Free Vatican Ambassador by Mike Luoma

comfort in the knowledge that thanks to his rebuild the Vatican Mission can survive locked down and self-sustained for over three months.
    If McEntyre wants me, let him try to come get me... let him try! We’ll have a siege! We won’t go down easy. Besides, with the war on hold, what kind of backing will he get?
    BC makes his way into his personal rooms and plops down in his chair soon as he gets inside. He rubs his temples. He rubs his eyes with the balls of his hands.
    One of his headaches threatens to come on, surging up behind his eyes like a freight train rushing in. Oh man, this sucks! Pressure behind the eyes. It almost has a sound, a high pitched whine, annoying; not a sound my ears are hearing! It's sound in my head! ‘Least I’m tired enough to try to sleep it away…
    BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP...
    "Off!" BC shouts.
    The alarm shuts off. BC stirs in the chair.
    "What the..."
    The clock says he's been passed out for almost ten hours.
    Must have fallen asleep in the damn chair! Doesn’t even feel like I slept. But my headache is gone! My neck hurts, though, ow...
BEEP BEEP BEEP
    "Off!"
    That's not the alarm, that’s the com unit...
    "What is it?" BC shouts.
    "Father Campion?" Lisa his secretary is on the com.
    "Yes, Lisa?" BC asks in a more normal tone of voice.
    "Father, we're locked out! You locked us out after you got back last night!" His secretary scolds him over the com unit.
    "Yes, I secured the Vatican Mission before retiring last night,” BC admits. “I’m sorry. I didn't realize you weren't at home, Lisa..." BC says with a hint of suggestiveness.
    "Father BC! I was visiting some friends!" She gasps over the com.
    "I see," he says with broad humor as he works the security controls. "There, your ID should get you in, now," he tells her.
    She sounds indignant, but gracious. "Thank you, Father."
    The com goes off and BC gets up. He stretches to work out the kinks from a night spent sleeping sitting in the chair.
    This... ouch, damn, stiff neck. Everything is stiff. I can't believe I could sleep so long in that position.
    He freshens up until the com beeps again.
    Lisa, again…
    "Yes, Lisa?"
    "Father, some of the parishioners want to know if you'll be saying a Mass today." What is it, Holy Wednesday? I must be spoiling these people…
    "What time is it now?"
    "10:30."
    "Fine, let them know I'll say mass an hour from now, at 11:30."
    "Good, I’m sure they’ll be pleased. Mr. Fitzgerald has been leading daily prayer meetings, but some people would really like a daily mass.”
    Some people meaning you and your friends, I know, Lisa, I know…
    "Yes, Lisa, I know, but I’m away a lot on Church business, so sometimes..." BC trails off.
    "Right,” Lisa says. “Speaking of church business, I have a communiqué tagged for you from his Holiness, The Pope. It arrived earlier today. You know, if I hadn't been locked out, I'd have been able to tell you about it sooner,” she admonishes him.
    Wow! Finally, a word from below! I've waited this long...
    "I'll wait until after Mass to deal with that, Lisa."
    "Yes, Father." The com unit silences.
    BC finishes getting dressed and heads for the chapel to get ready for Mass. I don't know how much longer I can keep on doing this. Mass was kinda fun when I first said it, but now... I don't know... the novelty's worn off. I certainly ain’t going to do it every fucking day! Damn. How shallow is that?
    Jim Fitzgerald is already in the sacristy when BC arrives. He's a young lay minister, gives out communion and reads at Mass. BC had asked Jim to fill in as best he could when BC wasn’t able to be there. Fitzgerald’s dark complexion and jet-black hair don't quite match his Irish surname. He smiles a little when he sees BC.
    "Hello, Father BC. We've missed you," he says. He comes over and shakes BC's hand.
    "Thank you, Jim," BC replies, "I was away on Church Business, as usual. You know how it is. Did you hold those prayer meetings we talked about, while I was