Author's Note: The Kindred: The Embraced characters are owned by others. All other characters are my creations. Please do not use them without my permission.

The Investigation – Part 3

By Diane Maher

Alan prepared to leave and head back to the airport. When he returned to his apartment in San Francisco, he would check the disk thoroughly for any signs of tampering by the Nosferatu before sending his report to Al-Ashrad. Something in the picture hadn't looked right. Assamite magic could reveal any false images on the disk. However, he sensed that he didn't have the time at the moment to cast any spells that complex. He pulled a gun from its holster inside his jacket, checked that it was loaded and ready to fire. His Kukri knife was always ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. Alan left the room, and then the building. He pulled his phone from his pocket, dialed Sharon's number and she answered in a whisper, "Alan?"

"Yes," Alan replied. "Can you get back to the airport and meet me at the plane?"

"I think so. We're approaching there now," Sharon replied.

A few minutes later a taxi came down the street and he hailed it. The cab pulled up, Alan climbed in and gave the driver the address of the shipping company whose hangar the plane was parked in at the moment.

Alan considered what he had learned. As for Julian, he probably suspects Cyrus of hiring Shahin, but he decided to leave it at that. As far as he was concerned, Eddie took the truth with him to the grave. That was true from a certain point of view. Alan had the answers his clan demanded. The taxi stopped. Alan looked around and saw that he wasn't where he expected to be.

"Why aren't we at the address I gave you?" Alan asked.

"It's right over there, but you're not going to get away at all," the driver said. His expression was now cocky, and his eyes glowed silver.

Alan's eyes narrowed. He went to open the door, but found himself locked in. "You don't scare me."

The driver laughed. "Don't worry; you won't be alone in not leaving to go to your destination. We picked up your two cohorts as they approached. The Prince will be interested in speaking with all of you."

"You scum!" Alan exclaimed. His eyes were burning with anger.

"Don't be like that," the driver chided.

"What have you done with them?" Alan demanded.

"They're safe enough," the driver said. "I am to take you there to be held with them until the Prince arrives."

Alan tried again to unlock the door. The mechanism wouldn't work. He glared at the driver and demanded, "How do I get out of here?"

A smile crept over the driver's face as he replied, "You don't. There's no way out of this car for you unless I allow it. You see, the car knows who I am." He added, "Give me any weapons you have."

Alan moved slowly and the driver reached back to take his weapons. When he did, Alan grabbed his arm and immediately shifted his appearance to duplicate that of the driver.

"What are you?" the driver asked as his eyes widened with fear.

Alan said nothing, only smiled, revealing his fangs. He enjoyed the terrified look of the driver. His other hand reached up to the driver's neck and with one swift movement, broke it. Alan took back his weapons. When he reached to unlock the door, the mechanism responded and the door opened. He opened the driver's side door, went through his pockets and found nothing useful. He then put the driver's corpse into the trunk. He considered shooting the gas tank with a phosphorus round, but reconsidered it after remembering the fool's words.

Sharon and Sonny would be killed if whoever was in charge found out now. Sharon's death would be a waste. She was useful to him and her blood fed him. Sonny's death would doom any hope he had of establishing an Assamite presence in San Francisco. Given how he and Sonny had clashed verbally in front of Julian, the Prince would not believe that he hadn't killed Sonny on a whim. Alan knew that he could not fail in this task and therefore, couldn't allow them to die.

As Alan drove the taxi toward the hangar, he saw a lot of security that hadn't been there when they first arrived in L.A.. He drove to the hangar and parked. He got out of the car and approached a guard at the door. Looking inside, Alan and saw Sonny and Sharon tied up along with the pilot.

Alan asked, "What now?"

"As soon as the other one is brought here, we're to question them about their business here, then allow them to leave and blow them up in the plane," the guard replied. "I've planted the explosives. I plan to detonate them remotely once the plane is in the air."

Alan nodded and was on his way inside the hangar, when the guard said, "Wait a minute, you were supposed to bring the other one here!"

Alan looked over his shoulder towards the guard. He said, "He's in the trunk of the taxi."

"Good, the Prince will be here soon. Let's get this last one tied up and put with the others," the guard said.

"There's no need to worry about that, he's better off where he is for the moment. I already tied him up," Alan replied. "You and the others here should go outside and prepare for the Prince's impending arrival."

"Where's Alan?" Sharon asked, anxious.

"I don't know for sure," Sonny replied. "Don't say anything."

Sharon nodded and swallowed nervously.

The man at the door went and spoke to several of the other guards, and they left the area. The taxi driver came over to them.

"What is going on? What are you going to do to us?" Sonny asked. The man said nothing as he walked around and released them.

"Alan, is that you?" Sharon asked.

"Yes. Be quiet," Alan replied. "Go inside the plane and don't look out any of the windows."

"What are you going to do?" Sharon asked.

"Sonny and I have to check the outside of the plane for explosives," Alan replied.

Sharon went inside the plane without another word.

Alan said to the pilot, "Get the plane ready to leave. We're going to have to get out of here quick. Wait until we board before starting the engines." The pilot nodded.

"What's going on?" Sonny asked.

"The guards have been sent elsewhere. The one I spoke with needed more persuasion, but he gave me the remote control for the bombs, and then told me where all the explosives were planted and how to disarm them," Alan said. "I need your help to remove them."

"You need my help? Are you crazy?" Sonny asked. "Let's just get out of here!"

Alan narrowed his eyes and replied through clenched teeth, "It doesn't work that way! One or more of the bombs could be set to explode at a particular altitude. Do you want to make it back to San Francisco in one piece?"

"Yes," Sonny replied, somewhat taken aback.

"Then help me," Alan ordered.

As they worked, Sonny asked, "Alan, how do you know about explosives that can be set to go off at a certain altitude?"

"I was in the U.S. military once. We were taught many things," Alan replied as he handed Sonny another disconnected bomb.

"When was that?" Sonny asked.

"I served as a pilot in the North African Theater," Alan replied. "What about you?"

"I was never in the military. I went to the police academy instead," Sonny replied. "So that's how an American wound up as an Assamite."

"I'm not exactly well-liked within the clan because of my nationality," Alan commented dryly. "However, I have done everything asked of me in an exemplary manner and my sire is pleased that choosing me wasn't a mistake."

"So why were you picked?" Sonny asked, curious now.

"I presume my sire had far-reaching plans, I never asked him," Alan replied.

"You were never curious?" Sonny asked.

"No," Alan replied, pulling off another bomb from the surface of the plane. "I saw how others were rewarded for their curiosity. Have you ever asked your sire why you were chosen?"

"Come to think of it, no. Since becoming Kindred, I haven't worried too much about it, I just accept who and what I am now," Sonny replied.

"You just do what the Prince asks of you to the best of your abilities," Alan commented as he pulled the last of the explosives from the plane.

"Right," Sonny replied as he took the bombs over to a dumpster, and placed them inside. Alan brought one more over which he stuck to the side of the dumpster.

Alan and Sonny boarded the plane, the pilot fired up the engines and shortly, it moved out of the hangar. The sound of the plane's engines brought the guards running. Alan pushed the button to activate the device. The dumpster exploded and burned. The guards were not harmed, but turned and ran back to surround the limousine.

"What happened, Alan?" Sharon asked as the plane soon took off and turned north towards San Francisco.

"Many things, Sharon," Alan replied as he sat in the chair next to hers.

"That's not much of an answer," Sharon commented.

"The information I obtained is of interest to many people, especially some friends of Mario," Alan said.

"Mario?" Sharon asked, nervous.

"He won't get you, I promised you that I would protect you from him and I will," Alan said. "Why not take this opportunity to rest? There's a bedroom in the back of the plane."

Sharon yawned. "I am pretty tired. Wake me when we arrive." Alan nodded as she went towards the back of the plane.

Sonny asked quietly, "Did you get the information you needed?"

"Yes, I believe so," Alan replied. "However, I'm not sure whether the content is reliable."

"You think someone has tampered with it. Can you do anything about it?" Sonny asked.

Alan sat cross-legged on the floor and powered up the laptop. "Yes. The spell is complex, but can be done before we return."

"Good, Julian will want to see it as soon as possible," Sonny replied.

"Julian will have to wait. I must also do a check of the text included on the disk," Alan said.

"Can't you do it before we land?" Sonny asked.

Alan shrugged. "I suppose I could try. Make sure that Sharon remains asleep and you stay back. This isn't for her to see."

Sonny nodded and went to make sure that the human would sleep the entire trip and then some. Alan prepared the laptop and the CD and then began the spell that would reveal whether the image had been tampered with.

When Sonny returned, Alan was deep in concentration and totally focused on his spell. Sonny glanced at the laptop's screen, which now showed Cyrus and the Assamite who had tried to kill Julian. But there was a vague image that was slowly becoming clearer as Alan continued.