Forever Young Birth Of A Nation (82 page)

A red brick building on a corner stood out
somewhat in the rainy landscape, being different from the usual
stucco or stone exteriors of so many of the buildings of Vaduz. It
boasted a dome atop its 3
^rd
story roof, and all of the
windows on the main floor displayed extremely heavy iron bars, in
spite of this city having the lowest crime rate in all of Europe. A
connecting archway built into its brick façade featured an
extremely heavy twin iron gate as well. The cobblestone driveway
that led through the archway went around a corner inside of the
courtyard where it terminated, leaving the courtyard itself not
visible from the street. On the twin iron gates were two crests
emblazoned on two shields. The two shields were purple with gilt
edges and three stylized gilded letters ‘L T G’ appeared on each
shield. Two tall muscular Adept vampires stood guard inside of the
gate wearing long black rain slickers.

Set in the walls of the building were two
raised brass plates bearing the same logos and each had a
raised-letter German inscription below the logos which read
‘Liechtenstein Trade Guild’. One plate faced out at eye level to
each street on the corner where this building sat. Stone steps led
up into a well-crafted ornate brick archway wherein was a massive
double door made of bronze, each also bearing the same logo in
raised bronze with its letters ‘LTG’ prominent features on the
doors. Just beneath each logo was a massive bronze door knocker.
Two tiny windows set artfully in each logo/shield allowed anyone
inside to peer out to see who might be standing on the steps.

The courtyard was defined by walls of
adjacent buildings and the back of the Liechtenstein Trade Guild
building itself, making its courtyard completely inaccessible save
for the massive iron gate. There were no windows in the rear walls
of any of the adjoining buildings, leaving the courtyard completely
private. A well-crafted and furnished stable faced the courtyard
and at this time, nine well-turned out carriages were there, the
horses of each disconnected from their traces and in their assigned
stalls. Each of the nine carriages bore the same logo on their
carriage doors.

The rooftops of the adjacent buildings were
only two stories, sloping toward the streets. Even from the
rooftops of any one of them no one could look into this courtyard.
The rear walls of all of those adjacent buildings on that block
were twelve feet taller than their roofs were.

Inside of the trade guild on the
2
^nd
floor was a large rotunda that featured a dome
overhead, the same dome visible from the street. Four stained glass
windows were set in that dome and in each was the same logo with
the same three letters designating the Liechtenstein Trade
Guild.

A light gray marble judge’s bench, curved to
fit the shape of the room was at the west end of the room with its
nine seats of dark red leather, and at the east end were four large
oak tables with numerous heavy well-crafted chairs. Two of these
tables were pushed together for this informal gathering of the
Supreme Council of vampires, since no outsiders were testifying
this day.

The nine judges sat informally about this
table, headed by Heinrich Von Steuben, the chief judge of the
Council.

“Esteemed colleagues, I have no more to
offer on this incident than to say that Henri’s people made up a
superb team and that we killed every single rogue. Their plan and
its execution were perfect. I will say that I actually enjoyed
myself and I am going to make it a point to partake of more of
these things in the future.”

The Russian judge, Vassily laughed, saying
“You’re still a warrior at heart, Heini. Willy, you participated in
another of these raids shortly before this one. Was it the same
team then?”

“Yes. We had a different entry plan being as
the building had a cellar and they were all down there excepting
for two recent converts. Not one rogue escaped there either. We
were all sooty with gunpowder residue when it was over I can tell
you that. Henri’s team was superb.”

“My team did well both times, but I do
remind all of you that the instigator got away.”

“He was the younger brother of our
Inquisitor, Aldric Moreau, correct?”

“Yes. We think he escaped to America, but I
brought posters for each of you to have circulated around in your
territories should he turn up there. Robert took care of the one
financing the thing, and he can tell you more about that.”

Robert Milliken spoke then “He was the
younger brother of my former senior partner and he inherited his
older brother’s estate. I killed him myself and searched his
estate. I never did find anything else to link him to any others.
He did bankroll Moreau as well as two other vampires from France.
Those two we know went to America and as Henri will tell you, Ian
McCloud killed a nest full of them over there.”

“All of them from France?”

“Two only. The others were American
converts. We think maybe we missed the two in one of our raids in
earlier years and they wanted revenge.”

“So Ian took on a nest of them over in
America?”

“Yes he did, and he had a close call while
he was at it.”

Von Steuben said “That is the first I heard
of it. So even over there, he is still caught up in this sort of
thing?”

“Yes. Three of my people and a couple of
Robert’s people got there just in time. Cosette was the first to
arrive and she barely prevented Ian being decapitated.

“My word, Henri! You surely have the
fighting women in your family.”

Wilhelm said “Oh yes! You should have seen
the four of them holding that staircase in Paris.” as Heinrich
chimed in “You should have seen those women blocking that front
door in Marseille! Those headless bloodsuckers were piled up there
like fire logs!” A chorus of laughter followed that remark.

Wilhelm spoke then, saying “I am surprised
at Ian on that one in America though. He is usually so thorough and
all.”

“Well, he was alone, and one of them baited
him by killing an American he was close to.”

“I’ll bet
that
was a mistake he
regretted!”

“Yes indeed! He had already killed that one,
and this time he only wanted to get the leader and get back
out.”

“So he wanted to keep picking them off one
by one. How many were there?”

“Even after he killed two, there were
sixteen remaining.”

“All of that to get revenge?”

“It seems so. He went in alone and killed
four of them before being downed by a head shot from a balcony. We
all feel blessed that the others found him in time to save him. If
we can, I would like to discuss another matter with all of you
while we are all together today.”

The others nodded so Henri continued “As you
know we have made our generational move and I am pleased to say
that it was successful and we are now the Laforges. We will have
residences in Zurich, Paris, and Luxembourg. We are expanding into
America in partnership with Robert here.”

“So that is going well too?”

“Well yes. Ian and his partner had to hide
the startup funds in cemeteries all over the place to keep the
British from impounding them.”

There was an outburst of laughter as
Heinrich said “Now that is the Ian I remember; always thinking
ahead.”

“Excepting when raiding American vampire
covens?” Vassily quipped.

Everyone had a good laugh at that, and then
Henri continued “We have resumed our efforts for two or three banks
over there and the one in New York City will be running very
soon.”

Several offered congratulations then.

“Now I will get to what I want to share with
all of you. The recently ended war in America has put an enormous
burden on the French treasury and France has debts now that cannot
be met under its current taxation system. Increased trade with
America will not help them enough, really. There are entrenched
institutions in my country like in your countries, and both the
clergy and the noble families enjoy a sweet tax status in France.
They will resist any attempt to change the tax laws in any way that
causes them to pay more than they do now. The King will ultimately
be forced to levy more taxes on the people themselves and in my
view this will result in a revolt.”

Wilhelm said “Are you certain of this,
Henri?”

“Yes. Given the players in this drama, I am
convinced that there will be a revolt. There is a group that call
themselves Jacobins in Brittany province in western France. They’re
already gathering support to push for ousting King Louis
himself.”

“My word!”

“Yes. They are planning to take control of
the national assembly when it is called. Louis may be forced to
allow the three estates to meet, and the Jacobins mean to take over
the 3
^rd
estate. It will be aided and encouraged by those
who stand to gain. I suspect that the political left will seize
control, based on who I know to be in favor of it. They will
support reforms like endorsement of
‘The Rights of Man’
and
the vote for the common man, but a violent purge is what they truly
seek. Poor people in France are going to begin to go hungry and it
is going to be an ugly situation, what with the Jacobins using them
to push their goals.”

“This sounds bad Henri, but what has it to
do with us?” asked Von Steuben.

“The human banking cartel of Europe is
dedicated to the overthrow of the monarchies and to ending the
influence of the Roman Catholic Church as well. They have lent
money to King Louis, but they truly desire for him to be
overthrown. This thing will spill over into most of your countries
eventually, make no mistake.”

Wilhelm said “How can you be so
certain?”

“I have reliable people in both government
and in finance. The human banking cartel will move to install a
dictator not beholden to Rome and they will finance him in return
for his expanding the hostilities to neighboring countries;
countries to whom they will also loan money. They are aiming to do
away with all monarchies in Europe. Having an angry populace of a
large country under the control of their hand-picked dictator will
offer them a perfect opportunity to try to expand this revolt
against the monarchies in the neighboring countries.”

“But how… I mean what excuse can any
dictator use to start invading his neighbors?”

“The Roman Catholic Church and the
surrounding monarchies of Europe are going to feel threatened when
this happens and they will support King Louis for their own sakes.
That will give the dictator who they set up an excuse to whip the
French population into a frenzy against those countries, as well as
against the Church. An unprecedented era of warfare is coming to
Europe, and it will arrive near the end of this century.”

“What will you do, Henri?”

“I am liquidating some businesses and
rentals even now. They are profitable, but at risk given what is
coming. We are very likely moving to America in the long term. In
the beginning we may try to live in the Swiss Confederacy, but
colleagues, that country can be invaded easily from the direction
of France through the Rhone Valley.”

Vassily spoke then saying “You don’t think
they will come as far as Russia do you?”

“Prussia and Austria are closer and if they
support King Louis, I think the dictator will be encouraged to
invade them. The Czar and the Romanovs are known to be enemies of
the European human banking cartel, so I wouldn’t rule out even such
a foolhardy thing as a land invasion of Russia. It doesn’t bother
the cartel to use the armies of nations to further their
goals.”

“Henri, you have ministers in government who
are… friends, like we all do. Can they not contain this thing?”

“I believe that they’ll all be swept aside
when this thing explodes. In my view the survivors will be the ones
who either switch sides or leave France. I will help those who want
to leave when the time comes.

“Is a dictatorship the only way this can
go?”

“No. They may not be able to install a
dictator right away. The people would resist that, and want a
parliament or some sort of representative government. In time
though, I fear that they may just butt heads against each other
while things deteriorate for the average French citizen. That is
the time when a dictator might be acceptable to the masses as they
look for a way out of the mess their country has become.”

“Any idea who the cartel would want for
their dictator?”

“No, but I have reason to believe that
they’ll raise up someone from within the French military. Be
watchful for anyone who begins to attract a large public following.
France has a population triple that of most countries in Europe, so
she can field a sizeable army. The cartel will fund that army.”

“What do you suggest, Henri?”

“Yes, we all admit that of all of us, you
are the most savvy about these things.”

“We will have banks in America that are
beyond the reach of European dictators and the fortunes of war. We
will deal only in silver or gold coin, or British currency until
America has its own monetary system backed by gold and silver. That
will take a number of years because they don’t yet even have a
government. I encourage all of you to consider depositing a part of
your personal funds in one of the banks there that Robert and I are
starting. Opportunities in America will be nearly as limitless as
its resources are. As far as Europe goes, banks in England, the
Netherlands, and especially Robert’s bank will be relatively safe
during this event, but the banks in the Swiss Confederation may
become risky.”

“Why would Swiss banks become risky?”

“They are in the path of an invasion of
Austria or Prussia so their assets would be at risk. I’ll sit down
with each of you and look at your investments and offer advice
should any of you desire. There is time yet, maybe even several
years. But I tell you now colleagues, be thinking of your personal
safety and do get your financial houses in order. A storm is
coming, the likes of which we haven’t seen before.”