Trinity Blood: Emperor's Mask

Chapter 2: Into the Catacombs

The dull scent of must filled the air. Abel's white gloves flashed as he thumbed through the filing cabinet. His glasses rested on the top of his head, winter blue eyes scanning the titles which would have been nothing but blurs to humans. He pulled one out and skimmed through the information before tucking it into a small bag he'd brought.

With a small shake of his head, Abel replaced the file. Moments later he pulled out another. He paused. He flipped the file open and started to read through it at speeds which would've made the words blur. Phrases leapt out at him: "assassination of the pope," "end Caterina's meddling," and "plans for war with the empire."

There was more, so much more. Abel flipped through the file until he came to the resent reports. His heart froze as adrenaline pumped through his veins. No, this had to be wrong. Just yesterday a full scale attack had been launched against the empire. All communication was cut making it so Asthe and Ion were unaware of what was happening in their homeland.

The file shook in Abel's hand. He forced himself to keep reading, hoping against hope that there was no report on Seth. His dear, sweet sister, what would he do if the Vatican had killed her? What would he do if only Abel and he remained?

A small breath of relief escaped Abel. There was nothing here about Seth or the empress other than a crusnik had been spotted on the battle field. The crusnik had vanished before they could get much on it other than fact the crusnik had been mistaken as fairy at first.

Abel turned to the last page and nearly dropped the report. Oh, hell! He raced from the room, not even bothering to put the room back in order. He had to get to Caterina to help protect her, Esther, and the two nobles. It was already too late. Everything was too late.

"Stop there, freak."

Gun shots echoed around Abel. Skidding, Abel slid behind a bend of the hall and fell to the floor. Fire thundered over his head. He leapt to his feet and dodged more gun fire. A bullet came so close to his face one lens of his glasses cracked.

Abel tossed his glasses into the air. The gunman reacted to it firing on the glasses. Abel bolted, running faster than he had in years.

Touching his radio, Abel said, "Crusnik to Professor."

There was a pause before William replied, "What's going on, Abel?"

"Are you with her Eminence?"

"Yes."

"Stay there, there's going to be an attempt on her life. Get Tres, if you can."

Abel skidded around the corner. A bullet grazed his back, ripping through the fabric of his cassock.

"Protect her, William," Abel almost pleaded with the man even knowing he would do so. The thought of losing Caterina now was too much for Abel.

"Understood." The radio went silent.

Abel raced towards the window. He didn't have time to waste on these humans. Caterina and the others, all those he cared about, were about to be attacked. Crash, glass shattered as Abel threw his lanky form through it. Air rushed passed him. Flipping mid air, Abel managed to slam into the wall. The air was knocked from him as his fingers clung to the side of the stone wall.

Several bullets flew passed him. Abel glanced around. There – his eyes locked on the window to the room the meeting was being held in. He dropped down until he was right above the window. He could just hear the distant sound of Francesco's voice. Quickly Abel swung down and crashed through the window. He released the wall and flew into the room. Glass cut him as he rolled across the floor. Leaping to his feet, he whipped around. He took hold of Caterina.

Abel shoved the table down and put Caterina there. Esther and the two nobles followed.

"Abel," Caterina stared at him for a second before a weak smile appeared on her face.

"Stay down," Abel stated and looked from Caterina to Esther. The girl didn't have her gun on her for which Abel was thankful. "All of you," he turned his gaze on the two imperials.

Straightening, Abel noted the fact both William and Tres had already moved to cover the table. William stood with his sword out and eyes watching the inquisition members before them. Tres had both his guns trained on the mass before them.

Francesco stood at the back of the group and, judging from the scent of human blood, carried the body of the pope with him. Abel's heart sank. He'd lost the child and was about to loss so much more.

"So you planted a trap while Crusnik was distracted," William said, his knuckles white on the hilt of the sword.

Abel glanced at his oldest friend. He could see the logic behind Francesco's plan. The man still had them cornered. They were far from being in clear.

"Abel," Caterina's voice drew Abel to kneel again. "Is there anyway you can get us through to the hall?" she asked, but her eyes told a different story. She wanted to get to his Holiness despite the fact he was already dead.

"No, even the three of us combined would be hard pressed to get there without killing every one of those soldiers. Besides…" Abel trailed off with a glance at the three others behind the table. He couldn't start acting like himself again, not when there were others here who could overhear what he was saying.

"Abel."

He turned his gaze back on Caterina. From the look she was giving him alone, he knew the order she was about to give. A shiver ran through him. If she gave it, this would mean there was no turning back. The members of the AX along with their leader would be on the run.

"I order you drop the order my father gave you."

Abel sighed and closed his eyes before he nodded. "I understand," he whispered. "There has to be something else Francesco is planning since he's not attacked since I arrived," he finished what he'd been saying before. His voice was no longer light, no longer held any of the cheer he had spent thirteen years weaving into his words. No, his voice sounded as it had the centuries following Lilith's deaths: filled with a deep sorrow and far, far more serious than goofy one he'd forced.

"What makes you so certain of that?" Asthe hissed. She didn't seem to notice the sudden change in Abel's voice.

Abel ignored what she just said. "We need to get out of here before he does resume the attack." Abel nodded to the broken window.

Caterina frowned before she gave the slightest of nods, showing she knew the plan he had in mind.

Standing, Abel locked his gaze on Francesco. He moved around the table until he stood between Tres and William. He'd leave it to Caterina to give the plan to the others back there.

"AX-agent, Abel Nightroad, codenamed Crusnik," Francesco started, "better known as the monster of the Vatican and the oldest known living creature on this planet. I figured my sister would send you to make certain I wouldn't move against her."

Abel stiffened at the mention of his age. There were only a few ways he'd know about it: Caterina had told him, which would never happen, he'd found Gregory's journals, which was also unlikely because he'd called Abel "Nightroad" instead of "Nightlord," or he'd found the fake contract.

"Wha—"

Abel didn't even glance back at the table even at the sound of Asthe's question. He couldn't deny the fact that next to him he was the oldest person living. If his precious Lilith still lived she would be the one to hold that "honor," as the Methuselah called it. For Abel it was just a reminder he never seemed able to die. Also living on only one end in sight, that was the curse of being the type of monster he was. Now even that one end was out of sight.

Francesco pulled out an old document from his robes. "I'm ordering you to stand down. You see, I'm not the hold of your contract."

It was hard not to laugh at this foolish man. Instead Abel just smiled as he listened to Caterina quickly telling the others what the plan of escape was.

"You know, that would've worked thirteen years ago," Abel stated. "However the original contract was burned. The one you're holding is nothing more than a fake." His smile vanished. "Also, even if that wasn't a fake, the contract became void the second you broke the agreement in it!" his voice only rose a little with rage boiling deep in him. He didn't let his anger lash out at the human or allow 02 to start pulling him into their grasp.

Francesco ground his teeth, glaring across the room at Abel. There was something else Abel knew to be at work here. Another who had told Francesco now was the time strike. But how would the Orden manage to convince even Francesco to kill his own brother. Abel's eyes narrowed. None of the strings Dietrich used could be seen on this man. So he wasn't being controlled. What then was going on here?

Abel glanced behind him at the others. Williams was kneeling down now, listening to the plan. So was Tres. The only one standing between the mob of hostiles and them was Abel… and the table. It wasn't much, especially since Abel wasn't certain how much damage he could take before thirst caused him to lose complete control over 02. And he'd be damned if he'd allow a single hit to come close to those under his protection. His hand flicked towards his gun, mind racing as his eyes flickered from one soldier to the next.

"The agreement?" there was notable question in Francesco's voice about this. He opened the document and started to skim through it.

Abel shifted, his hand now resting on his gun. There were several people missing from the inquisition. One of which Abel was more than thankful wasn't, Petros. The man would've proven to be major problem when they escaped.

His eyes returned to Francesco just in time to see him pale. A snarl sounded from the man: one of fury and indignation.

"Abel?" Caterina's voice warned him that it was time.

Abel raced around the table and knelt down. "My lady," he said with a slight bow before gather Caterina in his arms.

"Tres, cover our escape," Caterina order as Abel stood and turned.

The others were now being helped or held by one of the Methuselah. Asthe and Ion both cast Abel questioning looks. The two of them seemed to have never noticed his "other" form. Right then, that wasn't as important as making sure all of them made it out of this alive, including Tres. Abel felt the power surging through him and the familiar taunting from 02 to go further. His fangs pushed aside his other teeth, growing just enough only the tips were visible and only if someone looked at him closely.

"Hold on," Abel whispered to Caterina before he raced forward.

"Wait, Tovarish," Asthe started to protest.

Air whipped Abel's hair back as he leapt through the shattered window. Every muscle in his body tensed as the air rushed passed him. The ground was coming at them fast. He held Caterina to him, a daughter him, and his great-some-odd grandchild, someone he couldn't lose no matter what.

The ground slammed into him. His legs bent, absorbing the impact. Abel moved to one side, still holding Caterina just as Asthe and Ion landed. Ion carefully set Esther on the ground and Asthe stepped away from the professor, looking more than happy to do so.

Abel set Caterina down and reached for his radio. "Tres, head for the saints tomb. You know the one," Abel stated. "Also destroy your radio."

"Affirmative," Tres replied before the radio went silent.

Abel unhooked the radio from his ear. Beside him William was doing the same and Caterina was taking off her earrings. She let them fall to the ground to lie by William's radio.

"Esther," Abel held out his hand for Esther's radio. She hesitated before handing it to him. Abel tossed his and hers into the pile before crushing them with his boot. "We need to move," he stated in a low voice and took the lead. Only the lighter colors of the two imperial noble's could be seen as they moved quickly through the shadows. When the reached one of the many entrances into the catacombs, Abel moved so the others could enter first while he hesitated, looking around. There was no one in sight and he couldn't hear the metal boots or the awkward sounds a human could make as they moved. The night was silent.

Abel slipped into the catacombs behind the others.

(Author's Note: So much for staying a chapter ahead.)