Chapter 11: Saint Sofia in Bulgaria

Perry

I can't say that I didn't feel bad about drugging Penelope, because I did. There was a certain unspoken code between us and in that code was included: Don't drug me. I broke that code. So, I didn't blame Penelope for not wanting to talk to me or even look at me.

We rode in the back of a semi into the capital of Bulgaria: Sofia. Penelope had received a vision that showed that the Enigma would be in the Saint Sofia church in Sofia, Bulgaria. It was unanimously decided that we needed to catch up to the Enigma and get a foot in the high rock wall that was the struggle for the dominance of good or evil.

As the semi rattled down the road, no one really said anything. Penelope was treating me coldly and the rest of my company didn't want to talk to me either. Perhaps one day when they were married like Penelope and I were they would understand.

"Perry?" asked Penelope. This was her first statement toward me in hours.

"Yes, Penelope?" I asked, hopefully.

"What will it take for me to get you to let me go?"

"I'm afraid you're stuck with me until death do we part, my dear."

"Very well then... and there is no persuading you otherwise?"

"Penelope... I will never leave you... ever again. Where I go, you will go. It's the only way I can keep you safe."

"But see, that's the problem, Perry. The more we're together, the more likely it is that my vision will come to pass."

I was stopped cold by that. It was too sad to think about. I didn't know for certain, but I could guess fairly well what she intended for the future. If Penelope could hold back Epolenep long enough, she could make a move to kill someone else... someone expendable in her mind. It went entirely against her instinct though... and I would rather it be me than the one who she was intending to kill. "Penelope..."

"Perry, when this mission is done, I want the memories of our children to be wiped. I would rather them not remember this adventure."

I looked at our children, Rosalynn and Max, sleeping soundly in-between Candace and Isabella. I knew Penelope was right. If I or... the other person... was going to die, then I wouldn't want the children to remember it. "I understand and will do my best, Pen." Penelope nodded and soon after, the semi stopped. We had reached our destination.

We all got out of the semi and found ourselves in the beautiful capital city of Sofia. If it hadn't been for future events looming over my head and Penelope's, it might have been much more beautiful than how we were seeing it right then. Our driver gave us directions to the church, saying that he couldn't go all the way there since he had to drop off his remaining cargo elsewhere. We thanked him and soon, his semi roared away into the distance.

We walked a short distance and soon came in sight of the great church. We walked inside and Penelope looked at the ceiling a moment before turning her head to the ground, shamefully. It was as if she felt like a beggar in a place like the Ritz. I wish I knew what she was thinking. Honestly, I learn more about her each and every day. Just when I think I know everything about her, she puzzles me again. It's like going through a long and difficult maze, when you think you reach the end, you reach another dead-end.

"Well, well, well, what a surprise to see a platypus like you in a church like this, Penelope," said the Enigma, at the head of the church near the altar. Penelope looked at him, but maintained silence. "What? No witty come-back? No 'this ends here'? Where have your ideals fallen?"

"I just want this over with, Enigma. I don't much appreciate what you are putting me and my family through," said Penelope.

"Ah, perhaps you are going through the five stages of grief? Hmm? This sounds an awful lot like the first stage: denial."

"Whatever, Enigma."

The Enigma laughed, a deep echoing laugh, "You don't get it, do you? I will gain control of Europe and there's nothing you nor anyone else can do to stop me. I will make sure that when I rule Europe, you and your mate here shall see it in all of its glory. At that point, and at that point only, will I cut the golden cord."

"Fine," Penelope said, indifferent to what the Enigma was saying. She turned around and began to walk out.

The Enigma looked a little taken aback by this, "Where are you going?" he rushed forward. "Oy, I'm not finished with you yet!"

"And neither I with you, mate," Penelope said, turning around and throwing a knife in the Enigma's direction.

Penelope

The five stages of grief, pshaw! As if! I was acting so that I could catch the Enigma off guard... and so I did. When I threw my dagger, he almost didn't dodge it in time, but he did.

"Good one, you must be as game as Ned Kelly to face me," said the Enigma.

"I'm not the one who's game," I said, smiling. I then felt myself leave the driver's seat and Epolenep took over. My body lunged toward the Enigma and tackled him like a cat. He was pinned to the ground and he was looking at me with a grin of victory.

"Well, hello, Epolenep, my little larrikin... perhaps you and I can make music together."

"You know what they say, E, the good girls like the bad boys and the bad girls like the good guys. It would never work between us," said Epolenep.

"Perhaps, and perhaps you and I would be the best thing this world has seen since Romeo and Juliet."

Epolenep laughed, a short, annoying ha-ha. "Perhaps someday you'll be my bloke, but for now, I'm in a much different mood," said Epolenep. She got off of the Enigma and started heading toward Perry. "No, I'm not letting you ruin my fun this time. I'm going to make love to a man in a church."

I was able to shut her down before she did any permanent damage and looked back at the Enigma. He laughed. "It's only a short matter of time..." his phone buzzed. "Oh, look, I have Bulgaria now... until we meet again, Sheila," he bowed out and walked off. Perry ran after him, but the Enigma tossed a smoke bomb in his direction and the smoke fogged up the entire room. By the time we were able to see clearly again, the Enigma was gone.

I thought how odd it was that Epolenep was getting harder to control. I was in charge of my own body, wasn't I? Well, at least I knew one thing: I had lied to myself about faking the five stages of grief. I was experiencing the second stage now: anger.

Sorry about this chapter not being as exciting as the last couple. I'm too excited for the ending to really focus on what must come to get there, step by step. However, as I am running out of European countries, I imagine I will only have a little over 20 chapters. Notice I used a lot of Australian slang in this chapter, so if at any time you get confused, google it. That's all I have to say about that. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)