Father Tres signaled for Abel and Ryoko to join him in the shadows of the bushes. "There are thirty-two vampires loading explosives onto that airship," he whispered to them. His non-human eyes locked on the crates. "Looks like they are planning on destroying the Vatican-"
Abel bit the bottom of his lip, "This doesn't feel right." They have tried this before and it failed miserably… "I think this is a distraction from their true purpose…"
It didn't take much effort for Gunslinger and Nightroad to find out where the extremist's airship was preparing to take off. One of the vampires had gotten drunk and was sent back home to sleep off his buzz. As he was stumbling down the street, he nearly stepped in front of the AX car. After interrogating the inebriated vampire with idle threats, the AX members had gotten enough information to find the loading dock.
The three heroes didn't have to sneak around much to get close enough to inspect the cargo. It was all too easy.
"Well, we can't just sit here and wait forever now can we?" Ryoko stood up from the bushes and headed towards the airship.
Abel leapt up and grabbed her wrist to stop her, "Stop! This is suicide!"
"I'm the bait, remember?" she jerked her hand away. "Just don't leave me behind priest," she curved the corner of her lip into a smile at him. Taking a deep breath, she headed towards the vampire minions.
The priest felt powerless as he watched her walked right into their clutches. It was his plan after all, he could only blame himself. His heart stopped when she momentarily glanced back at him and gave him a thumbs-up signal.
In a matter of seconds the vampires swarmed around her like a pack of starving wolves. Their eyes blood red and drool dripping from their half-open mouths, they snapped at her but did not move in for the kill. They were under control of Dietrich – and that was the only thing keeping Ryoko alive.
"Where's your puppet master?" Ryoko announced loudly.
Strolling out of the airship's loading bay with his hands in his pants pockets, the beautiful but deadly villain nodded to move the vampires out of his way. "Ah, if it isn't the one that got away…" he said in a pleasant tone of voice. "Finally decided to join our side and serve a greater purpose?"
"I want to trade," she could see Dietrich's grin widen with amusement. "The queen and Tenchi for me." The space pirate kept a wary eye on the vampires that encircled the both of them.
Dietrich stroked his chin and paced in front of Ryoko for a few steps and then stopped. "I'm sorry but we need all of you to complete our little miracle," he snapped his fingers.
The vampires tackled Ryoko to the ground but she did not try to fight. The beautiful young man brushed the dirt off her shoulders and leaned close to her face. "Where are your friends?"
"Friends?" Ryoko spat, "They were willing to sacrifice Tenchi for the greater good…I'm not." She hoped her lying skills were up to par.
He kept direct eye contact with her for a minute. "Good," Dietrich straightened up and pulled his hands out of his pockets. He revealed a brass knuckle wrapped around a tightened fist. In one swift movement, he slammed his fist into her chest and then another swipe to her forehead.
"Take her inside and search the perimeter just to be safe," the young ordered in a scoff voice.
Two of the vampire minions dragged her unconscious body into the airship and the rest returned to work. Dietrich gingerly touched his slightly reddened knuckle as he scanned the loading dock.
While Ryoko was serving as a distraction, Abel and Tres had managed to sneak around and find their way into the airship through one of the air vents.
"Let's get moving!" Dietrich yelled when the minions turned up with nothing. "We have everything that we require for the ceremony now," he slipped his hands back into his pants pockets and strolled back onto the airship.
"Alright if this works I'll be back in a few hours," Washu snapped a pair of green-tinted goggles onto her face.
Ayeka frowned, "Why can't I go and rescue Lord Tenchi too?"
Sighing loudly, the crazy scientist tossed a red button to the princess. "I am the only one who knows how to work this thing. If I'm not back in six hours, press that emergency button and it will bring me back."
"Emergency?" Ayeka clutched the button close to her chest. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Deciding that is was better to not answer the question; Washu activated the newly created mini blackhole cube. In a bright flash of light, the pink-haired scientist was sucked into a dark hole with a loud pop.
"Oh dear," Ayeka paced around the lab nervously. "I don't like this one bit…"
Waking up to a throbbing headache, Ryoko found herself shackled to a glowing green circle in the center of the airship. She glanced around the room and suddenly noticed a large black coffin to her right. What the hell is that? Slowly climbing to her feet, the space pirate tried to get a better look at the coffin. It was sealed shut.
"Good, you are finally awake…" Dietrich whispered from behind.
Ryoko flipped around to see the puppet master with his favorite puppet by his side. Staring at Ryoko with glazed-over eyes, Esther handed Dietrich two large crimson jewels.
"Where is Tenchi?" Ryoko snapped as Dietrich moved towards her.
The gorgeous man raised one of the jewels to her chest, "He is protecting this airship until the ceremony is complete. Now this may pinch a little bit…" Metal spikes sprouted from the jewel.
Ryoko struggled back but Esther approached the cyan-haired pirate with a gun aimed at her temple. It gave Dietrich enough time to place jewel over her heart.
The metal spikes dug into Ryoko's skin, causing her to scream out in pain.
"Her screaming is coming from this way!" Abel hissed to Tres over his shoulder as they crawled through the air vents as fast as they could go. I'll be there soon Ryoko.
"Wh-at is this-ceremony for?" Ryoko asked the young man through clenched teeth.
Dietrich gave her a sweet smile, "We are going to bring my master back to life…Cain," he glanced over at the coffin. "The quickest way to do it is to use your life source." He pushed the coffin lid open and dropped the second jewel in.
"Esther dear? Would you start it up?" Dietrich sounded pleased with himself. "This will probably hurt a lot more," he gave Ryoko a fake sympathetic look.
As Esther flipped on the switch, the jewel on Ryoko's chest lit up along with the green circle she was chained to. The gravity created by the circle brought her down to her knees and then the jewel began its work. Ryoko's screams echoed the haul of the airship as the jewel slowly sucked her life away.