IV

IV

 

"This is bad. I mean really bad." The young man scratched at his disheveled hair. He looked around the grim faces of the men in the attic of the hotel. "Do you know how bad this is? Now they know we're here. We won't be able to leave!" Antonio exclaimed. There was no arguing. Everyone knew it. Because of their failure, the streets were now full of New Vatican agents, searching for them. They were going door to door, looking for the townspeople and AX members who had fled the office that morning.

"I shouldn't have let you lot talk me into it," Eulis said gloomily as he peaked out of a crack in the curtains. He looked down at the soldiers and armored vehicles that were moving up and down the street. "Its only a matter of time before they find us! They're going to make us pay for what we did!" Eulis spat out.

"You agreed with the plan before we went, Count of Estonia. You cannot accuse us," Tres replied. His voice was monotonous and metallic. He was applying emergency treatment to his wounded right leg. He looked up momentarily to peer at Eulis. "The reason that the plan failed was that you let the chance we had to secure Alfonso d'Este go. You are responsible for the failure. Your psychological weakness."

"Psychological weakness? Are you saying that I have a problem?"

"Affirmative."

Eulis fell silent. The mechanical soldier's reply had been harsh.

"You abandoned your responsibility in the face of danger. And that was why the plan failed," Tres didn't relent.

"You... you..." Eulis was livid. He reflexively reached for the rapier at his hip. As soon as his hand found the handle though, he hesitated and opened and closed his hand around it.

Tres, on the other hand, stared at Eulis. He had no intention of apologizing for what he said.

"Come." Abel sighed. This wasn't going to accomplish anything. He thought that he should calm the situation down, but...

"Someone! Anyone!"

Along with a small electric crackle, there was a woman's voice. It was an emergency call from the Iron Maiden, which was stationed about fifteen-thousand feet above Tallinn. Abel pushed the headphones to his ear. "What's happened, Kate?" Abel was disconcerted by the tone in Kate's voice. "Has something happened up there?"

"The Department of Inquisition."

There was quite a lot of disturbance in the signal because she was fifteen-thousand feet away. However, there was more disturbance in the audio feed than Abel expected.

"The Department of Inquisition is acting. Three ships, including the Jahoel, are heading for Tallinn!"

"What?!" Abel tensed at this unexpected revelation. He looked up at Tres.

They had carefully slipped under the RADAR of several countries to get here. That was why it had taken three days to arrive in Tallinn. How could they have been traced?!

"I've intercepted a secret communications of the church. It sounds like they will be here around midnight tonight. You need to pull back straight away!"

"Tonight." Abel choked. His throat was dry. They only had fourteen hours!

"What's the matter?" Eulis asked. He could see that the priests were uneasy. He seemed to have forgotten his earlier rage.

"What happened?"

"The Department of Inquisition is coming here, after us," Abel said, resigned; he closed his eyes as he continued: "They'll be here tonight."

"What?!"

All of the townsfolk went pale. The stories about the Department of Inquisition had reached even these remote areas. If they found the remnants of New Vatican here, then that would be the end. A battle would begin that would engulf the town and all its residents.

"What are you going to do?" Unsurprisingly, it was Eulis who screamed hysterically at the AX Agents above the chatter. "This is all your fault! If they come, then it's the end for Tallinn!"

Abel bit down on his lip as he took the verbal assault. Even Tres was silent now. Eulis was right. It was the end for Tallinn. Neither the Department of the Inquisition nor New Vatican would care that innocent citizens would be caught up in the fighting. No matter who won, the streets of Tallinn would be littered with corpses, either way.

All the hopes of AX finding Cherubim and saving Caterina were dashed. There was no way they could re-enter the castle and capture Cherubim before the Department of the Inquisition arrived in Tallinn. The only option left was to return to Rome and rescue Caterina, but the chances of that happening were very low.

They were defeated.

It seemed only destruction and slaughter loomed on the horizon. The silence in the room was so intense, its inhabitants could almost feel the weight of it pushing down on them.

"Abel, this may be a very slim chance..."

There was one person in the room, though, who hadn't lost hope yet: Antonio Borgia. The Bishop of Valencia scratched his head and laid out a map on the desk.

"We wait for the battle and then we sneak back into the castle. While New Vatican and the Department of the Inquisition are caught up with each other, we'll take what we want!"

"Antonio, I don't think that would work. We might get what we want, but what about the residents of this town?" Abel nibbled on his lip as he considered the townspeople. He looked over at them and shook his head. "If a battle begins, a lot of people will be caught up in it and will die... We should leave here; at least we might attract the Department of the Inquisition away."

"Even if they do follow us, they'll still notice New Vatican's presence here. It'll still mean the end for this town. And I have thought about their safety. They don't have to be caught up in this. Why don't they all evacuate the city?

"Evacuate?" Eulis raised an eyebrow. The mountains surrounding Tallinn were covered in snow. It would be like sentencing the three thousand residents to death.

However, the smile on Antonio's face was like that of the snake who had convinced Eve to eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. He pointed at the map and grinned. "Here. Count's Oilshell mountain... They could hide here until tomorrow morning."

"Hah?!" The townsfolk all gasped in unison. They started muttering excitedly.

The tunnel was deep underground. It would easily fit all three thousand residents. And also, it would shelter them from the harsh cold above ground. They could make it! With food, they might even be able to last more than one night. Hope filled the faces of the townsfolk. It was preferable to being caught up between two warring factions.

"How would that work?" Eulis muttered, pouring a dampener on the fresh hope. He assessed the map. "Are you people thinking straight? It's twenty-five miles to the mountain. We have sick and elderly people. It won't be possible to move everyone out without New Vatican noticing. Who could even consider such a foolish plan?!"

Eulis pointed out the crack in the curtains to indicate the mountain range. It soared beautifully high into the sky. It would indeed be difficult to persuade three thousand people to get up and move there.

"That's for you to work out, Eulis—sorry, Count of Estonia." Abel looked straight at Eulis. He carefully enunciated each word to give it the force it deserved. "You are the only one who will be able to persuade them and lead them."

"Give me a break! I'm pathetic. You must be able to see that! I can't do anything!"

"You won't know until you try, right? This is a big job, but you have the knowledge and the people's love. I think you have a winning chance." Abel was patient.

All eyes were on the young count. The townsfolk in the room were holding their breath. But Eulis shook his head, adamant. "I can't do it. I'm a pathetic weakling. As soon as I even hear the sound of a gunshot, I'm like a sitting duck. That whole story where I stayed bravely with the knights—that was all a lie... all of it."

Eulis bent over and buried his head in his hands. His voice was disappearing into a little groan. "I was scared while everyone fought. I ran. I ran away alone. I abandoned all the knights who were bravely fighting for our country. And I ran. Some leader for Estonia! I'm just a coward!" Eulis trembled with regret and fear.

He was pitiful, but Abel wasn't going to spare him. "And now even, you're calling yourself a coward... "Abel was polite but there was an unusual strictness in his tone. He grabbed Eulis' shoulders and forced him to look up at him. "But still we have to take a chance... You have to lead them out!"

"NO!" Eulis screamed hysterically. "I can't do it! I won't do it! Someone else, someone stronger..."

He wasn't allowed to finish. A huge slap sent him flying to the floor. Eulis was caught unawares. Silently, he looked down at the floor panels.

"You really are pathetic." Abel looked down at Eulis as he quietly lowered his hands. Behind his glasses, his eyes shone cold. His expression was so stiff that he looked almost inhuman. "But we do not have time to continue this. Even as we speak, someone we love dearly is facing a death sentence. Fine. We won't ask you to do anything more," Abel spat out. He then turned back to his friends. "Antonio, Tres: I want you to organize the escape. It may be difficult for you to obtain the town's cooperation, but it is far better than relying on some pathetic weakling."

"Hey!"

There was a scream from behind the priest. When Abel turned around, a fist came straight at him. The force sent him tumbling to the floor.

"Shut up, you stupid priest!"

It wasn't the count who had stood up to take revenge for the abuse. Eulis was still lying on the floor. It was the townsfolk who were standing around to defend his honor.

"How dare you think you can say what you want to him?! You know nothing about the count!" Sergei screamed at the priest. His cheeks were flushed. "The count is always thinking about us. He's never been strong but he studied hard, and little by little, he's worked to improve our lives. He may have his flaws, but no one can call him a coward!"

Sergei's sermon raised muttered agreements from the other townsfolk. They set upon kicking the fallen priest.

Eulis protested. "Ple-please..."

He had let them all down this morning. He had been overwhelmed by an old man. Eulis couldn't understand how they "Ye-yes." Christa looked upset. "If this turns into a battle, what will happen to my husband? My poor Rudolph may be killed as a heretic."

"Don't worry yourself. Abel will enter the castle before the fighting gets too fierce. He'll also look for your husband. Don't' worry. Abel will find him."

Antonio's kind words were empty, though. Abel might not have the time when he was in enemy territory to look for Rudolph. Even if he did, the chances of finding him safe were slim. Antonio knew this. But Christa didn't seem to realize, and she stopped frowning a little.

"Really? I'll put my faith in Father Nightroad. I know that he'll be able to rescue my husband."

"Of course. So please don't worry." Antonio smiled to ease her. She left the room, looking a little more relaxed. When she had left, Antonio turned his attention back to the evacuation operation with a troubled expression.

There was something bothering him. He turned back around to look at the door through which she just left.

Antonio stood for a while, immersed in his own thoughts.

 

***

 

"Forty pounds of plastic bullets please." The young priest put the shopping basket on the counter. "I'd also like enough canned and nonperishable food to last for four days. I'd also like a plane capable of taking off in the snow."

"Have you seen the board?"

The shops were quiet. Looking up from the newspaper, Romas Quaranta eyed the foreign looking youth.

"I don't read Lithuanian. What's written?"

'"Quaranta fresh sea food. Good and cheap. Will deliver within Vilinus.' That's right. If it isn't fresh, I don't sell it. I don't have cans or bullets or anything like that. Look somewhere else," the old man said and then turned back to the newspaper. He was ready to pull out the pistol in his pocket if required. But he watched the priest reflected in the mirror near his foot and wondered what the strange man was up to. He was disturbed from his thoughts by a thick accented voice.

"Hey, don't be so cold, old man."

"You..."

A giant, over six-feet tall, knocked the gun out of Romas' hand. The man grinned. "You stopped running your store to became a fishmonger? Getting old?"

"Garcia?!" Romas' jaw dropped. Then, he quickly became ecstatic. He beat on the chest of the giant. "It's been such a long time! What's with this look? Priest garments really don't suit you. What happened to the Hispanic Army?"

"I quit. Personal reasons." The giant, Leon Garcia de Asturias, pulled a face. It was only for an instant, though. He patted the old gun seller on the back and laughed. "It's been three years. You look well."

"You never sent a single letter," the old man chided affectionately.

It made Leon grimace a little. He brought the topic back to his main purpose quickly. "There're lots of things I want to tell you, but I don't have time. Can you get the stuff for me?"

"Who do you think I am? Give me five minutes. But a plane that can land on snow? Where is the battle this time?"

"I can only say it's up north. Top secret."

"North, ay?" Leon's old friend shook his head a little, resigned, but then he seemed to remember something. "North... You don't mean Estonia, do you?"

"How do you know, old man?"

"If I were you, I wouldn't go anywhere near that place. It's no good up there." Romas frowned as he pulled the order from under the floorboards. "You know those idiots who caused the disturbance at Brno are there, right? The stragglers fled to Estonia. There're going to be a lot of dangerous types hanging round there now."

"Dangerous types?"

The old man nodded and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Yesterday, some people said three airships set off north. They'll be going to crush what's left."

Leon tensed a little when he heard this. "Make sure the ship is full of fuel; I'm going right away." He quickly picked up the paper bags that Romas had placed on the counter.

Romas eyed the giant.

"A little quicker. I'm in a hurry."