Chapter Forty Four
Interrogating Hans
ANNA
Anna had spruced herself up, having ditched the formal green dresses for her black and golden colours with her favourite purple vest. Her hair was braided back neatly and her face smooth with no traces of dust, gunpowder or dirt, looking nothing like the crazed queen who was skulking through the streets embroiled in urban warfare yesterday.
She glanced back at the empty bed. Oh, how it was calling to her. But it was nothing without the man she'd shared it with. Kristoff had already upped and left much earlier before the sun had even risen, owing to the numerous responsibilities he had as Commander-in-Chief of the Coalition.
There he goes again, she sighed. The night they'd shared together was a rare one filled with joy and passion. It wasn't often that they got to have one without the threat of a artillery strike over their heads. Being back in a town with proper beds and rooms really did help the mood. It was a pity she and Kristoff didn't get this luxury more often. Perhaps after the war was over would they finally get to embark on a proper honeymoon. A damn long overdue one.
Staring back at her reflection in the mirror, she was satisfied that she looked ready to do battle with the villainous Hans. But deep down, she was more concerned about maintaining her composure when dealing with the cunning snake without him manipulating her into losing her patience.
It was close to midday when everyone finally gathered in the basement. It had been agreed yesterday that they should all be present for Hans' interrogation so that everyone could hear first hand what he had to say about his involvement with the Crimson Order, and be on the same page. She fervently hoped that by the end of the day, they would succeed in loosening his tongue, especially since he would evidently be tight lipped about his alliances. Most importantly, she needed to know who was "the High Priest" and where the Warriors could find him. Glancing to her side, she found Elsa looking pensive.
She caught Elsa's eye. "You ready? You could always sit this one out, you know. After everything you've been through with Hans, maybe you-"
"No." Elsa said, her jaw set steadfastly. "Let's go talk to him."
"If you insist." Anna sighed, and nodded at Maui.
The demigod unlocked the door and swung the door open. Everyone filed into the small, dark room. It smelled of death, the scent of blood seeming to trigger something in Elsa. Her face twitched very slightly and she quickly tried to conceal it.
Even though it was close to noon, it didn't matter, since the room they were in had no windows, not to mention they were in the basement. The only light in the room came from a weak lantern placed on the table at the corner of the room. The floor still bore the red stains, and Anna could see Elsa's eyes avoiding the ground. Instead, she had her eyes fixed on the figure in the dark.
Hans sat in a new chair, his hands bound behind his back with ropes the same way he had done to Elsa. Anna resisted scoffing. Eye for an eye, I suppose.
His dark blue overcoat and black suit jacket had been removed by Maui and Janus the day before, in case he concealed any methods of escape. The two men had also checked him just to be safe, and found that he was unarmed except for a pistol and a knife.
Now, Hans only wore his maroon shirt that had been creased and stained by blood, the purple tie also gone and his collar unbuttoned. His pinstriped black trousers were dirtied from when Janus had dragged him to the dusty floor and pummelled him into submission.
He bore a big bruise on his left cheek, and his face was unwashed and slightly dirty with grime and dried blood. Seeing him now, he looked nothing like the elegant, cunning villain who had the outward trappings of someone who was in complete control of the situation. However in spite of his less than desirable appearance, he exuded the same confidence nonetheless.
"Good morning." He looked up as they entered the room. "Or is it afternoon? I really can't tell anymore."
Anna shot a glance over at Elsa, who returned it. Both of them had the same question on their mind. Who would ask the first question? It had been agreed beforehand that Anna and Elsa would be the ones to question Hans, since they had the most personal connection to him and were the most likely to solicit some answers from him. The rest would watch and listen, and only intervene if absolutely necessary.
Jade, Deirdre, Tracy, Maui, Melody and Janus stood at the back of the room, well within earshot. At least Elsa and herself weren't alone with Hans.
"Your boyfriend packs quite the punch," This he said to Elsa. "You should be proud."
Anna decided that she wasn't going to waste any time. "You know why we're here."
Hans cocked his head. "Enlighten me."
"We need to know who the High Priest is, and what is the Crimson Order." Elsa said.
In response, he just laughed. "Oh, Elsa. It wasn't too long ago when the roles were reversed and I was questioning you. I do hope you will show me the same mercy I showed you."
"Mercy?" Elsa said indignantly. "You manipulated me into thinking that I-I…"
"But I didn't hurt you, now did I?" Hans said cooly, then shook his head. "I suppose we can't negotiate a trade."
"What trade?"
"Classic quid pro quo. I tell you what you want to know, and you tell me what I want to know." He said mildly.
"You're delusional." Elsa said acidly.
"Then I'm afraid we have nothing to discuss." Hans leaned back in his chair, shifting to make himself more comfortable. "What a shame. I was hoping we could both walk away with what we came to learn."
"You're not going anywhere." Anna said. "When we're done with you here, I'm going to bring you before the Confederation, and you will answer for everything you've done for the Empire. I'm willing to bet you'll get the noose for your war crimes."
"War crimes?" He looked incredulous. "That might be exaggerating things a little, don't you think? I wasn't the one who started the war."
"No, but you fanned the flames." Anna said through gritted teeth. "You ignored our attempt to make peace and dragged out the war on behalf of Eleanor. And that's not forgetting that you're her right hand man. The Chancellor of Exon."
"Ah yes. Chancellor of Exon. Without me, Eleanor would have lost the Empire. She hasn't been the same since the setback you lot dealt her months ago, and spends most of her days locked in her fortress, leaving most of the work to me. I effectively run the Empire, make all the decisions in her stead, and answer directly to the people. But it pains me, if I"m being honest. It pains me to see my dear Eleanor in her current state."
Anna scoffed. "Like you ever cared about anymore."
"Oh, but I do." There was conviction in his voice. "I love Eleanor, and I'm doing this all for her. It's what she would want me to do."
"And yet you've been working behind her back for the Crimson Order." Anna said. "Tell me. Who are these people?"
He clicked his tongue. "Nice try, but not very subtle. I'm sure you can do better than that."
"You want to see better?" Anna balled up her fists. "How about I throw you to the Confederation right now?"
"Do it, then. Go on." Hans had no trace of fear in his voice, and his expression matched up as he levelled her gaze coolly. "You haven't really thought this through, have you?"
"I haven't thought this through?"
"Without me, who will run Exon? Eleanor. And how do you think she'll react when she learns that you've captured the one man she loves and relies on?" A sick smile played at the corner of his lips. "There will be hell to pay. Colonies will bleed, the bones of her subjects will pile high, and your precious Coalition will eventually crumble under the never ending numbers of the Imperial Horde. If you think this campaign has been bloody enough, wait till you see what Eleanor will do when she's hysterical."
Grimly, the two sisters glanced at each other. He had a point.
"So go on then." Hans leaned forward as best as he could, the chair creaking as the ropes restrained his arms. "Throw me to the simpering twits of the Confederation. Call my bluff."
"Well, we're not stupid enough to let you scurry back to Eleanor, that's for sure." Anna said. "We'll just have to figure out what to do with you."
"Good luck with that." Hans smiled. "Now, about the Crimson Order. What would you like to know?"
That took Anna quite by surprise. The cards were stacked in his favour. He had known from the start that they couldn't just turn him in, and he had been having the upper hand in the interrogation so far. So why was he suddenly willing to give it all up? It didn't make any sense.
"And what strings do you have attached?" Elsa asked. "You don't expect us to believe that you'll just suddenly tell us what we want to know?"
"And why not? Maybe I had a change of heart."
"Please. Someone like you never changes." Elsa growled through gritted teeth. "A leopard never changes its spots."
"And yet I've changed so much." Hans frowned. "Don't you see? My ambitions have grown. I used to want to rule Arendelle. But now I've realised that the world is so much bigger than just your little kingdom. My eyes have been opened, as will yours be. You'll see. In time."
"I don't buy it." Anna said. She had a bad feeling about it all, somewhere deep in the pit of her stomach. "You're not telling us out of the goodness of your heart."
"No, you're right." Hans admitted. "I'm choosing to tell you all because I want you to know what's coming. To know that you're finally dealing with things out of your control. Out of your depth. The farther you venture towards it, the faster you will sink, and I will be there to watch you every step of the way."
Anna felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to see Melody standing directly behind her and Elsa.
"I don't like this." Melody whispered to them both as they huddled together. "It's almost too easy. I have a bad feeling about this."
"Yeah? So do I." Anna agreed. "But what other alternative do we have? He's willing to tell us exactly what we want to know. This is our big chance. Our only chance."
"I think we'll just have to risk it." Elsa said. "We've been in the dark for months, not even aware that the Crimson Order has been manipulating everything from the start. The way I see it, they've been ten steps ahead of us this whole time. I say we eliminate that advantage."
"I think so too." Anna said. "If what he says is true and we're out of our depth, then we at least need to know what we're up against."
Melody looked uncertain, but nodded, returning to join the rest of the Warriors at the back of the room.
"Alright." Anna turned back to her prisoner, an odd feeling dancing at the back of her mind. "Tell us about the Crimson Order."
"I must warn you," Hans glanced at all of the Warriors in the room. "There's no turning back once I tell you what you want to know."
"Just talk." Elsa said sharply. "Let's start with the magic dampeners. They're commonly used by the Confederation. Did they come from the Crimson Order?"
"I'd assume so." Hans said, his face blank. "I'm not privy to everything the Crimson Order does, but I have seen some of those cuffs and collars lying around on the tables. It only makes sense that it'd come from them. Where else would the world get such a strange piece of equipment?"
"Fair enough." Anna said. "Now tell us more about the Crimson Order."
"In all honesty, I don't know very much about them either." Hans shrugged. "And I couldn't tell you, even if I knew. The powers that be are quite strict on the vows of secrecy. They'd have my head if they know that I even uttered the name of their cult. But this much I can tell you, since you already know they exist."
Anna pursed her lips. "Go on."
"The Crimson Order has been operating in the shadows for centuries. Maybe even a millenium." Hans said. "They're hell bent on destroying all forms of sorcery, for some reason, though they do tap into mystical sources of their own."
"And why do they have a vendetta against magic?" Elsa asked.
"I didn't care to ask. But the High Priest mentioned a Holy Crusade a couple of times." Hans said casually. "I assume that's what they've been trying to do this whole time. It only makes sense."
"And what about Eleanor? Does she know you're working with the Crimson Order?" Anna asked. If she doesn't know about the Crimson Order, we can use that information to our advantage. Find some leverage over her somehow.
Hans laughed. "How do you think she got her abilities? You've seen her powers in action. Do those seem like common magic to you? Or the work of a darker force?"
Anna inhaled through her teeth. There goes our leverage. "So Eleanor has been working with the Crimson Order too?"
"Yes, though the High Priest seems to have lost a bit of faith in her. After her failure in Denmark and Arendelle, things haven't really been the same. You see, she had a task of her own all along. The High Priest wanted her to use the war as a front to get sorcerers caught in the crossfire. People were bound to die, and there's a good chance many of them would be people with sorcery in their genes."
Sick. Anna clenched her jaw.
"And who is the High Priest?" Elsa finally asked. That was the biggest mystery of all.
"Ah." Hans drawled infuriatingly. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. You see, they may be listening. You never know. In any case, I really don't know much about the High Priest at all. He's a mysterious one, he is."
Anna narrowed her eyes. "You've met him before."
"I have."
"Where?"
"Now that's interesting too." Hans said amusingly. "Like I said, the Crimson Order values their secrecy and theatrics. I mean, you've seen the ridiculous brown cloaks they wear. Whenever I'm summoned, the High Priest usually communicates through a proxy. Another priest of some sort, who brings his messages and tasks."
"But you said you've met this High Priest."
"Only once, face to face." Hans went on. "He had his men in brown cloaks blindfold me and they escorted me into his lair. I must admit, he did choose a good spot for a secret hideout. It has all the trademarks of a cult's stronghold."
"And where is this stronghold?" Anna asked, watching his face carefully.
"I don't know." Hans said, his expression neutral. To her vexation, Anna found that she couldn't tell if he was lying or if he was really telling the truth. He was a master at masking his emotions and intentions, after all.
Elsa caught her eye, and they both shared another knowing glance. Neither of them could be sure if Hans was telling them the truth, and apparently the Warriors behind didn't raise any objections.
"What I can tell you," Hans continued. "Is what I saw in that stronghold. Entities with powerful magic. Abilities unlike anything I've ever seen before. You think you've seen everything?" This he directed at Elsa. "You think your sorcerers have all there is to offer in the world? No. The world is a far more complex organism than you realise. What you know only amounts to the surface of the pond. Everything else is down below. Down in the darkness, where all evil lurks. Where all power roams, just waiting to be discovered."
"And what did you see?" Elsa asked.
Dramatically, he leaned forward in the chair and whispered. "I saw The Eternal King."
The name sounded distantly familiar to Anna, and for some reason, a chill ran down her spine and her blood grew cold. Where did I hear that name before? And then it hit her like a train. Ingrid Grendstav had tried to find the prison of the Eternal King under the ruins of Ancient Hyutreno, only to find him gone. Taken.
"The Eternal King." Elsa echoed slowly. Apparently she remembered as clear as day. "The demon who allowed his host to rule his kingdom for centuries?"
"Yes. The demon host who could raise an army of undead warriors to secure his reign over Ancient Hyutreno. The king who could keep himself from dying and resurrect the dead. I've seen him in a cage. All that power, controlled by the Crimson Order." The mocking tone had vanished, replaced by something deadly serious. "Do you see now what I mean when I said you're out of your depth? You're dealing with an enemy you can't possibly hope to beat. An enemy you can't see, can't find and can't triumph over."
"We'll see about that." Anna retorted. "We're done here."
The smile returned to Hans' face, and he relaxed in his chair. "As you wish. Remember, you all asked for this. You've opened up a can of worms you can't hope to close, and I'll be right here to watch every single one of you fumble as you're consumed by the dark. To witness the fallout of all your heroic intentions."
Her hair at the back of her neck stood on end, but Anna ignored him, turning on her heel and walking steadily to the door. Elsa followed closely behind, and so did the rest of the Warriors. Once they were out, the steel door clanged shut, and the key was turned in the lock. She heaved a sigh of relief. Now that he was safely locked behind the door, the tension she had felt in the room dissipated, though something unpleasant still lingered in her mind.
"I don't like it." Melody said, repeating what she had said earlier. "He wanted us to know."
"Seemed obvious enough." Tracy shrugged. "He was a little too happy to tell us everything."
"He's setting us on a collision path with the Crimson Order." Janus said grimly.
"It does seem that way." Elsa ran a hand through her hair. "But what now?"
"We don't exactly have a whole lot to go on, if what Hans told us is true. Come on, let's head back upstairs first." Anna said. "This basement gives me the creeps."
