CHAPTER SEVEN
Two years later
Sometimes I lay in bed thinking 'am I really twenty one? I don't feel it.' I certainly didn't feel it when Mattie burst into my room cake in hand at midnight to wish me a happy birthday. I was scared shitless having been sleeping. I feel glad I threw part of the cake back at that goofy look he wore. Damn playful Mattie. Damn him and damn my heart for liking it.
Actually I'm not sure why the thought even crossed my mind. It had been just over a week since my big day and just three days until this 'exam' I had to take as part my feeder training. I still knew the path I wanted to take. Whether I'd be good at that is another thing entirely.
Over the two years since I met Sarah, I learnt how to shoot a gun. Advanced feeders used two guns. One was a regular gun for humans, an Alpha, and the other was for vampires, a Beta. Beta wouldn't hurt a human and visa versa. But Beta will stun a human temporarily. They both looked alike so it was up to the user - me - to know which gun was which. As part of my training I was shooting full scale paper standees, moving to manikins before something similar to paintball the shit out of humans and vampires. The harder part was identifying who was an enemy, if they were a vampire or not and figure out which gun to use. It's probably why that cake hit its target.
As for society Sarah's teaching did answer what I felt… sort of - that weird atmosphere at Rose. She was saying because vampires had a long life they preferred the old days so were more professional. Mattie wasn't like that. She shrugged.
"Lucy, are you up yet?" Mattie's voice rang out from the doorway.
Lucy was my alternate identity I was given being a part of Rose's secret organisation. Lucy Henderson. Lucy is a nice name. Apparently it's policy that they give a new id to everyone at Rose. Apparently I didn't know Iain's real name since that was his 'new' identity.
"Yes, David."
We were back at The Manor. I was lying in bed for a few minutes before we headed off to Rose. It was just after eight at night. Over the years my sleeping schedule merged with Mattie's where I would sleep for the day and work nights with the occasional late days studying. We normally woke up at seven in the evening and stayed up till the work was done.
Mattie doesn't suit a David. He just looks like a… Mattie.
"Today's the day that fully determines your life if you want to be an advanced feeder, Alice." Sarah told me. We were in the classroom where I had started my studies.
"I trust Mattie hasn't told you anything about what's going to happen next?" Like the tutor she was, she raised an eyebrow at Mattie who was leaning against the back wall next to the door. He shrugged.
I felt a bit awkward and embarrassed knowing Mattie is in the room. It's almost like saying 'Mattie, I'd love to help you beat the bad guys'. I hadn't talked to him about whether I wanted to be advanced. Actually we haven't really spoken about it but since learning everything from Sarah and Mattie, both have been supportive in my choices. So maybe it wouldn't matter which path I took. Maybe it's just the culture here.
"Well. It mimics what you'll be getting from Iain: cases."
You mean I'll be running around with a gun like Caim did? I'll be hurting people? For some reason the idea of shooting at actual people didn't equate to shooting at manikins.
She continued, "Mattie, do you want to take over?"
He strode over and perched on the table next to mine. He looked confident like he had done it before. He probably has though. Caim had to learn and with Mattie's life span… who knows how many people he drank from.
"I've spoken to Iain who gave us a case regarding a vampire. I can't tell you the details because I don't know them but it's clear he's done some bad things to be able to get on Iain's list." Mattie paused. "His name is Martin Harding, a civil servant for the government."
I tried to swallow the lump that developed in my throat. His professionalism coupled with his tone of voice just radiated experience and knowledge. I'll call this Mattie, 'Professional Mattie'.
"But since he's a civil servant isn't that a bit dangerous? He might have done bad things but to kill him?" I made a face that was in between shock, fear and disgust. "Isn't that a bit much? I'm not saying don't punish a guy who did something wrong but this… this is overdoing it don't you think? There's also the fact that he's a high class citizen with the government that just adds to the flame. Not that I'm backing out of doing it but I do want all areas to be covered." It felt like I was rambling on so I shrugged my shoulders. I do want to know how people get on Iain's list in the first place.
Wait. Did I just say what I think I said? 'Backing out of doing it'. Either they interpret it as me pulling the trigger or I'll just be helping Mattie. Which one is it?
"To us class and his job means nothing, Alice. Rose will clean up the mess if there is any. All we need to do is kill the bastards quickly and move on."
Damn, he said 'we'.
A few minutes followed where we were in silence and I was really contemplating whether I did want to be Mattie's advanced feeder. Knowing the name would make it harder to pull the trigger, right? I mean you could know their history, things they've done well and all that.
Sarah sighed. "You're the last resort. Rose only dispatches your team when the case is going nowhere. No parties have made a concession and warnings about his activity goes without ears."
"Which is why our part in Rose is very important." Mattie said leaning back on the table. "It's messy sometimes and there will absolutely be times when you'll ask the 'do I want to be a advanced feeder' again and again but know this: The people who get on Iain's list have been there for more than one reason. Plus they've all been going about their business for a few months if not - years. They all affect both the vampire and human society in a way Rose will not tolerate and if there is a merge of both societies, there will be chaos, and fear purely because of what vampires can do."
"But didn't Iain say the point of Rose was to integrate the societies?" I said frowning. I don't remember the exact words it was so long ago.
"No. Rose was set up with the aim of dealing with the interaction between vampires and humans. It's different. We deal with their actions."
"Oh." I paused. "So this civil servant did all that? Ignored every warning and made no move to stop?" It made me wonder what Rose did to people who did stop because they could do it again.
"Yes. So the plan is a simple shot." Ah, back to business. "Harding will be hosting a party at his apartment in the centre of London. It starts at seven pm. We will not be physically in the building though. I've already stalked it out and set up everything so all I need is your presence for the few hours it will take to get this case completed."
This is it. The final exam. It's actually happening.
"I'll explain more when we're alone and actually there, sorry Sarah." He shrugged apologetically at her who dismissed it entirely.
"No problem!"
Turning to me he said, "Do you have any questions?"
Why is it when people ask you that, nothing comes to mind? "No, but I might ask some later."
And with that the exam was a go.
London in the morning is just hectic. Hundreds of people were on the streets and they didn't give a second glance at the vampire who was jogging right next to me. And damn if they didn't give him second glances as a vampire, it would be because of what he wore. He had a grey tracksuit on and a white shirt that either was too short for him or his pants were too low (those pants sat where it brought about fantasies), but you could see his toned body underneath. He wore those sunglasses that covered half your face and had a pair of headphones around his shoulders, the phone they were attached to swinging from the pocket at the seat of his pants.
Sometimes I'm glad I'm around this guy. Even if his mood changes really quickly.
As for me I wore a similar tracksuit, the top a navy blue with black pants (I seriously don't know where the other pair went), with a black vest underneath. My hair was tied up in a loose bun. It had been quite high on my head but with the jog, it sagged. I could feel some strands tickling my sweat soaked neck.
The sun should have been a reason to keep my spirits high but with the pending case at hand, I couldn't get the butterflies to die down in my stomach. I didn't even eat anything this morning. I felt if I did and jogged, I'd throw it up sooner than later. And throwing up in public in daytime was not something I fancied.
Mattie saw my nervousness. I was lagging behind him as if I could delay the inevitable. "Alice? You alright there? Do you need some food? We could stop for that." But he said that looking at his watch.
"No, I just have a stitch." I lied gripping my side slowing to a walk.
For the past hour we'd been jogging around the block going past some construction with the dust flying all over, weaving through people on their phones and dodging the cyclists. I didn't know why we were here in the morning.
After another lap Mattie spoke, "Do you see that apartment there?" He descreatly pointed to some glass walls that were on a second or third floor of a building in the distance. "That's where the party will be held. We will be in the opposite building." Across from that was a building under heavy scaffolding.
As we drew closer I could see the glass walls were part of a hotel. A five star hotel.
"You mean... only one shot?" I panted catching my breath.
Parties meant a lot of people so if the first shot missed, all the guests would try to find where it came from once the panic died down.
Mattie nodded then shuffled my hair in some sort of pat inadvertently lowering my hair bun. "Looks like you're actually learning something from Sarah."
I swatted him away half because I was short and with that, tried to remove those feelings for him I had buried deep within me. The other half was because I didn't like the idea of juggling the task at hand and my throbbing heart. "So? How do you know that's not bullet proof glass?"
"It's been checked beforehand."
Eh… Oh right he did say something about stalking the place. Are all cases going to be like this?
As if he could read my he mind Mattie said, "only this case since it's the very first."
I looked at him with an I-don't-believe-you-face. Surely vampires can't read minds.
From this angle we couldn't see what was in the room so he said to ask more questions later.
We left at exactly seven when the party starts. Since Mattie had more experience in this, I took his lead.
We were dressed as if we were going for a night out. I had a leather jacket with a green blouse on and coupled with black skinny jeans and my hair loose matched the whole look. Mattie just wore a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top with a pair of suit pants. He looked like he had just got off work.
The night was clear and there were people around at this hour. Add a few more, and there would be a bunch others on the streets. Noise from Harding's party flowed down the road - it was just that loud.
"Mattie, don't you think that by killing this guy would mean…" I shrugged, "that it might start something in vampire society?"
"No." He said it as if he wanted the topic to die. "Rose sends out warnings to the guy on his actions. Vampires are well aware of each other's doings although we don't publicly say so. We can guess who will find Rose's letter on their doorstep."
So their society is more like 'you brought it on yourself…'.
After walking down we turned into the building opposite when no one was looking, weaving through all the scaffolding.
The place turned out to be abandoned. Dust lightly covered the cement floor and the whole room had that stale air smell. Flecks of brick wall fell like petals on the ground thanks to the drought of the door we had entered.
"Follow me." Mattie said his voice echoing. Grabbing my hand he lead me what looked like several rooms before we came to a flight of stairs. I couldn't see anything. The scaffolding was taking what little light that came in.
Light on the first floor was better mainly because of the light of the party next door. And damn, the music from next door was loud.
From what I could see every room in this building was empty. Dust and concrete particles danced across the air as we walked. Finally Mattie took me to a corner. He let go of my hand to kneel for something before light streamed from a gap in the wall he had made.
The light caught it. What he had brought me here for. A gun. And not just any gun, a sniper.
"Mattie…" I could tell what I had to do. I wondered and wondered but thought better of it. No. I just didn't believe it.
"Alice, this is your exam. You will shot Martin Harding."