Tommy didn’t want to blow off the guy’s generosity, but they weren’t there for relics. They were there for the sword of Peter. According to the priest, the altar contained nothing, which completely invalidated what the last clue suggested.
Now they were in the dark with no idea where to go next.
29
Vatican City
“May I ask what your interest is in the holy relics?” the priest said.
Sean and Tommy did their best to hide the excruciating disappointment. The priest’s revelation had gutted them, removing nearly all hope of finding the sword and getting Tommy’s parents back.
“We work for the International Archaeological Agency,” Sean answered. “My friend here is the founder.”
Tommy forced a fake smile onto his face and shook the priest’s hand. “Tommy Schultz. These are my friends Sean, June, and Adriana.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Father Giovani Totti.” He looked at Tommy with a peculiar expression. “The International Archaeological Agency? I believe I’ve heard of that before. Have you ever done work in Italy?”
Tommy didn’t think the priest would approve of some of the details revolving around their work, so he gave a simple answer. “Yes, sir. We’ve worked on several projects in Italy.”
“Anything I might have heard of?”
Tommy struggled to come up with an honest answer. He felt awkward lying to a priest. Fortunately, Sean stepped in.
“Just a few minor excavations here and there. Nothing that the media would have covered. We do work all over the world. Perhaps you heard about our discovery in Japan?”
The priest looked up at the ceiling for a moment and then shook his head. “No, I don’t believe I heard about that.”
“Well, it was pretty amazing,” Sean said, discarding all modesty. “We found one of the greatest swords of all time. It went missing in the 1940s, stolen by Allied forces when Japan was disarmed.”
“That sounds wonderful. Was it difficult to track down?”
“You could say that.”
“Well, congratulations on your discovery. I’m sure the nation of Japan was thrilled to get back one of their most prized historical possessions.”
Sean was about to bid the priest farewell when the old man spoke up again.
“You know, if you’re interested in swords, I’m sure you noticed the Tadolini on the way in.” He held out his hand, pointing the way back to the entrance.
“Tadolini?” Adriana asked. She knew the artist well. Tadolini had been contracted to create new sculptures in the nineteenth century. These new works of art would replace the ones made by Bernini, whose figures adorned the interior and exterior of the basilica for centuries.
“Yes,” the priest said with a smile. “Just outside the steps are two large statues. One is Saint Peter, holding the keys to heaven. Opposite of him, on the other side of the steps, is Saint Paul, holding a great sword.”
“I noticed that on the way in,” Tommy said. “Would you mind telling us what the significance of that sword is?”
Father Totti smiled. “Of course. The statues by Tadolini replaced the ones that were there before. The originals were created by Paolo di Mariano and much smaller than the current sculptures. The sword in Paul’s hand represents the weapon with which he was martyred.”
“That’s right. He was beheaded.”
Totti crossed himself and then nodded. “Correct. When the sculpture was first created, the sword was coated in gold. Through the years, the gold plate has worn off. There’s no trace of it anymore, unfortunately.
“Saint Paul also has a book in his hand. It is inscribed with Philippians 4:13.”
“I can do all things through God who strengthens me,” Sean said.
Totti’s face brightened. His eyes narrowed as his lips stretched into a broad smile.
“Very good, Sean. Are you a student of the scriptures?”
“I’ve done a bit of studying, yes.”
“Wonderful,” Totti said. “It’s rare to find laypeople these days with a good knowledge of the scriptures.”
Sean blushed. “Well, my parents had a big hand in that. I used to memorize Bible verses when I was a kid. They even made me get up in front of church once to recite a really long one. Looking back, it was a traumatic moment since I was terrified of being in front of a lot of people. I think it was a good experience, though.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Tommy said. “But would you mind showing us this statue?”
At first, the priest seemed puzzled by the request. “Well, I don’t normally go outside during visiting hours, but I don’t see what it could hurt. Come. Follow me.”
The priest held out his hand and led the way back through the basilica to the front entrance. More people had gathered just inside the giant entryway, eager to get a peek at the magnificent interior.
Totti nodded at one of the security guards as he stepped through the doorway and out onto the landing. He paused for a moment to allow the four visitors to catch up before he continued down the center of the steps. At the bottom, he turned left on the cobblestone and made his way through a collection of tourists busily taking pictures in front of the basilica. He reached the large base of the sculpture, stopped, and turned around.
“You can see that because of its size, this sculpture and the one of Peter across the way were not placed inside the basilica.” He pointed at Peter on the other side of the steps.
The four Americans looked up at the imposing statue.
The apostle Paul held a sword in one hand that was nearly three yards long. Just as the priest described, he had a book in the other hand with Philippians 4:13 written on the surface.
The huge base featured the papal coat of arms. Just above it, wrapping around the base just below Saint Paul’s feet, was something written in Latin.
Adriana read the inscription out loud. “The Pontiff ordered the images themselves here, in a suitable place, equal to the size of the temple of Peter, prince of the Apostles. In the year 1847, the first of his pontificate, while he was curator of the Vatican Works, Lorenzo Lucidi.”
“Very good,” Totti said, clearly impressed with her abilities. “Most people don’t read Latin.”
“When you do the kind of work we do, it’s kind of a necessity.”
“Ah. Well, I hope that I’ve been of service to you. I should probably get back inside in case anyone else has a question.”
The priest lingered for a moment. He was about to turn around and head back up the stairs when Sean had a thought that was needling his mind.
“I’m sorry, Father. Could I ask you one more question?”
“Certainly.”
Tommy and the others didn’t know where he was going with this.
“When we were inside, you said that these statues replaced the ones created by Paolo di Mariano.”
“That is correct,” the priest said with a nod. “You really do have a good memory, don’t you?”
“Don’t get me started,” Tommy said.
“Anyway,” Sean went on, ignoring his friend’s jab, “I’m wondering, did they replace both statues?”
“Yes,” the priest answers. “Both of these are nineteenth-century reproductions that are similar to the previous ones. They are much larger than the older versions.”
“So, what happened to the old statues?”
Totti cocked his head to the side. He had a beleaguered grin on his face. “You know, that’s a good question. Once more, you have presented me with a question no one has ever asked me before.”
“So you don’t know?” Tommy asked.
“Actually, as it would happen, I do. The originals were removed from Saint Peter’s Square and placed in the Vatican Library.”
“Oh,” Sean said in a disappointed tone.
“If that is all, I’ll leave you to your tour. Don’t worry about the guard inside. I’ll tell him to let you four back in with your tickets.”
“Th
ank you,” Sean said.
The other three threw in their thanks and watched as the old man slowly ascended the steps.
“Well, that was a huge waste of time,” Tommy said when the priest was out of earshot. “The altar is a solid piece of stone, and there’s nothing about this statue that suggests where the sword might be.”
“It’s not even the right apostle,” Adriana added.
“I don’t understand,” June said. “Were you thinking this sculpture might contain the sword? I thought it was in the altar or maybe underneath it.”
“Underneath the altar is the catacombs,” Tommy said. “We could get down there, but it might take days or weeks to get into one of those groups. They only allow a limited number of people each day since space is at a premium down there. And even if we could get down there, I’m not so sure we’d find anything.”
“He’s right,” Adriana said. “They’ve done many excavations under the basilica through the years. If the sword was there, they probably would have found it.”
June processed what they were saying. “So that’s why you wanted to take a closer look at this statue,” she said.
Tommy nodded. “I figured it was a shot in the dark, but a shot nonetheless. It’s a statue of an apostle holding a long sword. It looks out on Saint Peter’s Square where the obelisk is. I hoped there might be a connection.”
Sean stared up at the massive figure. “I don’t think you were that far off, Schultzie.”
Tommy turned and followed Sean’s gaze. “What do you mean?”
“Well, for starters, that sword looks eerily similar to renderings I’ve seen of Excalibur.”
“There are millions of those kinds of renderings,” Tommy said. “Some look the same. Others look different.”
“Yes, but this isn’t the kind of weapon that was used by the Romans at the time of Peter or Paul.”
“The priest said the sculpture was done in the nineteenth century,” June argued. “It’s probably in the style of weapons made during that era.”
Sean shook his head. “Nope. Swords made during that time were thinner, lighter. Sabers, rapiers, and swords like that were in fashion. Of course, they were weapons from a dying age since firearms were making bladed weapons obsolete.”
“You’re right,” Tommy said. “But that still looks more like a medieval sword rather than one from ancient Rome or before. Remember, we’re looking for a sword that was made before the time of Christ.”
The discussion dropped off for a minute as each person considered every point.
“Excalibur wasn’t only a sword of mystical power,” Adriana said. “It was an innovation, something that no one else had at the time. A sword such as this, in an era with much smaller weapons, would have been seen as something fit only for a king. It would have been an intimidating sight to behold, a king riding toward an army with a blade longer than anything they’d ever seen before.”
Her point lingered for a moment before Tommy commented. “So you’re saying that Excalibur was just as much a means of psychological warfare as it was an actual weapon?”
“Precisely.”
“Not that it matters,” June said. “We don’t have any more leads. It’s a shame we can’t get in to the Vatican Library to have a look at the original sculpture. I guess we’ll never know if it held the sword.”
Tommy wasn’t about to let go of all hope yet. His parents’ lives depended on him finding Excalibur. He’d wrestled his emotions for the last few days after learning they were still alive. All the pain, the lonely holidays as a young man, the memories he never got to experience with them gone, all kept trying to pry their way back into his mind. He pushed them away again as he spoke.
“The priest said that the original sculptures were taken into the Vatican Library. We can’t gain access to the archives. Very few people are allowed down there. The library, however, is open to those who can get permission.”
Sean frowned. “Yeah, except we don’t have permission. And I’m sure that to get that kind of clearance we would have to submit an application, go through some sort of vetting process, and then finally be issued a permit, all of which could take months. We don’t have that kind of time.” He looked around the square. His last comment reminded him of the two potential threats lurking around the corners or hiding in the shadows.
“No,” Tommy shook his head. “I mean, yes, you are correct. There is a process in place for all that. However, I’m wondering if we didn’t just meet someone who could expedite the process for us?”
The other three followed Tommy’s gaze up the stairs where the priest had stopped to speak to two children who were there with their parents. He was smiling pleasantly, as he had been through the entire duration of the conversation with the four Americans.
“Totti?” June asked. “You think he could help us get in there?”
“It’s worth a shot,” Sean said. “Never hurts to ask.”
“Yeah,” Tommy said. “Let’s just hope he gives us the answer we want.”
They hurried back up the steps and waited until the priest was finished speaking with the other visitors. He didn’t notice them immediately and started to head back into the building when Tommy’s voice halted him.
“Father Totti!” Tommy shouted a little louder than intended. “Father Totti, wait!”
The priest turned around. His seemingly permanent smile twisted slightly to a look of curiosity.
“Yes?”
“I’m so sorry, sir,” Tommy said, panting for breath after the short run up the stairs. “I have a very strange, and pretty unorthodox, request.”
“Oh?” Totti said. “What is it?”
“We were wondering if you could arrange access to the Vatican Library for us.”
He might as well have asked the priest if he was wearing boxers or briefs. The surprised look on the older man’s face told the Americans exactly how much they were asking.
“I’m sorry,” Totti said. “There is a system in place for that sort of thing. You’ll need to get your credentials checked. Then they will examine why you want access. They’ll also want to check references and your records concerning your level of expertise in regards to history and that sort of thing.”
Tommy and Sean turned their heads toward each other and then back to the priest. “Would a reference from the president of the United States help?”
30
Vatican City
Totti led the group through a long, wide corridor with a high arched ceiling. The surface overhead was painted with magnificently bright colors that featured the Papal seal in several locations, as well as murals from biblical stories and symbols none of the visitors recognized.
They turned from the first hallway into another that opened up into the library. More elaborately painted arched ceilings soared overhead as the group walked down the aisle between shelves packed with thousands of books. To the right, empty tables were lined along the wall underneath high windows. The bright early afternoon sun poured light into the library, making the need for artificial light nearly unnecessary.
“You have very influential friends,” the priest said as he turned into a corridor on the left. “Were I a more curious person, I’d be inclined to ask how it is you have a direct line to the president of the United States.”
“Let’s just say we’ve done him a few favors in the past,” Sean said.
Totti wasn’t sure what that meant, and from the looks of it he didn’t care to know.
Sean’s line to the president wasn’t exactly direct, as the priest insinuated. The connection to Emily was, which is who Sean called to get to the president. Fortunately, the commander in chief wasn’t in a meeting. He was actually playing golf when Sean called.
The two joked about the president’s handicap and chatted about playing a round together at some point. When the pleasantries were over, Sean asked President Dawkins for the favor.
While John Dawkins wasn’t Catholic, that didn’t mean he was completely pow
erless when it came to persuading the Vatican. He and the pope had been on good terms during the extent of his presidency.
As soon as the phone conversation was over, an email was sent from the desk of the president asking that his friends be allowed access to the library. The message also included a few additional items such as Tommy’s expertise, experience, and some of the successful campaigns he’d engineered. The president was only aware of a few projects the IAA had carried out, but the ones he’d had his secretary list were pretty high-profile ones.
The men in charge of giving access to the library were impressed, to say the least.
Totti was given the responsibility of showing them around and making sure they left at the end of the day. Tommy and Sean assured the priest that they would only need a few minutes.
They made their way into another open room where there were fewer books and more pieces of art.
Exquisite paintings lined the walls. While art wasn’t specifically Tommy and Sean’s area of expertise, they knew Adriana would appreciate it.
She stared in wide-eyed awe as they strolled by the masterpieces, each one more impressive than the last.
Ancient vases from all over the world stood in the center of the room, protected by velvet ropes and glass.
“This area is more like a museum,” Totti said before the visitors could ask. “We have artwork from some of the greatest masters of all time stored in these rooms.”
“It’s impressive,” June said. “I never knew a place like this existed.”
Adriana did, but she said nothing. Her background in hunting down lost or stolen art from World War II had led her to a crazy theory that suggested some of the art had been salvaged by the pope and brought here to the Vatican.
She’d run out of leads that could connect the location to any of the art, and so she dropped the idea. Having seen some of the pieces in the Vatican’s possession firsthand, she wasn’t so sure it was a crazy notion after all.
Adriana’s idea didn’t suggest that the pope or anyone else at the Vatican had stolen the priceless pieces of art. She simply thought they’d been taken there for safekeeping, possibly stored in the archives or a secret chamber somewhere underground.
The Sean Wyatt Series Box Set 4 Page 48