Vatican Assassin Read Online Free PDF Page A

back on Earth. Right, Mr. Edwards? Still, I didn’t expect that that was his news.
    “What I mean is, before, they stayed pretty far from us when they hit Earth targets. They have people here, too.”
    I wonder how many of them are still here? No wonder they were so keen on getting out of here after the shit went down.
    “Would that really stop them from attacking?” the Cardinal sneers.
    Edwards seems surprised by the Cardinal’s bitter contempt for the UIN. BC is as well, though less so after their earlier exchange.
    “I don’t think they’d risk their own people’s lives...” Edwards says. The Cardinal stands, visibly shaking.
    “Of course they would! All glory to Allah and all that! They’d just be martyrs and celebrated back on Mars, like killing them did them a favor! And they’ll twist it so it sounds like we killed them, you’ll see.”
    Edwards is taken aback by the Cardinal’s vitriol. He stares at The Cardinal as if seeing him for the first time. BC watches Edwards, watches his reactions.
    The Cardinal’s getting all fired up! Christ, he’d applaud my mission, if he only knew. Wonder how he got so bitter? Even I don’t hate the Moslems like that. God is Love? Over the fucking top. Could freak out Edwards. I’ve got to find a way to moderate the situation.
    “Our holdings have never been attacked here on the Moon, but we’ve been hit repeatedly by UIN forces back on Earth and in orbit, Governor Edwards. How close are the UIN ships? Should we worry? Head for shelters?”
    “We don’t know they’re a threat, yet, but with the governor dying so suddenly and the ships showing up at the same time, well, I just worry it’s too connected to be a coincidence. Do UIN ships behave a certain way before they attack? Do they get into any formations, or assume any telltale flight patterns?”
    BC and The Cardinal look at each other, then back at Edwards.
    “I’m afraid you’re asking the wrong people about starship battle tactics, my son,” The Cardinal says and smiles, falling back into his patronly pastoral mode. He sits back down and wipes his brow with a red kerchief he pulls from an unseen pocket somewhere in his robes. Time for me to buy a little bit of confidence from Edwards with a little bit of knowledge. Help reinforce the idea that we’re on his side.
    “Governor, I’ve been told they approach single file, spreading out in four directions as they reaching optimal firing range. Then, they rotate while firing, like the blades of a lethal pinwheel. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard. Something like that.”
    Edwards is surprised.
    “Oh. Okay. Thank you, fa, um, BC. Well, yeah, these ships are forming up single file.”
    “Are they moving this way?”
    “Not yet.”
    “If they do come this way, governor, and they stay single file...”
    “Yeah?”
    “...we should probably hit the shelters. Reagan Station does have emergency shelters, right?”
    “We have some, but they’re old. I don’t know what kind of repair they’re in. And there’s nowhere near enough space for everybody in and around Lunar Prime. There’ll be riots, panic, people getting crushed to death... This could get ugly.”
    The Cardinal clears his throat and fixes his stare on Edwards.
    “They’re taking advantage of your inexperience, governor. Because you’re new, they threaten and test you. Are these the actions of friends of Luna?” the Cardinal asks. Whoa, you’re spinning it harder than me, Andersen. Easy there, old man, don’t ruin it. Edwards is close to losing it on the Cardinal.
    Edwards shakes his head.
    “Look, your holiness, you’re not helping. Save your hate, okay? I just need some helpful advice. I thought that’s what you,” he looks back and forth at both of them, ”are supposed to provide. Am I wrong?”
    Got to turn Edwards our way. The Cardinal is blowing it completely.
    “I’m trying to help, sir. If there is anything the Vatican can do for you, Mr. Edwards, let me know. And