E.L.

Baron

FINAL
A STORY OF OUR FUTURE
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WRITTEN BY: E. L. Baron
COVER ART BY: E. L. Baron
INTERIOR ART BY: Luis Guaragna
EDITED BY: Laura Ofobike

Final: copyright (c) 2009 by E. L. Baron

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in
writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review or
for reprint in context for a review. Final was originally solicited as The Descent and copyright
(c) 1997 through 2009 by E. L. Baron

Political and social conscious books are meant to challenge us in the directions that we take in
our personal lives as well as the impact our consorted decision will have against a social world
order.

Legal Information

The characters came to the author in a series of dreams and thoughts. In other words that means
they are purely fictional and are not intended to impersonate a living or dead person in any way,
shape or form. The author wishes you to believe that that some parts of this book may be true
in all forms and all parts could be true in some, but the people representing the facts are purley
fictional.
FINAL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
E. L. B a r o n

GOODFAITHIS.COM
 Ten twenty nine. Entrenched in his morning column, Dr. Munrow is unaware how much time has passed.
He leans forward with both elbows raised unto his desk; gently rubbing his temple, flummoxed by his dysfu-
nctional laptop and the tardiness of his new patient. These two men have never met in person but over sev-
eral short phone conversations Dr. Munrow [against the advice of his partner] convinced the man that refus-
es to give his name to meet him at his home office.

Feeling his lean frame beginning to cramp behind his desk, Dr. Munrow decides to leave his repose and
begins to walk towards the window. Removing his spectacles, he rubs his tired eyes as they struggle to adj-
ust and focus on the sudden change in lighting. Dr. Munrow stares out at the clusters of pine outside his wi-
ndow and tries to make out the reddish-hue caused by the extreme winter temperature and lack of sun. As
he approaches the window, a sudden gust of wind violently slams the old shutters shut; the dry aged wo-
od strain unto one another as their intimate pain leaves remnants of their structure blowing in the wind.

Suddenly, the deep rumble of an automobile is heard quickly speeding up the drive way and coming to
an equally quick stop at the base of the porch. Peering through the louvers, Dr. Munrow sees that an old S-
aab 9-5 has spilled an overflow of debris back unto the pathway. The driver door slowly opens as a sheepi-
shly thin man with ungroomed main pokes his rather small head out like a creature wishing to avoid the de
adly bite of its predator. The doctor thinks to himself that this must be his patient.

Ten forty one. Dr. Munrow wonders why his guest has not made it to his second floor office yet. The tic-
king of the hand in his wrist watch electrify his anticipation and cause his impatience. Before exiting the ro-
om, he sets his notepad down on the sofa and quickly walks towards the poorly lit hallway -- the old floor
boards squealing with each step. As Dr. Munrow approaches the landing, he sees a peculiar shadow at th-
e base of the steps move barely out of site.

Calling out. "Hello. Are you the man I spoke with over the phone?"

Nothing but silence as the shadow remains motionless. Slowly taking the first step, he adjust his spect-
acles to make sure that it's indeed a shadow that he is looking at.

He thinks twice before taking the next step. A sense of nervousness and urgency overtakes him as the
thought of letting a dangerous person into his home and workplace temporarily paralyzes him.

Half way down the stairs the stranger can be seen standing rigid against the doorway to the den and cl-
enching a worn briefcase. His long pale fingers stretched against its old canvas with his translucent skin
pulled taught against the fingers. Dr. Munrow breathes a sigh of relief while leaning unto the rails; looking
upon his frail guest and choosing his next words carefully.

"Are you my ten thirty appointment? is everything okay?" The stranger stands there unable to make eye
contact with him; his lips full of color as the blood flows from one side-to-another from continuously being
bit.

In a low voice he responds. "I d-d-don't know."

"Well, the good thing is that you've done a great job to be here. I promise that the stairs will not provide
any resistance if you choose to follow me to the second floor." He looks up at Dr. Munrow with piercing
eyes as the doctor turns to walk back up the stairs.

Dr. Munrow sits on the sofa in his office with a notepad on his lap. He continues to look at his watch, ta-
pping the note pad with his Alumera pen. Moments later he hears the squeaking of the steps as slow but
silent footsteps move closer towards the landing. The pause between each steps seem to be the same; as
if the patient is unsure of whether to proceed up another flight.
 Moments later, the patient slowly walks into the office of Dr. Munrow -- like an animal pausing at the door
to examine his habitat. He sits on the sofa adjacent to Dr. Munrow with difficulty; pushing down on the cushi-
on with his left arm while tightly holding onto his lifeline-like briefcase.

Scribbling on his note pad, Dr. Munrow thinks heavily. The least he wants to do is antagonize his troubl-
ed patient into reclusiveness and disrupt any chance of establishing a trust with each other.

"Is the sofa comfortable enough? If not, I have another room that we could use but I feel the lighting may
be inadequate there." Dr. Munrow thinks to himself that someday he’ll move his practice out of this old ragg-
ed house desperate in need of attention – God forbid if that someday never comes. “So...what do you say?”

The patient shrugs his shoulders with indifference. Without lifting his head, he looks up at the doctor with
a sign of helplessness only reserved for a child deserving severe discipline.

"Well then I guess this is as good as a place for us to get to know one another. Tell me, what brings you
to Upstate New York? I'm sure there are plenty of fine psychiatrists in Prince of Persia."

He shakes his head in disagreement. "I found your name in the yellow pages."

"Yes. You told me that the first time we spoke and ..." The patient cuts Dr. Munrow off before he can finish
his sentence.

"Then, you 'were' the right person for me to meet."

The doctor hears an emphasis on the word "were" and wonders if the past-tense was indicative of a cha-
nge in personal preferences by the patient.

"Were? Do you mean that you have lost the interest of continuing this discussion with me? I don’t think
we’ve had sufficient time to come to that judgment."

The patient sits there silently. Dr. Munrow can’t deny that the thought of having paying costumers to allow
him to put food on the table for his dear Muskeet and also keep his practice open didn’t enter his mind but lo-
sing a client before proper dialog has begun is unthinkable.

"You don’t understand."

"Tell me then, what don’t I understand?"

The patient begins to rock continuously in discomfort as his vision subsequently turns from Dr. Munrow
to the pale ceiling camouflaged by the sliver of light shining through the louvers; back-and-forth his head
rocks.

"Please close the blinds." As if possible, his knuckles go white as the skin is pulled taught against the
bone; the death grip on the brief case must be excruciating to the old leather. Dr. Munrow hurries to the wind-
ow and quickly adjusts the blinds before taking his seat again; all without taking his eyes off of his patient.

"There, the blinds are closed. Now what is it that is troubling you? We’ve had a brief discussion about this
over the phone but I suspect there’s more to this than meets the eye."

The patient continues to rock his head back and forth with his ragged hair, dark like a ravens mane; giving
his head the illusion of being much larger than it actually is. His eyes sink deep into an abyss, surrounded by
bony cheeks and bushy eye brows -- staring back with the hollowness of an apparition in a ghostly night -- A
sudden chill spills through the room.
 A certain discomfort overtakes Dr. Munrow. "Is everything okay?" Clearing his throat with force Dr. Munrow
repeats himself again. "Is everything okay?"

His patience, forcefully dangling in a noose finally comes to a convulsive and abrupt end. The words that
spilled out of his mouth are harsh and hardly empathic. "You know, if you want to sit there and rock back and
forth that’s fine by me. I’d rather not be charging you for something that I think you should be able to do on
your free time."

The patient’s face becomes intense as the muscles in his jaw begins to pulsate. He sits up in the gloomy
light and leans forward with outstretched arms to put the worn briefcase at a distance between him and Dr. M-
unrow -- spinning the briefcase around so that the knobs face the doctor. Click, click. The latches on the brief
case unlatch and violently slam back against their metal frames. His mane, dark and silk like falls flat on his for-
ehead as he raises his head slightly with his vulture eyes screaming to pierce the darkness that contain them.

Gently, the top of the briefcase is raised slowly. Dr. Munrow sets the notepad on the end table next to his
chair and pushes against the armchair with both arms; raising his slender body ever so slightly so that he can
get a better view of the contents in the briefcase.

"What is it?"

No response. The patient’s eyes, haunting, chill the stale air in the old second floor office. Dr. Munrow takes
a step forward and falls on one knee with both arms resting on the other to support his upper body.

He leans closer until the patient’s face and his are now focused against each other. The patient’s breath,
dry and pungent runs coarse against his scarred lips -- red like lychee.

"What is it?" The doctor asks the patient in a serious tone.

"It’s the future. Do you see? It’s the future."

Dr. Munrow reaches into the briefcase and runs his thumb through stacks of what seems to be card stock
paper. They bounce back against one another like a deck of cards being sorted -- far too many to properly
count.

"May I?" With a struggled smile the patient nods twice. The doctor orderly removes the drawings from the
folder and place them in a neat order before him on the floor. He looks down upon drawings of people and
places: some are sequential art, reminiscent of his childhood days reading comic books while growing up on
his family’s farm. Some of the drawings are violent: showing people screaming in fear and running from some
sort of force, scenes of chaos and destruction litter the streets. One man, with a painted red cross lazily smea-
red against his chest is surrounded by kneeling people – His size is much larger in comparison to what appe-
ars to be his subjects.

"Did you draw these?" He nods with affirmation. "What are they? These represent something else to me –
in your own words, what do they mean to you?"

"Future" His upper teeth scrape against the bottom lips as the flesh struggle to free themselves. The patient
whispers those words as if they carry a taboo or an anathema for all time to come.

"Yes. I know that. You’ve said it more than once. So tell me, whose future is it?"

A look of seriousness comes over the patient’s face and suddenly, the patient does something that the doc-
tor never expected. He grabs the doctor by the back of the neck -- His vice like grip unbreakable and incredibly
painful.
 "What are you doing? Let, let me go. It hurts! Please!" Grimacing in pain, the doctor reaches towards the
back of his neck with his left arm and struggles against the hands of the patient. The patient squeezes harder
and the doctor screams in agony as he throws both arms in the air to show submission.

"Listen to me and listen well. The end of the world is near and death is upon humanity." The patient conti-
nues to talk in a low and haunting voice. "For those that are fortunate enough to pass before that time will be
spared an unbearable suffering."

The doctor voluntarily agrees as if to lesson his suffering.

"Two years from now, an unwholy marriage will take place. A beast in disguise will come upon flesh and
blood and a door will be opened to man’s destruction. From this day forward the agents will acquire key positi-
ons of power and kill anyone that can stand in their way. there's nothing that can stop..."

For Dr. Munrow, the patient’s voice, though powerful and disturbing begins to get lost in the loud beating of
his heart. His neck goes numb as the inescapable pain becomes less painful; his breathing becomes difficult
and heavy as he struggles to maintain consciousness; the tears caught in his spectacles blur his vision as
they slowly drip unto the hardwood floor.

"I...I, can't breeeathe...." The doctor struggles to speak as his wind-pipe constricts from the preasure being
applied to the back of his neck. With long pauses in-between, his heart thuds heavily against his chest as his
pulse slows.

Suddenly, the drawings begin to take a life of their own. The hallowed eyes of the character with the cross
painted across his chest now resemble that of the stranger slowly taking his life away. Not being a religious
man Dr. Munrow finds his suffering at the hands of a deranged lunatic difficult to comprehend. Words that we-
re never seen before jump out of the card stock they were lazily written on. The words, appearing to be a
verse from the bible tell something of peace and an Omen to come.
REJOICE, O Heavens! You citizens of heaven, REJOICE! Be glad!
But woe to you people of the world, for the devil has come down
to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.

Revelation 12:12, TLB

 COMING OF THE STORM

Manhattan, Monday December 24, 2012. The beginning of the end.

High above, the giant skyscrapers

pierce the low-flying clouds with
their pinnacle as they boast a
financial supremacy that has long
been lost to the East.

Below, the air, sharply crisp, blows

the leaves from the side walk with a
silk like buoyancy. The early morning
clouds, smeared with crimson, glow
from the ambient sun.

For the commuters, the morning traffic is

deplorable. The daily discord of squeaking
breaks, honking horns and the sound of
pedestrians beating their heels hard against
the cracked concrete goes hardly noticed.

Suddenly, the cacophony is disturbed by

an explosion in the sky that manages to
catch the attention of everyone below.

Everything grows silent as people look at one

another with fear and wonder. For a city that
is 36 years removed from 9/11 an explosive
noise to this day remains unnerving.

Moments later, another explosion like

the sound of a sonic boom is heard in
the sky. Seconds later, a larger one
that easily puts Krakatoa to shame
forcefully tears the sky apart.

People are knocked unconscious

from the force of the explosion.
Some are instantly killed.

For those who are unlucky to be

conscious, shattering windows
descend upon them, sending them
to a miserable death.

1
 COMING OF THE STORM

Fiery red balls punch

their way through the
crimson shroud and
Soot creates a coffin,
hurtle down at
reducing visibility to
supersonic speed.
as little as 20 feet.

One by one, strange glows

penetrate the darkness,
illuminating everything in
their path as they hurtle
closer towards the city.

People scream and

run in confusion as
everything in their
Closer and closer they
path crumbles to Seconds turn to minutes,
come until finally they
ashes. minutes to hours as the
crash down below and
soot settles down towards
destroy everything.
the earth and decreases
the visibility further.

From far and near, men

and woman alike scream
in terror and panic. The violent destruction
occurring in New York City
The impact of the first is repeated simultaneously
fiery ball sends an throughout the world.
earthquake through the leaving nothing in its wake.
island. The sky darkens.

2
 COMING OF THE STORM

ONE YEAR EARLIER, Paris, France 6:31 PM CEST.

Two month prior to the

presidential race for the
European Union.

The city, the future site for the union’s

capital, struggles to keep up with the
influx of international journalists, chaos
and sometimes dangerous campaign policies.

At the Champs Elysees, the evening rush

hour is accompanied by the quick pace of
motorists and pedestrians leaving a long
day’s work.

Far from being inconspicuous in

the sea of moving vehicles is a
black Mercedes Maybach

With its dark tinted windows,

the vehicle’s occupants are
protected from curious,
Benoit D'Aubigne, the leading candidate wondering eyes.
for the European Union presidency sits
tensely with the country’s French
Minister of Defense, Presscott Winfrey.

Both men hope to capitalize

on the recent anger toward
the United States of America
for the bombing of a nationalized
Venezuelan gold mine after nine
U.S. Workers were killed.

Cardinal Bisante, the only Do not worry,

man who can come between children of God, your
Benoit and the presidency, time for understanding
gives an emotional speech is quickly approaching.
in the working class area
of clichy-sous-Bois

Benoit frowns deeply as he He’s

listens to the cardinal's starting
intent plea to bring express to get an
transportation to the audience.
overlooked urban community.

Please
shut that
off.
his religious
rhetoric is beginning
to give me a
headache.

3
 COMING OF THE STORM

Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Air Force One sits on the tarmac

as President Craig Stephens exits
from the plane with Jack Higgins,
the Secretary of Defense.
The past few weeks have been
tumultuous for the President.
His government has come under
fire for the bombing of the
Venezuelan gold mine in which 22
Venezuelan soldiers were killed.

Listen, we
have to show
strength here, “Jacky”, a name of endearment that
Jacky President Stephens calls the
Secretary of Defense ever since
their rugby days at Boston College.
I can't let
myself worry about
what the world What the Venezuelan
is thinking. President did was illegal.
We'll honor the nine
hard-working men
who died that day.
What if we
fund the Venezuelan
expatriates in Columbia,
Mexico and Guyana?

Like the Bay

of Pigs Part Two?
I don't think so.

Well you know

the CIA can be entirely
Right. blamed for that.

Mr. President,
I take it that your
vacation was a
relaxed one.

Well it was so-so.

How are you adjusting
to your new role as
Secretary of State?
Very well, sir.
Everyone at the
John Carpenter, the
DOS has been
Secretary of State
very helpful.
greets the President
with delight. The XO project is
going as planned, and
we've had successful We should
short test run on have a full-blown
subjects. public test toward
the end of this
The presidential motorcade week.
speeds toward Complex 37
at Cape Canaveral Air Station.

The swelling heat from the

tarmac creates a phantasm
of flashing lights and
shape-shifting objects.

Curious, the workers in

Complex 37 wait for their
chance to see the President
of the United States.

4
 COMING OF THE STORM

Mr. President,
before we arrive at
Complex 37, I think it's
important that you
see something. These photos
were taken 18 hours
ago by one of our
reconnaissance
satellites.

What is it?
The Secretary of State
explains to the president
that the pictures he is
looking at are that of
the French Minister of
Defense, Prescott Winfrey.

The President flashes

John a look of curiosity
as He peruses through
the pictures.

Well, he
certainly likes
to travel in style.
Where were these
photos taken?
Paris?
Yes
This might
sir, they
be a preliminary
were. just
conversation --
18 hours
ago.

We believe that -- toward a

he is meeting with the broader sharing
director of MI6 in a lobby of sensitive information
for the reform of the with all 37 EU
Maastricht Treaty. members.

That's
Prescot Winfrey,
the French Minister
of Defense. He continues
This man, to secretly meet
who is he? with his counter-part,
Saeed Al-Mousuah
in Lebanon.

There have
been a dozen or so
of these meetings
between him and Secret?
Mr. Winfrey. This is
puzzling.
These meetings
cannot be confirmed
by their Ministry as We believe they
actual government were supposed to be.
invitations -- --herefore,
they must be
secret.

5
 COMING OF THE STORM

It gets even
more interesting sir. In the center
These photos were taken is Benoit D'Aubigne
exactly one week ago and behind him is
in Taoudenni, Mali. Ali Abdul-Tawaab

Is it a
training camp?

No sir,
well we're not
quite sure what it is.
Our satellites have
been surveying the
area But -- Ali was thought to
-- nothing be part of the de-listed
has turned up. FTO al-Rafidayn
organization.

You mean
the candidate for the
There's EU Presidency?
Mr. D'Aubigne
again.

Yes sir. The

man himself.

Here is
Mr. D'Aubigne
one week ago,
and 18 hours
ago.

What it is,
we're just not
sure.

We believe
he's playing a
dangerous
game, sir.

Although an
increased U.S., Middle
Eastern policy most likely
will directly parallel an
increase in fundamentalist
proselytization --

it's necessary
we find out more
information from
that training
camp.
Our partners in
Okay, okay. the Sahelian countries can
What is it that be supported on a limited
you need from basis to raid and if needed,
me? destroy the Taoudenni
camp.
It's risky,
--I need to but we feel it's
think about necessary.
FTO - Foreign Terrorist Organization this.
INA - Immigration and Nationality Act
IRTPS - Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004

6
 COMING OF THE STORM

Saint-Vincent, in the Valle

D'Aosta, Northern Italy.

This small landlocked north-western

community bordered by Switzerland
to the north and surrounded by Speaking in Italian,
mountains on all sides is the honeymoon some of the security
location for Sergio Vincente Alejandro detail notice a swarming
and lizbeth de cortez. of ravens in the early
evening sky and point
with excitement.

The idea of target practice

before supper over a mostly
uneventful day is enticing.

Twelve of Sergio's security

forces patrol the hills,
valleys and streets.
These corvus,' unnatural
to this area, fly in a
ring-like pattern over the
honeymooners’ villa.

They're so My love,
loud, my dear. what is it they're
What is it they're saying? They're
saying? so excited.

It's nothing,
my dear. this is a
game they always
play with each
other.

Now don't you

wish you paid attention
to your Italian classes
Oh dear,
in school?
don't be so
cruel.
If I learned Italian,
what would I need to
marry you for?

7
 COMING OF THE STORM

The Raven’s large talons grip

the wooden ledge with force.
shredding the surface into
small pieces.

His eyes, brilliant with desire,

scans THEIR quarter for contents
as the blood of a fresh kill drips
down from its large heavy beak.

sERGIO’S heart begins to

beat faster and faster.

Are you all

right, my dear?
You're starting
to sweat.

Yes my
love. Sergio feels the deep
powerful eyes of the
raven penetrating deep
into his soul.

The raven retreats Sergio slowly closes the

as Sergio walks shutters. But interest in
towards it. him from the raven has not
waned.

8
 COMING OF THE STORM

Alfonso, a young bodyguard,

jokingly swears to his comrades
that this black bird is a minion of
the devil and that he will send
this scout back to the inferno
with his Mod 91.

His friends begin to

celebrate in anticipation
of his accuracy.

He speaks to one of the guards

named Roberto and tells him how Alfonso's aim is steady
his marksmanship won him the as he prepares for his kill.
IPSC shooting competition in his
old town of Verona.

No longer interested in
Sergio and Lizbeth, the
raven's dark eyes turn
toward its hunter.

Suddenly, Alfonso is startled

by something odd - the raven
has disappeared.

His heart begins to beat

faster as his chest
constricts from fear.

Panic stricken, he speaks

harshly in Italian.
Ciò è il
diavolo!

He repeats it over and over

again. THIS IS NOT a minion of
the DEVIL, it is the devil himself.

Alfonso in his excited and

panicked state fails to notice
IPSC: International Practical Shooting Confederation
what his friends are pointing
towards.

9
 COMING OF THE STORM

The raven attacks

Alfonso ferociously.

Its unrelenting assault

paralyzes him with fear as
he frantically and blindly
swings at the Corvus.

Roberto, fearing for his

friend’s life, steadies his Roberto pulls the trigger
aim as Alfonso desperately with determination.
tries to strike at his
attacker.

“Steady”, Roberto thinks

to himself, “STEADY.” he is confident that his
marksmanship will find
its target.
BUT neither he nor
the other bodyguards
expected their friend
to jump in front of
The bullet.

The look of horror on

their faces tells it all.

Alfonso's shattered skull

hits the ground with a hard The other bodyguards weep
thud. His warm blood runs loudly for their friends and
freely from his head. curse the raven with all
their hearts.

Startled by the frantic

screaming, Lizbeth tries
to make her way towards
the window.

Sergio wraps his arms

around her and pulls WHAT
her towards him. WAS THAT?!
Is….is
With her bosom joined to
everything
his chest. he feels her
all right?!
heart beat quickly as she
speaks with excitement.

Sergio’s mind races with

trepidation causing his
stomach to churns with
anxiety.

10
 CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida.
After a briefing on the XO project
and Space Intelligence System, the
presidential motorcade carrying the
president, Secretary of State and
Secretary of Defense makes its way
back toward Air Force One.

President Stephens, exhausted

from the importance of the
meeting, makes light conversation
with the Secretary of State,
You know John Carpenter.
I've always hated
the Florida
humidity? I never could Well, Mr. President,
figure out how they could always move
anyone would want to your home state of
All three men enjoy
to live here during Ohio for the winter
a laugh as the cabin
the summer time. time.
temperature is finally
cooled to their liking.

Jack Higgins, the Secretary

of Defense, begs the president’s
attention to remind him of the
Next time I have importance of the XO project.
to come to Florida can
someone make sure
they leave the cars
running.

Mr. President, the

satellites are scheduled
to be launched in two
weeks into the low
The President chats earth orbit.
with General Turner,
Secretary of Homeland As you were
Security on a Cisco briefed in your XO
IPVC device. meeting, the tracking
mechanisms on the
StarFire satellite
can generate--
I know, Jack.
Let me finish with --the encoding
General Turner. of the DNA.

Jack has the

information
on file.
Here you go,
Mr. President.

XO and
Starfire can work
simultaneously once From there, XO
in the Geo Orbit. can read the electronic
fingerprint from
registrants --
--and compare
it with their
stored DNA.

11
 COMING OF THE STORM

Jack Higgins Continues where

General turner leaves off.

This is the most

sophisticated satellite
ever made by man.

covering each
Its self defense major city and tracking
mechanism includes space StarFire will the residue of all
to land hellfire missiles be able to circle the citizens on this
and partial cloaking. entire globe in a planet.
little bit over
an hour.

With its powerful lens,

StarFire will generate an image
of any weapon, liquid or solid,
that the suspect may be
concealing. All from
36,000 Km above
the equator.

The world isn't

getting any safer, Craig,
I mean, Mr. President.

With a technology
like StarFire, and the ability
to detect any harmful items
--we can stop
that a terrorist may be
terrorism before the
carrying--
terrorist even have
a chance.

Mr. President?

I heard
you, Jack.
It's almost as
if the last days of
freedom for the common
man are disappearing.
What in God’s
name is that?

I've never seen

birds fly in a PERFECT
circle before.
Anyway, it's almost
as if I'm condemning
man with this bill.

Condemning
him forever.

12
 COMING OF THE STORM

The Basilica Della

Consolata, Turin,
Italia. Shining brightly, the
famed roof of the
Basilica irradiates
from the brightness
of the sun.

This is the church which Sergio

Vicente Alejandro, a brilliantly
handsome Italian and heir to a
billion-dollar shipping company,
married the woman of his dreams,
Lizbeth De Cortez, a remarkable
Spanish beauty.

But boredom is the

Devils' Playground.

High above the Basilica, a Raven

so dark that its iridescent feathers
threaten to absorb the sun’s rays
circles patiently hour after hour.

Its presence, is marked

by the shadow it casts
below.

The dark
bottomless
eyes of the
corvid
glowS with

excitement.

It spreads its wings Strangely, the raven

and descends toward turns its attention
a wooden perch. toward the closed
doors of the Basilica.

13
 COMING OF THE STORM

Confetti from the wedding of

sergio and lizbeth remain on
the ground.

A bicyclist, unaware of the

raven rides the lonely early
morning streets on his way
home.

Sister Anna Agatha prays for

guidance as she remembers a
mysterious man with piercing
gray eyes from the wedding.

Her prayers are met with

confusion as her mind
continues to reel from the
moment of the stranger’s
arrival.

The adorned status of

Christ is saddened as it
looks on UPON HER.

In the town of VELEHRAD,

CZECH REPUBLIC. Stay your hands,
my sons and daughters.

Our Father hears

your cries in these
troubled times.

Outside of the Veligrad

convent, Archbishop Bisante Let faith be your guide
gives a sermon to his when your eyes cannot
followers. see the way.

Our As sister Agatha begins

Father-- her prayer, she feels a
sudden darkness.

14
 COMING OF THE STORM

Who art
in heaven--

Her heart beats furiously

against her chest, sweat YOU--
from her palms saturates
her cross.

The stranger falls

silent as he prays.

For the nun, it seems like

eternity. Like a statue he
simply continues to kneel
and pray.

The nun looks on at the

statue of Christ in
desperation.

To her, it seems as if his

saddened face is looking at
this unholy moment with
disgust.

She desperately wants to

flee but her legs are
crippled with fear.

Suddenly, the stranger

opens his eyes.
The dark abyss that fills his
pupils is haunting. BUT his
attention is not toward her.

It is directed toward the

statue of Christ. His eyes
become misty to the point of
tearing.

She looks back and forth,

The nun falls back
between her tormentor and
away from him.
the statue of Christ.

Then her tormentor speaks.

He has heard
your prayers, my
child, and has
informed me-- --that he
will BARE judgment
on your weakness.

15
 COMING OF THE STORM

She struggles
to speak-- You are
--her body
trespassing in
trembles WITH
the Lord’s house
FEAR.
and are not
invited.
May he
YOU FOOL... have mercy on
How can you speak your soul, young
such blasphemy? man.
Her voice
grows hoarse
The stranger is
from fear.
silent once more.

Children of God,
Back at the Veligrad Convent, look upon one another
Archbishop Bisante is finishing and do not judge the
his public sermon. faith of others.
But look
upon one another
as brothers and
sisters of the
light.
BUT be warned
that darkness surrounds
the light, and Among us--
--there are some
whose faith are in question,
some who spy against our
Our Father Father in disguise.
will show them
no mercy.

LET US
PRAY. Our Father,
who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy
name--

Can you hear

The Lord's Prayer?
They sing it loudly
for you.

THY KINGDOM
sister agatha grows silent as she come. THY will
moves away from her tormentor. be done--
She feels a sudden sharp pain
within her shoulders.

she pulls the cross in

her hand close to her
bosom.

A sharp pain in her

stomach sends her
reeling forward.

Her breathing becomes hard

as she stumbles away from
the altar.

16
 COMING OF THE STORM

Panic stricken and clutching

unto the cross, Sister Agatha
runs toward an exit as fast as
her trembling legs can take her.

Barely able to stand, she

stumbles but holds unto the
door with her right hand as
she swings it wide open.

--on earth A jolting substernal pressure

as it is in in her chest sends her towards
heaven. the ground.
Give us this
The pavement pounds her
day our daily
back viciously forcing her
bread--
mouth and nose to run
wild with fluids.

She struggles to get up

from the floor but fear
and weakness have crippled
her legs.

As she lifts her head to

look for help, she sees
something faintly familiar
waiting in the shadows.

--And forgive us
our trespasses, as
we forgive those
who trespass
against us.

And lead
us not into
temptation

A raven with ghostly

haunting eyes beckons
the life from her.

A crushing pain in her

chest sends the nun to
the ground as her world
is turned upside down.
Her legs remain animated
as they struggle to keep up Her right hand claws the
with the life that escapes cobblestones as the left
her body. squeezes the cross tightly
against her bosom.

17
 COMING OF THE STORM

But deliver
us from evil.
Deliver us
from EVIL,
Father.

--Cleanse our
hearts, heavenly
Father, from all
resentments.

With her eyes open, the \

nun’s lifeless body looks
beyond the skies and into
the heavens.

Much to her horror, her last

breath is met by five dark
silhouettes circling high above.

18
One week later. watching
cardinal bisante on xnn channel.

South wall of St. Vitus,

Prague, Czech Republic.
A sea of reporters
scream at the top of
their lungs in an attempt
to gain the attention of
the cardinal.
My brothers and
sisters, the time has
come for a change.
Lost have
we been in the
ways of wars
and deceit.
Let us join hands
and welcome one another.
Hammer your swords into
plowshares and never
again learn war.

Cardinal...
Cardinal...
Cardinal...
CARDINAL...
cardinal… do you
think you have a chance
of winning the Presidency
of the Council?
Cardinal...

I come here,
tireless, with my
Turn your belief --
spears into pruning --the belief that
hooks and let us not we can live with one
raise arms against another in spite of all
one another. our differences.

Fundamentalism.
separatism
and terrorism

A world are all products

where all our of our fears and
children can play misunderstanding.
peacefully.

And you
ask me...
‘Can I win
the Council?’
I come here
as a bridge That is not as
for peace. important to me as
selecting a strong
President who will
bring peace to
the world.

We must strive
for a better and
safer Europe.
One that is
rightfully the
leader of the
free world.
Bring forth a
One that can heal
stronger and better
the rift between HER
candidate and I will
and the West.
pray for his success
and give my vote God willing--
and devotion
to him. -- I shall win
the Council.

19
 XNN headquarters, New York, NY.

Good evening
America. Miles
Montgomery.
That was Cardinal
Bisante, candidate for the
Presidency of the European
Union at his Summits
Across Europe.
The Cardinal's summit
has taken him across France,
Germany, The Netherlands,
Hungary, Austria and now
the Czech Republic.
It seems that the
Cardinal's determination
to be in a different European
state every three days is
not waning.
His meteoric rise
from obscurity in this
race has turned
some heads.
In fact, some are
beginning to question
his motivation for running
for the most powerful
position in Europe.

In a recent European Joining us tonight

poll, 63 percent of the is Carol Baker, an expert
people did not know who in European Union Policies
Cardinal Bisante was. and consultant at the
State Department.
Thank you
That's an amazing Miles. it's good
deficit and something to be here.
that will be difficult for
him to overcome.

If the Cardinal can

become popular among
the European people, he
has the chance of winning Well there
the Presidency. you have it from
our expert.
This year will be
The European
the first that the European
Commission is no longer
Commission, along with the
appointed by Parliament--
presidency, is elected
by its citizens. -- but elected
It will give the directly by the citizens
president of the union of the European Union.
the authority to raise an
army and wage war.

20
 SOLITUDE

Next day, 2:36 PM, New York, NY.

What the f---!

man Are you CRAZY!
She's too big!

WHAT? That's one

fine lady right there.
What the hell do you know
about this? She'll keep
you nice and toasty
in the winter.
Ooohh...
I think I'll
pass.
Would you guys
shut the f--- up
for a second.
We need to find
these guys. Quit
running your f---
mouth and keep You know, you
looking. gotta really learn
how to f--- talk
to people.

What the
f---! Would you
shut your f---
mouth?!

I'm looking.
Can't you see
I'm looking?

Look at all Where the

these people! hell are they?
How the hell are
we supposed to
find anything?

There they are.

You see, right there
walking with the
backpacks!
I told
you they'd
be here.

FOX-HORN
to base, target
in sight. I repeat,
target in sight.

21
 SOLITUDE

Can those idiots

up front shut their
mouths for a second
and just do their
job?

Targets acquired sir.

Probe completing scan
in T-minus 10 seconds.
Scan complete sir.
DNA scan failed to provide
their profile identity, but
all weapons are
accounted for.

GOOD GOD!
What were these guys
planning on doing?
Blow up the Empire
State Building?
This is
fox-horn,
Okay ladies, Yes, sir! bring in the
we got a match! vulture!
Let’s get them.

I repeat,
the VULTURE!

Do you hear
that? That strange
buzzing sound?

A
They're
getting away into
the subway!

22
 SOLITUDE

Good
afternoon,
America.
Miles Montgomery
here, and we have
breaking news.

The three
Earlier this African Americans
afternoon, three are now in the custody
African-Americans of the FBI.
were apprehended in
Manhattan in a plot to Credit to stopping
blow up the Empire the bomb plot has been
State Building. given to the new government
program codenamed XO.
The city
has been on
a high alert
since then.

Its weapons
are electrode discharged
XO is a to incapacitate its
flying druid that subject.
is capable of scanning
individuals for illegal
and dangerous
weapons.

Let’s turn to
As you can see Greg Davidson on
here, the three bombers the streets of
had absolutely no chance Manhattan.
against the XO.

I saw
it all.

The machine
just came out
of nowhere and
shocked them.

It was so
painful to
We need a watch
better defense against
the growing threat of terrorism but they're
and destabilization of protecting our
this government. cities against these
terrorists.
I'm all for
the system. I’M
FOR IT!

23
 SOLITUDE

Wait, are
We've been
you saying this
using the magnetic
was all a test?
spectrum in different
methods to bend the This wasn't
radiation around an actual act
objects. of terrorism?
Our test
subjects, which
included me, were Our prevention
a success. and detection unit
has been conducting
these tests for
some time now.
We're hoping
to deter the
I just never expected terrorist.
the electrode charges to be
that strong from such a Well there
distance. I'm still dazed. you have it
folks.
At the burial of SISTER The safety of
ANNA AGATHA. America is in
good hands.

Thou most worthy

judge eternal, suffer
us not, at our last hour,
for pains of the death, to
fall from thee--

She was a
good nun.

--Of them that

depart hence the Lord,
--Almighty God, and with whom the souls
What was with whom do live of the faithful.
she runnig the spirits.
from?

From henceforth
blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord.
Even so saith
the spirit. for they
rest from their
labors.

Lord, have mercy

upon us. Christ, have
mercy upon us. Lord,
have mercy upon us.

24
 SOLITUDE

St. Anna Abbey. One block from

the Basilica Della Consolata.

Yes, yes.
They called What a shameful waste
this morning. of beauty, Oscar thinks
to himself.

Hello, I believe
my office informed Well I would
you that I would like to have more
be arriving. information on
Anna Agatha.
I am detective
Oscar De Leon. His scavenger eyes freely raid
her bosom while her attention
is turned on finding his documents.

Moments Later.

Her death was

sudden. She was
Sister Anna
a healthy woman.
Agatha? Why, her Burial? I
burial was this apologize for I will show you
afternoon at 2:30. my tardiness. I her cloister, feel
I am sorry... didn't realize free to return at
it would be any time.
so soon.

The sun beats down

furiously upon the
grave diggers.

They quicken their pace to The bottled spirits that await

escape the dread of the rays them in their quarters, rather
and return to their fancy. than the ones they help set free.

Taking notice of the raven,

the gravedigger taunts The raven patiently waits
it in Italian for its search for them to finish.
of Saint meat.

Nessun
alimento qui
por voi.

25
 SOLITUDE

Paris, France.

Cardinal..
Cardinal..

Cardinal..
Standing at the balcony of
his hotel, Cardinal Bisante
listens to the cheers and
adulations of his followers.
He waves with pleasure
as the crowd repeatedly
chants his name.

Cardinal, you
have an important
We love you, phone call.
Cardinal. Nous
vous aimons!

And the Lord

loves you, too, my
children. May his
love...

The Cardinal turns to the

crowd and politely excuses The cheering grows louder and
himself. louder as their voices vibrate
through the aged walls of his
hotel room.

A voice, perhaps Russian,

MOments Later.
speaks slowly and calmly
from the other end.

Yes, this is He speaks as if to convince

cardinal Bisante. the Cardinal that it is not
he who needs the help.
Who is this
and how may Then he offers the cardinal
I help you? a lot more than what his
campaign can do for him.

For a moment Cardinal Bisante

grows quiet as he listens to the
strange voice on the other end
of the phone, then he responds.

I think that's
reasonable.

26
 SOLITUDE

Well, what I want you to

The Cardinal adds that he
you're offering know that I'm telling
wants to be able to tell his
seems simple you this NOT because
entire story without censoring.
enough. I care about what you
can do for me --
but because I
think it is important
that they know why
I am here today.

The raspy voice on the

other end confirms with A brief sigh and muffled
the Cardinal. voices can be heard on
the other end.

People, Food! need

people, calm Food! Water!
down, please. Clothes!
We're here
to help you, but
“I was part of a we need you to
UN peace corps that was stay calm.
stationed in the Srebrenica
region of Bosnia and
Herzegovina--” “6 months after Where is my
the signing of the brother?! Can
Dayton Accord.” you find my
brother?
The Army of
Republika Srpska
took my son 8
months ago.

No, HELP
ME find my
“Suddenly, they
son!
began to fight over
who would be helped No! Me
No,
first. The emptiness first.
give
in their eyes grew
food!
beyond fear.”

“In a matter of
minutes, a full riot broke
out as the refugees turned
against one another
in despair.”
“Overpowered by the
large crowd, the lightly armed
peace keepers stood silently as
the violence spilled from one
section to another.”

Me, me!
Give food!

No me. need
food and water! You don't
belong here!
You're not one
of us!

27
 SOLITUDE

“A heavy, sinking
feeling came over me
as I watched the devil’s
brilliance engulf the
crowd.”

I need food for my

family. We are many, we
need clothes! You
are just one!

“I watched
Please Protect with my naked eyes
help! my baby! as a woman and her
child were kicked
Please
to death.”
Help! “Never
before had I
seen death caused
by violence.”

“I froze
with disbelief.”

But the
violence took the
lives of over 400 people,
with scores needing
medical attention.

That day, there

were nearly 5,000
people in our camp for
food and clothes.

That day, I
understood that
power is a tool that
any man can take and
wield for himself.

A tool that
would create destructive
results if it is not controlled
by a higher goal than
personal interest.
My only
interest is...

28
 SOLITUDE
XNN headquarters,
New York, NY. But I bet most of
you out there are wondering
I how his Presidency could
Wow, this suppose
Cardinal Bisante impact the US economy.
he is.
can't be human.
Well, assuming
I'm telling that he won.
you, he's just
not human.

Aha ha. John, Yes.

that's the sign
of a determined What are
man. some of the
things we could
be expecting?
We've gathered
a panel of XNN analysts
to give their thoughts
on this subject.
Martha?

Well I think if
Cardinal Bisante wins,
we can see stronger
trade relations.
Well I have
to disagree
with Martha. The Cardinal
winning could pose a
serious threat to our which
deteriorating relationship have not worked
with the EU. so far.

This may Have you heard

affect our hunt of this STARFIRE?
for terrorists.
What the
hell is that
supposed
to be--

“Sorry Steve.
We have Cardinal
Bisante on now.”

My only interest,
my fellow men and women,
is to see that the hands
that divided our brothers
in Srebrenica and all
around the world
are stayed.
The violence stayed,
the power checked.

Power is a
sword that should be
wielded with care? we will
find better and peaceful
ways to resolve our
differences.
We will reach out
to those we deem different
than us and offer our
friendship.
Only then will
we find our common
ground? and that is
one of peace.

29
 SOLITUDE

London, England.

The Cardinal's
broadcast continues.

“A peace that
will spread all
around the world
and burn as a
beacon of hope.”

Shibuya ward, Tokyo, Japan.

If I am elected
President of the
European Union, I
will pledge my
life to bring Sydney, Australia.
peace.
--in these
uncertain and
violent times.

Turin, Italia. Looks like

grandma kept Looking for clues to the
things nice sudden death of Sister
and clean. Agatha, Oscar slides
one of her drawers open.

The cloister of Sister

Anna Agatha resembled
that of a college room
dormitory.

In anticipation of the arrival

of detective De Leon, her
belongings were kept as Real
tidy as she left them. clean...

Rummaging through her

neatly stacked slips of
paper, there's nothing
odd that stands out to
Oscar.
Suddenly, something of interest
catches his attention. A blood
stained sketch of a mans face
rests neatly above other papers.

Oscar flips to the sketch

below to see a different
sketch of the same person.

He continues to flip through

This is all the pieces of paper to
strange. notice that they are all one
of the same.

30
 SOLITUDE

Oscar takes a big puff

of smoke as he slides one
of the sketches out of the I don't think
stack of papers. anyone will miss
one drawing.

Hmm...now
what the hell
is this?

As he quickly flips through

Oh. A the pages, Oscar notices some
bible. missing pages

He thinks to himself why

the nun would want to
tear out pages from her
own bible. Ask, and it
will be given you.
Seek, and you will
He continues to turn the pages
find. Knock, and it
unto Mathew and notices a
will be opened
section highlighted. Oscar
for you.
reads the verse out loud.

He hears the faint sound

of a voice over a poorly
Moments later, after tuned radio.
taking the bible and
photo, Oscar concludes
that his visit is complete.

I Cardinal Bisante
want you to free your
spirit and mind from
the things in life that
Hmm..what destroys us.
have we here? Oh great.
the f--- savior Let God into
A holy your hearts.
orgy? of the world.
Oh, they're Vote for the
listening to future of our sons
the radio. and daughters on
election day.

31
 SOLITUDE

Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the

General Mitchell International
Airport.

The StarFire
program was tested
in New York City several
days ago and it was a
success Mr.
President.

John, you
and I both know
Yes. I’ve what StarFire
heard. really is.

How do you I'm well

sell something that aware that times
violates every privacy have changed and
law out there? security is now the
utmost priority.

As Air Force One disappears

into the horizon, President
Stephens thinks to himself--

How do I look
my child in the eye
and put him through
the StarFire registration
process?
To tell him
this is for the -- “there just has
good of man. to be a better way.”

32
 SOLITUDE

Paris, France.

Benoit D'Aubigne remembers

better times as he lonely sits
in his Eduard VII hotel room.
He ponders to himself how
a man like Cardinal Bisante
could make such a dramatic
climb in the polls.

Benoit wonders to himself,

perhaps he has angered God.

He hears a loud thump against

the window that pulls him from
his thoughts.

No to
Benoit!

Down with
Imperialism!
slowly walking
towards the window
his stomach churns
with anxiety.

A Christian protester throws

an effigy of Benoit to the ground
and sets it on fire. The crowd
quickly scatters.

The police retaliate with

battalions as the Christian
crowd is beaten back.

Do you
hear that?
He rubs his head
with desperation.

WHAT! It's
on TELEVISION? Their burning
effigies of me
out there!
How the You have
hell did this to make it
happen? STOP!

33
 SOLITUDE

Saint Anna Abbey.

I found
something that
was a little
bit peculiar.

Have
It was a
you seen
sketch of a man
this person
and I'm hoping you
before?
can provide me
with a clue.

No, I'm
sorry Detective As he walks away, Oscar
De Leon. can't help but take one
I've never last look at her bosom.
seen this man
in this abbey
before.
But you know,
Sister Anna Agatha
was also a visiting
nun at Saint
Sebastian.
You could
perhaps try and
there and I'm sure
someone will know Outside the lobby, the detective
of this man. lights the cigarette with delight
and inhales deeply.

Oscar responds with a

nod and takes the photo
from her. As he walks down the steps
he fantasizes about the many
tricks he could teach her.

Who the
hell are you
my friend?
Just who
are you?

34
 SOLITUDE

Suddenly, from high above

and unknown to Oscar, a
raven soars from a branch

It spreads its large dark wings

wide as they silently knife
through the air towards him.

oblivious to the raven,

He fills his lungs with a He releases the fumes as
large puff of smoke. the sidestream follows the
The tobacco warms burning ash.
him to a calmness.

As Oscar breaths hard,

he notices a growing
darkness consuming the
light above him. What
the hell?

The ravens attack is both

fierce and quick. Its large
talons barely misses the OW!!
detectives head.

You You son

son of a of a bitch!
bitch! Come back
and get some
more!

He continues to curse
profoundly as the raven
soars towards the horizon.

35
 SOLITUDE

Valle D'Aosta, Northen Italia.

After the death of one of the

bodyguards, the honeymoon
location is moved higher into
the hills to a more secluded
area.

You are so
funny my dear. Careful
Are you sure you love.
know what you're
talking about?
Oops!
Are you
certain that
you want to have
a baby now?

Yes, yes.
I am sure
dear. Now see
what you've
I think gone and
it is time. done.

Yes my
dear, I am
sure.
I've been thinking
about this for some
time now and I know
it is right.
I can't explain
to you why I feel
this way.
If I tried,
I can only say
that it is a STRONG
feeling and one that
perhaps was directed
from above.

36
 SOLITUDE

I understand
my dear.

Please Hector,
no guests or
gun shooting. Yes sir.

One week later.

In the hotel room
of Benoit D'Aubigne.

He sits silently in his

room in anticipation
of the presidential
results.
t
t
t
t
Monsieur
I'm sorry. bien. Merci.
why don't
you try back
later.

37
 SOLITUDE

XNN European News.

With only minutes That's

left to the tallying of right Miles
the votes for the first
European Union public From the early
presidential election, polls conducted by
one can only guess the UN election watchdog,
who it will be. it seems that Cardinal
Bisante has gained an
unprecedented amount
in the popular
votes.

I honestly
think that he has
a very good chance
of completely winning
this election.

In fact it could
be a complete land
slide by the time the
actual results
are compiled.

Now wait Yes! Yes,

just a he will win.
minute.
and it will be
Are you by a landslide.
trying to tell
me that Cardinal With so many
Bisante is going poor states in the
to win this European Union, Cardinal
election? Bisante's cause is
widely popular.

Politics is
But an action under
we're talking practice.
politics here.
He will learn
not to govern as he
philanthropy. has learned
to heal.
What does
the Cardinal know Wow.
about POLITICS? That's
interesting.

Well my
friend that's
all the time we
have today.
You may be
right, but only
time will tell. It seems
that all votes have
been tallied and it's
only a matter of
time now.

38
 SOLITUDE

Paris, France. La Madeleine Cathedral.

The doors of the church have

been locked to the public to
give Cardinal Bisante the privacy
he needs. Heavenly
father, in the
event I win, give
Out of respect, His supporters me the strength
silently wait outside. to be a good
leader.

Guide my
hands in these
struggling and
unsafe times.

Let me
do your
Protect me
bidding.
from those that
wish to do me
harm.

quitely Benoit sits in

his hotel room. His eyes
affixed to the television
in anticipation of the
election results.

Strike down
my enemies with Give me the
your might. strength to lead
my people from
the darkness.

Benoit's bloodshot eyes

beg for sleep. but the
he grips the sofa hard
election result is
as the commentator
far more important.
prepares himself.

People of I REPEAT!
the EUROPEAN
UNION.
You have
a new leader!
You
have a NEW And his
LEADER! name is...

39
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

The crowd outside La

Madeleine hold hands
and brace themselves
for the election
results. They grow to a complete
silence. not even a single
breath is taken.

Europe
has a new
leader!

Cardinal Cardinal
Bisante is Bisante is
your new I repeat the President of
leader! the European
Union!!
Benoit releases his tight
grip on the sofa as his
lifeless eyes look beyond
the television and into the
dark corner of the room.

Sweat pours from his brow

as his lips quiver in despair.

It's
pandemonium
here!
I mean it
is absolutely
hysterical. Lisa?
can you hear
me?
Frankfurt, Germany.
Czech Republic. I think the
Cardinal is a At the Johann Wolfgang
great man and Goethe University.
will restore the
economy of the This is
Czech Republic good. Good for
state. Europe, good
for the USA and
good for the
world.

Paris, France. Make us

great!

Cardinal We
love you!

May God
guide your
hands my
lord!

40
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

After days of being glued to

the couch, Benoit makes his way
towards the bed and slowly
reaches for something under
his pillow.

Protect me
in these unsafe
times so that I may
carry your mission
to the fullest.
Thank
you
father.
Thank you Benoit solemnly walks
for everything past the television with
you have done for a gun in his hand.
your children.
I will
not let
you down.

My lord, strike your

enemies with your might.

Let them taste

your Fury.

His lips quiver and hands tremble

with fear as he presses the cold
chamber firmly under his chin.

His mind races to his struggles

of a poor childhood, his first love,
his first encounter with Prescott
Winfrey and the promise of winning
the election.

As he slowly squeezes the trigger,

the feeling of not being good
enough slips through his brain.

Slowly he closes his eye

lids and squeezes them
together tightly. as the loneliness consumes
him, his hopes for a second
chance fade.

A single breath is released

in his darkness. His finger
trembles against the cold
lonely trigger --
and then...

41
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Hurry,
hurry!!
Outside the hotel room of
Benoit D'Aubigne, the security
guards are startled by a
muffled sound followed by They race for their
something falling unto the weapons with urgency.
ground.

Break it
down!!

Dammit
The door splinters at its
hurry!!
hinges as it is forcefully
kicked open.

Cardinal Bisante slowly opens

the doors of the church to the
public as he is greeted with
ovations from thousands of
his supporters.

You my
people have
spoken!

You have
chosen your
president!

And I
am here to
serve you!

Blessed this
day that the LORD
has given us!

42
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

XNN American Headquarters, New York, NY.

But honestly,
who really knows
Good what will become
evening of her?
America.
It is Day
2 after Cardinal
Bisante's election
as the new leader
of the free
world.
If you are It can be
like me, you’re Some of the agreed that all
probably thinking leading economists manufacturing jobs,
What will all say that this is going except for robotics
this mean for to be the worst of have shifted to the
America? times for America. eastern part of
the world.

Consumer Bern Edwards of

spending is at Bern, Stern, Wadwick
an all time low since and Associates has noted
post World War II, and that the world real GDP
Here's Bern
the feds may have growth was flat
Edwards.
to cut interest last year.
rate again.

So are you
saying that we're
heading into a
recession?

The GDP
weighted average
of 10-year government
bonds yields more inflation
in the United States, United
Kingdom, Canada, Japan
and China.

It is much
worse than In our growth
that charts, the average
growth rates of individual
countries are aggregated
using purchasing power
parity weights.

Due to the
downward trend,
the aggregates are
shifting to
slower growing
Correct.
countries. So this is
sending the
world into a
recession.

43
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Times Square. New York, NY. LaGuardia Airport,

Queens, New York.

A city cab quickly stops

You heard
at the departure gates
it, America. We
for Air France.
may be in for
the worst of
times.

You son
of a B---, Give
a tip the next
time.
The door to the cab opens
slowly as a man of French
African descent hesitatingly he waves goodbye to
exits from the rear. the cab driver.

Minutes later, another taxi

carrying a second African
arrives at the Continental
Airlines departure gates. Another man of African
descent exits.

A third African arrives at

the KLM Royal Dutch
departure and quickly
exits the taxi.

He pulls his suitcase with

a quick stride as departing
planes thunder above.

44
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

J'ai seulement
Air France check-in. une identification
de commerce. Y a-t-il
un problÈme
avec cela?

Traveler’s
identification,
passport and
ticket please.

The African replies to the

receptionist in a heavy
accented French. perhaps She nods “no” and
originating from a west takes his paperwork.
african country such as
Burkina Faso.

You will be
leaving from gate
Merci.
A1. Follow the
terminal to
your left.

Continental check-in.

Here you
go, sir. You're
The second African
checked in.
prepares himself at
the counter. Moments later.

KLM check-in. Business.

Strictly
What is business.
the purpose
of your
trip?
I heard
that they're No way.
going to bomb
Venezuela.

You’re
checked in,
sir.
You will
want to take
Yes! I'm
the first right
serious.
and look for
gates E.

45
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

People from all around the

world travel through this
gateway. hurrying to their
final destination.

The second African,

The first african walks appearing behind him,
at a steady pace. He also walks at a
tries to avoid eye steady pace.
contact with anyone.

The first African takes a

quick glance over his left
shoulder.

He quickly resumes his pace.

He thinks to himself if any
one will notice him.

The third African appears

behind both men. He takes
notice of them and steadies
his pace.

The second African makes eye

contact with him and they both
quickly look away to survey
the crowd.

The first African breaths a

sigh of relief as he reaches
his terminal.

He thinks to himself
perhaps they will all
go UNNOTICED.

46
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

The first African now at ease

walks calmly with both hands
resting comfortably in his As he approaches his
pockets. gate, he smiles deeply.

The other Africans also

make it to their airlines.

Air France departure: 3:00 PM.

KLM departure: 3:35 PM.

Continental airline departure: 5:00 PM.

Each African sitting

comfortably in their
coach seats await for
their in-flight meals
and final arrival in
Paris, France.

47
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Cleveland, Ohio.

Overlooking the Interstate

77 North and South highway
toward downtown Cleveland.

In the recent weeks,

the price of gasoline
has skyrocketed. Motorists impatiently await
the first delivery of gasoline
from the Alaskan refineries.

Continuing delays at the

government-run agency
has caused shortages at
some stations.

Hey
you!
You!
You gotta
pay for that,
Hey Charlie,
I think this is one man!
of them. One of
The attendant quickly
them n*ggers.
pursues the motorist.

Man you
crazy!
w I wasn't stealing
nothing, but now--
A pungent odor rises
from the squealing
tires and hot asphalt.
forget it!

The Cutlass oversteers

widely, hitting the curb
and bouncing violently
onto the 90 West freeway
entrance.

Furious, the attendant

curses at the top of
his lungs

48
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Hours later. This black

guy refused to
pay for his He then
Yeah! gasoline! punches me
in the belly and
drives off.

So can you
tell us what
happened?

With gas
prices expected
to increase...
..WAIT...

WELL--

it seems that
the gasoline business You
is turning into a very
dangerous one. liar!!

All you You probably

people are steal gasoline,
the same! You wanna too!
blame someone
black for
everything.

o
Her palm lands hard
WHAT! against his cheeks.

SHUT your
mouth fool!

You've
seen it here
in Cleveland,
Ohio.
There
doesn't seem
to be a letup in sight
on the squeezing
of the wallets of
the consumer.

49
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

XNN Headquarters, New York, NY.

Good
evening,
America.
We have
late-breaking
news from
Cleveland,
Ohio.
One of our
affiliates in the
Midwest, WJNR TV,
has the first of what
may be many confrontations
at gasoline stations due to
the unrelenting gouging
of the American
consumers.
This issue
may become a bigger
problem for the cash-strapped
middle class, which could
further sink the economy
as they cut back on
their spending.

Fed boss
Charles Chaplatin
is expected to speak
before Congress
tomorrow.
Bulls are
hoping that he
can cool investors
already shaken on
a weak housing
market.

Stronger
President trade relations
Craig Stephens and lower tariffs
has arrived in with North and South
Santiago, Chile, American countries,
for the APEC excluding Venezuela,
Summit. will be his
agenda.
This is to
position the U.S.
to compete better
with the European
Union.

Cardinal Good
Bisante's coronation night America.
will take place a GODSPEED.
week from now
in Paris, France.

50
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Santiago, Chile.

The Chilean Foreign Minister

covers the agenda with the
crowd of high level officials President Craig Stephens
from member countries. sits restlessly in the
crowded room.

He struggles to listen to
the interpreter, distracted
by the many decisions he
faces in front of him.

all of a sudden, he feels

someone tug on the back
He rubs his temple of his chair. but his
with agitation. wandering mind pays it
little attention.

President Stephens has

the strong sensation of
someone leaning over
his shoulder.

The heat from this

person is intense.
His nose twitches. the
curious smell of brimstone
overpowers his senses.

51
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

He is
moving.
The
President
is moving.

The President’s moves are

smooth and deliberate. He
swings his chair around
to see the person behind
him.

The Chilean Foreign

Minister pauses in
mid-sentence and
remains silent for
the United States
President to be
seated. My
apologies,
gentlemen.

“Madness,” President
Stephens thinks to
himself -- “Madness” --
as he looks at an empty
seat behind him.

He feels his heart

beating intensely.
The Chilean Foreign
Minister resumes his
speech as some
delegates gossip
amongst themselves.
He struggles to
calm himself.

Is everything all
right comrade?

Yes.
thank
you.
Sorry for
the disturbance.

52
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Hours later in the quarters

of the President and the First
Lady, barbara stephens.
You know
you've been under
Are you a lot of stress
sure there was lately and
someone behind perhaps...
you?

You know
Barb, I would've
sworn that someone
was actually
behind me. How can
you explain him
touching my face,
not to mention the Oh wow.
smell of his Now that's
It was like breath? nice.
I think
fire. I can still I'm going to
feel the heat and go and brush
taste the stench my teeth
on my tongue. now.

h
Very
Times like
funny.
these is when
we need funny
things in our
lives.

Yeah,
I guess
you're
right.

What's that?
Over there in
the corner.

--the RAVEN?
It was delivered
this morning.

--I believe
it's a gift
to all the
delegates.

53
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

XNN News. 6:30PM.

On the last days
of the APEC Summit, it
seems that President
Stephens has caught
a bit of the jitters.

It is rumored
that the president
inadvertently disturbed
the delegation by,
well, how can
I put it?
The president
jumped out of his
seat because he reported
the case of a severe
heartburn.
Not really
sure how accurate
that story is, America,
but that's what we've
been told.

In other
It seems that news, a bomb
the President will exploded in the
depart early from Chile Igbo area of Nigeria,
and return to the United killing a reported
States tomorrow to be 300 people.
briefed on the new
defense system

Stocks
fall sharply as
the US announces The
more tariffs on DOW Jones
Chinese goods. Industrial Index
drops farther for
the third straight day
as panic-stricken
investors dump
stocks.
The death
of Benoit D'Aubigne
after losing the race
The church
to Cardinal Bisante is
continues to
being investigated.
grieve on the death
Let’s go live.
of Sister Anna
Agatha.
The beloved
missionary died
of a sudden heart
failure 8 days ago.
She was 73.

54
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Paris, France.

Well, as
you can see here,
this area has been
cordoned as the police
investigate the death
of Monsieur
D'Aubigne.
It has
been reported
that for a while,
his aides found him
uncharacteristically
unreachable.
The fact is,
no one really knows
Some even say for sure what went on
the stress of conceding behind these closed
the lead and then the doors during his
Presidency of the Union last hours.
to Cardinal Bisante
was overwhelming.

Follow me
as we take a
look inside.

I should
warn you that
what I'm about to
show may not be
suitable for
all.

We can see
From the his blood-stained
ballistic report, sheets. It seems that
it is estimated that the bed has not been
the impact angle was slept on for quite
60 degrees, signifying some time.
that it was Monsieur
D'Aubigne alone
who pulled the
trigger.

It is an
What unfortunate
happened circumstance, but
in here? Who the president has
knows? been elected and
it is Cardinal
May Monsieur Bisante.
D'Aubigne finally
rest in peace.

55
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Sant' Agata Dei Goti, Rome, Italy.

Detective Oscar De Leon

arrives at the gates of
this old church.

The 1956 Mercedes Benz

300SL silver skin sparkles
in a hue of faded brick and
mortar.

As the gullwing comes to

a stop, the tires screech
hard as they slide on the
old cobble stone.

He balances a cigarette
in his mouth and pushes Turning around to look
the doors shut. at the gates, he notices
Saint Agatha holding her
severed breast.
Reaching through the gates,
Detective Oscar firmly grabs
the door knocker and beats
it repeatedly against the door.

Moments go by and
still no response.

Damn.
Just my
luck.
Well, I guess
that's what I get Can I
for not believing in help you?
all this religious
crap.

Excuse me,
excuse me, can
I help you?

I heard
you, friend.

Yes, I was
wondering if
you could take
a look at
something.

56
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

I was told
you were good
friends with Sister
Anna Agatha. I'm
hoping you can
help me with
this.

Well, let
me see what Suddenly the parishioner's
you have lips tremble with fear.
there.

The parishioner's hand

shakes as he quickly
hands the sketch back
to the detective.

No. But
I'm confused. you must be
Is there something careful,
wrong? friend.

About
what?

You must
Moments later, detective
be careful of
De Leon drives away.
the devil my
friend.
He has
arrived here
on earth.

57
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Charles De Gaulle
International Airport.

Paris, France.

The African grins

with delight.

He no longer struggles
to understand the terrible
English spoken in the West.
He thinks to himself
how much he despises
that country.

He knows his disdain

will have to wait.

For now, what's important

to him is that he does not
lose sight of his mission.
Blend into the crowd and
be unnoticed.

A gentle breeze warms his The African gives

face as he exits the airport. the contact his bag.
He smiles deeply and looks
around for his contact.
There.

They both walk slowly

with their heads down. As they walk towards
a black unmarked van.
The contact flashes a
smile to the African.

The distance between

them and the airport
begins to grow.

The contact slides the Inside, he notices the faces

van door open as the of the other Africans in the
African steps inside. airport at la Gauradia.

58
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

The van makes its way

out of the airport and
speeds onto the A1. Its fading black skin
reveals letters that
once distinguished the
van as a business
automobile

Nos sommes des

Peintres.

“We are Painters.”

The heavily-tinted
windows hide the
They sit quietly with
Africans from
one another and avoid
prying eyes.
eye contact as much as
possible.

Waiting. For their

Patiently. mission.

The van blends into the

slow-moving traffic as
it prepares to exit.

Cape Canaveral,
Florida.

The XO Defense rocket

prepares for its maiden
voyage into space.

59
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Mission Control.

John Carpenter, the Secretary

of State leans over the
shoulder of a technician.

Although for different

reasons, both men appear
to be nervous.

A series of numbers appear

and disappear before them
on computer screens.

The XO
code is being
compiled now,
Good.
Mr. Secretary.
How long will
it take?

Charlie,
It shouldn't can you patch
be long, sir. I'll me through to the
keep you posted. President?

Mr. President. If everything

Everything is on goes smoothly,
schedule with I believe we should
the launch. be complete within
the next hour
or so.

This will
put us right
on schedule for
a mid-afternoon Yes, Mr.
launch. Barring President. I
the weather, understand your
of course. stance on this
subject.
Once XO
is in orbit and
when the bill
passes--
--it will
be as simple
as pushing a
button.
Yes. IF
the bill
passes.

60
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Paris, France.

Old footage of President

Cardinal Bisante is replayed
on a large screen outside
Le Pantheon.

Workers quickly assemble

the stage that will be used
for the public coronation.

The Cardinal will officially

become Europe's first
executive president.

spotlights are raised high,

cables pulled taut against
the poles and then tucked
seamlessly under the base.
You can smell the
sweat in the air.

Hey get
the camera out. A reporter watches in amazement
We have to how quickly this area is being
get this. transformed for this historical
event.

He speaks with
urgency.

Point
there. Yes, the
Cardinal will piqued at the slow pace
enter from of the cameraman. The
The cameraman searches there. reporter looks at his
for the perfect shot. watch.

Suddenly, the sound of

wings beating hard against
the air is heard behind them.

Aghast by what he
sees. The reporters
eyes open wide.

61
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

Suddenly, the sky Are you

grows dark. getting
this?

A fast-moving sheath
approaching the Pantheon
blocks out the setting sun.

What?
I'm
getting The workers tremble
out of with fear.
here!!

NO!
You KEEP
shooting!

The cameraman struggles

to steady the camera.

The reporter pulls

hard at the collar
of the cameraman.
He yells obscenities
at him, demanding
that the camera be
steady.

The cameraman continues

to twitch in panic as scores
of raven burst out of dark
clouds.

Suddenly, the reporter’s

voice begins to drown
within the thunderous noise
of their powerful wings and
guttural cawing.

“Steady it.” the

reporter says.

Look!
Look!

62
 THE DEVIL'S STAKE

It's
true!
It's
true!
Make
sure you
get all
that! Wait.
Get that Can't you
too! see? HE’S here!
HE’S here!

The lurid
sky causes a
worker to pray
for mercy.

The devil
is here on
earth--

--And soon
the antichrist
will come.
Lord
have mercy.

The ravens block the

sun and plunge Le
Pantheon into darkness.

They circle above, once,

twice, three times and
then disappear back into
the dark sheath.

More workers fall on

their knees and beg for
salvation.

Soon the area is

pitched into total
darkness.

63
 CORONATION

Rome, Italy.

Detective Oscar speeds

down an old country
road in the Mercedes
300SL Gullwing.

He gets a sense of
exhilaration as he
pushes the vintage
automobile.
The vibration of the pedal
and roaring sound of the
engine eases his tension.

As the distance between him

and Sant' Agata Dei Goti
grows, he can't help but
remember the look on the
parishioner's face.

Who the hell believes in

the Devil or God, the
detective mumbles to
himself.

He hits the brakes hard

as he comes to a sharp
winding turn.
“I hate ravens.” He
thinks to himself.

There's
something
underneath
What's
the picture?
this?

As he adjusts the wheels

to correct for oversteer,
the detective notices a
raven perched on a tree in
the rear view mirror.
He wonders to himself
why he's never seen
that before.

64
 CORONATION

He struggles to remove
the top picture without
damaging the one below.

What
the hell
is this?
Well let’s
see what we've
got here.

So this
is supposed
to be the man that
the parishioner
and nun think
is the devil,
huh?

To the detective, it was only

a brief moment that he took
his eyes of the road.

But when he finally looks

up, he sees a slender dark
figure standing in his way.

The detective steers hard

right to avoid hitting him.

He is bewildered as the
figure appears to take
a step towards his path. He brakes hard, downshifts
and turns the wheel to the
right to compensate.

The detective makes

eye contact with the
stranger's dark
burning eyes.

The back-end of the

Gullwing kicks out
widely.

It fishtails to the right

and then careens wildly
toward the edge of the
hill.

65
 CORONATION

It crashes through the guard

rails with such force to cause
Metal to bend like paper.

shattering glass into

hundreds of little
pieces.

It flips on its top and

tumbles down a steep
hill.

The tires and hood are

forcefully torn apart.

Finally, the tumbling stops

and the Gullwing slides
gently to the bottom.

No longer is it recognizable
as the beautiful car it once
was.

Precious parts decorate

the landscape like confetti--

--hissing to a final
rest.

66
 CORONATION

A fleet of black Cadillac DeVilles

round the corner in front of the
federal courthouse in downtown
Santiago.

Bystanders wave and cheer in

the light drizzle as the last
of the motorcade disappears
around a corner.

Inside, the President of the

United States of America
gazes out toward his
few admirers.

He tries desperately to make

out the figures at a distance,
but they remain blurred by
the drizzle against the window.

The motorcade enters

America Vespicio Highway
toward Auropuerto de
Santiago.

His mind is burdened by

the many decisions he
faces for the future of
America.

He knows he gets most

of his inner strength
from his wife.

Don't think
too much about
I'm sure
your decision,
you'll do what's
my love.
best for the
nation.

I know.

These are
difficult times
for all of us.

67
 CORONATION

I just
think that this
XO project is a very
bad idea. It will strip
us of the only thing
we have left. Our freedom
and dignity.

What do
you mean?

He hugs her passionately. She knows no more

The warmth of her bosom words are necessary
on his chest calms him. to comfort him.

After all the years of

marriage, she knows
he still finds comfort
in embracing her.

Mr. President.
Mr. President.

Mr. President.

Mr. President.

Yes? Mr. Secretary

What is John Carpenter is
it? on the secured
channel.

President Stephens answers

the VoIP call with resentment.

68
 CORONATION

Mr. President.
We've got some really
bad news here.
I'm not sure
how the XO launch
became public but
it's on XNN right
now.
No. I mean
I'm watching
it right now.

The leak
didn't come
from the State
No, sir. Department.

We've been
working closely
with the CIA and DOD
so it could be from Yes, sir,
anyone of them. I agree. What
do you propose
that we do?

Yes, sir.
I'll get right Get on
on it. the line and Make sure
make some you get on that
calls. show before things
go from bad
to worse.
Yes, Mr.
President. We'll
schedule it for
tonight.
Hopefully by
the time you come
back we will have
this mess under
control.
Have a
safe trip.

The president’s motorcade

enters SCL Auropuerto de
Santiago.

69
 CORONATION

Some where outside

of Rome, Italy.

Detective De Leon groans

slightly as he begins to
lift his head out of the
dirt field.

Shattered glass pierce

his soft flesh and dig
deeper with each movement.

Slowly, He begins
to remember the
sharp pain of his
head between the
Where the hood and the
hell am I? steering wheel.

Perhaps he remembers
The pain in his head
it too well.
suddenly radiates
down to his neck
and legs.

His eye lids become

heavy and his vision
wanes.

His head falls clumsily

into the dirt.

When he regains consciousness,

he would have added a broken
nose to his list of growing
problems.

70
 CORONATION

Le Pantheon, Paris, France.

Higher and higher the scaffoldings

go as the workers near the completion
of the Cardinal's coronation stage.

The three Africans, renowned

for their craftsmanship have
not spoken to one another
since arriving in Paris.

The African with braided hair,

an expert with electronics,
checks the stage for exposed
wiring.

He looks over his right

shoulder and flashes a Then to his left.
smile to one of his African sending a wink to
colleagues. the bald one.

Barely lifting his lips,

he returns a wry smile.

The braided African

seems satisfied by the
gesture and walks
away.

The bald African gives

him a thumbs up.

Throwing 10-gauge cables

over his shoulders, the bald
African shows his remarkable
strength by scaling the
scaffolding with them in tow.

He sweats profusely as
he climbs higher and
higher with that strange
smile on his face.

71
 CORONATION

Good evening,
America. I'm Miles
Montgomery.
Tonight on
the Bernard King
show will mark the
first appearance of
Secretary of State,
John Carpenter.

We have
confirmation that
the Secretary will
discuss the XO Defense
project which is expected
to be launch into space
later this month.
Our sources
reveal that XO will
in fact be a system that
is capable of scanning
the earth’s visible
surface for specific
individuals.
Perhaps this is
a new counter-terrorism
You effort proposed by
can be sure that the government.
we'll be keeping close
eyes on the Secretary
of State and bring
you any breaking
news.

We have Dr.
William Wright,
director of the
Bioscience nv in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Dr. Williams?

Are you
Well, Miles, telling me that
we've been working you can digitally
on a process of find a person
tracking individuals based on their
based on their DNA?
biophysiology.

Well, America,
harvesting your
Yes. And in DNA may be the
a global environment, fingerprinting
satellites could of the future.
be used to triangulate
a person’s location.

72
 CORONATION

Hours later in the preparation

room of the Bernard King show.
Dr. Williams,
that was one
fantastic job
you did there.
The Secretary of State
surrounded by his advisors
discuss their plans for
bringing support to the XO
project.

This will
give us some time
in establishing XO as
the practical solution
to protecting America
Thank you, and the world.
sir. He ate every
word I said.

Don't let He has a

Bernard King tendency to
get ahead of try and outwit
you. some of his
guests.

If he knows
what's good for
him he'll stay
in his place.

Remember
WELL-- XO is--

In 5
minutes Mr.
Secretary.

It's
show time,
I've
gentlemen.
got it--

Halfway around the

UHHH--
world, Detective De
Leon breathes heavily.

An egression of blood from

his mouth and nose drip unto
the dirt field.

His fingers slowly

move with life.

73
 CORONATION

Uhhh.....
my back.

Why can't
I can't I feel my
feel my legs?
legs!

His head, heavy as an

anvil rises slowly The detective beats
from the ground. his fist into the
ground with anger.

Come on.
Let’s get
moving.

With a sudden thrust,

Detective De Leon hears
a crack in the lower
portion of his back.

He bites his lips hard.

His arms twitch uncontrollably

as they struggle to hold the
weight of his body.

Ohh...ohh...
jeezz us..

The searing pain in his

back forces him to
cringe in agony.

Finally, a sudden sense

of urgency to survive
overcomes him.

A sharp agonizing pain

travels slowly through
the detective's spine.

Paralyzed by the pain, he As the plodding pain reaches

bites down hard, chipping the base of his skull, he
some of his teeth in the SCREAMS uncontrollably and
process. beats his fist into the ground.

74
 CORONATION

Detective De Leon opens He thinks to himself how

his eyes slowly and ironic that the chirping of
notices that he has been the crickets seem to be
robbed of the daylight. more like the ticking of
his life.
He wonders to himself
how long he has been
unconscious.

Detective De Leon slowly

lowers his head onto the
ground.

His heart beats with force

against the dry surface.

The night grows silent.

TOO silent for a NIGHT
not inside a COFFIN.

The Detective quickly

opens his eyes.

He raises his heavy The raven's dark shape

head to see what is familiar to the detective
could possibly scare
the night away.

In the short distance, on

that lone tree, he sees
something still within the oh those dark eyes, they
shadows. glow within the moon’s
luminescence.

75
 CORONATION

SCL Aeropuerto de Santiago.

President Stephens prepares

to board Air Force One.

He waves to his adoring

fans with his wife by his side.

As the president boards

Air Force One, a sea of
They wonder why the
reporters surround the
president had to leave
Press Secretary.
their country with
such haste.

President Stephen taps He sees XO as the ultimate

the manila folder marked downfall of man.
confidential in red letters
with his knuckles.

The DOD calls it

the new age of man.

As he rubs his chin, he thinks

to himself what the future will
An age where a single hold for our children.
drop of blood is all that
it will take for the
satellites orbiting the
earth to track a person
through Molecular Digital
DNA sampling.

His stomach turns

with unrest.

The large General Electric jet

engines thunder Air Force One
high above the Andes Mountains
in preparation to cross over them.

President Stephens, not

wanting to think any more
about XO leans back in his
seat and closes his eyes.

76
 CORONATION

Live on the Bernard King show.

Well as
promised, America,
our special guest,
Secretary of State
John Carpenter.

Thank you,
Bernard, it's a
pleasure to be here
and answer any
questions you
may have.

Thank RUMORS?
you. XO will perhaps
supercede the
Patriot Act and
the International
Act.
Well as Think of it
you know, I have as removing the
some question fences and creating
centered around more of a global
XO. The rumors trust system.
are --

Simply put,
XO will make it
possible for us
stop terrorism
before it could
possibly even
start. Yes. Which
is probably one
It is an
of the few last
intelligent
things we have
system based
in common as So exactly
on the human
humans, right? how does it
DNA.
work?

It works by
being able to So you're
digitize your telling me once
DNA and A GPS you have my DNA,
basedsystem to you can track my
establish the location around
coordinates. the world.
No matter
where I am?

In clear It's a fusion

sight? Yes. of frequency and
xray like detection
-- all from above.

Once the
This is person is located,
incredible. XO can detect the
hidden weapons or
explosives.

this person is
carrying and send
them to the command
centers in real
time.

77
 CORONATION

Outside of Rome.
Simultaneously sheering
bark from the fragile
The Raven releases its
branch.
grip from the branch

With one powerful push,

the large wings propel
this corvus high into the
air. its eyes glow wildly
as the raven appears to
descend from the moon.

Detective De Leon is alarmed

at the raven’s fast pace.

Mesmerized by its glowing

eyes against the silhouette
of the moon, he fails to
realize that the raven is
actually moving toward him.

Suddenly, the large opened

beaks are illuminated as they
consume the darkness.

His mouth quivers with anxiety,

but yet, the detective thinks to
himself perhaps the raven is
not descending towards him.

This is crazy--

Detective De Leon struggles

hard to dislodge himself from
the Mercedes. He pushes hard
with all his might to no avail.

Oh No! Oh No!

78
 CORONATION

The detective screams as the

raven's powerful claws
He swings widely at the
scrape at his forehead.
raven with his free hand
but the bird proves too
illusive for him.

With a quick thrust of its

large beak, the raven
severs his right eye.

In excruciating pain the detective

reaches for something trapped
under the door of the Mercedes.

The raven slashes the detective The detective swipes at the

relentlessly. He continuous raven with his right hand
desperately to reach for to create some distance
something under the door. between him and it.

Gripping the gun tightly,

he buries his head into
the ground.

The pain in his skull is

intolerable.
With a 9mm he fires wildly
at the raven. Straining to
see it in the darkness with
his one good eye.

The detective looks up at

the raven with blurred
vision as his bloody eye
continues to paint the field. He sees the birds glowing
eyes in the darkness of the
night.

79
 CORONATION

What would
something like this
cost the taxpayers
in an already
shrinking economy?
We have a
I'm not obligated
middle class that's
to talk about the final
struggling with the
cost of the project but
staggering price
the benefits of XO will
of gasoline.
pay for the project
itself.

The fact is we
need a world that's
safer for commerce.
Terrorist states are
being formed as
we speak.
Education,
energy, security
and jobs. You're capable
of purchasing those
You're a
three items at their
wealthy man, mr.
premium cost.
Secretary.

Bernard King’s voice, Touche. And the

sounding more like president? What
the deep rumble of a does he think of
poorly tuned engine, all this?
agitates the secretary
into reticence.

So are
you Bernard. But
I cannot fault you
for your position
in life.

Air Force One.

President Stephens sits

quietly as he gathers
his thoughts.

He is quickly disturbed
by the content of the
manila folder after
finding the courage
to open it.

80
 CORONATION

Clipped to the upper right

corner of the folder are
satellite photos showing
pedestrians in major
metropolitan areas. A series of DNA codes matching
the highlighted images of each
person is written on sticky notes
and attached to the paper clip.

He flips the page and sees

instructions on how the
double helix is partitioned
and then digitized.

The instructions then go into

the details of encapsulating
the codes and transmitting
them to the Control Center.

Next, he sees policies on The writings seem to fade

using the system for out in some areas, but the
currency valuation. president gathers that
somehow XO can be used
to replace cash and credit.

Confused, the president

exhales and rubs his
brow furiously.

His stomach churns as he

thinks of the potential
changes that are before
man if this bill is put into
effect.

He settles deep into

his executive seat.

The president's mind wanders

to 20 years ago when he was
an ambitious lawmaker in
Columbus, Ohio.

He remembers the countless

deals that were closed from
his Dublin home with son
Jeremy in his arm.

81
 CORONATION

Times have changed dramatically

in those 20 years. In some odd
way, the president sees the
movement in Europe to mix
religion and politics as
destructive for society.

He is cautious of what
Cardinal Bisante will
do for the union and
the world.

Rome.

Furious and in pain, Detective

De Leon continues his
struggle to dislodge himself
from the vehicle.
He pushes hard but his efforts
are in vain as the bottom half
of his body is firmly planted
between the Mercedes and
the ground.

His eye, not fully cauterized,

continues to spill blood
onto the field. Hoping that any traveler on
the road above will hear him,
he screams loudly for help.

His determination grows

weaker as his condition
worsens.

Fear is evident in his

screams and his voice
breaks down from it.

The raven patiently watches

the detective from its nest.
Its ghastly eyes continue to
shine through the eerie night.

Hearing the tree bark break

from the razor-like talons,
the detective is continuously
reminded that his tormentor
is still out there.

He continues to beat at
the car in desperation
and simultaneously looking
up at the night sky for
anything in flight.
The raven, a masterful torturer,
sometimes will remain quiet for a
long moments only to torment
the detective further into despair.

82
 CORONATION

Bernard King show.

Well,
here we
After
go.
weeks of setup
and anticipation of
what the cardinal's
coronation will look
like, the night is
almost upon us.

What's in
store for us
tonight?

This is a Well, Bernard,

coronation fit we plan on fully
for a king. cooperating with the
European Union. We hope to
an estimated 500,000
convince them of the
are expected here today
importance of XO in
with 3.8 billion expected
the fight against
to watch from home.
terrorism.

Le Pantheon, Paris, France.

Thousands flock toward the

main stage. The Cardinal's
religious followers begin to
push their way past everyone
so they can be the first to
see their king.

For them, this is a

once-in-a-lifetime
experience to see
history rewritten
and to be a part
of it.

They would gladly give their

lives to be associated with the
man they believe will take the
world in a new direction.

Thousands more come before

security forces are forced to
push them behind the security
barriers.

83
 CORONATION

As people try to walk Inside the security area,

toward the stage, one security forces do a
of the Africans calmly last-minute search before
walks toward the the Cardinal is introduced.
barriers.

Today, my
fellow Europeans
marks a new era. Our
great leader has arrived
to guide us in these
troubling times.

A united Europe
under one flag, under
one great leader.

The Interceptor's pilot

signals for Air Force
One to climb.
Above the Andes Mountain, The Interceptor pulls
a FF22 interceptor speeds up close to the cockpit
toward the presidential of Air Force One to get
plane. the attention of the pilot.

Desperately and in a repeated

motion, the pilot continues to
signal.

84
 CORONATION

Inside Air Force One, President

Stephens closes the XO
manifesto with assurance.

Finally at peace with himself,

he relaxes back into his chair.

I want to be
able to sleep at
night knowing that
I've made the
right decision.

We'll
So you think I have to just have
The new EU
the EU will happily disagree Mr. to see.
is nothing but a
accept the intrusive Secretary. This is
government body with
nature of XO? going to be a Our president
executive rights over
country. supports XO and
It’s basically existing countries.
they will individually we expect Congress
going to be the to follow.
most powerful rule on XO.
nation in the
world?

XO is not
something that
is right for America
and the rest of
the world.
I can't let
something like
this enter this
world, and--
President Stephens looks
--what the out the window and sees
hell is going the Interceptor rocketing
on? away from the presidential
plane.

He wonders why something

like that would be flying
next to Air Force One.

President Stephen can hear

the motors of the ailerons Suddenly, he feels the
as they turn and send Air incredible lift of the
Force One into a pitch. engines as they rocket
the plane forward.

Pinned in his seat from the

thrust the winding sound
of the turbines deafen the
rattling in the planes frame.

85
President Stephens screams
as he notices their fatal
flight path.

A wide-eyed pilot looks over

his left shoulder and sees a
mountain side lit by the flames
from the crash.

n Under his breath The

pilot mutters in
Spanish --DIOS Mio.

The explosion is loud. The

Interceptor shakes violently
as the pilot struggles to
keep it aloft.

Well, I I'm sorry,

America, you're --But this is
don't think it people. Rarely
seeing history in an entire new
will be much do we have to
the making. nation being
longer now. resort to
formed, and..
This guy I know Secretary this.
can really give WHAT?
Carpenter disagrees WAIT!
a spill, huh? excuse me...
with me-- Come again?

WHAT?!

WHAT?!
A silent Secretary of You
State wonders what People, we've The
can't be
could be so important received unconfirmed report is
serious!
to interupt a live news that Air Force One confirmed.
telecast. carrying President Craig This
Stephens has crashed is an act of Air Force
into the Andes terrorism!! One has crashed
Mountain.
and exploded
into the Andes
Mountains!

86
 CORONATION

Le Pantheon. The excited crowd cheers

wildly as the large doors
slowly open.

The Cardinal steps out of

the dark hallway wearing
his phelonion and holding
both hands together in
prayer.

His followers shout

Le Roi! Le Roi! Or The
King as he approaches
the lectern.

The Cardinal slowly enters

with a thunderous approach.
The stage vibrates ever so
slightly.

The three Africans seem Okay,

eager to exit as The braided you can
one fidgets for his security go.
pass.

Cardinal Bisante looks out

onto the sea of people waiting
for his coronation.

With his thumb pressed firmly

against his pointer finger, he
puts his right arm in the air.

and blesses the crowd.

I pray that he
guides my hand in
overcoming the
Blessed challenges that
this day that humanity faces.
the Lord has
given us.
Let us pray
my children.

87

A large explosion rips
through the crowd.
The lectern slams hard
against Cardinal Bisante
as he is thrown into the
air.
His phelonion begins to
shred from the force of
the explosion.
The woman’s screams to
God give way to the
bitter pain in Cardinal
Bisante reality.
CORONATION
bodies are thrown wildly
into the air as people
scream in terror.
The dead are lying on A woman holds her
top of the living and motionless child in
vice versa. her arm and screams
towards the heavens.
painful moans are heard
through the crowd from
those who were
unfortunate enough to
survive.
She fails to notice
that her own left
arm is missing.
He looks deeply into the
bloodied crowd with
blurred vision.
88
 CORONATION

No!
Get away
No! from them!

GET
AWAYYYY!!!

The Cardinal's plea turns to

whimpering cries as he
continues to look on at the
horror before him.

In his delusion the Cardinal

looks into the crowd and
sees the work of the devil.

Men with pearl black eyes

mercilessly behead his
followers with their swords.

He screams for God's mercy

and for the slaughtering to
stop.

Cardinal Bisante looks on with

horror as his world collapses.

His dream of protecting the

world has crumbled.

89
 CORONATION

Valle D' Aosta, Northern Italy.

Sergio breathes hard. The humid

morning is only manageable due
to the cool breeze flowing
through the window shutters.

He looks down upon his

wife Lizbeth and gently
caresses her soft skin.

The ardor of the moment sends

the couple reeling in a dazzling
spell of passion.

Sergio pushes harder.

But that moment ended two

hours ago, and for the past
two hours Sergio has been
staring in the mirror at a
face he barely recognizes.

Some forgotten memories

begin to slowly crawl into
his mind. In his absence he
thinks of man and God.

This is not
my face. but that
of a beast. I am
more than man and
have journeyed
far.

Suddenly, he remembers a
verse from the Book of
Genesis from his days in
seminary school.

*There were giants

in the earth in those days,
and also after that, when the
sons of God came in unto
the daughters of men--

--and they bare

children to them, the same
became mighty men which
were of old, men of You Sergio have
renown. bared the true son
of the lord. and he
shall be known as
Jeremiah.

*Book of Genesis

90