Disgruntled, Abner took the boxes downstairs and followed Paige to where the cars were waiting. He loaded both boxes in and returned to the den to look for something else to carry. Valdmire approached him as he reentered.
“Was a pleasure meeting you, but I need to head out.”
“Likewise,” Abner said. He held out his hand waiting for Valdmire to take it. “I’ll be watching you. Just keep your head down.”
“I’ll meet you at the rendezvous tonight. I only left because of the hit we had on you,” Valdmire said. “As long as nobody sees me leaving here I’ll be fine. That’s why I’ve got this.” He lifted a blacked-out helmet emblazoned with white stripes around edges. “The Glider will help me lose anyone I don’t want to be followed by. Fastest road bike in the world. I’ll teach you to ride one soon.”
“Alright,” Abner said. “See you tonight.”
Gabriel was now back in the main room, sitting at the glass table, frantically tapping his device, sending commands to all parts of the den. The display screens around him all buzzed and showed progress bars, information being transferred to another location. Abner ducked as the drone that had scanned him before went screaming overhead, carrying another box of goods towards the cars.
“Gabe, how much longer do you need?” Gerard asked.
“Stop fucking rushing me, Gerard!” Gabriel said. “Look at the computers and tell me! It’s all up there. I apologize for having so much shit here that I need to move at such short notice!”
“Alright, fine. We don’t have much to go,” Gerard said. “Just keep it moving. Is Ansel ok to move?”
“No, don’t touch him until I’m done. If he’s awoken too soon he’ll freak out and the cloak will drop. Just keep throwing shit in the cars.”
“They’re full,” Paige said. “If we’ve got anything else left we’re going to have to burn it.”
Abner heard the rumble of a bike as Valdmire started up the engine, before it was suddenly cut off for no apparent reason.
“That’s fine,” Gerard said. “You get going and open up in the city, I’ll stay here and light it up.”
“Vampires!” Dale said. He ran inside rifle over his shoulder. “Gerard, there’s a fucking shit ton of them out there. They’ve put the call out.”
“Do they know where we are yet?” Gerard asked.
“Nope, but they’re looking and it won’t be long before they’re down here banging on the door,” Dale said.
“Gabe! Hurry it up!”
Gabriel smashed his fist onto the table, breaking it sending glass shards flying everywhere. “Fuck it! I’m done. Gerard light it up!” He unhooked his tablet that he had been tapping only moments ago and raced upstairs to retrieve Ansel.
“Abner, in the garage there’s some orange containers. Crack them open and start spreading them everywhere,” Gerard said.
Abner had seen the cans and ran outside to see Valdmire sitting on the red bike emblazoned with Glider down the side.
“Thought you were leaving,” Abner said.
“Yeah well doesn’t look like that’ll be happening now until you’re all ready to leave,” Valdmire said. “Are you nearly done?”
“About to set it alight now. Just need to get Ansel out.”
Abner picked up the first cannister and removed the lock. The clear liquid inside stunk and he covered his nose, trying to repel the smell.
“Make sure you get it on the walls too,” Valdmire said. He picked up another cannister and began to spread it outside just behind the invisible wall that kept the den obscured from sight. “It’s called petrol. Usually we put this into the bikes and cars, but it’s flammable and we’ve got full tanks so we use it to start a fire.”
“Make sure you put it everywhere inside too,” Paige said. “Come on we’re ready to go.”
Gabriel carried Ansel into the garage and loaded him into the first of the Hunters black cars. Paige climbed into the driver’s seat and got ready behind the wheel. Abner raced into the den, tossing the last of the petrol around the around the main room. Gerard followed him with a match and tossed it into the cannister once Abner was finished.
The fuel inside the cannister caught immediately and the Hunters ran for the garage. Val started his bike and the other Hunters all started cars of their own. Abner climbed in with Gerard who tossed a pistol onto his lap.
“Take as many of them out as we can as we pass,” he said. He wound down his window and yelled to the rest of the ground. “Stay close and don’t let them separate you. Keep your foot to the floor and we’ll take the bush track. See you all soon.”
7
Shift
Once they were free of the den, the Hunters made their way through the bush track that Gerard had instructed them to follow. Valdmire rode ahead of the convoy on the Glider jumping over each bump in the track. As each bump came closer, Valdmire would speed up and attempt to flip the bike. So far none had been big enough for him to do so.
Abner rode in the side of the first car with Paige, watching the other half-Vampire in front of them. They sat in silence, Abner keeping his eyes cast over the unfamiliar landscape looking for any signs of unfriendly Vampires in the vicinity.
In the close to five hundred years he had been asleep, this part of the world had not changed, even this close to the city. He wound his window down and listened to the sounds of the engines rumbling, but also the sounds of the birds chittering away in the trees. They sounded different now, quieter and muffled by the creations of the Vampires and humans in modern times.
“Is this what it was like for you, back in your time?” Paige asked.
Abner jolted upright at Paige’s voice and looked around at her. “How what was like?”
“You know, the world. No people outside the cities and you could go through the countryside listening to the birds all day,” Paige said.
“It was beautiful if that’s what you’re asking,” Abner said. “I didn’t enjoy the cities. I preferred being on the hunt. I’d only return to the Huntrey when I had to.”
“And what were the old Huntries like? We only hear stories passed down from generation to generation,” Paige said. “I worry that anything I’ve been told is nothing more than a vast stretch of the imagination.”
“How many Hunters have you known?” Abner asked.
“Not many, the most I’ve seen in any one location was ten, I think,” Paige said. “We literally can only survive and hope that Tal’davin does not notice us.”
“Like I said, that’s no way to live. The Huntries used to be huge. Think of a small town, over a thousand of us all working together to create a machine that would kill hundreds of Vampires a week. Obviously, they can replace their numbers faster than we can kill them and that’s why you’ve got such a problem now. The Huntrey was huge and commanded a presence over the landscape for those that could see it. It’s a shame with what it’s become.”
“We only have so much to work with,” Paige said. “You could help us rebuild it all.”
Abner shook his head. “With what I’ve seen so far unless you’ve got more to offer, a couple of rooms in a run-down shack isn’t enough to get me back on board. I’m going to stay with you until Tal’davin is dead, teach you what I know and then after that I’m done.”
“You can’t say that!” Paige said. “You were the best of us.”
“In a world I knew,” Abner said. “I don’t know the first thing about this now. Tal’davin clearly had something planned for me and whatever it is, he’s more than likely getting it. I’m displaced and have no idea what is going on, leaving me open and vulnerable for him whenever we cross paths. The sooner I can finish with him and get out of the game, the better it will be for everybody involved.”
“But we need your help. We’re hopelessly outmatched,” Paige said. “Please stay with us a while. None of us can do what you did to those Vampires back at the den.”
“What about him?” Abner asked. He pointed to Valdmire on the bike in front of hi
m. “He reckons he’s stronger than me. Why can’t he just decide to hit the emergency button and become me?”
“We told you why, he has a different purpose,” Paige said.
“If you’re a Hunter you have to commit, no exceptions,” Abner said. “You can’t do this job only putting in half the effort. That’s why you’ve become so ineffective.”
The radio on the dashboard lit up as one of the others tried to signal them. Abner picked up the remote and held the button down. It crackled to life.
“We’re almost there,” Gerard said. “How are you two travelling?”
“Amazingly,” Abner said. “Just taking in the scenery.”
“And what about Paige?”
“I’m fine, Gerard,” she said. “What’s the plan when we get there?”
“Same as like every other time, darling. Got to set up again and start from scratch. It’s fucking annoying every time we have to do this,” Gerard said.
“And how often does it happen?” Abner asked.
“Once every so often. Luckily, we’ve got a system now where we can just up and go,” Gerard said.
“I have not,” Gabriel said. “I lost half of my data back there.”
“Then you should upload it to the cloud,” Gerard said.
“And have it potentially exposed to Tal’davin?” Gabriel asked. “Not fucking likely.”
“Right, Paige, turn left up here. Take it slow,” Valdmire said.
Moments later the convoy was back on a paved road, heading back into the city. Abner sat back, relaxed at the smoothness of the road under him. Valdmire turned into a side street and raced down a narrow passageway, barely big enough to fit the cars down. Paige pressed a button on the dashboard and the side mirrors folded themselves in. They raced past garbage bags stacked unceremoniously into a corner, often looked at by humans as they passed. Abner saw their faces look up as they huddled around each other for warmth and protection. They looked defeated.
Valdmire slowed down on the Glider and reached into his pocket waving a small black capsule around. Before them a wall began to open and one by one the Hunters convey shot into a large open area, much like the garage at the previous Den. Here the ceilings were twice as high as the previous den and the garage seemed to go on forever leading off into the darkness. Valdmire cut the bike engine off just after all cars had made it into the building. He shut the door behind him waving the capsule at the wall again before dismounting from the Glider.
Guns and an array of other equipment stood ready in shelves at the furthest wall waiting to be used. A door that paled in comparison to the enormity of the Den waited beside the shelving. The white tiles reflected in the light, reminding Abner of the facility he had just been broken out of.
“Welcome to our new home, Abner,” Valdmire said.
“I don’t know why we moved from here in the first place,” Gerard said. “It’s so much better.”
“Thought you liked being out of the way,” Valdmire said. “Besides I’ve been busy whilst you lot have been squatting out in the bush.” He caught Abner’s frown as he looked at the small device in his hand. “It’s a remote.”
He pressed down on the remote again and lights began to blink on overhead. This Den was more kitted out than the last, with at least a hundred different vehicles of makes and models lining the walls. Screens began to lower from the ceiling and flashed on and spun to face the Hunters. Each Hunter faced a screen which once given the green light allowed them to pass.
Abner faced his screen and waited. It turned red after a moment of scanning his face. Valdmire realized his error and pressed the remote at the last screen again. Something above Abner began to move but was shut down instantly.
“What was that?”
“Sorry about that,” Valdmire said. “I’ll get it fixed right away. If the system doesn’t recognize you and we don’t give it an override it’ll blow you straight to hell. That was one of our autocannons.”
“Great, well thanks for saving my life,” Abner said.
“It’s why we took you to the other Den first,” Gerard said. “Had to make sure you were who you said you were. Didn’t want to lose you straight off the bat if you had been the real deal.” He rubbed his hands together. “Well big plans are happening, I need to go get settled in. Let’s get moving.”
Abner remained behind as the other Hunters walked down the Den towards the far wall. Valdmire stood at his shoulder.
“I heard you on the radio,” Valdmire said.
Abner turned around to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“I heard what you said about being in a new world and I completely get where you’re coming from. The changes that have happened in my lifetime are huge. Do you want a tour and I can teach you what you’ll need to know in order to get around?”
“Anything that helps me understand what’s going on here would be useful,” Abner said.
“Cool, well I’ve got to hit the road, like I said. But I’ll be back tomorrow, and we can go for a look around town. I don’t think anyone else should come out with us. We have to be a bit more subtle these days compared to what you’re used to.”
“Yeah I’d like that. Any particular time?” Abner asked.
“When I manage to get free,” Valdmire said. “Probably just after lunch. I could go for a good feed. Stay put and listen to everything they tell you.”
8
The World’s Changed
Valdmire arrived on time as he had promised the following day. Abner heard the roar of the Glider’s engine before he could see it, and moments later Valdmire had parked in the garage, the door sliding open just before he shot through the gap. The red bike rested against the wall and Abner walked outside in a new leather jacket and jeans the Hunters had pulled from one of the closets in the Den.
“You look the part,” Valdmire said. “Should be able to at least go out and integrate with the rest of the world without drawing too much attention.”
“Just because I look like you? Valdmire I have no idea what I’m doing here,” Abner said.
“That’s fine, you’ll learn.” Valdmire walked to one of the steel frame shelves in the garage and rummaged around on one of the shelves. He pulled his arm out a moment later holding another black helmet. “Put this on. Don’t need you falling off and scattering your brains all over the road.”
Abner took the helmet and walked over to the bike. Valdmire climbed onto it first peddling it out towards the road. He beckoned for Abner to come over who lifted his leg over the bike and sat on it.
“Lean when I lean, and if you need to you’ve got the handle behind you or you can hold onto me,” Valdmire said. Then he was washed out by the rumbling of the engine.
Abner wrapped his hands around the handle behind him, each time they went over a bump jarred his elbows. It felt like a more streamlined horseback. Valdmire took them deeper into the city, not slowing down for anything except for the red lights, bringing him to a stop. Numerous buildings of all different colors and sizes passed them, Abner saw flashing lights displaying advertisements for nightclubs, others solid signs promoting what he assumed could only be places Vampires had human blood stored. 'Blood Bank' was emblazoned overhead on one such establishment.
Valdmire pulled into a driveway, a small cluster of various shops arranged around it. He pulled the bike into one of the parks and cut off the engine, climbing off it. Abner slid off as well, both men removing their helmets.
“Do you like coffee?” Valdmire asked.
“No, would prefer the taste of blood,” Abner said.
“Ah well,” Valdmire said. “I guess that’s your loss then. More for me.” He walked into the nearest shop with a smile on his face.
The inside of the particular shop was a light green colour, with a logo of a pink rose all the way at the back of the store. ‘Telrose Café EST 434’ could be read in black writing underneath the rose. Abner could smell coffee being made, machines hissing making the coffee. People dressed in al
l black clothing and aprons ran around behind the counter, shouting orders, passing cups of coffee and plates of other food to each other who then took it out to the tables.
Valdmire found a spare table and sat down in the booth, sliding along the seat until he was pressed against the wall. Abner copied him on the opposite side and looked across the table expectantly.
“So why did you bring me here?” he asked.
“I’ve been coming here since it opened, Abner. Out of every fine dining establishment in Taagras this has to be my favorite. I brought you here to show you that the world has changed,” Valdmire said.
“I can see the world has changed just by opening my eyes, Valdmire. I don’t need you to bring me to some piss ass coffee place to work that out,” Abner said.
“Can I take your order?” A blue-eyed waitress had come up beside their table with a tablet clipped to her arm.
“Yeah I’ll grab a soy latte and a krush wrap,” Valdmire said. He looked across back at Abner. “Want anything?”
“I don’t even know what they’ve got here,” Abner said.
“Alright. My friend will get a Telrose Filet. Thanks Jess.” Valdmire’s eyes flicked to the girl’s name badge and back up to her face.
She quickly turned red and blushed. “Not whilst I’m at work, Val. Will I see you tonight?”
“Yeah, come around at about eight, I should be free then,” Valdmire said. “Don’t have any plans.”
“Ok, great, see you then,” Jess said. She tapped the tablet on her arm several times and looked up again. “Thanks for your order!”
“Pretty girl,” Abner said.
Jess had walked to another table now, her long blonde ponytail swinging behind her. She knelt to talk to a child who had just arrived, her blue eyes sparkling with delight.
“One of many,” Valdmire said. “We’ll get you back on the horse once you’re accustomed to the world.”
The Toldar Series Box Set Page 63
