Abel panted as he skidded into the Department of Inquisition office that morning, The sectary there glanced up with curiosity members of the AX don't' usually come calling.
The silver haired priest caught his breath and looked at the clock relieved that he was on time. After all this was an important mission with innocent lives on the line.
Abel could barley keep the smile off his face when He saw the blue haired inquisitor come out of his office holding a box in his arms. "Here are the files that you have requested Nightroad, Be sure that you bring them back at 2 pm sharp."
Abel grinned, getting into the spirit of the play acting, "O-Of course, thank you so much, this will help me greatly with my research."
"Now if you would excuse me, I have to over see the security detail with his holiness." Petro said his face a stern serious expression. "Take good care of the files." He said, almost under his breath.
Abel nodded, gulping as he carefully took the box, and he pretended that it was heavier then it actually was. "Th-thanks again, Brother Petro." he said, doing his best to hide the smile on his face.
Petro watched with a growing anxiety as the goofy priest left the office with box of kittens, wondering if he had done the right thing in letting the incompetent fool take them. Well, it was not like he had a choice in the matter, the baby-kittens needed consent care. Looking at the clock he hurried out cursing his bad luck, he would be late if he didn't hurry.
Abel was ecstatic; it's been so long since he'd been around anything so cute and fuzzy. The Crusnik will keep his word and take care of them like he promised. He scoped out an unoccupied restroom and locked the door. He opened the box not only to find the kittens but also a bottle of milk and a set of written instructions on how care for the kittens, instructions written in Petro's deft handwriting.
The kittens need to be fed every time they wake up.
Make sure to clean their faces after feeding, plus wipe their bottoms.
They should sleep when ever possible. DON'T WAKE THEM UP!
~ P
Abel pouted; well at least he could look at them.
Deciding that the bathroom wasn't the best place to keep the little ones; Abel carried the box into the AX office adjacent to Cardinal Caterina Sforza's office. Lucky for him, everyone else was busy preparing for the celebrations tomorrow, leaving the area almost empty. Since the sectary was also busy helping Abel had volunteered to sit in the office and answer the phones if need be. The lady Cardinal was busy with paper work and phone calls inside her office and wasn't likely to leave it anytime before lunch.
Carefully tucking the box under the sectary's desk Abel let out a happy sigh, volunteering for the desk also put him a position where he could avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day.
"BRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!"
Abel was nearly startled, He hurriedly picked up the receiver. "Ministry of Holy Affairs….Yes, she's in….." *Click*. "Lady Caterina? The Professor is on line one." *Click* , and thus how Abel's shift started.
The silver haired priest startled at every time the phone rang glancing down wards worried that the loud ringing would wake the little kittens.
It was nearing close to lunch time when the soft sounds of mewling brought his attention. Abel smiled and carefully picked one up, "Bet you're hungry huh?" He held the kitten in his lap while holding the bottle. The kitten made loud sucking sounds, its tiny paws kneading his warm leg. The Crusnik gently stroked its head.
The kitten's sibling protested, mewling for attention and milk. "Wait your turn children." Abel said in a soft whisper. He wiped the spilled milk from the kit's face once it was done feeding, gently wiping a soft damp cloth to clean him. "There you go, all clean and fed." He bent to place the kitten back in the box and to pick up another one for feeding.
The sound of Caterina's office door opening caught Abel by surprise, bumping his head on the underside of the desk in his haste to straighten, his heart pounding. "L-Lady Caterina?"
"I'm leaving for an early lunch Abel." The blond woman said placing several files on the desk before him. "Take messages, I shall be back within half an hour." Trailing behind her as always was Father Tres Iqus, mechanical killing doll, and Caterina most loyal soldier.
"Y-yes will do your ladyship.." Abel stuttered nervously. This immediately gained the full attention of the cyborg.
"Ah-choo!" Caterina sniffled. "Pardon me, must be some dust …" She sniffed again, her eye narrowing. Abel felt a cold sweat brake out over his body. Was she allergic to cats? He wondered. "Yes it must be, I will give the office a quick dusting…."
There was a soft mew.
Caterina lifted an eyebrow as the Priest turned pale. "….Abel, it's not like you to detain yourself from eating. It's the lunch hour."
" Yes, thank you Caterina, but I've brought a lunch, thank you for reminding me." He said quickly. "Sometimes my stomach 'tells' lets me the time of day, it's like clock work really." He chuckled. (Meanwhile trying to keep his hands from shaking.) "…Enjoy your lunch Caterina; I'll have my lunch here." He smiled relived when she finally turned to the door.
Unfortunately for him Tres did not follow her. Instead his worse fears where realized when once the Cardinal had left the office, the killing doll had zeroed in on the box under the desk. Abel sat in the chair frozen with fear as Tres pulled out the box and placed it on top the desk peering within.
"Father Abel Nightroad, " Tres intoned with his monotone voice. "…It against Vatican law to keep animals within the premises."
Abel's heart stopped. I am so dead…..
Father Tres straightened and headed towards the closet, opening he searched around, what is he doing? Is he going to get a bag and ….*gasps* oh no! Abel panicked, bolting up from his chair and…Blinked in surprise.
Tres held a heating pad in his hand. "They should be kept between 88-92 degrees Fahrenheit. " The cyborg gently placed the heating pad under the bedding, giving one of the mewling kits a gentle pat. "They should also be fed every 2 hours." He said.
Abel let out a laugh. "Of course Father Tres, I am in the middle of feeding them." He sat back down with a relived sigh.
Tres said nothing, but Abel could see a slight softening around the shorter priest's eyes as they visually checked the kittens again. "Thank you Tres….I mean really." Abel's smile was grateful. Silent, Tres stepped away from the box and towards the door.
The rest of the feeding completed with out farther problems, Abel let the kittens sleep in the box on top the desk. Seeing the files Caterina left on the desk Abel thought it might be helpful if he just stepped out quickly for a moment to take them to the mailing room which was no less then a few feet down the hall, a very quick trip. He loosely closed the top of the box and tucked the box back under the desk before leaving.
Sister Cloe from record keeping walked into the office delivering a file that Lady Caterina had requested, and also to pick up the files she was finished with. Placing the folder down the confused sister looked about. Where are the files? Oh there they are. The young woman pulled out the box from under the desk noting that it was the files from the Department of Inquisition. "What is my lady doing with these?" She wondered. Well she did say to return the files where they belonged. Sister Cloe was a good sister, trusted with sensitive reports and files and other information that the Vatican stored, she would do her job correctly and take them back where they belong without compromising their contents.
The sister picked up the box and walked out of the office.
In his defense, Father Abel Nightroad had been slightly distracted; the ladies in the mail room had offered him some of their brownies.
"You don't mind that I take a piece?"
"Sure take two if you'd like Father Nightroad." The woman smiled.
"Thank you very much, they smell heavenly." Abel said accepting the offered sweets.
The tall Priest headed back down the hall to the office when he spotted Cardinal Sforza and Father Tres heading back from the opposite direction. Panic set in and Abel ran the few steps to the door and quickly opened it his blue eyes taking every inch of the room. Every thing was….
…..not alright,
Where's the box? Abel did a quick search under the desk. Panic rising as the door opened with a click.
"Did they send that file I requested Abel? Abel?" The lady Cardinal frowned at her wide eye Deputy Enforcer. "Is there something wrong Abel?"
"Uh….I….Uh, I have seemed to misplace some 'records' that I have been checking…." He glanced at Tres for a moment before turn his winter blue eyes back to his employer." …I left them on the desk when I stepped out for a moment. Now they are gone."
"Sister Cloe must have taken them by mistake then."
Abel shook his head, "If I hurry I can catch her." He said, heading towards the door Tres followed.
"Father Tres?"
"The records that Father Abel requires contain highly sensitive documents….I shall accompany him."
The door closed, leaving a very confused Caterina alone, her nose twitched.
"Ah-cho!"
To be continued:
A/N: Ha-ah, I meant to have this finished in time for Christmas but…like Abel, things conspire against me.
Yes, I've added Tres in this little plot, because Abel/Tres/Petros is my favorite trio in the whole series, they are so cool and It's just awesome when they work together. So kick ass!
Thank you for your comments; they are inspiring me to write my best.