Eville's Most Wanted

by Holand Peterson

  The vampire strained his will to wrench his eyes from Hammett’s gaze, but something within the Cyclops’ massive brown eye had ensnared him, almost hypnotically, so that it was impossible to resist, to break eye contact, even to blink. “Now, now, Gregory, the more you resist, the less comfortable this will be. All set? No? Good. Question one: Is Necrosia coming to New Brasov?” Isbell glared back at Hammett, mouth shut tight, trying his best to not betray any hint of emotion, no matter how subtle. But Hammett could read the truth in the vampire’s eyes like an open book, could feel the information within his pulse, sense the answer in the labored breathing. “We have a definite yes for question one,” Hammett exclaimed. “What a great way to begin the game! On to the next one: Is Necrosia in New Brasov now? No? That’s very good news indeed. Question three: Is Constantine searching for Necrosia and her…device? That’s another absolute yes…which, on the other hand, is decidedly bad news. Isn’t this a fun game? Question four: Is Necrosia here to sell her invention? No? I see. Apparently she’s not a businesswoman either, eh? Interesting. Interesting. Question five…question five…” Hammett broke off, deep in thought. Isbell renewed his struggle, twisting his limbs with all of his strength, thrusting as hard as he could to shove the inspector off his chest. “Gregory, behave.” Hammett tightened his grip on the vampire, drawing his eye even closer to his face. “Is Necrosia in New Brasov to meet someone? Yes. Question seven: Is this person…is this person…not now, Vega.” Vega was standing next to Hammett, one hand upon the inspector’s shoulder, the other pointing back toward Isbell’s desk. “As you can clearly see, I’m right in the middle of an interrogation, which is going rather well, I might…say what?” Hammett gazed back at his partner for a moment, mouth wide open in surprise. The Cyclops’ look of shock transformed into one of triumph, and turning back to Isbell he laughed. “Well, I’ll be damned. It appears we no longer need to play our little game, dear Gregory. It’s a pity, what with all the fun we were having. In lieu of our contest, I suggest a good long sleep. Sweet dreams, Gregory.”

  Isbell thrashed about for several seconds, as Hammett altered his hands’ position upon the vampire’s throat. Bubbles of air and saliva began dribbling from his lips, and with a final jerk, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his body fell limp. “That’s right, Gregory,” Hammett said, patting Isbell playfully on the forehead, “dream of fame, fortune, and that lovely rose in a red dress sitting at your side, cold lips sipping away the hot blood of the living. Dream well, because once you awaken, a vision is all that you’ll have of such lovely things.”

  Hammett stood up, turned around, and studied an electronic tablet device laid out on Isbell’s desk. While the inspector focused his efforts in wringing answers out of Gregory, Vega had quietly busied himself with breaking into the vampire’s personal computer. The Spaniard now stood next to it looking extremely pleased with himself. Displayed on the electronic screen was the message:

  “Necrosia en route to New Brasov for meeting with the one known as Scarab. The forger has agreed to cooperate in assisting her capture. Scarab and surrounding neighborhood to be placed on vigilant, twenty-four-hour surveillance henceforth. All of Lord Constantine’s loyal subjects within a one thousand mile radius are hereby ordered to depart immediately for New Brasov to aid in Necrosia’s apprehension. Report directly to Silva for further instructions. Necrosia is to be taken alive. Failure will be dealt with by Lord Constantine personally.

  Long live House Constantine”

  “Show-off,” Hammett said with a smile as his partner bowed.

  Seconds later, Hammett and Vega casually walked out of Isbell’s office, closing the door behind. The inspector nodded courteously as he passed Braxton at the reception desk on the way out, as if his pleasant social call had come to an end without anything of note occurring. But as soon as they had exited the nightclub and were on the brightly lit streets outside, he drew out his communication device and began furiously pressing buttons. “Evans! Send word to all available officers in New Brasov to meet me at the precise coordinates that I am submitting. Inform them that I will provide full details on the situation once we have gathered. Understood? Good man. And one more thing: advise them to come prepared for hostilities.” Hammett returned the device to his pocket and said to his partner, “See? I told you it would be fun.”

  Chapter 12- Watch the Shadows

  Hammett stepped out of the sedan and eyed what he had to work with: close to twenty of New Brasov’s finest, eager and ready to show the UEL inspector what they were made of , with more slowly trickling in every few minutes. They had gathered in a large parking lot roughly six blocks south of Scarab’s residence, scattering a handful of scraggly vagrants squatting there into the nearby alleys. While the men and women at Hammett’s disposal were obviously not anywhere near UEL quality, the collected police force appeared to be competent, more or less, much to the Cyclops’ relief.

  “Inspector Hammett?” A middle-aged woman in uniform stepped forward, her hand held out. “Officer Lee. A pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  “Likewise,” Hammett replied with a smile. “Is this all?” The Cyclops gestured toward the assembled police force.

  “Nearly. I’m still waiting on a few more who were on patrol near the outskirts of town. Should be here any minute. All told I’m hoping to have twenty-seven badges at your disposal.”

  “Excellent. Thank you, Officer Lee.” Hammett turned tohis partner. “Ten minutes, then?” Vega nodded, and then briskly set off down the street. “All right everyone, gather around!” Hammett spoke in a loud voice, arms in the air. After waiting several moments for the group to encircle him and become silent, the Cyclops continued, “I’m certain that you are all anxious to learn why you were so suddenly pulled from your assignments this evening. My name is Daniel Hammett, and the gentleman whom you saw with me moments ago is my partner, Raphael Vega. We are both officials from UEL headquarters, and have been assigned to investigate recent events that occurred in the town of Eville. While you shall continue to report directly to Officer Lee, I have assumed direct command of all law enforcement in New Brasov until further notice. As you may have inferred by now, my partner and I have uncovered evidence indicating that none other than the infamous Serene Necrosia is on her way to meet with the forger known as Scarab, but a few blocks north of our current position.” A murmur rushed through the crowd, and the gathered men and women cast surprised expressions at one another. “It appears that Ms. Necrosia believes that she can use her vast fortune to buy a new identity for herself and avoid accountability for her actions in Eville,” Hammett explained. “We shall prove otherwise. Unfortunately, we do not know precisely when she will arrive, nor from which direction or by what means. Further complicating the scenario, we have learned that the Cosa Nosferatu is actively seeking to abduct Ms. Necrosia for their own ends, and that a number of their operatives have stationed themselves around the forger’s home, lying in wait. Above all else, she must not be taken by the CN. Do you by chance have a map of the area, Officer Lee?”

  “Absolutely.” Lee rushed over to her vehicle and quickly procured a city map, which she opened as she walked back to the Cyclops. “This is where we are currently, sir.”

  “Thank you. Now, our plan is to quietly infiltrate the neighborhood and set up a perimeter around this block where Scarab operates,” Hammett explained, drawing a circle with his index finger around a section of the map. “You shall all be divided into pairs and deployed so that not even a cockroach could crawl down the street without us knowing. There we shall wait, taking shifts for relief as necessary, until Necrosia finally sticks her head out, at which time she shall, of course, be apprehended. My hope is that the number of CN currently occupying the area is less than our own, and with any luck we can scare them off without any undue commotion,” Hammett added, lowering the map. “I have sent my partner, Vega, to scout ahead and assess the situation, and he should be returning shortly. I do not believe that the enemy will risk
an open assault against such a large police force, though as a precaution you should all be prepared to defend yourselves against their kind appropriately. As always, do your utmost to remain in lighted areas, and no officer should ever be left isolated under any circumstances. Is that clear?” The group responded audibly, some faces noticeably excited over the prospect of some action, others unmistakably uneasy. “I have no doubt that all of you are more than qualified in your line of work, but once again I must stress not to underestimate our enemy. Those of you who have had dealings with the Cosa Nosferatu know full well that they are not mere vampire hoodlums, and that a healthy respect is required when confronting them. Additionally, Necrosia herself is to be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Whoever spots her first is to report in immediately, nothing more, and then as a unit we will act under my direction. I have no tolerance for would-be heroes. Finally, I know that all of you have seen the picture of Necrosia’s companions in the papers and Visi-screens: the surly hunchback and the ill-looking young man. We have every reason to believe that they are still traveling together. Do not let their appearances fool you. They are both to be considered lethal, and according to reports, likely quite unstable as well. Officer Lee,” Hammett concluded, returning to his normal speaking voice, “I leave it to you to pair up your people as you best see fit and ensure that they are properly armed. We shall move in as soon as my partner returns.”

  Hammett now opened the trunk of his car and rummaged about, grabbing various items and dropping them into his coat and pants pockets. He next removed his firearm from its holster, ejected the clip, and after a short inspection reinserted the ammunition and returned his weapon to its place inside his coat. With his personal preparation complete, the inspector calmly sat down on the closed trunk of the sedan and observed Officer Lee organizing her force. He had already read her file and felt no need to intrude; Lee possessed a sterling record and was noted for her excellent organization and leadership. As long as her people followed the chain of command and did as they were told, Hammett felt that they would serve more than adequately for the task at hand.

  The Cyclops glanced down at his wristwatch. It had been more than ten minutes since Vega had left the group to scout ahead. For the next five minutes Hammett regularly examined his timepiece, the frequency accelerating with each passing minute. The inspector was becoming decidedly concerned, and at the twenty minute mark he began to seriously contemplate searching for Vega.

  Just as Hammett began walking toward Lee to inform her of his intent, Vega emerged from around a corner. The Spaniard ran toward them, a great urgency upon his face. Vega stopped in front of Hammett and stared into the inspector’s eyes. “What?” Hammett exclaimed. “Wait…are you telling me she’s here now?” Vega shrugged his shoulders and shook his head uncertainly. “Officer Lee!” Hammett called out.

  “Sir?”

  “Vega scouted the streets ahead and found them all to be deserted.”

  “So…that’s good news, then?”

  “No. He pressed on until the forger’s home was within his line of sight. There he spotted no less than a dozen CN, lurking in the shadows, waiting. All of them were intently fixed on Scarab’s apartment complex. Not a single one of them had eyes on the street.”

  “Do you believe that Necrosia is already inside and meeting with the forger?” Officer Lee asked.

  “That’s a definite possibility. Although I can’t fathom why they would be holding, taking no action. What are they waiting for? Doesn’t make sense…unless…I wonder? You remained undetected?” Hammett asked abruptly, turning to his partner. “Good. We still possess the element of surprise.” The Cyclops stood there for a moment, stroking his goatee in anxious thought. “Lee, gather your men immediately. We move swiftly and silently, and shall surprise the CN from behind. Let’s go!”

  Hammett, Vega and Officer Lee took the lead and the police force quietly followed. Two blocks in it became apparent that the streets were not only deserted, but a palpable aura of anxiousness pressed down upon the neighborhood. The windows lining the ramshackle apartment dwellings were all shut tight, shades drawn, and scarce few lights burned behind them. Every now and then Hammett caught a glimpse of a frightened eye peeping through the blinds, fretfully observing the sizable assembly of lawmen marching brazenly down the center of the street below. Something held the entire neighborhood in a grip of fear; no small feat considering what harsh folks resided here.

  Two blocks before reaching Scarab’s street, Hammett paused and in a hushed voice divided their number in half. The Cyclops and Vega would lead a portion of the officers and approach the CN mob from the south. Meanwhile, Officer Lee was to take the remainder and noiselessly proceed one more block before turning left, with the intention of surprising the enemy on their eastern flank. “Under no circumstances are any of you to assault the CN without my explicit command,” Hammett added, glaring at the nervous men and women circled around him. “Your firearms are to be clearly visible and at the ready, but not to be fired unless the enemy attacks us first. Hopefully, considering the size of our group, a little gun waving and chest thumping will be all that is necessary to clear this scum out. Now, as soon as we have the advantage, we are to begin encircling the forger’s dwelling. I’ll not have Necrosia slip out through a back window in the commotion.”

  With a commanding wave of his hand, the Cyclops cast off Lee’s group, then gestured for the others to step in behind him. Hammett’s unit took a left at the next intersection, and cautiously pressed forward until reaching the crossing street. He stopped at the edge of a large brick building at the corner, motioning his followers to stay back, and peeked around warily. Directly ahead he could clearly make out five figures snooping about near the apartment’s entrance. Additionally, Hammett could detect subtle movements in several darkened spots in close proximity to the forger’s residence. He imagined there were likely additional vampires circling the back of the complex, with the same prudent planning in case Necrosia attempted to sneak out. Whatever the case was, however, the enemy appeared content to merely observe the area and were making no effort to breach door or window.

  Hammett returned to his group and pointed at five officers. He then motioned across the street, and then toward a single story building twenty yards away from the enemy cluster. Following his commands, the officers swiftly crossed the street, and keeping as low a profile as possible, glided over to the building, awaiting further orders. Satisfied, Hammett turned the corner and began working his way up the street, the remainder of his force following, hugging the surface of the building, sticking to cover whenever possible. He stopped behind a large dumpster, roughly parallel to the other group he had sent across the street, and peered down toward the apartment. The vampires were still holding, and seemingly unaware of their presence.

  Hammett was contemplating the best way to proceed, when he felt Vega’s finger jab him in the shoulder. The Spaniard’s face was calm, but he was now looking upward, finger pointed toward the fourth story of the building beside them. Unmistakably, in a large patch of shadow, a figure stood horizontally on the side wall of the building directly above them. Defying gravity, his hat resting lightly on his head, the suited figure gazed down at Hammett in surprise, then lifted his gaze to peer across the street at the other New Brasov officers gathered against the single story building wall. With a start, the lookout turned toward his CN allies by Scarab’s apartment.

  Each and every soul on the street felt it, like a sharp, icy gust of wind that pierces to your very core. But there was no howling wail, no sound of any sort to accompany this feeling, nor did the air stir in the slightest. Hammett shuddered involuntarily as his blood chilled, and the hairs on his neck stood at attention. The police officers flinched and hunched over, their faces turning pale. Only Vega appeared to be undisturbed, calmly studying the figure standing on the building’s façade.

  The vampires in front of Scarab’s apartment immediately became rigid, alarmed, and with a jerk tur
ned to face the lookout on the building wall. One stepped forward from the group, presumably a higher ranking CN, and glowered at Hammett, then at the building across from the Cyclops where the other New Brasov police had assembled. “UEL!” the vampire cried, his raspy voice echoing through the alley. “We’re under attack!”

  “It’s an ambush!” another vampire cried, pointing at a cross street closer to the apartment where Officer Lee’s unit had suddenly appeared. “They’re trying to flank us!”

  The CN leader glanced furiously toward Lee’s location. “Don’t let them near the objective!” he screamed at his men, and drawing a sidearm he fired three shots in Lee’s direction.

  A woman officer to the right of Lee tumbled forward, dead before her crumpled body hit the ground. Lee’s unit immediately began firing toward the vampires, scrambling for cover. Likewise, the officers stationed farther down the street across from Hammett began laying out covering fire, and two scrambled out of cover to take up position closer to the apartment. One of these men tumbled out into the street, two rounds straight to the chest. The other officer rolled behind a pile of rotting mattresses and a rank couch, and began firing blindly at their assailants.

  At the precise moment the fighting erupted, two loud shots were heard above Hammett’s head. Two more officers behind him had been hit, one dead, falling onto the cold pavement with a thud, the other wounded in the shoulder, sliding down against the wall with eyes wide in shock and fear. The other officers instinctively began firing above into the shadow, but the lookout had already vanished. Before anyone had time to react, the vampire standing on the building’s surface simply vanished, a hazy blur flitting away from the building toward another shadow farther down the street, accompanied by a soft hiss.