The Sixth Seal

The Eye of Jupiter sent wave after wave of energy. Ana adjusted her course. If a particular road took her too far from her objective, or if the signal became too weak, she corrected. She had already doubled back twice. Her focus was singular. The actual driving of the car and all that entailed left to a different part of her consciousness.

As the call grew stronger she came back to her physical self. The Spree snaked out toward the city center to her right. How many tragic souls met their end trying to cross the Berlin Wall, only to die on the banks of the river? Focus Ana. That was a lifetime ago. Right now there is only you and the Eye.

She slowed the car when her course brought her parallel with the Tiergarten. Miles and miles of trees and greenery nestled like an emerald atop a silver ring; its beauty radiant in the light of the late afternoon. She rolled down the window to revel in its earthy musk. If the end of her days was near, she wanted to be reminded of what was good and magnificent about this tiny blue planet. Out of all the others, her ancestors had chosen this one. She took in a deep breath, the cool, moist air, filling her lungs. It was not hard to imagine why they had chosen this place. Earth teemed with life in a way that no other in the universe did. But where there is life, there is death.

The droning of the Eye grew relentless. She reached out to it, doing her best to reassure it she was near. The route to the apartment became clear in her mind. She turned onto a busy street. Apartments and shops lined both sides, and people bustled along the sidewalks happily unaware of the macabre play going on around them.

Traffic slowed the closer she got to her destination. When she was only a couple of blocks away, she could see why. The front of the apartment building was cordoned off and several police cars sat askew, blocking the roadway. Before being hemmed in, she turned the car off onto a side street and parked against the curb. Although a little awkward, she could still see the scene from her vantage point. There was no way she could get into the apartment with all of the activity out front. She doubted the back entrance would be any less guarded. She would have to wait until nightfall. Hopefully the police would be done with the majority of their forensic work by then. She wondered how much carnage Doctor Gabriel left in his wake. Her stomach tightened at the thought. The poor woman he’d murdered had been a distant relative of hers, of Hannah Klein’s anyway.

She still had a tight grip on the wheel. All of her efforts were down to this. How am I going to handle this on my own? I’m just one person with a gun.

She took a deep breath and released the wheel. Get a hold of yourself. She wiped her palms on the edges of the seat and leaned over to open the glovebox. It held a wallet, which after a quick search, revealed enough cash for a night on the town. There was also another gun identical to the one she had. She left it, but she grabbed the extra clip, tucking it behind her back and underneath her blouse with her gun. She checked herself in the mirror, smoothing down her hair and wiping traces of smudged makeup away. She decided to find something to eat while she waited for the dark.

A healthy flow of people flocked toward the crime scene, so Ana strolled in the opposite direction. There was still more than an hour until it would be dark enough for what she had in mind.

A little cafe beckoned to her from half a block away. Its wrought iron tables and chairs topped with colorful umbrellas offered the perfect vantage point. Her stomach rumbled, signaling its approval. As she made her way toward the restaurant, she caught a glimpse of a display window. A sleek, unisex mannequin adorned in black leather stood in the center, its raucous stance in stark contrast to the others with their more modest attire. Intrigued, she stepped through the doorway. A slender young man looked up from behind the counter, his eyes got a little bigger and a touch of color came to his cheeks. He jumped into action when she pointed at the leather ensemble. A moment later, he was opening a fitting room for her and asking if there was anything else he could do for her. She just smiled and shut the door.

The pants fit as if they’d been painted on, but the leather was soft, inviting. Perfect for her nighttime plans. The jacket also fit her to a tee and did a better job of concealing the gun. She zipped it up so that just a glimpse of the red blouse peaked through, framing the tiny chrysanthemum between her breasts.

The young man gasped when she stepped out of the fitting room.

“That was made for you, Miss.”

She smiled and winked at him. Despite all of the troubles of the world, she still enjoyed the push and pull of everyday life. She had missed out on so much during her years at the hospital.

“Can I get you anything else?” He ran a hand through his hair and straightened his collar.

“Sunglasses.”

The waiter at the cafe was equally affected by her ensemble. He nearly shoved another customer out of the way to seat Ana at a table next to the outer wall. She made sure she sat with a clear view of the apartment building.

“May I get you something to drink?”

She caught his hazel eyes drifting down to the slight swell of her breasts above the zipper. He blushed and cleared his throat when he realized he’d been caught.

“How about a glass of wine?” Should I? Yes. I need something to take the edge off.

“Of course, Miss. What would you like?” He leaned closer, placing his hand on the edge of the table.

She ran her fingers along the back of his hand. “Surprise me.” She almost burst out laughing when he nodded, turned quickly and ran headlong into another patron.

There was still a sizable crowd around the crime scene, but her vantage point afforded her a decent view. Two policemen were stationed at the front, and several other men in plain clothes moved in and out of the building. Detectives, she imagined. The crowd stirred and there was a collective gasp that could be heard even from the restaurant. Several of the patrons looked up.

One of the policemen pushed his way through the crowd. A second later she saw two men in white guiding a gurney to an awaiting ambulance. The body. Poor woman.

The waiter returned with a glass of red wine. She didn’t hear the name or the vintage. A man walking down the street toward the cafe caught her attention. He glanced back at her through the window with a set of bright sapphire eyes. His black hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. A glimmer of recognition flashed across his face.

“Would you like to hear the specials, Miss?” The waiter intruded on her thoughts.

“What?” She turned to face him. “Oh, yes. No. I mean, bring me your favorite. I’m sure I’ll like it.”

This seemed to please the waiter. He gave her a broad smile, and rushed away to fill her order. She turned her attention back to the sidewalk, but the man had disappeared. There was something about him that gnawed at her. But what was it? It was the same feeling she had experienced when she first met Lee. She scanned the crowd again. Nothing. Could he be another one of the protectors? She took a sip of the wine. Surely not. She had met all of the others back at the Estate. Hadn’t she?

The waiter sat a plate of beef tips over pasta with a side of asparagus on the table in front of her. How long has it been since I ate last? She dove into it, waving away the waiter. The first bite brought a familiar pinch to her cheeks. Definitely better fare than Hillcrest.

A little later her waiter returned. His eyes went wide as he watched her finish off the last bite.

She laughed and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I guess I was hungry.”

He smiled and nodded. “Can I get you anything else, Miss?”

She drained what remained in her glass and handed it to him. “A little more wine.” He started to leave, but she caught his arm. “Do you know anything about the commotion down the street?”

He turned to look out the window. “Oh, that. Terrible business. Apparently some lady was murdered in her apartment today.”

“Do you know which apartment?” She let go of his arm.

“No, Miss, but my manager has been here all day.” He pointed back inside the restaurant. “You could ask him.”

The waiter left her and hurried to his next table. She turned back to see if she could spot the manager. Perhaps he would be able to offer some information, which might prove useful. She scanned the interior of the restaurant. For a moment she locked eyes with a man at a table in the corner. His sapphire eyes seemed to look right through her. She spun back around in her chair. Was it only a coincidence? Had he been watching her? How long had he been there?

She turned her head back slowly. He was definitely watching her. She looked back down the street. It was still too early to attempt entry into the apartment. The man behind her could very well be an agent of the Horsemen. Surely they would know where she was headed. I need to lose him.

There was a clear path to the door. She placed a few bills on the table to cover her meal, and then got up without looking back. Maybe she could draw this man down a dark alley. There were still too many people around to use the gun, so she’d have to be careful.

She quickened her pace, not chancing a backward glance until she was in a throng of people. It was him. Those eyes looking through her. So familiar. She pulled the gun from her waist and shoved it in a jacket pocket for easier access.

Evening approached. Streetlights came on and splashed their light across the shop windows, casting funhouse mirror reflections of the passersby. She pushed herself deeper into the crowd. Every time she looked back, he was there. Still watching her. Still following. What if there were more like him? What if the Horsemen had anticipated her next move? They could have agents everywhere.

Every face in the crowd became suspect. Angling toward a dark alley adjacent from the crime scene, she pushed her way back out of the throng of people. Her footfalls struck the pavement in time to her heartbeat. She wrapped her fingers around the gun and darted into the alley. She pressed herself to the wall and sidled deeper into the darkness, bringing the gun up in front of her.

The man came around the corner and froze, his frame silhouetted by the street lights. He tilted his head as if he couldn’t quite tell what he was looking at.

Without thinking, she leapt out of the shadows, grabbed him by the shoulder, shoved him into the wall, and then pressed the gun into his back.

“Who in the hell are you?” She pressed the gun deeper with each word.

“I’m a friend, Ana.”

“How do you know my name? Did the Horsemen send you? Answer me.”

“I swear I’m a friend. No one sent me. I’ve been looking for you my entire life.”

She stepped back, aiming the gun directly at him. “Turn around.”

“My name is Frederick, but you know me by another.” He turned slowly, keeping his arms up, palms facing her. “Look into my eyes and you will know the truth my dear, Ana Eloise.”

She studied his eyes. They were a reflection of her own. Impossible. He’s too young. The last memory of her father flashed in her mind and in an instant she knew. She dropped her arm to her side, the tears already flowing.

“Daddy?”

“Ana, my little girl. I’ve found you.”