by John Conroe
“Then I think you would see a side of Omega that hasn’t been revealed,” I said. “I don’t think it would leave anyone happy.”
“Enough,” Polner said, glaring at Arnold. “We are not threatening anyone’s life, particularly not young Declan’s. I disagreed with Garth’s approach to dealing with all of you from the moment he had first contact. But he was my boss at the time and I had no say. That’s changed. The confirmation that no nation has nuclear launch is at least something of a reassurance. I will start this unexpected presidency in the manner I want to continue it—with transparency. To that end, I have information for you, which I don’t think you currently have. We think the woman with Garth was a vampire.”
Taking a deep breath, Polner paused to look at each of us before going on. “The autopsy results won’t be ready for hours yet. However, all attending medical personnel noticed how very low President Garth’s blood pressure was, along with a low body temperature and very rapid pulse. The responding EMTs diagnosed hypovolemic shock,” he said.
“Caused by blood loss,” Tanya guessed.
“That is what we are thinking. He had an addiction… an addiction to women. His protection detail told us that he’d been fixated on this woman for days. We haven’t confirmed the blood loss yet and there are no obvious bite marks on the neck, but virtually every trained medical professional who has seen him thinks he’d lost a lot of blood volume,” the president said, arching one eyebrow at her.
“Have the physicians check the inner thighs, right over the femoral artery, for a pair of red spots, like healed wounds. Our saliva will heal bite marks, and that spot is favored by many Darkkin who feed while engaged in sex,” Tanya said. “Do you have anything of the woman’s that I—we could smell?” she asked, glancing at both Stacia and me.
“You could tell from a sniff?” President Polner asked as he looked at Tucker Tyson, the FBI guy, and nodded. In turn, Tyson picked up a briefcase and took out a plastic evidence baggie that contained some pale yellow piece of fabric.
“This article of clothing was left behind by the woman, who the team described as young, blond, and extremely attractive, all the requisites for Garth’s attention,” Tyson said, moving forward and opening the baggie. He held it for Tanya to sniff, then myself, and Stacia. Declan held up a hand when offered. “I don’t have their senses,” our young witch said frankly. “I could do a lot with a hair, though.”
“Definitely Darkkin,” Tanya said with a nod, looking to me with eyebrows raised.
“A young one. Maybe only five years old,” I said. “Since she was Turned,” I clarified to the president.
“Wearing Beyonce’s Heat perfume, leggings, and a silk blouse,” Stacia said. Tanya gave her a look and Stacia shrugged.
“What? I focus on the textile scents. I like the smell of clothes,” she said, a little defensive.
“Do you know her?” Tyson asked, professionally suspicious.
“No, Director Tyson,” Tanya said, reaching into the bag and gently teasing out a long blonde hair, which she studied for a moment before handing it to Declan.
He, in turn, wrapped the long strand several times around his wrist and then held the ends out to Stacia, who tied a simple knot in them.
“That’s evidence,” Tucker protested.
“We got that… it even says so on the side of that slick bag,” Declan said. “Looks like you still have some in there and I can use this back at our plane.”
“You don’t want to test it or spell it here?” the president asked Declan, his expression a little eager.
“He’ll want to put it in a circle and he’ll want his own materials, Mr. President,” Nathan Stewart said. “And, I’m not certain engaging in witchcraft in the Treasury Building is the right way to start your presidency sir.”
“We are also painfully short of time, Mr. President. You will have a call from the Prime Minister of the UK in a few minutes and we have to prep for the press conference,” Jensen, the Chief of Staff, said.
“Oh right. Pity. So, Miss Demidova, Mr. Gordon,” the president started, including Stacia and Declan with a sweep of one hand. “We want to find this individual and find out what happened. We think you’re the best team for this job,” he said.
“We mainly fight demons, sir,” I said.
He waved that comment away as inconsequential. “We both know how bad it would look if it became known that a vampire was responsible for Garth’s death,” he said. “The world is struggling with the implications of your kind. What would happen, do you think, if this became common knowledge? And frankly, you people are far better equipped, no offense Tucker, to catch a Darkkin suspect, as you say, than anyone else.”
“That’s okay sir. From what I hear, this young man here could probably track her down and apprehend her all on his own,” the FBI guy said, pointing at Declan.
The growl was very, very soft—just on the edge of human hearing. They all heard it, but only the president and Declan sensed where it came from. It startled Polner and he looked at Stacia, who was staring at the FBI Director. Declan spoke before anyone else picked up on it or did anything stupid.
“Even young vampires are very dangerous. I would need someone to watch my back if I were going after a vampire or vampires, so I could do it if I had my partner here,” he said, his left hand reaching out to grab Stacia’s right one. I noticed her fingernails had grown a sharp extra inch and a half in the last few seconds. They retracted back to merely dangerous as he touched her hand. Looking up, I caught Nathan Stewart watching the girl wolf and her young witch with a thoughtful look on his face.
“Yes, ah, take all precautions, of course,” President Polner said.
“We are a team. We will hunt her down together. Your point about public opinion is well and duly noted and we, of course, welcome an opportunity to help your new administration,” Tanya said quickly.
He flashed a big smile at her words, nodding and reaching forward to shake both of our hands, as well as Declan’s and finally, tentatively, Stacia’s. He looked at ‘Sos, undecided, and the hand that might have been ready to pet the beast just went down by his side instead.
“It’s a shame we don’t have more time. I would really love to see a tracking spell in action, and my son may be your biggest fan,” Polner said.
“Your son, sir?” Stacia asked, her protectiveness temporarily side tracked.
“Oh my, yes. Kevin is a near expert on all of you. His room back at the Observatory is covered with posters and articles. He’s obsessed,” Polner said, transforming from president to father in a split second.
Jensen opened the vault door and held it for us.
“Thank you all,” President Polner said, quickly shaking our hands a second time. “For the record, do you think it was it necessary for us to meet here in this electronic-proof vault? I have my doubts.”
Tanya and I turned to Declan. “Twice before this room was used. Omega noticed. I suspect he’s taken measures.”
“These walls are two feet thick. No one could listen through them,” Michael Arnold from CIA said.
“Do you know of a nano-ear, Mr. Arnold?” Declan asked. “Gold nano particle held in a laser beam. The theory was that it would be able to detect sounds a million times quieter than the human ear can hear. It’s actually a bit more sensitive than that.”
They froze, faces carefully blank as they thought about what he’d just said.
“Right, then,” Polner said.“Please coordinate with Nathan as your liaison,” he said. My expression must have given me away. “Or you could work through General Creek?” he offered.
I didn’t trust Nathan, but Creek was downright hostile.
“Director Stewart it is, then,” I said.
Jensen shifted about, catching the president’s attention and with a sigh and a goodbye, the newest president left the vault.
Chapter 7
“Okay, did anyone else think that was weird?” Declan asked as we exited the vehicles onto the tarmac,
where we’d left the plane. The sun was just coming up over the nearest hangar, a beam of golden light shining on the vast empty space where the plane had stood.
A series of armed Air Force MPs stood around the perimeter of the chalk oval Declan had left on the pavement. The guards eyed us uncertainly.
“Let’s talk on the plane,” Tanya suggested. “If you haven’t vaporized it or anything.”
“Please,” Declan said, mock insulted. “I hardly ever vaporize planes.” He stepped into the fifty-foot space between two guards and kneeled down to his chalk line. Speaking three words of Gaelic, he rubbed the chalk, breaking the line.
Seventy-plus tons of airplane popped into view as the circle broke with an audible crackle that sounded like electricity. The guards were clearly startled, each twisting around to see the massive aircraft that hadn’t been there a moment ago.
“How the hell did you hide that?” Stacia asked, waving at the now visible plane.
“It’s about bending light like Harry Potter’s cloak,” he said.
“And with a wave of his hand, he just tripled the Defense Department’s interest in him,” Tanya said to me, but kept her voice loud enough for Declan to hear.
“Hey you should see me rock a wedding reception,” he said.
“As long as you keep your distance from the bridesmaids,” Stacia said as she walked toward the plane. The nearest guard looked like he was going to do something stupid, but she pinned him with a stare. “It’s our plane. You were guarding it for us, not from us.”
The aircraft door opened itself at our approach.
“That you or Omega?” I asked Declan.
“That one’s me,” he said as we climbed the metal stairs into the plane. Arkady met us at the entrance, eyes jumping to check his Queen before looking the rest of us over.
“Just how did you put that spell together so fast?” Tanya asked Declan as we all got inside. Lydia and Nika appeared from the sleeping area, both dressed for bed and looking moments from passing out.
“Fast? Please. It took months. It’s actually like three spells layered over each other. The spells work together and feed off one another. The first layer was when I first started last summer and I needed to protect the plane from Anvil. That spell provided protection from electronic attack. It deflects radio and Wi-Fi waves unless they are from approved sources. Over the rest of the summer, I added a shield spell that would deflect some kinetic weapons. This past trip, before we took off and while we were waiting in Heathrow, I added the cloaking spell, which deflects electromagnetic energy in the ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light spectrums. The kinetic shield and the cloak pull energy from the different sources, but when parked, they get it from Earth. Lots of energy from aircraft landings here,” he said.
“Magic nerd,” Stacia said, heading into the galley for food.
He thought about her comment, then grinned. “Yeah, I guess I am, but really, if you’re gonna be a nerd, why not magic?”
“So, magic nerd. Can you track our suspect from that hair or what?” Tanya asked with a yawn. The morning was brightening fast and we were minutes from losing all the vampires to sleep.
“Yeah, let me dial this up. Another plane modification Omega and I have been working on,” Declan said, untying the hair from his wrist.
While he worked, Tanya filled the three vampires in on our meeting with Polner and company.
“So you believe him? President Polner? About wanting to work with us and not against us?” Lydia asked when Tanya had finished. The tiny vampire was curled up in a passenger seat, wearing pajamas with tiny mustaches all over them.
“I think I do,” I said.
“Agreed,” Tanya said.
“He smelled sincere,” Stacia said, popping out of the galley. A strange comment in most company, but here it was taken with a nod.
“Didn’t like that asshat Knowles though,” Declan said as he opened a roll of black synthetic material that was pre-formed into a perfect circle maybe three feet in diameter.
“That’s because Knowles wants to own you and Omega,” Stacia said. “He’s got the hots for you two.”
“Director Knowles has begun to avoid using all electronic resources in an attempt to hide from me,” Omega said over the plane speakers.
“How’s that working out for him?” Declan asked, putting the blonde hair inside his fabric circle.
“I have made modifications to a number of DARPA mini drone designs. Mr. Knowles’ car, house, office, and clothes will shortly be infested with several hundred of them.”
“Nice. The little insectoid ones right?” Declan asked, touching the edge of his circle with both hands. He muttered a word and there was the familiar snap of a circle closing. The blonde hair rose and floated four inches over the black cloth.
“Yes, Father. Are you ready for the map?”
“Yeah, go ahead,” the kid said.
A pencil diameter light in the ceiling snapped on and the black surface became a highly detailed satellite map of the eastern United States. Specifically, over West Virginia, but the map was moving—fast.
“Can’t lock in?” Nika asked, rubbing her eyes as she leaned forward to watch.
“No… it’s locked. She’s just moving. Really fast. Like five hundred miles an hour fast,” Declan replied. “She’s on a jet.”
“Correct, Father. The highest probability is a Fed Ex cargo aircraft headed to the company’s main hub in Memphis, Tennessee,” Omega said. “ The one I am tracking precisely matches your spell model. Flight 1482.”
“She shipped herself,” Lydia said, a note of respect in her voice. She too leaned forward, interested.
“Of the packages currently onboard, fifty-seven were added to the plane in Baltimore before it took off. Six of those are large and heavy enough to contain an adult human,” Omega said.
“Silly question, but you can track all six?” I asked.
“I will not only track them but compare them to the running spell model, as well as use some of the company’s automated sensors to determine exactly which container is hers.”
“So now what?” Stacia asked.
“So now we will get the plane refueled and then have the pilot fly us to Memphis. But for the team… sleep,” Tanya said with a yawn.
“Refueling will commence within the next seven minutes. I have filed a new flight plan and updated the Captain Simkins interface,” Omega said. “You will be cleared for takeoff in approximately thirty-five minutes.”
Tanya raised both eyebrows at me. “Thank you, Omega. You are very efficient.”
“You are welcome Tanya,” it said.
“Omega, what can you do to slow up or hinder the package when it gets to Memphis?” Declan asked, still concentrating on his spell. He had not noticed just how much the rest of us were startled by Omega’s initiative.
“It will depend on which package she is in. I have already changed the instructions for all six, delaying their onward transport. Of the six, two are headed to Florida, one to Ohio, two to Texas, and one to Las Vegas, Nevada.”
“Any favorites?” Declan asked, as if the computer was another human.
“I like the Vegas package for my top pick. Size and weight are perfect for a young female. It originated at the Fed Ex facility in Baltimore and was time stamped for receipt an hour and sixteen minutes after the suspect vampire was last seen by the Secret Service.”
I met Tanya’s stare before looking around at each of the others as well.
“Vegas? What a spectacular coincidence,” I said.
“The probabilities of both a vampire presidential assassin and the presence of the demon child and his mother in the same location are rather large, Chris. Would you care for the actual number?”
“Not necessary, Omega, but thank you,” I said. “So what’s the vampire contingent in Vegas like?” I asked my vampire.
She exchanged a glance with Nika and Lydia before giving me a troubled smile. “They’re an effing mess.”
/> Chapter 8
“So Arlan killed Tommasi and is running Vegas?” Tanya asked the monitor on the wall of our sleeping quarters.
“No, dear. Pay attention. Arlan killed Tommasi and jointly runs Vegas with Peter,” Galina Demidova said, yawning as she spoke. “Really, dear, it’s well past time for day to take us.”
“I know, Mother, and I apologize for keeping you up. I just want the latest information before we end up in the desert with a bunch of profit-hungry Darkkin arrayed against us,” Tanya said.
Me, I kept my mouth shut. On a good day, Galina and I could get along. But when the sun was up and she was forced to fight the pull of day slumber, Galina was more than a bit nasty with anyone other than Tanya—and even then, she could get sharpish.
