“Ahh yes I remember. So… this novel of his. I don’t recall any mention of it at all. What happened to it? Was it a big seller?”

“No, not at all,” Dirk laughed. “As far as I know, only one hundred copies were ever printed. It was never really taken seriously… but I thought it might interest you. It’s about a man-made messiah.”

The President was stunned. That Shard had called him the man-made messiah was an embarrassing secret he’d never mentioned to anyone.

“When was it written?”

“2012.”

“Really!”

“That’s when it was… not published, sir.”

“And in this novel,” the President asked apprehensively, “who is the man-made messiah?”

“The President of America, sir. That’s why I thought you might be interested.”

The President felt a shock of adrenalin surge through his body.

“So… how does this novel end?” he asked, bracing himself for the answer.

“The President makes a speech on Christmas Eve.”