–
Dr. Raul Pakow, laboratory notes, Subject Marco D’imato. Test series BV3847, 07 August 2060
Deep in his study, Marco D’imato leaned back and forced himself to relax. Things were not going well, and he knew that. The tremors were like a wave inside of him, and even now he could feel the forces building inside his body. A rolling ocean of pain that crept forward bit by bit, until that seventh wave crashed over him and made him feel as if he were drowning.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to the small minor on his desk. Is that really what I look like? He looked over at a picture of himself and Julius, taken two months before his infection, then back to the mirror.
Under the make-up, Marco’s black skin had turned flaky and dry, and as he turned his head, a chunk of flesh fell to the front of his shirt. His forehead was dotted with blood-tinted sweat. Marco could smell the dead animal odor coming from his body, and it was enough to gag him.
No wonder Wake is concerned I took like I’m dead already. He smiled at his private joke, then pulled open the top desk drawer. Removing the make-up stashed there, he began the process of rebuilding his face, until it looked normal once again.
As soon as he was done, he opened the line to his secretary. “Peter.”
The young man’s voice was firm, though a bit hesitant. “Yes, sir.”
“I’ve just received word on the whereabouts of my nephew. I want a car ready to go tomorrow morning, at eight sharp. You will drive me.”
“Of course, sir. That’s excellent news about Warren.”
Marco grunted. “Yes. There have been some changes on the board of directors. The paperwork is being drawn up to limit Julius’ power in the corporation. For the time being, my brother is to be removed from any positions of authority, If he is seen, he is to be placed under house arrest until I return.”
“Sir?”
“You heard what I said. Once Warren returns, I’ll be taking a short vacation. My doctor has told me of a clinic in Europe where I can get some treatments for my condition. You will accompany me, along with four bodyguards.”
“Of course, sir, but begging your pardon, if your brother is under house arrest, who will be in charge of the day-to-day affairs?”
Marco smiled. “My nephew will be taking full control. will be in touch with him daily, but he will be acting CEO until my return.”
The shock in Peter’s voice was unmistakable. “Sir, you can’t be serious? I thought Warren was-”
“You thought what? That I would be foolish enough to place all my hopes in Derek? Don’t question matters about which you know nothing.”
The fear in Peter’s voice brought a smile to Marco’s 1ips. “My apologies, sir. Everything will be as you’ve ordered.”
Marco cut the connection, and leaned back painfully in his chair. He smiled. Yes, Peter; everything will be as I’ve ordered. And when we get to the clinic tomorrow, I will feast on your blood, and show you just what that means.
28
The virus affects the various metatypes in different ways, and offers many avenues for studying how those distinctive strengths and weaknesses can be exploited. Of the metas tested so far, banshees offer some of the most interesting possibilities. With some exceptions, the group as a whole seems to experience the change as a boon. In some instances, I’ve even been able to forego use of the psychotropic chip.
–
Dr. Oslo Wake, laboratory notes, lest series OV9267a, 07 August 2060
Rachel’s head hurt as the post-adrenaline fatigue crashed over her. Her anger had dissipated with the excitement of the run. Now, she was merely dead tired.
The Fratellanza, Inc. warehouse was crowded with men, most of them caked with dried sweat and grime, and the smell of fear and anger was a sour tang in the air. Most of the men were still in battle armor but in varying states of undress. The armor they still wore was covered in dust and blood. They were talking among themselves in low, angry tones.
Rachel looked around the huge warehouse at all the men, some tending to the wounded, some field-stripping and cleaning their gear. Then she looked at the huge trucks, all of them showing battle-scarring. These fraggers took heavy losses, she thought.
Rachel sat huddled next to Flak and Sinunu. Unlike the Fratellanza men, the three of them were dressed in night camo, with no body armor. Flak breathed heavily through bloodied lips and still held himself in a combat-ready stance despite the swathing of bandages that covered his torso and neck. Sitting on the floor behind Rachel was Sinunu, pale and distant.
Rachel had been trying to talk to her for the past hour, but to no avail. Sinunu didn’t want to talk; she was stunned by That had happened to Truxa.
If what Flak said was true, Truxa had meant everything to Sinunu, and Rachel could only guess what it might feel like to lose her. She wouldn’t even let herself think about how it would be to lose Warren for good. They’d failed to find him, but Rachel knew they would try again.
She forced herself to stand up and look for Julius. He stood in his combat armor, helmet removed, and she recognized him by his silver hair. Julius was speaking to the red-haired captain, Biggs. At first Rachel was surprised that Julius had the assault himself-after all, he was an executive. But she knew better; the whole D’imato family received combat training, both personal and strategic.
More things about Warren I never knew. It bothered her he’d kept all this from her, as though she were too fragile to handle it. Or perhaps he’d done it to protect her from his family.
Rachel stretched out the kinks in her legs and back. Then touched her neck where the wound had been bandaged, fluffed her hair out of habit before walking across the room toward Julius.
Rachel looked over at de Vries as she went. He sat on the bumper of the Mobmaster, surrounded by soldiers still in combat gear. Several of them held flame-throwers, the nozzeles pointed at de Vries. Next to de Vries sat Short Eyes, looking bored.
Julius had told Rachel he was going to check out their story, if possible, before letting them go. Rachel didn’t think Julius could actually hold de Vries, even with the whole Fratellanza arsenal and all its troops, but de Vries was going along with the game for now.
Rachel walked up to Julius, pushing past two big, cybered orks who seemed to be listening to instructions. “Excuse me, Mr. D’imato” she said.
“Yes, Rachel?” Rachel had never met Warren’s father, and the familiar way he used her name bothered her a little. She didn’t know much about him, but from the way he addressed her, she guessed he knew almost everything about her.
Rachel hooked a thumb back over her shoulder at the runners. “Their mage died on the run trying to get Warren out,” she said. “Her name was Truxa. We were almost out of there, but we’d been going at it for too long. I guess we got sloppy. A vamp got her when we were loading into the truck.”
“I saw. I’ve also been told that the albino woman-”
“Sinunu.”
“-Sinunu held the mage in… shall we say, very high regard.”
Rachel nodded.
“We all know what it’s like to lose someone we love.”
Rachel frowned. “If you know that, then you’ve got to know these people have gone through hell and back to get your son, and I think they deserve a bit more consideration than you’ve shown them.”
Julius flinched. “Of course,” he said. “There’s not much I can do for them here, but I plan to do something about their loses.” He turned to one of the orks. “Biggs, you finish up here for me?”
The big ork nodded his assent.
Julius put his arm around Rachel’s shoulders and led her back toward Flak and Sinunu.
Flak looked up at Rachel and Julius as they approached.
Julius spoke with pain in his voice. “I know that you risked your lives trying to rescue my son.”
Flak stood, and offered his huge hand to Julius, though his face was like something chipped from granite. “I’m just sorry we failed.” His voice was raspy and h
arsh.
Julius took the troll’s huge paw and shook it. “I also understand that you’ve suffered losses due to something you had no stake in. I cannot apologize enough for that, so I won’t insult you by trying. The best I can say is that none of you will ever want for anything again.” His voice cracked on the last word, and Rachel knew how he felt.
Flak shook his head. “We knew the risks when we took the job, and we’ve been paid. You owe us nothing.” Even though he sounded sincere, his voice was dead, flat.
“Yes, he does.” If Flak’s voice had sounded dead, Sinunu’s voice sounded as if all Hell’s damned were speaking in chorus. There was so much anger and pain in her voice that for a moment Rachel feared the other woman might actually attack Julius.
Julius stood tall and looked at her. “You are the one called Sinunu. Of everyone, I believe you have lost the most tonight. What could I possibly do to make that up to you?”
Sinunu stood. She was nearly as tall as Julius, though leaner. She still had dried blood on her face and neck, but it only made her look all the more deadly. “You can tell us you’re going to do something about the evil out there.”
Julius nodded. “Do you think I would dishonor the losses both you and I have suffered by sitting idle while those things still walk? But, to my mind, the first order of business is to reattempt to rescue my son.”
Sinunu smiled, and Rachel could see the gaps in her mouth where teeth were missing. “And you could say that we’re coming with you. Though you must know that it doesn’t matter what you say; we will avenge our own.”
Julius stood still for a moment, then nodded. “If what I’ve been told is even half true, then I would be honored to have you there”
Rachel said, “I’m going as well.”
Julius looked Rachel over, admiration apparent on his face, “I wouldn’t dream of trying to stop you.”
Rachel nodded.
A small smile tracked across Sinunu’s face, though Rachel noticed it didn’t touch her pink eyes. She turned to Rachel. “If the son is anything like the father,” she said. “I see why you place value in him.” Then she turned and walked back over to the wall, where she sat down heavily.
Julius said, “When we’ve had a chance to recuperate a bit, we’ll try again. Assuming they’ve thrown everything they’ve got at us, I think we learned enough tonight to break them.” He started to walk away.
Rachel stopped him with a hand on his arm. ‘There’s one more thing,” she said. “De Vries. It’s almost dawn.”
Sinunu’s voice drifted over their shoulders. “I think it would be in your best interest to stop treating de Vries like a prisoner. He’s one of the most honorable men I’ve ever met. and he tried harder than any of us to get your son back to you. Besides, if he decides to leave, I really don’t think you could stop him.”
Rachel watched Julius stiffen at Sinunu’s tone, but he simply nodded.
“Come,” Julius said. He put his arm around Rachel’s shoulders and began to walk over toward the Mobmaster, where his men were watching de Vries. “I need to talk to the vampire anyway. He might be able to shed some light on what happened tonight. Even though my experience with vampires is somewhat singular, I was surprised by what I saw.”
Rachel nodded. “I know. Not all vampires are mindless beasts that suck blood. In fact, according to Martin, the vampires we encountered at the compound were acting strange The coordinated attacks, the lack of self-preservation, it isn’t usual.”
Again Julius smiled down at her. “Well, we know some things, and hopefully, de Vries can fill in the rest. All vamp bodies we brought back with us had similar headwear. And all of them had reprogrammable psychotropic chips. They could be under the influence of the chip: some early experiments with war troops tried that with humans. And it works to great effect, but it treats the individuals like game pieces. To be used up and tossed away when they’re no longer needed.”
Rachel shuddered. It wasn’t that she felt any sympathy for those vampires, but she suddenly realized for the first time that they had once been people.
De Vries stood as they approached.
“Are you all right?” Rachel asked.
He nodded. “Yes.” Then he turned his attention to Julius. “Have you confirmed the information about your brother?”
Julius nodded gravely. “It looks like you were right. I knew Marco was a vampire, but he has been so for many years and it didn’t seem to affect his control of Fratellanza. Recently, he underwent an experimental procedure that left him crippled.” Julius grimaced. “I believe it also drove him insane.”
De Vries gave Julius a melancholy smile, “Derek was even more insane than his father. When I learned of his creation, I immediately devoted all my resources to learning the secret behind it. I am not ashamed of killing your nephew.”
Julius sighed. “I am sure you’re not,” he said. “And I know you did the right thing. Derek’s soul was dead long before you got to him. He was killed by his own father.”
“And now Marco is trying to do the same thing to Warren,” de Vries said, “and eventually will try to do the same to you.” Julius merely nodded.
“You can break the cycle,” de Vries said. “You can help me bring down the facility in Hell’s Kitchen.”
At just that moment, Rachel heard the beeping of a wrist-phone, and Biggs answered it.
Julius turned to look at the man, who had gone white. “What is it, Biggs?”
Biggs disconnected and turned to face Julius. “That was Marco,” he said. The words hung in the air, as the warehouse went silent.
“Well, man, don’t keep us in suspense. What did he have to say?”
Biggs shook his head. “You’ve been removed from the board of Fratellanza, and if I see you I’m supposed to place you under house arrest.”
Julius laughed, a low, hollow sound that rang through the warehouse.
“There’s more.”
“I thought there might be,” said Julius. “What else?”
Biggs’ face turned into a grimace. “He says he’s arranged for the release of Warren, and that as soon as your son appears, we’ll be taking orders directly from him. Warren’s in charge of the entire corporation until Marco reappears.”
“Now is the moment of truth,” de Vries said. “You have the loyalty of the troops, I have seen that. You…”
Julius interrupted. “I have already started proceedings for a hostile takeover based on the fact that Marco is no longer mentally competent. That’s in the corporate constitution. I’ve given the go-ahead to the lawyers, and by tomorrow afternoon Marco will be out of the picture, provided I haven’t underestimated him again.”
29
Some vampires revel in their role as hunters and killers. Such individuals have a strong sadistic streak and seek out unwilling victims. Initially, the vampire draws sustenance from the victims terror. Then, if the early attacks have not killed the victim, the vampire will enjoy taking the now-addicted subject’s final life essence. Such individuals may have been psychopaths before their transition to vampirism, or it may be the shock of their death and rebirth as a “hunting creature” that pushes them over the edge.
–
from Dictionary of Parabiology, by Professor Charles Spencer, third edition, MIT amp;T Press, Cambridge, 2053
Julius rode next to Biggs in the back of the midnight-black stretch Toyota Elite winding up Magnolia Bluff. As they passed the first checkpoint, he could see the early morning sunlight refracting off Elliott Bay.
Julius looked at his watch, a Dulcola-Fra that accented his charcoal Armante suit. It was just short of eight in the morning, and they were making good time, despite the heavy morning traffic.
Julius glanced over at Biggs, who had also changed from battle gear into a business suit, though the double-breasted garment didn’t hang as well as the designer had intended on the big ork’s bulky frame. The deep circles under Biggs’ eyes told the tale of how exhausting the previous night had been. N
either of them had slept, going straight from battle into the planning meeting that had hatched the course of action they were about to put into play.
“You should have stayed behind with the others,” said Julius. “You need the rest.”
Biggs looked over and flashed a grin that melted the weariness from his face for a moment. “You gotta be slotting me, sir. I wouldn’t miss this little whammy for the world.”
Julius smiled. “I appreciate that, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t glad you’re here.”
Biggs said, “Besides, what kind of second would I be if I didn’t have your back when you needed it most?”
Julius nodded and gazed out the window again.
They both felt the limo slow to a crawl as it approached the mansion’s gate. Then it accelerated as the guards waved it through.
Biggs looked over at Julius and smiled again. “You ready to do this?”
Julius thought about his brother, and for just a moment, he felt a flash of shame. From a very young age all he’d ever heard was that family was everything and that to betray family was to betray oneself. Then he thought of Marco’s face last night-which felt like a million years ago-on the telecom. Trying to convince him that Warren was somewhere else.
You betrayed me and mine first, big brother. Now it’s pay-back. He nodded to Biggs. “Let’s get this over with.”
Both men got out of the limo, and without a signal, the big car pulled forward, toward the garage.
Julius looked to his left and saw Marco’s Rolls Royce standing ready.
The Terminus experiment s-34 Page 19
