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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 19:55:52 GMT -5
((Continued from Base of Operations)) If there was anything Abe should have been used to, it was sneaking about discreetly in an effort to keep normal people from becoming frightened by his abnormal appearances - even if it was for the greater good. Right now they were just outside the building itself, and though it was not too late in the day, there was a huge risk of them getting caught. However, it was not arrest that Abe foresaw if that was the case; Abe had his beliefs that Kroenen would kill whomever he needed to keep their mission to the inside quiet. Gently running his webbed hand over the brick wall near a worker's entrance, the fishman gave Kroenen a nod when he could detect no one on the other side.
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Post by Karl Ruprecht Kroenen on Jan 24, 2009 20:09:46 GMT -5
The undead man nodded back and found the door unlocked.
In the dark of the interior, he drew the blade from its sling at his back and held it tightly in his good hand, waiting for the fishman to get in and close the door. There was a long, black corridor directly to their left, and a narrow stair going down to their right, and as down was what they needed, he cocked his shoulder against the cold wall and headed in that direction, silent as a passing shadow.
When he glaced back to make sure the creature was following, he was a bit disgruntled that Sapien's exposed electric-blue face and hands stood out in the dark like a lantern.
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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 20:29:24 GMT -5
Not wanting to give their conversation away with speech, Abe tipped his head a bit, not quite sure what the Nazi was staring at him for. He was being quiet after all, and doing his best to keep up. Finally trying to get something out of Kroenen, he shrugged his shoulders and held out his bright blue hands, which he still moved as if through the water; the gesture was intended to convey the annoyed "What?" he did not speak.
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Post by Karl Ruprecht Kroenen on Jan 24, 2009 20:58:17 GMT -5
Kroenen shook his head and turned back to the passage, heading down again. The stair was long, very long, it seemed and they must be far under the Opera by now. It had grown cooler by the foot, but was now warming up again and the dull glow starting up around them told the Nazi they must be nearing the furnaces.
Good, then. They were near the legendary fifth cellar. They would find the lake and Abe would navigate it, learn the layout and find at least where the man's house was. There ought to be some vague idea of it, considering the bones removed from the space was quite public knowledge in their own time.
Then, perhaps, Kroenen would linger a bit, see the stage and the auditorium, perhaps the foyer...
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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 21:14:48 GMT -5
The change in temperatures was enough to tell Abe where they were going, and often he would pause to feel out the air, not only to make sure that they were not immediately stumbling into someone, nor were they being followed. For a place he could feel so much life in, things were going too smoothly, too quietly. It made him nervous, even with a trained assassin taking the lead.
Trying to soothe his thoughts, Abe focused on the Opera itself, feeling out the pride, joys, loves and tragedies that happened there, above and below ground. It was much to take in, but the more he learned now, the less he would have to be surprised about later.
...still, he kept himself almost up against Kroenen's back as they crept downstairs.
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Post by Karl Ruprecht Kroenen on Jan 24, 2009 21:25:18 GMT -5
The low, firey drone of the furnaces washed over them first, and Kroenen paused on the edge of the stairs to lean over enough to see that the area was empty, save for one very large, sooty fellow and a much smaller, darker form on the crates near the far wall. They were too engaged in eachother to notice the quiet passing of Sapien and himself, so he nodded to the fishman and crouched low, moving around the opposite perimeter of the room to another hall on the far side with twisting corridors leading off in all every direction.
He grabbed Sapien's wrist and pressed his hand up against the wall to tell them which way to go.
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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 21:34:14 GMT -5
It would not do to linger around people for very long, but Abe's ability gave him a glimpse of what was going on, and he clamped a hand over his mouth and shut his eyes until they were away from the scene. Oh my god...
He had managed to stay right behind Kroenen and jumped when he felt the soldier grab him by the wrist. Once he felt the wall under his fingers, however, he understood his task and picked through the memories imprinted on the place. Once he had figured out the most common path, he pointed over Kroenen's shoulder the direction, then withdrew his graceful hand to the man's shoulder.
"Be careful," he whispered in warning, keeping his gaze focused ahead. "The place is booby-trapped."
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Post by Karl Ruprecht Kroenen on Jan 24, 2009 21:40:46 GMT -5
The touch illicited a hiss from the Nazi's mask and he turned to follow the path Sapien had indicated, starting down a new dark corridor--and then stopping, going deathly still and holding up his hand for the creature to do the same.
His head cocked a bit and he caught the sound again--distant and nearly non-existent, a refrain of Faust.
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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 21:50:51 GMT -5
At first, it took Abe a moment to wonder why they had been stopped, thinking he was to locate a trap before either one of them tripped it, then he caught the sound of music resonating, faintly, even there below, and recognized what it was quickly.
Unable to help a soft "ah" from his throat, Abe looked up toward the cement ceiling, holding a hand up over him. He could detect, now focused on the music's origins, right where there was the largest gathering of people, and it explained a bit of how they had managed to sneak in undetected. After his initial reading was done, Abe's lids relaxed a bit, his hand following the music even when it was too quiet to hear.
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Post by Karl Ruprecht Kroenen on Jan 24, 2009 21:55:55 GMT -5
Kroenen stayed where he was for a few moments, now torn. The opportunity to see a rehearsal for one of his favorite operas in such a historical setting was a strong temptation. On the other hand, there was work to be done. But then again, he had no one to answer to here.
Another moment passed, the old clockwork fontice ticking away softly in their mutual silence, and then he turned and headed in the opposite direction, finding the first corridor that led them upward.
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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 22:05:44 GMT -5
"Hm?" Abe blinked a couple times, drawn out of his reverie when he felt Kroenen move past him, and rather quickly. Looking in the direction of where they had been headed, Abe looked toward the retreating figure of Kroenen and decided it was for the best that he, at least, did not linger in the dark alone.
"Wait!" he whispered, as loudly as he could afford before he took off after Kroenen's coat tails.
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Post by Karl Ruprecht Kroenen on Jan 24, 2009 22:12:05 GMT -5
The blade was stowed again and eventually they found their way to the back of the auditorium. At the moment, the music had stopped and the Maestro was giving instructions to those gathered before they broke and took their places again. Kroenen took a seat in shadow at the rear and when Sapien joined him, he pulled the creature's had farther down over his face.
When the music started again, Kroenen was still and silent but for the gentle conduction of the fingers of his right hand. The fat tenor in the role of Faust was magnificent and serious and further singing revealed the rest of the cast to be as able.
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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 22:26:57 GMT -5
He had managed to keep up with the assassin as they darted through the shadows, and gave a grunt of discomfort with his had being pulled down over his face. However, now, with the imminent danger of being discovered, Abe understood the need to stay hidden and kept himself from looking up.
It was like this, in a semi-crouched state, Abraham took notice of the undead man's hand, and its movements as he followed the music. Taking note of the tiny, but certain movements of the fingers, Abe found himself realizing another thing about his unpredictable companion. It was one thing to simply move to the music as it took you - Abe did it all the time, it dictated how he swam at times. No, Kroenen's movements were not just of someone who liked music; the delicate movements were of one who knew music.
Turning his head a bit more, he cast his gaze on Kroenen's mask, watching the expressionless facade carefully from one large, dark eye. No longer absorbed in the music, Abraham found his thoughts on the undead man in the seat next to him, watching Kroenen... enjoy himself?
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Post by Karl Ruprecht Kroenen on Jan 24, 2009 22:33:08 GMT -5
Kroenen did not care to have such focused attention on himself, and particularly not from someone with abilities like Sapien's. It interrupted his own thoughts and his fingers stopped, his masked face turned toward the creature, staring down at him for a moment before turning back to the stage. In retaliation, he pushed images into Sapien's mind--Kroenen, in perfect form, slaughtering everyone up on the stage, taking pleasure in the last few, slow deaths and offering up the heart of the lead tenor to his gods.
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Post by Abe Sapien on Jan 24, 2009 22:45:59 GMT -5
Abe found himself unprepared for the assault, and covered his face with both hands, feeling his whole body shudder in disgust and horror. It took every ounce of his will to keep from crying out at the imagery, which would get them caught.
Even with hearing their voices, Abe had to look up, only briefly, to catch a glimpse of the stage and see that everyone was alive and well, and that Kroenen was still there beside him - and still a monster. He made no apologies for his actions, but regretted letting his guard down.
No longer curious, Abe sat back in the seat and listened without looking up, or anywhere else, for that matter, a little part of him crushed for trying to think that Kroenen was anything more than a killer - and one who enjoyed it.
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