Saturday, January 4, 2014 – 4:04 PM Local Time – Outside Paris, France



When my father sees it on the news tomorrow, he'll be proud. This is something that has occurred only in the old mans dreams. My father has dreamed of a day like today that a strike on a massive scale was unleashed on the very Church he once belonged to. I can not wait to see his face and witness his reaction.

With my men in place and set to 'invade' enemy territory, it's time to give them the order they're dying to hear.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “GO!”



My Brotherhood of the Illuminatus bursts through the three doors into the cafeteria, shocking all of them where they sit. Most sit in a stunned silence, while a few others whisper among themselves.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I'd take your seat, Sister. I don't think Sister Mary will be joining you.”

CARDINAL: “Who are you people? What is the meaning of this?”



The Cardinals pulls out his cell phone and dials. He holds it to his ear for a second then stares at the phone in confusion.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Your phone not working, Cardinal? Perhaps its because we've jammed the signal. No calls in or out.”

CARDINAL: “What are you doing here?”



I begin to walk up along the one side of the table. All eyes are upon me.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Cardinal, allow me to demonstrate the danger you are all in.”



As I walk, I pick a random monk and grab him by the hair with my left hand. With my right, I drive the infamous dagger contraption that Jacob constructed for me, into the back of the mains neck severing his spinal cord instantly. Blood spatters against those sitting across from him.

A few screams are heard, but most have too much faith in their lord and remain calm.



CARDINAL: “I'll ask you a third time, sir! Who are you!?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “My name, Cardinal, is Sebastian Duke. I'm sure you've never heard of me.”

CARDINAL: “On the contrary. I'm very good friends with Pope Benedict. I'm very much aware of this name.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Then you know what I'm capable of.”

CARDINAL: “I've heard of your atrocities, Mr. Duke. You must know that your conduct will cause you to burn when you perish.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Considering the fact that your idea of God is an absolute fraud, Cardinal, I'll take my chances.”

CARDINAL: “You waltz in here, and terrorize innocent men and woman of the Catholic faith. And for what, Mr. Duke? To prove a point?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Oh no, Cardinal. The proving of points is dead and gone. No, now it's time to strike back against the atrocities committed in the name of your God against my people.”

CARDINAL: “Your people?”



He asks with a grin. This man is no coward, I'll give him that much.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “The Illuminatus, Cardinal.”



He begins laughing in a very sarcastic manner.



CARDINAL: “Mr. Duke, I've heard some very outlandish claims in my time. The Illuminatus no longer exists. They were stamped out centuries ago!”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Cardinal, you're angering me. The Illuminatus was stamped out by your Church many centuries ago, but I can tell you with absolute certainty, that a few survived. They met in secrecy right under your noses in Rome and they kept the secrets alive. Throughout the generation since then, the secrets have been passed down and now what you see before you, in your very presence, is just a small fraction of the Illuminatus.”

CARDINAL: “I don't believe..”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “It does not matter what you choose to believe or disbelieve, Cardinal. All that matters is that the Illuminatus is alive and well all these centuries later and we're ready to take back what was rightfully ours that YOUR people stole from us!

CARDINAL: “What could we have possibly taken from you, Mr. Duke? I'm afraid you've lost me.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Vatican City.”

CARDINAL: “That's just preposterous!”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I've already informed you, Cardinal. It matters not what you think. The only thing that matters is the truth. The Illuminatus holds that truth.”

CARDINAL: “And what is your reason for being here, sir? Other than to terrorize nearly a hundred innocent men and women practicing what they believe to be the truth.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I'm here to strike a decisive blow, Cardinal. The war is on. This time, your flimsy beliefs that only exist when it's convenient do not stand a chance. The Illuminatus will win, simply because the Catholic Church does not have the balls necessary to wage this war out in the open. In view of the public.”

CARDINAL: “And you do?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “If you have not noticed, Cardinal, it is daylight outside and we take the risk of being caught. So, yeah. We're willing to bring this war into the view of the open public.”

CARDINAL: “And what do you plan to do with us? I must warn you, Mr. Duke. There are a hundred of us, and just fourteen of you.”



I advance my position to behind the head of the table. Behind the Cardinal.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I leave you with a choice, Cardinal. You can either choose to let us take you all out individually. Or we can do it on a grand scale. All of you at once.”



One of the monks suddenly tries to dart for the door.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Stop him!”



POP! POP!

The monk falls to the floor. Two bullets pierce his body. One in the chest. One in the head.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “The choice is yours, Cardinal. What will it be?”

CARDINAL: “You'll never get away with this! I promise you!”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Oh, but I will. See, I'm the King of Darkness. A mere shadow within the light, Cardinal.”

CARDINAL: “I don't understand what the means.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Most don't. So, it's not surprising.”



I look toward Jacob who remains by the doors.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Are all of the exits sealed?”

THE MESSENGER: “Yes, sir. Sealed and ready.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Equip yourselves, boys.”



All of us reveal gas masks and place them over our heads.



CARDINAL: “What are you doing?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “You refused to make your choice, so I'm doing it for you. You'll all die together. I show you mercy, doing it this way. It'll be painless.”



A dozen or so canisters are thrown out onto the floor. The gases inside already beginning to expel. The coughing and choking begins and one by one, each and everyone of them begins to collapse on the floor as they fall into unconsciousness. That will only last for so long though, because when the flames begin to burn them, they will awaken to the greatest horror they've ever faced.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Jake, grab the Cardinal.”

THE MESSENGER: “What do you mean?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I mean just what I said. Grab the Cardinal. Gag him, tie him up, and put him in the back of the Suburban.”



Jacob rushes over to me, in a hushed tone, he speaks his concerns.



THE MESSENGER: “Sebastian, that's not part of the plan.”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “There is a new plan now. This one, I'll keep.”

THE MESSENGER: “Damn! For what purpose!?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “For the purpose of doing whatever the hell I want.”

THE MESSENGER: “Just where do you intend to keep him? Those federal agents will be arriving any day now. How do you plan to explain a kidnapped Cardinal!?”

SEBASTIAN DUKE: “We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now! Jake, I'm not asking you.”

THE MESSENGER: “As you wish.”



I can't say he wasn't right. I was going to have to figure something out before we arrived back home. Right now though, it was time to watch the other mother fuckers burn.



SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Gasoline!”



A few of the brothers walk out, then right back in with cans of gasoline. They saturate the vast majority of the floor and walls as well as some of the fallen Catholics. Once they're done, my men begin to file out. I rip off the gas mask and toss it to the floor and pull out a Newport. Inside the pocket of my cape is a zippo lighter. I light my cigarette and toss the lighter to the floor.

Instantaneously, the entire room begins to get swallowed in flames. The gases are beginning to get to me so I decide to exit quickly. As I pass through the door way, two of my men work quickly to seal the doors to the cafeteria shut. As we begin to enter the Suburbans, the screams begin. In no time, we're back on the road and headed for Air Darkness One.

One look over my shoulder as we accelerate down the narrow road in the French country side, tells all that needs told. Billowing smoke. Flames breaching the roof of the old building. Nearly one hundred of the Illuminatus most hated enemy, dead at my hands. Nothing can be sweeter than this.

Fade to Darkness