Chapter 3

Saturday, October 18th, 1986

Hill Valley

4: 53 P. M.

Biff had made the acquaintance of a couple of interns at Hill Valley's radio station, KKHV, who were disgruntled with their position. It was relatively easy to bribe them into sneaking a posse of vampires into the station during peak hours. Biff let a pair of the lackeys make a meal out of them as he found an unused room and turned off the lights. "Okay -- Match, Skinhead, you're with me. The rest of ya -- get those other D.J.s off the air."

"Sure thing, Biff." They scattered. Smiling, Biff turned toward the equipment. His smile was quickly replaced by a look of confusion. "Uh -- anybody know how to use any of this sht?"

Match experimentally turned a dial, producing a loud squeal. All the vampires held their ears in pain. "Butt-head!" Biff yelled, shoving him aside. "I'll figure it out!" Match hissed but didn't protest.

At the same time, Marty and Jennifer showed up at Doc and Mystie's door. "You call us, Doc?" Marty asked as the vampires let them in. "I thought you'd still be asleep."

"We both took a dose of my new medicine. We found this shoved under our door a few minutes ago." Doc showed his friends an unsigned, type-written note:

LISTEN TO KKHV AT FIVE TODAY FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Marty looked confused. "You got any idea who might have left it?"

"No, not even a identifying smell. He or she sprayed it with perfume."

"I'm guessing KKHV is getting desperate for ratings," Mystie said with a slight smile, lounging on the cot near the door. "Whatever it's for, we're definitely tuning in."

"My theory is that someone important has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. That's why I invited you two over -- it could be information concerning Biff's activities."

"You didn't need to invite me," Jennifer shrugged. "Dad listens to KKHV all the time."

"Oh. No matter."

The music coming from the radio was abruptly cut off. "Hey, buddy -- WHAT THE -- HELP!"

All eyes turned to the radio, not only in Doc's home, but in all of Hill Valley. For a moment, there was a frightening silence. Then there was a soft cough. "Is it on?"

"Great Scott, it is Biff," Doc said, looking nervous.

"Yup, the light's on," Skinhead's voice answered.

"Good." There was a violent throat-clearing, then Biff began to speak in a low, threatening tone. "Hello, Hill Valley. Do you know who this is? Guess it doesn't matter. I'm not the man I used to be. I'm a man with a burning desire for revenge. And I'm gonna take it out on all of you. Everyone who's ever looked down on me -- or maybe even slugged me." In the McFly house, George gulped.

"You're wondering how I can make that threat, right? Well, I'm more powerful than you could ever imagine. I'm a vampire."

Mystie snapped her fingers in frustration. "Dammit! You were right, honey, and I so wish you weren't."

"He might be bluffing," Doc said desperately. The idea of a vampire Biff was too repulsive for him to handle.

"Face it, Doc, he isn't," Marty said, feeling a shudder go up his spine.

"You heard right. Vampire. All-powerful bloodsucker. And I've got other vampires to support me. Soon, soulless fiends will be crawling all through this shtty town. I've been all over California, from Grass Valley to 'Frisco--"

"SAN FRANCISCO!" a few visitors yelled at their radios.

"-- and recruited the worst of the worst from each. In just a few days, they'll be here to kill everybody who ever dissed me. Then it's one to the rest of the state, the rest of the country, and finally, the rest -- of the world."

The Time Trippers looked at each other in horror. "Holy sht," Marty breathed. "Well, they say, think big."

"Every soulless vampire from California?" Jennifer squeaked. "Jesus, that's gotta be in the hundreds!"

"More likely the thousands," Mystie said miserably. "The worst parts of L. A. and the like are good breeding grounds for soulless."

"Damn! Damn damn!" Doc yelled, furious. "Why didn't we think to track his movements?! Why did we just let him slip through our fingers? This is all our fault!"

"Emmett, calm down," Mystie said firmly. "It's too late for that, even with the time machine. He's being an idiot right now, broadcasting this for all the town to hear. So be quiet so we can get all the info we can."

"You probably think I'm kidding, right? That this is all some crazy Halloween joke. It ain't. In fact -- Match! Grab me one of those D.J.s we kicked out."

"I think we know exactly what's about to happen," Marty said, turning green. "Where's KKHV located?"

"At the corner of James Avenue and Ignatowski Street," Doc said. "I remember because of that renaming contest a few years back."

"Okay then, let's beat it!" They piled into the DeLorean and took off.

At the radio station, Match dragged in a struggling young woman. "Here's one, Biff. Ready and raring to go."

"Let go of me, you freak!" she shrieked, clawing at him. "This is kidnapping! This is taking hostages!!"

"This is gonna be fun!" Biff laughed, grabbing her jaw and planting a sloppy kiss on her lips. She slapped him hard. "Ah-ah-ah, you don't want to make me mad," Biff cooed, twisting her arm. "That could mean bad things happening." The rest of the vampires sniggered and moved in closer.

As the woman began to scream in agony, all over Hill Valley listeners went quiet. Before, they had thought it was some sort of Halloween prank. Listening to the sounds of breaking bones, ripping flesh, and sadistic laughter, they weren't so sure.

The Time Trippers arrived at the station just in time to see Louis, Serena, Natalie and Jay show up. "I take it you heard the show too," Louis greeted them.

"Someone left us a note to listen to it," Doc explained. "Thank God we did."

Natalie blinked. "Hey, somebody left us a note too. . . ."

Before she could continue, Serena screamed. "Serena? What is it?" Louis asked, running over.

"We're too late," Serena whispered, pointing out the two bodies of the interns.

"We're too late for them," Jay corrected, shivering with disgust. "We're not too late for that poor woman inside the station. There's going to be a third body if we don't get in there soon, though." Pumped on adrenaline, the gang forced their way in. A group of soulless vampires stationed as guards quickly set upon them. Louis quickly took command, shouting out orders to the others. "Doc, Natalie, Jay, you guys go to the front and try to break through! Marty, Jennifer, stay back and try to find some weapons! The rest of you, CHARGE!"

"What do you think we've been doing, Louis?" Mystie said, slamming one of the soulless into the wall. "By the way, look out behind you!"

Louis quickly jumped out of the way of another vampire. The creature spun to grab him, but overcorrected and fell over. Louis pinned him to the ground. "Listen, you guys pretty much accept me as your leader, so you may as well --"

All the color drained from Louis's face as his eyes nearly burst from their sockets. He let out a slight squeak and fell to the side, curling up into the fetal position. The soulless vampire sniggered. "Oh, ouch," Marty said, his legs automatically moving closer together.

"Louis! You bastard!" Serena slammed her high heels into the offender's crotch. The sniggers were quickly replaced by a high-pitched scream. All around, the boys winced. Serena picked up the vampire and threw him as hard as she could into a bathroom, then moved to protect Louis from the others. The rest kept trying to clear the way into the station.

Biff finally threw the dying woman to the ground. "Remember those screams, butt-heads!" he shouted into the mike. "'Cause in a week or so, they'll be yours!" With a final cackle, he shut off the equipment. "Okay, boys, let's blow this joint."

"Uh -- how?"

Biff hadn't thought of that. "Okay, boys, let's not blow this joint. We'll--"

A soulless vampire ran in, cutting him off. "Stupid souled," he panted, his deteriorating mind robbing him of full coherency. "They in studio. Fight us."

"WHAT THE HELL?! How?!?" Biff screamed, grabbing the vampire by the throat.

"Dunno, but they angry."

Biff scowled, very upset. "Sht. Those damn Time Trippers follow me everywhere. Maybe this broadcast wasn't such a good idea." He released the vampire and grabbed Match and Skinhead roughly by the shoulders. "C'mon, butt-heads, those D.J.s are our ticket outta here." They snuck out of the room, fighting their natural daytime sluggishness.

Moments later, Natalie, Jay, and Doc burst in, having made it through the advance guard. Natalie knelt by the female D.J., who was covered in blood and gore. "She's still alive, but barely," she reported. Turning to the woman, she asked softly, "What's your name?"

"Gerry," she choked out, eyes wide with fear.

"Okay, Gerry, I'm Natalie. I'm here to help."

Seeing Gerry was in capable hands, Doc motioned to Jay. "We have to see who else is in here," he said, pulling him out of the room.

They found the rest of the D.J.s trapped in the lunch room, cowering on the floor. They screamed and clung to each other as Doc and Jay entered. "It's okay!" Jay yelled. "We're here to help."

"Is everyone okay?" Doc asked, doing a visual sweep of the room. Most of the broadcasters looked shaken (not to mention a touch weepy) but otherwise unhurt.

"For the most part," one spoke up, trembling. "But these -- things dragged a couple of us out of here. And, of course, there's what happened to Gerry. . . . Is she okay?"

"Someone's taking care of her. Who was taken?"

"Larry and Helen. They--"

Doc suddenly fell against Jay, holding his stomach in pain. It felt distinctly like something had clawed his abdomen. "Damn! Excuse me, I have to help my friends. Can you handle this, Jay?"

"No problemo, Doc. You go on back." The scientist nodded and ran back down the hallway.

It was an exhausted and hurt group he met up with. "We managed to trap a few in there," Mystie gasped, pointing to the bathroom, "but the rest overpowered us and got away." She rubbed her face, which was currently a mess of pink streaks and dried blood. "What happened with that woman we heard?"

"Nat's on it, and Jay's with the other D.J.s. I have the distinct feeling we're going to have a new member soon." Doc found Marty holding his stomach, Jennifer supporting him. "Are you all right?"

Marty weakly grinned. "You shoulda seen the look on one of their faces when I knocked him out." He stood up a little more, revealing a few nasty-looking cuts on his belly. "'Course, that was after he got me. . . ."

Doc gave his friend some blood as Natalie rejoined the group, carrying the unconscious Gerry. "I had to infect her," she whispered, pale. "I got some info on her personal life -- divorced with two kids. They're at their dad's for a few weeks, thank God. I always feel guilty about changing the ones with families."

"It's better than leaving two kids without their mother," Mystie comforted her. "And I'm certain she's going to be a valuable addition to our cause."

"We hope. Where'd all those soulless bastards go?"

"We were trying to herd them into the bathroom when Biff blew by with a couple of mortal. They immediately ran after him. We chased them, but they jumped into some cars and drove away."

"That's what must have happened to those D.J.s," Doc realized. "Biff must have forced them into being chauffeurs for his gang. Damn it!" Frowning angrily, he added, "Why didn't anyone follow them?"

"Louis went after them," Serena said, frowning back.

"LOUIS?"

"I fixed him up," Serena quickly explained. "Some ice cold water and some of my blood worked wonders."

Jay suddenly ran up to them, looking worried. "We've got trouble."

"We can't have trouble," Jennifer complained, looking completely worn out. "I can't handle any more emergencies!"

"It's the police!" Serena gasped, now hearing the sirens that Jay had. "Somebody must have called 911."

"Well, wouldn't you?" Mystie asked logically. "If you'd had to go through what they had to? Heck, I'm surprised the police aren't already here."

Doc bit his lip nervously, twisting his hands. "One of us should stay back here and answer any questions that come up. The D.J.s probably don't realize we wanted to help them."

"I'll stay," Serena volunteered. "I'm probably the most non-threatening of the bunch. Are the rest of you going to try to catch up to Louis?"

"If we can. Good luck, Serena." Serena went to meet the police at the front, while her companions took to the skies.