Volume II - Episode 78 Where: Erftstadt, Germany When: 1 month and 12 days after E-Day, 11:01 pm Lieutenant Adrienne Généreux stood firm as the helicopter landed, her long red ponytail flapping in the downwash. The man who climbed out of the helicopter was agile, graceful...and impossibly old. There was a quick glimpse of two piercing brown eyes before he pulled a hood over his smooth scalp, completely obscuring his features. He walked briskly across the soft grass to where Adrienne stood. He extended his hand. Adrienne stared at the dark-skinned hand for the briefest of moments. She’d seen photos of the Ancients many times before, but she'd never actually touched one. Quickly realising that she was being rude, she took his hand in hers. The skin that pressed against her palm felt unexpectedly soft and smooth. That hand is 175 years old, she thought with wonder. "Good evening, Monsieur." "Good evening, Lieutenant," the Ancient replied. "Thank you for coming out at this hour." "You are welcome, Monsieur. It's really no problem at all. It is an honour to meet you." The Ancient watched as Adrienne's men carefully unloaded his cargo from the helicopter. "I assume Commander Fournier has given you all of the instructions?" "Yes, sir," Adrienne said. "He said we're to take you to Cologne and secure the apartment building while you make your way inside." “That is correct," the Ancient nodded. "And did he explain to you the urgency of this mission? It's rather time-critical." "Yes, sir. We're ready to take you right now. But...excuse me for asking, sir, but do you need us to wait for you until you finish your...work?" The shake of the Ancient's hooded head was barely perceptible. "No. You and your men should leave the city once I'm inside. I'll be safe from the Hexenjägern once I'm inside the Veil." A small chill ran down Adrienne's spine. She had seen first-hand the swirling blue storm that had sprung up in the middle of Cologne, and she had heard whispers about its true nature, but the Ancient's words were her first confirmation. It really is a Veil, just like the one over Gorod Drevnih. "Understood." "Did Commander Fournier go into any detail about my work?” the Ancient asked. "About why we're doing this?" Adrienne swallowed before answering. "No, sir. No detail, no." "But you have suspicions?" Adrienne stumbled for a reply. The Ancient chuckled. "My opinion differs from Commander Fournier on this matter. He wants to keep our purpose a secret. I understand his reasons, but I am uneasy with the thought of you and your men risking your lives without knowing why. There is much I cannot tell you, Lieutenant, but I can tell you this: several days ago, Commander Fournier sent, well, let’s just call him an Observer, to Cologne to investigate the disappearance of an American couple who’d gone there to find a first-year student named Krystal Beaufort. No trace was found of the Americans, but they discovered Krystal Beaufort's body on the bedroom floor with a fatal gunshot wound to her head. Two days later, another team went to the apartment building to recover her body. Some kind of spell or barrier prevented them from gaining access to the corpse, and they observed the body in a different location and position to that which the Observer had left it in. The very next morning, the Veil appeared.” “The Beaufort girl,” Adrienne said. "She’s a…she’s like you, isn’t she sir?" “That’s what we believe, yes. She’s like me. I can only imagine how desperate and afraid she must be feeling right now, trapped in the space between life and death. The appearance of the Veil proves that she is getting assistance from...other parties. But they complete their task without my help." He gestured towards the growing of crates and containers Adrienne's team were unloading from the helicopter nearby.