Last Days (Last Days Trilogy #1) Read Free Page B

science show.”
    A hush enveloped the diner, drowning out Buzz’s moaning.
    Reggie fixed her eyes on the screen, where Marcus was reading off a stack of index cards. He looked uptight, almost choking in that tie. He began to verge on boring as he gave a monotone account of a hybrid tomato plant. But Reggie knew that everything was about to change.

 
    “Dr. Marie Halcomb, our chief Botanist, will discuss that later in detail,” Marcus took a deliberate pause, set down his index cards and looked straight ahead. “But that is not why I’m here. I’m here today to make an announcement on behalf of Westing Biogenetic Institute.” Marcus stopped to clear his throat. “I’ll be plain, simple, and blunt. There’s no other way. Westing Biogenetic Institute is about to embark on what will be the most controversial scientific endeavor of our time. Today, here in London, we will extract DNA from the Shroud of Turin. Not in the hopes of finding out answers that others have already sought and claimed to have found, but to acquire the gene sequences needed to clone the person who left the impression upon the cloth. Alleged to be... Jesus of Nazareth.”
     
     
     

The Vatican
     
    Cardinal Vincent Anomidi stood two feet from the television set, one arm draped across his waist, as his thumb and forefinger moved about his chin. He watched as Dr. Marcus Leon evaded a tidal wave of media questions.
    The conference ended. Cardinal Anomidi turned to Archbishop Donald Sumpter who sat behind a modest desk.
    “Well,” said Sumpter, leaning back in his chair.
    Cardinal Anomidi cleared his throat, “Well. That’s that.” He slid the chair across from the Archbishop, “The inevitable has occurred. I assume you have prepared a statement?”
    Archbishop Sumpter shuffled through some papers, “I’ve worked on a few. I favor this one. Tell me what you think, Vincent.” He lifted the paper and read, “The Holy Father is deeply saddened by the recent announcement by Dr. Marcus Leon regarding The Shroud of Turin. The Catholic Church was forced through the judicial system to temporarily turn over The Shroud, without the least knowledge of Westing’s intentions. The Holy Father has and will continue to urge Westing to reconsider its current plans. And hopefully, with God’s intervention, this atrocity of nature will be avoided.” He set down the statement, “What do you think?”
    Cardinal Anomidi nodded. “I like that. Conveys a lot.”
    “In light of everything the church is now facing: molestations, improper behavior, misappropriation of funds. This... This is larger than all of that combined.”
    Cardinal Anomidi agreed. “Yes it is. But... it’s no longer our controversy.” He smiled beautifully. “Job well done, Archbishop.”
     

CHAPTER THREE
     

London, England
     
    Marcus raised his head to scratch the bridge of his nose, and saw Dr. Bennet’s look of concern. Bennet was on the phone in the back of the moving limousine.
    “I see,” he said. “As many as needed. Cost is no option. Thank you.”
    Marcus waited until Dr. Bennet set the phone down. “Problem?”
    “Yes. At the institute. A few protestors.”
    Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Already? I was only on television an hour and a half ago.”
    “The BBC showed the announcement about forty minutes ago.”
    “It can’t be all that bad.”
    Dr. Bennet shrugged. “It could get worse. A lot worse.”
    “I’m not calling it off.”
    Dr. Bennet smiled. “That’s what I like to hear.” The limo slowed down. “Driver, why are we stopping?”
    The driver looked over his shoulder. “I have to, sir. The protestors….”
    “Protestors? What?” Dr. Bennet peered out the window. “We’re still a block from the institute. How can that be?” A loud smack against the window startled Dr. Bennet back toward Marcus. “Scratch that question.”
    “Can we get to the doors?” Marcus asked, as angry hands slapped against the car.
    “Security is supposed to be