Chapter 12
by Carycomic
Quick reminder: this story is primarily a crossover between the "Harry Potter" films and "Classic World of Darkness" from White Wolf Games. With small portions of "Highlander The Series," "Poltergeist: The Legacy," BTVS, and the Wold Newton Universe thrown in for good measure.
SOMEWHERE IN LONDON, ENGLAND
DECEMBER 7, 1943 (4:05 P.M./GMT)
Doctor Jonathan Silence (Precept of the Legacy's Ruling House) looked at his guest over an initial sip of his tea before broaching the subject for their meeting.
"Tell me, Dr. Jones. What do you know about the legend of. . .the Gray Maiden?"
The bespectacled academician who preferred to be called 'Indiana Jones' carefully sipped his own tea before replying.
"According to a rather lurid legend, the Gray Maiden was a sword forged in ancient Egypt, by a Baal-worshiping blacksmith, on the order (and for the exclusive use) of Pharaoh Thutmose the Third. The latter further ordered that it be tempered to unbreakability by being cooled, not in water, but in the blood of two people! One of them, a person the Pharaoh hated. The other, someone that he loved."
"As a result, the sword was imbued with a dark and fearsome power to which Thutmose owed at least half the credit for the longevity of his reign."
"Yet, when he finally did die, it was discovered that the sword had somehow vanished from the rest of the treasure trove that was to be interred with him! Instead, it wound its way through a series of other owners' hands till it was eventually wielded at the Battle of Actium, by a Samothracian Greek mercenary named Tros, on behalf of ancient Rome. It then disappeared from history for nine hundred years. Resurfacing as part of the loot stolen from the Sicilian villa of a Spanish Moor by Danish Vikings led by a Swedish berserker called Ragnar of Rok! And, as far as anybody else knows, it was still in his possession when he and his retainers fled due eastward to escape the Christianization of eleventh century Scandinavia by King Olaf."
Dr. Silence's ensuing smile could only be described as mischievous.
"What would you say if I told you that I could show you irrefutable proof of the sword's current whereabouts? Would you think it worth risking your life in an attempt to retrieve it?"
Now it was Jones' turn to smile. "I'd say that would depend on the riskiness inherent in those whereabouts."
Dr. Silence's smile broadened into a grin: "Japanese-occupied Burma. Just a few miles southeast of the Leng Plateau."
Five minutes later, Indy was looking at a softbound manuscript that Dr. Silence identified as a copy of the diary of Zhong Kui the Ghost Catcher.
"It was translated from the Mandarin by our resident Sinologist, Wade Giles. And, according to that translation, it was circa 1600 A.D. that Zhong Kui aided a Ukrainian bogatyr- -one Khlit the Cossack- -in pursuing and slaying an exiled vampire queen called Addhema! Along with her consort and bodyguard. . ."
". . .Ragnar of Rok!" exclaimed Indy.
"Precisely."
"It says here," continued Indy: ". . .that they were trying to reach the Leng Plateau from the Burmese side. But, that they were intercepted at the eastern terminus of Pangsau Pass and forced southeastward into. . .Naung Yang Province."
Dr. Silence nodded. "An area that's been known ever since as 'the Forbidden Lake region.' Unfortunately, we've reason to believe that an Imperial Japanese Army detachment is about to leave Rangoon, for that area, within the next few days. Accompanied by a representative from the Nazi Thule Society!"
Indy closed the manuscript and put down on the tabletop.
"You think they're going after the Gray Maiden."
"Correction: dead certain of it! Especially in light of the fact that the original Diary of Zhong Kui was stolen, several weeks earlier, from a Buddhist monastery near Fort Bayard."
"Stolen by whom?"
Dr. Silence only paused a few seconds before replying: "Have you ever heard of. . .Hanoi Shan?"
LONDON HOUSE (12 YEARS LATER)
"Hanoi Shan?!"
"There's no one else with audacity enough to engineer such a theft from the Communist Chinese. Let alone, try to sell the map back to them!"
Sir Roger Wyndham-Price sprang to his feet, making no attempt to diplomatically hide his anger.
"How in blazes did the East Germans get their hands on a new map, anyway? I thought you and Jones had destroyed the only one in existence! Along with the Diary of Zhong Kui, itself."
The Green Lama, attending this conference via astral projection, glared at the Chairman of the Watchers' Council with equally discernible anger.
"We did. But this new one was drawn up by a Tyrolean revenant of the Giovanni Clan channeling Khlit the Cossack's spirit."
It was left to Sylvia Silence (the Acting Precept of Ruling House since her grandfather's death, one month earlier) to break the tension-filled impasse of the ensuing 'stare down' contest.
"This obviously makes the real question: what are we going to do, now? The obvious answer, of course, is nothing. Officially, there's nothing we can do! Not without violating the Archangel Treaty. I therefore suggest a course of action that's often been followed by frustrated American housewives. 'When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.' So, towards that end, Sir Roger, why don't you go buy yourself a new suit. . .from Kingsman Tailors?"
Which is precisely what he did, the very next day, accompanied by his protege, Quentin Travers. The two of them meeting with the leader of the King's Men in the latter's soundproofed office.
"The map was supposed to go to the Red Chinese Consulate in East Berlin," Sir Roger explained. "But, instead, it was stolen en route by a Turko-Cypriot nationalist, named Kara Huseyin Chezi, who is now hiding out with the sheik of a Bedouin bandit tribe, encamped just over the Saudi border from the westernmost of the Trucial States."
"I see," replied Agent Arthur (nee Jonathan Silence, Junior; formerly known as 'Captain Silence of MI-6'). "And what, if anything, does this nationalist want in exchange?"
"Enough arms and ammunition to overthrow the Greek majority government in Nicosia. Or, failing that, enough money to buy same on the black market."
"I see! Yes, that is a bit of a sticky wicket as the Yanks like to think we're so fond of saying."
Sir Roger glared at him. "Well, do you have something to offer in the way of a _practical_ remedy for cleansing away that stickiness?!"
Agent Arthur grinned. "As a matter of fact yes. I do!"
"I hope so," Quentin Travers now snarled. "Because not only does this man's host command at least a couple hundred strong in terms of able-bodied warriors. But the sheik's principal wife is also an Algerian cum laude graduate. . .of Beauxbatons!"
A minute later, after both men had been escorted out by the sales manager, Agent Arthur pressed the buzzer for his indispensable adjutant.
"Well, Merlin? What do you think? A simple case of 'like father/like son?' Or could the sheik's wife have imperio-cursed him?"
Agent Merlin cleared his throat. "With respect, sir, it was more likely a little of both."
"How so?"
Whereupon Merlin opened a beige dossier. "Well, sir, despite his father's disgrace, Kara Huseyin Chezi managed to compile quite the impressive arrest record, as a police detective in Istanbul, during the Depression. He then served with distinction, in our army, as an intelligence officer with the Cyprus Regiment during World War II. And, more recently, his Korean War service- -as a liaison officer between the U.N. Turkish Brigade and the 25th U.S. Infantry Division- -earned him nothing but high praise! But, while stationed in Kuala Lumpur during the Malayan Emergency, he frequently witnessed- -and was subsequently ordered to cover up- -multiple acts of military police brutality against the native civilians."
He waited until the shocked expression had left Agent Arthur's face before continuing.
"Doing that once too often must have radicalized him, sir. Reminding him, much too painfully, of his own racist bullying, at the hands of Greco-Cypriots, when he was a boy. That, in turn, would have made him fair game for the manipulative likes of Hanoi Shan. Even without an imperio-curse to reinforce it!"
"I see," replied Agent Arthur, who then clapped his hands together, for several meditative moments, before finally coming to a decision.
"We've no other choice, then. The sooner we commence Operation: Djinn Rummy, the sooner we can bring in Chezi and bring this all to light. And I do mean, 'all' !"
Agent Arthur winked in emphasis and Agent Merlin smiled.
"Yes, sir. I'll get right on it."
tbc
GLOSSARY (with imaginary cast)
Dr. Silence: Edwardian-era occult detective created by Algernon Blackwood (copyright 1908). Imagine him played by the late, great Joseph Maher.
Capt. Silence: swashbuckling British master spy created by Herbert Macrae (copyright 1934). Imagine him played by the late, great Ian Holm.
Sylvia Silence: a British version of Nancy Drew created by John William Bobin (writing as 'Katherine Greenhalgh'!) in 1922. Imagine her growing up to resemble Dame Kristin Scott Thomas.
Ragnar of Rok: A Gangrel Clan einherjar (Viking vampire) of my own creation.
Sir Roger Wyndham-Price '55: imagine him played by a bearded Alexis Denisof.
Quentin Travers '55: imagine him played by Rufus Sewell.
Agent Merlin '55: imagine him played by Jude Law.