FicWad

Chapter 23



While the crew was settling into their respective hotels and frat houses-whatever applied-there were interesting happenings elsewhere in the world. In an ancient building of Rome, in a prominent office, a brown-robed individual with black, curly hair and a beard was entering for an important meeting. Behind the desk sat an older man in a standard modern Catholic black uniform with collar bade him sit, and he did so. The priest looked over some papers, looking at some points that he had highlighted, and then set them down as he adjusted his glasses on his nose, sat back, and folded his hands on his chest as he smiled. He then said, "Friar, I know it has been some time since you filed this report, and it just goes to show you how 'efficient' the bureaucracy is around here. In truth, this came some months ago, and initially, your report of your time spent in Japan was adequate enough. However, our men have noticed some interesting activity that has caused us to examine the report again. At this, we have indeed noticed some, shall we say, vague spots in the report. Considering what the Jesuits have discovered, and the reports that have come in, we have called you in to, perhaps, clarify the vague areas of your report, if you could."

Friar Antonio looked at him, not certain where this was going, and asked him, "To be honest, monsignor, that all depends on what the Jesuits have discovered."

"Are you saying that you would not tell us about it all?" asked monsignor.

"Let us say that this could fall under the confidence of the confessional, monsignor," responded Tony, "In other words, there are certain things that need not be said in all reality. What I reported was resolved, with no harm to anyone, and that lack of harm continues to this day."

He looked at Tony over the edge of his glasses, and then said, "Considering what we may be dealing with, I am concerned about what you consider 'lack of harm,' or who or what you think you protect by your silence."

Tony knew that they may already know something of what really happened in Japan. He did not lie on the report, but he did keep vague that which he felt was on a need to know basis. Now, with the Jesuits involved, there was no telling what they knew, or what they intended. Tony probed and said, "Let us say, for the moment, that this falls under 'leave well enough alone.' In other words, it was not a problem before, it was not a problem to the rest of the world then, and it should continue to be that way."

Tony took a moment to think, and then said, "In fact, there were some vague points that dealt with what brought an end to hostilities. I would say that there was divine intervention for one side. I did not say much about it, because I knew that, if I did, there would be a massive investigation, trouble, finger pointing, and other such things on a matter that was settled, and remains that way. You would be surprised over who that divine intervention fell, therefore, the other spots' explanations all rest on what you have to tell me, because, if it does not require me to say more, then what you have, and what I have told you is all you get."

The monsignor was looking a bit frustrated, and said, "If you are telling me that divine intervention fell on what we suspect, then there is something greater afoot than what we have already discovered."

"And what have you discovered," pressed Tony.

The Mexican standoff that had formed was getting neither anywhere, thus, the monsignor spoke and said, "Son, it has been reported that the Inquisition has been in operation again, and that they have already acted in Paris some months before. The police are baffled at what had happened, for the only thing they found were the bodies of ten members of the outlaw group, and a bloodstained saber that has a blood on it not like anything human. However, the body to which the blood belongs was nowhere to be seen, save a pile of ash when the scene was discovered not too long after sunrise. In addition, a body was discovered outside of Paris that was loaded with mustard gas, decapitated, and that went up in smoke once exposed to the sunlight. Furthermore, last month, our people discovered two Inquisition outposts that had been cleaned out of everything by the time we got there, but it was obvious in one of them that some kind of struggle had taken place. Another report came in about a hit in Korea and a hit in the Philippines of two Inquisition outposts, and it was made clear that there were sizable forces involved in those strikes. Considering what we may be dealing with, I want to know everything, and who you think you are trying to protect."

Antonio knew that, if he continued to resist, he might face excommunication, or a defrocking at the very least. He then took a chance, knowing that, if he was successful, he might change a lot of things. "Considering that we deal with the Inquisition, then you know that they chase after vampires, correct?"

"Of course," answered the monsignor, "and, up to this point, considering the modern times we live in, I figured they were chasing fairy tales."

"Do you still consider them fairy tales?" asked Tony in return.

"From the evidence, I'm not really sure."

"If they were not, what would the Vatican have to say?"

"Officially, nothing; in these times, we would be laughed at, and it would not look good for the Holy See for the public to think we are being run by crackpots. Unofficially, I am not sure. We cannot do what had been done before, nor can we truly hunt them down. I am not even sure if they could be considered evil. I mean, in the old days, many people cried 'witchcraft' and 'vampire'to go after one another."

"Then please, sit down, monsignor, because what you think you know about them is more than likely wrong."

"Oh? Then, please, enlighten me."



Tony spent a good two hours going over what he had learned, and all that had happened five years before, not leaving out a detail, lest misunderstanding arise. After Tony had finished, the monsignor sat there staring at the desk, lost in thought. Finally, the monsignor said, "So, this 'coexistence' as you call it is supposed to happen?"

"The dhampirs have twins that the vampires consider future rulers of their kind," answered Tony.

"And you say that the male is a Christian."

"He is a very staunch one, and seems to be on talking terms with the Almighty. He's not Catholic, but no one's perfect."

"Well, that takes care of the 'spawn of Satan' thing."

"In fact, each one of them is an individual, choosing for themselves. They don't really have a separate society, and yet, they do. They have councils, and certain protocol, but that is just for regulating themselves, and, up until recently, it has been for keeping things hidden. All they really want is to live in peace, drinking discreetly, and not seeking to harm anyone. If anyone is made a vampire, it is rare, and only after a screening process is done. Much of what we know was created by fear. What is happening now is actually aiding our cause, and may actually undue years of abuse by both sides. If you could only meet Karin and Jean-Claude, I think you would change your mind on a lot of things."

The monsignor paced the floor a bit more, and he then said, "It seems you were right when you told him that necessity is the mother of strange bedfellows. We were going to send in the Jesuits by themselves to deal with this. However, if we have help, then I would not resist it, for we have a common foe. Because you have this kind of knowledge, what I want you to do is head a team of our best. Many people are unaware about the militant faction within our order, but they are there for reasons like this. If you should meet up with this 'Clan'and they prove themselves, then perhaps what we would be somewhat obligated to do could be overlooked. I am sure that we could package it for his Grace well enough. I'll introduce you to them right now. Please, come with me."



The Division one tournament started that Friday morning, and the only ones that came were enough to field one team, with substitutes, and others to fill in any holes, for they would play multiple games on Friday and Saturday, and then play the final on Sunday, and they needed to give people rest. These were the best Rugby schools in the nation: MIT, Northeastern, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Boston University, UMass were there. They were in for a fight. However, with Jean-Claude there, and the boys, after losing two players for foolishness that would have hindered them, decided to abstain from alcohol until the tournament was over, which they believed would give them the edge. They wanted to be at the top of their game, and try to avoid any trouble again. They played in two pools, and the best two from the pools would play on that Sunday for the final. It was cloudy and rainy, and it made life interesting with the breeze coming off the Charles River. Meanwhile, Anjou was driven right to the door of the bowling facility, and escorted in quickly. Since they were all convinced that her sunlight problem was her 'condition' they were very careful with it. They slipped her in quickly, and got her from the front windows. Anjou assured them that her clothes and the parasol were fine in those conditions, but they did not want to take any chances with their ace. They got her to the bathroom so she could don the team shirt, and prepare to roll. Schools from all over New England were there, boys and girls teams, ready to determine the best of the sport. Old pros like Steve Renaud, Tom Olszta, Peter Flynn, and others, were there to root them on. Anjou was the only girl there in a skirt, and it was a light, one piece ensemble, no to dissimilar to what she ahs always worn, (adjusted for her age,) over which she wore her team shirt. This received looks and taunts from the other teams. Anjou just ignored them as she always did, and set out her balls on the return, (each one looking like a pool ball of different colors.) One of her teammates came up to her and said, "Just ignore the dogs. You'll have the final laugh!"

Anjou simply said in her plain way, "I know," and prepared for her ten strings. On this day would be the team competition, and then the individual competition would happen the next day. She hoped that they could be done before the second match so she could watch the Rugby team play.



In their first game they played Syracuse, and they rolled them up. They had expected a harder game, but the Orangemen were unprepared for what met them. In that game, it was Turlo and Jean-Claude in the middle, and that seemed to make the difference. Because they had such a strong push, and were quick in the ruck, they were able to drive over the ball swiftly, and hardly gave Syracuse any time with the ball. By the time it was done, UMaine won over Syracuse 78-0. Meanwhile, Anjou was racking up a 136 average on the lanes, which is phenomenal for the game of Candlepin. The girls who had mocked her quaint, shamefaced, and modest style were flummoxed as she wiped the walls with the other teams. Needless to say, UMaine rolled easily to the team championship, and she was selected for her team in the individual competition the next say to represent the school. There had been some friendly banter between the schools, and it had been mentioned about Anjou's background. One girl did not like it, and despised the little rich dog prissy. Worse, no matter what this girl did to rattle Anjou, it only made Anjou to play a tighter game. In truth, she was jealous, and this was something that Anjou did not miss. She was going to watch Jean-Claude that afternoon, and she wanted the extra blood to help ward off the sunlight that was there despite the completely overcast skies. After the competition was over, she spotted that one girl go off to the bathroom, and she decided to change. She entered in and saw the other girl changing. She paid it no mind as she took off the shirt, wrapped a shawl around her, and put on her broad-rimmed hat. "Well, well, well," said the other girl, "It looks like little Miss Prissy is a gimp," having heard about her condition. She continued to taunt her, and said, "What's the matter: afraid of a little sun?"

She then walked up and caressed Anjou's face mockingly, and said, "You look so pale and sickly-you could use a little sun, whore!"

That was it for Anjou. She turned around, eyes aglow, fangs extended, smiling, and said, "Yes, I have a condition, and now you know why!"

She tried to scream, but Anjou stuffed a handkerchief into the girl's mouth, and shoved her into the stall. After it was done, she wiped her memory. She then remembered that this girl would be bowling against her the next day. It could have been considered cheating, but she wanted to teach the girl a lesson. She put into her mind, "All day tomorrow, you shall be frightened of me-terrified of me-and you will not know why, every time you see me. I will remind you of your worst nightmare every time."

She then grabbed her things, her handkerchief, wiped off her face, and left.



The second game was against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While one would wonder how engineers would make a powerhouse for Rugby, once they saw the team, they would wonder how "nerds" could have gotten so big. They were huge! They chewed up and spit out Notre Dame, and now they figured that some state university would be icing on the cake. Jean-Claude thought for a moment, and then said, "Turlo, do you think you could handle wing forward?"

"What do you mean?" asked Turlo.

"Put Tree and Andre in the middle," answered Jean-Claude, "and then put you and I on the flanks, and Worm at number 8. Put Bulldog on the tight head. Put Cream Cheese out at fullback, and tell him to think like a football free safety. Also, if he ever gets the ball deep, just tell him to kick it and not to run it. Then, I think they know their strategy. I noticed that the whole team can kick well, and they have been taking advantage of it. McQueeny, whenever they do, just be ready for a quick throw and boot. Keep them down at their end and make them work."

McQueeny thought for a moment, and then realized what he was trying to do. He smiled as he caught on, and said, "Let's get them!"

By this point, the rain had stopped, but the sky was still gray and overcast. The lights were put on early, and Jean-Claude looked all over the stands. He finally found Anjou, unmistakable in her outfit and with the parasol, as she sat under an awning that overhung the stands, sitting with the rest of her team. He smiled and waved in her direction. Yuriya saw this, and went to her with the twins. "Are you sure you are going to be fine?" asked Yuriya.

Anjou just grinned, and said, "I took some...precautions before coming," and licked a fang. However, Sheila saw her there, and went behind her. When no one was looking, she rubbed her hands on her face-the only exposed part of her flesh. She then said, "There you go, Auntie-san: you shall be fine for the whole game!"

Anjou now felt like she had some kind of a sun block on her skin. What Sheila had done was willed it so her skin took on an extra layer. She felt her face, and it was as smooth as a baby's bottom. While baby skin is normally very sensitive, this was not baby skin. It was her own skin in such a fashion that it had the thickness and smoothness to deflect any sunlight that would show despite the clouds. Sheila then told her, "I learned this when I was younger. It works in direct sunlight, but only for about 30 minutes."

Anjou then put her free arm around her and said, "You are indeed a fantastic child."



UMaine won the toss and elected to kick off. This caught everyone by surprise, since this seemed to play into MIT's game plan. As soon as the kickoff happened, they received the ball, and the receiver immediately called "Mark"which was the same as a fair catch. This awarded MIT with a free kick form that spot. What they had been doing is calling this, booting it deep and bouncing it into touch, winning the line-outs, and rolling up a quick score, using their size to their advantage. However, when the kicked, Cream Cheese anticipated this, and booted it right back, and into touch. Now there was aline-out at mid-field, and Jean-Claude asked to be a jumper. As soon as the ball went up, Jean-Claude used his well-trained reflexes to snatch away the ball, without using his vampire abilities. However, the defense was up to the task, and rolled over the ruck to turn over the ball. This was only because Jean-Claude was not in there, but there was a reason. As soon as MIT kicked into touch, Jean-Claude chased and caught the ball as if it were still in play. However, he quickly pitched it into McQueeny, who then blasted it down the field. It was caught, "mark" was called, and it was then kicked, and caught by Cheese, who put it into touch, and the pattern started again. It was fast becoming apparent that UMaine was content on playing rope-a-dope, and conserving themselves, waiting for MIT to make a mistake. The first half was scoreless, and MIT was growing more and more frustrated with each passing phase of play. As UMaine talked, Jean-Claude said, "Sooner or later, they are going to abandon their game plan, and try to run from deep. That's what we want. Then we can start to put licks on them, force turnovers, and start to eat them alive!"

The second half commenced, and as soon as the ball was retrieved, it was booted deep. "Mark" was called, but he was only five meters from the goal line. He kicked it, and Cheese gathered it in, except this time, he put his line onside, and then booted cross field, waiting for the scrum to move in before he did. Mister Brau caught it and rolled in for the score: UMaine up 7-0. This time, MIT kicked off and put it shallow, right into the UMaine pack. It was caught by Tree, who immediately set up a rolling maul. This time, however, Jean-Claude joined in with the push. They were able to get within seven meters, but lost possession. Then, MIT tried to kick, but Worm charged it down. It was picked up on the goal line, but Turlo and Jean-Claude both pasted him, dislodging the ball backwards and into the end zone. Gerbil, the scrum half, then dove on the ball. After the conversion, it was 14-0. Now, MIT tried to kick it shallow, but away from the pack. It was caught, but Cheese went flying down the field, and put a shoulder into the man's gut just as he grabbed it. The groan from the crowd said it all! The ball went flying back again, and this time, it was booted deep, but Jean-Claude did his thing again, and threw it in to the closest man-Andre. He then took off down the field like a one man wrecking crew. They were big, but not like this. Worse for MIT, he had some speed for a man his size. Would be tacklers were bouncing off him, receiving a few good stiff arms in the process. One man tried to come from behind and tried to tackle him, only to catch an elbow to the chin, after which he collapsed into aheap. It was inadvertent, so the ref let it go. After crossing the 22, someone finally became brave enough to come from behind and risk catching aheel to the chin by wrapping up his legs. However, as he was going down, McQueeny was right there to run it in for the score. When the final whistle blew, it was UMaine as the winners, up 21-0. MIT could not believe it, but they were also quick to shake hands, having full respect for a team that was willing to try to beat them at their own game, and who knew how to play clever Rugby. The sun had set by this point, and Anjou was able to take off her hat and close the parasol, and was there to surprise the team. The field had been muddy, and they were covered in it from head to toe. However, as soon as they were all dressed, Yuriya and Anjou came in, saying, "Okay, put all your muddy clothes into these plastic bags. We're going to get them washed for you guys!"

They all applauded, and said, "Dinner is on us for the rest of the time here,"and they all cheered. They then asked where the local Laundromat was, and headed off in that direction with the twins. However, their actions were not unobserved. As they went off, they were followed by four individuals in a car that tailed them all the way.