e, give you all the
details just yet?"

Odeon hesitated in turn, then nodded, slowly. "From anyone else, I'd
say no--but from you, I can manage."

The man smiled. "You please me, my son. The White Fathers called this
the Time of Chaos, though Time of Change would be more accurate,
particularly where the lives of those on your team are concerned. Joan
is the herald of the Promised One, and will act as that one's surrogate
for a time, though she will not be asked to bear that burden
permanently, and would be far happier if she isn't forced to
acknowledge her temporary Protectorship."

Odeon frowned. "The Protector's Herald and acting Protector herself?"
That didn't seem particularly plausible, though he had to agree Joanie
wouldn't enjoy being put in either position.

"You are a wise man, Michael. And properly skeptical, as a police
officer must be." The man raised his hand. "But it's your devotion
that has to take precedence now, and it has to be focused on her."

"With all respect, sir, I don't understand."

"Remain her friend and guide, as you've begun. Completing her destined
tasks will be both difficult and dangerous, particularly since she must
remain largely unaware of that destiny, and her powers must remain
mostly latent, until the true Protector manifests." He gestured, and
they were inside, standing beside the cot that served Cortin as a
recovery room, with Chang on the other side.

The man kept his attention centered on Odeon, though he was clearly
addressing Chang as well. "When she wakes, the final phase begins.
You will be severely tried, Michael in particular, by pain and loss
great enough that you will be sorely tempted to reject me." He raised
a hand to forestall Odeon's instinctive denial. "I said you would be
tempted; I did not say you would succumb, though even Cardinals are not
immune."

Odeon frowned again. In the light of last month's murder of Pope
Anthony and Cardinal McHenry's near-unanimous election--he was now Pope
Lucius--that had an ominous sound. "There was something fishy about
the Papal election?"

"Let us just say that were his true identity known, most people would
prefer a fish in that position. The former Cardinal McHenry introduced
himself to Sister-Lieutenant Chang as the Raidmaster."

Odeon stared at Chang, then at him. "The Raidmaster--are you saying
that Shayan is the Pope?"

"The Cardinals' free will includes the freedom to accept temptation,"
the