Chapter 3

Bzzzzt. The streets were crowded in the early morning as the townspeople scurried to a fro to get the the market place.

Wrrrrr. A child laughed and skipped along side her mother, reaching for the bread that was tucked in the bag. Her mother smiled and lifted the bag above her head, teasing her child about her height.

No enemy sighting. Turning off Gurad mode. Switching to Search mode. Father Tres leapt down from the roof of a Vatican building. He walked slowly and mechanically around the grounds like he usually did. He had a target to look for. Lady Caterina was worried about Abel. He was nearing the Vatican Library. Tres switched his eyes for DNA scopes.

Footsteps sighted. Approximatly nine hours old. He entered the building and looked up at the balcony's towering over his head. He saw a small patch of grey hair on the third floor. He leapt on top of the shelves and jumped up to the railing of the third floor. He opened the door.

"Father Abel, Lady Caterina is searching for you." Abel looked up, his eyes were red and his hair was messed up.

"Oh? Is it morning already? Oh boy! That was a... fast night! Ahaha!" He laughed. Abel took out the disk, hiding it in his sleeve and stretched.

"OOOOHHHH! That was an interesting night! You missed a lot Father Tres- AHH!!" Abel tripped.

"Father Abel, damage report."

"I'm ok! Ahehe... What time is it?"

"8:23 a.m." Abel let out a scream.

"Oh dear!! I'm already late!!" He ran out of the room. Tres jogged next to him.

"Father Tres, Lady Caterina has a message for you."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Message: Father Abel, I hope that your encounter with that file hasn't damaged your interest in your current mission. I hope you now realize why I chose you for it. End transmission."

"Oh! I see! Thank you! Now I have to go and see the little lady who needs a friend!" Abel blasted off at full speed. Tres watched him, his eyes zooming in until he lost sight of Abel.

Wrrrrr. Lady Caterina, Father Abel is now heading towards the infirmery. He has no change in character at all.

Very good, Father Tres, thank you.

Abel panted at the front door of the infimery. He tapped the door, it swung open. The nun from yesterday was standing there.

"Oh! Father Abel! Good! You came today! You're a little late..." She said. Abel lifted up a hand.

"Yes.... I... I know... just had a... late night!" He said after every few pants. He staggered inside. She led the way to Rina's room against and stopped at the same place she stopped before. Another nun came, the same from yesterday. Abel took in a deep breath and smiled. The door opened. He walked slowly inside. Rina was in the same place, this time with a stuffed bunny under her arm. Her lips were moving fast as she read the same book that was in her lap.

"Good morning Rina!" Abel said cheerfully. Rina stopped she looked over her shoulder slowly.

"Ifitur, qu istuc tamen vivum," She muttered. Abel smiled.

"May I speak in just English today? I'm a little rusty at Latin!" He said nervously. Rina was silent.

"Si qu volo," She said, turning back to her book. Abel smiled.

"Great! Now, today I thought we could do an activity together!" He said. Rina didn't budge.

"Maybe... draw something?" He said. Rina shut her book.

"Defungor... Cur factus qu volo ad describo?" She asked. Abel smiled.

"You'd be surprised! I really like to doodle! It may not be art, but it's pretty fun! Right?" He said. Rina was silent.

"Well... I have a notebook! And... pencil set..." He pulled out a drawing pad and a tin of pencils. Rina turned her head. She eyed the pad.

"Si qu volo..." She said. Abel sat down in front of her, crossed legged; like a child; and began to sketch something into the pad. Rina watched him silently. She watched his hand move back a forth, creating outlines of whatever he was drawing. She thought his form was professinal. He stopped and held up the pad.

"Look!! Look what I made! Isn't it good?" He smiled broadly and held the pad up in pride. Rina held her hand out. He gave her the pad. It was a drawing of a baby holding a teddy bear under his arm. The baby was sound asleep. The shadows across the child's face and around him were distinct and exact.

"Qu nata hic?? Id ecce professionalis!" She exclaimed. Abel smiled.

"I saw that baby holding a teddy bear just like that over in Germany! He was so cute.. I wish I could see him again..." His smiled disappeared.

"Olim? Moto eventus?" She asked, looking at him. Abel sighed.

"Vampires... they burned down his little village... raped the women... including little girls... killed everyone by ripping out their throats... I just wish I had made it in time to at least save the poor child..." He said. Rina was silent.

"Id ecce a tristis memoria...Cur factus qu describo is?"

"Remembering his sleeping face makes me feel at ease... Knowing that he could find peace in that sort of mess makes me feel glad that he was just a baby..." Abel said. Rina sighed. She pulled a pencil from the bunny's collar. She turned to a different page and began to draw a quick sketch. She was so busy, she didn't notice Abel get up and look at her personal library in her room.

"So many books... and so many rare ones... I haven't even heard of this one!" He muttered. Rina stopped sketching.

"Venio!" She called. Abel turned around. She held up the sketch book.

"Qu faciei similis ad mea." Abel took the pad and stared in awe at the picture. It was Abel, but he wasn't sitting on the floor or looking peaceful, he looked like he was being tortured. He looked like he was being crusified.

"What... what is this?!"

"Iste ecce quam meus notus morticinus. I scio id voluntas fio ad qu mox," She said.

"I won't die like that! I swear I won't..."

Abel examined the picture. He saw something behind his back.

"What is this? Behind my back?" He pointed to his back. Rina grinned.

"Aligera," She said. Abel hid a gasp.

She drew wings on me? What does that mean... He laughed.

"Well, I swore to you that that wouldn't happen to me. So I swear to you now, I'll come again tomorrow!" He said cheerfully. Rina waved her finger in the air, making a cirrcular motion. Abel looked at the pad, then Rina. She nodded. Abel flipped the page over.

"Oh... wow..." This time, it was Abel, and he in a peaceful mood. It looked like he was sitting next to a window, smiling. The sun was shining off of his glasses. Abel smiled softly.

"Magnificent.." He said. Rina stood up and walked past him, disappearing in her personal library. She came back out with a smaller book, but the pages were more wrinkled and delicate. Rina sat down and opened it.

"Vampire. Krusnik. Terran. Origo, Italia," She said. Abel looked up.

That book mentions the Krusnik?

"Syngrapha: Galileo. Vir de scientia," She said. Abel stared at the book Rina was holding. His watched beeped.

"Oh! Uh, Rina, I'm sorry to say this but it's six o'clock... I'm afraid I have to go!" He rubbed the back of his head.

"I'll leave the pad and pencils here for you! I'll be back tomorrow!" He said. He left the room slowly, regretting leaving her on such a sudden note. Rine didn't budge, she was reading the book. Abel left the room and went home.