Preparation

Sorry its been a while since I updated... I've lost my notes for the next chapter. Well, back to the Anne Frank story arc. : )

Hai-Tsan and Joe Rochmann stopped Karl outside Hellboy's cell.

I see you found some of your old clothes, Hai-Tsan said.

"Ja, and I feel much better now I'm out of those other ones," the Nazi replied.

Joe was amazed. The only other time he had seen Karl in his full apparel had been when he had found the Nazi, after the battle with…he still wasn't sure what. That time the leather had been ripped, and sodden with Karl's own blood, but now it shone in the bright, electric light, menacing and fearsome. He looked like some hellish shade, an impression only reinforced by the Nazi cap, the Iron cross and the Luger at his side with his blades.

Karl saw Joe staring.

"Was?"

"That uniform…it's amazing!"

Karl sighed. "Natur lich, Naturally " he said, "Das ist die Punkte. That's the point "

Hellboy heard the door open and quickly looked up. Karl came in, flanked by the two Empaths. One of them, the one on the left, had a rather sheepish smile on his face, as though he was slightly regretful that the daemon was incarcerated here. The Chinese on the right was implacable, his face perfectly calm.

"So?" Karl said, a certain satisfaction evident in his voice, though whether due to his change of attire or his assurance that Hellboy would tell him what he needed, the daemon wasn't sure.

"I have no choice, I must tell you."

The left hand Empath glanced at the Nazi. Was he wondering why the daemon had no choice? How much did they know about their friend? They were Empaths.

"The machine is in my father's old study." Hellboy glanced up, furious, "the father you killed."

"You were saying," Karl replied calmly.

The daemon glared at him for a moment. "There's always a guard, and Abe's in near there too. There's very little chance you'll even get close enough to use it. But if you do the controls are quite simple."

"What year…1945 isn't it."

Yes, Hai replied.

"That year…seems familiar, and not for the obvious reason." Karl shook his head. "I can't remember."

Hellboy looked at him curiously.

"It doesn't matter." The Nazi turned back to the daemon. "Is there anything else we need to know?"

Hellboy thought for a moment then shook his head.

"Gut. I would hate to think you were lying to us."

Karl turned on his heel and left.

Back outside the cell, Karl started to stride off down the corridor. Joe had to run to keep up. Hai-Tsan had no problem, even though he was shorter than the Nazi. He seemed to glide across the floor in an earthly manner.

"Wir kommen mit dir?" We're coming with you? Joe asked.

"Ich brauche Eure Hilfe. I'll need your help I'm not a powerful enough Empath to take Abe on by myself."

"Who is Abe anyway?"

"He is…unusual. He is a sort of der Nix, eine Wassermann, you know…Gills, blue skin, amphibious." Karl shrugged. "But he's a very powerful Empath."

Joe looked slightly worried.

Do not fear, Hai told him, for together we are easily his match.

They soon arrived at their destination. It was a large underground cave, half-dark, badly lit, but with a dry sandy floor, packed hard like concrete.

Karl walked out to stand half hidden in the shadows, and crouched down. He swept aside a layer of sand to reveal the lid of some sort of box, and grasping the sides tightly heaved it up and out of its resting place. It landed on the sand with a heavy thunk, and the Nazi motioned his companions to approach as he put a key to the lock and flipped the lid open.

"My secret cache. No-one knows about it except me and now you."

Inside was a panoply of weapons, from MK-40s to Walter PPKs; maces and swords, to throwing knives. In addition to his Luger and ever-present baton-swords, Karl picked up a heavy looking pouch, which jingled slightly and clipped it to his belt. A bandoleer of ammo and grenades, and a couple of .44 Magnum Specials completed his arsenal.

"Selber heilfen, Help yourselves " he said, gesturing to the open box.

Hai-Tsan stepped up to the box, and took a couple of katanas, which he slung across his back, some throwing stars, and a bandoleer of throwing knives.

Joe was less certain, and looked uneasy to be so close to so much weaponry, but eventually settled on a pair of automatics and a police issue laser.

Karl turned back to the darkness and drew something from his pocket. It resembled a T.V. remote, but smaller, and with less buttons. He tapped two of them and away in the distance they heard a strange sound, similar to a bark, and the revving of an engine. A few seconds passed, and out of the darkness two shapes began to form. As they drew closer Joe could see that one of them was a vehicle, and the other…he shivered. It looked like some sort of animal, but not one that he had ever seen before. It ran with a leaping gait and there seemed to be some sort of tentacles coming out of the back of his head.

It leapt up to Karl and nuzzled him like a dog. The Nazi laughed and petted it, stroking the mass of tentacles that fell like hair around its shoulders.

"Herunter Down Sammael, herunter der Knabe, Down boy " he said, as the creature's long tongue snaked out, searching his pockets for food.

The beast sat down on its hindquarters, allowing Joe to see it better. It had large fore-arms and three fingered hands. Its brain was protected by a bony plate at the front of its skull, and its gaping maw was filled with razor-sharp teeth.

The vehicle; an armored four by four with tinted windows parked itself beside the creature and Karl swung the boot open so that Sammael could jump in. He and Hai-Tsan got in the front, leaving Joe to get in the back. He tried to shrink away from Sammael, who stuck his head over the back seat and tried to lick him.

"Give him one of those," Karl told him, pointing over his shoulder at a tightly fastened leather bag attached to the back of his chair. "He'll soon stop bothering you." Joe reached across and unclipped the bag, reaching inside and pulled out 'one of those'. It was a slab of dried meat, what sort he didn't want to guess, and he offered it gingerly to Sammael, who grabbed it and chewed it with apparent delight; settling back down in the boot of the car.

Joe relaxed, relieved.

Thanks for the review Psycho LLama. Yup, Psychic. :)