by D A Walmsley
“Please be patient, you will have your headlines soon enough,” Herod says, addressing the press.
When Jesus returns, the soldiers have draped an old purple robe around him. All the press laugh, John closes his eyes, unable to look. Herod stands and bows.
“Your Majesty.”
Chapter 36
“You know where I am if you need anything else.”
“Cheers, you’ve been a big help.”
“I’m sorry. He was a good man.”
Matthew pulls the hood up on his borrowed coat and making sure he’s not being followed, sets off to Zeb’s house. Though he’s sure this is a bad idea, he will at least check it out. Every passing car, every person he sees could be a potential threat. He puts his hand in a large pocket and finds the cold steel of his Jericho. Sliding the safety off, his old life appears to be starting over. He tries not to think about it, he’s not that person anymore. He’s seen so much, experienced life that he never thought possible. Yet here he is, walking down a different street in a different town with all too familiar old habits and the same old fears, hoping today is not his day to die. After all those denials, all those promises, it turns out to be true; once a collector always a collector.
Alone in the dark, he thinks about the boss, asking himself why he didn’t fight to save him. He just wishes he could have done something, that’s the worst part. Peter, of all people was the one to fight. He tries desperately not to think about what could be happening to Jesus. His collector friends suggested Jesus was taken to the palace. He hopes not, for if Annas employs others like Benjamin then what is in store for Jesus?… he can’t think like this, it is too unbearable.
A car approaches slowly, the early morning sun dazzling the windscreen, hiding the driver’s face from view. His heart quickens, his trigger finger twitches. There are no parked cars to protect him this time, no wall to hide behind. He walks faster and crouching down he takes out the gun. I’ll make myself as difficult to hit as possible. Now the car is right opposite him, he lifts up his gun and…relaxes. The driver isn’t even looking at him, just fumbling around in the glove box. The windows are fully up. Slipping the gun away, he breathes a sigh of relief.
“Come on Matthew, keep it together.” He checks to make sure nobody else is watching. Better not turn up unannounced. He takes out the burner phone he’s been given and calls Alphie, the one number he knows from memory. No answer, well it is early. If he’s okay, he’ll probably be in bed anyway. Continuing the walk towards Zeb’s, he sees the houses are all large detached, some with long driveways. Zeb bought well, this is a very good neighbourhood. He wonders if Andrew will come here in the minibus. If he does he’d have to park it out of sight. As he gets nearer, he can see no sign of it, that’s good. Before going up the driveway he first walks past and looks around, checking if the house is being watched. Only when he’s certain it’s safe does he go up the driveway, taking out his own phone and quickly searching for Zeb’s home number. He types it in the new phone and rings.
“It’s me,” he says after a few seconds silence.
“Me who?”
“James, it’s Matt!”
“Oh, Matt, where are you?”
“Outside, let me in.”
The door opens and James pulls him in, shutting the door immediately.
“You weren’t followed?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“So where did you go?”
“Some…” Matthew hesitates - “…collectors I know, they helped me out. What about you?”
“I wanted to head straight home to Galilee where it would be safer, but we couldn’t leave everybody else, so we came here.”
“We?”
“Yeah, me, Phil and Tom.”
Matthew goes into the living room to find Philip and Thomas watching the TV news.
“You came straight here, wasn’t that a bit risky?”
“We’ve only just arrived. First we headed to Bethany but there were too many people there. It didn’t feel safe,” says Philip without taking his eyes off the TV.
“So we came here,” adds Thomas.
“What’s,” he pauses, the words sticking in his throat, “happened to?” Matthew points at the TV, he wants to know what’s happened to Jesus but part of him can’t bear to hear.
“He is still in the palace, they’re saying he is to be tried in the morning.”
Matthew sighs.
“Hey, this is what the boss wants, just you wait until he does something big, you’ll see,” says James.
“He talked about dying, not performing an escape,” says Thomas, “and we will be next.”
That is what Matthew is afraid of. “So where is everyone else?”
“John’s at the Palace, he was with Peter,” says James.
“Was?”
“Yeah, you not heard? Peter was on the news, he denied knowing the boss.”
“What? Peter, never!”
“He did, now nobody knows where he is.”
“What about Alphie, he’s not answering his phone?”
“With Thaddy at Mary and young Mark’s place.”
“Hey, Shhh, they are talking about us,” Philip turns up the sound on the TV.
A reporter is asking where Jesus’ team have gone and questioning whether they will be arrested too.
“John’s there, should we warn him we are in danger?”
“It might be too late,” says Thomas.
“Don’t you think they would have arrested us at Gethsemane?”
“Listen, that’s what the news guy is saying.”
“The first place they’ll look is here, maybe Mary’s place is a better bet,” Matthew now wishes he’d gone there.
“Let’s hope they don’t have that place surrounded,” says Thomas having the same idea and grabbing his coat.
Chapter 37
“Why, in my own country can’t I kill evildoers?”
When Annas finds out that even the insane Herod has dismissed the charges against their prisoner he erupts with rage, shouting and screaming that the whole world is against him.
“How could this be, the Union kill for fun; why now, when there is real danger do they sit on their hands?”
“Sir, Pilate has made his decision,” says one of Caiaphas’ staff, handing him a piece of paper.
“We’ve failed!” says Caiaphas, slumping down in his office chair.
Annas takes the paper from him and reads it. Both Governors have failed to find any reason for a conviction, they will agree to a public beating as a warning to others. It can be televised if the Jewish Authorities wish, but afterwards the prisoner will be released.
Jonathan, who has been in the palace all night, comes into the office. “Sir, Pilate’s office will give a statement to the press shortly.”
“Where is the prisoner now?” demands Annas.
“He is on his way back to Pilate. They will keep him locked up, for now anyway.”
“That’s it! That’s all he gets, a public beating - it will only make him more popular.”
“Sir, one more thing, the press are all over me, they want to know why Pilate and now Herod have rejected responsibility?”
“Tell them the truth, that this is all part of the negotiations when dealing with a danger to Jewish society.”
Caiaphas, drained from the lack of sleep, looks to his father-in-law for inspiration. A furious Annas paces the floor, desperately trying to come up with a better solution. Another knock on the door….he can’t think when he is constantly interrupted.
“Now what?”
“The priests have got back to the barracks and are waiting for your permission to hand Jesus over to Pilate,” says a staff member.
Caiaphas nods, “they have my permission, and remind them not to speak to the press. All press questions must be directed through the High Priest’s office.”
Still pacing up and down, Annas tries to focus. He hates this arm’s length politics, you can’t read
somebody via phone calls and emails. What is Pilate really thinking? An idea flickers in his head, he breathes slowly. Maybe? What if?
“That’s it! Oh, I love my genius.”
* * *
An unmarked car pulls up next to the staff entrance of the palace. Jonathan has a quick glance, checking to make sure there is nobody watching, before they both get into the back. At the gate the darkened windows hide them from the press and onlookers. People give little notice to a staff car leaving, they’ve been coming and going all morning. They are more concerned with finding out about the news conference Annas had arranged for Caiaphas, which has been timed to coincide with their departure.
It is the same at the barracks, the barrier swings open and the driver speeds into the base.
With Jesus now locked up inside, the priests have stayed, congregating by the steps to Pilate’s quarters. They have been joined by some press and a solitary TV camera crew, plus a few people lucky enough to have been let in by the Union soldiers. The car goes unnoticed as it makes its way to an entrance on the other side of the main building.
As an ex-High Priest Annas knows he shouldn’t set foot in the barracks and at no point must the priests out front find out about this. The meeting takes place in an oak-panelled, conference room that was once the dining hall for the first commanding officers of the barracks. Military campaign banners, photos, and crests of every company ever to be stationed here hang on the walls. In the middle of the room are a large oak table and chairs. Annas still doesn’t know exactly what he is to say to Pilate. He hopes to persuade him to reconsider his verdict, but how?
Pilate arrives and Jonathan leaves the two alone, positioning himself outside the door.
“Shalom Annas,” says Pilate.
“Shalom.”
“I hear Caiaphas is to give a press conference, will it be to pre-empt my decision?”
“It will hopefully be to announce an execution.”
“Only if you have another you want killing.”
Annas does his best to convince Pilate of Jesus’ crimes: the blasphemy, the danger of an uprising, the threat to the Governors power, all to no avail. Time is ticking and Caiaphas is going to speak shortly. He will appear to be positive but waffle on about how these things take time - but if Pilate can’t be turned it will make them all look very foolish.
“Look, I’ll be happy to give you a show-piece, just pick another offender.”
Annas looks into Pilates eyes. The eyes can reveal a lot about a person, as can the body language. Being alongside his adversary gives his senses a boost, under pressure is when he works best. This time is no exception; looking into Pilate’s eyes, the birth of an idea takes shape in Annas’ mind. Another criminal of course! In all the furore, he had forgotten tradition, the one thing that he can use to his advantage. There is a knock at the door and a commanding officer enters. He has with him a photograph, “for your amusement Sir, from Herod.”
He hands Pilate a picture of Jesus dressed in the Kingly robe.
“That Herod, mad and genius all rolled into one,” Pilate laughs.
Annas looks at the photo.
“Not much of a King,” observes Pilate.
The picture sends Annas’ thoughts into overdrive, his idea becomes bigger and better all the time.
“Isn’t it custom to release a prisoner during the festival,” he says.
“Of course, do you want to make it look like the release is your idea?”
“Oh no, I still want my execution. There are crucifixions this morning, are there not?”
“Yes, as always at festival time.”
“Well, what if we were to let the public decide who to kill this Passover. Say, if the people agree with you, that the teacher has done no wrong, then he will be released. On the other hand, if he loses the popular vote…”
Pilate leans back in his chair and considers it for a minute and Annas knows he’s won. This was a battle of minds and face to face he wins every time. Annas remembers when Pilate took over, his main objective was to win the hearts and minds of the people. If this got out that he refused them a vote, it would take ages to get their trust back. It could even cost him his job.
“Fine, have your vote,” Pilate shrugs.
Jonathan rings Caiaphas as he and Annas travel back to the palace.
“We will get our execution, after a public vote. The name of the other criminal is still to be confirmed.”
Caiaphas was just about to face the cameras in the courtyard after stalling them as long as he could, when he heard the good news. A quick statement was written and a press officer sent out to give it. They have to act fast.
* * *
Once Annas and Jonathan arrive back Caiaphas calls his staff together for a briefing. There is a lot to do, but very little time. At 9.00 am the Passover crucifixions start as planned, with or without Jesus. Timing is crucial. He explains the plan that Annas has conceived. A vote, loaded in their favour, two contestants - one wins his freedom, the other is crucified. This isn’t the first time the Temple has let the people vote, so all the technical framework is already in place. The phone numbers will be charged at premium rates, naturally. It would have been better if the lines could be open longer, giving more people the chance to vote; that would bring in more money. But the situation is unique, an hour is all they can afford, time-wise.
“On the Temple website there is currently a poll as to whether the teacher is a fraud. We can edit it to ask who they want to save?” says a member of staff.
“Good, get the phone lines up and running. As long as people hear the answerphone message telling them their vote has been counted, they will believe it has!” Annas is in a jubilant mood.
Speech writers scribble away on a statement for Caiaphas to read out to the press. He looks over their work.
“I am not saying that!”
He picks up the statement and rips the top off the sheet of paper.
“This is fine, someone else will have to explain the procedure. The Passover crucifixions start as usual at 9.00 am, so if we are to make this happen we need to act fast,” says Caiaphas, before leaving to talk to the press.
“Pilate’s office staff have just sent over the details of the other criminal, a Jesus Barabbas,” says a staff member. “Ha, ha, and they’ve sent over a picture of the Nazarene to use, look.”
Annas looks at the photo, Jesus looks a lot different to when he last saw him. The 31st have certainly been enjoying themselves. For not only is he wearing the old purple robe but also a crown made out of razor wire.
“Get that picture circulated to the press. That’s the one I want everybody to see.”
“Sir, we also have this, I’m not sure if helps or hinders. A camera crew has recorded footage of the prisoners. Pilate thought it so amusing he had it uploaded to the internet.”
The video shows the soldiers from the 31st battalion, who will be in charge of the crucifixions, heading down to the cells in the barracks. In command of the soldiers is Captain Roberto. It also shows the three men who are to be executed this Passover. Jesus Barabbas, the leader of a group of freedom fighters, one of his men and a thief. Captain Roberto orders the prison guards to open the cell of Barabbas and two of his men drag the handcuffed prisoner out. Barabbas snarls at the guards. He tries to fight the soldiers, shouting, “Israel forever” and “Death to the Union.”
“A true patriot, who wouldn’t vote for him?” says Annas.
The next clip shows Jesus, wearing the robe and crown, praying. He is dragged out of his cell and made to walk up and down, blood running down his face as the wire cuts into his flesh. The soldiers laugh and taunt him.
“Your Majesty.”
“All hail, the King of the Jews.”
While Annas finds it amusing and is pleased with how well this is going, he is also repulsed at the thought that this man claims to be the Christ.
“What are you waiting for, this is gold. Get it to the press, quickly.”
C
hapter 38
The phone lines are now open. Special Passover crucifixion. Have your say on who lives and who dies. Vote now.
Film of Barabbas and Jesus is shown. Reporters explain what has gone on during the night. On every channel experts do their best to clarify the situation. The priests queue up to speak to the media, giving their reasons why it should be the teacher who is crucified. They now have only one hour to convince as many people to vote for Barabbas.
“Come on, keep dialling,” says James, frantically voting for Jesus.
Mary’s house has become the focal point for a large number of Jesus’ followers. The twelve, with the exceptions of Jude and John are all here. All over the country, Jesus’ followers are desperately voting, in the hope of saving him.
“You do know how much this is costing don’t you?” Thomas doesn’t share James’ enthusiasm.
“What’s money when we can help free the boss.”
“It’s all pointless, the boss talked about dying, he didn’t talk about us voting to save him!”
“What else can we do?” asks Thaddy.
“Oh no! I’ve run out of credit,” says James.
“The hour is almost up anyway, what does the news say about it?” asks Philip.
“It says it’s too close to call,” replies Matthew.
“Oh, surprise, surprise, more money for the priests,” moans Thomas.
Peter, though back with friends, is alone in his thoughts. He had walked around for hours then rung Ruth and they had talked. How he wished he could be with her. She begged him to leave the city, drive, do anything to get back to her side, but he couldn’t, he wouldn’t leave the others, even after what he’s done. “Then go to them, they will understand” she had said. Ruth was right, of course, for they were all scared and afraid. If any of them had been accused, each would have done the same, well that’s what they all told him when he eventually found them. It’s probably what they thought he needed to hear, only they didn’t do it, he did and he knows it was the worst thing he’s done in his whole life. The look on Jesus’ face will haunt him forever. While the others spend their time watching the news, he can’t bear seeing the images of Jesus. What they are doing to him makes his heart bleed. Why does it have to be like this?