Father Marrari, who was the brother of Agent Marrari (who Team 13 went to the academy with), was a specially trained Catholic priest. He was meant to be the divine backup of the team to which he was assigned, and he was also a wealth of Christian knowledge.
He bunked in Bionic’s old apartment when he explained to the team who he was, and he set about researching the Knives right away.
According to the Bureau, the Knives had some sort of dark magic to them that enhanced the wielder’s physical attributes while making the wielder hungry for power. Marrari still needed to look up specifics, but he believed that only certain people could use or even touch the Knives without negative effects.
***
Although interaction with the priest was minimal, Johnson could tell Frink and Andy didn’t much like the man. Andy didn’t like the idea that his Church had hidden the secrets of the supernatural for so long, and Frink was Jewish. Johnson himself was atheist, but he was beginning to see that all the gods and all the pantheons of every religion exist simultaneously, feeding off of human belief.
But it wouldn’t matter whether or not the team liked the priest. They had to work with him.
By the time of the seminar, Marrari still hadn’t drawn up many conclusions. He thought it would be best if the team saw the artifact in person and perhaps interview the archaeologist a bit more. So the rest of the team went to Johnston Hall at Marquette University. Marrari stayed behind to monitor activites.
***
Andy recognized the veiled shape of the Knives and their stand from the picture he took. The Knives were at the front of the hall, on a table surrounded by a few security team members. Team 13 was in the middle of the hall which was filled with a large group of professors, students, and visitors. Speakers were in every corner, and there was a projector room in the back.
Marrari kept in contact with Andy via earpiece. The priest also gave Andy some photocopies of religious books about demons. Johnson and Andy tried not to attract the attention of the archaeologist who was standing at the front of the room, and Frink attempted to gather information about the Knives from the other professors. Frink had his Bureau-issue laptop with him as well, just in case.
At about eight-thirty in the morning, the conference started.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Jack Pillion,” began the archaeologist, “As I am certain you all know, I have recently unearthed a specimen dating from the Second Crusade. This artifact was believed to be held by none other than Osman himself, leader of the. . .”
As the archaeologist went on, Agent Andy nudged Agent Johnson and whispered, “Marrari found something. He says that only politicians and agents of order can touch the Knives without succumbing to death in a few hours. It also verifies that using the Knives makes the wielder mad for power.”
This was interesting to note, Johnson thought. Then he realized that the archaeologist had to have touched the Knives when he moved them and examined them. Before he could say something to this end, Andy continued, “That’s odd . . . this photocopy here mentions a demon that can only be released by ‘tyrants or enforcers of the corrupt law.’ This demon was believed to have appeared and then disappeared around . . . um . . . oh, the time of the Second or Third Crusade.”
At that moment, the archaeologist happened to ask, “Any questions before I unveil the artifacts?”
Several voices emerged from the audience, but Johnson’s was the loudest. “Professor, do you work for the government?”
The archaeologist was startled to see the agent again, but replied nonetheless. “I serve as an ambassador for American universities to Israel, yes. I make certain contracts are obeyed in addition to being a diplomat. I would handle things like the Elgin Marbles.” The professor then went on answering other questions.
Andy spoke again, this time with much fear in his voice. “This photcopy says . . . that many believe this demon to have been imprisoned in a weapon and used for evil.”
Andy continued going through some of the sheets of paper in front of him. As he did this, the questions died down and the archaeologist gave his final spiel before removing the cloth covering.
Andy suddenly pulled the earpiece out of his ear and exclaimed to Johnson, “It is rumored that if one spills the blood of an innocent on a possessed item, the item will release its prisoner. So if one drop of blood were to fall on those Knives, the phylactery would open up and produce –”
Andy suddenly stood up and yelled, “No!” as the archaeologist removed the cloth veil. The explorer fumbled and spun around, knocking over his unopened juice and cutting his hand on one of the Knives.
“What was that for, moron?” the man cried as he went to get his juice.
As he went to do this, an Arabic male in a black sweater and pants and a white dress shirt said, “Allow me.” He bent over and glanced at the agents, grimacing an unearthly grin.
“–a demon,” Andy solemnly said, finishing his interrupted sentence.
The bent man stood up and tossed the juice container to the archaeologist. It was a pure black liquid when it reached the professor’s hands. The man then walked to the table with the Knives. Three security guards, all students, ran to stop him. The Arabic man picked tow of them up, one with each hand, and tossed them in different directions. The third one, who happened to be in front of him, was decapitated by the demon’s growing maw.
Everybody in the hall was rising out of their chairs now. Agent Johnson stood up and softly said, “Run.”
Johnson put on his trenchcoat as Andy directed people out into the halls. When Johnson finished, he looked as Frink and Andy and said, “come with me.”
***
“What should we do?” Agent Frink yelled in question to Johnson out in the crowded hall.
“This is similar to the ‘Hell House’ training exercise two weeks ago,” Johnson exclaimed without breaking his calm.
Andy then saw the similarities. “Yeah! I’ll bet this demon hates the sounds of the Bible being read aloud, too!” he said.
The ‘Hell House’ training program was a fake haunted house or a fake demonic manifestation meant to show new agents what it would be like in the field. Johnson’s team worked their way though the “possession” of a victim by reading the Bible aloud until an exorcist could be found. They had a Bible with them, but they probably needed something more powerful for a real demon.
Frink looked quizzically at Andy. “There were loudspeakers in every corner. Frink, if you can find a way to hack into the speaker system from the projector room, we could read the Bible ‘til Marrari exorcizes the bastard,” Andy explained.
Johnson nodded. “Agent Frink, secure the projector room and contact Father Marrari. Agent Andy, secure the Bible and return to Agent Frink to read it. I will fend off the demon.” When Johnson finished his sentence, there was a large crash from inside the main hall. Luckily, almost everyone was out of the building by now. “Move,” Johnson calmly ordered, and they all went about their tasks.
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