As if my burdened existence wasn't enough for me to live with, I have to watch over my shoulder for my Uncle trying to take me as his Bride?
That's just a whole new level of disturbed and disgusting.
In order to try and keep focus off that matter for a while, we headed to where other people had been attacked by vampires and I made the point of snapping their necks so as to not have a major infestation on our hands.
As we drove back nearer to the safe-house I could see that the experience so far MJ had been effected with the way he had seen so much horror and death in the space of 2 days. I, myself, had come to accept what devastation came with this existence but at the same time felt he could do with some sympathetic reinforcement.
Abby: MJ…you're handling this really well.
He gave a brief look and smile as a response noting that he appreciated I cared for his well-being.
MJ: I thought I had seen it all, Abby. These last 2 nights have made me question a lot.
Abby: That's understandable. It's a lot to take in and process. Is there anything you want to talk about? It might help ease what you're feeling.
I wanted to help him as I could tell him from his deafening silence in the last hour that he was finding it hard to deal with.
MJ: not really. I just want to put a stop to this.
Abby: I know. *pats his arm* I know.
I looked at him for a moment almost studying his features.
Abby: I never asked, earlier. MJ, how old are you?
MJ: 24.
Abby: really? I thought you looked younger.
MJ: How younger?
Abby: 19-21?
MJ: *smiled* you're cute.
So is he. I can't help but think how different his life would be right now if he hadn't of lost Mara all those years ago. Would he be happily married now and possibly raising children? But fate would not allow him that luxury, as I recollected those painful images from his memory of that night in Chicago. Poor guy.
Abby: I'm serious. You don't look anywhere near a guy in his mid-20's.
MJ: Good genes or just born lucky.
KITT: I have a more plausible explanation.
This should be fun. KITT's a great car, but he can be a smart-ass when he wants to be.
MJ: Of course you do.
KITT: due to the routine nature of his physical regime and diet encompassed with the green tea he normally consumes, his metabolism is almost twice that of someone his age and coupled with his ability to continuously learn new subjects and techniques, MJ is always keeping his mind fresh and youthful.
I weighed up what the Trans Am had said and it did seem to make sense. They who never stop learning, stop from aging as quickly.
Abby: Makes sense to me. *notes the time on watch* it's 4 am. We'd better head back to the safe-house. And you look exhausted.
I had seen in the last hour that he was less than alert.
MJ: I must admit I could use a few hours' sleep.
Abby: you need more than that. And you have no idea how grateful I am for what you've helped me with in the last 2 days.
MJ: what kind of Knight would I be if I refused a lady in need?
I was touched by that statement, bringing a smile to my face.
Abby: That's like something Owen would say to me. I swear, you're almost exactly like him. Except he's forever 14 years old.
MJ: he didn't want to be apart from you that much that he asked you to turn him?
Abby: You catch on quickly, MJ. He worried how things would be if he allowed to let himself age any further to such a degree that the age difference in the physical appearance would be too great.
Abby: So…one night, when someone had beaten him half to death, he held my hand in his and gave me a single nod and I bit him.
I wanted that but was very hesitant about the notion at the same time.
MJ: I can only, imagine, how difficult that was for you.
There was an elongated silence as I took in what he said.
Abby: More difficult than you could ever know. I didn't want, to condemn him, to an eternity, of night.
MJ: Yet you loved him enough to not want to lose him either?
Abby: You're very intelligent for a kid your age, MJ. His death would have destroyed me into either going back to my nomadic life or killing myself.
MJ: well, then. Let's hope we can find him and get you re-united.
Abby: Me too.
MJ was slowly beginning to struggle to handle KITT and the fact that his eyelids were low didn't help his cause either.
I saw how sleepy he was becoming that I just let my instinct take over. I had seen from him how he acted with KITT whenever the car had to take control and felt this was no exception.
Abby: KITT, go to Automatic. MJ's gonna fall asleep at the wheel if he continues like this.
KITT: sorry, MJ. But I have to concur with Abby on this. I am assuming control.
The Trans Am took control of himself.
MJ: sorry. I'm just waay out of it at the moment.
Abby: It's fine. KITT, what time is sun-rise?
KITT: It's set for 06:41 am.
Abby: Plenty of time. I just want to get back underground before the sleep cycle overtakes me.
KITT: I assume it's quite overpowering?
Abby: I have no control over it. As soon as the sun comes up, I fall like a ton of bricks.
KITT: I feel like I've been hit by a ton of bricks before, so I suppose I have some grounds for a comparison.
The Trans Am pulled into the alley where the entrance to the safe-house was hidden.
Abby: MJ, you need to hit the button.
Despite being chronically fatigued, he looked up to the overhead console and pushed the 3rd button from the top left and the safe-house tunnel doors revealed the tunnel itself.
I felt a sudden sensation come over me and it was sinister. A very, familiar, form of sinister.
Abby: KITT, get below ground, NOW!
KITT: Your Uncle's near?
Abby: Yes. Now, move it!
The super car descended into the tunnel and the doors closed shut tight just as my sinister relative walked past the alley after the doors closed.
Abby: *relieved sigh* Phew. That was close!
KITT: do you think he would have found his way in?
Abby: Not knowing how strong the doors are, KITT, I wouldn't like to say. He would have made short work of MJ though if he had gotten in.
KITT: after seeing what his kind are capable of, Abby, I don't doubt it.
I gave a puzzled look at KITT's voice vox as the Trans Am got to the end of the tunnel and stopped on the turntable outside the entrance door to the safe-house.
Abby: his kind?
KITT: Abby, after what I've seen in the last 2 days, you're more human than they could ever hope to be. You might be a vampire, physically, but you are nothing like them. You actually want to stop killing and live normally. They don't.
It had never occurred to me that I was actually trying to establish boundaries for myself and not be like the rest of my kind that actually partook in enjoyment whilst feeding.
Abby: Never thought about it like that.
KITT: Merely offering an outside perspective.
Abby: Thank you.
KITT: You're welcome. MJ, we're here.
MJ stirred and stumbled out of the driver seat.
Abby: hold up.
I exited and came to his side and got under his arm as I knew how worn out he was from all the work this evening. Even for a human who doesn't half the pace nor strength like me, he held his own tonight and that is something amazing to me.
I raised his palm up to the reader and the security system confirmed his identity giving us admittance.
Abby: Can you walk?
MJ: I'm not that tired.
Abby: That's good. Because I wasn't about to carry you. *grins* get some rest.
MJ: don't need to tell me twice.
Abby: Good night.
MJ: Night.
He somewhat unsteadily found his way to his quarters. I decided to go and get some feeding done myself as I needed to keep my strength up if I was going to be watching his back from now on.
I made my way to the kitchen and looked in the smaller fridge over in the corner and took out a bag of A positive. There were about 6 bags left in there after I removed my meal for the evening.
Really hope MJ can get some more from that Ex-con, Parker. From what he told me, that guy really owes him a few favours considering the "dirt" he has on him.
I felt the change come again as I pulled the valve and started sucking in my nourishment. I reminded myself of his words once more that I could override this other side of me if I just used some will-power and this time I made the point of suppressing the other side to such a point that only my eyes changed colour.
I felt my teeth to see if they had lengthened or sharpened and was pleasantly surprised to see they were still normal length.
These remaining IV bags should be able to last me at least 4 more days as he did say it was at least a week's worth. But in truth I could make these last 2 weeks if I so wanted to.
I noted the time being 4:20 am. I had some time to play with before the sleep cycle would overtake me, so why not do some research of my own in the lab.
I walked in and tapped away the computer googling James Parker. And it came no surprise of the chequered past he had against his name based upon the newspaper reports archived into the LA Times' library.
Extortion? Racketeering? And embezzlement? This guy is very colourful. But I am glad that he operates his own blood delivery service on the underground.
That would make my feeding habits very difficult and fatal if there had been no means of accessing donated blood.
Abby: KITT, you there?
KITT: *monitor* where would I go?
Abby: Is there any other reason why MJ keeps this Parker character on the radar?
KITT: He saved his mother from a burning building.
Abby: And that's why MJ never turned him over to the Police?
KITT: I believe he felt he owed him that. He never told me it, but I can deduce that he had an attack of conscience.
Interesting. I suppose if I had been in his situation, I would have acted no different.
Abby: In which case, he's one of the remaining few who do. I think we'll need to head over to the blood bank again tomorrow night. I might be able to make those bags last another week, but after that….it won't get pretty.
KITT: Are you alright?
Abby: I'm fine now. But merely looking to rebuild stock. I don't want to go back to my old ways, EVER.
KITT: Understood. You've suffered enough.
Abby: Speaking of suffering. I got a glimpse of the pain MJ's felt through these last 5 years. And it turned my stomach, KITT.
KITT: You make it sound like you actually saw what he saw.
I guess he doesn't believe me.
Abby: That's exactly it. One of my, abilities, if you will, is being able to project my memories into someone else's mind and being able to see what's in their mind. And what I saw in MJ's memory was….heart-breaking. I saw Mara dying, right in front of me. I felt the pain in his gut as he watched her slip away. And that's when I stopped and broke away. I couldn't take any more of that pain.
I thought I had seen it all with many painful images in life, including what brought me into this un-dead existence. But the sheer heart-breaking sight of Mara dying in front of me, as I saw it through his eyes, with her life fading and the blood pouring from her chest like a fountain would bring anyone to tears and despair.
And how MJ has been able to endure this nightmare for the last 5 years is beyond my comprehension as that would have driven anyone; human or vampire insane.
Yet, somehow, instead of destroying him, it keeps him motivated to stay on the right path and not allow it to happen to another.
I don't understand why he views it as a mistake or his failure to act and prevent her death, when I could clearly see from his memory that the armed robber came running through and caused such a commotion so quick that no one had any real time to react to it.
Mara saw the bullet coming and did the only thing that she could do for the man she loved and came between the bullet and MJ.
KITT: I've wondered how he's been able to function as a person knowing that emotional weight he carries around with him.
Abby: I'm questioning this, myself. Maybe he just feels he owes it to Mara.
KITT: that would seem plausible. Considering from his file it says she encouraged him to enlist with FLAG.
I wonder what she would have thought; to proudly see her man helping to change the world as I've seen him do so far.
Abby: Shame she didn't get to see him do it. I think I'll turn in for the night, KITT.
KITT: Good night, Abby.
Abby: Good night, KITT.
I pondered my thoughts of what my troubled friend had been burdened with in the last 5 years. How and why should someone carry this emotional pain with them and still be expected to have some kind of normalcy in their life, when all they want is for the pain to be taken from them so the hurting can stop?
I stopped at MJ's door for a few moments and thought of the possible nightmare he could be reliving tonight.
He'd said they come and go and some weeks he'd be able to sleep peacefully for a time and just catch on some much needed rest before they would re-appear again weeks later recommencing the same vicious cycle that would haunt him at night.
I peered through a gap in the door that had been left open and saw him lying seemingly at peace.
I felt the sleep cycle coming on and had to get to my bed before it overtook me, powerfully.