2002 (Side B): Blood Sabbath/Epilogue 2

Synopsis
On a personal cruiser owned by the Mask Makers, Mask Maker president Luchino B. Campanella prepares to continue interrogating Life, one of their Four Afflictions under suspicion. Life's fake fear turns into real laughter as he gleefully compliments Luchino on how well he is 'masking' his tears and nausea. Luchino kicks him in the shin; although Life is gratified by and would like to continue witnessing Luchino's discomfort, he soon decides that Aging's grin is a sign he should take his leave.
 * The Mask Makers

A large cruiser deliberately collides with theirs, 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 believers and their dying leader Bride, who is missing both of his arms. Luchino curses as the SAMPLE cruiser successfully escapes.

The Immortal Elmer C. Albatross abruptly asks if something has happened, and the shock of Elmer on the Mask Maker cruiser momentarily supersedes Luchino's outrage. Elmer explains that he sheltered on the cruiser because he assumed that, out of all of Luchino's targets, he was the one with whom Luchino might have especial business. 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' 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.
 * Fanatical 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.
 * The Gunslinger, the Boys, and the Girl

Another Entrance passenger by the name of Angelo enters 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.

Several days later, Carnea is present at Alveare when Isaac and Miria present the Martillos with a gift intended 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.

During the direct aftermath of the seajacking incident on Entrance, 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 and Star Stuntman

Celice Artia, an Exit passenger and private investigator who has been listening nearby, introduces herself as 'Lucotte' and says she knows an investigator named 'Celice' who may be able to help. Furthermore, she-as-Lucotte has her own personal grudge against the people in red-and-black. Claudia accepts her aid on the spot, 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 hidden by bandages—applauds her as Mistress Bride; once he stops clapping and bows his head, the others kneel at the floor.
 * Pallor and Poison

Invoking his position as the official supervisor of SAMPLE's faith, Viralesque formally names Illness as SAMPLE's new 'Bride' and adds 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.