Kismet’s Tale

      Colonel Vito felt a headache coming. Two days ago they were talking about this Arminus Rax. The so-called right-hand man of Elric. Vito looked at the face of the man who had been collected, stitched up by the morgue. Ethel stood next to the stitched-up corpse, her hand moving against the clipboard.

“Time of death, Novem, 9th of 1980. Death is said to be by explosives, Sir.”

“Any witness?” Vito asked. He studied the stitched up corpse. Despite the brutal death, the sturdiness of the man proved to be able to keep some of his parts intact. That’s what he’d expect from Hounds and the Magiborne. Still, it was one hell to go.

“None. Though there were mentions of a flying object hovering above that time.”

“I see. The frags killed him and was released by this?”

“No one could have escaped the blast unharmed. That was two blasts of fragmentation grenade, and he was instructing most of the troops. The thing is that he was wearing a suit that should have resisted the impact and normal men would have died, but this is a Hound we’re talking about, and they are stronger than most. Not to mention that this one was a natural born enhanced by the magiborne method.”

Vito looked at the evidence on the table. “So what killed him?”

Ethel took a sealed bag with a 7.62mm hollow point round. Vito took the round and then examined the fragmentation shrapnel that was sealed in another bag.

“There are signs that the bullet pushed in the shrapnel inside the brain. The explosions almost destroyed the bullet, but analysis shows that the one who did it might have masked his killing by letting the shrapnel do it for him instead of outright killing him with a shot to the head. This type of killing...is beyond what anyone other than Lady Death had shown us.”

“I see.”

Vito studied the bullet. “Please don’t tell me that we have another one to look out to.”

“We might. But chances are that this is the same person. It checks out as well, Sir. All his targets so far are associated with the same organization.”

“Any traces we might follow?”

“None. If there was anything I would have reported it,” she handed the files related to the case. Vito placed the files in his briefcase, and looked at the corpse once more.

“Good news is that the bastard is dead. The bad news is that we have nothing to give to the Lady. We were sure that he was after the Lady, and was intending to follow him, but this makes it hard for us isn’t it?”

“We have no clue and even if we have eyes everywhere...there are no signs of anything other than what we have here.”

There were no witnesses. No tracks that Vito could follow or how to go by this. Finia’s border town was isolated and while this happened he was busying himself with the problems in Knia. It felt like he was trapped. Though Vito sincerely thought that at least someone dangerous was dead.

Vito sat in the corner of the room. Ethel placed her clipboard aside and said, “You’ve got to make a report again, Colonel.”

“I know,” Vito said, “just let me take a breather and wonder how I’d tracked him down. As much as I want to spare resources, the situation in Knia’s been a bother. Whether this is their plan or they are lucky. I can’t spend more than enough. Not to mention that we have to secure the company of hardened veterans that have escaped after we recovered the corpse of their leader.”

When they caught onto what was happening. His company of veterans were still shocked by the suddenness of the death of their leader. They caught them by the back, and had them routed out of the borders of Finia.

One would think that this was good. But Vito knew that this was something that he couldn’t do anything about. Beyond Knia, his jurisdiction doesn’t include the state of Finia, and even if it did, it would take the help of the Matriarch of the Ladies of the Pact to make them agree. He didn’t have the resources, time, and favor to do so.

They were facing someone who was like a ghost. And they were not finding any traces. It should be impossible, they always leave something behind, but there was someone looking after them.

“The orb-thing is bad. We could follow it, but that would be a waste of everyone’s time. Not that we have anything to go on about it.”

The situation was bad. Although they took out most of the leaders, the antiwar movements had a profound effect on the representatives governing the states. Panic, confusion, and a question was asked if such things would spread in their cities. The borders around the Holmian state were close, but there is reason to believe that another situation could erupt once more.

Vito wanted to do something about it. But what can he do? Everyone was trying to strangle him to do something, when he had no utter clue what to learn or what to believe. It felt like he was stuck between a rock pressing him.

Vito stared at Ethel for a moment before deciding. “Call the Steel Hawk, we’ll talk about this with the Lady. Better do it first before she finds out that we have nothing to offer her other than the fucker we were going to use to find the Lady for us is gone.”

“Are you sure that we cannot find any resource?”

“We can. But it’d be weeks to find her and the Lady wants Miss Wendy back. The bureaucracy, the paperwork, the permission, the back and forth conversations that must be made to get the dullards to accept funding for my search party will make a mess. I’m confident I can find Miss Wendy, but we’re stretched thin. God, you know how those idiots work, Ethel.”

Suddenly, the room froze over. Colonel Vito drew his pistol and scanned the room while Ethel pulled an SMG out of her coat.

“Calm, Colonel, and you Miss Adjutant.”

Like a gust of wind carrying smoke, a figure appeared next to the corpse. Her feet inches off the ground, and there was a profound aura coming off her as she examined the corpse, the evidence, the state of them.

“Same one?”

“Milady, you are here?”

“Yes, I had nothing better to do and I have enough. My patience is lost, and now I want to find Wendy herself, considering that you seem to be out of your mind.”

“Madam, I.”

“I understand where you are. I also understand that Wendy is capable enough to avoid you. Capable enough to make chaos their own cover.”

Vito stood up and handed the files. She took the files, and took a glance at the corpse before shaking her head. The Lady was wearing travel clothes, and her black gloves covered the glow on the back of her hand when she used her abilities.

She pressed her gloved hand in her jacket. “As much as I like to trust in regards to the recovery of my dear Wendy, but I have to admit that there are limitations that you have. Hmm, you said it yourself, no? You don’t have the resources, and the matter was somewhat my fault. I trusted Wendy, and in a way, confident that there is no one stupid enough to take her from me. Nonetheless, I was the one who trusted you, and because of that I am obliged to help you fix this mess.”

“Milady, I.”

“I am not blaming you. Oh, you’ve been useful to me, but however there are times where I must prioritize the safety of my kin more than waiting. I understand that this is an unfortunate time, but I must get her back. You see, I had promised her parents, grandparents that she would be safe. I don’t like losing people who are close to me. So this is what I want from you now, Colonel. I want your men to back off when there are unfortunate accidents. I don’t know who this bastard is, and what they want from dear Wendy, but it's better to face the problem than let others do it. I was giving you the time and chance to do it, but I see that the situation has changed. I shall be taking over the search, personally. Don’t worry, I have my ways to do it, and if this one carries that black iron, and with my connection to Wendy. It shall be easily done.”

Vito raised a brow, “If you could have done it on your own, then why?”

“I wanted to trust Holmia. Oh, you are useful Colonel, better than the idiots that they had sent me. Nonetheless, you have only failed me this time, so it does not matter. Make yourself clear, and out of my way. I’ll be looking for my Wendy now.”

She disappeared from the room as she had entered Ethel dropped to her knees while Vito braced himself on the drawers, keeping himself from falling over.

“Ethel, tell Steel Hawk to prepare for flight.”

“Back to headquarters, Colonel?”

“Of course, interfering when the Lady’s this impatient is suicide. I’ll have the rest of our troopers steer clear. She should be in disguise, so no one should know that it's Lady Bellatrix.”

“Understood,” Ethel strengthened her legs and trotted out of the room. Vito calmed himself, and followed after.