Bishop Manuel Aringarosa's body had endured many kinds of pain, and yet the searing heat of thebullet wound in his chest felt profoundly foreign to him. Deep and grave. Not a wound of theflesh... but closer to the soul.

　　He opened his eyes, trying to see, but the rain on his face blurred his vision. Where am I? He couldfeel powerful arms holding him, carrying his limp body like a rag doll, his black cassock flapping.

　　Lifting a weary arm, he mopped his eyes and saw the man holding him was Silas. The great albinowas struggling down a misty sidewalk, shouting for a hospital, his voice a heartrending wail ofagony. His red eyes were focused dead ahead, tears streaming down his pale, blood-spattered face.

　　"My son," Aringarosa whispered, "you're hurt."Silas glanced down, his visage contorted in anguish. "I am so very sorry, Father." He seemedalmost too pained to speak.

　　"No, Silas," Aringarosa replied. "It is I who am sorry. This is my fault." The Teacher promised methere would be no killing, and I told you to obey him fully. "I was too eager. Too fearful. You and Iwere deceived." The Teacher was never going to deliver us the Holy Grail.

　　Cradled in the arms of the man he had taken in all those years ago, Bishop Aringarosa felt himselfreel back in time. To Spain. To his modest beginnings, building a small Catholic church in Oviedowith Silas. And later, to New York City, where he had proclaimed the glory of God with thetowering Opus Dei Center on Lexington Avenue.

　　Five months ago, Aringarosa had received devastating news. His life's work was in jeopardy. Herecalled, with vivid detail, the meeting inside Castel Gandolfo that had changed his life... the newsthat had set this entire calamity into motion.

　　Aringarosa had entered Gandolfo's Astronomy Library with his head held high, fully expecting tobe lauded by throngs of welcoming hands, all eager to pat him on the back for his superior workrepresenting Catholicism in America.

　　But only three people were present.

　　The Vatican secretariat. Obese. Dour.

　　Two high-ranking Italian cardinals. Sanctimonious. Smug.

　　"Secretariat?" Aringarosa said, puzzled.

　　The rotund overseer of legal affairs shook Aringarosa's hand and motioned to the chair oppositehim. "Please, make yourself comfortable."Aringarosa sat, sensing something was wrong.

　　"I am not skilled in small talk, Bishop," the secretariat said, "so let me be direct about the reasonfor your visit.""Please. Speak openly." Aringarosa glanced at the two cardinals, who seemed to be measuring himwith self-righteous anticipation.

　　"As you are well aware," the secretariat said, "His Holiness and others in Rome have beenconcerned lately with the political fallout from Opus Dei's more controversial practices."Aringarosa felt himself bristle instantly. He already had been through this on numerous occasionswith the new pontiff, who, to Aringarosa's great dismay, had turned out to be a distressingly ferventvoice for liberal change in the Church.

　　"I want to assure you," the secretariat added quickly, "that His Holiness does not seek to changeanything about the way you run your ministry."I should hope not! "Then why am I here?"The enormous man sighed. "Bishop, I am not sure how to say this delicately, so I will state itdirectly. Two days ago, the Secretariat Council voted unanimously to revoke the Vatican's sanctionof Opus Dei."Aringarosa was certain he had heard incorrectly. "I beg your pardon?""Plainly stated, six months from today, Opus Dei will no longer be considered a prelature of theVatican. You will be a church unto yourself. The Holy See will be disassociating itself from you.

　　His Holiness agrees and we are already drawing up the legal papers.""But... that is impossible!""On the contrary, it is quite possible. And necessary. His Holiness has become uneasy with youraggressive recruiting policies and your practices of corporal mortification." He paused. "Also yourpolicies regarding women. Quite frankly, Opus Dei has become a liability and an embarrassment."Bishop Aringarosa was stupefied. "An embarrassment?""Certainly you cannot be surprised it has come to this.""Opus Dei is the only Catholic organization whose numbers are growing! We now have overeleven............