"You're shitting me!?" Rayne's voice echoed through the installation. "What do you mean the bloodsucking bastards rule the world?"
Half an hour had passed since Ororo, Kat and the other resistance memebers had found themselves in the presence of the...energetic Rayne. Though they had asked many questions, understandably Rayne was concerned in her own predicament. She had since been informed of the global situation and the state of play regarding humanity. Whoever the Brimstone Society had been they had long-since abandoned her to the cold of chryo-sleep. Rayne spun and kicked one of the derelict consoles close to her in frustration as Kat stepped forward.
"we could use your helP,"
Rayne let out a long breath. "Just tell me what happened."
Kat turned back to Ororo who took a step forward and cleared her throat. "It's difficult to explain. We don't know all the details but we do no that an Ancient - more powerful than anything we've ever known - ascended to this plane of existence. Its rising caused a dramatic mass turning of millions, the plague was upon us before we knew what was happening. America fell in less than 24hrs. The vampires who already existed in the world heeded the call and the world knew nothing of what had happened."
"So how come it wasn't contained?"
"Like I said, no one knew what had happened. America just went quiet and then slowly but surely the vampires began to move. They have powerful and dark magicks at their disposal that could transport them global distances. Millions of vampires appeared directly in city centres and government installations - swiftly taking control. By dawn the survivors stepped out into a world of blood. Remaining world leaders were evacuated to form the Resistance as it is known and the world's heroes rose up to try and combat the situation."
"Obviously they didn't do a good job." Rayne said dismissivly.
Kat's face flushed with anger. "We lost friends and loved ones!"
"And they're gone. If you ask me they had the easy way out."
Kat launched herself forward, bringing her fist through the air to connect with Rayne's jaw. Rayne went to catch the fist but Kat phased her arm through the attempt and reformed to knock Rayne backwards. Growling, Rayne charged forward to retaliate but Ororo moved in front of her and blocked her path.
"Enough! Fighting amongst ourselves solves nothing!"
Kat turned back to the others as Rayne stared Ororo in the eyes. "So what's the plan?"
"We're looking for someone. We thought he was here but our information was vague and it turned out to be you."
"So who is this guy? An ex?"
"Sort of," Ororo paused. "We're looking for Dracula."
Rayne's eyes widened as she laughed. "Dracula? Seriously - are you nuts? He's a myth!"
"Trust me," Ororo's eyes were dark and brooding. "He is no myth."
"You ARE serious aren't you?"
"Deadly."
Another hour later, Kat lead the way out of the installation and back to the world above. Rayne peered around in the darkness and sniffed the air. Dawn threatened the sky with shades of red, making the sky look as though it were bleeding. Ororo placed a hand softly on Kat's shoulder who was still tense from Rayne's harsh words. The others were busy checking the packs and scouting the area for threats when Rayne stepped up to Ororo and tapped her on the shoulder.
"So, where do ya go to get someone to eat around here?"
Ororo's eyes narrowed. "I beg your pardon?"
"I've been an icecube for the best part of half a century. I need something to warm me up."
Kat and the others turned their attentions to Rayne in bewilderment but the look on her face told them that their new companion was deadly serious. Ororo looked at her with surprise.
"You need to feed? I thought you were only half-vampire?"
"You don't have much of a choice," Rayne glanced over Ororo's shoulder at Luke, Jon and Sara. "You want my help then I don't do it on an empty stomach."
"Don't even think about it." Came Kat's voice before she signalled for the others to move off.
Ororo followed after them, leaving Rayne to stand alone for a moment before she casually walked after them. Her mind was still clouded from five decades of sleep and part of her felt as though she was in some sort of nightmare and she longed to be risking life and limb deep in the heart of enemy territory, butchering Nazis. Back then she never had to worry about where the next meal was coming from...in this world she felt out of place; suspended in time. She sidled up beside Ororo once again and rekindled their conversation.
"So what do you do for food?"
Ororo kept her eyes ahead. "I survive."
"You're a real mystery aren't you?" said Rayne with a smile. "So where we heading now?"
"Back to base, we need to rethink our plans. We don't know where Dracula is and so we have to adhere to the Resistences' strategy."
Rayne gave a sideways glance. "Which is?"
"A nuclear strike."
"Don't they know that won't do shit?"
Ororo sighed. "I imagine they do. But they're desperate."
Before Rayne could say another word, both she and Ororo's attentions were diverted to an unseen presence as their keen hearing picked up several persons tracking them through the trees. Rayne swivelled on her heels and brought her wrist blades round as Ororo unsheathed her sword.
"Look alive people," shouted Rayne to Kat and the others. "We've got company."
As Kat paused to turn round a vampire leapt out of the trees at her, claws streaking throuh the air. Kat leapt into the air to meet it and cracked her boot across it's jaw as other vamps lunged out of the darkness. Luke and Sara drew stakes as they were surrounded and Jon was tackled to the ground by another vamp. Ororo sliced her blade through the air gutting a female vampire as Rayne spun through the air, slicing off an arm and stabbing her silver stilleto heel blade into another vampire's chest.
"What are they doing!?" shouted Kat, phasing through a lunge. "It's nearly dawn!"
"Beats me!" replied Rayne, slicing a head clean off. "I just £@(!ing work here!"
The smell of blood filled the air as Luke cried out in pain, a huge gaping slash wound on his left side. He fell to one knee as Sara shielded him behind her and rammed a stake deep into the chest cavity of the culprit. With an inhuman cry and a implosion of fire and ash the vampire was no more as another landed to take its place. This one was dragged backwards as Kat threw her arm around its throat before slamming a stake into its heart, surrounding herself in a swirl of dust.
Menawhile Ororo kneed a vamp in the groin and twisted its head 360 degrees before wrencthing it clean off. Rayne sliced a vamp across the chest and then leapt over it, pincering it between her legs whilst she bit into its throat. The vampire screamed as Rayne drained it of its own blood. When Rayne had finished, she flipped off and booted the vamp forward where it stumbled into the path of Ororo who arched her blade and sliced clean through its waist, dropping two seperate writhing segements.
The remaining vampires were surrounding Kat and the others as they tried in vein to hold them back. Rayne leapt forward as Ororo took to the air and they hacked into the vampires who turned wild-eyed and bellowing with rage. The last fell quickly, dropping in piles of ash and flaking bone as they were decapitated.
As the dust settled Kat immediately turned to Luke who was lying on the ground and going into shock from his extensive injuries. Sara tried to staunch the blood flow by applying pressure tot he wound but as Kat knelt beside her and placed a soft hand on hers they both knew there was no hope. Luke's breathing was erratic and shallow as his face was pale and speckled with sweat. His wild eyes flickered as his blood spilled out to stain the grass. As the first rays of the early morning sun began to filter through the trees, Luke died.
Sara wept silently to herself as Kat consoled her. Rayne and Jon stood indifferent in the background whilst Ororo turned her attentions to the gurgling of the top half of the vampire she had severed. She stalked over to it as it tried to crawl its way into the trees. Placing her boot on its back she pushed its head into the ground, hearing bones crack.
"Speak!"
The vampire growled as blood oozed from it mouth. Ororo kicked it over onto its back and glared down at it. The vampire's eyes were opaque orbs as the strange sound of blood-soaked laughter filled the air.
"yyeeeeerr...ttooo la-la-lattteeeee..."
The vampire lay still as the last of its strength failed it and dappled sunshine filtered down through the branches. Its skin charred and blackened before the corpse ignited and combusted into a cloud of cinders. The tone of its voice unnerved Ororo as she turned back to the others.
"Let's move!"
Taking to the air, the others were forced to follow on foot as the world around them was illuminated by the rays of the morning sun. From her vantage point in the sky, Ororo scanned the distant horizon not wanting to believe the thoughts that raced through her head. Crossing the city limits, Kat called out to her but she ignored it a pressed onward but ultimately she paused in mid-air as her eyes caught the sight of black smoke on the horizon and her nose detected the scent of fresh battle and death. Dropping to the ground she turned to Kat, her eyes heavy.
Without saying a word, Kat seemed to know the unspeakable and charged forward tearing down the streets with the others close behind, until they turned the corner to a scene of utter carnage. All around lay the scattered and eviscerated bodies of members of the Resistance. Though an eerie silence - save for the sound of flames crackling - shrouded the death scene, Ororo could seemingly hear the screams and cries of the fallen as she steadied herself against a wall.
Kat took a numb step forward and collapsed to her knees as she gazed at the devestation in shock. Sara turned her teary eyes away from the bodies and cried into Jon's shoulder who stared blankly at the scene. Only Rayne seemed immune as she stepped forward to a pool of thick black blood and dipped her fingers into it. She sniffed the substance before she tasted it, turning to the others to speak.
"Vampires."
"No shit!" Kat choked back an angry sob.
Rayne ignored her angst. "Looks like this was planned. I wouldn't be surprised if our abush wasn't part of the plan."
"So what do we do now?" asked Sara, trying hard to hold back her tears.
Kat stood to her feet defiantly and turned to Ororo. "We go ahead with the plan."
Sara glanced over at Ororo who was still staring blankly at the bodies before turning back to Kat. "But what about our orders?"
"Orders!?" Kat took a long stride toward Sara and gestured to the corpses littering the street. "This is what orders get you! As of this moment we're not following orders. Anyone here who doesn't feel comfortable with that can leave."
"So you've got balls after all, hmmm Kitty-Kat?" chimmed Rayne.
Kat spun furiously at Rayne and brought her face close to hers, staring into her fierce eyes. "I'm warning you! Keep your wisecracks to yourself unless you've got something intelligent to contribute."
Rayne smiled. "I admire you. In my day, the women weren't as strong-willed as they seem to be today."
Rayne patted Kat on the shoulder and strode past her. Kat turned to find Ororo standing close by, seemingly capable of functioning after the initial shock. She went up to her and touched her arm, diverting her attention from the bodies to Kat's eyes.
"Are you alright?"
Ororo nodded placing a hand on Kat's arm. "Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you."
"What do you want to do?"
"We still need to find Dracula."
Kat sighed in doubt. "Do you think he'll help us - even if we find him?"
"We know he isn't the cause of all this evil in the world. I know him; it isn't his style. Wherever he is...I think he'd want to put things right."
"Any idea on where we should start looking?"
Ororo cast a glance over to where Rayne was standing. "I think I do."
To Be Continued...
Half an hour had passed since Ororo, Kat and the other resistance memebers had found themselves in the presence of the...energetic Rayne. Though they had asked many questions, understandably Rayne was concerned in her own predicament. She had since been informed of the global situation and the state of play regarding humanity. Whoever the Brimstone Society had been they had long-since abandoned her to the cold of chryo-sleep. Rayne spun and kicked one of the derelict consoles close to her in frustration as Kat stepped forward.
"we could use your helP,"
Rayne let out a long breath. "Just tell me what happened."
Kat turned back to Ororo who took a step forward and cleared her throat. "It's difficult to explain. We don't know all the details but we do no that an Ancient - more powerful than anything we've ever known - ascended to this plane of existence. Its rising caused a dramatic mass turning of millions, the plague was upon us before we knew what was happening. America fell in less than 24hrs. The vampires who already existed in the world heeded the call and the world knew nothing of what had happened."
"So how come it wasn't contained?"
"Like I said, no one knew what had happened. America just went quiet and then slowly but surely the vampires began to move. They have powerful and dark magicks at their disposal that could transport them global distances. Millions of vampires appeared directly in city centres and government installations - swiftly taking control. By dawn the survivors stepped out into a world of blood. Remaining world leaders were evacuated to form the Resistance as it is known and the world's heroes rose up to try and combat the situation."
"Obviously they didn't do a good job." Rayne said dismissivly.
Kat's face flushed with anger. "We lost friends and loved ones!"
"And they're gone. If you ask me they had the easy way out."
Kat launched herself forward, bringing her fist through the air to connect with Rayne's jaw. Rayne went to catch the fist but Kat phased her arm through the attempt and reformed to knock Rayne backwards. Growling, Rayne charged forward to retaliate but Ororo moved in front of her and blocked her path.
"Enough! Fighting amongst ourselves solves nothing!"
Kat turned back to the others as Rayne stared Ororo in the eyes. "So what's the plan?"
"We're looking for someone. We thought he was here but our information was vague and it turned out to be you."
"So who is this guy? An ex?"
"Sort of," Ororo paused. "We're looking for Dracula."
Rayne's eyes widened as she laughed. "Dracula? Seriously - are you nuts? He's a myth!"
"Trust me," Ororo's eyes were dark and brooding. "He is no myth."
"You ARE serious aren't you?"
"Deadly."
Another hour later, Kat lead the way out of the installation and back to the world above. Rayne peered around in the darkness and sniffed the air. Dawn threatened the sky with shades of red, making the sky look as though it were bleeding. Ororo placed a hand softly on Kat's shoulder who was still tense from Rayne's harsh words. The others were busy checking the packs and scouting the area for threats when Rayne stepped up to Ororo and tapped her on the shoulder.
"So, where do ya go to get someone to eat around here?"
Ororo's eyes narrowed. "I beg your pardon?"
"I've been an icecube for the best part of half a century. I need something to warm me up."
Kat and the others turned their attentions to Rayne in bewilderment but the look on her face told them that their new companion was deadly serious. Ororo looked at her with surprise.
"You need to feed? I thought you were only half-vampire?"
"You don't have much of a choice," Rayne glanced over Ororo's shoulder at Luke, Jon and Sara. "You want my help then I don't do it on an empty stomach."
"Don't even think about it." Came Kat's voice before she signalled for the others to move off.
Ororo followed after them, leaving Rayne to stand alone for a moment before she casually walked after them. Her mind was still clouded from five decades of sleep and part of her felt as though she was in some sort of nightmare and she longed to be risking life and limb deep in the heart of enemy territory, butchering Nazis. Back then she never had to worry about where the next meal was coming from...in this world she felt out of place; suspended in time. She sidled up beside Ororo once again and rekindled their conversation.
"So what do you do for food?"
Ororo kept her eyes ahead. "I survive."
"You're a real mystery aren't you?" said Rayne with a smile. "So where we heading now?"
"Back to base, we need to rethink our plans. We don't know where Dracula is and so we have to adhere to the Resistences' strategy."
Rayne gave a sideways glance. "Which is?"
"A nuclear strike."
"Don't they know that won't do shit?"
Ororo sighed. "I imagine they do. But they're desperate."
Before Rayne could say another word, both she and Ororo's attentions were diverted to an unseen presence as their keen hearing picked up several persons tracking them through the trees. Rayne swivelled on her heels and brought her wrist blades round as Ororo unsheathed her sword.
"Look alive people," shouted Rayne to Kat and the others. "We've got company."
As Kat paused to turn round a vampire leapt out of the trees at her, claws streaking throuh the air. Kat leapt into the air to meet it and cracked her boot across it's jaw as other vamps lunged out of the darkness. Luke and Sara drew stakes as they were surrounded and Jon was tackled to the ground by another vamp. Ororo sliced her blade through the air gutting a female vampire as Rayne spun through the air, slicing off an arm and stabbing her silver stilleto heel blade into another vampire's chest.
"What are they doing!?" shouted Kat, phasing through a lunge. "It's nearly dawn!"
"Beats me!" replied Rayne, slicing a head clean off. "I just £@(!ing work here!"
The smell of blood filled the air as Luke cried out in pain, a huge gaping slash wound on his left side. He fell to one knee as Sara shielded him behind her and rammed a stake deep into the chest cavity of the culprit. With an inhuman cry and a implosion of fire and ash the vampire was no more as another landed to take its place. This one was dragged backwards as Kat threw her arm around its throat before slamming a stake into its heart, surrounding herself in a swirl of dust.
Menawhile Ororo kneed a vamp in the groin and twisted its head 360 degrees before wrencthing it clean off. Rayne sliced a vamp across the chest and then leapt over it, pincering it between her legs whilst she bit into its throat. The vampire screamed as Rayne drained it of its own blood. When Rayne had finished, she flipped off and booted the vamp forward where it stumbled into the path of Ororo who arched her blade and sliced clean through its waist, dropping two seperate writhing segements.
The remaining vampires were surrounding Kat and the others as they tried in vein to hold them back. Rayne leapt forward as Ororo took to the air and they hacked into the vampires who turned wild-eyed and bellowing with rage. The last fell quickly, dropping in piles of ash and flaking bone as they were decapitated.
As the dust settled Kat immediately turned to Luke who was lying on the ground and going into shock from his extensive injuries. Sara tried to staunch the blood flow by applying pressure tot he wound but as Kat knelt beside her and placed a soft hand on hers they both knew there was no hope. Luke's breathing was erratic and shallow as his face was pale and speckled with sweat. His wild eyes flickered as his blood spilled out to stain the grass. As the first rays of the early morning sun began to filter through the trees, Luke died.
Sara wept silently to herself as Kat consoled her. Rayne and Jon stood indifferent in the background whilst Ororo turned her attentions to the gurgling of the top half of the vampire she had severed. She stalked over to it as it tried to crawl its way into the trees. Placing her boot on its back she pushed its head into the ground, hearing bones crack.
"Speak!"
The vampire growled as blood oozed from it mouth. Ororo kicked it over onto its back and glared down at it. The vampire's eyes were opaque orbs as the strange sound of blood-soaked laughter filled the air.
"yyeeeeerr...ttooo la-la-lattteeeee..."
The vampire lay still as the last of its strength failed it and dappled sunshine filtered down through the branches. Its skin charred and blackened before the corpse ignited and combusted into a cloud of cinders. The tone of its voice unnerved Ororo as she turned back to the others.
"Let's move!"
Taking to the air, the others were forced to follow on foot as the world around them was illuminated by the rays of the morning sun. From her vantage point in the sky, Ororo scanned the distant horizon not wanting to believe the thoughts that raced through her head. Crossing the city limits, Kat called out to her but she ignored it a pressed onward but ultimately she paused in mid-air as her eyes caught the sight of black smoke on the horizon and her nose detected the scent of fresh battle and death. Dropping to the ground she turned to Kat, her eyes heavy.
Without saying a word, Kat seemed to know the unspeakable and charged forward tearing down the streets with the others close behind, until they turned the corner to a scene of utter carnage. All around lay the scattered and eviscerated bodies of members of the Resistance. Though an eerie silence - save for the sound of flames crackling - shrouded the death scene, Ororo could seemingly hear the screams and cries of the fallen as she steadied herself against a wall.
Kat took a numb step forward and collapsed to her knees as she gazed at the devestation in shock. Sara turned her teary eyes away from the bodies and cried into Jon's shoulder who stared blankly at the scene. Only Rayne seemed immune as she stepped forward to a pool of thick black blood and dipped her fingers into it. She sniffed the substance before she tasted it, turning to the others to speak.
"Vampires."
"No shit!" Kat choked back an angry sob.
Rayne ignored her angst. "Looks like this was planned. I wouldn't be surprised if our abush wasn't part of the plan."
"So what do we do now?" asked Sara, trying hard to hold back her tears.
Kat stood to her feet defiantly and turned to Ororo. "We go ahead with the plan."
Sara glanced over at Ororo who was still staring blankly at the bodies before turning back to Kat. "But what about our orders?"
"Orders!?" Kat took a long stride toward Sara and gestured to the corpses littering the street. "This is what orders get you! As of this moment we're not following orders. Anyone here who doesn't feel comfortable with that can leave."
"So you've got balls after all, hmmm Kitty-Kat?" chimmed Rayne.
Kat spun furiously at Rayne and brought her face close to hers, staring into her fierce eyes. "I'm warning you! Keep your wisecracks to yourself unless you've got something intelligent to contribute."
Rayne smiled. "I admire you. In my day, the women weren't as strong-willed as they seem to be today."
Rayne patted Kat on the shoulder and strode past her. Kat turned to find Ororo standing close by, seemingly capable of functioning after the initial shock. She went up to her and touched her arm, diverting her attention from the bodies to Kat's eyes.
"Are you alright?"
Ororo nodded placing a hand on Kat's arm. "Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you."
"What do you want to do?"
"We still need to find Dracula."
Kat sighed in doubt. "Do you think he'll help us - even if we find him?"
"We know he isn't the cause of all this evil in the world. I know him; it isn't his style. Wherever he is...I think he'd want to put things right."
"Any idea on where we should start looking?"
Ororo cast a glance over to where Rayne was standing. "I think I do."
To Be Continued...