Disclaimer: Roman, the leaders and a few of the other vamps belong to me. Everyone else belongs tontheir respective owners. That is all.

Last Chance

Chapter 5

Hotshot

The next evening they met in Queens. It was unnerving to even enter the building as Driu stood at the back entrance along with Le Croix and a nervous Swifty. It was simple to tell he was nervous due to the fact that he wasn't smoking; Swifty was always calm and always smoking. Now he just stood by the door nodding to each member that entered. Jack found Driu to be looking over each young vampire, as though taking in his face and placing him. Le Croix greeted only a few of them and seemed absorbed in a one sided conversation with the Queens leader.

Jack waited outside with Swifty to see what he could find out. Le Croix and Driu's conversation turned out to be nothing of importance. They were only speaking of hunting later in the night. The nights were getting longer in the early fall, and they had more time to hunt after another meeting.

Spot was the last of the Brooklyn teens to reach the back door and fixed Driu with his own cerulean gaze.

"Are they coming?" Driu asked.

"Yes, sir?"

Jack and Swifty exchanged confused glances before bringing their attention back to Spot and Driu, who had by this time turned to look directly at Jack.

"And what of my old friend Leith? Shall he be joining us tonight?"

"I don't-" Jack was cut off from completing his sentence by a hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." Leith's cold voice was unmistakable and even Jack stiffened. Spot and Swifty edged toward the doors.

"It's good to see you again, Driu," Leith continued, "Shall we wait outside for Tobias or prepare for a meeting inside."

Driu nodded to the vampires behind Leith, all the adults who typically lived in their complex, "Let them do as they wish and let us send the children inside. We shall wait for Tobias before we begin."

Leith nodded. With a motion of the hand he dismissed the three young vampires as if they were his own sons. "Go."

The three of them made their way into the club and to one of the larger rooms upstairs. Many of the adult vampires from Manhattan followed them inside but stayed and greeted others on the first floor.

"Some warning about this would have been nice, Jack." Spot snapped.

"What are you talking about?" Jack snapped right back as they entered the room. The chatter in the room almost immediately ceased.

"You are the one who seems to know everything that is going to happen before the rest of us. So, pray tell, why couldn't you have warned us that Driu would be here waiting for us, or tell me that Tobias was going to send me as some friggin' messenger to tell Driu he would be here shortly?"

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Swinger asked.

"They're all coming here. The leaders are meeting here and Jackie-boy was holding out on us. We should have been prepared for this."

"I don't know everything. At least you weren't shocked. I had no idea what to tell Driu when he asked me. Trust me; I would not have stayed out there if I had known Leith was going to be coming around tonight."

"Oh, Jack, I'm hurt." The cold voice echoed from the doorway.

Leith along with Tobias and Driu spanned the entrance of the double doors. The three men stepped into the center of the conference room and the other adults from all three lines filed in after them and began to take seats.

Jack didn't reply to his sire's comment. Instead he moved to simply leave the room as the other teens began to rise from their seats to do the same.

It was not Leith's arm that stopped it, as he had expected, but rather Tobias'.

"No," he said. "Tonight you are joining us. Some things need to be discussed." He motioned with a hand to the table as which many seats were still empty. They all filled the seats.

"Did you really think that we did not know?" Tobias asked. His question was, of course, directed at Spot, Jack, and Roman. "Just as Balthazar says, the teens will cause their own trouble and form their own alliances."

Spot glared at his sire. "Of course you knew. You had to."

Leith agreed with a nod of his head. "You know what we've told you, and what your more brilliant counterparts have been able to scrounge up. Age aside, you've done well in preparing yourself for Balthazar's arrival. You know your enemies and some of you allies."

"Do not think us stupid. We know this meeting is to be about you. We are not ignorant as you may think to the events which have unfolded since the disturbance at the last council." All eyes found their way to Loki as Driu described Noah's death in more detail.

"We," he referred to the adults, "all knew it was going to happen. Balthazar does not like enemies. He informed all adult vampires in New York of what was going to happen to Noah. He is, however, powerful. There was nothing we could have done."

Tobias cut off Driu's apology, "But now, as for what you are wondering, whether or not we are on your side." A silence thick enough to suffocate them all filled the room.

"There is nothing good that can be said about a leader that rules with fear and threats," Tobias decreed. "We shall argue in order to allow you to say your piece. You, however, will be responsible for providing an adequate defense."

"And if there is fighting?" Racetrack questioned, anger dancing behind his eyes.

"We shall be right behind you." Driu answered.

"Now, that is settled." Leith took attention off of the other two leaders. "If there is anything you need let someone know and it will be provided to you. In the meantime I expect the lot of you to familiarize yourselves with the chamber and be on your best behavior as of Monday, when Luka arrives. The others will be along shortly after."

Every teen took the opportunity to be dismissed and they rose from their seats in unison.

Leith was not quite done. He continued, "It would also be in your best interest to locate the secret entrance to the chamber tonight."

"We will," Specs affirmed.

They began to file out of the room. Loki stopped in front of Tobias. The anger behind Racetrack's eyes was nothing compared to the loathing that seeped out of her.

"You did nothing. He was like a son to you and you just let them slaughter him like that!"

Tobias studied her face as one studied a piece of art, appraisingly. "There are casualties in every war, and nothing to bring them back but remembering and seeking revenge for their deaths."

"You're horrible."

1

With their leaders now supporting them things were much easier for the teens. The guards had been persuaded to turn a blind eye to their activities. There was no need to keep their voices down as they entered the stairways.

Those who had stayed in the city the night before were in utter awe of the chamber, its sheer size and magnitude alone were amazing, let alone its intricacies. It seemed to shine even more brightly than the last time they had been there, as though someone had taken great care to clean it even more.

"And the steps?" David asked.

Specs led them outside to present the steps in the wall. David and Jack only stood and stared. Roman was just as dumbfounded. Only Spot could find words.

"That place would be great for sex."

Several of their group turned to stare at him as though a he were a priest who had said the same in a church. Elijah even began to sputter.

"It's been christened already." Specs shook his head with a laugh.

Spot looked back and forth between specs and Ceja. "Can't you control yourself?" he asked the Brooklyn girl.

She scowled at him.

"It wasn't them," Nympho corrected, "It was Blink and Shock."

"Score!" Grock yelled.

"You will both regret doing something so-"

"Shut it, Padre." Grock snapped, "When has regret ever done anyone any fucking good."

"We'd better find that secret entrance." Blink said trying to stop the endless argument before it started, again.

They returned to the chamber and spread out along the front wall, near the stage. Several of them climbed onto the stage itself, examining the very new looking podium.

"So Jack, you never answered my question," Spot said once they had begun to grow frustrated with their fruitless results.

"Spot, shut up." Roman was sick of dealing with the other two. They were constantly arguing and baiting each other. He felt like an older sibling, babysitting very young siblings in a shop full of sharp objects. Someone was going to get seriously injured eventually.

Jack did not dignify Spot with a response.

"No, really, we all need to know what's going on," Spot pointed out. "All of us, not just Jack and Manhattan. Now, c'mon Jackie-boy, what new news have you gotten from Leith."

"You talk about the leaders as though they were uncles. There's no respect in it." Jack growled, hoping Spot would take the hint.

Spot shrugged, "They're not that scary. I mean, I'm not going to go bitch them out but I certainly don't clam up around them like you do. Now what did he tell you?"

"Nothing!"

"Spot, leave him alone." Roman was ready to bash both their head together.

"No! Don't lie to us, Kelly."

"I don't know anything." He turned and Shoved Spot hard to the ground.

Spot was up in a second and shoved Jack back even harder. Jack stumbled backward, knowing into Ceja and sending the both them flying into a solid wall. It would have left bruises on both of them except the wall turned with their momentum and they tumbled into an unlit hallway.

The chamber went quiet for a moment before a voice shouted from the darkness.

"Ugh, fucking get off of me Jack!"

There was a rush of moment to the entrance of the tunnel. Swifty lit a match, illuminating some of the tunnel. By this time Jack and Ceja were pushing themselves up off the floor. The tunnel looked as though it was carved straight into the ground, the floor was lined with dirt and the sides, though not overly bumpy were rough.

As a group they walked down the narrow passage until they reached a fork. No one was willing to split up in an unfamiliar place so they chose the tunnel to the right.

It lead to another wall similar to the one in the back of the stage. When enough force was exerted upon it, the wall opened into the hall where the steps in the wall were located. They retreated and took the left fork. The tunnel became more spacious. Loki stopped dead as she spotted carvings in the walls.

Several words had been carved into the walls on either side. They were a wide variety, Fate, Revenge, Loss, Change, and Chance. Under Chance was a well done carving. It unmistakably showed Noah, a boy whose face they all knew well by now. It was perfect down to the last detail. He was depicted looking down his long nose to where he held and fiddled with his cross.

"Who could have…" David wondered aloud.

"There are too many possibilities to even try to guess." Pickpocket admitted.

"What about the others?" Shock asked. "They're all empty spaces."

No one answered him

They continued down the tunnel until it lead out into the bushes behind the statue. It was quickly decided that this was to be their only entrance and exit to the chamber from then on.

"I don't know anything." Jack told Spot as the borough's climbed into their respective boats. "If I do find anything else out you'll be the first to know."

1

Once the teenagers had left the adults of the lines thinned out considerably. Perhaps a half dozen from each of the three lines stayed behind, sitting comfortably at the long table.

"Do they really have support from all of us?" Driu asked. He was watching Leith.

It was well known that Leith had been a large supporter of Balthazar in the past. Leith ruled darkly and with exhibits of power, strength, and brutality. For all they knew Leith would turn on his own and serve all the teenagers to Balthazar on a silver platter. However, he would not lie to Tobias and Driu.

"Of course they have my support. I would not have told them so otherwise." Leith growled, "What about you, Tobias."

"This stupid fight has been going on since the first teenage vampire was spawned," Tobias watched the other two with interest, as though they were the only three in the room. "Every few hundred years it is the same old thing. We've been arguing over it since before Jesus walked the earth. It's old news, and if Balthazar feels the need to bring it up, again…" He sighed, "It just needs to be settled for good."

"So you don't care who wins?" Leith raised an eyebrow.

Tobias shot him a look, "Of course I care. It isn't right to blame the children. Never, have I seen one vampire under the age of twenty three exposed. It is as they are made older that they start to cause problems."

Draven laughed, "They're not children."

Isadora agreed, "Tobias, you spend most of every year in upstate New York. You do not witness the inner workings of these children. They may well be cleverer than most of us."

"I wouldn't go that far," Thaddeus argued.

"It's true," Le Croix shot back, "They New York better than most of us. They know where to find whatever kind of prey they seek. They know the new places opening which will mean good hunting for all of us. It barely took three of them ten minutes to find us a blood doll last week."

"What could you have possibly needed a blood doll for?" Li asked. She was promptly ignored, and shot a look at Grace and Athena. Neither spoke back to her but Athena did incline her head slightly in Leith's direction and Grace mouthed the word 'Jack.' Goosebumps rose on Li's skin as she took in the information. Her sire had been killed only decades after she had been turned but she had never forgotten the sole time he had drunken her blood. The memory of the pain came back vividly.

"Poor fool," she muttered.

"Well," Driu took hold of the attention of every vampire in the room again. We have scattered support in America, maybe a little more than half the population attending. They certainly have our support, so the verdict really does lie in our Eastern brethren. Now we've been promised allegiance from Cass, Cian, Luka, Orion, Quinn and Soren. The question is do we have support of any of the others?"

"Chandra," Tobias said, "she'll back us."

Leith looked at him doubtfully. "The Middle East had been unreliable in the past, and Chandra is a crafty woman. Any promises she makes may not be trus-"

"Leith, where do you go when you're not in New York?" Tobias interrupted with a seemingly unimportant question.

"That is not a matter that has any value in this discussi-"

"Well, it doesn't really matter I suppose," Tobias interrupted him yet again. "What does matter is where I stay when I'm not in New York."

"And where might that be?" Driu felt as though he were picking up Tobias' train of thought.

"In Chandra's bed. Her vote is behind us."

Leith looked at him incredulously. "That is not a certain vote. What if something happens while she is here?"

"We've gone decades without a disturbance. I believe we may stay separated after Balthazar arrives to elude suspicion."

"Fine." Leith snapped. "But I still do not trust her."

"Very well." Tobias turned his chair to face the others. "Now what of the rest of that lot? Has Archer pledged allegiance to either side?"

Emile laughed, "Don't be an idiot Tobias, Italy and Germany have been allies since the Second World War. Archer will not yield."

"Ignacio?" Driu asked.

"It's uncertain," Grace provided, "He's strictly religious. However, no one knows if he will support Balthazar as he has some control over the Catholic Church, or whether he will be upset by vampiric influence."

"Jarret?"

"He's new by our standards." Regn interjected. "He could be liberal, but we never know. He could turn out to be strict and disagreeable."

Driu sighed, "Lucifer?"

Le Croix and Adher began to laugh as though Driu had told a joke.

Driu sighed again, "Just as I thought."

"You could have just asked the teenagers," Le Croix told him. "They discussed all of this the other night and know much more than we do. In all honesty they know much more than we do. There are some smart kids among them."

"Can you get your hands on their research?" Leith asked.

"I'll talk to Specs in the morning."

"Very good." Leith nodded. He exchanged a look with Driu and Tobias. "The three of us shall leave to feed now. Do as you like." The three leaders left quickly and together. They were all thankful when no one immediately followed them.

When they escaped into the cool night air they began speaking again.

"Well, what do you think?" Driu asked.

Tobias lit up a cigarette, seemingly unconcerned until he spoke, unknowingly speaking words that Loki had spoken just the previous night. "They're fucked."

Leith nodded in agreement though he did not say it out loud. Instead he said, "We will need to prepare them for the worst. Anything they need, give it to them, no questions asked." With that said he walked into the dark city in search of a meal.

Meanwhile the reminder of the adult vampires had stayed in the room. They were unconvinced by their leaders' cockiness.

"Do you think that Leith is telling the truth, about supporting them?" Le Croix asked Draven pointedly.

Draven shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Really, I couldn't tell you. The only thing that bothers me is how little any of them seem to worry about this event. We need to prepare them for the worst. Give the teenagers anything they think they might need, even if you have to go behind their backs to do it."

Thaddeus nodded in agreement, "Not as though they don't do that on their own."

They all laughed.

1

As the first of the foreign visitors to arrive in New York, Luka was met by Driu, Tobias, and Leith at the airport. It was quickly decided to send adults to greet those who were against the teens plight or indifferent to it. The teens would fetch only those who were certainly on their side. No one wanted anything to happen before the teenagers had a chance to defend themselves.

The next vampiric leader to arrive in New York was Cian. Leith had vouched for his vote and sent Jack, Combat, and Itch to greet him. It was barely dark when they set out for the airport. Cian was waiting for them, along with several of his most trusted followers. They already had their bags and the English man looked impatient.

He was not young, unlike the New York leaders. He had to have been at least thirty-five when he had been changed. There were a few subtle streaks of grey in his hair and wrinkles in his forehead.

"You're late." He snapped.

"Our apologies," Jack replied, "the sun had not yet gone down."

"A little burn wouldn't have hurt you that much." He shoved his bag into Combat's arms with little emotion. Yes, he was definitely British. "You could have safely left an hour ago."

"We left two hours ago," Combat supplied.

"This man has obviously never had to deal with New York City traffic at rush hour," Itch commented loudly, as though Cian were deaf.

"Itch," Jack hissed. He swore they were all incompetent, insulting a man who very well could have held their lives in his hands. Leith was not going to be pleased if they fouled up such a simple act.

But Cian laughed. He laughed good and loud, drawing many stares. "Oh, I like these lass," he said, "A good sense of humor this one has."

Itch smiled cockily at Jack. Her tiny body shook with her giggles at his surprise.

"Well, why don't you boys grab the bags and we'll meet you at the car" Cian and his cronies dropped their belongings and climbed into the waiting van.

Once they were out of earshot Jack turned around and hissed to Itch, "What the hell was that?"

"Cian likes a sense of humor," she said, "didn't you know that?"

"Jeez, Jack, do you research, everyone knows that." Combat grinned, in on the whole joke. "Why else would Leith send Itch?"

Jack looked at them both incredulously for a moment. "I swear one of you is going to be the death of me." He shook his head and picked up the first of several bags and turning to the van as they both laughed and followed.

Roman, Skittery, and Rings went to pick up Orion three days later. Roman wasn't sure which one of his comrades worried him more.

"No trouble." He ordered. "I mean it. Orion doesn't need to hear about the comedy of politics from you, Rings. Nor does he need to see any of your stupid stunts, Skitts.

"What stunts?" Skittery asked dumbly.

Roman inclined his head to give Skittery a look.

"Just be glad Dutchy didn't come along as well," Rings chirped.

"You and Skittery isn't a much better match."

"Eff."

"Yeah, fuck you too, Rings."

"That's not appropriate language to be using around a young lady," A voice behind them said.

Orion stood behind them with a frown on his face. He had come to New York many times in the past years and was familiar with some of the teenagers, roman and Skittery among them."

"She said it to me first."

"That's no excuse."

"I'm sorry Rings." He sighed as she glowed triumphantly. "Orion, this is Rings and you must remember Skittery. Rings this is Orion." He went on to list the few of Orion's lackeys he could remember. Orion filled in the rest.

As soon as baggage was collected they began the long trek back to the car. Orion caught sight of Skittery's ripped shirt.

"What happened to you?" he asked. "Someone almost get at you with a stake."

Skittery shook his head. "I got shot about a week ago. Got the fucker, but he ruined the shirt. It's my favorite though; I just can't bear to throw it out."

Orion shook his head and laughed. Then he looked at Skittery oddly for a moment before patting him gently on the head and turning to Roman with a somewhat sad look in his eyes. "Well, before you take me to the hotel perhaps we should stop and visit my old friend Driu. I'm sure he'll be entertained by the interesting details from the European vampires."

Roman tried not to look intrigued. "And I should care, why?"

Orion looked away but said quietly. "Just make sure to listen at least three feet from the door so you have a chance to hide."

"Yes, Sir."

Chandra was one of the only female vampires to lead an entire clan, let alone as large an area as the one she controlled. Tobias sent Spot, Racetrack, Loki and Grock to welcome her. On his orders they were also at the gate over an hour before her jet arrived.

They were all able to pick Chandra out of the rather large group of followers that got off of her private jet. She was beautiful and young, barely twenty-five when she has died. She was a young leader by vampiric standards, but she was as violent and powerful as Tobias. She was well dressed, her skin was perfect and her hair intricately braided and styled.

She walked directly over to their little group and spoke. "Where is Tobias?"

"He sent us to fetch you, ma'am." Spot replied.

She immediately took him to be the superior member of their group. "Address me as Chandra, ma'am makes me sound old. Why didn't he come to fetch me himself?"

At this Race spoke up, "He said that he has more pressing matters to attend to."

A pinched look came over her face. "He told you to say that, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"Fucking bastard," she cursed him in a multitude of languages until her eyes landed on Loki. A look of familiarity came over her face.

"He was very brave", she said. When Loki did not reply she walked past them to the baggage claim.

They had been told to take her to one of the city's hotels, but Chandra had other ideas.
Instead she had ordered them to take her to their home so she could deal with Tobias herself.

Once they pulled up outside of the club she was out of the car and walking in through the back door. She yelled Tobias' name loudly, followed by several inappropriate phrases, thankfully in her own native Arabian.

"Well, someone isn't getting any sex for a while," Grock spoke up from the back.

Chandra's followers looked at her oddly, while Spot hit his head against the steering wheel several times.

Tobias, however, was not at their complex. He was at a different New York airport waiting for another guest. He watched those exiting the plain and walked up to Lucifer as he entered the terminal. He grabbed the harsh looking man's wrist.

"No hunting here." He warned.

"How are you friend?" Lucifer greeted him. "I'm not hungry, don't worry."

"Where are the others?" Tobias asked. He noticed none of the others leaving the plane seemed to ay Lucifer any particular attention."

"I am alone. I need no one to protect me."

"Ah," Tobias agreed, "I should have suspected."

"Let go of me."

"I will not. Last time you stayed in New York the consequences were not as pleasant as we are willing to allow this time."

"I am more powerful than you are, Tobias. Do you really think you could stop me?"

"On my own turf, I'm certain. Leith is waiting for us in the car."

Lucifer stiffened. "Leith? What are you two going to do, baby-sit me the entire time I'm here?"

"No, you are going to sign a blood oath."

Lucifer swore loudly. "I refuse to be subjected to this kind of treatment. You can't make me do something that no one else-"

"Everyone in attendance must sign a blood oath." Tobias explained to him. "That's why I am happy to see that you didn't bring any body guards with you. Less paperwork." He laughed as the unhappy vampire beside him scowled. To any passers-by they looked just like two brothers having a minor disagreement in an airport terminal.

Oh, if only things were really that simple.

1

1

A/N: See, that didn't take very long to get up, did it? I found that having a map with goals for each chapter makes this so much easier to write. Anyway, there is a little bit of foreshadowing in this chapter, but we won't get to that for a few more chapters. I probably won't do much of intros for anyone else except Balthazar and co. I don't know how much time I'm going to have in the coming weeks to write. Classes start on Monday, and I need to get a job and get involved and stuff.

I love you Gothica and Sinhe.

See you later.

Hotshot