2020 Dangerous times

Chapter III

                                                                                     An ancient enemy

              David had made the decision he had made, he knew that with the acceptance of the invitation he would have to make many sacrifices, to change. So before leaving for another mission, he asked Mihaela to train him in everything, weapons, knives, hand-to-hand combat, he knew he had to be always ready. He liked the way Hook behaved, he was fearless, as if he were indestructible, so he wanted to get at least a quarter of what he was.

              When he had free time to research Van Helsing's story, to see that he had said something secret, if there was anything about the fact that the count was alive. Towards evening they were called to the meeting by Victor.

             - Looks like we have another problem. From what I read in Hook's file, the kidnappings were just a branch of this organization.

              - Can it be worse?

               - Yes, we still don't know what the plan is but we have a name. Albert Van Doom.

               - Who is this? David asks.

                - As far as I can tell, Adrain said, he's a thermonuclear expert and he was one of the people involved at Chernobyl. As far as we know, this is just the beginning, but I think what will happen next will be on a very large scale.

                -  And what are we going to do?

                - We were still waiting to receive the information gathered from all the knights in the world. This is the headquarters, but we have people scattered everywhere.

                 At that moment an alarm had sounded to let them know that something had happened, Victor quickly ran to the big screen in the room to see and noticed a big problem. In Caracal, at Dincă's gate, four individuals were shot in the head plus Dinca in person.

              - What the hell?

              - This is very similar to what happened in the 1400s, when Vlad Țepeș stabbed those who were wrong. Come on, I get along with Dinca, but who are the others?

               - You know your history. Yes, it is his sign, and the others suspect that they are his accomplices. But to do such a thing I do not know who could do such a thing. I need to analyze this nonsense. I'll send someone there, you two stay close and ready, Victor said.

               This situation worries Victor, who is now waiting to receive all the details from the agents he sent. After a few hours, he finally received a copy of the report and some pictures of those who had that tragic end and soon found out who they were. Before Mihaela and David come, Victor receives a video call from some of the knights around the world. David entered the room just before the call ended in astonishment.

             - Is that Sean Connery? Don't tell me ...

             - Yes, he is one of the most important and senior of this group. Tell me David, do you know what we represent as a group?

             - Well, Arthur and his knights were for the people, so I guess I represented the people.

             - Correct. There was a time when we knights were hunted by these enlightened people, and Arthur and his knights saved us, Morgana was one of the enlightened, perhaps even the strongest.

           - Wow ... wait, are you saying that everything that is said about Arthur's story is just a cover?

            - Approximately. This story is also true only that it has to do with the fight between the knights and the Illuminati. And now let's move on to ours. The four are part of the Shirak group, a group that aims to traffic in live meat, but also worse things, such as terrorism.

            - And do you have any idea who did that? Mihaela asked.

           - Someone who wants to bring back the old days. From what Sir Sean told me, these enlightened people want to bring the world to the brink of extermination, no matter what means they use. And I received a message from someone else that he found these words inscribed on a wall: "the old ways of punishing criminals were ugly but demanding ... they will return."

            -  What this means?

             - Something bad. If you know our history well, there were severe punishments for those who broke the law. Stabbing is one of the examples, especially those with the legend of Horea, Cloșcă and Crișan.

             - That means we have a new 'player,' doesn't it?

             - Something like that. We need to find them before something happens to them or does something even worse.

              - We have to go to the Poienari fortress. Mihaela shows her the badge and they will take you to the catacombs, maybe you will find something there that could give us a clue about what was following you, and be careful.

               Mihaela and David were equipped and in a few minutes they were ready to leave. Something in the darkness of the earth set in motion. Adrian tries to look for as many clues as possible that show that the illuminati group has set in motion, but also clues about new players. Who could have applied this punishment, even if they were ungodly without God, did not deserve to suffer such a thing.

                Victor is waiting for news from the two who left for Poienari, but also from Adrian to find out if the individual who looks like Dracula has appeared before. He did not like the situation at all and thought that, how corrupt the country is, the punishments of the past will be much more intense and severe.

               At the same time, someone was sneaking into the coliseum with a heavy backpack. Victor was right something bad was going to happen and it would be too late when he found out. Six C4 bombs were planted at the foundations of the colossus and they were scheduled to start at midnight and the fall will go down in history forever. In the middle of the night, when everyone was resting in the raven castle, Adrian wakes Victor in a hurry.

                - Very bad news boss.

                - Did something happen in Poenari?

                - Not. Worse ... come down quickly.

                And with that the phone was turned off, and Victor hurried to put on his robe and hurried to the main room, which saw on the big screen how the remains of the Colosseum were burning and how firefighters and law enforcement were trying to stop the flames but also to see what happened.

               - What the hell happened? Victor asks.

               - From what I found out, someone blew up the building, but their official answer is a terrorist attack. But I don't think so.

               - Why?

               - Because such an attack did not destroy the entire building from the ground up. There were bombs planted there. Plus a man of ours who is already there can confirm that someone was seen there a few hours before midnight.

               - Hmm ... where is Hook?

               - She's going there now. And in the morning Mihaela and David will go to Poienari. They are staying at a nearby guest house. They are also shocked by what happened in Italy. What is your opinion?

                - As far as I know, it's the hand of the illuminati group. They have been involved in all the scourges in the world so far but also from now on. Hitler was one of the generals of this group, but it kind of happened. The idea is that everything they tried failed but now they try again ...

                - Another war?

                - Something like that, but worse ...

                - Worse than another world war?

                - A war that makes this scum so far nothing. A war that surpasses all the wars that have existed so far. Death will be everywhere, but it also seems to be targeting massive destruction.

                - I hope David is more fortunate with his mission. Let's hope you don't get to that.

                 The pieces on the chessboard or set in motion, and time was not in anyone's favor. Knights were scattered around the world and the number of enemies was unknown, all they knew was that at the moment the government was full of illuminati. Until the morning, another piece of bad news was broadcast on television. Rahova Prison was burning to the ground, and criminals, rapists and thieves were being dragged at the gates of the onchisori, like the former leader of the DSP party, one of the leaders of the enlightened group, and on the gate he wrote with their blood "Death to those who destroy the country". And now the others in the same party are starting to lose the lead in the government and it seems that those who are part of this DSP party are being followed and all the others who are harming the population. The question was who does this?

                  At the Poenari fortress, the two had contacted the guard there who took him inside the mountain under the fortress where there were several old books but also parchments related to the past of Vlad Țepeș who could say more. They found a lot about him, about his history, about how even in those enlightened times they entered the royal court but also most about the so-called Vlad Dracu. They took the diary and went to the raven castle where Victor was waiting for them and trying to solve the situation.

                - What happened?

                - Looks like there's another third group. Someone who moves much faster and without thinking about the consequences. Tell me you found out something.

                  - Something yes. It seems that Vlad was betrayed by the Illuminati and the fact that he secretly investigated rumors about a so-called sleeping creature, and then when he approached the truth ... well you understand.

                    - So the Enlightenment protects that individual.

                     - From what I read, he describes him as “a creature of the night but also of the day, he never sleeps and feeds on fresh blood, and all his victims have two holes in his throat .... the legend is true ... Dracula is here ".

                   - If we're dealing with something like that, we're in a bad situation. We need to call Chris Evens here.

                   - Chris Evens ???

                   - Yes. His real name is Chris Helsing. It's Van Helsing's disappointment. He has access to his diaries. We need to find something about it, if it's true.

                    Before Adrian can make a move, Helga informs Victor that Chris will come to you as soon as he finishes filming and brings you Van Helsing's latest diary. By the end of the day, Victor was reading the last pages of the diary in which he said that Dracula had been pierced with a wooden stake soaked in silver, but he did not know if he had succeeded. He tried to destroy her body on Monday but was indestructible, so he was hidden in the depths of the mountain where the elderly women and the cat are watching.

                   - What this means?

                   - Adrian is your turn. Helga will help you decrypt this message. David, Mihaela, we need to resolve the situation of the Rahova m******e. We need to know where they will attack again.

                    - I understand.

                     Adrian and Helga started decrypting the message immediately after Chris left. They tried all the decryption programs and nothing, and after hours of research and testing Adrian came up with an idea that could give him an answer, but he wasn't sure. Just as he was looking for more information, Victor entered the room and walked over to him.

                   - What did you find out?

                   - Nothing, sir. No program can decipher it, Helga said.

                   - I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have an idea.

                   - Adrian says.

                    - There were no computers at that time and there was no technology. That made me think easier.

                    - Okay, go on.

                    - Did he refer to places in Romania? I tried to look for places or something that looked like what he said. Older women and cats and I found many unimportant things, only one fits. I think it refers to Babele and the sphinx from Bucegi.

                    - Well done, said Victor.

                     - But we have a little problem. It doesn't say anything about entering the mountains. I searched the notebook many times but found nothing.

                      - Adrian take the diary with you and come with me to Bucegi. We'll see what we can find out there. Maybe there are clues that can only be seen on the spot.

                       - Okay. And what do we do if we encounter a problem there?

                       - Do not worry. Hook will be there. Everything will be fine.

                        Without further ado, the two got into a simple car, a logan and left for the mountains, leaving the castle to answer for everything that happened on Helga. At the moment Victor knew that the enemies were one step ahead, so he tried to find something to put them one step ahead. Who knows what was under the sphinx, or what awaited them, these thoughts had made Victor drive faster than recommended. Meanwhile, at the Rahova penitentiary, the gendarmes police protected the place to allow the criminologists to investigate but also helped to lower the corpses and put them in bags. Mihaela got there and was shocked by what she was. Lots of people but also television. Together with David, they entered the perimeter of the crime and looked for the detective in charge of this case.

                      - Am I looking for Bogdan? Mihaela asks one of the policemen.

                      - Girl, you have nothing to do here, get out of here until I arrest you.

                       At that moment, Mihaela grabs his left hand, twists it in the back and slaps him with her face on the hood. It was another reason for David never to annoy her. The policeman screamed, making the others return to her and pull out their pistols.

                      - Stay still, don't shoot, a man said, stepping between her and the police.

                      - Get this s**t off ..... and before he finishes it hits him again with his head in the windshield.

                      - Keep it up and your mother won't recognize you either, David said.

                       - Cousin let him go until they all jump on us, Bogdan said. And be careful what you say because I can't save you next time.

                        - But how stupid the world is, said Mihaela as she let go. How are you, cousin? What can you tell me?

                       - I know you're part of an organization I don't know and I'm honestly not interested, but you can't come and break heads like that ...

                      - How was I with him before? She interrupts him with a laugh.

                       - Easy, Bogdan tells David. We don't know anything anymore. Whoever was here and did that left no trace. Come with me.

                         Bogdan led them to the gate and showed them that she had not been forced, but also the inside of the prison, which looked like a war. He was told that even some of the Cardinals were killed, others only wounded, but as for the detainees, they were all executed in various ways. Without being heard, he told them that this is not the first time this has happened, but it has happened in several prisons around the world.

                      - I don't know what's going on or what you got into, but I think it's bad. Be careful, said Bogdan.

                      - I have. But you guard your back. If you have a problem, you know where to go, we can protect you, said Mihaela, after which she leaves.

                      - Listen, I don't think you like cops, David said.

                      - I don't like people who call me 'little girl' and be careful what you say. If you don't want me to hit you better, get in the car, said Mihaela with a small smile on her face.

                      As they made their way home, Adrian and Victor arrived at their destination and were already looking around for a sign to show them a gate. Adrian looked intently at the old women and found a sign hundreds of years old on both of them. A Dacian sign.