“I know about fear.” Calida’s voice became disconnected, remote. “The soldiers from Rome would call us the pedes inferi . . . the walking dead.”
Siri looked over at Ryan for a moment and gently shook her head. “It was cruel.”
“Cruel?” Calida replied, mockingly. “Did you know the soldiers would throw rocks at us and laugh when we were hit? Was that cruel? But they laughed to hide their fear. Yet because of their fear we were treated worse than the rats from their ships.”
“I know these are painful memories for you,” Siri said. “Do you want to stop?”
Calida tilted her head to the side and appeared to consider the offer. “No, it’s all right. What else do you want to know?”
“Tell us about the caves,” Siri said. “What were they like?”
“They were just holes in the side of a cliff. We lived and worked like animals in them. The Romans forced us to mine the caves so they could make their precious red and yellow powders and yet that was a blessing for us.”
“How?” Ryan asked.
Calida’s eyes suddenly betrayed her great age. “They forced us to grind the rocks from the caves into powders. We would then wet the powders with terrible smelling liquids that were supplied to us by the Romans. The powders would turn either red or yellow depending on which cave the rocks came from.” Calida closed her eyes and sighed. “The powders would cling to our skin and the tattered rags that were our clothes. We walked among each other like red and yellow ghosts, rarely speaking to each other, lost in our own private misery.” Calida opened her eyes and looked at Ryan and Siri in turn. “The powders hid our true appearance from each other. So this was a small blessing, you understand.”
“What were the names of these powders?” Ryan asked.
“The red was called minium, I think. I don’t remember a name for the yellow, but we made it from strange black rocks found in only one of the caves.”
“What can you tell us about when you and the others became sick with the coughing sickness?” Siri asked.
“I didn’t suffer from it,” Calida replied. “I was the only one that didn’t catch the terrible cough.”
“Do you know why you didn’t catch it?” Siri asked.
An eerie sparkle crystallized within Calida’s eyes and she appeared to withdraw herself. Siri and Ryan were reluctant to speak and break her out of this captive trance so they just sat and waited.
The strange light finally faded from Calida’s eyes. “It was the glowing stone,” she said at last. “I found it deep in the cave with the black rocks. At times I would go into the darkest places to get away from the others, to be alone. The pillars of the cave never judged or turned away from the growing disease on my face.” Calida briefly smiled. “I remember the caves now, in the most important ways they were my only friends.”
“Tell us about this stone you found,” Siri said.
“I got lost in the cave one day and the torch I was carrying burned out. I stumbled around in the blackness crying for help, but I had gone too far and no one could hear me.” Calida got to her feet and walked over to the two scientists. “I lost sense of time as I groped my way about. I kept falling and hitting my head on the unseen rocks. I finally just curled up and waited.”
“Did someone eventually find you and lead you out?” Siri asked.
“No one ever came. I didn’t matter, you see. It was just too common for one of us to be buried by a shifting of the rocks above our heads. What did another lost slave mean to anyone?”
“But how did you find your way out?”
“I would fall asleep for short periods and wake up. Whether my eyes were open or closed the blackness stayed the same. My life was nearly spent and I opened my eyes for what I knew would be the last time. Then I noticed the blackness had changed. I closed and opened my eyes again and again to see if it was real, and each time I opened my eyes there was something different. I saw a faint light coming from somewhere close. I tried to stand, but I just didn’t have any strength left so I crawled toward the light.”
“It was this glowing stone?” Ryan asked.
Calida knelt down in front of Ryan and reached out with her left hand, almost touching him. “The light became brighter and I suddenly felt my hand surrounded by warm water. It was a shallow pool and I took a long drink. The water burned when it touched my cracked lips. I looked down into the pool and could see a pink shimmer dancing with the ripples I had made in the water. It was the stone laying at the bottom of the pool.”
“You weren’t imagining any of this?” Ryan Asked. “This stone really did give off its own light?”
“Fine black sand covered most of it. I reached down into the pool and brushed the sand away. The glow grew brighter as I uncovered more of it. I found enough strength to stand and I went into the pool. I lifted it out of the water.”
“What kind of a stone was it?” Ryan asked.
Calida shrugged and stood up. “I don’t know. It was warm, even hot against my skin. As I held it the warmth started to make me feel better. I could feel myself getting stronger and now I had a light to see my way out.”
“What did it look like?” he asked.
“Its surface was smooth like polished metal and not quite round like a misshapen ball. In the dark it had a pink glow with red and yellow spots that swirled around. I thought it was beautiful, but it hurt my eyes if I looked directly at it for more than a few seconds. It was also strangely heavy. I needed both hands to lift it even though it was no bigger than an apple.”
“What did the others do when they saw this stone?” Siri asked.
“They wouldn’t touch it and made me take it back deep inside the cave,” Calida answered. “They claimed it was an evil omen, they kept calling it semen-inis nocens.”
“The evil seed?”
“And they were right, Siri. It was only a day after I found the stone and showed it to the others that the terrible coughing started.”
“Besides the coughing, did anything else happen to the others?” Siri asked.
“Their hair began to fall out and they stopped eating. They would bleed from their nose and mouth and the disease on their skin would drip with blood.”
“Did anything happen to you?” Siri asked.
Calida looked down at her hands. “Blood had been smeared everywhere inside the caves from the others . . . and I don’t know why, but a need grew within me, an uncontrollable desire. I couldn’t fight it. I don’t even know if I tried to fight it.”
“What was it?” Siri asked.
“I needed to taste the blood on the walls and floors of the caves.” Calida’s eyes suddenly flashed pink. “I couldn’t stop it. I began to search out the others sleeping in the caves and I would lick the blood weeping from their open sores. I became stronger and when I touched my face I felt the disease fading away. The more blood I drank the faster the disease left my skin.”
Siri and Ryan sat in front of Calida transfixed by her story.
“Um . . . did the others also eventually get—get better?” Siri asked, struggling with her words.
“No, they didn’t have time to get better.”
Ryan looked over at Siri who locked eyes with him for a few seconds as they shared an understanding with each other.
“You believe that this stone you found made the others sick?” Ryan asked.
“Yes.”
“Do you know what happened to this stone?” Siri asked.
“It remained in the cave with the black rocks. It must still be there somewhere, buried.”
“The stone is significant,” Ryan said. “It was unusually heavy and warm to the touch . . . it may have been a radioactive source of some kind.”
“What you observed happening to the other colony members could have been the symptoms of acute radiation poisoning,” Siri added.
“The stone possessed a great power,” Calida said and she walked back to her chair and sat down. “Whether it was your radiation or something else no longer
matters. I know what the stone did to me.”
“What did it do?” Siri asked.
“It made me a vampire.”
United States Capitol Building
Ad Hoc Special Sub-Committee: External Threat
Assessments
“My good man . . . this committee is not going to hire a vampire to assassinate anyone, whether here or abroad,” Senator Pachy said.
The Director tapped his pipe on the oak conference table and looked at the republican senator. “She would give us a great advantage, Senator.”
Senator Pachy shifted his large bulk on the leather chair. “The fact that these creatures exist is disturbing enough—Jesus help us—but to start a policy whereby the United States government uses a blood sucking devil to solve its problems is something that our forefathers wouldn’t condone.”
“Yes, yes, Senator, but this female—”
“Mr. Director,” Senator Pachy lowered his double chin and stared at the Director over his bifocals, “if you take a close look at the U.S. Constitution, nowhere will you find anything about using the undead, if that’s what she is, to assassinate our enemies.”
“No, no, Senator, the constitution does not include such phrases . . . but this female is uniquely qualified for this work.”
“This female . . . she’s called Cli—” The senator lifted the dossier closer to his eyes. “Oh Christ, why is this type so damn small? Hmm, Clida. What kind of name is Clida?”
“Ooh, Senator, her name is Calida, with—”
“All right, it’s Kah-lee-duh . . . doesn’t sound very American.”
The Director said, “It was given to her by her parents when she was born.”
“Harrumph, is she even a U.S. citizen?”
“Well, not exactly, Senator,” the Director replied, amused. “Although she has been in this country for nearly three hundred years.”
“Three hundred years?” Senator Pachy muttered. “And she’s never thought to become an American citizen?” Senator Pachy shook his head. “So she’s not even an American vampire?”
“Oh, well, not as such, no, but this can be remedied.” The Director turned toward the man sitting across the conference table to his left. “Isn’t that correct, Senator?”
“If there was ever a case for naturalization, this would be it,” Senator Asinas offered, breaking his silence.
“How do you propose we legally grant her citizenship?” Senator Pachy demanded.
“We can use the Immigration Reform and Control Act.”
“And how exactly does IRCA cover a vampire?”
“The good Senator from Texas would agree that she’s an illegal alien. And that she’s been here for more than four years as required by the act, yes?”
“Go on.”
“Well, she has been in the United States since before January 1, 1982 and has resided here continually from that date forward. IRCA is controlling in her case because of the possible employment issue.”
“You’re telling me that you actually support this, and I’ll be kind here, this cockamamie proposal?”
“We have been given greater latitude as mandated by the Homeland Security Act, Senator Pachy. And your party has consistently defended the current administration’s overindulgences—”
“Now hold it right there,” Senator Pachy interrupted. “Protecting the interests and citizens of the greatest country on earth is not an—an overindulgence.”
“My good Senator Pachy . . . listening in on our citizens’ private phone conversations? Or using computers to analyze credit card purchases at Home Depot—”
“Senator Asinas, you didn’t bring me in here to argue about Home Depot. I’ve got a meeting with Vice President Dwicke in forty minutes. Can you get to the point?”
“Certainly. The left believes just as strongly as the far right that we need to be more proactive in our fight against threats to this nation’s security both within and outside of our borders, understand?”
“It’s about time the left opened their eyes.”
“I appreciate the good Senator’s attempt at levity, but it is my opinion that we should use all of the assets at our disposal to ensure the security of the American way of life.”
“And this includes using this Clida—oh damn—Kah-Lee-duh?”
“The reports on her strength, speed, intelligence. Her remarkable ability to change appearance . . . and how does one put it?” Senator Asinas asked. “Her unique sense of morality is perfectly suited for this type of delicate work.”
“And at what pay grade would her unique sense of morality be rated?” Senator Pachy asked the Director.
“We would classify her as GS-15, off the books of course.”
“So we’re going to pay her one hundred fifty thousand tax free American dollars to do what the CIA and your agency are already paid millions to do?”
“Ah, yes, but Senator Pachy,” the Director began, “if you look at section five of your information package you’ll see the results of the financial analysis that we requested from the GAO.”
“Damn GAO would audit the Lord O’ Mighty.”
“Yes, of course, Burchard,” Senator Asinas said. “But if you look at the analysis you’ll be more than pleased, I think.”
Senator Pachy paged through the grey booklet for several seconds, quickly took out a red handkerchief from his dark grey suit, and blew a remarkably high note two octaves above middle C. “Uh, maybe if I had a magnifying glass . . . uh, yes, here it is . . . mm, two point three million per task? She could save that much?” he asked as he finished wiping his nose.
“Perhaps much more when you consider the monetary benefits that can be realized from certain, eh, eliminations,” the Director happily added.
Senator Pachy shoved the handkerchief back in his suit pocket. “All right, maybe this has some merit after all, but I still think she should be a contributing member to the fiduciary responsibilities of our country.”
“You want her to pay taxes?”
“Only her fair share.”
“Then is it settled?” Senator Asinas asked.
“What assurances can you provide this committee, Mr. Director, that this Miss Villena will stay under our complete control?” Senator Pachy asked.
“Her unwavering cooperation has been obtained, Senator,” the Director replied. “If she were, however, to deviate from my control I can terminate her at anytime from anywhere.”
“Very good,” Senator Pachy said.
“I move that the committee proceed with the vote on whether to grant citizenship to Miss Calida Villena and to secure her the government rating of GS-15.”
“I second the motion,” Senator Pachy said.
“Show of hands . . . all those in favor?”
The only two senators present raised their hands.
“The motion has passed and I will direct the proper channels to execute the final decisions of the committee.” Senator Asinas leaned across the conference table. “I’ll have all of the required documentation processed, Senator Pachy. I’ll personally administer the oath of citizenship to Miss Villena and have our favorite immigration judge stamp the certificate.”
“That sounds very proper, Senator Asinas. Now let’s finish up, I don’t want to keep the Vice President waiting . . . Mister Director?”
“Thank you, Senators,” the Director said. “If you turn to section three of the package, I’ll go over her initial tasking which would start the operational phase of our plans.”
Senator Pachy studied the requested section for a moment. “This here Manic . . . his God damn name is Manic Dee?”
“Yes, Senator . . . until recently he ran a small drug gang in south Los Angeles that pushed crack and heroin on the street. This changed last year when he entered into a business relationship with elements of the Afghani opium trade.”
“How that damn backward country causes so many problems for us is unbelievable,” Senator Pachy said.
“Yes, Senator. Indirectly he’s
been providing assistance to the Taliban and of course, al Qaeda.” The Director picked up a folder and leafed through it. “His front business is a recording studio which he bought and developed into his own label . . . ah, yes, the label is called ‘West Coast Dogs’ of all things.”
“I don’t give a dog’s ass what it’s called,” Senator Pachy said.
“Excuse me, Senator. The label mostly produces ghetto music from local Los Angeles’ rap and hip-hop artists.”
“What form is this assistance?” Senator Asinas asked.
“He’s been purchasing large quantities of Afghani opium and having it refined into an ultra pure heroin that is being smuggled into this country through the port of Long Beach.”
“Continue,” Senator Pachy requested.
“As you know, a growing number of gang elements on the west coast are forging these relationships with Afghani opium growers. This particular individual is now making seven figure purchases at least monthly and sometimes even more. He uses the high grade heroin obtained from this opium and compounds it with methylenedioxy—”
“Mister Director, please.”
“Beg your pardon, Senator . . . compounds it with ecstasy and further boosts with raw methamphetamine to produce a new designer drug known on the street as Manic Delight.
“So this Manic Dee sonuvabitch is helping the Taliban kill our boys over there while poisoning our kids here?”
“Yes, yes, Senator, that is our assessment.”
“And he has named this drug after himself?” Senator Asinas asked.
“His ego is excessive.”
“You believe that our newest U.S. citizen can resolve this problem?” Senator Pachy asked the Director.
“I have great confidence in her abilities.”
“What about these drug contacts he is using?” Senator Asinas asked. “Do they possess the information we need to gain a location on our final objective?”
“We’ve been able to trace the money transfers once they make the exchange with our rapper friend,” the Director replied. “These contacts direct the money to accounts outside of our reach. They know the money’s final destination. It’s the final piece of critical information we need to place our newest asset at the right time and place to rid the world of this terrorist once and for all.”
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