09-04-2014, 08:25 AM
Caitlyn sleeps in our bed. I stand by her side staring through her. I can feel the sting of anger within my eyes, within my heart, within my very soul. In all reality, I should be plaintive. I should be mourning the future loss of my wife. Yet, I no longer see her as Mrs. Sebastian Duke. I see her as a spineless traitor. I see her as someone that intended to do me harm. I see her as someone trying to undue everything we've worked. We, as in my Illuminatus.
I've said it a thousand times. I'll likely say it a thousand more before I perish from this life. There are cemeteries through out the world that are filled with those that have crossed me. There are rules in life. You don't spit in the wind. You don't tread on Supermans cape. And you never, ever cross the King of fucking Darkness.
I suppose after its all done, when it's all over, and she hangs from Saint Peters Square, maybe I'll mourn a little then. Maybe I'll be saddened over the loss of what could have been rather than the loss of a treacherous bitch. Somehow, I doubt it. Illuminatus matters, are more dominant than those of the heart.
She shifts her body while continuing her sleep. I take this precise moment to give a swift kick to the side of the mattress. She stirs momentarily, before drifting back into her peaceful slumber. Part of me wants to let her rest. After all, it will be her final bit of peace in her life. She'll be dead by the weekend. A martyr for her cause. Another part of me, perhaps a much larger part, wants to wake her up, and slowly cut her head off her body as she tries to figure out what's going on. Only realizing why this is happening to her as she draws her last breaths.
I kick the mattress again. Her eyes open, and she lets out a stifled yawn. She glances over at me and smiles. Her smile though, is but a facade. Behind her blue eyes is a desire to bring me down. Behind her naturally wonderful smile, is a desire to crush all thing Illuminatus in the name of the Catholic Church.
CAITLYN: “Heeeeyyyyyyyy. What you doin'?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “It's time to get up, Caitlyn. We're leaving in a few hours.”
CAITLYN: “Leaving? For where?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Italy. Get up, get showered. Pack your things and come downstairs.”
She stretches and sits up in bed.
CAITLYN: “Italy? What for?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “The Cardinal. It's his time, darling.”
It is the truth. It's just not all of the truth.
CAITLYN: “Sorry babe. I'll have to miss this one. I have a new crop of nurses that I need to train. It's gonna be so brutal...”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Cancel it.”
The truth is, after I found it the real truth about Caitlyn, I had Matthew do some digging. As it turns out, Caitlyn quit the hospital a few days prior to our sons death.
CAITLYN: “Sebastian, honey, I can't just cancel work. I'm the head nurse, it's my job to...”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I don't care how you do it, just get out of it. I want... I need you on this trip with me.”
Like Azrael Erebus on Monday night, Caitlyn is defeated. I can see it in her eyes.
CAITLYN: “I guess if you feel that strongly about it, I'll do whatever you want. I'm your wife. If you want me by your side, then that's what I'll do.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Good. It's settled then.”
I start to leave the bedroom when her voice stops me.
CAITLYN: “Sebastian, is something wrong?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “What do you mean?”
CAITLYN: “I don't know. You seem distant. Disconnected even.”
Yeah, I've never been accused of being distant or disconnected before. What a complete shock!
Sarcasm.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Just a little under the weather.”
Complete fabrication.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Try not to take too long, dear. The plane is being fueled up as we speak.”
CAITLYN: “I have a question.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “What?”
CAITLYN: “Since I'm a former Catholic, do you mind if I speak with the Cardinal before we go?”
The great martyr. Wanting to ease the coming pain and suffering Cardinal George will undoubtedly go through. What she doesn't realize is she suffers the same fate.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “No.”
CAITLYN: “Why? It's not like I'd let him go or anything. Not like I could.”
Maybe I can use this to my advantage, actually.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Meh. Go for it. What harm could it do?”
CAITLYN: “Thanks!”
She wraps her arms around me. Coldly, I return the gesture.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Shower up. We're gone here shortly.”
CAITLYN: “I'll be down in a bit.”
I exit my private quarters and head straight for the library downstairs. My father and my two closest confidants are finalizing our plans.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Matthew, I need you to work quickly and get a bug ready to go in the laboratory.”
FATHER ASMODEUS: “Why?”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “What's happened?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Caitlyn wants to speak with the Cardinal. I resisted at first, but I decided I want to hear something incriminating from her words. From her mouth.”
The room falls silent momentarily. I think they're trying to decipher what I mean, when in all actuality, all I mean is exactly what I said.
FATHER ASMODEUS: “Son, are you having second thoughts about killing her?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “No. Not even a little bit.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Good. Rotten cunt.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “It's just my own personal satisfaction. Curiosity even.
“So, Matt, I know you have something lying around we can use to listen to their conversation.”
MATTHEW, THE GENIUS: “Actually, your Highness, the laboratory is equipped with a listening device. We just have to activate it in the cottage when she goes down.”
I start for the door, intending to head to my fathers cottage.
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “I don't think this is a smart move.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Why?”
FATHER ASMODEUS: “You told the Cardinal you found the plant. What if he knows its her? What if he warns her?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “That's exactly what I'm expecting.”
We're only in my fathers living room a few minutes before Caitlyn arrives.
CAITLYN: “Hey guys! You all ready to go?”
They all nod.
FATHER ASMODEUS: “Miss Caitlyn, I've unlocked the door for you. You only need to walk right in. Please hurry though, jet fuel is not cheap and we're already running late.”
CAITLYN: “I'll be quick, Dad. I promise.”
She says it with a grin as she heads into the laboratory. As soon as she disappears into the depths, Matthew flips the switch on the listening device. We can hear everything perfectly clear. No distortion. No background noise. Just plain, clear voices.
CAITLYN: “Hello Cardinal.”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “Hello, my dear.”
CAITLYN: “It seems we're headed to Italy.”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “That's wonderful. I hope you enjoy your time there. It's truly a beautiful country.”
CAITLYN: “You're coming, too.”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “What?”
CAITLYN: “The men upstairs feel its time to send a message.”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “And you're coming to?”
CAITLYN: “I am, Cardinal.”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “Heavens, run!”
CAITLYN: “Excuse me?”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “Caitlyn, dear. They know there's a plant. They were just down here yesterday. Mr. Duke was talking to me about it.”
I can only imagine the color draining from her face as she takes in the Cardinal's words.
CAITLYN: “They think its me?”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “There's never more than one active at a time, dear. That's part of the plan. As soon as one is gone, another is activated.
“Jonathan was first.
“Then Lucas. Unfortunately he had that accident.”
That's a nice piece of information. None of us were aware of that.
CARDINAL GEORGE: “They know who the plant is, dear Caitlyn. It's you.
“You need to get out of here and run for your life.
“This Italy trip. It's not me they're concerned with.
“It's you.”
CAITLYN: “Oh my God.”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “Please, dear. Get out of here. There's not much time. Run while you can.”
CAITLYN: “I'm going.”
CARDINAL GEORGE: “And Caitlyn, may God be with you.”
CAITLYN: “And also with you, Cardinal.”
She turns toward the exit.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Going somewhere?”
She's startled by my presence. It causes her to back pedal just a little bit.
CAITLYN: “I was just coming up. I think we're ready now.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “That was quite an interesting conversation you had, wasn't it?”
She runs her hand through her hair and gives me a 'deer in the headlights' look.
CAITLYN: “Well, interesting isn't the word I'd use...
“How much did you hear?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “All of it.”
She places her hands on her hips and stares at the floor.
CARDINAL GEORGE: “Please, Mr. Duke. Let the girl go. God would not condone the harming of a woman.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Shut up.”
She tries to make a break for it amid the distraction. As she tries to run by me, I grab her by the waist. She struggles a bit, but I smack her head off the wall, knocking her unconscious immediately. The others join me in the laboratory after hearing the commotion.
FATHER ASMODEUS: “Now what?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Get them secured.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Then what?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “We head to Rome.”
Fade to Darkness.