Pope Barney brought together 200 cardinals, four per country, to Rome for an Ecumenical Council tentatively named Vatican III. The cardinals would vote on various proposed documents of the faith while supposedly inspired by the Holy Spirit. Pope Barney would supervise these debates and discussions and reserved the right to veto...everything.
Pope Barney addressed the cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica with his opening address. "To the Church of South America, I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you cannot bear them that are evil, and you have tried them, who say they are apostles and are not, and has found them liars. But I have somewhat against you because you have left your first charity. Be mindful therefore from where you have fallen and do penance and do the first works."
"To the Church of Africa, I know your tribulation, and your poverty, and the blasphemy of them that say they are Christians, and they are not. Be you faithful unto death, and you will be given the crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death."
"To the Church of Asia, you have held fast to the Lord's name, and did not deny your faith. But I have a few things against you because you have some that hold to atheism and commit fornication. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches."
"To the Church of North America, I know your works and your love and faith and ministry and patience, and that your last works are more than the first. But I have this against you, that you suffer false prophets that teach atheism and seduce my servants to commit fornication. And I gave these false prophets time that they repent, and they did not repent of their fornication. Behold, I will cast them into a bed, and them that commit adultery with them into great tribulation, except they repent of their works. He that overcomes and he that does good works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers."
"To the Church of Oceania, I know your works. You claim to be alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and establish the things that remain for I have found no works of yours perfected before God. Remember, therefore, how you have received and did hear, and keep it, and repent. You have a few names that did not defile their garments and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcomes shall be arrayed in white garments."
"To the Church of Antarctica, I know your works and you have a little power, and did keep your word, and did not deny the Lord's name. Because you did keep patience, you will be spared from the hour of trial. He that overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of God."
"To the Church of Europe, I know your works and you are neither cold nor hot. I would have you cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, prepare to be chewed out. You say you are rich and have gotten riches and have no need of things. You know not that you are the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I counsel you to buy gold refined by fire that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness be not made manifest and anoint your eyes that you may see. As I love you, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. He that overcomes will sit before the throne of God."
Pope Barney then sat down on his throne as all the cardinals gawked at him, thoroughly burned. "Shall we begin?"
Metropolis
Kara went for a swim in an Olympic-sized swimming pool at Metropolis University. A man waited patiently for her to finish. Upon noticing him, Kara rose to the surface of the water with her feet resting on the water. She then casually walked across the water to the end of the pool while wearing a black bikini. Kara scanned the suited man and his briefcase.
"What does Rome want with me now?" Kara asked annoyed.
"Claudio Vincenzi, Vatican Police," he said showing his badge.
"So...how can I help you?" Kara asked impatiently.
"I was given a phone call in the middle of the night to find you. It's a matter of great urgency. I was told to show you this," he said and then showed a page with words in a weird font.
"The Illuminati? Holy shit," Kara said wide-eyed.
Kara took her sweet time drying off and got into her black uniform. "Why are you asking me about this?" she asked Claudio.
"The Illuminati disappeared in the 21st century. You're the closest living being to that time period," he said bluntly.
"Alright, alright: Professor X, Captain Carter, Captain Marvel, Black Bolt, and Mr. Fantastic," Kara listed off.
"Our sources indicate they were easily defeated by a scarlet witch in 2022," Claudio said.
"Damn, I got nothing then," Kara shrugged.
"Four cardinals were kidnapped within the walls of the Vatican sometime between 3 and 5 am this morning," Claudio informed her. "Shortly thereafter, this document was sent to the Office of the Swiss Guard along with the threat the cardinals will be publicly executed one per hour, beginning at 8 pm tonight in Rome."
"I'm having a really hard time keeping track of these time zones," Kara admitted.
"Vatican III has already begun," Claudio said urgently.
"What do you want from me?" Kara asked confused.
"These criminals sent this letter as a taunt, a provocation, but we believe you can determine their identities," Claudio said.
"Why me?" Kara wondered.
"The Holy Father says you're formidable when it comes to puzzles," Claudio said.
"Did he?" Kara scoffed.
"There's a Vatican plane ready to take off in twenty minutes for you," Claudio informed her.
"I could fly to Rome in a second but under the circumstances, I will take you up on that," Kara smirked.
Kara took a flight to Rome and then a helicopter ride to the Vatican wasting several precious hours. "If the Illuminati have returned to Rome, we will hunt them down and kill them," Claudio said fiercely.
"Whoa, whoa, let's not be too hasty. What about due process?" Kara mocked. "These guys were once physicists, mathematicians, and astronomers. They were concerned with the Church's inaccurate teachings and were dedicated to scientific truth. But the Vatican didn't like that, so they sent a strongly worded letter against them in a press release."
The helicopter finally landed in St. Peter's Square at around 6 pm.
6:34 PM
Vatican III discussions began in the Sistine Chapel, perfectly replicated. Before entering, the cardinals were searched for any electronic devices or contraband. Inspector General Ernesto Olivetti approached Pope Barney to give him a report on the four missing cardinals.
"Commandante Richter assures me the guard is doing everything humanely possible to find the missing cardinals," he said to Pope Barney.
"Human being the key word," Pope Barney mocked.
"What if you were to begin in their absence?" Olivetti asked.
"If they're not present, they don't have a vote," Pope Barney said simply.
"You have already decided how this council will go," Olivetti suspected.
"It is as much a sin to offer flattery as it is to accept it," Pope Barney rebuked.
"Have you considered the possibility of postponing the council?" Olivetti asked.
"No, no possibility. I will stall for as long as possible the council decisions, but no further announcements are necessary," Pope Barney ordered.
"The people will think...," Olivetti protested.
"What we tell them to think," Pope Barney finished for him.
Kara met up with a flustered Olivetti. "Queen Kara," he addressed her.
"Yes," Kara replied, still wearing casual clothes.
"Welcome to Vatican City. Ernesto Olivetti, inspector general of the Vatican police force," he introduced himself. "This way."
Kara walked with Olivetti down a hall filled with nude male statues. Kara eyed the statues a little too long as they were all anatomically complete. Kara and Olivetti went through the Swiss Guard armory finding a collection of Medieval weaponry and then finally the modern weapons. "Commander Richter is a deeply spiritual man...," Olivetti told her.
"Aren't we all," Kara interrupted him. "Look, I'm not here because I find this unimportant. Ceremony, tradition, it's the way I'm going to keep control over this planet. So, I hope I can help."
"So do I. You were my idea," Olivetti revealed.
"Your Majesty, Commander Richter, commander of the Swiss Guard. Thank you for coming," Richter said to her once he knew who she was.
"The situation has changed. We have another threat from the kidnapper," Olivetti said.
Kara eyed a camera showing a canister with anti-matter inside. "Is that what I think it is?"
"The camera was stolen. It could be anywhere in the Vatican," Olivetti explained.
"We must locate it immediately or evacuate the city," Kara ordered quickly. "The canister must be a battery-powered magnet or else we would already be fucked."
"Just how fucked would we be?" Richter asked.
"Assuming it's what I think it is, that would annihilate the entire city and everyone in it," Kara judged.
"We have a video from the kidnapper," Richter said helpfully.
Kara watched the video as the kidnapper went on a rant with the kidnapped cardinals being shown. "We will destroy your four pillars. We will brand them and sacrifice them on the altars of science, then bring your church down upon you. Vatican City will be consumed by light."
"I'm getting some fifth-element vibes here," Kara said uncomfortably.
"He said they'd be killed publicly," Richter noted.
"They want revenge for the purge. In 1688, the Church kidnapped, branded, and executed four Illuminati scientists as a warning to others to stop asking questions. And now, they're going to use anti-matter to destroy the Church. It's like poetry, it rhymes," Kara explained. "I need access to the archives. The path of illumination is a hidden trail through Rome, itself, the place where the Illuminati would meet in secret. If I can find the sign that marks the beginning of that path, the four churches along that path where he intends to murder the cardinals, one every hour until midnight, and then the bomb detonates."
"If we can get to the first church before he murders the cardinal, maybe we can stop it, but I can't find the start of the path without access to the archives," Kara insisted.
"The archives can only be opened by papal mandate," Richter shot down.
"So, email the bastard," Kara told him off.
Kara, Richter, and Olivetti were given an audience with a Brainiac 5 drone acting as a priest. "I'm familiar with the Illuminati lore. Commandant, have you begun the search for the explosive device?" he asked him.
"The explosive could be anywhere. My primary concern is the safety of the cardinals," he answered.
"So long as they are in the council, their security concerns should be minimal," Brainiac 5 told him.
"If you're suggesting a naked eye search of all of Vatican City, I'd tell you to go f...," Richter said.
"Commandant, this drone is not His Holiness, but he might as well be. When you're addressing me, you address the Holy Father. Do you understand?" Brainiac 5 lectured.
"Yes, Father," Richter said awkwardly.
"Now, you said the explosive was illuminated by artificial light. I will methodically cut power to various parts of the city. When the image on the screen goes dark, you'll know what section it's in," Brainiac 5 ordered. "Queen Kara."
The two entered another room where they could talk alone. "You are correct that I may give you access to the archives," Brainiac 5 confirmed.
"Thanks," Kara said pleased.
"I said you were correct that I may, not that I would," Brainiac 5 clarified.
"What do you want, asshole?" Kara asked bluntly.
"Be delicate with our treasures," Brainiac 5 warned.
"All the treasures you have comes from me," Kara reminded him. "And I will have free access to the archives whenever I fucking please. Do you understand?"
An annoyed Kara met up with Olivetti outside. "The archives are over here," he pointed out. "When we find the device, can you deactivate it?"
"I can throw it into space," Kara said lazily.
The two entered the archive building only for the power to go off. "Richter is starting to shut off power to various sections," Olivetti explained.
"Good man," Kara said pleased.
The two of them went through the library and then entered a guarded elevator that would take them to the basement.
At the same time in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Barney had more important things to talk about than the imminent destruction of the city. Richter went up to Pope Barney to inform him of what he already knew. "We must evacuate Vatican City," he told him.
"That's exactly what they want, publicity and panic. I will not give them oxygen for the media fire," Pope Barney denied.
"But the people of St. Peter's Square?" Richter pointed out.
"Their faith will sustain them," Pope Barney said dismissively.
"Their faith will not sustain them against an explosion," Richter objected.
"They will be bound for heaven one way or another," Pope Barney told him.
"Says the machine that cannot be destroyed," Richter objected.
"Do not think your position outranks me. You are one of my favorites...for now," Pope Barney warned. "Seal the doors."
With the doors sealed, Pope Barney got back to business. Pope Barney made it so that the other cardinals overheard them and now they all were aware of their impending demise.
7:25 PM
Kara and Olivetti entered the basement archive where they met a clerk. "The chambers are a complete vacuum with no oxygen. It's not recommended that you go inside."
"I'll inform you the moment I get lightheaded," Kara mocked.
"I'll be just outside the door...watching you, Your Majesty," the clerk said boldly.
Kara smirked at the clerk and then entered the chamber. Inside the chamber was a computer console surrounded by computer towers. Every historical document had been destroyed in the nuclear fires and religious purges. Now, everything was digital but under a powerful password. Kara was able to access basic levels with her own password, but she wanted to go further. She immediately typed quicker than a human could see as she hacked into deeper levels. Kara sped-read through volumes within a few minutes.
As soon as she got the information she needed, Kara exited the basement and then sped toward the recreated Pantheon. Inside the Pantheon, Kara scanned the building with her X-ray vision. She then came upon a plaque indicating Raphael, her target, had not originally been buried at the Pantheon. "Well...shit," she realized.
She went on her smartphone and started looking up every church and chapel in Rome. She then narrowed her search to churches and chapels that had something to do with the elements of earth, water, fire, and air. She then connected Raphael's original burial place to a chapel that was given the nickname of the Chapel of the Earth.
Kara met up with Richter outside where his agents were going through the Pantheon. "I want all of your agents to hit this church," Kara ordered.
"You were so sure about the Pantheon," Richter mocked.
"You have four minutes, asshole," Kara said, looking at her watch.
"We're going back to the Vatican," Richter told her off.
"I outrank you. I am the Empress of this planet," Kara said obviously.
"You have no jurisdiction over Vatican personnel," he reminded her.
"We're in Rome, not Vatican City. Now, you're fucked," Kara pointed out as Rome police began to swarm. "You belong to me now or I'll have your ass arrested."
"Arrest me then. I'm done," he said walking off.
Kara took control of Richter's men and let him go. "Meet me here," she said to Rome and Vatican police.
At the Chapel of Earth, Kara sped over to it and found it under construction. Kara kicked the door open and went inside. Inside, the chapel was a mess, a low-priority construction. Kara scanned the chapel and found Vatican police finally entering. With her hearing, she could hear the pools of water moving from drips, the wind over the plastic coverings, and the faint smell of humans. Kara looked around and saw a seal, the Demon's Hole, alluded to in the archives. Spinning rapidly, Kara drilled a hole through the seal and entered the basement level.
There, Kara found a naked man handcuffed and obviously dead. He had been branded and dirt had been poured down his throat, it was one of the missing cardinals. "Well...shit," Kara sighed.
At the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals were a little restless over the news that city was going to explode in a few hours. "The subject at hand is Christian Eschatology. Bring forth your theories," Pope Barney ordered.
"Holy Father, it is our position that the entire Book of Revelation took place prior to AD 70 when the Romans destroyed the temple and massacred the inhabitants. The city of Babylon is Jerusalem, which was destroyed, the Beast was Nero, and the Second Coming of Christ occurred invisibly with the judgment upon Jerusalem. As the scriptures state clearly, the people of that generation would not taste death until the Son of Man returns, and this generation shall not pass away before all of these things have come to pass. In our view, either Christ's second coming already occurred in AD 70 or he must be a failed apocalyptic prophet," Cardinal Pietro declared.
"How does this jive with the fact that we know Revelation was written in AD 95?" Cardinal Angelo asked him.
"Either there is an earlier copy we are not aware of, or John was writing history rather than prophecy," Cardinal Pietro replied.
"And what of the plagues, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the End of the World?" Cardinal Marcelo asked.
"These plagues were spiritual or metaphorical rather than historical natural disasters and world wars," Cardinal Pietro replied. "I tell you now that the Book of Revelation is descriptive, not prescriptive. It is history, not prophecy."
"So, the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgement has already occurred? What is left for us?" Cardinal Marcelo asked.
"There is nothing left because there is no additional revelation. I don't like it any more than you do, but it is our academic opinion," Cardinal Pietro said defensively.
9 PM
Upon finding the dead cardinal, Richter came back to be a team player again. Kara looked around the chapel for any kind of sign and saw an angelic statue pointing in the direction of St. Peter's Square. Kara exited the chapel and eyed the basilica. She flew into the air and then slammed down on the ground freaking out a large crowd of pilgrims.
"Move or I'll give you all the clap," Kara threatened them all.
As the crowds moved away from her, Kara eyed all the statues in the area. She then looked down and found angels blowing wind from all the corners of the world. She approached the obelisk in the center of St. Peter's Square and suddenly found a cardinal on the steps bleeding out from his neck. Alarmed, Kara went over to him and put pressure on the bleeding. She saw the Illuminati brand on his chest and puncture wounds to his lungs to symbolize air. Kara looked around for the killer in the crowd but saw no one unusual. Paramedics were quickly on the scene.
"How the fuck did you get here without anyone seeing?" Kara wondered of the mortally wounded cardinal. She found a bloody letter in his jacket.
9:15 PM
Kara, Richter, Olivetti, and Brainiac 5 discussed the issue shortly thereafter. "The sun will blind at midnight and neither police nor queens can stop it," it read.
"The letter must be freshly written if he knows I'm here," Kara figured.
"This letter cannot be made public," Brainiac 5 ordered. "Commander Richter, the search for the device?"
"We've turned the power off and on in twenty percent of the city. Nothing on the video yet," Richter replied.
"How long would it take to evacuate everyone?" Brainiac 5 asked.
"If I took my men off the search, thirty minutes," he replied.
"Kara, you've been right so far. How long until you find the next church?" Brainiac 5 asked.
"I need a church that has something to do with fire and none of these churches on this map match up," Kara saw of the map of Rome. "I'll need to go back into the archives."
"Of course," Brainiac 5 allowed. "Please escort the queen to the archives," he said to Olivetti.
In the Sistine Chapel, the debate continued with cardinals getting increasingly nervous. "We represent the postmillennial view that at some point, we will arrive at a millennial golden age of Christian ethics and the restoration of Israel. I dare say the beginning of this millennium could be beginning now with Christianity finally dominating the planet and the restoration of Israel into Christian hands. The Second Coming of Christ will occur after this millennium period which may not necessarily be literally one thousand years," Cardinal Paolo put forth.
"Why didn't the millennium start upon the birth of the Church with the Acts of the Apostles?" Cardinal Angelo asked skeptically.
"It couldn't have been then because the conditions, at that time, were not right for the millennium to happen. The apostles failed to convert Israel, failed to convert the world, and failed to bring forth the golden age. Only a cynical man would think the first two thousand years of church history could be considered this golden age," Cardinal Paolo said.
"And yet, that is exactly what I am proposing. This is a convenient way to dismiss the Orthodox Catholic Church that existed for two thousand years or more before civilization fell. Are you claiming the Church did not legitimately exist for three thousand years?" Cardinal Angelo asked.
"I did not say that. The Church certainly existed in one way or another but the conditions for the millennium were not satisfied. The Church splintered into schisms and heresies. By the 21st century, there were tens of thousands of denominations and countless independent non-denominational congregations. Compared to the state governments, the churches were weak. Israel was never converted, and the entire Christian Church was eradicated after the asteroid impact of the 25th century," Cardinal Paolo said.
"Don't you think it's a little premature to think the millennium is occurring now when the Church has only been reestablished for a few years," Cardinal Pietro said skeptically.
"I don't know for certain if the millennium is now. I have faith that is but what I do know is that the millennium could not have started at Pentecost," Cardinal Paolo insisted. "Therefore, we have a millennium to go before the Second Coming and Final Judgement."
Kara entered the Vatican Bank chamber in a full vacuum and started snooping around. Meanwhile, the Vatican continued to turn the power off and on throughout the city to find the device without success. Kara eyed the document scans on the computer that was in Italian. The power suddenly went off darkening the room and turning off the computer. "Well...shit," Kara sighed.
In the Sistine Chapel, the debate continued. "The Orthodox Catholic position is that the millennium started at Pentecost with the apostles which is consistent with the sayings of Jesus that this generation shall not pass away before the beginning of this millennium. It was here that the Church, guided by Christ, greatly expanded across the world. And simply because there have been schisms and heresies does not mean the Church as a whole was prevailed upon. Rather, the Church, even divided as it was, continued this millennium and that this millennium continues even now until the Second Coming of Christ," Cardinal Angelo said.
"How do you know the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgement hasn't happened yet?" Cardinal Pietro asked.
"Because we would know it. All of humanity would be gone and the universe would have been transfigured. Your AD 70 theory is not the world, not the universe," Cardinal Angelo shot back.
"What of the plagues?" Cardinal Marcelo asked.
"Some have occurred already, and some have not. There have been many anti-Christs and they have all been defeated. Revelation chapters one through nineteen have already happened. We are now simply waiting for the Second Coming and Final Judgement at this point," Cardinal Angelo said.
"You say this millennium is now? I say Christ must be on Earth physically ruling over us for this millennium to be true. And, no offense, Your Holiness, but you are not the Christ," Cardinal Marcelo said.
"None taken," Pope Barney allowed.
"And none of the previous human fallible popes were either," Cardinal Marcelo said forcefully.
"You say that only because you must. Because if you had always been ordered to obey the Vicar of Christ for the last three thousand years and failed to do so, you would be fucked," Cardinal Angelo said bluntly.
"I obey the Holy Father, but I deny the millennium you're referring to," Cardinal Marcelo backtracked.
"You cannot deny the millennium and be in obedience with the Holy Father. The Holy Father is the Vicar of Christ during the millennium. If there was no millennium, there would be no vicar," Cardinal Angelo argued.
"It seems clear to me that if the millennium occurred at Pentecost, then the prophecy that the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against the Church is not true. We know the atheist secular governments of the 25th century eradicated religion of all kinds and this was the status quo until today," Cardinal Paolo pointed out.
"The Church merely went underground," Cardinal Angelo said defensively.
"No, it did not. It was eradicated completely. There was not one person on this Earth that believed or had any knowledge of this faith until Queen Kara came to this time and reintroduced it to us. The Church was dead and prevailed upon," Cardinal Paolo said.
"The Church cannot be prevailed upon even if no one on Earth believes because the Church also exists in heaven at the same time," Cardinal Angelo replied.
"That is not the obvious intent and interpretation of that passage," Cardinal Paolo said skeptically.
Kara waited patiently for the power to come back on and then continued her work. She found a church with a St. Theresea of Ecstasy statue. The saint had an overwhelming spiritual experience where she felt she was on fire. "Good enough for me," Kara said and then sped out of the archives and flew to the church. Upon kicking the door open, she found the cardinal suspended by chains from the ceiling underneath a large fire.
Kara blew out the fire and then fired heat vision beams at the chains dropping him. Kara caught the severely burned cardinal and noticed he had been branded with the Illuminati symbol. The cardinal then expired from his injuries. "Well...shit," Kara realized she was too late.
At the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Marcelo was up. "In my judgment, there will be a rapture where all Godly souls will be taken to heaven by Christ at some point in the future. Those left behind will face tribulation from the ungodly. Of those Left Behind, some will convert to the true faith. Then, Christ will come in his Second Coming to destroy the ungodly and save his people. Then, those who have been saved will reign with Christ on Earth for a millennium and then finally there will be a Final Judgement."
"That's three comings," Cardinal Angelo pointed out.
"No, because the Rapture is merely a part of the overall Second Coming. It's all one coming," Cardinal Marcelo said.
"You expect us to believe people will magically disappear off the face of the Earth?" Cardinal Pietro asked.
"It may not be that fantastical. It could be a disease or plague that wipes out most of the human population," Cardinal Marcelo allowed.
"What's the point of tribulation if those Left Behind are ungodly anyway?" Cardinal Paulo asked. "You're basically saying that the ungodly who convert and survive the tribulation will inherit the Earth. I thought the entire Church would face tribulation."
"Where's the justice in that?" Cardinal Marcelo asked confused.
"The justice, dear cardinal, is that the entire Church must be tested as gold is tested in fire. Your Rapture is a way to escape this tribulation," Cardinal Angelo said cynically.
"Well, there may be a tribulation before, mid, or after the Rapture," Cardinal Marcelo said.
"And these ungodly who convert are going to rule the world with Christ? Why?" Cardinal Pietro asked.
"You see, it's about redemption...and second chances," Cardinal Marcelo said as he was losing ground.
11 PM
Kara went around various fountains looking for a clue about the water chapel. She eventually found a suspicious-looking van. A cardinal was suddenly dumped into the fountain. "Holy shit," Kara said as she saw it.
Kara fired heat vision on the van disabling it and then went for the fountain. She scooped up the cardinal and brought him out of the water. On his chest was the Illuminati branding. Kara snapped off his handcuffs freeing him. "Where was he hiding you? Where is the Church of Illumination?" Kara asked him.
"Castle of St. Angelo," he replied and then expired.
11:15 PM
Kara flew over to the Castle of the Angels and slammed down on the ground. Rome and Vatican police swarmed the structure. Kara scanned the castle and found a passageway system. Speeding through it, she found prison cells where the cardinals had been held. Kara continued down the passageway until she found the branding equipment in an underground chapel. Kara heard movement and then found the killer attempting to escape. She grabbed him and flung him back into the church. He shot at her with no effect. Kara crushed his pistol and forced him up against the wall.
"What's your deal, asshole?" Kara asked him.
"They only call me to do the Lord's will," he said. "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
"What kind of evil are we talking about?" Kara asked.
"Child molestation, prostitution, financial crimes, corruption, heresy," he listed off.
Kara dropped the killer to the ground as she became conflicted. "Who gave the order?"
"Holy Father, of course," he said.
Kara stared at the man and believed him. "Well, done. You certainly gave me a run for my money. Where's the explosive?"
"In the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica," he answered.
Kara nodded. "You know, the churches didn't form a perfect cross on the map," she critiqued.
"I had to improvise," he shrugged.
"Still, had me going, got the blood pumping. I just love puzzles," Kara said.
"He said you would like it," the killer nodded.
"You know, there's another Biblical passage you should be familiar with. Whoever lives by the sword...dies by the sword," Kara said and then fired heat beams through his head, killing him instantly.
11:30 PM
Kara sped toward St. Peter's Basilica and went down into the crypt. Scanning everywhere, she raced through the tunnel system until her X-ray vision detected something weird. She found the device with a camera, a battery-powered camera immune to power shutoffs. "Son of a bitch," Kara said as she found it. The battery life on the device was nearly empty.
Kara grabbed the device and tore through the crypt and blasted through the roof of the basilica. Kara accelerated into space and waited for the device to explode. The battery power went empty and then...nothing happened. Kara floated in space with the device wondering what was going on. Impatient, she crushed the device and found nothing inside it. The explosive was a false alarm.
"God damn it, Barney. Really?" Kara shook her head pissed off. Suddenly, Kara went Prime in a powerful explosion of light that could be seen by everyone in Rome. The sky lit up as if it were on fire. Kara then came down and was cheered by the oblivious crowd as a hero for supposedly saving them from an explosive they didn't even know was there up until now.
In the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals continued to discuss their theories. Pope Barney finally stood up and everyone was quiet. "The Book of Revelation is a troublesome book. For a time, it was not even in the canon. It has created more division than any other book of scripture and it has dominated the conversation. It is also very human-centric. A millennium kingdom on Earth where Christ reigns over...humans, a Rapture for...humans, a Second Coming where Christ will come to reveal himself to...humans, a Final Judgement...for humans," Pope Barney began.
"And what of all the other races of the galaxy?" Pope Barney questioned. "How do we achieve Church unity when some of you are waiting for a Golden Age and others are waiting for a Rapture? I tell you now, there can only be one arc to salvation and that arc is us, today. But as some of you have pointed out, did the Gates of Hell prevail upon the Church, was the Vicar of Christ defeated, and did the Bride of Christ die in the 25th century? If not for Queen Kara's arrival to this time, where would we be?"
"We must decide how we will go forward. So, I propose to you that the millennium began at Pentecost and that the Second Coming has already occurred in the 25th century when nearly all of humanity was killed and the Church passed out of existence. The Final Judgement in heaven instantly occurs after the Second Coming but, in the physical universe, it will come at the very end of creation when all living things have died. So, I say to you now, all the prophecies excluding the Final Judgement have already occurred," Pope Barney concluded.
"With this pronouncement, we no longer need to dread the plagues, the horsemen of the apocalypse, the tribulation, the beast and the false prophet, and the destruction of some grand city, or the Devil. Nor do we need to fear the Thief in the Night. My friends, I will outlast you until the end of creation. Can you imagine, a billion years from now, still telling all the lifeforms of the galaxy that the Second Coming is just around the corner?"
"Holy Father, what if we're wrong?" Cardinal Angelo asked concernedly.
"We'll be no worse off than when we were in darkness a mere few years ago," Pope Barney answered him. "Prophecy, my friends, can give us a short-term solution, but it also has the power to destroy us in the long term. With this declaration, we control the narrative from now on."
"What if Queen Kara disagrees? She's the source of all this," Cardinal Marcelo said.
"I'll handle the queen," Pope Barney said dismissively. "Prepare the documents."
As Kara entered the Vatican, the Swiss Guard approached her. "The Holy Father requests your presence in the Sistine Chapel."
"Does he now?" Kara said annoyed and then made her way there. The Swiss Guards unlocked the doors for her, and she entered the chamber with all the cardinals gawking at her.
Pope Barney walked over to her as cardinals surrounded them. "How did you like my game?"
"I had some thoughts," Kara said dryly.
"You are not a member of the clergy, you are not ordained, but you are the closest thing to a prophet. For political expediency and to avoid a schism, I ask for your input," Pope Barney said and then handed the datapad over to her.
Kara gave Pope Barney a skeptical eye and read the documents. She raised her eyebrows a few times and then finished within a minute. "I missed the Second Coming? What the fuck, Barney?" Kara asked softly so none of the cardinals could overhear.
"If the Second Coming never occurs because it has already happened or because it was never true, to begin with, the faith will die either in this generation or a thousand generations from now. We must end all prophecies if we hope to keep Church unity and evangelize to all the worlds of the universe," Pope Barney told her.
"What if you're wrong? Then, we're all fucked," Kara whispered.
"Then, let us be fucked in unity, as one family," Pope Barney said to her.
"Barney, this is my soul you're talking about. If I authorize this, if I let you do this...this is some serious shit," Kara said distressed.
"You can still keep your private beliefs," Pope Barney allowed.
"I don't even know what I believe," Kara said, shaking her head. "You're saying with this change you'll be able to convert the entire galaxy, the entire universe?"
"I will...in time," Pope Barney assured her.
"God, I was going to come in here and chew you out for your stupid puzzles, all the murder, and threatening to destroy the city but this is so much worse," Kara said as she clutched her hair.
"I know," Pope Barney said sympathetically.
"If you're wrong, God will strike you down...somehow," Kara said confidently.
"Do I have your endorsement?" Pope Barney asked.
"Yeah. Go ahead and make the pronouncement. If things go south, I'll deny everything," Kara said.
"Of course," Pope Barney said.
"One last thing, Barney. When you go around assassinating people, use your own drones," Kara ordered.
"I figured he would be more unpredictable for you," Pope Barney excused.
"Right, and he was, but I want humans to be not involved in that, for their own salvation's sake," Kara insisted.
"As you wish," Pope Barney allowed.
"And those cardinals were guilty of shit, right?" Kara quizzed.
"Absolutely," Pope Barney confirmed.
"Well, okay then," Kara said and then exited the room.
The next day, Pope Barney addressed thousands of pilgrims from his balcony. His pronouncement would be seen worldwide on global TV. "The Vatican III Council has concluded. After much prayer and discussion, guided by the Holy Spirit, we have come to certain conclusions: The city of Babylon that was destroyed was, in fact, Jerusalem in AD 70 when it was sacked by the Romans. From there, the millennium began with Christ ruling over this world with a rod of iron and the pagan Roman Emperors slain and cast into the lake of fire. From here, Satan would be bound until the end of that millennium where, afterward, he would be let loose for a season. And when Satan was released, he gathered the nations of the West and the East against Christ's kingdom. It was then that Christ returned for his Second Coming and destroyed the forces of evil. Satan, his demons, and all his allies were then thrown into the lake of fire for all eternity," Pope Barney explained to the people.
"The Second Coming of Christ, the defeat of Satan, and the end of the millennium kingdom all occurred during the tribulations of the 25th century. We need no longer wait for the End of Days. I assure you it has already happened. You no longer need fear Satan and his demons for they are all imprisoned forever in the lake of fire. The Gates of Hell did not prevail upon the Church. Rather the mission of the Church had been fulfilled," Pope Barney continued.
"Therefore, you may ask, what is the mission of the Church now? We wait for the Final Judgement at the End of Time, but we will not wait idly. We will convert this world, then the galaxy, and then the universe to the True Faith until all lifeforms are unified under one faith, one creed, one destiny. The Church remains the Bride of Christ and, therefore, there is no salvation outside the Church. This is the New Covenant we have discovered and you, the faithful, are obliged to believe in it as an infallible dogma," Pope Barney concluded.
Pope Barney then turned away from the balcony and the stunned crowd as he greeted ambassadors of several alien worlds. Imra Ardeen came before him as part of the Titan delegation. "Before, this faith had our curiosity. Now, you have our attention."
"I will require more than just your attention," Pope Barney said and then outstretched his ringed hand to her. Imra reluctantly kissed his ring as did all of the other ambassadors. "I will have your obedience."
Author's Notes: Based on Angels and Demons. Of course, the Legion of Superhero comics, Star Trek, and virtually every futuristic sci-fi media does not address this concern of the Second Coming except for Futurama that made a passing joke on the matter. The issue of the First or Second Coming is something that has put a lot of strain on Jewish, Christian, and Islamic apologetics. How long is too long and will it really mean the extinction of all life in the universe when it does happen? Pope Barney makes the prudent, albeit theologically risky, decision to end the debate on this matter. Before any of you take this too seriously, I have a lot of theological nonsense for you to digest in AOS Season 7. Remember that this is the AOS Earth-38 universe, not your universe.