Queen Bitch (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 2)

by Michael Anderle

  She took off her pumps and set them on the table; turned around and started walking towards the door and disappeared.

  Kevin’s mouth dropped open. He looked over at the guy who was still staring back out towards the door. It was soundproof, what did he think he was listening to?

  Kevin started to walk towards the door.

  Nathan put out his arm to stop him, “You need to go back to where you were standing a minute ago. She will be right back and if she doesn’t come through the door, you don’t want to be where she might end up. I’m sure it will be bad for her but it would absolutely ruin your day.”

  Kevin stepped backwards until he was back in his original space. Then she appeared again, but this time with two pistols and an AR-15. She handed the rifle and one of the pistols to the guy and placed one in her waistband. She looked over her shoulder, “Remind me to get shoulder holster, would you Nathan?”

  Nathan just nodded his head, checked out the AR-15 and put the safety on both guns before moving over to the hallway and faced it as if someone might come in.

  Bethany Anne caught Kevin’s attention. “Sorry about that, your bank was being robbed. I would really hate my day to be interrupted.”

  “What…what did you do?” Kevin’s face had gone white when he saw the guns the lady suddenly appeared with.

  “Hmmm? Oh, I just took the guns away from the annoying fuck-nuts outside that wanted to rob your bank. I don’t have time to deal with the cops right now. Can we get moving with this? Does disappearing and reappearing with guns suit you just fine? If not, I could use a little energy.” When she finished saying that, she willed her eyes to start moving into the red realm on purpose. Usually, they went red when she was completely vamping out. However; she had a discussion with TOM and he explained how he could manipulate the right nerves to get the effect.

  It worked, splendidly. “No, no, I think translocation is a working reference for me. I have the documents and the account numbers right here for you.” He quickly sat down at the table and pulled out the documents and a pen from inside his jacket. He directed her through all of the locations to sign and provided copies for her.

  Bethany Anne finished all of the signatures, took the copies and slipped the envelope into her Coach purse.

  There was a knocking at the door. Nathan turned around and raised an eyebrow at Bethany Anne. She turned back towards Kevin. “Mr. Berger, I really don’t want to be interrupted right now. Please see what they want and I will need appropriate credit cards to pull from my accounts, how do I go about procuring three sets of cards?”

  The knocking happened again. Kevin jumped up and slipped by Nathan to crack the door an inch and talked to a person on the other side. He quickly closed the door and came back into the room. “As you said, there has been a robbery attempt and the cops are asking that everyone be interviewed before they leave the building. I explained that you were a very important client who

  didn’t want to be involved but they are very confused with what happened outside. One minute the criminals have guns and black masks and the next they are all on the floor without their masks or guns. They have them all cuffed, but can’t figure out what happened. They are asking for our video.”

  “Who did you talk with out there?”

  “A local officer, I think. I’m sure an Inspector will be here as soon as he can.”

  “When the Inspector arrives, please have him come here. I’ll take care of his questions. However; I will need a large hat and veil to get back out of here.”

  “Why wouldn’t you just,” Kevin moved his hands around as if something exploded.

  “I would request a small token of your affection Mr. Berger, say a few ounces. Are you offering?”

  “No, no. I am sorry for letting my curiosity go like that, it is inexcusable. I will find a hat my lady.” With that, Kevin bowed and went out through the door.

  Nathan went to sit by the couch, out of the direct line of sight from someone coming in the door. “So that disappearing trick takes a bunch of energy?”

  “Always trying to get information, aren’t we Nathan?” Bethan Anne’s lips formed a mischievous smile. “But I didn’t use much energy for what I did. I just wanted to encourage Mr. Berger here to be a little more circumspect.”

  “Can you take more than just you?”

  Bethany Anne pursed her lips. “I don’t know. If I do, it could take a dramatically larger amount of energy to accomplish. I could end up on the other side immediately needing a top off and the person I took might become my snack. Seems a little risky.”

  “Do you always have to, ah, eat them?” Nathan was thinking back to the clearing where they had first met. Bethany Anne had grabbed at least 80 lbs of hungry wolf and plucked it out of the air as if it were a feather. Then proceeded to rip its neck open and drink before dropping the lifeless body back on the ground in front of him. It made a very memorable impression.

  “You know Nathan, I really haven’t tried just taking a little sip, yet. How about we try it real quick?”

  Nathan suddenly realized how the presently missing Mr. Berger felt. It was a damn useful way to shut someone up quickly.

  “I’m good, thanks.”

  A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. And Mr. Berger came back in. He handed Bethany Anne a small manilla envelope. “My lady, here are the cards that allow you access to the accounts at any Cash Access Machine pretty much anywhere in Europe. The Investigator is here, and will be coming this way shortly. I’ve made sure the video will not be available. As someone with responsibility for your accounts, I have the ability to override even the bank president if necessary. We will give them any video that doesn’t directly show what happened. They will be less than pleased but they don’t have any hostages either. I think they came out ahead on this one. I have a lady out purchasing the requested hat and veil right now.

  “Very good, Mr. Berger. While I wait, would you give me a printout of the accounts and any annuities and how the income is derived and how much is in cash? Thank you so much.” Kevin bowed his head and left.

  “What do you want to do with the weapons?” Nathan looked longingly at the AR-15.

  “Well, we can probably get away with the pistols, but I’m not sure how to deal with the rifle. It isn’t like we can take it with us on the train. Then again, I suppose we could get a case to hide it in.”

  “It is a weapon untraceable to us. I would feel a little better with a couple of options. The randomness of this attack concerns me.”

  “Why, you don’t think it is random?” Bethany Anne went over to the couch and sat down. Nathan stuck the pistol behind his waistband under his coat. Setting the rifle down beside the couch, he sat with Bethany Anne.

  “Yes, I think it is most likely random. To assume enemy action is to look for all problems to have someone behind it and that way just leads to crazy. However; to not take precautions in case I’m wrong and it is enemy action is also foolish. Just because the EPC told the Bravos pack to back down doesn’t mean that there isn’t a suborning team on the council that wouldn’t like to take out a new vamp.”

  Bethany Anne raised a single eyebrow to Nathan.

  “Look, everyone pretty much assumes that new vamps aren’t as powerful as you are.”

  “One minute.” Bethany Anne went inside herself for a moment.

  TOM, what is the story behind this weak vampire comment?

  It makes sense, Bethany Anne. When you consider that the Nanocytes are propagating and taking some of the best and worst features to their next host they won’t be as pure as those from my ship. With each generation it will take longer to accomplish the change and the connections to the etheric would take time as well. There would be fewer nanocytes created capable of connecting to the etheric. However; not even Michael has as many nanocytes as your body and I stay on top of what they are doing at all times. Michael was never taught how to direct the efforts so I doubt any of the other children know it can be done as well
.

  That’s interesting, I didn’t know this either.

  You have me.

  Right, but not forever, don’t forget I expect to eventually find a way to provide you a different host to annoy.

  You wound me, Bethany Anne. I’ve been quiet for a while.

  I know, it causes me concern.

  Why?

  Like a small child, the biggest problems are when they are their quietest. When we get done here, you and I are going to talk.

  Bethany Anne didn’t get a response which confirmed her suspicion that TOM was up to something and now wasn’t wanting to own up to what he was doing. Damn. Served her right for ignoring him the last week. She turned back to Nathan. “Ok, it makes complete sense what you are saying. It is very unlikely that a regular vampire would be as powerful as I am.”

  It was Nathan’s turn to think in silence for a minute. “So, this could have been setup to see how you reacted?” The door received a knock at that moment. Nathan stood up and motioned for Bethany Anne to stay seated. She hid a smile thinking how this man was taking the responsibility for protection over his objective experience that she was better suited to handle problems than even he was. However; he certainly caused more people to reconsider violence when they took one look at him.

  Nathan came back after closing the door and offered the shopping bag with a large box inside. Bethany Anne pulled the box out and set it on the coffee table. Opening the box, there was a very pretty fall fashionable hat with a black veil which would keep any cameras from getting a good picture of her face.

  Nathan snorted as she giggled like a little girl when placing the hat on her head, “How do I look?”

  He shook his head and was saved from trying to answer that question by another knock on the door. He went to the door and opened it, seeing the Inspector, he opened the door and allowed him in.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Zurich, Switzerland

  Inspector Golay knocked on the door. If he hadn’t been directed to this section of the wood covered wall, he wouldn’t have realized there was a door there.

  Whoever was inside must be important to the bank. They didn’t want to be part of the circus which was happening out in the rest of the bank. While he could sympathize, he wasn’t willing to treat anyone too special just because the bank management would wring their hands.

  He was still annoyed at the video run-around. To have it all be available except for the clips where the criminals were taken down was beyond suspect. It was actual collusion to keep evidence out of the hands of the police.

  This bank was one of Switzerland's oldest. They had secrets from their secrets. Trying to get too much information out of them would certainly bring him headaches. If not from his Chief, then from people leaning on his chief.

  The rumor was that it was a couple of American’s. While not particularly rare to be doing banking here in Zurich, for Americans to avoid publicity was not what you expected. They usually seemed to be publicity hounds.

  The door was opened and one of the biggest men Inspector Golay had seen was in front of him. Dressed in a sports jacket with a couple of days-old growth on his cheeks. He glanced around behind the Inspector and opened the door to let him in.

  This man was a professional. Right now he was a professional guard, it seemed, but he wasn’t so sure that the man wasn’t a professional with the darker deeds, as well.

  As he stepped into the suite, the door was calmly shut behind him and all noise seemed to be shut off behind him. Ah, he thought, sound proof.

  He pulled out his recorder and walked into the room. To his left, a lady in a suit, hat and veil was sitting demurely on the couch.

  “Welcome Inspector. How can we help you today?”

  “Thank you, I appreciate your willingness to talk with me for a minute. Do you mind taking the hat off?”

  “Why would you need me to do that, Inspector?” He could see enough of her lower face to see a small grin form.

  He looked around, walked over to the table and grabbed a chair and brought it back to the area across the couch and coffee table and sat in it. “I like to see the eyes of the people I speak with. Certainly you have nothing to hide?” She smiled at him but said nothing and didn’t take off the hat.

  “Inspector, are you suggesting that an American woman was able to take down those bank robbers and no one was able to see?” She lifted a foot, and a very shapely leg, from behind the coffee table, “in high heels, no less? This is what I’m trying to hide?”

  Well, it was obvious she wasn’t running in those high heels and taking down alert bank robbers. Even in the conservative suit, he was sure no men would fail to notice her.

  He looked up at the man who had come to stand by the couch, his hands in front of him. “What about you,“ He looked down at his notes. He had stopped by the receptionist’s desk and written down the names of all of the people who had waited in line for help. “Mr. Lowell?”

  The mans green eyes stared back at the Inspector, completely at ease with him knowing his name. “I’m sorry, Inspector. I have not been out of the room here since we came in. I’ve not seen anything out in the teller area since coming in here and cannot help. I wish I could.” He shrugged his shoulders.

  The Inspector knew that he was both getting the run around and wasting his time. They had good alibis. People noticed them coming into the room, but never leaving. The door never opened. He felt sure someone would have noticed if a door had unexpectedly appeared in the wall.

  But something was nagging at him. They were too calm, too collected. Even with not hearing anything out of this room. They should be talking about it, at least. However; they were poised, calm and collected.

  He started looking around the room, keeping them in his peripheral vision. “Did you know that the guns from the robbers disappeared?”

  Ah! He got a little start from the man who had looked down at the lady. Maybe this wasn’t going to be a waste of his time.

  Bethany Anne decided to take control of the conversation. “Why yes, Inspector Golay. I did know about this. How do you believe it occurred?” What had Ecaterina said back with Petre’? Oh yes, ‘father said to use the right bait.” She stood up and walked right by the Inspector on her way to the table, allowing Nathan to sit back in the couch where he had been. The Inspectors eyes followed Bethany Anne the whole way, ignoring Nathan.

  Nathan took the time to push the AK-15 back under the couch a little better, hiding it well unless the Inspector chose to get on his hands and knees to look.

  “Well, I don’t really know. That is why I am asking you. I thought perhaps Americans would know better? There seem to be guns all over the United States, so I figured maybe you had run into it more often?”

  Bethany Anne started laughing quietly. To think that she was getting thrown into the ‘gun toting American’ stereotype. If the Inspector knew how dangerous she could be without a gun, he wouldn’t have worried about asking her that question. Then she realized it wasn’t a stereotype. Both she and Nathan had guns on them at that very moment. They hadn’t brought them into the bank, but they did have them and planned on keeping them. Gott Verdammt, his stereotype was right in this case. Bethany Anne hated being a stereotype. She sighed and faced him, raising her arms just a little to accentuate her figure. “Do you need to search me, Inspector?”

  Inspector Golay started sweating a little. This woman had just turned the tables on him, playing with him. He was tempted to inspect her just to be a snit. However; she wasn’t hiding anything that he could see, and certainly neither one had an AR-15 under their coats. She certainly wasn’t hiding anything illegal, maybe immoral, but not illegal under her suit coat. He stood up. “Certainly not, Fräulein.” I appreciate your time and should I have any additional questions, where might I get hold of you?”

  “I’m sorry, Inspector. But Mr. Lowell and I are only here to take care of banking business. We will be leaving in a couple of hours.”

  “Are you heading
back to America, Fräulein?”

  “No, we are actually heading back to Romania, Inspector. May we go, now?”

  “Certainly, I will see myself out the door and let the others know you may leave. Have a pleasant day.”

  With that, Inspector Golay tipped his head to Nathan and left the two Americans in the room.

  —

  On the train, Nathan noticed that there seemed to be two men who surreptitiously were paying attention to Bethany Anne and had sat in seats to make sure that they could see the door to her sleeping compartment. One Nathan had pegged as probably just someone who might be excited by her looks. The other, however; had that edge that suggested a hunter. Probably a government agent.