Opening the lab door, Megamind slipped inside and shut the door behind himself and leaned against the wooden door for a moment, and sighed heavily. This was it. The testing had been going well so far, and now was the time for the final experimentation to see if what he had been working on for all this time had been completed.
The lab was a fairly large room that was probably once meant to be a main bedroom, but it had been transformed into a lab many years ago. It now had tables everywhere that were piled with pieces of machinery and against one of the walls there was a cupboard full of test tubes and tumblers full of strange liquids. A small white fridge sat in the corner, humming softly to itself with electric happiness. Megamind crossed the room after removing his jacket and gloves, only to replace them with a white lab coat and pink rubber gloves. Grabbing some eye wear from a near by table he pulled the goggles over his eyes before he crouched in front of the fridge.
Pulling it open, cold smoke came drifting out of the small machine, and Megamind shivered before plunging his hand into the fridge to retrieve what he was after; a liver that looked partly decayed, a pitcher of diluted red solution and a small test tube that was full of blood. Shutting the door of the fridge he set the odd ensemble of things on a table and stood back to observe them a moment.
"All right." he mumbled as he grabbed a teat petite and squirted some of the diluted solution into the blood. There was no reaction, and that made him frown. Then, using a different petite he collected some of the blood and dropped it onto the liver.
The reaction was instantaneous. The liver began to suddenly churn, as if suddenly alive, before it collapsed in on itself. The smell was horrendous, and Megamind had to open a window before rushing back with a scalpel. Slicing off a bit of the dissolving liver he rushed to his microscope and slid it under the lens and peered down at the liver. In the magnified image he saw spiked cells being over come by red cells, dissolving before his eyes before the red cells suddenly exploded into nothing. Stepping back, Megamind looked at the liver before taking more blood, and dropped more of it onto the organ.
Once again the organ began to collapse in on itself and Megamind had to stagger back, the smell was that horrible, but he had a delightful grin on his face. He'd done it. He'd done it! He hadn't thought it'd be possible and after messing around with the lab these past few months had finally brought results!
By the time he came downstairs he saw his family gathered in the main dining hall. They were all preparing, pulling on their protective gear, sharpening their tools, and the like. The room was full of activity, their talking filling the air. The young boys sat besides Roxanne and Lady, too young to go fighting but had to be brought here because their parents were here and nobody could watch them back home. Minion was standing by the window, watching everyone with a nervous, worried expression. Bernard was no where to be seen, since it was so late in the day he was probably already strapping himself into the basement.
"All right..." he said to himself before holding an arm up. "Everyone?" Megamind called out, since everybody had been talking. They all turned to look at him, and saw he was holding a box in one of his arms that seemed to be full of something. "I want to give you something that I've been working on for the past few months. It's very dangerous, and I must warn you to treat it with great care. Do NOT get it on your skin, or in your eyes." Megamind approached every one of them and handed them what looked like ordinary bullets. "These will fit into any of your automatic weapons."
"Bullets?" Asked one of his cousins, looking at a round of them. It was then he realized they weren't made of metal, but something harder, something red, and possibly oozing. "How are they different?" he asked.
"Well Johnson you're right," Megamind replied. "They are bullets, but bullets unlike any you've seen before. These bullets carry cells that seek out the vampire disease and attack it, breaking it down, thus destroying it entirely before they destroy themselves from the strain." Megamind said as he continued handing the bullets around. "They're very dangerous. Now as we all know normal bullets may cause a vampire some strife but never kills them like a mortal being. These bullets, thogh, will injure the vampire since the cells will spread instantly once they come in contact with the vampire body and eat away at it. If you're a good shot and you shoot them in the heart it might kill them straight off the bat. Though, if you can't? Shoot them anywhere to cause them great pain and take them down your usual way."
"How did you discover this?" asked a woman as she loaded the bullets quickly into a gun. "This is amazing!"
"We'll be here all night if I explained how I did and we have a job to do, for the people of this city and the people of the world." Megamind replied as he handed the last one over before stepping back, and looked around at the people. "We set out tonight to vanquish our enemies and send them back to where they belong. There will be casualties, of course. If you are injured beyond the point of tending to yourself, you know who to call and they'll be there as fast as possible. Right Wayne?" he asked his brother, who nodded.
"Good. Now. Let us hang our heads."
Roxanne watched as everyone did this, before doing the same and looked down at her hands.
"May our swords be sharp and our aim true. The blood to be spilt will be our enemies, and we shall stand victorious for all who have fallen before. May the Gods of old and all protect us, and send the demons howling back to the darkness from which they spawn."
It was spoken as one, and Roxanne was reminded of a session in a Church where people would speak the Lords prayer. But this was not talking about forgiveness, love, or belief in heaven almighty or God. All the Gods? That explained all the beads of various religions. Did they all hold a power to dispel evil, or was it belief in them that gave the people strength? There were so many questions, and not enough time. Lifting her head she saw people already filing out the door, and watched sadly as the twin boys hugged their father goodbye; possibly for the last time. Another little girl hugged her mother, crying but trying to be brave at the same time.
She suddenly searched the crowd for a blue head but didn't see it. Panic rising in her chest Roxanne got to her feet and rushed after the crowd that was moving through the front door. She passed through it and finally spotted Megamind talking with Minion. The fish was obviously unhappy at being told to be left behind, and was just storming past her as she rushed up to Megamind.
"Megamind!" Roxanne rushed down the stairs and threw her arms around him before he could properly react, and he almost fell over. She wanted to tell him not to go, to stay with her and stay safe but she knew better than to ask that of him. This night was what he had been trained to do since he arrived on this planet; it had been what his Father had taught him. To ask him to betray it all for her was foolish and childish. "I love you." she whispered, trying to remain strong but her weakness was given away by the trembling of her voice.
"I love you more." he replied quietly, his voice strong, his arms sure, and his heart beating against his chest. "I'll come back."
"You better." she mumbled.
"Don't leave the Manor." Megamind pulled back, looking at her. "Don't leave the walls. The house will protect you but they still might roam the woods. You'll hear them, and you'll feel them. But if you get scared, and think they might discover the Manor..." he trailed off before drawing in close and whispered. "Release the hound."
"What?" Roxanne asked, confused.
"We've been training him for years." Megamind said.
"Who?" she asked.
"Bernard." he confirmed. "He knows to attack a vampire and avoid any familiar smells. You're familiar to him, you'll be safe."
"Wh-what how did you...?" Roxanne was shocked. Werewolves were dangerous, how was it that he and Wayne train a werewolf to only attack vampires?
"It took a long time." Megamind said before he kissed her hand once, and lifted his gaze to look at her. "Goodbye, Roxanne."
"Don't say that." she said shakily. "Please don't."
"Goodbye." he said before climbing into his car and drove off after the other cars that were exiting through that lone, huge gate that she had been brought through all those weeks ago.
Roxanne watched the procession of vehicles until they were all gone, and she felt like she could scream in frustration and agony before a sudden howl filled the air that did the screaming for her. Bernard, locked away in the basement beneath the house, voiced her anguish for her. The mournful sound was of somebody alone in the world, left behind by everyone who cared for them, and knew there was nothing more they could do to help themselves. Choking back a sob Roxanne turned and rushed back into the manor, and shut the door behind her.
It didn't take long for the first wave to descend upon the Family at all. Each car, carrying a home made radio that was connected up to each other, was soon full of sounds of people calling out what was going on. Megamind listened as a pack of fifteen came down on the cars heading to the South of the city, while another twenty were latching onto the Northbound cars. The screams and shrieks of the vampires filled the airwaves, and Megamind wondered why nothing was coming down on him. It was like a chess game being played out between him and the vampires, and he hated the game. It was just too easy for him to win.
He finally reached his destination, ironically an old abandoned church surrounded by private schools and upper class housing, and the second he stepped out of the car that feeling washed over him again. It was that same dreadful feeling that had gripped him all those years ago when his Father was taken. It hung in the air thick as fog yet invisible to the naked eye. He smelt the death and the decay, and could feel eyes on him that were hidden from sight. Megamind was just turning around when he felt needle like blades slash across his face.
He ran away from the car, towards one of the school's ovals, and the slashing continued as he ran. His poor leather jacket was being ripped at already, and that meant just more work to be done later. That was the key to surviving all of this; tell yourself what you're going to do when you get home again. But why was it that the first vampire he encountered for the night had to be a Mist? He cursed his luck before he suddenly spun around as he sensed a presence growing. Before him, quick as a flash, a woman in black clothes appeared. Her hair was long and spindly, wild in the air, wild as her eyes that stared at him with a cool calm confidence that he hated seeing in these creatures faces.
"Hello child." she whispered before she vanished into thin air again, barely giving him a chance to grab her. He suddenly felt two more Mists appear, and judging by how they were ripping at his jacket and arms they were in a mood for a good fight. The slashes scraped against his face and body, but he kept his arms up to protect his face since he'd be lost if they destroyed his eyes out here.
Grinding his teeth through the pain he readied himself. Lifting his arm slightly he saw a figure just beginning to appear to the left of him before he reached out quickly and grabbed onto a wrist. This one was a man, who snarled at him and raised his free hand to no doubt claw out Megamind's eyes but the alien was faster and the blade struck true to the Mist Vampire's chest. He screamed and fell away, turning to ash already as another one appeared behind Megamind. It knocked his hat off of his head and opened a wound at the back of his head but once again, he grabbed the offending arm before killing it quickly.
The female was the last to fall, and Megamind soon walked through the black soot on the grass.
"COME ON THEN!" he screamed at the darkness. "I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! I FEEL IT! ARE YOU SCARED OF ME?"
All the wind was suddenly knocked out of him, and he went rolling painfully over the grass actually went slamming against the church's wall. A large, pale, almost naked man rolled along the grass too, before lifting its head and smiled at Megamind with crooked, bloodied teeth for but a second before it came charging back at him. It was a Berserker. His luck really was horrible tonight.
Megamind screamed and drew his sword and slashed at the beast as it came upon him, and the blood spurted out from the point of contact but the vampire barely noticed. Suddenly there was another one joining the first, roaring and wild, hungry and ravenous, and Megamind was just lifting his gun to shoot at it with one of his bullets when it knocked the gun clearly out of his grasp, slashing at his hand as it did. Gasping in pain at first left him open for a sudden launching attack and he twisted under the weight of the assailant, ignoring the bleeding of his hand now and rolled away. He swung his sword again, and an arm went flying into the grass, useless and dead. The screams of the beasts filled the air and Megamind continued trying to dodge their wild actions, their beastly behavior making it hard to pinpoint where they would strike or where they would go.
Then his sword was knocked away thanks to a good swipe at his injured hand, and Megamind fell to the grass, blood and dirt staining his skin and clothes. If this was it, than this was it, but he wasn't going to go down screaming like a child. He grabbed the dagger from his leg and spun around in order to slash at whatever it was baring down on him but was startled to see one of the Berserkers hurled over him and thrown into a tree that toppled with the weight of the creature. Turning his gaze Megamind stared at the last person he expected to see fighting the other Berserker.
"Minion?" he asked.
Minion had no time for talk to his friend at all because he was locked in combat with the other Berserker and the creature trying to slash at his body but his claws did nothing against reinforced metal. The fish's eyes were narrowed dangerously, his sharp teeth exposed in a threatening growl as the luminescent orbs on his body flashed in a display of anger that, in the wild, would probably intimidate smaller males when it came to fighting over females, or nesting places. He suddenly screamed in a primeval rage, eyes turning white as he did, while he dug his hands down against the Berserkers wrists. As he did this, claws that had been built into his fingers erupted out of their sheaths, acting like small swords, and dug deeply into the Berserker's skin and with a show of great strength Minion ripped the vampires arms clear out of their sockets. Blood sprayed in all directions, and the dead, useless arms were thrown down onto the floor as Minion continued his scream of victory before leaping onto the Berserker to finish the job.
Megamind meanwhile was back on his feet and grabbing his sword, as the second Berserker was almost upon him again. He heard the death of the other Berserker over his shoulder, a last pitiful scream of agony and defeat, but was unable to look to see what Minion had done since he was dealing with the one armed Berserker. With one swift swing of his sword its head became separate of its body, and the hulking beast collapsed. Chest rising and falling Megamind looked over his shoulder to see Minion tearing the remains of the Berserker apart, since it was something that had to be done right away. Turning away from the grizzly scene Megamind did the same to the second dead Berserker.
Soon the job was done, and Minion was shoving the remains of the vampires into a black bag while Megamind cleaned the blood off of his sword.
"I told you to stay and watch over the others." Megamind finally said.
"You're my main priority, Sir." Minion said gravely, uncaring of the blood that now splattered his suit in various locations. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and began walking back to the car with Megamind at his side. "Your parents told me to look after you, and that's what I'm doing."
Megamind smiled faintly. "Thank you..."
While Minion deposited the Berserker's bodies into the boot of the car Megamind suddenly turned around, listening to the night. There were screams in the distance, but not screams of a vampire or a hunter. They were panic stricken, horror filled... "Is that a person?" he asked.
"I think so." Minion replied, when another scream filled the air. He slammed the boot shut on the bodies and followed after Megamind who was already running across the oval, kicking up ash and dust as he did.
The duo ran down the streets, following where the panic screams continued to fill the air. From Megamind's judgment, idiots had stayed behind despite the 'warnings' in order to break into the up town houses to steal goods from the abandoned houses. People could be down right stupid, sometimes. Maybe this could serve as a lesson, if only they would keep their memories of the encounter. A large black wolf was suddenly thrown in front of them, and it yelped as it landed badly on its back legs. It didn't stay down for long and soon ran straight back through the fence it had been hurled through and Megamind saw who it was battling.
It was Eagle.
She had a nasty slash to her face and on some of her arms, but she was waiting for the beast. It leaped upon her and she swung her two swords, digging both of them into the chest of the beast and slammed it down into the ground. Pulling its stake out from its holster on her side she slammed it down onto the large beasts chest, and it screamed in agony as it melted from a wolf to a woman. She screamed pitifully before breaking down into ash and nothing else.
"See to the people." Megamind told Minion, who went to do just that, pulling out a familiar can of spray as he did.
"I didn't expect people to be here." Eagle muttered as she touched her bleeding cheek.
"Idiots the lot of them." Megamind scoffed in return as he pulled out an antiseptic wipe and handed it to her. She thanked him and wiped at her face. "How many have you done in so far?" he asked.
"Several. They're everywhere it seems..." she said, "It's a mess. How about you?"
"Same." Megamind nodded. "Minion came to save my butt though." he paused for a moment, before looking up at the sky. "You sense it, don't you?"
"That looming feeling? Oh yes." she nodded, and looked around. "Yes but... I think it's moving away...? Towards... towards..."
Megamind had a sudden sinking feeling strike him up the back of the head as powerfully as the Berserker had done. Was it moving towards the woods outside the Manor? If it was the Children doing the moving, could they even see past the charms and protection on the house? He swallowed, before looking back at Eagle. "Who's closest to the Manor?" he asked.
"I don't... I don't know. I think Johnson?" she asked.
"Come on. We need to get home." Megamind said.
"But we've barely started!" Eagle said as she followed him, she herself quickly followed by Minion.
"They're going to the manor! If they have Father, he might be leading them there!" Megamind called back.
"But why?" Minion asked.
"To find me." Megamind replied gravely. "That's what this is all about. It's what it's always been about."
"What do you mean?" demanded Eagle.
"No time. We have to move, now. You know the way, alert as many who can get away to return to the Manor as fast as they can. Minion! Get me home!" he called.
"Yes Sir!" Minion stopped running and pressed one of the buttons on his suit. The whirling filters on his back suddenly extended out, before actually turning around. They were pushed into his body and in their place was a rocket pack that Megamind had designed months ago. It suddenly roared into life, and Minion lifted his friend into his arms. "Hold on tight, Sir." he ordered.
"Like I'd do anything else." Megamind said.
The ground suddenly fell away into the night and Megamind watched as the suburbs became something like a picture. He could hear screams and howls, and now and then he was sure he saw a streak of what he thought was Wayne moving from place to place. Megamind looked out towards where the Manor was, and was certainly he could almost see a black mass moving on towards the house.
He just prayed they got there in time and he dare not even think about what could happen if the Children got through the Manor's defenses. Within the manor only Roxanne, a few of the wives, and children remained. Of course the women knew how to defend themselves, as did Roxanne, but they would have no chance against the Children. And if Dracula was actually with them, moving with his beloved Children, then they were as good as dead already. The idea of Roxanne dying in a war she had only just become a part of was too cruel to think of, and he felt sick.
"Don't worry Sir." Minion seemed to pick up on his distress. "You're a very competent fighter, and I think they know that. Why else would they lure everyone away only to sneak attack the Manor if they weren't afraid of you?"
"Somehow that isn't helping." he said flatly, but still managed a smile at his friend.
"I know Sir. I'm sorry." sighed the fish.
"Now I'm getting blood all over my jacket again... blagh." Megamind sighed before suddenly going still in Minion's arms.
"What is it, Sir? Sir?" Minion asked, not liking that expression that was crossing Megamind's face. He began to descend towards the woods, since the Manor wasn't too far away by now. The trees were only a few feet beneath them now.
"It's them. I know that feeling! It's THEM."
With that, Megamind pulled free of Minion's grasp, and leaped out of his arms and fell down towards the ground and the darkness of the woods from which the horror that awaited him lurked. Minion screamed out and dived to catch him but just missed, and he could only watch as Megamind vanished beneath the trees. Knowing he had no time, he flew on towards the Manor, hoping to put up a strong defense if the vampires were indeed trying to over throw the house of the Family.
"They're getting louder." whispered Alice, Lady's mother.
"I know." Roxanne said quietly as she stared out of the window.
Outside, there were shrieks and screams of monsters she couldn't see. A feeling of dread was beginning to grip the house, and Roxanne could not help that sickly, sinking feeling in her stomach. They were right outside, weren't they? Lurking, waiting, planning an attack. What could they, those left behind, do? Roxanne already had the sword she had been training with at her side, as well as those bullets built by Megamind but they wouldn't be enough against a whole horde. What could they do, where could they hide?
"Release the hound."
Megamind's voice echoed in her head and she looked around. He had showed her the door to the basement once, weeks ago. It had two entrances. One you took from inside the house, and the other that opened up outside. For the past half an hour those in the manor had heard the wolf snarling and growling from the depths of the house, obviously smelling the vampires in the air, and she could all but feel his desire to get out there and destroy them for coming onto his land.
But could she do that to Bernard?
He was strong, of course. He was fighting in a war. What if he died, though? Would they blame her? Megamind had told her this is what she might have to do if push comes to shove, and the vampires were shoving very, very hard. Roxanne turned to Alice. "Keep watch. I'm letting him out."
She didn't have to explain who 'him' was. Alice only nodded. "Don't let him into the house." she whispered.
"I won't." Roxanne reassured her before leaving the group and hurrying down the long hall ways, to a door that was locked from the outside and sealed shut. Beyond the door she could hear movement, and heavy panting. Roxanne had never seen Bernard as a wolf, and she wondered what he would look like. Would he recognize her? He would have to, he had known her for so long, he knew her smell. He knew her face. She just prayed it was enough.
She pushed the door open after unlocking it, and shut the door behind her.
The smell was horrible.
Down the stairs she went, and she saw Bernard, harnessed and strapped up against a few of the walls. He had tripled in size, he was even larger then Wayne now. Brown fur covered him from head to doe, large ears were pinned back, and his brown eyes were narrowed as he gnawed at what she only assumed had once been a cow. But it was obvious he wasn't that interested since the second she came into view he stopped, and looked at her.
His eyes were the same, oddly. She could see the human spark deep within his eyes, but it was obvious the wolf was still in charge. He sniffed in her direction, and his tail thudded on the ground twice.
"Easy Bernard..." she whispered as she made her way to the other door that would lead outside. "I'm just... we need your help. You want to help, don't you?" Roxanne asked.
The werewolf whined, and tilted his head from side to side. Seeing such a monstrous, potentially deadly creature act like a puppy was almost amusing. It brought some semblance of calm to her heart, either way.
"Of course you do. You're a great guy, and a good dog, and I... I know you'll do fine out there. You're very strong, I can see from here..." indeed she could. The werewolf had muscles she knew the real Bernard did not have. He looked like he could knock a train off of its tracks with barely a flex of his forearms. Roxanne found the door and unlocked it, opening it up. But she still had to unstrap him, and from what she could tell that was done by snapping a clasp that was situated on his back. That would unlock the straps holding him in place, and he'd be free to move without restraint.
Roxanne gritted her teeth but very slowly approached the wolf, who was watching her, still sniffing the air.
He knows the smell. A foggy memory of so many hours spent talking fills his canine head. She brings good feelings. Happiness. Friend? Friend. Roxy. Nights talking about things. He remembers tears. Hers and his. She's been sad. But she's happy. This made his tail thump on the ground and he sniffed at her face once she was close enough, and Roxanne realized just how huge he was. Bernard, if he so wanted, could eat her head whole.
"Easy, here we go..." her hand found the clasp on his back and undid it.
Everything undid at once, and Bernard suddenly leaped away from her and shook himself. He sniffed the ground, and then the air. He smelt them, the demons, the monsters that dare walk on his property. Couldn't they smell his markings? They were enemies, and enemies had to be dealt with.
Roxanne pressed herself against the wall as the werewolf suddenly growled viciously, his pearly white fangs exposing themselves in the pale light and his eyes turned angry, vengeful. He opened his mouth and barked ferociously and bolted from the room entirely, out into the open air. Unable to help herself Roxanne followed and stood in the doorway as she watched the huge, hulking wolf that was one of her bests friends tear across the grass with purpose and jump the wall as if it was nothing.
Not a few seconds later she heard the screams, and saw some trees begin to topple from the sheer strength of the beast that was Bernard. Quickly she slammed the door shut again and rushed back upstairs.
She just prayed she'd done the right thing.
To be continued