Kneel Or Die

by Michael Anderle

  Everyone watched as Gerry started stripping off his shirt, staring at Alex the whole time, “Worked with David did you? So, this whole vote of no-confidence was a setup? You were working with that asshole to do this to all of us? To ALL OF US!”

  Alex looked around at the angry faces around him. Many grabbed chairs and backed away. Leaving Gerry and Alex alone in a larger area.

  Gerry stared at him, “It’s time you died, you unwholesome selfish prick!”

  That night, the rule of pack law was enjoyed one more time when Gerry, the last head of the American Pack Council killed Alex Dupree for aiding a Forsaken.

  It was a good thing the warehouse was going to be easy to clean since Gerry had a lot of pent up anger he needed to work through and there wasn’t much left of Alex Dupree when he was done.

  After the fight -- execution by combat -- Bethany Anne required the group to pledge their allegiance to her and commanded them to vote a pack liaison who would be their liaison, answering to Bethany Anne. That person would obey her, or that person would die.

  Gerry won the vote in a landslide.

  By the time Bethany Anne’s group left that warehouse, every Alpha present owed their allegiance to Bethany Anne and their undying appreciation to Gerry.

  There was one thing that every Alpha there was certain of. They did NOT want Gerry’s job! Gerry never before had the support of every Alpha like he had now.

  No one wanted to work closely with Bethany Anne, ever.

  The American Pack Council was no more.

  Pudong Shanghai, China

  Sergeant Lo Chongan was working late alongside Corporal Liu Jianguo. The surprise drills uncovered no evidence that they were being tracked back through the internet.

  But the gut feeling that something was amiss now bothered them both.

  Both men were staring blankly at the computer screen when it started displaying text, slowly by itself. Jianguo looked down and confirmed he wasn’t touching the keyboard.

  They read the note.

  你好,我的名字是亚当。 停止您的计算机攻击的努力或我将采取惩治行为。您被警告了。

  Both of their faces turned white.

  Unfortunately, they now had their proof.

  Washington D.C. - USA

  Barb was working for the third night in a row, pulling together information for her report, when she came across the information that Colonel Barrett Nickelson had been found guilty of multiple charges related to seven members of a unit under his command being killed in Turkey. He had been shot and permanently disabled before an untraceable packet with damning evidence was delivered to his command. Inside the packet was information which proved his guilt. The location where his people were killed was top secret, but the time frame matched the large explosion which happened in Turkey.

  Barb searched further and found that one of Nickelson’s men had turned up randomly, very far away from his last known location without any memory of how he got there, or what had happened during the previous few days. The military were looking into why he couldn’t remember anything.

  She was about to shut down her computer when one lone sentence buried deep in the report caught her eye.

  It said, “Whereupon two fire-teams having been lost, Colonel Barrett Nickelson did allow a Mercenary Company (all information redacted) access to the location but then refused any additional support. All members of said team assumed dead due to a freak meteor hit.”

  Barb tried to find out the name of the mercenary company. She used every security clearance she had, and every one of Don’s that she had scammed from him.

  This group was beyond your typical black hole. Barb’s blood ran cold. She couldn’t prove it, yet. But she believed beyond any shadow of a doubt that the mercenary company had gotten out, and they found out exactly who had betrayed them and made sure it would never happen again.

  They had, in fact, pulled off a very professional hit right inside Washington D.C. She thought about that for a few seconds longer.

  If they can execute a hit in Washington, she wondered if there were any reasons that they couldn’t pull off hits in the Netherlands, England, Germany, Syria or Chicago?

  She was somewhat alarmed when it became clear that there we’re any reasons at all.

  Colorado Base – USA

  Once Lance was back from his honeymoon, he and Kevin got together for an update. He and Kevin had stayed up late studying the maps that Robert had marked with new suggestions for additional emplacements.

  The intercom speaker interrupted their review, “Sir, this is Jones down at the gate.” Kevin looked over at the phone,” Kevin here, what is it?”

  The guard replied, “Sir, we have a single individual walking up to the gate, he's about fifty yards away.”

  “Why are you telling me this now instead of when he arrives, Jones?”

  “Ah, sir, he’s dressed like a monk, sir.”

  Kevin wasn't quite sure he understood what he was being told. “Can you say that again?”

  “He is a monk, sir.”

  Kevin looked over to Lance, “Are you expecting a monk?”

  Lance shrugged, “No, but let's get a name, I’ve been surprised before.”

  Kevin told him that they would wait. The phone was put down and the men heard a window open and Jones’s voice. “Can I help you?”

  A respectful, cultured voice was heard over the speaker. “Yes, thank you. I would like to meet the lady who walks. I'm afraid I don't know her proper name and the only improper name is crude and disrespectful.”

  “I'm sorry sir, all of the women who are on this base walk. That description doesn’t help me narrow down who you are interested in talking with.”

  Kevin could hear the unknown man sigh, “Please don't misunderstand, I am not giving disrespect, but the only name I have heard of is ‘the Bitch Queen’.”

  Lance spoke to Kevin, “What is this man’s name?”

  Sure enough, they could hear the phone get picked up, “Sir, Jones here. The gentleman is requesting a ‘Bitch Queen’. Not sure I understand the request. Do you want me to request a jeep take him back down the road? It’s mighty dark and I don’t want him walking that far back to town.”

  Lance spoke loud enough for the microphone to catch his voice, “Jones, this is Lance Reynolds. Ask the person for his name.”

  The voice sounded a little less distinct, “Sir, your name?”

  “It is Barnabas.”

  “Ok, Mr. Barnabas.”

  “No, not ‘Mr. Barnabas’, simply Barnabas. No last name.”

  Lance’s eyes widened slightly. “Jones, ask him if his last name is ‘Nicht’.”

  Jones did so.

  “Well, yes. That is a last name I can go by. I hadn’t expected to find anyone here who might be aware of that. To whom am I speaking?”

  Lance told Jones he would be down there to speak to the gentleman in just a few minutes. Other than that, to treat him with the utmost respect.

  Lance told Kevin that he should accompany him. They jumped in a car with Kevin driving, while Lance dialed Bethany Anne’s number. “Hi, it’s your dad. I’ve got a Nicht at the front gate looking for you. No, not that you. The ‘Queen Bitch’ you. Yes, I’m pretty sure he’s a Nicht, but I have to go find out. You can? Great! Grab Ashur and get yourself and whoever over here. If he isn’t friendly, we might be screwed. What? Fine! You told me so. I get it. I’ll have Gabrielle put a couple over here. How the hell was I supposed to know another damned vampire was running around in America? I know, I know, you won’t let me forget. Bye.”

  Kevin looked over, “She did tell you that human protection wasn’t strong enough.”

  Lance grumped, “Et tu, Kevin?” The two men laughed.

  They arrived at the front gate and Lance stepped out. Jones wasn’t kidding. The man was dressed in an old fashioned monk’s robe, but definitely had on pants and a shirt underneath. You could tell once he was in the light. They were all the same color of dark brow
n so it wasn’t surprising that Jones couldn’t see.

  Lance walked up to the man. He was probably about five foot eleven inches and a young looking thirty something. “Hi, I’m Lance Reynolds.”

  The man pulled back his hood and smiled, his blue eyes conveying his happiness. “Hello, I’m Barnabas.”

  “Would you be related to Michael?” Lance asked.

  “Yes,” Barnabas responded, “I’m one of his sons.”

  Lance pursed his lips, no time like the present to meet his maker, “Would that be one who supports Michael, or David?”

  Barnabas shrugged, “Neither? I’m neutral to the differences the two of them have. I spoke with David over a week ago. I’m afraid he is not going to change his direction.”

  Lance snorted, “He’s not going to change anything since he …” Lance stopped. He would take Barnabas at his word. It wasn’t like there was anything he could do to stop Barnabas should he want to go anywhere. “Sorry, where are my manners. Would you like to come inside? I’ve contacted the woman you’re looking for and she should be here soon.”

  “I would be happy to be welcomed.” The two of them got into the car while Kevin took care of the signature to approve the visitor.

  Once they were inside the car Barnabas leaned forward and asked Lance, “You truly know this ‘Bitch Queen’?”

  Lance wanted to laugh, Bethany Anne would not like it that her name was being twisted around. She hated the title in the first place. “Her name is Bethany Anne, and the title is ‘Queen Bitch’. It isn’t one that she made for herself, but rather decided if she was going to be called such a name, then she would own it.”

  “Bethany Anne? Ok, is she a Nicht? David wouldn’t admit to very much when I asked him about one who traveled the plane. He would rant and rave about his next effort and that the ‘Bitch Queen’ had stopped his last plan.” Barnabas leaned back in the seat and then accepted the guest pass from Kevin when he got in the car.

  Kevin turned the car around and headed back into the base, “Yes, she is a vampire and it was both her and Michael that helped defeat David’s last effort. Since it happened a little over a week ago, you must have just missed it. David is dead.”

  Barnabas looked down, “I told him not to continue his foolhardy efforts. That it was only death in his future if he didn’t alter his behavior. He was not happy to hear me say that. My visit with him didn’t last very long at all.”

  Lance was puzzled with this new Nicht. He wasn’t anything like any of the vampires he had met so far.

  The three got out of the car and went into Lance’s office. Lance went behind the desk and pointed to a chair, “Please, have a seat. Bethany Anne should be here pretty soon.”

  Kevin asked Lance, “Do you need me?” When Lance looked over, Kevin pointed to Barnabas with his eyes and then raised an eyebrow.

  “No, thanks. I’m fairly confident here so go ahead and continue with Robert’s review. I’ll catch up with you after Bethany Anne gets here.” Kevin nodded and walked out of the office, closing the door behind them.

  Barnabas looked Lance over, “You smell … different. Your demeanor is from an older man, but you look younger. Are you connected to Bethany Anne?”

  Lance considered Barnabas’s question, “Are you asking if I’m related?”

  “Not exactly.” He replied.

  That was when the door to the office outside of Lance’s opened. Lance heard both Stephen and Bethany Anne talking.

  “Well what do you want me to say?” Bethany Anne grumped. “It wasn’t like he picked up a fucking phone and made a reservation!”

  Barnabas turned in his chair to see the office door open and Bethany Anne and Stephen walk in. Bethany Anne was dressed in her ‘I’m going to take some lives’ outfit, complete with sword.

  Stephen jumped around Bethany Anne to start hugging the new guy who had stood up quickly to receive them, “Barnabas!”

  The two stood apart looking each other up and down. Barnabas said, “You’re young again.” Barnabas looked over to Bethany Anne who was studying him. He noticed the two pistols and the sword within easy reach. He turned back to his brother, “What changed your mind? Is this young lady a daughter of yours?”

  A voice yelled from the outside office, “Hell no!” Everyone turned to watch Gabrielle striding in from the outside. She stepped into Lance’s office and spoke to Bethany Anne, “Leave my ass to chase down Ashur who, I might mention, was only going to Lance’s place to hang with Patricia!”. She walked over to Barnabas. “I’m the daughter, remember?”

  Barnabas hugged Gabrielle, “Of course, how could I forget a beauty such as you? I was merely inquiring if your father looked young because he turned another.”

  Stephen laughed, “No! I swore I would never turn another female after Gabrielle. She broke me of that desire.”

  Gabrielle released Barnabas and turned to look at her dad, “I’ll break you if you don’t treat me nicer!”

  Barnabas smiled, “It is good to see the two of you talking again.” He looked puzzled, “How is it you are young again if not for turning someone?”

  Stephen took a step to the side and waved to Bethany Anne, “Barnabas, let me introduce you to Bethany Anne, my Queen.”

  Barnabas lowered his head in greeting, Bethany Anne responded in kind, “Greetings Bethany Anne. I’ve heard of you.”

  “All good I hope?”

  Barnabas smiled, “Sadly, no. David didn’t have anything nice to say about you.”

  Bethany Anne took a step closer, “That psychotic reprobate? I hope the hell he didn’t have anything nice to say about me. If he did, I’d take it as an insult. Besides, he can’t give me any more grief.”

  Barnabas nodded, “I understood from Lance here that he is dead. Did you do that?”

  She shook her head, “No, I promised Michael the opportunity. He took his damn time, though.”

  Barnabas cocked his head slightly to the left, “Michael took David’s life?”

  Bethany Anne nodded. Why was he always asking for verification? It was like he didn’t want to misunderstand, or he didn’t work with people too often. “Yes. Michael punched David’s heart right out of his chest and then tore his head off to complete the deal.”

  “You were with him?”

  Bethany Anne was getting tired of twenty questions, “Can we do something for you?”

  Stephen noticed Bethany Anne’s frustration. She was never a patient individual and Barnabas’s questioning style could be a bit…annoying… at times. “Barnabas, what brought you out of your mountain retreat?”

  “I believe Bethany Anne did.” She raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. “Do you walk through the plane?”

  She pursed her lips, “If you mean the Etheric, then yes. I use it to step from place to place.”

  “Would you mind providing me an example?”

  Stephen asked, “For what reason, brother?”

  Barnabas turned to his brother, noticing his concern. “I mean no harm, Stephen. I am trying to identify which of the ripples I have felt belong to her, and which belong to the others.”

  “Ripples?” Bethany Anne asked.

  Barnabas turned back to Bethany Anne, “Yes, ripples. I have worked over the centuries to become closer to the plane which we, as Nicht, draw our energy from.” Barnabas turned to Lance, “My apologies, I do not like the term ‘vampire’.”