Empire of Blood [Box Set]

by Robert S. Wilson

  And just as quickly as Tommy's last stand, the whole place became one big explosion of shit hitting fan after fan after fan. Gunfire erupted from behind the trucks and in the next instance, Dustin and about two thirds of his men were out on the street returning fire and running for cover.

  Occasionally, another couple of vampires would come flying out of the fire, fighting to overpower each other. He and his men regrouped behind a handful of parked cars and waited for the enemy fire to break up. Dustin was glad he'd had the sense to bring some vampires with him. "Jenson, when it's clear, you take your men over to the other side of this fire and see what you can find."

  Jenson nodded. "Yes, sir."

  "Brothers, I want your boys to cover Jenson's men when they go." Brothers nodded. "Miller, you cover my boys at the same time while we head over to that building over there." He pointed at a building just beyond the enemy fire. "I want to give these fuckers a taste of their own medicine. You guys ready?" The men shouted yes in near unison. A moment later the gunfire slowed and Dustin looked at his men.

  "All right! Go!"

  ***

  When there were only a handful of remaining vampires not on fire or fleeing away, Jackie swooped down to the parking lot in front of the Luxor Hotel. She fought back the lump in her throat when she found Rosadelma's body and continued on. Where are you, Simon?

  The door was shattered, which she was sure was his handiwork, but that didn't mean he was still alive. She ran through, knocking loose glass out of the way with her shoulders as she came through. Inside, she almost doubled over at the site she found. She had been in this place once before, back when she and Karen got lost in the city just before her life turned upside down but the place had changed just a tad bit since then.

  What had been a big open casino filled with tables and stiff bodies under a reasonably high ceiling was now one huge expanse of open space going out and up as far as her eyes could see. And then there was the huge missile in the middle of it all.

  As she ran onward, she scanned the area for any sign of Simon but couldn't find anything at first glance. She let her body rise slowly to get a better view and within seconds she found him. Standing with a small gash out of the side of his left arm, in the center of a pile of vampire bodies, Simon smiled up at her and winked. Jackie sighed with relief to see that he was only slightly injured and then floated down to stand with him.

  "We're gonna have to get moving like now. I overheard one of these assholes talking on a radio about a launch timer going. Sounds like this thing's already been scheduled for delivery."

  Jackie nodded. The room was nearly spinning around her at the realization of what they were truly up against. "All right, let's go then. Any idea where though?"

  "My guess is the launch was started remotely, so we're probably going to have the best bet going to the missile itself and seeing what we're looking at. I know this isn't exactly something you were looking to hear, but I don't know a damn thing about this kind of equipment. I doubt the Emperor's made an easy way to turn it off. I don't think we're gonna be able to stop this thing."

  Jackie gave him a blank hopeless expression in reply and then the two of them went running for the silo.

  ***

  Driving the big metal box truck through the former city of sin was like riding in a derby race in the middle of the apocalypse. To say the ride was bumpy would be a huge understatement. Frank gripped the steering wheel as tightly as he could but it kept trying to slip to the right or the left whenever a new huge bump sent him nearly head first into the ceiling of the thing.

  But up ahead he could see exactly what he was looking for. Lit up like Christmas in hell, the Luxor might as well have been gift wrapped with a nice flashy red bow tied to the top of it. Now that he was almost there, Frank had no clue what to do next. Unable to come up with anything better, he did the first thing that came to mind and slammed his foot down on the gas pedal. He was bound to get there a hell of a lot faster that way at least.

  The truck sped forward with the push of his foot and the Luxor pyramid grew over and swallowed him as the vehicle bounced up over a curb and through the small patch of grass before the main doorway.

  The mostly solid wall in front of Frank made him rethink his original plan and he shoved both feet down on the brake to try and prevent a full on collision. The tires screamed like sirens and the truck jutted upward as it skidded toward the hotel, slowing some, but not quite as much as Frank had hoped for.

  It crashed into the wall and the world came out from under Frank and rolled him around like a baker's pastry before coming to a dizzy halt. Frank lay there, hanging half from his seat belt but somehow unbroken for the time being.

  Though the world around him had stopped physically spinning, it hadn't stopped metaphorically spinning and it was taking him a lot to keep from vomiting all over himself. When he caught his breath he unlatched the seat belt and let his body fall into the seat, now morphed into more of a standing cushion upward from its original position.

  He slid down to his feet and tried to reach for the driver side door handle but it was behind the newly positioned seat. "Come on, I don't have time for this shit."

  He slammed into the seat with his shoulder to try and push it out of the way but it wouldn't budge. The frame beneath must have been bent, he decided as he turned to go for the passenger side door.

  ***

  Jackie and Simon stopped as soon as the crash obliterated all other sound around them in one quick burst. They turned to see an old brown delivery truck half in and half out of the entrance of the Luxor. Simon called out then, "Frank?"

  Jackie could barely make him out, but then she didn't have quite the powerful vision that Simon did. They ran toward the truck and immediately, Simon grabbed hold of the passenger side door and ripped it off its hinges nearly taking Frank with it. He stood there trying to balance where the door had just been.

  "Uh... hey."

  Jackie opened her mouth to speak but Frank interrupted her.

  "Nuh, uh, missy, you listen here. You don't have a right to tell me when and where I can and can't help. I wanted to be here to do what I could to stop this thing and you don't get to just lock me away to try and keep me safe." A tear was running down his face.

  Jackie stared at him, unable to speak.

  "Besides. If you hadn't left me there I could have told you..." He looked up at the missile then. “Nobody knows this thing like I do. I may have won the Imperial lottery, but you guys just won the proverbial fucking karma jackpot.”

  Jackie and Simon stared up at him, completely dumbfounded.

  Frank continued to stare up at the huge pointed thing aimed at the stars with a deranged look of pride mixed with something darker than Jackie had seen in any of Frank’s expressions before. “Meet the FG-10 Missile. The bomb that ended the war. It was my baby.

  "And for every terrible thing that’s happened in the past twenty-three years, you owe all of your thanks to yours truly. A boy and his missile. A man and his biggest mistake.”

  Frank stood there silent for a long time then spoke once more. “So, whether you like it or not, I have unfinished business to take care of here. So, let’s get to work. But first... Jackie, can you get me down?”

  Chapter 56

  Jailbreak

  Black walls, floor, and ceiling made up the empty room. It was like an air lock. Just a room to put in between one area and another. Hank walked up to the next door and tried the panel but it was dead, no light and no usable buttons or options. Force it would have to be.

  Hank stepped back and went running into the door with his right shoulder knocking a large dent into the black metal. Jumping back he took a deep breath and tried with the other shoulder, putting another indention alongside the first.

  He was about to try again with the right shoulder when a loud screech ripped through the air from many voices. Hank turned just in time to get pounded into the door by more than a dozen ancient vampires.

  Pi
nk mouths on pale faces reached out from the darkness and latched onto Hank’s flesh and began to drink. There had to be at least ten of them drinking from him all at once.

  Hank swung his arms and legs and kicked and punched and ripped with his own teeth until only a handful were still clutching him with their faces. He grabbed one suckling from his right side with his arm and broke its back, sending it rolling to the ground and squealing. It wasn’t dead, surely, but at least it was out of the way.

  The next one he reached forward with his hand like lightning and grabbed its throat and pulled it out. The creature fought to continue drinking but couldn’t without its neck muscles to suck with. Another quick swipe with his hand and the creature's head tore most of the rest of the way from its body and it fell over twitching, its hands trying to reach for its head unsuccessfully. Hank gave it a good kick in the chest and it went rolling backwards in two parts.

  He turned around and took another running tackle at the door and this time it busted open in the middle. A vampire grabbed hold of his foot. He kicked at it with his other shoe and crushed its fingers against the floor. Another running slam, this time with his side and back.

  The door caved in and he fell through. A mirror image of the room he just busted out of surrounded him, except the door ahead was unscathed and he screamed at the question that filled his head then. Just how many of these doors are there?

  ***

  Jonathan Braldon watched from across the street as the third deputy pulled out of the parking lot for the police station and drove off. That was his cue. He started walking across the road, then through the parking lot and through the front door.

  Once inside he walked up to the first deputy who took notice. "Just how much do you motherfuckers get paid to sit on your ass while this whole goddamn city falls apart? Huh?"

  The deputy, about a foot taller than Braldon, sporting a blond crew cut and built like a tank, rose up to his full height and looked down at him.

  "Sir, can I help you?"

  "Goddamn right you can help me. My cousin Jed done went and poisoned my goddamn dog and I called you motherfuckers an hour ago and you said you'd send someone right away and nobody ever came and I ain't no fucking idjit, I know my rights and I have a right to be served by the poe-leece, goddamnit." Jonathan moved to step around the desk that separated him and the deputy and the deputy put his arms up in a blocking gesture.

  "Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to calm down first. Can you do that."

  "Calm down? Motherfucker, didn't you hear me, my goddamn dog Betsy's dead and you're dipshit ass is telling me to calm down. You fucking calm down and do something about—"

  The deputy crossed over the desk himself and grabbed Jonathan by the jaw and clamped it shut. "I think I've heard just about enough out of you, mister. Now, either you calm down and speak only when spoken to or I'll throw your ass in jail faster than you can click your tongue back at me, you hear me."

  Jonathan looked at the man, who was still holding his jaw shut, and nodded as much as he could with the limited motion the deputy's hand was allowing for.

  "All right now, that's much better."

  Another deputy walked into the room, eyes narrow with curiosity.

  "What's up, Caruthers. You need some help in here?"

  "No, man. I've got this. Just had to give Mr.?"

  "Collier."

  "I was just giving Mr. Collier here a warning about not calming down."

  The other deputy, more stocky built with dark hair, smiled and said, "Okay. Just checking. Let me know if you need me."

  Jonathan went to interrupt the man real quick but Vise-Grip Hands nearly crushed his jaw as soon as went to try and speak.

  "Now, now, Mr. Collier, I said you could speak only when spoken to. Were you just spoken to?"

  Jonathan shook his head slightly.

  "All right, then."

  The other deputy just laughed and walked away. Great. I was supposed to keep both of them in here. Fuck.

  ***

  Danny had just unlatched the door to Alex and her brothers' cell when Gage's voice bounced off the concrete walls and announced his arrival.

  "Holy shit, Sheriff, you gotta see this, we got a real live one in here tonight—what the fuck is going on?"

  Gage stood there, mouth wide open for a mere second before his gun was out of its holster and pointed directly at Danny's temple. "Just stop right there, Sheriff. Or I will fucking shoot you, you got me?"

  Danny raised his hands and nodded. "I don't doubt it for a second."

  Gage grinned. "Yeah, I bet. And you know what. I'm not surprised at all really. I knew there was something seriously soft in your core from the moment I met you, you fucking worthless excuse for an officer."

  Gage motioned to the cell door with his gun. "Why don't you go ahead and close that back up, will ya? And then once you're done with that, we'll just have ourselves a little talk, eh? That sound like a good evening to you?"

  Danny reached forward and closed the jail cell. Alexandria looked back at him with eyes wide as saucers and both boys clutched behind her back to shield them.

  "Don't you worry, pretty girl. Ain't nobody going to do anything to you you ain't already been asking for. Besides..." He smacked his lips together. "I got me a rogue Sheriff to deal with here first. So you've got some time to prepare." The boys clutched Alexandria's legs tighter and the three of them backed further away from the gate.

  "You hurt these kids and so help me—"

  "So help you what, Jackson?..." He stepped in closer. "You gonna haunt me to death?" He let out a good long laugh nearly tearing up in the process. "Hey Billy, you got that dude out there under control yet?"

  No response. "Hey... Billy? Do. You. Hear. Me?"

  "Something tells me Billy's got his hands full," Danny said with a smirk. Gage took one step forward and swung his foot right into Danny's crotch, sending Danny down to his knees. Billy cocked his pistol and pressed the barrel hard against Danny's scalp. Alexandria and the boys shrieked at the sight of it. "I think you been Sheriff for just long enough." Gage stiffened his muscles and started to squeeze the trigger. There was a loud explosion of sound and in a moment of confusion, Danny was sure his brains were splattered all over the wall, but when darkness refused to come, he looked up at Gage. A fresh hole oozing blood and smoke had replaced a portion of Gage's neck where it met the collar bone. Quickly before he could do anything else with it, Danny took the deputy's gun from his hands and turned to see a man he had never met standing there, gun still aimed at Gage.

  "Hi, Sheriff, sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but you have a really bad couple of deputies here."

  Danny gave the man a solemn look, still not quite sure if he should scream or hug the man. He decided to nod instead and then fell back against the wall, overcome with dizziness.

  Chapter 57

  Fallout

  As Frank typed away at the control panel, Jackie paced back and forth. "Why didn't you tell me you used to work for the Emperor?"

  "You never asked. Besides. How often you think I tell anyone about the terrible things I've done? You think I want to tell people that I'm responsible for the deaths of over 20,000 people?"

  Tears filled Jackie's eyes and she looked away.

  "Exactly. That's exactly how you should react. I deserve this goddamn cancer eating up the insides of my body." Frank's jaw quivered. Jackie turned back around and gave him a wounded look. He took a deep breath and held up his open palm toward her. "Just give me a few minutes here to see what I can do, okay?"

  She stared at him for a long time before she finally nodded reluctantly.

  A few minutes passed and Frank was watching the timer on the missile's onboard computer panel.

  05:23

  05:22

  05:21

  05:20

  He had tried disarming the bomb a number of different ways with various software commands, some of which he was sure no one but him even knew existed, but the compute
r gave no response. The damn thing was locked and fully secure. "I can't stop this timer..." He stood there staring at the screen for a long time. "But... I can stop this thing from launching another way."

  "How?" Jackie said.

  Simon stood there watching both of them without words. His expression seemed oddly calm yet sad to Frank.

  "I can detonate it here."

  "What do you mean, like start a new timer or..."

  "No, I mean I open up the core and I ignite the goddamn thing and it goes boom. There isn't any way to delay it, it just has to be done."

  "No. You can't do that. I can't let you do that." Jackie was stepping closer and closer to Frank. "Tell me how to do it and then get in that damn truck and get out of here as fast as possible."

  Frank shook his head. "I can't. It's not the kind of thing I can just tell you how to do it and you'll be able to do it. I'm not even sure I can do it on the first try. But we're running out of time so please, Jackie. Let me do this. I don't have anything left to live for. I wouldn't have much longer anyway. I need to do this. And you two..." He looked at Simon with a pleading expression. "You two have each other. You deserve each other."

  Jackie was still shaking her head. Random items around the room began to tremble.

  Something changed in Simon's expression.

  Jackie went to reach out for Frank and Simon grabbed her. "Let him go."

  Frank called out then as he started climbing the stair ladder up the side of the missile, "Get her somewhere safe. Preferably as far away as possible and as deeply underground as you can. You hear me."

  Simon nodded as he pulled Jackie away.

  "Jackie."

  She looked up at Frank. He smiled down at her. "You're a good kid. I want you to know that, okay? You're a good kid. Now go." The next second Simon and Jackie were gone. Frank opened the main core panel, took a long slow breath, and reached inside.