Homecoming

by Heath Stallcup

  Little John said nothing, but his eyes betrayed him. He was more than curious why he was being shifted around early.

  “Once you’ve gone out with him for a while, I’m gonna send you out with Dom and his crew. I want Dom to get a feel for you as well.” Apollo searched his face to see if the man would argue, but John remained stoic. He waited for the man to say something, anything, but Little John simply gave a barely perceptible nod.

  Apollo heaved a low sigh and sat back, eyeing the younger man. “Ain’t you the slightest bit curious why I’m shifting you around from squad to squad?”

  John shrugged slightly. “Figure you have your reasons.”

  Apollo broke eye contact and stared at the floor. “Man, I just can’t read you sometimes.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but he knew that John could easily hear him. “You don’t interact with nobody other than in the field. You stay to yourself…”

  “I prefer it that way.”

  Apollo looked up at the man and tried once more to read him. “You know, this really ain’t helping your case any. We’re a team here, and you seem more and more like a lone wolf.”

  John shook his head imperceptibly. “Negative. I’m a team player.”

  “But you ain’t acting like one, man. You see what I’m saying?” Apollo motioned around him, “You ain’t hanging with the teams after drill. You don’t fraternize with nobody. You don’t—”

  “I do my job.”

  Apollo caught his gaze and saw the tightness of his jaw, the stern appearance around the eyes as he stared at him. “There’s more to this than simply doing your job. In order to be a team, we need to know we can count on you to have our backs.”

  “You can.”

  “Man, you’re like a ghost. You show up, you do your thing, you disappear. We don’t know nothing about you except what’s in your file.” Apollo was inviting the man to open up, to give him something he could hang a glimmer of hope on to. “As it stands now, all we have is your scores and the fact that you’re an operator.”

  “Isn’t that enough?”

  “Not for this job.” Apollo stood and paced slowly as he tried to reach the new team member. “We’re a family here. We need to be able to count on each other.”

  “I told you, you can.”

  Apollo sighed heavily and shook his head. “Man, you’re just aloof and stuff. It’s hard enough hitting the muck with people you know and trust. It’s harder when it’s someone new that won’t let you get to know them. How do you learn to trust someone that won’t let you?”

  Little John took a deep breath and stared off into the distance. “I’m just not a people person.”

  Apollo stood over the man, his jaw ticking. “You might ought to consider changing that.” He pointed toward the door, “There’s a whole group of operators out there who need to know they can depend on you. It’s gonna be tough figuring out where you need to be if you won’t let nobody get close.”

  Little John stood and squared his shoulders. It wasn’t a defensive measure as much as stretching his massive frame. He considered his words carefully before he uttered them, “If you’re truly worried about who you can trust, maybe you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

  *****

  “What the hell is this?” Paul Foster threw the summons across the room and stomped toward the messenger. “What did he say?”

  The messenger simply stared at him and smiled. “He said only, ‘deliver this’ and so I did.”

  The messenger watched Foster’s face flush as he worked himself up to another tirade and relished the idea of the natural born vampire throwing a hissy fit like the spoiled child that he truly was.

  “Well, if he thinks that I’m just going to drop everything and go running to him at his every whim, he has another thing coming! I’m a very important person! I have important things to do!”

  “I’m sure,” the messenger replied drolly.

  Paul spun on the man so suddenly that for a short moment, the messenger thought he might attack. “Do you doubt me?”

  “Never,” The messenger bowed deeply, but inwardly, he smiled.

  “I would think not.” Paul turned and stormed into the other room. “You can show yourself out.”

  “Of course.”

  The messenger finally allowed himself the opportunity to smile as Foster began throwing things in the next room. As he shut the door leading out into the darkened underground parking structure, he heaved a sigh of relief.

  He shot a quick glance at the two security guards standing watch outside the door. “Is he always wound so tight?”

  The larger of the two nodded. “Usually tighter.” The messenger was still shaking his head as he stepped into the waiting vehicle and left.

  Foster continued his rant, even if it was at a somewhat diminished volume. Eventually he worked his way back into his main bedroom, kicking things over as he continued to grab items and shove them into a bag.

  “What’s the matter, darling? Did your brother find out about your little plan?” the soft, purring voice taunted from the bed.

  Paul froze in mid-action, his mind suddenly racing. “Surely not…”

  The lithe figure shifted her weight, and the sheet slid from her body as she stretched. “Oh, I assure you, he could have.” She yawned sleepily and eyed him carefully, a knowing smile crossing her features as she watched the color drain from his face. “Not much gets past his attentions these days.”

  Paul suddenly stood and turned on her. “What did you tell him?” He flexed his fists as he slowly approached the bed.

  She laughed a deep and throaty laugh. “I’ve told him nothing.” She rolled over and raised a carefully plucked brow at Foster. “I told you, not much gets past him these days. He has eyes and ears everywhere.”

  Paul paused and considered his options. If he dared to run, he would be marked and would certainly solidify any doubts his adopted brother may have about him or the actions he had been up to lately. Plus, by defying his command, he would, in essence, be breaking the blood covenant that he entered into with Rufus. His life would be forfeit. He turned and stared at the door. Running might buy him a little time. But if he went to his brother, played the part of the ever faithful servant, he just might convince his brother that he had no part in whatever schemes he was being accused of.

  Paul suddenly stood tall and squared his shoulders. “I’m done with you.” His announcement was as cold as his blood.

  The beauty on the bed stiffened and stared at his back. “You’re what?”

  “You heard me. Your services are no longer required. You may see yourself out.”

  She huffed as she slid out of bed and began searching for the clothes that had been discarded weeks ago. “I’ve never been treated in such a way in all my years.” Her voice switched from a huff to haughty almost in an instant. “You have no idea who I am or who I’m connected to, do you? I could have helped you make something of yourself again, but what do you do? Toss me aside like I’m so much waste…or worse. I’ll have you know, I’m no floozy to be tossed aside when you’re done having your fun.” She scooped up most of her clothes and was still fishing for her shoes when the door to the room burst open and the security guards stepped in. “Oh, now what do these gorillas want?”

  Paul made a barely noticeable motion with his head, and the two men scooped her naked body up ungracefully and tossed her out the door onto the cold concrete floor, her clothes hurled out in a pile after her. “Oh, Paul Foster, you have not heard the last of me!” she yelled as her shoes were tossed out as well.

  “If I ever hear from you or of you again, I’ll have your head removed from your body and your ashes scattered across three counties.” Paul smiled wickedly as the security guards stepped back outside and assumed their positions, the door slamming behind them.

  She stood up in the dark underground parking level and stomped her foot on the concrete floor. “I could have made you somebody!” Neither guard watched her as she bent and picked
up her clothes, trying to dress in the darkness. “I don’t suppose one of you rent-a-punks would call me a cab at least?”

  Neither man moved as she continued struggling with her clothes. “Where is chivalry these days? All these baby vamps running around and nobody to teach them any manners.” Both guards watched her as she stumbled up the ramp and toward the stairwell exit.

  “Think we should have told her that it’s daylight up there?” the larger guard asked.

  The smaller one shrugged slightly. “She’ll figure it out.”

  “Yeah, that big glowing light in the sky is sort of a dead giveaway.”

  Foster threw open the door and pitched his bags at the feet of the guards. “Prepare my car.”

  “Airport, boss?” the smaller guard asked as he bent to retrieve the bags.

  “Yes, and then we have to catch a boat to that wretched island.” Foster stepped out into the parking garage and planted his hands on his hips in a huff.

  The larger guard slid his sunglasses down and cleared his throat. “Um, boss?”

  “What?” Paul growled.

  “If you’re going to the airport, shouldn’t you at least put on clothes?”

  Foster looked down at his open housecoat and slumped his shoulders. Spending weeks at a time below ground, the vampire rarely wore even that. “I’ll be right back.”

  “We’ll pull the car around, sir.” The two guards caught each other’s eye and snickered silently.

  *****

  At first dark, Damien approached the ramshackle shack at the base of the Scottish highlands. He could smell the occupants inside and wrinkled his nose at the sour stench of the two. He quietly made his way to the porch and peered through the slats of the door, watching them as they laughed and slapped the table they sat at. He squared his shoulders and prepared to kick in the door when it suddenly opened.

  “Ye shouldn’t sneak around out there,” the tall, red haired vampire stated, his accent strong and biting. “One might get the wrong idea of yer intentions.”

  Damien eyed the vampire and gave him a slight sideways nod. “Don’t confuse caution with sneakiness.” He stepped forward and the taller vampire moved aside to allow him in. “Do you have what I came for?” He looked around the room, taking in its bare essentials and lack of refinements. The solitary window in the back of the room stood open, a slight breeze ruffling the threadbare curtain hanging from the bent rod above it.

  “Aye, laddie, we have it,” the shorter, dark haired vampire said as he slowly came to his feet. “The real question is, do ye have what we want in trade?”

  Damien gave the shorter vampire a slight smile and reached behind his back sending the two vampires to the defensive. Both pulled silver plated knives and held them at the ready, “Easy there, lad. Let’s not be doin’ nuthin’ that will get yer throat cut.”

  Damien slowly withdrew his hands and held them up in surrender. “I was going to get your payment.” He backed slowly toward the door shaking his head. “Of course, if you don’t want it, I can be on my way and find another buyer.”

  The taller vampire laughed and lowered his knife a bit. “That will be tough, don’t ye think?” He shot a quick glance to his partner. “Considerin’ we have what yer lookin’ for.”

  Damien paused and considered his words. “True. But that doesn’t mean that someone else couldn’t get it for me as well.”

  “Now who would be stupid enough to try to rob us?” the shorter vampire asked laughingly. “Do ye any idea who we are?”

  Damien smiled wickedly. “I sure do. You’re both dead.”

  The two smiling vampires suddenly stopped smiling and turned to stare at him. The taller one started to advance on him when he heard his shorter companion gurgle and fall to the floor. He quickly turned to see a beautiful, red headed, lass standing over his partner’s body, his friend’s withered heart in her hand. The shock and confusion on his face was still registering with his slow mind when he felt Damien take him to the floor, teeth gnashing at his throat and a fist tear through his ribcage. The silver plated knife was all but forgotten as he struggled momentarily then slumped into a pile under Damien’s strength.

  Damien stood and ripped the heart from the chest cavity as the tall vampire died. He quickly chewed it and shook his head. “Too young,” he spat.

  Rachel tossed him the other heart which he almost dropped from the black blood covering it. He tore a bite from it and swallowed. “Older, but it still isn’t the same as a true elder.”

  “Every little bit helps, lover.” She picked up the body of the shorter vampire and tossed it out into the harsh winter air.

  Damien shoved the rest of the heart into his mouth and launched the taller vampire out and off of the porch with his companion. “Let’s see if we can find what we came here for.” He wiped his hands on the remnant of the curtain as the two began sifting through the shack.

  “It’s here, lover. I can feel it.” Rachel stood from the box she had been digging through and turned slowly in the room, her eyes closed. “It’s almost like it’s calling to me.”

  “Home in on it, darling.” Damien stood anxiously to the side and watched as she tilted her head first one way and then the other. “You can do this.”

  She suddenly stopped and looked down at the wooden floor of the shack. With her nail extended, she pointed a long, slender finger at the floor. “There.”

  Damien fell to his knees and began tearing the boards from the strongbacks with his bare hands. Rachel dropped to the floor beside him and reached under the shack to retrieve a package wrapped in old, rotting cloth. “I have it.” She pulled the package out and laid it gently on the floor of the shack.

  Damien stood over her shoulder and watched as she gently unfolded the cloth and spread the material out on the dirty wood. “Both hands and both feet,” she said quietly.

  Damien stood and wiped the crumbling wood from his hands. “Not as much as I was hoping for, but necessary to the end game.” He glanced at his watch and back out the door. “We can’t make it back before sunup. We’ll have to stay the day here.” He patted her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

  “What if those two idiots are missed?” Her eyes pleaded with him for them to leave. “What if others come looking for them?”

  Damien gave her a sadistic smile. “Then I’ll eat them as well.”

  4

  Laura stepped off the plane and caught a taxi to the hotel where the blonde woman was last seen. She had studied the file that Matt had given her until she knew every inch of what was between the covers. She had memorized the woman’s face, used software to shorten and lengthen her hair, changed the color of it, changed her makeup, photo-shopped in sunglasses of various styles, and memorized her facial structure and body build so that she could be certain that, if she spotted her, it wouldn’t be a misidentification.

  After she unpacked her meager gear, she headed down to the hotel lounge and grabbed a quick bite then changed and headed to the pool. Although she wore her swimsuit, she had wrapped an oversized towel around her waist and brought a big book to pretend to read. Inside the book’s cover was a camera and the pages had been cut out to hold a stun gun, just in case.

  Laura took a lounge chair across from the doors in a nice shady spot and propped the book high enough so that she could scan the area from behind her oversized sunglasses. She watched every female that came or went for the next three hours until she felt that it was time to try a different tactic.

  Closing the book she stood and stretched, trying to ease out some of the tension from her stiffened muscles. A cabana boy approached her and offered her a towel. “No, thanks. I wasn’t actually swimming.”

  “I think you want this one.” He held the folded towel out to her.

  Reluctantly, she took the towel and thanked him. Inside the folds was a simple note: Hotel bar. 30 minutes.

  She glanced around the pool area and saw nobody. She dropped the towel and caught up to the cabana boy. “Who told
you to bring me that towel?”

  He shrugged. “Another guest. She tipped me twenty bucks.”

  Laura groaned and looked around once more. “By chance was she blonde? About this tall?” She indicated the height with her hand.

  He nodded. “About that tall, but not blonde.”

  “Okay. Thank you.” Laura glanced at her watch and decided that if she were going to confront the escapee, she’d rather have on real clothes and running shoes. She headed to her room and changed quickly, slipping the stun gun into the back of her waist band.

  Laura’s eyes quickly adjusted to the dimness of the bar as she entered and took a seat along the long polished wood. The bartender gave her a knowing look and she ordered a soda. No sense in allowing alcohol to dull her wits. He had no sooner placed the drink in front of her when a short, brunette woman sat beside her. “You’re no wolf.”

  Laura sipped at her drink and took in the woman’s reflection from the mirror behind the bar. “And you’re no brunette.” She set her drink down and tried not to act nervous. “I’m surprised you’re still here.”

  “You mean after that big oaf came and stomped all over the place looking for me?” She snorted a quick laugh. “If he had any kind of nose, he’d have known I was still around.”

  “How’d you know about me?” Laura asked, contemplating how quickly she could pull the stun gun from behind her back.

  The shorter woman paused and gave her a ‘duh’ stare in the mirror behind the bar. “I smelled you the moment you arrived.”

  “And you remembered it from the hangar?”

  “From the day I woke up, cold, shivering, dripping wet, and freezing my ass off, yes. Your scent was all over the place down there.” She raised her hand to the bartender and ordered a piña colada. “And now here you are in my little piece of tropical heaven. Care to explain before I rip your liver out?”

  Laura grunted a condescending laugh and raised her brows at the woman. “So now you want an explanation?”