Aki had to admit, the cities were impressive. Gigantic, sprawling metropoli, pristine and new, rising from the ground. A mere decade, and already the vampires had broken down all the big cities and reassembled them into perfectly sanitary cities. That part of their promise, they had adhered to perfectly. After the bombing of Tokyo, new cities began to rise, perfectly architectured and planned out. A virtual utopia, developed by humanity's worst nightmare.
At the same time, all big cities of the "past" were disassembled, the buildings taken apart to be used in the new areas and the land eventually returned to its former condition. A wipe of the past, a firm resolve to start anew with a clean slate. Soon, humans would forget their far away roots, and content themselves with their obvious role in life—as livestock. Intelligent, useful livestock, yes, but livestock nonetheless.
Looking at the tall, beautiful skyscrapers, the lovely houses and apartments, Aki wanted to spit. It was unnatural, the perfect right angles, the sterile white of the streets. Tokyo had been real. Sure, there were ugly and pretty parts, but it had felt organic, a breathing city that had been built by humans. This was the work of vampires. Control freaks, every one of them. He felt a pair of arms wrap around his back. "Neh, Aki," Kou said cheerily, "Are you part of the operation tonight?"
"You kidding?" He snorted, turning around. "Of course. Has Mitarai released the details yet?"
Kou nodded enthusiastically. "We're leaving at sunset and hitting the Fifth Sector. The hospital there has apparently eased up on its security, since it hasn't been attacked for a couple of years."
"You think they'll have the medicine?" Aki asked pensively. While they, the humans who lived away from the cities, hiding, could provide themselves with food, medicine was another matter. Antibiotics and sterilizers were valuable resources, ones they had to snatch from the vampires. Usually with high risks, considering how fast the things were. But there was no helping it, Ai-chan had gotten bitten by a stray dog three days ago and already the wound was beginning to purple and fester.
"They better." Kou said fiercely. "And if they don't, we'll just have to find another facility to raid. Momohara-san needs the medicine."
Nodding in agreement, Aki turned, walking back to the woods. Their small village was hidden in the dense trees, and the vampires didn't care to comb through the woods for a couple of insignificant humans that didn't raise a fuss. After all, they had a practically unlimited amount of food now. He felt his lips curl up in a snarl. This is what they had been reduced to, a mere hundred people hiding in the forests, trying their best not to be caught and drained. One day, he vowed, humans would have their revenge.
Asami felt his eye twitch as the sniveling man continued his not-so-subtle attempts to marry his daughter off to him. No, he did not want to marry at the moment, and most definitely not with that girl. Her teeth shone like crooked tombstones as she attempted a smile, and he almost pitied the child. It was obvious that she knew she had a snowball's chance in hell of making this work.
"…really a sweet docile girl, would serve you faithfully." The words drew him out of his pit of simmering annoyance. What is he doing, selling me a dog?
Forcing a small smile, he forced out the words, "Unfortunately, I am not interested in marriage at the moment. However, I will wish your daughter good luck in her future marital endeavors." Lord knows she'll need it.
The disheartened man was swiftly ushered from his office, Kirishima sensing his rising temper. Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his temples. Even if they were his people, the vampire aristocracy was irritating at best, mind-numbingly dumb at worst. A mere decade of ruling and already they had grown complacent and arrogant. He knew better. While the continent of Asia had been thoroughly stomped down, there were many rebels in Europe and the Americas. And even here in Japan, there were some little mice who dared to thieve.
"What's my schedule for the rest of the day, Kirishima?" He asked, passing a hand over his eyes.
"You are free until approximately eight o'clock tonight, Asami-sama." The secretary pushed his glasses up his nose, light glinting off of them. Why he wore them, Asami would never know, all vampires were gifted with perfect eyesight. A fashion statement maybe?
"What do I have at eight?"
"An anonymous source informed us of a small rebel band planning to raid the hospital in the Fifth Sector," Kirishima said crisply. "I assumed you would want to teach them a lesson in person."
"Indeed." Asami nodded in approval. Maybe taking his anger out on a couple of humans would calm him. It wouldn't do to throw a member of the aristocracy out of a window, after all. They had to present a united front; any weakness would be exploited, if not by humans, than by other factions. His upper lip curled as he thought of the annoying bastards occupying Russia. Mikhail could have that frozen hell if he wanted it. Even the humans there were belligerent and half drunk, or so he had heard.
"Send in the string quarter." He ordered Kirishima, who nodded obediently and left to summon the musicians. Leaning back, he swirled his goblet of viscous blood. Who would've thought that by conquering the humans he had mired himself in utter boredom? Sitting back to the sounds of smooth cellos and sweet violins, he contented himself in these temporary pleasures.
As the sun set, they watched as curfew occurred. Instantly, the streets became silent as all humans went home, lights gradually blinking out. Nodding to the others, Aki swiftly climbed up a shorter, less enforced section of the wall that surrounded the town, using the vine that had begun growing there as a support. Dropping down, he pulled up his hood, assuming the appearance of a very late human hurrying home. Not like the guards paid much mind to them, as long as they looked like they knew where they were going. Taking a left then a right, followed by Kou, Takato, and Mitarai, he arrived at the hospital. Looking up at the towering structure, he couldn't help but feel the overpowering sense of awe one felt when seeing things vampires made. The building was lovely at night and stunning by day, possessing large airy rooms and frequent courtyards, perfect for soothing the moods of cooped up patients. Built for form and function.
Kou impatiently poked him in the back. "Oi, hurry up! I think I see another patrol coming!"
Hurriedly, he ducked in, followed by the others. At nighttime, the hospital was dark and silent. Usually, the bigger ones had more security roaming around, and staff members on hand. This one, however, had been growing lax, cutting costs. "Second floor, third room on the left." Kou hissed.
They crept up the stairwell, careful to avoid the watchful cameras. The trick was to move very, very slowly, so that the recording device didn't swivel. Inch by inch, they moved, hardly daring to breathe. One misstep and security would arrive within minutes, and vampires were hardly merciful to humans. Eventually, they reached the top, and swiftly walked towards the third door on the left, stepping carefully as to not make much noise. This hospital was mainly for humans, who couldn't see or hear nearly as well as the vampires, which made their snooping a lot easier.
"Move." Mitarai grunted. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew his lockpicks, making short work of the door's lock. It wasn't like hospitals had encrypted locks, metal ones were much more convenient for everyday use. "Yeah!" He cheered lowly under his breath as the lock clicked open.
Aki just stared at the now unlocked door. Something felt wrong. Off. It had almost been too easy, the infiltration of the hospital, the lack of any guards. Even the blatantly easy lock on the storage closet.
"Wait." Involuntarily, the hushed word left his lips.
Turning impatiently, Mitarai quirked an eyebrow. "What is it, Aki? We don't have much time."
Shaking his head, he put behind himself his doubt. Ai-chan needed this. "Nothing, go ahead."
Nodding in satisfaction, Mitarai turned the doorknob silently, pushing it in. And that was when everything was shot to hell.
AN: Please leave a review if you liked it, they make my day!
