Epilogue – Four Months Later
Heinlein has a split screen on his encrypted phone. On one side he’s watching a distance shot of Simon Magus walking along an azure-blue Mediterranean beach in Larnaca, Cyprus. He’s holding the hand of a bouncing, perky teenage girl. The Master is wearing his – now signature – full length Egyptian Cotton caftan. The girl is wearing an official Olympic swimsuit with the Russian Team Flag emblazoned across her abdomen. She’s training for a Gold Medal – for Marathon Swimming. Her Ballet-honed physique will stand her in good stead for the demands on her body to come.
Katya has made a full recovery. Dr. Marina Vorshilovka, late of Kapustin Yar, realized early that the Vampyre bite Katya received was from a fellow human who was, herself, barely turned by the sickness in her bloodstream. After multiple transfusions and intra-venous anti-viral medications, Katya grew stronger – then defeated completely the cursed virus that Prima Ballerina Madame Kuznetzova had introduced into her young ingenue’s body.
Heinlein can see that Simon Magus is content. Relaxed. He’s thoroughly enjoying his role as surrogate parent to Katya. It appears that Doctor Vorshilovka has also had an impact on him. Heinlein senses romance in the air.
The Warren Cop has called his friend for advice. Simon Magus responds with a good-natured laugh.
“Your quandary is not as difficult as you are making it seem…”
The Master’s tone to Heinlein – who is now looking into his face on the other half of his phone’s split screen – is both kind and helpful.
“You still have an outstanding, renegade Yakwahe beast emerging from the grey rocks in Warren and killing people. I understand your reluctance to offend The Old Ones in the way you did when you hunted and trapped the first one. But self-defense and the safety of others trumps profit motivation and greed in all circumstances.”
The Old Ones never told you to abjure your natural right of self-defense. If there is a Yakwahe that is terrorizing your community, killing it in purely self-defense does not violate their ethos. I would intervene on your behalf myself and appeal to their Council as long as your motives were pure and your duty as a Peace Officer was the primary motivator. A word of caution, however: If you shoot a deranged, crazed Yakwahe – use silver nitrate rounds. And be sure to hit your mark three times.
Katy and I best be getting back. Lacas is preparing spicy Italian sausages and spaghetti for Longinus – and it’s Katya’s favorite.
Take good care of yourself, my Comrade. Give Leeds my Love.”
And just like that – the screen goes blank.
Heinlein misses him. He misses the brutish, loveable Longinus and the Mission that the Centurion and Simon Magus fight for. The Mission he was a part of. An honorable life. A worthy life. a Godly life.
As he sits on the porch chain swing of his ranch house on Vosseller Avenue in Martinsville, New Jersey, nursing a bottle of Miller beer, Heinlein reflects on where he’s been – and where he’s going. He can’t think of any scenario that doesn’t include Leeds.
Yesterday, he told her that he loved her.
Leeds – being Leeds – just looked at him with her trademark quizzical expression and said casually, “I know…”
END OF BOOK TWO
Copyright, 2026 Jon Croft
www.bogironslav.com
Email: vlchek1@gmail.com
