The Caress of Gamaliel

The white limousine with it's white leather seats cruised through the city. The windshield wipers danced their repetitive steps back and forth, clearing the window of the heavy droplets as the car cruised through the city streets. Street lights and headlights reflected their colors on the many rain drops that dripped down the car.



The limo turned left, passed an advert displaying the latest horror flick. The Driver smiled to himself (herself?) as a pedestrian stared at their own horrific reflection in the advertisement.

"If only you knew..."the Driver said in a rich and seductive voice.



The Driver continues through the city until it pulls up to an expensive building in the business sector. Standing just outside the building under an umbrella is a man in a suit. A man of power and influence.



The limo stopped directly in front of the man, and the Driver got out of the car. The Driver is tall and dark skinned; androgynous and attractive in a slightly disturbing way. They wear a black suit and have nails to die for. A lot cigarette hangs from their mouth, and burned despite the rain dropping on it.



"Good evening, Bishop Saint-Clair," they said in a sultry voice. "I shall be your driver tonight. May I take your umbrella?"

The Driver walked around the car to open the door for the bishop. The smoke wafting from the cigarette seemed to almost hang in the air, dancing around th droplets as they fell.

"I knooowww," they continue, "You didn't order a limo. Consider it... A free upgrade. If you will. We know how important you are, Bishop Saint-Clair, and we thought a limo would be better for you."

"A limo... ", the Bishop checks his silver antique watch. The time is around 8:00, and the rain is now pouring harder. He noticed that the driver is so eager to have him enter the limo. He looks at the Driver and held something in his pocket. "How did you know my name?", the Bishop stared at the Driver intensely. "Depending on your answer, I will have to decline. It's better to be wet in the rain than to be confined into a stranger's limo."

The Bishop mumbled something, low enough to be drowned by the rain.

"Ah, Mr. Saint-Clair, suspicious as always," the driver says with their smooth voice. "I am here on behalf of Loretta. You did want to speak to her, yes? Please, enter the link and I shall take you to see her."

The Bishop eyes lit up and fixes his tie. "Ah, why didn't you say so earlier? I had to stand here, drenched and tired." He adjusted his dark green umbrella and walks near the Driver. "Do you have any beverages in here? Warm water will be fine.", he whispered.

The limousine has two rows of seats in the back, facing each other. It’s all white leather and luxury. The minibar has an impressive assortment of alcohol, as well as some snacks and an orange medicine bottle filled with an assortment of opioids and antidepressants.

Smoking is encouraged.

The door closes behind you and ty driver makes his way around the limo and back to the driver's seat.

Iggy Pop’s "The Passenger" plays softly through the sound system, just faint enough to provide background ambiance, but not loud enough to be a distraction.

Beside the contents of the mini bar there are three objects in the back of the limousine.

◊ A battery powered power drill.

◊ A high-quality black leather collar with some rhinestones on it. You think they may spell something out, but you'd have to go grab it to get a better look.

◊ A two-liter dark brown glass-vial full of a clear liquid. It is labeled "sulphuric acid 98%"

The limo lurches into motion, and the driver says, "How did the meeting go? Will the city council fund the new church?

I think you will. Especially since Morgana Masters now supports you. Morgana Masters; you know some people call her The Monster? That old Monster loves you, doesn't she, Bishop? Is it your stance against abortions that does it for her, or your piety? Or perhaps it's your strict, yet still handsome looks? What do you think?"

"That old hag still doesn't get it.", the bishop crossed his arms as he sat in one of the seats, on the right side of the limo. "It doesn't matter what her stances are and what the city council's decision is, as long as my family is... unaffected.", he looks around for a beverage, but only found a dark brown glass with a suspicious label and some alcohol. He lets out a sigh and stared at the dark window.

"I rarely spend some time with my daughter, that's why I was thinking of leaving the church behind, but the congregation will be lost in the process, so I was also pondering of giving this role to some qualified priest.", he mumbled softly.

The driver continues to speak, but it doesn't feel as if they are speaking to you anymore. Instead, they seem to be speaking to some sort of audience, as if there are other people listening in to your conversation.

"The Bishop is thinking of leaving the church! Well, won't THAT be an interesting turn of events. Perhaps it is because the bishop wants to take care of his illegitimate daughter, or maybe it's because of the blackmail.

Oh yes, the blackmail. Our dear bishop has been keeping that quiet, hasn't he? What do you suppose he will say about that? Let's find out."

And then their voice changes, and it is once again clear that the driver is speaking to you:

"We can ignore the Old Monster for now, my dear Bishop. Although it may become problematic later; weren't you supposed to attend a gala with her tonight? And instead you're here on your way to visit Loretta.

But enough about that. Let us discuss your problems, shall we? You have two problems right now, don't you Bishop?

The first is the blackmail. Someone has sent you pictures, Bishop Saint-Clair. Someone has sent some rather high definition photographs of you and your lover, Laurent. These pictures leave little to the imagination.

Oh, I know what you're going to say, and it does not matter how I know about these photos. What I find touching is just how much you care for Laurent. You love him very much, don't you, Bishop?"

The flat screen TV in the back of the limo suddenly turns on, and the high definition pictures start to appear on the screen. Pictures of you and your lover embracing each other. The photographs are taken from an angle that suggests someone was near you during your secret meetings with Laurent, or perhaps they had a camera drone nearby, silently hovering as it recorded your secret love.

The drivers voice shifts again, and once again it seems as if they're talking to someone else, to someone not in the car - to an audience:

"The blackmailer has not yet stated what he wants, but he has explained that the Bishop needs to follow his orders or the pictures will be shown to the world, 'in all their carnal ugliness.' "

And then again their voice shifts so it is clear they are speaking to you once again:

"What would Morgana the Monster say about that? She is one of those people who believes 'any such crimes against nature' should be cured with electrical shocks and 'conversion therapy.' "

The bishop reaches for his pocket and held something in his pocket tightly, maintaining his composure. "I must admit... this one is a serious conundrum.", he smiles at the photos and breathes in. "So, why should I care? That is clearly not me. In this day and age, everyone can be anyone. Although I was indeed thinking of leaving the church, I'm still Yves Saint-Claire, the Bishop of Saint Jude of Lost Causes, and I will not be deterred by this slander.", he spoke with such a commanding voice.

He proceeds to reveal a silver medal from his pocket and held it in his chest. "St. Jude, Patron of Lost Causes, I come to you in this moment of difficulty and uncertainty. I ask for your intercession and guidance as I face this blasphemy before me. Grant me strength to overcome adversity, wisdom to make the right decisions, and courage to stand true to my convictions. May your divine light illuminate my path, bringing hope and resolution to this situation. Amen.", he prayed in his head. After that, he hid the silver medal in his pocket.

"Oh Bishop," The driver says, their voice as sultry as ever, "Lying is a Cardinal Sin. You of all people should know that. You do, after all..."

And suddenly the drivers voice becomes deep and harsh, like that of rocks grinding deep underground, or like the voices emerging from the deep pits of hellish nightmares, "...know that you are a sinner."

The Driver's voice shifts, back to the audience, "Perhaps our dear Bishop has become too familiar with sin, based upon his internet search history. Shall we take a gander upon what the bishop has been searching in the late hours of the night?"

The flat screen TV stops showing the photographs of your intimate nights with Laurent, and switch over to a pornographic video of two men having graphic sex. The video is instantly familiar - it's a video you have watched in the privacy of your own home.

The two men are grunting and moaning as one thrusts into the other.

The screen them switches to a different pornographic video, again of two men engaged in hardcore gay sex. Another video you have watched.

How did they get your search history? Perhaps they hacked your computer?

This time, you can outwardly deny it, but deep down you know that they know this little dark secret of yours.

How do you react?

The bishop was clearly startled, not only because of what he's witnessing but also because he knew about those videos. He had subscribed in nearly 13 different websites that hosts gay pornographic material and supported most of the actors using the charity money he got from his followers. "What in God's name is this? This is disgusting...", he stares at the dark window for a moment. "That's it, drop me off. Right now."

"Oh, Mr. Saint-Clair, this is not a good place for us to stop," the driver says.

As you look outside, you can see they are correct; you are currently driving through one of the most dangerous parts of the city. This part of the city is practically lawless; a place where even the police fear to tread.

"Besides, we have only a few more questions to ask. Shall we move on to your second Problem?

Loretta. Loretta the Porn Producer.

You still wish to see her, yes? We shall go there soon.

You have discovered that Loretta has signed a deal with a demon of lust, known as Gamaliel. Loretta claims she has sold her soul and there are reports of strange things going on in her studios.

Do you believe in demons, bishop? Or is it bad enough that Laurent is in Loretta's crosshairs?"

The bishop takes out his silver medal, which is actually a medal of St. Jude of Lost Causes, and looks at it. "If angels exist, so too are demons."

He lied his head on the dark window and smiled, "I once met an angel while I was on my way to the cathedral. I was terrified at first, her suddenly appearing before me on the busy sidewalk. The people around me didn't seem to see her, which made me think that I was hallucinating. While I was pondering that possibility, she mentioned that she obliterated a sinner and made a huge oversight. The sinner had a daughter. Maybe it was my compassion, or just morbid curiosity, I followed her instructions. I was led into a dark alleyway, filled with drifters and beggars. There, I met my child, full of death in her eyes. The nearby beggars told me that her mother just suddenly passed away yesterday and had her corpse on a nearby landfill, which was not that far from here. Before they start begging me for money, I took her immediately and head towards a hospital to get her healed for possible injuries or diseases."

The bishop's gentle smile turned into a frown, "That's when I realized something, what was the angel's intention for leading me there in the first place? So I tried finding her again and there she was, above my resting child. She told me that this girl will become a future sinner, and I should end her now before it was too late. I tried to reason with her but it was futile, but the angel just left after that. Before leaving, she left this silver medal. Maybe it was a business card, I'm not entirely sure but..."

The bishop puts his medal back into his pocket sighs. "I believe that not all angels are benevolent, so that means not all demons are malicious. If they can be reasoned with, there might be a chance. That's why I'm heading to Loretta to hopefully persuade her into letting my daughter go. If she doesn't, I'll have to find a way to dismantle her operations, forcing my daughter to leave." He had his head turn towards the driver. "As for Laurent, I'm sure he can take care of himself and not be tempted by her."

The driver turns down another road, and as they do, they speak to the mysterious audience, "Our bishop seems to be living a life of delusions. He believes that Loretta has enthralled or captured his daughter and his lover, rather than the two of them willingly working with her. Let's turn on another show, shall we?"

The flat screen them starts showing a new pornography, Grinder Gods III. It has muscular biker types.

The driver directs his voice back to you, "You have watched this one many times, Bishop. It shows up on your search history many times. Do you watch it simply because you enjoy it, or did you search it out because it was Laurent who filmed it?

Laurent is masterful here. He is good. Almost so good it doesn’t seem like staged porn anymore. 'Art must challenge our perceptions,' as Laurent likes to say."

Just at that moment, your cell phone rings. It's Morgana Masters. You were supposed to go with her to the reception tonight. You'll have to navigate this conversation carefully if you wish to keep yourself in your good graces. How will you explain why you left her? How will you convince her that you'll still be at the reception time (in about an hour from now)?

Or do you just let it ring?

Gringer Gods III continues to play in the background, and there's no buttons on the screen to turn it off or turn it down.

The bishop ignored the driver's comment and immediately answered the phone. He stares and gestures at the driver, telling them to shut up. "Hello Morgana, are you still there?", the bishop said in a suave tone. Morgana's voice can be heard audibly, mentioning that he should've been at the reception two hours earlier. He was flabbergasted at her response, "The reception isn't even starting yet, are you that excited? Nevermind that, how about I'll let you have me for tonight after the reception and we can discuss this further." Her voice can't be heard now, probably whispering to him. "Yes, I'll explain the details later, just forgive me this time." Morgana hangs up the call.

The bishop turns to the driver, "If you keep giving me these questions, I'll give you a low rating if I can. Just keep driving." He then picks up a brown vial and inspects it, "How is this even a beverage? Well, better to keep that in mind.". He returns it to its place.

As you talk on the phone with the far right Christian extremist that Morgana Masters is, the volume of the porn increases, and the sounds of moaning men reverberate through the call.

You end the call quickly, before she has a chance to say anything.

The program on the flat screen them changes to a heterosexual pornography, with a man and a woman fornicating - her moans growing in intensity.

You recognize the woman.

It is your daughter.

"Here is another film that our dear Bishop has watched before. This one has only shown up on his search history. Once."

The driver turns their attention back to you, and says, "She is one of the top erotic actresses right now, and she’s thrown her lot in with Loretta. One hot little thing, don’t you think?"

Before giving the bishop the chance to answer, the television:s volume drops down to the point where it's barely audible, an undercurrent of pornographic aounds below the noises of the vehicle as it drives along the roads.

"It's ok, bishop, you do not have to answer. Instead, I have another question for you. If you could kill anyone, anyone in the world, who would it be?"

The bishop stared at the driver intensely and sighs, "Take a long guess.". He then turns to look at the dark window and counts the amount of streetlights that were moving in past him, irritated by this conversation and trying to distract himself.

The driver chuckles at the bishop's comment, "Ha ha ha. Yes, of course you might want me to die. But I'm surprised, Bishop, that you'd let a moment of anger override your senses. Are there not other worthy targets of your ire? What about Loretta? Without her, surely your daughter would be free of her contract and obligations to the porn studio.

Or what of the blackmailer? That one who so subverts and reduces your pure love of Lauret into carnal ugliness."

You are suddenly reminded of the three objects in the back of the car. You had handled the bottle of sulfuric acid, but what if the drill? That could easily be used as a weapon.

But before your thoughts drift into violence, the driver speaks again:

"What about these two coming up?" they say. "Let’s say the car loses control. Should I aim for the woman with the stroller, or the drunk in the gutter? These heavy limos are harder to control than people think."

Out the windshield, you can see two people that could, theoretically, be hit by the limousine were it to lose control. One is a woman, a young mother touching a baby in a stroller. The other is a middle aged man sitting in the gutter, obviously drunk as he takes another swig from a bottle in a brown bag.

Suddenly, it seems as if time slows down; your perception of the world almost feels like it comes to a pause, as if waiting for your decision.

As you are forced to make a choice, the driver let's go of the wheel and the limousine starts to drift towards the pedestrians.

The bishop closes his eyes, "If I would pick one, I would choose neither of them and just let the Saint carry out her judgement for me as I crash into some wall." He then smiled, "But I'm not currently the one behind the wheel, so my choice really doesn't matter."

He then rests his head on the dark window and clenches the silver medal inside his pocket. "Dear Saint of Lost Causes, in this moment of turmoil, I humbly ask for your holy judgement soon. May your light shine upon me and guide me through the result of this predicament. Amen."