‘Oh for fuck sake!’ Will shouts in disgust as he pushes the body off him. He gets to his feet and begins to wipe the blood from his face with his hands.
‘You ok?’ Jeff asks as he walks past Will and heads towards the manager’s office.
‘Do I look ok?!’ Will shouts in anger. In a huff Will picks up his two pistols and follows Jeff to the office.
They stand outside the manager’s office, collecting themselves before they open the door. Jeff quietly and slowly pulls down the handle and pushes the door open with one hand as he points his shotgun through the door first just in case. He fully opens the door and both him and Will stand in shock at what lays before them. A single lamp shines toward the back of the office illuminating a hanging naked male body. The floor around the body lay a pool of blood. The blood had dripped from the various deep cuts to the body. Slashes covered the legs. The man’s genitals had been cut off. His stomach sliced open just not deep enough for anything to have fallen out. His nipples had both been cut open. His neck slashed and finally his eyes both ripped out from their sockets. Will begins to cough as he holds down sick from the sight and smell. ‘I can’t look anymore.’ Will turns away and heads out the door slowly. Jeff heads closer to the body as it swings around. With a single finger Jeff pushes the body one hundred and eighty degrees. As the man’s back becomes illuminated Jeff spots the words FUCK YOU cut into the skin. Jeff stares at this for a moment as he contemplates what it means. ‘They definitely knew we were coming.’ He shouts back at Will with no emotion in his voice.
‘No fucking shit!’ Will sounding upset.
Jeff punches the lamp to the floor smashing the bulb, even he couldn’t stomach the sight any longer. He slams the door behind him as he exits the office. He stands for a moment staring at the floor. His breathing becomes heavy.
‘What the fuck Jeff? What the actual fuck?’ Will becoming hysterical at the situation.
‘Calm down.’ Jeff states still looking toward the floor.
‘Calm down? You’re seriously suggesting I calm down after seeing that shit!’
‘Yes! Calm the fuck down Will!’ Jeff shouts as he lifts his head to face Will.
Will stares back at him in anger as he lets out a scream and punches the wall behind him. Jeff reaches into his trouser pocket and pulls out his mobile. ‘I’m phoning Vaelen.’
‘Yes, do it. Maybe he can explain what the fuck has happened.’ Will pants.
Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring.
‘Hello Jeff.’ A mysterious voice answers.
‘Vaelen?’ Jeff queries.
‘Oh no you’re mistaken. Vaelen’s a little busy at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?’ The voice then laughs menacingly.
‘Who the fuck is this?!’ Jeff shouts down the phone as Will stares at him in confusion wondering what is being said.
‘You’ll find out soon enough. By the way I hope you liked my little present, I wanted to get you a nice woman, but every time I did I just kept eating them, so a man just had to do. Anyway time is precious. So I’ll make this quick. You and your little bum chum better make your way back to the Ruby pretty soon. Or you can kiss Vaelen goodbye.’
‘The Ruby?’ Jeff freezes in fear.
‘Yes Jeff, clean out your ears. Oh and if that isn’t enough to persuade you to hurry, I’ve got a gorgeous blonde I’ve been dying to eat. The little girl will be my dessert. Haha.’ The voice becomes a howling cackle as Jeff throws his phone against the wall in anger.
‘They have my family.’ Jeff states through gritting teeth.
‘Who do?’ Will asks.
Jeff pushes past him, ‘whoever the fuck did this.’
CHAPTER 24:
REIGN OVER RUBY
Jeff speeds the van with little regard to other motorists on the road. Sharply turning a corner the van clips the bumper of a parked car. Will clutches onto the dashboard. ‘Mate, slow the fuck down!’ Will shouts at Jeff. Jeff’s stare remains forward on the road ahead of them. ‘Jeff!’ Jeff slams his foot down on the accelerator, speeding through a red light causing another car on the road to swerve him and lose control crashing into a lamppost. ‘For fuck sake.’ Will exhales slumping back into the passenger seat realising he can’t get through to Jeff.
‘I need to save them.’ Jeff quietly speaks as he continues to drive recklessly.
‘Well good luck trying to when you crash this thing killing us both. Or getting us arrested.’ Will retorts with sharpness to his voice.
‘I couldn’t give a shit about the police right now.’ Jeff makes another sharp turn.
‘Fine! But think of Jade and Lisa.’ Snaps Will.
Jeff grips the steering wheel tighter at the mention of their names. ‘They are all I am thinking about.’
‘Then keep us alive so we can save them.’
‘We?’ Jeff frowns with slight confusion.
‘Yes we! You had my back earlier… and now I have yours.’ Will lets go of the dashboard and pulls out his pistol checking how much ammo is left.
Jeff pauses for a moment. ‘Thank you.’ He says quietly.
‘It’s ok. Now let’s calm down slightly, get to Ruby in one piece and kill some dicks.’ Will smirks at his own plan. Jeff looks over to him and spots the smirk. A smile appears on his face knowing that Will is just as determined as he is. He slows the van to the speed limit as they draw closer to the Ruby.
‘So what’s the plan?’ Jeff asks.
‘As much as I would like to suggest running in guns blazing, I don’t feel like getting shot again, so our best bet is to just casually walk through the front door. That way we attract no unwanted attention.’
Something suddenly twigs in Jeff’s mind as he adjusts his side mirror revealing a police car. ‘I thought so.’
‘What?’ Will suddenly spooked looking around.
‘It didn’t clock until now, but that police car behind us has been there the whole time.’
Will looks in his side mirror and also spots the police car. ‘Are you fucking kidding me? Why hasn’t he pulled us over?’ Pause whilst Will thinks. ‘Fucking vampires!’
Jeff makes the final right turn into the road that houses the Ruby and brakes. The police car suddenly veers and makes a left turn to avoid suspicion unaware Jeff and Will have clocked on.
‘What’s our gun situation like?’ Jeff asks.
‘Same as earlier… just with a lot less ammo. My guess we’ll run out within a minute. Then all we have left is our vampire forms.’
‘Ok.’ Jeff puts his head in his hands and begins to formulate a plan. ‘What was your idea again?’
‘Just casually walk through the front door. Let them make the first move. Why? Do you have a better idea?’ Will awaits eagerly for an answer. Jeff just stares ahead. He releases the handbrake and slams his foot down on the accelerator.
‘When I say duck you duck!’ Jeff pulls the van to the right hand side of the road barely missing a car headed toward them, then suddenly spins the steering wheel to the left, sending the van straight through the large glass doors of the Ruby. ‘Duck!’ Jeff shouts. Will launches himself into the back of the van. Jeff pulls up the handbrake and quickly follows Will as the van begins to be riddled with holes from gunfire.
Ten men with assault rifles open fire on the van in shock as this was not expected from any of them. ‘Hold your fire!’ Max screams over the barrage of sound filling the lobby. The shooting continues. ‘Hold your fire!’ again no one stops after his command. Losing patience Max pulls out a pistol from the inside of his jacket and casually walks over to one of the men shooting at the van. He flicks the safety switch off, aims, and proceeds to blow a hole into the man’s head sending his body crashing to the floor. The other men notice this and one by one they stop shooting and lower their guns. ‘Thank you.’ He states sarcastically. ‘You there!’ He shouts at one of the men standing opposite to him. ‘Go check the driver side. You!’ Pointing to another man, ‘the passenger side. And finally, you.’ Pointing at a
third man, ‘check the backdoors.’ The three men do as they are instructed. The two men at the front of the van give an all clear. As the third man swings open the back door of the van, Max quickly places himself behind the open door as a shotgun blast disintegrates his henchman’s head into nothing. As his body flies backward to the floor. Jeff jumps out only to have Max ready and waiting with his pistol aimed straight at Jeff’s head. ‘Drop your gun.’ Max states calmly. ‘Both of you.’
Jeff turns his head so Max’s pistol is now aimed at his face. ‘What if we don’t?’
‘Well I wasn’t fucking asking you!’ Max stares into Jeff’s eyes for a moment. ‘Men!’ As Max shouts this, the remaining eight men quickly head to the back of the van all aiming their guns at Jeff. ‘Now. If you want to see your wife and child again. I suggest you BOTH! Drop your weapons.’
‘Jeff?’ Will’s voice quivers slightly.
Jeff drops his shotgun and removes his pistol and slowly places it on the ground. Will takes the hint and steps out of the van placing both his pistols on the ground in front of him.
‘Now then. Jeff, you’ll be coming with me. As for you… men, you know where to take him.’ Max ushers Jeff in front of him keeping his gun aimed at Jeff’s head and leads him towards the elevator. As he does this, one of the men walks over to Will and smashes him across the face with his gun, knocking him out. They proceed to drag his body toward Jacqueline’s office.
The elevator doors open, Max and Jeff step inside.
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
Max and Jeff stand side by side, Jeff to the right, facing the elevator door. The sound of elevator music version of a mediocre pop song covers the silence. Jeff’s emotions get the better of him as he clenches his fists. Max pulls out a pistol from the inside of his jacket and begins to check his ammo and generally look over his gun.
‘Whatever you’re thinking of trying, I suggest you don’t.’ Max states in a calm tone.
Jeff exhales as he releases his clenched fists. ‘You’re a monster.’
‘I’m merely a messenger.’ Max retorts.
‘I swear if you’ve hurt them.’ Jeff’s eyes glaze over as anger begins to take over all his senses.
‘You swear what? Look Jeff, I’m not the one you should be worrying about.’
Bing Bong.
The elevator reaches its designated floor. As the door slides open Max exits first into the corridor and begins to walk down it towards the honeymoon suite of the hotel. Jeff reluctantly follows as the building tension gets too much for him. Fuck them all!
Jeff collapses to the floor. Max hears and stops to look.
Do it! Let this happen!
‘Shut the fuck up!’ Jeff shouts clutching his head to the floor.
Max grins as he makes his way over to Jeff and begins to help him to his feet.
Jeff pushes Max away from him. ‘Don’t touch me!’
‘Might want to be saving some of that energy Jeff, don’t be taking it all out on me.’ Max makes his way to the door of the honeymoon suite and proceeds to get a key card from his trouser pocket and unlock the door. ‘They’re right inside.’ Max walks back past Jeff to the elevator. Jeff stands in front of the honeymoon suite door collecting himself and his thoughts. He places his hand on the door handle and freezes.
‘I know you’re there Jeff! Come on in.’ A voice from inside the room calls out to him. Jeff still doesn’t budge.
‘Daddy!’ Lisa screams out in terror. This is enough to cause Jeff to wrench the handle down and push the door open.
Jeff enters the suite. A king sized bed lays ahead of him to the right. To the left a huge vanity mirror with a door next to it leading presumably to the en suite bathroom. Directly ahead of him a large window looking out over the city.
Leofric sits on the window’s ledge with a sawn off shotgun in his hands and a shit eating grin on his face. In between the both of them sit three chairs. From left to right Rita, Jade and then Lisa, all tied to their chairs.
‘Hello Jeff nice to meet you.’ Leofric stands and slowly walks towards the tied up girls.
‘Stay the fuck away from them!’ Jeff shouts.
Leofric stops and stares into Jeff’s eyes. ‘Here’s the deal Jeff. Only two people get to leave this room alive and I’m going to allow you to choose. Do you understand?’
All three girls begin to whimper.
‘Do you understand?’ Leofric repeats.
Jeff doesn’t answer.
‘A simple yes is all I’m asking for.’ Leofric still gets no reply. ‘OK. Let me make this a little simpler for you.’ He raises the shotgun quickly and without a second thought pulls the trigger blowing Rita’s head into hundreds of pieces scattering blood and bits of skull all over the room and Jade. Jade and Lisa begin to scream and wail hysterically.
Jeff begins to shake in anger as he remembers that he now didn’t keep to his promise to protect Rita. ‘I’m going to kill you, you fucking prick.’
‘Now now Jeff. Calm yourself. I did that for you. I mean let’s face it, you were never going to choose her were you. Now it’s down to just a fifty-fifty choice.’ After reloading he points the shotgun at Lisa. ‘How about the little one. She hasn’t lived much a life she won’t miss it.’ Then he sways the gun towards Jade. ‘Or this beautiful woman. She’s had a full life don’t you think. Married, a child and a loving home environment. What more could you ask for from life? She could die happy.’
‘Two people make it out of this room alive. And I choose both of them.’ Jeff snaps.
‘Oh Jeff. See this is why I asked if you understood. Yes two people do get to make it out alive… Out of the five people in this room. Since I’m the one in charge here I’m one of them. I’m a vampire hunter, and you’re a vampire which means I will be killing you. So that leaves only one spot available for these two. Your choice. Please make it quick or I’m just going to kill all of you.’
‘They’re both mortal for fuck sake!’ Jeff desperately trying to think of a way to save them both.
‘You’re right. I don’t kill mortals normally. But recently you vampires have stopped being scared of vampire hunters. It seems the death of another vampire isn’t enough anymore to keep a vampire in hiding. So I’ve adopted a new plan where I kill their families instead. I believe it sends a stronger message.’
‘Some vampire hunter you are! You’re working for them!’ Jade screams.
‘Oh the lady has a temper.’ Leofric leans in to Jade, face to face. ‘Just like your husband.’
‘Back the fuck away from her!’
‘See what I mean.’ Leofric smiles and straightens himself. ‘You’ve got it wrong. They believe I’m working for them. I was hired as it were to kidnap these two to bring you here. I was given strict instruction to kill whoever I wished. Apart from you Jeff.’
‘Why?’ Jeff queries.
‘I was never told why. I can’t imagine what they had in mind with this scheme. But at the end of the day, I am a vampire hunter and I work for me and my own, hence I’m going to be killing you and your wife and child.’
Do it!
Jeff’s eyes give in to the darkness. In a split second Jeff runs to the other side of the room landing a punch to Leofric’s face causing him to drop his shotgun. Leofric tries to return a punch as Jeff cuts in with an uppercut sending him back slightly. As Jeff extends for his next punch Leofric catches his fist and twists Jeff’s arm causing his bones to crack. Leofric whips out a heavy duty pistol from his waist holster and slams the handle of it across Jeff’s jaw twice. With the third blow to the face Jeff is sent flying to the floor.
Leofric exhales and shakes off the pain. ‘Well done Jeff… you just got them both killed.’ As Leofric raises his gun at Lisa she screams. Jeff quickly grabs the sawn off shotgun on the floor and pulls the trigger sending both shells into Leofric’s chest causing him to collapse on the king sized bed.
Jeff throws the shotgun across the room and in agony stumbles
his way to Lisa.
‘I’m so sorry.’ He then turns to Jade. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Babe it’s ok, just get us out of here.’ Jade’s voice trembles through a stream of tears.
‘It’s ok darling, daddy’s going to keep you safe.’
He begins to untie Lisa.
‘Daddy look out!’ Lisa screams.
‘Jeff!’ Jade screams.
Complete darkness covers Jeff’s vision.
CHAPTER 25:
FINIS PROPE EST
[THE END IS NEAR]
Will bounded by rope to a chair in one of the storage cupboards assesses his situation. Around him there is nothing he could use to cut him from the chair. The room had been emptied prior to his capture. A single guard stands by his only exit holding what looks to be a light machine gun.
If I try anything he’ll just shoot me point blank, being a vampire will not help this situation.
A light bulb swings from the ceiling dimly lighting the small room. The guard reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes and proceeds to take one out, place it between his lips and lights it.
‘Do you mind lighting one up for me?’ Will asks with a hint of sarcasm as he knows what the answer will be.
The guard remains silent whilst taking a drag.
‘Come on even the people on death row get a meal. Can’t I just have one lousy cigarette?’
‘Shut the fuck up!’ The guard snaps.
Will gives off a slight smile as he realises he’s starting to annoy the guard. The guard notices the smile as walks the few paces over to him followed by giving Will a quick blow to the face with the butt of his gun.
‘Fuck!’ Will spits blood to the floor staining the grey carpet below their feet. ‘Oh the cleaning lady will not be happy about that.’
The guard hits him again, this time cracking the bone slightly around Will’s left eye socket. The guard walks back to the door and flicks his cigarette at Will letting the embers slightly burn his face as it ricochets off him.
The Vampire Council: Case File:1 Page 16
