On pages 53-59, as dawn breaks, Kurjak clues Detective Teresa Lopez to the secret war between vampires and the forces of Light:
“Is it something from a movie or… like that American holiday…”
“…Halloween. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, but... if it's true, why doesn't anyone talk about it? How is that possible?’
“They are very careful that those who discover their existence don't live long enough to divulge it. You are an exception now, thanks to our presence here tonight… and of course I, Harlan and Tesla are an exception too.”
“Your 'organization…' you are vampire hunters!”
“Let's put it this way, Commander: The vampires we hunt aren't just sitting there waiting for us in their coffins. Ours is a war.”
“You told me before that there are dozens of those super-vampires, the Masters, all over the world. Do they have an organization too?”
“Most of them are loners, each with their own area of influence, and that's lucky for us.”
“But we have discovered that some have formed a dangerous alliance. Do you know anything about a private agency called NEA, or the multinational Temsek?”
“You've caught me off guard.”
“They are some of the branches of a secret organization directed by a group of Masters in close contact with each other. Their ultimate goal is to dominate the entire planet.”
“For all we know, they already control a large part of the world. But for a fighter it is always better to avoid overly paranoid thoughts. They’re not good for morale.”
“Who… who is waging this war against them, besides you? Not just the three of you, I hope.”
“Well, we have friends, here and there, but we are the fighting core, dear Nestor. Few but good. What did Shakespeare say? 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' (*Henry V) Right? Now, in spite of yourself, you are part of the band too, detective.”
“Where are we going? Why did we leave the police station?”
“We weren't safe there, Marchesi!”
“You're reassuring him, aren't you? Sorry for before, Teresa, but...”
“No excuses, and lesson learned! I trust Baldwyn, and now I'm quite clear-headed. He's right to think that if we stayed there we should expect trouble from the carabineros. As for trusting you, though...”
“Did you have any other choice?”
“No. And by the way… I still have to thank you for saving my life!”
“You're welcome!”
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Then starting on page 60, the assassin Erwin Rogers meets an astral projection of his evil master:
“Condor! How…”
“I am not here in the flesh, Erwin. I communicate with you through my slave. I managed to take possession of him when there was still a glimmer of existence in him. And you see my face only because of my will!”
“I appreciate that, Master. He was no longer a very pretty sight. What happened here? Who took out your undead?”
“The man who was brought here by the police is a vampire hunter. He was joined by a rebel undead and a hybrid being, the only creature in the world capable of killing the likes of me... a Dampyr.”
“What? I thought no one could kill the Masters of Darkness.”
“With one exception! The Dampyr was born from a human female and one of my kind... Draka! Harlan Draka – that’s the name of the son – is a dangerous hybrid whose blood is lethal to both masters and undead. He and his companions use weapons magically treated with the blood of the Dampyr. Harlan Draka has already killed a dozen Masters, including, a few months ago, one of my closest allies... And he's been following my trail ever since. I believe he sent his human partner, Kurjak, ahead in the hopes of getting me, of making me feel his presence!”
“But by slaughtering your pack, he has now shown his cards. Let me take those three out of your way! Faithful human allies sometimes have fewer limitations than undead, master.”
“I know. And if I didn't think you were loyal, Erwin Rogers, I wouldn't have told you these secrets. But first you have to eliminate someone else in Santiago, remember? That's why you're here...”
“Sure! I took out Sandri here, Melvin in Washington... I'll finish the job...”
This is the in-story explanation for real-world assassinations associated with Operation Condor, a purging of political enemies by General Pinochet. Melvin and Sandri were murdered earlier in this issue.
