Participants:
Scene Title | Doubt |
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Synopsis | Amato offers counsel to his enemy. |
Date | Nov 18, 2008 |
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
// The largest Gothic cathedral in the world, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine remains partially unfinished to this day, despite its construction having begun in 1892 - true to form for buildings of its type. Nonetheless, it is a grand and imposing sight; possessing the characteristic grand arches, pointed spires, and beautiful stained glass windows, including a large and striking Rose window. Where the walls aren't covered with old and meticulously preserved tapestries, they are often ornamented.
Guided tours are offered six days out of the week. Services are open to all. Since the bomb, the main nave is open at all but the latest hours, though the smaller subject-specific chapels close in the evening. The cathedral is also a site for major workshops, speakers, and musical events - most especially the free New Year's Eve concert, which has been held without fail each year since the bomb.
St. John's has long been a center for public outreach and civic service events, but since the bomb, those have become an even greater part of its daily affairs. Services include a men's shelter, a twice-weekly soup kitchen, walk-in counseling, and other programs besides. These are open to everyone - non-Evolved, unregistered Evolved, registered Evolved… the philosophy is that they're all children of God, and that's what matters.//
Perhaps it is the grandeur of the cathedral and its old world style that brings Amato Salucci back to it again and again for prayers and contemplations that simply cannot be done within the confines of his apartment. He's on his way out when he sees Felix in the alcove, but he has to do a double-take to be sure that the genuflecting man is really the FBI agent whose face is plastered in the man's memory.
Amato hesitates. He really should get out while he can, but there is something about the man that strikes Amato as he observes him, even from afar. He steps closer, his leather-soled shoes near silent on the stone floor, but keeps a respective and safe distance in addition to adjusting his scarf to obscure a fair portion of his face.
"You are suffering," Amato observes, his accent distilled to Italian and Italian alone. "And so you beseech the Blessed Mother of God to ease your pain. What pains you?"
It just doesn't occur to Felix that his prey might walk up to him with such boldness. So the best defense is a good offense, apparently. He barely glances up, assuming that no one but a priest would address him that way - his gaze remains fixed on the fluttering candleflames. "I doubt," he says, simply. "I lose faith. We pursue the wicked, but they draw away." He rubs at his eyes, and quotes, voice rasping, "The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned;the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."
"For whom do you do this?" Amato asks after a moment's consideration of Felix's words. His own reciting tone - the reverence he gives the words and the immaculate way in which they are pronounced - is something that Kaydence Damaris might know, but she knew it with a different voice altogether. Subtly is the key to connection. "Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all."
He pauses, then quotes another verse: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
"Overcometh the world," Felix repeats, quietly. "For the innocent. For love of justice, inasmuch as man's can reflect God's." His face is battered all along one side, bruised and stitched, courtesy of Peter's little lovetap, and by the way he's listing a bit in that genuflection, that's not the worst of it.
The physical state the man is in is not lost on Amato. He narrows his eyes, then starts to turn away. "Let men who have followed one of God's many paths tend to your body before you offer your soul for the same," he mutters, much less conviction in his voice. It would not have bothered him to see the agent dead, but now that he has seen him in this setting, even without looking into his soul himself, Amato's own heart is torn in twain. Shaking his head, he continues on his way out of the lofty cathedral.
"Father," Fel says, and his tone is desperate, before he catches himself, and is silent again. "I will," he says, more softly. "Thank you," He doesn't rise to follow, though, but settles down instead on both knees, almost sitting.
Any additional notes fall to the bottom.
![]() November 18th: Tainted Memories |
Previously in this storyline… Next in this storyline… |
![]() November 18th: Once Upon A Midnight Dreary |