Chapter 5 The shepherd sha

Chapter 5: The Shepherd's Shadow

The chapel stood at the edge of the town like an old, forgotten promise. From the outside, it looked like any other rural church-weathered wood, a rusted bell, and a broken gate that creaked in the wind. But inside, it was alive. Candles flickered like restless spirits. The scent of incense hung in the air like a memory too stubborn to fade.

Father Lopez is a man of deep conviction, wisdom, and quiet strength. His calm demeanor and thoughtful speech inspire trust and reflection. Compassionate and deeply spiritual, he listens without judgment and offers guidance rooted in faith and experience. A natural leader, he unites communities with empathy and resolve. Despite his age, he remains intellectually curious, reading widely and engaging with people of all backgrounds. He is humble, yet his presence commands respect. Father Lopez is also disciplined, rising early for prayer and service, and lives modestly, always prioritizing the needs of others. His integrity and warmth leave a lasting impact.

Father Lopez Ramirez was not a tall man, nor did he command attention with his voice. Instead, he drew people with his presence. He walked like a man aware of every secret sin in the room, yet forgiving enough not to mention any. His black cassock swayed as he moved toward the altar, muttering in Spanish under his breath-something between a prayer and a warning.

Rodriguez and Sophia sat in the back pew.

"Why here?" she whispered.

Rodriguez didn't answer right away. His eyes were fixed on Ramirez.

The priest finally looked up and smiled-gentle, tired, yet somehow fierce.

"You brought trouble to the house of God," Ramirez said, not with accusation, but understanding.

Rodriguez stood. "I brought a question."

"That's more dangerous than a gun," the priest replied. "Ask."

Rodriguez handed him the photograph.

Ramirez took it. A pause. His eyes scanned the image, and something cold passed through his face. He handed it back wordlessly.

"You know him," Rodriguez said.

"I knew of him," the priest replied. "He came here once. Years ago. Said his name was Dominic. Told me he had no need for forgiveness-said he'd burned that bridge and watched the ashes for fun."

Sophia leaned forward. "He's testing us."

Ramirez nodded. "Then he hasn't changed."

Silence lingered. The wind outside pressed against the windows like a secret trying to get in.

---

The priest lit another candle and knelt. He wasn't just praying-he was preparing. For what, Sophia couldn't tell.

"I met Dominic once, before I took the cloth," Ramirez continued. "Back then, I was a soldier. Angry. Proud. Reckless. He recruited me, but I declined. He said something then that has never left me: 'If God is watching, He should've blinked when I pulled the trigger.'"

Rodriguez tensed. "He's here. Somewhere close."

Ramirez nodded slowly. "Dominic never leaves a footprint you can follow. He leaves one you think you're following."

Sophia was beginning to understand: this wasn't just espionage. It was theater-crafted by a man who thrived on chaos and built his legacy on orchestrated disorder.

"I came here," Rodriguez said, "because I need clarity."

Ramirez gave him a long look. "Then you came to the wrong place. Here, we deal in faith."

Sophia stood and walked toward the altar. "What does he want with us?"

Ramirez looked at her like one might regard a candle before it's snuffed. "Not 'with.' From. Dominic doesn't interact. He extracts. Pain, secrets, loyalty-whatever will hurt the most."

---

An hour passed. Rodriguez confessed something unheard to Ramirez in the confession booth. Sophia waited outside, watching shadows curl along the pews.

When they emerged, Ramirez handed her a folded piece of paper.

"What's this?" she asked.

"A name. Someone Dominic didn't erase. He might still hold a key."

Sophia unfolded it. A woman's name, and a street address in Buenos Aires.

Rodriguez narrowed his eyes. "You sure she's alive?"

Ramirez shrugged. "Only God knows. And I haven't heard from Him lately."

Sophia laughed-dry and surprised. It was the first time in days she didn't feel hunted.

But that moment was brief.

Ramirez looked to Rodriguez again. "He's not testing her strength. He's testing your weakness."

Sophia froze. "What does that mean?"

"It means," the priest said, "that you, Rodriguez, are the lock. And she is the key. Dominic's game is about combinations-what happens when trust is misplaced, or love is misread."

Rodriguez turned to leave. "Then we're done here."

Sophia looked back once, seeing Ramirez light another candle.

"God keep you," he said quietly, "because the devil already knows your names."

As they left the chapel, the sun was already sinking, casting long, bent shadows over the gravel path. Rodriguez led Sophia to the car, a borrowed hatchback that looked too ordinary to carry danger-but did.

Sophia hesitated before climbing in. "Do you trust him?"

Rodriguez didn't answer. He just looked at the side mirror.

"Rod-"

"I didn't park us here."

Sophia froze. She turned, slowly. A soft breeze danced past, but it carried more than air.

Then she saw it.

On the windshield, tucked under the wiper: a page torn from a Bible.

Ecclesiastes. A single verse circled in black ink: "There is a time to kill and a time to heal."

Sophia plucked it carefully. Behind it, taped beneath the wiper, was a micro-recorder.

Rodriguez played it.

Don's voice crackled through.

"You went to the priest. Predictable. But even priests have secrets-and debts. You think you're chasing me. But you're really chasing yourself."

Then a second voice. Ramirez's.

"...forgive me, Lord. But I had no choice..."

Static swallowed the rest.

Sophia's hands trembled. "He bugged the church."

Rodriguez nodded, jaw clenched.

The SUV from earlier. The message. The warning wasn't just real-it was personal.

"We're not ahead of him," Sophia whispered. "We're exactly where he wants us."

Rodriguez exhaled, long and hard. "Then it's time we stop hiding. We follow the lead. Buenos Aires."

The car started.

But far behind them, in the chapel's steeple, a red light blinked once-then vanished.