Chapter 11:
A soft breeze drifted over her. It came from a few ceiling fans above. Bright sunlight slipped into the vast room. The couch was soft underneath her. Sleep clung to her mind, but she struggled to wipe it away. A white cover was placed over her, but she was no guest here. She was their prisoner.
"Good morning, Bailey." He groomed a few roses nearby. "Sleep well?" He kept his back to her, but this man needed no introduction. "Yes, Bailey. I am he," and he finally turned around. "I am Mr. Linderman."
Bailey sat up on the couch. She pushed the covers away. She felt like someone was standing behind her. It was the Haitian. Was he going to stab her again with a needle? His hands were empty. They were still deadly.
"Don't worry about him. We just needed you to be out for the flight."
"Flight?"
"Yes, Bailey. You took a nice, quiet ride on my private jet. I'm sorry. I couldn't take the chance of you being awake with what you can do." He now pulled a chair up to her and sat down. "You are quite fascinating, my dear." She flinched at how close he sat to her. "As long as I have been alive, I have only known one such as yourself. She was quite fascinating too." A look of sadness crossed his face. "In the end, it took all of us to destroy her." He looked up at Bailey. "One way or another, I'm afraid that will be your fate too, Bailey, but not today."
"So, what? You just want to have a chat and tell me that I have a death sentence?"
"More or less. You believe in vampires, Bailey?"
"What does that have to do with anything or me?"
"Vampires need life to live. Without it, they die."
"So, if I don't take life, I die. Either way, I die."
"I'm afraid so, Bailey, but you could do so much in the interim." He moved away from her. "You need to grow up, Bailey. Stop being scared. Stop being scared of me." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't want to hurt you, Bailey. I never did." He glared at the Haitian for a long moment. "You can't blame the others, though. It's in our nature. What we don't understand, we fear, and we look to destroy before we do understand. Sometimes, we think we understand those around us, but we could be wrong." The Haitian looked away from his unnerving gaze. "I told you before that we had HRG."
"Yeah. Before you lied."
"Well, I did apologize for that. Maybe, part of that, but back to HRG. We had him, and he escaped. But you need not worry about him. I think I know where he is, and it's where you must go."
"Matt Parkman will find me. He always does."
"Yeah, that mind reader can be very annoying at times, and he should be grateful that I spared his life." Now, he sat back down in the chair. "And he will be where I want to send you."
"And where's that," Bailey whispered.
"New York City." He briefly touched her hand, and she shivered at his touch. "We all have a part to play in New York City, including you."
"Why me? I'm no city girl."
"No, Bailey. You are more than that." He held her hands in his, and she shivered again. "There's a secret meeting going on at Corporate Drive. Top, top floor." He massaged her hands. Part of her wanted him to stop, but another part wanted him to continue. "These men are determining the financial fate of this country. We are talking about big money. My money." He squeezed her hands tightly. "I need these men. All of these men gone, Bailey. I need them gone."
Bailey felt flushed. Her hands were vibrating, warm. Her eyes flickered white. Her body tingled, hummed. He was doing something to her. She wasn't sure what. She wanted him to stop, but another part of her screamed for more and more. And he gave it to her.
"I am giving you life, Bailey. Life that you need, but…" The life flickered instantly, and she became cold, too cold. "I am bringing you to death, Bailey."
"No," but he wouldn't let go. "Stop. Stop," and she could feel it. It was a cold, dark oblivion, and then the life, the light returned. And her eyes almost rolled back into her head. "Why? Why are you making me feel like this?"
"Because I want you to be my weapon." He pulled her close, smiling at the shivers running through her. "Will you go to New York City and kill these men for me?"
"I…" She felt so good. Powerful. Hungry. Ready. "Yes. Yes, I will."
"Good." He finally released her, and she fell back, enjoying the sensation running through her. "If you fail?" He leaned over her. "Remember what death felt like," and she froze. "I've always known where you were, Bailey, and I will never ever lose track of you. Do you understand me?" She nodded. "Good. Good." He moved away from her. "You leave now," and the Haitian reached for her. But Linderman held his hand up to him. "It might be better, safer, if you don't touch her," and the Haitian stepped back. "Take her where she needs to go, and then find our friend."
"And where will you be," the Haitian asked.
"Oh, I'll be in New York City too meeting with another very special friend." He helped Bailey to her feet, and again, her eyes flickered white. "Good luck to you," and he kissed her on the cheek. "The jet's fueled and waiting," and he left the room.
"Are you ready," the Haitian asked her.
"Yeah." She was still vibrating. "I just…" She paused. "I have to kill them. All of them."
"Yes. You've done it before."
"Yeah. I just didn't know what I was doing, and what if they don't deserve to die?"
"I would do as Mr. Linderman requested, and I would take his threats seriously. Very seriously." Bailey cringed, despite feeling so good. "Now, let's go."
"If he wants them dead," Bailey said to herself. "Then, they're dead. All of them. What do I care? I'm a dead girl walking anyway," and again, her eyes flickered white.