Genuflect
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“Certainly,”Isaid.“AndtheTemplars’chiefmascot,theirsecretcaptain,their luckytalismanandtheiridolofworshipwasaproductofexactlythiskindof sorcery.”
“Baphomet,youmean?”Chesterfieldguessed.
“Yes,”Ianswered.“Theysayitstartedoutasaskullwithtwolegbones.
Specifically,thesebonesbelongedtothebodyofagirlnamedYse,whohad beenlovedbyoneoftheoriginalTemplarknights.Butshehaddiedbeforetheir lovewasconsummated,andsotheknighttookituponhimselftobreakopenher coffinandhavehiswaywithhercorpse.Afterhewasdone,heheardavoice speakingtohimthatisdescribedascomingfrom‘beyondtheVoid.’Ittoldhim toshutupthegraveandreturnninemonthslater,whenhewouldfindason waitingforhim.”
IlookedatChesterfield.Hewasliterallyontheedgeofhischair,tiltedforward sothatthebacklegswererisingoffthefloorashestaredatmewithhiseyes wide,waitingformetofinish,likeitwasthebestghoststoryever.Icontinued.
“Theknightobeyedthisinstruction,andwhenhecamebackhefoundtheskull andlegboneswaitingforhim.Itspoketohim,promisingtobringhimluckin
businessandbattleifhebroughtitwithhimeverywhereandtookitsadvice.
That’showtheoriginalBaphometskullcametotheTemple’spossession,and thatsupposedlyhadmuchtodowiththeextentoftheirworldlysuccess.”
“Interesting,”saidChesterfield.“Youknow,justacoupleofyearsagowehada murdercaseinthatDeVerehotelinTheobaldPark—theonetheymadeoutof LadyMeux’soldmansion,rightinfrontofwhereshehadtheTempleBar parked.Someguy—alawyerandafriendofBorisJohnson—killedayoung teacherinhisroomthereonChristmasEve.Thenhehadsexwithherdeadbody.
Hesaidavoiceinhisheadtoldhimtotakeherthereanddoexactlythat.”
Hefinishedhisstoryandstaredatme.Ididn’treact.Somanyweirdthingswere connectingtogether,andthiswasjustonemore.
“It’sjustthatTempleBarispartofourmystery,”hesaid,asifhehadtoexplain theconnection.“AndTempleBarisassociatedwithTemplars….”
“Andlawyers,”Iadded.“That’swherethelegalprofessionisheadquartered.
That’swherewegetthebarexamthatlawyershavetotake.Thepracticeoflaw islikeasecretsocietyinitself.”Iwasdriftingofftopic.
“Iknow,”saidChesterfield.“Sotheheadtalkedtothemandtoldthemwhatto do,howtofight,howtobuildabankingempire….”
“HowtoblackmailthePapacyintogivingthemanexemptionfromalllawsand alltaxes….”Iinterrupted.
“Sothat’sthebigsecretoftheTemplars?Atalkingskullthatgavethembusiness advice?”
“Talkingidolsmadefromdecapitatedheadswerequitecommonintheancient East,”Isaid.“Theywerecalled teraphim,andtheyweregenerallymadefrom theheadsofsacrificedyoungboys.Buttheheadofaprophetwasconsidered quitepowerful,andcouldbeusedtoenslavethesouloftheprophet,tomakeuse ofhispower.ThisiswhattheTemplarswererumoredtohavedonewiththe mummifiedheadofJohntheBaptisttomakeintoBaphomet,theBaptizerof Wisdom.”
“ButIthoughtBaphometwasagoat‐headedhumanhermaphrodite?”said Chesterfield.
“Ithinktheyaugmenteditovertime,”Ireplied.“Likethechimeraswe mentioned.Perhapsonlytheheadwasoriginal.Ialsothinktheymadeother versionsoftheidolforalltheirotherchapters,usingthesamemagical principles,butthatsomehowtheywereallconnectedtogetherandcouldn’twork independently.Theywerejustconduitstothegroup’ssharedpatrondemon.”
“Andthentheyworshipeditasagod,right?”hesaid.
“Iguessso.Imean,theyboweddowntoitandkissedit.Sacrificedtoit.
Testifiedthatitcould‘save’them,makethem‘wealthy,’andmaketheircrops prosperous.Theysaidthatitgavethem‘wisdom.’Theyhadtotakeanoathof allegiancetoit,andrenounceJesusChristintheprocess.Itsoundslikeareligion tome.”
“Sotheymadeuptheirownreligion,likeyouweresaying,outofbowingdown tothisidol,combinedwithotherbitsandbobstheycollectedfrompagancults, Sataniccults,Gnosticheresies,GreekandRomanmysteryschools….AmI missinganything?”hesaid.
“No,that’sit.Andthegodtheymadeforthemselveswaslikeacompoundofall thesedifferentgodsandgoddesses,aswellasdemons,fromallthevarious traditions.JustlikeaDr.Frankenstein’smonster,itwasabunchofpartsfrom differentbodiesallstucktogether.Buttheyfeltthatitmadetheirgodandtheir religionstrongertobeforgedfromsomanydifferent,evencontradictorysources ofpower.Theycreatedanegregorethatforatimetookovertheworld,andstill influencesitimmenselytoday.”
“Anegregore?”hesaid.
“Acollectivethought‐formanimatedbymagic,”Ireplied.“TheBaphomet golemwasjustthephysicaltouchpointthatallowedtheBaphometegregoreto manifest.”
“SoMithrasandCybele,thoughtheymayhavebeencontradictoryinmany ways,couldhavebeencombinedbytheTemplarmagiciansintoone thoughtformthatwasmorepowerfulthanbothofthem,”hesaid.
“Mythoughtsexactly,”Itoldhim.
“AndwhendidMithrascelebratehisbirthday.Christmas,right?”said Chesterfield.
“Yes,supposedly,”Ireplied.“ButFranzCumontthoughtthatonlycametobe observedafterMithraswasconflatedwithSolInvictustowardstheendofthe empire.HesaidthatMithraicinitiationstypicallytookplaceduringMarch,and thattheyparticularlycelebratedthetimearoundtheSpringEquinox.Justlike Cybele’sDayofBloodandtherestofherholyweekfestivals.”
Justthen,AgentPariswalkedinandtookaplaceatthetable.Hehadbeen listeningforseveralminutesfromthenextroomwhilehewassittingat Chesterfield’sdesk,printingoutdocumentsfromhisownlaptopwith Chesterfield’scomputer.Hehadhisownremarkstoshare.
“Youknow,what’sinteresting?”hesaid.“TheendofMarch,orearlyApril,was thetimeofyearwhentheyfinishedtheorgiesandmurderedeveryonein 120
DaysofSodom.There’sabitofambiguitybecausetheMarquisneverfinished thenovel.HeranoutofpaperwhenhewasimprisonedintheBastille.Buthe madeanoutlineofhowitwouldend.The120daysofsexorgiesstartedon November1st.ThechildvictimswerekidnappedandtakentotheDuke’shidden mansioninthewoodsonHalloweenNight.”
ChesterfieldandIbothleanedin,fascinatedbywhatPariswastellingus.
Hecontinued.
“Now,thoseorgiesendedonFebruary28thofthefollowingyear,inwhich10of thepeopledied.Thatwasthespellof120daysthatthetitlerefersto.Butthenhe plannedittogointoanewphaseoftotaltortureandmurderoverthefollowing threeweeks.Moreandmorepeople’stonguesweretobetornout,eyesgouged out,fingerscutoff,testiclescrushed,organsremovedorrearranged,etc., resultingindeathformostofthem.Twiceasmanypeopleweretohavediedin thesefinalfestivities,whichweresettoendonMarch21.”
“TheredoesseemtobesomethingabouttheSpringEquinox,andtheentire Lentenseason,whichbringsouthumansavagery,”Iremarked,amazedbythe coincidencebutnotsurewhatelsetosayaboutit.
“What’salsointerestingisthatLentstartedthisyearonValentine’sDay,and that’salsothebirthdayofBlakeRosenberg,”Chesterfieldproffered.
“TheformermayorofNewYork?”Isaid.
“Yeah.”Hereplied.
“What’sthisgottodowithhim?”Iasked.
“He’stheguythatownsRosenbergPlaza,wherethe mithraeumis,”Paris replied,lookingatmelikeIwasstupid.
“Yeah,that’stheguyI’vebeenresearchingforthelasthour,”saidChesterfield.
“Arealweirdo.Buthe’sthesixthrichestpersonintheworld.32
timesricherthantheQueen.”
“Ihad
noidea!”Isaid.“Imean,Iknewhewasrich.ButIguessIdidn’tknow howrich.Isitallfromthatfinancialnewscompanyheowns?”
“No,hestartedthat afterhegotrich,”saidParis.Hemadeitbigsellingthe
‘NiptronTerminal.’It’sliterallyacomputerfullofproprietarysoftwarethat everysinglemajortraderinfinancialsecuritiesusesasatradingplatform.Most ofthetradesmadeallovertheworldaregoingthroughoneofhisdevices,and theusersareallpayingmonthlylicensingfeestohiscompany.”
“Wow,Ican’tbelieveIdidn’tknowthat,”Isaid.“Doesn’tthatmeanhis companycouldpotentiallyinterferewithtradingonamassivescaleifthey wantedto?Anddoesn’tthatmeantheyknoweverytrader’sstrategybeforeit’s executed?Couldn’ttheyusethatinformationtocheatontheirowntrades,orsell ittoothers?”
“Orfront‐runtheentiremarket,”saidParis,“usingthedatathey’reskimming andhigh‐frequencytradingtodrivethetradersexactlywheretheywantthemto go.”
“Likesheeptoaslaughter,”saidChesterfield.“Ifoundtonsofarticlesalleging thattheyweredoingexactlythat.Thecompany’sbeeninvestigatedforit numeroustimes,butthechargesneverstick.”
“Asitis,he’salsopushinginvestmentingold,”saidParis.“Andhoardingit himself.He’salwaystellingeverybodythatthemarketsaregoingtocrash,and thecurrenciesaregoingtofail,sotheyneedtostockpilepreciousmetal investmentsforArmageddon.That’swhyhe’sbeennicknamed‘Doomberg.’”
“Thatword Niptronsoundsreallyfamiliar,”Isaid“IguessImusthaveheardof theterminalbefore.”
“Maybe,”saidParis.“Butyouprobablyalsosawtheword‘Niptron’whenyou wereresearchingMithraism.It’sthetermtheyuseinthe‘Lion’gradetoreferto the‘baptismoffire’thathappensintheritual,whichissymbolicoftheuniversal conflagrationthatwillburnuptheunrighteousattheendoftime.”
“That’sright,”saidChesterfield.“AtSt.Martin’sLudgatethere’sapalindrome ontheholywaterfontthatsays‘ Nipsonanomematamemonan opsin,which means‘Washmysinandnotmyfaceonly.’So nipsonand niptronaredifferent conjugationsofthesameword.”
“SodowethinkhewasobsessedwithMithraswaybackwhenhestartedhis company?”Iasked“Backwhenthe mithraeumwasstillsittinginacourtyardin themiddleofGreatQueenStreet?”
“Probably,”saidChesterfield.“He’salsobeenobsessedwithEnglandforalong time,anddoingbusinessintheCityfordecades.ButwhentheQueenofferedto knighthim,he‘respectfully’declinedtheoffer,becauseitwouldhaveinvolved genuflectingtothequeenduringtheinvestiture.Hesaidhecouldn’t
‘bowdown’toanybodyfor‘personalreasons’hecouldn’tdiscuss.”
“That’sodd,”saidParis.“Ialsonotedthathisnewspaperhaspublishedseveral articlesinrecentyearsimplyingthatthemonarchyisstrappedforcash.”
“HaveyoufoundanyconnectionsbetweenhimandThomasWeir?”
Chesterfieldasked.“OrtheOrientalClub?OrDirectorPindar?”
“JusttheAlphamstoneconnection,”Parisreplied.
“What’sthat?ChesterfieldandIbothsaidsimultaneously.
“TheRectorfromtheChurchofSt.Barnabasthere—theonethathastheSator Squareinit....”
“Yes…”ChesterfieldandIbothsaidinexasperation.
“She’sjustbeennamedtheBishopoftheLondonDioceseoftheChurchof England.AndherfirstmassatSt.Paul’sCathedralwillbeonEaster.”
Ourjawsdropped.
“What’shername?”webothsaid.
“ConsiviaSpringhole,”Parisreplied.
“Springhole?”Chesterfieldlaughed.“Itmusthavebeentoughgettingthrough schoolwith thatname.”
“Shespentherteenyearsinagirl’shostelinForestGateinLondon,”saidParis.
“Butitclosedinthe1960s.Ihaven’tfiguredoutwhereshecamefrombefore that.”
“Whatelsedoyouknowabouther?”askedChesterfield.
“Youwon’tbelieveit,”saidParis.
“What?”webothsaidimpatiently.
“She’sbeenthecivilpartnerofBlakeRosenbergforthepasttwelveyears.”
“What?”Webothgasped.
“You’retellingmethatRosenberg,oneoftheworld’srichestmen,ismatchedup withtherectorofthattinyvillage.”
“Yeah,”hewenton.“Andrumorhasit,it’san‘openrelationship.’Theyhavean adopteddaughter.She’stwelve.Shesometimesgetsinthetabloidsfor competingatroyalequestriansteeplechases.”
“IsthatacceptableintheChurchofEnglandnow?”Iasked.“Bishopsinopen relationships?”
“Ohyeah,anythinggoesinHerMajesty’sChurchnow,”Chesterfieldsaid, rollinghiseyes.
“He’saJewtoo.Secular,”saidParis.“MostofhiscommentsaboutChristianity havebeenprettyhostile.SotherichestandperhapsmostirreverentJewish AmericaninLondonisswingingwiththeleaderoftheChurchforallofLondon.
Bizarre,isn’tit?ButI’msurenobody’scomplainedbecausenobodywantsto offendanybody.”
“Thenthere’sthefactthathehateswomen,”remarkedChesterfield.“Sowhat’s hedoingwithawomanofthecloth,whoisundoubtedly,duetothechallenges ofhernontraditionaljob,afeminist?”
“What’syourevidencethathehateswomen?”Iasked.
“Women andchildren,”heanswered.“Accordingtothepapershe’smadea numberofdisparagingremarksaboutfemales.Heopenlyinsiststhatthewomen whoworkforhimmaintainasexyappearanceatalltimes,nomatterhow seriousthejobsupposedlyis.He’sonlyallowedahandfuloffemalestoriseto thetopofhisbusiness,andnoneofthemhadchildren.”
Ithoughtabouthowthismightfitinwiththeman’sreportedobsessionwith Mithraism.
“Infact,”Chesterfieldcontinued,“hisfemaleemployeesusuallygetdemoted oncetheirbosseslearnthatthey’repregnant.Heoncetoldapregnantunderling directly:‘Killit,orkillyourcareer.’Yetstrangely,asMayorofNewYork,he enthusiasticallysupportedgaymarriagesostronglythatheinsistedon performingthecity’sfirstsame‐sexceremonyhimself,ontwoofhisown employees.”
Chesterfieldturnedhiscomputeraroundtoshowmeanewspaperarticlewitha photoofRosenberg,aPoindexterwithbrownhair,slightlycrossedeyesanda mediumbuildinanexpensivenavysuit.Hewasstandinggleefullybehindtwo meninequallycostlysuits,crownedwithcelebratorylaurelwreathsandholding handslovingly.Infrontofthemstoodtheirtwoadoptedsons,ages6and8.
“EmployeesoftheCityofNewYork?OremployeesofRosenbergIndustries?”
“Ofhisowncompany,”Chesterfieldanswered.Hewasabouttoaddsomething
else,buttherewasaknockatthedoor.Everybodysuddenlygotquiet.
Chesterfieldsatfrozen,hiseyeswide.
“That’sodd,”hewhispered.“Normallyvisitorsusethebuzzeratthefrontdoor downstairs.”Hewasclearlyalarmed,withnoreasontoexpectthatanybody wouldbecallingonhimnow.
“Wellitcouldbeaneighbor,”Parissaidinaconversationaltone.But Chesterfieldfranticallyquietedhim.
“Shhh!”
Hecreptoutofthekitchenandaroundthecornertothefrontdoor.ParisandI tip‐toedquietlybehindhim.Helookedthroughthepeephole.Thenheturned around,bewildered.
“There’snobodythere,”hewhispered.Thenheturnedbackaround,looked throughtheholeagain,andbeganturningthehandle.
“Wait,aren’tyougoingtogetyourgunsout?”Isaidtothetwospooks.
“Wedon’thave guns,”Parissneered.“It’snottheWildWest.”
Chesterfieldopenedthedoor.Indeedtherewasnoonestandingthere.Onthe ground,however,therewasanemptyglassCokebottlesittingthere,sealedon
topwiththebloodyseveredheadofablackbird.
Weallgasped.Chesterfieldshutthedoorrapidly.ThenhegesturedforParisto comeovertohim.Parisappearedtohesitate,andlookedaroundtheroom frantically.Thenhetookanautographedcricketbatfromthewallwhereitwas mountedafewfeetawayfromhim,andwalkeduprightbehindhispartnerwith thebatheldhigh.Chesterfieldrolledhiseyesandopenedthedoorwide.
Still,noonewasthere.Bothmencreptoutintothehallwayandsearchedit,then quicklyreturnedtothedoorway.BythistimeIhadnoticedthattherewasa rolled‐uppieceofpaperinsideoftheCokebottle,andmentionedittothem.
Chesterfieldputhisjacketsleeveoverhishandandpickedupthebottlewith disgust.
“God,IhopeIdon’tgetrabiesfromthis,”hesaid.Hetookthebottleintothe kitchenandplaceditonthecounter,whereweallgatheredaroundtoinspectit.
Thedeadbird’sheadhadbeensealedinplacewithredwax.Chesterfieldtooka steakknifefromoneofthedrawersandunsealedit.Heplacedtheheadona papernapkin,whichhethenrolledupandputinsideofasandwichbag,thenin therefrigerator.
Afterthat,hetookthebottleandbroketheneckoffonthesideofthesinksothat theshardswouldfallinsidethesink.Thenheshookthebottleupsidedown,and therolled‐uppaperfelloutontothecounter.Heputthebrokenbottleandits neckinsideofthefridgeaswell,rightnexttothebirdhead.
Ididn’task,butpresumedhewaspreservingthesethingsasevidence,and plannedtoreportthecrimelater.Nobodysaidanything.Wewerealltryingtobe asquietaspossible.
WhenChesterfieldreturnedtothecounter,Pariswasalreadyusingthesteak knifetoopenthepaperroll,whichwasalsosealedwithredwax.Itlookedlike parchment.Heunfurledit,andweallreadthemessage,whichappearedtobe writteninblood.
Sweetaretheliversofthebirds,butcarereigns.
“Whatthefuckdoesthatmean?”Chesterfieldwhispered.“Whatkindofsick weirdosarewedealingwith?”