Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexander Dumas, except he’s dead… And this fanfic belongs to me! *Smirks* who’d want to steal it?

Chapter 15 – The Confession

Silver sat down. “I once had a life before I became a smuggler, I suppose you should know… well, now I still possess one, however…”

“You see, in 1815 (note – year Lance was arrested), my brother was working for the Emperor. He was still in the army, he had no choice… but one evening, he was murdered in the tavern, so I ran to the king’s deputy, Monsieur de Villefort, and begged for help. He said that I was mad, my brother was a dog who deserved to die, and that I should quit his sight forthwith or he would have me whipped. Well, against those threats, what could I do? So I exited, but before I left, I promised that I would have my revenge.”

“This is very amusing, but what does that have to do with this house?”

“Be patient, excellency, you shall see.” Silver took a deep breath. “Well, in order to enact my revenge, I began to follow his every move, record his every motion, so I would know his habits and find the time to strike. I noticed that every few days he would make a trip from the coast to this house in Auteuil…”

“Interesting…”

“This house belonged to his father in law, the Marquis de saint-Meran. However, he was not here alone… there was a woman, young and blonde and beautiful and pregnant as well…”

“I see…”

“Well, Excellency, I saw him embrace this woman. I watched an entire night. He did not leave until the morning, and he had to traverse this entire lawn to reach his carriage. I determined to strike when he next came for a visit.”

“Ah... so you were planning his murder quite thoroughly.”

“Yes, Excellency. In any case, several days later, he returned. I saw him enter the garden with a spade, hastily remove a box from his coat, and bury it. Then, he began walking back to his carriage. I jumped out of a tree and struck him down with my dagger. Then, I dug up the treasure, leapt over the fence, and escaped.”

“So you basically murdered him ad ran off with his treasure?”

“Oh no. This was revenge for his inability to bring my brother’s murderers to justice.” Silver said firmly. “There was no treasure, either. Just a child.”

“A child?”

“Yes, excellency, the box contained a baby, a boy child – dead, obviously, from the purple tint of its body. At least that was what I first assumed. However, I was about to bury it again when a faint pulse eat against my hands. The child was alive! So I made use of my feeble skills in midwifery and gave it back life, by blowing air into its lungs.”

“And then?”

“What then? I had no family – I could not possibly raise a child – so I left him in the care of an orphanage.”

“That is all?”

Silver nodded.

“Well, thank you for your explanation, but I find it exceedingly difficult to believe, at times.”

“I will know, Excellency, who they are, if I but see them again.”

“Will you?” Lance half-smiled. “Well, then, my dear Silver, I shall be having a party at this house a week hence, and you shall be present to bear witness.”

“Of course. I desire revenge as well as you.”

They shared a smile and then returned to Paris that night.

“Silver?”

“Yes, Lance?” Alone; the pretenses fell for a few moments.

“Will you follow me down this path of destruction?”

“We shall all walk with you, your Excellency, for we choose to do so, but we shall not be the ones destroyed…”

“Indeed…”

Back in Paris, Lance closed his scrying mirror. There was another half of the story Silver had not told, but no matter…

“Charlotte…”

You called?

The spirit floated out in front of Lance, a smile on her ghostly features.

“Yes. Show me what happened to Bruno and Agatha after I sent them the diamond, I believe this is important.”

“With pleasure…”

Light… no, darkness, a dark and stormy night. The jeweler paying them the money for the diamond, a storm raging outside, the jeweler not going home, preferring their inn for tonight, eating a good meal and then going to bed – darkness, a knife, Agatha and a sudden stab, the sound of pistols firing, both dead… Bruno gathering up the diamond and money and fleeing form his home…

Then, a slave ship, an Englishman named Lord Wilmore handing two convicts a small, silver file…

Two swam away from the work – more like slave ship.

One was Bruno, the other…

Oh yes, he remembered now… it fit perfectly. But when had his plans for vengeance ever turned astray. He would get his revenge.

Andrea Cavalcanti… perfect…

So, still scheming, my dear student?

“Of course. I will seek the vengeance I have been denied.”

I shall watch over you. I see no danger in your future yet.

“What is the use of having power over the dead if they do not come when you call?” Lance asked rhetorically as Charlotte vanished.

Dragon Master.

Yes, he was the Dragon Master. The symbols sparkled over his skin, and yet, he was somehow, the Dark Angel as well….

Yet, then again, Lord Wilmore, Sinbad the Sailor, the Abbé Busoni…

Three aliases, no, two, Lord Wilmore was Sinbad the Sailor. But it was no matter. He had alibis, should he ever need them.

He had a feeling an investigation would come after his gathering… but no matter, let it come…

He could deny all evidence.

It was a masterstroke to hurt two families at once. A pity that Giovanni had few weaknesses and secrets…

Spying and betrayal… well, perhaps Lorelei’s story would stand strong enough. If not, there were other ways.

The Dark Angel brings death. How fitting… but death is too good for them.

“I would make them suffer as I have suffered. An eye for an eye, so they say. They took my most precious item – not my love, not my life – they stole away my liberty, my spirit, my soul… now I shall take what is most precious to them away…”

For Morcerf, it was his General-position – and his popularity. His family? Perhaps, but Ash was not guilty.

For Danglars – the man had always worshiped money. Perhaps driving him to bankruptcy, or even… well, Andrea could be useful then…

For Villefort – ah, his pride and justice were his prized possessions - therefore, those would need to be removed. Oh, and Villefort's own sin brought to light would be sweet indeed…

Lance shed his black clothing as he slipped into a white robe, lying down on the satin sheets of his bed. How ironic…

Still, only time would tell what would come next…

End Chapter

Completed 3/3/05