The Night Killers

by Senese, Rebecca M.

  His fingers tightened on her forehand, jerking her attention to him. “You’ll do no such thing, Sami. You stay on the Night Killers. They need you. You keep them fighting.”

  “I can’t let them…”

  “There’s nothing you can do. It’s already done. They took a video statement from me. I’m finished with the squad.”

  His grip on her arm loosened. His hand fell away. She watched it land on his lap and lay there. Empty.

  “How can I stay on without you?” The words choked her. His image blurred. She swiped at the tears with the back of her hand.

  He put his arm around her. She leaned against him. Now she could hear his heart beat but it seemed weaker than usual.

  “What’s going to happen?” she said.

  He swallowed. She watched the cord of muscles shift in his neck. “I don’t know.” His arm dropped off her shoulder. “I’m really tired. I need some sleep.”

  She stood up from the bed as he kicked his boots off. He lay down on his back on the single bed, one arm thrown over his face.

  “Lock the door when you go, will you?” he said.

  She wanted to shout at him to not shut her out but the words wouldn’t come. She’d never seen him like this and she didn’t know what to do or what to say. She opened the door.

  “I’ll be back later,” was all she managed. She made sure to lock the door behind her.

  The sun was almost gone. The final orange rays shot across the darkening sky. Her usual instinct of getting inside felt flat, dulled. Always she’d been acutely aware of the night but now she didn’t care. Even if she’d been outside the dome and susceptible to vampire attack, she didn’t think she could summon the energy to feel anything about it.

  She started walking. Her scuffed boots kicked up dust in front of her. She didn’t know where she was going, didn’t give it a thought. She just let her feet move. It felt better to move and not think. Thinking was too painful.

  As she moved deeper into the city and the buildings rose around her, the dim light receded and darkness encroached. Despite her numbness, she found her shoulders hunching, her steps quickening. Her gaze flashed from side to side. Looking for vampires. Old instincts died hard.

  She ducked into the nearest squad bar, the Vampire’s Tooth. The place was practically deserted. Only a couple of people sat at tables against the far wall. They leaned into the shadows as she entered as if they didn’t want to be seen. Odd. She’d never been in here without it being almost full, music blaring through the ceiling speakers, as people jostled to get drinks or dance. Now she could barely hear the music.

  When she reached the bar, the bartender hurried over to take her order. Another shock. Usually he took his time heading over, as if he was doing you a favor taking your drink order.

  “Whiskey,” she said.

  He set a shot glass in front of her and poured. As she downed it, he hesitated, then pulled out a shot glass for himself. He tossed back the shot as she set her glass on the bar.

  “Another?” he said.

  “Sure.”

  He poured for both of them. She clicked her glass to his in a silent salute. He nodded and they both drank. Soon the whiskey loosened her shoulders but it still didn’t supply any answers to her questions or still her anxiety. The bartender offered her another. She covered the glass with her hand.

  “On the house,” he said. “As long as the house is still here.”

  She thought a moment, then removed her hand. They toasted each other again and drank.

  She set the shot glass upside down on the bar. Enough. She took another glance at the almost empty room.

  “Where is everyone?”

  The bartender’s eyebrows lifted on is forehead. “You didn’t hear? Massive raid earlier. Over half the squad members resigned.” He leaned closer to whisper. “I think it was a set up.”

  Rick wasn’t the only one. The thought chilled her. What the hell was going on? Was this the way the Council would justify their budget cuts? It was hard for her to believe the USC would go along with this but the Council wouldn’t have been able to pull this off with USC support. How many squads would be left after this and how long would they be allowed to operate?

  Maybe she should resign.

  Rick’s words haunted her. The Night Killers need you. She knew what he meant. She couldn’t walk out on Josh and the Sister, not after everything they’d already lost. God, she was going to have to find them and tell them about Rick.

  She reached into her pocket but the bartender was already shaking his head.

  “I told you. On the house.”

  “Thanks.” She turned to leave when the door opened. Josh and the Sister entered. Grim expressions covered their faces until they saw her.

  The Sister hurried forward. “Sami, dear, we’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  “Yes,” Sami said. “I’ve got something to tell you. Not here.”

  She led them outside. Darkness had fallen. Hovering globe bulbs were sparse on the USC compound. Sami felt her shoulders hunch but she’d rather be in the dark, away from prying eyes. Josh and Sister Theresa fell in beside her. She noted how they watched the shadows, just like she did. Even in the safety of the dome, it was hard to shake the habit.

  “There was a massive raid this morning,” Sami said.

  “We heard,” the Sister said. “They arrested almost half the members of each squad.”

  “Rick included.”

  Josh’s head snapped around. “What?”

  Sami took a breath. No sense trying to be delicate. “He’s had to resign.”

  “That’s bullshit,” Josh said. “We’ll go to Mitchell. Get it straightened out. They can’t pull this crap…”

  “That’s enough, Josh.” The Sister held up her hand to stop his tirade. “Sami, go on. What happened?”

  “He got caught in the raid. They made him choose between resigning or being tried for treason.”

  Josh swore, his loud voice carrying into the darkness.

  “Shut up, Josh.”

  The words stopped. The Sister’s anger took even him by surprise.

  “They can’t do this.” She shook her head. “Obviously they can because they did. I just hate to think the USC…”

  “I know.” Sami felt the darkness suck away her words.

  “What do we do now?” the Sister said.

  Both she and Josh looked at Sami. She recognized that look. It was the look they gave Rick all the time, the look that asked for direction, leadership. She wanted to look behind herself for Rick but knew he wasn’t there. How had the mantle fallen to her so fast? She didn’t want it. But she couldn’t bring herself to turn them away.

  “Look at our options,” she said. “We can resign or we can stay in the squad. Either singularly or collectively. We each have to make up our own minds.”

  Josh’s big shoulders sank. He looked close to tears. He maybe had the hardest decision. If he left the squad he would probably never see Peter again.

  “I can’t…” he stopped. The Sister patted his arm.

  “What do you want to do, Sami?” she said.

  Sami took a deep breath. “I want everything back the way it was. I want Peter to be okay. I want Raj to be alive. I want Rick to be in the squad. But that’s gone now.” She felt the darkness around her like a cold breeze that chilled her skin. “I want to resign but I want the city safe. If there’s fewer of us, do I have the right to leave?”

  The Sister nodded. “I’ll stand with you, dear.”

  Josh hunched, as if under the weight of something huge. “I can’t resign. Peter… I want to support Rick.”

  “This isn’t about supporting or not supporting Rick,” Sami said. “He doesn’t want us to quit the fight.”

  Josh nodded but his shoulders stayed hunched. She understood the feeling. She felt the guilt settle into her chest.

  “We heard a call about the squads reporting tomorrow morning. Oh seven hundred,” Sister Theresa said.
/>   “We’d better get some rest.”

  “Come on, Josh.” Sister Theresa took his arm, steering him away. “Walk an old lady home.”

  He followed with shuffling steps. Sami trailed behind, letting them outpace her until they disappeared into the dark. She wanted to return to Rick’s room but would he let her in? She was afraid to try, afraid to let him know their decision. Despite what he’d say to her, it felt too much like betrayal.

  Besides, Gran would want to see her. She allowed that excuse to comfort her as she fled for the elevator and headed back underground.

  * * * *

  The morning came early after a restless night. Sami got up early and made a quick breakfast so as not to disturb Gran. She left a note on the dining table and headed out. She’d avoided mentioning any news about the squads to Gran. The old woman’s networks would let her know soon enough. She’d probably even start looking after Rick when she found out.

  But Sami wouldn’t be the one to tell her. She didn’t want to say the words. As she reached the outside and felt the warm sun on her face, she couldn’t imagine heading out without him.

  At the squad staging area, Sami found a line of people waiting to pass through the gate. Odd. They usually didn’t have the gate closed. Ahead she saw two men in uniform checking ID and conducting retinal scans. Tightening the controls.

  Two men in front of her nodded to her as she joined the line. She recognized them from the Scourge of Hell.

  “Heard about your loss. Sorry,” one of the men said. He was a tall man with thinning blond hair, swept back from his forehead.

  She nodded. “I think we’re all about to be losers.”

  He took a quick glance at the front of the line. He moved closer to her, ducking his head. “We lost three in the raid yesterday. Forced to resign. Word is they’re cutting down on the squads.”

  Sami didn’t know what to say. The line moved faster and soon they were too close to the front to talk. The blond man nodded once to her and turned away. Another few steps and she heard a voice calling her. Sister Theresa came hurrying up the line.

  “Has Josh made it here yet?” she said.

  “I haven’t seen him,” Sami said. “Maybe he’s already headed inside.”

  “He’s never early and I don’t think this would be the time he’d started.” A worry line formed between the Sister’s eyebrows. “I hope he’s not late.”

  Sami almost made a quip asking what they’d do but then she stopped. They might very well terminate his service for lateness, as ridiculous as it was. It wasn’t any stupider than forcing Rick and the others to resign.

  Just as they reached the front of the line, the Sister grabbed Sami’s elbow. “He’s back there.”

  Sami looked around. Josh stood farther down the line, hands stuffed into his pants pockets, shoulders hunched. He was staring at the ground in front of him. She noticed the stubble on his face. She couldn’t see his eyes but they were probably bloodshot. She wondered if he’d gotten any sleep at all.

  “ID please.”

  Sami returned her attention to the soldiers. He reviewed her credentials, flashed the retinal scan in her eyes, then pointed off to the right. “The Night Killers head over there.”

  As they passed through the gate, the Sister slowed. “Should we wait for Josh?”

  One of the soldiers head her and frowned at them.

  “Better not,” Sami said. “He’ll catch up.”

  They headed farther into the staging area. It was a wide, flat expanse. Several trucks and vans were parked in formations repeated several times. Sami counted and found that the groupings was almost half of the usual squad numbers. The Council and USC couldn’t possibly think this was enough.

  “Sami…” the Sister started.

  “I know, I can see it.” The sun no longer felt warm on her skin. A chill settled into her bones that wasn’t from the breeze.

  They didn’t speak the rest of the way.

  Sami recognized the truck. The windshield had been replaced and the worst of the dents hammered out. A new van was parked beside it. A man wearing a khaki uniform and checking a com pad appeared from behind the van. His uniform was pressed and his boots nicely polished. Reflective sunglasses perched on his broad nose. He looked up as they approached.

  “Sami Jamspar and Sister Theresa Santiago,” he said. He ticked something off on his compad.

  “Reporting as ordered,” the Sister said.

  “Is Josh Masterton not with you?”

  “He’s on his way.”

  He nodded and snapped the compad closed. He placed his arms behind his back, holding the compad.

  “I am Captain Henry Druthers, your new commanding officer. I’m sorry to have to take over this way but we all understand the fluidity of service in the squads. I’ve noted that your team hasn’t rotated through often. It’s not good for team members to get too familiar and lose focus on the job.”

  Okay, Sami wanted to hit him now. She glanced over at the Sister who gave a slight head shake. Dammit, she so wanted to hit this idiot.

  Shuffling footsteps sounded behind her and Josh appeared at her right shoulder.

  “Thank you for joining us, Mr. Masterton,” Druthers said.

  Sami felt Josh stiffen beside her. Now it was going to be a race to see which of them would hit Druthers first.

  “Who are you?” Josh said.

  Druthers puffed out his thin chest. The sunglasses reflected back Josh’s glare. “I am your commanding officer, Captain Henry Druthers, and you’d best remember that, soldier.”

  Josh didn’t reply. Druthers waited a few beats, then apparently satisfied that he’d put Josh in his place, pulled out his compad again.

  “We will be getting a couple of new recruits to fill spaces on the team. They should be arriving any time. We will outfit our vehicles and head out on a day patrol. I want to give the new recruits a slow breaking in.”

  Day patrol, useless, Sami thought. They’d never find anything so close to the city. The vampires had been kept almost a two days drive away from the city for years. What the hell good would a day patrol do?

  “Let’s get started on these vehicles while we wait.”

  The routine of loading supplies comforted Sami although there was none of the usual chatting and goofing off. She remembered the last time they’d loaded up for a two week patrol, the last time all of them had been together. She and Raj had been arguing about chess problems as they stacked ammunition. Josh had been describing the latest porn show to Rick and Peter, trying to stay out of earshot of the Sister. Finally, she’d snapped at Josh, “Honestly, you’d think you’d never seen pussy before,” causing all of them to fall over with laughter while Josh blushed all the way down his neck.

  She finished snapping the rifles into their holds and jumped out of the back of the van. At the front of the truck, she noticed Druthers talking to two young boys. Those couldn’t be the new squad members. They looked like children. They wore regular khaki fatigues and looked like they were playing dress up. Sami shook her head. Unbelievable. How old were they? They couldn’t be more than seventeen. Both had their hair slicked down in fresh haircuts, one black and one redhead.

  Redhead…

  “Let me introduce you to the rest of the squad,” Druthers said. With a hand on each shoulder, he turned the boys toward Sami, Josh and Sister Theresa. Michael’s mouth dropped open and his eyes grew wide.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Sami said.

  “Lieutenant,” Druthers said.

  Sami ignored him. Her feet kicked up dust as she moved forward, grabbing Michael’s arm and dragging him away around the van. Druthers’s voice called after, followed by the muted tones of Sister Theresa. Sami didn’t hear the words. She spun Michael to face her.

  “What are you doing here?”

  He straightened his shoulders and pushed out his chest. “I joined the USC.”

  “Are you out of your mind? What did Gran say?”

  “I d
idn’t tell her.”

  “Of course you didn’t, she’d have swatted you three levels over. You are not joining the USC.”

  His lips quivered but he crossed his arms. “You can’t stop me. It’s already done. I’m seventeen. I’m of age.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  She spun away from him and stormed back to Druthers. He had his sunglasses pushed up on his head, revealing eyes of a watery blue. His lips thinned at the sight of her.

  “May I speak with you, Captain?” she said.

  Her formality took him by surprise; he nodded and she led him away from the others. She saw Michael return from around the van and stand apart.

  “I’m sorry for my outburst, Captain,” she said. “You must understand that boy is not fit to serve in our squad. I have a personal relationship with him and it would be inappropriate for him to be here.”

  “If you have a personal relationship with him, I can have him transferred to another squad,” Druthers said.

  “Sir, he shouldn’t be in any squad.”

  Druthers removed the sunglasses from his head, folded them and placed them in the breast pocket of his shirt. “You don’t have the authority to make that call, Lieutenant. Now I can transfer him if you wish but he has signed up for duty. He will serve. If you wish him to serve on another squad, that’s fine. You’ve been part of the Night Killers longer, you have that prerogative. But you don’t tell me to drum anyone out.”

  Sami felt like her jaw was going to snap in half. She forced herself to unclench her teeth. The pain piercing her temples lessened.

  “I see we understand each other.” The hardness in Druthers’s voice smoothed out. “Shall I have him transferred out?”

  You bastard, Sami thought. He knew she’d want Michael close so she could look after him. They were using the boy to keep her in line. She forced her lips to curve into a slight smile.

  “No, sir.”

  “Excellent.” He turned away from and clapped his hands together. “Let’s finish loading up and get out on patrol.

  Sami followed him back to the others.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  A tug on his leg jerked Peter awake. Lucy sat up, rubbing her eyes. She moved her arm again and the fabric tightened on Peter’s ankle.