we finish our years with a moan.
“What is this?” Jozsef Daniel walked around the bed, frowning down at the sleeping Knight. Mark Andrew was curled on his side on the bed. His face was peaceful and serene. The only mark on him was a cut and accompanying bruise on his forehead.
“He’ll wake up.” Abaddon told him. “I did what you said, Your Grace. He was knocked out by one of my men and then I put the elixir in him. It was very difficult to steal the stuff, sir. I was almost caught!” He pulled the small wooden box from his pocket and handed it to the ‘Prophet’.
Jozsef took the box and looked at it as if it were a cobra. He handed it back to the dark angel.
“Put it in the vault in the lab.” He told him. “How long until he wakes up?”
“I’m not sure. It could be another day or two. Three days at the very most.” Abaddon assured him. “It will do no good to try to wake him before then. My experience with the one called Champlain proved this out. Each time he suffered death, if he did not awaken within twelve minutes, it was three days.”
“Hmmm.” Jozsef yanked the cover back and looked at the face of his most deadly enemy on the face of the earth. He resisted the urge to take his head on the spot, but he needed him. “I suppose you could have done worse. I had hoped for someone a bit more easy to handle, but he will have to do. Where is the woman?”
“She is next door. I have posted guards. Sir! I would like to point out again that it would be wise to have him incarcerated in the basement holding cells. He should be chained. If he is allowed to move freely, we will not be able to keep him here.”
“I am aware of his skills, Abaddon. We will negotiate with him. Bring the woman here to watch after him. Post four guards outside and leave the door open.”
“Open?” Abaddon frowned.
“Yes! Are you deaf? I want them to be able to see what transpires here, but I do not want them in the room. If he stirs, I want to know immediately.” Jozsef turned toward the door. “Perhaps you should tie his hands. We don’t want him disappearing on us.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Abaddon bowed his head slightly.
Jozsef left the room and Abaddon gave orders to the soldiers concerning Jozsef’s instructions. He waited as they brought Sophia to the room and shoved her inside. She drew up short at the sight of Abaddon standing near the bed.
“The Master has ordered that you remain here and watch over him.” He told her. “Do not presume to think that your freedom is an advantage. You will be watched.”
Sophia nodded and then looked down at Mark Andrew. The expression on his face was peaceful and he almost seemed to be smiling.
“Am I allowed to touch him?” She asked.
“He will be restrained. You may touch him, but you will not attempt to let him go.”
She nodded again and looked about the well-appointed room.
“The bath is through there. You will not close the door, nor will you speak with the guards.”
Two of the guards appeared with a pair handcuffs and a length of chain.
“No!” Abaddon caught one of them by the arm. “Two sets! One for each hand. Secure them well apart so that he cannot put his hands together.”
The second guard pulled another pair of cuffs from his belt and handed them over. They soon had the Knight of Death secured in the bed, on his back with his hands attached to the chain that they passed through the iron bedstead.
“How long do you intend to keep him like that?” Sophia demanded as Abaddon prepared to leave.
“As long as necessary.” He told her shortly and disappeared. Two of the guards stood on each side the door. Two more stood across the hall, positioning themselves so that they could see the bed.
Sophia let out a long sigh. She went into the bathroom and brought back a wet cloth that she used to clean his face and the wound on his head. It was already beginning to heal. This was not going to be easy, but she was glad that they had allowed her to stay with him. As she sat on the bed next to him, she scrutinized his face. He was dreaming. His eyes moved under his lids very quickly and he made tiny little sounds that were barely audible. She dragged a heavy armchair near the bed, used one of the pillows to prop her head up and put her feet on the edge of the bed so that she could feel it if he moved. The night’s trip through the dark caves had been exhausting and she had been pushed, shoved and prodded unmercifully, practically running every step of the way to keep from being dragged. They had allowed her a bath and clean clothes, but Mark was still dressed in the same clothes he had been wearing. No one had come to speak with her until the soldiers had come to bring her here. She closed her eyes and soon drifted into an uneasy sleep.
A short time later, a frightened-looking woman dressed in a layered robe, brought her lunch or supper, she was not sure which. It was not bad at all. Roast pork, rice and a salad. A small loaf of flat brown bread and half a liter of wine. She requested a bottle of water and the woman simply stared at her before hurrying away again. Sophia set up her meal on the bedside table and found that she was hungrier than she had thought. The last time she had eaten, had been when Lucifer had tried to get her to eat roasted locusts! That meal had been very meager. When she finished off the pork and half the wine, she resumed her seat in the chair and then almost shrieked as she realized that Mark Andrew was looking at her. He was not moving, but simply looking at her from wide clear eyes. She glanced at the guards and then got up slowly, stretching her arms over her head in a yawn, before climbing onto the bed with him. He followed her movements with difficulty as if his eyes would not quite focus on her. They crossed and he blinked and tried to bring them back into focus, searching for her. When he found her face again, he resumed staring at her. His mouth was slightly open and she could hear him breathing. He still did not move and her heart leapt into her throat. Was he paralyzed?
She maneuvered herself about, blocking his face from the view of the guards and leaned close to him, propping her head on her hand.
“Mark?” She barely whispered his name. He frowned very slightly and his vision seemed to go awry again for several seconds as he tried to find her face again. It seemed that her voice startled him. She touched his face with her fingers and he drew his head away jerkily. Not paralyzed, but unable to control his movements very well. He blinked several times and then resumed the strange stare. There was no sense of recognition registering in them.
“Mark?” She tried again and he repeated the same action as before and her heart sank. He rolled his eyes back and seemed to be looking at the headboard above his head. He moved one leg slightly and she heard one of the guards say something. They had seen it. Footsteps sounded in the hall.
“Dammit!” She said and took his face in her hands. He moved his head frantically, but his movements were unsteady and more like reflexive jerks than deliberate movements. His eyes showed something that she had never expected to see there: fear. Sheer terror!
“No! Mark! Mark!” She stroked his face desperately with both hands, getting up into the bed beside him. “It’s me… Sophia!” She tried to keep the fear out of her own voice and spoke to him in a soothing tone. The furrows in his brow relaxed and he smiled at her, drawing in a short breath. “Mark, Mark, look, we’re in terrible trouble here!” She told him and he continued to smile at her. It was horrible! “Mark.” She said his name a bit more urgently as she heard footsteps behind her. “Mark! No! Wait!” She tried to fight off the hands that grasped her arms, dragging her from the bed. “Let me go!”
Mark’s smile faded abruptly and he blinked his eyes again, frowning again, trying to focus on what was happening. She heard him make a slight whimpering sound and then she was thrown to the floor. She looked up as Abaddon leaned over the bed.
“He’s awake!” Abaddon turned to the guards who stood behind her. “Bring Master Omar! Take the woman back to her room!”
She fought and struggled and protested futilely as she was dragged away and then locked in the room next door.
; Abaddon stood over the bed, with his arms crossed over his chest, frowning at what appeared to be fear in the face of the captive. This was not what he had expected. The dark blue eyes seemed to focus and re-focus and roll about in the sockets, as if the Knight could not control them at all. He leaned over and held one finger very close to the right eye. Mark blinked instinctively and then closed his eyes tightly. When he pressed his finger against his forehead, he wiggled under the pressure as if he thought to press his head through the pillow beneath him and kicked one foot. His hands hung limply in the cuffs and he made no effort to move his arms at all. It was very disturbing and unnatural.
Jozsef arrived and joined him at the bedside as he rose up again.
Mark Andrew’s eyes opened again and he focused on Abaddon’s face this time. A tiny crease furrowed the bridge of his nose, but there was no outburst, no hint of recognition.
“Abaddon!” Jozsef’s voice held a warning note as he leaned over the Knight, looking first in one slowly blinking eye and then the other. “Abaddon! What is this?”
“I’m not sure, Your Grace. Perhaps the blow to his head did more damage than I first presumed.” Abaddon shook his head and cringed at the thought that he might have screwed up royally.
“Perhaps you gave him too much of the elixir?” Jozsef’s voice was very low and full of venom.
“How much is too much? How much is not enough?” Abaddon backed away from him. “He is extremely dangerous. I could take no chances when I saw who we had happened upon. I was not ready. We were at the church making ready for another foray onto the property and they came to us. We had not expected anyone out that time of night.” He explained quickly.
Jozsef leaned close to Mark Andrew and moved his head back and forth like a snake as Mark struggled to keep his face in focus.
“Sir Ramsay?” Jozsef spoke in a very calm voice. “Mark Andrew?” He asked and waited as the Knight focused on his face. Jozsef smiled at him. Mark Andrew returned the smile and sucked in a sharp breath as if he was truly thrilled at the smile on Jozsef’s face.
Jozsef straightened up very slowly and stood very still for several moments. He reached one hand slowly toward Mark’s left hand. The ‘Prophet’ pressed one finger inside the palm and Mark gripped his finger instinctively.
Jozsef pulled his finger free from the weak grasp and turned away from the bed. He crooked one finger at the dark angel and left the room. He stopped in the hall and spun on Abaddon.
“He’s a vegetable!” Jozsef spat at him. “You’ve ruined him!”
“Your Grace!” Abaddon glanced at the guards in the hall. “The men.”
Jozsef’s face was very dark with rage.
“Post the guard as before. Bring the woman back!” Jozsef told him in a low voice.
(((((((((((((
“Why didn’t you tell me that my father was here?!” Nicole demanded as soon as she had closed Bari’s door.
“Shhh!” He came at once and pressed one finger against her lips. “I didn’t know!” He told her. “I only learned it when you did.”
“How long has he been here?” She asked in a low whisper.
“A day or two at most.” Bari looked about and drew her further into the room and inside his opulent bathroom, again closing the door and locking it. The two unlikely conspirators stared at each other for several long seconds before speaking again.
“What are they doing with him? Have you seen him?” She asked and pulled a brown cigarette from the pocket of her shorts. She lit the illicit smoke with shaking hands and took a deep drag off of it.
“Jozsef is planning to use him for something.” Bari told her and watched the smoke in fascination as she blew it out over his head. “He probably wants to use him to continue the negotiations concerning the Ark of the Covenant.”
“Well, duh!” She made a face at him. “That’s obvious or he would have killed him by now! He hasn’t told you what he’s planning to do? You’re the Emperor for Christ’s sake! Don’t you know what’s going on in your own palace?”
“No! And Ruth acts like she doesn’t know a thing about it either!” Bari ran his fingers through his hair. He’d hardly slept in days. He had a two day growth of whiskers on his face and his eyes were red and sunken. “I only had a glimpse of him. There’s something wrong with him. Who’s the woman? Did you see her?”
“I don’t know her.” Nicole shook her head and walked about the opulent bathroom, blowing the smoke here and there to avoid the smoke alarms. She turned on the vent. “I wonder why they would have brought a woman with him. Did he look ill? How could he be ill?”
“He looked… strange. I don’t know! I didn’t get to stay long. Jozsef came and told me it was dangerous. He insisted that I stay away from him. Did you try to see him?”
“I tried, but the guards wouldn’t let me near the room.” Nicole sat down on the edge of the marble tub. “Have you heard from McGuffy?”
“Not in a day or two.” Bari shook his head. “I’m worried that something has happened to him. I wish my grandfather would come.”
“Abaddon is keeping him busy, I’d say. Rumor has it that the general is waging an all out campaign to try and find his palace. They say that he is living in Japan.”
“Japan!” Bari groaned. “I thought everyone there was dead.”
“What better or safer place?” Nicole frowned at him.
“That’s true I guess.” Bari agreed. “If he would just come, we could get out of here.”
“Perhaps my father could help us.” Nicole stood up. “He’s more powerful than the Djinni.”
“He was! He was more powerful. He’s not doing anything now. They have him tied in the bed and he was just laying there. He didn’t seem to recognize me.” Bari took the seat she had vacated.
“Well, he would recognize me. You’re still the Emperor. You can give me clearance to visit my own father, for pity’s sake.” Nicole took the distraught man by the shoulders. “For God’s sake, Bari. Use your brain! Think of a way to get me in there. We need to know if he can help us.”
Bari stood up slowly and tugged on his tunic. The look of despair had vanished from his eyes.
“You’re right. I’m still the Emperor here.” He said and raised his chin slightly. “Come on!”
He took her hand and pulled her from the bathroom and then opened the door to the hall. He peeked out to see if all was clear and then motioned her into the hall. A woman was cleaning the carpets further along. He drew himself up and walked down the length of the hall and up the stairs to the third floor. Nicole followed him. They walked down the long corridor toward the four guards who lounged against the walls outside Mark’s open door. When the men saw him, they snapped to attention and then let their eyes wander all over Nicole’s body. She never failed to attract their attention simply by existing. She smiled sweetly at them and then tried to look distraught rather than angry.
He stopped in front of the senior ranking officer.
“Lieutenant.” He nodded and the man saluted him. “Have you seen the Prophet?”
“No, Your Excellency.” The man shook his head briefly.
“How is the patient?” Bari glanced at the open doorway.
“He is having dinner, Your Grace.” The man grimaced.
“Ahh, then he is awake?”
“Ah, it may not be a good time, sir. Perhaps you should check with the Prophet. He said…”
“You will stand aside! I will say when it is a good time, Lieutenant!” Bari raised his chin slightly and narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, Your Grace.” The lieutenant nodded and he glanced at Nicole apologetically. “But the lady…”
“His daughter wishes to speak with him.” Bari told him curtly and then took Nicole by the arm, daring the man to say anything more. The guards stepped aside and he escorted her into the room.
“Oh, my God.” Nicole placed one hand over her mouth as she took in the scene inside the room.
Two men on either side
of the bed were holding the Knight of Death down as he kicked and squirmed. A third person, a female nurse, judging by the uniform, was in the bed with him, sitting on his chest. Sophia stood by the window, watching the proceedings with a pained look on her face. The nurse was pushing a plastic tube up his nose and he was not happy. He was making all sorts of noises, but none of it was coherent. Not even words, just sounds.
“What the devil are you doing?!” Bari demanded and all eyes turned on the Emperor.
“Sir!” One of the men let go of Mark Andrew’s left leg and the nurse received a knee in the back. She lurched forward and banged her head on the metal headboard before catching herself. “We are force-feeding the patient, Your Grace.” The soldier grabbed hold of the leg again. The nurse grabbed hold of his head again and began to feed the tube into his nose while he resumed his kicking and protests. His voice was muffled by the presence of the tubing and made no sense.
Bari crossed the room and pulled the man away. He took hold of the nurse and dragged her from the bed. The tube came free and the patient began to protest in earnest… much louder than before.
“You will stop this at once!” The Emperor frowned at them and they looked at him in terror. “Now take this … this stuff and get out!”
The nurse and the two soldiers scrabbled about, tripping over each other as they followed Bari’s instructions. When they were gone, he went back to the door and closed it in the guards’ startled faces.
Nicole glanced shortly at Sophia and then climbed onto the bed with her father.
“Father!” She took his face in her hands. “Father! It’s me, Nicole!”
Mark Andrew frowned and tried to kick her. Bari grabbed his legs and held him. He was frowning and his face was very red. There was blood trickling from his nose. His eyes were wide with terror.
“Daddy?” Nicole leaned closer and looked into his face. “It’s me…. Nicole!”
He blinked and his eyes rolled up in his head before settling back in their proper positions. He looked at her blandly and stopped struggling when she smiled at him.
All That Is Fallen Page 25