Chapters 29 and 30 Summary

Hearing his superior's confession, Fr. Lehy reminds Zerchi they have discussed his temper before, assigns him penance, and gives him absolution. As a result, Zerchi is late arriving for Mrs. Grales' confession. She is agitated and tells the priest the Dread One is nearby. She says before she can ask God's forgiveness for her sins, she must forgive him for the Justice he has meted out. A glimpse of Rachel convinces Zerchi this makes primitive sense. When she crosses herself, Grales includes Rachel in the gesture. As she whimpers her rhythmic list of sins, Zerchi contemplates how everything is an echo of the Original Sin and has difficulty after this afternoon's events to concentrate. She alludes to an old abortion, which only a bishop can absolve. Suddenly, there come the sounds of missiles launched. Grales proclaims, "The Dread One," and the...