Trinity Blood: War Continuum

by smcandy

Taking place one month after the anime's finale from Ep. 24 with additional materials from the manga. A/E main pairing to semi major love triangle or more with one-sided love.

24. Nineteen: Abel's Past

(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yes another update one and all. Sorry and more on time to.Okay…so this was a really long chapter. But Abel has a bit of a history, and I wanted to get it across. That and his feelings, and everyone else's reactions. To all those who know the Untold Stories and spoilers. I hope I did this okay. For those of you who don't…I hope this did okay, and didn't bore you too much. Thanks.

DISCLAIMER: All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.

Special thanks to one of my editors and co-partners in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner dragonwriter24cmf check her ownTB stories on which are awesome. Currently right now dragonwriter24cmf is helping with the current chapters and drafts for the stories plot and outline.

Warning:This fan fiction is rated (M) AKA Lemon. This story is ABSOULTLY NOT suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter. This story contains strong explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, one-sided yuri, bisexuality, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. If this disturbs you, do not read any further.

Notice: Trinity Blood War Continuum takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage Against the Moons (RAM), Reborn on the Mars (ROM). In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.

Trinity Blood: War Continuum - Chapter Nineteen- Abel's Past

The Methuselah surrounded her, and Dietrich held her. She struggled, but she couldn't get free, and her strength was fading. Her wrist bled, and one Methuselah after another was drinking her blood. Kampfer's fangs, and Helga's and the others. Then a blond haired man seized her wrist, and licked the blood off of his fingers. He smiled a cold, amused smile that didn't reach his empty eyes, and bent his head to her wrist.

Esther shot upright in the infirmary bed, gasping in terror. Her heart was pounding with the aftermath of the memory-nightmare. She shuddered, pressing her hands over her mouth and fighting back tears.

"Miss Esther? What's wrong?" A hand gently touched her shoulder. She blinked back tears, and looked into Abel's concerned face.

The gentle eyes were enough to restore some of her composure. She brushed a hand across her face. "I'm sorry Father. I didn't mean to disturb you. I just…" She stopped. Even in the dim lighting of the room, she could see he still looked pale and tired. The memory of their last conversation hung between them, and she didn't want to trouble him further. "It was just a nightmare, Father. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"No, not really." He shook his head. "Well, I was dozing a bit but…I'm fine." He shifted slightly, and when he spoke his voice was soft. "Miss Esther…are you sure you're all right? You sounded…very upset."

She shook her head. "It was just…I had a nightmare."

"I see. Well, you really should try to get some more rest." His hand was gentle on her shoulder. "If there's something I can do for you…"

"No. It's all right." Esther shook her head. "I'm…I'm all right now." She settled back into the pillows. Her heart was still pounding, but she felt much calmer.

"Well then, I should probably let you rest." He shifted, then pushed his glasses up his nose and started to stand.

Esther felt a vague sense of panic. She reached out and touched his wrist. "Father…if it's not too much trouble…could you stay for a while?"

"Oh…well, if that's what you want." He hesitated, then settled back into his seat. His hand caught hers with a careful grip. "I'll stay here as long as you like."

"Thank you Father." The feel of his warm touch settled her. She relaxed back into the bed, and let her eyes close. Within moments, she was asleep again.

She spent most of the next day sleeping or resting. Abel was gone when she woke again, but Kate was there, to serve her a solid meal and a calming tea. By the time the lights of Albion appeared in the forward viewport, she felt…well, not rested, and not really relaxed either, but at least calmer. She stood watching the lights of the Palace, feeling a sense of relief so deep it threatened to reduce her to tears.

"Here, now. We wouldn't want you to be upset over coming home. Here you are." Wordsworth's cheerful words cut across her swirling emotions. She turned, to find him holding out a handkerchief. "Here you are."

"Thank you Professor." She took the handkerchief, and dabbed at her eyes. She offered him a trembling smile. "I'm sorry. It must seem rather silly of me. It's just…I was so afraid I'd never be able to get back here…I suppose…I'm just a little overwhelmed."

He smiled gently. "On the contrary, it's not unexpected at all. In fact, it's quite reasonable. I have to confess, I feel the same way whenever I return to my offices after a dangerous mission, or something of that sort."

"Thank you." She sniffed once more, then turned back to the window. "Was there something you needed to tell me?"

"Only a few details. Kate informs me we'll be docking in about half an hour. Caterina will be waiting to meet you, along with Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer. And if you don't mind putting up with us, I believe everyone involved in the rescue mission will be remaining at Buckingham Palace for a few days."

"I'd be happy to have all of you there." She frowned, staring at the window. "I don't mean to be rude, but…what of Father Nightroad? Will he be there as well?"

He chuckled. "Unless you request it otherwise, I think Abel intends to go right back to his duties as your guard. Actually, he's already at the docking bay doors, waiting for landing." He hesitated for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was more serious. "I'm aware that you and Father Nightroad quarreled just before your disappearance. If you'd rather we assigned someone else…"

"No. Actually, I'd prefer it if Father Nightroad were to remain here." Esther let one hand tighten around the handkerchief still in her hands. "I…it's true that we had a fight, but…that's really part of the reason. I don't want to have things like this between us. I was concerned that he'd just leave, though."

The Professor shook his head. "I don't think you need to be concerned about that." He frowned out the window, chewing thoughtfully on his pipe-stem. "It might not be my place to say this, but I think at the present time, that Abel will not leave your side. Not unless you wish him to go." He shook his head. "You didn't see him, of course, but he was frantic when you were taken. Even with all of us, we barely managed to keep him from losing his head and doing something foolish."

"I see. Thank you." Esther returned her gaze to the lights outside. She wasn't sure what to think. She was relieved that he wasn't planning to leave, but at the same time…she remembered what she'd said, what she'd done. Even more, she remembered what Cain had said of him, and it troubled her. She wasn't sure how to bring up the subject, and she feared she'd only hurt him if she did. After a moment, she turned back to the quiet gentleman standing by her side. "I suppose we'd better get down to the landing dock."

"Quite right. I'll escort you there myself." He smiled and held out a hand.

Abel was at the port when they arrived. In the light of the bay, he looked better, but still…Esther frowned with concern. His uniform looked looser than she remembered and there were dark circles under the blue eyes. He'd obviously gotten cleaned up again, but he still looked over-tired, and though he smiled at her approach, even the smile looked exhausted. "Miss Esther. How are you feeling?"

"I'm all right." She moved to stand beside him. "What about you Father? You still look tired."

He laughed a little. "Well, I'm sure it's nothing serious. I'm really quite all right." He didn't sound it though. He offered her his gentle smile once more. "Really, Miss Esther, there's nothing to worry about." His head tilted, and Esther felt the slight shift in vibration. "It looks like we're landing. You should probably get ready to greet your advisors. I'm sure they'll be relieved to see you." He smiled once more, then dropped back to stand in her escort with the Professor and Father Vaclav. Esther nodded, and turned back to the doors.

Minutes later, they were on the ground, and Kate opened the hatch. Esther stepped forward, her guards following.

Virgil and Mary were both waiting at the end of the ramp, with Caterina and the others standing a few yards back. As she approached, Virgil bowed his head. "Your Majesty." Then to her surprise, he and Mary both went to their knees on the deck, heads bowed. "Welcome home."

"Please rise, both of you." Esther held out her hand.

Virgil raised his head, but neither of them made any move to rise. "Your Majesty. I appreciate your kindness, however…." His head lowered again. "I wish to offer my sincerest apologies for this regrettable incident. That you should be taken from within the very walls of the Palace…I can only offer my deepest regrets. I am fully prepared to accept whatever penalty you choose to impose. If you wish, I will submit my resignation as Your Majesty's advisor immediately."

"I as well." Mary didn't even lift her head. "As the head of your Guard, I have no excuse for allowing this to happen. If Your Majesty wishes, I will leave now. I have a list of men I can recommend as my successor, if you wish."

"No." Esther shook her head. She studied the two before her. "Please, stand." She waited until both of them came to their feet. "I don't wish to dismiss either of you."

"Your Majesty…" Mary started to speak, but Esther held up her hand.

"You both did the best you could. But our enemies…they are very devious." She smiled reassuringly. "No one could have guessed they'd try something like that, right after such a major assault. And I didn't help anything by going off on my own."

"Nevertheless…" Virgil spoke softly. "If we cannot protect you…"

"How can you expect your replacements to do any better?" She looked at both of them, meeting their eyes with a firm gaze. "Right now…even if there are problems, I need people who understand the threat Rosenkreutz represents. I need people who understand what we're facing. Colonel Spencer…can you honestly tell me that the men on your list are aware of all the things Dietrich, or von Kampfer can do? Or that they've faced our true enemy?"

Mary held her gaze for a moment, then bowed her head. "I fear not, Majesty."

"And Lord Walsh…who will protect the Underground for me? I know Lady Vanessa is quite capable, but she doesn't have your contacts within the court. And Father Nightroad is needed for other things as well."

"It is true. However…Your Majesty…."

"Enough." She smiled at both of them, and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ears. "Something…something regrettable has happened. But even so, we can't allow that to come between us. If I dismiss you, I will only do the Order's work for it, by depriving myself of my wisest and most capable advisors when I need them most."

Mary stared at her for a long moment, then bowed her head. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

Virgil echoed the gesture. Then he turned. "Your Majesty, I believe your allies are waiting to greet you. And if you do not mind my saying so, I recommend you retire soon. There is much to be done."

Esther nodded. "I'm sure there is." She sighed, then moved forward to shake hands with Caterina. "Cardinal Sforza. Thank you for greeting me here. I'm sorry to have taken you away from your duties in the Vatican."

"There's no need for concern." Caterina smiled. "As I've said before, one desk is as good as another. At the moment, things are well in hand within the Vatican. And considering that I placed all my agents at the disposal of your advisors, it made sense for me to come here."

"I see. Then it hasn't been too much trouble I hope." Esther made a face. "I imagine Cardinal di Medici wasn't too happy about this."

Caterina snorted. "Francesco understands the necessity. Besides, His Holiness was very concerned for your safety. He even requested I retain the services of Brother Petros and Sister Paula." She gestured to two of the forms behind her. "And Her Majesty, Empress of the Empire, has requested that you accept the services of her two envoys."

"I'd be more than happy to." Esther stepped around, and bowed slightly. "Thank you all, for all your assistance. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and for my people."

Caterina laughed. "I fear we didn't do much. And I understand that you managed to rescue yourself. Still, we're glad to be of assistance." She studied Esther for a moment in the lamplight of the platform. "I suggest you get some rest. I can tell you from experience, you'll have a great deal to do over the next few days."

Esther nodded. "I understand. Thank you." Then she turned to where Virgil waited with her escort a few paces behind. "Lord Walsh…I believe Her Eminence has a point. If it's not too much trouble…"

"I will escort you to your quarters myself, and see that your guests are settled in." Virgil bowed, and the entire group moved from the dock.

An hour later, Esther was settled back in her familiar bed. Her last thought, as she fell asleep, was that she still hadn't managed to speak to Abel.

The next few days were hectic. Esther rose early and went to bed late. The Court had to be reassured that she was all right, and that she was still ruling. More than one person called for both Lord Walsh and Colonel Spencer to be replaced, and those nobles had to be dissuaded. Even the servants had to be taken care of. Her third day back, she took a carefully guarded tour through Londinium to make sure her people knew she was safe. She would have found it to be a chore, but the heartfelt cheers made her heart feel much lighter.

She also made time to call her allies, and thank them for their generous support and assistance. Both Seth and Alessandro greeted her calls with enthusiasm, and friendly enquiries. She reassured them of her safety, but she didn't dare go into details of her experience. Instead, she shared general details about the compound, the troops she'd noted, and the Order members she'd met. She remembered what Balthasar had said of Kaspar, and passed on that warning, with all the urgency she could put into it. Beyond that, there were discussions of how to increase guards within all three major capitals, without alarming the common people.

She also read over the reports of the three rescue teams that had been sent out. She was gratified to know that her advisors had come for her. Unfortunately, the reports were all negative. Though both Leon and Hugue had elected to press forward to their initial destinations, they'd found the sites abandoned. There were signs of large forces there, but there was no data left behind, and no clue as to where they'd gone. Father Vaclav made a brief expedition to Berlin, only to report that it too, had been abandoned.

Whenever she wasn't in Council, or meeting her allies, Esther was swamped with paperwork. Virgil and her steward had done their best, but there were a number of things her signature was needed on. Sensitive documents relating to the Council, judgments from the battle, that hadn't been handled before the treaty signing and the celebration. Then there were the basic day-to-day petitions to the crown. Some of them were fairly mundane. Some of them, like the request to double the budget for the city guards, were fairly serious and had to be taken into carful consideration.

At other times, Esther scheduled time for both Virgil and Mary to instruct her in fighting. She was determined to be better prepared for the next assault. She learned about grappling, and several of the back-alley tactics that Virgil had witnessed, though she guessed he'd never employed them. At Caterina's suggestion, she even approached Sister Paula, and requested her expertise. The Inquisition Second-in-Command had a reputation as a wicked fighter. Despite her cold manner, she was willing to pass on her knowledge after Petros agreed, and she turned out to be a reasonable teacher.

In a way, Esther was grateful for the exhausting pace. Her nights were often disturbed by nightmares, and memories of what had happened during her capture. She dreamed, more than once, of Dietrich's attempt on her, and Cain's seductions. Nights after a particularly exhausting day, she often fell asleep and slept till her maids came to wake her. But other nights, she woke three and four times a night, sweating and shaking. She knew Virgil noticed, because he commented on it, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him what had happened. She wanted to tell someone, to get the weight off her mind, but still…she couldn't. The words stuck in her throat. The memories of fear and shame made it far too difficult. She made excuses, of being concerned over this or that, or distracted. After the first few days, there was something at the back of her mind, disturbing her, but she couldn't pin it down. Finally, after the fifth day, it struck her.

She hadn't seen Abel since her return. She knew he was probably in the Palace, with Caterina here. And she'd seen lights on in his rooms, across from hers, once or twice. But he hadn't showed up for guard duty, and she'd not run across him in the halls. It was odd, given what the Professor had said about him.

"Your Majesty?" Virgil's gentle question drew her out of her thoughts. She blushed.

"My apologies, Lord Walsh." She looked back at the paperwork she was supposed to be looking over, mostly reports on the Palace functions. They weren't actually thing she had to review, but she'd developed a habit of looking at them, in case of possible anomalies, even before her capture. "I'm afraid I got distracted."

"It is understandable. However…if there is something in particular on your mind, I may be able to assist you." He stood before her, watching her with his silent, solemn gaze, then spoke for a moment. "If you'll forgive my intrusion, you've seemed a bit troubled of late."

She shook her head. "It's all right. I've just had a bit of trouble sleeping. But I was wondering…I haven't seen Father Nightroad around recently. I heard from Father Wordsworth that he was planning on returning to guard detail, so I was a little surprised. Although, I suppose with Lady Caterina here, he'd be helping her. She is his superior, after all."

Virgil shook his head. "I believe Father Nightroad will return to his duties as your guard within a few days. However, it was recommended that he be given time to recover before resuming his post. Given his condition, as it was reported to me, I've elected to give him a few more days."

Esther stiffened. "Recover? Is there something wrong with him?"

Virgil sighed, and looked away from her. "I cannot say precisely. I do not fully understand his condition, Your Majesty. I am aware that he possesses the force known as the Crusnik, and that his strength and endurance are…impressive. But…" He frowned. "According to his comrades, Father Nightroad's body has been…somewhat strained, since you disappeared. I have not been given all the details, but it appears his activities have driven him perilously near the edge of his strength. His compatriot, Father Wordsworth, suggested we give him time for his systems to reset at a more reasonable level."

Esther bit her lip. "You mean…because he was looking for me…he drove himself so hard?"

"Perhaps that is part of it. Certainly, he did more for our search to locate you than any other. The rescue plan we devised was his suggestion. However, he was also called upon by the Empress of the Methuselah Empire to help prevent a major incursion by the Order and their allies. And…" He shook his head.

"Did something happen?" Esther met his gaze. One fist clenched in her skirt underneath the desk.

"I cannot say for certain. I can only tell you what I know, Your Majesty." He took a deep breath, refusing to meet her gaze. "I can tell you that, after your kidnapping, Father Nightroad returned to the Vatican, and was held by the Inquisition for some time. What occurred during that time, I have no information, and in truth, I do not wish to ask. However, I believe, given the presence of Brother Petros, that it was not too serious. Besides that…Father Nightroad has worked tirelessly. I know he made one month long journey overseas, apparently to gather information. Father Wordsworth informs me he has not rested more than an hour since you were taken, and my own observations confirm that fact."

Esther felt her stomach clench. The idea of Abel in the hands of the Inquisitors….she repressed a shudder. "Can you tell me what his current condition is?"

"He has been eating and sleeping a great deal. In fact, aside from reporting briefly to the Cardinal, and to Father Wordsworth, I believe he has done nothing else." He offered her a smile. "I truly believe there is nothing worse than exhaustion. A few more days should see him perfectly well. However, if you wish, I will speak with him this evening, and apprise you of his condition."

"Thank you, but it isn't necessary." Esther smiled. "I'm sure he's fine." She studied Virgil a moment. "Which reminds me, what about you and the others? You look a little tired as well." And he did. There were lines across the brow similar to the ones she'd seen before, during negotiations, when he'd stayed up for three and four days straight.

Virgil smiled again, genuine warmth in his eyes. "I assure you, I am quite all right. Vanessa has been working to make sure both Colonel Spencer and I get a proper amount of rest."

"I see. Tell her I said thank you." She relaxed a little, and looked down at the papers on her desk. "Well then, I really ought to get back to work." Virgil nodded, and both of them bent once more over their desks.

She was busy enough that she managed not to think about it anymore that day, but later that evening, she was too restless to sleep. Thoughts of Abel kept intruding. She lay in her bed, trying to get some rest, but she couldn't stop thinking about him.

He'd come to look for her. And in the process, apparently pushed himself so hard that he'd had to take time to recover. She knew Abel, he had more stamina and strength than anyone she'd ever met, in spite of that deceptively slender frame. That he'd been pushed that hard…it was difficult to imagine. She bit her lip. And I…I still haven't apologized to him. Not for what I said, not for striking him that night. I haven't even apologized for hitting him when he rescued me. She knew she'd connected at least twice with her gun. I haven't even thanked him properly.

That last thought decided her. She slid out of bed, and slipped on a long robe. As expected, there were guards outside her door, but they were a discreet distance away. She looked across the hall, and sighed with relief. There was a light on under Abel's door. She pulled the belt of the robe a little more firmly around her, and slipped her feet into a pair of slippers, then stepped across the hall and knocked gently on the door.

There was a startled noise, then Abel's voice came, muffled by the door. "Enter."

She opened the door, then stepped inside and shut it behind her. Abel was sitting sprawled on the bed, a book in one hand, but he sat up quickly. "Miss Esther…"

"It's all right Father. Please, don't get up." She held out a hand, then looked away from him. "I'm sorry to drop by so late, but…I was wondering how you were. I haven't seen you for a few days, and Lord Walsh said you were recovering from something."

"Ah." He set the book aside. "Well, there's really nothing to worry about. I was just a little tired, that's all."

"Father…" Esther bit her lip. "It…it wasn't just that, was it? Virgil said you…you went to the Inquisition. And…"

"Miss Esther." Abel stood, and moved to her side. Esther looked up, startled, as his gentle hands took her shoulders. "Truly, I am all right. I did go to the Inquisition, and I was imprisoned for a time, but I swear to you…I was not hurt. Brother Petros and Lady Caterina took very good care of me." He smiled. "I was just…I'm afraid I let my metabolism get a little out of balance, and, well…" He sighed, and the smile fell away. He looked away from her. "Well, I suppose you could say…that…my other side…it was a little harder to control. That's all. I didn't want to worry you, but Professor Wordsworth thought it might be a good idea to let things settle back to normal before I resumed my duties. But it's all right now."

She could see the tension in his face. "I'm sorry Father."

"Ehh?" He blinked, and his eyes, when he looked at her, were startled.

She smiled, a touch of irony to the expression. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Actually…" She stepped away, putting some distance between them, and settled on the edge of one chair. "Actually Father, I wanted to thank you. For coming to my rescue. And…I wanted to apologize. For my behavior."

Abel blinked again. "Miss Esther, you don't have to…"

She interrupted him. "I do. After all…even though you rescued me…I struck you. And I haven't apologized for that."

Abel smiled. "Well, you were rather upset, and I don't think you knew it was me, just then. So that's all right."

"Perhaps. But before…" She clenched her hands. "That night…I said some terrible things to you Father. I…I said I hated you, and I struck you. And that…that was terribly unfair of me. I shouldn't have been so cruel. And for that…I just wanted to tell you…I'm sorry, Father."

"It's all right." His voice was soft. "I…actually, you know, I've been meaning to apologize as well. I'm afraid I didn't handle things very well that night." She looked up at him, but he was looking at the far wall, his eyes distant. Then his gaze came back to hers, full of regret. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She shook her head. "It isn't your fault." Another ironic smile touched her face. "Really, I was thinking…it really is my fault after all." She stood, looking at one of the paintings on the wall, trying to find a way to say what she meant. "When…when I first met you, you were so strange to me. You weren't like anyone I ever met. And I…when Gyula spoke to you, after the Star of Sorrow was destroyed, I was surprised. Seeing you…I felt as if I was watching two different people. And you…you seemed so lonely. But…I…when I came with you to the Vatican…I was looking for answers. About what happened, but also about you."

"Esther…" Abel spoke hesitantly from behind her, but she held up a hand. She wanted to get the words out.

"All this time, I've been trying to find out all your secrets, your past, everything like that. But…it's not fair to you. I've been demanding to know about your past, and the Crusnik, and all that. But…I never took the time to understand even the little things about you. Even though I've known you for years now, even though I've pried into things that were none of my business…I was never even courteous enough to ask you the simple things that friends and colleagues are supposed to know."

"Ummm…well, I'm not sure I understand."

Esther swallowed. "Well, simple things. I know Professor Wordsworth is from Albion, like Sister Kate. I know Vaclav likes brighter colors. When…when I knew Sister Noelle, I knew she liked getting dressed up. And I know Father Garcias likes motorcycles, and women. I even know that Lady Caterina likes chamomile and lemon in her tea. They're just…little things. Likes and dislikes. Birthdays and things like that. But I…I've never even thought to ask you about anything like that, Father. I don't…I don't know what your favorite food is, what your hobbies are, or your favorite color. I don't even know when and where you were born." She stared at the wall. "All this time…I've been trying to force you to tell me personal things, but I never asked those questions. And I guess…I'm a little ashamed of myself."

"It's all right." His voice was gentle. Then to her surprise, he spoke again. "Actually…I like to read, and I like to travel. That was one reason I became a travelling priest, you know. The assignments are a bit difficult, but I do enjoy travelling around. It's nice to see the countryside. And with a good book in hand, why, it's practically heaven."

Esther turned around, startled at the disclosure. Abel was seated on the bed again, smiling. "Father…" She stopped. "You…" She stopped again. "I didn't know that."

"Hmmm…well I don't really get much time to read. And I do have a bit of a problem with being seasick, sometimes." The gentle smile widened. "And really, I don't have much of a favorite food, except…well, I am rather fond of sweet things."

Esther blinked. "I thought…the Crusnik…"

He nodded. "I do require more sugar to help offset the effects, but the truth is…I enjoy sweets. I didn't get much of them as a child, not until I was much older, in fact. Since then, I'm afraid I've developed quite a fondness for them." There was a flash of sadness in his eyes, and pain, but it vanished so fast she had no time to ask about it. "And…if you wanted to know my favorite color…well, actually…" He flushed. "Red, usually. But it's more…well, it isn't so much a color as a thing, really."

Esther blinked at him. "I…I don't understand."

"I like…well, I like certain scenes, rather than colors. The sky on a bright autumn day, a good sunset, the colors of the Vatican in the noon light. Sometimes even the sky at night, with all the stars shining. It's things like that." He ran his hand through his silver hair, looking self-conscious. "I really…can't choose a favorite color. Every color has…well, memories, attached, I suppose you could say. Good ones, and bad ones, so…"

"I understand." And it did make sense, of a sort. Even without knowing his past, she knew he'd seen a lot. "Well, if you don't mind my asking Father…I've never heard where you come from, or…when is your birthday? If you tell me, then I can ask the kitchens to make you something special. After all, you haven't had much time to celebrate it, have you?" She smiled.

Abel swallowed, and she was surprised to see his expression turn serious. "I…well…I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly when I was born." Something bitter, and painful, touched his face. Then he shrugged it away. "But as to where I was born…actually, Miss Esther…I was born in Albion."

"In Albion?" Esther stared. "I…I didn't know."

"Hmmm, well, not even Caterina knows, really. It was a very long time ago, after all." He offered her a smile, but it didn't touch his eyes. "Actually…" He stood, a restless gesture. "I was really born right here in Londinium. It's changed a great deal since then, but…I…was born here in this city, in a manner of speaking. I could probably even show you the place, if you wished."

Esther stared at him, startled. The fact that he'd been from Albion was strange enough, though she could hear the faint accent of the area in his words when she listened for it. But for him to have been raised in Londinium….that was truly odd. She wanted to ask more questions, to see the place he'd been born, but at the same time, she could see the tension in his frame. She studied the lean profile, uncertain what to say next.

It was Abel who broke the awkward silence. "Miss Esther…you said, earlier, that you wished to know…that you wished to know about my past." His voice was low, with a tense undercurrent she couldn't quite name. "Do you…do you still want to know?"

Esther blinked. He wasn't facing her, but she saw the lean shoulders tense slightly. "Father? What are you…?"

"If you want to know, still, about my past…I will tell you." He still didn't look at her. "If you…if you truly want to know…who I am, what I've done…what's between Cain and I…I will tell you." His head bowed. "Everything. I can…show you where I was born…and everything…everything else. You have only to ask it of me."

Esther stared at him, unable to speak. She knew what he was offering her. She'd demanded once, to know what held him back, and now he was offering to tell her. But…she could see his tension, see his pain, already so close to the surface. She knew whatever he told her would be a terrible experience for him. She didn't want to torture him like that, not for mere curiosity. And yet…he was willing to speak to her. Even knowing how bad it would be, he'd offered this to her. And she sensed that to turn him away, even to spare him this, might also hurt him.

Finally, she stepped forward, and laid a hand on his arm. "Father…I do want to know. But only if you want to tell me. And if it's going to hurt you…please, don't."

He looked at her for a long moment, so many emotions in his eyes that she couldn't properly read what he was thinking, or feeling. Finally, he bowed his head. "If you're going to come with me, you should probably wear something else. And I need to speak to Lord Walsh."

Esther nodded, and slipped across the hall to her rooms. It only took a minute to find a dress that she could slip on without help of her maids, and a pair of shoes. She dressed quickly, surprised to find her hands shaking. A part of her wanted desperately to hear what Abel was going to tell her, but…she was frightened as well. This close to his secrets, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Abel was waiting outside her door, robed in his cassock. He looked up as she emerged, then nodded. "Lord Walsh is a few doors down." A small smile touched his features. "He and Caterina have been talking."

Esther nodded. Abel took her across the hall, stopping at Caterina's door. He knocked once, then simply opened the door. "Lady Caterina."

Caterina raised an eyebrow. "Father Nightroad." As Esther entered, the Cardinal rose from her seat. "Your Majesty. Is there something wrong?"

"No." Esther shook her head, lifting a hand to forestall the others who were rising. It was quite a gathering. The Professor was leaning against the wall, and had apparently been talking with Vaclav and Father Leon. Ion and Astha were also standing on the sidelines of the discussion. Mary and Virgil were both sitting, where they'd apparently been speaking to Caterina, and Petros stood behind her. "I'm surprised though…I had no idea there was a meeting tonight."

Caterina shook her head. "It's nothing formal. I simply thought it would be wise for us to get together and speak." She smiled a bit ruefully. "I should have asked you to join us, but I was informed you had a rather heavy schedule." Her eyes shifted to Esther's companion. "Abel. How are you?"

"I'm fine." Abel's voice was soft. "Actually…I came to request a favor, if I might." His gaze shifted to Virgil. "Lord Walsh…Her Majesty asked me a question, which I think I need to answer. But…I'll need to take her to…well, down into the sealed area of the Ghetto."

Virgil shifted. "That is…hardly a safe journey. It would be best if you had an escort."

Abel's mouth tightened. "I know…but…I'd really prefer it if as few people as possible…."

"Abel." Caterina interrupted. She moved forward to stand in front of him. "What is it, Abel? You look troubled."

"I…I am going to tell Esther the truth. All of it. From the beginning. I…everything starts here, in Albion, but I'd prefer…I can't…" He trailed off, and his head bowed.

Leon stepped forward. "Hey, Four Eyes. If there's something bothering you, just say it already." He frowned.

Caterina studied him a moment, then touched his face. "This is personal, isn't it? Do you intend to tell her…even what you would not tell me?"

"Yes." Abel's eyes met hers. He seemed to be struggling with himself, then he spoke. "I suppose…it's only fair. Actually…" His eyes rose, drifting over the group. "I…if you wish to accompany me, I…"

"Hey…" Leon's frown deepened. "You look like we're taking you to be whipped. What the hell is going on?"

Abel met his gaze. "I…there's somewhere I need to take Esther. But it's only fair for her advisors to request an escort. But I… this is…this…well I'm afraid it's rather personal."

"Let me get this straight. You need to go somewhere, but you don't want to take regular guards?" Leon shrugged. "Well, I don't mind going with you. Unless, you think you can't trust us."

"No, I…" Abel swallowed, then looked away. "You have a right to know this. After all…as much as I wish otherwise, it is relevant to the battle against the Order of Rosenkreutz. So…if any of you wish to hear this….I…I will not ask you to stay here."

"Very well. I will accompany you." Petros straightened. Caterina said nothing, simply measured Abel with a long look, then turned and picked up a cloak. The others also straightened.

Abel turned to Virgil. "Lord Walsh…"

"With your permission, Colonel Spencer and I will accompany you as well."

Abel nodded. "I was going to ask you." A faint, bitter smile touched his mouth. "After all, you've been the faithful guardian of that place for a long time, haven't you? It's only fair, to let you see what you've been protecting." His glance touched the assembled group once more, then he turned and left. Esther and the others followed him.

Abel was quiet as he led them to one of the main elevators. As they all stepped in, Virgil took his place at the console and turned to him. "My lord?"

Abel nodded. "You'll need the lowest level." Virgil inclined his head, then turned and tapped out a destination code on the elevator console.

The ride down was a long one. Esther had gone down to the Underground before, but always into the first few levels. From the length of the descent, she guessed they were going at least twice as far.

When the elevator finally stopped, Esther blinked. The corridor in front of them wasn't exactly dark, but it was clearly disused. The light was even enough, but there was a sense of age, and dust in the metal walls. Abel stepped forward without a word, leading them all to another elevator. He flipped the panel open, then removed one glove and rested his palm across the screen. There was flare of green light, and then the compartment slid silently open. "Here. We'll need to go down about three more levels."

The second elevator was much smaller, but they managed. Leon frowned as Abel stepped into the compartment. "I hate to ask, Four Eyes, but where exactly are you taking us?"

It was Virgil who spoke. "Deep within the Underground, there is a section which no one may enter. It's been guarded by the Manchester family for a very long time, but even we do not know who it was made for, or why. The founder of the Underground said only that it was to be sealed and protected for its master. We cannot even enter that place."

"So…why would we go there now?" Astha spoke up. She turned her gaze on Abel. "Tovarish?"

"Because that's where we need to go." He flashed her a wan smile. "Don't worry, I have access there."

"Okay, but what is it we're going to see?" Leon shifted impatiently.

Abel swallowed. "Well…" He sighed. "Before Armageddon, there was a program…the Genetics Research Program. You've probably heard of it."

"Indeed." Wordsworth frowned. "A program to modify human DNA, to produce healthier, longer lived people. We studied it in the University. The goals were very diverse. Everything from longer life-spans, to psychic powers. People were tested for resistance to disease, quick healing. However, the project was eventually abandoned. No one knows why. Even today, the results are still being seen. Witches and enhanced humans are all results of that program."

Leon frowned. "So…it's stuff like that guy, Professor Barrie, was into?"

"Something like that." The elevator stopped, and Abel motioned them out. Esther found herself standing in front of a large door. Abel stepped forward. "But the scientists in the Genetics Manipulation and Research teams then were far more sophisticated than Barrie could ever dream of being." He gestured. "This is the Albion Underground Genetic Manipulations Lab."

"I see. Fascinating." Wordsworth stuck his pipe between his teeth, thoughtfully. "But…I thought you said there was something relevant to our current situation."

"There is." Abel's head bowed. "The truth is…the research wasn't abandoned. But the last stage of the Genetic Manipulations Project was so controversial, that it was decided to avoid publicizing it as much as possible."

"What do you mean?" Vaclav frowned.

Abel sighed, and leaned against the wall. "Some of the scientists gathered together all the data from the experiments. They combined that data, and found what they believed to be the genetic make-up of the potential perfect human being. 'The Template of God', they called it. And when they had it, they decided to take the research one step farther. Instead of simply altering human DNA, they decided to create life." His face twisted, but Esther couldn't read his emotions.

"To create life?" Caterina frowned, and then her gaze turned to the doors in front of them. "Then this facility…"

"This facility is one of four that chose to participate in that final project." Abel moved forward, and touched his hand to another scanner. The doors slid open. "This place…this is where Albion chose to try and create the perfect human being."

Esther stepped inside, curious. As she crossed the threshold, lights came on, startling her. She turned, to meet Abel's haunted gaze. After a moment, he nodded slightly. She turned away, back into the depths of the lab. She wanted to know what was going on, but she sensed he needed time to compose himself. Whatever this place was, it was deeply troubling for him.

It was a strange place. There was a room that was clearly an infirmary of sorts, and several rooms she couldn't guess the purpose of. One room held a huge glass cylinder, broken now. Several rooms were clearly meant for sleeping or eating, and one she thought looked like a room for an adolescent.

Abel was still standing by the door as she returned. She hesitated, uncertain of what to say. But Leon spoke first. "Okay, I'll grant this place is pretty impressive, Four Eyes, but I still don't see what it has to do with now."

"Well, everything." Abel sighed. "This place, it's one of four labs. There's one in the Empire, which…" His gaze touched Astha and Ion. "You've seen it, both of you. It's in the Imperial Palace. There's also a place like this in Old Berlin." His gaze touched Esther. "That's where you were being held, Miss Esther." He sighed. "And the other…"

"Is in the ancient American continent." Wordsworth spoke. "Where we went to look for clues isn't it?" Abel nodded. "So…why is it so important? Is it because the Contra Mundi wanted that information?"

Abel nodded, his face pale. "That is…part of it."

"Well, then what's the rest?" Leon folded his arms, looking impatient. "Why bring us to this place?"

"Because…" Abel swallowed hard. "Because…this is the place where I was born."

Esther felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. He was born here? But why…? She had a terrible feeling all of a sudden.

Vaclav frowned. "Were your parents trying to revive the lost technology here?"

"No." A bitter, anguished smile touched Abel's face, and he turned away from them. "I…I don't…" He stopped, and when he spoke again his voice was rough. "Didn't you ever wonder, why there was no record of my family name, why I never gave you my birthday, or my home?" Anguish touched his voice. "The truth is…I don't really have parents. Not like you. I…all four of the labs that participated in that final project produced viable, living results. Living children. And the result of the Albion Genetics experiment….is me."

Silence fell, and Esther felt as if she might faint from the shock. Looking around, she could tell that even Caterina looked startled. The only person who didn't look completely taken off guard was Virgil. He stared at the other man, compassion in his gaze, but no surprise.

Leon recovered first. "You've gotta be kidding me. For one thing, that'd make you about almost a thousand years old. And for another…I hate to say this Four Eyes, but I don't think you're a perfect human being."

Abel laughed, but there was no amusement in the sound. "Well, being that old…it's been a long time since I worried about it. But…as to being perfect…I've no doubt the scientists agreed with you."

There was such pain in his voice that Esther moved forward. "Father Nightroad…"

He shuddered, and leaned against the wall. "I…grew up in this lab, from the time I was taken out of the incubation tube, until I was about 15 years old."

"Incubation tube?" Wordsworth blinked. Then his expression lightened. "That room with the large glass cylinder?"

"Yes." Abel nodded, his face pale. "I…that's where they…well, I'm not sure what you'd call it." That bitter expression touched his face. "Bred me, I suppose. Or grew me. It really doesn't matter." He bowed his head. "It was an experiment, to see if they could actually bring a child to term. And after they proved that…well, then everything else was an experiment as well."

He wasn't looking at any of them, and Esther didn't dare interrupt. She saw Leon start to open his mouth, but Astha elbowed him. Abel just spoke, his voice low and almost expressionless, except for the pain.

"I…every day, from the day I first began to walk and learn how to speak…it was all the same. Or nearly so. It was…I don't know how to explain…" He winced. "Every morning, they'd run tests of one sort or another. Sometimes mental aptitude tests, sometimes physical. Or they'd run health tests, draw blood, that sort of thing. Or they'd check my development. Sometimes I didn't even know what it was they wanted, they just ran the tests. And then, after that…there were lessons. Schooling. Everything was controlled, what I could read, what I needed to study. Mathematics, languages, literature, history, everything. I…I wouldn't have minded, but…it was all at their pace. I couldn't, I couldn't take any time to adjust or learn things, or go over things. And any time I didn't get everything right…"

He stopped, took a deep shuddering breath. "I…was an experiment. Anything I did right, it was all someone else's success. They would stand around congratulating each other on how well I turned out. But…when I didn't do as well as they wanted…they'd say I wasn't trying hard enough. That I'd failed them. That according to their aptitude tests, I should have done better. And there was nothing I could say about it. If I tried to protest that there was something wrong, they'd just take me and run more tests. When I argued, they'd run psychological tests, and have someone 'talk' to me."

His face was white in the lighting. Esther had no idea what to say. Then William stepped forward and laid a hand on his shoulder. Abel started, and Wordsworth regarded him with compassionate eyes. "Professor…"

"It's all right." He sighed and shook his head. "I've always wondered why you were so uncomfortable about my experiments, why you've always been so resistant. But this…this is why, isn't it? And when I asked you a few months ago to come down here for those tests…"

Abel looked away. "I…I couldn't. Even if we hadn't come here…to be in a lab, in Albion…I couldn't bear it." He leaned his head back. "Even knowing it's necessary…every time you come near me with a needle or a stethoscope…"

"I understand, my friend. I'm only sorry I caused you so much pain. I had no idea I reminded you of something so terrible."

Abel shook his head, his hand coming up to take the other man's. "Please…this isn't…I just…" He met the other man's eyes. "You don't…remind me of them. Not really. You're compassionate, and kind, and those men…" He shook his head, his eyes going back over the lab.

"I…it wasn't just the tests, or the pressure. But I…I felt stifled. Do you know…" His eyes came to Leon's. "I saw the sun maybe once, twice a month. They took me out to 'study' the city. The rest of the time, I was confined to the corridors of the lab. I never saw anyone my own age, only the scientists." He shrugged, bitterly. "I…well, perhaps one or two of them were kind, in a way. But…everything I did, from the clothing I wore, to the food I ate and the things I was allowed to read, was controlled. And everything I did was watched." He gestured. "It's hard to see, but there's a camera, even in my room. I found it when I was ten."

"Damn." Leon made a face. "That sounds worse than prison. Hell, even I get outside at least once or twice a week. And I get to pick what I eat and read."

"But I didn't. To me…this place was a prison. And I…I hated it." He leaned back, pain and anger mixing in the thin, pale features. "I couldn't fight. And I…if they'd just once acknowledged it when I succeeded, that I'd done something…" He swallowed hard. "But everything…I felt as if I was just a tool, just…nothing. And so I…I hated it. I tried to stay angry, because it was the only thing…being angry was the only thing that felt like it was truly mine. It was the only thing they couldn't take away from me."

Esther felt her heart breaking for him. She wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't think of the words to say. She hadn't known her parents, but she'd had Bishop Laura taking care of her, and she'd been as good as a mother. To have been raised by people who thought of you only as a tool, as an experiment, and raised in isolation…she couldn't imagine it.

Astha stepped forward. "Tovarish?" Abel opened his eyes, pain in his gaze. "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because…this…it's where everything starts. This feeling…the anger I felt…that's what started everything." Abel sighed.

"I don't understand." Esther reached up, to touch his shoulder. "Even if you were still angry, how did that…"

Abel shook his head. "By the time I'd turned 15, I…I was always angry. I'd gotten a reputation for being rebellious, temperamental, violent. And it was all deserved. When I fought them, it was…a relief in a way. Even if they simply locked me away, at least they couldn't force me to stop being angry. But then…well, they'd begun to realize they had to do something with me. And with the others. So they…donated us." A bitter smile touched his face. "They decided to offer us to the United Nations Aerospace Force, to become the leaders of the Red Mars Project."

"The Red Mars Project?" Ion looked surprised.

Abel nodded. "They…wanted to try colonize another world, from Earth. All of the major Earth governments were involved, and the plans had been started for a few years. When I turned 15, they were beginning to choose personnel, and move them to the orbiting space station for training. The Genetics Research Project offered their results to the Mars Program. And so I…so they swore me into the military, gave me my basic training at the nearest Albion base, and shipped me to the station. And there…everything changed."

He sighed. "The station…was where I met the other three Gene Manipulation Births. Lilith…she was the eldest of us. She was raised in the East, what's now the Empire. And Seth, my younger sister…and him." He took another deep breath. "That place was where I met the twin I'd never guessed I had. My brother, raised in Germany. Cain."

Esther heard the sharp intakes of breath from some of the others. She was still focused on Abel. His eyes had gone distant again.

"There on the station, it was so different. They'd already decided we were going to be the Project leads, they just weren't sure where. But…there was a lot of resentment on the part of the other colonists." That dark smile touched his face. "I really couldn't blame them. After all, except for Lilith, we were all children. And truth be told…I resented them too. To be forced into the military, forced into the colonization with no choice as to what I wanted to be…I hated it as much as I hated the lab. And they knew it. But by that time…I couldn't control my anger anymore. I…didn't want to stop hating everything. I was…too afraid. I didn't dare try to believe anything."

"But something happened." Caterina spoke softly.

Abel nodded. "Cain, and Seth and Lilith. I…couldn't hate them as much. After all, they were just like me. Even though they'd been raised in different places, different ways…we were still very much alike. Seth…she took a lot of teasing and harassment. She was only a child…she didn't understand. I…wanted to protect her. And Lilith…well, she was gentle, always kind. Even when I was rude, even when I derided her. I'd get into fights, and she'd tend my wounds. And Cain…"

He stopped for a moment, his breathing ragged. "Cain…I…truly resented him. He was…everything I wanted and should have been. And it was…no secret, to anyone…that Cain was the 'perfect' twin and I was just a…well a backup." He shook his head. "He never lost his temper. He was smart, polite…everything everyone wanted. He took everything so easily. He was a natural leader. Even the colonists who resented us liked Cain. I was…I couldn't accept his attitude, but at the same time…I was jealous of him. Of how well he was liked. And he knew it."

He shook his head. "We fought a lot. But then…when I was 17, he…Cain…he changed my world around." He turned away, walking away from the group. "I'd gotten into a fight with some of our military superiors. The General of our mission. So they threw me into isolation. And Lilith and Cain came to see me. I didn't want to see them, to have them see me there. And I…I just couldn't hold back anymore. When Lilith…when Cain asked me what I'd done, I just…exploded. Lilith was horrified, but Cain…Cain just…gave me his hand. And he…offered me a promise."

"A promise?" Esther stared at him. "Father, what…?"

"He asked me what kind of future I wanted. He knew we couldn't change the past, but he…offered to help me. With whatever I wanted. And I…I knew he meant it. So I…accepted his help." His fist clenched, then relaxed slowly.

He shook his head. "After that…I still had problems with my temper, and I still…I still didn't like or trust anyone, but…I was able to manage. By the time I'd turned 18 they'd trusted me enough to give me military training. The plan had accelerated and they were getting ready to assign us all."

"Huh. So you really were in the military." Leon grinned. "I gotta say, I wouldn't have figured you in the military, Four Eyes."

A small pained smile touched the corner of Abel's mouth. It was gone so fast Esther wouldn't have seen it if she hadn't been looking for it. "Well, it's not like the military now. Besides…I didn't exactly have a choice. And once I'd settled enough that they trusted me, well, it was a good enough outlet for my frustration."

"So…what rank did you make?"

"Lieutenant Colonel." Abel sighed. "It was the highest they could make me, without over-ranking my brother. And they'd raised his rank to just below the leaders of the project, so…"

No one spoke. After a moment, Abel continued, his voice soft and low. "When I turned 19, they'd chosen our positions. My brother was chosen as the head of the Mars Colony, the Colony Administrator. Lilith took over the Medical Section. Seth…well, she was still a child, but she was extremely bright, and they decided to place her as the head of the Science Division, under Lilith's supervision, and Cain's. And I…well, I became…"

"The Head of Security." Petros growled out from his corner. "The rank you once gave me, as a password to access the information in the database."

Abel nodded. "Yes." He shrugged. "It was the best place for me, I suppose. Dealing with things like that…it was a good vent. I wasn't…I wasn't the best person, but at least I…at least I managed. And then I was 20, and they sent us to Mars."

No one spoke. All of them were listening intently, afraid to break into his words. Abel wasn't looking at any of them, just speaking in a low, almost toneless voice.

"Mars…it's a…desolate place. No green. No plant life. There's water, sort of, near the Ice Cap. But nowhere else. You can't breathe there, not without a suit. And there are sandstorms that make the Ibilis look like nothing. They can last for days, months even. And they'll grind steel to nothing. It's a wasteland, but it's rich in minerals. The mining is…impressive. Between that and the research opportunities, they thought it would pay off. So…they sent the Mars Colony. We set up a city, a mining facility, and a protective dome, and began to live."

He hesitated, then began to speak again. "Everyone settled in fairly quickly. Cain was…everyone loved him. As the leader of the colony, everyone trusted him. And I…" He laughed, a small bitter laugh. "I did my job. But I…I wasn't well liked. Actually, I was hated. I enforced the laws with…well, a rather heavy hand. And among my men, the soldiers assigned to work with me, I was…fair, I suppose, but only because I never did anyone any favors. I didn't give commendations for work well done, didn't give promotions. If my men didn't do their best, I issued warnings or threats, but I never recognized a true effort. I wasn't even generous about letting men who were injured on duty take time off. If it hadn't been for Cain, covering for me…well, they'd probably have taken me to a back alley and beat me senseless. As it was…" He trailed off.

The silence lengthened. Abel seemed reluctant to speak any further. Finally, Vaclav spoke, his voice quiet. "Something happened."

Abel nodded, a quick, jerky nod. "They…the soldiers and the citizens of the colony both, they put up with me for a time. It was most likely because they knew Cain and Lilith cared for me. And that I was Seth's brother. Everyone loved my brother, and Lilith was well liked. Seth…she wasn't as popular, but she was young, and bright, and no one wanted to hurt her. So they…put up with me. The black sheep of the Mars Colonists. The…failed experiment, I suppose you could say. But finally…they had enough. I never even knew who it was that finally lost their temper. Certainly I never saw it coming. But finally…they decided they'd had enough."

"So what did they do?" Leon shifted. "In the military, we'd give a commander the rough end of a sharp stick, most of the time."

A dark smile creased the corner of Abel's mouth, then vanished. "It was…something like that. A couple of the junior lieutenants, and about half a dozen colonists came up with a plan to be rid of me. They went out, supposedly to do some scouting for mining, then called me with an…emergency. That they'd had a rockslide. As the Head of Security, it was my job to take care of them. I…didn't want to be there. But…Cain did, and for his sake I did my job, and took care of my people. So I went out."

"And walked into a trap." The Professor spoke from where he was leaning against a table.

"Yes." Abel swallowed. "I got to the rocky area they called me to and I didn't see them. So I got out of the vehicle, and…and then, they attacked. They weren't carrying much in way of weapons, but then, they didn't need them. A heavy rock to the back of the head stunned me in the first few seconds. By the time they stopped striking me I was barely conscious, dizzy, and I couldn't stand up. They released some of the air out of my suit, then took my vehicle and left."

Leon made a rough noise. "If they were gonna go to that much trouble, I'm surprised they didn't just finish it."

Abel flinched. "Well, they might have. But…they didn't want it to look like murder. And they didn't want to…to upset the others. So they set it up that I would…well, die of natural causes. Either the air in my suit would run out, and I'd die of that. Or the sandstorm we were tracking would hit, and I'd be caught in it. There was no way one person outside in that would survive. Even if I could get out of the sand and wind, it was supposed to last a few days, and I had no food or water with me. And if I tried to make it back to the city…I wouldn't make it in time." He shivered. "It almost worked, except….except for Lilith."

He swallowed again. "Lilith…she'd guessed there were some people who were…unhappy. One of my duties was to start sandstorm preparations. When my second-in-command took over, she got uneasy. She went looking for me. By that time…my attackers had returned, so my vehicle was there, but my suit wasn't. She didn't like what I did, but she knew I wouldn't do that. So she alerted Cain, and came out looking for me. All of the suits had trackers, and she located mine and drove out to find me."

Esther's heart was in her mouth, but she didn't dare interrupt him. Abel simply stood there, leaning against the wall as he continued his recitation.

"Lilith…she found me just before the sandstorm hit. But…I had a concussion, fractured ribs, and I was…rather bruised up. And there was a slow leak in the suit, on one arm where I'd tried to protect myself. She didn't have time to administer aid and get me back, and she couldn't lift me into the car without help. So she patched the leak in my suit, and hauled me into the shelter of a rock cave and parked the car in front of it, just before the wind and sand hit us. And Lord help me…I almost wish she hadn't."

"Why?"

Abel took a deep breath, but he didn't raise his head. "The sandstorm lasted for five days. I was mostly recovered in two, but…we ran the risk of running out of air. Lilith had spare tanks, but I was so low to start with…well. But…it was a bad storm, and once I'd recovered, I opted to have us move in further, to be safer. Besides the danger of the sand, there were occasionally oxygen pockets below the surface, and water. And since we were stuck, I thought we might as well do some exploring, maybe find some natural mines, so it wouldn't be a complete waste of time. Lilith didn't want to, but she was much lower ranked than I was." A rueful expression touched his face. "I'm afraid I played on her professional instincts as well. I was her patient, and if I insisted on moving, she had to come too. So I led her into the mountain. And that was when…when we discovered it."

William shifted. "You discovered something? Underneath the surface?"

Abel nodded. He took a deep, shuddering breath. "We discovered…the ARK. Proof of alien life on Mars. A treasure trove of science that could advance us a hundred years. More information than we dared even imagine we could study. An entire ship full of secrets. Most of them we left alone, until much later. But, when the sandstorm ended, we…made a mistake." He swallowed again. "There were hundreds of alien bodies, preserved in the ship. We thought…we thought there might be two different types, so we…we brought them back. And we…we brought that back with us as well."

His eyes came up, slowly, to meet Ion's then Astha's. "It was…the beginning of the Methuselah race, that day. We discovered the Bascillus, and what it could do. With it in our bodies, we could run faster, work longer and harder. We didn't need as much food or water to survive. We could even walk the surface of Mars with less trouble." He shrugged, and his voice softened. "At the time, it seemed like a reasonable trade-off. In fact, becoming Methuselah seemed to be our best option. Even Lilith agreed to it."

"But you didn't go crazy." Astha blinked. "How did you avoid the Thirst?"

"Because it was controlled. And because Mars is further away from the sun than Earth is. It's just far enough away that the UV effect isn't as bad, and neither are the other issues." Abel shrugged. "I think a few of our people were anemic, and there were some who didn't actually take the Bascillus, but it wasn't nearly as troublesome as it is here."

There was another of those long pauses, and when Abel spoke again, his voice was heavy. "By that time…Seth had already begun her studies of what else we'd found. And it didn't take us long to discover the Crusnik. From the beginning, Lilith argued that they shouldn't be touched. We'd already seen what the Bascillus could do. Granted, it did give us some advantages. The quicker healing, the need for less food and oxygen…the worst part of it was rigging the City dome so that it would out the UV. It's even worse on Mars. But we did manage. But the Crusnik…well." Faint amusement touched his mouth. "I was probably the least scientifically inclined, and even I could see how much more powerful they were. And how much more dangerous. When Lilith argued that we shouldn't use them, I agreed. Seth wasn't so sure, but Cain…well, Cain was willing to let it lie."

"Except that somehow, at least you were affected." William frowned.

"Yes. Because...there was…" Abel swallowed, and his voice went ragged with pain. "There was an accident. At the main mining facility. Some of the equipment…well there was a failure, and we knew it was a dangerous one. But that facility was critical. So Cain…he went down to try and repair it." Abel's fists clenched suddenly. "I didn't go with him. The place he needed to be was too small. And I didn't….couldn't take his place, because he'd ordered me not to. Lilith had warned him that my 'near-accident' had been an attack, and he wouldn't risk leaving me where it could happen again. So he went down to try and repair the damaged equipment before it broke completely. And he…didn't make it."

Abel's voice was shaking, his eyes far away. Esther felt her heart aching for him, but she didn't know what to say to him. She simply listened with the rest as he spoke, ripping open wounds in his soul from old memories.

"We…we were waiting in the upper levels. And then….we heard it, felt it, like distant thunder beneath our feet. Knew something had gone wrong. I…I broke. I raced down there as fast as I could, but…one of the pipes had exploded, and triggered a cave in. Cain had been standing right next to the pipe, he and the man working with him. And by the time I got there…my brother…"

Abel's voice broke, tears streaking the pale face. He choked for a moment, then began again. "There was…massive damage. Broken ribs, a punctured lung. His heart had been grazed. Head trauma, even with the helmet he wore. His whole body was battered. I could barely feel his heart beating beneath my hands. Lilith was right behind me, and we carried him up as fast as we could, but…but even then…we were…I knew we were too late. We put him on full life support but…we knew it wouldn't save him. And then…Seth…"

He stopped and took a deep shuddering breath. "Seth was never very fond of Cain. But she saw me…knew how close to breaking I was. She guessed…what would happen without Cain protecting me. So she helped Lilith, trying to save him. And when she realized that nothing Lilith knew would work, she decided to…to take a risk. And she…she injected both Cain and the other man with the activated Crusnik nano-machines. For the other colonist, it didn't work. But for Cain…"

"It did." William shifted.

Abel nodded. "I…Lilith and I knew after three days that life support would only prolong the inevitable. I was coming to…to say farewell, and the door to Cain's ICU exploded. Just…a cloud of darkness. And then it…withdrew…and he was standing there. Alive. I just barely saw the transformation…and then he…well, he bit me."

"He must have needed…" Vaclav trailed off.

"He needed blood, to settle the transformation. Cain…he…well, the Crusnik fused with him 100 percent. Right then. At the time…I didn't…none of us realized what it would mean. What it could do to him. All I knew at the time was…he was alive. And really, he didn't take much of my blood. I've lost more in combat. I passed out, and when I woke…he was there. Sitting by my bedside, alive, just as I'd always known him. He was…apologizing, for attacking me. And I thought everything was all right."

He stopped for a moment. When he continued, his voice was low, almost expressionless. But the tears still stained his face. "Cain…he wanted Lilith, Seth and I to have the nano-machines as well. And it…seemed reasonable. He said it was so that he wouldn't hurt us. And given that he'd bitten me…well, it didn't seem like a bad idea. And when he didn't suggest trying to inject the rest of the colonists…we thought it was because the other man failed to fuse."

He was leaning against the wall again, his face turned away. "I...Lilith insisted that we go more carefully. She didn't want a second explosion. So instead of an active fusion…well, we decided I should go second. And instead of giving me an active injection, Seth fused me with a mostly dormant form of the nano-machines. And I…well, you've seen what came of that."

He swallowed. "It was…I've no idea what Cain felt. I never really asked him. But I felt…it was so strange. I can't even explain what it felt like…when I realized that my body was combining with something…something almost intelligent. Something that was adapting to me. But I…told Lilith. She was observing me rather closely."

He stopped again, and his voice was almost inaudible. "Lilith…what I told her made her suspicious. She couldn't stop Seth from fusing with the Crusnik, but I know she was more reluctant than the rest of us. I think…I think, if she hadn't been so concerned about the effect on us, she'd never have taken them. But…we really didn't have time to think about it, because…word had gotten back to Earth."

He stopped. "We'd sent word back, of course, when we found the ARK. And when we discovered what was on it. And what we heard back was…terrible. Because Armageddon…well, I can't remember if it had started, just then. But I know that the United Nations were coming apart. And I know…we were at least a part of the reason. Some people wanted our power. Others were deathly afraid of it. And of course, there were fights over whether or not the colony should be allowed to remain."

He took a deep breath. "It might have…it might have blown over, but then…we found out something. Something we hadn't realized before. We found out…the Bascillus slowed our aging. Before that…well, those of us from the Genetic Manipulation project were engineered to live at least twice as long as the others. But when we all became Methuselah…suddenly, we were about the same as everyone else. And that…well, that was trouble. And then…Lilith discovered…the true power of the Crusnik."

A small bitter laugh escaped him. "We were…weapons beyond believing. Powerful beyond thinking. All of us…especially Cain, had incredible powers of regeneration. But then…we found out the truth. That in addition to that…the Crusnik…stopped our aging. Froze us at the age we were when we first activated them."

His eyes rose slowly to Leon's. "I've been…25 years old for over nine hundred years. Cain was frozen at the same age as I was. Lilith stopped at barely thirty. And Seth…Seth is…forever a child. Locked into the age of 15."

Leon whistled. "Damn. And I get offended when people call me an old man. Geez, Four Eyes, you're old enough to be a grandfather twenty times over."

There was silence in the room, then Caterina spoke up again, her voice gentle. "What happened next, Abel?"

"We heard…Cain heard about the trouble on Earth. Particularly about the debate over us. And he…he decided to…he decided to return to Earth. But not…not in the colony ships. At Cain's direction, we cut off the mining, and we…we built an ARK of our own."

Abel's gaze tilted upward, drawn to the ceiling. "It took years. Decades even. All the time that the United Nations fell apart, all the time that Armageddon raged, we built our ship. A ship that was a colony. That carried every spare bit of technology we could develop, or scavenge off the original ARK. A ship, that was a world of it's own." His voice dropped. "You've even seen that ship."

"What? I'm pretty sure we'd have noticed." Leon shifted.

Abel's mouth quirked, but there was no humor in it. "You have." His eyes came to Leon's with bitter amusement. "When you look into the sky at night, you see the second moon. The Vampire's Moon. And that…what that really is…that is the ARK."

"That's a ship?" William's eyebrow rose into his hairline. "But that…the size…that's quite impressive."

He nodded. "By the time we were done, by the time we returned…Armageddon was over. The scattered remnants of human civilization were struggling to form some sort of cohesion. And then…we came. Out of the night sky, in a ship like that. And of course, most of us were Methuselah. In a world so recently devastated, the result was…exactly what you'd expect. We terrified them. And…it didn't take much. One trigger happy person, I never even knew who it was that started it, but…"

"The Methuselah-Terran War began." He sighed. "I know Cain was with the original contact party, and that it was someone else who got shot. But I…didn't descend to the surface. I only…I was there when Cain came back, and…he told us he'd been fired upon. And that was…that was enough. We went to war. And I…I took my place at my brother's side."

"You mean…you were on the side with the Methuselah." Leon frowned.

"Yes." Abel looked up, and met his eyes. There was no apology, but deep, anguished shame. "I was…we all were on the Methuselah side. You have to understand…we'd been gone from Earth for eighty years. If we hadn't been…what we were, that would have been a lifetime. The colonists…the Methuselah…they were my people, as much as I had one. And the only real memories of Earth that I had…were here."

He gestured, and Esther felt herself go cold. That the only memories of his home world could have been here, locked in a lab, as an experiment….She didn't blame him, and could see the uncomfortable sympathy on Leon's face. Even Petros didn't look condemning, though his scowl deepened.

Abel sighed again, looking away from them. "Lilith…Lilith thought differently. She still…she still loved this world. And she…she believed we did as well. Even me. She always said that… that I hated Earth because I felt betrayed…and that I could not feel betrayed unless I truly loved this world. I…didn't want to hear her, but I…might have listened. Seth I know…she was uncertain as well. But Cain…Cain was…"

He swallowed, and his words stopped for a moment as he bit his lip. When he spoke again, the words rang with anguish, a pain too deep for words. "He was my brother. And…all the time we'd stood together, he'd done everything…everything…he could to protect me. After the transformation…after the Crusnik…he changed, became more distant. And there was an edge to him. Almost a…kind of cruelty, or at least disregard. I told myself…I tried to believe that it was just the adjustment. After all…I felt unsettled, myself, and he'd had a much more difficult time. He'd been more or less resurrected. That's what…that's what Seth and I told ourselves. And when he began the war against the Terrans…when he sent us into battle, or used the guns…we thought he was just…protecting us. It was extreme…but…we thought…he was protecting us. Lilith…she had her misgivings, but…even she almost believed it. Until…finally, Cain went too far. He destroyed the place where she'd been born. And when she asked him…asked him why…he said…" Abel stopped, and nearly whispered the next words. "Igne Natura Renevatur Integra. By fire will this world be renewed."

Ion stiffened. "That phrase…that's the phrase the Order…"

Abel nodded. "Yes. It is. That is the phrase the Order of Rosenkreutz uses as it's motto, it's goal. And my brother…my brother Cain…." His eyes came up, touching each face with a gaze so tortured that Esther could hardly breathe. "My brother is now…the Contra Mundi…the Enemy of the World."

Even knowing that, Esther flinched at hearing the words spoken aloud. Everyone else was wearing similar expressions of startlement. She saw a flare of anger in Leon's, and in Astha's, and wondered if they felt betrayed. She saw Caterina, white faced, and remembered that she'd already known this. After a moment, William stepped forward, his eyes filled with a mix of compassion and pain and realization. "Abel…"

He shook his head, brushing away whatever the man might have said. "Now you know…the truth. The rest is…easy enough. Lilith…she joined the Terrans eventually, as the Nia Sancta, the Black Saint. Eventually…Cain took her life. But I…I was coming to my senses, and that was the last straw. And Seth…well, she was always more afraid of him than I was." A bitter smile touched his face, with more pain than anything. "I was the last one to come around. But…I was angry…that he'd taken Lilith's life. So together, Seth and I managed to incapacitate him. We even thought we might have killed him. I…retreated from the world. And Seth…she stayed with our people, with the Methuselah, and helped give them a place to go, a place to live. She helped found the Empire. And that…"

"That brings us to where we are today." Caterina's cool voice cut across his words. The quiet practicality in her tone somehow eased the heavy air of the room. She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair, her eyes surveying Abel. "Certainly, this is all very enlightening. However…I'm afraid I'm far too fatigued to figure out what to make of your…confession, Abel." Her eyes moved, to touch Petros, standing in the corner. "I for one, intend to retire and sleep on this. We'll talk further in the morning. I recommend the rest of you do the same."

Virgil nodded. After a moment, Petros growled and levered himself away from the wall. "Your Excellency is correct. This information will require much thought."

None of the others spoke. After a moment, Leon shrugged, and turned to the door. Astha moved up beside him. Caterina hesitated a moment, and Esther saw the compassion in her eyes. Then she gestured. "Your Majesty."

Esther took a step forward, but Abel spoke, softly, hesitantly. "Miss Esther…if you…would you please…stay a moment more?"

Esther froze, wondering what it was that held him back. She glanced at Caterina, and the slender Cardinal nodded slightly. She turned to look at Virgil and Mary. Her advisor held her gaze for a moment, then turned to his colleague. "Colonel Spencer…I believe her Majesty has some questions still to be answered. However, I need to escort our guests back to the Palace. If you could come with me as far as the elevator, and remain on guard, I would be grateful."

"I believe I can do that. I assume that only Father Nightroad and yourself can access these tunnels, so it should be safe enough."

Virgil nodded, and turned to Esther with a bow. "Your Majesty, I will return shortly." He turned to Caterina. "Your Excellency."

Caterina nodded. She stepped forward, and laid a hand gently on Abel's shoulder for a moment. If she spoke, Esther didn't hear the words. After a few seconds, she turned away and vanished through the door, Virgil and Mary right behind her.

Silence descended. Esther waited for Abel to speak, but he simply stood there, looking away from her. Finally, she took a step closer. "Father…what…was there something else?"

"Yes." His voice was barely audible. "I…I promised, I would tell you…everything. Petros and Caterina…already know but…you know I was at Cain's side for the war."

"Well, yes…but I…"

He stopped her, his words breaking free from him in an anguished confession, as though he couldn't bear to keep them inside. "I…I was…you have no idea what I did. Cain was…Cain was the Enemy of the World, but the one who actually attacked those towns…the one who destroyed whole cities, and ordered the guns of the ARK to fire…it was me. I…I destroyed this world."

Esther froze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Father…"

"I…the big guns on the ARK…they were worse than the Star of Sorrow. Worse than the weapons Kampfer used when he attacked Londinium almost a year ago. When they were fired…it was terrible. And I used them." His shoulders tightened. "We went for America first. It was the strongest of the broken countries. Armageddon…destroyed it very thoroughly, but we…finished it. I finished it. We rained fire on the countryside, leveled cities until you couldn't see a building from space. Not even with the strongest distance lens. Until there was hardly anything more than a smoking crater. And when we got to where Seth's lab was…" His head bowed, his shoulders hunched with shame. "I…I went there. I used the Crusnik…used my powers at an eighty percent fusion. And I…destroyed them." Bitterness touched his face. "I…most of them were just scientists. None of them were soldiers. And some of them, of the people in the towns around them…they had nothing to do with us at all. And I wiped them out. All of them."

Esther stood frozen, shocked by what he was saying. The things he was confessing were things she'd have killed any of the Order members for. A part of her wanted to fly at him, strike him and spit in his face. Part of her wanted to shake him, to say he was lying, and tell him stop. But the anguish in his voice held her still. She listened as he continued, unable to stop him.

"After that…we focused here. By then…the Vatican had organized. And Albion and a few of the others. But not much. It was mostly the Vatican. And we just began…firing. Cain had us wipe out most of the eastern countries. What is now the Dark Lands…" Abel swallowed. "It used to be two or three countries. But we…destroyed it. The same way we did America. We bombarded the land until humans were caught between the Dark Lands and the ocean." He swallowed again. "And then…we destroyed the place where Lilith's lab was."

He stopped a moment. He stood for a moment, then he turned completely away from her, facing the wall. One hand came up, digging into the wall. "Lilith…she left us then. Left and took those among the Methuselah who didn't want conflict. They came here, to Albion, and established the Underground, in exchange for her assistance, and what information and aid the Methuselah could give the Vatican and Albion. And before she left…Lilith disabled the guns on the ARK. Not just disabled, she destroyed some of the key components that would allow them to fire. If it had…if that had been our only weapons…we might have stopped there. But…"

His hand clenched suddenly. "I…Cain sent me out. He sent me to pursue the ones who fled with Lilith. More than that…he told me to destroy this place. And I…I wanted to. He knew what he was doing…ordering me to destroy this place of nightmares and torment. And I…I would have. If Lilith hadn't faced me…if she hadn't spoken against me, and reminded me that I was supposed to be protecting my people…I'd have burned Londinium to the ground. To rubble and less than rubble. I'd have burned this place to ashes." His fist clenched tighter. "I…Lilith stopped me here, but…there was only one of her. Cain had…ships, warriors…well, we were a trained military, after all. The Vatican needed her in far too many places at once. And sometimes…she wasn't there to stop me."

He stopped again, and shame choked his voice. "I…destroyed Old Berlin, at Cain's request. He didn't want them to access his lab. And I…destroyed Barcelona, the first time, and other places. Key cities in Amsterdam, in the Franc kingdom, on the borders…wherever Cain sent me…I leveled it. Even…even Istvan was my doing. I…in one city alone, I took over seven million lives."

Esther's hand went to her mouth in horror. She wanted to scream, and she felt tears of shock, horror and pain dripping down her cheeks. She almost fled him. The only thing that stopped her was the agony in his voice. He stood against the wall, his fists clenched against the metal so hard his nails cut into his hands. His head was bowed, and every word was drenched in pain and shame. It was as though the words were torture to him, as though every word he spoke was a whip that slashed into his soul. She wanted to comfort him, to stop him, or to run from him. Indecision held her there, as he continued.

"I…finally the Vatican realized. They had to use Lilith…to counter me. There was nothing else. So finally…at Carthage…they sent her against me. They'd managed to rebuild the city, along with some others. But that was a key one. They knew I'd come. So…we faced each other."

He stopped for a moment, choking on the words. "Lilith and I…we'd fallen in love on Mars. It was still…I…I was so unused to the feeling. And I…even loving her…I didn't want to turn against Cain. When she defected…I wanted so much to hate her. I tried…I tried to believe she'd betrayed us. Betrayed me. But I…I still loved her. When she faced me there in Carthage…when she warned me off…and when I met the woman she fought beside…I…I couldn't take that city. I couldn't…hurt her. Not then. Not later, when she taught Istvan how to generate electricity. Not when she gave the Vatican weapons to fight us. I just…I felt as if I was being torn apart. And as the war continued, and I saw what was happening…I wasn't sure I could keep fighting. I wasn't sure I wanted to. And Seth…she was the same. But Cain…he was…and I…didn't want to betray him. I wanted…I wanted to hide it, but…Cain…Cain saw it. Cain saw my indecision, my changing mind. And he…connected it to Lilith."

Abel stopped, then slowly, he dropped to his knees. He remained turned away, so Esther couldn't see his face, but she could read his anguish in the way he knelt. "He told me, he was considering ending things. He called Lilith up to the ship…to discuss peace, he said. But he…I never knew…if he deliberately gave me the wrong time, or if I was just late. But I was out on a routine inspection, and when I returned…she was…he'd killed her. I…walked into the meeting room, and it was empty. Then he was there…and he said I didn't need to worry anymore. And he…he just…he dropped her head in my arms and walked away."

Esther gasped. "Father…" She couldn't imagine how much that had hurt him. She moved forward and knelt to lay a gentle hand on his back. Abel flinched away.

"I…I snapped. I went after him. I…attacked him. I wanted to…I don't know. I wanted to kill him. I thought I did. Everything…everything was so confused in my mind. All I could feel was anger, and pain, and all I knew was that it was…that Cain was at the center of it. Then Seth came…and she shouted at me…and we…I threw my own brother out an airlock, into the atmosphere, and watched him fall to Earth, burning to ash as he fell."

Esther could see the tears falling to the deck, knew he wept. But she had no idea how to console him. She reached out, but stopped short of touching him. "Father…"

He shook his head. And after a moment, he pushed himself to his feet, never looking in her direction. "I…fled. Took her body and fled to Earth and hid. I left Seth…and everything behind. I locked myself away, until Caterina found me. That's when…when I took up Lilith's work, protecting humans. And then, the Order arose…and now…now…everyone is caught up in our war once more. And that…that is what I am, Miss Esther. That is what kind of person I truly am, the monster I was afraid you'd see."

She bit her lip, caught between horror at his confession, and compassion for the tortured, agonized soul before her. "Father…you're not…"

"I am. And I…" Bitterness and fear mixed into his voice. "Cain…I wanted so much to blame his change on the fusion, on the fact that he was resurrected by a 100 percent fusion and lost his mind. But…if that's true…then I…I also…no matter how much I want to control it…I can become like that. My body is already changing, because of that fusion that saved me. And I have always…been far more angry than my brother. If I…if I lose control…then…my brother's darkness will be nothing compared to mine."

She wasn't sure what to say. Esther stood, staring at him, unable to find words to bridge the sudden silence. After a moment, Abel turned his head, tilting it slightly. "Lord Walsh has returned for you. You should go with him."

Esther took a step forward. "Father, I…"

He turned, and she flinched at the suffering and shame in that blue gaze. "Now you know. I wanted…I wanted to give you fair warning. And now…I'll leave you." He held her eyes a moment longer, then turned from her and opened the door. Virgil was standing there, outside, but he said nothing. Without a word, Abel slipped past him and disappeared into the corridors.