Hellboy: The Theory of Saints

Chapter 2: The Secret Keeper

It must have taken around a quarter of an hour before back up from the B.P.R.D arrived. I take it they were waiting for our call which made me curious... had Manny known about the risks of this case before he sent us here. Usually it would take up at the very latest an hour or more before we would even know if back up was even being sent.

"Something just doesn't add up here red." Liz said to me after giving her case report to one of the suits that Manny brought along to investigate the scene. She was rubbing her arms due to the cold of this underground tomb. We weren't allowed to leave the scene until everything was checked out and cleared... I really hate protocol.

"I know Liz." I looked at the B.P.R.D medic who was giving my first aid on my busted shoulder. "Hey buddy do you think you could give us some space to talk?"

"Sure no problem Hellboy but I can only give you a few minutes or else Manny will know something is up and plus your shoulder really needs to get medical aid. I just tell Manny I need to go up to the truck up to get supplies." It was clear that this guy was afraid of Manny. Can't say I blamed him... if I was just an average Joe I would probably be the same. Manny had a reputation of firing and transferring guys to the crappiest jobs when they crossed him. So a lot of the guys in the lower ranks tried to stay on his good side.

"Thanks a lot... I owe you a beer." And with that he was gone and me and Liz where alone to share our opinions. "Well Liz what's on your mind?" I ask her while I take out a cigar and light it up.

Before she answers my question she begins on her views against smoking. "Geez red I really wish you would stop that. You know they will kill you." She has real concern in her voice as she repeats the familiar words to me once again... I like how she worries about me.

"Come on Liz give me a break. I bust my ass trying to save the world I think I deserve my guilty pleasures. Plus have you not seen this job it's more likely to kill me before these cigars really kick in. Anyway they aren't as bad as cigarettes... I ain't stupid." I can't figure out why she just couldn't drop it she knew I wasn't going to quit. Old habits are hard to break. "Any way what did you want to talk to me about before the medic returns."

"Oh yeah, of course. Don't you think it is weird how quick back up got here considering we were informed that this was a low risk case?" Liz was speaking a really quite tone so that no one would over hear our conversation.

"You must be reading my mind Liz. I was thinking the exact same thing. I was curious just by the fact that we were sent to a low profile case in the first place even if it was favour to one of my Father's friends." I took in a big draw from the cigar into my mouth. It was relaxing.

"You're right. Do you think we should ask?" Liz gestured her head over to the direction where Manny is standing as he gives out order's to the research crew who were gathering evidence.

"You leave him to me OK Liz." I didn't like the way he speaks to Liz when he was in one of his bad moods which was usually always. He always upsets her. I got up from the wall I was leaning against and took off my coat which was bit of a struggle seeing as I couldn't leave one of my arms but I managed. I handed it to Liz, "Here put that on it a bit chilly down here." She was beginning to shiver. "And be careful it's a little messy cause of the blood you know."

"Thanks. You're a real softy red."

"Sue me." It took me a couple of seconds to find my feet... I obviously lost more blood than I thought I had. I made my way over to Manny who was at the other side of the room. Bastard didn't realise that I was going to give off to him at some point and he is making me work a little harder in my condition.

When I finally got over to him he was on his cell phone talking to someone back at headquarters. I couldn't make out what the hell he was saying he was talking so fucking fast... it made my head spin a little.

"Hey." He didn't respond at all. Guess he didn't heard me so I think I will try again. "Hey Manny I have to speak to you for a minute."

He finally took a glance up at me for a second and then he tells the person on the other end of the phone, "Could you just wait one second please... Thanks." Then he looks up at me with a familiar hatred in his eyes. "What do you want you great big red idiot!?" I have to admit that does hurt a little.

"I want to speak you about this case."

"Damn it is that what you want!? We can speak about this later." With that he just returns to his phone call and ignores me. I don't like to be ignored... I am bit of an attention seeker.

So I use my working stone hand to rip the phone out of his hand and tell the whoever is at the other end that Manny will get back to them as soon as he can. Then I crush the damn thing... it was very therapeutic.

"What are you doing yo... you bastard!" I can see that Manny's eyes are really beginning to fill with hatred now... this is making me happy as I hope that he will say something that I can punch him for. I really need... sorry I mean want to punch something.

"I told you I want to speak about the case." I lean down to him and stare at him face to face.

He finally loses his nerve in the staring contest, "Fine what about it?"

"Well for starters how come me and Liz two of the B.P.R.D's top agents were sent to what was supposedly a low risk case and how come back up response was so quick for a case this level?"

"That is on a need to know basis you red ape."

"Well guess what Manny... I need to know." I clench my one good fist to try and intimidate Manny. I knew it wouldn't work he has become to use to my threats over the years. Still it was worth a try.

"Look I cannot tell you anything than what you already know so you can just go and fuck yourself." He shouldn't say stuff like that... especially when I am already really pissed off.

Manny went to turn away from me but before he could I grabbed him by the collar of his crisp white shirt and lifted him up about half a foot until his eyes were level with mine. "Listen here you prick don't forget I have been doing this job before you got your first erection!" I could see in his eyes that I had his attention now. I also heard Liz let out an unprofessional giggle from behind me. I was telling the truth I may not exactly look it but I am older than Manny... I just age well compared to humans. "So don't you ever think you are above me you little insect! You may have a nice, safe office job which God knows I could do but don't forget I am the only field agent who is completely cleared to look at any highly classified file." I know I am talking it a little far with Manny but he has been really pushing my buttons lately... like I said he took my gun away. "So don't bullshit me again... or I will break you." Everyone had stopped what they were doing and were completely focused on us.

Manny had a fear in his eyes of me that I haven't seen in awhile... I missed it. He took a yulp and then cleared his throat. "I can't tell you anything."

"Says who!"

"Your father. He gave clear orders that you were not to be completely informed."

"Well I suppose I will just have to talk to him." I quickly drop Manny onto his ass and begin to make my exit from this underground dump.

As I make it to the end of the corridor I can hear footsteps hurrying to catch up behind me. I thought it was Manny coming after me to give off some more. I clench my fist and turn to see who my follower is. It's Liz and she gives me a long cold icy stare. I unclench my fist. "I suppose you want to tag along?"

"Well how else are you going to get home to your father? In case you haven't noticed you don't blend in to well and you can't drive yourself with that busted arm." She storms right pass me, bumping into me as she does so. "So I've decided to drive your big red ass back to headquarters."

I stand there and smile to myself. Liz knows how to win a guy over. I follow her up to the church and on the way we walk into the medic who was beginning to patch me up.

"Em... where are you going?" Bewilderment grew over his face as we walked past.

"I got somewhere I have to be and mums giving me a lift there." I reply.

"Well I am coming too." He said as he double backed to join up with us.

"What the hell do you mean?" I ask him as I stop dead in my tracks and face him.

"Look Hellboy you really need your arm to be looked at ASAP. So I will try and fix it best I can on the way to where ever you are going.

He made a lot of sense... I hadn't really had time to think of it with all these damn questions rolling about in my head by it was really beginning to sting. "You got a point... fine you can tag along this once."

So the three of us made our way out to the grave yard and left it to find one of the B.P.R.D undercover ice cream trucks. It was a real step up from the garbage truck.

I got into the back with the medic as he began to patch me up. Liz drove into the darkness of the night. I closed my eyes I was really tired after my night out... I must have lost more blood than I thought or maybe the medic slipped me something but next thing I know I pass out and I didn't wake up until we get to the B.P.R.D. Headquarters the next morning/

"We are here sleeping beauty." Liz says opening up the doors at the back of the ice cream van. I stagger out... I am all patched up... even my left arm is in a makeshift sling of bandages.

"Your arm was pretty bad Hellboy your shoulder was shattered. So please try not to move it to much OK or the bone won't set right and we will have to re-break it." The medic tells me this while he wipes my blood off his hands with an old rag.

"Sure thing... I owe you a beer." I turn and begin to make my way into headquarters. I am not all that worried about my shoulder bone as seeing as I am some kind of demon I heal up pretty quick... so my arm will be ready to knock out Manny any time soon... what you didn't think I was going to hit him with my stone hand... I don't want to kill him or else I won't get my end of year bonus... cause I need that money to buy myself a new flat screen TV.

As the automatic front doors open to the B.P.R.D I can see an agent at the front desk reading some newspaper and I notice that there is a picture of me on the front cover with the picture of some Priest saying that he does not believe that I am a real demon but some nut dressed in a Halloween costume. I find it insulting as he says I am made up but he believes in Jesus who's blood is said to be wine.

The guard looks up from his newspaper and states, "I thought you were out in the field Red?"

"I was and I'm back to ask the old man a few questions... My arm is fine by the way."

"I thought there was no point in asking seeing as you heal quicker that Usain Bolt can get himself another gold medal." He said with a smirk on his face at his clever little comparison.

"Very funny... Just turn the God dam lift on so I can get down to see my father."

"OK Red I was just messing with you." He then pressed the magic little button under his desk and the floor opened up and I was swallowed down into the depths of the B.P.R.D headquarters.

Once down there I rushed over to my father's study to see what all the secrecy has been all about. As soon as I am at the door of the study I can hear my father having a conversation with someone... the second voice is not one that I know of anyone that works down here.

"You may as well come along in instead of standing out there... after all you came all this way to talk to me about the case." I heard my father say. He always seemed to have a sixth sense of when I was near... or maybe my foot steps are a lot louder that I thought.

I entered the room just as the old man told me too. Once in there I noticed that the person he was talking to was the Priest on the front of the newspaper who was calling me a nut in a costume. "What is he doing here... I just saw a paper with him saying that I do not exist."

"This is Father McCabe. He is an old friend of mine. The reason he said that you were not real is because I asked him to so that B.P.R.D is not at risk and is one of the Saint Keepers." My father said this as he poured McCabe another cup of tea.

"Saint Keepers? What the hell are they?" I asked... everything seemed to becoming more and more confusing as the day went on.

Father McCabe leant out of his chair just a fraction and looked directly at me. "We are the keepers of one of the Churches greatest secrets. I think you may want to seat down my boy."

"Maybe you should poor yourself a drink too." My father said to me while looking at the Priest. The few times when my father has told me to do such a thing I felt a pit in my stomach as I knew I was about to be told something that was not meant to be taken lately.

I poured myself a healthy dose of scotch and took a mouthful of it to prepare myself for what was going to be some life changing information.