Max looked at Francesca and smiled. He knew the Captain's comment bothered her a little. It was a sign of the times. Women are treated as second class citizens. It is the way everyone knows things to be. But Max didn't view Francesca as a second class citizen. He has been with her for more than a lifetime and was intimate with her abilities. She is an intelligent woman or person, physically agile and capable of a vast many things many grown males fine impossible to accomplish. But how do you tell that to a military man of this modern era? You don't. You smile and take it with a grain of salt. It would take a gender revolution to change the ideas of the world. That day, may be very well on its way, but it is not here today in 1896.<br/><br/>Captain Klein looked at Francesca. He found her physically quite attractive. He often found himself drawn in by the dark eyes of Italian women. Her beauty captivated him and like most males, Captain Klein felt compelled to interact with this intriguing woman. "My lady, the projectiles were found near walls and columns. Yes, ma'am," Captain Klein answered. "None of them had blood or tissue on them. They appeared as though they did not pass through human tissue."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">'If the attackers were indeed humans at all,'</span>Max thought to himself. He knew Francesca was considering this same option.<span style="font-style: italic">'More than likely, these attackers were demons of the night.'</span><br/><br/>The trio found themselves at the bed of  Herr Jurgens. His bed was kept darkened by blinds. The man laying on the bed had darkened eyes, like those of a raccoon and very pale skin; the distinctive holes on the side of his neck. The man rested peacefully. A scholarly gentleman standing over 6' in height with gray hair and horn rimmed glasses approached the Captain and two investigators.<br/><br/>"May I assist you, Captain?" Doctor Endre Simon, educated at the Medical University of Vienna came from a wealthy Hungarian family with close ties to the Habsburg family. He sought a posting away from his native Hungary and closer to the family and central Europe. They gave him Prague and for this he was grateful.<br/><br/>Captain looked up, "Herr Doctor, may I introduce the Comte d' Burgundy, Maximilien von Sachsen and his assistant, Francesca Romano. They are here on behalf of the Holy father in Rome, Pope Leo." With this introduction, Doctor Simon stiffened slightly. He was a reverent man having been confirmed at Saint Stephen's Basillica in BudaPest.<br/><br/>"It is very nice to meet you." The doctor shook Maximilien's hand and took Francesca's intent on kissing the back of her's when offered.<br/><br/>"They are interested in Herr Jurgens here and his injuries. Also, if they could speak with him as he is the lone survivor to provide testimony."<br/><br/>"I am very sorry to tell you this, but Herr Jurgens' soul is damned. He sleeps in the day time and is awake at night. The staff plans meals for him, but he never eats. He spends most of his waking hours crying. The nurses must remove him from the ward for fear of waking the other patients. His night terrors are very disturbing. He grows thinner by the day. He has not eaten anything. I fear for his life. May God bless his soul."<br/><br/>Max looked at the semblant corpse lying on the hospital bed. His cheeks were sunken in and his body did appear frail. He was cool to the touch, appearing like someone recently dug him out of the grave. Max bent at the waist, placing his ear at the man's chest. He detected a heart beat but it was irregular. Max was no doctor, but the sign of a heartbeat was actually a promising notation on his otherwise dark visage. The absence of a heartbeat would indicate to anyone else, that the man was dead. But Max knew of an alternative.<br/><br/>Max returned erect and looked up at the doctor, "Doctor Simon, has Herr Jurgens said anything at all during his waking hours?"<br/><br/>"Mostly unintelligible gurgles between screams," the doctor responded.<br/><br/>"Anything you might remember that could possibly help us. Nothing is too bizarre for us."<br/><br/>With that statement, the doctor met von Sachsen's eyes, giving off the feeling that he knew something but was reluctant to speak. "Well, one night he yelled for someone to stop doing something. He mentioned a flying creature and something biting him." The doctor looked at Max and Francesca. He noticed that this information did not phase them at all, it was as though they expected it. Captain Klein appeared surprised by this revelation. The doctor then continued, "he mentioned something about the gargoyles coming to life. That somehow they were animated and somehow assisted with the attack." The doctor referred to the stone monuments attached to the exterior of the cathedral. There may have been well over two hundred gargoyle's affixed to St. Vitus Cathedral.<br/><br/>Captain Klein chuckled at this response, looked at the doctor and the two from Rome. He came to a realization he did not want to believe. "Wait, neither of you believes any of this nonsense, right?"<br/><br/>Max did not respond to the Captain. "Thank you very much doctor. We have seen this form of hysteria before." He used the word<span style="font-style: italic">hysteria</span>in order to save the Captain's face.<br/><br/>"Indeed, a definite form of hysteria. I would agree."<br/><br/>"Thank you very much Herr doctor, Herr Hauptmann." Max gave the two a slight bow and looked at Francesca.<br/><br/>Max considered coming back later tonight when Herr Jurgens was awake to observe his behavior first hand. He also wanted to investigate Dušan Prochazka and his butcher shop. That would be there next stop.