WARNINGS: Disturbing imagery
'Wake up... Wake up... Liz. We want you to have enough time to get ready for the meeting...'
Liz turned in her bed and slowly opened her eyes. Nick was still asleep next to her. She was drowsy.
'Rise and shine...'
She groaned. When she didn't sit up this time, the voices kept persisting, 'You should really get up... You hate rushing...'
She sat up and stretched. She checked the fridge out of habit and to her surprise, she found a few sealed blood bags in there. They were marked with expiring dates.
She took one out and filled a cup to drink from. She smiled. This felt like how she used to always have tea in the morning.
'You also used to sleep on the bus to college,' the voices chimed.
They were right. She always had. She had never been a morning person. Mornings were the worst.
'And now you get to get up late all the time. So much better, isn't it?'
She answered, 'It is! So, got a heads up for the meeting?'
She felt the voices in her head ripple like waves as they reached out to somewhere to get information. 'So far, nothing. If we see something different, we will let you know. We're probably going to me with you during the meeting... It's easier for us to see the closer the event draws...'
'So you're not a very far seeing, far seer?'
They actually laughed at that. 'If the consequences reach far enough we can see further...'
'So, it's like you feel the shockwave of an explosion before it happens? Interesting...'
They were silent for a moment, then, 'Not quite like that... We don't know how to explain...'
'It's all right, don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're there,' Liz told them.
'Thank you.'
She had not expected that.
'You're welcome.'
She got dressed for the night. This time, a blouse and black trousers would do. She loosely tied her hair in the back and then woke Nick.
"Good evening, sweetie," he yawned. "Are you off to your meeting?"
"I am, yes. Thanks for stocking up the fridge. When did you do that?"
"I went back to Vandal after bringing you home," he smiled. "I thought it might be a good idea to have these for days when we're too lazy to go anywhere."
"How nice of you! Thanks!"
"You're welcome."
She went to hug him. "I'll see you later then." She stood on the tip of her toes and kissed him. "Love you!"
"Love you too! See you, sweetie."
Liz entered the elevator to Therese's office and knocked on the door. She was on time.
"Enter," Miss Voerman said.
Liz took a bow. "Good evening, Miss Voerman."
She smiled at her. "Miss Lisonport. Good to see you!"
They shook hands and Therese continued, "I've had no more complaints from customers since you started working, I'm happy to say. I am also very pleased to hear that you managed to have supplies restocked monthly. Tell me about it."
"Of course, Miss Voerman," Liz said. She explained in detail where the supplies would be coming from and told her that their delivery was official. She also mentioned that the supplies would not be going into the hospital's inventory in the first place, but be sent off to be stored long term somewhere else, so that the bloodbank could sell them in peace.
"I am exceptionally pleased with the outcome of our arrangement," Miss Voerman said. "Did your supplies run out during the week?"
"They did not, Miss. I went to check the inventory on Friday and I am happy to say, the supplies we have so far will be lasting us another week. This is not counting any donations we've received."
"Wonderful." Therese paused for a moment and then said, "You did not mention my ghoul in your report. I hope he started showing respect after that utterly foul display at our first meeting."
"I have no complaints about Vandal, Miss Voerman. He is behaving and he's been very helpful." She saw the distaste flit across Therese's face when she used his name.
There was a rush of static building up in Liz's head.
"Very good. For now, I will keep having you oversee the bloodbank. You will receive pay at the end of the month," Miss Voerman spoke.
The static was getting louder, cracking sounds broke it up in between. It felt strange. It felt almost like the voices in her head were purposefully tuning out of a channel.
"Thank you, Miss Voerman. I am very glad you're pleased with my work. I will send you another report at the end of next week, if you wish."
She nodded, "Yes, I would like that. I will send you the date for another meeting for the end of the month."
Liz bowed. "Very well. I shall report back and I look forward to our next meeting."
"You may go now."
Liz left the office and stepped into the elevator. The static had more frequent cracks and she could make out the voices in between them.
'Told us- prioritize information... hard... can... hear us?'
The static didn't go away long enough for her to comprehend what the voices were trying to tell her. She felt a shift in direction in her head. Then another. The static was growing louder again. It was starting to give her a headache before-
A single voice pushed through the static and predominated it. Liz recognized the voice and felt a flash of fear shoot through her. It was the deep, vicious voice that had taken her control away once.
'Let's try that again, shall we? Since you're too weak to go through it all at once, they're gonna have you go through it one by one, until there's nothing left for you to see. We're starting now. Watch!'
Liz knew this was gonna be a vision and readied herself for whatever was going to come.
The door of the elevator opened and the moment she stepped out of it she was not at the Asylum anymore. There was still static in the background and the whole scene was flickering like a bad recording. She was indoors. It looked a lot like an abandoned warehouse. The size of the space seemed correct. From what she could make out though, this was not the warehouse she was supposed to blow up, since that one would be in use. The scene moved around her as if she was actually walking through the space, but she was standing still. The smell of singed flesh and dried blood reached her nose. She heard a piercing scream, and felt something wet on her hands. She looked down. They were dripping with blood. She raised them and stared. Turned them and inspected them. She looked back up and stumbled against the wall in shock. She nearly screamed. She was looking at the back of someone who had been hung, naked, from the ceiling. The skin had been folded open and peeled outwards. It was pierced by several hooks, supporting the body's weight and holding it in place. It was grotesque. The flayed skin looked like wings.
The scene changed, this time she was in front of a computer and it was showing an address. This was somewhere near the beach. Then it went to Mercurio's place.
It changed again and she was standing on a rooftop with Knox and Nick.
It changed again to the bloodbank's freezers, showing 3 boxes. It went to Henrietta, who was saying, "I'll give it to Brittany." She was holding an envelope.
Liz followed the images with care taking in all the details. This was working. It was showing her what would happen and what she needed to do.
The images kept coming.
She was holding an empty blood collection tube.
Nick's office was stacked with research folders.
A different apartment building, Nick and her were with another kindred and a woman with black glasses and shoulder long, red hair.
The images went on for a while before they abruptly stopped and the static was gone.
'Make sure to remember!' the male voice boomed and then faded.
The other voices were back. 'We held it all back. It was hard. We're glad it worked.'
'Thank you so much, guys! This worked wonderfully! I got everything!'
She felt them give her a mental pat on the back.
Liz looked around the Asylum. Nick hadn't arrived yet, so she sat down at the bar to wait for him.
'Please, tell Vandal all went well. I don't want him to worry.'
'We will.'
"Hey, sweetie," Nick greeted when he got to the bar. "I got word we'll probably be doing a detour before we go to the pier."
She had decided to check by Mercurio's place first. "Jup," she said. "Got a ton of info today. You're filled in on everything?"
"I am."
"Let's hit the road," Liz took him by the hand and they were off.
Mercurio wasn't expecting anyone when he heard a knock on his door. Unannounced guests were something he did not like, they were almost always trouble. When he opened the door, he found Liz and Nick smiling at him.
"We're so, so sorry to disturb you at this hour," Liz apologized. "But I really need your help."
He let them in and asked, "What do you need?"
"I have an address for you that I need checked. Maybe you have info on it," she told him and gave him said address.
He knew it immediately. "What do you want with this guy? He sells drugs and other things." He was being vague on purpose.
'Boom!' the voices in her head went.
"He sells explosives, right?"
Mercurio's face slipped. "How do you know that?!"
She shrugged. "Can you get them for me? I really need every last stick of dynamite he can sell."
He stared at her in disbelieve. "What?"
"Please, you'll see why I needed them on the news in about a week's time. I just need you to get the explosives to a certain address and the rest is handled by a different team."
He thought for a moment and then said, "All right. Tell me when and where and I'll make sure they will arrive on time."
"Thank you!"
She set the drop for Sunday night to give Bertram enough time to assemble his own team.
"I can count on you right? If anything is delayed, contact me immediately so I can let the people at the drop point know." She gave him her email.
"I will see to it," Mercurio said.
Liz could see he wasn't all too happy with the favor she'd called in, but he'd manage. "Thank you again. I owe you!"
They left and Nick heard Mercurio grumbling through the closed door. "Why am I always getting involved in stuff like this?" he was saying.
"Poor Mercurio," Nick laughed.
"He'll be fine. Now, let's go."
They walked up the steps and as soon as they had turned the corner, they heard someone call Nick's name.
It was Michael, the guy Knox and him had questioned to get to Gomez.
"Nick! Hey! How are you?"
Nick waved at him as they approached. He was smoking a cigarette, just like last time.
"Hey Michael! I'm good! I hope you are too."
"Thanks, man. I am," Michael glanced at Liz, but didn't say anything. He continued, "You know, Gomez called me after you were at the apartment. He was going nuts! Said he'd stop with the project he was working on and everything! He came to my house the day later!"
Knox had done well, Nick thought. Gomez was better off like this.
"Well, I'm glad to hear he's spending time with you again. Did Holly give you ice for your shoulder when you got there?"
Michael nodded. "She did. Man, I had bruises!"
"Ah, sorry!"
He shrugged, "Well, it's all right."
Nick pointed at Liz and introduced her, "Michael, that's my girlfriend, Liz."
"Glad to meet you," he said. He looked uncomfortable. He barely looked at her.
"It's great to meet you too," Liz replied, friendly. "You always work night shifts?"
"Ah, no. Only 2 to 3 times a week."
Liz cocked her head. Why was he so uncomfortable? She didn't get it.
"You can relax, I don't bite," she smiled.
Michael ran a hand through his hair and told her, "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous around girls... Holly's the only female friend I have and I've known her since childhood."
"Oh, I'm sorry. If that's the case, think of me as a second Holly. I'm totally harmless, I promise," she kept smiling hoping he'd relax.
At least it brought a chuckle out of him. "Thanks."
Nick cut the conversation short, "Well, Michael, we should probably be going. Have a great night."
Michael turned to him, "Thanks! To you as well."
They went down the pier.
"Well, that was kind of strange," she giggled. "Never thought I'd see the day I'd make anyone uncomfortable. How did he survive high school and college?"
Nick laughed, "I don't know. But Liz, you were staring at him. You weren't even blinking."
"Really? I didn't notice. I'll try to blink more!"
He just kept laughing. "I don't even know why I think this is so funny!"
Liz jumped on his back. Nick had no problems holding her. He didn't even look surprised. He carried her along the pier until they were completely out above the water. They sat down overlooking the ocean making its waves.
"Knox told me he has a fear of drowning," she told Nick. "I talked quite a while with him yesterday. He also said, that if I ever wanted to hear a cool story, I should ask how the two of you met."
That made Nick smile. It was one of his fondest memories. "The moment I saw him, I just thought, 'This has got to be the stupidest person in the entire world.'"
He started telling his tale.
"I met him a few years ago. It was before I moved to my current apartment. I lived downtown. So, I was asleep during the day when a noise woke me up. Not a loud noise. No. Something was clicking and rattling and it bothered me, so I went to check what it was. I went to the living room and it was coming from my front door. Someone was outside and seemed to struggle with picking the lock. That, in itself, I already found amusing, but what happened next was even more so. I decided to let whoever that was in. So I swung the door open and said, 'Good day, whoever's trying to get in. Since I have nothing of value in my apartment. Feel free to have a look around.' You should have seen the look on Knox's face! It was hilarious! He stood there with the lockpicks still in hand, trying to get his face under control. He didn't even try to bolt! He was in shock. So, I stepped aside to let him in, right? And he actually went with it! He just came in as if it was the most normal thing to do! By the time he was in my apartment, he had his face under control again. And the first thing that came out of his mouth was, 'Dude! You got a nice place!' It made me laugh. I asked him who I had the honor of speaking to and he said his name was Knox Harrington and that he was a bounty hunter. Told me he had followed a lead to the apartment complex. I wanted to know what he was hoping to find here and he told me. Poor Knox had been set up, so bad. He had thought the place wasn't occupied and had wanted to see if anything had been left behind that could have been useful to track his mark. He was really frustrated since he had nothing to go on now. After that conversation, he left and I thought I'd never see the guy again, when two days later, Knox knocked on my door again. This time, at night. I'll never forget his words. 'Dude, shit! My mark was hoping you'd off me! You're one of them! He's one of them! And now, he's hunting ME!' He looked scared, so I let him back in. It was the start of our first hunt together. Knox told me everything he had found out and we tracked some Asian guy to a junkyard. That dude was not playing around, he was throwing cars when we confronted him! It was crazy! I had to kill him in the end, he just wouldn't back down! Knox's reaction was brilliant. He went, 'Dude, that guy just threw a car at us! Dude he THREW A CAR!' My answer to that was just, 'Dude, I think that was a Mercedes!' And then I told him to take cover. Fight didn't last all that long. After that Knox and I became really good friends. I've been helping him ever since."
"I wish I could have been there!" Liz laughed. "That was great!"
"It was such an exciting night. It was one of the very few that I can really say are worth a retell," Nick smiled.
"Yeah, and I see why. Nothing like getting cars thrown at you!" She tousled his hair. "You can look forward to next Sunday! It'll be great!"
"Yes, I can't wait!" He was excited.
Liz told Nick the details of the visions she had earlier and let him know, that they had a lot of work ahead of them. She asked him about the red haired woman with the glasses, but it turned out this was someone who they hadn't met yet. They decided that they would both keep an eye out and stay alert.
After a while of silence, Nick asked her, "Hey Liz, what colors do you see when you listen to the ocean?
She listened for a moment. "It's blots of dark orange and purple, some white spikes ripping through whenever there's a louder splash against the pier."
"Pity, I really wanted it to be blue," Nick sighed.
"Ohh, does it make you sad? Come here, I'll hug you!" She pulled him close, wrapping both arms around his waist. "You poor, poor guy!"
He leaned his head against her shoulder. "Yes, definitely. Pity me!"
"Ohh!"
Nick hugged her back, very tightly and sighed once more. He told her, "I have never said it before, but my decision to embrace you and make you kindred... That was one that I made on my own. It was the first one in a long time that the voices had nothing to do with. Even with all the company in my head, I kind of felt... alone. Like I was missing something. I'm so glad you didn't push me away after."
"And I am so glad you stayed," Liz breathed. "And I am so grateful you picked me. You gave me a new life. And I'm really happy."
Nick beamed at her, "I'm glad you are. I am too."
They sat at the pier together for a while longer before making their way back to Nick's apartment.
Nick was going to go downtown to check a club called 'Confession' while Liz was at work. He was hoping he might run into either the redhead or the kindred she had described to him. He would return to the bloodbank after, if he hadn't had any luck.
Liz knew tomorrow would be a long night. Her last thought before she went to sleep was, that Monday's 'really' suck.