The Secret Cardinal

32

‘Any word from Nolan?’ Donoher asked as he entered the subterranean workroom.

Grin sat in front of a large-screen monitor watching a grainy black-and-white video. In the days since Kilkenny’s team entered China, he had kept a patient vigil here, maintaining a fragile electronic lifeline halfway across the world.

‘Just this.’

Grin reset the clip to the beginning. The camera panned out, revealing its position some thirty feet off the ground. The sun cast harsh shadows on the sandy yard. Several guards were visible on the left side of the screen. Then a group of soldiers marched two hooded men into view. Both were forced to their knees and executed with a shot to the back of the head. Donoher winced as the bodies toppled to the ground.

‘Were they captured?’ Donoher asked, horrified.

Grin paused the video and zoomed in on the officer who shot the two prisoners. He enhanced the image enough to show the woman’s face clearly.

‘Even without the hair, I know that’s Roxanne Tao. What you just saw was the riskiest part of Nolan’s plan — if you’ll pardon the pun — executed flawlessly.’

‘But it looked so real.’

‘That was the whole idea,’ Grin said as he panned back and hit the resume key.

Donoher watched as the two bodies were zipped into bags and loaded into the back of a truck. Two men in suits appeared, beckoning to Tao. After a brief discussion, she led them to the truck. The rear of the vehicle was turned slightly away from the camera, so it was impossible to see what was happening until the soldiers accompanying Tao opened fire. The one-sided exchange ended quickly, and the truck bearing Kilkenny and Yin fled the scene. The bodies of the two men and several guards littered the yard.

‘What just happened there?’ Donoher asked, stunned.

‘I don’t know, but if our people opened fire, they had no other choice.’

The image switched to the prison’s main entry seconds before an explosion tore the large paired gates apart. The fleeing truck cleared the burning debris, and the screen abruptly turned blue.

‘As soon as they got out, I took the prison offline,’ Grin explained. ‘That’s what cut the feed we were watching. With any luck, it also gave our people a head start.’

‘When did all this happen?’ Donoher asked.

‘Just a few hours ago.’

‘I wonder where they are now.’

‘God only knows,’ Grin said, ‘but I’m keeping an eye out for clues.’

‘Well, I had best return for the morning session.’ Donoher rose and smoothed out the folds in his cassock. ‘I’ll visit with you again during the midday break.’

‘While you and the rest of the cardinals have God’s attention, try to slip in a good word for our people in China.’

‘I’ll be driving the good Lord to boredom with the monotony of my prayers on that subject,’ Donoher promised.

When the cardinal electors had taken their seats and the doors to the Sistine Chapel were closed, Donoher walked up to the altar. He bowed his head and prayed quietly for a moment before turning to face the other princes of the Church.

‘My Venerable Brothers, before we begin the next balloting, I would like to apologize for my absence at the meeting of the general congregation this morning, but under the circumstances it was unavoidable. I can report only that Cardinal Gagliardi’s condition remains quite serious. Many of you know of the cardinal’s ongoing battle with heart disease, and I ask that you all remember him and his family in your prayers.’

A murmur of approval rippled through the conclave, heads nodding at the suggestion. Several cardinals touched their own chests, their hands unconsciously drawn to the scars that ran like hedgerows down their sternums. Cancer and cardiovascular disease were frequent companions of men past a certain age.

Cardinal Aquaro of Brazil rose and nodded to Donoher, indicating that he wished to speak.

‘I recognize my Lord Cardinal Aquaro,’ Donoher said, ceding the floor.

‘A question only, Eminent Brother. Do you have anything to report regarding Bishop Yin?’

Donoher’s brow furrowed as he considered how to answer Aquaro’s question, and he felt every eye in the room studying him.

‘My Lord?’ Aquaro prodded, attempting to rouse the Camerlengo from his thoughts.

‘Bishop Yin is no longer a prisoner of the People’s Republic of China. Earlier this morning, our effort to liberate him succeeded — but only to a point. The Chinese government is unfortunately aware of Yin’s escape, and I can only assume the authorities are making every effort to prevent his departing the country.’

Cardinal French of Philadelphia stood, and Donoher acknowledged his request to speak.

‘My Lord, are the Chinese aware of our involvement in this matter?’

‘I don’t believe so, but I have no information as yet to accurately answer your question. I continue to pray for the success of our effort, but I must also be mindful of the sacred duty of this conclave. Both Cardinal Gagliardi and Bishop Yin are wise and holy men, and either I am sure would serve the Church well as Pope. But at this moment, both are in mortal danger, which in my mind precludes them as candidates for the papacy. It is not my intent to dissuade any of you from casting what I am certain would be a vote made in good conscience, but we must all consider the needs of the Church. If there are no further questions, we should begin.’

After Donoher returned to his seat, the masters of ceremonies distributed the ballot papers to the cardinal electors. Lots were then drawn for those who would assist in the day’s balloting. Wheeler of Australia, Unkoku of Japan, and Hielm of the Netherlands were selected as scrutineers. The infirmarii were Freneau of France, Oromo, and Siegfried of the Curia. Veblen of Miami, Garay from Quebec, and Prati of Florence were drawn as revisers. With all in place for the second ballot, those assisting the conclave departed the chapel, leaving the cardinals alone to vote.

No Pope was elected on the first ballot, triggering an immediate second. Though no candidate garnered more than forty votes, Donoher noted certain trends emerging. Cardinals receiving fewer than ten votes in the opening session all but disappeared, their supporters moving on to stronger candidates. Magni held steady through the morning ballots due to the strong backing of the Italian cardinals, but lost the lead. Oromo and Escalante surged into the mid-twenties, with Yin, Velu, and Ryff hovering in the mid-teens.

As the notes and ballots were tossed into the stove, Donoher wondered who would eventually emerge from the crowded field of candidates. Although Yin lost ground, doubtless because of what Donoher had said, the Camerlengo was amazed that the imperiled Bishop continued to find support among the cardinal electors. That a conservative group of men so bound in tradition would even consider so bold a move as to elect Bishop Yin heartened him. As a student of American history, Donoher believed Jefferson was correct when, in a letter to James Madison, he wrote, A little rebellion now and then is a good thing.