Captain Reynaldo Ferrer, Philip Apostol, and Nicole arrived at the Chapel of the Holy Rose which was already popularized in the name of Sinimbahanan. Ferrer ordered his men to let the people who resided the place to evacuate first because they have an investigation. All three of them were tensed for the revelation that will happen sooner or later. They should be ready for it.
“Everything about the Priory and the Opus Dei you are talking about is a fiction. They were legends being suppressed by the past.” Captain Ferrer said as his tone rises.
“The lost history, of course. Captain, I also agreed on what you’ve said. These were all fantasies but we are dragged in this fantasy because of the people who think this as a reality. A history.” Philip explained as he rushed towards the rock altar.
The altar is made of a piece of flat, huge stone, being placed at the top of piled rocks which balance the huge rock not to fall. “Also, in that rock, the Priory members gather and have their secret meetings on how to protect their secret.” Nicole recalled. “And in this rock, lies a rose that hides something my father wanted us to see. A secret that would reveal his killer.” Nicole added.
Philip arrived at the back of the altar and surveyed the place entire place. He kneel down facing the altar and seek for the stone that carries the symbol of the rose. He stared straight at one rock and saw the rose symbol being engraved at the rock. Philip was stunned by amazement.
“This... It can’t be this.” Philip whispered. “The five-petaled rose, it’s unmistakable.”
Suddenly, Philip remembered the phrase from the book he had read. The phrase that keeps on coming in his mind revealing already three secrets; the key of Father Valentin’s room, the poem rolled in a jar of rose, and a phrase hidden in Nicole’s pendant. That’s why Philip is one hundred percent sure that this would be the fourth revelation he’ll be witnessing. Nicole and Captain Ferrer followed Philip as he slowly pulls the rock having the Priory symbol.
“It hides beneath the rose.”
The rock detached easily without too much exerted effort. The three of them was shocked on what they saw. All of them were stunned realizing something bad news happen. A struck of stupidity entered Captain Philip’s head and finally, he stood up, preparing to chain Philip.
Feeling too much disappointment, Philip slowly stood up and offered his hand to the police captain whose handcuff was already ready on his hand. Nicole embraced Philip tightly apologizing on what she had done.
“You’ve done nothing little girl. We are all expecting that this rose stone contains something, but all of us were betrayed by the phrase itself. The secret behind the rose was eliminated, or maybe destroyed.
Suddenly, Nicole felt a chill in his nerves. She knew that something is going wrong here. Philip heard a roar of the machine. She followed the noise and finally saw a car wherein a monk is sitting in front holding something like an old book.
Captain Ferref had also seen what she saw and rushed towards the van telling the driver to stop, but they didn’t. Instead, Captain Feerrer grabbed for his pistol and shoot the right back tire of the car. The tire exploded and the car halted. Ferrer’s men run towards the car and found a monk riding at the right side of the car. Instead of going sown the car, the monk snatched his, gun and shoots one of the police approaching him. Philip, Nicole, and Captain Ferrer ducked behind the altar as his men exchanging gunshots with the monk. Lots of police died in the shootout, but the monk was still alive. Captain Ferrer aimed his gun at the monk and pulled the trigger.
The gun fell from the Mahad’s hand. The door started to open as the monk’s body fell from the car. His face flattened in the rough road, and the book fell beside his body. Philip run towards the Mahad’s corpse and inspects him very well. He raised Mahad’s monk suit and there he saw a circular metal thorn penetrating his legs.
“A cilice. Worn by the members of the Opus Dei who performed corporal mortification.” Philip said.
Nicole and Captain Ferrer heard what he said. Ferrer picked up the book and opened it. He read every content it has and was surprised on what he saw. Captain Ferrer looked at Philip who was still staring at the monk’s cilice. Then he turned his glance to Nicole who was serious looking at Mahad’s corpse. Captain Ferrer turned the page to the last page and read something there. Finally, he closed the book and handed it to Philip.
“It’s the curator’s diary.” Captain Ferrer had spoken. “It was clearly stated here that he and Father Eufemio had an argument regarding the tomorrow’s event for Friday the Thirteenth seven hundred and seven years commemorating how the Priory founders, the Templars, were brutally murdered by the Church. He said that Father Eufemio was an Opus Dei member” Captain Ferrer explained as he snatches his phone from his pocket. “The assistant priest had texted my daughter awhile ago to met someone in the seashore, and he’ll reward her.” he added.
Captain Ferrer recalled that Marie was, once a member of the lectors of the church. Her voice was sweet that’s why the priest chooses her as his own lector. Marie became close to the priest. One time, Captain Ferrer saw Marie getting something from a divider which was much higher than her. The priest told her to use a mono-block chair to reach it, but as the girl reach for it, Captain Ferrer had noticed the priest holding his daughter’s waist, sliding her clothes upward and tickle her stomach. Marie could not help it but to let herself fall into the hands of the priest. As she was still lying on the priest’s hands, he kisses Marie’s navel and every part of her stomach, but Captain Ferrer understands it because Father Eufemio was like a real father to Marie.
Everything makes sense to him now. Father Eufemio offered Marie as a reward to the monk after killing the curator.
Philip and Nicole exchanged looks and Nicole went towards the Captain and embraced him. “Justice is in our hands now, Captain.” Nicole said.
Captain Ferrer felt a little relief and he turned his glance to Philip. “Not just it. The truth is also in our hands.” Captain Ferrer said to Philip. “Read the first part.”
Philip turned the book to page one and start reading. As he continue to read, his expression changed from a relief to a more serious and shocked reactions. His problems don’t end here yet. One of the secret being kept was his own personal origin.
“No way. It can’t be!” Philip exclaimed as Nicole read the book, too.
“Philip. You are a real son of Father Valentin; a curator and a Priory Grandmaster.
