runs through the south of England, surrounded by stories, it has been used since the first settlements in the region, more than two thousand years ago. It is no wonder that to this day it symbolizes a landmark for the city. Maybe you don't know, before it was called London, it was called Londinium by the Romans, there is no exact consensus on the translation of the word, but it is believed to be something like...
— Following the river — cut in Zumerick.
Paul made a bow to Igor.
— There is already a clue to the importance of the River Thames for the foundation of the city, Thames, means dark in the Celtic language, precisely to contrast the clear waters of the river Lea, which means light and has the same origin, in fact, Londinium was born at margin north of the River Thames, by Romans led by Emperor Claudius, since then, the region was already developed as a strategic point — and so it went to all the civilizations that later occupied it, until reaching this point of humanity, but one day it already had the nickname cloaca gives Europe.
— Because you're telling me something I should know, I'm aware of it all.
Paul Leaks sat beside her and patted her thigh.
— I thought two grown men who loved the same woman should have a little chat.
— You never loved Yuliya.
— Of course I did… the problem is that people like me tend to love a lot of women in different ways.
— Blake's theory of free love.
Leaks smiled.
— There's always something in the world we can believe in to keep our pretty whims going, isn't there?
— It's very convenient.
— Convenient? No... monogamous marriage is a modern creation, the bible is proof of that.
— These were different times.
— But men will be the same forever, Igor, and we are just what we can be, nothing more, nothing less, slaves to our luxuries and lusts.
Igor leaned back against the bench and seemed uninterested.
— Haven't you stopped to think about why you're here?
— Why will I be the sacrifice?
He laughed.
— No, Igor, every sacrifice is presided over by a priest.
— You don't think that...
— You have no choice, Igor, you have to do this for Yuliya.
— What stupid idea is this?
— He's right, Igor, I never told you the truth.
— What truth?
Leaks stood up and said:
— I think I'll leave them alone.
SELENE SMILED with joy as she saw Leaks settle into her luxurious cabin, she was filling a glass of port and handed a glass to Paul.
I would give him the world if he asked me...
— It's been so many years I don't know what it's like to enjoy it here, it's my favorite.
— I know, I sent you a box every month.
Paul made a face of astonishment.
— Those bastards never sent me anything.
— I think they were imagining it was the fair price for the rent.
— Those filthy third world South American swine, I will never forgive them for betraying me like this.
— When we stop being interesting, or having things that interest them, the favors run out.
— I never owed them anything, my going there was purely political, I was at the mercy of leftist totalitarian governments, I helped them out of the technological Middle Ages, the least I expected is that they would be faithful to those who reached out to them.
Selene hugged him and gave him a kiss.
— The important thing is that you 're here now, we're together and no one in the world can stop us.
— We are going to shake today one of the greatest symbols of England and I am sure that everyone will see the importance of what we are accomplishing.
— Are you sure that's what you want to do?
She hugged him.
— I've never been so sure in my life, people need to see the light the master left us.