For so many dead bodies lying motionless, this was no longer "holy" ground. Not that it ever was. look the Vatican turned into a massacre, two against all. We abandoned Carolina at the entrance gate with an excuse note that we went to get back up… Naturally, she made her way in only to discover that les Ange de Branly (that's what the French decided to call us) were killing priests, guards, Guards who dressed as clowns, apparently from Makela's Did You Know facts, they were Swiss Guards, an elite of some of the best soldiers in the Western World.
Carolina ran across the market doing her best to avoid the massacre but then she froze in horror when I turned to see her running across the piazza. "We have to find Argus before more enforcements arrive, I don't want to experience Paris again", frown, Makela, "especially now that we have attracted Bison's attention, personally", she added. She was right, we would attract too much heat and to stand trial before Bison in St. Peter's Square would be biblical.
We fought our way through to the hallway in the Apostolic Palace, now and then, little boys ran from one side to another. Makela was using the four arts of combat in random sequences at normal speed. We were too exhausted from last night's cargo transportation. She incorporated the four arts of combat with Capoeira and gymnastic movements which puzzled the guards.
"Seal the door before they get in", bellowed Makela, I turned around and saw Swiss Guards and Munssu running towards us with ammunition at the ready. I released The Gaddafi, aiming at the pillar on the left side of the door and released the arrow. On contact, the pillar exploded sending piles of rubble to the marble floor impeding the door from opening. "Done", I confirmed with a smug.
I ran behind Makela using the Gaddafi's carbon dioxide arrows to block every possible entrance, Makela moved from one guard to another, leaving dead bodies on the marble floor. I heard a scream coming from above, "it's Carolina", said Ta-hawa whilst removing her dagger from a guard's left eye.
It suddenly hit me, "the screaming girl…", "what?", "the screaming girl Anansi was talking about", I replied.
We kept following the scream which was getting louder. We reached a staircase which was occupied by more Swiss Guards. Not a problem for Makela, she thrust her blade into the first guard's chin with her right hand, turned her body backwards and stabbed a second guard with a dagger to the chest with her left hand, back kicked the third guard and threw her dagger to his neck, the body spasmed. She turned to me, "are you going to let me fight them all alone?", she frowned and proceeded on the stairs.
We came to a corridor; the screaming was coming from the farthest door. "Your move?", she asked me. This was becoming too easy. "clear the corridor, I'll clear the rooms", I instructed. As soon as Makela took a step forward, more Swiss Guards came rushing out of the rooms with guns, "now!", I bellowed. She mustered all her remaining strength and used the Adrenaline Manoeuvre. Flashing from one guard to another with a dagger and sword. I shot an arrow in every room I passed causing an explosion. Finally, there were none left standing in the corridor. "Do not resist me, dear, I'll be delicate", a ruthless voice coming from the last room.
When we entered the room, we found a plumb figured man dressed in a white robe, forcefully removing Carolina's jeans, Makela immediately shot an arrow at the man but he was quicker. He turned and deflected the arrow. "The pope!?", bewildered Makela. The pope scorned at our site, "the Apostles have come, though sadly, your visit is bad timing. We usually have boys, alas, I found her irresistible so do excuse me", he smirked while gesturing at Carolina and crouched to proceed.
I released the Gaddafi, somehow, he heard its pulse and turned with caution to face us.
"Now… now, there's no need for that", said the pope while stepping away from Carolina. "We want Argus!", I said. "He is Argus!", bellowed Carolina while moving to a corner to reach for her bag. "Quiet!", snapped the pope.
"you think you can save your precious continent by killing me", he sneered. Sadly, with the hood concealing my face, no one could see how disdainful and disgusted I was at the site of the Pope. "you ensure that Africa does not reach a point of self-progress by corrupting its leaders and creating rebels for what!?", I asked him. "For the same reason, you conceal the Holy Grail from us, power, control and worship. I AM GOD!", he bellowed as he raised his hands. "We keep the Scroll of Zayi to maintain the balance", tutted Makela.
"Lies!", snapped the Pope, "you think your creed is just, you seek for freedom and peace yet only the Kemites benefit and yet, think your creed is just. I know things that will make you walk away from that precious creed of yours, we have sold many but never our own, this, I cannot say for your creed", the Pope said flatly. "What do you mean?", I asked, "you should ask Adam's daughter", he smirked. "Then the conversation is over "before I finished saying the last word, I performed an Adrenaline Manoeuvre.
The pope was plumply figured due to protocol though he countered all my moves whilst in the Adrenaline mode. He threw me against the wall, however, that had not kept me down.
"ah…huh!", smiled the pope. "you not the only one with skills. MINE COMES FROM GOD", he chuckled. "clearly, we serve different Gods", I spat. "little Apostle, leave the sermons to me, will you", he laughed. "you claim to be a man of God and yet terrorise Africa! You are sick!", spat Makela, clutched her standard sword. I noticed the impulsiveness in her tone, she was holding herself back from killing Argus.
"My dearly beloved", he teased, "it's a small sacrifice the continent must make for the wellbeing of the planet. My dear children, if the African continent held first world power and status, the rest of us would be much like Africa right now", he rested his hands on his chest, faking sympathy. "it is a small price but yes a great feat to achieve. To construct an entire consensus so that the sons and daughters of Africa will never incline to the truth", he explained.
"We have fed their minds with useless religion and brainwashed even before their births", he smiled. "and on top of that!", he laughed in amusement, "we selected your own leaders to be our pawns and you true leaders, we marginalized", "all if this… for what end?", I asked. "my dear, dear son. All of this so that people like you are ridiculed when you fight for your history", he chuckled.
"All of this, so, that all all-natural sources remain freely at our disposal. Resources that finance our cause; for the greater good", he smiled bitterly. "you have stained your bloodline by sacrificing the prosperity of an entire continent", argued Makela. "my daughter, arduous solutions require unyielding will", his words reminded me of the Munssu aboard the train.
"I am certain that you will find our will, equally unyielding", I released the Gaddafi and I noticed him grimace at the site of the arrow. In Adrenaline Manoeuvre, I bashed the Kali Baobab on his temple with my right hand, I knocked him to the ground with the bow and in a matter of seconds, the pope was kneeling on the floor in mercy. I thrust an arrow nearly touching his heart, he gave me a mirthless smile.
"your action has gone to waste. Think about how many corrupt leaders we have nurtured, how many rebels we have educated, how many lives your continent has lost due to the diseases we formulate, both biological and philosophical. Do you really think that killing me will end it when we have educated your people by conditioning them to kill each other?", he laughed.
I looked into his eyes, with no remorse, no mercy. He felt that he had done his part to fulfil the vision of a One World Order. I pierced the arrow closer to his heart, his body spasmed and fell on the floor.
There it was, the key that opened the box that divulged the Scroll. I removed the ring off his finger and hid it in my left pouch. "You killed him", managed Carolina who had recorded everything with her handy cam. "killing him is the mission", I replied as I went for the smartphone on the left bed cabinet. I took a photograph as proof, it was the third memento. "you have your proof. Now, the drive", said Makela flatly. "I don't understand", Carolina was puzzled.
I removed my cowl to reveal my identity and Makela followed. "the Angels of Branly were the backup", she gave a beatific and yet couscous smile, "I knew there was a logical explanation", she said while handing the flash drive to me.
We turned around to fly out through the window, "wait! Is that all, aren't you going to threaten me, I have seen who you actually are", she said. I gave her a murderous gaze causing her to flinch in fear, "I won't say anything", she whispered. "We don't care if you do or not, it's not like we superheroes", Makela gave her a mirthless smile.
We jumped out the window, I spread my wings to soar. Carolina was at the window looking at us, I turned to see her, she beamed and waved goodbye. Odd, though she had a lot to smile about. I was certain that she was not going to make it back to Paris in one piece or alive, however, our deal was met, after that, we had nothing in common, at least nothing more than a tale to tell.