Abe was able to avoid most of the human residents of Berlin, most were afraid of what had been stalking their streets. As he passed by the church, he was nearly knocked down by the feelings drifting from it. He took a glove off and waved his hand in front of the church. Guilt, anger and hurt were strong coming from it. Abe walked into the church, half expecting to see Maya sitting in one of the pews. The church was empty. Abe frowned and waved his hand to sense where the feeling were coming from.

"What's the point of that?" Abe looked up to see two blue eyes looking down at him from the second level.

"To see," The speaker's head and shoulders came into the candlelight. He looked human with the exception that he had brown fur and wings.

"With your hand?"

"Yes, I have seen much,"

"I'm sure you have," Abe placed his hands on the backs of two of the pews.

"You really don't want to harm anyone, but your anger seems to have gotten the better of you,"

"You don't know me!" Batman growled.

"Benjamin Horace King III. Son of Marilyn and Benjamin Horace King Jr. You were the heir to King Shipping and Transport. Dedicated yourself and a ship to helping Jews escape the Nazi regime. Was in, at the time, a taboo relationship with a Cherokee girl,"

"How did you know all that? And it wasn't that taboo,"

"I'm telepathic, Benjamin. My name's Abraham Sapien, but you can call me Abe,"

"Ben," He paused for a moment. "Prove you're telepathic. Who was the girl and when and where was the last time we saw each other?" Abe was surprised at who he was thinking.

"Maya Palemoon and two nights ago in an alley,"

"The last time we saw each other before that,"

"64 years ago in a Nazi medical facility in Austria," Ben nodded.

"You're good," He glided down and landed behind Abe. "How long have you two known each other?" Ben stood at the same height a human would. He had icy blue eyes and brown blond hair. His facial features were human with the exception of fangs. He was covered in brown fur. He had two pairs of claw marks on his chest.

"A long time. I was the only one who knew she had lost someone she cared deeply for. She doesn't talk about it,"

"She doesn't?"

"Trust me, it's best that she doesn't. Do you need me to look at that?'

"No, I've had worst," He glanced toward the cross on the back wall. "I thought Stillwagner had killed her. She was the youngest, ya know," Abe sat in one of the pews. He knew Ben wasn't evil, but a victim of a past dictator. "Maya lied 'bout her age so she could help. Made three trips. The third wasn't too successful. Of course," Ben looked back at Abe. "He never would tell me if she was alive. Told me whatever it was he had injected us with was fatal. He's lucky he didn't come in there after I grew claws," He paused.

"How did you escape? The Americans?"

"Yeah. Some American troops came in and tore the hell out of the place. The Nazis still there ran all over the place, killin' the survivors. Or attempting to. Soldier came in an tried to shoot me. Broke his neck and got the hell outta there. Almost got shot by some of the Americans," Ben gave a half smile. "I heard one of them holler to let me go. That I wasn't there voluntarily. If I'd known Maya was still alive, I'd gone back for her. I wish I'd known," He looked back at the cross again. "I've been talkin' to statues for the past 50 years. It's good to have someone that'll talk back," Abe smiled.

"I understand there. You said you'd been talking to statues for 50 years. You had human contact after escaping?"

"Yeah. World War I vet. Just bout killed me. Thought I was after his sheep," Ben smiled again. "Realized I wasn't just some critter when I hollered. Stayed with him for fourteen years. He was a lonely old man with flashbacks. Poor guy watched his best friend die in his arms. He would have died old, cold and alone hadn't he shot me. After his death, I left and pretty much stayed away from people. But the fact that bastard ruined my life kept me from doin' anything good. I might as well been dead, that's probably what the government told my folks. Maya's too. Lately, I decided the Nazi's needed to pay for what they done. Tracked down quite a few. Then came the lady that crossed herself. I couldn't bring myself to kill her. Figured Maya probably find me and haunt me if I killed a Catholic. That pretty much stopped me from killin' more," Ben's head swiveled toward the door and he flew back to his hiding spot. Abe then felt someone approaching the door. He stood when the door opened. Too late to hide.

"Abe? What are you doing here?" Maya dipped her first two fingers into the holy water and crossed herself.

"Looking for you," Abe felt the shame coming from Ben.

"Sure you're not out looking for our bat?" Her voice was cool and collected, but he could feel the agitation coming off her.

"No. Why?" Abe resisted the urge to look over his shoulder. "Why are you so agitated?" Maya glared at him, but knew she couldn't lie to him.

"He's behind you,"

"Who?"

"Abe, have I ever told you you're a horrible liar?"

"How did she know I was up here?"

"Scent," Ben dropped from his hiding place. Maya tensed. Abe could see the shame on Ben's face. But to his surprise, Maya relaxed. That caused Ben to relax as well. Abe wandered off to give them privacy. And to keep a lookout for Hellboy and Liz. Liz would possibly understand, but Hellboy wouldn't. Abe took a glove off and placed it on the confessional and immediately removed it. Confessions were none of his business. He walked over to the alter under the huge crucifix. This close, he could see the details of the cross and the Christ. It made Abe think of the past he couldn't remember. He absentmindedly placed his ungloved hand on the alter. What he saw when he did that put a new perspective on things. Something…evil… had been here. He stretched his fingers out and put his whole palm on the alter and concentrated.

The evil thing had been here recently. He couldn't catch a good look of it, but what he did see of it seemed lizard like. The priest's wide eyes told his terror.

"Where is the bat?" It hissed. The priest shook his head, too terrified to speak. It raised a scaly hand and extended a claw. "Don't make me use this,"

"Abe?" The merman pulled his hand back. Maya and Ben were giving him worried looks.

"Have any of the priests been attacked lately? Not by you, of course,"

"Come to think of it, yes," Ben said. "Bout a month or so ago. He was found where you're standin'. Kept mutterin' something 'bout a demon and a bat. Whatever it was cut him up pretty bad," Ben frowned. "Like it was tryin' to drag information from him,"

"Thinking what I'm thinking?" Maya asked. Abe almost smiled. It was a joke between he and Maya most times.

"There's something more dangerous than Ben stalking the streets," The cat nodded.

You saw something?

Yes"Ben, you'll need to stay out of sight from everything and everyone," Abe said. "We'll need to get this new bit to our director,"

"And get Hellboy off your tail," Maya added. "We can get you a spot with the Bureau. That should help,"

"The Bureau?"

"Sorry. I should have told you. I've been working for an above top secret agency called the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense,"

"The BPRD is real?"

"Just do what Abe said. Please listen for once," Ben nodded.

"Alright," Abe and Maya turned to leave. "Maya?" The cat turned.

"Yeah?"

"If you can get me that spot, can you hold it til I turn Stillwagner into beef jerky?"

A look passed over her face that Abe had never seen and her lips curled back into a snarl.

"Only if you call me before you do so I can help," The tone Abe had never heard. He blinked.

"Deal,"

After leaving the church, Maya took a deep breath.

"Sorry you had to see that,"

"I didn't see anything," Maya gave Abe a grateful look.

"Call Hellboy and Liz. The sooner we can clear Ben's name and get the other one off the streets, the better," Abe agreed.