Chapter 45
And here is the start of another chapter of my longest running story. I hope everyone has liked it well enough so far. I still have a hard time figuring out where it veered from being a normal story to what it is today (I mean, I can figure out which chapter it was, but as far as the ideas in my head and what lead to this, not so much)….
I can claim no ownership of CM characters, just their recess; on with the show then.
"K-kill you?"
"Yep. It's going to hurt like a bastard, but the pay-off will be worth it; I'll come back a thousand times better than I am now."
"I don't think I care for this at all. I definitely don't like the sound of this."
"Aaron, my love, this isn't really up to you. Shit is about to get real. In my current state I have a limited number of capabilities. Our side would stand NO chance whatsoever. If I die and come back fully charged, the chances of us surviving this at all is increased by like 30%."
"Thirty percent? And you're willing to die for 30%?"
"Thirty percent is better than almost certain death or enslavement by the likes of them. I have never in 8,000 years ever lost a war. Sure small skirmishes are fought and lost every day; that's why you even have a job. Trying to save people's souls is tricky business…sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
But a war, never. I will NOT lose this one either. The last one was close enough. And now, the Earth's population is at least three times greater than what it used to be. Your kind has made incredible discoveries and inventions, so good, some bad. And I will not let all of it be completely lost to the likes of a moldy old vampire and a Roman God of war that nobody even still reveres. Not today.
Now, I have to get teams put together to raid a few churches."
"You said visit before."
"Visit, raid….it is the same thing. We're not going to do anything bad. We just need to collect holy water, crucifixes, a little unleavened bread. Oh yeah, someone will need to go to the market and get some garlic. I must see a man about some holy books as well; not just Christian bibles, but some of the others as well. I can have Reid check our library as it is now and see how many he can find. The children have to be outfitted as well."
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh don't worry. I won't place them in the battle, I'm not that harsh. But if it should come to it, if we are unable to protect them properly, they will need some way of taking care of themselves. I know that Jack and Henry have been taking self-defense classes; their parents are FBI agents. And you know that my kids know how to fight. So we can give them something sharp and a crash course in how to use it, and that will help. It will at least buy them a little time until one of us can get to them. But honestly, it shouldn't even get to that. They won't be thrown to the wolves….it will be arranged so that they will have handlers at all times."
"Who are you going to find that can or will do the deed?"
"Kill me you mean?"
"Yes."
"I'm not sure yet. I don't know if there will be any volunteers or if I will have to resort to a bit of trickery."
"How do you mean?"
"Sort of like suicide by cop….it's the same general idea; except, nobody on the other side has ever been on this side of the law. To be quite honest, I barely stay inside the lines most days."
"Really? I haven't noticed."
"Somebody is getting snippy. Does him need a nap?"
"Now who's snippy?"
"I must think on this more. In the meantime, we need to knock over some churches."
"You know, we're going to hell for that right?"
"On the contrary my darling. I think that by going into this battle and dealing with this….bullshit….it's like shaking one big Etch-A-Sketch; it'll be like it never even happened. Besides, I think after some of the orders I've had to follow over the centuries, that I've got enough brownie points to keep in the boss' good books. Now, come, we don't have a lot of time."
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Once they had gone back to meet with the Sultan and some of the others, the Sultan had agreed with what she had told him about the visits to the churches. He also said he would work on a way to get some horsemen for their side.
"Get me the Sarmatians. As far as horsemen go, they are on par with those damned Mongols. They may be the only chance we have for a calvary."
"They are notoriously hard to command…."
"That's why they are a perfect choice for her, don't you think. Nobody is more of a loose cannon than our girl here; perfect fit."
"The Sarmatians. Now." Her voice fading as she left the room on her way to go get supplies from the churches.
"Yes, your majesty." The Sultan replied almost sarcastically although she had already left the room.
"Mehmed, watch your tone old man." Selim arched an eyebrow at him.
"She grows more insufferable by the moment…."
"Remember your place. Yes, you are the Sultan, but she outranks you on every level. Besides, as long as you've known her, you should be used to her behavior."
"And what about now? Look at what has been brought down on us, for no other reason than association with her." The Sultan was getting riled up, his voice raising.
"Do you want to join the other side, speak now man! You can become someone just like him!" Selim yelled at the Sultan, drawing a cord that moved some drapes that hung in front of a hidden painting of Vlad.
"I do not wish to leave our cause; this is not my intentions at all. I am just voicing my displeasure at her attitude. Without us she would have nothing."
"And that, sir, is where you are wrong."
With that Selim turned and left the room to join the group that would be hitting the churches.
"Mehmed, I will help you plan on how to get the Sarmatians here." Mac announced quietly.
The two men set about the work, Mac trying to calm Mehmed down a bit from his tirade about Alecta. She could be difficult at times….most of the time….but she was good at her job, and she never meant to hurt anyone that she cared about. But these last few days especially had been trying for everyone; they were all at or near their breaking points.
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As Alecta, Hotch, Selim, as well as some other began making their rounds to the churches; Hotch began to realize just how far flung her influence was. The first church they entered had some Renaissance style alter paintings. There was a dark haired figure in red that had two swords drawn on a demon of some sort. Hotch would have known the gleam in the eye anywhere.
"Been here before have you?" he whispered to her.
"Not in centuries; likely they don't even know my name anymore." She responded back quietly.
As they made their way up the aisle, towards the altar, Alecta stopped for a moment and genuflected momentarily. Before she could rise from the kneeling position, a Priest turned around. Seeing the dark haired woman before him, he exclaimed.
"You've come back!"
Alecta looked up to him, rising slowly from the one knee, 'You can't possibly be old enough to remember me in the first place."
"No. I'm not. But the others, they left…..mementos." The Priest pointed towards the area around the alter. "These were done around the late 15th or early 16th century….I forget the artist now, but they're original to the church. Apparently there was some battle to speak of. And, there are manuscripts that were left that told about who was involved in the battle….the rulers, and some of the commanders, I think…..they're all quite old and brittle, but we have them safely locked away.
That is you there in the center panel is it not?"
Alecta walked a few steps closer, studying it closely.
"Yes. As a matter of fact it is. Now, since you seem to know who I am, then it stands to reason that you know why I have come."
"Yes. Come with me. All of you follow me."
He led them to a small room off of to the side, sheltered in the south transept. It was very much like a tiny office; there were book cases that lined the back wall with so many books and manuscripts and loose papers that were stacked on them…the Priest began to hand the holy items that they required over.
"Kind Sir, you wouldn't know where we could find the…?" Selim began to ask.
"Yes. Let me see your list."
Alecta pulled out the list of churches they had to make it to.
"This one, the fourth one on the list. It'll be there. We try to move it as often as necessary so it isn't found and falls into the wrong hands. Now look, you better get going. The others will be coming soon and you don't want to be here when they do."
"We can stay and help; if we have been followed, it's the least we should do." Alecta argued.
"M'lady, you are not the only one with a small army at your disposal; come, I will show you."
As they walked back out through the chancel and into the nave, they saw men…men in armor.
"Templars? I'm impressed."
"The others have sent for them as well."
Alecta stepped forward, the entire gathering of the Templars bowed down on one knee, moving as one entity.
"You don't kneel to me; just do what you must to protect this church, and the city."
The commander stood carefully, 'M'lady, as you wish. Is there anything that you might need from us yourself?"
"Horsemen. If you can spare any at all, I need horsemen. I have them raising the Sarmatians; but I don't want all of my eggs in one basket. I need more just on the off chance they can't be acquired."
"I will speak with some of the others and send you what we have to spare."
"And do be careful. I'd hate for any of you to fall victim unnecessarily."
"Too right, M'lady. I don't know exactly what we will be able to spare, we have a…shipment en route. Someone had to be with that."
"Tis alright really. We have them."
"You're sure?"
She winked at the commander.
"You saucy little minx; well, in any case we're moving what we have, so it cannot be used against us. Now go; you have so much to do to get ready. Go. We have men posted at intervals along the route of course."
"Fight to the death."
"As ever."
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As the small troop left that first church, Alecta's spirits seemed lifted for the first time in so long.
"What has you all wound up?" Selim asked, in truth already knowing the answer.
"Oh Selim my friend, this is….." Her eyes danced, literally danced; Hotch hadn't seen her that happy in weeks. "This is so wonderful. I knew there was a small underground sect of them. But, I had no clue…."
She grabbed Hotch, wrapping her arms around him and spun around several times in the middle of the streets of Istanbul, seemingly forgetting herself. "It makes perfect sense that they would be here for this." She settled back down, helping Hotch stand on his own again.
"Come, there are more churches yet to visit." With that they began to run through the streets of the city, her attention being scattered to some of the shops, seeing the textiles and the jewelry that they were hawking.
"My love, not today. Come." Selim smiled as he grasped her by her arm to gently pull her along.
"But the…."
"Work first, then celebrations."
She grumbled a bit but continued to run on to the next church; Hotch was just glad he was in good enough shape to keep up.
Their trips to several of the following churches were much the same as the first; they were prepared for her arrival. The church that had originally been fourth on the list was actually the furthest away, so was the one that they made it to last.
As they approached, Alecta pulled her weapon.
"What's wrong?" Hotch asked quietly.
"Something has been here." Selim answered. Alecta was studying the roofline that she could see for sure; when she became even more suspicious she and Selim gave orders to some of the others with them to go and investigate quickly. As the others ran to fulfill the orders, Alecta, Hotch, and Selim made their way through the front door.
The large doors swung open easily enough, creaking open under the stress of centuries. Like the other churches they had seen the lighting was dim after having been out in the bright daylight.
"Dear God!' Selim crossed himself a bit and began mumbling some holy words only he and Alecta understood.
Alecta came around him and saw what had happened, Hotch standing by her side.
"No. No." All Alecta could do was shake her head and repeat the word NO again and again. The Priest at this church and the few nuns that had kept it running had been gutted and their bodies left bleeding in the crossing of the church, where the nave led to the chancel and on to the apse. The few bodies that there were had been scattered everywhere, torn apart by….God knows what.
There were footsteps that were coming from a hidden doorway, 'Aaron, get behind us, now." Alecta commanded. She and Selim pulled their weapons, ready to do whatever was necessary. Their cohorts that had gone investigating came in the same way they had initially, coming to stop by Alecta and Selim.
The footsteps got closer. Alecta had already drawn on sword, but reached around and drew her Saracen sword as well, her eyes scanning from one point to the next.
Out of the darkness of the apse, more Templars came forward, their weapons drawn as well. As soon as they saw her standing there, they stood down, replacing their weapons in the proper places before kneeling as the others had done.
"M'lady, we were too late. We saw the creatures coming. We couldn't get here fast enough I'm afraid."
"You were likely blocked for this very reason,' Selim spoke.
"Yes, sir. As a matter of fact, we were. A group of them were holding us back…."
"Never mind that now. There is little that can help them. I need some of you to gather what we came for. And you…'pointing at Selim, 'get that staff.
What I need right now is for some of you to escort him back to Topkapi. I'll be meeting you there soon."
"Lex where do you think you are going without me?"
"I am going to even the score."
"I'm coming with you…"
"NO! You're not. If this goes bad, you're not going to want to see the outcome. Even if it goes right, it won't be pretty. You're going back to Topkapi with them. End of story."
"Lex…."
"I will need to be able to focus. If I am worried about your safety I can't do that, and I will surely fail. Please, go back with the others."
"M'lady, you really think the staff is still here?"
"I have to believe that the reason they were killed is because they wouldn't give it up. That's why I hid it here….The ones I left to guard it…they hid it well and would die before they gave up the location."
"That was then. How long ago was that?"
"How old is this church?"
"Lex, how can you be sure that these people would be as….dedicated?"
"That priest…' pointing to the dead man whose body had fallen on the steps that led to the altar, 'I placed it into his hands that day. He was a good man.
At the time he was no more than one of your kind…' looking over to Aaron and the Templars that were there. 'I had no idea that he would….wind up as one of ours…meaning that he would be so long lived. I thought he'd be like the others. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the life expectancy wasn't as long as it is now. If people were lucky enough to live past infancy or the age of a typical juvenile then they weren't expected to live much past say…..age 50. Imagine my shock and amazement when I realize he is still ticking after all this time.
It angers and saddens me a bit, all at the same time. He was one of the first 'mortals' that ever saw me in my true form.
We had sheltered here for a time. It was Magdalene with her unborn child, the boy's mother (Mary)….a few others, and myself. At first I tried to appear as any normal woman. But he caught me one day; wings and all. Instead of being terrified, he was honored. He knew then that whoever I was traveling with had to be important.
I told him we were running from those damned Romans and that there had been a crucifixion; I relayed the abridged version of the story.
He let me store some things here, for safe keeping. He helped us escape when our time here drew to an end. He risked his life for us then. And he gave it all up now. All based on a damned promise that he made 2,000 years ago to a freak with wings.
The bastards will pay. I will make the ones responsible for this pay so very dearly."
"We better get started for Topkapi. We don't have a lot of time." The commander of this group of Templars, William, stated.
"When you get there, I would like for someone to make sure that my friends…the ones that have travelled with me...as well as the children are suitably taken care of. One of the women with me happens to be with child…Don't let anything happen to her."
"Aye. It will be done."
"Thank you, William. Now, I must go see a man about some revenge."
Alecta calmly walked out of the church in the direction that she came; her calm exterior was just that, a façade. She was trying to stay as calm as possible and keep her thoughts clear so she could approach the situation without being too overwhelmed by her emotions. She knew what she had to do and she knew she had to do it now.
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Post AN: So that's chapter 45. I am thinking that with 46 that she will find a way to be killed (only for the purposes of escaping her mortal form)…..once that happens we will have to see where things go.