AMONG THE VESSELS THAT TRAVELED into the Suez Canal to sail to Europe — was the humanitarian ship, returning from the Americas.

Dr Grozini and her daughter watched from the top deck at the ship's woman captain, who was speaking to female Egyptian Immigration officers, looking at some cargo documents. They immediately sanction it without searching for stowaways, because of the good effort cause done by the doctors-without-borders of the Red Cross — to the many parts of the world.

The Egyptians authorities got off from the ship, and the captain looked up and nodded to both of the Grozinis. The two women came down by a spiralling stairway to the lower deck, with volunteer doctors and nurses who were checking on the loaded medical supplies crates, which they had received from the docks.

The radio was tuned into an Italian news station that announced — that President Madeline Cory had won the recent elections in America for the second term — and she had appointed Lucinda Gates as her acting new vice president.

The Red Cross vessel sailed into the Mediterranean Sea — and was heading to Italy...

***

Peter was among the six surviving stowaway monks in robes, on that same vessel — reciting the rosary softly together beside Doran's bed.

The shirtless Preacher was fast asleep, a bandaged shoulder from Wolfe's gunshot in the recent L.A. battle — and other old injuries were in the binding on his belly — from his earlier battle, with Roberta Jensen in New Orleans.

A young Intersexual trainee doctor was using his statoscope, on his cataleptic patient.

“Don't pray too hard, Brothers — for The Lord has answered your prayers. He is stable now and will be better once we reach Italy. Now let him take some rest, preferably in peace and quiet.”

Peter thanked Dr Del Marco. The other monks followed the doctor out of the door.

Peter remained beside the sound asleep leader, of the once God’s Army notoriety...

The insentient rebel leader has now transported secretly away from his cause — that left behind much devastation in America.

***

Peter was in silence — he then recalled his last moments with the now lamented Michael, in the blazing grand ballroom in LA — which was under siege by the Preacher’s rebels, a week ago. He was holding the incapacitated Doran after he was debilitated, with a dose of sedative to knock him out...

He saw Michael picking up Doran’s rifle...

“You don't have to do this — the three of us can still escape from here, Michael!”

“But Peter, he came here to die for the future of our kind — and we all too did promise, to fight along with him to the very end. But if his enemies want to bleed the sacrificial lamb tonight — then it will surely not be Doran.”

“So you are going to sacrifice yourself in his place? No, please Michael — don't do it!”

Michael held Peter's preventing arm firmly — and looked him in the eyes...

“It has to be done — the future of our Holy Church depends on him. Peter — please help me, to do the Will of God.”

Peter closed his eyes — and took a deep breath before nodding, with tears flowing down his face...

Seconds later, Michael was shot dead in the blazing inferno.

Peter escaped carrying the insentient Preacher through a hole in the wall — which was broken by the exhibition robot — that hurled a metal beam in an attack earlier. He then disguised themselves in the uniforms of dead Elite-soldiers — and he burnt 'the' evidence of their monk robes, before leaving the LA Convention Center undetected — fleeing far away, from the obliterations behind him.

***

Peter was in the cabin, with the motionless scar-faced Doran — it had been a week on the sea, since the LA Battle. He was with the same teary eyes looking intently, at their fallen Soldier of God leader, lying inert on a bunk.

He had also discovered a lot of medical truth in that short period, by helping the Red Cross medical team — where some of the physicians whom he met had diagnosed Doran suffering from schizophrenia for some time, by his delirium he displayed...

But they established that there was a possibility — that he could be cured over time.

Peter grasped back to rationalize the mental symptoms the doctors had told him, with the divine ‘visions’ that Doran often spoke extensively of while in prison and also in his sermons preached in the desert...

Michael too was among the thousands of others followers, who had sacrificed their lives for him, in believing in his deluded visions — of a new promised land, promised by God Himself...

Peter prayed to the departed...

“Michael, I will keep the end of my promise, I will implore that every day — that the Will of The Lord will be done.”

But he still could not understand the Vatican’s interest, in wanting an unsound candidate — as one of the papal nominees — but Peter did not want to question their intentions either — it was not his place, to judge the Will of God...

Instead, he said another short prayer now, to justify his growing doubts — on Doran’s past actions —that actually prophesized in accordance to his creator’s plan.

He made the sign of the cross and left the cabin.

The door closed with a click sound, which caused Doran's eyes to half-open — awakened now, he stared in a daze, into the dark corner of the unknown surrounding...

A hideous figure stepped out into the half-light — it was his mother hissing at him...

“So you survived, you abomination...

‘The blood of thousands are already upon your hands — and soon it will be million!

“You are going to burn in hell, my demon-son — you will burn for eternity!”

Her nightgown began to combust brightly — Doran feebly reached out, trying to touch the ocher flame, with his begging fingers...

“Mother, please take this cup of sufferings away from me...”

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END Of PART 5 Of 5

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