Trinity Blood: Book 3: Vehemens Veritas
Chapter 9: Oblivion, Part 2: Memories Wishes?

2103 AD, a few days later:
Damn it, damn it all to hell! Why hadn't Cain told Abel this was the freaking base they were going to? Gah, now Abel wanted to hit his brother more than ever. The damned maze again! Abel ground his teeth, glaring at the UNASF general before him with pure hatred. The general was short with neatly done brown hair and an unshaven look about him. Abel's eyes moved from the general to the small three year old girl. Her black hair was messy and green eyes wide with fear.

"General," Abel growled, interrupting the man's tirade about what they were supposed to doing in the maze, "Seth is too young for this, let her just watch," he said hotly, glaring at the man. Despite only being ten Abel looked older because of his height. Then again he was technically fifteen and not ten, just like Seth was technically five and not three.

The general turned his cold, brown eyes on Abel. "Silence, Rat!" he barked, "You are out of line. As an UNASF soldier you should know when to keep your mouth shut." Abel growled. "The girl will go through the maze with the rest of you filth. She has ten years of catching up to do."

"Why you—" a hand on his shoulder cut Abel off before he could hit General Hall.

"Abel," it was Cain. Abel glanced at his twin to see Cain give the smallest shake of his head. His eyes traveled from Cain to Lilith, who looked at Abel with worry in her yellow eyes. Slowly Abel stepped back into line and glared at the general hotly. Anger simmered in him towards General Hall and towards Cain and Lilith. How could they just stand there and do nothing when the youngest of them was being put through something so dangerous.

"This will be a rank D run," General Hall continued. "You will enter in pairs," the general looked coolly at Abel and smiled wickedly at him. "Since you're so concerned for your sister's wellbeing you will enter with her, Rat."

"General," Cain protested lightly, stepping forward, "Abel and I normally enter together. Wouldn't it—"

"Silence, Major Nightlord," barked Hall. Cain stepped back, giving in without a fight. Something flash in Abel's twin's eyes and Abel froze, not certain he had seen it. Was Cain mad? Why would he be mad at Hall? Cain was never mad at anyone and it was something which infuriated Abel. "You," he pointed at Cain, "will enter first with her," he pointed to Lilith. That scum, he was now avoiding their names. Abel ground his teeth. It took all his willpower not to leap at General Hall. "Now go!" the doors into the mining shaft opened and Cain entered without a backwards glance.

"Good luck, Abel, Seth, both of you be careful," Lilith told them, giving both of them a kind, gentle smile.

"Don't worry, Lilith," Seth grinned, "I have Abel with me!" Seth declared. Abel's eyes softened as he looked as his sweet, sweet sister. There was so much she had yet to learn, so pain she hadn't yet felt, he envied her innocence. Abel heard the door swoosh shut behind Lilith and glanced up. They'd wait about ten minutes to let the traps reset before heading in after the older two.

The ten minutes passed in a stony silence. At last General Hall opened the door. "Come on," Abel touched Seth's back, his voice gentle. Together they moved into the passage. The door hissed shut behind them and Seth jumped, her small hands taking hold of Abel's uniform. "It's all right," Abel smoothed his sister's hair, "just stay by me and I won't let anything happen to you. I promise," he smiled at her and she nodded, tears in her eyes. Her grip only tightened on his uniform. "It will be all right, everything will be all right." He touched her hand and slowly she looked up at him. Releasing his long coat, she took his hand instead.

"T-together?" Seth asked uncertainty in her voice.

"Always, my dear sister," Abel smiled at her and together they started off. "Duck here," he warned as they came on the first traps. "Let me go ahead and show you how to get threw these." He released her hand and raced forward leaping over the fire; he felt the heat of it, and rolling as he hit the ground. "Go under it," he warned her, "I was being an idiot." Part of his uniform had been burnt pulling that stunt. He heard the rocks move as Seth crawled under the flames. She crawled over to him and he ruffled her hair, "See, you don't have anything to worry about."

"What's next?" Seth asked, getting to her feet. Abel stood as well.

"Just watch, 'kay?"

Seth gave him a big smile and nodded, "Okay, brother!" There was something about her smile, something which made Abel feel as if as long as she smiled there was nothing to worry about. Every time he saw her smile, he felt happy and the anger in him seemed to lessen. It was the same when he had long chats with Lilith. For as long as Lilith and Seth were there he felt even what was planned for them in the future could be changed. "Hmm," Seth tilted her head to one side, "what's wrong, brother?"

"Nothing," quickly Abe looked away and raced forward. A rumble vibrated through the floor. Skidding, Abel stopped as a wall appeared before him. It wasn't ceiling to floor but it was way too tall fore Seth to jump or even climb. "Come here," he told her. She moved over to him, looking at the wall with worry. "I'm going to carry you over the wall," Abel squatted down and held out his arms behind his back, "come on; climb on." Seth nodded and wrapped her hands around his shoulders. "Hold on tight, I won't be able to hold your legs in place," he warned her.

"Okay," her grip tightened around his shoulders. Taking several steps back, Abel scanned the wall. All right, here went everything. With one last look at the wall, Abel charged. His muscles bunched as he prepared to leap. Air whipped at his hair and he leapt his hands clasped the wall, chest smacking into it. Wincing and breathing hard, Abel pulling himself up. It was hard. Seth wasn't exactly light for his ten year old body. He cursed the UN as he forced himself higher, his muscles screaming. If he had been fifteen this would have been easier. Damn UN. Swinging up his leg, Abel hooked it on the wall before getting both himself and Seth to the top. "Sorry, brother," Seth's voice tickled his ear as he paused at the top, panting heavily.

"It's okay, Seth," Abel gave her a small smile. "This one should be the tallest wall in the maze so we don't need to worry about it again," he jumped down, landing catlike on the ground. Seth slid off his back.

"Okay, now what?" she placed on small finger on her chin and looked forward with curious, green eyes.

"The only major problem left is the pit," Abel wrinkled his nose at this. "There are a few more obstacles but we should get through those with little problem." They started off, Seth's hand in his. Her grip was tight almost as if she never wanted to let go. "Hey, Seth," she blinked up at him, "a month ago or so Cain asked me: 'What kind of future do you desire?'" he mimicked his twin's lighter tones and Seth giggled. "I was wondering if you had an answer to that question."

There was a long pause. Only the sound of their shoes on stone could be heard. Seth blinked up at him before she at last spoke, "The future I want is to be with you, brother!" she declared. "Do you think I could marry you?" Abel stared at her. Marry… him? Wait, what? They were brother and sister. That was completely wrong! Seth giggled, "You should see your face," she giggled again. "I should say, as long as we're together I'm happy," she snuggled against his arm. "Always, brother." She turned her bright eyes on him again. "What was your answer?"

"I want," Abel looked at the rocky floor and kicked a rock. It tumbled over the ground, jumping as it went. "I want a world where the four of us can be free," he mumbled, "where we can live together without anyone thinking of us only experiments or tools. A world where we are accepted for who we are and not seen as blights on society." Heat rose in his face and he looked at the wall. His stomach churned and he wondered if he should have told her this.

A pause followed before Seth declared, "I want that too then!" Abel looked at her and saw her grinning broadly. She released him and raced forward.

Abel's eyes flickered before his sister to a placed where the ground gave way. Seth didn't seem to see it. "Seth!" Abel raced forward. Heart skipping a beat, he saw her stumble and fall over the edge. No! Abel launched himself forward, diving after her. Sharp spicks were visible below him, but his eyes were locked on Seth as she shouted. His hands closed around her and he pushed off the wall managing to flip and draw her in closer to him. The warmth of her against his chest made his heart swell with relief. Sheer blinding agony lanced through his body. He felt the some of the spikes vanish, having been holograms but others ripped into his flesh, sending waves of pain through him. His left hand went completely numb. He could fell warm blood trickling down his neck and firry pain in his side and leg.

Feeling movement on him, Abel blinked and smiled. Seth uncurled and stared at him. At once tears filled her eyes. "Abel?" she reached out one small hand, hesitated before touching small gash on his neck. "Brother," his eyes were half closed as he forced himself to breath. It hurt. Warmth felt as if it were seeping from him. "Abel!" tears slid down her face.

Slowly Abel lifted his right hand and brushed his thumb over her cheeks. "I-I'm fine, Seth," he struggled to say the lie. A pounding filled the air. Two pairs of shoes one the hard stone, was it the UN or Cain and Lilith? "I'm fine," he repeated weakly. Don't cry, was what he really wanted to say, just try to smile, don't cry. You don't need to cry.

"Abel!" two fingers were over head, moving backwards over the ladder. One let go. "Cain, don't!" it was Lilith who had shouted.

A thud filled the air as Cain landed. It was followed by him racing over to Abel and Seth. "What happened?" Cain's normally calm voice was filled with panic. She slid off of Abel.

"It was my fault," Seth said between her tears. "I didn't see this-this place and fell over," she was shaking. No more tears, please no more tears. Slowly Abel reached for her, smiling weakly at her.

"Abel! Seth!" Lilith was beside Seth now. The oldest of them she looked at Abel and then at Seth before pulling bandaging from her bag. "Cain get Abel's arm from that spike then apply pressure. I have to bandage the wound on his side first." Cain obeyed. The world swayed around Abel as he gasped, shuddering as his arm was gently pried from the spike.

"It's all right, Seth," Abel wished, "as long as you're safe." Slowly he blinked, his eyes were closing. He was so tired.

"Stay awake!" Lilith shouted at him from overhead. The gentle touch told him she was wrapping his wounded side. Abel forced open his eyes. He'd told Seth he was fine and sure as hell wasn't going to make that a lie. No, he wouldn't lie to her!

June, 3063 AD:
Abel hesitated outside of Caterina's office. Just within he could hear Caterina speaking with Sister Kate or he assumed it was Sister Kate since he couldn't hear anyone moving. "If there had been no fountain at that place then what you have happened to her?" Caterina asked calmly. At once Abel knew who she was talking about: Sister Esther.

"Lady Caterina?" Kate asked. There was more than a note of shock in her voice and Abel for once agreed with Kate. His hand balled into a fist.

"Luck is not an ability," Caterina's voice was hard but there was a truth in her words. It was a harsh truth, but one could only get so far on sheer luck.

Sister Esther didn't seem to be getting much approval for her fight against the Methuselah. It was true the girl had no enhancements, but her ability was in her skill to think on her feet and in her heart. Even if Caterina didn't see this, Abel did. In all likelihood Esther wouldn't be placed on dangerous assignments unless – unless an AX-agent was assigned to her as a mentor or partner. It seemed like a waste of Esther's talents to just keep her in the background, but the problem became the agents. The only ones Abel would have suggested were either rarely in battle or he didn't think could handle it.

Those agents were: Tres, Leon, and William. William was very rarely in the field. Tres would only see Esther as a liability. Then there was Leon, oh, Abel was certain Leon would love to Esther along, but only because as he put it she was a "cute girl." Abel sighed, pushing up his glasses and rubbing his eyes. Then there was Abel, he preferred to work alone or with Tres. If he didn't do this then Esther might never see her strength within her heart or in her ability to think on her feet. Besides, the missions he would forced to use the crusnik on he could always convince her to stay back at the base… right?

By the time Abel had made up his mind Kate had gone. Raising his hand he knocked. "Enter," Caterina's clear, commanding voice came threw the doors. Abel opened a door and stepped in. Caterina looked up and blinked, "Abel? I thought you were sending a message to the empire."

"I have done so," Abel said calmly. The door closed behind him with a snap. "But you already knew that," he replied smoothly. He wasn't a fool and knew full well Caterina had received the message about the envoy already. "I was coming to make a request actually," he crossed the room and sat down in the chair across from her.

"A request?" Caterina cocked an eyebrow at him. "If this is about who you would advise sending to the empire when the time comes, I haven't forgotten my promise to you, Abel."

"No," Abel gave her a patient smile, "it isn't about that. It's about Sister Esther Blanchett," he began, watching Caterina carefully. If not for the fact the thick glasses he wore blurred everything he would have been able to read Caterina.

"Ah, I see, what about her?" Caterina set down her pin and moved so she was looking at Abel. "If this is about her performance today, Sister Kate and I have already—" Abel raised his hand, giving Caterina a small smile. She sighed, "You're not here about just that are you? What is you see in her other than a daughter?"

Abel laughed lightly. "Am I so easily read, Caterina?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at the young woman before him.

"No, I've just known you too long," stated Caterina. "If you were easy to read I would know what this is about." Well, that was true.

"I would first like to ask what it was you had planned for her," Abel replied evenly. It was a game of politics in a sense and from Caterina's frown, he gathered she realized what he was doing.

"You already know what I have planned, Abel, otherwise you wouldn't have asked," Caterina replied. "Now, my question is, what is it you would suggest?"

"I would like Esther assigned to me as a partner," Abel said bluntly, skipping straight to the point. He hated dancing around it as it was.

"You must have a reason for this," Caterina sounded shocked. "You've only ever requested to work with Tres if you request to work with anyone at all or to go with Leon on simple missions. Why would you suddenly request a partner after all these years, Abel?"

"Because I see in her what I saw in you thirteen years ago," Abel confessed. "She doesn't quite have your intellect, but she does have the ability to think on her feet and a good heart. If I am on a mission which will require my other form I will request for her to stay behind. Even though she has already seen it, I don't have any wish to put her in harms way."

Caterina hesitated seeming to think this over. "You think she might have what it takes to become an agent one day?" Caterina asked slowly. "Abel, luck isn't—"

"It wasn't luck, Caterina," Abel cut her off. "Even if the fountain hadn't been there she would have been able to think of away to hold off the Methuselah until Tres and I arrived. Further more, it isn't an agent I see in her, but a diplomat with some battle skill. Her viewpoints towards Methuselah are negative at the moment, but I am certain in time she will see them in a new light." He paused. "I have only ever seen someone as young as her get others to follow her before and that was you. She was able to rally many of the citizens of Istavan under her, that is no small feat, Caterina."

"So, what you are requesting is her becoming your protégée?" asked Caterina, sounding shocked.

Abel bowed his head. "Yes," he replied, "that is exactly what I am asking. I don't know why, but like you I feel she has a roll to play if peace is to ever come between humans and Methuselah."

"Well, you haven't been wrong yet," Caterina began slowly. "I don't see why not, but are you certain it is what you yourself want, Abel? You told me you don't like having a partner incase they learn what you really are and what you are really like?"

"I think I've gotten the act down enough Esther won't suspect I'm not as foolish or idiotic as I appear to be," Abel replied. "After all William has never guessed it and I have been working with him for nearly as long as I have worked for you."

"All right, I was going to have you accompany me to the free city of Carthage along with Sister Kate and Father Tres," Caterina said, "I will assign Esther to that as well. After all, I can't have my second in command off on another mission when we are at such a crucial point."

At this Abel chuckled, "No, I guess that wouldn't work at all, would it?" he smiled at her. "If contingencies arise, you know what will happen, don't you?" Caterina sighed, showing she did know. "We can't have a war break out with the empire, not when we are this close to a lasting peace, but I doubt the Orden will remain silent for this. They will want to stop this plan at all costs."

"I will speak with you later on this matter, Abel," Caterina spoke softly as she wrote up a letter. She slipped the letter into an envelope and sealed it. "Give this to Sister Esther; it contains her orders in it. Tell her to get ready to go we'll be departing this evening."

"So soon?" Abel took the letter and smiled, "My, you are hasty in this matter, aren't you?"

"I thought you would be pleased, Abel," Caterina teased him, showing she suspected he already knew the reason they were leaving so soon.

"Ah, but I have waited over eight centuries for this, what is a little delay to me?" Abel joked in return as he stood. Bowing, he said, "I will take my leave. We should speak again before take off. Will you have me return after I inform Esther?" he asked.

"No, I will contact you," Caterina said. "Francesco has been sending one of the Inquisition down every day as of late and I would rather not have this knowledge fall into my brother's hands."

Abel nodded. "It is best to be safe then," turning, he added, "tread lightly, Caterina, your brother won't standby and watch peace start without putting up some kind of fight." With that he bowed his head and left her to her work. No, end the end Francesco wouldn't like to see peace starting up and there were bound to be those in the empire who would resent it as well. Sighing, Abel decided to think on this matter later. Right now, he needed to find Esther.

It didn't take Abel long to track down the human girl. She was out in the guardians with a stray cat. The poor creature looked as if it would rather be elsewhere at the moment. Esther was talking to herself and it sounded as if it was about Caterina this time instead of about him.

"Esther?" Esther jumped, hiding the cat behind her and turning to him with wide eyes. "Hehe," Abel laughed, rubbing the back of his head, "sorry if I scared you there." He walked over to her. The poor cat looked starved for air. "What do you have behind your back?" he asked.

"Oh, what – nothing!" Esther released the cat and showed him her hands. Abel smiled at her. Such a strange girl, she was, a little like Seth and a little like Caterina.

"May I?" Abel gestured to the bench beside her and she nodded. Sitting down, he asked, "Has anyone given you your first assignment, yet?" Of course he knew the answer. After what had happened, Esther's other tasks had been placed on hold to wait Caterina's or Abel's decision.

"No," Esther sighed, looking at the ground with her hands clasped before her. "All I was told was that Caterina was going to meet with her second or one of her other agents and discuss where I should be assigned after today." There was weight to the girl's shoulders as if she thought she had screwed up or something. "Father, did I do something wrong when fighting the vampire?" Abel withheld a cringe at the word. While he would use it when in his act, he strongly disapproved of the word.

"What? No, no, you were really brave, far more so than when I faced my first vampire alone," Abel nodded. "Granted I was younger than you were," he laughed, grinning at the frowning girl. Lies, it was all his life had been to everyone but Caterina, a lie on top of another lie. "Oh, I just got this from Caterina; she wanted me to pass it to you. I think it's your orders," he smiled and held out the envelope to her.

Esther took it and opened it. "I'm to go to Carthage!" she exclaimed, "But, Father, this mission is for agents only. Everyone was saying how only a handful of agents were going on it!" Keep reading then, Abel silently urged her. Esther looked at the letter again. "I am to remain with you when in the field unless ordered otherwise." She looked at Abel shocked, "Father, are you – are you Her Eminence's second?" she asked uncertainty in her voice.

"What, me?" Abel exclaimed, a hand on his chest. "Oh, dear god, no!" He shook his head. "I'm the lowest agent in the entire AX. I think Caterina would have to be insane to make me her second!"

"Oh," Esther looked at the letter. Her express was crestfallen; too bad she had actually guessed the truth. "It was just that you seem to know Her Eminence very well…" Esther said more to herself than to Abel.

Abel was about to reply when his communicator went off. "Yeah?" he asked, activating it.

"Abel, meet me on the balcony just over where you are," Caterina ordered over the comm. Hmm, he'd thought she had wanted to wait on speaking with him until later. Normally she wasn't one to change these plans unless the situation called for it.

"Eh? Caterina, what's this about?" Abel asked as he stood.

"I will tell you when you are here, radios are too easy to breach," Caterina stated. "Finish what you are doing quickly then meet me up here." The radio went silent then and Abel felt himself frown. That was odd, that was odder than odd. In all the years he had known Caterina she had never had him meet her outside her office for a talk on matters relating to the AX, unless this wasn't a talk relating to the AX.

"Umm," Abel turned back to Esther and laughed, "looks like I have to go. You'll need to pack and meet us at the Iron Maiden II tonight." Well at least he knew one matter for certain. Whatever Caterina wanted to talk about was bound to be troubling. Turning, he left Esther alone in the gardens, muttering about his boss being scary all the while.

Once Abel was out of sight of Esther he broke into a run and raced up the nearest flight of stairs. By the time he reached the balcony Caterina was already standing there, looking out over the gardens. The scent of flowers was heavy in the air. It was even more potent up here than it had been down there.

"What is it, Caterian?" Abel asked in a hushed voice so no one might over hear them. Not that there was anyone close by, but he would much rather not risk it.

"I wanted to run this by you," Caterina mimicked his whisper as she held out a sheet to him. Taking the paper, Abel leaned against the balcony and read through it. "Tres and William both agreed that one of these events were likely to unfold while we are in Carthage. I wanted to see which one you thought was the most likely and if you could come up with what to do in the event of each."

"By the looks of it, you already have a few plans in place," Abel said, skimming Caterina's neat script once more to make certain he hadn't misread any of it. "I believe it is likely one of the Orden's agents will attack us the day of the meeting, however, there is only a small chance it will happen right before or during the meeting," he replied. "Tres seems to have agreed there." Abel pushed up his glasses and looked out over the gardens as well. "In the end there are too many unknowns to come up with a solid plan or predict what will happen. I know the Orden will have hired an outside party or person to help them. Other than this," he flicked his wrist, "we are going to have to play it by ear. We could try to make plans but with how many factors which are unknown those plans won't do us much good."

Caterina nodded. "On arrival in Carthage, your top priority is to see if the Orden has done as you thought and hired someone to help them," Caterina instructed. "Also put Sister Esther's training to the test, see if she can blend into a crowd and not sick out of it like you do." Abel chuckled softly at this and Caterina smiled at him. "I hope you don't regret your decision to take her on, Abel," Caterina said wistfully.

"Thinking about thirteen years ago?" Abel asked.

"Of course, though I wouldn't want to live through it again, part of me does miss being in thick of the action," Caterina said. There was distant look in her steely eyes. To Abel thirteen years wasn't a long time, but it had been to Caterina and she had grown into a fine leader since then.

"I remember when you were this tall," Abel gestured to just over his waist and smiled. "I personally don't miss what we went through back then or any of the people who we faced." Now the people they had lost since, was another matter entirely.

Caterina let out a low breath. "We should both prepare for the trip," Caterina pointed to the paper. "Go over that and see if you can find anything to add. I would still like a plan in place for each even if they are just vague ones."

At this Abel sighed heavily. "I will see to it, Caterina," they looked at one another. Abel wondered how the years had passed so quickly as he looked into the young woman's face. There was so little time given to humans and so much given to him and Seth. He knew Caterina was ill, but it was hard to think on what he was going to do once those he knew passed on. Bowing his head, Abel turned his thoughts to the plans as he walked away from Caterina.

Present day:
Abel opened his eyes to meet only darkness. So he had been severing the Vatican at one point and that was why Eris had thought him a priest. Oh, he remember most of his childhood now as well as bits and pieces later in life, but why had he wanted peace so badly? The humans had once done terrible things to Lilith, his siblings, and Abel. Why had he wanted to help them so badly? Why would he join the AX and help Caterina? Still he couldn't remember and it was annoying him to no end.

Outside in the hall, Abel heard Eris returning, but she wasn't alone. Familiar, heavy footsteps sounded with her. It couldn't be, Tres? Damn it. Abel couldn't go back to the AX, he remembered he didn't want to harm them and then his coming back from the dead would only bring problems for Caterina.

Standing, Abel ran his fingers along the wall until he at last felt a bump. His fingers slid over it and he found the window was open, good. Before Abel could move, the door opened and Eris shouted, "Hey, Father Nightroad, it looks like Father Tres was looking for you. He's—" she cut off. "What are you doing by the window, Father?"

The soft rustling of clothes and the click of a gun told Abel what Tres was doing. "Father Nightroad, you are ordered to return to the Vatican immediately. If you resist I am authorized to use force." Slowly Abel turned. "Do not resist, you are in no condition to put up a fight, Father Nightroad."

"I can't return. I might not remember the full reason behind why I left, but I know it will place Caterina at risk," Abel said solemnly. He reached back, "I'm sorry Tres," and before the killing doll could react, Abel fell backwards out of the window. Air rushed past him and he forced himself to flip, landing almost catlike on the ground below. Quickly he matched his breathing and pace to those around him, vanishing into the crowd.


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