2002 (Side B): Blood Sabbath/Epilogue 2

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Synopsis
On a personal cruiser owned by The Mask Makers, Mask Maker leader Luchino B. Campanella prepares to continue his interrogation of Life, one of the group's Four Agonies who has proven to have sinister intentions. Life's fake fear turns into real laughter, and he gleefully compliments Luchino on how well he is 'masking' his tears and need to vomit. His goading earns him a kick to the shin, which only further gratifies him as a sign of Luchino's discomfort, but he then says he cannot stay. As much as he would like to watch Luchino's despair, the growing grin on Aging's face is a sign that it is time for him to take his leave.
 * Mask Makers

A large cruiser deliberately collides with the ship, affording Life the opportunity he needs to dislocate his joints, slip his hands out of his handcuffs, and leap over the railing onto the cruiser in question. On the cruiser are several SAMPLE members and their dying leader Bride, who is missing both of his arms. As the cruiser speeds away, Luchino 'removes the mask' hiding his heart and openly curses.

The Immortal Elmer C. Albatross chooses that moment to ask if something has happened, but Luchino's outrage is momentarily superseded by the shock of seeing Elmer on his cruiser. Elmer explains that he sheltered on the cruiser because he assumed that, out of all of Luchino's targets, he was the one that Luchino might have business with especially. Furthermore, as someone who has been a Mask Maker for nearly three hundred years, he supposes that the least he can do is give his boss – Luchino – a hand.

Over on SAMPLE's cruiser, Bride asks Life to confirm the truth of what he just saw: whether Life really is one of the Mask Makers, and whether he has been using SAMPLE as his pawns the whole time. Life – aka Viralesque, one of SAMPLE's supervisors – takes off his mask and wraps red and black bandages around his face, confirming it to be so. His reason? He found it entertaining.
 * Believers

Bride forgives Viralesque's actions on behalf of SAMPLE, as SAMPLE's doctrines do not deny human pleasure – even pleasure that results in the organization's own demise. Acutely aware of his impending death – and with the affects of dextrose fading – he asks that Viralesque take 'good care' of the next Bride and informs him that his secretaries are taking care of the holy book.

Viralesque implies that he has a substance that can keep Bride alive, an allusion to the incomplete version of the Cure-All Elixir. Bride refuses the opportunity in his final moments, and his lifeless body topples over the railing. A shark – attracted to the cruiser by the trail of blood – bursts out of the water and snaps up Bride's corpse, a spectacle which is watched dispassionately by the other believers.

The seajackings of the Entrance and Exit are still the talk of the news several days after the fact, and in turn are the talk of the Martillo Family. Their very own Firo Prochainezo was a passenger on board the Entrance – along with his wife Ennis and their roommate Czeslaw Meyer – and Firo seems to have been embroiled in the trouble along the way.
 * Gunman & Boys & Girl

Another Entrance passenger by the name of Angelo enters The Alveare during the aforementioned conversation, and his shady appearance immediately draws the attention of all the Martillo executives. He explains to Maiza Avaro that he has stopped by on the recommendation of Firo, and asks if the Family has any need of a bodyguard.

The alert atmosphere instantly gives way to a jovial one, as the Martillos have already heard all about Angelo's sharpshooting skills from Firo. Encouraged by their reaction, Angelo asks if they could also help him find a safe place for Carnea Kaufman to stay.

Carnea is hanging about the Alveare several days later when Isaac & Miria present the Martillos with a gift, one that they intend to counteract the 'falling birthrates'. The gift in question is that of Bobby Splot and his friends Troy, Tall, and Humpty, who want to join the Martillos. Ronny Schiatto compromises: while they cannot have the boys working for them officially, they can at least give them odd jobs from time to time.

Unbeknownst to all present, Bobby will eventually become a hero of the Martillos.

On the Entrance – back in the direct aftermath of the incident – Claudia Walken is horrified to learn that SAMPLE has kidnapped her new friend Illness. Ten minutes later, she declares to her brother Charon Walken that she will use her own money to hire a private detective who can help search for her missing friend.
 * Hollywood Star & Stuntman

Silis Artia, an Exit passenger and private investigator in her own right, inserts herself into the siblings' one-sided conversation. Identifying herself as an ordinary civilian called 'Rucott', she claims she knows an investigator called 'Silis' who might be able to help. Furthermore, she-as-Rucott has personal experience with SAMPLE. Claudia accepts her offer without hesitation, determined to rescue Illness no matter the cost.

At an undisclosed time, Illness regains consciousness on an unfamiliar bed. Pressing her hand to the wound in her side, she wakes up and finds her bed surrounded by uniformed SAMPLE members. Viralesque – his face bandaged – applauds her as Master Bride; once he stops clapping and bows his head, the others kneel at the floor.
 * The Sickly and the Poison

Invoking his position as the official supervisor of SAMPLE's faith, Viralesque formally names Illness as SAMPLE's new 'Bride' – making it clear that she has 'no right' to refuse the position. Recalling that her father used to be called 'leader', Illness asks whether or not SAMPLE intends to hurt her and keep her alive. Viralesque affirms that she will live free from all suffering from this moment forward, and adds that they have already selected a god candidate for her eternal partner.

He hands her a photograph of the groom candidate, and she recognizes the boy in the photo as Czes.

Trivia

 * The beginning of Epilogue II provides specific context for Epilogue I of the previous volume, in which the identities of Luchino and Fermet are obscured during Luchino's interrogation.