Part Two

Two counties down a back road, Charlie turned down a down a dark path on his motorcycle. The path had thick woods on either side; the road looked like it might lead to a hunting camp or some such. He followed the rough path until it came to an open field about two miles from the road.

Charlie got off of his bike and unfastened his bedroll. He spread it out on the ground and went about untying his boots. With that done he layed back and looked at the stars.

I guess when they run my name Finn will come running. Charlie thought with a mental sigh. The guy may be a prick, but he's persistent. He's been on my tail for almost a year straight.

Charlie continued to gaze at the stars as he remembered how it all began.

THEN

Charlie stepped off of the Greyhound in New York, New York. He let his eyes take in the sights around him for a minute before he started walking, with his duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

This is crazy! Charlie thought to himself. I still can't believe I came halfway across the country just because of some damn dream.

About a month earlier, Charlie had started having nightmares. Nightmares about vampires and Wendigos running wild in New York. After getting fed up with the dreams, Charlie had packed what he could carry in a duffle bag and purchased his bus ticket to New York.

He didn't really know where to start looking for the creatures that haunted his nightmares, but he figured he'd need a job and someplace to stay. When he came to the end of the dark alley he was walking down, there was what appeared to be a nightclub across the street from where he was standing.

The dark neon sign outside claimed the club was the "Nighttime Inferno". Charlie smiled as an idea came to him and he walked towards the club. The door was locked; he noticed that the hours posted on one of the windows of the four story building read 6p-6a.

Charlie pulled the sleeve of his brown leather jacket back to glance at his watch; it was eight in the morning. Maybe someone is still here. Charlie thought. He knocked on the front door. Charlie waited for a few minutes and knocked again.

This time, Charlie was rewarded the sound of grumbling from the interior of the locked club. Charlie could hear someone fumbling with keys and the lock to the door.

A small, portly man in dress slacks, a rumpled dress shirt with a tie hanging loosely around his neck. He squinted into the sunlight after emerging from the darkened interior of the club. The man looked up and down Charlie's large frame. "Holy Jesus!" The small man exclaimed. "You've gotta be the biggest bastard I've ever seen!"

Charlie smirked and stuck out his hand. "Charlie Proudstar sir."

The man grabbed Charlie's huge hand eagerly and pumped it as he responded. "Earl Grissom, and if you're looking for work, you're hired. As long as you don't mind weird shit."

Charlie raised his eyebrow at Earl. "Depending on your definition of weird, I'm sure I can handle myself."

Earl had the smile of the cat that had just swallowed the canary. "Great, when can you start?"

Charlie shrugged. "Whenever, all I have to do today is find somewhere to stay, I just got into town."

Earl rubbed his chin in thought for a minute. "Tell ya what, if you'll work for three hundred a week, I'll put you up in the apartment we have set up in the basement. Sound good?"

Charlie blinked in surprise. "Sounds great."

"Come on in and I'll show you around." Earl said as he retreated back into the club.

Earl showed him around the club. It was a nice club. It had a bar, dance floor, and pool tables on the bottom floor. The second floor had another bar, a balcony, and more pool tables.

The third floor had three offices, the biggest of which looked out over the two levels of the club itself. Above those was Earl's apartment. Earl then took him down the small service elevator to the basement. It was one big room, broken only by the walls of the small bathroom.

There was a king bed, a TV, kitchenette, and a love seat. There was also a large metal door next to the bathroom. "Where's that lead?" Charlie asked, indicating the metal door.

"Sewer access." Earl informed him. "All of the old buildings used to have them, and we've never remodeled down here enough to close it up."

That'll be useful. Charlie thought. "Looks good to me." Charlie told Earl. "Want me to start tonight?"

Earl nodded his head. "Please do. You can wear whatever until I can order some shirts big enough to fit you. Club opens at six, I need you up there at five."

Charlie nodded as Earl headed back to the elevator. When the smaller man was gone, Charlie headed to the shower to wash to bus funk off of himself.

Charlie came back up to the club level at around ten till five. He was wearing blue jeans and a tight black t-shirt. There were several other people working in the club by this time. He spotted Earl talking to one of the first floor bartenders and made his way over to him.

Earl looked up and pointed to the bartender. "Charlie, Cliff. Cliff, Charlie." The bartender shook Charlie's massive hand. "Cliff here is the head bartender. If he tells you someone needs to leave, escort them out." Earl said as Charlie nodded. "Come on, Charlie, I'll introduce you to the rest of security." Earl continued as he started walking towards the stairs.

He led him upstairs to the third floor offices. They entered one of the offices, and there were several big guys, well, big compared to everyone except Charlie. They all looked up in wonder at the big guy who had just walked in with the boss.

"God damn!" Said one of the bouncers, the shortest one.

"Guys, this is Charlie, he'll be replacing George. Charlie, this is the head of security, Tom Franks.' Earl said indicating the short man who had spoke up when Charlie had entered the room. "All right guys, I'll see you in a bit." Earl said as he left the room.

Tom looked Charlie up and down with an appraising look. "Ok, so you're as big as Earl said you were, but can you take care of yourself if the going gets rough?" The short man asked.

Charlie gave him a stoic look. "I can hold my own."

"Good." Tom replied. "So you're big and can handle yourself against humans." Tom continued with a knowing look on his face. "But things here at this club…have been getting weird lately."

Charlie arched an eyebrow. "Go on."

Tom hesitated for a second before going on. "Well, last night for example. There was a guy, had to be on PCP or something. Started causing trouble, and it took five of us just to get him out the damn door. And this has been happening a lot lately. I don't know if there's some kind of new strength enhancing drug or what, but it'll be nice to have some big muscle here."

Most likely vamps and Wendigos. Charlie thought. "I'll do what I can." Charlie replied aloud.

"Ok." Tom went on. "Joe," he nodded towards the black guy in the corner, probably the biggest guy there after Charlie. "I want you and Jones by the door. Gary, you're at the first floor bar and Kevin you're at the second floor bar." Looking at Charlie, he continued. "Charlie, you rove the dance floor and keep an eye out for trouble. I'll be up here at the offices." He handed Charlie an earpiece with a small collar mic. "If anybody has any problems, let the rest of us know."

It took a couple of hours for the club to really get going, but when it did there was a huge crowd. Charlie was standing next to a support column in the middle of the dance floor; his eyes were constantly alternating between watching the door and scanning the crowd. He hadn't seen anyone yet who was an obvious vampire or wendigo. But most of them weren't obvious, so that was little comfort.

After another couple of hours, even though it didn't seem possible, more people started piling into the club. It was about ten fifteen, and Charlie had only had to break up one fight. Well, he didn't exactly break it up. The two guys were standing nose to nose getting ready to fight, but as soon as Charlie put his massive frame between them, they suddenly lost interest in fighting and retreated to opposite sides of the dance floor.

Charlie was startled when Kevin screamed in his ear through the earpiece. "Fight at second floor bar, I could really use some…" There was silence, and then Charlie saw Kevin come flying backwards over the second floor railing.

Charlie looked at the crowded stairs and dismissed trying to take them. He started running across the dance floor; his progress was barely slowed by the people he was bowling over. When he got close to the second floor balcony, he leaped and grabbed the railing. Using the momentum of his jump, he swung his legs over the railing.

Tom was out of his office by the time Charlie was on the second floor. The head of security headed towards the two men that were locked up in a tangle of limbs. That was when Charlie noticed the facial changes on not just one, but both combatants. Charlie grabbed a pool cue and snapped it into a smaller stake with one hand and made his way to the dueling vampires.

Tom made it there first; he grabbed one of the vampires by the arm, and received an elbow to the face. Tom's nose started pouring blood. He staggered back into a table and fell to the floor, a pool of blood forming around his face.

Charlie grabbed one of the vamps by the shoulder and slung him into a wall. He grabbed the other one by the shirt, picked him up one handed, and slammed him into the floor. He quickly slammed the makeshift stake into the vamps heart, causing him to explode into a cloud of dust.

The remaining vamp had recovered and was airborne in an attempt to jump onto Charlie's back. Charlie turned quickly and grabbed the vamp by the neck with one hand while he was still in midair. Charlie turned the vamp over and placed his other hand on the things shoulder. Charlie pulled with all of his might and separated the things head from its shoulders, dust filtered through the disco lights onto the floor.

Charlie quickly scanned the stunned club goers standing around him for more vamps, but he saw none. Charlie noticed for the first time that the music had stopped and every eye in the club was on him. Then, the silent club erupted into applause.

These idiots probably think this was some sort of show. Charlie thought.

Charlie was now in the security office with Tom, who was holding a clean bar rag over his nose. Kevin was sitting across the table with an icepack on a lump that was forming on the back of his head. Earl was sitting at one of the desks, swirling the scotch in its glass.

"That was the weird shit I was talking about." Tom said wearily.

"What the hell was that?" Earl asked, looking pointedly at Charlie.

Charlie shrugged. "Vampires." Looking at each of the other three men in the eyes, he continued. "And you can skip the denial. Yes, they're real. You can kill them with wood through the heart, decapitation, fire, sunlight, and holy water. Although it takes quite a bit of holy water to kill one."

"Yeah, we know all of that." Earl responded. "What I meant is the way you man handled them. I know you're a big guy, but you literally tore one's head off with your bare hands. It normally takes at least two of us to get one, and even that's a hell of a work out."

Charlie shrugged again as he stood up. "There are some things I'll keep to myself." He exited the office and headed back towards the dance floor.