"I haven't been told yet."
"Brothers, you must also be curious why I summoned you all at such short notice. I will reveal the mystery right away."
The entire room hung onto the words of their Patriarch.
"We have found the bloodline of Eve."
There was an instant bustle of chatter in the room.
"Oh my God!"
"David, is this true?!"
"Where is she?"
"Our prayers have been answered!"
"Settle down, brothers," Lazarus announced. "Let me share the information with you." Elijah was as much surprised by the revelation as the rest. Yet, he was confused about how he fit into the puzzle and what the discovery of Eve's bloodline actually meant.
"Except for my boy Elijah, others in this room know of the powers belonging to someone from Eve's bloodline."
"Powers?" the lawyer asked.
"Powers, yes. A female who is a direct descendant of Eve, is immortal. She cannot die."
Elijah gave a start. He was okay with the belief system, but the discussion had gotten really weird, really fast. Immortality?
"From the look on your face, I can judge you are having trouble digesting this. I understand your skepticism. In fact, it would be strange if you were not cynical about what I just said," Lazarus directed at Elijah. He leaned on the conference table. "You do not have to believe this supernatural phenomenon or the divinity of Eve's blood to fulfill the task assigned to you. Once you have successfully completed the assignment, you will see the truth with your own eyes."
"Very well," Elijah said without emotion. The people in the room were much too influential and busy-bodies to be wasting their time on fantasies. He had to keep his mind open.
"Excellent," Lazarus said cheerfully. "Now it is time to reveal the identity of Eve's daughter." He pressed a key on his laptop.
The photograph of a very attractive woman appeared on the large television screen.
The other Cardinals gasped in emotion. Some of them sobbed and broke down.
"Oh, mother!"
"Bless us!"
"Everlasting life!"
“The embodiment of divinity!”
It was as if they had found the holy grail.
Elijah, however, was the most shocked. His jaw hung open because he recognized the person in the picture.
It was Ashley Palmer!
"I take it you know the bloodline of Eve, if I am not wrong," David said with a smirk.
"I do. She is Ashley Palmer, daughter of Arthur Palmer, Chairman of Palmer Industries. Ex-girlfriend of Jake Grayson, CEO of Grayson Enterprises."
"That is correct."
"If I may ask, Cardinal, what do you expect from me?"
"What I am going to share with you may sound more ridiculous, but bear with me." Elijah nodded.
"First of all, we refer to daughters of Eve as LEAH. Remember that in all further communications. Second, my deduction is that Leah has already died several times and come back to life. On death, she returns to a previous point of her life, to remedy whatever wrong has to be righted." The other Cardinals murmured their agreement. The news had animated the old men again.
"After her third death in this life, she will attain divine blood, which, if we consume, we share in her abilities as well."
Elijah winced. Will he be asked to hurt Ashley? Did he just say that they will drink her blood?
"I assure you, we will not kill her. We must keep her alive and farm her blood as long as possible. I know this sounds brutal and perhaps inhuman, but we at the Church of Resurrection will worship Leah as a goddess in the meantime. Every comfort shall be given to her."
"I understand," Elijah said, trying hard not to appear rattled. "But I must ask again, what is expected of me?"
"Unfortunately, every time she resets time, nobody else remembers the erased future. However, there is a way to retain memories. If a man performs consensual coitus with her and impregnates her, his memories remain intact after she resets time. It is the only way you can intertwine your destiny with hers."
"So, I have to get her pregnant?"
"Exactly. You must also wonder why we haven't abducted and killed Leah seven times to harvest the divine blood. Her deaths have to be accidental or by her own doing. Otherwise, they are pointless. If her life is taken by force, it is a waste. Also, I must remind you that your coitus with her has to be consensual. Our predecessors have learned these rules through hit and trial. All we must do is follow."
"I understand."
"So, Elijah Wood, will you undertake this task?"
Elijah took a deep breath. All he had to do was have sex with Ashley without protection. That did not sound like an impossible task. However, seducing her could prove difficult. Even if the immortality story turned out to be a fantasy, he had nothing to lose. Besides, he found Ashley attractive, anyway.
"I will do it. I will not fail you, Cardinal."
The other members cheered him.
"Excellent!" Lazarus exclaimed. A devious smile spread across his face.