Gabriel Il Profeta

Gabriel il Profeta was raised in the Vatican ever since he was a young boy and was mentored and educated by priests, scholars and has attended numerous colleges. But this information isn't available to anyone except the Pope. All of Gabriel's information is inside the "Book of Secrets" and explains all his hidden talents. The committee of Cardinals that oversee all paranormal investigations have no knowledge of Gabriel's attributes and talents, and Cardinal Leonetti wants to get a hold of that book. When an exorcism takes the wrong turn and the family of the possessed child describe Gabriel as "God's Reaper", Cardinal Leonetti and the committee want answers. The Pope intervenes and suspends Gabriel indefinitely and orders him to leave the Vatican and Italy (for his own good). The Pope instructed Gabriel not to conduct any business on behalf of the church during his suspension. Gabriel eludes the Swiss Guards while enroute to the airport and manages to flee Italy incognito.Gabriel eventually ends up in Jarden, Montana, a small town in the middle of nowhere to sit out his suspension. Gabriel immediately has an encounter with a young boy (Willie) at the local diner and a malevolent spirit that's haunting the boy. Willie tells Gabriel about other spirits at his house and at school that have been tormenting him. Gabriel vowed to help Willie and his mother even though he had been instructed by the Pope not to involve himself with ghosts or demons.Everywhere Gabriel turns someone needs his talents and tries to keep his activity hidden with the help of the local priest (Father McDunnough), who is an old friend. Gabriel helps an older couple with a problem in their basement, a friend's mother at the nursing home and a paranormal investigations team at the old Montana State School. All the while Cardinal Leonetti has his "Sicario's" feverishly looking for Gabriel, even though the Pope has instructed them to leave him alone.Gabriel's intention is to return to the Vatican and face Cardinal Leonetti and the committee, but Cardinal Leonetti and the demons are intent on that not happening. Gabriel has an "uncanny" knack of changing the lives of the people he encounters, and inflicting pain on the non–living!Gabriel begins his long journey back to the Vatican and concludes with a showdown between Cardinal Leonetti, the committee and himself. Gabriel discovers that Cardinal Leonetti has been scheming with a dark entity who is very insistent on finding out if Gabriel is "Living" or "Non–Living"! Gabriel battles it out with the demon "Nazzar" in the Cardinal's Chambers within the Vatican, as the committee, Cardinal Leonetti and the Pope witness Gabriel's skills and attributes come forth.

-- James D. Johnson