CHAPTER 6 - SOMETHING EVIL

The dark haired girl who had fought Spike in the bar walked over to the man with the glasses sitting at the computer. He was about thirty, had short light coloured hair and was unshaven.

"Have you found anything out, yet, Logan?"

Logan looked from the desk to the women he loved. They were in his penthouse.

"Yes, Max. I have done some investigating into your blond friend."

"I would say more peroxide than blond." Frowned Max. "And he is no friend of mine after what he did to Cindy. I really want to find him and waste his ass."

Logan looked at her. He was worried. Max was generally a compassionate person. It made him uncomfortable to see her so vengeful.

"Well, you were right. He is not a transgenic."

"I figured that." She said. "During the fight in the bar I managed to check the back of one of their necks and there was definitely no bar code."

"Of course, they could have had their barcodes removed." Replied Logan. "We know many transgenics have done this to avoid detection, even if it does re-appear later."

Max shook her head.

"There was something else. When I fought them, they seemed strange, like they were not from this world. Transgenics are genetically modified. But I could tell they were not transgenics. They were something different. Something evil. Something….supernatural."

"Let me ask you something, Max." Said Logan, turning to look at her. "How did you know that a stake to the heart would kill them?"

"I didn't." Replied Max. " I just did it automatically. Perhaps it was my heightened transgenic instinct."

"And why did you kill them at all?" Logan quizzed her further. "You are not normally so ruthless with the enemies you fight."

"I'm not sure." Answered Max. " I just sensed they were evil and dangerous. I knew they had to be slain."

"It's interesting you should say that." Replied Logan. He hesitated a moment. "I think your friend is a vampire."

Max stood beside him in shocked silence for a moment.

"You must be joking." Said Max in disbelief. "Vampires are a myth"

"A myth that is apparently true." Logan replied. "I'm surprised you find it so strange. You are almost a supernatural being yourself."

She shook her head again. "I just can't believe it."

Logan turned to the computer screen and started to tap on the keyboard.

"Think about it. From your account of last night, your attackers meet many of the descriptions given about vampires in the myths. They have fangs. They drink blood. They can only be killed with a stake to the heart and they turn to dust when they die. You were right before. They are supernatural"

"It is so hard to accept." Sighed Max. "At least transgenics have been created by humans. But, these creatures are beyond our understanding."

"This may convince you". Logan showed her several computer screens with news stories and photos.

"Three cops were killed at a check-point three weeks ago. They were all drained of their blood. This man was photographed at the scene by one of the CCTV." A rough picture of Spike appeared. Max bent down and looked at it intently.

"That is definitely him." She said. "And that is one of the female attackers from the bar." She said, pointing to a picture of Lucy from the same news story.

Logan showed photos from another story.

"Then, a couple of days after that, one of the dead cops escaped with your two friends from a hospital morgue. He was definitely dead before he went in. During the escape two nurses were murdered and two guards were seriously injured. One of the dead nurses had bite marks on the neck and was drained of her blood"

Max shivered.

"Then the cop was raised from the dead. But I didn't see him in the bar."

"Which means he is probably still at large."

Logan showed more photos of corpses lying in the street and continued talking.

"Since then there have been numerous victims, including the cop's family. Most of the victims were homeless, which is why the news was not widely reported. All were drained of their blood. And there have been more disappearances than usual."

"They are multiplying. I have to stop them." Said Max thoughtfully. At least I know how to kill them. All I need to do is find them."

Logan looked at her tenderly.

"You will have to be careful. They are dangerous killers who show no mercy. And the leader is powerful. He survived mortal blows from both you and Alec. He may not be easy to defeat."

"If only Alec had been there earlier." Said Max mournfully, referring to her male transgenic friend who had helped her against Spike. "Cindy might not have been hurt."

"You can't blame yourself or Alec". Said Logan. "Look how many people you saved. If you were not there, many more would have died in that bar."

"I know." Replied Max. "And that is why I must find him. I must kill them all before they attack anyone else. I must kill him for Cindy." Replied Max, determined.

There was silence for a moment.

"How is Cindy?" Logan asked compassionately.

There was a slight tear in Max's eye as she replied, her voice a little shaky. "She is with Joshua. She is alive, but only just." She stared at one of the photos of Spike a moment.

"I must find him."

Logan tapped a number into the phone.

"I may be able to help you. It appears that someone else is looking for our blond vampire. I think it is time to contact her."

The phone on the other side began to ring. "Who is she?" Asked Max, curious.

Before Logan could answer, the phone line came alive as a male voice answered. Logan spoke into through the phone line.

"This is Logan from Seattle. I would like to speak to the Mayor, please."

"Of course, sir." Answered the man. "She is expecting your call. I will put you through by video link."

The computer screen changed to show the face of a pretty young woman with long straight red hair and green eyes.

"Mayors must be getting younger these days. She can only be twenty." Said Max, looking at the screen. The woman smiled.

"Hello, Logan. It is good to speak to you at last." She shifted her gaze to Max and smiled sweetly. "In fact I am 38 years old." She said directly to Max. Max blushed, a little embarrassed, and a little shocked.

"I would like to introduce myself." Continued the woman returning her sweet smile to Logan. "I am the Major of Sunnydale. My name is Willow Rosenberg."

Meanwhile, in another part of Seattle, Joshua woke with a start from the couch on which he was sleeping. It was dark in the room. He sat up and sniffed the air around.

"Cindy?!" He could hear movements in the room. A dark shape approached him. "Cindy? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine Joshua." Giggled Cindy.

Joshua tensed. There was something wrong. He could feel it. He could smell it.

Cindy appeared before him. Her face was a hideous mask. Joshua stumbled back.

"What happened to you, Cindy?"

Cindy widened her mouth to reveal her fangs glinting in the feeble light. Then with a growl she launched herself towards Joshua's neck.