Chapter Six

Vampire Hospital

Hayley Simms took her camouflage cap off and straightened her hair underneath as she reported to Alexandra Sanders. "This is a waste of time, boss. We need daylight and more men to lock this place down. I'm seriously just not feeling this right now."

Crossing her arms as she stood on the arena loading dock, Sanders sighed in frustration. "You're probably right. And if you ever repeat that, I will kill you."

Hayley mimed zipping her lips with her fingers. "Lindsey said she found a lead in one of the files we got from the L.A.P.D. that might lead us to where Rehnquist has been holed up. She has two of ours with her checking it out, and they are being assisted by Beth Turner."

Sanders' expression changed from frustrated to piqued. "Interesting. She would be somewhat familiar with some cases that Allison's brother had prosecuted. Allison probably saw that as well."

She came to a decision. "You and I are heading out there," she said. "Get a vehicle ready."

"I'll round everyone up," said Simms, pulling a handheld radio from her belt. "Sit tight."

Simms moved away to begin signaling the other members of her team as Sanders turned and headed back inside the arena through the open loading dock door. The area immediately inside was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the concourse and the interior of the arena itself.

Several sets of large wooden containers were stacked to the side as she passed. She noticed them earlier as she walked outside, so she did not give them a second thought.

As she passed the last set, a large hand reached for her throat and snatched her off of her feet, slamming her bodily against the topmost container. Her head impacted hard, causing Sanders to see stars. She somehow maintained enough of her awareness to reach for a retractable baton attached to her belt. She swung it at her attacker's head, flicking her wrist to extend it simultaneously.

The baton connected with the assailant's skull. Whether it was the force or the surprise of the blow, it caused the grip on Sanders' throat to slacken slightly. Her feet fought to gain purchase on the concrete as she dropped the baton and pulled out her pistol.

Her assailant reared back, and threw her into the container again, clouding her vision in red, while another hand slammed into her right wrist, pinning it against the container so hard that she felt a sharp pain shoot along the radius and up her forearm. Miraculously, the pistol remained in her hand, but pointing out of harm's way.

Her cloudy vision cleared just enough for her to focus eyes on her attacker.

"YOU!"

Malcolm Rehnquist laughed. "Alexandra Sanders. All this for me? I'm find myself insulted."

Gritting her teeth as she fought to ignore the throbbing pain in her wrist, she squeezed the trigger several times. The shots echoed throughout the staging area and outside. Rehnquist made an inhuman sound as he tossed her at least a dozen feet away behind him like a discarded ball.

Her body impacted mercilessly with a plate-glass window. She went through it head first, destroying the closed blinds behind it, finally coming to rest on the carpeted floor in the midst of shards of glass.

#

Simms and two members of her tactical team stood several feet away as they watched medical personnel carefully place Sanders onto the gurney. One of them carefully inflated an air cast around her right forearm while the other entered the back of the ambulance for supplies.

The EMT attending to Sanders strapped a brace around her neck before stepping back and indicated for Hayley to approach. She did and looked down at her boss, wincing slightly at the number of cuts on her face. Her right eye was covered by gauze, and her bottom lip was swollen. "What's the damage?"

"Possible fracture of her right radius, right eye is lacerated, larynx is bruised, cuts and contusions covering most of her upper body, and possible concussion." The EMT slid his stethoscope into a cargo pocket. "She needs an X-ray and CAT scan at the hospital."

Simms looked down at Sanders and noted that her lips were moving, her voice barely audible. She bent down with her ear held close as she struggled to make out what she was saying.

After ten seconds, she straightened herself and grasped Sanders' left hand, and instantly gratified when the gesture was returned. "Hang in there, Alex," she whispered. "I'll get that bastard for you."

The EMTs slid Sanders into the back of the ambulance. Simms prepared to jump in with them, but the chirp on her handheld stopped her. "Acker to Simms, is your twenty still the loading dock?"

Simms pulled the radio off of her belt. "Affirmative, but I'm about to head to the hospital, Ack. What's up?"

"Negative on that. We have some guests, and they would like a word."

"Who?"

"L.A.P.D."

Simms sighed. "Copy that. Bring them my way." She turned to her operatives standing behind her as she slammed the door to the ambulance shut and slapped the side of it with her hand.

"Follow her to the hospital. Call in Black, Aiken, and Wallace. I don't want her out of your sight."

The two men nodded and raced to their vehicle parked nearby as the ambulance began pulling away. Simms looked up at the loading dock and saw Cody Acker leading Lieutenant Danielle Joyce and several uniformed policemen outside. She looked back at the departing ambulance before steeling herself for the long night ahead.

#

"Don't pin this on me, Josef," Sarah angrily declared, leaning forward in her seat in the back of the limousine. "I didn't know he was going to be there. It's not like I invited him."

"Oh, but you see, I can pin this on anyone I want. Comes with the fangs, the thirst for blood, the few centuries of experience I have on you." Josef shook his head, clearly agitated. "Malcolm Rehnquist has proven that he can get to any of us any time he wishes. What possessed you to run off alone like that?"

"I didn't know it was him up there! But I would think that after you see this, you would be happy I did!" She dug into her clutch bag and pulled out the microSD card. "What he gave me could possibly save your ungrateful ass!"

She threw the card at him. Despite its size and the lack of illumination in the vehicle, Josef easily caught it. He inspected the card, giving her a sidelong glance. "What is this?"

"A confession from Malcolm Rehnquist stating that he manipulated you into giving up Mr. St. John for me." She looked away from him. "Something to keep the other vampires from killing you."

The anger he was feeling slowly gave way to puzzlement as he held the card up closer. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I truly am. But I … I lost you for sixty years, Sarah. Sixty years. I turned my best friend over to a deranged psychopath so that you would be safe. I would burn this city down to protect you."

He slipped the card into his jacket and stared out of the long, darkened window. "The last thing I want is for anyone to hurt you ever again."

Sarah covered her mouth in surprise. She quickly recovered and moved to sit beside him. He did not move, much less made note of her close proximity until she reached up and turned his head by the chin until their faces were inches apart.

"Finally, you show me the man I fell in love with all those years ago at that train station," she breathed.

#

Adrian pocketed his cell phone as he neared the limousine, frowning when he noted the driver standing several feet away from it. "Why aren't you ready to go? I've already called the house and told the staff to expect us."

The driver gave an embarrassed shrug, gesturing to the vehicle. "I was, sir. Then Mr. Kostan ordered me out of the car."

Adrian started to question him further, but his vampire hearing picked up the sounds of passion from the interior of the limousine. His eyebrows raised slightly as he turned back to the driver, who seemed even more uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Adrian pulled his phone out and dialed the house. "Ryder? It turns out we may be delayed."

#

He slowly navigated the stone pathway through the many headstone grave markers, and statues in the old cemetery, careful to stay as close as he could in the shade of the cluster of trees to protect his eyes.

His destination was a small headstone nestled together just a few feet away from the path. It was within reach of the shade of a large oak tree under which he stood as he examined the grave marker.

"It was a nice service," a strong, male voice responded from over his shoulder. "A bunch of your buddies from the war showed up as pallbearers. One of them was kind enough to read my favorite scripture from the Bible. Oh, and that young girl who lived the street over who you took to the dance the night before you enlisted? She showed up with husband number four, I believe."

The owner of the voice stepped up beside him, looking down at the gravestone. "I wish you could have been here, Mick."

"You know why I couldn't, Dad. But I think about you all the time."

The elder St. John clapped a hand on the shoulder of his son. He was built like his son, with his gray hair cut short. "And I understood why every single day, son. Right up to the point where it was time for me to finally leave this world. I had a great life, but my one wish was that I had a chance to say a proper goodbye to my boy."

He sighed and looked down at the gravestone. "I sense so much regret in you right now, son. It feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders."

The young man crouched down to brush leaves away from around the marker. "I've seen a possible future, a past that could have been, and now I'm here talking with my father who has been dead for over twenty-five years."

He grinned up at his father. "No, nothing's wrong with me."

The older man sighed. "You've always had a way of separating yourself from the pain. Unless it involves someone you absolutely love. Admit it. You sometimes don't think objectively when it comes to her."

He did not receive an answer. "Maybe I have a way to fix that."

#

Allison lowered the night vision binoculars and slid her body around on the cliff to face Beth, Caddie, and Nate. "I see a little bit of light. Seems like the place has some power. Are you sure this is it?"

Beth nodded. "We were there for about three hours with the witness before Josh came with Carl Davis to escort us back to L.A."

Caddie looked out into the darkness. "Can we get this over with? I'm not feeling this at all."

Nate passed a pistol and two magazines over to Allison. "Here's the plan. Nate and I will approach from the sides, and -"

"Wait a minute." Beth held up a hand. "I think if we hold up and just wait, we'll be able to drive down without so much as getting a papercut."

Three pairs of eyes focused on Beth. "What are you talking about?" queried Nate.

"Remember when I said I called for backup?"

"Yeah." Allison looked back down at the hotel. "Where is this mysterious backup?"

As if on cue, Beth's cellphone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and thumbed the screen. Smiling, she held it out for Allison.

"They're already here."

#

The vehicle stopped close to a row of rooms down from the hotel main office. Beth could make out a black BMW sedan with tinted windows parked close by.

The four exited the vehicle with weapons drawn. Allison reached the sedan first and inspected it closely. "This vehicle was running recently," she whispered. "The engine's still warm."

Nate stood close by one of the doors leading into a hotel room. "I got movement."

Allison nodded, waving Beth behind her as she took a breaching position opposite of Nate at the door. She gave a three count with her fingers before Nate stepped back and kicked the door in. They quickly stepped inside, weapons at the ready clearing the room. Callie quickly followed them in.

Beth waited outside anxiously for at least two minutes until Allison stepped outside, her weapon not holstered but pointed at the ground. She gave her a perplexed look. "Uh, Beth, is your backup like a model or something?"

Beth gave her a sheepish grin. "Something."

Allison stared at her for several seconds before shrugging and slipped her pistol in its holster. "Well, I think someone is waiting on you. Go ahead."

Beth stepped past Allison into the lit room. Nate and Callie stood to the side, weapons drawn but not aimed at the Cleaner, attired in her usual matte gray outfit, sitting with her long legs crossed in a barber's chair. She glanced up at Beth's entry and gave her a smile. "Hello, Beth. It's wonderful to see you again. Thank you for your call."

Nate gave a low whistle. Callie slapped him on his arm.

Beth gave the room an anxious glance. "Is he here?"

The Cleaner rose and took Beth by the hand, leading her through the door to the bathroom. A small man with tousled brown hair sat in a corner. His hands were restrained with an extension cord.

"I believe he's some sort of doctor," the Cleaner said, pointing to a surgical bag on the bathroom sink. "He has all kinds of vials and items I'm not familiar with inside. I kept a few to examine."

Beth disregarded him with a wave of her hand. "Mick?"

The Cleaner smiled and stepped to the side. Beth gasped as she saw Mick resting in the ice-filled bathtub. His skin was a mixture of yellow, purple, and gray patches. A deep wound in his chest where the stake was driven in weeks ago was exposed, showing no opportunity of healing. His eyes remained closed as Beth knelt beside the tub, placing a hand on his forearm.

"I put him in the tub and got him covered with ice as quickly as I could, and I already gave him some blood I brought along with me," the Cleaner whispered, crouching beside her. "But I think they were experimenting with him somehow. We need to talk to this guy behind us to find out the extent of the damage."

Beth nodded, tears streaming down her face as she caressed Mick's face with one hand. "It doesn't matter." she whispered back, never taking eyes off of him. "He's safe."

#

After replacing the cord with handcuffs, Nate pushed his captive outside to the waiting vehicle. Callie was several feet away on her cellphone while the Cleaner secured Mick in the backseat with a seat belt.

Inside the hotel room, Allison circled the chair in the center of the room. "They had him here all this time for weeks. Probably drugging him. Definitely beating him, judging from the wound he has in his chest."

She held up one of the wrist straps to the light. "Almost completely covered in blood. He might have started to fight whatever it was he was given, but eventually it weakened him."

Beth did not initially reply, instead watching Mick being attended to from the door. Satisfied that he was properly secured, she turned around. "With Rehnquist, there's no telling," she whispered.

"What was that?"

"Oh … uh, nothing. Nothing." She shook her head distractedly as she pointed to the doctor, visible through the open window and guarded by Nate. "What's going to happen to him?"

"That's what we're trying to find out now." Allison called outside. "Callie?"

Several seconds passed before Callie pulled the phone from her ear. The expression she wore on her face was mixed with worry and anxiety. "We have to get back to the city. Alex is in the hospital."

"What?!" Allison exclaimed. "How?"

"At Hurst College. Hayley said it was Malcolm Rehnquist who attacked her while they were looking for him. Her larynx was nearly crushed, and she has a broken wrist, plus cuts and bruises from being thrown through a window. She's in serious condition. Hayley is with her."

Allison rubbed her forehead. She assumed the leadership mantle since she discovered Beth's connection to the mysterious hotel in the middle of nowhere, and welcomed the chance to pass it to Hayley upon her arrival. Now, it seemed as if that would not be the case. "Okay. Here's what needs to happen."

They both headed for the vehicle, passing the Cleaner as she made her way to Beth. "The doctor's definitely been around some vampires," she said softly. "I can smell four different sets of decay on him as I was tying him up, counting Mick."

Beth did not take her eyes off of Mick, now resting peacefully in the car. "What are we going to do with him? We can't take him to a hospital. Unless … do you guys have a … vampire hospital?"

The Cleaner laughed. "I contacted Guillermo. He'll meet us at Mick's apartment with everything we need. You just have to get rid of your friend."

Allison walked over with two bags over one shoulder and Beth's gown draped over her arm. "Nate and Callie are going to lock the doctor down at a black site Sanders Securities has in the city," she said. "I'll help get Mick into a hospital."

"Actually, Allison," Beth shot the Cleaner a glance. "Actually, I have Mick's private doctor coming to his apartment. He's not big on modern medicine practice. All Zen-like and everything."

She quickly reached for one of the bags and her gown. "I know you want to head over to check and see how Miss Sanders is doing. We can manage on our own. Trust me."

Allison gave her a doubtful look, but held a hand up for Nate not to depart in the SUV. "You sure?"

Beth gave an overly enthusiastic nod. "Go. We'll be fine."

"Okaaaaay." Giving the Cleaner a final nod, Allison turned and headed for the idling SUV. Within seconds, it spun out onto the darkened road in a southeastern direction.

The Cleaner gave Beth a nod of approval. "Have anyone ever told you that you would make a fine vampire?"

Beth walked over to the car and opened the back door.

"I think every other day."

#

David Oxford slowly walked through the empty room, staring intently at the empty chair in the center that, for nearly three weeks held in check his employer's most prized possession.

A prize that was now nowhere to be found.

He closed his eyes and allowed his vampiristic olfactory senses take over, detecting several new aromas that had entered the premises since they first arrived on the scene. He dismissed Dr. Ellis' foul stench, personally looking forward to disembowel the hematologist if Malcolm ever gave the word.

At least one aroma belonged the mysterious Beth Turner, St. John's human pet. Her scent he recognized from the day St. John was taken. Three other humans were on the site as well, causing David to wonder how many of them are aware of his kind.

The final scent opened his eyes wide. Could he be mistaken?

No. No mistake.

Vampire.

The satellite phone was in his hand immediately. He dialed the number and waited until the line was connected. "Yes?"

"Sir, we may have a situation."

#

Guillermo flicked the line from the IV to Mick's arm several times with one finger. "The best way to let a vampire get his fill of blood if he needs it … besides feeding of course, is intravenously. A few pints of some chilled A positive should do the trick."

Beth watched him work from Mick's desk. "Won't it hurt him? Giving him blood directly into his bloodstream? Don't you guys have blood types?"

Guillermo paused in hanging the plasma pouch from a tack in the wall to consider the question. "Well, yeah. Mick likes A positive. I prefer it, too, but with a touch of ... well, you probably won't like it."

Remembering Logan and his love for cats, Beth made a face. "What I was really thinking is that … maybe he'll heal a lot quicker if he had another blood type. A … rare blood type."

Guillermo stopped his work when he realized what she was insinuating. He slowly looked up at Beth. "Let's stick with this for now," he said finally. "If it doesn't work, I'll check the stiffs we have at the morgue and see what they got."

Beth nodded, reaching for her cellphone. "Well, I didn't think I would be saying this, but I better call Josef and tell him the good news. This will be the first time in almost a month I can have a conversation with him without having an attitude."

The Cleaner sat in a chair by the bookcase as she entered the apartment, now dressed in a black silk blouse and pants. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders as she typed on a laptop.

"I found out the identity of our mysterious physician," she said. "Ian Ellis. He is a hematologist out of New York. Or was, anyway. Since 2005, he has been suspended for some rather scrupulous practicing there. Obviously it caught a certain vampire's eye."

"New York?" Beth sat down on the couch, piecing the puzzle together in her head. "It was him. He's the one. He somehow was able to wake Sarah up from her coma."

"It seems likely. He claimed to have made strides in curing several diseases. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't a fan of trial runs or other legalities in his practicing that would have held up his research for years." She held up a vial of blood and a vial of clear liquid she had taken from Ellis. "I had Guillermo draw some blood from Mick. We need to get it and this vial I took from Dr. Ellis checked out."

Beth processed the information. "You take care of that. I need to see Josef." She rose to her feet. "He needs to hear this."

The Cleaner nodded and closed her laptop. "I think I'll come along for the ride."

Beth shook her head. "I appreciate everything that you have done tonight. But I need you to watch over Mick for me. For this to truly be over and done with, he needs to be safe. You, Logan, and Guillermo are the only ones I trust."

The Cleaner considered the request as Beth put on her jacket. "Very well," she finally said. "But you be careful. You play a role in all this as well. Nothing must happen to you."

"Why you say that?"

The Cleaner smiled.

"Because I feel for the person who does harm to you, and Mick St. John is back on his feet. That is a hell I would not wish on anyone."

#

"I wish you had called prior to coming over, Miss Turner," said Adrian, opening the door wide for Beth to enter the mansion. "Mr. Kostan is … indisposed at the moment."

"I'm sorry for coming over so late, Adrian, but this couldn't wait." Beth looked around the half lit foyer. "It's concerning Mick."

Adrian hesitated, as if struggling to come to a decision. "Mr. Kostan did leave explicit instructions to inform him immediately any details concerning Mr. St. John," he said. "Please wait here."

Beth nodded and waited as Adrian went upstairs to the second floor. She looked around at some of the black and white photographs hanging on the wall, marveling at barely noticeable Josef Kostan milling about with political figures from the 19th century.

She heard two sets of footfalls above her. "Beth, this is an unexpected surprise," he said as he descended the stairs, followed by Adrian. "My man here says that you have some news concerning Mick."

Beth turned to face him, ignoring the fact that he wore a silk robe cinched at the waist and bedroom slippers. "Josef, did I interrupt something? Is Simone here?"

Josef shook his head as he gestured for Beth to follow him and Adrian. "I'll never kiss and tell, but I'm glad you're here. I have something for you as well."

Adrian opened the doors to the circular sitting room and went inside to the bar in the corner while Beth faced Josef. "We have Mick."

Josef's mouth gaped open at the announcement. The first words he attempted caught in his throat. He closed his eyes and slowly said, "Is he alright?"

"We think he was drugged and beaten. The stake wound hadn't healed. But Guillermo Gasol is giving him blood now so it's wait and see."

Josef nodded. "Well, this certainly trumps my news, but combined, it saves my neck." He reached over and handed her the SD card he had received from Sarah.

"What's this?"

Josef accepted a glass of blood from Adrian. "Only just video proof from Malcolm Rehnquist that I was coerced into turning on Mick. He had quite a busy night at the arena after you disappeared. Attacking Alexandra Sanders, and giving that card to Sarah."

It was Beth's turn to be surprised. "Is Sarah okay?"

Josef gave a nonchalant wave as he took a sip of his beverage. "Oh, she's fine. She's upstairs asleep right now."

Beth shook her head.

#