Sorry it took so long again. I been trying to get schoolwork done. -sighs- i may as wel forget bout the economics grade unti next quarter. but ah well, i got good grades in other classes. Well, i hope you enjoy the chapter! Gutenacht!

Order 37: Scowls

St. Peter's Square. 8:00 A.M. Teusday.

A group of Iscariot agents were being shown their places outside the Vatican. Maxwell was explaining to them their positions and the necessity to be on high alert Wednesday night. The young ones were exceptionally scared, not ready yet to give up their lives. The storm sauntered across the sky, laughing as it kept the Vatican away from the sunlight. Sir Integra was there as well, overseeing how Maxwell handled the agents. Skey watched as she sat on the steps. In her heart, she truly hated Sir Integra. Where did that woman get the gull that she could come here and order the Vatican's own people around and assume she is entitled to overseeing them? Arguing rose from the two organization holders. It never ceased to amaze Skey at all. She got up and went back inside, her hands in the coat pockets. Her eyes were cast to the ground walked without looking where she was going. Priests and sisters were making their ways through the Basilica. Upon entering she looked up to the stormy light coming in from the high windows. She'd stop in the middle of the Basilica floor as she looked. Everything happening around her felt like it was in slow motion. Everything Skey saw, felt and remembered was being savored. Tomorrow was the ultimate day. The day when a final judgement would be passed. She couldn't say she was exactly up to the whole aspect of war. War to her was a much dreaded thing. Yet, her friends' lives rested on it as did her own. Skey walked through the people then, started to stride. A small jog developed from that until she started to run down the hallways at top speed. She kept running as if she was running from something awful chasing her. She ran faster, feeling threatened by her surroundings. Priests and the other sisters were startled, jumping out of the way of the running girl. Skey didn't know where she was headed. She was headed only to wherever he feet took her. She rounded a corner quickly and then slam! Someone had been leaning against the other corner that Skey didn't see. It was another Iscariot agent cloaked in the usual gray trench coat. But it was a woman! Skey quickly realized she had slammed into Heinkel, the one Iscariot member Skey hated to even see. Skey scrambled to get up, and was apologizing to Heinkel even though it was against her will. The blonde woman got up and bared teeth at Skey, itching to slap the girl. now, Heinkel had never liked Skey from the start. The main reason was the main reason for everyone else too. She was picked up off the dirty streets and taken into the holy arms of the Vatican. They babied her at first until she came under Anderson's training. Since when did such prestigious churches pick up street trash and train them to become natural born vampire hunters? How come this girl got so much attententive treatment than the others?

" Get out of my vay, street trash. You don't need to haf to run in the hallways like a small, vittle child."

" You know, Heinkel. I never figured out way exactly you even hate me. I changed my sinful ways willingly, willingly acceptin God into my heart. I left behind my past to have a brighter future here. I have gone through shit you couldn't even imagine and managed to live through it because of will power. So why do you think I don't deserve at least a little bit of break from everyone's bantering and ranting about what I was a YEAR ago? First impressions aren't ALWAYS the right ones, Heinkel but everyone at this Vatican is so judgemental and prejudice except for your friend Yumie and Anderson. So lighten up, bitch."

Skey walked past Heinkel with a scowl worthy of a savage animal. Heinkel spun around to say something in retort, but nothing came out. She couldn't think of any words to make a comeback at Skey. The truth was Heinkel was afraid, like Maxwell, that Skey would bring Anderson down. Father Alexander Anderson was the most elite in Section XIII. No one could ever surpass his supreme skills and regenerative powers. If she was to soften him up, he wouldn't focus on the work needed to be done and worse, with the war coming on which Heinkel solely blamed Skey for, everyone needed to be alert and not daydreaming. Skey kept her back at Heinkel as she walked out of the Vatican Basilica. Heinkel secretly wished to get a piece of Skey, but she knew better. If she was to as so much as injure Skey, Anderson would be breathing down her throat. As would he to any other Iscariot agent who would attempt to mess with his little 'child'.

Skey went to Anderson's room to find the door closed. She made a few raps on the hard wood, hoping he was inside so she could talk to him. It was a few moments before the door finally creaked open. A shirtless Anderson stood in the doorway, wiping his eyes. He had still been sleeping! But she couldn't blame him for sleeping in. The room was dark behind him save for a small nightstand lamp that was on.

" Whit is it, child?...Ah was planning tae sleep in for the day."

Skey waltzed into the room and he closed the door, sitting on the edge of his bed, resting his head in his hands. Skey took a seat in a chair. The room was still remarkably clean and uncluttered. It was surprising he would keep up the cleaning routine for this long. Though Anderson was prestigious, punctual, strict and a specialist in vampires, he wasn't the one for keeping things in order! Until now, that is.

" Father Anderson...um...well, your room still looks nice."

" Get tae the point, Skey. Why are ye here?"

Skey felt hurt. His voice was unusually harsh. The added darkness of the room did nothing to welcome her.

" I want you to come with me...I want to go visit my foster parents and find a way to forgive them. It is only right, isn't it? To forgive ones who have wronged you? But I am afraid of losing it so I want you to come with me just in case I do decide to snap. It would mean a lot to me if you came. If it's asking too much, I understand. I'llleave if you want me to."

Anderson now stood in front of her. When her eyes drifted up the tanned smoothness of his body, she saw sympathetic eyes for her. He helped her up and gave her a hug to his naked chest. Skey hugged him back and closed his eyes. To imagine having to face such abusive foster parents again and deliver to them an apology had to be hard. The reasoning in Anderson's head told him that she shouldn't be forgiving them, but the foster parents themselves should be begging for forgiveness. For why would Skey beg forgiveness from them in the first place? she had done nothing to wrong them. Apologizing to such abusers as them would only encourage their ways. But Skey had a point. Even in the Bible it says one should forgive thy enemy. It would seem hypocritical. If one was to forgive the enemy, then wouldn't they have to forgive the vampire? The demons and pagans? Anderson's faith was never rattled or sundered terribly, but once in a while he would question his religion and God himself.

" Ah'll go wi' ye. Ah know it is important tae ye and important tha' Ah be thaur."

" You're too kind sometimes..."

" (sighs) Ah know. And Ah am stil trying tae figure oot aif thas any guid or not."

Anderson rubbed her back gently and let her feel comforted. He didn't doubt she would be able to go through with this. As much as she has been doing lately, her attitude becoming absorbed with much needed courage and ego, she wouldn't have a problem meeting these people face-to-face again. Unlike what she was years ago, a teenager, she was now a grown and matured woman. Skey placed her open palm against his chest as she simply laid against him. Now, he was becoming a bit uncomfortable.

" Let me go, skey. Ah got tae get ready aif ye want me tae come wi'. Wait ootside and Ah'll be along in ae wee bit."

Skey let him go without a word and stepped outside the room, closing the door to allow him privacy. Anderson went to his small closet and picked out the pitch black uniform with the adorned white collar. Before pulling on the clothes, he rested his right hand where Skey's hand had been. Right when she touched him there, the spot right over his heart, it made him skip a beat. An icy coldness had pierced the flesh there, rendering him weak. No smile formed on his face, but only a scowl. Something rattled his feelings and it didn't feel good at all. Anderson removed his hand and got dressed quickly, combing his hair out and pulled on his grey Iscariot coat. A bayonet was held in his hand and he looked at it with his admiring green eyes. The brows drew in tightly and the bayonet was thrown across the room, slicing half deep into the white walls. A few words were muttered. He knew Maxwell was right. The girl was changing him more than he could ever predict. The feeling of stupidity from ignoring the clues was hitting him like the ocean upon cliffs. He would do this last favor for her, but after that, he was wishing to revert his caring ways and become the Anderson he was before. The one who only enjoyed hunting and killing.

Rome's Streets. 9:00 A.M.
The two walked together, but with space between them. They passed up many people on the way to the house. Common tourists that Rome got every month, citizens just trying to get from point A to point B and the common group of young ladies calling for customers. Two girls sat on steps to a large apartment building. Anderson paid no heed, but Skey did. Though they were older looking, lost more weight than usual and had different colored hair, she recognized them.

" Frou! Kristine!"

The two girls looked up in confusement at the woman before them now. The Asian one known as Frou stood up and approached the girl. Her heavily blue shadowed eyes gazed over the firm figure of this woman. Something in the girl's eyes reminded Frou of someone she used to know, someone she thought was dead. A name was itching her tongue, wanting to come out. The weary Frou became electric as she now remembered this gorgeous girl.

" Kristine! Oh my, God! Kristine! It's Skey! Dear God, Skey! We thought...we thought you were dead!"

Anderson stopped to see the two dirty whores greet Skey. They had to be the ones she mentioned long ago to him. He kept his distance, simply watching them and not uttering a word. It wasn't his place to. Skey was greeted and welcomed warmly by the girls. He guessed since leaving the foster parents, that these women became her family. Frou looked to the man with his back to him. Frou grinned, her body doing its thing of becoming fluent, sensual and her lips wet with lust.

" Oh, Skey and who's that?"

" (laughs) Don't bother, Frou. He's a Catholic priest. you'd have more luck getting it on with a tree."

The three shared a laugh. Skey sat on the steps with them for some time, reminiscing about the past and how things were. Skey explained to them what happened and what she was now. Well, she did not say anything about the vampire hunting, but she had mentioned becoming a sister in the Vatican. Both were impressed with Skey's will to give the drug up, to push herself to limits and succeed. Anderson just stood by, watching cars come to and fro, couples laugh gayly as they walked the streets. He looked to the sky. Clouds hung overhead like some kind of nightmarish dream. Irony played a part in this. While Skey was chirping happily with her old friends, and people walked around with naive smiles on their face, the sky took on the sour look of a vengeful spirit. Humanity was...so naive.