We left off with a sticky situation. Please read on.

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CHRNO CRUSADE: PATH OF THE GREEN MILE

ACT TWO, SCENE NINE: ANOTHER LONG EXPLAINATION

Viscount moved towards Alex and John. "Thanks for giving me the apostle. I owe you one."

"And who the hell are you?" Alex asked.

"You certainly have a mouth little boy. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Viscount Lerajie; a servant of Master Ricardo."

"Ricardo?" Alex asked, "The millionaire that made a huge amount of profit from who knows where?"

"That's the one."

"What exactly are you?"

"Why don't you tell him, John?"

"He's a devil," John replied.

"A what!" Alex cried. "A devil! How could a devil…oh I see. Devil worship."

"What?" John asked.

"Since times have become so prosperous, the rich found a dangerous pastime: Devil worshiping. The soul would be sacrificed in order to summon the devil. The person who was performing the ritual his/herself or another person could be sacrificed."

"So Ricardo sacrificed his soul to bring out this thing," John said.

"No, he didn't," Viscount replied. "I couldn't live without him so I made a contract with him."

"A contract?" Alex asked.

"He sacrificed a part of his life in order to give me power. Through the contract, his soul would provide me with the astral energy I need in order to live. With the apostle, that wouldn't be necessary, though."

"Why do you need Azmaria?"

"I need to get my hands on her before the Magdalene Order does."

"You mean to say, the order is trying to stop you?"

"In one word, yes."

"Crap. We should have surrendered to them. They would have helped us."

"Too late for that, though. You'll die here and I will have all the power I need from the girl."

"That's just great. John, I guess you'll die after all."

"I didn't want to die this way," John replied.

"Oh yeah, the electric chair is always a fine idea."

Just then, gun shots shot one of the men. The man disappeared into nothingness.

"What!" Viscount cried.

More bullets shot the surrounding men. It was a shot out. John managed to grab Azmaria.

"Alex, let's go!" John cried.

"What if it's the Magdalene Order!" Alex said. "They can help her!"

"And what if it isn't the order? What if it's another gang or more people after Azmaria?"

"Good point! Let's go!"

The group of three dashed out of there. After a while, gun shots ceased. The man from the ravine was standing there.

"Sir, the devil got away."

"Any sign of the apostle?"

"Negative, sir. But it looks like the devil didn't take the apostle with him. He couldn't have."

"Then where is she?"

Another order officer approached them. "Sir, phone call for you."

The men from the ravine went over to the car and picked it up the phone.

"Reverend Remington?" the voice on the other side asked.

"I'm here, Sister Kate," he said.

"Reverend, do you have the apostle?"

"Sorry, but I don't."

"Then the devil has her then."

"He doesn't have her either."

"Then where is she?"

"I don't know…"

"We can't let Aion have her. No matter what the cost."

"I'll make sure of it, I swear."

Alex and John continued to run, right across town. Finally, they stopped.

"I think we can stop now," Alex said.

"Alex, don't tell Azmaria," John said.

"Don't tell her what?"

"Don't tell her what happened."

"Oww," Azmaria said. "What happened?"

John put her down. Alex made an excuse.

"You hit your head on the manhole cover."

"Oh…I'm very clumsy."

"We should get some rest," John said. "Then we'll figure out what to do."

It looks like its clear sailing from here. Please R&R this scene and look out for more.