Part II

Within seconds of leaving her office at the headquarters of the Burial Agency, Narbareck was already dashing down the narrow streets that led to the Via della Conciliazione, impatient to get to the Vatican as soon as possible. Still catching her breath after running down several flights of stairs, she entertained herself by fantasizing about reactions of the agents placed in charge of her surveillance. Her sudden venture into the outside world, after being locked up in that godforsaken building for months on end, must have taken them completely by surprise. A few cups of coffee must have gotten broken or spilt, she was certain.

'And they've probably already alerted those old farts in the Vatican.'

It was only a matter of minutes before men in black robes would surround her and escort her back. Hers was an unwelcome presence in the normal world, among other humans, and even less welcome in the Vatican, where she was aching to get to as quickly as she could.

Well, as fast as she could without breaking into running, to be more precise. Not that Narbareck particularly cared about appearances; it was just that running in her habit would have almost certainly ended in her tripping and falling face-first onto the pavement. And she had no wish to show up with a bleeding nose in front of the cardinals. Again, she didn't really care about their opinions of her – she knew that they despised her as the lowest of the scum and wanted to have nothing to do with her – it was just that she questioned her own self-control, and wasn't really sure that she'd be able to stop herself from breaking a neck or two should anyone laugh at her.

So she settled for the next best thing, which was to walk at a fastest pace possible and contain her urge to take lives for a while. She looked a bit awkward walking like that, but then again, Narbareck was hardly someone who could just simply disappear into the crowd.

Her silvery hair and her black robes fluttered in the warm summer zephyr, turning a number of heads in the streets. The long and unkempt strands of her hair kept falling over her eyes, which quickly started to annoy her. Just as she had reached the avenue, she decided that she had had enough; she took a small hairband and pulled her hair into a tail. That only made more people pay attention to her, but she hardly noticed.

The Via della Conciliazione was absolutely packed with people and vehicles; tourist buses, motorcycles, taxis, bicycles... all of them creating an unimaginable chaos and noise as they tried to wiggle their was to St. Peter's Square.

Even though it was quite a shock, following months of what was not much different to solitary confinement, Narbareck remained unfazed by the hectic atmosphere of Rome's most famous avenue, and just kept pressing on towards St. Peter's, pushing people aside with her hands and elbows without batting an eye, her gaze fixed on the towering dome of the iconic basilica.

A few hurt and stunned tourists later, she was standing in St. Peter's Square, a little surprised that she hadn't been caught by the agents of the Church yet.

She moved to the relative safety of the colonnades on the northern side of the square, and remained there for a few seconds to observe.

Failing to spot the familiar black robes of the Executors, she mingled into the crowd again and headed for the Via di Porta Angelica, just behind the northern colonnades. The crowds were somewhat thinner in the street, but there seemed to be some commotion around the Gate of St. Anna; two black cars had just left the Vatican at full speed, apparently not concerned in the slightest about the pedestrians scattered throughout the narrow streets. Several tourists around Narbareck mumbled in disapproval as she elbowed her way to the gates, which had already been closed shut.

Two Swiss guardsmen in their plain, blue uniforms, stood on guard in front of the gate – Narbareck immediately noticed that they were carrying sidearms; an unusual sight, seeing as how the Guard mostly had a ceremonial role. Weapons were only carried when Pope was nearby, mostly during his trips abroad. That two regular guardsmen were armed meant that the Vatican was on alert.

This only made Narbareck snicker in glee.

She straightened her hair and clothes a little, and took out a large, black, Pectoral cross from one of the pockets of her habit. She hanged the necklace around her neck, put on an angelic expression on her face, and approached the gates. The guards immediately stopped her:
"I'm sorry, sister, no entry," said one of the guards; a middle-aged and well-built man.

"The Vatican is currently off grounds for everyone," added the second guard; a young blonde lad with blue eyes.

"Oh? Did something happen?"

"Nothing serious, don't worry. But a state of emergency has been introduced, and the security has been tightened around the city."

"I see. I hope nothing bad has happened."
"No, no, don't worry," the older guard said with a kind smile, "just a little security issue, but nothing serious. Everything should be taken care of soon."
"That's good. Well, I've received an invitation from cardinal-" Narbareck started, stepping forward, but was cut short and stopped again by the younger guard.

"I'm afraid we can't let you pass. No one enters or leaves the Vatican until the situation's been resolved and the state of emergency recalled."

"And besides, we couldn't let you in without proper authorisation anyways," said the other man.

"Authorisation? But... I don't have any papers with me..."

"In that case I'm afraid we can't let you enter the Vatican."

"But... I had a call this morning from Cardinal Tomko. I'm from the Urbaniana University, and he asked me to come at this hour to the Vatican. We have some issues to discuss..."
"Couldn't he have arranged to meet you somewhere else?" said the younger guard, eying her suspiciously.

"He said that he was too busy today to leave the Vatican, and asked me to come to his office here. He said there shouldn't be problems with me entering," Narbareck replied humbly, keeping her head down.

"Well, I'm certain that the Cardinal and you have some important issues to discuss, but I'm afraid we can't let you pass without proper documents."

"But you don't understand – I have to hurry! I can't let the Cardinal-"
"Sister, I'm sorry, but the Vatican is currently off-limits," said the younger guard, stepping forward and forcing Narbareck to back away a little.

Narbareck hung her head, staring at the pavement blankly for a few seconds. Then, she locked her gaze with the older guard's, and started to twirl the cross on her necklace between her fingers.

"But... I really have to go to that meeting with the Cardinal..." she pleaded. Her pale lips twirled into a small and cruel smile.

The guard's eyes slowly moved downwards. A second later, they widened in terror. He recognised the cross with which the young nun in front of him was playing; the shiny black Peter Cross – a cross turned upside-down – was undoubtedly one of a kind. And, being a veteran part of the Vatican's security, he knew to whom it belonged. While he had failed to recognise Narbareck by her rather unique white hair, he realized her true identity by her necklace. Pope's security force had been informed of Narbareck's existence over a year ago, when she took over the infamous Burial Agency. And while her picture faded from his memory in time, the black reverse cross somehow got firmly engraved into the guard's mind.

He swallowed nervously, and his entire body suddenly got soaked in cold sweat. Narbareck didn't fail to notice the man's reaction, which made her even more gleeful.

And when the guard lowered his right hand to his sidearm, she said in a quiet, but menacing voice:
"I don't want any trouble, gentlemen."

"I'm sorry?" said the younger guard, who, unlike his senior partner, didn't recognise Narbareck. He had only been in the Swiss Guard for a few months, and while he was aware of the existence of the Burial Agency and its infamous leader, he didn't know what Narbareck looked like.

"Would you please let me pass?" Narbareck said to the older guard, her voice angelically sweet again.

"I... have to consult my superior officer..." the man mumbled. He was breaking into sweat already, which greatly amused the girl.

"I don't think there's any need for that. Why cause unnecessary trouble? And I'm already late to my meeting with the Cardinal."

"There's still procedure, sister. I'm sure you understand," the younger guard said.

"Of course, of course. I understand."

She turned to the older guard, fixing her cold green eyes with his terrified grey ones.

"W-well, of course, we must be professional... but in this case I think we can make an exception. No need to alert the rest of the garrison over such trivial matter. I'm sure the honourable sister has no shady business or anything. No need to make a fuss..."

"Thank you, kind sir," she said with a curtsy.

"Sir, we can't just let someone into the Vatican without papers!"

The older guard, who was quickly coming to terms that he has to choose between his life and his career in the Guard, wiped a few drops of sweat from his forehead.

"Mark, don't complicate things, please. No one needs to know. And I promise to take full responsibility, okay?"
"Eh..."

"Please, good man, " Narbareck pleaded, with an expression so humble that the older guard was left bewildered how someone of her reputation could look so... innocent; "I'm in a hurry. Please let me pass."
Turning his head from Narbareck to his partner, and back to her, the young guard eventually caved in:
"Alright, fine. But I still have to search you, alright?"
"That won't be necessary, Mark."

"Sir, we can't just forgo the entire procedure! I can't just let someone in without checking them, even if it's a nun!"
"I'm telling you-"

"It's alright," Narbareck said, cutting the other guard short, "I don't want to give you any trouble."

"Alright. Excuse me," said the younger guard and started searching Narbareck for any weapons.

She looked at the older guard, who was almost shaking with terror, and winked at him. Her coy expression made him go pale. The young guard, Mark, groped her chest – which was rather bountiful – for a second while probing her, to which she grinned and chuckled:
"I think it's a little inappropriate to touch a lady there."
"S-sorry, miss," the young man apologised, then tapped the tip of his beret and bowed, "You're good to go."
"Thank you, " Narbareck said, curtsied again to both guards, and entered the Vatican. She made sure to shoot a grin at the older guard while passing by him.

(...)