Chapter 5

Maizie winced as the paramedic turned her wrist over to place the end of the wrap and pin it in place. Sirens and flashing lights surrounded her as she looked around. She can see some TV crews interviewing witnesses and she sighs.

"Myers!"

She turned towards the call of her name and groaned when she saw Thomas Manning, the Director of the BPRD, coming towards her. She nodded to the paramedic and he packed up his bag and with a discreet warning to be careful with her arm, he left her.

"Myers!"

"Yes Director?" Maizie responded.

"Is this how you keep Hellboy from revealing himself and doing idiotic stuff?"

She rolled her eyes at him, "I've only been at this for one day Director, you gotta give me a chance. Isn't that the reason why the Professor chose me over countless of other candidates? Or is it just my sunny disposition and my abilities?"

"And one chance is all you get. Speaking of your abilities, why in the hell did you reveal yourself?! Now not only do I have to deal with Hellboy and his antics, I got to deal with yours too?"

She bristled at him, "I do my job Director, and you do yours. How I do it is none of your business. If I have to teleport to get to my charge when he's in danger, I damn well will do it, regardless of what you think or whether you have to do your job. So deal with it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go do my job."

Maizie turned away and left Manning gaping behind her. She let out a frustrating sigh as a police officer stopped her. He gave her a form to sign. Once her lavish signature was on the form, her radio beeped, signaling an incoming message.

"Myers? How's your arm?" Hellboy spoke through the small earpiece connected to the larger radio.

"Just peachy. Where the hell are you?" Maizie growled, ignoring the look of the officer beside her.

"Just fried Stinky. Tell Father I'll be home. He shouldn't wait up."

"Now hold on a second! You can tell him that yourself! You can't go anywhere without me. I gotta go with you," Maizie said.

"No, no, no, it's fine; I do my job, I take a break."

"No. Stop. Don't do this. Listen to me, tell me where you are."

"Myers?"

"Yes?"

"Goodbye." Hellboy said before he clicked off.

"DAMN IT!" Maizie screeched loudly, catching the attention of those around her. She ripped off the radio and threw it onto the concrete and it smashed to pieces.

Meanwhile, back at the museum, Manning, after leaving Maizie, met up with the Professor. He and the Professor walk into the large and damaged room.

"Every time the media gets a looks at him, they come to me. I'm running out of lies, Trevor. And now that girl of yours…" Manning said to the older man.

"That 'girl' as you call her is an excellent agent and you know it," the Professor looked at him and gave him a slight smile. "I thought you liked being on TV."

"I do," Manning sighed. "How many escapes? This year alone; five!"

"Tom, he's our guest, not a prisoner."

"Your "guest" happens to be six foot five, bright red, and is government funded."

Trevor looks at him, " He's just going through a phase."

Manning gives him a look, pulls out a cigar, and lights it.

"A "phase"? What do you think this is, "The Brady Bunch?" These…freaks…" Manning looks around and catching Abe listening to their conversation while scanning the room for presences with an open palm, lowers his voice. "These freaks, Trevor, they give me the creeps. And I'm not the only one. You're up for review. You and your petting zoo, and that include your agent as well."

Broom looks at him with a raised eyebrow," Trust me. I know where to find him. I'll get him back."

Manning shakes his head, not quite believing the older man. He looks over to see Abe leaning over to touch a dagger.

"Hey fishstick! Don't touch anything-"

Abe interrupts, "I need to touch it to 'see'-"

"See what?"

"The past, the future, whatever this object holds."

Manning looks at Trevor, "Is he serious?"

Abe answers for him, "Don't worry about fingerprints. I never had any." He picks up the dagger and holds it in his hand, before turning to Trevor.

"They were over here, Professor," Abe says to his mentor.

"Oooh! Who was here? Nixon? Houdini? You mind sharing your mystic insights?" Manning spews out sarcastically.

Ignoring him, Trevor examines the dagger, noting the Ragnarok symbol crowning the hilt, the dragon, and swastika adorning the object. He looks up at Abe, offers his hand, and speaks "show me Abe, show me."

Flashback

Hours before the destruction, a guard shines his flashlight back and forth as he checks the alarm system and making sure it's on. The light passes through a dark corner and after the guard's eyes determined no one was hiding, a dark figure among the shadows appears. Once the guard moves on, the shadowy figure moves out into the light and is revealed to be Kroenen. A creature once human, he is clothed in shiny black latex from head to toe, and on his chest is a self-made harness comprised of ticking gears.

His feet barely clinks on the ground as he stands before a glass case that holds a wooden statue of an Eastern Orthodox Saint. As he stares at the object, his black eyes catches the reflection of a blonde haired woman, Ilsa.

"Move," the woman said with a Russian accent.

Kroenen steps to the side as she raises a hammer and brings it down upon the glass case. The glass shatters from the powerful force and falls to the ground in pieces. The second the hammer met the glass, an alarm pierces the room. The sound wails as lights flash. The two ignore it as Kroenen brings out two swords attached to his arms, spinning around like a fan, and brings it down.

The sharp blades cut through the statue like paper and for a second, nothing happens until finally half of it slides down showing evidence of it being sliced. As Kroenen cranks himself up like a winding clock, Ilsa steps forwards and digs a hand into the statue to pull out a reliquary jar.

A clatter of footsteps catches their attention and a small army of guards come running in brandishing guns aimed at the two.

"You! Don't move! Hands up!" One of the guards shout.

Ilsa barely moves her head in a nod to Kroenen, and the latter pulls up his blades and in less than 30 seconds, all the guards are killed. The second the last guard fall dead onto the ground, a shadowed figure comes towards them.

"Ready the welcome my love," Grigory's voice smoothly says.

Ilsa turns away from them and opens the jar. She kneels down as she tips it and pours a circle of sand on the floor.

"Salt. Gathered from the tears of a thousand martyrs. Restraining the essence of Sammael, the hellhound, the seed of destruction," the man says as he moves his hand in the air, creating glyphs and a small black flame appears in the palm of one hand. He drops it in midair above the sand.

Then the sand moves. It grows and bubbles and twists into bones, tendons, and muscles. It continues to grow until it forms into the hellhound, Sammael.

With a fierce roar, the flashback ends.

Flashback

With the powerful force of the flashback, both Abe and Trevor snap out of it. Broom steps away, pale as a sheet. Abe notices a not-so-subtle wince coming from the old man and quickly grabs on. From the simple touch, he learns a secret.

"Professor? You…you are very sick-"

"I don't want Hellboy to know," Trevor says as he gently pushes Abe's hands away. "Sixty years ago Abe, they tried to destroy the world. And they are back, in my lifetime, they are back. To finish the job."