The Hohenzollern Empire 5: Holy Phoenix - An Empire of Jerusalem Megacampaign in New World Order

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I made the file province_mapping.txt to transfer the save from HOI4 to NWO. So, what is next? What to do with him? Anyone who understands the mapping can tell me what to do with this file?
Next you need to do the country mappings to translate the tags from HOI4 to those for NWO (and possibly create new tags for those without equivalents).
I'm getting so antsy, I REALLY want to see the BTEC SCP Foundation get buggered by Anders
Knowing Anders, he'd probably accidentally release SCP-[REDACTED], causing [DATA EXPUNGED].:eek:
Did you ever hear the Tragedy of The RSB?
It's not a story the Bureau of Defense would tell you.
Yeah, but that was before Tv, cameras, and also the angels aren't even around. The Soviets Nuke'd em back in '45.
Plus, the Reich also has Internet now.:p
The SCP Foundation is disgusted. At least THEY actually know how to contain threats!
The Inquisition would like a word with the Foundation. The Foundation can only contain threats. The Inquisition neutralizes them.
Surprise mother****ers
General Kenobi!
Yes!
So Civilised!
The tyranny of the sequel memes will never return!
It’s not a story X-Division would tell you.:p

Also since Angela just got taken by a UFO, this might result in her meeting Annie again if she’s still alive and held by the aliens.
Or they're both dead and Anders and Erich will flip out.:eek:
 
The Return of Daniel Burkard, Part 2

8:46 PM

As firefighters ran by outside, and helicopters flew around the mountain, combing the area with their searchlights, medics taped up the bullet wound in Daniel’s chest. The man was bound to his chair. As Anders entered, the medics left. Anders sat down in a chair. He looked ragged. Dirt covered his coat. His eyes were red. His hair was messy. After a few seconds, he got up and took out Angela’s Walkman, holding it in front of Daniel's face.

“This was hers, you know,” Anders said, “A gift from the Crown Princess herself. She loved listening to her tapes. You took that away from her. You took her away from us.”

Daniel remained silent.

“Daniel, what happened after you took her out of the trunk?” Anders asked.

“We walked a-little ways up to the top of the mountain,” Daniel said, “Right where you found me.”

“Then where'd you take her?” Anders asked.

“I didn't,” Daniel said, “They did. That was the deal. Her instead of me.”

Anders closed his eyes for a second. Then he walked over to Daniel.

“Did you kill her?” he whispered, clenching his fists.

Daniel looked him in the eyes. “No. I swear.”

Anders pointed to the burn marks on Daniel’s face. “How'd you get this?”

“From the ship,” Daniel said.

“What ship?” Anders asked.

“You saw it,” Daniel said.

“I saw a helicopter,” Anders said.

“They were here,” Daniel said, “I'm not lying to you!”

He looked through the window into the next room and saw men in suits watching. They started walking out.

“There they are,” he said, “Ask them. They know what happened!”

He struggled to get up, but Anders pushed him back into the chair.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Anders said.

“No!” Daniel said, increasingly agitated. “You've got to stop them! Hurry, hurry!”

Anders looked into the next room and saw no one.

“They were just out there!” Daniel said. “They were right outside!”

He tried getting up again, but Anders grabbed him by the back of his head and slammed him face down into a desk.

“Shut up!” Anders said.

“They'll tell you where she is!” Daniel said. “The military's in on it, just ask them!”

Andres noticed Daniel’s hospital ID band. A strand of Angela’s hair was still on it, as well as some blood. He tore it off and held it in front of Daniel’s face.

“Did you hurt her?” he asked.

“No,” Daniel pleaded.

“Did you hurt her!?” Anders screamed.

“No!” Daniel replied.

“Then what is this?” Anders demanded.

Daniel shook his head. Anders promptly grabbed his neck and started chocking him. Daniel gagged and wheezed, his hands struggling to free himself as Anders squeezed the life from him. After a few seconds, Anders let go and slammed Daniel against the desk again. He looked at Daniel one more time, took Demetrios’ jacket, and walked out.

“I'm sorry,” Daniel said.

Anders stopped and looked back.

“They had to take her,” Daniel said, “I hope they're not hurting her... too much with the tests. I'm sorry.”

Anders left the room and immediately ran into Pavel.

“Hey?” Pavel said.

“Yeah,” Anders said, trying to get past him, “I’ve got somewhere to go.”

“What, what's the matter, what, what'd he say to you?” Pavel said.

“No, he's giving me nothing,” Anders said, “Were you out here alone?”

“Yeah, why?” Pavel said.

“Nobody goes in or out of that room,” Anders said, walking away.

He walked to the window to Daniel’s room, where he saw Daniel talking to Pavel. Anders tapped on the window, and Pavel looked back at him. Anders waved him out. Pavel said a few more things to Daniel and exited, approaching Anders.

“What are you doing in there?” Anders said.

“I heard him...” Pavel said. “I heard him gagging in there, he couldn't breathe.”

“No one...” Anders said.

“I...” Pavel began.

“No one!” Anders repeated.

“He said you choked him!” Pavel said.

“No one is to interrogate the suspect,” Anders said.

“Except you,” Pavel said.

“Yeah, except me,” Anders said, “Did you ask him about Angie?”

“Yeah,” Pavel said.

“What'd he say?” Anders said.

“He sang ‘Stairway to Heaven’,” Pavel said.

They heard a car pulling up. Anders asked a guard to keep an eye on Daniel and then walked to the front door, where Erich and Schulz stood with two other agents.

“You got Daniel Burkard?” Schulz asked.

“Yes, sir,” Anders said.

“Agent Humboldt, you disobeyed my direct order,” Erich said.

The guard ran up to them. “Call the paramedics!”

They all rushed into the room to see two guards kneeling over Daniel, who lay on the ground choking and wheezing.

“What happened?” Anders said.

“He was gagging...” the guard said.

Daniel gagged and wheezed more. His body tensed up, and his eyes locked with Anders. Then he exhaled a final breath, and his body untensed. His eyes closed. Two paramedics ran in, carrying medical kits, and began working on Daniel’s lifeless body.


Athanatoi Academy Morgue, Adrianople – October 9, 1994, 6:07 AM

"Medical Examiner Name: Burkard, Daniel

Case No. 197735

Date: 10/8/94

Where taken from: Luftberg, Banat."

Anders stood over Daniel’s body as it lay in the morgue. A pathologist walked in.

“Excuse me,” she said.

"I'm Agent Humboldt,” Anders said, “I'd like a copy of this man's autopsy report.”

“I'm sorry, it's still incomplete,” the pathologist said.

“Are you the pathologist?” Anders asked.

“Yes,” the pathologist said.

“Can I ask what your preliminary findings are?” Anders asked.

The pathologist looked at her clipboard. “Umm... ‘Second-degree burns to the face, contusions about the neck, bruised larynx...’ If I had to list cause of death at this point, I'd have to say asphyxiation. Were you expecting something else?”

Anders coughed. “You haven't run a toxicological yet?”

“They should be finished shortly,” the pathologist said.

“I'd be interested to see what you find,” Anders said, “When will they be on file?

“Later this morning,” the pathologist said.

“I'd like a copy as soon as possible, please,” Anders said.

“Oh, I'm sorry, you'll have to go through regular military channels,” the pathologist said.

“What do you mean, military?” Anders said. “You're not Athanatoi?”

“Adrianople Academy’s under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Defense, as of today,” the pathologist said, “There wasn't an Athanatoi pathologist available this morning. I think there are some RSB folks out in the lobby you could ask.”

She wheeled the body out the door.


Wassertor Building, Constantinople – 6:16 AM

Pavel walked through the Wassertor parking lot, looking around as he walked. He opened the door of his car and got in. He looked to his right and found the smoking man sitting in the passenger seat.

“Well?” the smoking man said. “I don’t have all day.”

“Director Hansen’s expecting my report on the Daniel Burkard incident,” Pavel said, “He’s going to want someone to chew out. What do I tell him?”

“The truth,” the smoking man said, stubbing out his cigarette.

“What do you mean?” Pavel said.

“Confirm Humboldt's version of events,” the smoking man said, “You've earned his trust, so the object now is to preserve it.”

“For how much longer?” Pavel said.

“Until your assignment is complete,” the smoking man said.

“If Humboldt is such a threat, why not eliminate him?” Pavel asked. “Like the Soviets killed my parents in Vienna.”

“That may be KGB policy, but it's not our policy as well,” the smoking man said.

“It's not?” Pavel said. “After what you had me do?”

“Kill Humboldt, and you risk turning one man's religion into a crusade,” the smoking man said, “And you know how the Crusades turned out.”

“What about Angela Hansen?” Pavel said.

“We've taken care of that,” the smoking man said.

“How?” Pavel said.

“We tell you only what you need to know,” the smoking man said, “What you need to know to avenge your parents.”

“I think I have a right to know,” Pavel said, “And I think my parents would’ve wanted me to know what you’re keeping from me.”

“You have no rights, only orders to be carried out,” the smoking man said, “You signed them away in that parking lot in Prague. If you have a problem with our arrangement, then we'll make other arrangements.”

The smoking man got out of the car.


Erich’s office, Omar Mukhtar Building – 10:36 AM

Erich looked at a picture of Daniel Burkard, while the smoking man sat in the corner.

“Victim appears to have expired from prolonged hypoxemia, secondary to asphyxiation,” he said, passing the photo to Schulz, “Several possible etiologies and most likely strangulation due to the presence of contusions and a bruised larynx. Do you want to speak to this, Agent Humboldt?”

Schulz passed the photo to Anders.

“I didn't kill him, if that's what you're suggesting,” Anders said.

“But you attacked him?” Schulz asked.

“I was interrogating him about Agent Hansen,” Anders said, “He wasn't cooperating…so I pushed him.”

“And you lost control,” Schulz said.

“Momentarily,” Anders said, “But then I left the room. He was very much alive, I spoke to him. Agent Novak spoke to him.”

“Agent Novak says he entered the room because the suspect was gagging,” Erich said.

“Is Agent Novak asserting that I killed him too?” Anders said.

“No,” Erich said, “He corroborates your story. But the fact is, we've got a dead suspect, Anders, and no other plausible cause of death. OPC wants the both of you to take a lie detector test. You're to report to OPC immediately.”

Anders stood up. “There is another plausible cause of death.”

“Which is?” Schulz asked.

“Poisoning by injection or ingestion,” Anders said.

Schulz and the smoking man looked back at Erich, who flipped through his file.

“Poisoning?” Erich said.

“You won't find that on the RSB pathologist's report,” Anders said.

“What are you saying, Agent Humboldt?” Schulz said.

“That the autopsy is incomplete,” Anders said, “That the Bureau of Defense covered up the toxicological findings.”

“And why would they do that?” Erich said.

“Because they know where Angela is,” Anders said.

“Why are you so paranoid, Humboldt?” Schulz said.

“Oh, I don't know,” Anders said, “Maybe it's because I find it hard to trust anybody.”

He walked out as Erich looked nervously at the smoking man. Anders walked up to Pavel, who walked down the hall reading a file.

“Pavel?” Anders asked. “Pavel, can I borrow your car keys?”

“Why, where are you going?” Pavel asked.

“There's someone I've got to see,” Anders said.

“Yeah, but we're scheduled at OPC—” Pavel began.

“I know, just give me the car keys please,” Anders said.

Pavel sighed and handed him the keys. “Fine.”

Anders turned and walked away.


Office of Senator Reinhard Makarios – 11:45 AM

Anders walked up some stairs and started towards Makarios’ office, but X appeared at the top of the next flight of stairs.

“You've wasted a trip, Herr Humboldt,” X said, “There's nothing the Senator can do for you about this.”

“What?” Anders said.

“Not without committing political suicide,” X said.

“Why?” Anders said. “Do they have something on him?”

“They have something on everyone, Herr Humboldt,” X said, “The question is when they'll use it.”

“I need his help,” Anders said.

“No one can help you now,” X said, “Your channels of appeal and recourse are closed.”

“Uncle Hans could have helped me,” Anders said.

They stared at each other. Anders walked around him, shaking his head.

“Oh... you know, don't you?” Anders said. “You know what's happened to her.”

X turned to face him. “This reaches beyond any of us, Herr Humboldt. Even your uncle.”

“I want an answer!” Anders said.

“Why kill Daniel Burkard if there was nothing to hide?” X said.

“You mean the government?” Anders said.

“There are no answers for you, Herr Humboldt,” X said, stepping into the light, “They only have one policy...deny everything.”

X walked past him and up the stairs. Anders thought for a second, then walked back down the stairs and out. Passing businessmen, he went to the car and got in. He thought for a second, then opened up the ashtray. He saw the cigarette butts inside and then slammed it shut.


Erich’s office – 12:11 PM

Erich sat at his desk, looking at Anders’ report. Anders stood, waiting.

“This is a serious allegation, Agent Humboldt,” Erich said.

“So long as it's true,” Anders said.

“‘Agent Novak was hired or suborned by an outside agency to impede a federal investigation and may be responsible for the death of a suspect in a capitol murder case.’?” Erich read.

“It goes on,” Anders said.

“‘And the possible murder of the tram operator at Luftberg’,” Erich read, “There's a lot of blood on this document, Anders. Are you standing behind this, going on the record? Because they’ll skin me and Schulz alive if I do.”

“Yes, sir,” Anders said.

“Then you damn well better have the facts to back it up,” Erich said.

He pushed a button to his intercom. “I need to see Agent Novak immediately.”

Erich stood up and went to the window. “I can't protect you, Agent Humboldt. Past a point, this will become a larger Athanatoi matter.”

Anders took out the cigarette butt he found and tossed it next to the ashtray the smoking man used previously.

“I found this in Agent Novak's car,” Anders said, “He doesn't smoke. Agent Novak was the last person with Daniel Burkard before he died. He was also the last person to see the tram operator before he disappeared. When I got to the top of Luftberg Mountain, I saw an unmarked helicopter working the area. I believe Agent Novak gave away Daniel’s whereabouts to whoever he's working with.”

“And who is that?” Erich said.

“I don't know, the military?” Anders said. “Bureau of Defense? RSB? Some covert organization within the government? Sentinel? Whoever it is Cigarette Guy works for.”

“Why?” Erich said.

“Because Angie got too close to whatever it is they're trying to deny,” Anders said, “Because she had hard and damning evidence, that metallic implant in her possession. Or because her termination would prevent further involvement with me and my work. Because it would break both of us.”

“Do you think Angie’s dead?” Erich asked. “What am I going to tell Sharon?”

“I don't know,” Anders said, “How far do you think they'd go?”

Erich looked away. “This is insane. Angie had nothing to do with this.”

“What do you know about Agent Novak?” Anders asked.

“Ten years ago, he worked for me when I was under Foreign Division,” Erich said, “Not really a talkative guy, but very loyal and dedicated, especially after the Director was captured. What you’re about to hear is classified, but I suppose you don’t care. He was part of the Tempelhof operation and spent several months quarantined after being dosed with low levels of XA-1005C. He was involved in the Vienna operation several months later. His parents died there. They reassigned him to Mittagsland not long after that. Said he was too close to the case. Pavel was never the same after the war. I thought I could reach out to him, help him heal. I didn’t give him the assignment, but when Schulz recommended it down to me with his name attached, I only—”

The phone rang. Erich picked it up and listened for a second.

“Yes,” he said, “Thanks.”

He hung up.

“Agent Novak didn't show up for work this morning,” Erich said, sitting down, “His home and mobile numbers have been disconnected.”

“That's it?” Anders said. “He's gone, he just disappears into the woodwork?”

“So it would appear,” Erich said, “There isn’t much we can do. Even Schulz’s options are limited in situations like this.”

Anders angrily stormed towards the door and turned back.

“Who are these people who can just murder with impunity and we can't do anything about it?” Anders said. “Isn’t our job here to stop people like them?”

“Anders, as your uncle, I urge you to let it go,” Erich said.

“Like hell I will,” Anders snapped.

“There's nothing you can do,” Erich said.

“What can you do about it?” Anders said. “She’s your daughter, Uncle Erich! Are you just going to let her go like that? What would Aunt Magda say?”

“There's only one thing I can do, Anders,” Erich said, “As of this moment, I'm officially reinstating the X-Division.”

He stood up and faced Anders. “That's what they fear the most.”


Kyparades Park – 3:14 AM

Anders sat down on a park bench and waited. After a couple minutes, Aunt Magda arrived and sat down next to him.

“Anders, thanks for calling me,” Magda said.

“I'm sorry I don't have better news, Auntie,” Anders said.

“Do you know something?” Magda asked. “Is Angie okay?”

“We don't know anything more about her,” Anders said, “And Uncle Erich and I are working as hard as we can to figure it out.”

Magda smiled. “I know you two are doing all you can.”

She paused and took a deep breath. “I had that dream again last night. About Angie being taken away? I can't tell you how it scares me.”

“It's probably scarier when you stop having the dream,” Anders said, “Don't you think?”

They stared at each other. Magda looked like she was about to cry. They both looked down at the floor in silence for a few seconds. Anders had a few words ready, but he held them back. Best to let her collect her thoughts first. He then reached over and took out Hans’ trench coat (which lay folded next to him) and Angela’s Walkman.

“I found this,” Anders said, handing them to Magda, “It's something I... I never thought was important about her. Was she close with her grandfather?”

Magda looked at the coat and the Walkman. “Erich’s father wore that coat at Erich's and my wedding. He had it with him wherever he went. It meant a lot to him. And that Walkman…it belonged to the Crown Princess. Angie had it with her wherever she went. It meant a lot to her.”

“If she was such a skeptic, why did she listen to so many songs to the contrary?” Anders said, pointing to the Georg Michael tape she had been listening to.

“Erich gave her several tapes for her fifteenth birthday,” Magda said, “He’d listened to them when he was in Siam. And you know your cousin. She's always had faith.”

She handed the coat and Walkman back to Anders.

“Don't you want to keep it?” Anders said.

Magda shook her head. “When you find Angie, you give it to her.”

Anders nodded. Magda got up and walked away, leaving Anders on the bench. He looked down at the Walkman, scraped off some of the dried blood, and hit play.


He started crying.
 
Sweet, Angie (might) have a pulse! Add on the X-Division back in action and Anders getting closer to the smoking man, and I feel like we're reaching a climax for this story arc.
 
Since you mentioned the pagan gods possibly showing up in this story arch at somepoint, I wonder if their are pagan communities that worship the Greeco-Roman Gods? Maybe they would be like Mormons to the pagans and be an offshoot of Norse Paganism applied to the Helenstic gods. In OTL, there are some communites that follow Hellenism still, but they are completely obscure. I’m also thinking that some of the Pagans in Egypt could also grow out of Lithuanian paganism to worship the ancient Egyptian gods with some Romanva traditions. Also are there still Zunists and Jews living in Persia and Yavadi since their used to be Jewish kingdoms in the lands that eventually became Yavadi before it existed and the Timurids were a Zunist empire so I’m wondering if there are Zunist holy sites in Samarkand and the other places that were under the Timurid Empire in addition to the place where the Zunist high priest lives in Arabia. Also how is Buddhism and other non Hindu faiths doing in India?
 
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Sweet, Angie (might) have a pulse! Add on the X-Division back in action and Anders getting closer to the smoking man, and I feel like we're reaching a climax for this story arc.
But I still haven't introduced the rest of Anders' family.;)
Since you mentioned the pagan gods possibly showing up in this story arch at somepoint
Actually, I can confirm they will definitely show up. I'm still working on the details, though.
I wonder if their are pagan communities that worship the Greeco-Roman Gods?
I didn't really think of that, but there would of course be some Hellenistic pagan groups.
Norse Paganism applied to the Helenstic gods. In OTL, there are some communites that follow Hellenism still, but they are completely obscure.
I think I read there were large communities of Hellenic pagans in Greece until the 8th century or something, when most were Christianized. It's not much of a stretch to have those communities survive and experience growth after the Pagan Resurgence three hundred years later. But they'd mostly be obscure minority groups. Maybe like the Mormons they'd migrate out of Europe, where they flee from persecution, to the African provinces, where they can build a new homeland and convert the locals.
I’m also thinking that some of the Pagans in Egypt could also grow out of Lithuanian paganism to worship the ancient Egyptian gods with some Romanva traditions.
That would certainly be an interesting idea. I will actually be talking a little about the Lithuanian Egyptians in the next arc, though they won't be the focus.
Zunists and Jews living in Persia and Yavadi since their used to be Jewish kingdoms in the lands that eventually became Yavadi before it existed and the Timurids were a Zunist empire so I’m wondering if there are Zunist holy sites in Samarkand and the other places that were under the Timurid Empire in addition to the place where the Zunist high priest lives in Arabia.
There are still a lot of Jews in Yavdi, but most were expelled to the Reich by the Soviets. There are still Zunists throughout Turkestan, Persia, and Afghanistan. The Zunist holy sites from CK2 are still holy sites, as is the old Ghaznavid capital of Ghazni.
Also how is Buddhism and other non Hindu faiths doing in India?
Buddhists and Jains are doing quite well, though they were wiped off the map in CK2. Their current situation is like the Muslims (equivalent of the Jews in Germany), which means they've been doing very well in recent years.
 
Doubt and Disbelief, Part 1

X-Division – November 1, 1994, 9:12 AM

Anders walked into his old office, carrying a folder, and began pulling dusty plastic sheets off the desk and filing cabinets. He changed his Star Trek calendar from October to November and opened a cabinet. He opened his folder and removed a new file: “Angela Hansen 7 3317.” He put the file in the cabinet and then took out her glasses and badge. He unclipped the Walkman from his pocket and placed it on his desk. His finger hovered over the play button, unsure of if he wanted to listen to something. The phone rang.

“Hey, Schulz,” Anders said.

“Morning, Anders,” Director Schulz said, “I was wondering if you’ve got time to look into this case I just received from our Alexandria division. But if you still need time to—"

“Oh, sure, Director,” Anders said, “What kind of case is it?”

“Seems to be a regular homicide or something, but I’ve been told the Inquisition’s taken an interest in it,” Schulz said, “You’re going to have to move quickly before they get there. Already bought you a ticket.”


Alexandria – 3:23 PM

A plane flew overhead, dropping red powder fire retardant a few miles away. Anders drove up to the address Schulz gave him and got out, where two detectives—Munster and Dieter—stood in front of the door, discussing how to canvass the house.

“Let’s start in the bedroom and work our way downstairs,” Munster said.

“Don’t let the media in on the writings in blood on the wall,” Dieter said.

“Okay,” Munster said.

Anders ducked under the tape and approached them.

“Excuse me, sir?” Dieter said. “If I can ask your indulgence? This is a restricted crime scene.”

Anders showed Dieter his badge. “Agent Humboldt. I’m with the Athanatoi.”

“Nobody called the Athanatoi,” Munster said.

“Nobody expected the Athanatoi, but they expected the Inquisition?” Anders said. “Well, they should’ve called us.”

“Look, APD’s seen, I don’t know, what?” Munster said. “Maybe a couple of weird crime scenes down the years? I think we can handle things.”

Anders walked towards the house. “There’s no time for agency rivalries. I don’t care about credit for the arrest or what goes on whose record. In the past year these killers have murdered six people in two provinces. They only kill at night. By the end of the week, two more people will be dead and they will be gone.”

“Just how do you know all this?” Dieter asked.

“The Inquisition handed me a file on the previous murders,” Anders said, “I’ve studied it. I’ve studied them. I’ve been waiting three months for them to reappear.”

“And just how can you be sure that these are the same killers?” Dieter said.

“The wire reported a body was found drained of blood, bite marks on the exterior jugular and median cubital veins,” Anders said.

“Yeah, well, it’s what the wire didn’t report that distinguishes this scene,” Munster said.

“There’s writing on the wall written in the victim’s blood,” Anders said.

They walked inside and read the message scrawled on the wall.

"‘He who eats of my flesh and drinks of my blood shall have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day’," Anders read, “They have the same feeble grasp of the Bible as all those big-haired political preachers do. The victim – was he a father?”

“Yeah, widowed,” Dieter said, “Three boys in college. The family’s been notified.”

“In Aosta, they murdered Joachim Eisen, 58, father of Eisen and Sons Clothiers,” Anders said, “The second victim was a Korean immigrant -- Linda Sun. The third victim was an Inquisitor, and I assume that’s what alerted the Inquisition. Excuse me.”

Anders took off Hans’ jacket and put on latex gloves. He knelt down beside the overflow trap of the hot tub.

“In Rouen, three months ago, the first victim was a priest,” Anders said, “The second victim was the only son of a family of six children. The last victim was the owner of a religious book shop called The Holy Spirit.”

He felt around in the trap. “I believe that’s how the killers perceive themselves, as a kind of Unholy Trinity.”

He pulled a used hypodermic needle out of the trap. “They use these to extract blood and store it for a quick fix later. Their need is insatiable, but murdering for blood risks exposure and capture. If my profile of the previous cases holds true, they’ve been living in the city and working near blood products for the past month.”

Dieter looked impressed.

“Look, Agent Humboldt, look I’m really sorry I was such a hard ass back there,” he said, “In this town, it’s really tough to trust anyone. Truth is, I’d be happy to have you work on our investigation.”

A woman joined them.

“Now,” he said, “This is Detective Eva—”

Anders turned and began walking away. “I work alone.”

“An Athanatos without a partner?” Dieter said, surprised. “Look, Humboldt, our department’s under a crisis alert right now because of the fires in the delta. The fact is, I don’t think I can free up any resources for you.”

“I only need one thing,” Anders replied


Alexandria Police Department – 5:30 PM

Anders crossed off the name of another blood bank on his list and dialed the number of the next.

“Iskandar Blood Bank,” a man on the phone said.

“Yeah, hi,” Anders said, “This is Mark Hansen from your payroll service. I have a question regarding the W -4 form of a recent employee.”

“You mean Franz?” the man said.

“When was he hired?” Anders asked.

“Couple of weeks ago,” the man said, “He's the night watchman.”


Iskandar Blood Bank – 9:40 PM

Anders walked through the corridors of the blood bank, the night vision goggles he acquired from the Lone Gunmen over his eyes. The lights were off. Not that he needed them. The night watchman probably had a flashlight. If he was the killer, he’d flee if he saw Anders’ flashlight.

He rounded a corner and was almost blinded by the flashlight of an employee, who almost dropped the vials of blood he was carrying. Anders drew his gun.

“Imperial Agent!” he shouted.

“Whoa!” the employee said. “Easy, man, easy! Sorry, man. I didn’t know you were there.”

“Yeah, why are the lights out?” Anders asked. “Doesn’t that go against safety regulations?”

“Damn freak night watchman always breaking the light bulbs,” the employee said, “Don’t know why he does it.”

“Where is he, actually?” Anders asked.

The employee pointed to a set of stairs. “Downstairs.”

“Thanks,” Anders said, walking down the stairs.

As he descended, he heard heavy breathing and sucking noises from just around the corner, accompanied by jars breaking and liquids sloshing around. He turned the corner and confronted a disheveled man whose mouth was covered in blood from one of the jars. The room was completely dark, but the man still looked up and stared at Anders. He bared his teeth, which looked normal until a second set of sharp and pointed teeth emerged.

“Imperial agent! Freeze!” he shouted, drawing his gun.

The man threw the jar at Anders, who dodge it. Anders then tackled him and started putting handcuffs on.

“Well, that was easy,” he said.


Police Department – November 2, 1994, 8:00 AM

The suspect, despite looking very intimidating in the blood bank last night, wasn’t apparently so intimidating this morning. He writhed on the floor, screaming his head off and pointing at the overhead lights as Dieter and Munster watched impassively.

“Turn off the lights!” he screamed. “Turn them off! It hurts! It hurts! Turn them off! Turn them off! Please!”

“Tell us your real name,” Dieter demanded.

“Johan! I can’t take it!” the man shouted. “Turn off the lights!”

Anders entered the room with a lamp with a red gel over it. He turned off the overhead light and flicked on the red lamp. The screaming subsided.

“That better?” Anders asked.

Munster sighed. “We could’ve gotten information from him before.”

Johan sucked blood from his wounded hand and pointed at Anders. “I’ll only talk to him.”

“But—” Dieter protested.

“Don’t worry,” Anders said, “I’ll get answers.”

The two detectives walked out.

“Lucky you,” Dieter muttered.

“You know what we are,” Johan said.

“No, not really,” Anders said, “What are you?”

“He is the Father, I am the Son, and she is the Unholy Spirit,” Johan said.

“And the three of you killed Gerhard Lorca,” Anders said.

“No,” Johan said.

“Your fingerprints were found at the crime scene,” Anders said.

“No,” Johan said, “When a snake eats a fly, it’s not murder. It just is.”

“Frogs eat flies,” Anders said, “Are you dead?”

“I never will be,” Johan said, “I haven’t since the Kaiser was a boy.”

“Do you believe that?” Anders said.

“I watched his father’s funeral procession,” Johan said, “And don’t you want to live forever? Be part of history?”

“Well, not if drawstring pants come back into style,” Anders said.

“Look, what nobody realizes is that there is no afterlife,” Johan said, “I know this. Listen, listen, I know this because when we prolong our lives by taking theirs all I see is such … horror in their eyes and that’s because at that moment they’re face-to-face with death and then suddenly they realize there’s nothing else. The older of us claim there’s a purgatory we go to, but they refuse to acknowledge there’s no heaven. There’s no soul. There’s just rot and there’s just decay. And I will never, ever, ever, ever have to face that.”

“It’s a stiff price, though,” Anders said, “Look at yourself – drinking blood, living in darkness, unable to see your reflection in a mirror. Or is that just a myth?”

He took out a pocket mirror and saw Johan’s reflection.

“Yeah, that’s a myth,” Johan said, “Look… anything worth anything has a price and when I’m standing next to your deathbed looking as young as I look right now and I see that fear in your eyes at the moment of death … then, then tell me the price is too stiff.”

“It’s more likely I’ll be looking in your eyes at the moment before they lock you away forever,” Anders said, “That’s a moment you won’t have to face if you tell me where the others are.”

“Why would I?” Johan said. “They’re the only ones that can kill me.”

“Well, if you are what you say you are, and I hope you’re wrong, I know what can kill you,” Anders said, “And who.”


9:00 AM

Surprisingly, Anders found hunting down the book he wanted easier than he expected. There were dozens of Lithuanian bookstores specializing in the occult in downtown. He bought the largest book and read the area he needed, which was much shorter than expected. While sunlight was now out of the question, there were two other options, one fatal and the other very painful. He bought a machete and arranged for the blood bank to get him blood taken from a donor who was now dead (back when they were alive, of course).

He marched back into the interrogation room a week later and slammed his machete, the blood bag from the blood bank, and a hypodermic syringe on the table.

“Is this really necessary?” Dieter asked.

“Of course it is,” Anders said.

Johan cringed when he saw the items.

“Of course, we could do things the easy way,” Anders said, “Just tell me where the other two are. I won’t have to pick up any of these items. Or I could just toss you out into the sun…Son.”

Johan spat at him. Anders frowned and picked up the syringe, filling it with blood.

“I guess it’s the hard way, then,” he said, stabbing the syringe into Johan’s shoulder.

Johan screamed as if he was on fire. He writhed furiously against his bindings, but Anders had tied his ropes tightly. Anders stepped back and watched him scream. He turned to Dieter.

“If he wants to talk, tell me,” Anders said, “If he breaks out, or you run out of blood first, decapitate him.”

“What if he turns into a bat and flies out through the bars?” Dieter asked.

“That man isn’t a vampire,” Anders said, “That man is clearly delusional, but I get the sense that not even he believes his claims. For now, we’ve got to play along with his beliefs. I’m hoping the blood will give him an excuse to talk.”

“Why don’t you go back to your hotel and get some sleep?” Dieter asked.

“I didn’t check into a hotel room,” Anders said, “I don’t sleep anymore.”

He left the room. As soon as the door closed, Dieter took out his walkie-talkie.

“I have one of the vamps in custody,” he said, “Requesting instructions.”

“Calarasi has enough room,” a man on the other side said, “We’ll send an extraction team over to you in half an hour.”

“What should be my cover story?” Dieter asked.

“He’s being moved into witness protection,” the man said.

“Understood,” Dieter said.

Dieter turned back to Johan. He picked up the syringe and injected Johan again with the blood.

"Tell me where they are!" he demanded.

Johan smiled at him. "You know this can't kill me, right?"

"Of course," Dieter said, "But it'll be painful. And I do know what can kill you. It's not a wooden stake or sunlight, of course those don't work against your disease, but it does the job."

He picked up the machete and pressed it to Johan's neck. Johan bared his fangs and snarled.

"Disease?" Johan said.

"Did you not hear me?" Dieter said. "Your condition. Your abnormality."

"There's nothing wrong with being a vampire!" Johan said.

"Aside from killing people and drinking their blood?" Dieter said. "Now, an extraction team's going to arrive in half an hour, upon which you have a choice. You can either give me the location of the other two, or I can cut off your head. Your choice."

At that moment, Johan broke free of his bindings and lunged at him. Dieter instinctively grabbed the machete and cut off his head. Johan's body crumpled to the ground, while the head bounced against the table like a soccer ball. Sighing as he wiped the blood off the blade, Dieter pulled out his walkie-talkie again.

“There has been an incident,” Dieter said, “The vamp is dead. Extraction team is unnecessary.”



November 2, 1994, 10:00 AM

Anders, Dieter, and Dr. Braun stood over Johan's decapitated remains. Anders sighed.

"Okay, what the frak happened here?” he asked.

“He broke free and attacked me," Dieter said, "I couldn't reach the syringe so I grabbed the machete."

"And decapitated him," Anders said.

"I overreacted," Dieter said, "All I could remember was what you said about who or what this guy was."

"Anyways, Doc, can you tell us anything?" Anders said.

Braun turned to them. "He was decapitated."

"Yeah, we can see that," Anders said.

"But if you take a look at where he was injected with the blood..." Braun said, "You'll find his cells suffered an averse chemical reaction. They started decaying and dying...these are indications of long term exposure to hazardous chemicals, not a blood transfusion. A wrong blood type doesn’t even come close to causing this kind of damage. And I found several interesting scars all over his body. They all would've been life-threatening: a large gash running around his torso, a cut to his jugular, a shoulder wound. But they all healed, and by the looks of it long ago. Maybe decades ago, if I didn't know better. This guy looks too young to have scars that old."

"If those wounds all healed, how did he die from decapitation?" Anders said.

"Well, he was decapitated," Braun said, "That's enough to kill anything, in my past experience."

"There was nothing wrong with the blood?" Anders asked. "Or no explanation for his aversion to light? I believed this man's illness was psychological."

"There is a condition known as Gunther’s Disease – congenital erythropoietic porphyria creating cutaneous photosensitivity," Braun said.

"I’m familiar with porphyria," Anders said, "It’s an affliction which causes lesions and blisters when skin is exposed to sunlight. Sufferers may have a hema deficiency which can be supplemented by a small ingestion of blood, not the kind of bloodthirst this man had, though I don't know why he reacted negatively to the blood; maybe it was the wrong type or something. It’s probably ignorance of porphyria as a disease that led to the creation of vampire myths in the medieval period. I had dismissed the possibility of the actual existence of such a creature as just a myth. Sentinel's more plausible than vampires."

Braun stared at Anders. "You are really upsetting me. On several levels."

"Yeah, I have to agree with the Doc on this one," Dieter said.

"When will you get the blood tests back?" Anders asked.

"Next week," Braun said.

Anders pointed at Johan's hand. "What’s this purple stain here?"

"Could be an ink stamp like they give at a party or a club," Dieter said.

"Can you read it?" Anders asked.

"Yeah," Dieter said, "'Club Tepes'. A Lithuanian nightclub."


Club Tepes - 9:00 PM

Club Tepes looked like just another smoky, loud, dance club found in every major Roman city, especially the Middle Eastern ones (including the Lithuanian heavy metal), except for the vampire movies playing on the TV screens. Anders looked very out of place in his suit and Hans' trench coat. He clutched Angela's Walkman like he would a Bible as he approached a young woman sitting alone, adjusting her makeup without a mirror. She was beautiful, in a spooky way. She was thinner than the other women in the club and had pale skin that would make even Lithuanians balk.

"Are you about to ask what a normal person like me is doing in a place like this?" she asked, not even turning around.

Anders sat down. "How do you define normal?"

"Risha," she said to a waitress, "Red wine."

She turned to Anders. "I don’t. How do you?"

"I don’t," Anders said, "All I know is, uh .. normal is not what I feel."

"You’ve lost someone," the woman said, "Family. Close family."

Risha handed them wine. The woman reached into her purse to pay her. Anders couldn't help but notice the syringes inside. After Risha took the money and left, they raised their glasses.

"He who drinks my blood…" Anders said.

"…shall have eternal life," the woman finished.

They drank.

"You’re not interested in this place," the woman said, "In what we do"

"How do you know?" Anders asked.

"You’re afraid of me," the woman said, "I take the life of others … inside me, into my blood."

"I need to know," Anders said, "Because I find myself denying your existence."

"I'm a vampire, you idiot," the woman said.

"Prove it," Anders said.

The woman sighed in frustration. They walked to a dark corner of the bar, where she pulled a syringe out of her purse.

"All day long I deal with equity notes, bonds, nothing that’s real, things that change and take on new values every decade," the woman said, "This gives my life… life."

She pricked her finger and offered it to Anders. "My name’s Kristen. It’s a normal name. Accumulated many more over the years."

Anders pushed her hand away. "AIDS. Aren’t you afraid?"

"I wish I could die," Kristen said.

She got up and walked towards an Asian man on the dance floor. Anders watched them disappear into the crowd. He tried getting up, but he suddenly felt very tired. Kristen must've put something in his drink. He passed out.

A while later, he was roused awake by a night watchman.

"Come on, sir," he said, "You might be dressed like the Kaiser, but we're closed."

"Sorry," Anders said, getting up and walking out the door.

Outside, his phone rang. He picked it up.

"Yeah?" he said.

"It's me, Munster," Detective Munster said, "There's been another murder."
 
“Nobody expected the Athanatoi, but they expected the Inquisition?” Anders said
Everyone expects the Roman Inquisition!:p

Also for movies about the Maximst Wars/First Roman Civil War and other noteble wars for the Reich, would we have Renactors play a role in movies about battles in the First Roman Civil War like we have in real life with American Civil War reenactors?

I know the Maximists were inspired mostly by the carlists (and I think you talked about the Maximsts in Victoria 2 having some Confederate influence on them) and the Angeloi share Nazi parallels with the Rasa. But I’m wondering what would be TTL’s equlievent of the KKK here, maybe it would be parts of the Maximist movement and Neo Fascists groups. The KKK in real life was formed by ex Comfederate soilders so I think ex Maximist soilders would found hate groups.:eek:

Edit: Also you may want to add the recent discussion about the Pagan faiths and Egyptians as well as the other cultural discussion that have been given a few helpful ratings (usually 2 or 3 helpful ratings) in the past couple pages to the table of contents.:)
 
Last edited:
It’s not a story X-Division would tell you
It's not a story the Bureau of Defense would tell you.
Tis a Athanatoi legend
Plus, the Reich also has Internet now.:p
Even better! The age of memes is nigh!
The Inquisition would like a word with the Foundation. The Foundation can only contain threats. The Inquisition neutralizes them.
Well the SCP either don't have the means or some of the SCP's are actually kinda harmless and friendly.
General Kenobi!
You are a bold one!
Nein!
The tyranny of the sequel memes will never return!
You have lost, Rian Johnson!
7bQT8qb.jpg
 
Also for movies about the Maximst Wars/First Roman Civil War and other noteble wars for the Reich, would we have Renactors play a role in movies about battles in the First Roman Civil War like we have in real life with American Civil War reenactors?
They would likely be replaced with movies about the Thirteenth Century Crisis (which most of the reeneactors would be reenacting). I think there'd still be some movies about the Maximist Wars (and the Fifty Years' War, which was basically Roman Civil War #0 (I guess the Reich indexes its civil wars starting at 0:p)). There might be some reenactors for the Maximist Wars though.
I know the Maximists were inspired mostly by the carlists (and I think you talked about the Maximsts in Victoria 2 having some Confederate influence on them) and the Angeloi share Nazi parallels with the Rasa. But I’m wondering what would be TTL’s equlievent of the KKK here, maybe it would be parts of the Maximist movement and Neo Fascists groups. The KKK in real life was formed by ex Comfederate soilders so I think ex Maximist soilders would found hate groups.:eek:
There wouldn't be an equivalent of the KKK, because the KKK was formed by ex Confederates who didn't like the end of slavery. The Maximists came long after slavery ended, and unlike the US there is no institutionalized segregation or discrimination of minorities (though as I may explain in the future there is still some social discrimination against Africans from the African provinces) being established after the civil war. However, I will say Nathan Bedford Forrest still exists (in a vastly different role that I haven't decided yet), if only to make Forrest Gump still exist.:D
Edit: Also you may want to add the recent discussion about the Pagan faiths and Egyptians as well as the other cultural discussion that have been given a few helpful ratings (usually 2 or 3 helpful ratings) in the past couple pages to the table of contents.:)
I'll get around to that after I post the next update. But I may not find all of them that quickly, because the search function seems to be broken lately.
Tis a Athanatoi legend
The RSB was an agency of the government so arrogant and incompetent that...
Even better! The age of memes is nigh!
Well, memes are already nigh. Kilroy was here, anyone?:p
Well the SCP either don't have the means or some of the SCP's are actually kinda harmless and friendly.
True. The Inquisition doesn't neutralize the entities that are harmless or friendly, but it does keep them from getting into trouble. For other entities, it deals with them in an effective manner.
You are a bold one!
draws four lightsabers
Ja!
You have lost, Rian Johnson!
UNLIMITED MEMES!
Yep.jpg
As a great fan of Michael Joachim's music, I approve of this timeline :)
As another great fan of Michael Joachim's music, I approve of your approval.;)
the plot thickens
Like vampire blood, right?:p
 
Doubt and Disbelief, Part 2

David Ying's house - November 3, 1994, 3:00 AM

Anders looked at the Asian man's body, which lay on the floor in front of him.

"The murderers cut off the power supply and the phone," Munster said, "Fits their MO."

"Agent Humboldt, this is our forensic dentist you requested – Dr. Ibrahim Jacobs," Dieter said, introducing a middle aged Arab man.

"How do you do?" Jacobs shook Anders' hand.

"I don’t want to bias your report, Doc, but I need a preliminary examination for anything … unnatural," Anders said, quietly.

Jacobs nodded and turned to an officer. "Shine the light down here."

As Jacobs looked at David's body, Anders looked through the kitchen. He found Kristen's compact under the stove, next to a can of raspberry sauce covered in fingerprints.

"All this time I’ve been putting raspberry sauce on ice cream," Munster said.

"Check these prints immediately," Anders said, "One will be the victim’s. The other should be the woman we’re looking for."

"The bites are not done by an animal," Jacobs said, "These are human, though the teeth seem to be a mix of regular teeth and sharpened ones. And, realize this is a cursory exam, but I’d say they were made by three different people."

"Okay, that's it," Dieter said, "Pack it up."

"What's going on?" Anders said.

Munster and Dieter took out badges with the seal of the Inquisition on them.

"As of this moment, this investigation is now under the jurisdiction of the Inquisition," Munster said.

"Now wait a minute," Anders said, "Vampires are real?"

"Sadly, yes," Dieter said, "Did you not see how our suspect behaved?"

"I thought it was psychological," Anders said.

"How can freaking fangs be psychological?!" Dieter said.

“It was dark and late at night,” Anders said.

"Agent Humboldt, I suggest you head back to Constantinople," Munster said, "We got this situation under control."

"You forgot one thing," Anders said, "I can get close to one of the killers. You need me to find her and the others."

Dieter sighed.

"Or is that why you've called me here?" Anders asked. "I know the APD or Inquisition doesn't just summon the Athanatoi for any old homicide in this city. You knew who I am. The Inquisition needed a second opinion because they couldn't find the vampires even after a string of murders. Someone who didn't have the mindset of an Inquisitor, but was still open to the possibilities of a much spookier world."

"Alright, alright, fine," Munster said, "You can help us. Can you find them?"


Police Department - 3:30 AM

The Bureau of Transportation was very quick to hand over Kristen's records once the Inquisition made its presence known, though it found no pictures of her. Apparently all it took to get past the lines at the BMV was an Inquisition badge. Maybe he should sign up for the Inquisition.

KRISTEN KILAR

[REDACTED], Alexandria, Lower Aegyptus

SEX:F

HAIR :BL

EYES: BL

HT: 5’8"

WT: 100

DOB: [REDACTED]

RESTR: None

There were also two other addresses listed below. Anders compared them with the files for the murders and found the cities overlapped. He looked at Dieter and Munster.

"The Unholy Spirit," he said.



Kristen's house - 4:00 AM

The police descended on Kristen's house, their sirens shattering the quiet night. Accompanying the police cars were a few armored vehicles, from which squads of men in black tactical gear jumped out, their uniforms bearing the seal of the Inquisition. Anders, Dieter, and Munster addressed the assembled Inquisitors and police officers.

"We’ve got the front," Munster said, "You guys go around back. You, check the garage. Okay. Do it. Open her up."

An Inquisitor broke the lock. Nobody but Anders seemed to notice that he didn't bring his tools anywhere near the lock, instead whispering a phrase. Did magic exist too?

The officers kicked down the door and stormed inside, guns drawn. The Inquisitors raised their guns and followed.

"Frau Kilar?" Dieter said. "Imperial Inquisition and the Alexandria Police Department. We have a warrant to search the premises."

There was no response. Anders put on latex gloves and entered the kitchen. Munster joined him there, holding up some hypodermic needles.

"I found these," Munster said, "Veterinary needles. Size matches the puncture wounds of the previous victims. This is from a snake bit kit. It’s placed over the wound to extract poison. Only this one …"

"Has blood in it," Anders said.

They split up. Anders opened the oven and found a recently baked loaf of bread. He broke it open and found it filled with blood. He shut the oven and walked back to Dieter.

"Well, she wasn’t at work, and she’s not here," Dieter said, "We miss her or something?"

"She’s gone, and she’s not coming back," Anders said, "We'll have to wait for the next set of murders, I guess."

Dieter sighed. "Munster and I'll head back to the local headquarters and see what they can do."

"Why don't I stay here in case she comes back?" Anders said. "Gather evidence."

Dieter nodded. "Good idea. Call me if any of them show up."


5:15 AM

Kristen opened the door and immediately noticed Anders sitting near the fireplace. His tie was gone, and his shirt was partially unbuttoned. Hans' jacket lay on a nearby chair. He was completely exhausted.

Anders held up his badge. "Special Agent Anders Humboldt, Athanatoi. The others after you."

"How do you know?" Kristen asked.

"The bread," Anders said, "Legends in many parts of the former Occupied Territories. It’s said one can protect oneself from vampires by eating bread filled with blood. You were protecting yourself."

Kristen approached him. "And now you’re protecting me?"

"I think it’s best if I took you into protective custody with the Inquisition," Anders said, "They’ll kill once more. They’ll try to kill you. The Inquisition can protect you."

Kristen circled around him. "Why are you here alone? Because you think you’re not afraid? Because you need to know. You need to know they are who you believe they are."

"What I believe you to be," Anders said, "I had my doubts before..."

"I'm a vampire, you idiot," Kristen said, "That's why the Inquisition's after us."

She turned back to Anders. "Have you ever tasted blood?"

Anders shook his head. "Of course you haven’t. Blood tastes … dangerous. It’s sweet and thick."

"You were in the other cities when the other murders occurred," Anders said, "How are you connected?"

"When I was a little girl, way back when, my father, my father beat me," Kristen said, "'Abused' is too frail a word. He showed his love for me by beating me after a night at the bar. I was dead, more dead than my uncles at Vilnius; he was the only one out of his brothers to survive that terrible battle. One night, he hit me so hard he knocked out two teeth, then locked me in my room. The blood poured from my mouth onto the floor and down my throat. It was the only way I knew I was alive. I met Johan in Munich during an Angeloi rally. You know him as The Son. He also beat me. I guess that's the way it works sometimes. He hit me once and cut open my lip. I was angry. As revenge, I jumped on him and I bit through his lip. He tasted my blood. And I tasted his. After that, we were into blood sports. But... I never... I lost him. One night he came home with two others and it turned... unnatural. It was like this for several decades. Then I left him and I moved to Aosta."

"But they followed you," Anders said, "They want you."

"I’m tired of running," Kristen said, "And you’re here to protect me."

She pointed at Angela's Walkman, poking out of Hans' jacket.

"Ironic," Kristen said, "For you it may be an old piece of technology. But I remember the day it went on sale like it was yesterday. I remember the days when things like that were as large as a small piano, and the days when they actually used small pianos. I can't keep up with technology, you know. After a while it all blends together."

"That’s from someone I lost," Anders said.

"Well, I hope you find her," Kristen said.

"The one you lost, Johan, he’s … dead," Anders said, "But they’ve picked up another. They’re three again. Kristen, you’ll be safer if you come back to the police station or to the Inquisition with me."

"Without him, they won’t come for me," Kristen said, "I won’t go.

"Then I won’t go," Anders said, "I won't stand by and let someone like you die, not after Angie."

There was a loud thump from somewhere in the house. Kristen turned to Anders.

"Stay here," she said, walking away.

As she walked through the house, an older man grabbed her and covered her mouth. She struggled but couldn't break free. The Father was too strong.

"I've been watching," the Father said, "I had to wait for you to finish your little heart to heart. Did you forget you can live forever?"

He released her. "Everybody else just dies but we... we live on. We are different, Kristen, and nobody on the outside can end my life. I know, Kristen, what I did to you was... if I were to die I would certainly go to hell for what I did, but I love you and I can atone for eternity. Kill him... and we'll be together. You've got to drink the blood of his spirit."

"But he’s not …" Kristen said.

"No, no," the Father said, "He is. A spirit is one who believes. He knows we're possible, like the Inquisitors. You don't have much time before they come back."

He held up a large machete. "Cut him open... and we'll finish."

Kristen walked back into the living room, where Anders napped in his chair. She leaned over him. He opened his eyes.

"You have to go," she whispered.

"They're here," Anders said.

"My car’s in the garage," Kristen said, "The keys are in it."

"You have to get your things," Anders said.

"I’ll be right there," Kristen said, "Duck!"

Anders ducked as Kristen lashed out, stabbing the Father, who stood behind the chair. She stabbed him repeatedly and watched him fall on the floor. She raised her machete and brought it down hard on the Father's neck, severing his head.

Anders got his things and led Kristen out the hall. A younger man, the Son, rounded the corner and extended his fangs, snarling at them. Anders drew his gun and shot him in the head. The Son stumbled back, but the wound closed up in seconds, and he advanced again. Anders grabbed a beer bottle and slammed it against the Son's head. Before the vampire could get up, Kristen decapitated him with her machete.

They rushed to the garage, where they got in the car. Kristen got in the driver's seat and started the engine. The third vampire, a woman, or the Unholy Spirit, lunged at them, smashing the passenger side window and pulling Anders out. Anders emptied his gun into the Unholy Spirit's stomach. That only got her to release him. She said a few phrases in the old Dacian language.

"Couldn’t hear you, bride of Dracula," Anders said, just as Kristen rammed the Unholy Spirit with her car, pinning her to the wall.

That was also only temporary. The Unholy Spirit let out a deep laugh, like the kind one would hear from a Dracula movie, and started pushing the car back. Kristen shifted into high gear and floored the gas pedal, her tires screaming and smoking, but the vampire slowly pushed the car back more and more. However, by then, Anders had picked up a wood-cutting power saw and turned it on. He brought the saw down on the Unholy Spirit's neck, decapitating her. The car lurched against the wall, crushing the Unholy Spirit's headless body, and Kristen let out a sigh.

"Are you all right?" Anders asked.

Kristen nodded.

"They're all dead," Anders said, "You're free."

"As free as I can get with who I am," Kristen said, "What do you think I should do?"

"Maybe turn yourself in to the Inquisition," Anders said, "If you explain yourself, they might find a place for you to live."

"The Inquisition," Kristen scoffed, "You don't know what that word means to us, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Anders asked.

"Centuries ago, we were many," Kristen said, "Vampires, that is. Then the Inquisition came along and made exterminating us a priority. By the time they turned me, we've become, how do you say it, endangered. They wiped out entire nests over the years, executing everybody they found with impunity. Those they deemed not worthy of eradication they shipped off to places in the Balkans. After the war, they started putting us in reservations in Transylvania. The Inquisition doesn't care about my safety, Humboldt. They don't see me as human."

She bared her fangs. "They just see a monster in me."

"I have another suggestion," Anders said, "Flee. Go off the grid. Change your name and start over somewhere else, far from the Inquisition. Live in peace."

Kristen smiled. "Seems like a good idea."

"Maybe try Venice," Anders said, "Plenty of cheap real estate."

"And you?" Kristen asked. "What'll you do?"

"I'll go back to work," Anders said, looking at the Walkman, "I'll find my cousin."

Kristen put a hand on his shoulder. "I hope you find her."


9:00 AM

Anders sat on the curb as the Inquisitors and police officers searched the house. Munster approached him.

"Agent Humboldt," he said, "We found three bodies. All decapitated."

"They attacked me, and I killed them in self-defense," Anders said, "The entire unholy trinity."

"Good riddance," Munster said.

"The tyranny of Dracula will never return," Anders joked.

"You have no idea how many times we've gotten that joke," Munster said.

"By the way, did you find Kristen's body?" Anders asked.

"Yeah," Munster said, "Identified a woman's body, black hair and blue eyes. Same height. Don't have Kristen's photo on file, so we'll assume it's her. Hey, you know what happened to the car?"

“I took it,” Anders said, “It should be at the impound.”

He’d given Kristen instructions to clean the car of anything that could be traced back to her and to swap it with another car at the impound. He’d of course arranged for the cameras there to be taken offline that day for maintenance. And the machete had been thrown into the Nile. There would be no way to trace her back to the house.

“Fair enough,” Munster said.

He started walking away. After a few steps, he turned back to Anders.

"Hey, Agent Humboldt," he said, "If you ever need a hand with a case, just call me and Dieter."

"And feel free to call me," Anders said, "For, well, spooky consulting."

Munster smiled. "Spooky is our job."

He walked away. Anders reached into Hans' coat's pockets and pulled out Angela's Walkman. He fast-forwarded a few seconds and hit play. As the music played, he held the Walkman tightly as he looked off into the distance.


 
A nice change of pace to deal with vampires instead of aliens for once.

It seems that the Inquisition is a lot more cooperative than certain other government agencies. :D
 
I’m wondering what would Anders reaction would to the Angels would be if he ever meets the angels that survived the Soviets, the destruction of heaven and the Holocaust? Anders will be in for a surprise for the things that exist outside of aliens.

It’s nice that things turned out well for Anders for once and he saved somebody, that Vampire might end up as a tag along assistant or ally for Anders in the future.

I will say through, since Anders just helped an Vampire of the opposite sex out of trouble.... I’m I allowed to make those “Still a better love story than Twilight” memes because you never know what might happen?:p
"The tyranny of Dracula will never return," Anders joked.
Did you hear the tragedy of Darth Dracula the wise? It’s not a story the Inquisition would tell you. It’s a vampire legend.:p


Also the only way to kill these vampires is decapations? These are not normal vampires, there are Highlander vampires!:eek:

Edit; Can I point out the irony in that we quote Prequel memes here when Christopher Lee in OTL played Dracula in one of his early movies (and Peter Cushing, the actor that played Grand Moff Tarkin in a New Hope was Van Helsing in that movie)?:D

While I’m on movies where Christopher Lee/Anninona is the villian, would either version of the Wicker-man (the 1973 film with Christopher Lee’s character as the villian and 2006 movie with Nic Cage as the lead actor) still exist here since the first movie centered on Celtic Pagans abonding Christianity as the antagonists? Also do Celtic religious and cultural groups still exist in the British Isles? And are there still Mexica in Caledonia and Hyberina as well as Scandinavia as a left over from the Thriteenth Century Crises?

Also I know you said you don’t watch Anime but I’m wondering what would Helsing Ulimate be like here? I recommend either looking up the summary about it Wikipedia and then rewrite it or just watch the (TFS) Abridged version to get a good idea about it.:D Also Dracula/Alucard exists when there is no Vlad the Implar or Ottoman Empire here (or even a independent Wallachian or Romanian kingdom)?o_O I wonder what Castlevania would be like in TTL?
 
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Ay, someone Anders worked with didn't betray him or die! That's what we call progress. Seriously though, I liked the Inquisition agents. Nice to see friendly interaction with two agencies that both go after the impossible as their daily business.
 
Ay, someone Anders worked with didn't betray him or die! That's what we call progress. Seriously though, I liked the Inquisition agents. Nice to see friendly interaction with two agencies that both go after the impossible as their daily business.
I can tell you the Inquisitors will be back in the future.:)
I’m wondering what would Anders reaction would to the Angels would be if he ever meets the angels that survived the Soviets, the destruction of heaven and the Holocaust? Anders will be in for a surprise for the things that exist outside of aliens.
Anders will meet some of the angels in the future. Let's just say his reaction will be a bit unexpected.;)
It’s nice that things turned out well for Anders for once and he saved somebody, that Vampire might end up as a tag along assistant or ally for Anders in the future.
I don't know the details yet, but I'm certainly planning for that.:)
I will say through, since Anders just helped an Vampire of the opposite sex out of trouble.... I’m I allowed to make those “Still a better love story than Twilight” memes because you never know what might happen?:p
No, because Twilight will actually be better in this universe. I don't know how, but it will.:p
Did you hear the tragedy of Darth Dracula the wise? It’s not a story the Inquisition would tell you. It’s a vampire legend.:p
Darth Dracula was a dark lord of the vampires so powerful he could use his blood to create...more vampires.
Also the only way to kill these vampires is decapations? These are not normal vampires, there are Highlander vampires!:eek:
That's how it is in Supernatural, most times at least. I made vampire lore here compliant with Supernatural lore (though I've made some changes to it).
Edit; Can I point out the irony in that we quote Prequel memes here when Christopher Lee in OTL played Dracula in one of his early movies (and Peter Cushing, the actor that played Grand Moff Tarkin in a New Hope was Van Helsing)?
That is definitely ironic. Let's say that in this universe, Christopher Lee plays van (actually von) Helsing while Cushing plays Dracula.:D
While I’m on movies where Christopher Lee/Anninona is the villian, would either version of the Wicker-man (the 1973 film with Christopher Lee’s character as the villian and 2006 movie with Nic Cage as the lead actor) still exist here since the first movie centered on Celtic Pagans abonding Christianity as the antagonists?
I haven't watched either version, so I would assume it's mostly the same, with only the changes made by the different culture.
Also do Celtic religious and cultural groups still exist in the British Isles?
A few do, but they'd be like Norse neopaganism in Norway today. Actual Norse religious and cultural groups would be much bigger and influential in the British Isles.
And are there still Mexica in Caledonia and Hyberina as well as Scandinavia as a left over from the Thriteenth Century Crises?
There are a few, but most have become Christians and intermarried with locals so much they're indistinguishable from the locals. The Norse though are still a substantial minority.
Also I know you said you don’t watch Anime but I’m wondering what would Helsing Ulimate be like here? I recommend either looking up the summary about it Wikipedia and then rewrite it or just watch the (TFS) Abridged version to get a good idea about it.:D Also Dracula/Alucard exists when there is no Vlad the Implar or Ottoman Empire here (or even a independent Wallachian or Romanian kingdom)?o_O I wonder what Castlevania would be like in TTL?
Dracula still exists because Vlad Tepes still exists (as a Roman nobleman in the Fifty Years' War, the heretics replace the Ottomans). Not sure about everything else though.
 
Purple Rain, Part 1

Hansen residence, Nantes - December 23, 1994, 10:00 AM

Anders pushed the play button. The Walkman started playing relaxing music. Magda Hansen sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Once, when she was a girl... a very little girl... Angie was in the woods," Magda said, "This was long before Annie vanished."

"It was autumn," Anders said, "The sun was shining and the leaves were falling. We were all running through the woods.”

"She had always been a tomboy, unlike Melissa," Magda said.

"Angelo had given her a B.B. gun for her birthday," Anders said, "Better than what I brought. We were showing her how to use it."

"Erich had told them only to shoot cans..." Magda said.

"But Uncle Erich was still in Siam," Anders said, "And in a patch of grass, Wilhelm found a garter snake. We all took turns shooting. And wanting to help out her little brothers, Angie also shot at the snake."

Magda smiled. "It squirmed wildly, desperately fighting for life but as you continued to shoot, the snake began to bleed. When she realized what she had done..."

"Angie cried," Anders said, "She began to cry with irrevocable guilt. Through her tears, she was saying that... something was missing from the snake. She had taken something that was not hers to take. And although deathly afraid of snakes, Angie held the animal as if sheer human will could keep it alive. The snake, its blood on her hands, died. There was nothing she could do to bring it back."

Anders paused. He sipped his glass of water and paused the Walkman.

"It’s too soon, Auntie," Anders said, "We can’t give up."

"That day in the woods, I felt for my daughter," Magda said, "But at this moment, I know how my daughter felt."

"Auntie, we just buried Uncle Hans six months ago," Anders said, "And it's almost Christmas."

"We have to do what we have to do," Magda said, wiping away tears.

A man walked in, carrying something large and heavy. Magda walked over and lifted the cover off, revealing a tombstone. It read:

Angela Alexandra Hansen
1966--------1994
LOVING DAUGHTER, SISTER, & FRIEND
"The Spirit is the Truth." JOHN 5:07


Anders' apartment, Psamathia, Constantinople - December 24, 1994, 9:00 PM

Angela's file sat on Anders' desk, next to his turned off computer. The Walkman, Angela's tapes, and Hans' jacket sat on the coffee table, next to three empty beer bottles. Anders lay on the couch, flipping between Captain Benjamin Schweitzer of the Federation outpost Deep Space Nine conduct “aggressive negotiations” with the Cardassians and Captain Gunhilda Kapodistria fight the Borg in the Delta Quadrant. The phone suddenly rang. He picked it up.

"Uncle Erich," he said, "What's going on? ... Wait, WHAT?!"


St. Eudokimos Hospital, Constantinople - 10:00 PM

Anders stormed through the halls, and as he approached his destination he started jogging. Phones rang and doctors talked as Anders ran past. A male nurse grabbed his shoulder, trying to stop him.

"Sir... sir, you can’t go in there!" the nurse shouted.

Anders shook him off and barged through a door marked "Authorized Personal Only," finding his cousin lying on a bed, her face covered with the interfaces to several life support machines. She lay in a coma.

Anders blinked several times. He looked away and then looked at Angela again, not sure if she was really here.

"Who...?" he spluttered.

He looked at Magda, who sat with Erich and several doctors next to the bed. Anders quickly averted his gaze, knowing his aunt's pain.

"Who brought her here?" Anders repeated.

"Sir, will you please..." the nurse began.

"HOW DID SHE GET HERE?!" Anders shouted.

"Anders..." Erich said.

"Frau Hansen was in this condition when I arrived for the evening shift," the nurse said, "If you’ll step outside, perhaps Dr. Papadopoulos..."

"Demetrios?!" Anders said.

At that moment, Demetrios walked through the door, and Anders stormed up to him.

"Anders," he said, "I wasn't expecting you to..."

"Alright, Demetrios, what’s going on here?" Anders demanded. "How the hell did she get here?"

"Anders, calm down," Demetrios said.

"Was it, was it paramedics, Athanatoi, RSB, Bureau of Defense, Sentinel?" Anders said. "Answer me right now!"

The doctors in the room started murmuring and shouting. Erich got up from his seat, but Magda remained fixated on Angela.

"What, you’re telling me she just appeared?" Anders said. "I'd expect you to say that."

"Anders..." Demetrios said.

"Who did this to her!?" Anders shouted.

He ran to a desk and started throwing paper around.

"I want to see her admission forms, Demetrios!" Anders shouted. "Who did this to her? I want to see what tests have been done!"

Demetrios struggled with him, pulling him away from the desk. Anders spun around and punched him. Demetrios punched him back. Erich rushed over and grabbed Anders, dragging him away from the desk, kicking and screaming, as security guards arrived.

"Listen, if you’re hiding anything, I swear, I will do anything, whatever it takes, I will find out what they did to her!" Anders screamed.
 
Anders will meet some of the angels in the future. Let's just say his reaction will be a bit unexpected.;)
I guess Anders would react to the Angels like Otto redacted to his counterpart (and attempted to commit suicide) or.... he could go full Gandhi/Angelos/Molotov on them if that´s what you mean by an unexpected reaction.:eek:
I don't know the details yet, but I'm certainly planning for that.:)
No, because Twilight will actually be better in this universe. I don't know how, but it will.:p
So in other words.... Twilight is a better love story than Twilight!:p:eek: Well the first thing to fix Twilight would be to tone down the love triganle story and actually focus on actually interesting elements of the plot, like Werewolf-Vampire relations and how they work. Maybe have the Inquisition involved in a big part of the story.

As for Anders and Kristen, I was making that meme toward them but it would probably be a completely platonic relationship even through I´m sure Anders is technically single at this moment and he broke up with Diana awhile ago (I just remembered Diana mentioned Anders as a boyfriend back in the End of History story arch). It would be a bad idea for Anders to have any romantic feelings for anybody at this point.:p:(
Darth Dracula was a dark lord of the vampires so powerful he could use his blood to create...more vampires.
Anders: I should of known the Inquisition was plotting to take over!
Force ghost of Hans (because why not.:p): Anders cant you see Count Dracula is evil?!
Anders: From my point of view the Inqustion is evil!
Force ghost of Hans: Then you are lost!
-
Through I predict this being the case for when Anders meets Annie again.
Annie: I should of known Humanity was ploting to take over!
Anders: Can´t you see [Insert Xenophobic Alien Empire] is evil!
Annie: From my point of view the humans are evil!
Anders: Then you are lost!
-
Yes, I do predict Annie basically becoming Darth Vader and joining the aliens when Anders meets Annie again.:eek:
That's how it is in Supernatural, most times at least. I made vampire lore here compliant with Supernatural lore (though I've made some changes to it).
Oh, I didn´t know that, I never watched Supernatural so I don´t know anything about it.
Dracula still exists because Vlad Tepes still exists (as a Roman nobleman in the Fifty Years' War, the heretics replace the Ottomans). Not sure about everything else though.
Oh, okay. I assume he must of been born and lived a lot later on than our timeline (1431-1476) to purge heretics in TTL. As for Helsing Ultimate, I assume Millennium (a Nazi remnant group creating vampires for their army and the villains of Helsing Ultimate) would be Angeloi and Rasa remnants and the Inquisition would probably involved there somewhere, maybe rival branches of it go into conflict with each other in the anime. Also London would probably be replaced by Constantinople or Vienna in there too.

Also Angela´s back! I´m wondering if were going to see Flashbacks through her eyes about what happend in the time she was away, maybe she did meet Annie with the Aliens.:)