Chapter 2

Napoleon went outside to check for the next train ride going to another city though it was a bit late now, he was busy roaming the streets of New York, the remaining moments of his life seemed like in the hands of evil.

Was his fascination to bring down the Catholic church an exaggeration or was he simply doing his life's mission?

He envisioned a better society where there was no religion. Could it be a reality?

However, Napoleon was sure that His Holiness might not actually die from murder, probably it was suicide, or much worse, the person behind it was under the political chaos inside the Vatican.

While unearthing the solid pieces of evidence behind the pope's dementia, Napoleon Victor discovered that it was almost more than a year since the pope took medication for his mental illness. The journalist got a tip from a trusted source who was intrigued by Napoleon's curiosity. The young man told Napoleon about Dra. Mercedes Salazar, the psychiatrist who was looking after the old man’s health. Together with a team of medical professionals, they took care of Pope Adrian XVII and made sure to keep it confidential.

At first, Dra. Salazar did not want to speak up about her knowledge of the pope’s mental illness, but Napoleon worked day and night just to write about this piece of news for The Lighthouse.

For almost a month, Napoleon stalked Dra. Salazar and the pope's medical records. The psychiatrist was careful not to disclose this sensitive information to anyone, but the young man did not find it challenging to unearth this at all. He believed that the medical personnel would soon unveil the secrets of His Holiness.

Dementia could mean a lot of different things to different people. For His Holiness, it was something he valued as a symbol that God wanted to erase his bitter memories, especially when his father abandoned them during his childhood. Pope Adrian XVII felt a pang of bitterness swelling in his chest even if it was a very long time ago, his father might not be a responsible one but must have repented for his sins, at the very least.

When Napoleon discovered about the pope's dementia, he immediately asked his colleagues in The Lighthouse to prepare, they should ready themselves for this greatest expose, this tirade against the Vatican could earn them the ire of the Catholic community.

However, the Vatican issued Napoleon Victor's retraction weeks after. Many welcomed this retraction even if the Roman Catholic Church had not shown the photograph of the retraction.

Is this just a hoax or was it the truth? Was the retraction just a symbol of Napoleon's defeat or was it a sign of the Vatican's power over the weak? Would it enlighten the public or just obfuscate matters now that the pope passed away?

The old man's possessions were not given to his family, not even to his trusted friends. It would be handed over to a museum curator, a senile woman who was also a devout Catholic. She was Annalisa Miranda.

But before it reached the museum, it would be scrutinized by the forensics group of the Vatican.

Many used to believe that the Vatican would not allow the death of the pope. Further investigation would follow. The coming days were critical now. The Vatican had to find another pope. It might take weeks or even months before they found out who the attacker was. Justice was still elusive, only for the elite. Even if it was the death of His Holiness, still, justice might get delayed. 

"The Pontifical Swiss Guards found this key inside the pope's mouth. I think he swallowed it so nobody could get it," said one of the investigators.

"Have you run an autopsy yet?"

"We will. We must examine everything at the crime scene. There were no signs of intrusion. And probably the pope knew his murderer."

"He's old and forgetful. He has dementia. How can he be familiar with anyone?"

"Was he really demented?"

"Of course, he was demented. I've seen his health records a while ago."

"His killer knew the ins and outs of this place. And he had a gun, a silencer. How could the Pontifical Swiss Guards allow that murderer to step inside the Vatican?"

"He had a silencer?"

"Yes. A witness saw someone in the pope's room before the Pontifical Swiss Guards discovered the crime. She told me the person wore something weird."

"What could it be?"

"Well, we had to interrogate Napoleon Victor first. He's one of the suspects."

"I don't think we can get important details from him."

"Why? He was not here in Rome, he lives in America."

That night, Napoleon resolved to unearth the greatest mystery of the Vatican. Now he had to unlock this secret.