and have to rescue ourselves from ourselves.
—Tom Robbins
Confronting the Beast
Like Dante's hell, my situation had no exit.
Who knew that part of Bane's 'unbaptism' ritual would involve destroying all attachments to the past, and in my case, severing my relationship with Andie?
I was expected to pick up a hammer and smash her portrait as a symbolic act of liberation.
Much as I wanted to please the detectives and get the goods on Bane and bring him to justice, there were some things I wouldn't and couldn't do and betraying Andie was one of them.
I was about to refuse to carry out the act, but something stopped me. A shining figure came between me and Andie's portrait and I was momentarily struck dumb.
I wanted to vent my outrage but was frozen. I couldn't speak or move.
Bane had been standing at the altar observing the session and suddenly became very agitated and actually shook with fury.
"Who has dared defile this ceremony?" he cried out.
My heart sunk. I was sure to be outed. But then as my eyes glanced about the room I noticed everyone else was frozen as well, except for one initiate who had fallen to his knees and was sobbing.
"I'm the one, Master," he wailed in a pitiful voice, "I couldn't surrender my wealth."
Bane pointed at him and declaimed in Latin, Exorcizamus te, immunde hominus, eradicare et effugare
The man shook in fear as two of Bane's assistants grasped him and led him away.
Bane watched in silence as the wretch was cast out of the meeting and then turned back to the remainder of us and said, "the power of our circle has been broken by the bad faith of one member. We cannot continue tonight. You will be informed when the next empowerment session resumes. Until then, go in the power of our cause—et in nomine Dei nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi . "
I was in a daze. I couldn't believe I was miraculously saved by the backsliding of an initiate.
Bane's assistants motioned to us to follow them and we were led from the hall where another assistant was waiting to take our cloaks and shepherd us out of the mansion and into our cars.
Within minutes I was retracing my route heading toward Andie's route, still marvelling at last minute deliverance from my plot being exposed.
When I got back to Andie’s, Noah and Maggie, were also there awaiting my arrival.
Andie met me at the door and gave me a quick kiss, whispering in my ear, “I’m so glad you’re safe and didn’t smash my portrait.”
“I couldn’t do it, not even symbolically—just so you know.”
“I didn’t doubt it for a minute, Sugar, and if you had to refuse, I knew The Watchers would protect you.”
“I think they already did,” I smiled.
We walked back through the house to the den where Maggie and Noah were waiting to debrief me.
“The wire worked perfectly,” Noah grinned, “we got it all on tape.”
“Including the pathetic confession of the initiate,” Maggie added. “Right now one of our teams is talking to him and hopefully, he’ll cave and turn on Bane.”
“What would the charge be?” I asked.
“Attempting to defraud, “ Noah responded.
I could picture Bane in an orange jumpsuit in prison and the thought warmed me.