[San Myushino -- approx. 9:00 PM]
At the mansion, Aylin's cellphone rings on the other end as Saint Germain, Noah and Luka wait anxiously for Karina to answer.
There is a click as the receiver connects.
"Aylin, hey! Long time no--"
"Karina! Karina, are you okay?" Aylin says as soon as she hears her aunt's voice. "You aren't hurt, are you? Where are you right now?"
"Woah, Aylin, chill out a second!" Karina finally gets a word in.
"Where am I? I'm at home... where are you? And why do you sound so
upset?"
"No, never mind that! I'm not the one with a crazy stalker, okay?"
Aylin takes a deep breath, "Look, I know this is going to sound weird,
but I need you to listen to me very carefully."
"O-okay..." Karina thinks this is unusual to be commanded around
by her younger family member, but she listens.
"I need you to meet me right away at the address I'm about to text you. Don't let anyone see you! Get a cab and come over right now. We need to talk about Wolfgang."
"Wait--WOLFGANG? H-how do you know about him, Aylin?! What have you gotten yourself into now? This isn't funn--"
"Just come over here and I'll explain everything! We don't have much time to wait around! Your life is in danger!"
Noah listens to half the conversation with increasing anxiety.
Will this really work? he wonders.
"I'm texting you the address now," he hears Aylin say into the phone, "Just come as quickly as possible!"
Aylin hangs up on her aunt, making it impossible for any protest to take place.
She then proceeds to text the mansion's address to the young woman.
"Okay. It's done," she says to the room.
Saint Germain motions to Luka.
"Please make sure our guest finds her way safely."
"Right."
[9:37 PM]
[9:55 PM]
The doors to the parlor creak open.
A young woman walks in.
"Aylin?" She takes a look around the room. "What the hell is this place--"
Aylin rushes to greet the woman, interrupting her mid-question.
"Oh my God, Karina! I'm so happy you're safe! I was so worried..." she says, her face buried in her aunt's jacket.
"Well I mean, of course I'm safe..." Karina says awkwardly.
What in the world is going on? And who are all these men? she wonders.
"It is good to see you again, and unharmed," Saint Germain greets
the young woman, gesturing for her to sit down.
Luka takes his place by Saint Germain's side.
"You will not remember me, but I bore witness to your unpleasant interactions with the man called Wolfgang not but a week ago. I am pleased to see that for whatever reason, you have remained out of his reach." His voice is comforting, but his serious demeanor and imposing presence leaves Karina at a loss for words.
"In point of fact, it is his behavior that has forced me to bring you before me. We fear for your well-being so long as he is free to roam the streets. You must know of his vampyrism and its effect on his mental faculties by now."
"Well, I mean..." She is put on the spot. "He
was always a strange kid, I just... thought maybe he was going through a
phase again. You know, like those goth people?"
She tries joking to ease the tension, but nobody in the room is laughing.
"Maybe that isn't really in style anymore..."
Her discomfort grows.
Saint Germain simply looks into her young face, waiting.
She sighs, shakes her head and looks into the pale man's eyes.
"Okay... Alright, look," she begins again, "I'm sorry, I--I guess there really is something wrong with him. I've had nightmares every night since that time he... tried to control me with some kind of power. I made it home that night and tried to just forget about it."
The look on her face grows dim with unpleasant memories.
"Not only that, my boyfriend made me hate his guts that night too," she continues, "I guess I didn't know what to do when Wolfgang called. We used to be so close, and I thought maybe, with Zaiden having a change of heart..." She trails off.
Saint Germain listens to Karina's woes.
"I understand this human drama that you suffer from, and our objective is not to lecture you on your behavior in this matter," he begins. "Wolfgang is not the man you once cared about. He has let this darkness consume him completely. He roams the streets murdering the innocent, gaining power from every drop of blood he takes in. This is no longer a man capable of rational thought or action. He is calculating in his deceptions, and will use whatever means necessary to take what he has decided is his own. This includes you, Miss Moreno."
Saint Germain's speech continues.
"Young Mr. Grace here, whom you have just met, was a recent victim of Wolfgang's near deadly vengeance. Furthermore, your Zaiden is being held hostage with another boy in their own home. As for their condition, I am afraid it is unclear at this time."
Karina's face falls.
"Z-Zaiden is...?" It is clear that despite their squabbling, she still cares for him.
She grows quiet, fearing the worst.
"Aunt Karina, this is why we brought you here," Aylin says
quietly, "To help Saint Germain stop Wolfgang from hurting anybody else!
If anyone can do it, he can."
Karina sits in silence for a few minutes.
The room waits breathlessly for her answer.
Finally, she looks into Saint Germain's eyes, a renewed look of determination in hers.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Call him," Luka answers. "Tell him to meet you at that bar you went to before. We'll take it from there."
Karina gets her phone from her jacket pocket. She dials a number, then puts the phone to her ear.
It rings for what feels like an eternity.
Then, an answer.
"Karina."
"Wolfgang... h-how are you doing?" She hides the fear from her voice as best as she can, trying to sound natural.
"Never been better. I didn't think I'd see your name on my phone."
"Well, um... I can't stop thinking about you, Wolfgang, and I... I really need to see you."
"...Really." the voice says.
Disbelief saturates the airwaves.
"Yes, really," Karina increases her seriousness, sensing his doubt.
There is silence on the other end as
she waits for him to respond.
Sweat starts to bead on her forehead.
"It seems like my luck has turned around. Surprising. Alright, where can I meet you?"
Her heart starts beating again.
"Can we go back to that place we went to last time? Slayers, or... something, wasn't it?"
"Sure. We can go wherever you want, Karina."
The way he says her name sends chills up her spine.
"Okay. Good. Meet me there in one hour."
"I'll be there."
There is a click, and the line disconnects.
As soon as Karina is off the phone, Luka turns to Saint Germain.
"Well, Saint..." he lets out a breath, "So far so good."
Saint Germain meets his gaze.
"It seems so."
The gravity of what lies before them weighs heavily on his mind.
"We shall proceed with the plan," he says sternly. "You will take Mr. Grace and Miss Aylin to rescue the hostages. Miss Moreno and I will head to the rendezvous point... I will deal with Wolfgang from there."
He regards Luka with intensity.
"Make absolutely certain you are not seen."
Noah and Aylin stand at the back of the parlor, speaking in hushed
voices.
"You are sure you want to go through with this?" Noah asks, although he knows it is much too late for questions such as this.
"You could remain here, we know where Wolfgang will be." His concern for her is written plainly on his face. "You need not get involved."
"I am already involved, Noah," she says, not unkindly. "I'm going with you."
Saint Germain addresses the room in a commanding voice.
"The time has come."
He adjusts his gloves.
Everybody is quiet; the mission ahead is fraught with danger. One mistake and there will be no going back.
"We move."
Continue to Part 15...
"Aylin, hey! Long time no--"
"Karina! Karina, are you okay?" Aylin says as soon as she hears her aunt's voice. "You aren't hurt, are you? Where are you right now?"
"I need you to meet me right away at the address I'm about to text you. Don't let anyone see you! Get a cab and come over right now. We need to talk about Wolfgang."
"Wait--WOLFGANG? H-how do you know about him, Aylin?! What have you gotten yourself into now? This isn't funn--"
"Just come over here and I'll explain everything! We don't have much time to wait around! Your life is in danger!"
Will this really work? he wonders.
"I'm texting you the address now," he hears Aylin say into the phone, "Just come as quickly as possible!"
She then proceeds to text the mansion's address to the young woman.
"Okay. It's done," she says to the room.
"Please make sure our guest finds her way safely."
A young woman walks in.
"Oh my God, Karina! I'm so happy you're safe! I was so worried..." she says, her face buried in her aunt's jacket.
What in the world is going on? And who are all these men? she wonders.
Luka takes his place by Saint Germain's side.
"You will not remember me, but I bore witness to your unpleasant interactions with the man called Wolfgang not but a week ago. I am pleased to see that for whatever reason, you have remained out of his reach." His voice is comforting, but his serious demeanor and imposing presence leaves Karina at a loss for words.
"In point of fact, it is his behavior that has forced me to bring you before me. We fear for your well-being so long as he is free to roam the streets. You must know of his vampyrism and its effect on his mental faculties by now."
She tries joking to ease the tension, but nobody in the room is laughing.
"Maybe that isn't really in style anymore..."
Her discomfort grows.
Saint Germain simply looks into her young face, waiting.
"Okay... Alright, look," she begins again, "I'm sorry, I--I guess there really is something wrong with him. I've had nightmares every night since that time he... tried to control me with some kind of power. I made it home that night and tried to just forget about it."
The look on her face grows dim with unpleasant memories.
"Not only that, my boyfriend made me hate his guts that night too," she continues, "I guess I didn't know what to do when Wolfgang called. We used to be so close, and I thought maybe, with Zaiden having a change of heart..." She trails off.
"I understand this human drama that you suffer from, and our objective is not to lecture you on your behavior in this matter," he begins. "Wolfgang is not the man you once cared about. He has let this darkness consume him completely. He roams the streets murdering the innocent, gaining power from every drop of blood he takes in. This is no longer a man capable of rational thought or action. He is calculating in his deceptions, and will use whatever means necessary to take what he has decided is his own. This includes you, Miss Moreno."
"Young Mr. Grace here, whom you have just met, was a recent victim of Wolfgang's near deadly vengeance. Furthermore, your Zaiden is being held hostage with another boy in their own home. As for their condition, I am afraid it is unclear at this time."
Karina's face falls.
"Z-Zaiden is...?" It is clear that despite their squabbling, she still cares for him.
She grows quiet, fearing the worst.
The room waits breathlessly for her answer.
Finally, she looks into Saint Germain's eyes, a renewed look of determination in hers.
"What do you need me to do?"
It rings for what feels like an eternity.
Then, an answer.
"Karina."
"Never been better. I didn't think I'd see your name on my phone."
"Well, um... I can't stop thinking about you, Wolfgang, and I... I really need to see you."
"...Really." the voice says.
Disbelief saturates the airwaves.
"Yes, really," Karina increases her seriousness, sensing his doubt.
Sweat starts to bead on her forehead.
"It seems like my luck has turned around. Surprising. Alright, where can I meet you?"
Her heart starts beating again.
"Can we go back to that place we went to last time? Slayers, or... something, wasn't it?"
"Sure. We can go wherever you want, Karina."
The way he says her name sends chills up her spine.
"Okay. Good. Meet me there in one hour."
"I'll be there."
There is a click, and the line disconnects.
"Well, Saint..." he lets out a breath, "So far so good."
"It seems so."
The gravity of what lies before them weighs heavily on his mind.
"We shall proceed with the plan," he says sternly. "You will take Mr. Grace and Miss Aylin to rescue the hostages. Miss Moreno and I will head to the rendezvous point... I will deal with Wolfgang from there."
He regards Luka with intensity.
"Make absolutely certain you are not seen."
"You are sure you want to go through with this?" Noah asks, although he knows it is much too late for questions such as this.
"You could remain here, we know where Wolfgang will be." His concern for her is written plainly on his face. "You need not get involved."
"The time has come."
He adjusts his gloves.
Everybody is quiet; the mission ahead is fraught with danger. One mistake and there will be no going back.
Continue to Part 15...
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