Their had been a time shortly after the destruction of Dracula that Enemy had, in what had seemed like a fit of desperation, launched a series of attacks on the Order on its own turf, the Vatican City. While the holy organization and agents had come out victorious, the campaign had taken its toll. The Basilica itself had been attacked but once and the outside world hard remained oblivious to the raging war within. When a humanoid shaped scorch mark appeared upon the steps of the sacred edifice one morning, the naive priests had thought it a miracle of some kin;, never suspecting that it was the remains of a demon general that had been driven out onto the steps and killed there.
The Order it self had not been so lucky. A few slabs of marble were the least of their worries. Its infrastructure had been shattered. Communication between outposts had been cut off. Storehouses holding centuries of records had been left in shambles. They had lost hundreds of non-combatant members as well as field men. The Holly Order would stand, of course. It had suffered worse. But it had been dealt a major blow. It was no wonder, Van Helsing thought as he entered his customary confessional, that someone like Canmore had been able to take advantage of this weakness and use it to destroy an entire race.
There was always the possibility that his superiors knew that the race of Gargoyles was not evil. They had issued orders for him to destroy Frankenstein, despite the creature's innocence. What if they had deemed Gargoyles a threat as well? It would be like them, he thought darkly, to use him as a pawn, to send him out to murder innocents and not tell him. They might have even planned his hunts so that he would arrive at the beasts' lairs during the day, when he could not sense their true natures!
He shook his head, realizing that he was bordering on paranoia. The Order had no reason to go to such great lengths to hide a creature's innocence when it was so much easier to send a more obedient agent to dispatch them.
Still, he feared for the creature-child. He had gone to great lengths to conceal her over the course of his journey. He avoided the roads and traveled only at night, spending the days far from civilization. He had arrived at the holy city moments after dawn and had carried the child's stone form into his apartments. Van Helsing had no intention of revealing her existence until he was certain that she would be protected.
"Bless me father, for I have sinned." His tone was menacing. "I have aided in the murder of innocents and may God help you if you had a hand in it."
"Calm yourself, Gabriel," Cardinal Jinette said from behind the wooden screen that separated confessor from parishioner.
"Calm myself? The blood of five blameless creatures stains my hands."
"Gabriel, what have you done?"
The wall behind them opened and the two entered the passageway it revealed. The door closed behind them.
"What has happened?" There was a sense of urgency in the cardinal's voice, as if he was running the possibilities of what his agent could have done through his mind.
"I have aided in the massacre of innocents."
"The Gargoyles?" Jinnette asked, shock and confusion slipping into his voice. He pressed the leaver that opened the back of the confessional. Van Helsing stood.
"They are not evil. One awoke before Canmore could destroy it. I could sense, even as it died that there was no malice in it."
They entered the armory.
"I must think on this." Jinnette said. "Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"Tell me what happened."
Van Helsing went on to recount the events of the massacre, but making sure to leave out any mention of his little one. He did not notice Carl entering the armory.
"And there were no survivors?"
Van Helsing hesitated, but remained resolute. If keeping this secret from Jinnette was the only way to protect his little one, then he would do it.
"No, Canmore destroyed them all."
Jinnette inhaled deeply.
"I must think this over."
The cardinal's hands shook as he sat down on a nearby chair. For a moment, he rested his head in his hands. Van Helsing was startled. He had never seen the cardinal look so...old. After a moment, Jinnette looked up.
"Leave me, I must think on this." With that Jinnette left. Van Helsing noticed the friar's presence at last.
"Carl" he said urgently, "I need to talk to you. Now."