by J. Thiele
Chapter Four
The team prepared themselves for the worst. Damon estimated about thirty vamps in Victor’s clan. Pearce looked around at the space they had. “We’re gonna need more space.” He announced.
Damon went to his desk, and brought up a blue print on his screen. “I’ve been thinking about that. The building next door is being demolished with no plans to rebuild. We could make a very generous offer; I’ve also taken the liberty to draw up some ideas to renovate these premises if the owner decides not to sell.”
“Changing the furniture and doorways doesn’t give us more space.” Pearce told him.
“No but if the doorway leads up it does.” Damon informed him. He went on to show them how the top floor could be turned to a ward of holding cells that could hold up to a hundred vampires if needed. “Vampires don’t need much room” he went on. “We don’t gain weight nor do we need bathrooms. A small shower recess as our skin does dry out and decays if we don’t maintain certain standard of health and hygiene.”
Damon had designed every cell with its own trap door to the sun. If a captive rogue vampire made no attempt to conform, and was deemed as unsalvageable, the decision would be made to open the trap door allowing direct sunlight into the individual cell, instantly terminating the existence of the offending vampire.
“A little dramatic, don’t ya think.” Kara asked as she observed the demonstration over the shoulders of the team who were all seated around Damon’s computer as if they were watching a movie at the theatre. The only thing missing was the popcorn.
“Dear Kara, it may seem barbaric, but believe me, it is the quickest and by far the most humane way. It is almost instant.”
* * * * *
They were forced to put the basic structure up by day, using contractors; it wasn’t safe for any of them to be out after dark, so Damon’s input was limited. But once the roof and walls were in place the crew were free to claim it as part of their establishment and Damon was able put his skills to work and bring his blue prints to life.
It took a little more than a week for his masterpiece to be completed. From the outside it looked like nothing more than a two story building with the top level blending well with the lower. A few mock windows on the face to avoid questions, but remarkably unsuspicious or interesting.
From the inside the walls were a stark white with beams of ultra violet tubing everywhere. The cells were a generous ten feet square consisting of nothing more than a bed and a shower recess. Toward the back wall was a vault which would hold pouches of blood generously donated by the city’s police department, that all gave blood on a regular basis.
* * * * *
The team were out doing a sweep of the city when a young man in his late teens ran toward them with terror filling his eyes.
It soon became obvious that a vampire was in close pursuit. He’d just fed on his companion in the nearby park and was taking pleasure in tormenting the young adult playing a game of cat and mouse.
They stopped the van and Casey got out ushering the boy into the back. The vamp swept up on them with his fangs exposed and the remnants of his last meal still staining his lips. Suddenly he disintegrated before them as Ray stood with the crossbow still in the aiming position, “Take that mother fucker.” he said, as he lowered his weapon.
Just as he did so another vampire, a female sprung from nowhere and was on his back. Her fangs were out and she was trying to sink them into the top of Rays shoulder. He spun yelling “Get this bitch off me! Don’t let her sink those filthy fangs into me!” He wrestled with her and she was flung to the ground. Before anyone could react she was on the attack again. Casey pulled her off him, and as she did Rick threw a net over her. It didn’t quite fall the way he’d planned and she escaped from its entrapment and was headed straight for Casey. Rick was quick thinking and drew his pistol from its holster and fired a bullet into her back. She froze and her eyes widened, then within seconds she was scattered into the night breeze.
“Fuck!” Ray got to his feet dusting himself off “The females are worse than the males.”
They got into the van and went to retrieve the young boy’s body from the park. When they arrived they found another vampire feeding on his last drops of his blood. They were too late, the boy was dead.
Rick and Ray distracted the vamp while Casey kept it in her sights with the net gun. With her training in the department it only took a second for her to take aim and fire and the demon was covered in a sterling silver net. “Hmm works a charm.” She said out loud as the men wrestled the vampire into the back of the van. Casey called Kara and asked her to pick up the dead body and take it to the morgue. Pearce and Rose were on the scene less than a minute later to sedate the survivor and take him to Damon to have his memory wiped.
* * * * *
The prisoner was put into a holding cell, as he was marched through the bottom floor it was obvious that Beth knew who he was. He was one of Victor’s sires. They made eye contact, and Beth began to smile. “What are you smiling at grandma?” Casey asked as she followed the rest of them up to Damon who was waiting on the top floor.
Once inside a cell, the captive was released from his specially designed hand cuffs and shackles. He immediately began his obnoxious taunts as Rick locked the cage behind him.
“You know, your stay will be much more pleasant if you learn some manners.” He said as he turned his back on the vulgarity.
“You can’t keep us all locked up here you stupid prick.” He shouted at Rick’s back.
Casey was trying to fill Damon in on the night’s events, and let him know that Rose and Pearce were not far behind with the surviving youth; he’d need to erase the boys….
“You stupid bitch! I can smell your filthy…”
“QUIET!” Damon shouted over his shoulder before he said another word.
“You dare silence me? I’m not here because you brought me here, I’m here because of my makers will, he has orchestrated it, not you, you fool.”
“I SAID SILENCE! Go on Casey.” Damon said.
“You idiots; do you think I am the only one? Soon they will all come. You will perish with all your filthy human fr….”
Casey, Ray and Rick stood aghast, as the rowdy vampire suddenly fell silent. Damon had taken a silver tipped spear from Rays quiver, and at lightning speed and with expert precision he hurled it at his heart. Suddenly he grumbled into a pile of dust on the floor.
“You just killed our first prisoner.” Ray said, he was proud of their catch and was disappointed that the glory was over so soon.
“Look on the bright side. One less mouth to feed.” He said in a nonchalant tone.
They went back downstairs to meet with Pearce and Rose so Damon could compel the boy to forget everything he had seen that night; he would hear the tragic news of his friends’ death tomorrow. He was riding his bike without a helmet; he came off slamming his head hard into the pavement. You will mourn his death, but it will instil in you, the importance of safety. Especially at night, in fact, from now on, you will try to be home before sunset, every night. Do you understand?” he asked.
“I do.” The boy replied.
“You may take him home now Detective.” He told Pearce.
As the boy went to leave he began screaming again. Pearce and Rose were the first to see why. Outside the door stood two vampires with their teeth exposed waiting for the humans to exit the building.
Damon rolled his eyes. “For the love of the messiah.” He said under his breath.
From the loft they could her Beth’s evil laughter.
“Can’t we put her in one of the cells?” Casey asked.
Damon shot Casey a dirty look that made her avert her eyes. He went to the door and pushed a button on the wall that nobody seemed to have noticed before. Just as he did the ground beneath them opened up and swallowed them. Suddenly screams could be heard from under the floor.
Pearce opened the trap door to hear Victor’s voice “You have failed me!
You will not get a second chance!” then some blood curdling screams followed.
“It’s rude to eavesdrop.” Pearce said as he slammed the door shut again.
Damon stood at the door looking up into the night sky. “They will keep coming.” He told them with a sense of despair.
Chapter Five
The phone on Pearce’s desk rang; he paused knowing who was on the other end of the line.
“Pearce here.” He said as he answered it.
“Have you seen this morning’s headlines?” The voice asked.
“Yes sir we’re looking at them now.” He replied. “We have some strategies that we intend to put into place this evening in an attempt to bring this under control.”
“This is an outrage; people are calling it a national disaster, demanding the presence of military personnel, calling the local police department incompetent. You and your crew were assigned to this project specifically to make sure that this shit doesn’t happen, now the whole city is under siege. What the fuck have you been doing at night? Playing house with that fucking cannibal you call a friend?” the voice was becoming agitated. “Bring this under control or we’re shutting you down!” the phone went silent.
Pearce sat staring at the newspaper that lay on the desk in front of him.
“VAMPIRES, ALIENS or CULT?” was splashed over the front page. With images of corpses covered with white sheets lying in the streets.
Another headline said “DO THEY EXIST?” And in smaller print “WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN KEEPING FROM US?” Then one’s headlines read, “DEAD MEN WALKING!” followed by “WHO WILL BE NEXT TO JOIN THEIR MARCH?”
Rick went down to feed Victor. “Why are you doing this?” he asked as he tossed the bag of blood into the cell. “What could be so important to you that would make you risk exposing your entire nest to the possibility of extinction?”
“Young human, it did not have to be like this.” He said in a condescending voice. “Surely you don’t hold me responsible for the demise of your fair city. Besides, it is you and your kind that will be risking extinction, not I”
“You’re killing innocent people.” Rick played on what humane side of him may still exist.
“INNOCENT? Don’t be preposterous! Humans have killed everything in their wake since the beginning of time. Animals, trees, witches, each other or anything else they don’t understand. Please don’t insult me with your ignorance.” He turned his back on Rick.
“You may have a point, but the madness you are setting upon the city over one boy, is something only you can stop.”
“Oh and I will, once I am free and your Mr. Cartwright agrees to pay his penance.” He turned to look over his shoulder as Rick turned to walk away.
“Detective, do you have children?” He asked.
Rick stopped dead in his tracks, expecting him to threaten their lives. He’d already decided that if that were the case he’d put an end to the madness himself right then and there by burying a bullet straight into Victor’s chest, taking the whole fucking nest with him, including Damon if it came down to it.
“I thought so, what if something was to happen to one of them?”
Rick spun around and drew his pistol “Don’t you ever threaten the lives of my fucking kids you son of a bitch!” and he took aim.
“Detective, I am merely drawing a comparison, you have just inadvertently answered the question for me. You see, I’m merely seeking the opportunity to avenge one of my children’s sudden and premature departures.”
“Fuck you!” Rick said as he was about to leave again.
“You will die with the rest of them if you don’t release me. It’s only a matter of time before they all come you know?” Victor yelled from his cage.
“I’ll take my chances.” Rick said in reply then closed the trapdoor behind himself.
When he reached the top of the stairs the rest of the group were in conference.
He took up a seat and asked “If Victor is Damon’s maker, who the fuck is Victor’s maker?”
“Yeah!” Ray said in support of the question. “Shouldn’t Victor be punished for killing his bloodline as well? I mean, he killed the two in the basement and is pretty much responsible for the ones we’ve dusted.”
“He has never spoken of his master. We have all been forbidden to ask him of his existence.” Damon told them, “Though the question does deserve an answer, I should think.” He pondered on it for a minute before returning to the original conversation. “Now, where were we? I believe we were strategizing on protecting the citizens of this fair city.”
“Yes.” Pearce continued. “I think we’re going to need to pair off. Ray you go with Casey and Rick you come with me. We’ll sweep the city; I’ve managed to get the mayor to put a curfew in place to make our job a little easier. So anyone that isn’t working or hasn’t got a fucking good reason to be out after dark?” He paused, “Well let’s just say if the vamps don’t get em’, my size nine boot, sure as hell will.”
“What about weapons sir?” Ray asked.
“I’ve taken the liberty to have four semi-automatic assault rifles delivered this afternoon. Complete with silver tipped rounds. The idea now, is to shoot first, and shoot to kill. If there’s a new vamp in town, he’s here for a reason. This fucking thing’s gone too far now to invite them to a sleep over. Sorry son, but I’m sure your cells will come in handy for the regular rogues, once this war is over.”
Damon bowed his head “I understand sir. You must do what is right for the people of this city.”
* * * * *
Later that night while the team were out, Damon heard Beth sobbing from the loft. He took her a bag of blood to see if she was okay.
“What is it my love?” he asked.
She looked up at him through bloody eyes, “I am weak, my love. I cannot fight his compulsions. I never stopped loving you, but through Victor’s mind manipulations I’d forgotten how much. You were always kind and gentle with me. And even now, I have attacked you and am here only to see you fail, you have been generous with your kindness to me. He continues to command my obedience. He knows I am weakening, please Damon, if you still love me, now, as you did back them, you can release me. I beg of you my love; end this nightmare for me now.”
“Beth, what you are asking of me is too much; I will not lose you this time. Not again. You are not weakening my love, your resistance is strengthening. You must stay strong.” His eyes beginning to well and he craved to touch her once more.
“I beg you Damon, Please, I am not as strong as you, I cannot resist much longer.”
Damon walked away, refusing to give in to her pleas.
He took up a seat down stairs and closed his eyes in silent thought, ‘What do I do? Is there a greater good? Is there salvation for all?’ All of a sudden a voice from the back of his mind came forth with just one word. ‘Genesis.’
Damon sat bolt upright and looked around at his surroundings, concluding he must have dozed off and been dreaming. Unusual for him, but what else could it have been?
He went to his library and searched for the “Book of Genesis.” and began to read it.
Chapter Six
Casey and Ray were driving along a main road that would normally be streaming with busy traffic, but tonight the streets were bare, and void of human activity.
“Feels a bit surreal don’t it?” Ray asked Casey as she squinted at something up the road ahead.
“It sure does, the media have certainly made our job easy for a change. Despite the terror it’s inflicted on the community.” She was still focussed on something up ahead. Ray had been watching the footpaths and didn’t notice the glimmer on the road in the distance.
Suddenly Casey’s foot went to the floor at the realisation of what was before them. Lock and load Ray!” She shouted as Ray was thrown back in his seat.
As they neared, it became clear to Ray that a bus load of civilians were being tormented by a group of vampires. They were rocking the bus and cheering at the s
creams of the horrified passengers. One vamp was inside the bus encouraging the others to rock harder as he revelled in the terrified screams from the panicked humans.
Ray was on the radio to Pearce and Rick, giving them their location and requesting back up, when Casey pulled in about forty feet from the bus, blowing the horn to get their attention. She got out of the car and shouted. “Hey! Why don’t ya’s pick on someone your own size.” Knowing the others were only a street over and would be there within seconds.
The bus stopped rocking, and they all turned their heads in Casey’s direction. “Oh Fuck!” Ray said as he got out the other side bearing his weapon.
They laughed at his enthusiasm, “Your gun is no match for us you stupid human.” The one in the front told him. The one inside the bus kicked out the rear window and seemed to glide to the road in front of them.
“I guess he’s the leader. Take him out Ray.” And without a second thought Ray squeezed the trigger. The vampire stopped in his tracks, his skin turned an ash grey and suddenly he was gone. But the others still stood there.
“What the Fuck?” Ray asked out loud.
“Guess he was a decoy” Casey told him. As the others started to close in on them assuming they could only take out a couple before they were all over them. They did not expect another car to come up behind them and open fire. Bullets and dust was flying everywhere, but the gunfire lasted only seconds, but for the horrified passengers it would have seemed like an eternity.
Casey climbed aboard to hush the hysterical crowd. The driver was dead, and had blood around his collar. She looked at the faces that had suddenly gone eerily quiet. “Fuck!” she shouted at the smiling faces before her and she opened fire as she shot them all.
