Sands and Victoria Night 3 part 9
Part A
Victoria: I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. "You know how to show a lady an interesting evening." I cock my head and look up through my long lashes. "Now what?" He opens the car door for me and I slip in.
Sands: "Home." I get in the car and we take off. It feels good to leave the crowd behind. I can feel the weight of the guns, and it feels like I'm at home again.
Victoria: I lean my head against the leather seat, watching the scenery going by.
Sands: As we get to the end of the driveway, I slow down and pull over. I look for our thralls. I can sense Klein is somewhere near by. I turn to Victoria. "Can you feel Jackson?"
Victoria: "Humm?" His words bring me out of my thoughts. "Jackson?" I lift my head and look slowly around. "He's just outside the gate. To the right."
Sands: "Okay." I put the car into first gear and edge forward, blinking the headlights. The two men came out of the darkness. Klein walks around to sit behind Victoria. Jackson gets in behind me.
"Here's the plan," I tell them. "We'll drop you off a block from Victoria's apartment. You scan the area, we'll drive around the block, then into the parking. You go in through the front door once we've had a chance to get upstairs. One of you needs to patrol outside the building. One of you will come up and stay inside." I looked in the rearview mirror. "I hope your coats are warm enough, gentlemen."
Victoria: At that remark and Klein and Jackson shoot looks at each other. "Yes, sir, sufficiently warm," Klein responds as he opens the door to the back seat and slides in.
Jackson silently nods and reaches for the handle and seats himself behind Victoria. He leans forward a bit and places his hand on the leather seat. "Do you need anything?" he asked in a low whisper.
A little shocked by his inquiry I blinked and paused before responding. "No Samuel, I'm fine."
He sat back and crossed his arms eyes facing forward.
Sands: I put the car in gear and we drive off of the estate's property. I watch Jackson. He's a little too attentive for my taste. "We're looking for Viscalli, but there may be one of our own in cahoots with them."
Victoria: The two figures in the back of the car nod in unison and begin scanning the area as we drive. I am still uncomfortable with the idea of relying on humans. I shift my attention to the road ahead, lending my eyes to the task at hand.
"Sir?" Klein asks. "Anyone we know?"
Sands: "Yeah. He has a few names. I knew him as Jacob. Victoria said he's calling himself Conner McLoud now. Know him?"
The snow is starting. At first it's a few white dots falling in the headlights' beams, then it starts coming down in earnest. I drive a little more slowly along the unlit back road. We'll be at the highway pretty soon.
Victoria: Snow? It's early in the year for snow. Growing up in the south and being deprived of the vision of a white Christmas for so many years settling instead for the hot, sticky stagnant winter, punctuated by the occasional thunder storm. A true winter is welcomed.
Jackson clears his throat capturing our attention. "I know him," he states simply, starting at Sands through the rearview mirror with those cool blue eyes.
That familiar uneasiness rises within as he admits to a familiarity. Was it wise to enthrall this one?
Sands: We pull onto the highway that will take us south to Manhattan. "How do you know him?" I ask Jackson.
Victoria: I turn in my seat. I want to hear this. Jackson looks at me and smiles. I shut my mind to him. I don't want to hear all those thoughts of his. Then he looks over at Klein, before returning his attention to the question.
"I heard the stories mostly. Seen him once down on the Avenue of the Americas a few months ago lurking about. Bad news that one." His voice is smooth, calculated.
Sands: I cast Victoria a quick glance. What's up with this kid? "What exactly do you mean by bad news? Did you see anything?"
Victoria: Jackson locks eyes with Sands. "I'm trained to notice things. Protection is our business." He indicates Klein and himself with a quick flip of his wrist. "He has that look about him, you know someone out for trouble."
Klein leans forward. "We've read the reports on him, sir. The clan has had a directive to watch him for several years."
Jackson begins to speak again. "He's been known to socialize with Viscalli and Von Strom, for business and pleasure." His words drop off.
Sands: Yeah, pleasure, and they say I'm twisted, I think to myself. "So that's why Abberline wasn't surprised. He probably had this all figured out before he even spoke to us."
Victoria: I twist in my seat and lean my head against the headrest. I sigh of frustration escapes my lips.
Sands: Hearing her frustration I say, "Yeah, me, too." I speak so softly, only she can hear me. The further south we go, the less we see of the snow. It's turning to sleet and rain here. The windshield wipers are doing double time squeaking back and forth across the glass.
Victoria: "Are we going back to the house?" I ask to break the silence.
Sands: I'm confused. "What house?"
Victoria: "Sorry." I smile. "My apartment. I tend to call everything a house."
Sands: "Did you want to change our plans and go somewhere else?"
Victoria: "What time is it?" I sit up and straighten my coat, unbuttoning the top few buttons.
Sands: I glance at the illuminated clock on the dashboard. "If this is set correctly, it's 8:30. Why?"
Victoria: "Let's go the Met first, just for a little while." I smile leaning towards him.
"Excuse me, Miss Dupree," Jackson interrupts, "Is that wise?"
Sands: I cast a withering glance at Jackson, then look at Victoria. "By the time we're back in the city it will be close to eleven."
Victoria: "Oh, all right." I move closer to him as he drives.
I open my mind and speak to Jackson. "Samuel, what are you doing?" He smiles at me pleased that I have begun this private conversation in his head.
"Nothing but my duty," he thinks back. "My duty is to protect you, is it not?" His eyes twinkle.
"You best watch your step," I reprimand. He nods his head silently.
Sands: "Why not turn on the radio to something you like," I suggest to Victoria. "And you two," I address our passengers, "you'd better get some sleep now why you can."
Klein nods. Jackson seems preoccupied. I knew a lot like him when I was in the Agency. He better do his job.
Victoria: Klein leans back and shuts his eyes. It amazing how fast he seems to slip into sleep. His blond curls bouncing with the vibrations of the car.
I lean forward and press the on button to the Bose stereo system. It comes alive with color and sound. I press the C.D. button and it clicks and hums as the system shifts to discs.
"Amazing invention. Remember how music used to be?" Before he can answer Nora Jones comes on and her soft voice fills the car. "Waited 'til the break of dawn . . ." I interrupt, "Or something harder perhaps? Pushing button #2. Led Zeppelin begins to blast. I see one of Klein's eyes pop open and a faint smile appear.
Sands: I liked Nora. Her voice is all sleepy-smoky. "I think something a little softer if our new bodyguards are going to get a nap in."
Victoria: I laugh, "Okay, Nora it is." I press the button and she resumes her singing where she had left off. I turn my head. "Jackson, get some rest," I command. "Yes Miss Dupree." He responds softly.
"Mind if I slide over?" I ask returning my attentions to the man behind the wheel.
Sands: I hold up a welcoming arm in silent answer.
Victoria: I unbuckle and slide across the wide leather seat, settling beneath the comfort of his arm. I slip one arm lightly around his middle as the music fills the car. The road is dark this evening except for the long blurs of light that zip by blackness. I lower my voice so only he can hear. "So, is Jacob after you or me? We never did settle that discussion."
Sands: "I think the unequivocal answer would be me." It feels good to have her with me, touching me. It's comforting. "If there's trouble, you should duck out."
Victoria: "Duck out?" I slowly run my hand up and down across his side. "I don't think so," I argued.
Sands:
"Tonight was the first time you've ever held a gun. You need to run if there's trouble." I pause, smiling. "I don't want you shooting me."
Victoria: "Then you should have thought about that before you handed it to me." I tease and then kiss his cheek. "But really you shouldn't argue with a southern lady, sooner or later we always get our way."
Sands: "Is that so?" I ask. The possibilities are floating through my mind as we drive through the rain. "If we're out-numbered, there's no use both of us getting caught or killed. You should run back to the clan and get help. Promise me you'll do that."
Victoria: I hear the urgency in his voice and concede. "All right, I promise. But if you end up getting yourself killed, I'll never forgive you Sheldon Jeffery Sands."
Sands: "Oh, geez, that wasn't my plan," I say in my tourist voice.
Victoria: I laugh and thump him on the chest.
Sands: "Are you abusing me?"
Victoria: "Only if you want me to." Mischief is in my mind.
Sands:
"Shh. Not in front of the children."
Victoria: I laugh again and it feels good. I roll my head against him. "All right, but when we get home," I let my words drop.
Sands:
"Promises." Okay, so it's cliché, but it makes her smile. "Tell me about your electronic surveillance. Do you have cameras inside your apartment?"
Victoria: My eyes open and my playful thoughts are disrupted. "No, not inside the apartment. Only on the elevator, the stairwells, the balcony, the hallway and of course the front door. The system can be view from any TV in the place. I hope that will be sufficient?"
Sands:
"That's good. It's a closed signal? No one can tap into it from the outside?"
Victoria: "As far as I know it is." I reply.
Sands: I watch the skyline of Manhattan very far off in the distance and disappearing as the clouds drop lower. I wonder what is going on with Jacob. "Are you sure Jacob hasn't followed you any time recently? He doesn't know." I sense something. I look in the rearview mirror. Something is not right.
Victoria: I look up at him. "You were saying?"
Sands: Alarms are going off in my head. It's hard to tell at night in the rain and snow, but two, three, maybe four cars that were behind us right after we got on the interstate are still there. The same ones. "I think we're being followed."
Victoria: I sit up quickly and begin to turn my head to look. "Should I wake the boys?"
Sands: I raise my voice so the thralls can hear me. "Klein, wake up," I call. I can see him looking at me in the rearview mirror. "Take a look behind us. What do you see?"
Victoria: Klein quickly responds. "Yes sir." I didn't like him at first, but he's very obedient. Klein nudges Jackson awake. I frown at him slightly. Klein turns in his seat scanning the road behind us, Jackson begins to pull his weapon. "Sir, I believe you are right, that black Acura is following us, but change lanes a few times to make sure."
Sands:
"Never tell me what to do," I growl at him. "There's more than one of them. There's three, maybe four."
Victoria: Klein lowers his eyes, "Sorry sir." I touch Sands' arm lightly. "Three or four cars?" My eyes plead with him to tell me I am mistaken.
Sands: "Yeah. We didn't sense them because they aren't vampires." I cast her a glance. "They had the same idea we had: They're using thralls."
Victoria: I smirk, humans are easier to deal with. "Can you loose them?"
Sands:
"Klein, are the ones you can see wearing night-vision goggles?" I reach under my coat and loosen my gun, releasing the safety.
Victoria: I watch what he does and swallow hard. Klein nods to Jackson, who is already donning the high tech gear. He shakes his head no. "No, sir they appear to be night blind." He smiles briefly.
I unbutton my coat and expose my own weapon. "Do you think I'm going to need this?" I ask Sands.
Sands: "Yes." I can't imagine anyone with an ounce of intelligence sending thralls after us without the proper equipment. They were no match for us without it. I turn off the lights of the car and take the first exit. Hopefully, I can lose them on unlit country roads. I just can't use the brakes.
Victoria: I watch him carefully over the next few moments. He's calculating. His eyes shift from the mirror to the road ahead at a furious pace. It's exciting to watch.
"Jackson," I pause, "Are you ready?" He nods, his weapon held in his hand. "Don't let anything happen to me now," I warn with a smile.
"Wouldn't dream of it Miss. Dupree," he responds.
I pull my weapon and hold it in my hands, trying desperately to recall the lesson taught not so long ago. Safety off, focus, squeeze the trigger, I think to myself.
Sands: "If we are forced to stop, you two are to protect Miss Dupree," I instruct our thralls. "I'll draw them away. It's me they're after."
Victoria: I wrinkle my forehead at his order. Quite noble. "Will you be all right?"
Without waiting for an answer I turn my head to Jackson. "How many do you see in each car?"
He turns and scans. "I can only see in the car directly behind us. I see two ." He states flatly.
I whip my head back in Sands direction. "Will you be all right?" He's the first vampire I've trusted in the last 150 years, the first person I've cared to spend any amount of time with since Claude died, I don't want our time cut short before it can really begin.
Sands: I can't help but smile. "No matter what, you just get back to your place. I'll meet up with you. If I'm not there by noon, have the boys contact Abberline." I am focused on the road, but I can sense her staring at me. "I'll be fine. They're just humans. I've been trained by the C.I.A., remember? I can kill someone in a hundred and twenty-four different ways without a weapon." I am grinning at the absurdity of it all.
Victoria: "Really?" I smile, "I'd like to see that." I try to remain calm but beneath it all I'm a wreck.
Sands: "Three cars and four in the car behind us, Jackson." I am not surprised. They're all wearing dark clothes and something that looks like sky masks to cover their faces and necks. It strikes me that they're dressed like Navy Seals doing a behind-enemy-lines operation. Ahead, I can see the road comes to a T.
"Right or left, Victoria? What feels lucky?"
Victoria: "Left," I smile, my eyes flashing.
Sands:
She's enjoying this. Me, too. Except I'd rather be hunter than hunted. They're in high-power Chevys. I don't think the Mercedes can outrun them. I force the car into a lower drive to make the turn without using the breaks and we squeal, but stick to the road. I catch something out of the corner of my eye. One of their cars has broken off and is cutting across the open ground. They're going to cut us off.
Victoria: His head turns quickly and my eyes snap in the direction. They're trying to pin us in! I release the safety on the gun. My breath quickens.
Sands: I lower the window, then draw my gun. The road is rough. As their car gets closer, I turn and fire left-handed out the window, aiming for the windshield on the driver's side. They swerve, but continue toward us. I sense our thralls are ready for a fight.
Victoria: I jump a little as he fires. It's different here, not like in the range. I push the button on the window and it slides down silently. I nod to Kline and Jackson who follow Sands' lead. Better not to have broken glass flying around the interior if they shoot. The wind whips his hair around, I'm glad mine is in a braid.
Sands: A flurry of bullets rips into our car. I jerk the wheel right, then left. Jackson is the only one who can fire back right now. He's shooting out the open window.
While we've begun to try and maneuver, those behind have closed the gap. "Behind us," I warn Klein. The car jerks madly and I realize they've shot out the front tire. Great. It acts like an anchor and the car begins to move more sporadically. I have little control.
Victoria: We're whirling around, bullets whizzing by! "Hit them with the car if you have to," I call out. "We can always get another."
Klein turns and aims at the car behind us firing right through their windshield. Glass shatters!
Sands: I pull hard on the wheel, using the shot-out tire to aid in the spin. Suddenly we're facing right at the car that was behind us a moment ago. Klein and Jackson are both leaning out and firing now. I hear the car that was trying to cut us off hitting the road behind us going the wrong way. I pull the wheel just to the right. As the pursuers get even with us, passing on our left, I jerk it to the left into them, sending their tale- end off the pavement and sending them into a spin.
Victoria: The thralls are knocked about by the impact, but they diligently keep firing. Even I grip the arm rest for support. "Good hit!" I yell. "Jackson, Klein, aim for the driver!" Why I yell it out, I don't know. They know their jobs better than I.
Sands:
The car I hit keeps spinning, the guy gunning it, and they slam around hitting us. The sound of crunching metal erupts through the car. "Shit!" I grumble as we slide right off the pavement and into the deep ditch. "Get out. Run." I have my gun in my hand. "Now!" I add.
Victoria: I reach for the handle, but it's jammed! I struggle with it and realize the futility of my actions. I turn and crawl across the seat, following Sands as he exits. I keep my head low.
Klein is out of the car firing over my head and Jackson circles around to our side of the vehicle and reloading his weapon. Shells are flying!
Sands: "I'm going left, you go right," I order them. I'm watching for that third car. It's coming up behind the one we hit. "Do not follow me." With that, I dash across the road into the ditch on the far side. I'm hoping those fuckmooks will follow me and leave Victoria alone. I hear the gunfire increase and I realize most of it is coming from the three I just left. "Run!" I yell back at them.
Victoria: I scan the area. There is a row of trees off to our left. It's dark there and perhaps we can loose them in that darkness. "I hope you can keep up!" I yell to the boys as I scramble to my feet at a dead run. I keep my head low and hear the bullets zip by. The humans should be no match for a vampire running at full capacity, but then again neither are Jackson and Klein!
Sands: I hear the sound of automatic weapons fire. I scramble away, making sure they know where I am. As I dash at full speed past a small bush, it rustles from being hit. Okay, they're taking the bait.
I continue to run over the rough ground. This is some sort of farmland. Of course, this time of year it's only rows of dirt, muddied from the rain. More shots ring out and something hits my leg. There's a little sting, but it doesn't hurt like it should. I reach down. Fuck! They're not using bullets. There's a sort of dart in my leg. Fuckinghell. I don't know what's in these things, but it can't be good.
Part B Victoria: It's not long before I reach the tree line. I slow and wait for Jackson and Klein to catch up. There are a few more shots, but they are dying out. I hear the automatic gun fire in the distance. They are after Sands.
I lunge forward, only to be stopped by Klein's grip on my arm. I look at him and yell, "Let me go!" I could pull away easily, he is after all only a human.
"Sands said not to follow." He looks at me coldly.
"Then one of you go check!"
Sands: Something is spreading through me, slowing me, turning the night sky into amazing colors. I'm getting flashes of memory: A night in Paris totally drunk with Vivian. A carriage ride in New York City on my first trip to America.
It's hard focusing. I know I should be running, but my legs don't want to move. I think I'm standing still, but maybe I'm still running.
Victoria: The thralls shake their heads. They disgust me. I yank my arm away forcefully and take off in the direct that Sands ran. I stay close to the tree line, pleased to be clad in black. I follow along quickly past the crashed vehicles, hearing only shouting, no gun fire!
Sands: I must be in the mud. I feel the wet. People are touching me. I want to shout at them, but I can't move. My mind is not my own. I can't focus.
Glimpses of other bad times are crowding in: The time I learned that Josephina was taken to the guillotine. The day in Mexico when Dr. Guevara drilled out my eyes.
I'm yelling, I can hear my own voice, but I'm not making real words.
I'm not in the water anymore. They're lifting me, carrying me. I want to kill them all. More vivid visions. I can't tell what's real anymore.
The river is rising. Get out! Sandra, get out! Am I yelling, or thinking? It's getting darker. Darker. I don't feel anything anymore.
Victoria: I reach the scene just in time to see the humans lifting his body from the mud. Is he dead! I must know who they are! Klein and Jackson are coming, I hear their clumsy footsteps in the brush behind me. I reach out with my mind trying to get a reading off any kind from the figures before me.
I shut my eyes and concentrate. Nothing! I'm about to open my eyes when I get a flash; an image. My eyes pop open forcefully, "Jacob!" I raise my gun and fire. The shot goes over their heads. "Shit !" I hear to my left. It's Klein. He hits the ground on one knee and begins to fire. "Don't hit Sands!" I shout.
One of the men carrying Sands drops. I smile at the hit, but have no time for compliments as they return fire. Jackson pushes me to the ground forcefully, shielding my body as the bullets fly over head. "Get off! "I yell, "Return fire!"
Jackson shakes his head and keeps me down, but does return fire with his other hand. The bullets tear through the trees and Klein manages to take down another of the men carrying Sands' body. But they outnumber us.
A car speeds up and screeches to a halt. The door flies open and they stuff Sands apparently lifeless body into the vehicle. "NO!" I scream
Klein: Miss Dupree is gutsy, I'll give her that, but she obviously has had little to no training. "Miss Dupree, can you get the license plate number?"
Victoria: I lift my head out of the mud and squint my eyes. A smile spreads over my face. "DLX 462!" I call out. "Write that down!"
Jackson is still holding me down, aiming his gun into the field.
Klein: "I got it." I aim and carefully shoot at the second car. Rubber flies off the back tire.
Victoria: The car swerves, but the driver manages to hold the car in check and speeds away kicking up mud and ridding the rim. I pound the ground with my fist in frustration.
"Let me up!" I bark at Jackson.
"Not until I know the area is clear," he responds sweetly. I turn my head and push him off, he goes flying back a few feet.
Klein: I pull my cell phone from my jacket pocket. Everything happened so quickly, I didn't have time to call before. I press the phone book button for the Guardians. MacGregor's voice barks from the other side.
"What is it?" he asks.
"They've got Sands," I report. I see Victoria stalking toward me. "Victoria is safe."
Victoria: "Who are you talking to?" I question.
Klein: "The Guardians. MacGregor."
Victoria: "Can they send someone out for us? The car is ruined and maybe someone to clean up our mess?" I point in the direction of the bodies. "We don't want anyone asking questions." I smile. "Oh and tell them it's Jacob, definitely Jacob behind this."
Klein: I relay her report and request to MacGregor. He's already on it, talking to people even as he replies to me. I try to describe where we are. He asks if we have flashlights to signal them when they get off the highway.
"Miss Dupree, do you have flashlights in the car?" I ask.
Victoria: "Jackson," I call as Klein is on the cell, "Go see if anyone is alive over there, if they are I want to talk to them." He raises an eyebrow as if he is about to speak and then turns away, good choice.
I brush myself off knocking dirt and clumps of mud from my legs and backside.
"Miss Dupree, do you have flashlights in the car?" I look up . "Hum, oh yes. In the trunk. Can they round up Andre for me?"
Klein: "She wants Andre in on this. No, I saw him there earlier." I start walking toward the front seats. I hope the key is still there. It's pitch black out here and I can barely see anything.
Victoria: I follow Klein knowing his human eyes are weak and the darkness a hindrance for him. The door is flung open and the vehicle is riddled with bullet holes. "Why did you do that?" I mumble to myself.
Klein: "Pardon me?" I can't quite here what she's saying. I climb in and reach for the ignition, hoping the keys are still there. Bingo. I get back out, holding them, confident she can see I have them.
Victoria: I turn and scan the field looking for Jackson. "Samuel," I call out to him silent across the darkness. I see his head pop up, he's still wearing the night vision gear.
"Yes, Miss Dupree?"
"Are any alive?" I question as I fold my arms.
"Yes, one," he replies.
"Good bring him here." Jackson stands as he begins to drag the body of one of our assailants through the muck. Then I turn to see what Klein is up to. He seems more than capable. Perhaps I was wrong about him before.
Klein: She doesn't answer me. She may have been talking to Jackson or something. I open the trunk and find a big flashlight and a smaller one. I take them both. There's bullet holes all over the trunk. We're lucky the tank didn't blow. As I digest this information, I hear her and Jackson talking. There's a survivor. That should please her.
I leave the trunk open and head back to her.
Victoria: Klein comes around to my side, he's found the flashlights. Jackson walks up and drops the body at my feet. I hear it groan.
"Miss Dupree," he bows his head and kneels down pulling the ski mask from the victims head.
Klein: I've never seen this guy before. He's got his head shaved like a Navy Seal. Their entire ops has been very militant. These guys have been trained.
I shine the flashlight on his face and look to Victoria for direction. "Do you want me to stay with you, or head to the highway to wait for reinforcements?" I ask her.
Victoria: "Jackson will go, you can stay." My fists are clenched in anger my eyes narrow.
Klein: I pull a piece of white nylon from my pocket. "Right." I bend down and flip the guy over, securing his hands behind his back with the nylon cord. Next I begin to frisk him for weapons. He's got a few stashed away. Jackson is checking his mouth for capsules and false teeth. When he's done, he takes the larger flashlight and hikes off towards the highway.
By the time I'm finished, we have a small arsenal sitting behind me, all compliments of our friend. He's beginning to regain consciousness. There's nothing on him or his clothes to tell us his name or where he comes from.
Victoria: He's moaning and his eyes are fluttering. That's all right, but when I'm finished he's going to wish he had died out there in that field. I know a thing or two about pain and since Jacob's involved in this, I'm not going to hold back. "Bring him to, " I urge.
Klein: I'm not sure what I can do to speed things up. I have no ammonia capsules. "Hey, buddy, wake up." I pick him up by his flack vest. "Someone wants to talk to you."
Victoria: His eyes open and immediately he begins to struggle, I half smile at his efforts.
Klein:
Well, at least Victoria seems to be enjoying herself. I can't help but smile.
Victoria: "Hello," I say coldly , smiling and exposing my fangs. I walk forward a little so he can get a better look at me.
Victoria: "Step aside, Klein," I ask and wave at him with the back of my hand. Then I turn my attentions back to the black clad figure at my feet. "You and I are going to have a little chat."
Klein: I move out of her way and pick up our remaining flashlight. I scan the area, making sure no one is sneaking back to look for survivors.
Victoria: He spits at me! I smile and kick him in the face! His head goes snapping back , he winces in pain. "Now, now that's no way to treat a lady. " I purr. "And make no mistakes I am definitely a lady." I allow my southern accent to flow freely. I step closer and straddle his form. "You have information that I want, and seeing that you are a gentleman you are going to assist me."
Klein: The guy grits his teeth, glares at her, and I take it this is his decision to make his death a little more painful.
Victoria: I sigh and squat down over him brushing the side of his face. "I know you are working for Jacob McCloud." I smile prettily. "I just want to know where he is right now, and why you saw fit to take my friend from me."
Klein: From what I understand, Victoria is new at this thrall business. I stand back and whisper so only she can here me: "If you make him your thrall, he'll have to tell you."
Victoria: I turn my head, "Thank you for that information. I will if I have to, but I think I would like to do things this way first." I smile, still stroking the man's nearly bald head. "Now, is there anything you would like to say?" I question.
Klein: The fellow's had training, it shows. He's no more likely to talk then I am. I wait. This is Victoria's game.
Victoria: "Fine sugar, then we'll do things Jacob's way." I shrug my shoulders and grip the side of his head tightly. My fingers press into the side of his skull, drops of blood begin to appear. My mind drifts for a moment as I remember watching Jacob acting out this scene on one of his enemies. I watched in horror that time.
Klein: I'm not sure what she's up to. I guess she wants to try torture first. The guy is squirming, but still not talking. He may pass out from what she's doing to him.
"If he's a thrall to a Viscalli, he's probably afraid to talk," I speak very softly. "They're pretty brutal and control their thralls not only with blood, but fear."
Victoria: I know what he's talking about. Jacob controlled me with fear. He filled my head with stories of danger and death by our kind and beat me severely when I began to question him.
I close my eyes and try to look into this man's mind. Perhaps I can see where he's come from, or what their plans were. I really don't want another thrall.
Klein: I'm getting nervous. It's way too quiet out here. The only sounds are this guys little moans, the occasional drops of rain hitting the ground, and my breathing. Spooky. I hope Jackson made it to the highway okay. Hell, he's probably still walking. I think Sands had the car up to 80 on these back roads.
I keep looking around, hoping this guy will say something to make Victoria happy and give us a lead. I jump when my cell phone goes off.
Victoria: I hear the phone ring, but I remain motionless trying hard to see where he been recently. Slowly images begin to appear. I can feel his blood dripping down the back of my hand.
Klein: I answer. It's Quinn on the line. They've located the owner of the car. He asks if it's a Chevy. I answer in the affirmative, turning away from what Victoria is doing so I can pay attention to Quinn. He's giving me an address just north of Manhattan in the burbs. They're going to pick us up. He asks to talk to Victoria. I explain that she's busy. Turning back around, I watch her face. She's concentrating. Looks like she's almost in a trance or something.
Victoria: I don't like what I see. Several men pouring over maps and photographs on the walls. Sands walking through the park, Sands sitting in a coffee shop, Sands in a boutique. They've been watching him for awhile. A figure approaches, no two figures. All the men snap to attention. 'Remember we want him alive.' I know that voice. The images fade. I throw his head to the ground and growl. Angry at the situation, angry that I could not get more, angry that I am so useless.
Klein: Something's upset her. I stand, waiting for orders. Did she even hear me talking to Quinn? "Quinn and the Guardians are on their way," I tell her. "They have address to go with the license plate. It's not that far from here, actually."
Victoria: I stand, my eyes glaring at the man on the ground. "Does Quinn want this one alive?" I ask without looking at Klein.
Klein: "He didn't give any orders," I tell her. "He's your find." I look at the guy. If I had the right drugs, I could probably make him talk, but I don't think Victoria is that patient. I can't sense Sands anymore. I had a sense of him that faded when he ran off, then it was as if the signal was turned off completely. They must have used drugs on him.
Victoria: "Call and ask him," I reply.
Klein: I flip open the phone and hit the redial. Quinn answers almost at once. "Do you want our prisoner alive?" I ask.
"His life is at Victoria's discretion," he tells me. "We may need him if this is a stolen car."
"Thank you, sir." I close the phone and turn to Victoria, relaying what Quinn has just said, though I know she heard it over the phone.
Victoria: I kneel down next to our man on the ground. He's bleeding pretty heavily from my puncture wounds. I drip a finger in one of the wounds and then raise it to my lips letting my tongue work its ways back and forth across my finger tip until it is clean. The mans eyes widen, and I can feel Klein watching me closely. "It is lucky for you that you are still needed, when you are not, we shall meet again." I smile, stand and turn away from him and begin to walk into the darkness.
Klein: I don't understand this Victoria. She seems like she doesn't want the power over this guy that is hers for the taking. I wonder if the hypothermia is going to get to him, or if he'll pass out from bleeding first. I figure I better get him off the wet ground to be sure he doesn't die from this freakishly cold weather.
"Up," I tell him, forcing him to sit up with a hand to his flack jacket. "Get on your feet, soldier."
Victoria: "What are you doing?" I call over my shoulder.
Klein: "Trying to keep him alive."
Victoria: "Be careful," I warn and then continue to walk off into the darkness.
Klein: "Yes, mam," I respond automatically. I have to half drag this big oaf into the open door of the back seat. I push him back so he's half-laying on the seat with his feet still outside. That should keep him a little warmer.
Straightening, I keep watch out.
Victoria: I walk to the tree line and lean against the wet bark. I sigh again. "Damn you, Sands! If you hadn't run in the opposite direction we'd be together, maybe they wouldn't have taken you." I felt like crying, but vampires really don't cry. I hated everything about this situation and wanted a comforting shoulder at that moment. I was afraid more than anything else. What was Jacob going to do to you? I half knew because he done the same things to me. I shut my eyes tightly. I could still see those chains. The heavy links, the stains on the wooden floor. I cringed.
Klein: Boy it's cold out here. I can't see Victoria anymore. She's probably scooping the place out. I want a smoke, but I better not. Someone might see the light and snipe me.
Victoria: I don't want to be around anyone at the moment. I open my eyes and turn. Klein is standing out there in the field near the car. He's nervous. I watch him shift weight from foot to foot. I hope Quinn arrives soon.
Klein: I check my watch. It's been almost twenty minutes since Jackson took off. It's starting to rain again. I wonder if our prisoner is still alive. I take a step toward the car, then see something. There's headlights coming down the road fast. That's got to be them. I hope. I hope it's not the Viscalli clan coming back to finish what they started.
Just to make sure, I head off to the tree line, my gun in my hand. "Victoria, someone is coming," I call out a warning.
Victoria: I saw the lights before he did. My gun is already in my hand. "We wait here until we know who it is." I grab his arm and pull him behind a large, old tree.
Klein: When she grabbed me, I almost had a heart attack. I hadn't seen her. We wait for a few seconds, then I hear her stand. "It's ours," she tells me. I hope she's not just feeling Jackson coming with them.
"Can you see anyone you know?" I ask her.
Victoria: I click the safety and put my gun back into its holster. "Yes!" I call out and begin running toward the wrecked car. The other vehicles pull up, the doors pop open and several guardians appear and begin to make a sweep of the area, Jackson is with them. It's then I see him. Andre steps out of the S.U.V. he locks his eyes in my direction.
Andre: I walk towards Victoria. She looks a little shaken, but resolute. "What happened?" I look from her to their car. It's pretty obvious what happened, but I want to hear it from her. I sense Quinn beside me, waiting for her answer with me.
Victoria: I run my fingers through my hair, pushing the loose ends behind my ear. 'We were driving into the city, when Sands noticed that we were being followed. He decide to go off road to make sure they were really trailing us. They were. They began firing and then rammed the car. We spun around and stopped here. He order the thralls to stay with me and decided to run off in that direction, hopping to draw their fire. " I point behind them to the tire tracks in the field. "They stopped shooting at us and followed him. I turned around and started after him, only to see him laying on the ground motionless. They loading him into a car and sped off." I lowered my eyes and folded my arms.
Andre: "It must have been awful for you," I tell her. I know what it feels like to be helpless while someone you love is taken. We have a lead on the car."
Quinn speaks up. "Come on. My men will get the prisoner. Did you enthrall him already?"
Victoria: I shift my eyes to Quinn. "No."
Andre: "They'll take care of it," I assure her. "Come with us. We have Jackson." I gesture towards the big Mercedes S.U.V.
Victoria: I let him take me by the arm and lead me towards the large, black vehicle. "Andre, "I sighed. I looked up at him helplessly.
Andre: I can sense her despair. "He's strong, Victoria. He's survived a lot worse than this. They didn't kill him outright, did they? You saw them take him?"
Victoria: "Yes, I saw them take him, but he was not moving, not at all." I gripped his arm tightly. "Andre, Jacob is a horror and he is not working alone in this. Another is with him, someone much older, darker."
Andre: I say nothing. The Viscalli clan are all dark, but very few of it's members survive long enough to get old. We get into the car. The prisoner is carried into the Hummer behind us. The doors shut and we head back toward the highway.
"They will find out everything your prisoner knows," I assure her. "If he's been well trained, he may be an asset. If he doesn't fit the profile, he'll be dead once we're sure of his intelligence."
Part A
Victoria: I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. "You know how to show a lady an interesting evening." I cock my head and look up through my long lashes. "Now what?" He opens the car door for me and I slip in.
Sands: "Home." I get in the car and we take off. It feels good to leave the crowd behind. I can feel the weight of the guns, and it feels like I'm at home again.
Victoria: I lean my head against the leather seat, watching the scenery going by.
Sands: As we get to the end of the driveway, I slow down and pull over. I look for our thralls. I can sense Klein is somewhere near by. I turn to Victoria. "Can you feel Jackson?"
Victoria: "Humm?" His words bring me out of my thoughts. "Jackson?" I lift my head and look slowly around. "He's just outside the gate. To the right."
Sands: "Okay." I put the car into first gear and edge forward, blinking the headlights. The two men came out of the darkness. Klein walks around to sit behind Victoria. Jackson gets in behind me.
"Here's the plan," I tell them. "We'll drop you off a block from Victoria's apartment. You scan the area, we'll drive around the block, then into the parking. You go in through the front door once we've had a chance to get upstairs. One of you needs to patrol outside the building. One of you will come up and stay inside." I looked in the rearview mirror. "I hope your coats are warm enough, gentlemen."
Victoria: At that remark and Klein and Jackson shoot looks at each other. "Yes, sir, sufficiently warm," Klein responds as he opens the door to the back seat and slides in.
Jackson silently nods and reaches for the handle and seats himself behind Victoria. He leans forward a bit and places his hand on the leather seat. "Do you need anything?" he asked in a low whisper.
A little shocked by his inquiry I blinked and paused before responding. "No Samuel, I'm fine."
He sat back and crossed his arms eyes facing forward.
Sands: I put the car in gear and we drive off of the estate's property. I watch Jackson. He's a little too attentive for my taste. "We're looking for Viscalli, but there may be one of our own in cahoots with them."
Victoria: The two figures in the back of the car nod in unison and begin scanning the area as we drive. I am still uncomfortable with the idea of relying on humans. I shift my attention to the road ahead, lending my eyes to the task at hand.
"Sir?" Klein asks. "Anyone we know?"
Sands: "Yeah. He has a few names. I knew him as Jacob. Victoria said he's calling himself Conner McLoud now. Know him?"
The snow is starting. At first it's a few white dots falling in the headlights' beams, then it starts coming down in earnest. I drive a little more slowly along the unlit back road. We'll be at the highway pretty soon.
Victoria: Snow? It's early in the year for snow. Growing up in the south and being deprived of the vision of a white Christmas for so many years settling instead for the hot, sticky stagnant winter, punctuated by the occasional thunder storm. A true winter is welcomed.
Jackson clears his throat capturing our attention. "I know him," he states simply, starting at Sands through the rearview mirror with those cool blue eyes.
That familiar uneasiness rises within as he admits to a familiarity. Was it wise to enthrall this one?
Sands: We pull onto the highway that will take us south to Manhattan. "How do you know him?" I ask Jackson.
Victoria: I turn in my seat. I want to hear this. Jackson looks at me and smiles. I shut my mind to him. I don't want to hear all those thoughts of his. Then he looks over at Klein, before returning his attention to the question.
"I heard the stories mostly. Seen him once down on the Avenue of the Americas a few months ago lurking about. Bad news that one." His voice is smooth, calculated.
Sands: I cast Victoria a quick glance. What's up with this kid? "What exactly do you mean by bad news? Did you see anything?"
Victoria: Jackson locks eyes with Sands. "I'm trained to notice things. Protection is our business." He indicates Klein and himself with a quick flip of his wrist. "He has that look about him, you know someone out for trouble."
Klein leans forward. "We've read the reports on him, sir. The clan has had a directive to watch him for several years."
Jackson begins to speak again. "He's been known to socialize with Viscalli and Von Strom, for business and pleasure." His words drop off.
Sands: Yeah, pleasure, and they say I'm twisted, I think to myself. "So that's why Abberline wasn't surprised. He probably had this all figured out before he even spoke to us."
Victoria: I twist in my seat and lean my head against the headrest. I sigh of frustration escapes my lips.
Sands: Hearing her frustration I say, "Yeah, me, too." I speak so softly, only she can hear me. The further south we go, the less we see of the snow. It's turning to sleet and rain here. The windshield wipers are doing double time squeaking back and forth across the glass.
Victoria: "Are we going back to the house?" I ask to break the silence.
Sands: I'm confused. "What house?"
Victoria: "Sorry." I smile. "My apartment. I tend to call everything a house."
Sands: "Did you want to change our plans and go somewhere else?"
Victoria: "What time is it?" I sit up and straighten my coat, unbuttoning the top few buttons.
Sands: I glance at the illuminated clock on the dashboard. "If this is set correctly, it's 8:30. Why?"
Victoria: "Let's go the Met first, just for a little while." I smile leaning towards him.
"Excuse me, Miss Dupree," Jackson interrupts, "Is that wise?"
Sands: I cast a withering glance at Jackson, then look at Victoria. "By the time we're back in the city it will be close to eleven."
Victoria: "Oh, all right." I move closer to him as he drives.
I open my mind and speak to Jackson. "Samuel, what are you doing?" He smiles at me pleased that I have begun this private conversation in his head.
"Nothing but my duty," he thinks back. "My duty is to protect you, is it not?" His eyes twinkle.
"You best watch your step," I reprimand. He nods his head silently.
Sands: "Why not turn on the radio to something you like," I suggest to Victoria. "And you two," I address our passengers, "you'd better get some sleep now why you can."
Klein nods. Jackson seems preoccupied. I knew a lot like him when I was in the Agency. He better do his job.
Victoria: Klein leans back and shuts his eyes. It amazing how fast he seems to slip into sleep. His blond curls bouncing with the vibrations of the car.
I lean forward and press the on button to the Bose stereo system. It comes alive with color and sound. I press the C.D. button and it clicks and hums as the system shifts to discs.
"Amazing invention. Remember how music used to be?" Before he can answer Nora Jones comes on and her soft voice fills the car. "Waited 'til the break of dawn . . ." I interrupt, "Or something harder perhaps? Pushing button #2. Led Zeppelin begins to blast. I see one of Klein's eyes pop open and a faint smile appear.
Sands: I liked Nora. Her voice is all sleepy-smoky. "I think something a little softer if our new bodyguards are going to get a nap in."
Victoria: I laugh, "Okay, Nora it is." I press the button and she resumes her singing where she had left off. I turn my head. "Jackson, get some rest," I command. "Yes Miss Dupree." He responds softly.
"Mind if I slide over?" I ask returning my attentions to the man behind the wheel.
Sands: I hold up a welcoming arm in silent answer.
Victoria: I unbuckle and slide across the wide leather seat, settling beneath the comfort of his arm. I slip one arm lightly around his middle as the music fills the car. The road is dark this evening except for the long blurs of light that zip by blackness. I lower my voice so only he can hear. "So, is Jacob after you or me? We never did settle that discussion."
Sands: "I think the unequivocal answer would be me." It feels good to have her with me, touching me. It's comforting. "If there's trouble, you should duck out."
Victoria: "Duck out?" I slowly run my hand up and down across his side. "I don't think so," I argued.
Sands:
"Tonight was the first time you've ever held a gun. You need to run if there's trouble." I pause, smiling. "I don't want you shooting me."
Victoria: "Then you should have thought about that before you handed it to me." I tease and then kiss his cheek. "But really you shouldn't argue with a southern lady, sooner or later we always get our way."
Sands: "Is that so?" I ask. The possibilities are floating through my mind as we drive through the rain. "If we're out-numbered, there's no use both of us getting caught or killed. You should run back to the clan and get help. Promise me you'll do that."
Victoria: I hear the urgency in his voice and concede. "All right, I promise. But if you end up getting yourself killed, I'll never forgive you Sheldon Jeffery Sands."
Sands: "Oh, geez, that wasn't my plan," I say in my tourist voice.
Victoria: I laugh and thump him on the chest.
Sands: "Are you abusing me?"
Victoria: "Only if you want me to." Mischief is in my mind.
Sands:
"Shh. Not in front of the children."
Victoria: I laugh again and it feels good. I roll my head against him. "All right, but when we get home," I let my words drop.
Sands:
"Promises." Okay, so it's cliché, but it makes her smile. "Tell me about your electronic surveillance. Do you have cameras inside your apartment?"
Victoria: My eyes open and my playful thoughts are disrupted. "No, not inside the apartment. Only on the elevator, the stairwells, the balcony, the hallway and of course the front door. The system can be view from any TV in the place. I hope that will be sufficient?"
Sands:
"That's good. It's a closed signal? No one can tap into it from the outside?"
Victoria: "As far as I know it is." I reply.
Sands: I watch the skyline of Manhattan very far off in the distance and disappearing as the clouds drop lower. I wonder what is going on with Jacob. "Are you sure Jacob hasn't followed you any time recently? He doesn't know." I sense something. I look in the rearview mirror. Something is not right.
Victoria: I look up at him. "You were saying?"
Sands: Alarms are going off in my head. It's hard to tell at night in the rain and snow, but two, three, maybe four cars that were behind us right after we got on the interstate are still there. The same ones. "I think we're being followed."
Victoria: I sit up quickly and begin to turn my head to look. "Should I wake the boys?"
Sands: I raise my voice so the thralls can hear me. "Klein, wake up," I call. I can see him looking at me in the rearview mirror. "Take a look behind us. What do you see?"
Victoria: Klein quickly responds. "Yes sir." I didn't like him at first, but he's very obedient. Klein nudges Jackson awake. I frown at him slightly. Klein turns in his seat scanning the road behind us, Jackson begins to pull his weapon. "Sir, I believe you are right, that black Acura is following us, but change lanes a few times to make sure."
Sands:
"Never tell me what to do," I growl at him. "There's more than one of them. There's three, maybe four."
Victoria: Klein lowers his eyes, "Sorry sir." I touch Sands' arm lightly. "Three or four cars?" My eyes plead with him to tell me I am mistaken.
Sands: "Yeah. We didn't sense them because they aren't vampires." I cast her a glance. "They had the same idea we had: They're using thralls."
Victoria: I smirk, humans are easier to deal with. "Can you loose them?"
Sands:
"Klein, are the ones you can see wearing night-vision goggles?" I reach under my coat and loosen my gun, releasing the safety.
Victoria: I watch what he does and swallow hard. Klein nods to Jackson, who is already donning the high tech gear. He shakes his head no. "No, sir they appear to be night blind." He smiles briefly.
I unbutton my coat and expose my own weapon. "Do you think I'm going to need this?" I ask Sands.
Sands: "Yes." I can't imagine anyone with an ounce of intelligence sending thralls after us without the proper equipment. They were no match for us without it. I turn off the lights of the car and take the first exit. Hopefully, I can lose them on unlit country roads. I just can't use the brakes.
Victoria: I watch him carefully over the next few moments. He's calculating. His eyes shift from the mirror to the road ahead at a furious pace. It's exciting to watch.
"Jackson," I pause, "Are you ready?" He nods, his weapon held in his hand. "Don't let anything happen to me now," I warn with a smile.
"Wouldn't dream of it Miss. Dupree," he responds.
I pull my weapon and hold it in my hands, trying desperately to recall the lesson taught not so long ago. Safety off, focus, squeeze the trigger, I think to myself.
Sands: "If we are forced to stop, you two are to protect Miss Dupree," I instruct our thralls. "I'll draw them away. It's me they're after."
Victoria: I wrinkle my forehead at his order. Quite noble. "Will you be all right?"
Without waiting for an answer I turn my head to Jackson. "How many do you see in each car?"
He turns and scans. "I can only see in the car directly behind us. I see two ." He states flatly.
I whip my head back in Sands direction. "Will you be all right?" He's the first vampire I've trusted in the last 150 years, the first person I've cared to spend any amount of time with since Claude died, I don't want our time cut short before it can really begin.
Sands: I can't help but smile. "No matter what, you just get back to your place. I'll meet up with you. If I'm not there by noon, have the boys contact Abberline." I am focused on the road, but I can sense her staring at me. "I'll be fine. They're just humans. I've been trained by the C.I.A., remember? I can kill someone in a hundred and twenty-four different ways without a weapon." I am grinning at the absurdity of it all.
Victoria: "Really?" I smile, "I'd like to see that." I try to remain calm but beneath it all I'm a wreck.
Sands: "Three cars and four in the car behind us, Jackson." I am not surprised. They're all wearing dark clothes and something that looks like sky masks to cover their faces and necks. It strikes me that they're dressed like Navy Seals doing a behind-enemy-lines operation. Ahead, I can see the road comes to a T.
"Right or left, Victoria? What feels lucky?"
Victoria: "Left," I smile, my eyes flashing.
Sands:
She's enjoying this. Me, too. Except I'd rather be hunter than hunted. They're in high-power Chevys. I don't think the Mercedes can outrun them. I force the car into a lower drive to make the turn without using the breaks and we squeal, but stick to the road. I catch something out of the corner of my eye. One of their cars has broken off and is cutting across the open ground. They're going to cut us off.
Victoria: His head turns quickly and my eyes snap in the direction. They're trying to pin us in! I release the safety on the gun. My breath quickens.
Sands: I lower the window, then draw my gun. The road is rough. As their car gets closer, I turn and fire left-handed out the window, aiming for the windshield on the driver's side. They swerve, but continue toward us. I sense our thralls are ready for a fight.
Victoria: I jump a little as he fires. It's different here, not like in the range. I push the button on the window and it slides down silently. I nod to Kline and Jackson who follow Sands' lead. Better not to have broken glass flying around the interior if they shoot. The wind whips his hair around, I'm glad mine is in a braid.
Sands: A flurry of bullets rips into our car. I jerk the wheel right, then left. Jackson is the only one who can fire back right now. He's shooting out the open window.
While we've begun to try and maneuver, those behind have closed the gap. "Behind us," I warn Klein. The car jerks madly and I realize they've shot out the front tire. Great. It acts like an anchor and the car begins to move more sporadically. I have little control.
Victoria: We're whirling around, bullets whizzing by! "Hit them with the car if you have to," I call out. "We can always get another."
Klein turns and aims at the car behind us firing right through their windshield. Glass shatters!
Sands: I pull hard on the wheel, using the shot-out tire to aid in the spin. Suddenly we're facing right at the car that was behind us a moment ago. Klein and Jackson are both leaning out and firing now. I hear the car that was trying to cut us off hitting the road behind us going the wrong way. I pull the wheel just to the right. As the pursuers get even with us, passing on our left, I jerk it to the left into them, sending their tale- end off the pavement and sending them into a spin.
Victoria: The thralls are knocked about by the impact, but they diligently keep firing. Even I grip the arm rest for support. "Good hit!" I yell. "Jackson, Klein, aim for the driver!" Why I yell it out, I don't know. They know their jobs better than I.
Sands:
The car I hit keeps spinning, the guy gunning it, and they slam around hitting us. The sound of crunching metal erupts through the car. "Shit!" I grumble as we slide right off the pavement and into the deep ditch. "Get out. Run." I have my gun in my hand. "Now!" I add.
Victoria: I reach for the handle, but it's jammed! I struggle with it and realize the futility of my actions. I turn and crawl across the seat, following Sands as he exits. I keep my head low.
Klein is out of the car firing over my head and Jackson circles around to our side of the vehicle and reloading his weapon. Shells are flying!
Sands: "I'm going left, you go right," I order them. I'm watching for that third car. It's coming up behind the one we hit. "Do not follow me." With that, I dash across the road into the ditch on the far side. I'm hoping those fuckmooks will follow me and leave Victoria alone. I hear the gunfire increase and I realize most of it is coming from the three I just left. "Run!" I yell back at them.
Victoria: I scan the area. There is a row of trees off to our left. It's dark there and perhaps we can loose them in that darkness. "I hope you can keep up!" I yell to the boys as I scramble to my feet at a dead run. I keep my head low and hear the bullets zip by. The humans should be no match for a vampire running at full capacity, but then again neither are Jackson and Klein!
Sands: I hear the sound of automatic weapons fire. I scramble away, making sure they know where I am. As I dash at full speed past a small bush, it rustles from being hit. Okay, they're taking the bait.
I continue to run over the rough ground. This is some sort of farmland. Of course, this time of year it's only rows of dirt, muddied from the rain. More shots ring out and something hits my leg. There's a little sting, but it doesn't hurt like it should. I reach down. Fuck! They're not using bullets. There's a sort of dart in my leg. Fuckinghell. I don't know what's in these things, but it can't be good.
Part B Victoria: It's not long before I reach the tree line. I slow and wait for Jackson and Klein to catch up. There are a few more shots, but they are dying out. I hear the automatic gun fire in the distance. They are after Sands.
I lunge forward, only to be stopped by Klein's grip on my arm. I look at him and yell, "Let me go!" I could pull away easily, he is after all only a human.
"Sands said not to follow." He looks at me coldly.
"Then one of you go check!"
Sands: Something is spreading through me, slowing me, turning the night sky into amazing colors. I'm getting flashes of memory: A night in Paris totally drunk with Vivian. A carriage ride in New York City on my first trip to America.
It's hard focusing. I know I should be running, but my legs don't want to move. I think I'm standing still, but maybe I'm still running.
Victoria: The thralls shake their heads. They disgust me. I yank my arm away forcefully and take off in the direct that Sands ran. I stay close to the tree line, pleased to be clad in black. I follow along quickly past the crashed vehicles, hearing only shouting, no gun fire!
Sands: I must be in the mud. I feel the wet. People are touching me. I want to shout at them, but I can't move. My mind is not my own. I can't focus.
Glimpses of other bad times are crowding in: The time I learned that Josephina was taken to the guillotine. The day in Mexico when Dr. Guevara drilled out my eyes.
I'm yelling, I can hear my own voice, but I'm not making real words.
I'm not in the water anymore. They're lifting me, carrying me. I want to kill them all. More vivid visions. I can't tell what's real anymore.
The river is rising. Get out! Sandra, get out! Am I yelling, or thinking? It's getting darker. Darker. I don't feel anything anymore.
Victoria: I reach the scene just in time to see the humans lifting his body from the mud. Is he dead! I must know who they are! Klein and Jackson are coming, I hear their clumsy footsteps in the brush behind me. I reach out with my mind trying to get a reading off any kind from the figures before me.
I shut my eyes and concentrate. Nothing! I'm about to open my eyes when I get a flash; an image. My eyes pop open forcefully, "Jacob!" I raise my gun and fire. The shot goes over their heads. "Shit !" I hear to my left. It's Klein. He hits the ground on one knee and begins to fire. "Don't hit Sands!" I shout.
One of the men carrying Sands drops. I smile at the hit, but have no time for compliments as they return fire. Jackson pushes me to the ground forcefully, shielding my body as the bullets fly over head. "Get off! "I yell, "Return fire!"
Jackson shakes his head and keeps me down, but does return fire with his other hand. The bullets tear through the trees and Klein manages to take down another of the men carrying Sands' body. But they outnumber us.
A car speeds up and screeches to a halt. The door flies open and they stuff Sands apparently lifeless body into the vehicle. "NO!" I scream
Klein: Miss Dupree is gutsy, I'll give her that, but she obviously has had little to no training. "Miss Dupree, can you get the license plate number?"
Victoria: I lift my head out of the mud and squint my eyes. A smile spreads over my face. "DLX 462!" I call out. "Write that down!"
Jackson is still holding me down, aiming his gun into the field.
Klein: "I got it." I aim and carefully shoot at the second car. Rubber flies off the back tire.
Victoria: The car swerves, but the driver manages to hold the car in check and speeds away kicking up mud and ridding the rim. I pound the ground with my fist in frustration.
"Let me up!" I bark at Jackson.
"Not until I know the area is clear," he responds sweetly. I turn my head and push him off, he goes flying back a few feet.
Klein: I pull my cell phone from my jacket pocket. Everything happened so quickly, I didn't have time to call before. I press the phone book button for the Guardians. MacGregor's voice barks from the other side.
"What is it?" he asks.
"They've got Sands," I report. I see Victoria stalking toward me. "Victoria is safe."
Victoria: "Who are you talking to?" I question.
Klein: "The Guardians. MacGregor."
Victoria: "Can they send someone out for us? The car is ruined and maybe someone to clean up our mess?" I point in the direction of the bodies. "We don't want anyone asking questions." I smile. "Oh and tell them it's Jacob, definitely Jacob behind this."
Klein: I relay her report and request to MacGregor. He's already on it, talking to people even as he replies to me. I try to describe where we are. He asks if we have flashlights to signal them when they get off the highway.
"Miss Dupree, do you have flashlights in the car?" I ask.
Victoria: "Jackson," I call as Klein is on the cell, "Go see if anyone is alive over there, if they are I want to talk to them." He raises an eyebrow as if he is about to speak and then turns away, good choice.
I brush myself off knocking dirt and clumps of mud from my legs and backside.
"Miss Dupree, do you have flashlights in the car?" I look up . "Hum, oh yes. In the trunk. Can they round up Andre for me?"
Klein: "She wants Andre in on this. No, I saw him there earlier." I start walking toward the front seats. I hope the key is still there. It's pitch black out here and I can barely see anything.
Victoria: I follow Klein knowing his human eyes are weak and the darkness a hindrance for him. The door is flung open and the vehicle is riddled with bullet holes. "Why did you do that?" I mumble to myself.
Klein: "Pardon me?" I can't quite here what she's saying. I climb in and reach for the ignition, hoping the keys are still there. Bingo. I get back out, holding them, confident she can see I have them.
Victoria: I turn and scan the field looking for Jackson. "Samuel," I call out to him silent across the darkness. I see his head pop up, he's still wearing the night vision gear.
"Yes, Miss Dupree?"
"Are any alive?" I question as I fold my arms.
"Yes, one," he replies.
"Good bring him here." Jackson stands as he begins to drag the body of one of our assailants through the muck. Then I turn to see what Klein is up to. He seems more than capable. Perhaps I was wrong about him before.
Klein: She doesn't answer me. She may have been talking to Jackson or something. I open the trunk and find a big flashlight and a smaller one. I take them both. There's bullet holes all over the trunk. We're lucky the tank didn't blow. As I digest this information, I hear her and Jackson talking. There's a survivor. That should please her.
I leave the trunk open and head back to her.
Victoria: Klein comes around to my side, he's found the flashlights. Jackson walks up and drops the body at my feet. I hear it groan.
"Miss Dupree," he bows his head and kneels down pulling the ski mask from the victims head.
Klein: I've never seen this guy before. He's got his head shaved like a Navy Seal. Their entire ops has been very militant. These guys have been trained.
I shine the flashlight on his face and look to Victoria for direction. "Do you want me to stay with you, or head to the highway to wait for reinforcements?" I ask her.
Victoria: "Jackson will go, you can stay." My fists are clenched in anger my eyes narrow.
Klein: I pull a piece of white nylon from my pocket. "Right." I bend down and flip the guy over, securing his hands behind his back with the nylon cord. Next I begin to frisk him for weapons. He's got a few stashed away. Jackson is checking his mouth for capsules and false teeth. When he's done, he takes the larger flashlight and hikes off towards the highway.
By the time I'm finished, we have a small arsenal sitting behind me, all compliments of our friend. He's beginning to regain consciousness. There's nothing on him or his clothes to tell us his name or where he comes from.
Victoria: He's moaning and his eyes are fluttering. That's all right, but when I'm finished he's going to wish he had died out there in that field. I know a thing or two about pain and since Jacob's involved in this, I'm not going to hold back. "Bring him to, " I urge.
Klein: I'm not sure what I can do to speed things up. I have no ammonia capsules. "Hey, buddy, wake up." I pick him up by his flack vest. "Someone wants to talk to you."
Victoria: His eyes open and immediately he begins to struggle, I half smile at his efforts.
Klein:
Well, at least Victoria seems to be enjoying herself. I can't help but smile.
Victoria: "Hello," I say coldly , smiling and exposing my fangs. I walk forward a little so he can get a better look at me.
Victoria: "Step aside, Klein," I ask and wave at him with the back of my hand. Then I turn my attentions back to the black clad figure at my feet. "You and I are going to have a little chat."
Klein: I move out of her way and pick up our remaining flashlight. I scan the area, making sure no one is sneaking back to look for survivors.
Victoria: He spits at me! I smile and kick him in the face! His head goes snapping back , he winces in pain. "Now, now that's no way to treat a lady. " I purr. "And make no mistakes I am definitely a lady." I allow my southern accent to flow freely. I step closer and straddle his form. "You have information that I want, and seeing that you are a gentleman you are going to assist me."
Klein: The guy grits his teeth, glares at her, and I take it this is his decision to make his death a little more painful.
Victoria: I sigh and squat down over him brushing the side of his face. "I know you are working for Jacob McCloud." I smile prettily. "I just want to know where he is right now, and why you saw fit to take my friend from me."
Klein: From what I understand, Victoria is new at this thrall business. I stand back and whisper so only she can here me: "If you make him your thrall, he'll have to tell you."
Victoria: I turn my head, "Thank you for that information. I will if I have to, but I think I would like to do things this way first." I smile, still stroking the man's nearly bald head. "Now, is there anything you would like to say?" I question.
Klein: The fellow's had training, it shows. He's no more likely to talk then I am. I wait. This is Victoria's game.
Victoria: "Fine sugar, then we'll do things Jacob's way." I shrug my shoulders and grip the side of his head tightly. My fingers press into the side of his skull, drops of blood begin to appear. My mind drifts for a moment as I remember watching Jacob acting out this scene on one of his enemies. I watched in horror that time.
Klein: I'm not sure what she's up to. I guess she wants to try torture first. The guy is squirming, but still not talking. He may pass out from what she's doing to him.
"If he's a thrall to a Viscalli, he's probably afraid to talk," I speak very softly. "They're pretty brutal and control their thralls not only with blood, but fear."
Victoria: I know what he's talking about. Jacob controlled me with fear. He filled my head with stories of danger and death by our kind and beat me severely when I began to question him.
I close my eyes and try to look into this man's mind. Perhaps I can see where he's come from, or what their plans were. I really don't want another thrall.
Klein: I'm getting nervous. It's way too quiet out here. The only sounds are this guys little moans, the occasional drops of rain hitting the ground, and my breathing. Spooky. I hope Jackson made it to the highway okay. Hell, he's probably still walking. I think Sands had the car up to 80 on these back roads.
I keep looking around, hoping this guy will say something to make Victoria happy and give us a lead. I jump when my cell phone goes off.
Victoria: I hear the phone ring, but I remain motionless trying hard to see where he been recently. Slowly images begin to appear. I can feel his blood dripping down the back of my hand.
Klein: I answer. It's Quinn on the line. They've located the owner of the car. He asks if it's a Chevy. I answer in the affirmative, turning away from what Victoria is doing so I can pay attention to Quinn. He's giving me an address just north of Manhattan in the burbs. They're going to pick us up. He asks to talk to Victoria. I explain that she's busy. Turning back around, I watch her face. She's concentrating. Looks like she's almost in a trance or something.
Victoria: I don't like what I see. Several men pouring over maps and photographs on the walls. Sands walking through the park, Sands sitting in a coffee shop, Sands in a boutique. They've been watching him for awhile. A figure approaches, no two figures. All the men snap to attention. 'Remember we want him alive.' I know that voice. The images fade. I throw his head to the ground and growl. Angry at the situation, angry that I could not get more, angry that I am so useless.
Klein: Something's upset her. I stand, waiting for orders. Did she even hear me talking to Quinn? "Quinn and the Guardians are on their way," I tell her. "They have address to go with the license plate. It's not that far from here, actually."
Victoria: I stand, my eyes glaring at the man on the ground. "Does Quinn want this one alive?" I ask without looking at Klein.
Klein: "He didn't give any orders," I tell her. "He's your find." I look at the guy. If I had the right drugs, I could probably make him talk, but I don't think Victoria is that patient. I can't sense Sands anymore. I had a sense of him that faded when he ran off, then it was as if the signal was turned off completely. They must have used drugs on him.
Victoria: "Call and ask him," I reply.
Klein: I flip open the phone and hit the redial. Quinn answers almost at once. "Do you want our prisoner alive?" I ask.
"His life is at Victoria's discretion," he tells me. "We may need him if this is a stolen car."
"Thank you, sir." I close the phone and turn to Victoria, relaying what Quinn has just said, though I know she heard it over the phone.
Victoria: I kneel down next to our man on the ground. He's bleeding pretty heavily from my puncture wounds. I drip a finger in one of the wounds and then raise it to my lips letting my tongue work its ways back and forth across my finger tip until it is clean. The mans eyes widen, and I can feel Klein watching me closely. "It is lucky for you that you are still needed, when you are not, we shall meet again." I smile, stand and turn away from him and begin to walk into the darkness.
Klein: I don't understand this Victoria. She seems like she doesn't want the power over this guy that is hers for the taking. I wonder if the hypothermia is going to get to him, or if he'll pass out from bleeding first. I figure I better get him off the wet ground to be sure he doesn't die from this freakishly cold weather.
"Up," I tell him, forcing him to sit up with a hand to his flack jacket. "Get on your feet, soldier."
Victoria: "What are you doing?" I call over my shoulder.
Klein: "Trying to keep him alive."
Victoria: "Be careful," I warn and then continue to walk off into the darkness.
Klein: "Yes, mam," I respond automatically. I have to half drag this big oaf into the open door of the back seat. I push him back so he's half-laying on the seat with his feet still outside. That should keep him a little warmer.
Straightening, I keep watch out.
Victoria: I walk to the tree line and lean against the wet bark. I sigh again. "Damn you, Sands! If you hadn't run in the opposite direction we'd be together, maybe they wouldn't have taken you." I felt like crying, but vampires really don't cry. I hated everything about this situation and wanted a comforting shoulder at that moment. I was afraid more than anything else. What was Jacob going to do to you? I half knew because he done the same things to me. I shut my eyes tightly. I could still see those chains. The heavy links, the stains on the wooden floor. I cringed.
Klein: Boy it's cold out here. I can't see Victoria anymore. She's probably scooping the place out. I want a smoke, but I better not. Someone might see the light and snipe me.
Victoria: I don't want to be around anyone at the moment. I open my eyes and turn. Klein is standing out there in the field near the car. He's nervous. I watch him shift weight from foot to foot. I hope Quinn arrives soon.
Klein: I check my watch. It's been almost twenty minutes since Jackson took off. It's starting to rain again. I wonder if our prisoner is still alive. I take a step toward the car, then see something. There's headlights coming down the road fast. That's got to be them. I hope. I hope it's not the Viscalli clan coming back to finish what they started.
Just to make sure, I head off to the tree line, my gun in my hand. "Victoria, someone is coming," I call out a warning.
Victoria: I saw the lights before he did. My gun is already in my hand. "We wait here until we know who it is." I grab his arm and pull him behind a large, old tree.
Klein: When she grabbed me, I almost had a heart attack. I hadn't seen her. We wait for a few seconds, then I hear her stand. "It's ours," she tells me. I hope she's not just feeling Jackson coming with them.
"Can you see anyone you know?" I ask her.
Victoria: I click the safety and put my gun back into its holster. "Yes!" I call out and begin running toward the wrecked car. The other vehicles pull up, the doors pop open and several guardians appear and begin to make a sweep of the area, Jackson is with them. It's then I see him. Andre steps out of the S.U.V. he locks his eyes in my direction.
Andre: I walk towards Victoria. She looks a little shaken, but resolute. "What happened?" I look from her to their car. It's pretty obvious what happened, but I want to hear it from her. I sense Quinn beside me, waiting for her answer with me.
Victoria: I run my fingers through my hair, pushing the loose ends behind my ear. 'We were driving into the city, when Sands noticed that we were being followed. He decide to go off road to make sure they were really trailing us. They were. They began firing and then rammed the car. We spun around and stopped here. He order the thralls to stay with me and decided to run off in that direction, hopping to draw their fire. " I point behind them to the tire tracks in the field. "They stopped shooting at us and followed him. I turned around and started after him, only to see him laying on the ground motionless. They loading him into a car and sped off." I lowered my eyes and folded my arms.
Andre: "It must have been awful for you," I tell her. I know what it feels like to be helpless while someone you love is taken. We have a lead on the car."
Quinn speaks up. "Come on. My men will get the prisoner. Did you enthrall him already?"
Victoria: I shift my eyes to Quinn. "No."
Andre: "They'll take care of it," I assure her. "Come with us. We have Jackson." I gesture towards the big Mercedes S.U.V.
Victoria: I let him take me by the arm and lead me towards the large, black vehicle. "Andre, "I sighed. I looked up at him helplessly.
Andre: I can sense her despair. "He's strong, Victoria. He's survived a lot worse than this. They didn't kill him outright, did they? You saw them take him?"
Victoria: "Yes, I saw them take him, but he was not moving, not at all." I gripped his arm tightly. "Andre, Jacob is a horror and he is not working alone in this. Another is with him, someone much older, darker."
Andre: I say nothing. The Viscalli clan are all dark, but very few of it's members survive long enough to get old. We get into the car. The prisoner is carried into the Hummer behind us. The doors shut and we head back toward the highway.
"They will find out everything your prisoner knows," I assure her. "If he's been well trained, he may be an asset. If he doesn't fit the profile, he'll be dead once we're sure of his intelligence."