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On October 9th, 1944, off the coasts of Scotland, several American soldiers, an expert in the occult Englishman known as Professor Trevor Broom, and a mysterious woman only called Zara, who has a slit-shaped scar on her eyebrow, walk through the heavy rain under the cover of darkness. The group's purpose for stepping foot on one of Scotland's isles is they hope to stop a Nazi plot in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of war in their favor. According to the reports, the Nazis are combining science and black magic to achieve their goals. 
 
Professor Broom, Zara, and the American soldiers quickly move through the short tunnel carved into a mountain on the isle. Sergeant Whitman stood on the tunnel's other side, leader of the allied team, signaling his men to fan out as they came out. 
 
"All right, men, let's go. Move!" Whitman yelled with a cigar in his mouth. "Come on! Come on! Come on! Let's fan it out."
 
The Allied team was heading toward the ruins of Trondham Abbey. The holy building had been built atop of ley lines centuries ago. Zara could feel the powerful energy coursing through the ground. But she also felt dark energy nearby. There was no doubt in Zara's mind that it was the Nazis. 
 
Zara gazed at the giant crucifix that stood amongst the ruins. She stared into the eyes of the statue of Christ. Zara's mind became filled with ancient memories of a different life. A different her. Broom noticed his friend and placed a hand on Zara's shoulder, ending her thoughts of the past. 
 
"Sergeant Whitman," Zara called, gaining the man's attention. "Professor Broom and I would like a word with you."
 
The Sergeant marched toward Broom and Zara before impatiently asking, "What is it?" 
 
"Your men..." Broom pulled a box from his coat before opening it. He removed one of the rosaries and showed it to Sergeant Whitman, "they'll need these."
 
The Sergeant laughs at the sight of the religious object. He grabs a handful of rosaries before dropping them back into the box. 
 
"Are you two Catholics?" Whitman questioned Broom and Zara.
 
"Yes. Among other things," Broom responded for himself and Zara. "But that's hardly the point."
 
Whitman pulls a loaded colt from his holster before holding it in Broom's face, "Well, you're gonna need one of these." 
 
"I abhor the use of violence," Broom said, dismissing the weapon. 
 
The Sergeant then holds it before Zara, but she guides it away by using her index finger. Whitman returns the gun to his holster. 
 
"While I am grateful for the offer, Sergeant. I have my own weapons for the occasion," Zara told Whitman. 
 
"I wouldn't want you to think me mad, Sergeant Whitman-" Broom began. 
 
"No, three days too late for that, Professor Broom," He interrupted before walking away. The Sergeant then barked orders at his men, "All right, you guys, let's move, move, move, move! Come on, men, let's get the lead out!" 
 
Broom and Zara looked up at the wooden Christ before walking away, joining the others and catching up to Sergeant Whitman. The further they walked, Broom and Zara could tell Whitman was not pleased with them. 
 
"You're wasting our time. There's nothing here but sheep and rocks," Whitman told Broom and Zara. 
 
"These are ruins, not rocks, Sergeant," Zara corrected him. 
 
"The remains of Trondham Abbey built on an intersection of ley lines... the boundaries between our world and the others..." Broom began explaining but stopped when Whitman grabbed him by his coat before pulling him to the ground to duck behind ruins. The other men and Zara also ducked. 
 
"What a load of crap!" Whitman exclaimed. "Hell, a week ago, I never even heard the word "parabnormal."

"Paranormal," Broom corrected him. 
 
"Move it!" Whitman ordered. 
 
Everyone stood up and continued walking toward the Abbey, passing more ruins. Zara could feel the dark energy growing stronger the closer she got. 
 
"Come on!" Whitman told Broom and Zara, gesturing to them to pick up the pace.  
 
"There are strange things in this world, Sergeant, that you have yet to see. And I should know. I've seen them," Zara told Whitman as they and the others reached a slope and more ruins. 
 
The Allied team quickly kneeled behind the slope and ruins. They had reached the destination of their classified mission.

"Sweet Jesus," Whitman gasped. 
 
The Allied team looked at the Romanesque ruins of Trondham Abbey. Dozens of Nazi soldiers swarm among the stone walls and archways of the holy building. A vertical flag of Project Ragna Rok hanging on the ruins. The flag consisted of the Nazi symbol over a serpent dragon with a crown atop its head. 
 
"They must be here for the sheep," Broom quipped at Whitman. 
 
The Allied team watches as dozens of soldiers swiftly assemble a giant steel machine. The work is monitored by a spindly Nazi in black leather, his face covered by an odd gas mask. Zara instantly knew the Nazi's identity. She could sense the blood on his hands. 
 
Whitman holds up his binoculars and looks through them. The Sergeant passes the binoculars to Broom as he says, "The freak in the gas mask..."
 
"Karl Ruprecht Kroenen," Zara spoke the identity of the gas mask man without looking through the binoculars, earning herself a look from a perplexed Whiteman. "Hitler's top assassin and head of the Thule Occult Society. If he's here, this is worse than we thought." 
 
The Allied team watches from their spot. Everyone watches through their binoculars except Zara. The only woman on the team did not require binoculars to observe the Nazis. 
 
Zara saw a blonde woman and a bald man with a dark beard walking toward the machine in the altar area of the ruins. The machine's colossal steel and copper clockworks gleamed in the floodlights. The woman wore a black leather Nazi uniform, while the man only wore pants, shoes, and a red robe with gold embroidery and a black fur-lined collar. Zara recognized them as Ilsa Haupstein and Grigori Rasputin. Their souls were as dark as Kroenen's. The three are some of the darkest souls Zara has ever seen. Ilsa held an umbrella over Grigori to shield him from the pouring rain. Walking beside them is Von Krupt, a Nazi General. The three soon stood atop the altar. Zara saw they were talking and quickly listened in on their conversation. 
 
"Five years of research and construction, Grigori. Five years!! The Führer doesn't look kindly on failure," Von Krupt told Rasputin. 
 
"There will be no failure, general. I promised Herr Hitler a miracle. I'll deliver one," Rasputin said, moving the umbrella away. The heavy rain is now pouring on him. 
 
Kroenen opens a polished oak box containing a massive gold and copper mecha-glove. Grigori extends his hand so that Kroenen may fit him with the contraption attached to cables and hoses.
 
"Air and sea backup. What's closest?" Whitman asked his Radioman. 
 
The Radioman cranks a transmitter to life. A few moments pass before the Radioman responds, "Londonderry, sir. Forty minutes away."
 
"We don't have forty minutes," Broom said. 
 
"We need to move closer," Zara urgently told Whitman. 
 
The Sergeant nodded before ordering his soldiers, "Alright, men. Fan out. Move in and stay hidden. And wait for my signal."
 
The Allied team left their hiding spot and closed in on the Abbey's ruins. As the group approaches the ruins, they hear Rasputin make a speech. 
 
"What I will do tonight can never be undone! I will open a portal and awaken the Ogdru Jahad: The Seven Gods of Chaos! Our enemies will be destroyed! And from the ashes, a new Eden will arise," Rasputin announced. He looked at the machine and said in a whisper only Zara could hear, "Ragnarok. Anung un Rama."
 
Rasputin flexes his fingers, and in response, the two metal rings swing around the machine's central axis. An invisible ring blast of energy emits from Grigori's body. When the energy ring passed through Zara, she could feel a shift in the earth. Time was running out. And it did run out as a portal formed inside the machine. 
 
When the Allied team is closer to the ruins, they see the portal created by the machine. A picture-worthy moment. And that is what one army photographer named Matlin did. He takes out his camera and snaps a picture of the scene.
 
"Get down!" Whitman told Matlin in a quiet voice before pulling him down. 
 
The two and the rest of the team hid behind a wall of the ruins. Hoping they weren’t spotted. But unfortunately, they were not as lucky. A Nazi scientist heard rusling noise. His curiosity was peaked. The scientist slowly approached the wall to investigate. 
 
"I was taking a picture," Matlin said, defending himself. 
 
"You do that again, and I'll carve you a new one!" Whitman scolded him. 
 
"Listen, the portal is open. Do you understand? We have to stop them!" Broom told Whitman in a fierce whisper. 
 
Thinking quickly, Whitman took out two grenades before pulling the pins and throwing them over the wall. The two explosives land beside the curious Nazi scientist. 
 
The scientist tried to warn his comrades, but he was too late. The two grenades explode. The force sends the scientist flying toward the portal. The Nazi scientist disintegrates when he comes into contact with the portal. The blast also knocks down a pillar that crushes another Nazi scientist. 
 
Seconds later, the Allied team storms the ruins. Bullets were fired from both sides. Broom and Zara jumped over the wall to join the American soldiers when Broom got shot in the leg. The Professor falls to the ground, clutching his leg in pain. Zara stops and turns around to find her friend injured. The woman rushes to aid her friend. 
 
"Don't worry about me," Broom told Zara. "Go stop them before it's too late!"
 
Zara looks up and around at the choas around her. She knew that Broom was right. They were running out of time. Zara glances at Broom and says, "Try not to die."
 
Zara leaves her friend's side and joins the American soldiers in the fight. Several Nazis saw the woman and fired their weapons at her, but they were wasting their bullets. The bullets did make contact with Zara but had no effect. 
 
The woman steps toward the Nazi soldiers in her path. She grabbed a Nazi by the collar and lifted him with ease. The Nazi tries to remove Zara's hand, but he is no match for her strength. 
 
“Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent. Look into my eyes. Feel their pain,” Zara said as her eyes began to shine like fire. She stared into the man’s eyes before he screamed in pain. 
 
Slowly, the Nazi’s screams died as he went limp. Zara’s eyes return to normal before she drops the Nazi to the ground. The other Nazis gasped in horror when they saw their comrade’s terrified face and charred eyes. The Nazis attempted to flee in terror but were quickly taken out by the American soldiers. 
 
Zara left the dimwitted Nazis to the soldiers because she had bigger fish to fry. The woman turned around in time to see Kroenen, standing a few feet from her, extend two gleaming blades from twin steel bands on his wrists. He spins swords like deadly rotors, trying to intimidate Zara. But his attempt was futile. She was not afraid of Kroenen. 
 
Zara had faced many opponents in her life. Ranging from evil forces that wished to destroy the world to mere mortals who thought they could defeat her by stabbing her with a pocket knife. And Kroenen was no different than anything other human Zara has fought. The two march toward each other, ready to fight. One uses deadly blades that have killed many, while the other only uses fists. 
 
When the two meet, Kroenen swings his blade at Zara, but she blocks the attack with her arm. If anyone else had attempted it, they would have had their arm sliced off. The woman then kicks Kroenen in the chest with little strength, not wanting to kill him just yet. The assassin is sent flying back by the kick but manages to stop by digging his blades into the ground. 
 
Broom looks up at the portal and decides it must be stopped now, or it will be too late. The Professor drags himself to one of the fallen American soldiers with a grenade belt. Broom quickly grabs a grenade and pulls the pin before throwing it at the machine. It wedges itself between two moving tie rods.
 
Kroenen notices and quickly abandons his fight with Zara before retracting his blades and marching to the machine. The gyrating rails slice through his leather jacket. As his fingers reach the grenade, it explodes. Kroenen flies through the air, hitting a stone wall before a rail goes through his abdomen. The piece of metal pins him to the stone wall. 
 
Zara watches as Grigori's face becomes distorted, pulled like ectoplasmic taffy. His body is pulled into the portal, contorting and breaking before being sucked in. The cosmic portal suddenly implodes. Nothing is left but a few burnt rails and the metal smoking.
 
The fighting slowly dies as the Nazis surrender, knowing they had lost. Zara looks around and notices Ilsa is gone. And so is Kroenen. Only the rail that impaled him remained in the wall. 
 
Zara rushes over to Broom. Whitman helps Broom stand up, allowing the young man to lean on him to take the pressure off his injured leg.

“It's almost over,” Whitman said.

"No, it's not. The portal's been open for too long. Something may have come through. Have your men search the area thoroughly,” Broom told the Sergeant. 
 
Whitman motions for Matlin to come over. The Photographer approaches and lets Broom lean on him. 
 
"Spread out and search the area, men!" Whitman ordered his men before joining them. 
 
The soldiers spread out, using flashlights to scour through the rubble. Every one of them has a rosary hanging from the bayonet. Zara gets on the other side of Broom, allowing him to lean on her as well. She and Matlin guide Broom toward the chapel. The three stopped at the stone wall where Kroenen was impaled, but the assassin was gone. 
 
"He's gone," Matlin said in disbelief. 
 
"For now," Broom told him.

"When you said something came through... From where?" Matlin questioned. 
 
"Where do you think?" She asked the Photographer as she glanced at a stone wall with carvings depicting heaven and hell.
 
Once inside the chapel, Zara and Matlin gently set Broom down, allowing him to sit against the wall. Zara helps Broom bandage his bleeding leg with a cloth. The man grunts in pain as Zara tightens the blood-stained cloth. Matlin stands to the side and looks over the chapel ruins with his flashlight.
 
"Do you really really believe in hell?" Matlin asked Broom and Zara.
 
Zara did not answer the Photographer’s question. Instead, memories surfaced. Painful memories of her chained and tortured every waking moment.

“There is a place. A dark place where ancient evil slumbers and awaits to return,” Broom answered. "Grigory gave us a glance tonight.” 
 
"Grigori? That's-that's Russian, right?" The Phtotographer questioned. Broom nods in response.

“Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin,” Zara said, giving Rasputin’s full name. 
 
“Rasputin??” Marlin questioned in disbelief. "C'mon..." 
 
"He was the occult advisor to the Romanovs," Zara said. "In 1916, at a dinner in his honor, he was poisoned, shot, stabbed, clubbed, castrated, and finally drowned. And, yet, we saw him, a man that is supposed to be dead, here tonight alive."
 
Zara suddenly tensed up as she felt a presence that was not of this earth. Something dark. A rustling sound reaches their ears. Something moves, accompanied by a loud scrape.
 
"Professor Broom. Miss Zara," Matlin called before he took out his pistol and nervously approached a Sarcophagus with a stone cat sitting at the feet of the sculpture lying on the coffin. Zara helps Broom up before following Matlin together. 
 
"Be careful," Zara warned Matlin. 
 
Matlin looked behind it and saw a small broken gargoyle statue. He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding before turning to Broom and Zara. A red creature pokes its head over the statue's legs and lets out a sound, startling everyone. Instinctively, Matlin shoots at it. The red creature leaps from arch to arch, followed by a trail of bullets hitting the stone wall. The creature stops at an arch and screeches as it hids between a gargoyle and a stone saint. 
 
"What the hell was that? An ape?" Matlin asked Broom and Zara. 
 
“No. It was red. Bright red,” Broom said. "Lower your light. You're scaring it.

Whitman and other soldiers rushed into the chapel after hearing the shots. 
 
"What are you three shooting at??" Whitman questioned. 
 
"A red ape!" Matlin responded, gesturing toward the creature. 
 
"It's not an ape," Broom corrected, standing between Matlin and the creature. 
 
"It's got a big stone in its hand," Matlin said. 
 
"It is his hand," Zara bluntly stated. 
 
The creature’s right arm is a solid red stone with tiny runes engraved around the thick, cylindrical wrist and four articulated stone fingers. 
 
"Jesus! Would'ya look at the size of that whammer!" Whitman exclaimed. 
 
The creature hisses as it cowers between the statues. Whitman and the other soldiers aim their guns at the red creature above. Broom steps in between and stops them from firing.
 
“No, wait! Wait!” Broom cried. 
 
Whitman and his men put their guns away. Broom slowly fishes a Baby Ruth candy bar from his pocket. Peeling back the wrapper, he slowly waves the candy. The red creature pokes his head out of the shadows with curiosity.
 
Broom bites into the candy and chews, noisily smacking his lips. He offers the candy to the creature. The red creature extended his left arm, trying to reach for the candy, but his arm was too small. 
 
The creature continues to try to reach for the candy but slowly grows frustrated before finally grabbing the candy with his stone right hand. The creature quickly devours the candy, enjoying the chocolate. Broom smiles before reaching into his pocket and pulling out another Baby Ruth candy bar. 
 
Broom peels open the rapper before turning to the soldiers and saying, “A blanket. Get me a blanket.”
 
One of the men quickly handed Broom the blanket he requested. Broom covers his arms with the blanket. Zara knew what Broom was planning to do. He was going to coax the creature down from the arch.
 
“Come on. Come on. It's safe. Jump down. Come on. Jump down,” Broom calmly told the red creature. 
 
The creature slowly turns around and burps after finishing the Baby Ruth candy bar. The creature slowly turns around and burps after finishing the Baby Ruth candy bar. It looks down at Broom for a second before jumping into his arms.
 
Broom tenderly covers it with a blanket. The creature’s fingers snatch the candy. Broom smiles as he announces, "It's a boy.”
 
“It's just a baby boy,” Marlin said with a smile. 
 
The soldiers gathered around Broom to look at the baby. The men happily smiled at the baby boy while Broom smiled like a father proudly showing his newborn son. But one amongst them did not smile.

Zara stared at the small, red creature in Broom's arms. The woman felt conflicted while looking at the baby. She had a purpose to fulfill. The fate of the world was in her hands. But how could she end a defenseless child? Other than the darkness within the demonic child, Zara could sense something else. Something that she would describe as human. Does she kill the half-demon baby boy and save the world, or spare him and gamble the fate of the world? 
 
Zara got her answer when the boy looked at her. The woman peered into the baby's eyes and saw no evilness as she would with sinners and other demons. 
 
Zara was ready to end whatever came through the portal. The woman began thinking that her time among the humans made her human. She was sparing a creature meant to bring the destruction of the world because of its youth and potential innocence. 
 
After the rain had stopped and the sun had risen, the soldiers, Broom, Zara, and the boy stood before Matlin as he set up his camera for a group photo.  
 
Zara and Broom stood by each other with the red creature at their feet. The soldiers clustered around the three. Matlin directed the soldiers in the direction he wanted them to be so that they would appear in the photograph.
 
Broom looked lovingly down at the creature, playing with the rosary attached to the gun of one of the soldiers. The red creature was given the name by the soldiers.
 
“Hellboy,” Broom said with a smile.
 
The red creature smiles as he looks up at his new adoptive father. Then Hellboy glances at Zara with the same smile. The woman slightly smiles at him and wonders if she made the right decision.
 
“Look at the birdie,” Matlin told everyone before snapping a picture.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

In a bedroom at St. Jude's Catholic Church in New Jersey, a young woman named Marie tosses and turns as several images flash in her dream. The images Marie sees are from World War II. She sees Nazi soldiers and scientists in the ruins of Trondham Abbey on a dark and stormy night in Scotland. Among the Nazis are two dangerous men: Karl Ruprect Kroenen, Hitler's head assassin and head of the Thule Occult Society, and Grigori Rasputin, a Russian mystic and Spiritual Advisor to Tsar Nicholas Romanov II. A machine stands in the middle of the remains. Several American soldiers and Professor Trevor Broom close in on the ruins before observing the Nazis.

The machine begins working as a portal to another dimension appears, intending to summon a dangerous and powerful being. The Americans then storm the ruins and attack the Nazis. During the attack, a grenade goes off near the machine, damaging it. Suddenly, Rasputin is absorbed into the portal before it closes. After the fighting ends, Professor Broom and the American Soldiers find a little half-demon baby with a red stone right hand. It was a happy moment before it changed to an apocalyptic image. Marie sees what appears to be the grown adult man version of the half-demon baby boy. The half-demon man has a crown of fire atop his head with fully grown horns. He stands in a decimated city with orange skies and dark clouds as the apocalypse has arrived, for he is the bringer.

Marie jolts up in a cold sweat as she awakens from her dream. The young woman looks out her window as the heavy rain from the storm hits it. She could sense something evil was out in the world and the reason for the visions. Marie had a strong feeling that she would be there when the shit finally hit the fan.

Marie looked at the time on her clock and saw no reason to return to sleep as she would have to get up in two hours. The woman got up and out of bed before going through her morning routine, which included the occasional four-mile run before returning to the church to shower, brush her teeth, and dress in a black KISS Detroit Rock City t-shirt, dark denim jeans, black combat boots, and a black leather jacket. Marie also wore jewelry, specifically a simple and elegant silver cross necklace around her neck. On her right wrist and ring finger, Marie had a rosary and Claddagh ring that belonged to her mother.

She pulled her hair up into a ponytail while standing before a mirror. When Marie finished her ponytail, she remained in front of the mirror, staring at the slit-shaped scar on her eyebrow. The scar served as a reminder of the car accident Marie was in as a child.

Marie’s room had a bed, nightstand, lamp, two bookshelves filled with books, a full-body mirror, a desk, a giant corkboard covered in Polaroid pictures, vinyl records, Walkman, cassette tapes, an armoire, and a wooden chest at the foot of her bed. On Marie’s nightstand are four framed pictures. One is of her father, late mother, and herself as a little girl. The second is of her father, stepmother, toddler half-sister, and herself as a teenager. The third is a headshot picture of her mother. And the last is a recent picture. Her father and stepmother have a few wrinkles, and their hair is a bit gray. Her sister is all grown and standing with her husband, young son, and daughter. But Marie appeared to look the same.

Marie leaves her room to pray with the nuns living at the church and Monsignor Thomas, the parish priest. Throughout the day, Marie does her usual routine by helping the sisters with their tasks, riding her motorcycle, and reading. Later that day, Marie has dinner with Monsignor Thomas, Reverend Mother, and the other nuns.

"Are you excited, Marie?" Sister Mary Patrick asked her, referring to Marie's new assignment.

"I am, Sister," She responded. "I am grateful for the opportunity the B.P.R.D. has given me to help the world by protecting the innocent and fighting the wicked."

"Marie, has Professor Broom given you any indication of your assignment?" Monsignor Thomas inquired.

"No, Monsignor," Marie replied. "Professor Broom only told me that given my unique skills, I am the only one who qualifies for the job."

"Well, I'm sure that whatever assignment our dear Professor Broom has for you, Marie, you will be excellent," Reverend Mother told her.

"Thank you, Reverend Mother."

Reverend Mother smiles at Marie before looking at her wristwatch, "Oh, dear. You better get going, or you will be late for your first day. Oh, and do remember your prayers. It is Halloween.”

Marie glanced at the clock on the dining room wall and realized the Reverend Mother was right. Marie quickly said her goodbyes to the nuns and parish priest before leaving the room. The woman rushed into her bedroom to grab her motorcycle helmet and goggles., Marie ran out of her room toward her 1961 black Harley-Davidson FLH Duo GLide Panhead. The motorcycle is her baby. It is her pride and joy. After checking to see if everything she needed was in the saddlebags, Marie sat on the bike and put on her helmet and goggles before starting the classic Harley-Davidson and taking off to the B.P.R.D. Headquarters in Newark.

Marie rode her motorcycle through the streets before eventually hitting traffic. The infamous traffic of New Jersey was slow in moving but quick in annoying Marie. The young woman repeatedly glances at her watch, knowing the traffic would make her late before deciding to take advantage of her mode of transportation. Maire weaved through the traffic effortlessly as her motorcycle fit between the mass of cars.

After an hour, Marie arrived at the Bureau of Paranormal Research Defense in Newark. But to the public, it was known as 'Squeaky Clean Waste Management Services.' Marie stopped her motorcycle at the gates before removing the goggles from her eyes, letting them rest atop her head. She turned to the intercom beside her and pressed a button.

Marie heard a crackle from the box before a voice came through the speaker, "What is it? What do you want?"

"Someone's chipper this morning," Marie muttered before speaking, "I'm Marie Darkh. Professor Broom asked me to come here."

A second later, the panel for the speaker popped out, wiring inside the concrete gate post, before an eyepiece came out.

"Look at the birdie, ma'am."

Marie leaned forward and placed her eye on the machine before a bright flash came from the mechanical scanner, temporarily blinding her. Marie pulled away from the machine and rubbed her eyeball as an LCD screen appeared, showing her retinal scan before a picture of herself.

The gates loudly clacked open, meaning she passed the security check. Marie put her goggles back over her eyes and rode her motorcycle onto the complex. After parking her bike, Marie entered the building.

Marie walked into a large room, and the only thing in it was a large circular desk with a man standing behind it a few feet away from her. Written on the desk is a Latin phrase Marie had come to know years ago: In Absentia Luci, Tenebrae Vincunt. The flooring Marie stood on had a golden outline of a fist holding a sword within a circle in the middle of the room.

"Hello. I'm Marie..." Marie began introducing herself before the man at the desk interrupted her.

"You are late. That's what you are. Five minutes," The man said.

"Yes, I know. Traffic can be a bitch," Marie commented before saying, "I'm going to..."

"Section Fifty-One," The man interrupted her again. "I know. Watch your hands and elbows."

"I'm sorry, what?" Marie was confused by what the man said.

"Watch your hands and elbows," He repeated.

Suddenly, with no warning, the floor Marie stood on began to descend like an elevator. Another floor covered the hole once Marie was low enough. Marie looked around at the various underground rooms through the windows as the lift lowered. The moment the floor landed and locked, Marie stepped off it.

Marie then ventures to the grand golden oak doors before pushing them open. The woman enters a giant two-story library with thousands of books that she guessed cover every subject in the world as classical music plays. As a book lover, Marie knew this would be her favorite place. There is a golden statue of an angel atop a circular fireplace in the middle of the room. Across a statue of another angel, but this one is Archangel Michael slaying a demon, is a big in-wall tank filled with water on the right side of the room caught her attention. Four bookstands stood before the glass, which Marie thought to be odd.

Suddenly, Marie heard a man's voice through an intercom from the in-wall tank.

"Turn the pages, please, if you don't mind."

Marie walked toward the glass curiously. She looked around, hoping to find the voice's source in the water, when suddenly, a slim, blue, humanoid amphibious man glided through the water, up to the glass. He had large blue eyes, gills on the side of his neck, thin lips, and wore black swim trunks.

"Sweet baby Jesus!" Marie exclaimed as she jumped back.

"Please. The pages," The amphibious man spoke.

Marie looks at the books before the glass and says, "These? You're reading these?"

The blue creature nodded in response before a familiar voice came behind Marie.

"Four books at once, every day..." Marie turned around to see Professor Broom, an old man with white hair and a cane, "as long as I'm there to turn the pages. Hello, Marie."

"Hello, Professor," Marie smiled, which Broom returned as she walked toward him before hugging him. “It's good to see you again, Professor. Monsignor Thomas, Reverand Mother, and all the sisters at St. Jude’s send their love.”

“I'll be sure to visit them soon,” Broom said as he stepped away to turn the pages of the four books, and Marie stood beside him. "Marie, I'd like to introduce you to Abraham Sapien. You will be working with him. He was discovered alive in a secret chamber of St. Trinian's Foundling Hospital, Washington." Broom tapped on a small piece of paper framed on the wall beside the glass with his cane. "His name was taken from this inscription stuck to the side of his tank."

"Icthyo Sapiens. April 14th, 1865," Marie read aloud. "That’s the day Abraham Lincoln died."

"Hence, Abe Sapien," Broom said before he pulled down the bottom of a chute near the glass. He grabbed a pair of tongs. He uses the tongs to pick up two green eggs from a bowl with several of them on a nearby table. Broom individually places the two foul-smelling eggs into the chute.

"What is that?" Marie asked Broom as she gagged from the retched smell.

"Rotten eggs," He answered before closing the chute and sending the eggs into the tank. "A delicacy. Abe loves them. Abe, this is-"

A loud slap on the glass interrupted Broom as Abe slammed his hand against the tank.

"Doctor Marie Claudia Laveau Darkh, The Bronx, '62. You are a direct descendant of Vodou Priestess Marie Laveau on your mother's side. You hold several doctoral degrees in many fields. You also experienced a great loss in your childhood. And there is something primordial within you," Abe said.

The amphibious man looked at Marie sadly before grabbing one of the rotten eggs and snacking on it.

"How did he know all that stuff about me?" Marie questioned. There was an almost missable hint of sadness in her voice from Abe's mentioning loss.

"Abe possesses a unique frontal lobe," Broom explained. "Unique." That's a word you'll hear frequently around here."

"Why exactly am I here, Professor?" She further inquired. "And to be honest, your call was a bit cryptic. All you said was that my one-of-a-kind skills make me the perfect person for the job."

"As you entered the lobby, there was an inscription. Can you repeat it for me?"

"In Absentia Luci, Tenebrae Vincunt," Marie spoke the inscription in Latin before translating it into English, "In the absence of light, darkness prevails."

"There are things that go bump in the night, Marie. Make no mistake about that. And we are the ones who bump back," Broom told her. "Come with me, Marie, and I'll show you to your assignment."

Professor Broom led Marie out of the library, and the two walked down a corridor. The corridor walls had glass cases filled with objects that Marie could feel the powerful energy radiate off of them. It reminded her when she visited Ed and Lorraine Warren at their home and saw their collection.

"In 1937, Hitler joins the Thule Society, a group of German aristocrats

obsessed with the occult. In 1938, he acquired the Spear of Longinus, which pierced the side of Christ," Broom gestures to the object kept behind the glass with his cane. "He who holds it becomes invincible. Hitler's power increases tenfold."

Marie ventures toward the glass case and touches it. She stares at the spear that had pierced the son of God at his crucifixion. Suddenly, Marie receives images of the day Jesus Christ was crucified. She closed her eyes at the painful memory before opening them. Marie noticed Broom was a few feet ahead of her, and she decided to leave the spear and catch up to him.

"In 1943, President Roosevelt decides to fight back," Broom continued. "The Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense is born. In 1958, the Occult Wars finally come to an end..."

"When Adolf Hitler dies," Marie finished.

"It is good to know that you know your history," Broom smiled.

Broom and Marie walked further down the corridor until they were before a large stainless steel door that resembled a bank vault door. Marie could feel something behind the door. Something not quite human. Something she felt before. A man dressed in a suit stands in front of the door beside a cart with giant stainless steel bowls filled with food.

"Marie, this is Agent Clay. Take his lead. He'll make the introductions," Broom told Marie before handing her two Baby Ruth candy bars from his coat suit pocket. Marie stared at the candy bars in perplexity before she noticed Professor Broom walking away.

"Wait! You're not coming?" Marie questioned.

Professor Broom stops and turns to the woman before saying, "I've known you for a long time, Marie. I've seen you grow into a strong young woman. I told you during our phone call that no one but you is more qualified for the job. Make me proud."

Broom smiled at Marie before he turned and walked away.

"They're not speaking," Clay informed Marie. "Professor Broom had him grounded."

"Grounded? Who's grounded?" Marie questioned the agent.

Clay ignores her question as he takes a triangular-shaped object resembling a gun from his pocket before inserting it into the wall like a key and turning it. The locking mechanisms on the door release, and Clay turns the handle to finish unlocking it. A red flashing LED alarm came out of the wall beside the door.

"Okay. You saw the fish guy, right?" Clay asked Marie.

"Oh, yeah," She nodded. "It was kinda freaky. It was like doing edibles or taking acid and going to the aquarium."

"Yeah. Right," Clay gives Marie a look before he opens the door and says, "Well, come on in. Meet the rest of the family."

Clay pushes the food-filled cart into the solid concrete, windowless room, and Marie follows behind him. The woman looks around the room, and it resembles a teenage boy's bedroom, meaning it is messy. The room had samurai suits, weapons, dozens of cats wandering around, TV sets from different eras stacked atop each other showing old cartoons, a bed made from the back of an old pickup truck, and a large circular table in the middle of the room. Several cats run throughout the room, and some rub themselves against Marie’s legs.

"He gets fed six times a day. He's got a thing for cats. You'll be his nanny, his keeper, his best friend. He never goes out unsupervised," Clay informed Marie.

"Who?" Marie asked, beginning to feel a little pissed off that the assignment only she could do was being Mary fucking Poppins.

The man hands her a comic book with a figure on it that she had seen a few times during her childhood comic book reading days. It was Hellboy. At first, Marie thought Clay was crazy, but she realized he was telling the truth when she heard a deep voice.

"I hate those comic books. They never get the eyes right."

Marie looked up from the comic book and at the man standing barely in the shadows, smoking a cigar and doing bicep curls with a giant dumbbell. Hellboy's skin is deep red, and his dark black hair is in a top knot bun. He had a few crisscross scars scattered across his chest and left arm. On his right arm, there were these almost swirl-looking designs. He wore black shorts with a hole in the back for his tail. Maire quickly noticed Hellboy's shaved horns and large, stone right hand. As she looked at Hellboy, Maire couldn't help but think back to the half-demon man she saw in her dreams.

"Hellboy?" Marie said as she looked at Clay.

"Yeah. Sixty years old by our count. But he doesn't age like we do. Think reverse dog years. He's barely out of his twenties," Clay told Marie.

"What's with the hair, Clay?" Hellboy asked. "Finally got them implants, huh?"

Clay lightly chuckles before he fiddles with his hair, "lt'll fill in."

"Who's the babe?" The half-demon man asked.

"Agent Darkh is your new liaison," He informed Hellboy. “She will replace me while I'm back in the field.”

Hellboy drops the heavy dumbbell, making a loud clang, "I don't want her. What, you get tired of me, Clay?"

"The candy. Give him the candy," Clay whispered to Marie.

"I have these for you," Marie holds up the two Baby Ruth Candy Bars before setting them on the table.

"Father's back?" Hellboy asked Clay, and the agent responded with a nod. The half-demon then asks, "He still angry?"

It only took Maire a second to realize that Hellboy was the adopted son Professor Broom had mentioned to her a few times.

"Well, you did break out."

"I wanted some fresh air. Nobody's business."

"It is," Clay said. "You got yourself on TV again."

"Darkh, huh? You got a first name, Darkh?" Hellboy asked Marie.

"Marie," She responded.

"Try not to stare. He hates it when people stare," Clay told her in a whisper.

"Stare at what?" Marie asked.

"His horns. He files them to fit in."

Hellboy steps out of the shadows and stands before Marie, taking one of the candy bars off the table. Despite not looking directly at her, Marie could see Hellboy's deep-set golden eyes, which she found beautiful. But then her eyes trailed up to his shaved horns.

Hellboy feels Marie's eyes on him. He looks at her and asks, "Whatcha looking at, Mary?"

"It's Marie. Like Marie Laveau," Marie corrected before making a smart-ass remark as she looked at his shaved horns, "Nice rack."

Hellboy stared at Mary and was impressed by her response. There were not a lot of new agents who would talk to him like that after the first meeting.

A loud red flashing alarm erupts and repeats the words, "Warning. Code red. Warning. Code red. Warning. Code red."

"Hey, hey, hey. They're playing our song. Come on, sweetheart, let's go fight some monsters,” Hellboy said to Maire, lightly hitting her shoulder with his left hand.

The three then left the room to get ready and face whatever on Halloween night. The first day on the job was not what Marie was expecting. She did not expect her assignment to be watching over a half-demon man who is chronologically sixty but looks and acts like a man in his twenties. Marie was going to have a word with Broom about her job.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Marie aids the other agents in getting what’s necessary for the mission packed into the back of the ‘garbage truck.’ The fake garbage truck sold the B.P.R.D.'s cover of being in waste management. Hellboy wears a black long-sleeved t-shirt and black pants. He also wears black boots to hide his hoves. Abe wears black gloves and a black suit with short sleeves and shorts. The two men step into the back of the garbage truck.

Once the two were in the back, the door closed. Marie joined the agent, driving the truck up front in the passenger seat. After a quick check, everyone was on the move.

When they arrived at the Machen Library, a large crowd had formed in front of the building. N.Y.P.D. officers barricaded the building off from the public. S.W.A.T. vans and ambulances were also at the scene, along with a WGSW news van. The garbage truck passed the female news reporter and her cameraman as it made its way to the back of the building.

Meanwhile, in the back of the garbage truck, Hellboy watches the crowd through a one-way window. Abe was working on his breathing apparatus, which resembled an Elizabethan collar. The breathing apparatus consists of a pair of curved water tanks attached on one end with an interlocked swivel for shoulder mounting.

"Look at them ugly suckers, Blue," Hellboy said. "One sheet of glass between them and us."

"Story of my life," Abe responded.

"Outside. I could be outside," Red sighed as he moved away from the window and a box labeled 'The Samaritan.’ Hellboy opened the box, which held The Samaritan, an oversized, 22 mm four-round revolver.

"You mean, outside... with her."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hellboy asked Abe, unsure of what he meant.

"You seem to be impressed by Agent Darkh," He replied. "She is interesting. Didn't look at us as freaks."

"Don't get psychic with me, fella," Hellboy warned Abe as he took The Samaritan out of the box.

"Nothing psychic about it. You're easy," Abe said.

The two spent the rest of their time in the garbage truck quietly. Abe puts on his goggles and breathing apparatus while Hellboy dons his long tan trench coat and places The Samaritan in his belt holster.

As Marie got closer to the library, she felt a dark presence. Marie groaned slightly in pain as she felt something wanting to get out. The driver, Agent Stone, noticed and looked at Marie with concern.

“You alright right over there?” Stone asked the woman.

Marie breathed as the pain subsided before saying, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just got a killer migraine.”

Stone returned his attention to driving. Marie held the rosary on her wrist and began saying her prayers. As Marie silently muttered prayers in Latin, she felt pain subsiding, and things became quiet.

When the truck entered the back of the library, Marie got out and stood on the loading bay with Clay and several other agents. They stood and watched as the garbage truck reversed into the dock. The door began to slowly lower, revealing a standing Abe and Hellboy. The latter puts a cigar in his mouth and lights it up. The two men stepped out of the truck, joining Marie and the agents on the dock.

"Okay, guys, let's sync up our locators," Clay said.

Clay and the other agents pushed the buttons on their belts for the locator, which emitted a white light. Abe and Hellboy did the same. The former's locator had a deep blue light, and the latter had a deep red. But the color of Marie's light caught Hellboy's attention. The locator on her belt had an orange/red color. The half-demon man thought it was similar to his and picked because she was his new caretaker.

"Seal the doors. Red and Blue are coming in," Clay spoke into his earpiece before he, Marie, Hellboy, Abe, and the other agents entered the building.

As the B.P.R.D. agents walked through the library, Marie could feel something evil and hungry in the building. But she tried to ignore that feeling as she listened to Clay debriefing her and the others on what triggered their involvement.

"1900 hours, an alarm was tripped. A large entity, type 5 reported. Very aggressive. Six guards dead," Clay informed, walking past several artifact displays.

"I thought we checked this place. Fakes and reproductions," Hellboy said.

"Apparently, not everything was fake," Broom spoke as the group turned the corner, standing atop the steps and leaning on his cane.

Hellboy quickly hides his cigar in hand behind his back, "Father."

Marie tried not to smile at Hellboy's attempt at hiding his smoking from Broom like a teenager caught smoking a cigarette by their parents.

Broom nodded to his son before everyone moved to the closed double brass doors to the crime scene. Two agents came up with a large rolling case before opening it, revealing guns and ammo.

"The entity is still in there. Video surveillance shows a sixteenth-century statue was destroyed. St. Dionysius the Areopagite," Broom explained.

"Who warded off demons. All those years in Catholic school really pay off," Marie said.

Hellboy turned to Marie and gave her a puzzled look. It was a look Marie had received numerous times. Many were shocked to hear that she went to Catholic school because of how she acted and dressed.

"You went to Catholic school?" Hellboy asked.

"You seem surprised," Marie said.

"No, it's just you don't look like the type who went to Catholic school," Red responded.

"And what does the type look like?" She inquired.

"Well, uh, I, um," Hellboy stumbled with his words, causing Marie to smirk.

Broom cleared his throat, regaining Hellboy and Marie's attention before saying, "The statue, however, was hollow."

"A reliquary?" Hellboy asked, and his father shook his head with a small smile.

"A prison," Broom corrected. "The Vatican deemed its occupant dangerous enough to include it on The List of Avignon, of which, by the way, we hold a copy."

Abe squatted beside the huge double brass doors before removing a glove and pressing one of his webbed hands on a door. Hellboy picked a bullet-filled speed loader from the armory and showed it to Marie. The woman noticed the bullets had explosive shells filled with liquid and solid material.

"Perfect job for these babies. Made them myself. Holy water, clove leaf, silver shavings, white oak. The works," Red said as he shook it before loading his gun.

Marie was impressed by Hellboy's custom-made bullets as the ingredients have a folkloric power to impede evils, such as specific monsters. Suddenly, Abe pulled his hand away from the door with a frightened gasp, gaining everyone's attention. Marie could tell that whatever was behind those doors scared Abe.

"Behind this door, a dark entity. Evil, ancient, and hungry," Abe told everyone.

"Oh, well. Let me go in and say hi," Hellboy said.

An agent opened one of the brass doors for Hellboy before closing and relocking it after he entered the room. Marie shook her head with disbelief at Hellboy's actions.

After a few steps into the room, Hellboy saw the bodies of two dead guards, knocked-over statues, and slimed-covered security uniforms with either an arm, leg, or foot. Red knew that the other security guards had been eaten by the thing he and the others came to deal with. Hellboy kneeled beside one of the slimed-covered clothes and picked up a shoe with a bite mark with his stone hand.

"You better hit the books, Brother Blue. We'll definitely need more info on this one," Hellboy said over the comms before dropping the slime-covered shoe.

Abe opened a wooden box filled with ancient books and picked one before browsing it for information. Marie approached Abe with a slightly concerned look on her face.

"He seriously just goes off on his own? No backup or anything? Everytime?" Marie asked.

"No. He likes it that way. The whole "lonely hero" thing," Abe replied.

"He's crazy," Marie said, shaking her head. "This kinda shit is going to get his dumbass killed."

"Awe, you do care," Hellboy said through the comms with his stone hand over his heart, having heard Abe and Marie's conversation.

"Of course, I care. Because if you die, my ass will get fired," Marie told Red. "Now get back to work."

"Hmm," Red hummed in response.

The sound of bones breaking and being chewed caught Hellboy's attention. He slowly ventured toward the direction to not alert the creature of his presence. Red kept his eyes open for the creature in all directions but stopped when he didn't see it. Suddenly, a heavy stream of slime slopped before him. Hellboy looked up and saw the creature hanging on the ceiling as it munched on a security guard.

"Hey, Stinky," Hellboy called to the creature. "Kitchen's closed. What you having? Six library guards, raw, plus belts and boots. Man, you're gonna need some heavy fiber to move that out."

"Red, I found something. This entity's name is Sammael, the Desolate one. Son of Nergal, brother of..." Abe began reading, informing Hellboy of the creature, but stopped when he heard Marie speak.

"Oh, my God," Marie said, and Abe noticed the fear in her eyes. "We need to get Hellboy out of there."

"Marie, what's wrong?" Blue inquired.

Meanwhile, inside the room, the creature, Sammael, drops his meal before landing himself with his back facing Hellboy. The creature looked like a canine/reptilian mix hellhound with four eyes and a few tentacles on its head.

"Listen, Sammy... I'm not a very good shot, but The Samaritan here uses really big bullets," Hellboy told the creature, who turned to face the red man. "So, what do you say we work this out in a nice, peaceful..." Sammael then runs off. "Oh, crap."

Hellboy chases after Sammael as he repeatedly fires his gun at him but misses and only hits the beams before finally hitting the creature. Sammael hits the ground hard after getting pierced by one of Hellboy's bullets.

Hellboy carefully approaches Sammael with his gun still aimed at the creature to shoot it again. No movement came from Sammael, signifying it was dead.

"That's it for you, Sam," Hellboy said, satisfied that he had done his job before putting The Samaritan in his holster. Hellboy turns away and begins walking toward the doors.

"Red, you need to hear the rest of the information," Abe told Hellboy.

"No, he's taken care of," He dismissed.

"Just listen to Abe, Hellboy. What he has is very important," Marie told him. "Take it away, Abe."

"Sammael, the Desolate one, lord of the shadows, son of Nergal, hound of resurrection..."

Hellboy stopped in his tracks, "See... I don't like that."

Hellboy turned around and saw the creature’s body had disappeared. The half-demon man groaned in annoyance as his job was not over.

"What?” Abe questioned. “Hound of resurrection? Harbinger of pestilence. Seed of destruc..."

"Cut to the end,” Hellboy interrupted before asking, “How do I kill it?"

"Doesn't say," He simply responded.

Hellboy begins walking to where the body had been. Suddenly, Sammael appears before Hellboy and punches him in the jaw. The force sent Hellboy flying before he crashed into the door. The doors concave inwards and crack under the pressure of the impact.

Everyone quickly pulled out their guns, knowing things could take a turn for the worst.

“Go to the front. Let's go! Move!” Clay ordered the agents.

The agents followed Clay's orders, but Marie had a different plan.

“I’m going around the back,” Marie said before running off.

Marie ran through the hallways of the building. Soon, the back door was in her sight. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming pain that caused her to fall to her knees. The woman groaned and gasped in pain. It felt like her whole body was on fire. And that what was inside of her was fighting to get out.

Visions of the present filled Marie’s mind. She saw hellboy in an alley next to the library. In front of him was a bald man wearing dark-tinted glasses. Marie knew the man’s name. After sixty years, Rasputin has returned. And nothing good was going to come from it.

When the vision stopped, so did the pain. Marie got back up and rushed toward the doors before pushing them open.

Once outside, Marie sees Sammael with its seven-foot-long tongue wrapped around Hellboy’s arm. Hellboy grunted as he kept a grip on his gun. Marie notices smoke radiating from Hellboy’s arm. The woman surmises that Sammael’s tongue is burning Hellboy.

Marie quickly aims her gun at the creature before firing at his tongue. Sammael screeches with pain as his tongue becomes riddled with holes before releasing Hellboy’s arm. The monster writhes in agony on the ground. Marie continues to shoot it while she approaches Hellboy.

“You alright?” Marie asked him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hellboy demanded.

Marie looks at Hellboy with confusion and annoyance, “What?”

"What do you think you're doing?" He angrily repeated.

"Helping your crazy ass,” She answered.

Hellboy leans against a dumpster, "No one ever helps me. It's my job."

Hellboy goes around the dumpster with Marie following him. The half-demon man leans against the dumpster with his back before sliding to sit on the ground.

Marie joins Hellboy on the ground and tells him, "Well, too bad because helping you is my job.”

“Fine. You want to help. Here. Load this,” Hellboy opens the revolver’s cylinder with a one-handed flick. He gives Marie the Samaritan and a green bullet. The creature's tongue must’ve injured Hellboy’s arm, preventing him from loading the gun. “It's a tracking bullet. Crack the pin.”

Marie cracks the pin of the bullet. It glows a bright green. She puts the bullet in one of the chambers. Marie snaps close the cylinder one-handed by flicking her wrist. She returns the Samaritan to Hellboy and notices something attached to his left arm.

“Jesus Christ, what the hell is that on your arm?!” Marie exclaimed in disgust and shock.

Hellboy looks to see a thick, black stinger attached to his arm.

“Aw, crap,” Hellboy said.

Suddenly, Sammael’s tongue punches through the dumpster repeatedly between Hellboy and Marie.

“You really pissed that thing off,” Marie told Hellboy before looking at the stinger on his arm, “What the hell is that thing?”

"Lemme go ask," Hellboy said before he pulled it off and put it in Marie’s lap.

Hellboy stands up and goes after the creature. Marie picks it up out of disgust and then frantically tries to toss it out of her hands.

"Disgusting," Marie said before leaning her head against the dumpster. “I hate my job.”

Marie quickly grabbed a discarded brown paper bag before putting the stinger inside. Marie wiped her hands on her pants to remove the slime from the stinger.

Sammael climbs onto a brick wall as Hellboy aims The Samaritan at him. Hellboy chambers the tracking bullet before firing at the creature. The glowing bullet flies through the barrel and out towards Sammael. It hits the creature in the abdomen with an explosion of neon green goo.

With a shriek, the thing falls backward off the wall. Sammael picks himself up and begins running away. The creature runs towards two men and a truck filled with pumpkins, backing up.

The man in the back of the truck watches as Sammael jumps up a fire escape before returning to the ground. The creature continues running toward the vehicle, leaving behind a trail of neon green goo.

“Why, you little-“ Hellboy chases after the monster.

Marie stepped out behind the dumpster and saw Hellboy jumping over the brick wall.

“Hey, Wait! You dumb son of a bitch!” Marie exclaimed.

Marie chases after Hellboy after hiding the paper bag underneath the dumpster. Once on the other side of the wall, Hellboy watches Sammael jump and run atop the truck, leaving massive dents. The creature lands before people attending the Halloween Fun Fair and roars at them. The people scream as they run away in fear.

Hellboy takes off running, pursuing Sammael. Marie quickly climbs over the wall to find Hellboy chasing after the creature.

“Stop!” Marie yelled at Hellboy, but the half-demon ignored her.

Marie knew that she was going to be in big trouble. It was Halloween night. Hundreds of people were out at night. Hellboy and Sammael were going to be seen by people. But the holiday could work in Marie’s favor since people would think Hellboy and the creature are just people wearing costumes.

Marie presses her earpiece and speaks, “We’re heading toward civilians.”

The two dumbfounded men in the back of the truck watched as Hellboy leaped onto the truck's roof. He runs on the roof before landing on the hood and resuming running after Sammael.

“Crazy costumes, am I right? They’ve been working on them all year! Happy Halloween! Trick or treat!!” Marie shouted at the men as she ran past the truck.

Sammael runs onto a busy road. Cars continue to drive while honking their horns and maneuvering around the creature. Sammael angrily slams his fist to the ground and roars as a speeding car nearly hits him. The thing then manages to cross the street.

Hellboy spots Sammael across the street and pursues by diving straight into traffic. The cars swerved to avoid hitting the half-demon man and honked their horns at him. Hellboy stopped and moved repeatedly on the road to avoid getting hit by a passing car and moved, trying not to lose the creature. Marie stood on the sidewalk, watching Hellboy run through the busy traffic.

"I'm not getting paid enough for this," Marie groaned before running onto the busy street.

Marie moves across a lane of traffic. She was successful in dodging the cars and avoiding getting hit. Unfortunately, as Marie moves across a traffic lane, the side mirror of a moving vehicle behind her hits her wrist, causing Marie to whip around as she cries in pain. The pain emanating from her wrist was slowly fading as it healed.

Hellboy hears Marie's cry and turns to find her on the ground, clutching her wrist in pain. A honk caught both of their attention. They looked up to see a car heading toward the woman. Marie stared at the headlights of the oncoming vehicle like a deer.

Hellboy walks over, standing between Marie and the car. He holds up his stone hand in a stop gesture. But the car doesn't heed the gesture and doesn't slow down.

"Red means stop!" Hellboy shouted. He slams his stone fist into the hood, causing the vehicle to summersault over Hellboy and Marie. It lands on its wheels behind them. All traffic suddenly stopped.

Hellboy looks at Marie and asks, "You good?"

"I'll live," Marie responded.

"Stay here," Hellboy told her before running off after the creature, leaving Marie in the street.

Hellboy followed the trail of green goo to an ally and saw the drops leading to an open drain grate. Hellboy approaches the grate before touching green goo at its edge.

"Sammy, you got a leak," Hellboy said before dropping to the subway tracks below.

Hellboy quickly notices Sammael standing a few feet before him.

"Waiting for me, Chuck-Face?"

Sammael turns and looks at an oncoming subway train. The train horns blare as the two see the bright lights growing larger. Hellboy puts the Samaritan in his hip holster. The half-demon man smirks, thinking he has the creature cornered. Sammael suddenly sprints toward the oncoming train.

"What the?" Hellboy stood briefly confused before running after Sammael.

Sammael jumps onto the train and punches through the door before ripping it off. The creature stares at the terrified conductor and passengers on the train before running through the cars. As the train gets closer, Hellboy jumps onto the train and clings to the step. Hellboy holds onto the edge as his feet drag along the railway line.

Sammael reaches the rear of the train before ripping the door off. The creature jumps from the train and waits for Hellboy.

The conductor grabs a fire extinguisher before bashing Hellboy's face with it a few times to dislodge him from the train. Hellboy irritably glares at the conductor.

"Hey!" Hellboy yelled, causing the conductor to pause, "I'm on your side!"

The conductor laughs, "Sure."

The conductor hits Hellboy one last time, knocking the half-demon man off the step and going under the train. The passengers applaud the conductor for his actions. Meanwhile, Hellboy lies on the track as the train goes over him. The train hits the edges of his shaved horns, raising sparks.

The final car of the train finally passes over Hellboy. He lies on the ground for a moment before sitting up. Hellboy touches one of his horns with his left hand but pulls away as he hisses when he feels how hot it is.

Hellboy stands up and looks around for Sammael, unaware that the creature is hanging above him from the ceiling. As the creature jumps down, Hellboy grabs him by the head and pulls his jaws open.

"Open wide!" Hellboy exclaimed before snapping the creature's jaw open and dislocating it.

Sammael steps back as he shakes his head, putting his jaw back into place. He lunges at Hellboy, knocking him to the ground. Hellboy reaches out at the live rail. Sammael tries to bite Hellboy, but the half-demon dodges the teeth. Unfortunately, Hellboy gets slime from the creature's mouth on his face.

"Screw this!" Hellboy yelled in disgust before grabbing the rail, sending a massive voltage through him and the creature.

While Hellboy remains unharmed, Sammaels convulses as the current sweeps through his body. The creature begins to glow orange before bursting into flames. Hellboy gets to his feet and looks at the charred remains of Sammael.

"I'm fireproof. You're not," Hellboy said before lighting a cigar with a flaming finger from his stone hand. He shrugs his shoulders back and gets on his radio to Marie.

Meanwhile, Marie was at the Halloween Fun Fair, watching everything going down the toilet. Several TV crews showed up after Hellboy left. The reporters are interviewing the witnesses. A giant traffic jam clogs the highway. A tow truck came and took away the car Hellboy punched. First day on the job, and she already screwed up her only task: make sure the public doesn’t see Hellboy and keep an eye on him.

“Hey, Darkh,” Hellboy spoke through the earpiece.

“Yeah?” Marie said.

“How's your arm?” He asked.

“My arm's hunky-dory. Look, tell me where you are,” Marie demanded, becoming annoyed.

“I just fried Stinky. Listen, tell Father I'll be home, but he shouldn't wait up.”

“No. No, wait, wait, I have to go with you. Or else I'm going get my nonexistent balls busted,” Marie growled, slowly losing what remained of her patience.

“Hey, Darkh.”

“Yeah?”

“Bye,” Hellboy said before removing his earpiece and turning off his locator.

Hellboy leaves the smoldering remains of Sammael behind him as he walks away. But unbeknownst to Hellboy, a bright greenish light rises from Sammael’s corpse. It flares and divides into two before floating away.

“Goddamn, fucking, son of a bitch!” Marie shouted, expressing her anger and gaining the attention of several people.

Marie’s night has gone from bad to worse. Not only did Hellboy get spotted by the public, but she lost him. And it was only her first day on the job.

Marie felt people staring at her, and she turned to the crowd, “Work problems.”

Marie turned and walked away from the Halloween Fun Fair. She was returning to the library to face a lecture on everything that went wrong that was her fault. But first, Marie had to pick something up.

Marie climbs over the wall and jumps down, landing in the alleyway. She walks over to the dumpster and reaches under before pulling out the brown paper bag she had hidden earlier.

Marie walked to the door with the paper bag and entered the building. She could feel the stinger moving within the bag. The woman walks toward the exhibit room, where everyone would be.

When Marie was almost to the room, a bald man wearing a suit and smoking a cigar walked toward her. The man’s name is Tom Manning, Director of the B.P.R.D. And he did not look happy. Professor Broom and Abe follow close behind.

“Darkh,” Manning called.

“Yes, Director?” Marie responded.

“Would you care to tell me what your job is?” He asked Marie. The woman opened her mouth but didn’t have a chance to speak because Manning went ahead and answered his question, “Your job is to watch Hellboy and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid like getting seen by civilians, which he did tonight. And the cherry on top is that you lost him.”

Marie was doing everything to remain calm and not punch Manning in the face. She took a breath before speaking.

“Look, I’ve only been on the job for less than twelve hours. Besides, Professor Broom hired me, not you. And he hired me because I’m the only one who can do this job. So, get off my ass. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go do my job,” Marie told Manning before turning around and walking away. After a few steps, the woman turned around and approached Abe, “This was attached to Hellboy. Have fun.”

Marie gives Abe the brown paper bag containing the stinger from Sammeal’s tongue.

“I’ll go find Hellboy. I’ll leave my tracker on and radio you guys when I find him. Happy Halloween.”

Marie walks away, thinking that Manning was lucky she did punch him. And she wanted to. The woman exits the building and walks a few blocks before going into an alley.

Marie makes an ok sign with her right hand by pressing the tips of her thumb and forefinger together. She then puts her fingers in her mouth before making a sharp whistle.

Seconds later, Marie could hear a motorcycle’s loud rumble in the distance. And the sound grew louder as it got closer to Marie. Eventually, the bike arrives in the alley and stops before Marie. There are two things worth mentioning about the bike. Number one is it’s her 1961 black Harley-Davidson FLH Duo GLide Panhead. And two, it drove itself to Marie.

Marie goes to one of the saddlebags on her motorcycle before pulling out a map of New York and an ancient Mesopotamian golden medallion necklace with an amethyst in the center. She will be using the objects to find Hellboy in the concrete jungle. Marie unfolds the map on the ground before holding the medallion by the chain as it dangles over the map.

"Locum Anung Un Rama quero,” Marie spoke the incantation.

Blood from her palm began running down the medallion chain before dripping onto the map. Drops of blood pool together before moving to a specific spot on the map, where it dries instantaneously. The dried blood spot on the map is where Hellboy is.

After putting the items away, Marie gets onto her motorcycle and rides it out of the alley in search of Hellboy. The half-demon man had a good head start on her, but Marie was determined to find him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Marie rides through the city, heading to the location on the map that showed her where Hellboy was. As Marie got closer, she looked around for any sign of the half-demon man. She was beginning to question whether the job, specifically Hellboy, was worth it or not. But Marie had to find Hellboy, or she would get a lecture from Manning, the new pain in her ass. She also didn’t want to let Broom down. He never gave up on her and gave her a job. In the corner of her eye, Marie spots the silhouette of someone big, red, and has a tail standing atop a roof. And it wasn’t Clifford. Marie parked her motorcycle by the curb before speaking into her earpiece, “I found him.”She gets off her motorcycle and goes into an alleyway. She spots a fire escape and approaches it before jumping and grabbing the ladder. Marie climbs up the ladder before walking up on the platforms and stairs. When Marie reaches the rooftop, she sees Hellboy standing near the edge and looking at the people below. She then notices he is holding a six-pack of beer with a few cans gone and one beer in his hand. The doctor in Marie was shaking her head.“You know you shouldn't be drinking beer after being injured,” Marie spoke, making her presence known to Hellboy. The half-demon man turns to her. “The alcohol thins the blood, making you bleed more, and it inhibits the body’s healing process.” “Thanks for the medical advice, Mary Poppins,” Hellboy said before turning his back to her and taking a sip from his beer. “No problem, Clifford.”“What are you doing here?” “My job,” Marie replied. She approaches Hellboy and stands beside him. “I told the others I found you. They should be here soon. So, why don't we use this time and talk.”Hellboy doesn't respond. He silently stood there and took another sip of beer. Marie knew that if she was sticking with the job, she had to get Hellboy to trust her. She then decided to tell the half-demon man something that would make him see that they were not so different. “When I was a teenager, I used to sneak out of the house most nights and do whatever I wanted with my friends. My daddy would catch me as I was leaving or coming home, but he would always go out, find me, and bring me home. And then he would lecutre me,” Marie shared. “Broom worries about you just like how my daddy worries about me. My daddy calls me every day. Sometimes, we have breakfast, lunch, or dinner together. Even though I'm a grown woman, he will always see me as the little girl who would chase her shadow. The little girl he promised to protect. Just like how Broom will always see you as the baby he found all those years ago. It's a parent’s job to worry about their children, even when they're grown.”Hellboy stands there as Marie’s words snuck in. He could tell she understood his relationship with his father despite a few differences. The half-demon man could hear the sincerity in her voice. He also noticed the sadness when Marie mentioned her father. Hellboy wondered if something happened to him. Hellboy glances down and sees a black sedan and SUV pull up to the curb. The half-demon man recognized the car and knew it belonged to the B.P.R.D. "Looks like my ride is here."Marie and Hellboy watch as Broom and Clay exit the sedan while Moss and Quarry exit the SUV. The four men wait by the cars for Hellboy and Marie. "Come on, let's go," Marie said. Marie and Hellboy walk over to the fire escape, going down the platforms and stairs. While Marie used the ladder to get down, Hellboy jumped off the final platform. Suddenly, Hellboy winces in pain and falls to his knees. Marie takes hold of his arm and kneels on the ground with him. "You ok, Red?" Marie worriedly asked, the doctor in her making its way to the surface. Marie motions for Clay, Moss, and Quarry to run over. She begins looking over Hellboy for injuries when the agents take him from her and help the half-demon up. "C'mon, champ. You look a little woozy, there," Clay said. "This- This is nothing," Hellboy weakly responded. “Okay, Red, let's get you home. Come on.”Marie remains in the alley as she watches Hellboy being escorted to the SUV by the three agents. Seeing Hellboy as he is brings old memories to the surface in Marie's mind. Painful memories of someone she loved. Moss and Quarry enter the SUV with Hellboy, while Clay enters the sedan with Professor Broom. Marie gets onto her Motorcycle and follows behind the two cars back to B.P.R.D. Headquarters in New Jersey. After arriving at Headquarters, Hellboy was taken to the B.P.R.D. infirmary. Broom stands next to Hellboy, who lies on a stainless steel exam chair. Abe removed the stinger from the paper bag with forceps before placing it in a stainless steel bowl. Marie puts her medical degree to use as she peers through a magnifier at Hellboy's wounded arm. “You were burned by some organic acid,” Marie noted.“Mmm. I'm lucky that way,” Hellboy sarcastically said. He grunts in pain when Marie uses a scalpel to probe the gash on his arm. “I worry about you,” Broom voiced, walking around the chair to stand on his son’s left side. “Me?” Hellboy’s mind flashes back to his conversation on the rooftop with Marie. “Well... I won't be around forever, you know,” The Professor reminded him. “Damn!” Hellboy exclaimed in pain before telling Marie, “Could you please be a little careful?”“Well, I usually like to inflict some pain on my patients, but I'll make an exception in your case,” Marie responded before muttering, “Big baby.”“How long was it latched onto you?” Abe asked.               “I dunno. About five seconds,” Hellboy responded. After poking at the depths of the wound, Marie discovered something. “Professor, Abe,” Marie called. The two men move to Marie’s side of the table.“Is it bad?” Hellboy nervously asked, turning his head away, scared to look. Inside the wound on Hellboy's forearm are three translucent eggs. Marie removes them one by one. She puts the first one in a glass container and the others in a stainless steel bowl. “It touched you five seconds and laid three eggs,” Marie said. “Didn't even buy me a drink,” Hellboy scoffed. Marie hands the glass in the glass container to Abe. Marie bandages Hellboy’s arm while Abe takes the egg to a nearby computer for analysis. After a few minutes, the computer beeps, having finished an analysis. On a monitor, an enlarged color image of one of the throbbing eggs.“The stinger detaches itself from the tongue and injects the eggs. They are very sensitive to heat and light. They need a humid, dark environment to breed,” Abe informed them. “Did you ever lose track of him down there?” Marie asked Hellboy. “Well, let's see. There was that moment when I had the train on top of my head,” He said. “We can't risk it,” Broom worriedly said with a frown. He turns to his son and tells him, “Tomorrow, you'll go back to the tracks with a group of agents. Search the whole place top to bottom. Find those eggs and destroy them.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Marie stood in the B.P.R.D.’s grand library with Broom and Abe. Broom sets a few books on the stands for Abe while the Fishman removes his breathing apparatus. The three were discussing an important matter. Marie was hesitant to speak about it with Abe present, but Broom informed her he knew.“He’s back, Broom. I had a vision of him when I was running to help Hellboy,” Marie said. “Rasputin is here to finish what he started. He’s going to destroy the world.”Broom watches Marie with worry, knowing that she must feel somewhat responsible because of a decision she made years ago. “Don’t worry, Marie,” Broom consoled her. “Hellboy will have you at his side.” “I don't know if I can do this job, Broom. The son of a bitch hates me. He doesn't listen to me. I'm way in over my head. I know that much.” “You're doing fine,” Broom said, reassuring her.                 “No, I'm not. Hellboy respects Clay. Not me. I don't know why you chose me, Broom. But I'm not your girl,” Marie told him. “I’m not qualified. If anything, I'm overqualified. I have thirteen doctoral degrees. I could teach a lecture on quantum physics in ancient Greek before switching to Latin. But instead, I'm serving pancakes and playing Mary Poppins to an overgrown man-child!”Discouraged and angry, Marie turns away and heads for the door.“I'm dying, Marie,” Broom announced.Marie stops in her tracks from shock before turning around to face Broom.  “That’s why I'm here,” Marie said, seeing all the pieces come together.Broom and Marie knew about her extraordinary life expectancy, making her the perfect candidate. She was the only one who could take a hit and hit back twice as hard in this line of work, like Hellboy. “Like any father, I worry about him. In medieval stories, Marie, there is often a young knight who is inexperienced but pure of heart.”“Oh, please. I'm not pure of heart,” Marie told him with a scoff. “Yes, you are,” Abe corrected. “No, I’m not!” Marie shouted, her eyes briefly burning. Abe noticed the fire in her eyes and stepped back, slightly scared. “Look, Abe, I'm the farthest thing from pure of heart because I'm pretty sure to be pure of heart, you have to have a goddamn soul.”“Rasputin is back. What I ask of you is to have the courage to stand by his side after I'm gone,” Broom said, looking into Marie’s eyes. “Help him find himself. Who he must be. He was born a Demon. Can't change that. But you will help him, in essence, to become a man.”Marie walks out of the library, heading to the garage. Once in the garage, Marie gets on her bike and returns to the convent. Meanwhile, Hellboy sits before a computer in the B.P.R.D. Archive room. The half-demon man was curious about his new nanny. He knew the archives would be the best places to start. Hellboy types Marie’s full name into the computer, and seconds after hitting enter, countless files fill the screen.“Someone has a past,” Hellboy muttered. Hellboy looked at the picture of Marie on the screen. But he noticed something below it: a white business card with black lettering. The card reads:  MARIE DARKHPrivate Paranormal Investigator, Exorcist, Demonologist, and Mistress of the Dark Arts. “Uh, guess there’s more to you than I thought, Mary Poppins,” Hellboy commented. Hellboy decides to bring up Marie’s personnel file first. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something about Marie. Something he wasn’t quite sure about, but Hellboy suspected that Marie wasn’t entirely human. But he was met with disappointment when the file read human. Soon, his curiosity was peaked when he took notice of her birthday. “October 13, 1962,” Hellboy read. “You pretty look good for someone over forty.”The file also said that Marie is biracial and was born in the Bronx. Her father is Caucasian, born and raised in New York. Her mother is Creole, born and raised in New Orleans. Hellboy suspected that Marie must know some Vodou.   Hellboy brings up a file on her parents. Her father is a prominent self-made businessman named Alastor Darkh. He was born into poverty during the Great Depression. Alastor served in the Korean War before going to college and starting one of the biggest businesses in New York. He practically made an empire. Claudia Laveau came from a middle-class family in New Orleans. She was a practitioner of Vodou, like others in her family. Claudia served in the Korean War as a nurse when she turned eighteen. After the war, she went to medical school and became a doctor. Alastor and Claudia eventually met, fell in love, married, and had Marie. He brings up a small photograph in an old issue of the New York Times. The headline: "FAMILY MOURNS DEATH OF WIFE, MOTHER, AND REOWNED DOCTOR." There's a photo of a man and a little girl. It was Marie and her father. The two are dressed in black, attending Claudia’s funeral. The article discusses Claudia’s, Marie’s mother, achievements as one of the country’s top doctors and life. It also mentions the tragedy of Claudia’s death. She had died a week after going into remission from metastasized cancer. According to a separate file, Marie’s mother had less than a year to live. The doctors said they could only make her time comfortable and that Claudia should get her affairs in order. But after almost three months, Claudia’s cancer had vanished. Hellboy thought Claudia’s remission to be suspicious because metastasized cancer doesn’t go away without a trace overnight. Hellboy went on to another file and read about Marie’s life. Marie lost her mother when she was seven years old. Her father remarried after five years, and she became a big sister at fourteen. The file mentions Marie’s academic achievements: graduating high school at thirteen and going on to attend some of the best universities. Marie has thirteen doctoral degrees in quantum physics, medicine, chemistry, history, theology, ancient languages, parapsychology, mythology, psychology, archaeology, biology, astronomy, and mechanics. She is fluent in every language, from still in use to ancient/extinct. Marie does ice skating, hockey, soccer, volleyball, ballet, gymnastics, roller skating, martial arts, fencing, and baseball. She plays the guitar and piano. And can sing. Hellboy reads newspaper articles documenting more moments from Marie's life, from her graduation to performing at Carnegie Hall and other achievements. Everything that Hellboy has read has made him wonder why someone like Marie works for the B.P.R.D. Marie could be anywhere in the world with all her degrees and skills. Which begs the question, how did she get wrapped up in the B.P.R.D.?Hellboy clicks on another file, and a video interview pops up. The caption reads MARIE CLAUDIA LAVEAU DARKH, first interview, B.P.R.D., September 29, 1980, conducted by Professor Trevor Broom. Hellboy hits play. The video shows a teenage Marie. She is sitting in a chair and gazing at the floor. The half-demon could tell the teenager didn’t want to be there as she exuded that desire and boredom. “Why don’t you start at the beginning, Marie?” Broom suggested.Marie signs in annoyance and looks up before saying, “In the beginning... God created the Heavens and the Earth. And the Earth was a formless void, and darkness covered the face of the deep.”“I don’t mean that beginning, Marie.” “Which beginning do you want? The beginning of me killing the guy? The beginning of me killing my mama? Or the beginning of when my life turned to shit!?” Marie snapped, feeling agitated. “Whatever you feel is best,” Broom replied. “I, I guess, the beginning of what I can remember. I get visions of another life. A life that is mine but someone else’s at the same time. I remember that I was going to see my brother. I didn't tell anyone where I was going because we were all forbidden to see him. Then, I was kidnapped and chained in a dark hellhole. These assholes showed up every day and tortured me. I remember feeling scared and angry. I also remember feeling the hope I had faded and replaced by a thirst for vengeance. I wanted nothing more than to kill them.”Hellboy could practically hear the venom dripping from Marie’s voice with every word she spoke. He saw hatred in her eyes. “One day, I used a weapon that one of them had left behind to kill all but one. The head torturer served as my messenger. But I made sure she had something to remember me by. I gave her a scar just like the one she gave me.” Marie touches her eyebrow scar. “Right here. When I escaped, I felt this need not to carry out justice but vengeance.”“Why do you think you killed your mother?” Broom inquired. “Because I did!” Marie angrily snapped.Tears began forming in Marie’s eyes. The mention of her mother brought anger and sadness. “Tell me about the man you killed?”  Broom asked, taking Marie’s mind off her late mother. “A few of my friends and I were out celebrating,” Marie began her story. “Or rather, they were celebrating while I was watching them get shit-faced. We just passed our finals and wanted to blow off some steam. I started to get a migraine, so I stepped outside to get some air. My head started pounding like a drum when this guy named David Wilson showed up. His friends called him Tin-Tin. It’s funny how you always remember your first. I could feel the evil in his soul. Every sin he ever committed. Every person he ever harmed. He was a notorious criminal who had killed and hurt several innocent people just for his amusement. When David got closer to me, I felt like I was burning from the inside out and that something inside me wanted to get out. I told him to stay away, but he wouldn’t listen and pinned me against the wall. And then it happened.”“Then what happened?”“I started feeling this intense pain,” She continued. “I was writhing in absolute agony. Then, I started giving off smoke before catching on fire. My voice distorted amidst my grunts. My eyes glowed orange flames as my skin started burning off while I laughed like a psycho before I became this flame-coated skeleton with a distorted voice. David looked at me like he pissed and shit his pants. I grabbed him by his shirt collar with one hand before lifting him off the ground. I stared right into his eyes and made him feel every ounce of pain and fear he inflicted on the innocent, every one of his sins. He started screaming, but then he stopped when his eyes became lumps of coal. I had burned his soul. When it was all over, I transformed back. I went back inside and told the bartender to call the cops because there was a dead body in the alley. I didn’t tell anybody that I killed him. Luckily, there were no cameras.”Hellboy paused the video, having difficulty believing what he just heard. His Mary Poppins had quite the past. After seeing the video, it was no wonder she got wrapped up in the B.P.R.D. The half-demon man’s curiosity is peaked again when he spots a file labeled “Zarathos/The Ghost Rider.” He clicks the file open and looks through countless photographs. Some are biblical images of an angel fighting battles, protecting people, or trapped in Hell. Others are the same woman at various times, such as the one that immediately captures Hellboy’s attention. It was the group picture on the day he came into the world. He notices a woman standing beside his father. Hellboy had seen the picture countless times but realized he saw a retouched one. So the woman wouldn't be in the photograph. Hellboy then spots another video interview dated the same as the first one he watched. He wondered why the video was in a different file. The half-demon man hits play. “Tell me about Zarathos,” Broom said.“What’s there to tell?” Marie scoffed. “You already know about her. You worked with her.”“Yes, but I want to know about her as you from you. Tell me about the bond you share.”Hellboy was confused by what his father said. The half-demon man’s suspicions about his new nanny grew. “It's hard to explain to people. It’s complicated for them to understand, and they’ll get a headache. But it’s like a Jekyll and Hyde situation, except we’re the same person. We just melded into the same person. My memories are hers, and hers are mine. I’m her, and she is me.”Hellboy could feel a headache coming after hearing Marie explaining her bond with Zarathos. “That does sound awfully complicated,” Broom commented. “You said that you share memories. I remember you telling me when we first met that sometimes you get flashes of memories.”“Yeah, a few years after my mama died, I started getting these weird dreams. At first, I thought my subconscious was doing it because I was studying theology. But they didn’t stop. I still get them. I dreamt that I was fighting demons, tortured in Hell, and on Earth punishing the guilty and protecting the innocent. But at the end, just before I wake up, I always see the same thing.”“What do you see?” Broom inquired. “Not what. Who,” Marie corrected. “I see the half-demon who will bring the end of the world. The one I was supposed to kill that night in 1944. The half-demon named Anu-.”The video stops when Hellboy hits the pause button. The half-demon man sits back, feeling overwhelmed by what he has heard. The woman his father assigned to be his nanny was supposed to kill him as a baby. Later that night, Marie, still wearing her clothes from the day, lies asleep in bed. The church offered her the peace to do so since it was holy ground. Unbeknownst to her, a figure hides in the shadows in the corner of her room. Rasputin emerges from the dark corner. He gazes down on the bed, extending his right hand.             “The Master is calling your name now, Zarathos. We are all part of his plan. You must be with the child. So, once again, dream of vengeance.”Rasputin gently caresses the scar on her eyebrow. Under his skin, a hideous movement, a writhing rearrangement of muscles. His fingers start to glow.Marie’s peaceful slumber ends as she begins to toss in turn. Her face shows pain and anger as she dreams. In her dreams, Marie is held prisoner in a dark room with stone walls. Her arms are up as they are chained to the ceiling while her knees rest on the floor. Various cuts and bruises covered Marie’s body. Her head hung low from the exhaustion of being tortured by demons. Her little rest would be over as soon as her injuries healed. Besides, the demons didn't want to leave their favorite plaything alone for long. Marie wants nothing more than to escape and show the same mercy to the demons as they have to her. A great rage fills her heart. The dream changes. Marie is a little girl in her room. There is a thundering storm outside as she prays for her mother, who is sick. Marie’s mama was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. By the time she was diagnosed, it was too late. The cancer had metastasized. Doctors said Marie’s mama had a few months to live. They said the only thing to do was make her last few months comfortable and get her affairs in order. After three months, Marie couldn't take seeing her mama in pain anymore. She had to help her mama. Marie kneels by her bed while praying to God. She prays to whoever would listen to her.“Please, let my mama be better. I don't want her to die,” Marie prayed, tears running down her face. “Please, save my mama. Please, please, please. I do anything if it means my mama will get better.”“Anything?”There was a loud clap of thunder and lightning as Marie turned around to face the mystery voice behind her. A formally dressed and deathly pale man with white hair and a silver skull knob cane stood in her room.“Who are you?” Marie asked the man.“My name is not important. But I’m someone who can help your mama,” He replied. “You can?” Marie’s heart began to fill with hope. “Oh, yes. But the question is, are you prepared to give anything for your mama?” “Yes, anything. I want my mama to be better.”“Perfect,” The mystery man said with a devilish grin. Lightning struck outside, revealing his silhouette as a devil.A scroll contract appears in the man’s hand before he gives it to Marie. The girl unrolls the scroll before she runs the thumb of her right hand at the top of the contract. Marie hisses in pain when something cuts her thumb. A drop of blood falls on the signature line of the contract. “That will suffice,” The man said before taking the contract. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Marie. Sweet dreams.”Thunder roars as lightning flashes outside Marie’s window, causing her to turn to the window. When Marie returned to the man, she saw that he had vanished. The young girl went to bed that night, not knowing what she had done. It had been a week since that night. Marie and her parents had been celebrating her mama’s remission at her favorite restaurant. When they were driving home, a drunk driver crashed into the front passenger’s side. Marie and her daddy got lucky. Marie’s daddy got a couple of broken bones and cuts. Marie got a slit-shaped cut on her eyebrow that would leave a scar, a few scrapes, cuts, and a broken arm. But Marie’s mama died on the way to the hospital. Marie lay quietly in her hospital bed, staring at the ceiling with tears running down her face. Her daddy lay unconscious beside her. Alastor has been unconscious since the crash, but the doctors told Marie that her daddy would be alright. But Claudia would not. The doctors told Marie about what happened to her mama. “I’m sorry to hear about your loss.”Marie’s tears dried up, and anger replaced sadness when she heard a familiar. Marie sat up and looked before her. She saw the man who was in her room a week ago. “You didn’t keep your promise! My mama is dead!” Marie furiously exclaimed. “Oh, I did keep my end of the bargain. I cured your mama’s cancer,” The man explained. “I never said she would live.”The man approaches Marie and stands beside her bed. The young girl looks at the man with deep hatred. “Since I’ve fulfilled my end of our deal, I think it’s time I explained your end.”“What are you talking about?” Marie glared at the man. “Oh, that’s right. You didn’t read the fine line of the contract, did you? Well, to put it bluntly, I own your soul. And, in time, when you're all grown up, you will do my bidding as the Ghost Rider. Oh, and before I go, my condolences on your loss.”The man wickedly smiled at Marie before he disappeared before her eyes. Marie feels a great rage burning from within. Eventually, the rage becomes too much for her to bottle up. Marie lets out a scream filled with anger. Meanwhile, in reality, Marie erupts into flames while in her bed. Marie, now a flaming skeleton, gets out of bed. The woman was unrecognizable, except for a slit-shaped crack on the brow ridge. She grabs her leather jacket off the bedpost and puts it on before leaving her room. The Ghost Rider walks through the convent halls and towards the garage. The concentrated ground of the building is not enough to sedate her desire for vengeance. When the Ghost Rider enters the garage, she approaches her motorcycle. She grabs a long chain from the saddlebags and wraps it across her body, from left shoulder to right hip. When the Ghost Rider gets on her bike and kick-starts it, causing the motorcycle to transform. The bike’s appearance is frightening and on fire in most places. “Tonight, the guilty suffer,” The Ghost Rider said. The motorcycle roars as the Ghost Rider rides it out of the garbage and through the streets, looking for the guilty who has escaped justice.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Ghost Rider rides her motorcycle, leaving a line-shaped fire trail that burns out seconds later, patrolling the streets under the night sky. She is searching for sinners to punish and innocents to protect.Suddenly, the Ghost Rider hears a woman screaming for help before hearing a man telling her to shut up. But then the Ghost Rider hears another woman telling the man to hurry up. The Ghost Rider then hightails it in the direction of the screams.A young woman trembles in fear from the man holding a knife at her throat in an alley. The woman with the man looks through the purse, searching for anything of value or money the other woman might have. She squats on the ground while looking through the bag. Both muggers are high on whatever drug they can find."Find anything, June?" The man asked his accomplice, keeping the knife close to the woman's throat."Shut up, Marty!" June snapped. "With as loud as you talk, someone will hear us on Staten Island. Ah, I got a hundred bucks.""What are you going to do to me?" The innocent woman cried.Marty turns to June and laughs, "She wants to know what we are gonna do to her."June stands up and approaches Marty and the woman before standing beside her partner in crime."Well, she knows our names and faces," June stated before saying with an evil smile, "It looks like we have no choice but to get rid of her.""No! Please, no!" The woman pleaded, begging for her life.Marty pulls his arm back, ready to stab the woman. But the man, June, and the woman stop their movement when they hear a rageful roar. The three look at the open end of the alleyway and are shocked to see a flaming skeleton dressed as a biker.The Ghost Rider steps into the alley and approaches the three humans before stopping a few feet away."Leave," The Ghost Rider spoke with a distorted voice to the victim, gesturing to her the way out with her head."Thanks," The woman said before she took off with her bag.The Ghost Rider raises her arm and points at the two muggers, "You. Guilty.""Who the hell do you think you are!?!" June questioned."I am the Spirit of Vengeance," The Ghost Rider replied."Marty Baby, get rid of this bitch!!" June told her boyfriend."Halloween's over, psycho!" Marty walks toward the Ghost Rider. The man was high enough that he had no idea of the danger. Marty stabs the Ghost Rider in her shoulder, but it is ineffective because the blade melts from the heat. Marty looks in fear at the Ghost Rider, realizing he's in danger.The Ghost Rider grabs the mugger by the shoulders, lifting him a few inches off the ground, "Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent. Look into my eyes. Feel their pain."The Ghost Rider peers into the male mugger's eyes, using the Penance Stare, the Ghost Rider's greatest weapon."Noooooooooooo!" Marty screamed as he began seeing all the horrible things he had done. The Ghost Rider forces him to see all the good people he had killed in the name of greed, with each image burned into his soul. His screaming soon stops.When the Ghost Rider finished, she dropped Marty. The mugger lies unconscious on the ground with his eyes charred by the Penance Stare.June rushes over, drops to her knees, and shakes Marty, trying to wake him up. But you can't wake the dead."Marty Baby! Wake up!" June exclaimed. The woman looks at the flaming skeleton. "What the hell did you do to my boyfriend!?!?""His soul was stained by the blood of the innocent," She responded. "The people he harmed have been avenged. Now, it is your turn."June screams as the Ghost Rider grabs her and lifts her off the ground before using the Penance Stare. The female mugger's screaming stops seconds later. The Ghost Rider drops her. The two dead muggers' bodies lay beside each other in the alley while the Ghost Rider rides away.As the Ghost Rider rides through the streets, she finds it a surprisingly quiet night. Other than the two muggers, the Ghost Rider dealt with a few criminals who escaped justice. She dealt with a woman who killed her husband to be with her lover, the woman's lover who helped her, a few attempted mugging, stopped a rape before the man could get his pants down, and stopped three robbers from shooting the family they robbed.The Ghost Rider was riding down the street and caught the attention of a patrol car. The police car chases her, flashing its lights and blaring its siren. The Ghost Rider briefly looks at the police car behind her before returning to the road ahead."Time for some fun," The Ghost Rider said.The Ghost Rider makes a sharp turn down a street, briefly losing the police before they catch up to her. After some quick thinking, the Ghost Rider speeds up, heading toward a tall building.The two police officers in the car behind the Ghost Rider watch, expecting to see an explosion. But the two are shocked when they witness the Ghost Rider, not crashing but riding her motorcycle up on the side of the building.After a few dozen feet, the Ghost Rider reaches the rooftop. She stops and looks at the city below. The Ghost Rider looks to the sky and sees the sun rising.The Ghost Rider revs her bike before riding off the roof. As she falls, the Ghost Rider uses her chain to pull herself to the side of the building. She rides her bike down the side of the building before doing a wheelie and landing on the ground.The Ghost Rider rides away, searching for concentrated ground as the sun replaces the moon in the sky. After some riding, Ghost Rider finds herself at Calvary Cemetery as the sun starts to rise, not only causing her bike to sputter and slow down but also making her suffer some pain as she roars in pain, the fires going out before her skin reformed, turning back into Marie before she crawls on the ground before passing out at the feet of an angel statue.A couple of hours later, Marie wakes up and begins to panic. Even though the woman had no memory of how she got to the cemetery or the entire night, Marie knew that she had gotten out and punished the guilty.Tears began running down Marie's face as she was overwhelmed with fear and the loss of control. She hadn't lost control in years. Marie soon came to her senses as she realized she needed to call Broom.Marie silently prays as she pats the pockets of her leather jacket to feel her phone. Marie sighed in relief when she felt her phone in her right pocket. The woman quickly takes out her phone and flips it open before dialing Broom."Pick up, pick up, pick up," Marie said, waiting to hear Broom's voice."Marie, are you alright?" Broom asked."No," Marie sobbed. "I got out last night. I don't know how, but I did. I can't remember anything, but I can feel I had punished the guilty. I lost control, Professor. I'm scared."Marie feels herself beginning to hyperventilate but tries to calm down. Broom becomes worried for his friend and can sense her fear."Marie, can you tell me where you are?" The Professor inquired."I'm at Calvary Cemetery in Queens," She replied."Stay calm, Marie. We'll be there shortly," Broom told her."Please hurry."The call ended. Marie approaches her bike and leads it to the cemetery's gate. She patiently waits for Broom to arrive. It felt like an eternity before a black sedan and the B.P.R.D. garbage truck pulled up.Broom And Clay step out of the sedan, while Moss and Quarry exit the garbage truck. Broom looks at Marie with worry before approaching her. The two meet in the middle before hugging. Marie choked up and Broom rubbed her back."It's alright, my dear," Broom comforted Marie. When the hug ended, Broom placed a hand on Marie's shoulder. "I contacted Reverend Mother and told her what happened. We'll stop by the convent and collect your things.""Thank you," Matie said before she wiped her tears away."I should let you know that Manning is taking care of the public while other agents are taking care of the bodies."The four men lead Marie, as she guides her bike, to the garbage truck. Moss pulls a lever on the truck, causing the back to lower down like a drawbridge, revealing Hellboy and Abe sitting and looking at her."Good morning, Marie," Abe greeted, while Hellboy remained silent."Morning," Marie returned before leading her motorcycle into the garbage truck.Marie puts down the stick stand before taking a seat beside Abe."We'll be heading to St. Jude's before returning home," Broom informed Hellboy and Abe. "After last night's incident, Marie will be moving into the B.P.R.D.""Thank you for telling us, Professor," Abe said."You're welcome, Abe."The Professor walks away as the back of the garbage truck goes up. The three sat in silence in the truck as it moved.During the drive, Hellboy leaned back and tried to get some sleep after being woken up so early in the morning while Abe attempted to talk to Marie. But the woman didn't want to talk. She was depressed about what happened last night. All she wanted to do was forget that it ever happened. Meanwhile, in the sedan, Professor Broom knew something was wrong with Marie. She hasn't lost control since her powers surfaced years ago. The Professor suspected Rasputin may have had a hand in her loss of control.After a few miles, the sedan and garbage truck arrive at St. Jude’s Catholic Church and Convent. The two vehicles parked in the back of the building to avoid being seen by the public. When Marie exits the back of the garbage truck with Hellboy and Abe, she sees Monsignor Thomas and Reverend Mother standing and looking at her with concern.Reverend Mother holds her hand to Marie, "Come, dear, let's get you inside."Marie accepts before she walks inside the building with Reverend Mother and the men. The group passes a few nuns, who look at Marie with the same worry and concern the Professor, Monsignor, and Reverend Mother had. They didn't look at Marie like they were scared of her. Hellboy and Abe could tell the sisters cared for Marie and saw her as family. It reminded Hellboy of how his father looked at him. It made the half-demon man sympathize with Marie.At one point, Marie and Monsignor Thomas break off from the rest of the group. Before Hellboy could ask where Marie and Monsignor were going, Reverend Mother stopped and turned to Professor Broom and the other men."I will lead you gentlemen to Marie's room so you can collect her things," Reverend Mother said before she continued leading the men.It was a short walk before the men arrived at Marie's room. When Reverend Mother opens the door, the men, except Professor Broom, enter."Hm, she's got good taste," Hellboy commented, looking at Marie’s music collection. He saw that she had rock 'n roll albums and cassettes filled with songs from the 1950s to the 1980s."A couple of the sisters brought in empty boxes for you gentlemen to pack Marie's things in," Reverend Mother gestures to the cardboard boxes on the bed. "And you don't have to worry about packing her clothes and, um, undergarments. The sisters have already placed them in a box.""Thanks for the heads up, Reverend Mother," Hellboy said before he, Abe, and the other B.P.R.D. agents worked on packing up Marie's belongings.As the men pack Marie's belongings, the room loses its character and Marie's sense of style. They removed the two corkboards covered with polaroids, emptied the bookcases, and packed the vinyl records, cassette tapes, walkman, record player, and her other possessions.Hellboy goes to the nightstand to pack the four framed pictures. The half-demon picks the photograph of a young Marie, her father, and her mother. He looks at the picture with sadness, knowing what he knows about Marie. After a few seconds, Hellboy carefully places the picture and the two others in the box.Once finished, the men picked up the boxes. Clay, Moss, Quarry, and Abe each decided to carry one, while Hellboy had two. As they walk to the garbage truck, Hellboy says something to Reverend Mother."Hey, Reverend Mother, I got a question to ask you," Hellboy said."Ask away, my child," She responded."Where did Marie and the Padre go off to?" He asked."Confession," Reverend Mother replied.Meanwhile, Marie kneeled as Monsignor Thomas sat in the confessional booth, the doors shut and the panel open. Monsignor Thomas is taking Marie's confession.The two make the sign of the cross as they say, "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.""Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been one week since my last confession," Marie said. "These are my sins. Last night, I killed people.""Marie, you were not in control of yourself," Monsignor Thomas told her. "Professor Broom believes something had triggered Zarathos, causing you to go out and punish the guilty. My child, there are people alive today because of you. God has given you a gift, even though you may not see it as such.""Yeah, a gift that only cost me my mama and soul," She scoffed."Marie, as your penance, I want you to continue your work with the B.P.R.D. Continue protecting people from the evil that hides in the shadows. I'm also assigning you six Hail Marys and ten Lord's prayers.""My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you, whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy," Marie spoke the Act of Contrition.After Marie finished making her Act of Contrition, Monsignor Thomas begins the prayer of absolution over her, "God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."As the Monsignor makes the Sign of the Cross over Marie, she makes the Sign of the Cross on herself. When he finished the prayer, Marie responded, "Amen."“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.”"For His mercy endures forever."The Monsignor concludes, "The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.""Thanks be to God,” Marie responded.The two make the sign of the cross as they say, "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen."Marie and Monsignor Thomas exit the confessional booth before hugging. They then walk to the back of the building. The two exit the back door, and Marie notices all the sisters of St. Jude are there to wish her luck and say their goodbyes. Professor Broom, Clay, Moss, Quarry, Hellboy, and Abe stand by the garbage truck.Sister Mary Patrick steps forward, trying not to cry, but is failing, “Oh, I promised myself I wasn't going to cry. Marie, we’re all going to miss you so very much. You have been such a hoot. We hope that you‘ll have fun at the B.P.R.D. and that you’ll visit us very often.”“I will, Mary Patrick,” Marie smiled before hugging the nun.Sister Mary Lazarus steps forward, “Marie, this place just won't be the same without you. Now, stay safe and try to visit. Oh, and when you do visit, be sure to bring that young man with you.”Sister Mary Lazarus smiles and gives a little wave to Hellboy. The half-demon man nervously chuckles.“I’ll be sure to do that,” Marie smiled. “I’m going to miss all of you so much. You are all like family to me. I'll treasure the time I've spent here at St. Jude’s.”Marie, Reverend Mother, Monsignor Thomas, and all the Sisters move closer and do a group hug. After a few seconds, the hug ended.Monsignor Thomas, Reverend Mother, and the Sisters wave goodbye to Marie as she enters the back of the garbage truck with Abe and Hellboy. Marie waved goodbye to them before the back of the garbage truck went up.It broke Marie’s heart to say goodbye to the home she had known for years. This was the second time Marie had to leave one home for another because of her powers. She had left her childhood home to live at St. Jude’s when her powers first surfaced. Now, Marie is leaving the home she thought would help her control her powers because she lost control.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After arriving at the B.P.R.D., Marie went to her room. The room was about as big as Hellboy’s but looked more spacious because there wasn't stuff everywhere. The woman wanted to be left alone and forgot last night. 
 
Marie began unpacking her things and setting up her room. The walls of her room had symbols painted on them with special paint, making them invisible to all but her. Marie uses the symbols in the absence of consecrated ground. She places the books on the large bookcase. Marie had nearly filled the shelves with all her books and journals. She hung up her corkboard with Polaroids on the wall beside her bed. The wooden chest sat at the foot of her bed. 
 
Marie then put her clothes in the armoire closet and drawers. Her record player and the crate of albums sit beside the bookcase. Marie puts her Walkman and cassette tapes in the nightstand drawer. 
 
Marie finishes setting her room up by placing the four framed photos of her and her family on the nightstand. The woman sits at the edge of her bed, staring at the pictures. Marie thought that her life was under control. She thought she had her powers under control. 
 
Marie was broken from her train of thought when she heard someone knocking on her door. She stands up and approaches the door before opening it, revealing Professor Broom. 
 
“Hello, Marie,” Broom smiled. “I hope I'm not bothering you.”
 
“No, no,” She told the Professor. “I was just unpacking. Please come in.”
 
Marie stood aside, allowing Broom to enter her room. The Professor sits on the young woman's bed before she joins him. 
 
“How are you feeling?” Broom asked. 
 
“Better than before,” Marie answered. 
 
“Would you care to tell me everything that happened? What do you remember that could have possibly triggered your episode?” He inquired. 
 
Professor Broom thought it was odd that what happened to Marie had happened. He knew the consecrated ground of the church and convent would sedate Zarathos and prevent Marie from turning into the Ghost Rider at night, allowing her some peace. Marie can transform into the Ghost Rider whenever she desires, but when it is night, the darkness attracts the evil hidden in the shadows. And in the presence of evil, Marie feels the irresistible urge to become the Ghost Rider. 
 
“I remember having these nightmares when I was sleeping. Except they were memories. Pretty bad ones," Marie replied. 
 
“What were they?”
 
“The first was when I was imprisoned in Hell. The assholes had finished torturing me for the day. I was feeling pissed. The next thing I dreamt about was the night that asshole showed up. He schmoozed me like a damn used car salesman to get my soul. Then I was in the hospital from the car accident a week later. While my daddy and I were going to be alright, my mama was dead. Then the son of a bitch showed up. I told him he didn't keep our deal, but he said he did. He said he did what he promised. He cured her cancer. Then he explained my end of the deal. He told me that he owned my soul and would do his bidding as the Ghost Rider. The asshole gave his condolences before disappearing. I became so overwhelmed with anger that I screamed at the top of my lungs." 
 
Broom had heard of these memories during his interviews with Marie. He knew they were some of her most painful memories. The memories which helped shape her into the woman she is. 
 
"What do you think could have caused this?" Broom asked.
 
Marie stands up from her bed and begins pacing back and forth. 
 
"I don't know. Concentrated ground gives me greater control at night. I should have been fine," Marie responded. "I think someone or something was in my room last night."
 
"What makes you say that?" The Professor inquired.
 
"I just have this gnawing feeling. And it's driving me crazy," Marie said, stopping her pacing and standing before Broom. 
 
“Perhaps, you should do something to take your mind off it. I find it best to distract myself with something to allow the answer to come to me.”
 
“How is it that I'm older than dirt, yet you're coming up with all this sage advice?”
 
“You may, as you put it, be older than dirt," Broom said with a smile as he stood up, "but in this form, you have the curse of youth."
 
The two share a smile and hug before Broom leaves Marie's room. Marie stands with her hands on her hips as she glances around her room, looking for a way to distract herself. Then Marie got an idea. The woman approaches her closet and grabs her workout clothes: a gray University of Notre Dame T-shirt, black shorts, and black tennis shoes. 
 
Marie changed into her workout clothes before heading to the B.P.R.D.'s onsite gym with her gym duffle bag. Her duffle bag contains clothes to change into after her workout, boxing gloves, grappling gloves, shin guards, a water bottle, a walkman with headphones, and a couple of cassettes. The gloves and shin guards were purely for show. 
 
When Marie arrived at the B.P.R.D. gym, she saw a few agents working out on the machines, doing weights, practicing hand-to-hand combat with each other, or running on the second-floor track. Marie spotted an available punching bag and walked toward it. As Marie approaches the bag, she hopes that it will help her. 
 
The woman sets her bag down before taking out her walkman and boxing gloves. Marie grabs a KISS cassette and puts it in the Walkman before attaching it to the waistband of her shorts behind her and putting on the headphones. Marie needed to punch something as it had been a couple of stressful days. She felt the need grow as she put her shin guards and boxing gloves on. But knowing her strength, Marie has to pull her punches and kicks to avoid breaking the bag. 
 
Before putting on her right glove, Marie hits play on her Walkman. After a few seconds, Marie hears the guitar of Detroit Rock City. Marie stands in a right-forward stance and starts punching the bag when she hears the drums beating. While pulling her punches and kicks, Marie lets out her anger on the bag, causing it to swing. 
 
Song after song, Marie continues punching at the bag. The agents in the gym stopped their workout and watched Marie. They were amazed by her endurance and strength. The agents were gobsmacked that Marie was able to make the punching bag sway with every hit because the bag weighed over four hundred pounds while she was under a hundred and thirty. 
 
After side A of the cassette is finished, Marie takes a break. Marie removes her gloves and hangs the headphones around her neck before digging through her duffle bag for the water bottle. After flipping the cassette to side B and headphones back on, Marie was about to put her gloves back on when she felt someone standing behind her. Marie didn't have to look behind her to know who it was. 
 
"What do you want, Hellboy?" Marie asked before dropping her gloves. She turns to face the half-demon man and lets her headphones hang around her neck. 
 
"Oh, nothing. Just want to talk with you," Hellboy responded. 
 
Marie quickly became suspicious of Hellboy. She felt he either had an ulterior motive for wanting to talk to her or Broom or Manning forced him.
 
"What do you want to talk about?" Marie questioned, already fed up with the half-demon man. 
 
"I read something interesting."
 
"You read? I didn't know you could read," She quipped. Marie kneels and removes her shin guards. "What did you read?"
 
"Your file," Hellboy replied. 
 
Marie froze. She couldn't believe that Hellboy had read her file. Marie knew there were things in her file she didn't want anyone, specifically Hellboy, to know about. 
 
Marie decides to ignore Hellboy. She continues putting her things back in the duffle bag before standing up. Marie attempts to walk away, but the half-demon man steps before her, preventing the woman from leaving. The other B.P.R.D. agents watch captive of the standoff between Hellboy and Marie. 
 
"Get out of my way, Hellboy," Marie demanded, trying to maintain her composure. 
 
"I will, but I have a question to ask you," He responded. "Why'd you do it?"
 
"Do what?" She questioned. "You have to be a little more specific. Do you mean, why did I take this job? Or do you mean why I helped you instead of kicking your ass?"
 
Marie walks around Hellboy and goes toward the door. All she wanted to do was clean up and relax in her new room. But what she wanted would have to wait when Hellboy put his left hand on Marie's shoulder and turned her to face him.
 
"I mean, why did you sell your soul?" Hellboy asked. 
 
Suddenly, Marie felt like she was hit with a ton of bricks from Hellboy's question. It caught her unprepared. Marie thought his question would be something else.
 
"I plead the fifth," Marie replied. She tried to leave again, but Hellboy stopped her. 
 
"Why? Scared, we'll find out you sold your soul for some stupid reason. What did you sell your soul for your looks, or did you screw up so bad that you thought the only way out was to give a demon your soul?"
 
Marie's blood boiled with rage. She wanted nothing more than to prove Hellboy wrong, but she didn't want the other agents in the gym to know her secret. What happened next shocked Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. agents. Marie slapped Hellboy so hard that there was a ringing in his ears. The slap echoed through the gym before there was a deafening silence. The agents couldn't believe what they had just witnessed. They were even more surprised that Marie was still alive. 
 
The half-demon man looked at Marie with wide eyes, unable to believe that someone Marie's size had hit him, and it hurt. 
 
"You got some balls, Marie."
 
"I can kick your ass a lot harder than that, Hellboy," Marie stated. 
 
"That a fact? Well, why don't you put your money where your mouth is."
 
“With pleasure,” Marie smiled before she dropped her duffle bag. 
 
Hellboy charges at Marie, not wasting any time. But Marie steps aside and grabs Hellboy’s arm. She uses his momentum and flips the half-demon man over, knocking him to the ground and the wind out. 
 
The agents let out a collective 'oooh'. They could almost feel the pain from the flip. But they were also impressed. Hellboy weighed a lot compared to any male agent in the B.P.R.D., and they were shocked to see Marie able to flip him. 
 
Marie lets go of Hellboy's arm and says, "If you'd read my file, then you would have seen that I know martial arts. And that I've competed in and won several tournaments."
 
"Lucky shot," Hellboy grunted. He wraps his tail around Marie's ankle before swiftly pulling her leg, Hellboy's version of a foot sweep. Marie falls to the ground on her back. 
 
"Alright, a hundred bucks on Red," Moss said, initiating a bet with Stone. 
 
"I don't know, man. She's got a lot of rage."
 
The woman and half-demon man stand up, ready to continue their fight. Marie pulls her right fist back, preparing to punch Hellboy. The half-demon man quickly puts his stone hand up to block the attack and cause some damage to Marie. But he didn't realize Marie duped him until it was too late. 
 
After using a fake punch to distract Hellboy, Marie quickly kicks him in the chest with a front/back kick combo. The half-demon man is sent backward and lands on his back again. Hellboy couldn't believe Marie was kicking his ass. 
 
“You want to fight dirty? I'll fight dirty,” Marie told Hellboy before running toward the half-demon man with a plan of attack. When Marie was close enough, she jumped in the air a little and raised an elbow before falling to one side and striking Hellboy on the stomach. 
 
“I’ll take that action,” Stone told Moss. 
 
Marie quickly stands and backs away, creating space between her and Hellboy. The half-demon grunts as he stands up. Red looked at Marie and was ready to kick her ass. 
 
Hellboy charges at Marie and throws punches at her. But the woman either steps aside to dodge or blocks the punches. The half-demon man grows more angry with each failed attempt to hit his nanny. He was getting sloppy. And Marie noticed it. 
 
Marie saw her window of opportunity and took it. She threw a punch at the half-demon man, hitting him square in the nose. Hellboy holds his nose in pain, feeling drops of blood fall onto his left hand. Marie decides to knock Hellboy to the ground, and as she goes to punch him in the jaw, the half-demon man grabs her fist. 
 
"Not gonna happen, Mary Poppins," Hellboy said before punching Marie in her face with his stone fist. 
 
Marie flew back by the massive force of Hellboy's punch. The woman hits the wall before she falls to the ground and slumps against the wall, not moving. The agents let out a gasp or held their breath in shock. Dread overcomes Hellboy as he fears that he has either seriously harmed Marie or killed her. 
 
Hellboy slowly approaches Marie, praying she will move something to let him know she is alive. When Hellboy stood before her, he saw no movement and couldn't tell if she was breathing. The half-demon man kneels before putting a finger under Marie's nose to feel her breathing. 
 
Suddenly, Marie's hand reaches out and grabs Hellboy by the wrist. The quick action shook Hellboy a little. It was like a scene out of a horror movie. And it was going to become even more so. Marie suddenly bursts into flames and transforms into a flaming skeleton. Every agent in the gym was scared damn near shitless. The Ghost Rider grabs Hellboy by the collar of his shirt. She lifts the half-demon man off the ground as she stands up. 
 
"You asked for this, fool," The Ghost Rider spoke before doing to Hellboy what he did to her. A powerful punch to the face and Hellboy fly back to the wall. 
 
When Hellboy's back came into contact with the wall, it created a Hellboy-sized dent. The half-demon man almost went through the wall. He slides down the wall before shaking his head. Stone, Moss, and the other agents stared in disbelief at Hellboy. They are having a hard time processing what they have just witnessed. The Ghost Rider approaches Hellboy as he looks up at her. They stare at each other as the agents wait with bated breath for what happens next. 
 
"Let this serve as a lesson, Cambion. I am not one you wish to have as an enemy," The Ghost Rider told Hellboy. 
 
As the Ghost Rider's flames disappear, she turns back into Marie. The young woman glares at Hellboy before grabbing her things and leaving the gym. 
 
"You go, girl!" Stone cheered. 
 
Hellboy watches Marie walk out of the gym. He thought the sound of the door closing was deafening. The half-demon man could hear his father telling him how rude he was to Marie and that Hellboy was not raised that way. 
 
Almost an hour after the incident in the gym, Hellboy is in the B.P.R.D. library receiving a scolding from his father. One of the agents in the gym informed Broom about what happened between Hellboy and Marie. The Professor became furious with his son and asked the agent to bring him to the library. 
 
"I can't believe you're taking her side!" Hellboy exclaimed. 
 
"My son, I know you started the fight,” Broom told his son. “And you had no right looking at Marie's file. She is entitled to her privacy."
 
"File? Try, files," Hellboy corrected his father. "There were tons of them. She's hiding something, Pop."
 
"I know. But Marie will tell us her past in her own time.”
 
“Did you know that she or whoever the hell is Zarathos meant to kill me?” The half-demon man asked Broom. Hellboy observed his father's face and saw no reaction to his question, meaning Broom knew. “What do you know about her?”
 
“Fate dealt Marie a bad hand when she was younger," Broom informed Hellboy. "And it cost her something very precious to her. More precious than her soul. Marie is a good woman, my son. I have known her for a long time, and she is one of the few lights in the darkness.”
 
The father and son stood in silence. Broom watched Hellboy continue to try to figure out what Marie had sold her soul for as if what he had told his son was a clue. 
 
"My son, I suggest that you apologize to Marie. Since the two of you will be working together for the foreseeable future," Broom told his son before walking toward the library doors. 
 
Hellboy stands in the middle of the room, watching his father leave before asking, "How do I do that?"
 
Broom stops and turns to his son, "That is up to you. Figure out a way of expressing your apologies for your actions and compliment Marie. Good night, son."
 
Broom continues toward the doors before leaving the library. Hellboy stands alone in the room and ponders his apology to Marie. And he had no idea what to do. 
 
A couple of hours after Hellboy was scolded and lectured by his father, the half-demon man walked toward Marie's room. Red had come up with a simple plan for the apology. He would go to Marie and say he was sorry for what he said and did in the gym. Hellboy thought it was a simple and effective apology, even though he hated apologizing to Marie. 
 
When Hellboy stood before Marie's room, he raised his hand to knock on the door. But something prevented him. Hellboy heard a faint sound coming from within Marie's room. Red presses against the door to listen better. He hears two voices: one is Marie's while the other is Ray Charles'. Hellboy listens as Marie sings along to one of Ray Charles' most famous songs. 
 
"I said, Georgia. Oh, Georgia, no peace I find," Marie passionately sang. "Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind. Other arms reach out to me. Other eyes smile tenderly. Still, in peaceful dreams, I see the road leads back to you."
 
Something overcame Hellboy as he listened to Marie's singing. It was as if how he felt toward Marie shifted. His deep hatred of her lightened. He felt new feelings for Marie. Hellboy became confused. How could he begin to feel this way about the woman who was supposed to kill him as an infant? How could his feelings for her suddenly change after hearing her sing? 
 
Hellboy shakes his head before he decides to return to his room. As he walks, he tries to understand his change of feelings for Marie.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

An explosion of sound and light as a subway train passes through a dank tunnel. Then, light beams sweep the encrusted walls and steel columns. Clay and two B.P.R.D. agents hold flashlights. The two, Moss and Quarry, carry flamethrowers. Hellboy, Marie, and Abe are in the front. Hellboy smokes a cigar. Marie has a map in her hands. Abe leads the group as he moves his ungloved hand around, sensing.
 
"Over here," Abe told the group as he led them further down the tunnel.
 
"Those eggs hit the jackpot of dark and humid. The subway lines all converge right around here. Right below us is the old Vandeveer reservoir. It was abandoned in the mid-30s," Marie said as she read the map. 
 
"There's a pulse,” Abe points to a bricked wall. “There. A cistern on the other side. Most of the eggs are there."
 
The Clay shines his light on the wall while Hellboy approaches it. Marie checks the map for entrances to the cistern.
 
“
There’s no way in,” Marie told Clay.
 
“We should go back and request a special permit, type-“ Clay began before being interrupted by a loud BAAAM!!!
 
Hellboy's stone hand cracks the concrete. He starts pounding, again and again, like a jackhammer. The wall soon collapses from Hellboy's attack.
 
"You guys comin' or what?" Hellboy asked the group.
 
Clay turns to Moss and Quarry, "You two, check this dump, then join us."
 
The two B.P.R.D. agents nod before going off to search the abandoned area. The rest of the group walks through the hole created by Hellboy. They enter a large oval room with rust iron on the walls and floor caused by water. Hellboy approaches the cistern in the middle of the room before lifting the cover. As he lifts it, hundreds of roaches pour out and scurry away.
 
"We lead a charmed life," Abe said to Hellboy.
 
Hellboy hummed in agreement as he took out two glow sticks. He brushes off the cockroaches on his right stone hand before hitting the glow sticks on the same hand, causing them to glow a neon yellow. Hellboy drops the glow sticks into the cistern, sinking into and illuminating the waters.

Abe pulls off his top, shoes, goggles, and breathing apparatus.
 
Hellboy hands Abe a metal reliquary containing a small bone, “Here you are, Doctor. This should cover your tail fin. Reliquary. Straight from the Vatican. A bone from Saint Dionysius. Looks like a pinky.”
 
Abe ties the reliquary around his hand, "Remind me why I keep doing this."
 
"Rotten eggs and the safety of mankind," Hellboy responded.
 
"Ah," Abe said before deactivating the locator on his utility belt and diving into the cistern.
 
Clay, Hellboy, and Marie stood in the room and waited for Abe's return. Marie leaned against the wall and watched the room. Hellboy pulls out more glow sticks and breaks them before scattering them throughout the room to illuminate the area while Clay fiddles with his hair implants.
 
“This doesn't really look like doll's hair. Be honest, Red. What do you think?” Clay asked the half-demon man.
 
“I'm thinking about doing it myself,” Hellboy responded before speaking to Moss and Quarry through his earpiece, "Hey, you guys find anything?"
 
“No eggs yet, Red," Moss responded.
 
“What, are you on a lunch break?”
 
“Nothing here," Quarry said.
 
Clay takes out his pocket mirror and fiddles with his implants as he looks at his reflection. Hellboy cracks a couple more glow sticks before tossing them aside.
 
Marie gasps and groans as she falls to the ground when she feels a sudden, intense pain. It was the Ghost Rider fighting to get out. Which meant evil was near. But Marie couldn't tell if it was Sammael or something else. Marie fought to keep the Ghost Rider from getting out.
 
Hellboy rushes toward Marie without hesitation. He was worried for Marie and wanted to help her. The half-demon man's newfound feelings for the woman took over him. But Hellboy's worry for Marie disappears when he hears gears whirring and ticking like a clock.
 
Red looks away from Marie and sees Kroenen standing at the adjoining tunnel. The Nazi assassin then takes off running. Hellboy takes out his gun and chases after Kroenen.
 
"Red's on the move. I'll cover him," Clay spoke into his earpiece before taking out his gun and following Hellboy.
 
Marie remains on the ground, writhing in pain as she fights to prevent the Ghost Rider from getting out. The woman struggles to stand with the help of the wall as she continues fighting.
 
"I'm not losing control. I won't go on another rampage," Marie said through gritted teeth. Marie unsteadily stands and leans her back against the wall. She holds the rosary wrapped around her wrist between both hands before speaking the Lord's prayer in Latin, "Pater noster, qui es in cœlis; sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cœlo, et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen."
 
After Marie repeated the Lord’s prayer a few times, she felt the pain fading. Marie's strength vastly improves, allowing her to follow after Clay, Hellboy, and Kroenen.
 
When Marie enters the adjoining tunnel, she sees a maze of intersecting tunnels. She had no idea where Hellboy, Clay, or Kroenen were. Marie decides to take a chance and heads down one of the tunnels, hoping to find one of the three men.
 
It didn't take long for Marie to realize she was out of her depth. She had no idea where she was. And still no idea where Hellboy, Clay, and Kroenen were. Marie punches a wall, leaving a hole. She was out of patience but filled with annoyance toward her new job.
 
"This really hasn't been a good twenty-four hours for me," Marie muttered. "I need to rethink my career path when I get home."
 
Marie turns around and tries to retrace her steps back to the cistern. Suddenly, Marie hears a man scream and rushes off to help him. Marie tries to navigate through the tunnels, but it proves tricky.

Marie runs through the maze before suddenly stopping. Sammael stood before her. The two stared at each other, waiting for one to make the first move. It was a stalemate.
 
"Well, it looks like we got ourselves a good ol' fashion stalemate, Asswhipe," Marie said. "But the question is which of us will pull the trigger first."
 
Marie had a choice to make. She knew as the Ghost Rider, her power would be ample enough to take out Sammael without breaking a sweat. But Marie didn’t want to risk losing control. Then again, she had a feeling that turning into the Ghost Rider would be her only shot.
 
Sammael’s tongue shoots out at Marie. Luckily, the woman jumped out of the way, landing on the dirty, wet floor. Marie groaned in disgust at the grime on her from the floor.
 
“Ugh! This is my favorite jacket, you son of a bitch!” Marie growled. She stands up from the disgusting ground and brushes off her jacket sleeves. "You're lucky I got stuff to clean this. Now, it's my turn."
 
Marie reaches into her pockets and pulls out a pair of brass knuckles before putting one on each hand. They have engravings that read "fiat iustitia et pereat mundus," which means "Let justice be done, though the world perish." The brass knuckles have four crosses engraved above each finger hole.
 
Marie charges at Sammael before punching him with a powerful right hook to the jaw. The creature cries in pain as he flies back from the punch before hitting the wall. Sammael got back on his feet before ragefully roaring at Marie. The woman tilts her head to the side before sticking out her tongue and giving the creature the double bird.
 
Sammael roars again before running away. Marie follows after the creature, managing to stay on his tail. She follows Sammael out of the abandoned tunnel and to the subway. Marie knew she couldn't let him out of sight or get to civilians. It could cost Marie her job or something worse.
 
A subway train’s lights appear before them and grow as the train approaches. Sammael climbs on the wall before getting to the platform. Several civilians scream in fear and back away from the creature as he roars at them. Sammael then climbs up the stairs.
 
"Son of a bitch!!" Marie cursed.
 
Soon, the woman heard the train honking. Marie sees the train coming toward her. Thinking quickly, Marie stops running and lies flat on the ground to avoid being hit by the train. The subway train passes over Marie, inches from her face, car by car. After the train was gone, Marie got up and shook the dirt off her.

Marie looks at the platform where Sammael escaped. She decides to take the risk and hopes it won't come back to haunt her. Flames covered Marie as she transformed into the Ghost Rider.
 
"The creature will burn by my flames," The Ghost Rider spoke before walking onto the platform and up the stairs.
 
Once on the street, the Ghost Rider summons her motorcycle with a whistle. Within seconds, the motorcycles appears before her. The Ghost Rider saw people running away from something and knew it was Sammael. While the crowd went one way, the Ghost Rider went the other.
 
Eventually, the Ghost Rider found Sammael atop the roof of a parked car before hopping onto another one. The creature roars, causing the civilians to run away faster in fear.
 
"Hellspawn!" The Ghost Rider called.
 
Sammael turns to face the Ghost Rider. The flaming skeleton could see the look of fear in the creature's eyes. And she liked it. The Ghost Rider gets off her motorcycle and grabs the chain from one of the bags. She steps toward the creature, a couple of feet away. With the long, silver chain in her hands, the Ghost Rider engulfs it in flames. The Ghost Rider swings her chain like a lasso. Sammael tries to escape, but the Ghost Rider stops him by wrapping her chain around the creature. Sammael screeches in pain as he burns from the flames.
 
"It's time for you to burn by my fire," The Ghost Rider said before the flames engulfed Sammael. The creature's screeching stops as he dies from the fire.
 
The Ghost Rider pulls her chain back, causing Sammael's brittle and charred corpse to crumble. The flames on the chain extinguished before the Ghost Rider wrapped it across her body, from shoulder to hip.

After ridding of Sammael, the Ghost Rider walks to her motorcycle. As the Ghost Rider walks, she hears someone call out to her.
 
"Hey!"
 
When the Ghost Rider turns around, she is hit in the jaw with a baton by a uniformed NYPD officer. The hit caused her head to turn. The Ghost Rider turns to face the officer, revealing one of the joints of her jaw bone was discolated. The mandible is hanging by the other joint. The officer stares at the Ghost Rider in shock, and his eyes look like they are about to pop out of their socket. The Ghost Rider grabs her jaw and resets it. She stares at the NYPD officer.
 
"My bad," The Officer apologized.
 
The Ghost Rider leaves the man alone and hops on her bike. The flaming skeleton rides away. The officer was still in shock.
 
After a few minutes of riding through the city, the Ghost Rider hears sirens from behind. The Ghost Rider looks over her shoulder and sees a mass of NYPD police cars following her, their sirens blaring and lights flashing.
 
The Ghost Rider decides to take New York’s finest on a little trip. The Ghost Rider leads the NYPD through the city. Soon, more police cars joined in the chase. Many officers found it hard to believe what they saw: a flaming skeleton riding a motorcycle through the city. Even though many of the officers had been on the force for years and had seen almost everything, they knew this would take the cake.

Soon, the Ghost Rider had the Brooklyn Bridge in her sight. The Ghost Rider speeds up. Upon arriving at the bridge, the Ghost Rider did something that caught the NYPD by surprise. The Ghost Rider rides her motorcycle on one of the bridge's steel wire cables.
 
When the Ghost Rider reaches the top of the suspension tower closest to Manhatten, she stops and looks down at the police cars. Hundreds of police officers exit their vehicles and aim their guns at the Ghost Rider. Suddenly, a bright light shines on the Ghost Rider from above, coming from a NYPD helicopter.

The Ghost Rider revs her motorcycle before riding it over the tower. The NYPD watched the flaming skeleton fall into the East River with a large splash before rushing to the edge with their weapons aimed at the water. Three orange, steaming circles appear below the water's surface. Suddenly, the Ghost Rider appears, rising above the water's surface on her bike.
 
The NYPD officers stare in shock. They were looking at a flaming skeleton riding a motorcycle floating on the East River. The Ghost Rider looks up at the NYPD before giving them the bird and laughing wickedly. After having some fun, the Ghost Rider rides away on the water. The NYPD officers couldn't believe what they had witnessed.
 
After reaching Port Jersey, the Ghost Rider transformed into Marie as her bike turned normal. The woman looks across the water and at the Brooklyn Bridge before hearing Hellboy through her earpiece.
 
"Man down. I need an ambulance right away. Do you read me? Man down. Do you read? Do you read? Quarry, Darkh, Moss, do you read me? Quarry, Darkh, Moss, do you read me? Man down!"
 
“I’m here, Red,” Marie answered. “What happened?"
 
"Clay's down, but he managed to get the guy I chased after," Hellboy responded. "I can't reach Moss or Quarry. And I’m getting a signal from Abe.”
 
“I’ll contact the Bureau," She said. “I’ll worry about Abe. You stay with Clay.”
 
Marie quickly contacted the B.P.R.D. and informed them about what happened. The woman then rushes to New York on her motorcycle. She wanted to get to Abe and help him. Marie weaved in and out of the traffic on the George Washington Bridge before doing the same once she was in New York.
 
During the entire ride, Marie just kept thinking about how tits up the mission had gone. It started fine when they found the eggs but went bad when Kroenen appeared. Then it went from bad to worse. Hellboy went after Kroenen, and Clay went after Hellboy. Marie tried to find them but found Sammael instead. Then Marie became the Ghost Rider and was chased by the NYPD after killing Sammael. Now, Abe is in danger, Clay is fatally injured, and Moss and Quarry are missing or dead.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

In the B.P.R.D. Medical Bay in Section 42, Abe unconsciously floats in a special tank. LED strips read water temperature, pH level, etc. He's encased in a bio-cast: a cybernetic healing unit wrapped around his thorax and right arm. A web of tubes and hoses keeps him in place. Hellboy, shirtless and bandaged, stands and studies him as if in a trance. Marie stands beside Hellboy as she watches Abe. Marie had found him unconscious and barely alive. Not far from him were Moss and Quarry or what was left of them. “He'll make it,” Manning said. "But not everyone was so lucky. Two agents died today. Clay probably won't survive the night. You're reckless.” Hellboy and Marie turn away from Abe to face Manning. The Director had a cigar and exuded smugness.
         
“I knew those men better than you did,” Hellboy told Manning. “Ah, I see. That makes it all alright then.” “No, it doesn't make it right," Hellboy responded. "Give Hellboy a break, Manning. He stopped the creature. And so did I," Marie said, coming to Hellboy's defense. “Yes, but you also led half the NYPD on a high-speed chase before riding off the Brooklyn Bridge. You nearly exposed us," Manning told Marie before saying to her and Hellboy, "As for you two stopping the creatures. That's what you do. That's why we need you. You have an insight. You know monsters.” “What are you trying to say?” Hellboy asked. “This whole thing is a farce because in the end, after you've killed, after you've captured every freak out there -- there are still two left: you and Agent Darkh," He answered before leaving. Hellboy felt angry when Manning insulted Marie by calling her a freak. He could deal with Manning insulting him, but the latter crossed a line by insulting Marie. The half-demon man decided to take matters into his own hands. “Hey, uh, Manning?" Hellboy called, causing Manning to turn to him. "I wish I could be more gracious, but --“ Hellboy ripes a stainless steel cylinder from its place beside Abe and raises it above his head. Manning cowers, realizing that Hellboy's rage is a dangerous thing. And Marie did nothing to stop Hellboy. Manning briefly looks at Marie, hoping she will come to his rescue. Instead, the Director saw the angry agent become a flaming skeleton. Manning’s fear grew ten times. Hellboy throws the stainless steel cylinder at Manning but misses. The cylinder smashes through the glass partition before landing in the middle of the hall, surrounded by shattered glass. The agents in the halls quickly draw their guns as Professor Broom watches. Manning then stumbled out of the Medical Bay, looking scared shitless. "I want those things locked up, starting now. Right now!" Manning said in a gasping voice. "Do you...?" Manning hears glass crunching. He fearfully glances at the Medical Bay to see Hellboy and Marie walking toward him. "Now, you hear me? Locked up!" Manning demanded as he walked away. Hellboy and Marie watch Manning walk away, obviously scared of what they might do to him. The two turned around and were met with Professor Broom's disappointing gaze. Marie looked down, wanting to avoid Broom's gaze, as she returned to human. The woman walks away to be alone. She could feel tears prickling her eyes before trying to stop them from falling. The agents put their guns back in the holsters before continuing their business. Broom disappointingly looks at his son before walking away. Hellboy stands alone in the hall, oblivious that he did something wrong. Marie enters the women’s bathroom and one of the stalls before locking it. She sits on the toilet seat before taking a deep, shaky breath as she shakes her head. Marie rests her head in her hands and elbows on her knees as tears slowly drop from her eyes. Her anger almost got the better of her. She had nearly lost control.   Marie thought she could get some peace in the one place no man would dare enter. She starts massaging her temples. Suddenly, someone’s fist pounds on the locked stall door. “Ocupado,” Marie said. Her voice filled with annoyance before the fist pounds on the stall door again.  “What part of me taking a shit, don’t you understand?!” She snapped.  Marie wipes away her tears before standing atop the seat. When the woman peers over the stall door, she sees Hellboy standing before the door.  "What the hell are you doing here?" Marie questioned. "Don't you know this is the ladies' bathroom, or are you that stupid?" "Look, I just wanted to thank you for standing up to Manning for me," Hellboy said. "You didn't have to, but thanks." Marie steps off the seat and slams open the stall door. She looks at Hellboy as if she is about to punch him. "Red, can you please just leave me alone. We've both had a really shit couple of days. And I might be in danger of losing a job I haven't had for a week!" She exclaimed before walking out of the bathroom. Hellboy follows after Marie and walks beside her, “Marie, if you're worried about Manning, don't. He's not gonna fire you. Pop won't let him. Besides, Manning's probably too scared to do it." Marie suddenly stops and asks Hellboy, "Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden? I thought you said you didn't need me?" "I know I've already said this. But I wanted to, uh, say thank you. I appreciate what you did back there. Standing up to Manning and defending me." Marie became a little less tense after hearing Hellboy. He wasn't acting like the ass she met before. "Red, Manning had no right to blame you or me for what happened. He was being an ass. He deserved to get the living daylights scared out of him. And I think that wasn't the only thing we scared out of him," Marie said with a smile. Her little joke earned her a little chuckle from Hellboy. "Yeah, you're probably right," Hellboy agreed. "I got to go get your food. So, go to your room, and I’ll be there soon with your food. See you then, Red."Marie walks away from Hellboy, heading to pick up his dining cart of food from the cafeteria.  The half-demon watches the woman walk until she disappears around the corner. Hellboy was still confused by how his feelings for Marie changed in a day. When he first met Marie, he wanted nothing to do with her, and now the half-demon man couldn't figure out a way to tell her how he really felt. After retrieving the dining cart, Marie walks through the halls to Hellboy’s room. The long walk gave her time to contemplate. She was contemplating recent events. One event, in particular, was Hellboy being nice to her. Marie began thinking something was off about Hellboy. He hated and wanted nothing to do with her when they first met, but now he stood up for and worried about her. Marie began to wonder if Hellboy had feelings for her. The kind of feelings that Marie thought would never happen. Marie never had much of a dating life. She would spend most of her time with her friends or family, studying for classes, putting her degrees to use, etc. After her powers surfaced, Marie gave up any chance of finding that special someone. After all, what kind of man would want to be with a woman possessed by the Spirit of Vengence, giving her immortality and the ability to turn into a flaming skeleton. Even if they did, Marie thought it wrong to subject them to the life they would have to lead. Possibly always on the move so no one would grow suspicious of Marie's youthful appearance. Or she would have to pretend to be her husband's daughter or granddaughter in public when he reaches a certain age.The woman quickly shied away from the idea that Hellboy could be in love with her. Marie made peace long ago with the idea of spending the rest of her long life as a spinster. Marie was pulled away from her thoughts when she saw Professor Broom walking toward her with a friendly face and a warm smile. “Hello, Marie,” Broom greeted her. “Hi, Professor,” Marie returned with a smile. “What can I do for you?” “I want you to go out and have fun," He replied. Marie was shocked and confused by her friend’s words. She thought he would be disappointed in her and Hellboy's scaring Manning earlier. But, instead of reprimanding her, Broom tells her to go out and have fun. "W-What? I'm, uh, b-but what about what happened with M-Manning?" Marie questioned, stumbling with her words in confusion. Broom chuckled light-heartedly, thinking he could still surprise his friend after so many years. The Professor will admit that he was disappointed in his friend and son's behavior and actions toward Manning. It was something it came to expect Hellboy would do, but not Marie. After some thinking, Broom understood the two. The last few days had been troublesome, especially for Marie. But last night proved difficult for Hellboy, and Manning blamed his son for the loss of the two agents and Clay's fatal injuries. "I believe Manning had, as you would say, poked the bear one too many times," Broom told Marie, earning a small soft smile from her in her state of shock and confusion. "Now, leave this building, have fun, and return in a few hours." "But I have to give Hellboy his food. And this is just the first course," Marie said, gesturing to the large bowls of chili on the dining cart. "Oh, I don't think my son will need that because he will join you tonight." Marie stands before Professor Broom, gobsmacked by his words. The woman thought Broom would have grounded his son after she and Hellboy scared Manning. But she guessed that tonight was full of strange surprises. "You're letting Hellboy out after what he and I did earlier?" Marie questioned. Marie began worrying for Broom, thinking his illness was affecting his mental state. "Are you alright, Broom? I think you shou-" "I'm fine, Marie," Broom interrupted. "After what has transpired the last few days, I believe you and my son deserve to get some fresh air and not worry about work." Marie stares at Broom, confused for a few seconds before the confusion ends. The man was right. The last couple of days were not the best. And last night was the worst. A night of fun could be the morale booster Marie and Hellboy need. “You’re right, Broom,” Marie agreed. “The last couple of days have been kinda shit. Thank you.” “You’re welcome, my dear,” Broom smiled. “I’ll take my son’s food back to the kitchen. Have fun.” Marie smiles at Professor Broom before walking away and leaving the dining cart with him. Broom watches Marie walk away, noticing how her happy mood changed her walk, almost like a spring in her step. Hellboy lays on his bed with a pen and notepad. Several crumpled paper balls are scattered throughout his room. Hellboy, unsatisfied with what he just wrote, rips the paper from the notepad before crumpling it into a ball and throwing it away. After watching Marie walk away, a realization dawned on Hellboy: he never apologized to Marie for their fight. It gave him the idea of writing a letter. The half-demon man also came up with the idea of killing two birds with one stone: he would apologize to Marie and tell her he loved her. Marie opens the door and walks into Hellboy’s room without the dining cart, which goes unnoticed by Hellboy. The woman stands near him, by his feet. “Hey, Marie. You’re a woman,” Hellboy said. “Last time I checked,” Marie remarked. “What's a good word -- a solid word for "need"?” He asked. “‘Need’ sounds pretty good and solid,” She answered. “Nah, sounds too ‘needy’." “Well, how about want, require, demand, or desire?” Marie suggested, moving toward Hellboy. Hellboy looks away from the paper and at Marie. And he was captivated by her. The half-demon man looked at the woman as if she were an angel, something he knew to be true. “So there is a change of plans for tonight,” Marie told Hellboy. “I’m going out.” “Out? ‘Out’ out?” Hellboy asked. “Yeah, I’m gonna go and have some fun," Marie replied, smiling. The woman's eyes fell on Hellboy's notepad before seeing her name written on the paper. "Is there something you wanted me to hear?" Hellboy quickly stops writing as he gets off his bed. The half-demon man stands, moving a few crumbled papers away with his foot. "N-No. It's nothing. Just a list. It's not finished," Hellboy responded, stuttering with his words. "There's also another change for tonight: your food," Marie mentioned. It was then Hellboy noticed his chili was nowhere in sight. "You are joining me for a night on the town." Hellboy was unsure how to process what Marie told him. The half-demon man looked at the woman before him like she had two heads. He knew Marie was new to the job, but she knew he couldn't go outside for a casual stroll. "I appreciate the offer, Marie," Hellboy said. "But there's a couple of flaws in your plan. How are we getting out of here? And I can't exactly blend in out there." "I got us covered. We'll keep to the rooftops. As for getting out, I gave the security guy watching the cameras fifty bucks to look the other way. So, we can walk right to my bike and ride out of the garage undetected," Marie told Hellboy, explaining her plan. "When we leave the building, I got a temporary glamor to cover your ass before we reach our destination. I also told the kitchen you weren't hungry and to put a hold on your meals until breakfast. And the fifty bucks will cover our reentrance." As Hellboy listened to Marie's plan, the half-demon man thought that Marie had covered all her bases. They can sneak in and out of the B.P.R.D., and no one would know.  Marie spots Hellboy's coat in the corner of her eye. She approaches and grabs it before tossing it to Hellboy, catching it with his stone hand. Marie grins before saying, "C'mon, Red. Let's go." Hellboy puts on his jacket while following Marie out of his room. The woman locks the door before she and the half-demon man walk down the hall. They carefully sneaked through the halls, checking if anyone was coming before moving. Marie and Hellboy looked like a couple of teenagers sneaking out in the middle of the night, trying not to get caught.  When Hellboy and Marie reached the garage, the two hopped on the latter’s bike. It was a little cramped with the two sharing a seat, especially with the size of Hellboy’s body. The half-demon man had to wrap his arm around Marie’s waist. He was careful not to crush her. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Please hold on to your butts and prepare for take-off,” Marie told Hellboy before starting the engine and revving it. But before they moved, Marie spoke a spell in Latin, “Hanc creaturam cela. Fac illum non ut nunc est.” The two ride out of the garage at a high speed. But Hellboy didn’t relax until he and Marie passed the gates. And he let out a sigh of relief. Marie’s plan was working. This will be the first time in Hellboy's life that he has broken out of the B.P.R.D. And a search party won't be out looking for him. The half-demon man wished that his father had hired Marie years ago. The night got better for Hellboy when he and Marie rode past civilians. Because no one saw him. It meant the B.P.R.D. wasn't being alerted that he was gone. Marie's glamor was working. Hellboy's gratefulness toward Marie grew. The half-demon man smiles.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After almost an hour, the two reached lower Manhattan. Marie turned into an alley and parked her bike. After hopping off the bike, Marie pulled out a black military messenger bag covered in iron on rock n roll band logo patches from her saddle bag. 
 
“Alright, we’re a few blocks from this pizza place I know in Little Italy. It's called Giuseppe's Taste of Italy. You’re gonna follow me on the rooftops while I walk there. Sound good?”
 
“Yep,” Hellboy responded. 
 
Marie watches as Hellboy approaches a fire escape in the alley before climbing the ladder and walking up the stairs to each platform. Eventually, Hellboy reached the rooftop. 
 
Hellboy looked over the roof, and Marie gave him a thumbs up. As Marie walked on the sidewalk, Hellboy followed her by jumping from one rooftop to another. In between jumps, the half-demon man looked down to check on Marie, checking to see if she was safe. Even though Hellboy knew Marie could defend herself, he was still worried about her. 
 
Soon, the two arrived at the pizza place that Marie mentioned. The pizzeria nearly took up the entire block. It had a red awning with the pizzeria's name in white letters. Beside it, was since 1910. Hellboy could see through the windows of the family-owned restaurant.
 
He saw the checkered red and white tablecloths, the black and white tile floors, the brick walls, and a mural of a big mustache chef cooking pizza with the Italian countryside behind him. The half-demon man could faintly hear Dean Martin’s Everybody Loves Somebody. 
 
After a few minutes of standing in line, Marie finally stood before the counter, ready to give her order to the elderly Italian woman behind the counter. The woman is Francesca De Bernardi, wife of Giuseppe De Bernardi III, the third-generation owner. 
 
When Francesca looked up from her notepad, her eyes grew as a huge smile formed. A happy shriek escaped the elderly Italian woman's mouth before she rushed around the counter and tightly wrapped her arms around Marie, giving her a big hug. 
 
Francesca began saying how much she missed Marie and that it had been forever since she had last seen her in Italian. But then the Italian woman pulled away from the hug and scolded Marie in English. 
 
"You've had me worried sick," Francesca told her. "Me and Pino haven't seen you in years." 
 
"It hasn't been years, Francesca. Only a couple weeks," Marie corrected. "I've been busy lately. I started a new job a couple days ago."
 
The anger on Francesca's face faded as she went back to dotting on Marie. The Italian began kissing Marie's face and said motherly words in Italian. Seconds later, Giuseppe appears behind the counter. 
 
"Cheska! What's going on out here? What's with the screaming?" Giuseppe questioned. 
 
The old Italian man then sees Marie, realizing she is why his wife shrieked earlier. Giuseppe smiles as he lets out a happy laugh.
 
"Oh, Maria! My darling bella bambina!" Giuseppe happily exclaimed. 
 
The man reaches over the counter and grabs Marie's hand with both of his. He happily shakes Marie's hand before gently pulling her toward him. Giuseppe holds Marie's face and kisses each cheek before hugging the woman. 
 
Marie had been coming to the pizzeria since she was a kid and worked there for a few years as a teenager. Giuseppe and Francesca see and treat Marie as one of their own. 
 
Giuseppe pulls away from the hug but holds Marie's hands, "It is so good to see you, Maria. Just the other day I was telling Cheska that it's been so long since we've seen you. Now, what can we get you? The usual?"
 
"Yes, and two large pizzas," Marie replied. "One Margherita and the other just smothered in pepperoni. Oh, two litters of coke and fries. Please."
 
"Coming right up. That's a lot of food. You have a party or something?"
 
"Well, obviously, she's having a party, Pino. A little thing like her ain't gonna eat all that pizza by herself. You’re gonna give the poor girl a complex," Francesca scolded her husband. 
 
"I didn't say that. I just asked a question," Giuesppe told his wife. 
 
"It's ok, Cheska. I'm having a night on the town with a couple friends," Marie said, trying to defuse the situation and avoid an Italian married couple fight. 
 
"See. She’s having a party."
 
Giuseppe quickly sticks his tongue out at his wife before returning to the kitchen to cook Marie's food. 
 
"Vecchio bastardo," Francesca muttered. The woman turns to Marie, "Try to avoid getting married as long as possible. It will save you from years of having a pain in the ass." 
 
"I'll take it under advisement," Marie said. 
 
A few minutes later, Marie got her order. Two pepperoni slices, a large Margherita pizza, a large pepperoni pizza, two fries, a sixteen-ounce Coca-Cola, and two Coca-Cola litters. She paid for the food and drink before thanking Francesca and Giuseppe. 
 
Marie left the pizzeria, carrying the pizza boxes stacked atop each other with the fries atop the boxes and the two litters in her bag. The woman looks up at the surrounding rooftops, searching for Hellboy before finding him. Marie smiles as she holds up the pizza boxes for the half-demon man to see. 
 
Hellboy follows as Marie returns to the alley where her bike is parked. During the trip, the half-demon man thought back to the Dean Martin song playing at the pizzeria before he started thinking about Marie singing Ray Charles' Georgia on My Mind. Hellboy felt like a teenager falling in love with a girl out of his league. He was the outcast tough guy, and Marie was the head cheerleader. 
 
Hellboy stops and looks over the rooftop, watching Marie. He wanted to tell her how he felt. But the half-demon man knew the woman he loved deserved someone better. Someone normal. 
 
“Why you gotta do this to me, Poppins?” Hellboy wondered. "Why did you have to make me fall for you?"
 
Eventually, Hellboy and Marie arrived at the alley. The half-demon man climbed the fire escape to help Marie carry the pizzas. He took the two big boxes while Marie handled the small box, fries, and sodas. 
 
When Marie and Hellboy reached the rooftop, the former unpacked the pizzas, fries, and cokes. The two sat on the roof with their backs against the wooden water tower metal stand. 
 
"Thanks for the food," Hellboy said with a mouthful of pepperoni pizza after a bite. 
 
"You're welcome. Giuseppe's Taste of Italy makes the best pizza in all the five boroughs. Maybe the world. Pizza is the food of the gods," Marie told him before taking a bite of her pizza. After chewing and swallowing the  "I've been going to Giuseppe's since I was a kid. I even worked there when I was a teenager."
 
"You're definitely right about the pizza, Poppins," The half-demon man agreed, again with a full mouth. "Best I've ever had."
 
"I'll be sure to let Giuseppe know. For our next outing, I can take you to the movies. A friend owns an old movie theater and he lets me watch movies after opening hours because of my condition. He says it’s on the house but I give him twenty or thirty bucks for his troubles.”
 
The two continue eating their pizza with minimal talking between bites and sips from their drinks. The woman and half-demon man enjoyed each other's company while they enjoyed their food. 
 
Hellboy subtly stole a glance at Marie, unable to help himself from looking at her. He continued to try not to look at her but failed and cursed himself each time. Hellboy wanted to confess his feelings for her but forbids himself from uttering the words. The half-demon man felt like he was torturing himself. After five slices of pizza, Hellboy gathers the courage to tell Marie how he feels about her. 
 
"Hey, Marie," Hellboy said, gaining the woman's attention. The moment he saw Marie's beautiful eyes, his courage disappeared. "I, uh, w-wanted to say that, um, I'm, well, I'm sorry about looking at your file."
 
"Apology accepted, Hellboy. Oh, and I'm sorry about kicking your ass."
 
"No, sweat. I kinda deserved it, according to Pop."
 
Marie took out her Polaroid camera from her bag before holding it up.
 
“Say cheese,” Marie said. 
 
Hellboy gave Marie a lopsided grin before she snapped a picture. The flash illuminated his red skin. Seconds later, the film came out. Marie took the film and watched the photo of Hellboy develop. 
 
“Looks good,” Marie said before handing the picture to Hellboy. “If this paranormal investigator thing doesn’t work out, you could try modeling.”
 
Hellboy lets out a chuckle in response while looking at his picture. 
 
“My mama.”
 
“What?”
 
“I sold my soul to save my mama,” Marie clarified, looking at the ground. “I’m sure that since you’ve already read my file, you saw my mama died not long after her cancer disappeared. I sold my soul to a demon to cure my mama’s cancer.”
 
Hellboy was stunned that Marie confessed something so personal to him. 
 
“My mama got diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Doctors said she had less than a year to live. Nothing we could do but make her remaining time on this earth comfortable. After almost three months of seeing my mama in pain and becoming weak, I prayed to anyone who would listen that night. Then he showed up in my room. Never told me his name. Said it wasn't important. He said he could cure my mama and asked if I would give anything. And I said yes. He gave me a contract. And I more or less signed it when I cut my thumb. After my blood dripped on the dotted line, he took the contract, said sweet dreams, and disappeared. When I woke up in the morning, I thought it was all a crazy dream. But when I saw my mama was back to her old self and healthy, I knew it was real."
 
Hellboy could tell Marie was having a hard time telling him this story. She is telling him about a difficult moment from her past. Something that she rarely shared with anyone.  
 
“When we went to the doctors, they were amazed and confused about what happened to her cancer. The only thing I could say was that it was a miracle. That my mama must’ve had a guardian angel watching over her. For the first time in months, my family didn’t have a big dark cloud looming over us. We were happy. But that happiness didn’t last long. A week later, coming home from dinner at my mama's favorite restaurant after celebrating her health, we got into a car accident. A drunk driver. My daddy and I got scrapes, bruises, and whatever. But, uh, my mama, she died on the way to the hospital.”
 
Marie’s eyes began to water. She wiped away the barely formed tears with her jacket's sleeve. The tears weren't just brought on by sadness but deep-rooted anger that has festered for decades. 
 
"While I was in the hospital, crying my eyes out, the son of a bitch showed up and said he was sorry for my loss. I yelled at him. He didn't keep his promise. But he said he did. My mama's cancer was cured. He didn't say anything about letting her live. The bastard told me that he owns my soul. Said that I'll do his bidding when I'm grown up before giving his condolences and leaving. I screamed at the top of my lungs with every ounce of rage I had in me. I got screwed over, plain and simple. It wasn’t until years later that I learned more. The bastard who I sold my soul to is a lord of Hell. He’d been trying for years to get someone to sell their soul so Zarathos would be bound to them. He would have them under his thumb. He wasn't successful until me."
 
"What was the difference between you and the others?" Hellboy inquired, letting his curiosity get the better of him. 
 
"Innocence," Marie replied. “Every person before me was a scum of the Earth sinner. They sold their souls because they were desperate and didn’t want to be in the furnace. But as you can see, it didn’t take. I think it’s like an organ transplant. The donor and recipient have to be a match. Zarathos didn’t like the idea of being bound to a sinner. So, seconds after selling their souls, the sinners burned from the inside. Burned their souls. But the bastard still got their souls, so it wasn’t a total loss for him.”
 
Hellboy was silent. Marie had told him something that changed the course of her entire life. Something that caused her to get into this line of work. The half-demon man began thinking that if Marie had never made the deal, she would have had a normal life, and their paths never would have crossed. 
 
“Does your-?” Hellboy began before Marie interrupted him. 
 
“My family knows. The incident made a blip on the B.P.R.D.’s radar. Broom took charge because he knew what he was looking at. He was the only one working on the case. Eventually, Broom came to my family’s house and spoke to us. He asked questions. I told my daddy everything, from the night I sold my soul to when I killed Tin-Tin. I expected him to be angry at or scared of me. Maybe both. But he wasn’t. My daddy didn’t look at or treat me like I was a monster or something. He didn’t blame me for my mama’s death because he knew I was trying to help her. My family knows what I am, and they still love me. It's like you and Professor Broom. My daddy even said something my mama used to say. She would say we like people for their qualities, but we love them for their defects. My parents used to say to each other, ‘I love you, warts and all..”
 
Hellboy remained silent. He thought it was funny how his feelings and perception of Marie had changed since they first met. In the beginning, Hellboy wanted nothing to do with Marie. But now he couldn’t picture his life without her. 
 
Marie looks at Hellboy, causing the half-demon man to be filled with an urge to hold her in his arms and kiss her. Marie looked at Hellboy‘s golden eyes and felt a pull. The two unknowingly and slowly move closer. 
 
Suddenly, Marie gasps as she is filled with a sense of dread. The woman rushes to the roof’s edge and sees Broom standing on the ground, looking up at her. Broom smiles at Marie before disappearing. Except it was not her friend but his spirit. Professor Trevor Bruttenholm is dead. 
 
Marie turns to Hellboy and says, “We need to head back to the B.P.R.D. now.”
 
“What? Why? What’s going on?” Hellboy asked as he stood up. 
 
“Something bad happened!” Marie exclaimed. 
 
Without further questions, Hellboy followed Marie down the fire escape. The two hopped on the motorcycle before riding to the B.P.R.D. at a high speed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After Hellboy and Marie returned to the B.P.R.D.’s Garage, Agents Lime and Stone approached them. While Marie was already aware of what happened, Hellboy was still oblivious.
 
“Take us there,” Marie told the agents. 
 
The agents nodded in response before leading the half-demon man and woman to where Broom’s body was. The journey through the B.P.R.D. was quiet and solemn. 
 
Hellboy remained unaware of what happened until the group reached the library. As they walked past the golden doors, Hellboy's face contorted with grief when he saw Broom's fragile body lying motionless on the floor. A small pool of blood was beside him, near the back of his neck. 
 
The room is full of forensic people taking pictures, collecting evidence, etc. Tom Manning is there, supervising. Seeing Hellboy, he respectfully steps back. The forensics near Broom’s body step back for Hellboy. 
 
With tears in his eyes, a disbelieving Hellboy looks at Marie, then at his dead father. He makes his way to his father’s body before falling to his knees. The half-demon man gently holds Broom's body close to his. He rests his face against Broom’s. 
 
Seeing Hellboy grieve for his father brought bad memories for Marie. She remembered when she learned of her mother's death, the funeral, and the days after. Losing someone you love is one of the hardest things in life. 
 
It had been three days since Broom’s death. Hellboy didn't eat, sleep, or speak to anyone during those days. Marie knew he was having a hard time dealing with his father’s death. She had been in his shoes.

The rain heavily pours as the Pallbearers, including Manning and Marie, load Broom's casket into a Hearse. Flanking it are two rows of B.P.R.D. agents. A sea of black umbrellas parts as the casket approaches the hearse before being placed inside. The hearse doors close before the vehicle pulls away. Marie silently says goodbye, watching her friend leave. She prayed that he be at peace and welcomed by her other father into Heaven.
 
Marie had given a eulogy during the service. She spoke about her friendship with Broom, as Zarathos and Marie. Marie told everyone that she couldn't have asked for a better friend. She was going to miss Broom.

Marie steps out from underneath the covered walkway outside the building. And into the rain, allowing it to drench her. She walks beside the hearse as the funeral cortege drives away. She looks up to see Hellboy, holding Broom’s rosary in his left hand, watching like a gargoyle atop the walkway. Rain bounces off his wet overcoat. The woman became worried about the half-demon man. She understands what he is going through. She knew he was hurting.
 
Not long after the funeral, Manning held a meeting. The man stands at a polished obsidian desk. A group of agents listens attentively. Marie is among the group at the table. But while she listens to Manning, her mind drifts. She wonders how Hellboy is doing.
 
Behind Manning, a screen shows a location before showing the enhanced image of the old piece of paper with Cyrillic characters. The paper was found in the library by the forensics.
 
“Volokolamsk fields, fifty miles from Moscow. That’s where we’re going,” Manning said. “Sebastian Plackba #16. That’s the only clue we have. We've collected and destroyed thousands of eggs. But we have no trace of this "Sammael" or this "Rasputin" character. We leave as soon as we get clearance and equipment. Hellboy's coming. I’m not pleased about that, but I will be in charge this time. We either wrap this up, or I'm closing this freak show for good.”
 
Marie perked up when she heard Hellboy would be going to Moscow. She wonders if Manning says Hellboy is going or if Hellboy is going.
 
After the meeting, Marie went to Med Bay. She needed to talk to someone. Abe, conscious but still in the cast, floats upside down, solving a Rubik’s Cube. Marie sits beside the tank.
 
“He hasn't spoken to anyone in three days. Not a word. He doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep. I’m worried about him. I worry in a way that I've never had about anyone before. What should I do, Abe?”
 
“Marie, I'm not much of a problem solver,” Abe said before showing her the cube. “Three decades, and I've only completed two sides. But I do know this much. If there's trouble, all us freaks have is each other. And I'm stuck here. So take care of the big monkey for me, will you?”
 
“I promise,” Marie smiled.
 
Their hands almost touch, separated only by the glass. Abe could sense how Marie and Hellboy felt about each other. He hoped they would reveal those feelings before it was too late.
 
After talking to Abe, Marie decided to speak with Hellboy. The woman knew there could only be one place where the half-demon man would be.
 
Marie enters the library and sees Hellboy, his back facing her. Hellboy stands before Broom's desk, pensively looking at a sketched picture of Rasputin. Marie watches him from across the room.

“Hi,” Marie spoke, letting Hellboy know she was there.  
 
The half-demon man turns to Marie as she slowly comes towards him.

“Hi,” Hellboy returned.
 
“I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. When I lost my Mama, I wasn’t the same. I have felt everything you're feeling now,” Marie told him. “Manning mentioned that you are coming with us to Moscow. Are you still going?”
 
“I am,” Hellboy nods, then clears his throat. “But… I have something to say, too. I never had the guts before -” The half-demon man looks her in the eye. “But I understand what you don't like about me. I do. What I am makes you feel out of place… out there.”
 
“
Red, I -” Marie began but was interrupted by Hellboy.

“Listen. I'm not like other guys. I wish I could do something about this,” Hellboy angrily gestures to his face. Marie could tell how upset he was with his appearance. It prevents him from going out and being among people. It prevents him from being with someone. Her powers had done the same.
 
“But I can't. I can promise you only two things..." Hellboy continued. "One: I'll always look this good.” Marie couldn't help but smile. She looks down, only for Hellboy to lift her head by her chin. The woman and half-demon man look into each other's eyes. “Two: I won't give up on you. Ever.”
 
Hellboy's stone hand grabs Marie’s hand and lightly squeezes it. Marie squeezes his hand back.
 
“
I like that. Thank you,” Marie softly spoke.

“You're welcome,” Hellboy said.
 
They silently stand close to each other. No one dares to speak a word. Fearing it would end the moment. Hellboy and Marie slowly lean closer before hugging. Marie buried her face in Hellboy's chest while Hellboy rested his chin on Marie's head. The woman and half-demon man hold each other close, afraid the other will disappear.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A massive B.P.R.D. cargo plane slices the white eye of a full moon. The aircraft is currently flying over the Black Sea in Russian airspace.
 
As the plane engines drone, B.P.R.D. agents Lime, Quartz, and Stone stencil a large crate: FRAGILE! LIVE CARGO. Hellboy and Marie stand around a brightly lit work table. Hellboy and Marie look at a medieval illustration of Sammael in a book the latter brought along.
 
“This engraving here represents Sammy. Text reads: "One falls, two shall arise. Sammael”.,” Hellboy read.
 
“You kill one, two come out. You kill two, you get four. You kill four, you're up shit’s creek without a paddle,” Marie stated. “We need to get 'em and the eggs all at once. It’s the only way to make sure they’re good and dead.”

“When we do: No mumbo-jumbo. Double-core Vulcan-65 grenades,” Manning shows them a set of Grenade belts. “We've installed a very handy timer. Set it, walk away. Cable pulls the safety pins, K-boom! Easy to clean, easy to use...”

“Those things never work. Never,” Hellboy interrupted.

“Each of us gets a belt,” Manning continued.
 
“I won't take 'em. They never work," The half-demon man stated.
 
Manning looks at Hellboy annoyingly. The man was vexed by the other because of his difficulty in cooperating.
 
“I'll carry his,” Marie said, taking the belt from Manning. The woman then mutters, “Big baby.”
 
Hellboy wraps Broom's rosary on his wrist as he says, “Girl Scout.”

“Shut up,” Marie told Hellboy before playfully hitting his shoulder.
 
Marie was worried about Hellboy. She had been in his shoes before, more than once. And it wasn’t pretty. Marie hopes that when the time comes, Hellboy will make the right choice and make Broom proud. And the woman hoped she had made the right decision all those years ago.
 
After landing and getting set up with land transportation, the group drove to their destination. Hellboy was not too happy with his transportation. Marie would be too if she had to sit in a wooden box for a while.

A gleaming black van and a truck move through snow-covered Soviet countryside roads. They pass Moscow’s Volokolamsk fields. Marie sits with Stone in the truck.
 
Popping her head out of the window, Marie looks back at the truck bed. She then speaks into her radio, “Poppins to Clifford. Repeat: Poppins to Clifford…”
 
Fastened to the truck bed is the crate labeled LIVE CARGO. Small breathing holes were drilled in the sides. Inside the box is Hellboy, sitting on the floor in the dark.
 
Marie continues, “We're almost there. We're leaving the main road, and it might be a little bumpy, so hang on.”
 
They hit a series of bumps. The box rattles and shakes. Hellboy bangs his head inside the crate. The vehicle lurches to a halt.
 
“This better be the place, or I'll puke,” Hellboy told Marie through the radio.
 
The motors are turned off. Everyone gets out of their vehicles and approaches the truck bed. Marie easily opens the crate with her hand. While the others wear weather-appropriate clothes, Marie is dressed in regular clothes.
 
"Come out and see," Marie said.
 
Hellboy steps out of the crate and joins the others in front of the main gates connected to broken spiked fences that succumb to rust and dead vines. Endless rows of crypts and tombstones poke through wild foliage. The half-demon man looks up at the gates.
 
“Sebastian Plackba #16...” Hellboy said.
 
The group ventures into the city of the dead. Each carries a backpack, a flashlight, and a gun. After stepping into the cemetery, Marie can feel something is off. Usually, after entering a graveyard, the woman would feel at ease since it is hollowed ground. Instead, it was the opposite. Marie can feel the Ghost Rider is restless. The Ghost Rider wants to come out. A great evil presence is near. Marie knows it has to be Rasputin.
 
Further in the cemetery, the group gathers in frustration in an area of baroque funerary monuments. They have been walking for a while and have not found what they are searching for.

“Forget it. We're never gonna find Rasputin's mausoleum. Now, what we do here is we make up a grid. We go in by quadrants. Maybe satellite photography,” Manning told the group.
 
“Let me ask for directions,” Hellboy said, patting Manning’s shoulder before walking off.
 
“What'd he say?” Manning asked Marie.
 
Not long after Hellboy left the group, Manning began complaining and ranting about the half-demon man and what he does. Marie's patience is wearing thin. She didn't know how long she could go before giving into her urge to struggle Manning.
 
"This is ridiculous. I run this show, not him. This guy's nothing but trouble," Manning complained before asking, "Anybody got a PowerBar?”
 
Marie looked at Manning like she wanted to kill him. And she was close to acting on that impulse. The woman didn’t know how much of his complaining she could take.
 
"Hey, there he is," Lime pointed.
 
The group, except Marie, gawks as Hellboy carries a corpse on his back. He holds the corpse by a noose over his shoulder. With an ear-to-ear grin, Hellboy approaches the group.
 
“Sixty feet further, comrades," Hellboy spoke with a Russian accent before speaking with his normal voice, "and three rows in...”
 
“What the hell is that on his back?” Manning wondered in disgust.
 
“This here is Ivan Klimentovich,” Hellboy introduced the corpse on his back. The half-demon man then says to the corpse, “Say "Hi", Ivan.”
 
"Go that way, Red Monkey," Ivan told the half-demon man in Russian, pointing to where they needed to go.
 
“Gotcha.”
 
Marie smiles to herself. Hellboy leads the group, with Ivan giving him directions. After a few minutes of walking through the maze of mausoleums and graves, the group stands before the mausoleum.
 
The mausoleum resembles a miniature black marble castle. Marie opens the ancient steel door. Hellboy, still carrying the desiccated abomination on his back, walks in. Two agents stand guard in the mausoleum while the rest of the group descends carefully.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After reaching the bottom of the staircase, the group sees three corridors branch off in different directions."Ivan says there's a whole network of tunnels down here. Goes on for miles," Hellboy informed the group. "Stay close, everybody.""You better be right about this," Manning said."We'll be alright... as long as we don't separate."Suddenly, several large spiked metal plates shoot up from below, blocking their way out. Hellboy pulls Marie close to him just as a metal plate almost hits her. Wicked spikes cover the metal surface."Okay, someone's expecting us," Hellboy said."Well, let's not keep them waiting," Marie said before she and the others walked down the only corridor available.Hellboy, Marie, Lime, Ivan, and Manning enter a vast chamber. Slavic motifs crown the rugged stone pillars and archways. Water runs down the walls, and light pours from a hexagonal structure. A small stone bridge is their only means of getting to the doorway across from them."Ask your buddy how far this thing goes," Manning told Hellboy.Hellboy looks over the railing to get a glimpse of the underground void below before the railing comes loose and falls. The rusted railing clatters on various stone and metal objects below before finally hitting the ground."How you doing up there, Ivan?" The half-demon man asked the corpse on his back."If I had legs, I'd kick your ass!" He responded."Would you mind holding this guy for a while?" Hellboy asked Lime. "He is so negative."The half-demon man hands off Ivan to the agent. Two gears release a steel door from above behind them. Manning rushes over and tries to stop the door from closing, but his attempt fails. Somewhere, a massive clockwork is ticking."What the hell is that?" Manning questioned."Something big," Hellboy responded, taking a few steps across the bridge. "Lime, Marie, come with me."Marie and Lime followed Hellboy without hesitation, something Manning didn't like."No, no, no. Stay put!" Manning ordered.Lime stops in his tracks, but Marie continues walking until she's beside Hellboy. Manning walks furiously past Lime. He has a bone to pick with Hellboy. Manning stands in the middle of the bridge while the half-demon man and his nanny continue walking."Stop!" Manning called, causing the two ahead to stop before turning around. "You listen to me. Listen to me! I'm in charge. We're gonna go back. You can take that door apart.""Whatever it is, it's coming for us. Now, we gotta move forward!" Hellboy said."Hellboy's right, Manning," Marie agreed. "Now, for once in your life, get that head out of your ass! Come on, Lime.""Stay put!" Manning ordered his agent before yelling at Hellboy, "And you! I am not afraid of you! I'm in charge! We go back!"A gigantic metal pendulum swings past and demolishes one-third of the bridge a few feet from their feet. It takes Lime and Ivan with it."I was better off dead!!" Ivan exclaimed as he and Lime fell.Hellboy, Marie, and Manning look over the end of the broken bridge. The three glance at what could have been them. Hellboy unconsciously grabs Marie's hand and holds it with his left."Holy shit," Marie cursed.Hellboy and Marie see the other door on the far end of the bridge shudder downward. Hellboy grabs Manning before hurling him. He slides backward up the bridge and under the closing door."Don't you dare," Marie told Hellboy.But the half-demon man didn't listen to her. He hurls Marie. The woman slides backward up the bridge and under the closing door, joining Manning."Hey, Manning. How's it going?" Marie asked.Hellboy sees the pendulum returning, and it is coming at him."Oh, crap," Hellboy said.The half-demon dives forward as the giant hammer smashes into the bridge again, knocking off another section. The pendulum swings back, destroying more of the bridge and leaving Hellboy teetering on the edge.The bridge begins to crumble away. Hellboy scrambles forward as chunks of stone disintegrate under his feet. The half-demon man rushes down on what's left of the bridge. He dives and rolls under the door just before it closes, pulling his tail in behind him. The pendulum swings back, taking out the final piece of the bridge.Hellboy, Marie, and Manning stand up and hear muffled opera nearby. Marie can feel evil—a familiar one."Music," Manning said before Hellboy shushed him.Hellboy removes the Samaritan from its holster before he and Marie approach a narrow, arched stone passage. Its walls are lined with endless rows of rusty steel blades. In the other room, the two see Kroenen listening to an old wind-up gramophone.Three cautiously proceed forward in the narrow passage. Hellboy, Marie, and Manning slowly creep when Manning rests his hand too close to a blade, cutting his finger."Ouch!!" Manning yelped.Hellboy and Marie shoot a dirty look at Manning and then look back into the chamber, but Kroenen is gone. Hellboy, Marie, and Manning enter and look around the room, but they see no sign of Kroenen. Marie approaches the phonograph before removing the needle from the record, ending the song."Hey," Manning called Hellboy and Marie, gaining their attention. He shows them the cut on his finger. "Really went deep."Kroenen stepped out of the shadows and swung his blade at Manning, cutting his jacket. Manning falls to the ground in shock, but the shock quickly turns into anger."Hey, what's wrong with you?!" Manning exclaimed.Kroenen goes in to kill Manning, but Hellboy intervenes and uses his stone fist as a shield. Kroenen bears down, but Hellboy fends him off with powerful, deliberate blocks.Marie moves Manning out of the way. The man hides behind a chair beside the phonograph.Hellboy continues to block Kroenen's blade with his stone fist. The assassin does a side sweep and nicks the bridge of Hellboy's nose.Kroenen crosses blades defensively to form an X. Hellboy grabs them and pulls Kroenen forward. He repeatedly punches Kroenen in the face with his stone fist. The punches crumple the steel mask and smash its lenses."You killed my father. Your ass is mine," Hellboy said before winding up a massive punch.The punch sends Korenen backward, his feet dragging on the floor before hitting the wall. Glass shatters from the impact before Korenen slumps down.Hellboy touches the cut on his nose with the back of his left hand. Suddenly, an asthmatic wheeze erupts from Kroenen. He laughs wickedly."What are you laughing at, you Nazi son of a...?" Hellboy began asking before a large hexagonal trapdoor fell open under his feet.Hellboy, Marie, and Manning dropped through, along with the phonograph. Fortunately, Manning and Marie grab the edge of the wooden floor while Hellboy grabs a rope and dangles. The phonograph hits the ground with a crash. The entire bottom bristles with six-foot, sparkling steel blades.Kroenen stands and approaches the pit. He flourishes his blades, preparing to cut the rope. Manning quickly grabs a cog and throws it at the assassin, stopping him from cutting the rope."Don't even think about it," Manning told Kroenen.The assassin quickly notices that Marie isn't beside Manning. Suddenly, a chain wraps around his neck. Behind Kroenen is the Ghost Rider. She yanks hard on the chain, pulling Kroenen to the ground.A terrified Kroenen looks at the flaming skeleton above him. The Ghost Rider removed her chain from his neck before grabbing him by his bodysuit and lifting him."Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent," The Ghost Rider spoke, preparing to use the Penance Stare on the assassin, but she changed her mind. "The Penance Stare would be too much of a mercy for you. Instead, you shall suffer another way. This is for Broom. Auf Wiedersehen, motherfucker!"Suddenly, a loop of the rope wraps around Kroenen's neck and yanks him forward. Hellboy has used the rope hanging below him as a lasso.Hellboy wraps the rope around his stone fist. The half-demon pulls Kroenen into the pit. With a horrible scream, Kroenen drops headfirst past Hellboy onto the spikes. He wriggles like a fish caught on a hook, only making it worse, as he slides further down the blades.Hellboy climbs out of the trap with the Ghost Rider's help. Marie then returns to her human form. Hellboy, Marie, and Manning look down at the trapped Kroenen. The half-demon grabs a giant cog and holds it over his head before carrying it to the pit."That's all for you, pinhead," Hellboy drops the massive cogwheel over the edge. Kroenen emits a horrid scream as it crushes him."Are you okay?" Hellboy asked Marie."I'll live," She replied. "What about you? You were almost made a pin cushion.""All part of the job," He responded before taking out a cigar. Hellboy tries firing up his lighter, but it's not working."What are you doing?" Manning asked Hellboy. "What are you doing?""Having a..." Hellboy began before Manning took away his lighter."You never, ever light a cigar that way. Use a wooden match. It preserves the flavor," Manning said as he lit the cigar with a match for him.Hellboy puffs on the cigar as it lights. Manning blows out the wooden match as Hellboy contemplates the cigar's flavor and nods appreciatively.Hellboy turns to Manning, "Thank you.""Thank you," Manning said to Hellboy and Marie.The three then glance thoughtfully down at the pit. Marie and Hellboy knew what they were doing by sending Kroenen into the pit and putting the cogwheel atop him. Given his physiology, Kroenen isn't dead. But trapped with no way of getting himself out.Marie groaned in pain as she felt a massive pounding in her skull. The woman knew it was Zarathos trying to get out, which meant they were close to evil. Very close. Marie had a feeling that it was the creatures."You ok, Marie?" Hellboy asked, voice filled with concern, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder."I'm fine," She replied. "I think Sammael and his backup dancers are near.""How can you tell?" Manning inquired."The Ghost Rider wants out," Marie said before grunting in pain."You'd better stay here. I'll find a way out. We'll come back for you," Hellboy told Manning before he and Marie left the room.The two venture down the narrow tunnel. Hellboy follows Marie's lead. The half-demon man carefully watches Marie, ready to catch her if the pain becomes too much. He hears her grunting from the pain of the Ghost Rider wanting out.Marie reaches out to the wall for support as she feels a sudden harsh surge of pain, almost collapsing. The woman grunts and groans in pain, trying to keep the Ghost Rider from coming out. She could feel the creatures' presence."Poppins!" Hellboy rushes to her side."They're here," Marie told Hellboy, grunting through the pain. Eventually, the pain becomes so much that she screams, "Right below us!"It made Hellboy mad to see Marie in pain. The half-demon man wanted to destroy the creatures as soon as possible to help relieve Marie of her pain. Hellboy repeatedly and furiously pounds the floor with his rock hand. The rocks below him start to crumble. With a final punch, Hellboy and Marie plummet.As they fall, Hellboy pulls Marie into his arms, her face buried in his chest. The half-demon man twists in the air so that when the two land, he will take the brunt of the impact.Hellboy and Marie crash through the ceiling. Dust and rocks fall from above. They land on top of a couple of tons of stone, crushing one of the creatures. Hellboy quickly uses his body to shield Marie from the falling debris.The two pull themselves up before finding themselves calf-deep in brown water in a complex natural cavern. Several Sammaels are surrounded by clusters of translucent eggs.Behind the woman and half-demon, two eggs glow, metamorphosing. Two new Sammaels are born as one had been crushed. The Sammaels growl, joined by the two new ones."Get out of here! Now!!!" Hellboy told Marie.The half-demon knew that Marie was in no condition to fight. Marie stumbles from the pain as she runs toward the circular doorway. As she was inches from escaping the cavern, a circular stone slab rolled into view, trapping her. Marie angrily bangs her fists against the stone.The woman turns and presses her back against the stone before sliding to the ground due to the pain. She helplessly and concernly watches as Hellboy turns to face the creatures before launching himself at them. The half-demon bashes the creatures with his giant stone fist. One of the Sammaels jumps onto Hellboy's back before he hurls it away."No piggybacks!" Hellboy exclaimed.More and more creatures join the fight as more are born. Hellboy is in danger of being outnumbered. He is in trouble. Marie looks down at the grenade belt, knowing she and Hellboy would survive the blast. She tries using the belt, but the pain overwhelms her so that she can barely lift her hand.The creatures pull Hellboy into the shallow water and continue attacking the half-demon man. Marie knew she couldn't stand by and watch Hellboy die. The woman musters enough strength to remove the grenade belt from her body and discard it."Time to stop holding back and show these assholes what I can do," Marie determinally said before a ripple of heat shimmered over her body.The heat ripple builds as the air vibrates around Marie. The woman stands up and holds out her arms, ablaze with fire. The water at Marie's feet boils from the extreme heat emitting from her body as she steps closer to the eggs and creatures. Hellboy sees Marie's body engulfed by her fire as she transforms into the Ghost Rider."Marie..." Hellboy called with a grunt as he continued to struggle with the Sammaels.The Ghost Rider releases a blast of fire, which incinerates the Sammaels around Hellboy. The half-demon man remains unharmed by the Ghost Rider's flames. The fire engulfs the creatures and eggs, burning them all. When all was done, the Ghost Rider returned to Marie. She becomes unconscious and collapses to the ground.Sparks drift around the chamber in a breeze. No water left. Everything is half-buried in a cracked, bone-dry bed of mud.Hellboy lies on the ground unconscious. The half-demon is surrounded by the charred bones of the Sammaels. Marie opens her eyes and weakly looks around before she sees Rasputin and Ilsa. The latter had the grenade belt on her shoulder."They're all here. All of them," Ilsa said."Just the way it was promised," Rasputin said.Ilsa and Rasputin look around the chamber before spotting the semi-conscious Marie looking at them."This one's awake," Ilsa noted. The Nazi woman approaches the frail Marie and looks down at her. "Thank you for this."Ilsa takes the belt off her shoulder. In a simple, brutal move, Ilsa hits Marie in the temple with her heel, returning the woman to an unconscious state.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Marie groans as she stirs awake. Her vision is blurry before it slowly regains focus. Marie could tell that something was off. She glances down and sees chains around her waist and the stone pillar against her back. Marie also felt shackles around her wrists.Marie looked around the snow-covered colossal church-like space, surrounded by funeral niches and statues holding swords. Marie saw Ilsa hammering at the timers on the explosives belts. Rasputin wears a ceremonial robe and carries a leather book. He stands at the altar. He faces a mural of the angel Abbadon holding a key. Marie then spots Hellboy, unconscious, kneeling on the ground, and trapped in a stocks that is chained to the ground. It was all just more shit being added to the pile.Marie jerked at the chains as she tried to break free, but it was useless. There was something different about the chains. Marie looks closer at the chains to examine them. She discovers the chains to have etchings in Enochian, the language of the angels, on them. She was trapped. Marie knew that she and Hellboy were up shit's creek without a paddle."Ah, she awakes," Rasputin spoke, not looking away from his book. Ilsa stopped hammering the belts and looked at Marie. Rasputin closed the book and looked at Marie. "It is good to see you after so many years, Zarathos. You have changed since we last saw each other. But I must say this new form suits you well.""Fuck you!" Marie shouted at Rasputin.Ilsa did not like how Marie was talking to Rasputin. In a moment of anger, Ilsa swung the hammer at Marie, hitting her jaw. But the hit didn't harm Marie. In fact, she barely moved.Marie angrily glares at Ilsa before saying with venom, "You and that Russian asshole will get what's coming to you, Nazi bitch!"Ilsa was about to hit Marie again with the hammer but was stopped by Rasputin's voice."No, Ilsa!" Rasputin shouted before calmly speaking, "Our dear guest is merely angry. She must regret not fulfilling her task of destroying him sixty years ago. You and the late Professor Broom failed. Now, you will witness the end of this world and the beginning of a new one."Marie's blood boiled with anger, but she soon forgot her rage when she saw Hellboy stirring awake. Hellboy slowly comes to. He is chained to a massive wooden pillory. He takes notice of his surroundings. Hellboy tenses, rage building. He tries to break free, but his binding doesn't bend."And I looked and beheld an Angel. And in his right hand, the key to the bottomless pit..." Rasputin recited before speaking to Hellboy, “These were the words I heard as a peasant boy in Tobolsk. And now, the door, sent by the Ogdruh Jahad so that they might at long last enter our world.""You are the key! The right hand of doom," Ilsa told Hellboy. “Your stone hand. What did you think it was made for? Open the locks.”Hellboy’s eyes drift toward Marie. Seeing the woman in chains caused Hellboy to be overwhelmed with a new sense of rage. The half-demon man grunts as he tries to break free again.“Don't do it, Red! Don't do it!!”Ilsa kicks Marie in the face before telling her, “Silence.”“You touch her again, and I’ll rip your damn head off!” Hellboy threatened.“You care for her, but do you know her purpose? Did she tell you why she was there the night you came into this world?” Rasputin asked the half-demon man.“Don’t tell him,” Marie muttered, pleading with Rasputin.“She was there to destroy you,” Rasputin revealed.“I already know,” Hellboy confessed, looking at Marie.The news shocked Marie. Hellboy knew about that night, and yet he still cared for her. He wanted to protect her.“You knew she was meant to destroy you. And, yet, you still care for her?”Hellboy looks at Marie, not with hatred but love, “You bet I do.”"Imagine it... an Eden for you..." Ilsa proudly spoke before she glanced at the chained Marie as Hellboy followed her gaze,"...and her.""No," Hellboy said.Rasputin repeats the half-demon's response, questioning it, "No? Very well. Then you leave me no choice." Rasputin looks at the full moon, beaming down through the broken roof. Rasputin glances at Marie before he leaves the altar and approaches her. "For the spirit to be willing, the flesh must first grow weak.""No!" Hellboy roared as he tried to break free. "Don't you go near her! Leave her alone!!!"Hellboy continues his protests and attempts to break free as Ilsa uses a dagger to cut open Marie's shirt precisely enough to show the top of her sternum and nothing else. The woman then hands Rasputin the dagger. The man carves a sigil onto Marie's chest. Marie gritted her teeth as Rasputin continued to carve onto her chest. Even though Marie could not see it, she knew what it was because of Rasputin's movements with the blade. It was a banishing sigil. After the Enochian sigil was complete, Rasputin handed Ilsa the blood-covered dagger as Ilsa gave him a black box with an Enochian sigil Marie recognized as an angel trap. She knew nothing good was about to happen."Omnipotentis Dei potestatem invoco!" Rasputin began speaking in Latin. "Omnipotentis Dei potestatem invoco! Ab orbe terra, hunc angelum omne obsequendum! Domine expuet! Domine expuet!"Suddenly, the ground violently shakes like an earthquake. A red light emits from Marie's eyes and mouth as she screams in pain. The extraordinary amount of pain felt as if someone was tearing her in half. The pain and light eased when a bright glowing wisp of red smoke left Marie's mouth and quickly traveled through the air into the box. When Rasputin closes the box, the ground stops shaking.Marie's body became weak after what Rasputin put her through. Her body was cold and clammy. Marie didn't feel like herself. She felt incomplete and frail. Marie's head slumped over, no longer having the strength to hold it up. Ilsa removed the chains from Marie but kept the shackles on her wrists, knowing she was powerless. The Nazi woman grins at Marie like the cat who ate the canary. Rasputin hands Ilsa the box. Hellboy continuously tries to break free but is unable to."Names hold the power and nature of things. Your true name is inscribed around the locks that hold you. You cannot break them... no matter how strong you are," Rasputin told Hellboy."What the hell did you do to her?!" Hellboy roared at Rasputin as he jerked the chains."I removed Zarathos from her. Without the Spirit of Vengeance, I'm afraid your beloved Marie will die. But you can save her. I promise to return Zarathos to her if you open the door."Marie mustered as much strength as she could to hold her head up. She was determined not to let Rasputin get Hellboy to fulfill the prophecy and win."No!" Marie exclaimed. "Don't listen to this asshole! Don't open the damn door, Red!"Ilsa walked over to Marie before lifting her boot and kicking the powerless woman's face. Marie's head snapped as she fell to the ground. She tasted blood. Hellboy helplessly watches as Marie spits out blood. She coughs a little. He could see her slowly growing weaker without Zarathos. And it pained him."If you do not do it, then she will die!" Rasputin angrily shouted at Hellboy. He moved closer to the half-demon man and grabbed the stocks. "She will not survive long as her body holds no soul. But you can save her.""The eclipse has begun," Ilsa informed Rasputin.Rasputin looks at the moon and sees a shadow creeping on its face. He looks back at Hellboy, "Your true name... say it!”Hellboys stares up at Rasputin, who glances at Broom’s rosary on Hellboy’s wrist. Rasputin rips the rosary off the half-demon man’s wrist and holds it before him.“Become the key,” Rasputin told Hellboy before tossing the rosary. It lands in the snow near Marie, who looks at it.Hellboy sags in the stocks. He looks at Marie again before he brokenheartedly and unhesitatingly speaks with a broken voice, “For her.”“Anung-un-Rama. Repeat it,” Rasputin told Hellboy.Hellboy closes his eyes before speaking, “Anung-un-Rama...”The metal bindings on the stocks break and fall apart, releasing Hellboy. As he stands, the markings on his skin and stone arm glow red as do his horns. The eclipse creeps across the face of the moon and becomes red.Hellboy rolls his head as his horns begin to grow. And flames burn atop his head like a fiery crown. Hellboy examines his glowing stone hand. The half-demon man looks up to the sky and exhales a red vaporous breath as his horns reach full length.Hellboy then slowly walks towards the block of stone as Marie and Ilsa watch silently. Rasputin follows Hellboy as he approaches the door. The half-demon man glances at Marie, his face devoid of emotion. But Marie prays that the Hellboy she knows is still in there.“No!! Listen to me, you dumbass!!! Don't do it!!” Marie pleaded, but her cries fell on deaf ears.Hellboy then places his stone hand into one of the locks and turns it to the right, like a key. As he looks to the sky and roars, light courses through the runic stone. Suddenly, the stone door shoots a beam of fire at the moon, illuminating it with a firey glow and creating a portal. Deep in space, the crystal shell holding the Ogdru Jahad glows orange and shatters, releasing the entity. The dreadful being roars as it unfurls itself.Marie manages to slip her hand out of the shackle. Careful not to attract Ilsa’s attention, Marie quietly reaches for the rosary. Fortunately, the Nazi woman is too busy watching Hellboy to notice.Ogdru Jahad makes its way to Earth, following the shaft of light through the portal. The dreadful being’s tentacles congregate around the firey beam. Hellboy pulls his right hand out of the lock. Marie manages to grab the rosary. The woman holds it up and looks at it.“Open the final lock,” Rasputin said as Hellboy began to put his right hand into the second lock.“Remember who you are!” Marie cried out.Hellboy removes his hand from the lock and then turns towards Marie. She throws the rosary to Hellboy, who catches it; the heat given off by his body burns the crucifix  into his skin as it falls to the ground. Ilsa prepares to beat Marie with her hammer again, but she quickly knocks her off her feet with a swift leg movement, then smashes her face with her foot.“Believe me. I've lived long enough to know not a tear will be shed for this world!” Rasputin told Hellboy, trying to persuade him.Marie limps forward with what little strength she has. The box in her hand and the grenade belt slung over her shoulder, “You have a choice. Your father gave you that.”Rasputin angrily looks at Marie. She was running his plans. The man looks at Hellboy and notices the half-demon man is pondering his choice.“No, you don't!” Rasputin exclaimed before he pointed at the door. “Open it. Do it!”Hellboy stares at his palm. He clenches his fists before reaching up, grabbing his horns, and forcefully snapping them off. Marie felt a sense of pride and relief, knowing Hellboy made the right choice.“No... no,” Rasputin said in disbelief. His plan is now ruined.The door begins to seal itself. The fiery beam flickers and fades as the Ogrdu Jahad disintegrates. The portal and flames engulfing the moon die away as it returns to normal.“What have you done?” Rasputin questioned.The fiery crown-like halo disappears; then he turns and stabs Rasputin in the stomach with one of his broken horns.“I chose,” Hellboy spoke.Hellboy pulls the horn out before Rasputin drops to his knees. The half-demon man then drops his broken horns and turns towards Marie as the moon turns its regular white color again.“You will never fulfill your destiny. You will never understand the power inside you,” Rasputin told Hellboy.Hellboy picks Marie up and holds her bridal style, “I'll just have to find a way to live with that.”Marie looks at Hellboy with a smile. She is happy with the choice the half-demon man has made. Hellboy walks away but stops when he hears something shatter under his boot. He moves his boot aside, revealing a broken glass eye.“Child,” Rasputin called to Hellboy. The half-demon man turned so he and Marie could face Rasputin. Rasputin looked at the two, revealing his empty eye socket. In the socket, fleshy tendrils lazily shifted. “Look what you've done. You've killed me—an insignificant man. But you have brought forth... a god.”Rasputin grunts in pain and goes into spasm as a black, multi-tentacle-like creature bursts out of his stomach.“Hellboy…” Marie began.“Yeah. Come on, Marie. Let’s go,” Hellboy said.Hellboy rushes off with Marie in his arms as the creature flops out of Rasputin’s abdomen and onto the floor. Ilsa regains consciousness and gets up before walking over to the dying Rasputin. He sits with his back against the stone.The tentacle beast writhes on the floor before the Russian man and Nazi woman. And it begins to rapidly grow. Ilsa kneels and embraces Rasputin, holding his face.“Hell will hold no surprises for us,” Ilsa told Rasputin.She kisses him until the now enormous creature looms above them. Ilsa looks up before it crushes her and Rasputin with a blow from one of its tentacles.In a passageway, Hellboy carefully places Marie on the ground. The half-demon man could tell she was feeble. The woman had dark circles under her sunken eyes. She could barely move, and her breathing was shallow.Hellboy kneels before Marie and touches her face, causing her to lean into his touch. The two look into each other’s eyes. Hellboy looks back in the direction they had come from. He had to destroy the creature."Stay safe for me, Poppins," Hellboy said, taking one last look at Marie before standing up."Hey, Clifford," Marie offers the grenade belt to him.Hellboy takes the belt. He shoulders it and says, "I didn't get you anything.""Don't worry about it. That damn Nazi bitch broke the timer. You’re gonna have to pull the cable," She told the half-demon man. "You gonna be okay going alone?""How big can it be?"Suddenly, a massive tentacle snakes up the corridor and grabs Hellboy. It drags the half-demon man back into the room. The lamps hanging from the ceiling smash onto Hellboy's head as he is pulled back at breakneck speed. Now alone, Marie looks at the box resting in her lap. The woman musters enough strength to raise her hand to open the box and reunite with the entity inside."Are you sure you want to do it?"Marie froze when she heard the voice. It was a voice she had not heard for years. Not since she was a little girl. Not since the night her mother died. Marie turned her head toward the direction of the voice and saw the man standing there as bold as brass. It had been decades since their last encounter, but he looked the same. But something was different this time because Marie now knew his name."What the hell do you want, Mephistopheles?" Marie asked the demon."I came here to retrieve our dear friend Zarathos," He replied. Rasputin has separated you two, meaning the bond is broken. So, I'll take the box off your hands and be on my merry way to make another deal—make another Ghost Rider.""No," The woman responded."No?" Mephistopheles repeated. "I'm giving you a chance to have your life back. Regardless of how little time you have left. But, on the bright side, you'll be able to see your mama. Maybe.”"And let you ruin someone else's life? No way. It may have taken me over ten years to figure this out, but I'm meant to be the Ghost Rider. Not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry. But me. And you're just gonna have to learn to live with that."Mephistopheles clenches his jaw, and his grip around the silver skull of his cane tightens. He was displeased with Marie's words. And she knew it."Very well, Marie. You have Zarathos but don't think this will be the last time we see each other. We do have a deal, after all."The demon disappears without a trace. Marie returns her attention to the box in her lap and briefly stares at it, knowing she is making the right choice. Marie unlocks the box, and the lid flies open. A bright glowing wisp of red smoke travels out of the box before it is absorbed by Marie.Instantly, Marie is back to her full strength, and her injuries are gone. As the woman stands, she transforms into the Ghost Rider. The Ghost Rider stares at the box in her hands before it bursts into flames."It's good to be back," The Ghost Rider turns to where the creature took Hellboy. "Time to save Hellboy's ass. Again."The Ghost Rider runs down the corridor, hoping Hellboy has not been defeated by the tentacle creature. Within seconds, the Ghost Rider arrives in the church-like room and notices how large the tentacle creature has grown. It is a behemoth.Hellboy is fighting the creature with a giant sword from one of the statues. The half-demon man hacks away the behemoth's tentacles while going to the steps where the grenade belt lays. Each time Hellboy cuts a tentacle, blue blood spurts out of the wound. The Ghost Rider notices one of the tentacles snake its way to Hellboy, who is unaware of it.The Ghost Rider takes her long chain and engulfs it in flames before swinging it like a lasso. She twirls the loop over her head, going around and around before letting it go. The loop slips onto the tentacle and tightens when the Ghost Rider pulls on the chain.Hellboy continues slicing tentacles as he watches the Ghost Rider pull harder and harder on the chain until it rips off the tentacle. The flames had cauterized the wound.“Thanks for the save,” Hellboy told the Ghost Rider.“Anytime,” She responded.Hellboy picks up the grenade belt, and as he does so, his sword becomes trapped in one of the tentacles. Another one wraps around his waist and lifts him, hanging upside down. The creature lops Hellboy into the air and catches him by the leg with another tentacle, still upside down.The Ghost Rider begins whipping the creature with her flaming chain, causing it to cry in agonizing pain. The burning chain left marks on the monster’s skin.The behemoth keeps its grip on Hellboy and carries him to its mouth, ringed by a prong of smaller tentacles. The creature opens its mouth.“Oh, this is gonna hurt,” Hellboy said before reaching down and pulling the pins from the grenades. He looks down at the Ghost Rider, “You better get out of here or find a place to hide!”The Ghost Rider heeds the half-demon’s warning and quickly hides behind a stone pillar. The creature shoots out its mandibles and swallows Hellboy and the grenade belt. Suddenly, the behemoth is racked by several violent internal explosions. The last blows it apart. Hellboy is thrown across the church and lands on the ground in a mishmash of the beast’s guts and blue-goop blood. He pulls himself up to a kneeling position and hears his bones crack.“Gonna be sore in the morning,” Hellboy said.The half-demon man stands and takes off the tattered remains of his jacket before holding it in his left hand. Hellboy turns to leave and notices the Ghost Rider is no longer in the church. Hellboy rushes out of the church to catch up to the Ghost Rider, leaving the quivering remains of the creature steaming in the night air.The Ghost Rider walks down the corridor with a purpose. She wanted to get out as fast as possible. And avoid Hellboy.“Poppins!” Hellboy called.The Ghost Rider stops before turning to face the half-demon man. The flames of the Ghost Rider change to blue as her face softens before she looks down. Hellboy approaches the woman before standing before her. He lifts her head to look at her by the chin, unharmed by the flames like before, when Marie burned the Sammael’s. The reason is that the Ghost Rider’s flames only harm the guilty and damned.The two stare into each other’s eyes. The Ghost Rider’s flames die as she transforms back into Marie. Hellboy’s hand travels up the woman’s face before cupping her cheek.“You running out on me?” Hellboy asked.“It's for the best. Take it as my resignation,” Marie told the half-demon. The woman’s heart began breaking. She didn't want to leave.“Why?” He questioned, confused as to why.“You were willing to destroy the world to save me,” She responded. “My life isn't worth that.”“It is to me,” Hellboy confessed without hesitation. “If you had died, I would have told those on the other side to let you go because I… I would cross over for you. And then they'll be sorry.”Marie was shocked to hear those words come out of Hellboy’s mouth. She never thought she would hear them come out of anyone‘s mouth. Hellboy rubs his thumb against Marie’s cheek as he looks at her in a way he's never looked at anyone before.“I love you, Poppins. Warts and all,” Hellboy told Marie, declaring his feelings for her.“I love you too, Clifford,” Marie smiled. “Warts and all.”The two lean into each other, closing the distance between them. When their lips touch, the two are engulfed by blue flames. Hellboy and Marie kiss each other with great love.Thinking back to that night, Marie is glad she didn't kill Hellboy because if she did, it would mean Marie wouldn't be with the man she loves. The woman had closed her heart off for so long, fearing that if it was open, it would be broken. But Marie was glad that she opened her heart for Hellboy.As Hellboy kisses Marie, the half-demon man feels like a man. He wasn't a freak or a monster to her. Marie saw Hellboy for who he was. For the first time since meeting Marie, Hellboy was grateful that his father hired her.Who would have thought that what happened on that night sixty years ago would’ve led to this? True love between a woman possessed by the Spirit of Vengeance and a half-demon man destined to bring the end of the world.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

In 1939, Professor Bruttenholm and Zarathos destroyed Erzsebet Ondrushko, a female vampire who bathed in the blood of innocents to stay young. In the present, when Hellboy, Marie, and Abe are assigned to investigate the ghost-infested mansion of a publicity-hound billionaire, they discover someone is trying to bring her back. During their time at the mansion, they face a horde of ghosts, a phantom wolf pack, harpies, and Erzsebet.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A group ventures through the Transylvanian woods. The moon is high in the sky. The group consists of two men from the local constabulary, a local man, Professor Broom, and Zara. They are on a mission to rescue a missing young woman. 
 
Stefan, the local man, contacted an associate of Broom and Zara, who in turn contacted them. Stefan is Anna's fiancé, the missing woman. The Constables Andrei Moldovan and Cristian Popescu informed Zara and Broom that Anna is not the first woman to go missing. Moldovan also told them the seamstress working on Anna’s wedding dress was found dead along with her baby in the home above her shop. It was also where Anna was last seen since the young woman had a final fitting there. 
 
Broom and Zara were not called to help on a simple missing person and murder. They were called because of their expertise in the paranormal. Broom and Zara's associate told them that Anna had been taken by a vampire, along with countless women over the centuries. And they were taken by the same vampire: the Hungarian Countess Erzsebet Ondrushko. 
 
Broom stops walking to sit on a fallen tree. He takes out a white handkerchief and wipes his brow. The man is taking a moment to catch his breath. Zara notices her friend and approaches him. 
 
"Are you alright, Broom?" Zara asked her friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. 
 
"I'm fine, Zara. Just not used to these mountains," He responded. Broom looks up at his friend. "A moment's rest. And I'll be ready to go."
 
Stefan stops before looking behind at Broom and Zara. He then urgently says, “No. We can't rest. There is no time. She has Anna.” 
 
Broom puts the handkerchief back in his coat before standing up. He and Zara walk to catch up with the group. 
 
“We have dealt with vampires before, Stefan,” Moldovan said. “A stake through the heart, a clove of garlic on the tongue, and the villagers will sleep peacefully again. Tonight, we will send her to Hell.” 
 
The sudden howl of a wolf captured the group’s attention. The howl came from deep within the forest. 
 
“But this one is different than the others,” Zara voiced. “She has had centuries to learn and gain power. We must be careful and not let our guard down.”
 
“We need to hurry!” Stefan urgently stated. 
 
The man walks faster than the rest of the group walking behind him. Zara stops and turns to the moon behind her. Their greatest weapon was a couple of hours away. Zara knew the sun would be the only chance to destroy Erzsebet. 
 
Suddenly, two enormous birds flew over them, and the birds' silhouette raised an alarm for the group. A high-pitched cry was heard. 
 
"What was that?" Stefan asked. 
 
"Some sort of birds. Big ones," Popescu answered. 
 
"Eagles. Hunting. Just like us," Moldovan said before he continued walking the path to the castle. 
 
While Stefan and the other constable follow Moldovan, Broom and Zara gaze at the night sky for a few more seconds before the woman turns to her friend. 
 
"Those were no eagles. They were something else," Zara stated. "Something evil."
 
"Then it is a good thing you are here, Zarathos," Broom said. 
 
The two share a look that means they are determined to make it both out alive. Broom and Zara quickly catch up and rejoin their small group. 
 
After a few more miles of trekking up the mountain and passing through a graveyard, the group arrived at the castle. The absence of windows prevented the moonlight from illuminating the room. The group, except Zarathos, use their flashlight to see their way through the castle. 
 
The group soon came upon a torture room with female skeletal remains in the torture devices. Zarathos could sense the fear, agony, and misery of every innocent tortured in the room. It is overwhelming. The woman clutches her head in pain as she receives flashes of scenes from the past. A woman is stuck in a pillory, another is being pulled on a rack, another is bleeding and chained to the wall, and another is being locked inside an iron maiden. Blood seeps out from the iron maiden. 
 
“Zara,” Broom places a hand on the woman’s shoulder, ending the flashes. 
 
Zara takes a breath and looks at Broom’s concerned face. 
 
“I'm fine,” She told Broom. Zara looks around the room. “So much death. This monster must be stopped.” 
 
Seeing the skeletons in the torture devices causes Stefan's hope of saving Anna to dwindle. 
 
"Your fiance, she could still be alive," Popescu told Stefan. 
 
"But there's not much time before—" Moldovan began before he saw Broom and Zara kneel on the ground to inspect something. "What?"
 
Broom's flashlight shines on a small dark liquid pool on the ground. Zara dips her finger in the liquid before bringing it to her face as she and Broom stand. 
 
"It's blood," Zara informed the men. "And it's fresh."
 
Stefan’s heart silently breaks. The hope within the man is gone. He turns away from the group, trying to fight back the tears. 
 
Broom shines his flashlight on the pool of blood before following a trail. The trail leads him and the others to a wall with a portrait of the vampire they seek. The blood goes underneath the wall, and the group concludes there is a secret room behind it. 
 
Zara punches the wall. After two hits, a large hole is created. Stefan quickly sticks his head through and is met with a tragic sight.
 
“Anna!” Stefan exclaimed in horror. “No! No!”
 
The young woman, wearing her wedding dress, lies lifeless on the floor before a clawfoot tub. Stefan rushes over to Anna and cradles her in his arms. The others enter the room. The constables stand behind Stefan while Broom and Zara approach the bathtub. Broom shines his light at the clawfoot tub, revealing it to be blood-filled. No doubt Anna's. 
 
Stefan rests Anna's body back on the ground before taking one of her hands and bringing it to his lips. The man kisses it as tears run down his face. Zara approaches and kneels beside Stefan. There was something she needed to check. The woman tilts Anna's head to the side, revealing two puncture marks on the deceased woman's neck. It was then everyone realized what needed to be done. 
 
Broom removes a hammer and wooden stake from his bag. He holds the items before Stefan. The young man stares at the hammer and stake before he takes a deep breath, composing himself. 
 
"Yes. If it will bring her peace," Stefan said, accepting what he needed to do. The man takes the items from Broom. 
 
Stefan places the point of the wooden stake on Anna's chest, over her heart. The grieving man looks toward Broom and Zara. The two look at Stefan, assuring him he is doing the right thing. Stefan raises the hammer and looks at Anna one final time before closing his eyes. With a swift motion, Anna is at peace.  
 
"We still have to find her," Moldovan reminded the group. 
 
Zara approaches the sheer curtains in the corner of the room before moving them aside with her hand. The woman finds something valuable for herself and the others. 
 
"I believe this is a good place to start,” Zara said. 
 
The group joins Zara and sees a stone sarcophagus. The men realize that it is Erzsebet's coffin. They may have failed to save Anna, but there was still a chance to destroy the monster who killed her. 
 
With caution, the group moves closer to the stone coffin. Zara uses her immense strength to push the lid down the coffin, revealing it empty as Moldovan shines his flashlight inside. 
 
"Empty," Moldovan said. 
 
The sudden sound of multiple wolves growling catches the group's attention, and they look away from the coffin for a second. Stefan gasps, drawing the other's attention, and they notice someone from their group is missing: Moldovan. 
 
"Where is he?" Popescu questioned. 
 
Suddenly, a drop falls from above and lands on Broom's coat's cuff. Broom and Zara examine the drop before discovering it is blood. The Professor shines his light on the ceiling, revealing Erzsebet drinking blood from the neck of their missing constable. The group gasps in horror at what they are seeing. Erzsebet's lips depart from Moldovan's neck as she wickedly smiles at those below her. 
 
"Erzsebet Ondrushko," Zara said.
 
The woman and the men stepped away from the vampire. The vampire drops Moldovan's body, landing on and cracking the stone coffin. Ezsebet hisses as she bares her fangs at the group. Popsecu and Stefan gasp in fear before running away.
 
"Wait. Stay together. Stop!" Broom called after the men before he and Zara ran after them. 
 
"We must stay together and remain calm. Panicking is what Erzsebet wants," Zara told Stefan and the remaining constable. 
 
While running, the group enters the castle's old throne room. It has multiple tunnels leading out.  Broom and Zara keep themselves composed in their life-or-death situation, but Stefan and Popsecu allow their fear to take over. The two men freeze at the sudden eerie howling of wolves, which seems to come from all directions. 
 
"We have to get out," Stefan said before running down one of the tunnels. 
 
"Run, Professor! Run, Miss Zara!" Pepsecu told the man and woman before running down a different tunnel. 
 
"No!" Broom and Zara exclaimed. 
 
Soon, Broom and Zara heard the men’s screams as they were torn to shreds by Erzsebet’s wolves—the sounds of the wolves barking and growling mixed with the screams and the sound of bones crushing. The mixture causes Broom’s and Zara’s hearts to drop. 
 
Blue flame candlesticks mounted to the wall begin appearing out of thin air. Blue flames then appeared in the fireplace. Erzsebet then appears, gliding out of the shadows to reveal herself to the last of the group. 
 
"You brought the others, yet you did not flee with them,” Erzsebet said. 
 
The vampire’s eyes drifted toward Zara. She could sense the great power from within her. The woman’s youthful and beautiful appearance made her the perfect candidate for Erzsebet. But the vampire was unaware of what Zara was. Broom removes his metal flask from his bag and unscrews the cap. 
 
“Something to calm your nerves?" Erzsebet asked as she moved closer. 
 
"Holy water,” Broom said as he threw the water on Erzsebet’s face. 
 
The female vampire recoils after the water comes into contact with her face. Erzsebet holds her face and screams in agony as the skin on her face burns from the holy water. Steam comes off her face. Broom and Zara notice the flames from the candles and fireplace disappear. 
 
Erzsebet smacks Broom, sending him into one of the stone thrones. Zara delivers a quick right hook to the vampire, knocking her to the ground before rushing to Broom. The woman helps her friend up. The two watch Erzsebet writhing in agony and know that she will attack them. They need a plan. 
 
"My face,” Erzsebet growled as she stood up. Erzsebet removes her hands, revealing the damage done to her face by the holy water. “You... You've stolen my beauty."
 
Broom and Zara back up, hitting the tapestry between the two stone thrones. The Professor quickly notices something and taps the tapestry before concluding what's behind it. Zara sees this and reaches the same conclusion. They now have a plan. 
 
The vampire roars at Broom and Zara before flying straight toward them. When Erzsebet is close enough, Zara pushes Broom away seconds before the vampire collides with her. Both women fly through the window with the tapestry covering them. The tapestry moves, allowing the morning sun to shine on the women. Erzsebet's eyes widen in horror as she loosens her grip on Zara. 
 
Zara manages to grab onto the ledge before Broom helps her up. The pair watch as Erzsebet bursts into flames. The vampire screams in agony as th sun burns away her flesh, revealing her skeleton. She continues to burn until nothing of her is left but dust. The dust then flies past Broom and Zara, disappearing into the castle. 
 
Suddenly, several of Erzsebet’s wolves appear in the throne room, growling and looking at Broom and Zara with blue glowing eyes. The two were in a staring contest with the wolves for what felt like an eternity. Then the wolves back away, disappearing into the shadows.
 
Broom and Zara hope this is the end of their dealing with Erzsebet. But things are rarely so simple in their line of work.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Marie tosses and turns in her sleep as she sees flashes of memories from her life as Zarathos. Marie sees Broom, herself, and three European men trek up a mountain in the forest with the moon behind them. It was not good. Then, it changes to the group in a seemingly abandoned castle. They are in a torture room. Marie sees flashes from the past of women being tortured. 
 
The group then enters a hidden room. They find a young woman wearing a wedding dress and lying dead on the floor. The next thing she sees is one of the men having his blood drunk by a female vampire: Erzsebet Ondrushko.  
 
The two other men run away in fear while Broom and herself chase after the men. After Broom and Zarathos catch up with the men in the throne room, the sudden howling of wolves causes more panic in the two men, and they run into separate tunnels. Broom and Zarathos are unable to stop them. The pair hear the men’s screams as they are torn to shreds by the wolves. 
 
Blue flames illuminate the room before the female vampire appears from the shadows and approaches Broom and Zarathos. Broom splashes holy water onto the vampire’s face. Erzsebet smacks Broom before clutching her face in pain. The man flies toward the thrones by the force of the smack before hitting the stone wall. Zarathos punches the vampire before rushing to her friend and helping him up. 
 
Erzsebet angrily roars at the pair before flying at them. Broom was pushed out of the way by Zarathos before the vampire collided with her. The two women fly out of a window hidden behind a tapestry. The tapestry moves away from the women, and the sunlight burns Erzsebet. The vampire lets go of Zarathos, allowing her to grab onto the ledge before Broom helps her onto it. 
 
Broom and Zarathos watch Erzsebet burn until she is nothing but dust. The dust flies past the two and into the castle before disappearing. Suddenly, wolves with blue glowing eyes appear in the room, growling at the man and woman. Then, the creatures back into the shadows from where they came.  
 
Marie jolts up in a cold sweat after waking from her dreams. She feels that the dream means something evil is coming. After all, the last time Marie had a dream about her past was when Rasputin returned and tried to get Hellboy to bring the apocalypse. And the dreams couldn't have come at a worse time. Marie hopes that whatever is coming will come next week. 
 
“You alright, Poppins?” Hellboy asked, semi-asleep and his eyes still closed. He had felt his girlfriend suddenly leave the spooning position and escape his stone hand around her waist. 
 
Marie looks down at her boyfriend, “Yeah. Just a bad dream.”
 
“Hmm, maybe it’s a sign. An omen that we should cancel this weekend,” The half-demon man said. 
 
“Nice try, Clifford,” Marie chuckled. She lays back down and faces her boyfriend. “But we’re not skipping dinner and the weekend with my family. We finally have some free time. And I want you to meet them. We’ve been dating for over five months. My mom and sister have been begging to meet you since Christmas.”
 
"Are you sure it's a good idea for them to meet me? I am, after all, me,” Hellboy said, his eyes now open. 
 
“Yes. I told my family about your appearance. And they’re fine with it. I mean, they know about me and what I do. You have nothing to worry about,” Marie told the half-demon. 
 
“I still think it’s a bad idea.”
 
“You’re only saying that in hopes of getting out of it.”  
 
“Maybe,” The half-demon man admitted. 
 
“Well, we’re going whether you like it or not.”
 
Hellboy groaned in displeasure. He hadn’t been looking forward to meeting Marie’s family for weeks. The half-demon man wasn't sure how his girlfriend’s family would feel about her dating the antichrist. He had a strong feeling that they would disapprove of him. 
 
Marie knew that Hellboy had nothing to worry about since she told her family that he had been a gentleman toward her. When the two first began their relationship, Marie confessed to Hellboy that she had never had sex before and was saving herself for her wedding night. The half-demon man respected her choice. During their relationship, the two kiss and sleep in the same bed together, but haven't been more intimate than that. 
 
“We’ll take a car around noon to my family’s house Upstate. The town is eight miles from the house, meaning no nosy neighbors who stick their noses into other people's business. So, you don't have to worry about being spotted," Marie told Hellboy, trying to make him feel better. 
 
The woman smiles at the half-demon man and stares into his golden eyes before kissing him. The kiss was short, much to Hellboy's dismay. The half-demon man watches as his girlfriend leaves the bed to change and begins to think how lucky he is to have her. He worried that one day, his luck would run out. 
 
Throughout the day, Hellboy prayed that a mission would come up and prevent him from meeting Marie’s family. But no such luck. The half-demon man is currently in the backseat of a black B.P.R.D. SUV with tinted windows beside his girlfriend. They had a couple of hours of driving between them in New Jersey and the house in Upstate New York. And Hellboy spent every second dreading the arrival. 
 
Hellboy glances toward Marie as she watches the scenery pass through the window. He also listens to her silently singing along to the songs on the radio. 
 
"Well, it happened that the PTA was gonna meet that very afternoon. And they were sure surprised when Mrs. Johnson wore her miniskirt into the room. And as she walked up to the blackboard, I can still recall the words she had to say. She said, "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA."
 
Hellboy loved it when Marie sang. It was heaven to his ears. It always reminded him of when he went to apologize to her before making him fall in love with her. Subconsciously, Hellboy's left hand reaches toward Marie's and holds it. 
 
Marie stops singing and turns to her boyfriend with a smile. She could tell by the look in his eyes that Hellboy was terrified. Marie found it somewhat amusing. Hellboy had faced the things that nightmares originated from but was scared shitless of meeting and spending the weekend with her family. The woman places a comforting hand atop the half-demon's. 
 
"Relax, Clifford. Everything is going to be fine," Marie told Hellboy in a soothing voice. "My family is going to love you. They're good, churchgoing, Catholic people. They love everybody.”
 
Hellboy rests his head against the headrest of his seat before closing his eyes and sighing. He hoped that Marie was right.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After three hours of driving, the two arrive at Marie’s family’s home. Marie had shown Hellboy Polaroid pictures of the house, but seeing it in person was another thing.  Marie had told Hellboy about the house's history. It was built during America’s Gilded Age and was home to a prominent family before they moved to the city after World War One. It went through several owners before Alastor Darkh bought it after marrying Marie’s mother, Claudia. So they could raise a family.  The three-story house is a waterfront property with a forest. It sits on a few dozen acres of land and includes a small farm, a basement, a garden, and a view of the Adirondack Mountains nearby. In architecture, it resembles the Hatley Castle in Canada. The black SUV parked under the covered porte-cochère of the grand home. Barely a second after exiting the car, Hellboy and Marie were greeted by her niece and nephew running out of the house with smiles.  "Aunt Marie!" The boy and girl happily exclaimed.  Marie gets on one knee and opens her arms for the children, "Joey! Tommy! Liddy!" The boy and girl throw themselves into their aunt's arms, nearly knocking her to the ground. Marie hugs her niece and nephew tightly before letting them go. Joseph is eight years old and was born on September 18th, 1995. Thomas is six and a half years old. He was born on July 9th, 1998, and adopted when he was a few months old. Their sister is five years old. She was born on August 2, 1999.   "I've missed you guys so much," Marie smiled.  "We missed you too, Aunt Marie," Joesph, Thomas, and Lydia told her in unison.  "Aunt Marie, can you read me Gargoyles Don't Drive School Buses tonight for my bedtime story?" Lydia asked. "Of course," Marie happily replied.  "Tommy and I finished the two books you got us for Christmas," Joesph proudly informed his aunt.  "Already?" "Yeah. We couldn't stop reading it. It was so cool. Could you get us Welcome to Camp Nightmare for next Christmas?" Thomas asked.  "If you're good," Marie responded.  Hellboy smiled at the touching moment between Marie and her nephews. The woman was great with children. Despite her tough exterior and choice of rock-style clothing, Marie was kind and caring. The half-demon man was so engrossed by his girlfriend that he failed to notice Marie's niece standing before him.  "Are you my aunt's boyfriend?" Hellboy looks down at the little girl, clutching her textilе angel rag doll. The half-demon man is shocked that the child before him is not scared of his appearance. Since Hellboy has minimal experience with children, he is unsure how to interact with the girl, but he will try his best.  "Uh... yes, I'm her boyfriend. My name's Hellboy," The half-demon man responded. "I'm Lydia," The little girl points to Helboy's right hand. "Why is your hand made out of stone?" "So, I can beat up bad guys real bad." "Cool," Lydia smiled.  Without hesitation, the little girl reaches and touches Hellboy's stone hand. Lydia looks at the hand with the type of fascination only a kid would have. Most people, even children, would look at the half-demon man and run away in fear. But she wasn't scared of Hellboy. "Lydia. Thomas. Joesph. Don't overwhelm your aunt's friend. You might scare him off before we have a chance to meet him." An authoritative but kind voice caught everyone's attention, and they looked at the front door to see the rest of the family coming out. The man leading the others is Alastor Darkh, Marie's father. Behind him is his wife Elizabeth, daughter Norah, and son-in-law Daniel.  The half-demon man nervously swallows. He was about to meet the father of the woman he loved. The man who could forbid him from ever seeing Marie again. Marie, standing beside Hellboy, notices his nervousness. The woman lovingly looks at the half-demon man before holding his hand to give him a boost of confidence. "Ma petite," Alastor said as he wrapped his arms around his daughter, who returned the hug. The man tenderly kissed her cheek before ending the hug. "We're so happy to see you. How was your trip?” “Peaceful,” Marie replied. “I always enjoy watching the scenery change from the city to the country.” "Me too." The father and daughter briefly hugged again before Alastor turned his attention to Hellboy. The nervousness returned in the half-demon man when he made eye contact with Alastor.  "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Hellboy. My daughter told us so much about you," Alastor extends his hand and shakes hands with Hellboy. The half-demon man keeps a firm grip during the handshake. Marie had told him that her father believed a limp handshake was for weak men.  "And don't worry, it was all good," Elizabeth added as she stood beside her husband before shaking hands with Hellboy. "I'm Elizabeth. Marie's stepmother. This is Marie's sister Nora and her husband Daniel." As they were introduced to Hellboy, Nora and Daniel took turns to shake hands with the half-demon man.  "And you've already met the gremlins: Joseph, Thomas, and Lydia," Marie said as she gestured to the three children at their parents’ side.  “Come on, you two take your bags up to your rooms to rest before dinner,” Elizabeth told Hellboy and Marie.  The pair grabbed their duffle bags and followed the Darkh family inside their home. Hellboy was taken aback by the exquisite interior features of the mansion: oak and rosewood paneled rooms, a baronial fireplace, teak floors, and specially made lighting fixtures. The more Hellboy saw the house, the more impressed he was with it, considering where he lived.  The kids stayed close to Marie as everyone walked up the stairs. They asked her several questions about what happened between Christmas and now. The kids mostly asked about what missions Marie went on and what monsters she fought. And their aunt answered them to the best of her ability.  "Alright, kids. That's enough. Aunt Marie just got here, and you have the entire weekend to ask her questions," Nora told her children. "So, let's give her some time to rest after a long trip. Ok?" "Ok," Thomas, Joseph, and Lydia answered.  "Thank you," Marie mouthed. Nora gives her sister a smile in response.  When the group reached the upstairs, the kids left Marie to be with their parents. After walking down the hallway, Elisabeth opened the door to a bedroom, and Hellboy could instantly tell this was Marie’s old room. The bedroom was similar to her room at the B.P.R.D. and the old one at the church. But the difference was the rock band posters scattered throughout the walls, with one on the ceiling above the bed. It was a KISS poster.  "Home sweet home," Marie said, entering her room and placing the bag on the bed. “It always feels like a step back in time when you walk into this room,” Nora quipped as she and her children entered Marie's room.  "Now let's get you to your room, Hellboy," Elizabeth said.  “What?” “Your room. It’s just a few doors down." Hellboy looked at Elizabeth like a deer caught in headlights. The half-demon man was under the assumption that he and his girlfriend would be sleeping in the same room. As she witnesses the scene, Marie realizes she forgot to mention the details about the sleeping arrangements to Hellboy. And her sleeping arrangement with Hellboy at the B.P.R.D. to her parents.  “Yes, your room. You didn’t expect to be sleeping in the same bed with my daughter while unmarried, did you?" Alastor questioned with a raised brow.  "Oh, no. Sorry, I, uh, thought your wife said something else. I've had a little trouble w-with my hearing since Marie and I dealt with a Wendigo not too long ago," Hellboy lied, stuttering. "And when we fought this thing, it wouldn't stop screaming in my ears. I'm-m sorry." "Alastor, don't scare the poor boy. I'm sure he's already on edge," Elizabeth playfully scolded her husband. "Please forgive him, Hellboy. I'm afraid having two daughters has made my husband overprotective." "It's fine." "Good,” Alastor sternly said.  Hellboy could already tell he was on thin ice with Alastor. So he decided it was best to watch where he stepped, or Alastor would kick him out. The half-demon man wished his father was still alive so he could ask him for advice.  Elizabeth and Alastor led Hellboy down the hall to his room while Nora, Daniel, and the kids stayed behind with Marie in the room. The kids climbed into their aunt's bed and began jumping. But the parents ended the trio's jumping. Daniel took Joesph, Thomas, and Lydia out of the room, leaving Nora alone with her sister.  Marie sat on the alcove in her room, looking at the garden through the window, and started thinking of memories from her youth. Good and bad. She remembered the years in near seclusion spent in the house when her powers first manifested. Near seclusion meant Marie was alone in the house most of the time, but teachers and Professor Broom would visit. The teachers would be priests or nuns who Alastor knew and hired to help his daughter continue her education without fear of the Ghost Rider taking control. But Broom didn’t have to worry about Zarathos harming him since they knew each other. During his visits, Broom would help navigate Marie through what she was going through to the best of his abilities. As for her family, Marie rarely allowed them to visit her because she was scared they would get hurt by her.  Nora noticed her sister was in a trace as she looked outside. The woman could tell something was weighing on Marie's mind. The younger sister walked over and sat beside the elder.  "You ok?" Nora inquired.  "Yeah," Marie responded, sighing. "I'm just hoping this weekend turns out well. I mean, I want everything to not be up shit's creek without a paddle. I'm scared Daddy's not going to like Hellboy." "You're going through the same thing I did when I brought Danny home to meet Mom and Dad," Nora said, sympathizing with Marie. "You must really like Hellboy if you're this panicky." "I do," She confessed. "Don't tell anyone this. Last year, when we were dealing with Rasputin, Hellboy was going to end the world for me." "What?" "Rasputin figured out how to remove Zarathos from me. And without her, I would die. The dickhead told Hellboy that if he brought the apocalypse, Zarathos and I would be reunited,” Marie explained. “And the crazy son of a bitch agreed to do it." "Aside from almost destroying the world, that's pretty romantic," Nora commented.  "Yeah," Marie agreed, softly smiling. "After we defeated Rasputin, Hellboy said my life was worth the world. At first, we hated each other. I thought he was an overgrown, pain-in-the-ass manchild. He still is one, but he's sorta grown on me."  "Do you think you'll marry him?" She asked.  "Maybe. It would be nice to have someone to spend eternity with." Nora remembered when she worried her sister would be alone. But she wasn't the only one. Since learning of Marie's long life span, her family worries about who will be there for her when they are gone. It was a scary thought.  “Well, if Hellboy does propose, he’ll be lucky to have you. Do you think he'll ask you to marry him this weekend?" Nora asked Marie.  "Nora, we've only been dating a few months,” She responded. “I doubt Hellboy is thinking about marriage.” "You'd be surprised. Dad and your mom got engaged six months after dating and married six months later. Dad and my mom got engaged after a year and married five months later. Danny and I got engaged after almost a year and married seven months later. Sometimes, when you find the right person, it doesn't take long before you hear wedding bells,” Nora stated.  Marie lets Nora’s words sink in. Hellboy was unlike any man she met before, human or monster. Marie had given up hope of finding that special someone, but then she met Hellboy.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hellboy sits beside Marie at dinner that night in the grand dining room. But Lydia sat at the half-demon man's right-hand side after much persistence from the little girl. Marie's niece was intrigued by Hellboy, and the family knew why. Marie told Hellboy that she had explained to her niece and nephews that her boyfriend was not like other men because of his appearance. Her niece Lydia said that it was like the Beast from her favorite Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. So, the little girl assumed that Hellboy was, to some extent, the Beast and her aunt was Belle. Hellboy found some amusement in the story, thinking it wasn't the worst thing, being compared to a cursed prince from a Disney movie.Eventually, the staff brought food into the dining room and placed it before the people at the table. It was a simple meal of homemade pizza with salad and garlic knots. Hellboy quickly learned that Marie's family shared her taste for simple foods. The half-demon man was glad because if it had been a multiple-course meal, he wouldn't know what order of forks you use."How long have you been with the B.P.R.D., Hellboy?" Elizabeth asked the half-demon man before taking a bite from her salad."Pretty much near the beginning," He replied. "The Bureau was founded a few years before I came into the picture. My father helped found the B.P.R.D.""Professor Broom was a good man. My family and I were sad to hear of his passing. We are grateful for everything he has done for us," Alastor said, glancing at Marie from his place at the head of the table. "I don't know what would have happened if Professor Broom wasn't there. He was one of the best God gave the world."A silence overtook the room, a moment of silence for Broom and for them to remember him. Hellboy and Marie held hands under the table. Out of everyone at the table, the two were the most grateful for Broom. The man had raised Hellboy as his own and had guided Marie when her powers surfaced. Her mind was muddled, unsure if she was Marie or Zarathos."Have you told them about you and Hellboy, Marie?" Nora inquired."Told who?" Hellboy asked, confused about who Nora was referring to, but Marie knew who."No, I haven't. I just felt that you guys should know first," Marie responded. "I'll tell them soon, but not now.""They should know, Marie. After all, they are Zarathos's family."Hellboy then knew that Elizabeth meant God and the angels when she mentioned Zarathos's family. The half-demon man became nervous again, fearing what they would say about him dating her. He could only imagine that it would not be good."They've been around since before the Earth's creation. So, my siblings have had plenty of time to work on their patience, and we all know that patience is a virtue. Therefore, I'm sure they can wait a little longer,” Marie said, resentful toward her angelic siblings."But what about her daddy? Doesn't he know," Thomas questioned, gaining the attention of everyone at the table."What do you mean, Tommy?" Daniel asked his son. "Poppop already knows that Aunt Marie and Hellboy are dating.""I know, but what about her other daddy?"The entire table knew who Thomas was referring to. The little boy was referring to the almighty big man himself."Of course, he knows. God knows everything,” Lydia said.Marie knew what her niece was saying to be true. God, her other father, knows everything. But he didn't know that his daughter was trapped in the bowels of Hell, tortured by demons around the clock. She was bitter about it and has never forgiven him for forsaking her. And the entire Darkh family knew."If he does know about my relationship with Hellboy, then he hasn't spoken a word about it to me," Marie said. "Not that he's shown much interest in my life since I escaped the big furnace. Why don't we talk bout something else? Something more cheerful?""We're getting a dog," Joseph announced. "He's a rescue. His name is Paul.""Like Starchild from KISS, Aunt Marie," Lydia added."And he's a two-year-old German Shepherd," Thomas informed."That's great news," Marie smiled. "Getting a dog is always happy news, especially if it's a rescue.""Unless it's a cat," Hellboy quietly muttered before drinking from his glass. Everyone at the table failed to hear the half-demon man's comment except Marie, who rolled her eyes at him.It is well known in the B.P.R.D. that Hellboy prefers cats to dogs. Ironically, Marie is a dog person. The woman loves animals, but given a choice, she would choose dogs over cats.The dinner goes perfectly for the rest of the evening. Everyone is smiling and enjoying themselves. It couldn’t have gone better. Marie could tell Hellboy was hitting it off with her family. Gone were Marie’s fears of her family disapproving of Hellboy. They love him.After the desert, Marie helped her sister and brother-in-law carry their children upstairs to their rooms. The woman tenderly kissed Hellboy on the cheek before leaving the room while holding her niece. The half-demon watched her go with a loving gaze. Elizabeth looked at her stepdaughter's boyfriend and saw, by her mother's intuition, that something was weighing on his mind."I think I'll turn in for the night. Let you men talk about things," Elizabeth stood up before kissing her husband's cheek. She whispers in his ear, "Try not to scare him off. Marie likes him.""I'll try," Alastor reluctantly said before kissing his wife."I hope you enjoyed dinner, Hellboy. Good night," Elizabeth said."I did. Good night," He responded.Elizabeth kindly smiled at the half-demon man before walking out of the room. With Marie's stepmother gone, Hellboy and Alastor were all alone. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.Alastor looks at Hellboy with the same disdain that every father has with his daughter's boyfriend. He was the same with his youngest's husband when he was still her boyfriend. Like any father, Alastor held onto the belief that any man dating one of his daughters would not be good enough for her. But he slowly began to like Daniel over the years."I suppose Marie warned you that we would be having the talk discussing your relationship with her?" Alastor questioned."She did," Hellboy responded."My daughter is a very unique young woman. Young woman. It's quite strange hearing those words coming out of my mouth. Marie is over forty years old and still looks like she's in her twenties. In a few years, she will look younger than her sister."Hellboy was confused as to why Alastor was telling him this. The half-demon man wanted to question Alastor but kept silent and let the man continue."When Broom first arrived, he explained to me and my family what would be different about Marie now that her powers had surfaced. He told us she would need temporarily limited interaction with people because of the possible negative response, meaning the Ghost Rider could take control if the person is a sinner. My daughter wouldn't need to sleep or eat. But, I suppose the most concerning one was that Marie would not age or die. She will remain forever as she is now."Hellboy could hear the sadness in Alastor's voice. The half-demon man assumed Marie's immortality must be difficult for Alastor to discuss. The man stood up and went around the table. He approached the window with his whiskey glass, staring at the dark land illuminated by the moon."As a father, I knew there would come a time when I was gone from this world and would not be there for my daughters when they needed me. But I took comfort in knowing they would have each other. Then everything changed when Marie gained her powers. I realized that Marie would outlive everyone she knew. She would watch those around her grow old and die while she remained the same forever. It's a fate I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies."Alastor turns to Hellboy. The half-demon man could faintly see Alastor’s eyes beginning to well up with tears from emotion. But the man's strong will prevented the tears from falling. Alastor approached the table and pulled back a chair before sitting beside Hellboy."My daughters mean the world to me. I would do anything and everything in my power to ensure they would be happy and safe. After all, that is what every parent wants for their child," Alastor said before looking at the half-demon man. "I know you care a great deal for Marie, Hellboy. I know you would never harm her and do anything you can to protect her.""Yes," Hellboy responded."I can tell that there is a question you wish to ask me. Oh, don't look so surprised. I've been where you are right now. Twice, I might add."Hellboy takes a deep breath before reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small box. The half-demon man hands the box to Alastor, who opens it and sees it’s empty.“I hadn’t found a ring yet. I just couldn’t find one that was perfect for her,” Hellboy said.Alastor closes the box and smiles at Hellboy. He knew all too well what the half-demon man was going through.“I know the feeling. When I was looking for a ring to propose to Marie’s mother, I went to every jeweler in the tri-state area to find the perfect ring. And it wasn’t any easier for Nora’s mother. I felt like it was hopeless to find a ring worthy of Claudia when I had a realization. I was searching for a ring with my head, not my heart. Come with me.”Alastor stands up, and Hellboy follows his lead out of the dining room. The two walked through the east wing of the first floor before Alastor opened two large Victorian oak doors. Hellboy and Alastor step into the home’s grand library, similar to the one at the B.P.R.D. But this one could rival it.The room is three stories high, and books fill every wooden shelf. A wooden spiral staircase led to each story. A crucifix hangs above the door. Two red Edwardian sofas on either side of the large and cozy fireplace. There are a few busts and glass cases containing antiques throughout the room. Large windows allow the room to be illuminated by the sun during the day. But since it is night, the room is lit by electricity. There are only a handful of portraits, but the one Alastor approaches catches his attention. The painting is of Claudia, Alastor’s first wife and Marie’s mother.While looking at the portrait, Hellboy was amazed at how much Marie looked like her mother. The similarities would make you think Claudia had cloned herself. The half-demon man approached Alastor and stood beside him."I know what you're thinking. Marie took after her mother in many ways. In some way, I'm glad. Lord knows I was quite the hellraiser in my youth and gave my parents some grief. I don't know how I didn't send them to an early grave," Alastor said, smiling.Alastor grabs the frame and moves it, revealing a safe built into the wall behind the portrait. The man turns the dial and enters the combination before opening the safe. The contents of the safe weren't those you'd expect a man of great wealth to keep inside. There were no stacks of money, gold bars, or priceless jewels. Instead, it contains letters, ticket stubs, and an antique gold and blue rectangular metal box with ‘CLDM’ written in cursive on a small golden plate.Alastor removes the box from the safe. The man removes a key from his pocket before unlocking the box, revealing its contents to Hellboy. The half-demon man sees various simple and elegant earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and a single crucifix necklace. But among the jewelry is a simple black box.Alastor placed the jewelry box on a nearby table before removing the little box from within it. The man opens the black box, showing the most beautiful ring Hellboy has ever seen. The ring has a silver band.“This ring has been in my family for the last few generations. It was made by my great-great-grandfather when he was an apprentice blacksmith. It has been passed down from generation to generation.” Alastor smiled at the ring in his hand. “When Claudia still had cancer, she made me promise her that Marie would only receive this ring when the man worthy of her would propose. I believe there is a question you want to ask me?”“I-I want to ask for your blessing to marry Marie. I know I’m not much to look at and probably don't deserve Marie. But I love her. And I’ve never loved anyone the way I love your daughter. She is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. I can see myself spending the rest of my life with her.The half-demon man could feel his heart in his throat. Hellboy stood, scared out of his mind, waiting for Alastor's response."Professor Broom did a fine job raising you, Hellboy," Alastor smiled. Even though you're a bit rough around the edges, you are a gentleman. I know that I am an old man, but if you hurt my daughter in any way, I will kill you. With that said, I would be honored to have you as a son-in-law."Alastor closes the box before placing it in Hellboy’s hand. The half-demon man could not believe what he had witnessed. He has permission to ask Marie to marry him. But now comes the next hard part: asking her and hoping she’ll say yes.