Gankutsuou Fan Fiction ❯ Gankutsuou Reborn ❯ Secret Rendezvouz ( Chapter 9 )

CHAPTER NINE: Secret Rendezvous

Lucien, who had been pacing back and forth as he listened to Albert's narrative, plopped down into a nearby chair with a groan.

"Benedetto!" the Chief Secretary exclaimed aloud. "Why didn't I even think that he might be involved in this?"

"You've got to hand it to him," Beauchamp commented with a trace of sarcasm in his voice. "He covered his tracks pretty well. Not only that, he had to show up in the one place where he is virtually untouchable. Unless he breaks Luna laws or we actually catch him in the act of committing a crime, we could not arrest him for any of the crimes he is wanted for in all the four quadrants of the galaxy."

Albert was crestfallen by his friends' remarks. With his elbows on his knees, he clasped his hands together and pressed his aching forehead against them.

"Then it's hopeless," he said in bitterness.

"We didn't say that," Lucien hastened to ease his young friend's sorrow. "It's going to be a bit more difficult, but we're not giving up. We swore we'd get Etienne out of that damned place and we will."

Albert breathed in deeply. "You know," he quietly admitted, "for the past five nights, I've been watching La Decadenza."

That explains the hollows under his eyes, mused Beauchamp. "That's very dangerous, Albert," the journalist chided him, although he was not at all surprised by his friend's reckless daring. "If Benedetto sees you anywhere near the club, he'd kill you without hesitation. Next to his parents, he hates you the most."

"But I can't just go through the motions that everything is normal. Sister Bertrille was asking me why Etienne did not come to Mass last Sunday. I couldn't tell her what had happened. I've been monitoring the activities at the club, hoping to catch even a glimpse of him. I thought I saw him last night at a window on the fourth floor, but I guess it was just my troubled mind playing tricks on me. I'd give anything to know that he's all right."

"All we could do is pray and hope that he is well." Despite the warning glance that Lucien shot at him, Beauchamp said, "You sound as if you're in love with him."

"Yes, I am. I never thought I would feel this way about anyone ever again."

"Are you sure it's not because he looks like the Count?"

Albert saw no reason to lie to the journalist. "To tell you the truth, I became attracted to him because he reminded me so much of the Count. I used to tell myself that this is what he may be like during his youth as Edmond Dantes – warm, loving, kind, an innocent dreamer. The longer I got to know him, however, I learned to love Etienne for who he is. It didn't matter to me that he was a prostitute. Etienne…is special. It is because I love him so much that I will do everything in my power to free him, and heaven help Benedetto if he should try to stop me."

"Albert…" Lucien could no longer stop himself from asking. "The body of the Count of Monte Cristo was never recovered from the ruins of Champs Elysees. We also know that Gankutsuou is immortal. What if Etienne…"

"…Is the Count? I asked that question myself once." Albert gave his friends a determined smile. "Then this means that the Almighty has given me another chance to save him and, this time, on my life, I swear that I will take the Count of this mess alive and well."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Etienne finished rehearsing in the club and was making his way back to the suite when Bruno the bouncer met him in the hallway.

The bouncer handed the singer a small brown bag tied with a pink ribbon. "My wife made chocolate chip cookies. I thought you might like some."

The Nightingale was touched by the burly man's kindness. In La Decadenza, Bruno was probably the only friend he had.

Accepting the gift, Etienne said in sincere gratitude, "I love them! Thank you, Bruno!"

Bruno scratched his head, abashed, a blush pinking his cheeks. "It's nice to see you smiling again, Etienne."

The singer was at a loss for words, more so, when Bruno ran a finger over the violet bruise on his cheekbone.

Bruno bent down and quickly whispered, "If you need a friend, I'm here for you," before walking away.

When the bouncer was gone, Etienne entered the lift and opened the bag to pull out a cookie. As he nibbled on it, the tears he was trying to hold trickled down his face.

:Now, now, Etienne. If Monsieur Bruno sees you like this, he might think that you found his wife's cookies tasted terrible.:

Etienne wiped away his tears on his sleeve. :Gankutsuou…I'm afraid. I know you've been taking over my body when Andrea would bed me. Whatever it is you're doing with him, Andrea has become more violent. Don't anger him. Please!:

:Why? Do you think he might do something to us?:

:I'm way past worrying about myself. It's you I'm concerned with.:

:You're worried about me? Etienne, I can take care of myself. Benedetto is someone I could handle. Trust me.:

The singer savored the sweetness of the cookie. :You two seem to know each other.:

Gankutsuou answered cryptically, :You might say he and I have a history.:

:Then…: Etienne tentatively put in. :You also know Albert. Please don't deny it. It is from you that I first heard Albert called by the name de Morcerf. How do you know him?:

The entity fell silent, but the singer could sense a deep feeling of remorse emanating from him. Before Etienne could pry further, Gankutsuou willed his right hand to rise, pressing the 'Stop' button.

:Gankutsuou! What are you…: Etienne was unable to complete his question when the door of the lift suddenly opened into a dark corridor he had never seen before. Looking at the elevator panel, he saw that the floor numbers were not lighted. By his estimation, he was between the third and fourth floors.

Curiosity getting the better of him, the singer took one…two…three tentative steps out of the lift. An angry curse from the room at the far end nearly caused him to run back inside the elevator, but the entity stopped him.

:We've come this far,: Gankutsuou told him. :We might as well see what's going on.:

Etienne quietly tiptoed towards the door until he was standing right in front of it. Pressing his ear to the door, he listened closely, identifying the voices of Tintoretto and Andrea immediately.

"We're ready to ship the next batch tomorrow midnight," Tintoretto reported. "The ship will be waiting at Aeolus."

"Make sure that there will be no problems this time," Andrea pointedly reminded him. "I do not want a repeat of the Aurelius incident."

Aurelius! Hearing that planet's name prompted the singer to listen harder.

The Italian then said, "We're putting them through the mind wipe right now. By the time we're through with them, they won't even remember their own names."

Etienne had to clamp his hands to his mouth to stifle his cry when a scream reverberated through the corridor. It was coming from behind a curtain. Although frightened, the singer went towards it, his heart pounding like a hammer at those bloodcurdling wails. Pulling the curtain part way to reveal another door, he peered through the open crack, his mismatched eyes widening at the terrible sight he beheld.

A young man lay strapped to a table, a metal skullcap placed on top of his head. Etienne was horrified to see bolts of electricity shooting in and out of the coiled wires attached to that cap, causing the poor man to twitch violently and scream in agony.

:I've seen enough!: Gankutsuou's shout was like a shot fired through his brain, that blood at once trickled from his nostrils. :Get out, Etienne! Out now!:

Etienne was only too happy to comply. As silently as he could, he raced inside the lift and hurried up to the fourth floor. It was only when he stumbled inside the suite that he breathed a sigh of relief.

:Gankutsuou…: he asked the entity worriedly as he wiped the blood from his nose with a tissue. :Are you all right? You scared the hell out of me back there.:

:I'm sorry for that outburst, Etienne.: Gankutsuou reluctantly admitted, :That scene…it brought back some very bad memories.:

At that unguarded moment, the singer saw strange scenes flash before his eyes.

A young man in a white sailor's uniform sitting in a corner of a dark, dank cell, his face pressed to his raised knees…

The same man now naked and strapped to a metal cross, steel cables like tentacles reaching out to grab him as he screamed…

Dark brown eyes that no longer held any sanity in them…

The flow of images suddenly stopped, leaving Etienne with a nauseating headache. But the memory of that poor young man….

"I must tell Albert about this," the singer said firmly.

Gankutsuou countered at once, :No, you mustn't! Too dangerous!"

"They're condemning innocent young men and women to a life of filth! I can't let them do that! You saw the torture they were putting them through to transform them into mindless sex toys!" Etienne then added with measured deliberateness, "I know you experienced a similar torment, my friend. Would you let another suffer the same fate?"

:You try my patience, Etienne.: However, sensing the resolve in the singer, Gankutsuou exhaled in surrender. :Very well. We shall go see Albert. Do you know where to contact him?:

"Sister Bertrille would probably know. Let's go to the Order."

At these words, Etienne opened the window. Climbing onto the sill, he carefully pulled the glass back down. He was about to descend using the drainpipe, but Gankutsuou said, :I'll get us down.:

The marks suddenly flared up on the Nightingale's brow as the entity took control of his body. Gankutsuou let go of the drainpipe, jumping nimbly to the ground below like a cat.

"Gankutsuou, how…" Etienne stared back up the fourth floor ledge where they had leaped.

:No time to explain. Let's go!:

Using his preternatural speed, Gankutsuou disappeared into an alley, not noticing the Black woman sitting beside a window on the second floor, watching his departure.

~~~~~~~~~~

The doors of the church banged open as a breathless Albert strode inside, his footsteps echoing in the empty hall. Following close behind him were Lucien and Beauchamp.

"Albert, thank God you're here!" Sister Bertrille met the young man halfway, giving him a grateful embrace.

"Sister, where is he?" Albert asked the Mother Superior.

Etienne stood up from the front pew where he was sitting. "Albert…"

Albert's heart leaped for joy to see the Nightingale again. He broke into a run to quickly close the distance between them. With a happy cry, Albert swept Etienne into a tight hug and gave him a passionate kiss, which the singer returned with equal ardor.

Setting Etienne back down on his feet, Albert exclaimed, "I thought I'd never see you again!" His handsome features darkened, however, as his blue eyes focused on the bruise on the singer's cheek. "Did Andrea do this?"

"This is nothing, Albert," Etienne reassured him. "There is something more important that I must tell you." He also looked at Beauchamp and Lucien. "I'm glad you brought your friends as well." He gripped Albert's arms tightly. "The kidnapped noblemen…Andrea and Tintoretto are going to ship them out of Luna tomorrow midnight at Aeolus. I saw one of them. They had him strapped down, so that they could do a mind wipe on him." The Nightingale shuddered at the memory of that poor victim. "Oh, Albert! It was horrible! You must save them!"

"And we shall, thanks to you," Lucien told the singer firmly. "I promise you we'll rescue them."

"This is a reckless thing that you did, Etienne," put in Beauchamp worriedly. "Couldn't you have simply contacted Sister Bertrille on the phone instead?"

"I am forbidden to use the club's telephone. Besides…" A rosy blush colored Etienne's cheeks. "I…I also wanted to see Albert again."

At that shy answer, Albert embraced the Nightingale tightly. "But I don't want you getting hurt on my account."

"Albert, I'm fine. I made certain that no one saw me leave. But…I must be heading back there right now or else they'll find me gone."

This only made Albert tighten his hold around the singer. "No, I'm not letting you go!" he exclaimed with a determined shake of his head. "Andrea had hurt the people who are dear to me! I won't let him do the same to you!"

"Nothing's going to happen to me. Besides, it'll only be for a day, because you will come to La Decadenza and free me once you arrest Tintoretto and Andrea, right?"

"No, I won't let you leave me!"

Albert felt a gentle but firm hand push him away. As he gazed, begging, at the singer, he thought he saw a golden glimmer in Etienne's eyes.

"I'll be fine, Albert," the singer smiled as he straightened up, assuming a carriage that could only be described as regal. When he turned to Beauchamp and Lucien, the two men realized in an instant that the young man standing before them was no longer the Nightingale of Luna.

"Lucien, Beauchamp…" Etienne began, his voice now deeper, more mature. "If I were you, I would distribute surveillance teams around Aeolus. Small craters that would be perfect as rocket landing sites pockmark that part of Luna. Tell your…agent…about this. I'm sure he would know."

Lucien understood what the younger man was saying. "I'll do as you say." He laid his hand on Etienne's shoulder and looked deep into those odd-colored eyes. "You're doing the right thing. Thank you."

Etienne's answer was a gracious nod. Turning to Albert one last time, he gave him a kiss filled with longing.

"Come for me, Albert," the singer whispered. "I'll be waiting for you."

Before Albert could stop him, Etienne ran out of the church. He whirled angrily at his red-haired friend. "What was that all about, Lucien? You could've stopped him!"

Lucien, however, merely grinned. "Trust him, Albert. Believe me when I tell you that Etienne can take care of himself."

Sister Bertrille, who had been listening to their discussion, was not convinced. "How can you be so sure, Monsieur Dupre? You have no idea how worried I am for him."

"You and Albert have nothing to worry about. The day passes quickly, you'll see. Once tomorrow midnight has passed, Etienne will be a free man." Beauchamp gave his friend and the nun a cryptic wink. "Besides, he has a guardian angel watching over him."

~~~~~~~~~~

Like a spider, Gankutsuou easily climbed up the drainpipe and stepped onto the ledge. Briefly, he sat down on the sill, feeling the breeze blow through his hair. A stray lock fell across his face, teasing his slightly parted lips.

Did I really do that? the entity asked himself, touching his lips with his fingertips. I can't believe I just kissed young Albert de Morcerf.

:Is something troubling you, my friend?: Etienne interrupted his thoughts.

:No, it's nothing,: Gankutsuou shielded his thoughts as he climbed into the suite, closing the window.

:Are you sure?: There was a teasing tone in the singer's mind voice. :It feels wonderful to kiss Albert, doesn't it?:

:Hush your mouth, brat! Or I'll…:

Gankutsuou's sharp scent caught a whiff of something that was disturbingly familiar. Then, there was a bright flash as something blew up right under his feet and filled the suite with blue smoke. Before he could think of getting the window open, the entity was overwhelmed by the sleeping gas and dropped like a light to the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~

When next Gankutsuou opened his eyes, he was lying on the bed in the lounge, gazing drowsily back at Andrea's leering face.

"Nice to see you finally awake, my dear Ruler of the Cavern," Andrea greeted him cheerfully. "And don't bother hiding inside Etienne's mind. It's useless."

"Benedetto…" The entity tried to move his body, but for some reason, he was too weak. It seemed as if his entire form was being weighed down by something very heavy. "What…what did you do…to me?"

"Oh, feeling weak, are you?" the rogue declared mockingly. "It's just something that a dear friend from New Orleans cooked up for me. You see, I've had enough of you taking liberties upon my person, so with her help, I've decided to show you who is the more powerful one between us."

Gankutsuou was filled with dread. "New…Orleans…"

Andrea jerked his right arm up to reveal the gris-gris, drawn as a grotesque circlet of thorns, around his wrist. To the entity's horror, similar marks had been painted on his left wrist, around his neck and both ankles.

The Black woman, who had been listening to their exchange, emerged from the shadows. "My ancestors had chained you once, O Dark One. I, their descendant, do the same to you now with shackles you could never break."

Even with a woman's face, Gankutsuou recognized those hated features. "LAVEAU!"

"I see you still remember the name of the man who had caused your imprisonment at Chateau d'If." Andrea waved a hand to her as he introduced, "I would like you to meet the Great Voodoo Priestess of New Orleans, Marie Laveau."

"Why have you bespelled me, Benedetto?" the entity demanded in fury. "For what purpose did you have this done to me?"

The blond rogue burst into laughter. "You were always a sharp one, Gankutsuou. The reason why I had dear Marie here place a gris-gris on you is because you have something that I desire."

"And what, pray tell, is that?"

"Why, immortality, of course! To live forever and gain wealth and power, and the added pleasure of seeing all those I hate suffering and crushed by my hand!" This, Andrea said with an emphatic shake of his fist.

Gankutsuou was outraged by the young man's gall. "My immortality is not something that I would give to a man like you!"

"But you gave a bit of it to a fool like Edmond Dantes, and he did not deserve it, while I…"

"You do not deserve eternal life!"

Andrea clucked his tongue in disappointment at the entity residing within his lover's body. "Oh, my dear Gankutsuou! What must I do to convince you?" He made a 'come hither' gesture with his hand, and six big men approached the bed. From the singer's memory, Gankutsuou recognized them immediately as Etienne's most brutal clients. What they intended to do to him was clearly written on their ugly faces.

Gankutsuou cringed back as the men slowly approached the bed. He had known despair and fear during those thousand years that he had been incarcerated at Chateau d'If. This was the first time that he had felt pure terror.

Etienne must have sensed his turmoil because he could feel the singer slowly regaining awareness.

:Gankutsuou…what…:

:Go back to sleep, Etienne!:

:But why…:

Both the Nightingale and the entity were jolted back to the present by a hard push on the bed and hard hands gripping their wrists and ankles.

Andrea leaned down upon him. "I'm going to put you in your place. I'll show you who is the new King of the Cave."

:GANKUTSUOU!: Etienne cried out in alarm.

:SLEEP!: With the all the will he could muster, Gankutsuou stomped the singer's mind into deep sleep, just as his clothing were torn to shreds.

The hours that followed were a sheer nightmare for the entity. The rogue had said that he would put Gankutsuou in his place, and he did. Never in his millennia of life had he felt so battered and broken as he did now.

One by one, Andrea and his men took advantage of his weakened state to rape him in every way possible. Prone or supine, they ravaged his channel until it lay open, submissive, torn and bleeding, waiting for the next hard member to be thrust within. There was a rancid taste in his mouth from the merciless rods that were forced between his lips and the bitter ejaculate that was spurted down his throat. When they tired of this sport, they did more brutal games. He was whipped and spanked when he dared to scream. An assortment of painful clamps and other accoutrements were placed on sensitive portions of his anatomy. Objects of different shapes and sizes were rammed up his sore behind. Many times, he would be forced to take two to three men at a time.

Gankutsuou thought that he would not endure, that he would die from the shame.

But then, in the middle of that brutality, Etienne had awakened, and seeing what was being done to the poor entity, enfolded Gankutsuou's pain-filled mind with the warmth of his soul.

:No, Etienne!: Gankutsuou sobbed, feeling the singer's tender mental embrace. :Let me take this! I don't want you to suffer this agony and shame with me!:

:You and I are in one body, Gankutsuou,: was Etienne's firm but gentle reply. :I will not let you suffer through this alone.:

Weariness and the need for comfort made the entity lean into the heat of that kind heart. :I'm sorry, Etienne! I am truly sorry!:

Before he could succumb to the grief, a hand as warm as sunlight was laid over the glowing marks on his brow. Both Gankutsuou and Etienne gazed up to see, through tear-filled eyes, a handsome young man with shoulder length blond hair smiling down upon them. The light of the wall lamp was like a halo around his head.

Etienne recognized him to be the man from the church.

But it was Gankutsuou who knew his name.

:Franz d'Epinay!:

"Sleep now, you two," Franz whispered to them as he bathed them with a golden aura that washed away all pain and tears, willing them into slumber. "Tomorrow night, I shall deliver you from this Hell."

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