The morning sun had just climbed above the horizon of Los Angeles, not yet reflecting on the western sea. In front of a small office building topped with a large cross in the Santa Monica beach area, activity had already begun. A dozen young Catholic priests were busy moving luggage into a van parked in front of the building.
"Is it time to leave already?"
On the ground in front of the building, Archbishop Marcus Costello stood in the shadows, watching his belongings being loaded into the car. He sighed deeply and looked towards the nearby ocean.
With ambitions as vast as the Pacific, he was being driven away, forced out by a Hollywood director...
As he thought about it, the frustration in Archbishop Costello's heart flared up again, and wrinkles like earthworms spread across his old face.
He knew very well that once he returned to the Vatican, he might never come back. He would likely be assigned to a position such as a librarian or records keeper until retirement.
"Murphy Stanton!"
The name popped into Archbishop Costello's mind once again. "Cardinal, Pope... all these dreams turned to dust before him."
"Your Excellency..."
A young priest approached him. "Everything is ready. When do we depart?"
"Let's go!"
Archbishop Costello turned and walked toward a black car. As he opened the door, he glanced back at the large cross atop the small building. This time, he had lost completely, and so had the Catholic Church.
Even if his opponent was just a Hollywood director!
Once in the car, Archbishop Costello closed his eyes, pretending to nap, and instructed the driver, "To the airport!"
The black car slowly started, turning from the office building onto the road, heading towards Los Angeles International Airport.
Archbishop Costello didn't look back, knowing he would never return. The church needed a scapegoat, and Pope Benedict XVI also needed someone to take the fall under pressure from the entire Church.
Unfortunately, as the direct planner of this incident, he was the best choice for that role.
Three days ago, Archbishop Costello received official notice from the Vatican. Apparently, the pressure was so great that they couldn't even wait to find a suitable replacement for the Archbishop of the South-Central California diocese. He was ordered to return to the Vatican by the day after tomorrow.
Even though he was far from the Vatican's inner circle, Archbishop Costello was well-informed enough to know what awaited him.
As the car made its way, Archbishop Costello initially maintained his calm facade. But as they neared Los Angeles International Airport, his hidden ambitions stirred with growing dissatisfaction.
Coming with grand ambitions, leaving in disgrace...
The stark contrast was unbearable for someone who aspired to be Pope.
"I..."
Archbishop Costello suddenly opened his eyes and, seeing the distant Los Angeles International Airport terminal through the windshield, muttered, "I... am unwilling!"
His hands trembled, his emotions running high.
"Your Excellency..."
The driver, noticing the sound from the back, asked, "Do you have any instructions?"
The question snapped Archbishop Costello out of his daze. Drawing on his extensive experience, he took a deep breath to calm himself, saying, "Nothing, just keep driving."
With those brief words, Archbishop Costello gradually calmed down. What good would his dissatisfaction do? His carefully planned strategies had not only failed to extend the Catholic Church's influence into Hollywood but had also resulted in the Church facing one of its harshest winters in North America.
He was unsure about other dioceses, but in the South-Central California diocese, the number of people attending Sunday services had dropped by nearly a third over the past few months!
What did this mean? Archbishop Costello knew that even if he were the Pope, a diocesan archbishop would be replaced under such circumstances.
Despite his feelings, the car continued its journey towards the airport.
An influential figure like Archbishop Costello wouldn't leave unnoticed.
Inside the airport terminal, two people were waiting near the security checkpoint for the flight to Rome, not their own boarding gate. They were there specifically to see Archbishop Costello off.
"You're really bored," Gal Gadot said, adjusting her ponytail under her baseball cap. "What's the point of this?"
Murphy shrugged. "An old friend is leaving Los Angeles and probably won't be back. I should see him off, right?"
Two days earlier, Murphy learned that Archbishop Costello would be taking a morning flight to Rome. Since he was also heading to Venice, he had booked a slightly later flight to personally see off his old 'friend'.
"Old friend?" Gal Gadot said, exasperated. "You just want to rub salt in Costello's wound, don't you?"
"Costello has fallen into the well," Murphy said, matter-of-factly. "Shouldn't I throw a few stones in to do justice to our 'friendship'?"
Gal Gadot rolled her eyes, too tired to argue. Her fiancé was never a good man...
Regardless of the initial cause, Archbishop Costello had caused Murphy significant trouble. Now, with their paths crossing again, Murphy wanted to see him off.
The winner should send off the loser.
After waiting for a while, Murphy spotted an elderly man in a priest's hat, accompanied by two young priests, walking towards them. The man seemed lost in thought and didn't notice Murphy and Gal Gadot.
"He's here," Murphy whispered to Gal Gadot. "Archbishop Costello has arrived."
Gal Gadot rolled her eyes and reminded him, "Don't overdo it."
With few people around, no one had yet recognized Murphy. Being public figures, it wouldn't be good to make a scene with headlines like "Hollywood Director Berates Catholic Archbishop."
Murphy shrugged, "Do I seem like that kind of person?"
He really was just here to see Archbishop Costello off.
As they entered the terminal, Archbishop Costello's attendants handled luggage check-in, while two others accompanied him to the security checkpoint.
In Europe, someone of Archbishop Costello's rank would have used a special passage, but not in the USA.
As the departure time neared, even someone like Archbishop Costello felt his spirits sink, not noticing Murphy waiting nearby.
Archbishop Costello neared the security checkpoint, and Murphy signaled to Gal Gadot before stepping forward.
"Your Excellency..."
One of the attendants saw Murphy and quickly warned Archbishop Costello, "Someone is approaching."
Archbishop Costello looked up and immediately recognized Murphy, his anger flaring.
"Your Excellency, it's been a while," Murphy greeted him like an old friend. "I heard you were leaving Los Angeles, so I came to see you off."
Archbishop Costello's face turned red with rage, barely containing his anger. Given Murphy's past actions, he was on high alert.
He took a step back, widening the distance between them. "What do you want?"
"I just came to see you off," Murphy said calmly. "To say goodbye."
Archbishop Costello couldn't believe Murphy's words. "Just that?"
To him, Murphy was a sly, despicable, shameless man, unlikely to be so kind.
Murphy smiled. "That's all."
He wasn't the desperate renegade he once was. With his current status and reputation, he wouldn't do anything too indecent.
Besides, coming specifically to see Archbishop Costello's downfall was already indecent, though Murphy wouldn't admit it.
Archbishop Costello remained suspicious, not trusting Murphy.
"Your Excellency..." Murphy said calmly, "Goodbye!"
Archbishop Costello's lips moved before he forced out a reply, "Goodbye."
His attendants escorted him past Murphy and into the security checkpoint. Archbishop Costello glanced back, seeing Murphy with Gal Gadot, walking in the opposite direction.
"Goodbye?" His face turned pale. "Murphy Stanton, we will never meet again!"
Murphy hadn't done or said anything provocative. His mere presence was the ultimate taunt for Archbishop Costello.
Shortly after Archbishop Costello entered the security checkpoint, Murphy and Gal Gadot headed to another checkpoint for their flight to Venice for the upcoming Venice Film Festival closing ceremony.
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