First Blood - Book One of the Decter Documents

by Mathew N. Honnajan

Original story and characters set in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files. Takes place between White Night and Small Favor. No prior exposure to series necessary. Follow the story of one minor spellcaster who is more than he seems as he is pulled into a conflict that pits his mind, body, and soul against foes far more powerful than himself. He's a small fish navigating a deadly pond.

21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

We sat there as the sun fell behind the buildings and wore our goggles to combat the elongating shadows. Streetlights turned themselves on, helping illuminate the street and the path to the building. I put one finger to my ear, "Still nothing Garrison," I informed him.

"Copy. No movement sighted from Ridger or Chalser," came his answer.

I readjusted myself in my seat, "How's it coming on your front?" I asked.

"Promising," Garrison replied. "My contact was able to convince those overseeing Ms. Parker and her projects that she herself was compromised and needed to be moved to a safer location." He sighed, "They even got so far as to convince them to make the move tonight. A vehicle should be dispatched within the hour after they finalize the details."

"Well alright," I said, surprised at the progress, "so we're done here, right?"

"Not yet soldier," Garrison responded. "As I said, a vehicle will be dispatched in less than an hour, which means it will be at least an hour before it arrives." He then added grimly, "We don't have that much daylight left."

I barely managed to stifle a groan.

"Just stand by until the escort arrives," Garrison ordered. "From there I'm sure they'll manage on their own."

I sighed before responding, "Yes sir," and signed off. I leaned back and rubbed my face with both hands.

Erica noticed, "So what's the plan?"

"We have to wait for another hour or so for the supervisor express to show up and take her to a nondisclosed location."

"Fantastic," I empathized with her enthusiasm, or lack thereof.

We sat there for thirty minutes while the city transitioned into its pseudo morning lights as the sky turned dark but the streets remained lit. I just stared out the windshield and listened to the thrum of emotions of people passing by. The emotions ranged. People on their way home felt hunger, exhaustion, and relief at the end of a long day. Others more refreshed and chipper prepared to start their shift. Finally there was the occasional excitement that comes from a group of college students looking to have a night out on the town.

Then I sensed something on the fringes that felt out of place. It was faint but approaching quickly. I shifted in my seat, closed my eyes, and focused. Sure enough, these minds felt different from the people now walking around us. It was like identifying an approaching wolf after spending hours with dogs. Except this wasn't a single wolf. It was a pack.

I opened my eyes and, having sensed Erica's curiosity grow, wasn't surprised to see her staring towards me through her goggles.

I picked up the earpiece, "Garrison?" I inquired lightly.

"Yeah?"

"Would it be possible for the government escort to be arriving?"

"Negative," Garrison answered, "They haven't left yet."

"Well then we have company." Erica's curiosity spiked and she turned to look down the roads.

"How many?" Came Garrison's immediate question.

"Uh right." I took another second and focused. While I couldn't single them out from this distance, I could sense concentrations in two different places of close proximity. "I'm not sure," I answered, "but I know they're approaching the rear entrance with two cars."

"And the front?"

I shook my head, not that he'd understand that, "By the time I sensed them they'd be at the building."

Erica put two fingers onto her own earpiece, "I see them," she warned. "They're down the street, two blocks from here."

Garrison swore before saying with frustration, "Get in there and extract Ms. Parker! Dammit, I didn't want it to come to this."

We were already taking off our jackets and pulling the suit's hoods over our mouths and faces, "What about David and Jess?" I asked.

"They'll stay where they are and cover you when you come out the front door."

We had put on our gloves and Erica shrugged on her backpack as we opened the doors.

"Won't there be more coming from the front door?" I asked hurriedly while we jogged across the darkened street. I turned back and saw two large black vans a block away stopping at a red light. As we approached the front door, I couldn't help but feel self-conscious while a small security camera pointed at my face. I mean there wasn't much of a chance they'd discover my identity. Unless I got caught that is.

Why did I have to think that?

"Decter," Garrison spoke into my ear through gritted anger, "Trust me. Trust your team. Now go."

A small number pad protruded from the door. Erica glanced at the electronic lock, then back at me. I got the message and held up my hands in a defensive gesture before taking a few steps back.

Erica stepped closer to the lock and drew a device from a pocket on her backpack. I turned around and let her do her job while I watched the two vans drive towards us. "Hurry up," I told her, working to keep myself calm. It's not easy when you're watching two vans full of bloodthirsty vampires approaching. In fact, let me tell you it's pretty darn difficult.

Erica didn't respond, intent on her work, the vans roughly forty-five feet away now with one behind the other, I sensed the foreign mind of the driver as he noticed our location, identified us as a threat, and decided it was never too early to kill prey.

The heck with that. I lifted my arm, took aim at the front driver and snarled, "Éle!"

A beam of concentrated energy as wide as my fist pierced the glass on contact and cracked the rest of the windshield. The spell struck the driver on the right shoulder just as I saw a gun appear in his hand. With a surge of surprise and pain, the van swerved towards us, then away before screeching to a halt as it drove onto the curb. The van behind squealed as its brake did its best to prevent the imminent collision. The driver surprisingly avoided a full collision (you could say their reach was supernatural) as she swerved around the stopped vehicle, but even so, they clipped the read corner, causing the once leading car to spin.

I heard a small beep and a click. Erica swung the door open and yelled, "C'mon!"

I could tell I hadn't injured the vampires, at least not terribly. I just pissed them off. I followed Erica inside and slammed the door behind us just in time for three gun shots to pound against it. It sounded quieter and distorted from what I was expecting. Silencers maybe?

We stood in a sterile white hallway, from the tiled floor to the walls holding a few abstract art pieces, to the lighting overhead, although the light over my head flickered ever so slightly. Directly next to us was a stairwell, with the hallway itself leading itself towards what I imagined was the main room with various breaks into different corridors along the way.

Erica already opened the door to the stairwell and ran through. I followed close behind as she called into her earpiece, "How much time do we have?" Erica grunted.

I didn't hear the response, but she ran out on the second floor, continuing down the hallway. I chased after her, "What are you doing?" I asked hurriedly, "We need to get to the top floor."

She ran to a button against the wall which lit up when she pressed it, "We are not running up fifty floors worth of stairs," she insisted, "Not if we want to be able to fend off vampires while we're at it."

I looked up at glowing yellow arrow. I opened my mouth to argue, but I admitted I doubted my own cardio. Instead I focused to identify the positions of people above and below us, and the vampires in relation to that.

"They're underneath us," I informed Erica as we waited for one of the four elevators to arrive.

"I'm sure they are."

"Also, someone is in the elevator," I added. I got a glimpse at their surface thoughts, "Just some tech person."

Sure enough, the ding of the elevator closest to us signaled the opening of the elevator. I t revealed a shorter man with glasses wearing a nice suit, probably government issued. His eyes widened in shock and fear at the sight of two masked figures.

Erica nodded at him, "Evening," and we stepped into the elevator.

The man held up his hands and squeaked, "Oh god, please don't kill me!"

I showed him my empty hands, "With what? Just get out of here and find a good place to hide. It's not safe here." Meanwhile Erica pressed the topmost button on the control panel marked '50'.

His mind flashed to the door of the rear entrance as he scurried past us, "I wouldn't go that way," I called after him as the doors closed. His fear increased as he debated whether I was being serious.

Erica muttered into her earpiece beside me, "We made it to the elevator."

I shook my head and looked up to see the lens of a camera above the lights of the elevator panel. I considered hexing it but decided potentially frying the control panel with it was a bit too large of a risk. It was a miracle in itself I didn't fry the electronic lock when I fired my spell outside. My hand tapped nervously against my leg, and I sighed, turning around to look out the glass panels of the elevator as we rose further above the streets.

Whoever decided to have a secret government base here knew how to get a fantastic view. I watched streams of red and yellow in the roads, intermixed with green around the intersections. The buildings added their own array of colors with taller buildings such as this providing pillars of golden light while shorter buildings mixed in their own splashes of color.

An alarm sounded within the elevator. I turned back around to see a red flashing light, "About time," Erica muttered. I sensed the building turn from a busy but mundane hive of activity snap alert. Being so high up gave me a rather strange sense of people both above and below me. If I strained, I could just make out the fringes of the vampires entering below.

I checked the floors we passed. Little over a second passed between each floor, and we now passed the twenty-fifth floor. The number continued to climb, and I noticed several human minds moved towards us. I closed my eyes again, and it didn't take much to discern they were intent on stopping whatever was in the elevator. I didn't know if the elevator camera had audio, so I leaned over and whispered in Erica's ear, "They're waiting for us."

Fear briefly flashed through Erica, quickly replaced with bubbling excitement, "On the fiftieth floor?" she asked evenly

The number already changed to twenty-eight. "No," I answered, "I think they plan to stop the elevator before then." Thirty. "they're on all the floors in case we get out before then." Thirty-two.

Erica swore, pulling her hand from the panel of buttons. Thirty-four. "What do we do?"

I stood there thinking, the floor number climbed with my heartrate. We passed floor forty, and I decided to act on the first thing that came to mind.

I stepped forward towards the lens of the camera, focused my magical energy, and made like a strong magnet in the electronics section of Wal Mart. The process took several seconds as I was pretty sure it'd take more energy to stop an elevator than fry a lantern.

I directed the channeled magic into the control panel, producing a sizzling sound as sparks flew towards us. The lights above shut off, and the elevator shook as it was caught by mechanical brakes. The eye of the camera exploded and showered us with small pieces of glass.

We stood for a silent second. "Huh," I said surprised it actually worked. I mean…of course it worked. I didn't celebrate long though, instead pointing towards the panel above us, "C'mon Erica, climb through the top. I'll give you a boost."

I heard her chuckle, "Interesting strategy Decter, although I'm going to kill you myself if I find you fried my equipment."

"Yeah, yeah, magic sucks. Shame on me. Now get up there." I squatted and put my hands together which Erica used to step onto my shoulder.

I heard a squeak of metal and the pressure of Erica's weight lifted off my shoulder. I turned my gaze towards the now lifted panel and Erica as she pulled the lower half of her body through the top of the elevator. Her head popped back into view, and she extended her arm, "Alright, jump up here," she instructed.

I took a step back, then forward as I leapt up, grabbing her arm with my right hand and the edges with my left to help lift myself up.

Now we were both on top of the metal box. Long cables that looked like woven metallic rope anchored the elevator to something at the top of the dark, vertical corridor. Nearby were other sections of twisted metal, probably for the other elevators. I grabbed one of the cables for support and gave a silent thanks to Bernice that these goggles could see in the dim light.

"So, what's your plan now?" Erica asked.

I closed the panel, "Now we climb."

I noticed Erica's mind flash to the weight of her equipment, but any worry was quickly covered up with determination. "After you," she motioned.

I nodded and grabbed hold of the cable with both hands before pulling myself up, wrapping my legs around the cable as I went and doing my best impression of a caterpillar climbing the trunk of a tree.

The elevator stopped just before the forty-forth floor. That meant we had close to fifty feet of climbing before we made it to the top floor.

So this is what my middle school gym teacher was preparing me for.

I kept a steady pace while Erica followed underneath me. My initial adrenaline rush receded, and by the time we reached the top I struggled to keep my breathing under control. "You able to open the door?" she whispered.

"Let's see," I grunted. I looked at the closed doors to the floor. There wasn't a handhold to help push them open. We'd need to change that.

I climbed until my eyes were level with the center of the door. I extended my right hand and gathered energy, trying to ignore the human and vampiric enemies alike I sensed below us. It'd take more power than I was used to in order to pierce the metal. I felt the dark energy pool into the gem of my glove. My arm started shaking before I released the spell as I roared, "Éle!"

The spell erupted, blowing a hole in the doors roughly six inches wide. The sounds of metal breaking and my shouting echoed noisily down the elevator shaft. I swung my arm back around the cable as a few spots danced in my vision.

"Well they know where we are now," Erica noted, "Move it Caleb! There isn't much time." We heard some gunfire below us along with some screams of pain.

I recovered enough to sense the presences of several vampires engaging the building's security below, "Right," I muttered. I leaned out, swiping at the edges of the jagged hold I created. After securing a handhold I proceeded to move one foot over and brace against the side, then the other, and finally (and most nerve-racking of all) I let go of the cable completely and pulled myself into the partially destroyed door. "Ok, ok," I gasped, my heart pounding in my ears. I carefully shifted my grip.

"Any day now Decter," Erica whispered.

Rather than dignify that with a response, I settled for the high road, a few more deep breaths to show just how mature I was. Then I used both my legs and arms to slide one of the doors open. I made sure to have a good hold before swinging one leg through and then the other.

I came out on a floor similar to the one I left forty-eight stories below. White walls with a few pieces of abstract art on the interior, glass panels on the exterior, and tile flooring. The colors of the pictures slightly marred by the blinking red light from the overhead alarm. I turned around and put my weight into opening the other door, "Who's taking forever now?" I called down to Erica.

Erica grunted in response as she shimmied up the cable and leapt through the doors, "No security here," she noted, scanning the hallway. "Can you tell where the supervisor is?"

I focused to find the minds on this floor in an effort to locate Ms. Parker. Fortunately there were only two. They were both together and not far from us. Both felt pressed for time. A glimpse of one showed me a computer screen while another showed me a wooden door with a rifle sight in the periphery.

I opened my eyes, "This way," I told Erica. We ran down the hallway, and I sensed the presences of the minds below us vanish. Like snuffed out candle in darkness. A chill coursed through me. I made sure to dull my senses to limit the pain I registered from each man or woman as they met their end.

We made it to a beige wooden door of a large office located at a T-intersection, a long, fogged glass panel created a wall running the lengths of a separate hallway. I held up a hand to stop Erica before we burst through the door. I crouched beside it and signaled her to do the same.

"What is it?" She asked in a rushed whisper.

I reached out an arm and knocked on the door, "Ms. Parker-"

Bullets interrupted me, flying through the door. I used my hand to cover my face on reflex from the splinters that flew out. "Hey cut it out!" I yelled through the gunfire, "We're trying to get you out of here!"

There was a ceasefire, "Who sent you?" asked a gruff voice.

I panicked at the sudden question and glanced back at Erica while trying to think of something before saying, "Classified." I winced, and Erica slapped a palm to her face. I attempted to get into a Garrison-esque character, "But we were tasked with extracting Ms. Parker due to her involvement in the Icarus project. Compromising information was obtained by a hidden terrorist cell, and she is in danger," after a pause I added, "If you haven't noticed."

There was a silence as they deliberated, neither was completely convinced, "You have a ride out of here?" A woman's voice asked laced with an undertone of authority.

"Yes, but it won't be there for long ma'am," I answered. Black ops people said 'ma'am' right?

My heart pounded in my ears waiting for their response, and I kept track of the vampires below us who would be joining us frighteningly soon.

"Alright then," the woman answered.

I sensed the man with the rifle didn't agree.

"I'm just about finished here," she called.

I looked at Erica who shrugged in response. I stood up and grabbed the handle to open what was left of the door. Inside a spacious office greeted us. A small bookshelf stood in one corner and a large potted plant stood in the other. One wall held a painting while another contained a doorway into an adjacent room. In the middle Ms. Parker sat at a large desk, wearing a business suit. Her face cast in a bluish glow by the light of the computer she worked on. In front of the desk an overturn chair stabilized the stock of a rifle held by the burly man crouching behind it. "It appears we are being overrun," Ms. Parker spoke calmly. "I've sent away some of the research we've done here at this facility and am now in the process of wiping the system. Whoever these men work for, they won't be getting much…and…there!" she said triumphantly, standing up. "However," she hesitated, "if these intruders are after intel for the Icarus project, we'll need to get to the R and D department on the twelfth floor."

"We need to get out of here," Erica interjected, "not spend time on a treasure hunt."

Ms. Parker narrowed her eyes at Erica before addressing me, "Inside is a small device the size and shape of a flash drive. It contains the software used by the drones created for the Icarus project." She then made as close to eye contact as she could through my goggles. "If the Icarus project is as compromised as I've been led to believe, this would be the last piece they need."

As I considered what to do, the presence of the hostile minds caused me to close the door behind us, "Get down!" I hissed just before we heard another door slam open. Everyone crouched down.

"Is there any way down besides the elevators or the main stairwells?" I asked Ms. Parker in a hushed voice.

Ms. Parker shared a look with her bodyguard, "Unfortunately not," she answered.

"Rats," I muttered. I looked around.

"How about the ventilation system?" Erica suggested

She thought for a second before nodding, "That could work. There is a large vent in the next room."

The vampires walked towards the office.

"Good," I regarded Erica, "Use them to make it to the first floor and find a place to hide," I instructed.

"What about you?" she whispered.

"Sounds like I have a stop to make on the twelfth floor," I replied. I then remembered who I was supposed to be imitating. "Will I need anything to acquire the software?" I asked Ms. Parker.

She had already reached for a post it and pen before scribbling something down on it. She then took a plastic card pinned to her suit and wrapped the post it over it before sliding both across the floor to me, "Password and card for a safe labeled seven-four-one-two located inside the development room gee-seven," she explained, "It will be inside there. Will you not be joining us inside the ducts?"

"Someone needs to draw them away from here," I answered grimly. I gestured towards the adjacent room, "Now move. I'll only be able to buy you a short amount of time."

The bodyguard looked over me as if reevaluating his previous observation, his head made a nod of both confirmation and respect, "This way," he growled, making his way to the next room, "Stay low."

Ms. Parker followed, but Erica stayed next to me, "You think I'm just going to leave you here?" she breathed into my ear.

"Yes," I responded annoyed. Before she could retort I explained, "One of us needs to stick with them while the other buys time and gets the drive." She still didn't look convinced, "You need to lead them towards David and Jessica while coordinating with Garrison." The vampires were closing in, "Now go! We're losing time."

Erica wasn't happy with my explanation but moved quickly out of the room in a crouched walk, keeping silent and close to the floor.

I leaned against the wall. Despite all my talk, I was terrified. My mouth ran dry, and I felt my body tremble ever so slightly. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, remembering a lesson Nikolai taught me what felt like a long time ago.

The humidity coupled with intense beams of sunlight caused droplets of sweat to run down my face. I kept my eyes closed as instructed and took long, deep breaths. I heard a collective hum in the air produced by the compilation of many insects within the large humidity room.

A set of tiny feet landed on my nose and began crawling over my eyelid. Its wings fluttered and tickled as it moved. "Gah," I spoke annoyed and brushed a butterfly off with one hand.

Nikolai sat cross-legged on a yoga mat across from me. His arms laid relaxed over his knees, his back straight, and his eyes calmly observing. He wore brown, loose-fitting pants and an old grey Fighters of Benaiah T-shirt. "Eight minutes," he commented, "Not bad for the first time."

"Why are we doing this?" I complained. "You said you would teach me how to defend myself, not sit here and let bugs crawl over me."

Nikolai nodded, his voice sober, "For the third time, this is your first lesson in discipline, the most important trait of any fighter."

"I don't know," I mused, "being able to break boards in half seems like a trademark."

Nikolai shook his head, "If that's what you're looking for, I suggest you lift weights."

"Ouch."

Nikolai continued as if he didn't hear me, "It matters very little if you're the fastest and strongest if you freeze at the start of a conflict."

I scoffed.

"You don't believe it now, but believe me when I say I've seen many a fight in which the physically superior opponent lost due to a prolonged hesitation."

"How is that possible?" I asked.

Nikolai shrugged, "It's not difficult to envision battles and how it is best to react, but the moment battle begins, planning typically is replaced with emotions or confusion." He then nodded towards me, "This drill is the steppingstone to becoming a gifted fighter. By allowing yourself to push past distractions and annoyances at hand, you will be free to focus and fully apply yourself towards your goal."

I opened my mouth then closed it with a sigh.

"Speak your mind Caleb," Nikolai commanded.

"Well, it sounds like you want me to become some sort of robot," I commented.

"Oh?" Nikolai asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah," I confirmed, "Isn't that the point? Remove emotions from the equation?"

Nikolai shook his head, "If it were possible to devoid oneself of all emotion, I would never trust that individual, much less wish to become like them. Giving up our ability to feel would be giving up what makes us human." He looked into my eyes, "No Caleb, the goal is not to remove emotions from yourself, but rather be able to function in spite of them." He waved a hand, "Now get back to it. I'm an aging man who has all the time in the world."

"Ugg." I sighed, readjusting myself into the meditative posture he taught me.

"Now close your eyes," Nikolai instructed, "and take deep, calming breaths."

"Right," I muttered sarcastically.

"Such insolence from a student," Nikolai scoffed.

"Oh please," I said with my eyes closed, "you just enjoy watching bugs crawl all over me."

"Well of course. Why do you think this is one of my favorite drills?"

I opened one eye to look at the man. His lips curled at the edges into a small smile. Then he broke, filling the air with his laughter.

It wasn't long before I joined him.

I opened my eyes, finishing my prolonged exhale. My heart still beat above normal, but it was controlled. I placed the fear that caused me to tremble aside. Still present of course, but I refused to let it keep me from what I needed to do next.

The vampires closed in from two different sides, five from each. They most likely came from two different stairwells, but I sensed relatively fewer vampires in the direction of the elevators. Huh. Maybe the security stopped all the elevators not just the one Erica and I took.

I opened and closed my right hand making the final mental commitments before unleashing psychic strikes at the approaching vampires. They screeched in surprise and pain, which I responded to by throwing open the door to see the hallway in front of me and to the left filled with vampires. I didn't hesitate to raise my hand towards the perpendicular hallway and piling energy into my spell as I screamed, "Lepsilë!"

The ethereal tendril shot towards the first vampire, but instead of knocking it over, as I intended, it struck and went through the vampire's shoulder, and the one behind it, and the one behind that one, all in almost the blink of an eye. I decided to have my 'Oh Shit!' moment some other time and swung my arm, flinging the three vampires on top of the two next to them.

The spell dissipated as I turned to the second group who already recovered from the initial psychic assault and roared, "Éle!" A beam about three inches wide left my palm and pierced the thigh of the vampire and the one behind it, while the other three leapt to the side to avoid being knocked over. I sprinted down the remaining hallway channeling my inner Zoidberg. Whoop-whoop-whoop-whoop-whoop!

I made it three steps before the sound of muffled gunfire rang behind me.

Bullets flew around me, caught by whatever the government used in place of glass for this building. I felt three painful bites in my back, the force causing me to stumble, but Bernice's suit held, and I made a turn towards the elevators. The enraged minds of the vampires moved to intercept.

I gritted my teeth as I ran, taking more psychic shots at the vampires and causing their resolve to waver. As I approached the elevators, I sensed one vampire coming around the opposite corner. I leveled my hand as best I could while running and gathered a bit of energy before shouting, "Éle!"

The vampire rounded the corner and turned to have the spell strike it directly in the stomach, bashing it through the glass panel behind it. I had no idea where it went or how far it fell. I didn't care. I ran up to the elevator I entered on, thought better of it, and continued one farther. My vision already starting to fade, I conjured most of the energy I had left into another spell, "Éle!"

Spots danced and I blindly groped for the hole I made and put my weight into opening the doors just enough for me to slip through. I heard the howls of vampires behind me, but the exhaustion of casting spells continued to set in. I squeezed desperately into the opening, and at this point I just fell towards the steel cables.

It wasn't until this point I thought to look down. I assumed all elevators were ordered to stop at the forty-fifth floor… for whatever reason. What I saw was a long tunnel underneath me with the top of the elevator looking much smaller than what was comfortable.

Yeah, yeah. I know what happens when you assume. "Oh Shit!" I yelped, unable to turn back now.

I gripped the cable with both hands before entering a near free fall. I slid rapidly down, floors flashing by me. I wrapped my legs around the cable and slowed down dramatically. My descent slowed until I stopped just above the top of the elevator. I let go, letting my bum hit the roof and laid there for a few seconds. I smelled something burning and took a second to identify it.

Some sort of fabric. Definitely some sort of fabric. I think I removed a layer from my suit.

Not wanting to wait for the vampires, I rolled onto my knees and lifted the panel before dropping into the elevator. I crouched as I landed to absorb some of the impact and stood up to see the red number thirteen displayed. "Huh," I mused, "How about that?" I reached out my senses to determine no vampires waited for me before pressing the button labeled thirteen. With a faint ding the doors opened. Before exiting I ran my hand over the panel, selecting close to all the floors of the building.

Which was just as well, as I took a few steps forward and heard the crunch of metal and the screeching of vampires as they landed on top of the elevator. I couldn't stay here, but I still fought to recover from the drain of magic. Not to mention the bruises I felt forming on my back. I moved at a measured jog, keeping my senses alert. Something was different, and it only took me a second to identify the alarm had ceased. I registered the presence of a few vampires on the floor searching for stragglers. I turned into what looked to be a large office area with movable walls set up to create cubicles.

Garrison's voice spoke in my ear, "What's your plan here Decter?"

I found myself a spot inside one of the cubicles and put a hand to my ear, "Erica is with Ms. Parker now, but there's a flash drive on the twelfth floor that contains the software to activate the Icarus project. I'm on my way there now."

"Very well. Be advised local authorities are inbound and closing in on the scene," Garrison warned.

"Alright thanks," I hesitated, "Hey Garrison, sorry for not asking your input on-"

Garrison cut me off, "I already told you Decter, I don't need apologies. You made a call on short notice, but I need you, Numera, and Ms. Parker out of the building as soon as possible so continue forward and obtain that flash drive."

"Yes sir." I took my hand off my ear and felt the presence of two vampires entering the room.

They split up and began combing through the room. I heard the crackling of a handheld radio and the sound of Richard Stone's voice, "The masked spellcaster was last seen heading down the elevator shaft." I froze and concentrated. "We have since reached the elevator on the thirteenth floor, so their likely close to that area. They were also seen in the target's office, so they may know where the Overseer went." Richard hesitated before continuing, "Try to hold off on killing them, but radio in if spotted." His voice took on a lighter tone, "They just needs to be alive, so feel free to take a bite or two if you wish. Who knows, they may be a little more cooperative."

The thought of being fed on by a vampire sent a chill down my spine. I had to get out of there, but if these goons saw me, they'd radio me in, and with them on opposite sides of the room, I didn't think I could hex both radios before one sounded the alarm. Not to mention the headache I felt from the magic already used, so no frontal assault. I extended my senses, allowing myself to catch glimpses of their respective sights. One more or less kept their distance from me by the looks of their path. The other snaked their way towards me through each row. I had time, but not much.

I exhaled a silent breath before leaving my hiding spot. I moved in a crouched position, moving slow to keep as silent as possible. Heel-toe, heel-toe. I turned right and rounded a corner just as the vampire entered the row I left. I kept close to the opposite side to prevent being spotted over the cubicle walls. I reached the end of an aisle and peeked around. I saw open glass doors roughly fifteen feet away. I wasn't sure if I could make it that far without being heard or spotted. Not to mention I needed to make it even farther before I reached some sort of cover.

I closed my eyes, seeing through the gazes of the vampires and sensing the urgency with which they searched. I didn't have much time. I focused on their emotions, pushing my own uncertainty into the vampire closest to me. I sensed him stop to double check the cubicle he passed.

Now or never. I opened my eyes and moved towards the door, keeping myself from sprinting through sheer control. I focused on the second mind as I moved, pressing more uncertainty in the hopes of having a similar effect. It did, but now they thought of retracing each cubicle they passed. I swore to myself as they started to loop back around.

A few heart pounding seconds later and I made it through the doors just before a vampire rounded the corner. I kept the same pace and bit my tongue against the pain pounding in my shoulder with each step. Three more steps to the hallway. Two. One.

I stepped behind the cover of the wall and caught a glimpse of the vampire's sight on the empty space I left behind. I leaned my back against the wall, barely able to keep my breath steady. That was stupidly close.

The vampires began to search farther down the room when I stood up to get myself the heck out of there. Of course with my first step my foot scuffed the floor, making a slight squeak. I winced and sensed the attention of the vampires focus in my direction.

I couldn't run screaming, but I lengthened my strides and took a right at an intersection towards the stairs. The vampires moved quickly. They entered the hallway by the time I saw the exit. I exchanged my walk for a jog. Grabbing the handle of the door, I swung it open and placed my other hand on the inside handle before stepping across and closing the door quietly behind me.

And not a moment too soon. The vampires continued forward on their path and away from me. I sensed the minds of other vampires patrolling the stairwell a couple floors above. I began climbing down, still trying to minimize the sound on the concrete steps. I arrived at a door with a white twelve painted on a nearby wall without much trouble. I entered into a T-section of a hallway. I realized I had no idea where to go from here. I put my hand to my ear, "Garrison, you there?"

"Yeah," came his voice.

"I need help locating a room on the twelfth floor," I explained, "Development room gee-seven."

A few seconds of silence, "Down the hallway on your left," Garrison responded.

I started moving.

Your route will wrap around the west side of the building. The room will then be roughly twenty feet down the hallway on your right."

"Thanks Garrison." I followed his instructions, glancing out the window at the city life. I noticed the calm glow of life below. Something didn't seem right, "Hey Garrison, where are the police?"

"Called off," Garrison answered, "It was radioed in to be a few drunk teenagers with cap guns. Reportedly the situation is under control."

That was frightening in and of itself, "And the government transport?"

"Still inbound," Garrison sighed frustrated. "By the time they arrive I plan for you all to be clear."

I found the correct door and used Ms. Parker's keycard. The keypad flashed green before opening and revealing a maze of metal shelves labeled with a range of numbers. The heavy metal door closed behind me, and labeled electronic safes filled the shelves, "Seven, four, one, two," I mumbled to myself, walking down the rows. I walked down one such row and began searching for the correct safe. At least the room was organized.

I remained alert for any vampires approaching. Eventually I sensed only a single mind close by, but it approached quickly with this room at the forefront of its thoughts. I paused to focus on the mind a little more, it felt different from the dark minds of the vampires. In fact, it was human, and it only took a second to identify it.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I opened up communications, "Garrison, we have a problem," I told him as I scrambled to search for the correct safe.

"What?"

"A Warden is here," I responded grimly. After locating the safe I typed in the code DAEDALUS. The small box opened and revealed a small object the size and shape as a flash drive just as Ms. Parker described.

There was a fizzling, popping sound outside the door. "Are you certain?" Garrison asked.

"Yeah," I muttered as I picked up the flash drive, "Positive."

"Then do not engage," Garrison advised. "They may be able to identify you by the aura of any spells you cast. You'd be compromised."

Great. I put the drive into a pocket and crouched behind one of the shelves just before the door exploded inwards. I already knew who it was, but even so my mouth went dry as I watched through the thin spaces between the shelves. Paulina walked purposefully over the fallen door with her wand drawn and light hazel runes glowing.

Vampires, and now a Warden. Yeah, this just about fits right into the day I've been having.