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Trinity Blood: Book 3: Vehemens Veritas
Chapter 32: Base of Secrets, Needle Fear?
Abel stared at the passages before him. Which way was it? He felt as if he'd been leading the group in circles for the past few hours. Perhaps someone else should be in the lead here. All Abel was doing was getting them lost.
"We're lost again, aren't we?" Asthe asked. Abel didn't need to look at her to know she was at the end of her patients with him. Her emperor or not, he suspected he was going to get hit at any second now. "Did the shot to your head scramble what little brains you have?" her frustration was understandable, but did she have to call him an idiot that way?
"I resent that," Abel shot a glare at Asthe. His head was still pounding and the thirst was clawing at him. It was taking all his self-control not to attack Asthe or Virgil. If Rachel and Virgil brought Thomas any closer Abel knew he'd attack Thomas. The man's conversion was moving at a rate which was almost frightening. His blood was already giving off the enticing scents of Methuselah blood. There was still some human blood in him but it was being devoured at an alarming rate. "Besides," he began as he heard the passage to the left cave, "not all the passages we go down are by choice. This building is falling apart."
Asthe opened her mouth, decided better of it and instead just followed Abel down the right passage. "Hmm, that last inscription stated we were heading the a maze," William stated.
"It does?" Abel glanced at the wall and bit a curse. William was right. "We should turn back," he grumbled. "This differently isn't the right way." He walked past the others, mentally beating himself up for not remembering this passage. As Abel passed the last six UN members a rumbling sounded. "Move!" Abel's shout of warning came several seconds too late. Rocks struck him. Racing from the mess, Abel could just hear six others make it to the opposite side of the mess.
"Abel, come in?" William's voice came over the radio. "Are you alive?"
"I made it," Abel stated, "what about the other's? Who's with you?"
"Thomas, Rachel, Conner, Lord Walsh, and the Duchess of Kiev," William listed off the names. "Are the six others with you?"
"No," dread filled Abel. No one could have survived that. "I'm going around," he informed William. "I'll try to meet back with you."
"Abel," William's voice was stern, "your priority isn't us. You've got to return to the others. You're the emperor, my friend. You're safety is our greatest concern."
"To hell with that," Abel spat. "I'm not leaving any friends behind, not again, William. We've already lost Havel and Nola. What do you think I'd tell Caterina if you died? Or my sister if Asthe die? Or Queen Esther if Lord Walsh died?"
"My friend," William began with patients.
"Give me that," Asthe's voice was muffled. The next instant it was clear. "Get back to the others," Asthe snarled. "We can handle ourselves, you idiot!"
"Asthe," Abel protested.
"Now!" Asthe snapped the order before adding, "I'll be sure to stop telling the maids to leave out your sugar if you go."
"That was you?" Abel demanded before shaking his head. "I'm not leaving you behind, not even for sugar. It's what partners and friends do, watch out for one another."
"You're going or I'll tell Seth you weren't acting the emperor again," Asthe snapped. "She'll take Eliza from you for several months. Can you handle not seeing your daughter until she's a year and half old?"
"Cruelty!" Abel sniffed. "You're not taking Elizabeth from me and that's final!"
"Hey, priest, help me out here," Asthe said to William. "He's being an idiot again and you've known him longer than I have."
"Abel, if you don't go, I'll speak with Caterina and ensure you go through several physicals."
"What?" Abel shouted in mock shock. He knew William didn't mean it. "That's nicer than Asthe's, but still mean," he sniffed.
"With needles?" William asked. Abel shivered. William might not mean it but it still sent a chill straight through him. Needles, gah, they were such horrible objects.
"All right, all right, I get it already," Abel grumbled. "I'm going." Abel started off. "That wasn't nice, Professor," he stated over the radio, acting a bit like he used in the AX for the fun of it. "I'll see you soon, over and out," Abel placed his radio on standby and broke into a run.
"Well, well, look what we have here," Abel skidded to a stop, his eyes coming to rest on two figures. One was completely hidden in shadows but the other two were clear to him. The one who'd spoken sat atop an old droid and Abel knew at once who it was.
"Puppet Master," Abel stated, staring into the boy's tea colored eyes. "I should've guessed Cain would leave behind a few of the Orden."
"Come now," Dietrich smiled, his angel features deceiving, "did you really think Mien Herr wouldn't have known you'd come here eventually. We just didn't expect it to be so soon otherwise he'd have been here to greet you himself." Dietrich's smile widened and he twitched his finger. "Now, I'd like you to meet my newest toy. Pygmalion only just finished fixing him up. He's been buried for nearly four years after all."
Abel wasn't listening to Dietrich. His eyes were locked on the figure who now stood beside the droid. "Know Faith," Abel breathed, staring at Vaclav Havel. The man looked as he had years ago. The same thin bread, the same long wavy hair, and the same kind brown eyes. He wore the same priest robes with a long coat instead of a cape.
"He's not the only new toy I've gotten," Dietrich laughed. The sound of someone moving behind Abel made him whip around. His heart stopped dead at the sight of the beautiful human before him. Her long black hair fell around her face and she wore her nun dress without the under skirt allowing men to see her long legs.
"Noelle," a horrible feeling smashed into Abel. The two friends he hadn't saved. Two people he had respected and cared for now stood dead and controlled by the enemy. "How – they were buried in Rome!" Abel shouted, turning to Dietrich. "This has to be some trick."
"Recovering their bodies was a challenge," Dietrich grinned devilishly down at Abel. "But why should you believe me? I'll just let their skills and powers prove who they are." Out of the corner of his eye, Abel saw Havel leap. Jumping back, Havel's bladed hand came within an inch of Abel's neck. Several strands of silver hair floated to the floor. Quickly Abel blocked Havel's arm with his, grunting in pain as the mechanical arm stuck his. Havel landed. He twisted, fingers pointed at Abel's heart. Leaping back, Abel was forced to the floor by Havel's well timed kick. All right, this was Havel… well his body and somehow Dietrich had given the corpse back all his skill in combat.
"Damn you," Abel growled at Dietrich. The second he took his eyes off Havel fire shot through his side. Gasping, he stumbled back, clutching his side. Warm blood trickled between his fingers, staining the shirt he wore. He couldn't fight Havel. Not this man and defiantly not Noelle.
"What's wrong, Father Nightroad?" Dietrich laughed. "You're not activating the crusnik." Even if Abel wanted to harm his old friends, he wouldn't have been able to activate the crusnik without drinking blood first. It was also why his wound wasn't closing. There was no other choice. Abel would have to run for it and hope Noelle wouldn't track him. Whipping around, he bolted down a passage. "Come now," Dietrich jeered after him, "you should know better than to run from your friend Noelle here." He could already hear Noelle and Havel hard on his heels. Damn it, damn it all!
xxx
Thomas was vaguely aware something was wrong. An odd need for blood was taking hold of him and his tongue kept running over sharpened incisors. The first voice he was aware of was Abel's. His hearing caught his son's voice shouting over what must have been a radio. "Put on – Professor!"
"Hey, terran, the emperor wants you," a female shouted. She sounded to be in her early to mid-twenties.
"Would you stop calling us terrans? I've been trying correct myself and call your kind Methuselah," a dignified voice replied. "Crusnik, didn't you start back to the others?"
"Know Faith, Mistress," Abel panted over the radio.
"You're not making sense, my friend," the professor replied.
"It's Know Faith and Mistress!" Abel shouted. "What the—when did he…" the radio faltered. "Havel, stop, try to—" the radio went dead.
"Either Abel's finally lost his mind or Havel and Noelle really are here," Professor stated thoughtfully.
"I'm going with the Abel's lost his mind theory," the female said. "Even in the empire we knew of Know Faith and his skill in combat. He was the top AX agent, wasn't he?"
"Yes, and in his current state, I'm not certain Abel will fare too well against him. Havel was a good friend of ours after all," was this man one Thomas' son's friends? Thomas' eyes were lead as he tried to open them.
"Thomas?" Rachel's breath tickled his ear.
"Get back," the male who was supporting Thomas moved him away from Rachel. Why? "Astharoshe, do you have any water of life on you? He's awakening and I'd rather avoid having a human killed here."
"I've a pill but no water to dissolve it in," Asthe replied. Thomas opened his eyes. His mind was clouded. Base instincts were kicking in, a frenzy of need.
"What's wrong with his eyes?" Rachel stumbled back. Thomas turned in the direction of her voice. His instinct was screaming at him to attack her, but his mind and heart froze him in place. That and the strong grip of the blond haired man before him.
"The pill will have to do," the man stated. "Raw or otherwise it will help."
"I've some water," the Professor stated. "Sadly I don't normally work with your kind so I only carry the blood in my body and the Methuselah blood. Ah, here, will this do?"
"It will have to," Asthe replied. "He's not struggling against you, is that normal for turned terrans?"
"No," replied the man. "Normally they'd fight to get at a food source. Something's different about him." Thomas was vaguely aware of bitter liquid being forced into him. It ran over his tongue and deadened the need for blood. When the last drop vanished Thomas fell to the his hands and knees.
"W-what happened?" Thomas gasped. There was no more pain. He began to unravel the bandaging revealing fully healed hands. What happened? He should have been dead by now.
"Tch, your friends here thought you'd rather be a Methuselah than dead, something about seeing her majesty and the idiot again."
"You mean Seth and Abel," the Professor stated. The radio went off suddenly. "Abel, if this is a prank?"
"Why would I prank you, William?" Abel's voice came over the radio. "I need you get back to Caterina. I've my hands full here. When Thomas wakes he'll know this base… I think."
"You're memory acting up again, Tovarish?" Asthe joked.
"Hey, give me some credit. I'm not exactly the youngest person here," Abel retorted in light tones. "I think I'm above you know…"
"We told you get out of here," Asthe snapped. "Are you really reverting to being an idiot?"
"I'm being chased by an old friend I thought dead!" Abel snapped. "My top priority is to keep them away from Caterina. Do you have any idea the effect of seeing Havel walking again would have on her? I'd rather avoid traumatizing my former boss, thanks." A loud crash sounded overhead followed by a stream of curses which no doubt was gibberish to this group.
A crack appeared overhead. "The ceiling is going to cave," Thomas took hold of Conner and Rachel, pulling them behind him. They got a few feet before figure in white fell through the ceiling.
"Run, now!" he shouted. Whipping around, he thrust out his hands. A blast of dust and air slammed into Thomas. "Go!"
"Not without you, idiot," Asthe took hold of the man's arm and pulled him down the hall. The rubble fell inches from them. Asthe threw the man into the room before stormed in after. The force of her threw cased a long bang to fill the room as the man struck the far wall. He slid to the floor. The long cape over his head as he sat there slumped over. "You're a complete idiot!" she snapped him. Her high heeled boots slammed into the ground as she strode over to the man. Taking hold of his collar, she pulled him from the ground and shook him. The cape slid from his head, revealing familiar narrow features to Thomas. His visible eye widened, jaw dropping at the mirror image of Cain.
"C-can't breathe," Abel gasped, touching Asthe's hand. "A-Asthe, can't—" Asthe thrust him into the wall denting the metal. "Forgetting breathing," he gasped, one finger raised before his chin fell to her hand.
"Duchess," the professor stepped forward, placing his hand on Asthe's, "Perhaps straggling your emperor isn't the best idea. Besides I've grown rather fond of the fool over the past thirteen years. I wouldn't want to see him killed by strangulation."
"Plus it would hurt relations with my nation and the Vatican," the man, now Thomas looked at him, seemed to a British noblemen, but that couldn't be right, could it? He wasn't speaking English but a variant of Latin. In fact all of them were.
"Tch, whatever," Asthe let Abel go. He slid to the floor rubbing his neck. "If I ever discover you did something that stupid again, I'll personally lock aboard the Iron Maiden II and tell Kate to torment you as well as Leon and Petro!"
"Well, that's nicer than taking Elizabeth away," Abel grumbled, rubbing his neck. "Did you really have to strangle me, Asthe? I've already been shot in the head and had side sliced open today. I don't think I need—" he cut off at the look she gave him. Thomas couldn't help it, he smiled. It was nicer to see Abel than it had been Cain. There was something warmer about Abel's personality than Cain's had been.
"Speaking of wounds, that one looks rather nasty, my friend," the Professor pointed to a large gash barely visible under Abel's coat and cape. "If you would permit—"
"It's just a scratch, William!" Abel leapt to his feet.
"Just a scratch," William chewed the stem of his pipe. "That wound should have healed by now. If it had been a year ago I wouldn't need to look at it," William shook his head.
"No, no!" Abel ducked away from William. "The last time you pulled a needle on me, not happening again, thanks."
"What's with you and needles?" Asthe asked, leaning against the wall.
"They're sharp and pointy," Abel ducked away again. "They're really sharp and pointy…"
"Stop acting like a child!" Asthe snapped. "You're too old for this," she bared fangs at Abel.
"You're never too old," Abel grinned, hopping away from William. "Besides," his tone darkened, "I haven't met a crusnik who isn't scared of needles. Well, Cain after he went insane but that doesn't count."
"I doubt that," Thomas stated, "you've hated needles your entire life after all." Abel stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned. There was good humor in his voice as he spoke. Despite this he wasn't certain how Abel would react.
Abel's wintery gaze softened as his eyes fell over Thomas. In one of the ancient languages Thomas had asked him to learn, Abel said, "I thought you – I'm glad you're alive… dad." Thomas blinked and stared at Abel. Had he just called him dad? "Oh," Abel rumaged in a pocket before he pulled out a fist sized rock. "Seth, hoped you were still alive and asked I give you this," he held out the rock to Thomas.
"Is this?" Thomas took the rock. It felt like any from Earth but he knew right away it was Martian. "She remembered," Thomas laughed, wrapping his fingers around the rock.
"Of course, this is Seth we're talking about," Abel smiled. "Though I doubt you'll get much out of a nine century old rock." Thomas looked into Abel's eyes. None of the anger which had once been the dominate emotion in his eyes was there. There was a deep warmth, knowledge Thomas couldn't even being to think on, and a kindness in his son's eyes an face. He wasn't the boy Thomas had known. The centuries defiantly changed all his children. He couldn't wait to see how Seth and Lilith had changed as well. Hopefully neither of them were like Cain. "We'll have time to talk once back with the others."
"You have paperwork," Asthe reminded Abel, "and Eliza and meetings."
"What are you my friend or secretary?" Abel demanded.
"You're Tovarish," Asthe grinned silly at Abel. "As such I'm tasked with keeping a lazy person like yourself on top of his work."
"As if Caterina would let me forget," Abel grumbled. "She's set Tres on me twice now. I'm starting to think he's more dog than human."
"He's a machine, Abel," William winked, "though he is rather protive of her Eminence, rather like you are."
"That's not—"
"Well come, we can't just stand around all day, Majesty."
"Virgil, I'll call you by name if you do so for me," Abel looked at the third member of the group.
"To do so would go against tradition. You're the emperor, a lord of the night, I'm a child of the night, as such—"
"You don't even live in the empire!" Asthe exclaimed. "I do and I call him idiot! He's an idiot after all."
"He's the emperor," Virgil protested.
"I thought you were loyal to the crown, or whatever you call Esther's line," Asthe sniffed.
"I am!" Virgil retorted. "That doesn't mean I tarnish Methuselah history and tradition."
"Umm, this is really not that important," Abel interjected. "Right now we should focus on getting back to the surface and back before Caterina and Esther send out the rest of the AX, the royal guard, and the yeniçeri to search for us. I'd rather just get going." With those words Abel turned and started towards the entrance into the maze. It was now their only way out.
(Author's Note: Yep, Dietrich decided to be the one to stay behind, hope you enjoy.
I am going with the histories which say Havel died after the Silent Noise act of RAM volume 2 and in the act called Know Faith of RAM volume 3. Don't get me wrong, I like Havel and miss him in this story, but hey… his death works…
Umm, I'm just going to say, if the start of this chapter seems a bit strange or I got Abel's personality wrong, I'm sorry. While writing this I was working on another book, so I'm just hoping the two main characters didn't get confused here.
All right to clarify this: it wasn't Rachel who shot Abel but Jessica Marry. Jessica holds a grudge against Abel for scarring her and killing her husband. If you don't remember this reread book one. One of the chapters has Jessica in it.)