Constantinople 1111

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Co-op done with AG help


The time and place had been selected months in advance. In that time more than a few incidents had occurred to make this meeting more important than merely keeping an eye on "The Organization".

Waiting patiently in the gloom of hot evening Apionnas toyed with the frayed silver cording on the hilt of his scimitar.

This meeting was certainly going to have more substance to it than he first envisaged.

A dark cloaked man with a red raven emblem appears from the darkest part of the alleyway. "You wanted to speak to us?"

The familiar raised eyebrow was lost on the the figure due to the gloom. The tone of voice more than made up for it.

"That depends entirely on you my friend. Are you Aleksander?"

"And if I was?"

"Then I would know who I'm talking to. I generally prefer that in the conversations I have with people."

The man seems to struggle with something. "I am not Aleksander, although I do know of him..."

"Hmm, well then at least you are aware of my relationship with him...I hope.

Your organization has been implicated in the incident at Iconium. Are you able to confirm this to be the truth or not?"

The man considers for longer this time. "I can confirm it..."

Apionnas shakes his head.

"What exactly is your organisation trying to accomplish? I'm finding it hard to determine from where I am standing?"

The man is about to say something, but suddenly clams up and seems almost gripped in terror.

"What the hell is wrong with you man?! Are you in danger? Are you meant to be here meeting with me?"

Another, very familiar voice speaks up. "The danger he is in is danger he brought about himself. And he will be meeting with whom he is supposed to very soon. Time to atone for your sins, Nikitas."

The cloaked man turned to run as fast as he could, but Ignatios was faster, tackling him to the ground. Ignatios brought up a dagger to strike, screaming. "This symbol does not belong to you! You do not deserve life for what your kind have done!"

Apionnas snakes a hand out and grabs Ignatios's wrist in a vice like grip.

"Stay your hand Ignatios!! Killing him is surely not the way to exact revenge!"

Ignatios gaze refuses to waver from poor Nikitas, who's terror is evident. "I must do this Apionnas, it is not for me that I do this. I must reclaim the symbol he cares, the Red Raven. And he...he has no place in this world."

"Have you lost all your senses. Who compels you to murder someone!? Reclaim the symbol but cold blooded murder is not you Ignatios. Think man, before you do something you may later regret."

With that Apionnas removed his hand from Ignatios' wrist.

Ignatios holds the dagger in the air for awhile before ripping the raven emblem from Nikitas back. "You are not worth it Nikitas...go, die from your own shame." Nikitas fear turns into pure panic and outright cowardice as he begins to run from the alleyway.

Grabbing the older man by his shoulder Apionnas turns him so they are facing each other.

"I wont pretend to know what is going on here Ignatios, but you should certainly consider dropping these games of espionage and sedition. You seem to be on a knife edge and you are clearly not able to keep balance.

If you need assistance I can help you if you wish it?"

Ignatios sighs deeply. "Apionnas, there is much going on...and I wish I could confide in someone. I grow tired of staining my hands Apionnas...but someone must do what I am doing. I cannot allow such people, such traitors, to continue to do what they did at Iconium...will you listen to my story Apionnas?"

Holding the man's gaze for some moments, Apionnas finally releases his grip on the Ignatios.

"I will. But not here. We shall retire to a safe place near here."

Ignatios nods "Agreed."

Ignatios lead Apionnas through the winding streets, and those without a very good sens of direction would have long since been lost. Suddenly Ignatios seems to pick a place at random and enter it. The place he chooses though seems lived in well enough, with a small bed and a neat stack of clothes. Off to one side is a tray with several glass tubes and a what seems to be vile liquids and powders. A belt of throwing knives sits of to one corner.

"We can talk here in private. I am sorry for leading you in circles, but I had to make sure no one was tailing us."

Ignatios sits down and offers the only chair in the place to Apionnas.

"Where shall I begin? With the formation of the Organization or when it went wrong?"

Apionnas remains standing. Leaning against a wall he takes in the room. Turning back he folds his arms.

"Begin with the formation and then what went wrong?"

"It started when I first met Aleksander in Constantinople, near the Da Milano villa with a young girl who he had saved from the fire that had consumed the villa. I watched him for a bit, thinking that I was hidden well enough. When he suddenly left, I decide to step out and check to see if the young girl was okay. Instead, I felt a blade upon my back: Aleksander had doubled back faster and more quietly then I would have ever expected."

"Instead of killing me, he offered me a chance, join his "Organization". I agreed, unknowing he was in fact creating it as he spoke: me and the young girl, Veronica I think was her name, were his first recruits."

"We went on to gather even more people to our cause: protecting the Empire. But to Aleksander, who had seen and heard the apathy and the treacherous tendencies of the nobility...to him, it was the people, the common man, that was the Empire. The first thing we set out to do was rid the Empire of it's rampant underground, and we were successful at first: most of it was all loosely held together or very fractious at best...until we met Markellinos."

"It went downhill fast from there. Markellinos was an army deserter, and he had taken his whole unit with him, and with their experience, they proved difficult to uproot. That is, until we captured Symeon. There was something about the man I did not like, but Aleksander took a liking to him. They thought the same way, acted the same way, even had the same ideals...but there was something more sinister about Symeon."

"I investigated, followed Symeon around. I soon learned he had alternate motives in 1098, when he ransacked the Princess's room. I tried to warn Aleksander, but all he did was chastise Symeon. It wasn't until 1105 that in my attempt to catch Symeon, he tricked me into switching places with him: that is how you captured me. Afterward, I learned that he had soon after went on to rebel against Aleksander in my absence."

"I lost all hope at that moment, not knowing if Aleksander was alive or dead. All I could do was to regain what was lost, and to hunt down the traitorous scum one by one..."

Ignatios takes a death breathe and gets up to get a pitcher of water. He pours himself a glass and drinks from it first. After a few seconds, he then pours a glass and offers it to Apionnas.

Apionnas reaches out and takes the glass. He then slowly places it on the table by the door.

"Go on. Continue."

That was, until I met-" Ignatios pauses for a moment and when he hears a series of knocks at the door. He turns to Apionnas, and brings up a finger to his lips. Ignatios then walks silently over to the door, and with dagger in hand, yanks it open and seizes the man in the door way. "Ignatios! Please! You seem more paranoid everyday! Oh, hello Apionnas, interesting to meet you here." Ignatios releases his grip. "Kyrillos, please, stop doing the knocks in reverse order."

Shaking his head in slight surprise.

"Kyrillos, I'd suggest you start explaining your involvement. You know I can have you removed from Imperial service. My master will not be impressed if he finds out you are not loyal."

As Ignatios moved back to his seat, Kyrillos smiled gleefully. "I thought a man in my profession always had his loyalty in question." Kyrillos made a swift bow to Aponnias. "But, since you ask, I have Imperial Orders to find and locate someone from the Organization for interrogation. As it turns out, Ignatios was only to happy to oblige me, although, I must say, I feel as if he has wrapped me into going on this mad little quest of his..."

Ignatios turns back to glare at Kyrillos. "Enough Kyrillos, why have you come here now? Were you tailing me again? I thought I had detected someone in the alleyway."

"I've heard nothing until now that makes me think this isn't simply some crazed group of subversive nonsense. You've skirted around everything of any substance until now Ignatios. I wont expend anymore time on this endeavour unless that changes now."

Ignatios looks up at Apionnas. "What would you have me do?"

It is clear that Apionnas is becoming increasingly frustrated. He continues in an even tone however.

"Why don't you continue from 'That was, until I met...'

Ignatios looks at Apionnas thoughtfully. "If I tell whom I met, I want you to agree to help him. I also ask that he be is not reported to his immediate lords...I will give my life to protect the trust this man put in me, and I will not break that trust."

"My life is committed to the service of the Basileus. If I regard what I hear as something he needs to be informed about then I am compelled to advise him. That is not something that is ever going to be in question. You must decide if you wish to go further and if there is anything you want from me. To be honest Ignatios I'm not sure if this meeting will be worthwhile for you.

I came to investigate a lead on this organization and I have not seen anything until now that is out of the ordinary or reason for great alarm.

I leave it up to you how to continue."

Ignatios shakes his head. "Then you do not know Symeon as I do. The man will not stop until he has what he wants, and if that means setting fire to every city in the Empire, so be it. I am sure you know of his involvement at Iconium? He plans to do that in as many cities as he can before the Caesars term as Megas is up...and unless he is caught, he will continue to press on."

Ignatios leans back and exhales deeply. "I wish to ask you to do something for me, and in return for this, I will render whatever service you ask: protect Iakovos for me. I owe his brother a debt that I don't think I will ever repay..."

"You're right. I do not know this 'Symeon' at all. If he wishes to continue in his activities as you have outlined then he will find the full might of the Empire directed against him. I doubt he will be able to function effectively if that occurs. He seems to have made a fatal error and that is to be identified clearly as the main antagonist.

As for your request. I already have a responsibility to three people, that will possibly grow. I will do what I can for your colleague, but if things are not as they seem then I can not promise much. If his situation is 'just' and 'true' then I will use all my influence to ensure his safety."

Ignatios smiles wearily. "Thank you for that, it is now one more thing that unburdens me." Ignatios turns to look at Kyrillos. "Since you seem fit to do nothing except eavesdrop, why do you not go and alert our benefactor as to the current situation."

Kyrillos makes to object, but quickly closes his mouth and turns to leave.

"Do I wait here Ignatios? What is the next step in this?"

Ignatios shrugs. "I think it better if you return to the Emperor. If you need me, you can find me. Just ask Kyrillos..."

"Indeed."

And with that the young Saracen officer leaves.