Night School Book 2: Vampire Legion

by Alex Dire

  What was this? Norman doubted it could be Alric. He'd expressed no interest in this fight. Georgios' serum was doing something to them. At first it had made them stronger, not now...

  The other Corps. V took no notice, trying futility to satisfy their inexhaustible hunger. The one that had rolled into the window began to pop and sizzle. The light seemed to simultaneously strengthen and burn it. Its body was at war with itself. Norman knew they had both human and vampire DNA. Somehow, the chlorophyll, absorbing sunlight, was upsetting that balance. They were ending up like Georgios' mushrooms.

  Rufus, Frank and the Nymphs quickly stabbed the remaining Corps. V, sending them to an agonizing oblivion.

  Norman moved to a window to view the scene outside. He stretched as far as he could without catching any rays of light. Outside in the park, the legion of Corps. V had descended into chaos. Members lay on the floor and tore apart the remains of the helicopter crew, fighting for morsels of flesh and bone. Others gurgled as their bodies consumed themselves and popped and sizzled into a fleshy goo. A few had retained their original hue. Some darted about attempting to help the green ones. Others fled into the streets and alleys. Where would they go?

  Above, a helicopter sound interrupted. Norman turned back to his band of thrown-together saviors. “We’ve got company.”

  34

  An old Friend

  “We need to get out of there, fast,” said MacManus

  Norman looked about the room. “Nowhere to go. We’re trapped.”

  “The humans won’t take kindly to us,” said MacManus “I have tons of experience with that.”

  “We’ll have to fight,” said Rufus.

  “I think that will end badly for us,” replied Norman. “This will probably be our only chance to make any kind of peace with them.”

  “I think we lost that chance when Skeete and her friends stormed the White House.” Rufus readied his weapons and glance out the door of the Oval Office.

  The die was cast. They had no choice but to respond to whatever came their way. It would probably mean a fight and would end with them screaming in the sun. Perhaps they’d be captured. Certainly they would not be bargained with. What was their leverage anyway?

  The sounds of the rotors grew louder. Norman could see the tail of a helicopter landing on the lawn outside. It remained for a brief time and lifted off again.

  “Wait. I think we’re okay.”

  “For now,” said Rufus. “Reinforcements will come soon and in greater numbers.”

  As the helicopter took off, Norman saw past to the park. Little remained of the invading army except for smears of ash and goo. Beyond that he saw motion. Forms flitted their way in the trees at the far side of the park. Looking closer, he could see that squads of human soldiers made their way through the cover, approaching the White House.

  Inside the Oval Office the air grew still and quiet. The waiting seemed almost painful to Norman. He could feel Felicia’s anxiety as well.

  Then footsteps interrupted the agony. Norman tuned his hearing into the proper frequency. He could make out one set of shoes. They moved quickly, hastily. They proceeded without caution.

  “Here they come,” said Rufus.

  “Wait.” Norman moved to his soldier friend and placed a staying hand on his shoulder.

  The steps grew louder and more rapid, moving closer and closer to their location. Norman peeked his head around the door frame and looked down the hall.

  A lone figure sprinted toward him with a strange rifle-like weapon in his hands and a bulky pack on his back. It was Matt Barnes.

  Matt stopped suddenly. “Mr. Bernard. It’s me.”

  Norman stepped fully into the door frame to welcome his former student. The rest of the crew in the office relaxed, exhaling in unison.

  Matt entered the Oval Office. “Hey! The gang’s all here.”

  “How did you get here?” asked Darius.

  “I know a guy,” replied Nebulous’ newest member. “I figured you could use some help.” He looked at the mess around the room. “However, it seems you’ve taken care of yourselves quite well.”

  “Georgios’s formula worked,” said Norman.

  “You’re welcome,” said the scientist.

  “I know. All our tests said that it should. However, when Rae called, we thought we’d made a huge mistake.”

  “I have a theory about that,” said Georgios.

  “Later,” replied Norman. “The second wave is moving fast to this position. We could probably use your help talking to them.”

  Then the door exploded open, sending wooden shards in all directions. Flecks and splinters pierced Norman’s face, sending pain through his skull and into his brain. He closed his eyes as a few fragments pierced them. He fell back grasping his face.

  Sitting back up, he rubbed the tears from his eyes. Cornelius strode to the center of the room. And he was pissed.

  He grabbed Rufus and threw him against the wall. Then he lifted Cindy and Darius from the floor and threw them toward the window. Darius hit the frame and fell to the floor. Cindy crashed through, into the light. She screamed as her skin smoked and burst into flame in the direct morning sun.

  Norman, his vision still fuzzy, leapt up at Cornelius who easily batted away the random attack. Norman flew against the wall and fell next to Rufus.

  Cornelius had none of the green tint the others had assumed. Somehow, he’d survived the barrage of darts that Nebulous had unleashed.

  Matt clicked a switch on his weapon and swing the nozzle toward Cornelius. Before he could finish his aim, Cornelius grabbed the muzzle. The weapon, charging like a flash, fired. A glass projectile smashed against a wall, it’s liquid contents spraying the paint.

  Cornelius ripped the rifle from Matt’s hands and snapped it in two. Fear washed across Matt’s face, widening his eyes and deepening the creases in his forehead.

  Cornelius stretched his arm in a blur and grasped Matt’s neck. Beneath Cornelius’s grasp, dangled the necklace with the Nebulous charm.

  “It’s you,” said Cornelius. “You’re not supposed to take sides.”

  Matt scratched out a groan through his closed trachea.”

  “Well, it seems you’ve chosen the wrong one.”

  Cornelius betrayed a hint of a smile, seeming to enjoy destroying this human.

  Norman leapt up to defend his student. Once again, Cornelius deflected him with his free hand. “Watch him die, teacher.”

  He then flicked his hand to his belt and hurled his assassin’s knife at Rufus who struggled to stand from the floor. The knife struck Rufus in the neck. He fell back, bleeding from the wooden wound. Sounds of pain gurgled out his mouth and sent blood spraying from the gash.

  Felicia leapt out the window to save her friend who lay burning on the lawn. She instantly ignited in flames in the sunlight. The smell of charred flesh wafted into the room.

  Darius and Tyreese ran to the window, extending hands to help their friends. The exposed flesh on their arms burst to flames. They screamed and fought through the pain. Felicia and Cindy struggled outside to grasp their hands and get back inside.

  Georgios clumsily swung his axe. Cornelius caught its bulky metal end, avoiding the blade and cracked it off. The attack of a scientist.

  Cornelius flicked the blade back at Georgios who fell back, with the thing jutting from his forehead.

  Norman forced himself off the ground, through his pain and haze. Another berserk attack would end the same way. His student needed him but remained held beyond his help in the grasp of Cornelius. Norman leapt up none-the-less forcing himself back into the situation.

  He lunged past Cornelius toward the door. Skeete stood just outside the opening stood, smiling as if watching her favorite part of a movie.

  “I thought I’d find you hiding,” said Norman.

  “Why get my hands dirty when I have such a glorious weapon to do the work for me?”

  Norman remembered all he’d learned about the new alter
ed vampires. Skeete may be nearly impossible to kill, but she had made herself weaker by incorporating genetically altered human organs into herself. Norman didn’t need to fear her strength. Alone, he was her superior.

  Norman wound up and exploded a punch directly into her nose which cracked. Her head flicked back, exposing the damage. She looked like a pug. Norman quickly spun her and locked her neck in his elbow, squeezing hard to block her air.

  He pushed her from behind into the Oval Office. As they entered, Felicia and Cindy managed to scamper back through the window. Their bodies had a coating of black flesh to make them nearly unrecognizable.

  Cornelius still dangled Matt by the neck, but his attention had now been drawn to the door where Norman held Skeete. He released his arm just enough to let a morsel of air squeeze into Skeete’s lungs. She gasped a small breath.

  Cornelius remained like a statue. Norman waited for him to respond. Norman stared directly into his eyes, not daring to break contact with the superior fighter, not wanting to show weakness of any kind.

  On the edge of his peripheral vision he saw Matt lower one of his hands. His face had become blood red. He couldn’t possibly remain conscious much longer. Matt slid his hand into a pouch on his belt. His fingers fumbled for something.

  “I propose a trade,” shouted Norman.

  Cornelius stood silent for a moment.

  “Skeete for that boy.”

  Cornelius turned his body to face Skeete and Norman.

  Norman further relaxed his grip on Skeete.

  “We can’t win here,” she said. “We need to move. All is not lost.”

  “I know that,” said Cornelius. He tilted his head at Norman. “Why would I possibly want to make that trade?”

  Fear spiked Norman’s bravado. He stood, stunned.

  “What?” said Skeete in a gasp. “I made you. Everything you are is because of me.”

  Once again, Cornelius stood silent betraying no emotion. Then he said, “You’ve served your purpose.”

  Now Skeete remained silent. She opened her mouth to speak but no words emerged. For the first time in Norman's life, she appeared out of her depth.

  “You’re flawed,” said Cornelius. “Outdated. Your weakness can only harm our cause.”

  Norman realized his gambit had failed. His hostage held no value to Cornelius. He would strangle Matt and reap his rage on everyone in the room. Norman eyes twitched around the room in a desperate search for something, anything to save Matt. It was too late. Cornelius was too strong. “No!”

  At that moment, Matt raised his fist above his head. In it he held a dart resembling those fired by the drones.

  Cornelius flicked his eyes up at Matt's hand and saw the weaponized dart. He hurled the boy toward Skeete and Norman. The three tumbled across the floor, coming to rest against the wall.

  Skeete scrambled to get to her feet. “You miserable wretch. I made you to win a war. I made you a soldier. And this is the loyalty you show in return? You’re pathetic. I will end you.”

  Norman looked to Matt. He lay unconscious.

  Skeet rose in a mad rage.

  Norman reached to open Matt’s fist. It was empty. He looked to the other. Empty as well.

  Skeete hurled herself at Cornelius. She leapt into the air and descended upon him.

  His arm snapped up, and he easily caught her by the neck. Her momentum stopped, but she swung down her arm in a great arc. Her fist clutched something. Something small, with a sharp point. The dart. She plunged it into Cornelius’ eye. He screamed and dropped her. She thudded to the floor.

  Cornelius grasped his face pulling the projectile from his socket. His eye remained a mangled gelatinous mass. The clear glass compartment on the dart was empty, its contents delivered.

  Cornelius swung his arms around wildly. Norman leapt at the soldier’s legs, tripping him up. Even blinded, though, he could out maneuver Norman. Soon Cornelius rose with Norman’s neck in his grasp. This seemed to be his preferred method of killing. Slow. Eye to eye.

  He lifted Norman high above his head, growling in pain. Norman saw that his eye socket had begun to heal, but the new tissue was different, it had a green tint to it. The green eye mismatched his other brown one.

  Norman’s thoughts grew fuzzy as his brain consumed the last of its oxygen. Soon he’d pass out. He grasped at Cornelius’ hands, but he was much, much stronger. It was like grasping iron chains.

  He pulled hard at the fingers, clawing them with his nails. He tore away skin, but Cornelius held on undeterred.

  Suddenly, Norman fell to the ground. He felt his back crack against the floor, but the hand that held his throat remained. It’s gripped loosened enough for him to breath.

  His eyes cleared, and he saw Cindy standing before him, her skin replaced by a layer of char. It cracked in many places to reveal raw, oozing tissue beneath. She held her sword pointed to the floor, its blade covered in Cornelius’ blood.

  Cornelius screamed and grasped the stump of his arm.

  A still smoldering Felicia, leapt up from a crouch and plunged her knife up under Cornelius’ chin piercing his brain. She flicked the button on the hilt, sending silver spurting into his neurons.

  He fell to the floor, jerking and twitching.

  Norman stood to rush in. He grasped Cornelius by the boot and began to drag him toward the window.

  Cornelius kicked at Norman’s face. Even with a wood wound to the arm and sliver in its veins, his body tried to heal itself, giving the soldier more than a fighting chance.

  “Get him into the light!” shouted Norman.

  The Nymphs all rushed in to grab Cornelius and help at the effort.

  The soldier writhed and kicked, batting the group away as they inched him closer and closer to the smashed window.

  However, the closer he got, the more robust his attacks became. Soon he struck with more precision and less random spasms. He fought his way to his knees, a partially regrown arm lashing about at the Nymphs.

  Felicia withdrew her dagger again from its sheath and plunged it into his chest. She pushed the button on the hilt but a red LED blinked.

  Rather than debilitate Cornelius, this angered him, and he swatted her away.

  “Felicia,” shouted Norman feeling her pain.

  Norman attempted to get an arm around Cornelius’s neck. He looked into the soldier’s eyes which now both matched deep emerald green. His skin had begun to change hue as well.

  Cornelius gasped and lunged with his teeth at Norman’s neck. Norman leapt back to avoid the thrust.

  Free of Norman, Cornelius shoved Darius and Tyreese off as well. They flew to the side of the room.

  Cornelius stood up, his faced looked ravenous like a starved man.

  He roared a sickening growl and stared with malice down at Norman. Norman attempted to shuffle back until he bumped against a wall.

  Cornelius strode toward him with quick steps. Norman held up an arm in defense.

  Before the large soldier reached his target, something flew through the air at him. An instant later he looked perplexed with a long javelin thrust clear through the side of his head. He stumbled back.

  Cindy leapt out and stabbed him through the gut with her wooden/metal sword. He stumbled further toward the window as she withdrew the blade, kicking off his chest.

  A high-pitched wine emerged from Darius’ rifle. It fired with a crack, making a hole in Cornelius’ stomach. The hole exploded with light. Cornelius fell backward. However, the light seemed to speed up his healing. As his arm fully reformed, his skin turned a deep green.

  His muscles bulged as the bizarre projectile glowed within him and the sun shone on his back from the window. He growled with strength and pain. His face transformed further, displaying an anguished hunger. He winced and slid the Javelin out of his neck, dropping it to the floor. He reached down to a slumped Georgios and tore off his arm. He lifted it to his face and took a massive bite, tearing into the skin and muscle of the bicep. Georgios screamed
and writhed, grasping at his shoulder, trying to stem the gushing blood.

  Cornelius stood very close to the window. Norman managed to stand. One charge should push him through and he’d turn to a pile of goo.

  Cornelius saw Norman’s move and hurled the severed arm at him. It struck Norman in the head, knocking him back and leaving a splatter of blood on his face.

  Before he could respond, Felicia shot up and launched into Cornelius. She struck him dead center and they crashed through what remained of the window. They plunged below the sill and out of sight, but Norman could hear her screaming as she burned.

  He regained his footing. The other Nymphs dashed across the room as well. Declan reached the window first and leapt out. As Norman reached the window, he felt the direct rays of the sun sear his skin. He withheld the instinct to recoil from the pain. Through pinched eyes, he peered through the window and saw what had become of his Nymphs.

  They smoldered and sparked in the light. Cornelius had grasped Felicia’s leg and was biting down on it, tearing away the charred meat. Declan pulled at him and punched at his face. Cornelius grasped at him as well.

  “Come on,” shouted Tyreese. Darius and Cindy nodded and they charged at the window.

  “No!” shouted Norman as they leapt through. MacManus dove out next.

  His Nymphs had charged into battle without him. They pulled and punched at the superior fighter as they burned and grunted in pain. Cornelius grasped and bit at them.

  “Pull him into the light!” shouted Norman as he jumped out to join them. He grasped Cornelius’ neck and pulled him further from the building as his skin erupted in flame. Felicia scrambled away to the side of the building, seeking what little shade remained.