Pathspace
Page 16
Chapter 16
Peter: “Teach us to care and not to care”
There was no doubt in his mind that it was an assassination. But how? After tense moments and the Runt's droll comment, Peter decided that there had been only one target. But targeted by who? And how had they accomplished it?
His hand was on his sword hilt. Forcing himself to let go of it he sprang to the throne and examined Rodrigo's body. He found the hole in seconds. The blood made it easy. “Looks like he was shot,” he grunted. “A clean hole in the right temple.”
“That cache of weapons your men found,” said Jeffrey. “Could someone have snuck some out?”
He shook his head. “Even if they had, the old ammo would have been useless. The potions they Ancients used to propel their bullets go bad after only a few decades. And no one has made any like the ones we found in over two hundred years.” He let go of the body and strode over to his left, to what had been Rodrigo's right. What he had taken to be an overly ornamental carved wooden panel was, in fact, a privacy screen that was effectively opaque from a distance but sufficiently perforated to allow observation of the audiences by advisers.
Church personnel. That was a mistake, he decided, that had cost Rodrigo his life.
Jeffrey was approaching. Peter hustled him away from the screen and pushed him flat against a solid wall on the same side of the chamber. “Don't move. Whoever fired from behind there might still be there, or come back. Guards! Someone GET IN HERE!”
A door on the side opened and two men in cardinal red darted in. They skidded to a halt at the sight of Rodrigo's slumped body, blood now draining from the side of his head.
“Someone has killed the Pope!” he said. “Seal up the place and inform the papal guard immediately.” When they just stood there, aghast, he grimaced, spun on his heel and ran for the main entrance at the far end of the chamber.