Disciple

There’s enough evil in the world, but when MONIQUE MONROE, a petite Afro-American FBI agent, investigates a horrible murder at the Vatican, she gets thrust right in the middle of it. Not quite sure what to think about the brutal murder, she soon realizes, the FBI has a horrific serial killer on their hands. She and her colleague, Brian Erickson, combine their efforts with Gwendolyn Park, an FBI profiler, to figure out what the heck is going on when more murders occur around the world.

At the center of their investigation is an escaped prisoner, number 443556, who calls himself The Aggressor. Andy Russo, an Italian by birth, escaped from an armed transport in Virginia in 2016 while serving a fifty-year sentence. It’s an understatement to say Russo’s reputation scares people; knowing that he has been compared to and could easily be the devil incarnate. When released from a mental hospital in Maryland when he was young, he begins seeing Dr. JEDIDIAH DOYLE, a prominent psychiatrist, who believes he can help Russo with the intricacies of life.

In London there exists a group called Christians for Sanity (CFS), run by Marian Bustardo. Their mission is to eradicate evil in the world and are pretty good at it. She employs Edward Delaney; a man who committed to drown out evil and will do what it takes. He confidently calls himself Michael the Archangel and tries to live up to that stature. CFS takes notice of Russo and begins to determine his fate. Even so, Delaney is convinced Russo could have several disciples at his disposal.

While in London to investigate a terrible murder at a Catholic church, Monroe and Erickson are approached by Marian who convinces them to go with her to the CFS headquarters. There, she explains what she feels they are facing by trying to find Russo: resident evil.

Several vicious murders occur in the Washington D.C. area. Frustrated, Monroe goes to talk to Dr, Doyle on more than one occasion to find out what possesses Russo to do the things he does. Doyle sidesteps any blame and informs Monroe he hasn’t seen Russo since he escaped. She gets the feeling; Doyle is holding back for some reason. In a surprise development, Gwendolyn Park quits her job, but then goes missing. By now, the murders have escalated.

Delaney, braced for conflict with Russo, comes to D.C. to find him. In his mind, it could be the final conflict between good and evil, but as we all know evil never dies. Notwithstanding this truth, Delaney begins to track Russo. In a desperate move, Monroe calls Doyle to talk to him. He tells her to come to his farm in Haymarket Virginia because he’s on vacation. Reluctant but prepared, she complies; wanting to get to the bottom of the horrible atrocities taking place.

Her decision to meet with Doyle is unfortunate. Getting the upper hand in the basement, he ties her up and confesses he wants her to become believer in his world of darkness. She tries to free herself while listening to Doyle pontificate about how they will rule the earth and she needs to submit. Thank goodness for Delaney’s persistence. He finds the farmhouse and confronts Doyle, killing him, and rescuing a thankful Monroe.

Days later in an unknown location, a den of inequity, men assemble to listen to a voice coming from the shadows about the virtues of Satanism. She says, “Never underestimate a woman on a crusade for Satan, she might just be the devil in the flesh.” Gwendolyn Park walks out of the shadows to welcome her new flock.