Allister narrowed his gaze on her and slowly shook his head. “You lie.”
Loren’s features hardened. “I cannot, and you know it.”
“A man on the moon?”
“Many men. They have even built machines that go to other worlds and report to them like sentinels.”
Allister sat back and nodded. “Perhaps there are some things still left to learn.”
“So you’ll help me?”
Allister stood and spread his wings. “If it means finally destroying the demon bitch that cursed me to this…yes.”
18
“What a clusterfuck.” The technician didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud until Mitchell turned a disapproving eye toward him.
“Cut the chatter and let’s see what kind of support we can provide.” He spun his chair to Tufo. “Do we have any assets in the area?”
“Negative, sir. Not even a repair facility within range.” He shook his head forlornly. “They’re on their own.”
“How soon before we could get First Squad on scene?”
Mark sighed heavily and pulled his headphones off. “Too long. Whatever they’re going to do, they’re going to have to do it with the resources at hand.”
Mitchell cursed and spun his chair back to the big screen. “Give me a grid matrix view from their helmet cams. I want to see what they’re seeing. Move the satellite feed and the drone feeds to the smaller screens.”
“Yes, sir.” The technician began tapping furiously at his keyboard and the feeds switched on the large screen before him. He watched nervously as the vampires broke through the tree line and rushed the circle of operators in the open. “Jesus Christ, Jericho! Bring the rain! Bring the fuckin’ rain!” He pounded the side of his chair as he waited for the massive C-130 to rain down silver plated terror from the twin mounted chain guns.
“Bringing the rain, Colonel, but be advised, the targets are too close to the…”
“Just do it!” Mitchell interrupted.
All eyes were glued to the screens above as the trees erupted behind the advancing vampires, orange tracers looking very much like liquid fire falling from the heavens. Plumes of ash and smoke rose from the woods surrounding the clearing and the helmet cam views showed the operators continuing to fire into the onslaught of vampires.
The Predator drone designated Vulture came in for a low pass between the operators and the rain of hellfire from above, slicing a wide swath through the advancing horde. Those not immediately incinerated slid to a stop and stared both ahead and behind them as their compatriots met the true death. Some broke and ran for the far edge of the clearing, others stood and stared, picked off by the human hunters while yet others still advanced, fearing their master more than death.
Mitchell watched in fascinated horror as two vampires grabbed a third and literally flung him past the others and directly into the circle of operators. The vampire rolled with the landing then came to his feet ready to strike. Before anyone could turn to confront the intruder, it sprung, tackling Hammer. The pair rolled away from the group as the vampire slashed and bit at the man.
Neils tried to hold the creature’s arms away and work a knee up between the two in order to push the gnashing face further from his face and neck. “A little help here!”
Dom shot a glance at the two then swung his barrel toward the vampire. “Stay low!” He snapped off a single round then swung his barrel back to his quadrant, picking his targets with care, ensuring the lead vampires were the ones he ashed.
Neils came to his feet spiting as blood, gore, and ash rained down upon him. “Thanks. I think.” He scooped his rifle back from the ground and slapped a new magazine in, charging it as he brought it to his eye. “Ya think next time you could try for a body shot?”
Dom shrugged, a stupid grin crossing his face. “I was aiming for his body. Guess I missed.”
Neils shot him a worried look and turned back to the task at hand. He was running dangerously low on ammo and feared that the other operators must be as well. “I’m about to have to switch to my pistol.”
“We’ll use our damned knives if we have to,” Dom spat as another vampire fell close to their makeshift perimeter. “This is getting nuts. Did they turn the entire town?”
Just as quickly as the attack started, the vampires stopped coming. It was as though they all ran through the meat grinder and came out hamburger on the other end. Dom continued to stare through his scope into the tree line as smoke and ash blew across the clearing. “OPCOM, Sierra One, I think we’re clear.”
Mitchell zoomed in with the satellite feed and watched as the horde dropped back further into the trees, maintaining their circle around the operators. “That’s a negative, Sierra One. Tangos have dropped back but they are still on—”
“Stand by!” Dom interrupted. He slowly came to his feet and stared at something his mind simply couldn’t wrap around. In the shadows of the trees something was moving, waving back and forth. He brought his scope back up to his eye and stared at the white flag swinging with purpose. “Hold fire.” He turned to Hammer and tapped his shoulder. “You seeing what I’m seeing?”
“If you’re seeing a white flag, then yeah.” Hammer came up from his kneeling position and rested his rifle at the ready. “Damndest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Second Squad…I can’t believe I’m saying this, but hold fire.”
Dom watched as a lone figure stepped from the woods, the white flag waving over their head. The figure strode carefully toward the team and slowed their approach as it came into view. What appeared to be a young woman held the flag, her eyes darting from hunter to hunter. “Parlez?”
Dom looked to Hammer and shrugged. “English, sweetheart.”
She cleared her throat nervously and stuck the stick in the dirt. “I have come to invite your leader to speak with our master in order to prevent the unnecessary loss of any more lives.” She glanced to the edge of the trees and nodded slightly. “There are many more of us out there that even your…thing can’t see.” She pointed upward toward the drone.
“Just means more work for us, darlin’. It’s all in a day’s work.” Dom heard a magazine slam home and the charging handle rack on a rifle behind him. “My men and I have faced much worse than this.”
The female vampire shifted uncomfortably and glanced back toward the trees. She quickly turned to Dom, her voice pleading, “Please, sir, just speak with him.”
“Unless he’s a Lamia Beastia, I got nothing to say.” Dom rested his arms on his rifle as he glared at the woman in the moonlight. “And if he were Beastia, he wouldn’t be out here munching on folks.”
She turned back to the trees and stared at it again, obviously communicating with somebody, but how? She lowered her head and nodded. “You were given a chance. Remember that.” She turned and pulled the stick from the ground, the white flag dragged behind her.
Dom watched her walk back as Hammer’s rifle barrel came into view. He gently placed a hand on the barrel shroud and pulled it down. “Let her go.”
“We’re just gonna have to kill her later.”
“True enough. But I’ll honor the white flag until she’s clear.” Dom turned to his men and made a circular motion with his hand. “Rack ‘em and stack ‘em. Prepare to loose the hounds of war.”
“Hoo-yah!”
*****
The van rocked as Viktor brought it to a stop near the abandoned auto factory. All eyes peered through the tinted windows to size up the facility. “How are we going to do this? That place is huge.” Brooke felt a shiver as she realized the enormity of the building they were about to enter.
“They’re all in this main building over here.” Foster pointed to the only structure with lights on. “As we get closer, you’ll see the guards at the doors.”
“Remember the plan.” Jack stiffened as he eyed his crew. For the most part, they seemed unfazed, but Brooke’s nervousness bothered him. She was used to operating alone and on a much smaller scale. “Sti
ck with your battle buddy. He’ll keep you alive.”
Her eyes continued to stare at the building but she nodded slightly. “Battle buddy, got it.”
As Viktor pulled the van into the parking lot a rental truck pulled out from the side of the building and drove past them. The driver seemed unperturbed by their presence. Foster watched the truck pull out on to the street and disappear at the next corner. “I wonder what that was all about?”
Viktor snapped his fingers in front of the vampire’s face. “We have a job, remember?” He pulled the van up beside the largest double doors and killed the engine. Opening the doors, he noticed the two guards simply stood at their post. His best chance for pulling this off was to immediately act as though he had done this numerous times before. He walked to the doors and faced the largest of the two guards. “Is this where we’re to install the system?”
The guard shot him a questioning look then glanced at the other guard. Both men shrugged.
“Cat steal your tongue?” Viktor asked louder. “We’re to install satellite feeds and servers. Somebody wants a state of the art server here.”
The smaller guard held up a finger. “Wait one.” He stepped inside and a few moments later returned with Rufus in tow.
“Mon ami! You have finally arrived.” Thorn grasped Viktor and kissed both cheeks. “You are truly a sight for sore eyes, my friend.”
Viktor offered a rare smile and a slight bow, doing his best to hide his shock that Rufus was not in a cage. “We have brought all of the equipment you requested.”
“Excellent.” Thorn stepped past him and barely cast a glance at Paul and Jack as they unloaded large tubs and crates from the back of the van. “The sooner the better. Get your people moving and in place. Time is definitely of the essence.”
Viktor nodded and turned to the assembled crew. “You heard the man, get moving. You two,” he pointed to Azrael and Phil, “on the roof, now. Start installing the dishes. The rest of you, get the stuff inside.”
The guards held the doors open as the work crew began unloading and carrying in boxes. Demon centurions came out and carried in the rest of the material. Viktor walked slowly through the facility, his eyes taking in everything. He tried to get an approximate head count on the number of demons there but quickly lost track with all of their movements. It certainly didn’t feel like a thousand souls, but he’d been wrong before.
Thorn clapped him on the back. “I’ve been looking over the place. I think if you bring the cabling in from up there and along those beams, you can easily feed them down these two columns and into that office.”
Viktor nodded as he glanced about, trying to get a feel for the place. “And the…customer?”
“She is in her office. She won’t be a problem as you are working, I assure you.” Thorn smiled as the two walked toward the office area.
“And her…consort?”
Thorn paused, his painted on smile unwavering. “He is…about.” He nodded slightly as the two began again. “He’s easy to spot, I promise.”
Viktor pulled Thorn aside and turned him around, pointing up to the rafters. He lowered his voice and leaned in close. “Jack came up with an idea that may assist in our endeavors.” He continued to point up and into the overhead, his fingers pointing out different areas. “There are explosives placed inside the monitors and the server equipment. If it doesn’t kill them, hopefully it will stun them long enough for our team to strike.”
Rufus nodded and quickly turned him back toward the office. “You were wise to bring him.”
Viktor grunted. “That is yet to be seen.”
“Come, let me introduce you to our queen.” Thorn maintained his façade as the two approached the offices. He opened the door and allowed Viktor to enter first. “And this is where you will be installing the equipment,” he announced a bit too excitedly.
Lilith turned from the window and smiled at the tall dark haired man. “And who have we here?” She strode purposefully toward him, her movements fluid.
Rufus stepped between them and bowed slightly. “Lilith, my queen, allow me to introduce one of my oldest and most trusted friends, Viktor Verissimo Veranus.”
Lilith held her hand out for Viktor to take it. He bowed slightly and kissed the back of her hand. “Your highness.”
She eyed him suspiciously then broke into a toothy grin. “You’re a wolf.”
Viktor nodded. “As is my father. I am a natural born.”
“Interesting.” She eyed Rufus with a raised brow. “Natural enemies and you’re both friends?”
Rufus simply smiled and waved a hand toward Viktor. “Perhaps my friend would prefer to tell how our friendship bloomed?”
Lilith turned to Viktor, skepticism in her eye. “Yes, please do.”
Viktor shrugged. “It is a very long story, and I wouldn’t dare bore you with the details. But the short version is…both my family and Rufus valued human life. We made an oath to provide protection to him and he to us. We kept other wolves from his properties and he kept other vampire familias from our territories.” Viktor shrugged. “I was assigned to his personal protection and over time we became friends.”
“He was my Second for a very long time,” Rufus stated proudly.
Lilith turned to Thorn and narrowed her gaze. “You both valued human life and yet here you are, assisting me?”
“Oui,” Rufus agreed as though it made perfect sense. “Valuing human life doesn’t mean they don’t need to be ruled. All sheep need a shepherd. As we agreed upon before, the familias would need assurances that their holdings would not be lost and that their personal human familiars wouldn’t be killed.” He searched her face to ensure that she remembered their bargain.
“True enough. We did agree upon such terms.” Lilith spun back to Viktor and took his hand. “Show me what you have brought.”
Viktor lead her to the door and pointed out the crates and boxes being placed just outside the office. “We have eleven monitors for you. A spare in case we have issues with one…and servers and power supplies and everything we should need to have you up and running soon.”
She stepped back and waved him through the door. “Then let me stay out of your way. You have work to do.” She turned and glided out the door nearly silently.
Viktor turned to Rufus and gave him a questioning look. “You are not a prisoner?”
Rufus shook his head. “Perhaps I would have been, but I offered to assist her in her attempt to take over the world.”
“You…” Viktor found the words stuck in his throat. “You are assisting her?”
“Just as you are.” Rufus patted the man’s shoulder. “Stick with your plan. It’s definitely on the right track.” He gave him a slight wink as he stepped toward the door.
*****
Laura was shaken awake by Derek, a concerned look across his features. “Get up, Punk.”
She sat up and rubbed at her eyes groggily. “What’s wrong?”
Derek thrust a cup of coffee toward her. “We need to get going pretty quick.”
She took the mug and stared up at him through bloodshot eyes. “What’s the rush? You kicking me out already? I just got here.” She smiled to herself as she sipped the bitter wake-up juice.
“It’s Dad.”
Her eyes shot open and she scooted to the edge of the mattress, her coffee mug set on the nightstand. “What’s happened?”
“They can’t keep him in bed. He keeps swearing that he’s fine and that he wants to go home.” Derek pulled his t-shirt over his head as he spoke through the door. “Crystal wants us down there to talk some sense into him.”
“Oh, my God…” Laura scooted off the bed and took a quick gulp of the coffee. She threw on her jeans and pulled a shirt from her bag. She stuffed it into her jeans and started pulling her boots on when Derek pushed open her door again. “Gah! For crying out loud, drag a comb through your hair or something. You look like you’ve been scared half to death.”
“I just woke up, y
ou jackass. Give me a minute.”
She threw a dirty sock at him as he scooted back through the door. She took another drink of the coffee and pushed her way into the bathroom. One look in the mirror and she knew why he had teased her. She grabbed her brush and pulled her back and into a pony tail. No time for anything fancy today. She threw on her Bronco’s ball cap and looked in the mirror. Other than some darkness under her eyes, she didn’t really look any worse for wear.
“We’re stopping at a real coffee house on the way there.” She finished the mug o’ mud that Derek had given her and set the cup in the sink. She noticed all of the empty beer bottles scattered around the living room and poked her brother. “You’d better hope Dad doesn’t get to come home today. He’ll kill you for leaving all the dead soldiers out on the battlefield.”
Derek groaned and grabbed the kitchen trash, sliding empty bottles into it. “Go warm up the car.”
“It’s fuel injected. It doesn’t need to warm up.” She scooped her keys from the coffee table and headed for the door. “But I’ll wait for you out there.”
Derek played on his phone while she drove and didn’t really speak until she pulled out of the drive through all night doughnut shop. He finally put his phone down and turned to her. “Do you really think there’s a chance they’ll let him leave?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, D. If they decide to run a bunch of tests, then no. But if he insists on going home, I don’t think they can stop him.”
“Crap.” He ran a hand through his dark hair and stifled a yawn. “I’d hate to think what could come of this. It’s one thing if he slowly started recovering but for it to happen seemingly overnight?”
She shrugged. “He was in a lot rougher shape than I thought.” She took a sip of her latte and didn’t taste it for the fear running through her. What if they tested his blood and found the virus? What if a lab tech accidentally got infected? How would she explain to the squads how a wolf was accidentally created in her home town without having been attacked?
Obsessions: A Monster Squad Novel 7 Page 28
