The Heretics Bible, page 1
THE HERETICS BIBLE
A JAMES ACTON THRILLER
J. ROBERT KENNEDY
About the James Acton Thrillers
"James Acton: A little bit of Jack Bauer and Indiana Jones!"
Although this book is part of the James Acton Thrillers series, it is written as a standalone novel and can be enjoyed without reading the other installments.
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“A great blend of history and current headlines.”
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“Non-stop action that is impossible to put down.”
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BOOKS BY J. ROBERT KENNEDY
Please click here for the intended reading order.
* Also available in audio
The Templar Detective Thrillers
The Templar Detective
The Templar Detective and the Parisian Adulteress
The Templar Detective and the Sergeant's Secret
The Templar Detective and the Unholy Exorcist
The Templar Detective and the Code Breaker
The Templar Detective and the Black Scourge
The Templar Detective and the Lost Children
The Templar Detective and the Satanic Whisper
The Just Jack Thrillers
You Don't Know Jack
Jack Be Nimble
The James Acton Thrillers
The Protocol *
Brass Monkey *
Broken Dove
The Templar’s Relic
Flags of Sin
The Arab Fall
The Circle of Eight
The Venice Code
Pompeii’s Ghosts
Amazon Burning
The Riddle
Blood Relics
Sins of the Titanic
Saint Peter’s Soldiers
The Thirteenth Legion
Raging Sun
Wages of Sin
Wrath of the Gods
The Templar’s Revenge
The Nazi’s Engineer
Atlantis Lost
The Cylon Curse
The Viking Deception
Keepers of the Lost Ark
The Tomb of Genghis Khan
The Manila Deception
The Fourth Bible
Embassy of the Empire
Armageddon
No Good Deed
The Last Soviet
Lake of Bones
Fatal Reunion
The Resurrection Tablet
The Antarctica Incident
The Ghosts of Paris
No More Secrets
The Curse of Imhotep
The Sword of Doom
The Heretics Bible
The Dylan Kane Thrillers
Rogue Operator *
Containment Failure *
Cold Warriors *
Death to America
Black Widow
The Agenda
Retribution
State Sanctioned
Extraordinary Rendition
Red Eagle
The Messenger
The Defector
The Mole
The Arsenal
The Delta Force Unleashed Thrillers
Payback
Infidels
The Lazarus Moment
Kill Chain
Forgotten
The Cuban Incident
Rampage
Inside the Wire
Charlie Foxtrot
A Price Too High
The Detective Shakespeare Mysteries
Depraved Difference
Tick Tock
The Redeemer
The Kriminalinspektor Wolfgang Vogel Mysteries
The Colonel’s Wife
Sins of the Child
Zander Varga, Vampire Detective Series
The Turned
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
The Novel
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Acknowledgments
Don't Miss Out!
Thank You!
About the Author
Also by the Author
For Alfie Macleod.
You don’t need feet to stand tall.
“How much longer can this deception last?”
Frederick II, commenting on the sight of a priest on his way to administer the last rites. Circa AD 1235
“Frederick II, this pestilent king, a scorpion spitting out poison from the stinger of his tail, has notably and openly stated that—in his own words—the whole world has been fooled by three imposters, Jesus Christ, Moses, and Muhammad, two of whom died honorably, while Jesus himself died on the cross. Moreover, he has dared to affirm, or rather, he has fraudulently claimed, that all those who believe that a virgin could give birth to the god who created nature, and all the rest, were fools. And Fredrick has aggravated the heresy by this insane assertion, according to which no one can be born without having been conceived by the prior intercourse of a man and woman; he also claims that people ought to believe nothing that cannot be proven by the strength and reason of nature.”
Pope Gregory IX AD 1239
PREFACE
It is hard to imagine, almost a millennium later, the power struggle taking place within Christendom over who should control Christianity. Today, the undisputed and unchallenged leader of the Roman Catholic Church is the pope in Rome, and he is chosen by the College of Cardinals upon the previous pope’s death or abdication.
In 1239, things reached a boil with a war of words between Pope Gregory IX and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II that led to accusations of heresy and blasphemy, and a furor in the courts of Christendom.
When Pope Gregory IX accused the Holy Roman Emperor of being a heretic, it was the latest, but most significant, salvo in a long feud between Frederick II and the Papacy in Rome. Frederick, who held land in Sicily to Rome’s south, and other territories in Italy that surrounded the Papal States, was believed to be motivated by the desire to unite his holdings and control all of Italy.
It didn’t help that he was a known skeptic when it came to the Church’s teachings.
So, when a document was delivered to His Holiness, penned in the emperor’s own hand, so blasphemous it couldn’t be ignored, it triggered a series of events whose repercussions changed history.
And today, almost 800 years later, the long-rumored document, never before seen, has been discovered.
Once again threatening to embroil Europe in conflict.
1 |
North of Sipicciano, Italy Present Day
Archaeology Professor Laura Palmer cringed at the sound of gunfire behind her and she checked to make sure her husband, Archaeology Professor James Acton, was still with her. The gunfire was far enough away that it didn’t concern her.
It was the enraged mob that was chasing them through the trees that had her heart hammering.
“Was that gunfire?”
The question was asked by Command Sergeant Major Burt “Big Dog” Dawson, a friend, and more importantly, a member of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta. The Delta Force member had reached out by phone when he had seen them on live TV, the story spreading across Italy.
“Yes! It’s back at the dig! Can you help us?”
“A few of us have liberty. We’re at a beach near Rome and already heading your way.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the approaching mob and her beloved James shook his head, signaling his assessment of their situation. They were about to be overtaken, and if they were shooting people back at the dig, they weren’t going to survive this.
She just prayed Tommy and Mai escaped.
“Unless you’re going to be here in the next two minutes, it’s already too late.”
2 |
The Vatican AD 1239
Father Francis stood in silence, his hands clasped in front of him, his head slightly bowed as he listened to the briefing provided by Cardinal Simon de Cantimpré to His Holiness Pope Gregory IX. Francis could only recall seeing the pontiff this agitated twice before, and both those times involved similar briefings, the subject matter always the Holy Roman Emperor.
“He’s proposing what?”
Cardinal Simon took an involuntary step back at the harshness with which the question was snapped. “He’s proposing that all cardinals and bishops be appointed by him and the other prince-electors of Christendom.”
“That’s ridiculous! It’s already ridiculous how much say they have in who leads the Church. The papacy should be supreme in all these matters. Saint Peter must be spinning in his grave knowing what has happened to this holy institution.”
Simon grimaced. “I’m afraid there’s more.”
His Holiness sighed heavily, throwing a hand in the air. “What more could the man possibly want?”
“The emperor is proposing that it should be the prince-electors of Christendom that name your successor, not the College of Cardinals.”
His Holiness sprang from his chair, his face red. “Unacceptable! Unholy! Unchristian!” He growled. “Unbelievable! He must be stopped. Otherwise, we might as well burn this place to the ground for it will have lost all its meaning!”
Francis gasped at the words spoken in anger, and the pontiff turned, raising a hand. “You know I, of course, mean that figuratively. This place has stood for almost a thousand years and will stand for another thousand, long after we and the emperor are gone and forgotten. He must be stopped, however, otherwise, the credibility of the Church will be compromised. There’s already enough politics involved in the appointment of cardinals and bishops. If we leave it to princes, those that now occupy these exalted positions may be the last pious men to do so.” He returned to his chair and clasped his hands in front of him, closing his eyes, his lips moving as a silent prayer was delivered. He regarded Simon. “I have no doubt you’ve spoken to the other cardinals about this at the congress. What do they think?”
“Most think as I do, and I, of course, agree with you.”
“And what course of action would they recommend?”
“The emperor has too much power at the moment. We have no leverage over him. And the princes like what he proposes because it gives them more power. If they get to choose the cardinals and bishops on their lands and the pope that sits in Rome, they can eliminate their critics. The Church has long been a thorn in the side of those who believe they rule by divine right.”
His Holiness frowned. “What possible leverage could we have over him?” He shook his head vehemently. “No, it’s unchristian. I cannot partake in anything akin to blackmail or extortion. Those are the tools of the Devil.”
Simon cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably, and His Holiness regarded him.
“What is it?”
“Well, Your Holiness, what if the tools of the Devil were used against the Devil himself?”
Francis’ heart pounded, his eyes widening. He hadn’t heard the Evil One mentioned so frequently in this holy office. His Holiness appeared surprised at the words as well.
“Explain yourself.”
Simon reached under his robes and withdrew a folded sheaf of papers. “While at the emperor’s court in Padua, I came into possession of this document. It is…” He paused, struggling for the words. “It is disturbing, to say the least.”
“What is it?”
“The person who gave it to me, a man I trust and a man who would have access to it, claims it is a treatise penned by the Holy Roman Emperor himself.”
“A treatise? On what subject?”
“On his true beliefs, Your Holiness.” Simon handed the document over. “And if this is how he truly feels about God and our faith, then a man such as this can never be allowed to not only choose cardinals and bishops, but the very head of the Church itself. For if he were to choose your successor, then the dominion of God could be guided by the hand of Lucifer himself.”
3 |
Rest Stop off Highway A1 Italy Present Day, Two Days Earlier
Matteo sprinted through the trees, giggling as his older brother chased him. School was out, summer vacation had started, and the family was heading to the beaches in the south. He couldn’t wait to get in the water and play in the sand. Last year was the first time he had ever experienced it, and he had thought of almost nothing but since. It had affected his performance at school. But he didn’t care. School was boring. School was where he was picked on. School was the last place he wanted to be.
They were at a rest stop, his father ordering them all to the bathroom, everyone given fifteen minutes to stretch their legs. He didn’t need to pee and had instead decided to explore. The rest stop was large with lots of parking for trucks and cars alike. There was a main building with restaurant facilities and, of course, the gas pumps and charging stations, but he didn’t care about any of that. He loved nature. He would rather be outside whenever given the opportunity.
He had headed straight for the trees, checking his watch.
“Keep an eye on your brother!” his father had called, and Romeo had followed him into the forest that lined the highway on either side. Matteo was certain his brother didn’t mind. Romeo loved the outdoors as much as he did, and as they raced deeper into the trees, his delight grew as his brother pretended to chase him down. Romeo was five years older than him. There was no way he couldn’t catch him if he tried, but he was happy he didn’t.
He rounded another tree, twisting to see where his brother was when the ground below him gave out and he fell into a pit of darkness. He hit the ground hard then covered his head as debris fell in on him from above.
“Romeo, help me!” he cried, gripping his ankle, a blinding pain overwhelming him.
“Where are you?”
“I fell in a hole!” He could hear his brother pushing through the underbrush above.
“Where are you?”
“I’m over here!”
“Just a second! I hear you!”
The sounds of his brother got closer and Matteo gently tested his foot, inhaling sharply at the jolt of pain. He fell backward and extended his arm out to brace himself when it touched something, something creepily strange. He twisted his head to look behind him, the slivers of sunlight from above barely allowing him to see. He squinted into the darkness, then gasped at what he saw.
And a blood-curdling scream pierced the calm of the forest.
4 |
The Vatican AD 1239
A service bell rang and Father Francis glanced up to see it was from Pope Gregory IX’s office. He rose, checked his robes, then stepped over to the large intricately carved doors that separated the inner office from the outer. He rapped twice, pressing an ear to the door.
“Come in.”
He opened the door and entered, closing it behind him before bowing. “How may I be of assistance, Your Holiness?”
The pontiff sat behind his desk, as he had been when Francis had last seen him at the conclusion of the briefing by Cardinal Simon. The blasphemous document still sat in front of the man, but a freshly penned letter sat beside it. “You’ve had time to dwell on what you heard. What’s your opinion of this?”
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