After a few minutes of silent walking Simon stops in front of an iron door.
"Are you prepared?" He grins brightly and suddenly Judas suspects that a
foolish facial expression is a good place to hide slyness. He follows Simon
into the small room and stiffens when he recognizes the familiar figure
standing in the middle of the room.
"Annas." He hisses and whirls round to Simon. "You said you`d take me to
Olivia."
Smirking widely Simon shrugs his shoulders. "I lied."
Annas` black robe spreads like the wings of a bat as he extends both arms towards Judas. "I`m pleased to see you, Judas." He sais in unctuous tone, but stops short when his look falls upon Simon. "What happened to your hair?" Simon flashes at Judas, who can`t suppress a gloating smirk. "Ask him. However," Simon`s voice gets business-like. "Will you...? Annas nodds deliberately. "Yes, I will. And now leave us alone. Judas and me have important issues to discuss. Go and take care that our guest doesn`t want to leave." A cold smile darts over his pale face and is replied by a broad grin. Judas swings round and glares at Simon. "If you harm a hair of her head...." He raises his clenched fist and Simon`s hand quickly wanders to the knife at his belt. "Simon." Annas sais strictly. "It isn`t the right time. Go now." Simon nodds obediently, and shooting Judas a hatred glance he turns round and leaves.
"Finally alone." Annas strides towards Judas smiling affably at the darkhaired man. "I wanna see her." Judas interrupts him bitingly. "Of course you do." A wry smile glides over Annas` features and his eyes glitter like marbles of glass. "But you won`t." When Judas opens his mouth to protest, he raises one hand to silence him. "Not now at least." He points at a chair on one end of the table. "Take a seat." "I prefer to stand." Judas folds his arms defiantly. "Take a seat." Annas` voice is dangerously quiet. Seeing the brief flash of impatience in his pale eyes, Judas remembers that it`s not advisable to upset the highpriest and sits down. "Well, well," Annas starts pacing through the room. "So here we are again. I remember the last time we met in a room like this." A sly smile creeps over his face, as Judas gazes darkly at him. "Where`s Olivia? What do you want of her?" "Olivia, Olivia," Annas sighs. "To say it with your own words I can understand that she amuses, but please try to stay focused." "Leave her out of this. She doesn`t have anything to do with it all." Judas` dark eyes blaze with unconcealed hate at Annas. "Oh she has very much to do with it, my dear Judas." Annas stops before Judas. "But it`s not necessary to kill her, even though I don`t say I wouldn`t do it." He laughs without a trace of humour. "I know a person who would be very grateful." He clicks his tongue looking mockingly at Judas. "To forsake Luzi in such a vile way. What a naughty boy you are! And furthermore stupid - to abandon the ruler of darkness for a mortal." His watery eyes glide through Judas` dark. "I bet Luzi would be very grateful, very generous, if someone told her where Olivia is." Judas jumps up glaring in helpless fury at Annas. "Sit down." Annas snarls sharply, and after Judas has sat down again, he pats his back encouragingly. "I would never do this to you, Judas. But I don`t know if I can hold back Simon for very much longer. You know how keen he is on going back to earth." Boiling with rage Judas stares at him, but knowing he`s in the inferior position, he just whispers. "You wouldn`t..." Annas laughs hollowly. "I condemned the son of God to death. Well actually Kaiaphas and the Romans did, but that`s just hairsplitting. And you think I`m bluffing? Do you really want to take the risk?" He gazes at Judas and when he doesn`t reply, Annas continues. "But enough of this. As I said we have more important issues to discuss."
"What do you want of me?" Judas asks flatly. "Ah at last we`re on the right track." Annas smirks ironically, but then gets serious. "I need your help, Judas." "My help." Judas jumps up looking astonished and disgusted at the bald man before him. "You really think I`d help you?" "You´re a jack-in-the-box, aren`t you?" Annas gestures him to sit down again. "I somehow suspected you`d react this way." He sighs heavily. "I know you have some unjustified resentiments towards me since our last meeting. But I tell you once again: I didn`t move your mouth to betray Jesus. However, I thought you`d maybe need an incentive to help me. And that`s the point Olivia comes into play. Help me and you`ll get her back." Judas shakes with rage, his dark eyes send sharpened arrowheads into Annas` direction, but they bounce ineffectively off the highpriest´s slippery facade. "You, you..." he howls being beside himself with fainted fury. "Can we spare us the wild insultings, the unnecessary feelings of guilt, the screeched threats and come to the essential part?" Annas asks in bored tone. "Will you help me?" "What do you want me to do?" Judas replies resigned. "Nothing you haven`t done before." "I won`t...." Judas begins, but Annas waves dismissively. "That`s what you said last time, too. I`m surprised you still have such difficulties betraying Jesus, after all that he had done to you." He lets his voice trail off meaningfully. "God, does everybody knows about it?" Annas shrugs his shoulders. "I don`t care, but let me explain you something. You know that Jesus plans to evade the crucifixion this time, don`t you?" Judas nodds watching Annas attentively. "But you remember that the crucifixion was part of the story?" "Yes," Judas replies hesitatingly. "Then tell me what do you think will happen when Jesus won`t get crucified?" Annas asks in remarkable friendly voice. "Nothing. We`d just change the story I think." "No." Annas sais quickly. "That`s not possible." "But Azrael said...." "That the story can be changed, yes, I know." Annas continues slowly in a tone as if he spoke to a mentally handicapped. "But every story has some rules. This story was designed as a drama with the customary dramatical characters; a hero - Jesus, an antagonist - you, the love interest and reason for the dramatical actions - Mary." "And how do you fit in there?" "Oh I like to see myself as a kind of catalyst, getting the actions on the way, but that doesn`t matter. Important is only that these three characters are the core of any dramatical play. And there are only three ways to end a drama." Annas counts his fingers. "1. Hero kills antagonist 2. antagonist kills hero 3. hero sacrifices himself. According to this very simplyfied explanation our hero has to die, he just can`t escape in the final act and ride towards the sunset holding his love interest in arms. Of course there`s still the possiblility that the antagonist gets killed, but I don`t think this is likely. Besides it wouldn`t be very satisfying." He smiles sarcastically. "There`s no happy ending planned."
Judas gets up and wanders through the room, stops and runs his hands through his dark hair before he turns back to Annas. "Why should I trust you? You`ve never been very reliable. You could tell me anything you want." Annas watches him a luring expression in his light eyes. "Of course we can wait one, two, three hundred years. But then we`ll be stuck within this story that won`t end. And in the meantime Olivia`s body will die, and you`ll be guilty of having caused the death of an innocent person. Can you take the responsibility for this?" Judas` gaze wanders past Annas, his face is pale as the wall beside him. "Why me?" He whispers under his breath and focusing on the slim figure before him he repeats more firmly. "Why me?" His brown eyes flash wildly. "Why has it to be me? Why has it to be me again?" Exited he cirlces the table like a tiger in his cage. "You know where Jesus is, go and get him on your own. I won`t play this game anymore. I quit now." Annas shakes his head very slowly. "No, Judas, Jesus must be betrayed to make the tragedy perfect." "Then send Simon. He would be only to eager to help you." Judas looks almost pleadingly at Annas, his brown eyes glistening wet; but Annas just replies the glance with a cold content smile. A bitter laugh escapes Judas` mouth. "So it`s me again. I betray Jesus or condemn Olivia to death. Either way I cannot win." Annas nodds an almost happy gleam in his transparent eyes. Suddenly Judas narrows his eyes and eyes Annas suspiciously. "But tell me one thing, if Olivia has to die anyway, if I don`t betray Jesus, why do you have to keep her away from me? What will you get out of this?" Annas claps his hands throwing him an appreciating look. "Bravo, Judas. You still know how to think. Well, what do I get out of this? First of all I get a wonderful show, noone suffers as miserably as you. And secondly I know that you have a well working brain. I don`t want to tempt you to search for another sollution. I fear you might even find one. Olivia is my assurance you won`t spoil a marvellous story. Wouldn`t it be a pity if Luzi found out where she was? You know there are far worse deeds Luzi can do to her than just kill her and transform her into Mary again." He smiles cruelly. "No," Judas staggers back his eyes widened with horror. "It`s your choice. But don`t wait too late, you know Olivia`s time is running out." A brief smile glides over Annas` pale features. "Don`t make such a face. It`s just a play."
Annas` black robe spreads like the wings of a bat as he extends both arms towards Judas. "I`m pleased to see you, Judas." He sais in unctuous tone, but stops short when his look falls upon Simon. "What happened to your hair?" Simon flashes at Judas, who can`t suppress a gloating smirk. "Ask him. However," Simon`s voice gets business-like. "Will you...? Annas nodds deliberately. "Yes, I will. And now leave us alone. Judas and me have important issues to discuss. Go and take care that our guest doesn`t want to leave." A cold smile darts over his pale face and is replied by a broad grin. Judas swings round and glares at Simon. "If you harm a hair of her head...." He raises his clenched fist and Simon`s hand quickly wanders to the knife at his belt. "Simon." Annas sais strictly. "It isn`t the right time. Go now." Simon nodds obediently, and shooting Judas a hatred glance he turns round and leaves.
"Finally alone." Annas strides towards Judas smiling affably at the darkhaired man. "I wanna see her." Judas interrupts him bitingly. "Of course you do." A wry smile glides over Annas` features and his eyes glitter like marbles of glass. "But you won`t." When Judas opens his mouth to protest, he raises one hand to silence him. "Not now at least." He points at a chair on one end of the table. "Take a seat." "I prefer to stand." Judas folds his arms defiantly. "Take a seat." Annas` voice is dangerously quiet. Seeing the brief flash of impatience in his pale eyes, Judas remembers that it`s not advisable to upset the highpriest and sits down. "Well, well," Annas starts pacing through the room. "So here we are again. I remember the last time we met in a room like this." A sly smile creeps over his face, as Judas gazes darkly at him. "Where`s Olivia? What do you want of her?" "Olivia, Olivia," Annas sighs. "To say it with your own words I can understand that she amuses, but please try to stay focused." "Leave her out of this. She doesn`t have anything to do with it all." Judas` dark eyes blaze with unconcealed hate at Annas. "Oh she has very much to do with it, my dear Judas." Annas stops before Judas. "But it`s not necessary to kill her, even though I don`t say I wouldn`t do it." He laughs without a trace of humour. "I know a person who would be very grateful." He clicks his tongue looking mockingly at Judas. "To forsake Luzi in such a vile way. What a naughty boy you are! And furthermore stupid - to abandon the ruler of darkness for a mortal." His watery eyes glide through Judas` dark. "I bet Luzi would be very grateful, very generous, if someone told her where Olivia is." Judas jumps up glaring in helpless fury at Annas. "Sit down." Annas snarls sharply, and after Judas has sat down again, he pats his back encouragingly. "I would never do this to you, Judas. But I don`t know if I can hold back Simon for very much longer. You know how keen he is on going back to earth." Boiling with rage Judas stares at him, but knowing he`s in the inferior position, he just whispers. "You wouldn`t..." Annas laughs hollowly. "I condemned the son of God to death. Well actually Kaiaphas and the Romans did, but that`s just hairsplitting. And you think I`m bluffing? Do you really want to take the risk?" He gazes at Judas and when he doesn`t reply, Annas continues. "But enough of this. As I said we have more important issues to discuss."
"What do you want of me?" Judas asks flatly. "Ah at last we`re on the right track." Annas smirks ironically, but then gets serious. "I need your help, Judas." "My help." Judas jumps up looking astonished and disgusted at the bald man before him. "You really think I`d help you?" "You´re a jack-in-the-box, aren`t you?" Annas gestures him to sit down again. "I somehow suspected you`d react this way." He sighs heavily. "I know you have some unjustified resentiments towards me since our last meeting. But I tell you once again: I didn`t move your mouth to betray Jesus. However, I thought you`d maybe need an incentive to help me. And that`s the point Olivia comes into play. Help me and you`ll get her back." Judas shakes with rage, his dark eyes send sharpened arrowheads into Annas` direction, but they bounce ineffectively off the highpriest´s slippery facade. "You, you..." he howls being beside himself with fainted fury. "Can we spare us the wild insultings, the unnecessary feelings of guilt, the screeched threats and come to the essential part?" Annas asks in bored tone. "Will you help me?" "What do you want me to do?" Judas replies resigned. "Nothing you haven`t done before." "I won`t...." Judas begins, but Annas waves dismissively. "That`s what you said last time, too. I`m surprised you still have such difficulties betraying Jesus, after all that he had done to you." He lets his voice trail off meaningfully. "God, does everybody knows about it?" Annas shrugs his shoulders. "I don`t care, but let me explain you something. You know that Jesus plans to evade the crucifixion this time, don`t you?" Judas nodds watching Annas attentively. "But you remember that the crucifixion was part of the story?" "Yes," Judas replies hesitatingly. "Then tell me what do you think will happen when Jesus won`t get crucified?" Annas asks in remarkable friendly voice. "Nothing. We`d just change the story I think." "No." Annas sais quickly. "That`s not possible." "But Azrael said...." "That the story can be changed, yes, I know." Annas continues slowly in a tone as if he spoke to a mentally handicapped. "But every story has some rules. This story was designed as a drama with the customary dramatical characters; a hero - Jesus, an antagonist - you, the love interest and reason for the dramatical actions - Mary." "And how do you fit in there?" "Oh I like to see myself as a kind of catalyst, getting the actions on the way, but that doesn`t matter. Important is only that these three characters are the core of any dramatical play. And there are only three ways to end a drama." Annas counts his fingers. "1. Hero kills antagonist 2. antagonist kills hero 3. hero sacrifices himself. According to this very simplyfied explanation our hero has to die, he just can`t escape in the final act and ride towards the sunset holding his love interest in arms. Of course there`s still the possiblility that the antagonist gets killed, but I don`t think this is likely. Besides it wouldn`t be very satisfying." He smiles sarcastically. "There`s no happy ending planned."
Judas gets up and wanders through the room, stops and runs his hands through his dark hair before he turns back to Annas. "Why should I trust you? You`ve never been very reliable. You could tell me anything you want." Annas watches him a luring expression in his light eyes. "Of course we can wait one, two, three hundred years. But then we`ll be stuck within this story that won`t end. And in the meantime Olivia`s body will die, and you`ll be guilty of having caused the death of an innocent person. Can you take the responsibility for this?" Judas` gaze wanders past Annas, his face is pale as the wall beside him. "Why me?" He whispers under his breath and focusing on the slim figure before him he repeats more firmly. "Why me?" His brown eyes flash wildly. "Why has it to be me? Why has it to be me again?" Exited he cirlces the table like a tiger in his cage. "You know where Jesus is, go and get him on your own. I won`t play this game anymore. I quit now." Annas shakes his head very slowly. "No, Judas, Jesus must be betrayed to make the tragedy perfect." "Then send Simon. He would be only to eager to help you." Judas looks almost pleadingly at Annas, his brown eyes glistening wet; but Annas just replies the glance with a cold content smile. A bitter laugh escapes Judas` mouth. "So it`s me again. I betray Jesus or condemn Olivia to death. Either way I cannot win." Annas nodds an almost happy gleam in his transparent eyes. Suddenly Judas narrows his eyes and eyes Annas suspiciously. "But tell me one thing, if Olivia has to die anyway, if I don`t betray Jesus, why do you have to keep her away from me? What will you get out of this?" Annas claps his hands throwing him an appreciating look. "Bravo, Judas. You still know how to think. Well, what do I get out of this? First of all I get a wonderful show, noone suffers as miserably as you. And secondly I know that you have a well working brain. I don`t want to tempt you to search for another sollution. I fear you might even find one. Olivia is my assurance you won`t spoil a marvellous story. Wouldn`t it be a pity if Luzi found out where she was? You know there are far worse deeds Luzi can do to her than just kill her and transform her into Mary again." He smiles cruelly. "No," Judas staggers back his eyes widened with horror. "It`s your choice. But don`t wait too late, you know Olivia`s time is running out." A brief smile glides over Annas` pale features. "Don`t make such a face. It`s just a play."