"As Karthax righteously purifies sinners with his Jade Mace...", Barnes called out.

"Bethesis weeps for their sins", came a resonantly reply.

Barnes threw up a rope and a Sable climbed down, wearing khaki shorts with a green shirt and an eye patch over his right eye: Constantine Darkheart, a fellow ex-diplomat.  They had struck up a friendship despite their national differences several years before.  One thing they had in common was their view that loyalty had nothing to do with friendship.   Both had also had seen their careers go spectacularly awry.  But Barnes had been more fortunate to only get demoted.  Darkheart had lost most of his family. This was due to the fact that Barovia had a lower tolerance for failure than the Freelands did.  They shook paws and Barnes awkwardly rowed them out into the bay to have a more private conversation.

"How are you doing these days Emil?", asked Darkheart amiably.

"I can't complain.  By the way what happened to your coat? I thought that was your spy outfit."

"I must have misplaced it somewhere", said Darkheart, flashing his trademark toothy grin.

Barnes frowned.  "I see.", He hesitated and then continued, "I heard from my sources that Kari is still alive."

Darkheart seemed nonplused as his apparent failure to rid them both of an old adversary.  In fact the Fennec named Kari had come dangerously close to redeeming him.  He admired her for both her love of life and her ability to endure the most horrible anguish and survive.  And he was getting *far* too fond of her.  He smiled at the memories of her kindness, her touch....

"I gave her a punishment worse than death Emil.  I made her fall in love with me."

Emil gasped in horror and Darkheart chuckled in amusement as he lit one of his noxious cigars with a brass lighter.

"Y-you idiot!  You were supposed to kill her!  She started the Barovian civil war that got your family killed!"

"She lost her family to our late unlamented leader Prince Malik.  I'd say she did the world a favor by killing him.  Besides, she's more useful to me alive."

"What are you planning?"

Darkheart tapped his right ear.

"I'm sorry Emil, I'm getting deaf in this ear."

Emil just growled to himself.  His plan to have Darkheart kill Kari had obviously failed.  Darkheart interrupted his brooding.

"I take it you're the one who hired those assassins to kill her. And it was just dumb luck that I was seeking her for revenge at the same time that those goons were."

"Even if I did, and this is not an admission, I'd never tell you. I trusted you Constantine!  You promised me that you would kill her for me! She ruined my career!"

"I never said I was planning to kill her, I said that her punishment would be harsh.  And so it was.  Now stop this nauseating bout of self pity and explain why you asked me out here."

Emil glared at Darkheart as he spoke.  "You know about Harold and Caroline Stripeflank?"

Darkheart nodded and spoke with mild regret: “The parents of my mistress Cecilia. They never approved of me.”

"The King had them imprisoned."

Darkheart looked shocked and furiously thought: Why would the King want them?  The old codger had already killed most of his family.  Of course!

"Let me guess, I have to turn myself in, or the King will execute them."

"Yes.  You're the only Minister who escaped the purge, and for seven years you've been a symbol to Barovians of one who can mock the King and escape."

Darkheart didn't answer but seemed lost in thought.  When he spoke, it was so quietly that Barnes had to strain to hear him.

"You sold me out, didn't you Emil?"

Barnes looked unsure how to respond but steeled up his courage, what little there was of it.

"Yes Constantine.  It's clear that the Freelands sees me as nothing but a lowly file clerk now.  Barovia is very willing to give me whatever I want, but the price is turning you in.  I'm sorry old friend."

Darkheart did not look angry or amused by this.  He just looked sad.

"Just get it over with."

Barnes nodded and fired off a flare and moments later a submarine surfaced about 20 meters from the rowboat.  It was over 100 meters long and steel blue gray in color.  On the sail was a triangle divided into thirds overlaid by a scarab beetle: a symbol of Barovia.

Darkheart watched the submarine come closer and puffed away at his cigar, looking unconcerned.  Emil was still mad at Darkheart's betrayal but mystified that he was so damned sanguine!  He was undoubtedly going to be executed in some horrid manner.

As if to read his mind, Darkheart spoke: "I'm not mad at you Emil.  Honestly.  I expected this to happen because you see I would have done the same thing had our roles been reversed."

Barnes looked miffed.  "If you knew this was a trap then why did you come?"

Darkheart turned to Emil.  "Because I was sure you'd have bait that I couldn't resist.  You do know the King will execute them anyway?"

"You can't be sure of that."

Darkheart let his anger show.

"You are so damned naive!  Can't you see that the King is evil?  His blasted son learned everything about evil from his father!  Can't you see the whole polluted line that rules my homeland for what it is?  I peddled his image as a good King like some dope dealer for ten years.   I turned a blind eye to his doings because it was my job. It took for Cecilia to die for me to see it.  I must save her parents."

"What did they ever do for you?"

Darkheart grabbed Barnes’ collar.  "You make me sick Emil!  I can't believe I was so much like you for so long."

Barnes knocked Darkheart paw off of him.  "You still *are* like me Silvertongue!  We're two of a kind."

As they spoke, several sailors in black uniforms with red trim climbed down the side of the submarine and without preamble handcuffed Darkheart's paws behind him.

"Constantine Darkheart vos Bessedra, you are under arrest for Treason against the King and the Kingdom of Barovia.  Have you anything to declare?"

"Yes, Mr. Emil Barnes here is going to Reinkavus.  And the god Karthax will be waiting there to beat out his sins with his jade cudgel."

Emil calmly reached into Darkheart's shirt pocket and removed his case of cigars and his brass lighter.  He then lit up a cigar and blew smoke in Darkheart's face.

"You're going there too Constantine."

Darkheart looked grimly sad at his former friend.

"Undoubtedly."

One of the sailors handed Barnes an envelope, which proved to be filled with several thousand Valis, the Barovian currency.  Darkheart fixed at Barnes with a disquieting stare as he was dragged onto the submarine, which quickly submerged and was soon out of sight.   Barnes smoked the cigar thoughtfully once he was alone again.

"Why the Hell would he come here if he knew it would mean certain death.  It's as if he was planning to...oh no!"

Barnes felt a sinking feeling; he knew that crafty Sable would try something but he had no way to warn them.  Oh well it wasn't his problem. He started rowing toward the town and soon vanished into the fog.