The Stolen Gospels Read Free

said. He grinned, revealing cigarette-stained teeth that seemed out of character with his otherwise spotless appearance.
    The ultra-conservative BOI was not relying on any one source of income. They were in constant contact with wealthy right-wing investors around the world, people who did not want the radical, upstart women to make any more headway. Through its web of carefully tailored relationships, the BOI was able to fund its own paramilitary and political operations in secrecy. In fact, the public had no idea that this powerful group even existed.
    “I’ve got some nice dirt on President Markwether if you ever want to use it,” Styx said. “On the campaign funds he diverted for his own personal use, and other irregularities.”
    “I thought I told you to get rid of that stuff,” Culpepper said. “We run an upstanding Christian organization. Trading favors is one thing. Blackmail is quite another.”
    “Yes, sir. I’ll delete the files from our data base.”
    “Don’t make me say it again. I don’t like to repeat myself.”
    “You can count on me, sir. I’ll take care of it.” Actually, Styx intended to conceal the information, burying it in deep computer encryptions where no one could find it. He had gone to a great deal of trouble to build files on a lot of important people, and he was certain that they would prove to be valuable one day. He even had one on Culpepper himself, who claimed to be so squeaky clean. What a hypocrite!
    Styx sipped his coffee, waiting for an opportunity to discuss another matter he had on his mind.
    Culpepper coughed from sandstorm dust, and with a flurry of expletives that would make a longshoreman blush, he cursed the building’s air filtration system. He paused to take a drink of water from a bottle, while his subordinate spoke quickly, excitedly: “Sir, I have incredible news!”
    With a scowl, Culpepper thumped the bottle down on his desk. “It’ll keep. I have a more important matter to discuss with you.”
    “But Minister, this is something you—” Styx fell silent, after detecting a look of disapproval on the fat man’s face.
    “Don’t forget. I called you here.”
    “Of course. I’m sorry.” The Vice Minister stared at a wall-displayed projection of the storm topside, while sand pummeled the rural Bureau-controlled town up there.
    “You know how I feel about United Women of the World,” Culpepper said, his voice raspy, as it sometimes became when he was upset. “I’d like to blow them off the face of the earth.”
    “That’s exactly what I came to discuss with you, sir! The Legions of Eve, those shameless sinners in silk and chiffon. Just wait until you hear what I—” Styx fell silent again, shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
    “Blast those harlots,” Minister Culpepper said.
    The UWW—run by rabidly militant females—was the Bureau’s archenemy in every country on the planet, waging behind-the-scenes battles that the blissfully ignorant general public never even heard about. The UWW’s secrecy was obtained through similar methods to those utilized by the BOI, and it was reported that the troublesome women forced all personnel to take oaths of secrecy and to undergo unbreakable, deep hypnosis—thus preventing information from leaking. Some sort of witchery, Styx thought; one of many proofs that the UWW was in league with the devil. In any event, their Svengali methods didn’t work entirely. The BOI, through its contacts, knew some of the bizarre, heretical acts they were committing, stirring up susceptible women, claiming certain passages in the Bible were the result of political machinations, and were not true gospel.
    “Listen, Styx. I’ve got a line on Billings, a way we can get to her.”
    Styx caught his breath. This was indeed more significant than his own report. The Minister was referring to the diabolical Chairwoman of the UWW, Amy Angkor-Billings herself.
    “That’s excellent, sir,” Styx said.
    Culpepper struggled with his