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scans_dailyI was already planning to post this as a follow up to my first Eroica post, but suddenly it's become rather timely. This story is told across two volumes in chapters 7 and 8, and marks the point when the espionage plots start becoming more complex and continuity-driven, as our heroes make a visit to the Vatican.
42 manga pages beneath the cut. (Original stories were 98 and 136 pages respectively.) Warning for homophobia; possibly NSFW for some partial nudity. Pages read from right to left.
Chapter 7. "Hallelujah Express"
The first story takes place on a train, the Hallelujah Express. Dorian and his accountant James have been sent tickets by a mysterious benefactor. Dorian spots one semi-familiar face, and another new one that he rather fancies.
They prepare to meet their benefactor.
Klaus has been ordered to hire Dorian to retrieve some military secrets hidden in the Vatican. Dorian agrees to play along in return for 100 million marks... and ten minutes alone in the Vatican vault to steal whatever he wants. It's a deal.
The KGB have noted NATO's unusual activity, and placed an operative on the train, who surprises Klaus in the bathroom.
The man escapes him, but Klaus realises his old enemy Mischa the Bear Cub is behind it. Meanwhile, Dorian takes the opportunity to leap off the train with the Vatican blueprint so his men can make a copy. On his return, he spots KGB snipers about to assassinate Klaus.
Dorian buzzes the KGB bus with his helicopter, ruining their chance, and returns to the train. Klaus is not happy to see him.
Klaus details his men to keep an eye on Dorian from here on.
A priest boards the train, but Dorian realises he's a fake when he gets details wrong about the art in the Sistine Chapel. Klaus goes after the fake priest, but is caught off guard by a second KGB agent pretending to be searching for his dog.
Dorian returns and rescues Klaus, but Mischa reveals that there's a bomb on a bridge that the train is about to cross over. The train can't be stopped in time, so Klaus has climb up on top and make a literal shot in the dark to disable the bomb's timer.
Naturally, he makes the shot...
And the bomb falls away from the bridge to explode safely far below.
Unfortunately the blast knocks the train's power out, so they have to get out and walk to the next station.
Chapter 8. "Veni, Vidi, Vici"
The next story begins after their arrival in Rome. Klaus gets impatient waiting for Dorian, who's luxuriating in the hotel's Roman bath.
They get to work. Dorian's men have uncovered a passage through the catacombs that leads into the Vatican.
...Unfortunately, this is not it, and leads into a woman's bathroom instead. Our heroes are both equally panicked by proximity to a naked woman, and make a run for it, attracting the attention of the local police. Dorian realises that errors have crept into the plans he was using after decades of copying, and infiltrates the Vatican library in disguise to get a look at the originals.
Their next attempts meets with greater success, and they make it into the Sistine Chapel. Klaus 'admires' the art in his own special way.
Dorian goes off to acquire the documents for Klaus, and also picks up a little something for himself.
They return to the hotel; mission accomplished, but Klaus is annoyed to hear a local detective is still pursuing them for the naked woman incident, using trumped up sex offense charges to get cooperation from the public. Still, it's all over and done with now...
Naturally, the kidnapping of the Pope causes chaos, and threatens to become a major international incident if NATO's involvement comes out.
Dorian confuses the trail by leaving the Pope in the possession of the detective who's been chasing them. However, his stingy accountant James is not happy to have to give up his bicycle in the execution of said plan.
Trying to steal his bike back, James accidentally leads the authorities to Dorian. The police detective, convinced that the Major is part of the plot, takes Dorian into a meeting where Klaus is representing NATO in discussions about the kidnapping.
Klaus does his best to discourage any belief that they're working together, but the KGB are still not fully convinced...
Dorian and James are taken to a cell.
Before Klaus can bust them out of jail, a Mafia friend of Dorian's arranges to get them released.
The KGB go after Dorian, and there's a big shoot-out between local police, Mafia and KGB. Dorian manages to steal away, and Klaus is the one to find him.
They leave Rome together, and Klaus kicks the thieves out of the plane with their money.
The case comes open and money flutters everywhere, to James's great distress, but Dorian gets the last laugh by stealing Klaus's belt right off his waist.
This sets up the next adventure, which I'll hopefully be able to post some scans from soon...
42 manga pages beneath the cut. (Original stories were 98 and 136 pages respectively.) Warning for homophobia; possibly NSFW for some partial nudity. Pages read from right to left.
Chapter 7. "Hallelujah Express"
The first story takes place on a train, the Hallelujah Express. Dorian and his accountant James have been sent tickets by a mysterious benefactor. Dorian spots one semi-familiar face, and another new one that he rather fancies.
They prepare to meet their benefactor.
Klaus has been ordered to hire Dorian to retrieve some military secrets hidden in the Vatican. Dorian agrees to play along in return for 100 million marks... and ten minutes alone in the Vatican vault to steal whatever he wants. It's a deal.
The KGB have noted NATO's unusual activity, and placed an operative on the train, who surprises Klaus in the bathroom.
The man escapes him, but Klaus realises his old enemy Mischa the Bear Cub is behind it. Meanwhile, Dorian takes the opportunity to leap off the train with the Vatican blueprint so his men can make a copy. On his return, he spots KGB snipers about to assassinate Klaus.
Dorian buzzes the KGB bus with his helicopter, ruining their chance, and returns to the train. Klaus is not happy to see him.
Klaus details his men to keep an eye on Dorian from here on.
A priest boards the train, but Dorian realises he's a fake when he gets details wrong about the art in the Sistine Chapel. Klaus goes after the fake priest, but is caught off guard by a second KGB agent pretending to be searching for his dog.
Dorian returns and rescues Klaus, but Mischa reveals that there's a bomb on a bridge that the train is about to cross over. The train can't be stopped in time, so Klaus has climb up on top and make a literal shot in the dark to disable the bomb's timer.
Naturally, he makes the shot...
And the bomb falls away from the bridge to explode safely far below.
Unfortunately the blast knocks the train's power out, so they have to get out and walk to the next station.
Chapter 8. "Veni, Vidi, Vici"
The next story begins after their arrival in Rome. Klaus gets impatient waiting for Dorian, who's luxuriating in the hotel's Roman bath.
They get to work. Dorian's men have uncovered a passage through the catacombs that leads into the Vatican.
...Unfortunately, this is not it, and leads into a woman's bathroom instead. Our heroes are both equally panicked by proximity to a naked woman, and make a run for it, attracting the attention of the local police. Dorian realises that errors have crept into the plans he was using after decades of copying, and infiltrates the Vatican library in disguise to get a look at the originals.
Their next attempts meets with greater success, and they make it into the Sistine Chapel. Klaus 'admires' the art in his own special way.
Dorian goes off to acquire the documents for Klaus, and also picks up a little something for himself.
They return to the hotel; mission accomplished, but Klaus is annoyed to hear a local detective is still pursuing them for the naked woman incident, using trumped up sex offense charges to get cooperation from the public. Still, it's all over and done with now...
Naturally, the kidnapping of the Pope causes chaos, and threatens to become a major international incident if NATO's involvement comes out.
Dorian confuses the trail by leaving the Pope in the possession of the detective who's been chasing them. However, his stingy accountant James is not happy to have to give up his bicycle in the execution of said plan.
Trying to steal his bike back, James accidentally leads the authorities to Dorian. The police detective, convinced that the Major is part of the plot, takes Dorian into a meeting where Klaus is representing NATO in discussions about the kidnapping.
Klaus does his best to discourage any belief that they're working together, but the KGB are still not fully convinced...
Dorian and James are taken to a cell.
Before Klaus can bust them out of jail, a Mafia friend of Dorian's arranges to get them released.
The KGB go after Dorian, and there's a big shoot-out between local police, Mafia and KGB. Dorian manages to steal away, and Klaus is the one to find him.
They leave Rome together, and Klaus kicks the thieves out of the plane with their money.
The case comes open and money flutters everywhere, to James's great distress, but Dorian gets the last laugh by stealing Klaus's belt right off his waist.
This sets up the next adventure, which I'll hopefully be able to post some scans from soon...
