Darkness embraced Abel as he fell into a deep slumber, it was like he was drowning in thick oil unable to rise out of it. Tossing and turning he fitfully fought the cloying feeling around him.

"Lilith?!" He cried out hoping to find her presence in this abyss. If she answered it was lost in the flurry of images from earlier that day, the barrage of bullets ripping his torso, blood and feathers spraying away from him. He tingled with the surge of power as he re-lived his blasting of the Autojägers, the smell of their burnt, dead flesh searing his nose once again. Then everything shifted, and he was back in Londinium fully activated, staring down at Cain who held Astha struggling against his body. She was bleeding from her neck and his mouth was red… "that's mine!" 02 growled loudly in his mind.

Instantly his fears from earlier rose up in his throat. "No!" He cried out, his blood spiking with adrenaline. Feeling locked in place he watched Cain run a clawed finger along her cheek and hook it into the jagged wound at her neck, jerking downward to the navel. Cain looked up, eyes locking with Abel's smugly before tossing her aside to bleed out on the floor. Six white wings spread out behind him briefly as he jumped up into the air, challenging Abel to fight.

Abel shook with rage, his back tensing as his own wings pushed him powerfully towards Cain, he swung his scythe as they clashed. Sparks flew as they stabbed and whipped around in their vicious dance. With neither getting an advantage the fighting suddenly went hand to hand, grappling to bring down the other, flesh being torn off their bodies in the brutality of it. There was no humanity left in the two Crusniks, it was pure survival and dominance that drove them on.

"Abel!" He could hear someone calling him, as he struggled against Cain. Then a sharp, stinging pain exploded on his face, cutting his cheek on his teeth.

"Come on you idiot, wake up!"

His eyes snapped open, disoriented as he looked into hers. She seemed to be trying to pin him down, her knees were squeezing him on either side of his hips and her hand was set to backhand him.

"Astha?" he asked, taking in a ragged breath.

"Who else would it be?" She quipped back, puffing from exertion.

He blinked again, yes it was definitely her.

"Uh.. right of course."

"Are you okay now?"

He nodded and she lowered her guard, sitting back into his hips instead of leaning over him. She gasped in surprise as he followed her body,

wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tight against his chest. His hands shook slightly as he rubbed them along her back, needing to physically acern that she was safe and whole… the ugly imagines of his dream still strong in his mind. He felt her return the hug, her body softening and leaning into him.

Astha could feel the hard pounding of his heart against her chest, in the quiet it was easy to hear it as she rested her head along his collarbone.

"You had the power doing all sorts of things, lights were going on and off, a few bulbs exploded I think from power surges… Maria called in a panic to make sure we were ok. You weren't... entirely yourself, some of 02 was there." Astha explained, her breath warm along his throat where his skin was bared.

"Did… did I do anything else?" He asked cautiously as his mouth tasted metallic and his cheek throbbed. Lifting his arms away she shifted back to sit up.

She had woken to the odd flickering of the lights in their room and the sudden pop of a bulb blowing out in the bathroom. In the sporadic light she could see him thrashing around in the bed, when his mouth opened the long fangs of the crusnik were visible, his fingernails had elongated as well. Maria had called then, saying something was going haywire with the power and if their room was having issues. Astha said it was flickering and probably just a spike in the power before hanging up. When she turned back to Abel, he seemed to be fighting, his claws tearing the sheets as the dream held him firm. Unease trickled down her spine at the thought of him activating further...

She took a deep breath and dodged her way on top of him. He knocked her twice across the room before she was successful. Yelling had no effect on him, so locked in his nightmare. It was tense, seeing his teeth snap before her, his face scrunched in anger as he thrashed. Once she had him briefly pinned, she decided a hard slap might work where nothing else had.

He took in her disheveled appearance, her pajama top was torn on the sleeve and the front was barely keeping her decent as it had lost several buttons… he couldn't smell blood, thank God, so he hadn't hurt her too badly but she was still in rough shape.

"Nothing that won't be healed in an hour and a few extra dollars to Maria won't fix."

He let out a sigh of relief mixed with guilt.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

The dark images flashed in his mind, unease tightening in his belly. He shook his head.

"N-no… it's bad enough having seen it once." He looked up at her curiously. "Why on earth would you think to tackle me?"

"Seemed like my only option at the time."

He sighed softly, reaching up to tuck some of her hair behind her ear.

"You need to stop throwing yourself into danger like this."

"It's the quickest way to get results and I'm fairly robust."

"But not indestructible… you brave, foolish woman." A tenderness softened his face as he studied the red lock of her hair. "You are so strong, so committed to your ideals and plans… honestly I don't know why you decided to stay around me." He frowned.

"I was under orders and technically I still am." She grinned at the slight widening of his eyes.

"Under orders?" He blinked, feeling somewhat offended yet not, as her grin grew.

"Well yes, I'm to keep you in one piece as per the Empress."

"Hmm."

Her grin was cheeky and infectious. "I don't think she pays me enough though, I should get some hazard pay or something."

"Indeed… given how you think manhandling me is the way to solve problems."

"It gets results."

"Like I said earlier… foolish." He grinned openly now, his eyes finally showing a warmer emotion than the guilt she saw earlier.

"I've slapped you once I could happily do it again priest."

"I didn't take you for that kind of lady."

She favored him with a throaty laugh.

"Ahh but you are so tempting at times."

"To hit?"

She grinned devilishly at his question. It was nice to see him enjoy the distraction from his earlier upset. And to be honest with herself, she enjoyed it when he returned her teasing.

"Why yes, among other things." She purred, unable to resist pushing the boundaries a little more. He had relaxed finally, gone was the vicious visage of the Crusnik and now the man sat before her. His long hair was tousled and messy as it draped around his face, the tension around his jaw was also gone, giving his mouth back some softness. Her eyes lingered on his mouth for a moment, remembering when they were in the car and he had trailed kisses on her neck. He had admitted to wanting her...

He coughed a little, this conversation was going down a dangerous road especially with her still straddling his hips, and her top was precariously buttoned.

She looked up at him and something in her expression made him aware that she was also noticing their closeness. A hitch in her breathing and growing warmth in her gaze captured his attention. Like gasoline to a flame, temptations he couldn't push away turned into consuming needs, demanding action. He shouldn't be doing this but couldn't stop himself from reaching for her.

"Fuck." He cursed under his breath as he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her and bringing his lips to hers.

He kissed her with all the pent up desire he had held within, punishing initially before softening up as she responded. He was surprised and delighted at her willingness. A low hmm buzzed from him as he pressed her tightly to his chest. She felt amazing, their tongues sliding along each other's, giving and taking pleasure in the kiss. A moan, deep and throaty rumbled out of Abel as a very feminine sigh escaped Astha when she pulled away slightly for air. The sound, he ached to hear more of it, to feel more of her… his hands trembled as they caressed her back and sides, from the curve of her deliciously shaped bum to the tips of her shoulders and base of her neck, sliding up into her hair and gripping it slightly before going lower again. She had her hands in his hair, along his jaw and neck, caressing and urging him for more. His hands slid under her shirt to touch her hot skin, receiving another low moan from her that made him shudder.

Bbbrrriiinnggg bbrinngg

Abel jerked back at the sound, unable to identify it. His eyes wildly searching their room.

Bbbrrriiinnggg bbrinngg

Astha blinked for a second, also a touch disoriented.

"It's Maria, it's the room phone." She quickly got off the bed to the small phone that was in a heap by the door.

"Hello?"

"Sorry to bother you again! The power should be ok now, they said there were weird surges and it fried some circuits… You might not have full function in your room."

"We will be ok, honest."

"Ok… again very sorry to wake you." The woman seemed quite frantic and embarrassed.

"It's ok, nighttime is my daytime, go back to sleep."

"Oh.. right, again very sorry. Good night."

Abel listened to their exchange as he tried to get a hold of himself. Oh God, now he hungered for her touch… what had he done? He wasn't going to do this… he had decided to stop this before it got worse and now… truly he was so stupid at times. Like the ill fated apple and biblical Eve, he had tasted the forbidden fruit and would be left forever wanting.

Astha turned back to him, sensing the shift in his mood as his gaze rose to hers. Already she could see his barriers were back up, guilt having replaced the heady arousal of moments ago.

"Astha… I-I should not have done that.. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for, I could have pushed you away if I wanted."

"Just the same…I lost my head for a moment."

"I believe I had it between my hands." She quipped.

"Your ability to be so glib is aggravating at times." "It's how I deal with things. Abel you don't need to feel guilty for something we both wanted, you are human."

He grunted in response, unable to say anything to that. It was bad enough that the monstrous side of him was thirsty for her blood but now he was struggling with the need for her body. He chastised himself for such a blunder.

She watched him study the torn sheets on the bed, then look about the room for any other signs of his destructive behavior. A chair was broken and the small clock flickered 12:28 in the way of showing the first outage was almost a half hour ago. His eyes flew back to her, narrowing as he studied her again for injuries.

"The chair got the worst of that landing, I didn't expect you to be so coordinated while asleep." She said ruefully, running a hand through her hair.

"If I go into one of those dreams again throw water on me or something… with less contact."

"You had vials a few hours ago, why would you be activating now? I thought the activations were caused by the demands of being fully fused." She asked as she slipped under her blankets.

"I don't know what brought this on.. usually I get trapped in flashbacks of horrible events in my past… but this was replaying today with… some possible outcomes at the end of this journey." He shifted to sit against the headboard.

Astha looked at him intently for a moment. "You saw me get hurt, I take it?"

He nodded, picking up a piece of the torn sheets to examine.

"Did you do it?"

"No."

"Well then, there is that at least."

He sighed, "it's not helpful either way… I am worried about us going after Cain."

She studied his face, how in the dim lighting brought out the worry and exhaustion he carried.

Guilt twinged along her spine as she remembered his angry confession of how he didn't know if he should keep her close or push her away. That he was terrified of killing her because she was near him, that 02 would take over. Stubbornly she felt that they both had needed that moment of passion, that it wasn't a lapse in judgement.

"We will do what we need as things happen, worrying about what if's isn't going to help anyone."

He nodded absently. He wouldn't look at her now, staring intently at his hands.

"We need to decide what we are doing about Detrich or if we are going back to the Empire still."

He hummed in agreement.

"It's not like we are going to get anymore sleep anyway we might as well be busy doing some planning. I"lI go get changed while you dig out the maps and such." She got up, walking over to her bag.

He was sitting cross legged on the floor in his last set of clothes she has gotten him, a loose long sleeved dark brown shirt and a beige set of linen pants. His ponytail draped over his right shoulder, long enough to touch his thigh when he leaned forward. The warm tones of the clothes really showed the cold silver of his hair and the paleness of his skin. He also had his glasses back on, framing his cool blue eyes as he studied the maps. Her eyes drifted to his lips, her mind wandering, shadn't expected him to kiss her earlier. Whatever contact between them had always been her initiating… she had pressed him into a friendly kiss to show her trust earlier. But what had passed between them after his dream left no room for doubting his attraction… nor hers. The realization left her slightly nervous at how he would handle it.

He felt her gaze on him a few times as they looked over the maps. The companionable silence felt heavy with tension.

"I'm going to check out the area around the church today for any signs I think. The maps show some underground access points… old infrastructure by the looks of it."

"Yes. That does look like old underground transit, subway or something?."

"Do you have enough sunlight protection to travel that far?"

"Just have to be more careful, more layers and such since my suit has some substantial tears."

He nodded and looked around the room a moment, thinking.

"If we don't find anything… do you think Petros would have any information?" She asked.

"We wouldn't get access if he does make it… not after being in smelly, abandoned tunnels. Hospitals are usually strict about cleanliness." He smirked.

"Oh right… damn. We really weren't prepared for this."

A polite knock on the door startled them both as they were looking over the maps spread out on the floor. Abel straightened up to answer it, mindful of the early morning sunlight.

"Good morning Mr. Abel." Marie's cheery voice filled the air.

He smiled in response to the older woman's warm smile as she stood balancing a tray of coffee and oven fresh blueberry muffins.

"Good morning Ma'am!"

"It occurred to me this morning that you may not be able to join me for breakfast given the… allergy to sunlight and all." She blinked and noticed that Abel's face was in the sunlight. "Oh my! Please get back in the shade!" In her panic she nearly dropped her tray. Abel quickly reached out to steady the precarious board.

"No worries Ma'am, I'm fine with the sun really." He tried to reassure her as he lifted the tray up.

She looked at him dubiously before shrugging her shoulders.

"I was certain Paddy said you both were ah... night folk."

Astha was eavesdropping from within the room, it was endearing to hear someone try hard to be polite about the terms for Methuselah, especially out of the Empire. She got up and walked by the door, careful of the morning sun.

"He's not wrong Marie, I am the one with the 'health issues' you are referring too. I truly thank you for your concern for me. It's rare to find in human cities."

"Ah well, I feel everyone has a right to dignity and good manners. Sorry for calling you earlier but the power was so strange I was afraid something in your room could have triggered a fire. Power company said they are looking into it anyway… Oh! Paddy said your friend at the hospital survived the night and was conscious if you wanted to see him." She patted around her clothes and withdrew a piece of paper, setting it on the tray Abel was holding for her. "Here's the address and room number for him."

"You have our thanks, it's wonderful news to hear he is awake!" Abel cheerfully said.

"Paddy said if it hadn't been for all the enhancements the church had done to the man he wouldn't have made the ambulance ride… a blessing for him I imagine! Please enjoy the breakfast, and let me know if I can help out in any way." She waved as she turned to walk back down the small sidewalk.

Bringing in the breakfast tray, Abel's stomach growled loudly at the lovely smell of freshly baked muffins. Setting it down on the small table he grabbed a muffin, inhaling the delicious smell before taking a bite.

Astha chuckled as she watched him savour the first muffin. His eyes were closed as he munched away. She set out the cups and poured coffee, inhaling the smell of dark roast.

"You need to try one! Homemade baked treats are one of my favorite foods." He urged when he heard her chuckle.

"I thought anything food was your favorite."

He shrugged. "When you've lived off some of the things I have… well you enjoy what you can."

"AX fed you so poorly?" She teased, taking a muffin.

"When on an assignment sometimes I didn't have enough funds to get much food, it's where the tea and sugar habit really came in." He sobered a little, looking at his muffin a bit before continuing. "And before that I lived a long time on freeze dried rations and supplements… but anyway, these are very good muffins."

Her eyes softened with compassion as she glanced at him.

"So now that we know he's alive… should we start there?" She sipped her coffee.

"What information do you think he would have?"

She shrugged, unsure of what Petros would remember from his encounter with the Orden. "Perhaps he overheard something while he was left hanging?"

"Hmm, it did look like he had been there a while."

"Let's finish up and go there before the sun is high up."

"I can't go in there, he'll recognize me."

"No glasses, hair loose, different clothes and way of moving… I think you can make do as a bodyguard of no consequence, you did say you're a good actor."

"If I feel he is looking at me too close then I'll leave."

She nodded, reaching out for another muffin.

"I best have another before you eat them all." She grinned, as there were only two left in the basket.

An hour later they were walking towards the room Petros was in. Abel had taken the idea of a bodyguard easily enough, looking the part of a cautious security detail to the duchess. Astha was impressed by his ability to blend into a role.

They had talked out what questions she was to ask Petros and if he became suspicious of Abel how to deflect him.

"Room 436, this should be him." She said and looked in the hospital room.

A bed to the left was empty and lights turned off, towards to right was Petros large form. He was looking out the window, several ivs were hooked up to him.

"Ahem, Chief Inquisitor?" Astha politely inquired.

He turned his head slowly to look at his guests.

"Yes?" He blinked a few times looking at them without recognition. Then he scrunched up his face a little more studying Astha as she walked up to his bedside, Abel staying just inside the doorway.

"I am Annabel, we were able to save you from the church yesterday. We have a few questions for you if you feel up to talking to us."

"I remember your face now." His gaze moved past her to Abel.

Abel had left his hair down, without glasses and had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows like he had seen Dandelion wear his shirts. It was the best he could do for looking not like himself as they could with his lack of clothing.

"My partner Jacob." Astha said offhandedly in introduction.

Petros looked a little longer at Abel before returning to Astha.

"I... thank you both for your help yesterday, I am told I was in bad shape."

Abel winced, remembering Petros only had one way of talking, loud, so he closed the door to give them a bit more privacy.

"You had to have been up there a while, sir. The blood loss was immense. Can you tell us how you ended up there?"

"I was destroying those gas mask wearing degenerates, when I was knocked down and tied to that cross." He seemed quite embarrassed that he had been captured. "They seemed a lot stronger than I expected."

"They are enhanced soldiers if that is any consolation."

He grunted accepting the fact. "Had to be to withstand my strength… Anyways after they nailed me into the cross and cut my armor off, the elderly priest came in with a knife and stabbed me in the side. He didn't move right for his age… was he also enhanced? The blasphemy of being attacked by a member of the clergy.." Petros's monitors showed his heart rate was increasing as well as blood pressure.

"He was possessed by someone else."

"Devilry!" Petros crossed his chest with his bandaged left hand, some of the lines to his various bags of fluid fluttered around with his movements. "I must return to the Vatican at once to bring back troops!"

Astha nodded, figuring giving him reasons for his predicament might be best given what Abel said of his temperament.

"We need to know if you heard that priest mention anything about another location." She urged.

The sunlight in his room was increasing, Astha stepped back a bit from the bed, which made Petros eye her curiously.

"Mind if we close the blinds a little before the sun comes in here?"

"The sun is but a small gift of god's greatness. I was looking to be bathed in his healing warmth."

She looked at Abel, who shrugged and moved a bit more in the room.

"It was an odd word… Mittelwerk. He needed to get more men from there is all I remember." Petros was eyeing Abel as he got closer. "What was your name again?"

"Jacob." Abel had to force himself to keep his voice lower than normal.

"You look familiar… what division are you a part of?"

"Local detachment."

Petros grunted. "This is my first time in this city, but I plan to return to squash this violent display towards the Vatican and our Pope. It can not be tolerated."

"Of course, Chief Inquisitor. Is there anything else you remember?" Astha prodded.

The room now had beams of sunlight peaking in the room at an upwards angle. Astha shifted around, nervous at the rays coming in. She had held off putting on her gel so that it didn't tip Petros off that she wasn't human. The trip to the hospital had her cloaked in a deep cowled hood, but it would be conspicuous in his hospital room.

"I saw an angel so dark and terrifying yet he lifted me with greatest care… eyes of red and wings of black. I remember that clearly." He cocked his head to the side as Abel fidgeted. "I have no other plausible reason for how I was taken down... When did you get there?"

"Just before dark, you were already on the ground." Astha quickly answered.

"I remember your face now, and flashes of light… the smell of burnt rotting flesh. There was a fight?"

"Uh.. yes, there was some."

He nodded, taking a slow shallow breath.

"Thank you for your help. If you ever are in need, I swear to help you by any means I can, I am in your debt."

He pinned Astha with an intense stare, giving his oath a level of commitment that was almost uncomfortable.

"Thank you Chief Inquisitor Petros, if I ever have need I will take you up on it." She nodded in respect and turned to leave.

They were almost to the door when Petros spoke again.

"Nightroad."

Both Abel and Astha froze a moment then turned towards Petros.

"I'm sorry, did you remember something else?" She asked, hoping to pull Petros's gaze from Abel.

"Nightroad… the priest said it several times. But the man who held that name is dead… I carried his coffin to the church in Londinium." He gestured towards Abel, his bandaged hand unable to point. "You look like him, but I know he has passed away."

"I'm sorry for your loss… We have strained you too much, I'm afraid Chief Inquisitor. Please rest, you had a traumatic day yesterday." Astha said soothingly. "Thank you for your time, I pray for a speedy recovery."

They quickly left the room, Petros watching them with some confusion.

"That was close!" Abel muttered as they reached the elevator.

"In more ways than one, he isn't as dumb as you made him out to be."

"Never said he was dumb just.. loud and reactive… kind of like you honestly."

That got him an icy glare.

"I'm not loud."

Abel could not stop the smirk that stretched across his lips.

He received a firm punch to his shoulder for that.

They reached the main floor lobby heading for the doors when Abel put his hand on her forearm.

"You need your gel, I'll wait for you." He pointed towards the washrooms.

"Right, I can't believe I almost forgot."

Abel stood patiently near the doors, his mind busy wondering what next they should do.

Mittelwerk…. that sounded German, but not a town or city he had heard of before. Professor might have some idea of where or what Mittelwerk was.

Astha walked up and touched his arm, ready to go out now.

"Let's go back to Maria's first before we try anything else."

The city seemed to be back to normal hustle and bustle now after the calamity of yesterday. The radio in the taxi had a short news update saying that no one had claimed the terrorist attacks yet but police were looking for a tall man with white hair and a woman with a distinctive red stripe in hers for questioning. Luckily the driver wasn't paying attention to the news and dropped them off without much of a second glance.

"I think we've worn out the welcome here in Krakow." Abel muttered as they returned to their room.

Astha let out a sigh of relief as the door closed behind them.

"Tired?"

"It's just unnatural to be out in true daylight so often."

"Ah makes sense."

"I'll be ok when we get to moving around at night again."

He nodded and sat down on the couch.

"Go sleep for a while, I'm going to see if William can help us with Mittelwerk."

She nodded, going into the bedroom.

"This is Iron Maiden." Sister Kate answered the call.

"Hi Sister Kate."

"Abel!"

"Can you transfer me to the Professor?"

"When did you last talk to him?"

"A week ago, why?"

"Did he say anything about going somewhere?"

"N-no, what's happened Sister Kate?"

"My last recording of his gps is in the catacombs in the lower west wing. That was several days ago."

"The pod…" he whispered.

"Did he say anything to you?"

"He should have found a casket, ancient technology in design… Tres knows exactly where that is."

"Ok… how do you know what's down there?"

"I uh… wandered around a lot while in the Vatican."

"Caterina has called in Leon and sent him with Tres to find him. They found tracks to an abandoned storage section, Professors and two others… then nothing, no returning footprints or anything in the dust."

"That doesn't sound good.. let me know how I can help if I can." He had a bad feeling about Williams' disappearance.

"You're not an agent anymore Abel."

"But I am a friend."

"Very well. If Caterina permits me I will contact you."

"Thank you, Sister Kate. I do have a reason for calling and perhaps you can help me. Could you tell me anything about a place called Mittelwerk?"

The line was silent for a moment as she accessed her databases.

"Pre Armageddon, world war 2 underground missile construction base. Flooded and sealed due to looters and unsafe conditions. Located near Nordhausen, Thuringia Germany…. that's a very old site Abel. I'm not pulling up anything further… why?"

"I might have a lead."

"Lead for?"

"Things?"

An exasperated sigh answered him. "You are not an agent anymore, you need to rest and relax."

"Yes Ma'am."

Abel got out the maps again, looking to see if the towns Kate had mentioned even existed anymore. His mind wandered over the fact that William might be in trouble, going down to Lilith's lifepod meant that it had to do with him. Cain would do anything to get more nanomachines…

"Dammit." He cursed, frustrated at Williams' situation and that the map didn't cover Germany with any of those names.

He needed to do some research… Perhaps Maria knew of a library or something.

He checked in on Astha, smiling slightly at the soft snore she gave in her sleep.

"Come in." Maria called out when Abel knocked on the door.

"Sorry to bother you Maria, wanted to return your tray and ask a few questions."

The older woman smiled and took the tray. "Sit a while, I just made more coffee and some biscuits."

"So young man how can I help you?" She asked, stirring her coffee briefly.

"Are there any libraries here?" He tried to not devour the still oven warm biscuits with butter she had set out.

"Hmm, yes there's one a few blocks away, should be open today if memory serves me right."

"Ah ok. Does Krakow have a university or something that studies history?"

She shook her head.

"Have you ever heard of Mittelwerk?"

"No, is it a place?"

"Apparently." He took a sip of coffee and scowled at the dark bitterness of the drink. He quickly added several spoons of sugar and a dollop of cream.

"If you go soon, the library will still be open."

He nodded. "Is there a clothing shop nearby as well?"

Maria smiled. "There's an excellent men's store just down from the library. The gentleman who works there is a good friend of mine. I couldn't help but notice some of your clothes had seen better days."

"I'm notoriously hard on things it seems. Thank you for the help."

"Think nothing of it, I still feel bad for calling your room last night. Will you two be needing the room again tonight?"

"I'm not sure… depends what I find out." He finished his cup and looked at the clock, one thirty. "I best try to get done my errands."