Ambre leaped outside the club like the Devil out of its box, followed by Shina, hard on her heels.

“Over there!” Shina howled, showing Ambre a silhouette heading to a building, opposite to the street.

“He won’t go far away !”

The two women rushed in the street, swallowing in a few seconds the meters that separated them from the building, and dove in the carpeted staircase. Upstairs, the figure slipped inside after greetings to the bouncer.

“Hey! You! Freeze!” Ambre howled, trying to enter just after him.

But the ebony-skinned bouncer stopped her on the spot.

“Sorry, but no foreigner here!”

Ambre glanced at him mockingly, and was going to point out that he didn’t look more Japanese than her, when Shina pushed her on the side:

“Let me negotiate the entrance fee!”

She caught the bouncer by the tie, and drawing on the lower fold and the higher fold, pulled them on opposite directions, trying obviously to strangle him. The man, surprised, seized one of the wrists of Shina and tried to twist it, vainly. The apparently frail wrist maintained a strong pressure on the red fabrics.

The ebony giant ended up on the knees, and raised a hand as a sign of surrender. Shina let go off the two pieces of the fabric and smirked in triumph.

“Thank you! I find you nice, and that would have been very sorry to hurt you…”

Then she pushed the metal door of the bar, and entered hurriedly inside.

“I am sure you have never met a woman as breathtaking as she is, haven’t you ?” asked Ambre, slightly amused, stroking the brown cheek tenderly.

The bouncer run down the staircases, and fled in the night.

“Apparently not...”

Japan, Headquarters of Ermengardis - 7 Mars 2004, 10:50 PM (March 7, 1:50 PM, +9:00)

Bishamonten Pavilion, the Great Living room

Angelo approached Camus, who was leaning against the pane of the window, his face turned towards the glass, observing the garden, plunged in darkness.

“I don’t know what you can see... It’s completely dark outside!”

Camus turned his head towards Angelo.

“Nothing, I was just thinking...”

“I see...” smirked Angelo. “Do you know where are Aphrodite and Shura?”

“No, I haven’t seen them today...”

“Odd...” commented Angelo. He put on a thoughtful air, and crossed his arms on his chest.

The door of the living room opened and a majordomo entered hastily.

 “Mr. Angelo!” he called.

Angelo raised an eyebrow and slipped a glance towards the young man who was rushing in his direction.

 “What?”

 “Telephone for you, from Italy, Sir. You can take the call in your room.”

The majordomo bowed and left at the same pace he had entered.

 “Camus, I have to leave you, I have a phone call!” Angelo spoke at the top of his voice before leaving the living room with the same haste, followed by the majordomo.

Almost ignoring them, Camus turned back to the contemplation of the darkness of the garden.

Milo awkwardly greeted the majordomo who step aside in the doorframe to let him enter while apologizing he was on the way. ‘I will never get along with all their greetings, excuses and bow!’ he told himself. His glance went straight on the large picture window: as usual, Camus was there, drowned by his own world.

Milo breathed deeply: this time, he would speak to the one he had always considered as his best friend.

Japan, Tokyo - Roppongi - 7 Mars 2004, 10:50 PM (March 7, 1:50 PM, +9:00)

 “Have you found him? Why have you stopped?” asked Ambre, breaking in into the place. She stopped by herself, having understood immediately why Shina was standing in the entry, quite bewildered.

The bar was separated into two areas: the bar, strictly speaking, decorated with black wooden tables and comfortable leather sofas, and the scene... Or rather the aquarium... Because a giant aquarium was ruling on what was supposed to be the scene, and a splendid blond siren swam, in her birthday suite, among red corals and blue stones.

Shina and Ambre looked at each other, dumbfounded.

Japan, Headquarters of Ermengardis - March 7, 2004, 10:55 PM (March 7, 2:00 PM, +9:00)

Bishamonten Pavilion, room 418

Angelo threw on himself on the bed to pick-up the phone, which had been ringing for a fairly long time.

“Pronto! Pronto! Tognazzi?”

“Pronto! Angelo! ?”

“Yes, it’s me!”

“I am so happy to hearing your voice again!”

Angelo smiled:

“Same for me… That’s so nice to hear you too!”

“Figlio mio! I have the information that you asked me...”

This news set Angelo all a flutter.

“And then? ... “

“Maria Baldassare... Born on July 12, 1960, daughter Umberto Baldassare and Rosa Morricone, both residents of Palermo. Three brothers and sisters: Anna, Fabiolo and Angelo...”

The voice of Tognazzi drawled on the last first name. His name. Angelo felt chocked by a strange feeling of anguish: had the old inspector understood that it was question of him and of his family?

“The bodies of Umberto and Rosa Baldassare, as well as Anna and Fabiolo, were found on June 12, 1970, riddled with bullets. The investigation concluded to a gangland killing from the Castiglione clan. The bodies of Maria, and her younger brother, Angelo, have never been found...”

New blank. Angelo heard a rustle in the receiver. No doubt Tognazzi was looking through the file while speaking to him.

“One can think that the Castiglione clan took Maria after the slaughter. One year after these assassinations, in March 1971, appears in the marital status of the Castiglione family a so called Maria Castiglione...”

Angelo felt his throat tightening a peg. Did it mean his sister was now a member of this family of assassins?

“Little Maria went quickly on the top of criminal news, although she had never been arrested… Her first participation in a "family operation" would have taken place in March 1974, when she had been formally recognized as the executer of two tops of a rival clan. But her "take-off" came later... At the beginning of June 1975, a prowler - it is the term used in the police report - broke into the residence of the Castiglione, and massacred 22 members of the clan, of which the top of the Castiglione clan. Maria was not present in the residence that evening, and thus escaped from the massacre... I say massacre, because, figlio mio, there isn’t any other word to describe this assassination... I have the file in my hand, and I quickly went through it... Including the photographs of the victims... Only a monster could have made such horrors...!”

The words of Tognazzi had the effect of a stab in his chest. Angelo remained dumb of pain, a strange feeling invading him and making his head pounding. The white face of Maria, against the dirty ground of the family kitchen... Young Angelo, facing the Castigilone family... Then... All this blood...

“Angelo?  Are you still listening to me?” Shouted Tognazzi on the phone.

Angelo beat eyelids, like drawn from a dream. Stream of images from his past has passed through his mind like a movie.

 “Yes...?” he answered of a dying voice.

“Are you feeling okay? You want to speak of something in particular?”

The voice of Tognazzi was cherishing, and interrogative. Angelo felt that he knew...

“No”.

 “You still want me to go through to the end of the report?”

 “Yes”.

 “After the massacre of the Castiglione clan, Maria became the leader of the clan, and managed it with an iron hand... And made it prosper in twenty-five years. The clan is greeted by the milieu of Palermo for his exemplary success. He is respected by the other clans, which do not dare any more seeking quarrel with him. Forgotten the networks of prostitution or drug... The Castiglione clan is from now versed in weapon traffic, financial swindles and high-level blackmails...”

Angelo closed his eyes. Why, after him, his own sister had to turn so bad?

 “Angelo?”

 “Yes?”

 “You really do not want to speak about it?”

Angelo swallowed his saliva:

 “No! Please! Not now.”

 “You want that I leave you, then?”

Angelo couldn’t answer clearly. He needed to hear this comforting voice. He wanted to speak about it, but without having to answer questions about his past. Actually, he felt too confused to take a decision.

 “Angelo, you are still listening to me?”

 “Yes.”

 “I have to leave you now. I will phone to you tomorrow, figlio mio, and the day after tomorrow. And the next day. I swear. Everyday, at the same hour... Is it okay with you?”

 “Yes.”

Words have left Angelo’s lips as in a dream. He could have almost thought it was not him who gave the answer.

 “Bye then… A domani, figlio mio.”

 “A domani... Padre mio.”

Nothing echoed to his words but the dialing tone. Had Tognazzi heard this declaration before hanging up?

Angelo put back the receiver on its basis and sighed. Sadness invaded his heart like a poison, and anger bubbled in his veins. Sadness to see that like him, his sister had been born under the star of crime and violence. Anger of not being able to change this fate. In his rage, he took the phone and through it against the wall. The device burst in two pieces, which felt down on the carpet, leaving a grey mark against the wall at the point of impact.

 “You will never change... You were born for violence!” he howled against himself.

Despite all his efforts to contain them, his tears rolled on his cheeks. Completely confused, he hid his face in his hands.

 “No! I am not him any longer! I am not Death Mask anymore! He’s gone…!”

Japan, Tokyo - Roppongi - March 7, 2004, 11:00 PM (March 7, 2:00 PM, +9:00)

Ambre dodged the punch of the vampire, protecting herself with her front arm levers, and then stroke back with a kick. The vampire jumped back, making quiver the footbridge and the projectors above the aquarium. A thunder of applauses burst suddenly in the room: below the two fighters, the blond naiad had finished her show and was outlining a watery goodbye.

Ambre did not leave her glance out of the almond face and eyes of his opponent. Both moved very slowly on the frail footbridge, almost calculating each of their moves, and observing the possible faults of the other.

A flash tore the soft darkness of the bar, and a mini firework exploded on the ceiling. Dazzled, Ambre moved back and felt propelled behind, her breath almost cut. The vampire had just sent her a masterly kick on the stomach, sending her properly over the balustrade.

Ambre saw stars, then felt she was falling into a fresh liquid. She understood she had just landed into the aquarium where the naiad was a few minutes earlier, in a shower of blue foams. Looking up to the balustrade where she came from, she saw Shina trying to catch the vampire. Unfortunately, the night creature leaped over the obstacle, landing with grace on a table, in a thunder of applauses from the customers. No doubt that the guests of the bar took this for an entertainment.

Ambre clung to the top of the aquarium, which was fortunately not too deep, and tried to leave this big bottle. She slipped, her ungraceful performance immediately greeted by a new salvo of applauses. A Japanese fifties, tie tied around his head, and obviously drunk, raised his small cut of sake¹ and howled:

 “Hadaka ni! Hadaka ni!^2”

His colleagues around him soon imitated him, holding up their glasses and singing:

“Hadaka ni! Hadaka ni!”

Japan, Headquarters of Ermengardis - March 7, 2004, 11:00 PM (March 7, 2:00 PM, +9:00)

Bishamonten Pavilion, Room 418...

After some minutes of complete despair, Angelo managed to take control of himself. He wiped away his tears, and looked at his wet hand with surprise. This bitter water gleaming on his skin was the evidence that he was not Death Mask, but Angelo Baldassare. Or Perhaps, Lorenzo Mastroiani?

 “Lorenzo... Angelo... Who am I now? I don’t know… Certainly a man who took the bad habits to cry at the drop of a hat...! “

Listening to his own words, he made a faint smile, then breathed a lungful of air to calm down the tension that was still roaming in his veins.

“Good, you’d better go downstairs, and find somebody to discuss with... Camus for example, he was in the Great Lounge... That’s not good for you to stay alone!” He encouraged himself.

He stood up, and felt his whole body shivering with the same emotion.

At the same time, in the Great Lounge...

 “Camus!”

Milo came to Camus, and called him, without any hesitation. Now that he knew why Camus was blaming him, he would make all his best to regain his trust. But at his dismay, Camus didn’t move at all, and didn’t reply anything.

 “Camus, I know that you’re listening to me... So, please, understand that I came to tell you... I… I am deeply sorry for my behavior toward you during the battle against Hades… In my heart, I have never stopped considering you as my best friend, even as a brother… And…  And, I don’t want to loose you anymore...”

Camus remained stonily indifferent to the words of Milo, who sighed.

 “Camus, please, say something!” Milo begged, stroking a shoulder of the ex-Aquarius Saint.

Then, he understood his words had hit the coldness of his friend; Camus’ body was all shivering.

 “Camus?”

Milo forced him to turn around and face him.

 “Please, look at me!”

Camus was in tears, and his face was expressing a deep sadness.

 “Oh, Milo! I...”

It was all that French managed to say, before repressing a sob that seemed to shake his whole body.

 “Camus, I am here, everything will be okay now!”

Camus hesitated and then, seeing that Milo had opened his arms, walked towards him. Without awaiting his permission, Milo hugged him strongly, whispering words of comfort.

 “Nothing bad will ever happen to you! Camus! I swear!”

Against his shoulder, sobs doubled. Milo surrounded his friend of his arms, murmuring the most reassuring words he could find in his mind, troubled by a deep emotion.

 “I am here, with you... It will be okay...”

Milo had the impression to hold his brother, Elek, in his arms. That evening, preceding the shipwreck of the boat, more than 35 years ago. When they were on the deck, looking at a splendid starry sky, and that Elek cried of hunger and fear. Then his memories trailed him back to the night Camus had come to the Scorpio temple, and had broken down in tears. He was horrified by his past, and was seeking comfort to Milo, the only friend he had ever trust in.

 “Easy… I am here now, Camus...” 

Milo tightened his pressure against the one who had replaced his missing brother, and who he had always cared for. Now, this One was back, and Milo felt complete again.

 “Camus, my friend… No! My brother, I swear that no evil will never happen to you again...”

Japan, Tokyo - Roppongi - March 2004, 11:06 PM (March 7, 2:00 PM, +9:00)

 Shina rushed down the staircase, at the pursuit of the vampire, without being concerned too much with Ambre, who was still lamely floating in the aquarium.

 “Stop! You have no chance to escape from me!” She shout to the fugitive.

But the night creature didn’t stop, quickening his pace between the users of the bars and night clubs of the street. He quickly reached the main crossing of Roppongi, and careless to check if the lights were red or green, crossed Roppongi Street³, jumping on the cap of a taxi that couldn’t brake on time. But that didn’t stop his race at all. In the twinkling of an eye, he turned to the corner of Almond, and continued his crazy race on Gaien Higashi Dori.

 “Hey! Wait a little! You won’t go away like that!” grumbled Shina, still following hot on the heels of the vampire, a few meters behind him.

The vampire suddenly crossed the road, engulfing in a club, in the basement. Shina believed she was going to howl of joy.

 “Game over... There is only one exit to this club; its entrance… And it’s here…!”

She also crossed Gaien Higashi Street and ran to the entry. The bouncer looked at her with a not dissimulated interest, and beckoned her to enter the staircase, brushing her rump by the same time.

 “Welcome! Babe!” he triumphantly announced her.

Shina stopped on the first step, shared between the desire of turning around and slapping him in the face, or walking down the staircases, stoically.

 “Damned! I have no time to loose with that kind of things!” Shina sighed.

Inside the night club, it was choking. People were so many that they were all stuck against each others, practically unable to move, and even less to dance.

"2 trailer card park girls go round the outside⁴
round the outside, round the outside "

 

Shina had to elbow her way to cut a path to the middle of the club, half way between the entrance and the bar. She threw a quick glance around her, trying to distinguish in the half-light the face she had outlined during the fight with Ambre.

"2 trailer card park girls go round the outside⁴
round the outside, round the outside "

Around her, there were only singing mouths, heads balancing at the rhythm of the music, eyes closed or widely opened, raised arms... The crowd was moving like a sole human body, compact, around her. Despite the lack of place, some people were standing in the middle, watching the giant screen where was aired a soccer game.

"Guess whose back, back again⁴
Shadys back, tell has friend "

Suddenly, she made out him: two steps from her, the vampire was glancing at her with an air of challenge.

"Guess who' S back, guess who' S back,⁴
guess who' S back "

 

Then he sprang behind, towards the exit, hustling the new customers who arrive in ceaseless waves.

"Guess who' S back..". ⁴

Shina forced the way back to the staircases, and managed to extricate her from this great flood of people. She almost bumped into a young couple arriving at the exit. On the other side of the street, the silhouette of the vampire disappeared fugitively in a small lane. Shina stopped and took her cell phone.

 “Thetis? Yeah, it’s me… He’s running to the direction of the Hard rock Coffee... I am on my way on Higashi Gaien.”

 “Copy...” replied Thetis.

Shina sighed, thinking how close she had been to the creature. She was going to cross the street when a hand set on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw the bouncer who was lurking at her with lustful eyes.

 “Hey! Babe, your boyfriend let you down? Need comfort from somebody tonight?”

Shina smiled mischievously, and sticked her heel in one of the shoes of the fat man. He howled, and moving back, felt on the ground unceremoniously.

 “Oh!I am so sorry! I am sometimes so clumsy!” She apologized, affecting innocence.

Japan, Headquarter of Ermengardis - March 7, 2004, 11:10 PM (March 7, 2:10 PM, +9:00)

Angelo turned with a trembling hand the latch of the door. He walked into the corridor, drying with his hand the so evident trace of his sadness. With the hope to meet a good heart to speak with and forget who he was, or was not any more.

He was to push the door of the stairs when he ran up against a tall silhouette.

“I am so sorry!” he exclaimed.

He raised his eyes, just to meet a furious glance. The ex-Saint of Leo glared at him, obviously drunk.

Aiolia looked at the man in front of him. Tall. Brown haired...

 “Shura!”

Angelo slightly moved back. Aiolia was mistaking him with Shura, obviously. Knowing the dispute between the two men -the death of Aiyolos – that was far away being good news. Realizing he was potentially in danger, he moved back of on more step.

 “No! Shura! Stay here! We have to talk! You forgot?”! Aiolia howled, catching the man by the collar of his shirt.

But his interlocutor seized his wrists and rejected them violently.

 “Leave me alone I... “

The last part of the sentence was inaudible for Aiolia, who caught again the man by the collar.

 “I SAID… YOU STAY HERE!”

The man removed again the clutching fists out of his shirt, and this time pushed back Aiolia.

 “Don’t make me repeat it again… Leave me alone… I am … “

Angelo did not have time to complete his sentence that his jaw got caught by a quite strong punch. He felt he was sent against the wall, and went completely deafen. But he didn’t stay knocked down too long. Revived by an uncontainable hatred, he leaped on Aiolia, and put his fingers around the throat of his attacker. He however stopped his gesture and pushed a cry of pain.

Aiolia felt the pressure on his throat weakening. In front of him, Shura shivered, and felt to his knees, clutching his head painfully. Aiolia didn’t hesitate a second, and punched again the face of the man who had killed his brother.

The head of Angelo ran up against the ground. He saw stars a few seconds, then rolled on his side. He stood up with effort, just on time to block the fist of Aiolia, holding it captive in his own hand.

 “Still as strong as before”! Aiolia howled, “But that won’t save you. Nobody will stop me to avenge my brother!”

He punched Shura with his free fist, making him move back against the wall.

Angelo felt his bone was to crack when his head ran up against a hard and cold surface for the third time. He thought he would loose his senses when the same fury took over him. He felt that he was to kill Aiolia on the spot… Just like Death Mask would do against an enemy… Without mercy…

Aiolia moved bad slightly: the glance of Shura was now expressing an incredibly fury. He whipped away fear out of his mind, and let his desire of revenge overcoming him, once again.

Angelo tightened his fists but couldn’t stay stand still as a painful headache blew under his skull. A new crisis started, certainly due to the shock against the wall, and the guilt he felt toward his sudden desire of violence. ‘No, calm down, you can’t do that… You can’t kill Aioilia… You are not Death Mask anymore!' he repeated to himself, like

Shivering of rage and pain, he obliged him self to back against the wall, and loosened his fist.

At his feet, Shura seemed to give up attacking him. Aiolia felt his irritation increasing up a peg. He rushed at Shura, and plated him against the wall, his hands tightening his throat.

Angelo pushed back Aiolia with all his might.

‘You can’t hit him... You are not any Death Mask anymore... You are not this monster!’

The pressure on his throat became painful, and he searched for his breathing. The lights around Angelo started to fly. He looked hopelessly at the corridor, in search of assistance, but found only the sad glance of the little girl with long black hair. Then he let his senses slip in darkness.

Japan, Tokyo - Roppongi - March 7, 2004, 11:15 PM (March 7, 2:15 PM, +9:00)

Thetis ran quickly down the street leading to the Hard Rock Café, trying to make out the face of the vampire. She arrived in front of the yellow-frontage coffee shop, and turned her head in any directions.

 “He can’t have disappeared like that, bloody hell! Where has he gone!?”

She looked again in the direction of the street she was coming from. But still there was no trace of the vampire. Despite her nervosity, her sight was caught by a flashy Eldorado convertible, whose purple and pink chrome was gleaming under the orange lights of a neon.

 “My god! The owner must have an ugly taste! That’s not something something you see everyday, except here and in Las Vegas!” she comments mockingly.

And she moved towards the street where Shina was supposed to wait for her. Together, they would be certainly more efficient to cover the sector.

The vampire waited until the beautiful blond moved away from his hiding-place, and rose from the bottom of Cadillac. He made a triumphing smile, and jumped out of the car, under the dumbfounded glance of the passers-by. Then he ran in the street opposite to the direction taken by Thetis.

Japan, Headquarters of Ermengardis - March 7, 2004, 11:15 PM (March 7, 2:15 PM, +9:00)

Dohko was the first to reach Aiolia: he drew him aside, to make him release his prey. Aiolia turned around to face him, and furious, try to punch him on the stomach. Quicker than the drunken Greek, Dokho dodged it and respond by a strong punch on the face. Aiolia moved back, as surprised by this reaction as by the pain on his jaw. He didn’t have time to move a finger that Milo seized him around the waist. Aiolia struggled a few seconds, then stood still, unable to free his body from the pressure exerted by the Scorpio. 

Camus knelt on the side of Angelo, who had felt on his side, half-conscious. The Italian was taking with difficulty his breathing. Camus helped him to seat up, back on the wall, and supported him to avoid falling again on the ground.

Dohko looked at Aiolia and Angelo with fright, understanding that the dispute could have had a fatal end a few minutes later, when the door behind him opened.

 “Hey! What is this ruckus? What’s happening here!” asked Shura, intrigued.