Three of a Kind
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, anyone, or any concept here-in
Chapter Four:
Seras followed 'John' the vampire down the stairs and down the hall towards the room were the children had asked the question.
He stopped and knocked, a scared little voice questioned, "What color are your eyes?"
To which he immediately responded, "red, now open up, we're leaving," She heard the shuffling sound from behind the door and watched as it opened and a small child reluctantly carrying a shotgun walked out followed by about twenty others. They all looked scared, and they all looked at the vampire with awe and admiration. It wasn't the admiration of those brainwashed by a vampire but honest admiration, these children looked at him like a savior.
When all thirty-six of them had been accounted for, Seras was carrying three of her own when a familiar fluttering of paper filled the halls and a cloud of documents flew through the air and stuck themselves to the walls with pins.
"...And now to finish my business here and kill you two," called out Anderson as walked down the hall. Seras was surprised to see he had one arm cut off and was holding it in his teeth; it still gripped its bayonet which was dripping blood. Behind her John began whispering to the children.
"OK kids this is where I need your help, see those papers stuck to the walls? I can't touch them but you can, go to that door and pull as many off of it as you can, got it?" They must have nodded because Seras didn't hear a response other than the pattering of feet and the ripping of papers.
"Your little brainwashed slaves won't get the way clear fast enough to save you vampires," stated Anderson around a mouth-full of priest robe.
"Says who?" Asked a voice behind Anderson who was suddenly kicked aside by the green eyed boy. "Oh and Paladin, you didn't kill my friends just a second ago, they can't be killed by your weapons, and neither can I." With that he got another kick into the paladin's head as the other two walked into the room from the stairway, the one in black in the act of pulling a bayonet out of his chest in a way that reminded Seras so much of her master that she almost laughed.
At that point one of the smaller children ran up and started pulling on both vampires shirts when she had Seras and John's attention, she pointed at the door which was totally clear. She walked up to them and shoved them off their hinges and into a very startled soldier.
His partners took no time in assessing the situation they both pointed their guns toward the child festooned to John. When they saw the children grouped around him though, they lowered their weapons and looked to their commander.
"Don't shoot him." As if to emphasize, Seras's point, the little girl who had been holding on to the vampires elbow run up and kicked them both in the shins and ran back to and behind her rescuer.
"Ouch!" said one.
"Why I ought a..." said the other.
"You ought not," said a trio of voices from behind her. Seras turned to see the three walking out the doors all holding their weapons. "And furthermore we would suggest that you safe and clear your weapons before we take them from you and do it ourselves." The soldiers did what any sane person would do when faced with a trio of ready, armed individuals, exactly what they had been asked. The brown eyed one suddenly seemed to fade out of existence then snap back with a 'phut' noise.
"Damn, I'm timing out I vote myself to go get the car." At this point Seras seemed to snap out of her silence.
"Hey you can't leave. I have to bring you back to my superior. She wants to uh, talk, with you."
Greeney fielded this statement by saying, "lady if he doesn't get the car and its cargo here fast enough, he'll cease to exist and so will I in an hour or so." They stayed there a good minutes listening to the sporadic gunfire waiting.
The silence ended when Seras's troops were about half-way through their scheduled headcount Seras heard the APC commander yell.
"What the bloody hell is that?" This was followed by a crash that could be heard in the distance as well as over the radio.
"Attention all units, an unidentified vehicle has entered the theater of operations described as a modified van, white in color. Engage as hostile."
"Just a few minutes John, and you can leave all of these hunters and go back to the hotel," said the as yet unnamed boy in black.
"I can hardly wait," said the vampire.
A pair of heavy weapons opened up and the radio declared, "Contact! We have contact and are engaging!"
Seras looked in that direction and saw two things; one was a truly beaten up van, and the other was the predawn light in the sky behind it. The van stopped and a new person jumped out he also looked like the others except that his face was marred by acne and he didn't move with the certainty the others did. What he did have was a large assault rifle in his hands.
"OK, John go to the back disentangle those children and get in."
"Sure thing boss," said the vampire, but the boy was already talking again.
"Stealth, Strength get in." With that the two behind Seras walked up to and into him. In place of the collision she had expected they both seemed to merge with the boy leaving only two piles of clothing. He picked up the piles of clothing while John, now free of his childish armor climbed into the driver seat.
"Are you sure you want me to leave you here Luke?" he said out the door of the van.
"Yes, now go." Apparently needing no further bidding, the van turned around and rocketed down the road. The boy then said to Seras, "if you want to 'talk' with one you had better talk with all three." He quickly folded the garments and put them into pockets in a small satchel hanging from his neck. He then put the weapons safeties on and put them into other pockets in his bag.
"I'm surprised, normally they don't beat people this bad, that paladin still isn't up yet," he took one step to the left as a bayonet flew weakly out the door and landed a meter behind him in the dirt.
"I'll get you yet ya heathen!" yelled Alexander's voice as a cloud of papers flew out of the orphanage door and into the breaking day.
TBC…