Part 20: Allied Invasion
Fred woke up in his seat in the plane. Daphne cuddled up next to him, still asleep. During the night, someone had put a blanket on them, good thing too, because at the moment, the plane was freezing. Fred stood up and stretched, walking up and down the cabin for a minute. He retrieved his knife, lighter, and mints from the table, having removed them during the night when they started poking him.
With nothing else to do, he walked up to the cockpit and peered inside, intending to see what Fletcher and Rachael were up to. He pushed back to curtain and his eyes went wide.
"You're not Rachael." Fred flicked open his knife.
"No" The man turned to him. "Not lately."
"Van Ghoul right?" Fred said as he took the copilot's seat and flicked the knife closed.
"Indeed."
Fred drummed his fingers against the control panel. "So what's your story, Fletcher said he was pulled off the streets, Rachael was a third generation knight, Warner was pulled out of special forces, what about you, how do you get to be leader of this freaksho… organization?"
Van Ghoul veered the plane a bit. Outside a lush countryside surrounded by mountains rolled by, only visible in the night by the lights of small towns and farmhouses.
"You could say that I am a legacy as well."
"You're a witch, like Fletcher and like Madelyn, you guys live longer than normal?"
"I was born in 1895. Fletcher and our other witches, the Merlyn brothers, are no older than they appear, but they will appear as they are now for at least another fifty years. Your friends Madelyn and Sally will most likely outlive all of you. It's one of the reasons why we seek out witches to recruit, because we know what it feels like and we want them to know they are not alone."
"Well I sure as hell hope that someone is going to tell Madelyn soon, because the girl has a right to know." Fred leaned back in his chair and began absently flipping his knife open and closed. "Where are we going anyway?"
"Germany, specifically the Bavarian Alps. There is a castle there, a former Nazi stronghold and laboratory. Griffin and other members of the Cult of Dracula performed experiments there primarily during the Second World War."
"Right" Fred rolled his eyes. "Because Dracula wasn't evil enough already, he had to be allied with the Nazis."
Van Ghoul touched the plane down miraculously. Despite it neither being a VTOL craft or, indeed, a jet, they managed to land perfectly in the center of a large courtyard. Fred and Daphne gathered their belongings, Daphne making sure to include her Kukri this time, and Fred reluctantly strapping the revolver to his hip. They exited the craft with Van Ghoul, still clad in his dark suit, although the cloak had been ditched in favor of a dark black overcoat.
They walked into what remained of the castle, the main structure seemingly having been blown up at some point in the past. Fred guessed that WWII had not been particularly kind to the place. Ivy had blanketed the walls and the sound of scurrying rats could be heard around every corner.
"The fortress was used by Dracula's people throughout both World Wars. During World War One they were unaligned, attacking both sides indiscriminately. Come World War Two, Griffin acted as a liaison between Dracula's Cult and the Nazi aligned Thule Society, effectively bolstering their numbers for the next century and forming the basis for the Hand of Draco, the cult's public face in this century."
"So if the Nazis had Dracula on their side, how did we win?"
"Well, first off, the allies had help as well, you didn't think I just sat around and drank tea for the entirety of the war did you?" Van Ghoul smirked. "Also, the Nazis did not have Dracula on their side so much as he had the Nazis on his, he offered little aid, using them as he saw fit. Most Dracula loyalists in the Nazi ranks were just that, loyal to Dracula above all else."
They continued into the castle. Van Ghoul lit his hand as Fletcher had done and illuminated their way. As they travelled the halls, Fred got a sense of what Van Ghoul had meant. Plenty of banners hung on the walls, but they were all dragon banners, the same symbol that the Hand of Draco agents had carved at Cape Casem. The people that had been here knew where their loyalties lied.
Up a broken flight of stairs (which Van Ghoul helpfully reformed) they came to a blown out laboratory. Skeletons in SS uniforms littered the floor. Daphne stepped over one, making her way to a set of animal cages against the far wall. She ran her fingers across the bars, muttering curses under her breath.
In the middle of the room, Fred lifted up an old projector and fiddled with the switches. To his surprise, it activated. The lights flickered for a moment and the film began to roll. An image of a sharp featured man with a blond bowl cut was projected against the wall. He wore a tan SS uniform and small glasses over deep grey eyes.
"Hallo" The man in the film began. "Ich bin Doktor Phineas Phibes."
"Hold on a moment" Van Ghoul said. He waved his hands at the projector and a blue mist enveloped it.
"I am the head of the SS Draco Division" Phibes continued, now in English. "Report on Project Talos and Project Beowolf. The Kriegstaffelbots perform to specifications. I believe that they will be ready to replace human soldiers by the winter. As for Project Beowulf, as you know, we are already in phase two. Phase one being the total extermination of all werewolves. The dragon itself is uncooperative without coercion, but its fire is a greater weapon than we have ever seen. I do, however, believe that if we could find the dragon used in Phase one back during the Great War, we would have an easier time of it. As for the key, it has been analyzed by the most cutting edge of technology. I unfortunately believe there to be no way of activating its power without werewolf assistance…"
Flick, flick, flick. The film ran out, tapping against the projector as it continued to spin. Fred looked on slack jawed. Behind him, Daphne picked up a file labeled, Project Beowulf, Phase One, dated toward the middle of WWI.
"The search for a cooperative dragon has finally born fruit. The offensive begins and soon all werewolves will be eliminated." Daphne translated. "Incident report, Phase One successful baring minor SD incursion… SD?"
"League Sin Demon" Van Ghoul answered without looking towards them. "Our former name."
"Three agents" Daphne continued. "Made their way into the facility. Two deceased, one MIA."
"You can stop now" Van Ghoul said, voice quivering slightly.
"Yes, I imagine you'd like that Vincent." An Italian accented voice said from the stairwell.
They all turned to see a woman, tall and beautiful, with luscious black hair and blood red lips. Her skin was white as alabaster and she was covered only in a loose black gown. She smiled at them, showing off sharp fangs.
"Verona" Van Ghoul hissed. "What are you doing here?"
"Same as you, seeking the key."
"Who are you?" Daphne asked as she slipped her hand into her pocket and closed her fingers around the Bali Song.
"Verona Dracula, eldest and most trusted of his brides."
"Van Helsing killed your sister alone" Van Ghoul said. "You think you stand a chance alone against the three of us?"
"Probably" She smirked. "But I leave nothing to chance. Intruder Alert. Kriegstaffelbots activate.
"Ja Kommandant" A mechanical voice rang out from the far wall, sounding a bit like the man in the film.
The group stepped back as the wall slid open to reveal a horde of what they assumed must be the Kriegstaffelbots. They were about eight feet tall and completely armor plated. German helmets and round goggle eyes gave them some semblance of faces. Each had a full right arm and a left arm that consisted of a Gatling gun. The eyes lit up red as they stepped out of their holding pen.
"Fredrick, Daphne" Van Ghoul called out as the guns began to whir. "Run!"
He cast his hand at Verona, knocking her against the wall long enough for Fred and Daphne to push past her down the stairs. Gunfire echoed behind them but they dared not look back. At the base of the stairs they collided head on with a body, cold as ice.
"Hello" Verona smiled down at them. "Naughty children." She grabbed Fred by the chin and pulled him up against her. Her eyes bore into him as she spoke in a soft, soothing voice. "You will help me yes? You're a big strong man, you want to help me right?"
Fred's eyes glazed over. He nodded and she released him. Daphne looked on shocked and hurt as Fred kneeled before the vampire.
"What would you have me do beloved?"
"Kill the redhead." Verona laughed mirthlessly.
"As you command."
Fred drew the revolver and leveled it off at Daphne. His face was blank but behind him Verona was smiling. Daphne grit her teeth and swung her hand at Fred's arm, pushing the gun away before nailing him with the other hand. In the ensuing confusion Daphne backed up against the window behind her and jumped.