Deep Down Under

Chapter 44

McDonalds Outlet, Vienna, 4:38 pm

The mysterious broadcast had just ended, and there were continuous murmurs filling up the atmosphere of the room. A few cries from little children broke out. Cries of panic.

Sophia stood frozen in her place, right outside the entrance to the fast food outlet. Everything that she had heard was loud and clear. The terrorists had just demanded for a man under the name 'Benjamin Sadowsky'. That name sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't tell why.

And once again, her grandfather was right; they had summoned him to Saint Stephen's Cathedral. She gulped, her fear building up inside her, wanting her to curl up into a ball and shed all the tears that she could. She wished that none of this would have happened in the first place.

But she had to be strong, not just for herself but for the world. She had come here for a reason, and she wouldn't let her effort go in vain.

Right now, she had to find Benjamin Sadowsky, and prevent him from entering the cathedral. Hopefully, that would cause the events to turn in a different way and eventually, stop everything from happening.

But why do they want Benjamin Sadowsky?

She may not have known what had happened, but she knew what would happen.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

The local news channel was on. It flashed photos and videos with terrible quality, probably from some civilians mobile, of two people making a run for it. From the image of the person she saw from the mysterious broadcast, whom the terrorists claimed to Benjamin Sadowsky, was one of them. The other man was unknown.

Sophia tapped on an unsuspecting customer, who was a man, aged from thirty to forty, with blue eyes and brown hair, sitting on the table outside, "Do you speak English?"

That's racist. She thought.

The man nodded, "Yes."

Her grandfather's hoarse voice spoke up, "Don't marry him and then leave me for him, okay?"

Sophia's cheeks blushed rose red with embarrassment. Thanks to Papa's undecipherable accent, the man didn't understand. She turned back to him, "That man in the news, where was he in the video that was taken?"

"Uh, in a grocery store named Gemüshändler," he answered.

"How far is that from here?"

"Oh, it's just around the block. It'll hardly take five minutes,"

Sophia thanked the man and left, grabbing her grandfather's hands while she quickly made her way around the block. Sure enough, the man was right, the grocery store was there.

Same alley, same sidewalk, same everything. The only thing that was missing was the people.

She walked down the sidewalk, inspecting the ground beneath her feet. It was scattered with bread loaves, vegetables, eggs. Those customers must have really been desperate to spare their city from a fourth attack.

Sophia turned to her father, "You stay here. I'll come."

And walked into the store. It looked as if rhinoceroses stampeded throughout the whole place. In short, the entire place was a mess.

The clerk was slamming his head to the counter; she placed her hand on his shoulder, "Excuse me, sir?"

He slowly raised, "Yes ma'am?"

She drew a strand of her hair behind her ear, "Have you seen Benjamin Sadowsky?"

His eyes widened as if the name was something dreadful to hear, "Look around you!" he cried, "He was here, and then they went after him!" and after completing his last, resumed banging his head to the counter.

Going to the grocery store didn't turn out to be very helpful for her. Now, she had to learn what she could from the trail of scattered grocery items.

Sophia went forward, followed by Papa, until she came to a stop at an alley where they dumped garbage. She heard faint breathing. And she was most definitely sure that it wasn't her or her grandfather.

"Someone's coming," whispered an American voice.

Sophia spoke up, "Benjamin Sadowsky?" she asked, leaning inwards.

The men bolted in the opposite direction, she went after them, "Ben! I'm not after you! I need you to help me!"

They didn't listen.

"Please!"

* * *

When the last word escaped from the woman's mouth, something from the inside made him stop, and look back. Giggs, who was still sprinting, halted when he saw that Sadowsky was standing still in his place.

"Are you crazy?! Come on!"

But Sadowsky was deaf to his cries.

"Please..." the woman cried again, but this time, more weakly.

"What is that you want?"

She gave him a frightening gaze, "If you go into that Cathedral, World War Three might happen."

Giggs gave a puzzled look, "What the hell is this old bag talking about?!"

She gave him a look, "I'm thirty,"

She then explained the prophecy that she read in Nostradamus' book, and the one her grandfather had, who arrived just then.

Giggs eyes widened, as if something sounded familiar to him, "The consequences that you or to be more precise, Nostradamus were talking about were eerily similar to the one Ashoka had."

"Too much to be a coincidence," commented Sadowsky. "So wait," he began again, "There is a scientific theory for premonitions. She's a close friend, let's go get her now."

He walked in the direction of the store and then stopped, "Did you see a young woman around here?"

Sophia shook her head, "Just me, my grandfather and that crazy clerk."

"Oh darn."

* * *