"OK Mr ford"
"Doctor"
"Sorry?" "Doctor! It's doctor ford"
"Oh, OK, Dr ford. So you say you have vital information and you need to speak to the Pope?"
"Yes, yes, for the hundredth time yes. I have very important information and I have to speak to the Pope directly"
"Can you tell me what it is and I will pass the information on? You must understand, the Pope just doesn't see every person who knocks on the door, he's a busy man"
"Of course I understand that and I wouldn't be here if I didn't think it was of the utmost importance and once I have spoken to him he will be very glad that I did and I need to speak to him and only him"
"OK, just give me 1 second Mr ford"
"Doctor..." said Tom, a few seconds after the man in black left the room. Tom was wired, he was buzzing, he looked around the room not looking for anything in particular. His mind was racing, he couldn't stop. He hadn't stopped since he left the UK. Since his discovery. The man in black returned to the room.
"OK Mr ford, unfortunately the Pope is unavailable to meet with you, however if you wish to give me a message to pass on to him i will ensure he gets it"
"NO!" Tom slammed his hands on the desk. The man in black didn't flinch.
"NO, I have to speak to him, and only him, it's a matter of life and death"
"I'm sure it is Tom, however the Pope doesn't simply meet erratic, strange men who look like they haven't slept for 3 days because they demand to"
Tom was so irrate he didn't notice that he had never gave the man in black his first name.
"Yes but..."
"And more importantly, TOM, the Pope probably already knows what you want to tell him, he's a very wise man, privy to a lot of information, did you ever think of that?"
Tom couldn't think
"Did you think you are the only one to ever look into the afterlife Tom? Did you stop to think that maybe man is not meant to know certain things? That some things are kept secret for a reason?"
Tom grabbed the suitcase on his knee tight. The man in black sat casually on the desk between the two, and leaned towards Tom.
"Let me tell you a little something Tom, Tom ford, man of science, man of interest and intrigue, do you know you never left your lab?"
"I'll have you know I travelled for 3 days to get here"
"Did you? What train did you take? What airline did you use? What was the infighting meal?"
Tom scrambled for those memories but failed
"Tom, my friend Tom, not only did you leave your lab, but you never left your little experiment, Tom, you're still sat in your chair."
Tom grabbed for the briefcase on his knee again, but it was no longer there.
"You didn't leave your chair, your lab, the UK, you're not at the Vatican and we are not having this conversation Tom."
Tom closed his eyes tight.
"I gave you a chance Tom, a set you a test to see what you would do with this new found information, and sadly, you failed. Now, you're staying with me, forever, but don't worry Tom, I wasn't lying, the Pope does know, of course he knows, they all do."
Tom sighed