Eternal Service

by Regina Morris

  Angelina moaned her reply as Sulie scrambled for a better medical reading. Sulie looked over at Alex and Dixon, “Help me keep her still. She’s going to experience full onset dementia shortly as her mind is being destroyed.” Angelina was covered in sweat, her heart rate was elevated, and her breathing was labored.

  “Am I going to be all right?” Angelina pleaded, obviously not hearing Sulie’s diagnosis.

  “You will be,” Sulie lied.

  Alex gasped as she noticed Angelina’s skin. There were scales on her arms which trailed up to her shoulder and over her collarbone. Sulie tore Angelina’s blouse and inspected her neck and found what looked like more scales which made her skin now resembled that of a reptile.

  “Angelina. Listen to me,” Sulie said as she shook the woman. “Who did this to you? What did they do?”

  Angelina vomited. Human blood, as well as insects, now splayed across the kitchen floor. Sulie read the vamps DNA by touching her scaly skin. “I’m not a herpetologist, but I suspect her DNA had been fused with some sort of lizard or other amphibian.”

  Dixon held the woman’s arm and steadied her. Alex, who was now squatting on the floor next to Sulie, shifted positions to get a better look at the skin.

  Sulie examined Angelina’s back and noticed black blotches forming.

  “Oh my God,” Alex said, covering her mouth in horror. She pointed down towards Angelina’s eyes. They were now reptilian slits. Sulie moved her hand over the woman’s back and noticed her vertebrae fusing together and being altered. The woman’s hips hinged out, just like a lizard.

  “She’s not the only victim here. She’s pregnant,” Sulie said to Alex and Dixon. Then looking down at Angelina she asked, “Who is the father of the baby?”

  The vampire was now writhing on the floor in torturous agony, but managed to bellow out, “Groyki Zmiya. Please save me and my baby.”

  “Did Zmiya perform experiments on you, Angelina?” Sulie asked sharply, trying to get Angelina to focus.

  Angelina grabbed Sulie’s hand. Her voice was no longer human sounding. She hissed, “Please, help me.”

  “I’ll end your suffering, Angelina.” Sulie noticed a dustpan in the corner. She reached up for a knife from the butcher block and ended the woman’s pain.

  CHAPTER FORTY–EIGHT

  Raymond compelled Matt to continue with his task, during which Brandon babbled on about not wanting to be taken to the mother ship.

  For cleanup, Ben compelled the team lead to find two replacements for this station, one for Brandon and one for Raymond. Matt was compelled to be fine with the switch.

  Raymond pulled Brandon towards a back wall, out of hearing by the humans nearby. He held the man tight in his grasp, but not in an alarming way as to give the other humans in the area concern.

  “I don’t have access to the President,” Brandon said. “I’m only a pawn in the government, with no real power.”

  Raymond could understand the man’s integrity, even if he was currently lying to save the President. “Brandon, calm down.” He tried to compel Brandon, but the task proved to be a moot point, so he glanced over at Ben for help.

  The human’s heart raced. “You know my name. So tell me yours, Mr. Teal Eyes,” he choked out.

  “My name is Raymond. I’m not the enemy. I’m trying to save the President.”

  Brandon studied Raymond’s face. “I know you.” He gazed deep into Raymond’s eyes. “I mean, I don’t know you, but I’ve seen you before.” He swallowed hard. “I’ve seen you plenty of times.”

  As calmly as he could, Raymond reassured the man. “Yes. We’ve worked together many times. You were forced to forget.”

  Brandon’s eyebrow rose. “Forced? How?”

  Raymond sighed. “If I have to explain every detail to you right now we won’t be able to save the President.”

  In a rehearsed voice, Brandon methodically spit out, “Brandon Wyatt. Serial number four three …”

  Ben kept tabs on the other humans in the room, the ones he compelled to continue with their assigned tasks and to ignore what Raymond was doing. He now focused on Brandon. “I got this, Raymond.” Ben looked sternly over at Brandon and the human visibly relaxed. His shoulders sunk down, his eyes were no longer wide with fright, and his stance seemed more at ease.

  “We’re the good guys,” Raymond announced as he released his grip.

  Brandon gave a sly smile towards Raymond. “Good guys don’t brainwash federal employees.”

  Raymond stared deep into Brandon’s eyes. Then he sensed what had happened. Like trying to use a dry pen to write on unlined paper, Raymond tried to write onto Brandon’s mind … but could not. The man’s mind would no longer succumb to compelling.

  Brandon took a good look at Raymond. “We’ve worked together before.”

  “Yes,” Raymond agreed. “I work for the President. We both do.”

  With discerning eyes that studied Raymond from top to bottom, Brandon asked, “What are you?”

  Shit. Raymond had no time for this. In his com unit, he could hear the conversation William was having with Sulie. Two vampires remained, and the night was young.

  Raymond decided not to answer the question, but to ask one of his own. “Brandon, I need you to describe all the strangers you’ve dealt with in the last twenty–four hours.”

  “What?” Brandon shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  “We’re looking for two more people that we believe are trying to hurt the Supreme Court Justices and possibly even the President. I believe you have met at least one of them,” Raymond explained.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Brandon eyes squinted in pain and he let out a small grunt. Raymond was there to support him.

  “There was someone, a man,” Brandon continued in a hushed whisper. “On the Metro last night … he started talking to me. I remember a cold numbing pain, but then we arrived at my stop and he was gone. I didn’t see him leave.”

  Of course, he didn’t. That would have been part of the compelling – to forget the meeting of the vampire and what you were being asked to do. Raymond could not compel Brandon to forget, so he now needed a baby–sitter for the human. Or, at the very least, a closet with a locked door.

  The best choice for the task was Sterling. Being a half–breed, he was the weakest link in their group. Raymond always saw to it that Sterling played the lesser of the roles when his team did missions such as this, much to the chagrin of his son. At the moment, he had Sterling at a remote distance out in the parking lot checking license plates and looking for suspicious behavior from any of the guests entering the hotel. It was an obvious ploy to remove him from the more imminent danger of the dinner itself being overrun with dangerous vampires, but it gave Raymond piece of mind.

  But before he could send for his son, he heard his voice–over the com unit.

  “My Spidey senses are tingling,” Sterling announced from outside. “Looks like we have an intruder … definitely vampire. He’s making his way through the south door. He’s well over six foot, blond hair, dressed in all black.”

  Raymond glanced over to Ben, who still adjusted Brandon’s aura to make him calm. “How many?” Raymond asked.

  “How many what?” Brandon asked.

  Lifting his hand to his ear and turning slightly so Brandon would know the conversation didn’t include him, Raymond again asked, “How many?”

  “Just the one. Could be Zmiya” Sterling repeated.

  Ben shook his head as he also listened to the com unit. “There are two male vampires left. We can’t confirm that this is Zmiya.”

  “Vampire?” Brandon said in a hushed tone. “Oh, man. I knew it. I just knew it …”

  “Hush,” Raymond said to him, half smiling when he noticed Brandon cover his neck with his hand protectively.

  Sterling then added, “Secret Service snipers on the rooftop across the street must be dead.”

  William’s voice filled the com. “They checked in ten minu
tes ago according to the Secret Service broadcasts. They could just be compelled.”

  “Either way, the snipers are looking the other way. I’m following the perp in through the same door. That way he can’t back out,” Sterling said.

  For the second time this evening, Raymond felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. He had to get his son out of the kill zone. “Sterling, I have another task for you. Come to the main foyer and let Ben handle the perp.” He motioned over to Ben, a turned vampire, to meet with Sterling. Ben nodded and left at top speed.

  Sterling didn’t respond. But at that moment another pressing need presented itself. It wasn’t fear that sickened Raymond’s this time; it was another predator at close range. Another vampire was nearby.

  *******

  Raymond spun his head around and saw Zmiya, but not before the vampire detected him as another predator as well. Zmiya had dressed to fit in well. No one standing near the vampire would have guessed the danger they were in. Not even Matt or the other two guards at the security station gave him notice.

  Zmiya sneered at Raymond, as though he knew the game was on. Raymond turned and faced the vampire, quickly recounting the lives that were at stake in this room. Even if the tally had been one, it was still too high of a price.

  Brandon too had turned to see what Raymond was watching. “I know that man,” he whispered to Raymond. “He and another man were the ones who approached me on the Metro.”

  “Stay put, Brandon.” Now with Ben gone, Raymond sensed strong mental patterns of fear emanating from Brandon. He wasn’t sure if it was fear of the unknown, or fear from what this vampire and his counterpart had done. Raymond knew memories of the attack were flooding Brandon’s brain, and that was information the team needed.

  Zmiya looked around the room, and settled on his next victim. An elderly husband and wife stood near the vamp. Raymond recognized the man as Justice Maddox, soon to be retiring from the Supreme Court. Not a frail man, but a good hostage with much clout. He watched as Zmiya quietly grabbed the man’s arm, looked him in the eyes, and compelled him to obey every order he gave.

  “Next,” Matt called. “The Justice’s wife took a step forward. She placed her purse on the conveyor belt and walked through the functioning magnitometer. Her husband did not follow. Instead, he was pulled out of line by Zmiya and led quietly back towards the door.

  “Here,” Raymond said to Brandon as he removed the com unit from his ear and pulled the video button from his jacket. “Use these. Tell Dixon I’m going after Zmiya.”

  Taking the items, Brandon gave Raymond a confused look.

  “Tell Dixon the situation. He’ll take care of you,” Raymond said. With that, he followed Zmiya and his unsuspecting victim outside. The voice of the Justice’s wife asking what was going on was the last thing Raymond heard as he left the building.

  *******

  “What did you just say?” Alex asked into the com link. Her eyes grew wider as she listened again as William relayed the information back to her.

  Dixon and Sulie were busy dispensing with Angelina’s ashy remains. “We have a situation,” she began as she walked up to them.

  Before she could begin to explain, she heard Dixon talking into his com. “Who is this? … Brandon?” He looked up at Alex, but she shook her head and walked over to Sulie. She didn’t have time to wait, so she grabbed Sulie’s arm.

  Sulie nearly dropped the bag of Angelina’s DNA, but managed to get it into her purse and snapped the clasp. “Zmiya?” she asked.

  “Yes, and Raymond ran out after him.” Alex was already walking towards a back door to the kitchen. “You and Dixon find Sterling. He’s chasing the third vampire,” she shouted back to Sulie. When Sulie began to protest, Alex added, “Ben should still be with Raymond. Sterling needs the two of you. I’ll be Raymond’s backup.”

  Alex ran out the kitchen and into the side parking lot. There was no sign of Raymond anywhere. She would have to run to the front of the building just to see him. Unfortunately, the Secret Service would probably stop her before she could make it that far.

  Pulling her phone from her purse she pulled up an app to locate Raymond’s phone. When the device pinpointed his location, she let out a slight curse. The man was already several blocks away.

  “William,” she said into the com link. “Did Raymond hijack a car?” She reached into her purse and pulled out the valet ticket for the Jag.

  “Not sure,” he answered. “He’s no longer wearing his com link or camera.” There was a slight pause on the line, and then he added, “Raymond is alone, Alex. He sent Ben to help Sterling. I’ll send Ben to help you.”

  She looked down at her phone. “Raymond is near the Farragut North metro line,” she said, walking over to the valet station. “There’s no time. I have his coordinates. I’m going after him.”

  “Zmiya has a hostage. Male. Elderly. No other information. Be careful, Alex.”

  Alex quickly walked to the valet station and the attendant took her ticket. She pressed the urgency with her badge and ID, causing the man to run off and fetch the car.

  William’s voice filled the com once again. “The other team members are engaged with the third vampire in the basement of the south wing. He’s a bad ass, Alex. I can’t send anyone to help you just yet.”

  Alex looked around to see if the Jag was on its way, but didn’t see the yet. “Do what you can. I’m tracking Raymond by his phone’s GPS,” she replied back. She glanced down at the phone. He was still only a few blocks away, so obviously they were not yet on the metro line.

  The sound of a moan from behind her caused her to nearly jump out of her skin. Her hand shook as she held the phone. She heard another moan, and this time saw an elderly man that she recognized as one of the Justices of the Supreme Court. He looked shaken, but steady.

  Guessing this was Zmiya’s hostage, she approached the man. He merely dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand and mentioned he didn’t know why he was outside when he knew his wife was in the hotel waiting for him.

  Alex watched as the man rounded the building towards the front of the hotel. That’s when she saw the valet return with the Jag. There was no time for pleasantries or a tip, she jumped into the jag and pulled out of the hotel’s parking lot. She was careful not to exceed the speed limit. She didn’t want to call attention to herself. She knew just how many snipers from the President’s counter assault team had their guns trained on her.

  CHAPTER FORTY–NINE

  Zmiya ran into the Metroline Park and Ride with Raymond in pursuit. Fortunately, the hour was late, and not too many trains with passengers would be arriving or departing.

  A train pulled up to the stop. Zmiya fired three shots in Raymond’s direction as he entered the car. Raymond ducked for cover. The few humans that waited for the train now ran in all directions, scurrying away to safety. Just as the train doors began closing, Raymond jumped from his secure location and ran at top speed to the train. He made it inside as the doors closed.

  It didn’t take long for Zmiya to get a hostage. He held a woman at gunpoint. The passengers were panicking, but the woman Zmiya held remained calm, obviously compelled not to struggle.

  Raymond needed to isolate and contain Zmiya. He walked the distance of the train, allowing the passengers to take haven behind him. An exit door stood within reach of Zmiya, so if he decided to leave the train, he could. Raymond didn’t have good containment, but would have to make do. Raymond stood before Zmiya. “What do you want, Zmiya?”

  Zmiya tightened his hold on the woman. She gasped, but didn’t show any signs of concern.

  “Yes. I know who you are,” Raymond said. “I just don’t know what you want. Let the woman go and we can talk.”

  Zmiya held the gun to the woman’s temple. “Don’t move, vampire. I know what you’re doing and your plan won’t work. I’m not some idiot you can manipulate!”

  The mental patterns of the passengers bombarded Raymond. Strong emotions about their families
and lives assaulted his mind. The train wasn’t that full, but there were enough humans to be distracting. With any luck, none of them would try to be a hero.

  “It’s late, Zmiya. Why don’t you tell me what you want so I can help you?” He took another step closer.

  Zmiya cocked the gun. “One more step and delicious red splatters on the walls.”

  Raymond stayed his ground. He felt he could take the vampire down in a physical fight, but he would need to touch the vampire to compel him with his special ability. “What were your plans at the State Dinner?” Zmiya ignored Raymond’s question. “I know you want to be a Justice. Tell me about it.”

  Zmiya narrowed his eyes. “You figured that out all on your own? You must think you’re fucking brilliant.”

  “Listen …”

  “No,” Zmiya cut Raymond off. “You listen. I’m going to be the most powerful vampire in the country.” He tightened his grip around his hostage.

  “I’m sure you see yourself as powerful, Zmiya. But you threatened the President and several Justices. I’m not going to let you get away with that.”

  “President? Oh, please. People in this country vote for the candidate they hate the least, not for the person they want to be President. I could do a better job than that asshole.”

  “Let the hostage go, and we can talk about what you would do differently than the current President.”

  “Shut up!” He studied Raymond. “That bitch Verna was weak. Omar couldn’t even get a drop off time and place right. Even though they were idiots, you couldn’t have killed them all by yourself. You must be working with, or for, someone.” He tightened his grip on the hostage. “You and your group of idiots make me sick.” Zmiya glared at Raymond; Zmiya’s look resembled that of a madman. “When I’m done, my family line will be vampire royalty. Every last one of you will pay for what I’ve been through.”

  Raymond took a small step closer. “What have we done to harm you?”