The Bombmaker: A Michael Thomas Thriller Read online

  The Bombmaker

  Gavin Reese

  Liquid Mind Publishing

  Copyright © 2021 by Gavin Reese

  All rights reserved. Copyright promotes and rewards creativity, encourages diverse points of view, protects free speech, and helps create and foster a vibrant, artistic culture. By purchasing an authorized copy of this publication and complying with copyright laws that protect intellectual property by not reproducing, digitizing, or redistributing any part of this text in any form without permission, you support authors, their original stories, and make creative fiction possible.

  Liquid Mind Publishing

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Although based on some portions of true events, this is a work of creative fiction. The characters and their names, along with the events, plots, and motives are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Gavin Reese donates a portion of all his sales to non-profit organizations that benefit law enforcement professionals and veterans, their families, and the heirs, survivors, and memories of our Fallen Heroes. A portion of The Debt Collectors proceeds helps fund law enforcement organizations that counter narcoterrorism. A portion The Misery Merchant proceeds benefits organizations that improve the rescue, rehab, and recovery of sex trafficking victims. A portion of proceeds from The Kizazi Murders goes to help cold case homicide investigations in the Baltimore, Maryland, area.

  More information is at gavinreese.com

  Contents

  Michael Thomas Series

  Relevant Realities

  Oath of the Absolvers

  Prologue

  1. May 6, 07:32am

  2. May 6, 07:38am

  3. May 6, 11:15pm (PDT) / 08:15am (Rome)

  4. May 6, 08:21am

  5. May 6, 08:43am

  6. May 6, 10:12am

  7. May 6, 10:32am

  8. May 6, 11:17am

  9. May 6, 11:30am

  10. May 6, 12:46pm

  11. May 6, 1:50pm

  12. May 6, 3:47pm

  13. May 6, 3:58pm

  14. May 6, 3:58pm

  15. May 6, 7:03pm

  16. May 6, 7:14pm

  17. May 7, 03:02am

  18. May 7, 06:12am

  19. May 7, 06:14am

  20. May 7, 11:32pm (PDT) / 08:15am (Rome)

  21. May 7, 4:03pm

  22. May 7, 9:58pm

  23. May 7, 10:04pm

  24. May 7, 10:15pm

  25. May 7, 10:17pm

  26. May 8, 06:02am

  27. May 8, 06:36am

  28. May 8, 06:45am

  29. May 8, 09:12am

  30. May 8, 09:34am

  31. May 8, 09:42am

  32. May 8, 10:44am

  33. May 8, 11:03am

  34. May 8, 11:52am

  35. May 9, 01:03am

  36. May 9, 05:12am

  37. May 9, 7:02am

  38. May 9, 07:32am

  39. May 9, 08:07am

  40. May 9, 10:36pm

  41. May 9, 6:45pm

  42. May 10, 4:52pm

  43. May 10, 8:53pm

  44. May 10, 9:27pm (Paris) / 1:27pm (PDT)

  45. May 10, 9:37pm

  46. May 11, 03:02am

  47. May 11, 07:04am

  48. May 11, 07:37am

  49. May 11, 08:34am

  50. May 11, 09:16am

  51. May 11, 09:21am

  52. May 11, 10:14am

  53. May 11, 10:14am

  54. May 11, 10:14am

  55. May 11, 10:14am

  56. May 11, 10:50am

  57. May 11, 10:58am

  58. May 11, 11:02am

  59. May 11, 11:05am

  60. May 11, 11:13am

  61. May 11, 11:31am

  62. May 12, 11:43am local

  Epilogue

  Michael Thomas Series

  The Copycat: Prologue

  The Copycat: Chapter one

  Afterword

  Absolvers

  Church Officials

  The Rest of God’s Children

  Gavin Reese

  Michael Thomas Series

  The Absolver

  The Trafficker

  The Bombmaker

  The Copycat

  For Mrs. Reese, Mo Anam Cara, and everyone else who believed in me.

  Relevant Realities

  Relevant Realities

  “The Church’s Relationship with the Muslims: The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place among whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.” -- 841, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition.

  “Terrorism threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately and is gravely against justice and charity.” -- 2297, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition.

  “If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin. The Lord says, ‘Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.’” -- 2302, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition.

  “The symbolism of the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral, the most renowned building in Western civilization, the iconic symbol of Western Christendom, is hard to miss…It is as if God Himself wanted to warn us in the most unmistakable way that Western Christianity is burning -- and with it, Western civilization.” – Dennis Prager, American columnist.

  “It is lawful to kill an evildoer in so far as it is directed to the welfare of the whole community, so that it belongs to him alone who has charge of the community’s welfare. Thus it belongs to a physician to cut off a decaying limb, when he has been entrusted with the care of the health of the whole body. Now the care of common good is entrusted to persons of rank having public authority: wherefore they alone, and not private individuals, can lawfully put evildoers to death.” — Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica [II-II, Q-64, Art 3]

  Oath of the Absolvers

  Oath of the Absolvers

  I, Michael Andrew Thomas, swear my allegiance to Almighty God with eternal faith in His Church and Holy Scriptures.

  I affirm my obligation to equally care for the eternal welfare of all God’s children.

  I affirm that men infected with certain evils are bound for Hell without Final Absolution, which I willingly offer them as an act of eternal mercy.

  I vow to never offer Final Absolution to a soul that may be rehabilitated by other means and other men, or without irrefutable knowledge of their grave mortal sins.

  I vow to only offer Final Absolution to souls God has identified through His faithful servants placed over me, and to offer each identified soul Confession, Absolution, and Anointment.

  I vow to endeavor to send God only souls fully absolved of their sins, prepared for His judgement and eternal entry into the Kingdom of Heaven.

  I vow to willingly forfeit my mortal life or earthly freedom to vigorously protect the identity, actions, and purpose of myself and my fellow Absolvers.

  I vow never, under any circumstance or duress, to betray this oath, my fellow Absolvers, or those God has appointed over me.

  I acknowledge that my betrayal would scandalously support and defend
the very evils I’ve vowed to defeat. I swear these vows to Almighty God of my own free will, upon my mortal body, and with my eternal soul. Per Dominum nostrum (Through our Lord)...

  Prologue

  Michael strolled through a peaceful meadow filled with waist-high sunflowers. Surrounded by steep, glacial-cut and snowcapped mountains, bright, warm sunlight shone down on his face and arms. Merci walked by his side, and he reached out and grasped her hand. Her skin felt soft and warm as she gently squeezed back. Michael looked over at her, and she met his gaze and smiled.

  “I knew I’d see you again someday,” she explained. “I just never imagined it would be anything like this.”

  Father Michael Andrew Thomas woke from the unusual dream, blinked several times, and scanned the surrounding darkness. A thin, bright strip of light emanated from underneath the bathroom door and helped him recognize the luxurious hotel room he’d occupied for the last week. Michael oriented himself back in reality, took in a deep, calming breath, and laid back on the plush king featherbed.

  He rubbed his face and tried to analyze the dream. What the hell was that about? I miss Merci and her friendship, but, that dream felt like being in love with her. He immediately realized the faux pas and shook his head. She’s only ever been ‘Doctor Renard’ to me. I didn’t know her well or long enough to fall in love with her, but it’d be pretty damned easy to fall in love with the idea of her, or whatever I’ve made her out to be in my mind. Either way, Catholic priests don’t get girlfriends or wives, so it’s all wasted emotion.

  Michael laid still for several quiet minutes until he accepted he was awake. Like he imagined most people would do, he gave up on slumber and started the morning with his personal smartphone. He opened his email app, and the top item listed there was still the communication Doctor Renard sent yesterday, which he’d read just before falling asleep last night. He touched the screen to re-open it.

  “Dear Father Michael—I pray that this finds you safe, warm, and happy. I understand, however, that you are happiest in the dangerous cold where the least of your parishioners have to live. Still, I pray that you are safe and well, no matter where you now find yourself.

  I understand the boundaries of a friendship such as ours, and that you must maintain your professional distance. I take no offense, but it does my heart good to tell you about my life, even if you seldom respond. The benefit of such communication is that I can finally call myself only ‘Merci’ while respecting your station and title in this life. I can be ‘Dr. Renard’ to my colleagues. You, however, I count among my closest friends. Unless you ask me otherwise, I will continue writing to you. Just knowing you read my words and thoughts brings me comfort and reassurance, the very things you seek to dispense to the world around you.

  I don’t know where God has called you to serve, but I hope you’re happy there. I know your parishioners are Blessed to have men such as yourself. I hope they realize how fortunate they are, and just how much God has smiled on their lives by bringing you into their presence.

  My research has made unexpected advances in the last few weeks, which will delay my return to international aid work. For now, I must be home. It seems we will soon outgrow our present facility, so my partners and I travel to Lucerne soon to consider a larger laboratory space. Regardless of the outcome, I will let you know where to find me, if you ever wish to do so. Peace be with you, Father Michael.

  Wishing you Love & Light, without agenda. — Merci”

  Michael stared at the email for a long moment. Monsignor was probably right. The only kinder words I’ve read were Catherine’s love letters back in college. Mer—, Doctor Renard may say ‘without agenda,’ but that’s not a letter you write to a platonic friend. I knew clerical work would lead to certain, temptations, along the way. Just not sure what to do about this one…

  The phone’s digital clock proclaimed it was 3:42am. Michael calculated the time difference and shifted focus to a secured messaging app. He first texted his mentor and colleague, Monsignor Eduardo Hernandez.

  H, everything alright back there? I can’t come home yet, so I hoped you could check on my parents. How’s Ira?

  He sent the message, and a blue bubble appeared almost immediately to announce that Hernandez was typing a response.

  Ira the Wonder Dog is fine. Your mom had a rough week, the new MS treatments have taken a toll. Your dad stops into the church every other day to talk and check on Ira. Be safe, and I’ll worry about home until you get back.

  Michael grimaced at the unpleasant reality that his family faced at the moment. If I survive this job long enough, I can pay cash for mom’s treatments in another year.

  He locked the phone, sat up to his left, turned on a bedside lamp, and set the device on the adjacent nightstand. A customized notepad from The Oremus at Greenwich sat next to the clock and displayed a handwritten address for his next destination. John insists I take the hotel’s shuttle service to a private airport. If he’s so confident that no one will think twice about taking me out there, the hotel’s registry must read like the Fortune 100 directory. Biggin Hill Airport’s only really used for corporate jets and private aircraft. At least the Vatican’s covert fleet can hide in plain sight among all the other multimillion-dollar planes.

  Michael took his official smartphone off its charger and checked for new emails and messages. None, not even from Sergio. Hope he’s wrong about the new phones John forced on us, but paranoid is safer than complacent. He opened the last email his boss had sent yesterday evening, and Michael reread it to ensure he hadn’t mistaken any of its details. I can easily hear John’s gruff baritone saying this.

  “Bonjour, shithead. Got your preliminary report on London and the request. Standby. Meantime, you’re going straight back out. Meet your transport at Biggin Hill Airport no later than 0700. They depart for Paris at 0701, whether you’re there or not. I made reservations for you at The Oremus there, as well. Keep up the good work and you ought to get a shitload of frequent flyer points this year, maybe even absolve your way to a nice set of steak knives for the rectory back home. 2297. — John”

  Still seated on the edge of the luxurious bed, Michael stretched his neck and shoulders. He gave a reluctant sigh and accepted the urgent, unexpected request. John normally sends us home between investigations, even the ones like London that refuse to pan out. I know it’s not the same as saying ‘no’ to God, it’s still hard to turn down a request from the Church, even if it does only come from the anonymous head of this clandestine sect. Might be His Holiness, Pope Cornelius II, or someone he’s directed to actively combat evil in the shadows where it lives. Either way, it doesn’t matter. John and the minders above him probably deserve more faith and trust than I’ve given. Especially with an investigation of this nature, I can’t go out into the field questioning everything they send my way.

  Michael pondered the coded explanation of his next investigation, the numerical ending to John’s email that referred to a specific paragraph of Catholic ideology. Although an obscure and lesser referenced section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Michael knew 2297’s subject by heart. Kidnapping, hostage taking, mutilation, terrorism, and torture. No idea which part of that I’m being sent to corroborate, but they’re all among the most reprehensible aspects of human behavior. Most people will never understand that killing isn’t the worst thing humans do to each other. Michael considered some of the gruesome crimes he’d investigated when he still worked as a cop before he entered the priesthood all those years ago. There’s nothing on earth so cruel as a human who’s inspired and motivated by evil. We routinely commit atrocities against our own species that even predatory animals would find immoral.

  Michael stood and refreshed a navigation page on the phone’s browser. Last night’s web search proclaimed the private international airport stood within a thirty-minute drive despite road construction on the A206 and the A21 highways. He confirmed a nearly identical commute this morning and returned his work cell to the nights
tand.

  Michael cycled through a slow deep breath to combat his rising apprehension. As he’d done for decades, he kneeled beside the bed to begin the first of his five daily prayer recitations. Unlike most days, he struggled this morning to first calm his mind and force anxiety from his heart. The investigation here in London has been a recurring strikeout, so I haven’t had to face this day. If my Paris assignment really involves terrorism or kidnapping, I need all the wisdom and fortitude God’s willing to offer, and all the grace and divine guidance I can carry. Another deep breath offered him no reprieve. God willing, I’ll officially become a serial killer today.