Chapter six ; simple things
Darkness was slowly withdrawing before the repairs, though lights were the only thing that could be made right. Nothing else in the Section could be restored 100 percent. The infirmary held most repairs for a medical emergency that occurred was beyond any priority. Three very old persons were occupying the facility, surrounded by any and all men and recourses that were left, and trough the protective glass on the wall, the ones outside could barely recognize them. Nikita wore a dark red scarf that cowered most of her neck, and together with Michael and Davenport, they beheld what was left of their superiors. They were aging rapidly, but not their eyes and nerve systems, and right now they seemed about 150 years old. One of the doctors brought the microphone to what must have bean Operations, and its lips started moving :
" … You are… all that... was left… You must… stop him… before it… is too late… before he… uses the… machine… ( huuuuhhh ) "; they could barely recognize his voice.
" We'll stop him. "; Michael said
He and Nikita went away, but as soon as they were off, Davenport received the final instructions :
" No meter… what happens… they are… to be canceled… once their… usefulness expires. "
Michael and Nikita caught one doctor that exited the lab :
" What have you learned of Kain's species ?"
" Well, this… this is the footage of Jennifer's cells. "; he activated the screen, displaying the cells infested by a swarm tiny dots :" These… small bodies are what caused the mutation. We call it the V-colony. The colony entered trough the bite, so we know it is carried in the slime of the carrier. "
" What comes next after they enter the organism. ?"
" They multiply and infiltrate every cell in the host's body, and start altering the DNA on the sub molecular level, causing the mutation. But… "
" But what ?"
" The V-colony seeks the foreign DNA in the host and amends the original cod copying the foreign one on it. "
" That must be why he gives his blood to his chosen ones. The V-colony turns their DNA into his. "; Nikita concluded
" No. "; the doctor said :" It doesn't turn their DNA into his, but it upgrades it to something similar. The colony it self never stops upgrading during the host's life, and it seems to use blood of its host as an energy resource. It… it even regenerates dead or damaged cells. "
" What would happened if someone was bitten and didn't get the blood sample from the carrier ?"; Nikita asked
" Than the colony would alter the DNA to a disintegration point. It would destroy the host. That's why the bodies they feed upon, fall apart. "
Nikita turned and came to the dour, trying to make her feelings unnoticeable. Michael asked :
" Is there any way to reverse the process ?"
" I don't know. I still haven't got a clue what V-colony is, not alone how to fight it. Kain him self seems to be the prime carrier… maybe he knows… Maybe he even knows how to cure Operations and George and Madeline. "
" We've heard enough. "; Nikita said :" Let's go. "
They left for Biercof's control center to start scanning the planet for anything that would hint them the location of Kain's device. But half way there, Nikita faltered and grabbed for the wall, not to collapse. Michael placed his hand on her shoulder :
" Can you continue ?"
" Yes… I'm just a little tired. That's all. "
He watched her while she leaned on the wall in a headache.
" I'm not going to let you die. "; he said
" That's good… 'Cause I'm not planning to. "; she looked ahead towards their road :" You go ahead. I'll catch up. "
" Are you sure ?"
" The sooner you start, the sooner we might get some results. "
" Take your time. "; he said and left her alone in the corridor.
But as soon as he was out of sight she went back to the medical laboratory. The doctor had his back turned when she entered, and she easily escaped his sight. Swiftly, like a shadow she moved pass the staff and found her self at the locker with the blood samples. It was already damaged in the attack so it was a simple thing to take that specific sample from the shelf, conceal it upon her self, and than to find her way back the way she came. No one saw her, and the sensors damaged as they were, were of little use to the security. After that she was at her post with Biercof, Michael and Davenport, joining them in their search.
As he punched the last few sequences to his keyboard, Leo stepped behind Kain and made his presence noticeable by a silent cough :
" Father, I'm sorry to interrupt… "; he started.
" No, you aren't in fact. I'm done. Everything is ready for tomorrow night. "
" We may have some more trouble from the Section. They are trying to find us, and though their efforts are robbed of their previous accuracy, their persistence seems to have increased. "
" Let them. It is all in wane now. Has the attack claimed anyone else except Rene ?"
" Lilly, David, Andre and Alan were taken from us as well. The others will recover. "
" You've waged a great victory today. I am very proud of you. "
" Thank you father… Ummm… There's one other thing… "
Kain turned towards him :
" Why do I have a feeling, I'm not going to like this ?"
" The blue demon… He and the mortal women… "
" I taught I told you to silence their friendship ?"
" I've failed you, father. They seam… "
" Where is this troublesome human now ?"
" She is at the Hoover-dram at the Colorado river. She is checking the water contamination. A load of chemicals sunk up the stream and she is determining whether the containers have cracked… I ask for another chance to… "
" No. Leave it to me. I'll deal with you later. "
He shifted to bat form.
They've worked restlessly for many hovers and time seamed to slow down to a crawl. Nikita placed her panel on the desk. She was exhausted and everything ached her all over. It would seem that the infection spread trough her system and started to devour her from within. Placing her elbows on the table she started rubbing her eyes. Michael came behind her :
" How are you doing ?"
" I can still function. Just let me rest a bit. "
Biercof appeared with more data :
" Nikita I need you to… What's the meter with you ?"
" Nothing. I just need some time alone. "
" I'll… get on this right away. "
He and Michael left back to work, leaving her alone, and now that she was, she could stop pretending. Her body fell on the table moaning and barely holding her self awake. Everything was spinning in pain and chill, even though sweat started to shower her all over. As her sight bleared, her hand crawled of the edge of the table and fell aside her, slowly reaching for her pocked. She took out her one ticket to survive.
The doctor passed by, interrupting Michael in his thoughts. The man was in a lot of hurry :
" What's happening ?"; Michael asked
" Jennifer's blood sample… It's gone ! It was there after the attack…"
" Report it to security. "
" Yes ser. "; the doctor left
Michael calmly placed his panel on the desk, and than swiftly paced to Nikita's post, only to find her still rubbing her eyes as she did when he left her. She looked at him :
" What ? Have you found him ?"
" Jennifer's blood sample is gone. "
" When ?"
He slowly approached
" Did you take it ?"
" No. "
" It won't solve anything, Nikita. It will only make things worse. "
" I know, Michael… I know. "; she took his hand and placed her cheek on his palm, closing her eyes.
" Your skin is cold. "; he said
They didn't speak any more. Everything that could be said, was said.
Massive walls of the white damn stretched before him blocking his view. He gazed at the huge construction that held back the river and supplied power to the human world. Even Kain had to stop for a moment to examine this giant marvel of engineering but not with pride like those before him, but with envy. How was it possible that such a simple race could progress so much, and his could only decay and devolve. The creativity these humans wielded was an insult to everything he stood for, and as far as he was concerned, it was an insult for every vampire, dead or alive.
The interior was well protected against intruders with many lazy men displaced trough out its hollow halls. Since it was the late night shift, they would not be very edgy, he taught. A silent and sneaking strike would be more intelligent, though a frontal assault would prove much more fun. Since he'd spend the last two mounts under ground, and behind various constructing activities, he decided to indulge him self.
Just as the next shift was about to start, a laud crash of rock and stone exploded trough out the corridors. All the nearby men ran to its source to find a large hole in the wall trough which they could see the outer stars. Kain was in front of it, standing amidst the rock on the flour, cleaning the concrete dust of him self. He was ignoring his hosts while he was doing that, and than his eyes fell on his shock-frozen spectators. A carnage was to follow in which blood was spilled to the point of flooding the flour. Kain felt a little naked, now without the reaver by his side, but this also was a massacre worthy of him. At one point, as he was progressing trough the damn, an Asian type of human jumped before him. He started making, what he taught were impressive moves with his limbs, as if saying " I'm a dangerous animal !". Kain was in fact amused by this and a mocking smile danced on his lips. The man lunched at him, but Kain simply punched his face when he came within his fist range. He instantly fell down, with shattered scull and face dented in the shape of Kain's fist. One other stabbed the knife in his back, but Kain just turned, and grabbed him by the throat. He pooled the knife out and said :
" You too, Brutes ?"
Carrying him to the turbine, he threw him in, shredding him to bits. When the water grew red he said to him self :
"…and that's what the blender is for…"
He turned around, only to find one man shooting at him near two giant gears. Focusing his telekinetic energy, he stopped the bullets before reaching him, and than simply approached, grabbing his neck and placing his head in between the cogs, crushing it into paste. But than someone kicked him from behind, and his claw went in as well, gemming the gears, and binding him there. He turned, and tossed the body of the headless man on his attacker, and both of them flied over the fence into the abyss below. He than tried to brake free, but all the pressure of the river was against him. He couldn't move the gears enough to release his arm, not even the other way. The rest of the guards gathered on a safe distance, and observed him trapped there. They opened fire cutting him trough like a swish cheese, but when they stopped the bullets just came out, and the wounds healed.
Kain was terribly thirsty, and all the wounds made it even worse. He hanged there with searing pain in his arm, and burning hunger for blood in his throat. Men came closer, but not too close, wondering what he was to survive such a thing. With his last strength, Kain focused his powers instantly catching one in flames, others in lightnings, and in a few seconds, they all fell down dead.
He than tried to focus to bring the bodies closer to him, but the thirst was too disrupting now, he couldn't do it any more. He tried even to shift into a mist and bat form and thus brake free, but he couldn't cast the spell. So all he could do was to send a whisper to his children to come to his aid, but in the mean time he had to wait under the flames of hunger.
An eternity passed for him as he hung there, and then someone came to his sight. It was Sharon, looking at him, the slaughter he caused, and his arm, trapped in the machine. He tried to charm her, to poses her mind and bring her closer to him, but all he could do is give her a headache. She grabbed for her forehead and yelled at him :
" Stop it !"
" Oh …rrrghh. It… doesn't meter…anyway. "
" What's wrong with you ? What are you even doing here !"
" Hmph. I'm holding…a diet…hrmmm. You just… stick around. This won't be… my end. "
He didn't look at her, being lost to his torment. Suddenly, he heard a sound of dragging. She was dragging one of the corpses towards him. Before she came to his reach, she stepped on the other side, and pushed the body to him, thus preventing the possibility of herself becoming a meal. Kain grabbed the body, and stabbed his fangs into its flesh finally tasting the blood that was sweet and fulfilling as it was in Nosgoth. He drained it so quickly she could barely take a breath, and than he got up, and dragged the rest to him with his TK, draining them as well. He was restored. One strong punch, and the iron gears cracked like glass. His hand was free and started to heal. First the bones grew back with flesh and skin over them. Even the glove repaired itself. He squeezed it in a fist, and than let it slide next to his side.
He sent the message to his children not to come, and then took a long wandering look at his savior. Both she and he were ignorant of what will happened next.
" Why !"; Kain finally asked, braking the silence
Sharon bowed down her gaze, and answered :
" Because I can…"
He stepped before her, and lifted her chin to see her face. She said :
" If something would happened to you, Raziel wouldn't be able to get back… without you. "
" Ignorant child. My help was on the way. "; he said calmly, after which he turned around, and started pacing :" Do you know, I was originally here to kill you ?"
" What ? Why ?"
" I am playing with some dangerous men who wouldn't hesitate to use you to get to Raziel. That is still a danger to me…to us. "; he turned to her again, and continued :" But how can I take your blood now when you gave me mine ?"
" This wasn't your blood…"
" All the blood that crosses my path is mine. "
" And what about me ?"
" You… I'll let you go. "
" You won't kill me ?"
" If you affect my plans, I will. Now be gone !"
She turned to go, but than stopped. She turned back, and faced him again :
" Why do you hate us… humans so much ?"
At first, Kain couldn't believe that she would dare to speak to him. He passed his shock and answered :
" What do you care. You think you could carry my burdens ?"
" You're just so mean, and hate-filled all the time…"
" Power sometimes does that. I am what I am !"; he said and than added quieter :" what was made of me. "
" I just wanted to know. I for one, haven't done anything to you. "
" You wanted to know ? Can you imagine what its like when even your best choices bring hellish consequences ! How I've wrought only waist land on the world I craved for ? How certain I had to be about my actions ? And yet… "; he stopped him self :" No words can putt the reasons to you. "
He touched her head, and his mind invaded hers. For a moment, it seamed like she was floating in a fog, but then she saw clear images, and felt what he was feeling in those moments… The killing fields of the sarafan, where vampires were left impaled on spikes to die the most painful death… Mobeus's manipulations that lead to the battle of the last stand… Tthe atrocities of the corrupted circle… The dark Eden… The Srarafan lord and his grisly army… And in the end, Vorador's decapitation, with men, women and children alike cheering like a blood thirsty mob before the butchering of vampires. He released her, and she almost collapsed before she restored control.
" Now you know what you are. "; he continued :" You are all mindless cattle incapable to think unless someone does it for you. I tried to save your kind from damnation, and all you did in return, was to reveal your true faces. And even here, with your statues, fountains and gardens, inside you have still remained the same selfish brood. Even though vampires had the first killing, you always had the first butchering. "
" Now wait… wait a second. "; she pooled her self together :" I confess that we have flaws, but we aren't such monsters you depict us. We are capable for exulted causes. We do terrible things, but we do beautiful things as well. We can create. We can feel. We can love. Are we all so foul in your eyes ? Is there no hope for us ?"
" Had your kind came fort in the beginning, certain things would have been done differently. "
" Why didn't they came fort ?"
" Because you were selfish as always and didn't bother to learn about the other choices at the time. "
" And when did you learned about these other choices ?"
" Four hundred years from then !"; he yelled, as if demonstrating his superiority.
" So… basically, you're mad at us because we don't live four hundred years to learn better ! Is that it ?"
With this she nailed him down. He stopped to check the logic of this ; She, a tiny human, question him about his rights. And yet he had to confess, from that point of view, he could see the reasons of the sarafan, and many other humans who used him over his life. He shook his head returning to his normal mood :
" Vorador would have liked you… You have find it adequate to lecture ME ? Lord Kain ? Ruler of the Nosgothic waists ? The condemner of the pillar of balance ? A being far more older and powerful than your IMAGINATION can comprehend ?"
" You weren't so big a few minutes ago…"
He roared at her so loud she fell down as her fear started to boil again and spread trough her like a scourge, but he got calm :
" Your life is yours once again, and you'd better pray to keep it. Such things are more easily taken than given. "
He shifted into bat form, and flied out trough the windows, that exploded before his passing.
Nikita was now working like a machine, running around and adding data peaces together, but not even with all her efforts was the Section able to locate any sign of their quarry. They've searched for more than a day now with only a few hovers of rest, and except for Nikita, all their strength was at its end. And while the others were surprised at her remarkable endurance, Michael, Biercof and Davenport were too busy helping her to notice. At one point Davenport concluded :
" He is not without his needs ! There must be something he takes. Something we can use to find him… "
" No. "; Nikita said :" He leaves no trace of any of his activities anywhere. Not even… Wait ! That's it !"
" What ?"
" We were searching his activities, and didn't bother to check his needs. "
" His victims. "; Michael said :" The bodies disintegrate, but they are still missing in the police records. "
" I'm accessing the police files now… "
After half an hover of search, they found one interesting town name with a very high number of missing people ; Dublin, Ireland, where they've met him right before the attack. The satellite image revealed nothing, but there were a strange weather distortion in the sky. A storm was summoned with no apparent reason, since all the winds and fronts would say otherwise. Its center was at almost the exact spot of their meeting.
" It doesn't seem like much… "; Biercof noticed
" It's enough… "; Nikita said :" He's there… I know !"
They left to get their gear, but Michael stopped Nikita by placing his hand on her shoulder, letting Davenport walk away :
" I'm fine, Michael. "; she reassured him
" You'll be much worse once we get closer to him. "
She looked at him with strength in her eyes :
" I won't let you go against him alone. "
" If there's a cure for you I'll bring it back. "
" Michael ; "; she interrupted him :" You won't leave me behind. "
He was looking at her for a short time, and said :
" The doctors have modified B-1 virus to attack blood cells. They think it will be lethal to Kain and any of his ilk… I'll kill you before you turn into a monster such as he. "
" It seems… that Raziel was right after all. "
And so they left for their new type of gear designed based on what little the Section knew of Kain's kind, and a spark of hope amongst all their despair.
Raziel jumped over the roof tops, towards Sharon's home. He was going there to say farewell since he wouldn't dream of leaving without saying good by. Guided by his senses he could pinpoint the direction of her house even underneath the ocean, on which bottom he would thread a certain part of the way.
Sharon was at her apartment, checking the results of the water tests, when she heard a door knob. She turned and found her self before Jim. As his drunk eyes angrily looked at her she yelled :
" Jim ! How many times do I have to say; I don't want to here from you again ! Get out before I call the police ! "
" You'd like that, more men in your house, so you could cheat me with some others as well. Who's Raziel ?"
" I cheated you with no one. "
" Shut up !"
He started to draw closer, and was almost upon her…
As Raziel entered the building he heard a sound of footsteps running up the stairs towards him. He jumped on the ceiling and was going to let the person pass, but he saw it was Sharon and he dropped in front of her, startling her :
" Aaa ! Oh, Raziel… You got to help me !"
" What is it ?"
" Jim ! He wants to hurt me. Please… don't let him. "
Raziel was going to climb down, to teach this Jim some manners, but suddenly he stopped :
" I have an idea. Come. "; he took her by the hand and led her to the roof.
Jim emerged angry and confused, to the roof of the building, only to find Sharon just standing about ten meters before him
" How the hell did you do that !"
" I warn you Jim, I have powers… If you come any closer, I'll summon demons upon you. "
" How stupid do you think I am !"
He started to approach slowly but threatening, and she started to " chant " something half loud. That was the agreed signal. Raziel shifted into spirit realm and came to the portal that was between Jim's and hers standing point. He shifted out just before Jim, hissing and roaring, with his wings wide spread and the reaver unwrapped. He was so terrifying in that moment even Sharon jumped back away from him, and Jim slowly backed away with eyes so big they were about to fall out. Raziel started to close in on him. Jim tried to hit him but Raziel caught his fist and slugged him far to the corner of the entrance dour, and also, to spice things a little more, his claw broke trough the wall above his head. He than grabbed him for the leg and started holding him above the edge of the roof, making him scream and sob like a baby :
" Please… Make him stop ! Make him stop !"
" All right, "; Sharon said :" but from now on you shall have to be a lot more taught full towards women. You can never know which one of us can cost you your soul. "
Raziel released him on the flour and while his blazing eyes shined on his terrified face, he spoke :
" Your worthless life has bean spared, for now. Pray that I don't change my mind. Be gone !"
He ran faster than ever, and when he was out of the way, Sharon and Raziel started laughing to tears :
" You were WONDERFUL ! ( ha, ha, ha ) I taught I was going to start begging my self !"
" Pray, tell… ( he, he, he ) What was that chant you used to summon me ?"
" It's latin for fish guts, see weed, African bird…( ha, ha, ha )!"
" And it still worked !( He, he )"
" Who would guessed ?... Any way I must thank you for your uninvited appearance… Why did you come at all, not that I'm complaining ?"
" Oh, that's right… I came… to say god by. "
The laughter stopped
" You are leaving ?"
" Tonight. "
She turned away :
" That's… good. I'm glad for you… "
He came behind her and turned her gently back towards him :
" Sharon… even if you could live for a thousand years to keep me company, even than this place would be foreign and alien to me. I do not belong here… But when I find what I'm looking for, it won't be much different than what you've shown me. "
" I… I know. Thank you for… being stranded here. "
Raziel jumped on the edge of the roof and gazed over the lights one more time. And than he noticed the wind that was strong up there. Strong enough for his farewell gift. He took her hand and placed her arms around his neck, placing her on his back :
" Hold on. "
" Raziel, what are you… aaaAAAA !"
He jumped of the roof with her, and spread his wings. The wind filled them instantly, razing them high above the roofs and buildings, and Sharon's fear was suddenly replaced by joie. They flied and soared across the night sky observing tiny people that swirled below, and up there they were part of the wind itself. Thy were soaring amongst the clouds, gliding between buildings and tasting this ultimate freedom, and in the end, Raziel landed them gently to the ground and she came in front of him with a big smile stretched across her face :
" Wow ! Thank you ! I definitely won't forget you now. "
Raziel looked aside her, towards the east and Kain's device on a distant island continent. He looked back at her face for the last time, again having the feeling of knowing her, but this time it didn't bother him in the slightest. She kissed his wrap where his cheek would be and backed away :
" Safe journey Raziel. "
" I hope it will be. "
He shifted in the spirit realm, and there his gloomy mod was waiting for him. He headed down his road, alone now, with the soul reaver as his only companion.
Sharon smiled and went back to her apartment. Lynda was already there, amongst the chaos that Jim left behind :
" What the hell happened here, Girl ! Are you all right ?"
" I must go now Lynda. I came to say good by. "
" What are you saying, Girl ? You are making no sense !"
" You've bean a wonderful friend these long years, but I must go home soon. I'm afraid that we won't see each other for a very long time. "
Lynda came closer to her. Sharon had a very satisfied smile and her eyes were shining with some inner joie. And although she didn't understand what was going on, Lynda knew it was serious.
" Well… You take care than… Ok ?"
" Good by, Lynda. I promise we'll meet again one day. "; Sharon hugged her and left outside.