I'm sorry that it took me so long to finish this chapter! Life happened and I had to take some time off FFnet. But I'm back now, and hope to be posting the next chapter a bit faster. :) Thank you for reading, and please, leave a review!

Part IV: Streamline

Chapter: Rise of the Blood Queen

Three days later:

Myers stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. His body was still wet, dripping water to the carpet, but he hardly cared. The image in the mirror told enough of his current state: pale skin, dark shadows under the eyes, face unshaven. He seemed thinner too, the high arcs of his hipbones sharp under his skin, clearly visibly now that he was only wearing a towel wrapped around his hips.

He gave a long sigh, and turned his back at the mirror.

There was no point in staring at his image - he knew he looked like Hell, but it only reflected his inner self.

Four days it had been now, since Margot had-

He shook his head, unable to finish the sentence even in his mind.

Don't go there. Don't think about that, not now.

Just get your shit together and get dressed.

But getting dressed would require that he opened the wardrobe, and it felt like opening the box of Pandora.

Every item in his wardrobe reminded him of Margot. The suit he had bought in Milano, after she'd told him he looked 'smoking hot' in it. The tie Margot had gotten him for his 50th birthday. The shirt, they had picked together at the Massimo Dutti store in Brussels, which Margot had loved, for it had pink stripes. Myers had never worn it to work, but on many occasions at home, for he loved the way Margot ripped it off him in the bedroom.

And then, there were Margot's cloths.

It was unbearable to see her dressed on the hangers, to feel their scent - no, her scent in them. The, oh so painfully familiar odor of roses and cinnamon, that he loved, that he craved to inhale - in fear that it would fade now that she was gone, and that he would eventually forget it.

He knew he couldn't keep Margot's stuff forever, but he could not think of getting rid of it either.

How could he throw away the book that was still on the nightstand?

Margot had died without finishing it. She had loved that damn fantasy novel, and now she would never know how it ended, and that thought was enough to bring foul taste to Myers' lips.

It was so unfair, so unbearably unfair, that he could not take it. He couldn't even think about it.

And thus, he let the book be. As he let every other item in the house too, her coffee mug on the kitchen counter top, the pen and the papers on her desk, her umbrella on the porch, her shoes on the floor of their bedroom, her pale green dress that was still laid on the chair, hair hairbrush, with some of her hair still tangled in it, on the dressing table, her toothbrush in the bathroom cupboard, her herbal shampoo in the shower, her scent in the bed sheets - that he knew he'd never change now, not as long as he could still inhale her odour when desperately waiting for the sleep to come, fighting back tears.

He knew he could never make himself to throw away all these memories of Margot.

But likewise he knew, that Margot would call him 'wussy' and probably haunt him until the rest of his days, if he didn't.

Though, he had to admit, he had prayed for Margot to haunt him, for her to show herself to him in these past days he had spent alone in their home, in the horrible loneliness and darkness she had left behind. He had shouted her name out loud, cursed and cried, but she had not come. No matter how much he had begged, there had been no sight of her.

Which probably meant she rested at peace. It was selfish to hope that she wouldn't, but Myers could not help himself.

If I could just see her, just once. Just one time, I would-

But just then a loud 'bamf' interrupted his troubled thoughts, making him start.

"Kat!" He groaned. "For fuck's sake, can't you just use the doorbell?!"

"Sorry, Boss." Kat said, and raised an eyebrow to Myers' half nakedness. "How was I supposed to know you were not decent? Besides, this is urgent."

"It damn well better be. Just turn around so I can get dressed."

Kat did as she was told, even if turning around only made her face the large mirror on the wall. She could clearly see how Myers began to unwrap the towel around his hips. Graciously Kat decided to close her eyes.

"So, spit it out. Why are you in my bedroom 7.30 am, Kat?"

Kat noticed the tense tone in Myers' voice. She wondered, not for the first time, how was he really holding up.

"You got any sleep?" she inquired.

"Enough."

"Good." she gave a sharp nod. "Since you're going to need all the wits you got. They got him."

She heard Myer's sharp, surprised gasp behind her.

"You mean-?"

"Yeah." Kat stated. "Jay and Andu. They brought Lucien to the HQ a few minutes ago, I came to you asap."

"How did they find him?" Myers' voice was tense as a string. "Where-"

Kat shrugged. "How should I know? I'm here, not talking with them. Thought someone should get you."

"Yeah… thanks."

"No problem."

Kat was silent for a short while, and took a peek at the mirror, noticing Myers was already wearing pants, and buttoning up his white shirt. It felt safe to turn around.

"Did someone interrogate him already?" Myers asked while tying his tie, giving Kat a glance. "Did he say anything?"

"Not that I know off." Kat shook her head. "He's all yours, Boss."

"Good." he muttered, and there was something in his voice that made Kat shiver.

Something cold and sharp, an edge of ruthlessness that she had not heard before.

There was a different man in front of her now. He still wore the marks of exhaustion and sorrow on his face, but there was something new in him. Something resolute, decided. The look in his eyes was dark as night, and suddenly it made Kat nervous.

In silence she observed as Myers walked to his nightstand, and picked up his gun. He made sure it was loaded, before tucking it to his belt.

"I'm ready. Take me to him."

Myers stepped into a small interrogation room, followed by Kat.

Abe was there, and Red too - the concerned look in the eyes of his friends told Myers just how bad he must be looking, but he couldn't have cared less.

For in the middle of the room, was the devil who had ripped his soul apart.

On his knees, on the floor, his hands tied behind his back, guarded by two blue skinned brothers, Lucien still managed to look cool and unbothered, and Myers hated him for that. He seemed to be everything Myers was not - young, beautiful and unconcerned.

He looked up, and noticing Myers on the door, he smirked.

A rage, unlike anything Myers had ever felt, boiled his heart, filled his bloodstream and made his hands shake.

"Leave us." he breathed, not turning his eyes from Lucien.

A moment of silence followed his words.

"But Boss-" said Kat. "That's not-"

"I said, leave us!" Myers snapped, his voice breaking, and this time no one argued. One by one his friends walked to the door, passing him on the doorway. Hellboy stopped shortly, to place his hand on Myers' shoulder - a comforting, brotherly gesture.

But Myers was in a place, where no comfort could find him. There was no peace for him, no rest, he knew. The one thing that remained, was revenge.

He waited until everyone had left the room, even Jay, who was the last to leave.

Lucien's cold, blue eyes revealed nothing, when Myers stepped closer to him.

"It's been some time." the vampire noted. "A decade, perhaps?"

"More."

"Huh." Lucien did an attempt to shrug, but it was difficult, since his hands were cuffed behind his back. "Time goes so fast when you've lived long enough."

"If you call that living." Myers snapped back. "I wouldn't."

"You're a child. You know nothing."

Myers did not reply. He knew better than to get into a verbal duel with a centuries old vampire. Besides, he could not care less of what he had to say. There was only one thing he needed to know. Only one answer that he wanted to get.

"Why?" he asked, his voice almost failing him. "Why Margot?"

Something flashed in Lucien's eyes, something red, like flames or blood behind a thin layer of ice.

"If I tell you, will you let me go?"

"Never."

"Thought so." Lucien stated, still as calm and collected as ever. "Doesn't hurt to ask, though."

"Just answer the question."

"Why Margot?" Lucien made a small laugh. "You want to know why I killed her?"

"You murdered her. And yeah, you're going to tell me why."

"Because someone paid me." Lucien replied, but something in his voice, or a slight change in his posture caught Myers' eye. He wasn't telling the truth, or at least not the whole truth.

"Paid you, or threatened you?" he asked, his voice suddenly silent.

"You're ridiculous." Lucien lashed. "Not many things out there are capable of threatening me."

"I can think of a few." Myers shrugged. "And not all of them have blue skin."

"Your precious friends, the blue half breeds." Lucien rolled his eyes. "I must say I was surprised to find out what kind of company Margot was keeping. She had so much more style back then."

Myers tasted rage, blood on his lips, and he had to dig his fingernails into his palms in order to stay calm.

"Style? As if hanging out with vampires to get sucked was classy?."

"Oh, so you knew about that?" Lucien laughed. "And that's what really burns you, is it not? Not the fact that I killed your wife, but the fact that I had her first. And what a little firebrand she was back then, a feisty creature. Her taste was sweet on my lips, but sweeter still was to take her life-"

Myers slapped him on the face, so hard that his long, blond hair flew in the air around his head.

Until now he had managed to act as he should've. As an agent, as an interrogator. But enough was enough. His anger lashed through him like an electric shock, followed by pain that cut through his heart like a spear and took his breath away.

"Shut up!" he groaned. "Shut up, you piece of-"

But Lucien laughed, shook his head and raised his face to look at Myers again.

"You told me to answer the question. I can't do that if I shut up, can I?"

"Then save the bullshit and give me the answer! Why did you kill Margot." Myers' voice was dark as night, as black as sky without stars. "Who told you to do it?"

"You can hit me all you want, but I'll never tell."

"We'll see about that." Myers pulled out his gun, and pointed it at Lucien. "Tell me, or I'll pull the trigger."

"You can't be serious." Lucien snorted. "You know that thing won't kill me."

"Yeah, you bet I do. But it'll hurt like Hell."

He fired, and the sound ripped the air, making his ears ring.

A bullet hole in Lucien's chest was steaming, and dark - almost black - blood stained his shirt. He cursed and grimaced, blood dripping to his lips.

"Silver bullets..!" Lucien hissed, his cool now completely gone.

"I've been in the business long enough." Myers pointed the gun again at the vampire. "Now, answer the question or I'll shoot you again."

"Come on! Just kill me already!"

"So, there is a way to threaten you?" Myers stated. "I thought as much. And don't worry, I'll definitely kill you as soon as you'll tell me what I need to know."

He waited for a few heartbeats, but the creature gave him no answer.

"Fine, suit yourself." Myers shrugged. He fired the gun again, and for a third time, this time aiming for Lucien's arms - on the way he had shot Margot.

Myers could not deny the pleasure he got, when seeing the vampire in pain, his pale lips thin and stretched revealing his bloodied fangs, hearing the raspy sounds of agony that escaped his throat.

But it did nothing to dull the unbearable ache that lived inside of his soul, the pain of having lost his heart. Torturing Lucien could not heal him. Killing Lucien would not heal him, he realized now. It would bring him some sense of justice, but nothing more.

It would not bring Margot back.

That thought filled his soul with ink, and painted his world black. For a moment he felt like suffocating, before he managed to push all thought of Margot to the furthest corner of his mind, to a place that could not reach to him right now.

Lucien was still spitting blood to the floor in front of him, and he was no closer to knowing who had claimed Margot's life. The job was far from over.

He took a step back and turned his back at the vampire, allowing himself a short moment to get his emotions under control. When he finally turned back to look at Lucien, there was no sign of his inner torment on his face.

Slowly he walked back to Lucien, grabbed his hair and yanked his face up.

"Ready to tell me now, or you want some more silver into your body?"

His eyes were still like ice, light blue and freezing to look at. But Myers saw the ice was breaking, and he knew he had won.

"The blood queen." Lucien breathed.

"The blood queen?"

"Yes…" his voice was raspy, thinned by pain, but Myers didn't let go of him. His grip on Lucien's hair was hard and remorseless.

"What's her name?"

A moment of silence, fear in Lucien's eyes.

"Her name!" Myers hissed, pressing the gun to Lucien's temple. "Spit it out!"

"I don't know her name, alright! She is a Goddess, that much I know. And she wanted Margot dead. She said…"

"She said what?"

"That it was payback time."

And then he knew.

It hit Myers like a wrecking ball, and all air left his lungs.

He was back in the hotel room in Mexico city, and the woman with golden eyes was looking straight through him. He remembered the glow of her hair, the chiming of her voice, the bullet that had turned into a hummingbird, and the paralyzing fear he had felt in front of her. The fear of losing Margot forever.

After two decades, she had won.

"But… but… she was killed!" Myers could hardly speak. He had let go of Lucien, taken a few steps back. "We killed her!"

"You can't kill a goddess." Lucien replied. "Not really."

The blood on the bed, the hole in her chest, the lifeless body, the heart in Kat's hand. He had thought it was the end of it.

"You can't kill a goddess." Lucien's words echoed in his ears and they seem to mock him.

"No. But I can kill you."

Myers reached for the stake he had kept in the inside pocket of his suit jacket since he had first seen Lucien's face in the security tape. The smooth surface of the polished, wooden stake felt cool in his hand, but it gave him no pleasure to drive it through Lucien's heart.

The vampire gasped, seemed to froze - and then turned to ashes.

Myers didn't even look back as he walked to the door, pulled it open and left the room.

Kat tried to stop him, and Hellboy said something, but he didn't slow down to listen.

There was nothing they could say to him, that would make any difference.

He brushed off the ash on his shoulders, and walked out of the building, out to the unbearable brightness of a beautiful spring morning. The sunlight on his face was nothing but a reminder of all the things he had lost.

The wind of the early morning was still cold, and made him shiver, but he just kept on walking.

He knew he wasn't going to come back any time soon.