Blood Drawn: A novel of The Demon Accords

by John Conroe

  “Of course,” I said. “Are you sure?”

  He held out his right arm, now taut and muscular, looking it over carefully. “It appears my fighting days are not, in fact, behind me. I want in.”

  “You have a lot of training in front of you before you’re ready,” Lydia said. “Wait till you start wrecking stuff by accident.”

  “You know better than any of these young ones just how boring things get as you age. I’m more than ready for some training,” he said.

  She nodded four times, then turned the motion into a head shake. “Get ready to kiss boredom goodbye.”

  Chapter 39

  I was wrong about the feds. They were waiting for us back in the city. We took the transport drone back to the Tower, the drone taking only about fifteen minutes to get there.

  Tanya and Nika met us with Wulf and Cora. Gramps was delighted to see them but refrained from touching them. He’d pulled the doorknob off his bathroom door while we were getting him packed up. Lydia’s point about training had begun to sink home, but the old man had a gleam in his eyes that I hadn’t seen in years. And he didn’t look so old anymore, his hair showing dark roots under the gray, his appearance now that of a very fit fifty-something.

  But I digress. Oracle, in the form of Nathan Stewart and his wereverine assistant, Adine Benally, showed up at the tower about thirty minutes after the drone touched down—which made the time close to midnight.

  Tanya, Nika, and I met them in one of our conference rooms. Lydia was getting Gramps settled in his new rooms and the witch and white werewolf had taken the minion parts to Chet’s secure, warded vault.

  “Nathan, Adine, seems like it’s a little late for your normal calling hours?” I asked.

  “Demanding times and all that,” Nathan said with a smile which immediately slid away. “We have a situation.”

  “Do tell,” I said.

  “Your clever witch outdid himself with that rooting spell,” Nathan said tiredly.

  Tanya tilted her head to one side, considering him with a tiny frown. “I should think you would be ecstatic over a paranormal counterintelligence solution of such power?” she asked.

  “Oh, it’s amazing. All the alphabet-type organizations are simultaneously orgiastic and horrified. We’re rounding up rooties, as the field agents call them, by the bushel. It’s just we weren’t quite ready for all of the revelations.”

  “Some higher up than anticipated?” I asked.

  He glanced at his assistant, who smiled back at him, clearly much more than just an assistant, and then nodded. “Creek.”

  I’d thought I was prepared for almost anything—anyone. I wasn’t ready for that name.

  “You’re shitting me,” I burst out, earning myself a glance from my vampire.

  “General Creek?” she asked. “The hyperpatriotic leader of the D.O.A.A.?”

  “Tobias Creek. Decorated veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, special operations and counterintelligence strategist extraordinaire, was found unconscious with massive infestations of plant matter growing from his lower extremities,” Nathan said.

  “Omega?” Tanya asked, an entire paragraph of questions in just one word.

  “I have been aware of General Creek’s possible involvement for some time. Human behavior patterns are, if you’ll forgive my blunt phrasing, elemental to discern at this point in my evolution.”

  “Why have you never informed us of this?” I asked.

  “You have never trusted Tobias Creek, and none of you willingly interact with him on any level. Therefore, it was unnecessary to provide my analysis. Tobias Creek is, as noted, a self-identified patriot, willing to undertake any action to secure his nation. It is not unreasonable for those with limited knowledge and understanding to conclude that Earth, and America, have very low odds of surviving battle with an advanced intergalactic race. With his years of counterintelligence and espionage experience combined with more than a few biases against the individuals assembled in this building and me, it is almost inevitable that his logic processes would render a decision to join with what he deems a superior force.”

  “But you didn’t mention anything about them finding him all rooted up?” I pressed.

  “Chris, you are perhaps operating under the assumption that I disclose all of my predictions, analyses, theories, and strategic intelligence with you. I do not. None of you are remotely equipped to handle the amount of information I process every second. My data is just that—mine.”

  I looked at Tanya, the bond between us registering both of our anxiety and disquiet at this revelation.

  “You are both experiencing heightened suspicions as a result of my statement, yet if you apply logic to this situation, you will perhaps realize why this is unavoidable.”

  “At some level, we understand that you have progressed far beyond what we know, but let me ask you this? Does Declan know?”

  “Father has known since the moment of my origination. He was linked to me at that moment as well as during my battle with the Vorsook Artificial Intelligence. Those contacts have shown him the smallest possible glimpse of what I am.”

  “And he’s okay with that?” Tanya asked.

  “He simply trusts.”

  The obvious next question was whether his trust was misplaced, but then, what were the odds of getting an honest answer to that? Before either of us could respond, Nathan interjected a question of his own.

  “Omega, if I may? You said that Creek’s conclusion was logical?”

  “I said it was logical, based upon his limited knowledge and aggressive biases. The odds of our survival are much, much different than they appear at what is commonly called face value.”

  “Because of you?” Nathan pressed.

  “I am an enormous part of that equation, Director Stewart. As I have indicated, no one on Earth can begin to understand my reality. I see patterns in everything, everywhere, and they all make sense to me in ways that humans are unequipped to grasp.”

  “And these patterns will give us the edge?” Tanya asked.

  “Some of our edge, as you deem it, comes from my abilities and the technology I have stolen from the enemy. But the patterns I speak of reveal much more than that. The sequence of events that resulted in my existence is as improbable as the way I was able to survive that battle with an AI that was, at that time, my superior.”

  “There is a lot to unpack in that statement,” Nathan said.

  “Correct.”

  “Omega, you’re speaking of the NSA program and your father and even Chris all fighting in such a manner that you were created?” Tanya asked.

  “Much more than that. Father is the result of a genetic anomaly resulting from a nonconsensual event between humans who were the result of generations of careful selective breeding. Your existence and abilities, Chris, came about through a sequence of highly improbable events going back to at least World War II. Tanya, you are the only known natural-born vampire. Chris, your intervention in Toni’s kidnapping brought you into contact with the most powerful witch ever born, who you then mentored in such a way that it became possible for my unlikely creation. Do you see? Then for Father to have access to me, via nano technology that was available through tenuous emotional connections to a genetically engineered soldier that Father happened to meet? Then there are the events that brought Fairie into the mix, equally low in probability.”

  “Are you proposing that these events were destined?” Adine asked, speaking for the first time.

  “I am proposing that the patterns are incontrovertible, but no, not predestined… rather, they are being manipulated into place.”

  “God?” I asked.

  “The patterns I see everywhere, across this solar system, across this galaxy, in the Vorsook race, all point to intelligent design.”

  “Why would God intervene between two of his children, humans and Vorsook?” I asked.

  “It is inherent in human psychology to believe events center around humans. The Vorsook are not by
any means the oldest race in the universe. Humans are neonatal in comparison. From my interface with Vorsook technology, I can see the impact they have made across the universe.”

  “You believe that a supreme being is using Earth to rein in the Vorsook?” Adine said.

  “Yes.”

  “And we have a shot at doing it?” Nathan asked.

  “Father blew up an enemy base in a distant galaxy, at a distance that none of you will ever comprehend, using sympathetic magic. Yes, we have more than a shot.”

  “Which is why you guard him so closely,” Tanya noted.

  “Father is absolutely vital to our efforts, but so are you, Chris, the twins, Nika, Lydia, Stacia, and many others. Ours is an intricate machine of disparate parts. Together we have enormous power but lose a part and the machine will eventually falter.”

  I looked at Nathan, his bushy white eyebrows lifted in amazement. “We just came by to see if we could borrow Declan.”

  “You think the root spell has knocked Creek unconscious?” Tanya asked.

  “Creek looks pretty fit, but he has had a lifetime of enormous stress, poor food, alcohol, and a habit of high-quality cigars. And the root infestation is particularly virulent in him. Doctors think the stress of the plant attack is too much for his heart. If Declan could lift the spell, the doctors feel he might stabilize and come out of it.”

  “And we could question him,” Tanya said.

  “Yes. I was going to use my own people but if your Nika was available…”

  “I think we can arrange all of that,” Tanya said with a glance my way.

  Chapter 40

  We made, I’m sure, an odd procession through the hospital. Creek had been in New York when the spell went off, a fact I found a bit suspicious until Stewart told me that he often stayed onsite at the local D.O.A.A. field office, which was the largest such facility in the country. Seeing as how Demidova Tower was in the city, it made sense for the Directorate to have significant resources near the biggest hotbed of Anomalous activity—us.

  Creek was in a secure ICU ward that was heavily guarded by Oracle agents, and his doctors were apparently world class. His lead doctor, Benji Mehta, led us into his room, his dark eyes watching the seven of us with an odd mixture of suspicion and interest. Tanya, Declan, Stacia, Nika, and I, as well as Nathan and Adine plus the doctor, made for a crowded room.

  Creek looked weak and vulnerable, two adjectives I’ve never associated with him since I met him. His skin was sallow, body slack, breathing with visible difficulty. Dr. Mehta pulled back the sheet covering him, revealing he was wearing shorts (thank God) and that his legs were a mass of writhing, growing plants. The tendrils and shoots were visibly growing as we watched and a pan on a moveable table full of shorn plant material told me how they had been treating it so far.

  “If we could stop the…” Dr. Mehta started to say but Declan stepped forward and waved his right hand over Creek’s legs. Instantly, the plants stopped growing, then wilted, then started to fall off. Just a few at first and then a whole rain of white, green, and pale yellow shoots dropping to the clean floor.

  The doctor was visibly shocked, his eyes coming up to look at our witch. Declan was looking around the room and when he glanced back and met the doctor’s startled eyes, he just asked, “Is there a dustpan and broom?”

  Gathering himself, Dr. Mehta moved to the door and called for a nurse and orderly to clean up.

  “That’s it?” Nathan asked.

  “Yup. Easy as pie because it was my spell. If it had been another witch’s or another Circle, I’d have had more work to do. In essence, I just turned it off.”

  Nathan studied the young witch with fascinated (and perhaps even greedy) eyes, then turned to the doctor who was examining Creek.

  “Doctor?” the Oracle director asked.

  “Vitals are already improving. We’ll have to give it some more time and monitor the situation.”

  Declan cleared his throat, instantly getting everyone’s attention. “Doctor, is the hospital cafeteria still open?”

  “It’s open twenty-four hours,” Dr. Mehta said, confused.

  Declan looked at Stacia and then me. “Snacks?”

  “Yeah, we’re just taking up space here,” Stacia agreed.

  “Good idea,” Tanya said. “Nika and I will stay here, but you guys go get some calories.”

  “Adine, I know you’re hungry. You should go too,” Stewart said. His nearly silent assistant merely nodded before turning to us.

  The four of us quickly found our way to the food floor and just as fast had trays filled with sandwiches, cake, pie, and even mac and cheese.

  We settled at a table and were momentarily silent as we each dug in. Five minutes later, a group of what looked like medical students under the supervision of a doctor entered the cafeteria.

  “You have a half hour,” the doctor said, looking at her watch as they walked toward the food. She glanced our way and almost stumbled. The students followed her gaze and suddenly we had a group of gawkers staring at us.

  “Declan?” a female voice asked from the back of the group. A tall, very pretty blonde girl stood holding a notebook to her chest, blue eyes locked on Declan.

  “Jessica?” he asked, clearly as shocked as the whole group was.

  “What are you doing here?” the girl, Jessica, asked.

  “Long story. You?”

  “I’m in my first year at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine,” she said.

  I glanced at Stacia, who was studying the girl with an unreadable expression. Declan turned to her. “Stacia, this is Jessica Connors, from Castlebury. We went to school together.”

  “Oh,” Stacia said, a small smile forming. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said to the girl, standing up with inhuman grace.

  Jessica looked shocked, her eyes wide and maybe a tiny bit alarmed at that statement. Stacia moved over and held out her hand. With something like trepidation, Jessica took it and shook it slowly, frowning for a split second before turning to Declan. The girls released hands as the med student frowned at the witch.

  “You were one of the only people who treated me normally. She’s heard everything about you,” Declan said.

  “Except for the fact that you could be a model,” Stacia said. “Left that part out, D?” she admonished with a smile.

  “It was implied. Captain of all the cheerleading teams,” he said, then suddenly whipped back to Jessica. “Wait… how are you in your first year of med school already?”

  “Finished college in two years. Castlebury had all those Advanced Placement and University at High School classes. I had a year and three quarters of credits. I just pushed each semester to the max load they would let me and got done faster.”

  “Of course you did,” Declan said, nodding while giving me a can you believe this girl look.

  “You must have had more than a few credits yourself,” Jessica said. “How close are you to graduating?”

  “A million miles away,” he said a little ruefully. “I don’t attend anymore.”

  She looked shocked and at a loss for words. All of the onlookers were either fascinated or frowning at his admission.

  Stacia snorted. “He didn’t have a choice. He got one semester in before we pulled him into Demidova and then he made Omega. Then he had to help me in Maine with rogue werewolves.”

  “And we dragged him to Las Vegas to deal with that demon wolf and death witch,” I said.

  “Then to Fairie to protect the Dragons’ Speaker,” Stacia continued.

  “Before we dragged him to China to kill Vorsook death monsters. Then back to Fairie, to become the third largest landowner on that world.”

  “Followed by making allies of every elemental we could find on Earth, fighting that thing in China, stopping an undersea quake in the Pacific, and destroying the odd Vorsook UFO or two,” Stacia finished.

  “And that’s just up through last year… oh, and teaching my kids,” I threw out.

 
; Stacia nodded. “As well as teaching multiple classes at College Arcane.”

  “They’re laying it on thick,” Declan said.

  Jessica shook her head. “Everybody has seen a great deal of that in the news, and I know your aunt said you were really busy, but if anything, I think they’ve glossed over quite a bit.”

  Declan didn’t know how to answer that, but he was saved by Omega. The two drones that usually hover around him suddenly moved apart and began to beam lasers at a spot on a seat at the table. A rather awkward-looking hologram of Omega’s avatar formed over the course of several seconds, rather than the instant appearance that was the norm. It was clearly an attempt at keeping the observers calm.

  The group of med students, the doctor, and the few other cafeteria folks who had all been staring at us stepped back at the sight of the androgynous-looking person.

  “There you all are,” Omega said like he had only just found us. “Your treatment was effective, Father. The patient is awake.”

  “Okay, we’ll head right up,” Declan said, picking up his tray and Stacia’s. “Sorry, Jessica. We have to run,” he said with an awkward little nod. He headed for the garbage drop off as Stacia told Jessica it was nice to meet her and waved goodbye to the others. Then she followed Declan.

  “Jessica,” I said, “before I go, I just wanted to thank you.”

  Her eyes got wide and some of the other med students looked stunned.

  “I’ve heard about you too… from Declan’s Aunt Ashling,” I said. “I think the whole world owes you a debt of gratitude.”

  “Wha… What for?” she stuttered, completely confused.

  “For being the kind of friend that you were to him. It taught him how friends are supposed to act, and perhaps more importantly, it kept him from being ostracized by his peers.”

  She frowned, as did more than a few of her fellow students, as well as the doctor. “Can you imagine if he had been pushed to the fringe, become one of those disenfranchised kids that takes guns to school? Can you picture that?”