Chapter 4: All war is deception. The Kindred are masters of deception since the fall of the Second City. They are ever plotting against one another, clan against clan, childer against sire. What one cannot achieve with an open hand they will do with a concealed dagger.
Sam got home just before the sun was up. She got inside and closed to door behind her. Stepping into the foyer Samantha was surprised by a "Morning."
Carter jumped and spun around into her living room. Cassie was on her back doing crunches. She smiled at Sam, "you're up ear-" She stopped and rolled over. "Sam, have you been out all night?"
"Uh," Sam couldn't think that fast…damn the sun was up and her mind was starting to go fuzzy.
"You were out all night." Cassie stated getting up. She was in skimpy sweats that showed her mid-drift. "What have you been up to?" She put her hands on her hips. It was actually kind of funny.
"Well I uh…I had a call and…" Sam couldn't think. "I'm kind of tired and…"
Cassie sniffed then she smiled kind of quizitively. "Sam, were you at a bar, I smell booze and smoke all over you?"
"Well kind of." Sam admitted.
Cassie smiled. "I never thought of you as the bar hopper type."
"I'm not it's just…"
Cassie then looked worried. "This isn't some kind of PTSD, from your disappearance is it? Sam, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. A friend of mine called and wanted me to go out and meet…well kind of a support group. Nothing serious, it was just a night out."
Cassie raised one eye brow. She didn't seem to be buying it but then shrugged. "Okay…but if this friend is a guy I'm going to have to meet him." She then turned and went back into the living room presumably to continue her crunches.
Sam wandered back up to her room and closed the door into blissful darkness. She fell into bed with her cloths on and closed her eyes. It was just at that moment before falling asleep that she realized Cassie was talking about Liam as a possible romantic interest. The idea was so absurd it was funny. Sam slipped into sleep.
Carter woke up around 5:30 pm. Looking at the clock she sighed. I got to work on these hours. Slowly she crawled out of bed and instantly felt her stomach tighten. She ignored it. I drank enough yesterday.
Disgustedly she realized she had fallen asleep in her cloths. She peeled them off and headed for the shower. Fortunately enough the Vampire and running water issue was just a myth. Sam let the hot water hit her naked body and felt herself warm up. She didn't feel cold, at least not as extremely as she used to but still heat felt good. After getting the smell of smoke and alcohol out of her hair she climbed out and dried off.
It was now just about six and Sam spared a look out the window. Sun was still up but it was lower. Sam took a deep breath in. The Last night ran through her head. There was so much she didn't know. Somewhere in the back of her mind there was the old Carter screaming to go get help, to talk to someone but that small voice was blocked out by the more rational side of her brain.
Sam recalled another of Liam's warnings back when they first met.
"I'll tell the SGC, there has to be a cure."
"There isn't. And if one is discovered it would be too late for you anyway. You are already dead, your body already changed." Liam calmly said. "Think about it. By the time anyone even believed you, what would any of your doctor friends have to work with? Just you, a single subject. And do you think they even would help you?"
"This isn't the first time one of us has been infected with a disease. They will find a way to help me?" Sam was certain without a hint of doubt in her mind.
"Not like this, Fledgling." Sage had a calm certainty of his own. He was so dismissive of her bond with her friends and her trust in the SGC. "Humans are dishonest creatures by nature, and to have an immortal to play with would be too much temptation for anyone. Even if you were right it doesn't matter. If you break the Masquerade and show what you are to the humans all you would do is seal your fate and theirs. The Camarilla would kill you for treason and clear their memories, or even more likely kill them with you. A cover up. We've been doing it for thousands of years. Are you really so selfish that you would risk their lives?"
Sam didn't have an answer. It didn't stop Liam from continuing. "Fledgling, this isn't a threat that is a thousand light-years away. It isn't being held back by an Iris. The Kindred are in your back yard. We are everywhere. The guy that cuts your grass, a taxi driver that takes you to the airport, the clubber you walk past on the street; they are all part of us and if there was one thing we do well beyond anything else is keep our secrets secret. They can get to you anywhere."
The work week started way too soon. Monday, Carter, went to work as usual. Her routine set down from the last month was still relatively new but was easy enough to maintain. Only haveing to deal with Cassandra was out of the usual for her. But Cassandra understood the nature of Sam's work and wouldn't pry into it. Sam endured the drive to the SGC then spent her day blow ground. She didn't drink that morning so the confining space full of the men and women below ground gave Sam a headache.
General Landry had showed up several times to discuss what was said in a briefing that morning and to go over mission reports from SG-11, 12, and 13. Other than that the SGC was easily enough run by itself. The staff was all experienced at their jobs so Carter didn't have to stress too much over running anything.
It was right before Sam was going to go home that day that General Landry called her to his office.
"Sir," Carter said when he told her to come into his office.
"Sam, have a seat," Landry gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "Just got a request for you to brief the IOA committee on," he checked a piece of paper on his desk grimaced and looked back up just handing it to her. "Subcommittee on logistics for a new Delta site. Should take you a few days they want to see you Wednesday."
"Sir," Sam took the paper. It was an official request from the IOA but she had never heard of that committee. And why her? The Delta site wasn't under Stargate Command's purview. It was another international project that the IOA had control over.
Suddenly Sam got a cold feeling down her backside. The Camarilla. Liam said Wednesday she would go on patrol…she was going to feel sick. If she was right than the Camarilla had the power to not only just break into a secure government facility but infiltrate and even pass a memo through the bureaucracy of the IOA. They were making sure no one would be looking for her. The thought that they could do that was terrifying.
"Sam, you in there?" Hank said leaning forward over his desk.
"Oh, yes, sorry, Sir." She recovered. "No I was just thinking of the Delta site. I'll have to do some catching up."
"I'm sure," he got up. "I actually have to head out myself. I'm having dinner with a friend of mine from my lodge. Hadrian, is a bit of a smart ass but he is one hell of a golfer."
"Hadrian," Sam said looking up shocked. "Alexander Hadrian?"
"Yes, you know him?" Landry asked surprised while he put on his uniform blouse.
"I uh, heard about him, Sir." Sam lied quickly, "Didn't realize you knew him."
The General shrugged. "Yeah, nice enough guy. I've seen him off and on for a few years. He lives in Denver but I got stock in some of his companies so it gives us something to talk about. Dr. Lamb is starting to take interest sense one of his labs is coming up with some kind of new drug."
"Really," Sam said. She stood up, "Well enjoy your dinner, Sir."
"You have a good evening, Colonel."
Carter followed him out and they went their separate ways. Sam was just waiting with two airmen for the elevator when she overheard them talking.
"Yeah, there were some shortages in the power to lab 16. I went to check it out. Couldn't find a single thing wrong. The wires all looked brand new like someone had done maintenance down there already."
"So maybe that's why the lab wasn't getting power, a wire or two got crossed in the repairs." The other one suggested.
"Maybe but it just seemed strange…I must have lost a full hour down there and I don't even remember why I spent so long just checking out one fuse-box.
Sam stopped… "lost a full hour down there and I don't even remember why". That rang warning bells in Carter's head. She turned and headed for Lab 16.
Samantha entered the dark lab. Without turning on the lights she saw easily into the dark room. It was a standard space so she knew where everything was. Looking around she saw nothing that suggested tampering. Sam headed for the observation room on the other side. There she looked into the darkened space. Nothing…nothing stood out of place.
"Looking for me, Colonel?" a raspy voice came to Sam's left. Sam spun around into a ready stance. There was a slight shimmer then the horrible mutilated visage of the Nosferatu was revealed. "Woe, hold on a sec it's me, James." He held up his long clawed hands.
Sam relaxed but only a little. "Uh, James…"
"Yes, Ma'am." The small creature said.
"Uh, yeah I was looking for you." Sam frowned. "Um, I heard of the mechanics saying he came down here." She didn't know what she needed to say. Did she come to stop him but if she did what was she going to do with him?
"Yeah, some soldiers came here. One was about to find the heat sensor so I had to put the whammy on him." James said. His lip curled up in what could have been a smile, a horrible smile.
"Whammy?" Sam echoed.
"Yah, you know took a bight and let it fuzz him out. I was hungry but nothing went wrong. We're almost done anyway."
Sam thought of a question, "What exactly are you doing down here?"
James' human eye looked away while the cat eye stayed focused on her. "Uh, shouldn't you know that?"
"I mean specifics…what are the specific security measures?"
"Oh…" He seemed to be thinking then shrugged. "Well mostly up here and the levels where people are we had to insert motion and IR monitors. That caused a few breaks in the power but it was easy to fix. Now most of the levels are wired to check for any moving bodies that are below 75 degrees. Most Kindred are at room temperature so humans should not set them off. The traps are in the sub levels and only around the likely entrances. We didn't want anyone to trip them by accident."
"So you are just monitoring for Kindred?" Sam asked.
"Yup. Setting any booby traps would just be too risky. But the sensors are well hidden feeding off of the local power. So no interruptions."
Sam nodded…there wasn't anything she could do. "So this will alert us if any Sabbat tries to sneak into the SGC?"
"As long as they aren't Lasombra." James said mater of fact.
"Why, what's so special about Lasombra?" Sam asked.
"James blinked…"You don't know? They don't have reflections, you know, can't be seen on film or picked up by electronic media." He saw her face and figured she must be ignorant of this common fact. "Yeah, the Lesombra are the creepy shadow vampires."
Shadows? Sam remembered the creatures from her ship. "But otherwise we are good?"
James shrugged, "As good as we can be. I mean we are talking about Kindred. Sneaking aroun is kind of what we do right." He looked at his wrist and Sam saw a digital watch display. "Oh, I got to go. We timed the work to fit with the shift changes." Without waiting he faded away right before Sam's eyes. The door to the room opened and then closed.
Sam stared after the creature, or so she thought. She felt utterly defeated. Why had she even bothered to come down here? There was nothing she could do. These things could come into one of the most secure places on earth and do whatever they want. And she couldn't tell anyone or do anything to stop it. They even found a way to remove her from her place of work so that no one would ask questions when she was gone.
Tuesday Sam got a call from Liam. "You have an address to go to. Be there around sundown. I recommend you wear something durable but nothing tactical. You have to be able to blend in with civilians. Sam wanted to argue, to beg for another chance but she didn't. There wasn't any point. "Don't bring any of your own weapons. We'll take care of that. Any questions?"
"What is this going to be like?" Sam asked right away.
"You are going to patrol a war zone. Keep your head down and stay alive." Liam said. "Not much else to say. I'll meet you there." With that he hung up.
Sam told Cassie that she had to go TDY for a few days. Cassandra wasn't pleased but nodded understanding. She had grown up with Janet so she knew stuff like this was bound to happen. "Does seem like they ask a lot of you considering what happened," Cassandra did remark.
Wednesday, Sam, drove to the address just before the sun was down. It was an old car dealership and next to it was a two level parking garage. The whole area was surrounded by a high chain-link fence with razor wire all around. The only way in or out was a narrow space with a large guard standing buy. She drove and said her name. Looking at her the man looked at a laptop then waived her in. She parked along with several other cars then got out.
She had dressed in sneakers, jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket. Figured they looked normal enough. Like she had been told she didn't bring any of her own side-arms. She looked around not sure if she should go inside or wait to see Liam. She didn't wait long. It was now fully night. And Liam stepped out from around a truck in the parking lot.
"Evening, Fledgling." He greeted her. He was dressed all in black again with a long black coat. And he still wore his sunglasses. "Ready to get started?"
"Do I have a choice?" Sam countered.
"You always have a choice. You must deal with the consequences though." Liam answered un-phased. "Come with me."
Liam led her towards the dealership. Once inside Sam saw that the inside had been stripped, the walls were bare and everything looked like it had been abandoned. Liam kept walking deeper into the facility.
Sam was escorted to what looked like a repair bay. Once inside she could hear the sounds of power tools and shouts of mechanics at work. Liam was walking through a door and gestured for her to follow. She went through she found the garage was in fact much larger that what it had looked like on the outside. Dozens of people in overalls were working with power tools and spraying paint over dozens of cars of all makes and models.
"So this is what, a motor-pool?" Sam asked.
"That would be the best word for it. Cars often get pretty banged up; at least get some noticeable bullet holes. So we either discard them or bring them back here. We can't keep stealing new cars or eventually the police will poke their noses in our business. So we bring them back here get a new paint job and whatever repairs to keep them running and then cycle them through again."
Sam filed that away for later. She then saw a thin figure standing by a car that looked like it was ready to go. She wore a jean jacket and dark blue jeans. Her dark brown hair was going down her back. Turning she faced the door and Sam got a look at her face. Mango.
Liam went down and Sam followed. They headed for the young Kindred. Mango watched them approach, her bright blue eyes were sharp but the way she stood it hinted that she was ready to charge forward. Liam nodded to her. "Mango, you remember, Samantha."
The Brujah nodded her head once. "She'll be riding with you. I cleared it with the higher ups." Liam then turned facing Sam. "Keep your head down, remember you're going into a war zone and everyone and everything is trying to kill you." That was it. Liam walked around her and headed back.
Sam blinked and turned around. "That's it? Just 'everyone is trying to kill me, good luck'?"
Liam didn't bother to turn around and left the way they came. Sam was now left alone with Mango in the middle of all the activity. "Hey, Kid, get that crate out of here you're taking up space." Someone barked and Mango shrugged her head to the car. "Let's go."
The inside of the car was nowhere near as nice as the outside. Inside the panels had been replaced with mismatched pieces of different colors or left exposed. There was no upholstery accept on the seats and there was a smell of copper. Sam could only guess it was blood.
She watched as Mango put the car in drive and they headed out. "So where are we going?" Asked Sam.
Mango kept her eyes on the road. "The others are getting guns at the armory." Mango drove about a block away to another old building. This one also had an ominous fence around it. Mango stopped the can and got out.
Sam recalled again the crew she met several days earlier. As they approached the door it opened and sure enough Chris, Kim, John and Punk came out. They all were carrying sawed off shot guns, or large pistils; 44.s by the look of them. Kim handed several clips to Mango. Sam then noticed the Desert Eagle in a rib holster under Mango's jacket. She also had the hilt of her K-Bar knife showing from inside her pants.
Chris handed Sam a shot gun and some rounds. "Here, figured you didn't have your own."
Sam took the weapon and nodded thanks. Wow, it was short and very, very illegal. "Aren't we worried about getting caught?" she asked to no one in particular.
Kim answered anyway. "Nah, if the cops get involved we normally just run." She put a bag into the trunk and got in the car. "And if they catch us we eat them…no big deal."
Sam didn't comment. Everyone piled into the car, Punk took the driver's seat. "Let's go." He said clearly agitated.
They drove for about an hour. Sam looked out the window and took note they were heading south and were getting closer to the city limits. "Can I ask something?" She said to the crowded vehicle.
"Must you," Punk muttered but it was clear enough that Sam and everyone else heard it.
Mango looked over to Sam, "What?"
"If we're expendable because we're weaker than the older Kindred, than what are the more powerful ones doing?" Sam started running it through her mind. From a military standpoint, it seemed unwise to outfit the entire outer edge with the lightest weapons. Figuring that each of them were considered a rifleman. They would be more mobile but couldn't bring enough power to end a serious threat. A crew served weapon aka a more powerful vampire had to be implanted somewhere.
Mango answered before Kim or Chris could. "They're also out." She said it with a certainty that led Sam to assume she knew from experience.
"Yeah, sure, safe and far behind the front lines," Punk growled.
Sam caught Mango glare back up to the front seat but saying nothing. She turned back to Sam and spoke again in very even tones. "The older Kindred and ghouls stay back closer to the city limits. It has better cover. If the Sabbat get past us they'll finish it off."
"We lead them back for the ambush?" Sam said but deep down she knew the answer.
Kim smiled next to Sam. It wasn't a happy one. "No, we soften them up and if they get past us than we're way past caring."
Sam didn't know what to say. So she remained quiet. No one spoke again till they started getting closer to their "sector". The Car parked and everyone climbed out.
Punk, and Mango immediately walked off in separate directions each holding a shotgun. Sam was about to call them to wait but Chris grabbed her arm and took her over to the trunk. He was a really short kid…or at least had been. Sam wondered how old he had been when he was embraced.
"Take a look," He said, pulling out a beat up old highway map. "We are here and we cover this whole area. He drew a large circle with his finger. It was at least 10 blocks. That was way too much for just the six of them to cover.
"We cover all that?" Sam said. "Impossible. There would be too many holes in the line."
Chris shrugged. "Maybe but don't think about that. We each move out and start searching for any Sabbat. Look for abandoned Cars, or if you can smell a corps or something. The Sabbat aren't really careful about their feeding when their packs are on the move."
"If you see any kindred shoot them." Kim said. She pulled out a bag from the trunk and pulled it over her shoulder. "You start shooting, we'll come running."
"Yeah," Chris agreed. "Trick is to keep low and stay moving. The first shot won't do too much but make them stop to think."
"So we just what, trade fire?" Sam said not believing it. "The police will be here in minutes."
The remaining Kindred all looked at one another. Chris smiled an amused smile. "Uh, no, no they won't. Besides. The Kine are used to this sort of thing. They keep their doors shut and windows covered. If they don't the Sabbat will think of them as advertising dinner." He shut the trunk and hefted his shot gun. "Good luck."
"Shadows," John said. "Stay away from the dark shadows."
Sam pondered that. "I don't get it. Isn't the dark supposed to help us?" She gave a smile she didn't feel. "We are vampires after all."
John stared at her and she noticed the haunted look that wasn't there before. "Just don't go anywhere too dark." Then he went off into a new direction.
That left Kim and Chris with Sam. The two Brujah shrugged to her. God they looked like teenaged gangbangers or something…not soldiers especially not gorilla soldiers. "Lasombra can use shadows to hide in." Kim said. "Don't know what it is called but they can also use shadows as weapons or even make them come alive or something."
Sam recalled again the two shadowy fiends that had torn the Marine apart back on the George Hammond. Shadows coming alive, could that be possible? "Its hard to avoid since you need to keep low but just keep an eye out where it seems just darker than normal. Good part is that once you spot them they're toast."
"And the Tzimisce," Chris said. His voice took on a very serious deep tone that didn't fit his thin boyish frame. "Don't let them touch you. If something does happen and you think one of them is going to get you." He put his shot gun under his chin. "Better to die than let that happen."
Sam blinked. This just sounded crazier and crazier. Six young vampires patrolling an area the size of a whole neighborhood with just a few shotguns between them. And now all these warnings…if there was any truth to them at all…than they were going to die…Sam didn't see any way.
In the Beginning of the Stargate Program there was a feeling of overwhelming inadequacy compared to the rest of the galaxy with untold technology and weapons but there was still the backing of the United States Air force, the years of training and an overwhelming amount of support to fall back on. But this…this was sending out lambs to slaughter. Sam realized she was now alone. Chris and Kim had already started. She took her weapon and chose a random direction.
Sam stayed close to the shadows despite the warnings. Her head was always on a swivel, looking around for anything suspicious. If she had had a P-90 instead of a sawed off shotgun than this would almost be like old times. Accept now she was supposed to be hunting vampires and she was sure a police officer would drive by at any moment. She also wasn't even really sure what she was looking for. So far she had smelled garbage, lots more garbage. There was also a surplus of rats that she felt no compunction to eat.
But thankfully she hadn't seen anything accept for the occasional bystander j-walking. She hadn't seen any of the others accept once when Mango had appeared across the street. Sam got the feeling the girl might have been checking up on her. That was nice of her. Sam realized she never asked how long they were going to stay out. Looking at her watch she saw it was getting close to 4:00. The sun would be up by six. Taking the next turn she started going back to the car.
She was about to step out into the open street when she noticed for no apparent reason a van parked just down a ways. Sam didn't step out all the way but just enough to look around. The Van was big and grey. She looked at the plates – her eye sight was so good that she could actually see it from where she was. Florida Plates she mouthed…a bit odd.
As she thought that two men came out of a convenience store carrying boxes. They were both big and wore all black with black leather jackets and gloves. It could have been nothing but Sam stayed where she was. There was nothing too suspicious but…
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Shotguns went off. Suddenly Punk and Mango were in the street firing on the two men. Sam jumped from hiding to stop them. They were going to kill innocent people. Automatic gun fire glanced off the pavement. Sam jumped into a prone. Another figure dressed much like the other two was firing an automatic assault weapon from the van.
Sam saw blood erupt from Punk and Mango ran for cover. Remembering her own shotgun Sam rose up on one knee and fired a shell. The third guy turned showering the whole street in gunfire.
Instinctively Sam started using Fortitude. She had no idea how the Discipline would work against gun fire but it was all she had without any kind of vest or armor. She rolled to the side putting herself back onto the sidewalk and against a building.
The van charged forward down the street. Sam fired two shots at its wheels. She didn't see if they scored. Chris was kneeling by her out of nowhere. "ARE YOU HIT?"
"No," Sam shook her head. "Where's Mango and Punk?"
The skinny kid shrugged then took off running inhumanly fast down the sidewalk trying to catch the van. He didn't make it far because suddenly there was an explosion. Sam knew that sound, a grenade. She was back on her feet and ran to where Chris had been. The Brujah vampire was on the ground – in pieces. Sam dropped next to him shocked at the damage. Chris' entire insides were exposed – he must have taken it to the chest. Sam didn't know how to help him. There wasn't anything she could do. The wound was massive, she couldn't apply pressure to it.
The boy's body was still moving. Sam grabbed him saying his name. Vampires could heal…that was the way it was supposed to work. She looked into the kid's eyes. He stared back, Amber eyes glowing then they faded. And Chris stopped moving. Sam was stunned. Was he dead? She wasn't sure. Chris didn't fall to pieces or anything. It wasn't like in the movies. The kid had been alive and in perfect health just a second ago…
"SAM!" – That was Kim's voice.
Sam looked up trying to see what was going on. More fire was being exchanged ahead of her. Though she didn't want to she left Chris grabbing her shotgun and ran toward the sound.
Sam didn't run far. The van was on its side. Kim was behind a car. Sam ran to the younger woman's side. "Where are they?"
Kim didn't answer right away. She was fishing in the bag she took from the car. She pulled out a glass bottle and stuffed a rag in it. She then used a litter and lit it up. Reaching back she hurled it over the car towards the van like a grenade. Neither woman watched to see where it landed pressing back against the car's side. "I don't know. I counted three in the van." Kim said quickly. "They got some machineguns."
"Chris is dead," Sam blurted out.
Kim stopped…just stopped. Sam watched the girl process that information. Her eyes turned amber and her lips pulled back showing fangs. But she didn't say anything. Sam was going to advise they go around the truck to keep the attack on but suddenly there was a roar. It was more animal than human and it sounded big.
Kim and Sam looked at each other then over the car towards the van. The tipped over van shook as something big inside moved around. Then the sound of mettle bending and breaking was heard. The van split open and a giant…thing lumbered out. Sam's eyes grew wide. It was huge, at least seven feet tall with leathery orange skin and it had these huge curved horns that came down like a bull or something.
"Ghoul," Kim said while trying to get another bottle stuffed and lit.
"Too late, Bitches!" Coming out of the shadows to their left a pale man all in black stepped out. Sam saw the M4 and the 203 grenade launcher mounted to it…an image of Chris filled her head as she and Kim dove in opposite directions. The car they had used for cover exploded.
Sam's shotgun was gone. Getting up she tried to think of where to go or what to do. She jumped up just in time. The guy with the 203 landed right where she had been trying to stomp her. "Ventrue Bitch!" he screamed. He clumsily swung his M4 to shoot at her from the hip. Sam kicked up sending his arm away.
The fight was brief but brutal. Sam lunged up trying to take the weapon but the other vampire pinned her against the wall hard. Her had snapped back striking the wall but she didn't lose consciousness. It was a grappling match for the gun but Sam reached around grabbing the other guy's thumb and pulled. There was crack and then Sam had the gun. She spun it around and setting it to 3 round burst, BLETBLETBLET, BLETBLETBLET, BLETBLETBLET. Sam stood over the unmoving body of the other vampire. The 9 rounds had gone up from the center of his chest up his neck and face into his head. But did she kill him?
There was another roar and Mango went flying over Sam's head. Sam didn't see where she landed. Drawn back into the carnage around her Sam dived for cover. Sam looked around but only saw the damage of gun fire and small fires.
She felt so tired. But the battle wasn't over. Blinking blood…her blood, she thought out of her eyes. Kim was there too. She was holding her side. "Sam…help…" she said. Instantly Sam grabbed the girl up. She wasn't that heavy, which was a good thing. But what to do now? A roar came. It was close but Sam didn't see the monster yet.
"Hey, Sam,"
Samantha looked and saw John waving her over to a building. Clumsily Sam limped Kim across the street looking all along to see if anything was able to see them. Once inside John slammed the door shut. They were in a hallway of an old brick building. Sam fell against the wall letting Kim down as easy as she could.
"Fuck," John kept saying.
Sam looked to Kim. "Let me see your side."
"Don't worry about it." She said. "I'm going to be good. What about you?"
Sam looked down at herself. She blinked…she was bleeding. Her entire front was covered in blood. Sam pulled at the material ripping it to see her chest…four holes the size of quarters were in her chest, one right over the heart. "I've been shot." She said not believing it.
"Yeah, well we all been shot…ain't nothing special about that." John snapped. But he did look away from her. "Can you heal that up…don't want ya loose'n too much blood.
"Where's Mango and Punk?" Sam said.
"What's going on out there?" Everyone turned down the hall and saw an old women poking her head out into the dark hall. "I'm calling the pol…" She stopped before saying "police". Instead she saw them and ducked back to wherever she came from. Sam turned back to John and saw his eyes were amber and his lips back in a snarl. Now that they had a second…she could also feel her own fangs in her mouth and just guessed that her eyes had changed too.
"Where are the others?" she asked again.
"Punk ran back to the car to call this in," John said. "Not sure about Mango. Did you see where Chris went?"
Sam gave a quick explanation about Chris. John was peeking out the door of the building. He didn't react. "I counted five of them not counting the ghoul. Figure two were Lesombra, and at least one is Tzimisce. Betting the last two are Brujah."
"Brujah?" Sam echoed.
"Yeah, I saw two using Celerity to catch the van before it went over." Sam didn't know what that was but she didn't push it. "I think I got one. How about you?"
"Two…but one limped away."
"I saw Mango get one," Kim rasped. "Gutted him right down the middle." She swallowed something. "That ghoul is going to be a problem."
"We can wait him out." John said. "Punk's going to call it in. We wait till sun up and they'll come and get us out of here."
Kim laughed…"Fuck that. That thing took a bite out of me. It ain't going to wait around for the sun."
"She's right." Everyone spun around to see Mango standing in the hall… well more or less standing. One side of her was covered in blood and she was favoring one leg. "The Ghoul and its master are just around the corner," She said warily. "We can't stay here."
"Fuck, Girl" John said. "You're about to fall over. How we going to take that thing?" Mango's answer was holding up her K-Bar. "Fuck you," John shot back.
Mango took a step towards John growling. Carter got between them. "Okay, both of you calm down."
"Oh, shut up, Venture B – "
"SHUT UP!" Sam snapped and the M4 she still had came into both hands. She fixed John with a cold stare and pointing a finger at him. Her voice dropped deadly low. "Now help or sit down and shut your mouth." John was halfway between going forward but took one step back. But his eyes were angry…murderously angry. Sam didn't care. She turned to Mango. "What else is out there? The other Sabbat, what happened to them?"
"Run off or dead." Mango said. She was certain.
"Okay, how do we kill that ghoul thing?" Sam said.
"Shoot its head off," John said.
"Cut its throat and bleed it out." Mango added.
Sam processed that. "Alright, so there is just the two of them. The ghoul and the Tzimisce, right?" Carter tried to confirm. Mango nodded. "Okay, how tough is a Tzimisce and what happens to the Ghoul if we kill the vampire first?"
John shrugged, but Mango spoke up. "It depends. Sometimes they go crazy or it could just stand around and do nothing once its master is killed. The Tzimisce didn't look too tough…real skinny."
"Okay, so here's what we do; Mango can you distract the Ghoul while John and I take the vampire?"
Mango nodded. John was about to say something but Carter cut him off. "We can kill the vampire, you and me, then help Mango. If we're lucky that thing will just shut down and the fight will be over."
John gritted his fangs. "Mango looks half dead, how she going to hold that thing off?"
Sam turned to the young vampire girl. Mango pulled her lips bath showing her fangs…Then there was the distinct sounds of bones popping into place. The girl then stood straighter, "I can handle it."
They waited by the door. They didn't have to look to see if the giant Ghoul was coming. There were stomps and the sounds of something big breathing hard. "NOW!" Sam said. She and John came through the door first. She had the M4 up and looked for her target. A tall, woman with alabaster skin that was so smooth it looked like she was really a doll, not made of flesh and blood. They cleared the door opening fire on the vampire.
There was a roar as the monster turned though too slow to stop them. Sam didn't see Mango blur from the door and hit the Ghoul square on. She used her knife and started stabbing quick upward thrusts at an angel to its tough leathery skin.
The Tzimisce jumped back from Sam and John. It swung its own gun up, another M4 and started firing. John was out of the way and behind it in a blink. Then he slammed the butt of his gun down on its head…there was a crack like glass breaking. But instead of going down the vampire's too perfect features melted, the hard doll skin went saggy and Sam dogged as a elongated arm swung for her. John wasn't so lucking. Whatever discipline he had used to go so fast didn't leave his time to react and he went head over head down the street. Sam emptied her gun into creature.
Carter spared a look to Mango and saw her riding the back of the monster stabbing into its neck. That look cost her since the other overly long arm smashed her down but it wasn't hard enough to keep her there. Sam rolled and came back up. She then charged inside the now mushy creature's over extended guard and beat down on it with the M4 like a club. She kept smashing down on it, over and over and over. Its mushy surface didn't break. But before Sam could give up and try a new tactic, John was back leveled his shot gun and put one more round square into the things mushy face. It fell.
The pile of soft flesh then started to go white calcifying and to Sam's astonishment it fell apart into dust…so there were some truth to the stories. The pause was short since Mango was still fighting with the monster ghoul. Sam called to John and they ran to help her. Sam grabbed the other assault weapon and started firing at any clear points she could. Mango was now under the creature cutting at the back of its legs.
It seemed to go too slow but the monster fell forward and all three were standing over it. Sam looked down into its face past a broken horn. Deep brown eyes looked back at her. She was sure but the creature gave a moan like a wounded animal. Mango came up with her knife and started dealing out swift deep stabs to the thick neck trying to bleed the thing out as quickly as possible.
Carter stepped away…this was…there wasn't a word for it. There was the sound of a car and Sam turned to see the car they all came up in. Punk jumped out with a metal base ball bat and joined Mango clubbing down on the things massive head. "Come on lets go," He said once they were done. Everyone minus Chris got into the car and they drove off.
Carter was numb the whole ride back. They went to the motor-pool and Punk dropped them all off. They tossed their guns, what guns they had into the trunk and Punk drove away presumably to turn them back into the armory. The whole group was silent. Kim now was able to walk on her own led the way back into the dealership. But they didn't go to the garage area but down some stairs and into the basement.
Sam was too tired to ask anymore questions. There were old matrices on cheep mettle bunk beds and costs set up. They all walked past them. A man, a human, was down there. He took one look at them, silently nodding and reached into a cooler. He laid out medical bags of blood.
Sam didn't want to but she took one of the bags and then followed the others back to the beds. Everyone grabbed what they could and not a word was spoken.
"Come on, Samantha, wake up." Sam opened her eyes. She sat up on the cot and looked around the dark basement. Liam stood at the foot of the cot looking down at her. Then from side to side she saw that the whole space was full, even people lying on the ground. "Come on," Liam spoke low. He headed upstairs.
Sam put her jacket on, someone hit had turned into a blanket and got up to follow. She had to be careful not to step on any of the people sleeping on the ground. Once upstairs, Liam led her to where officers could have once been. A cubical had some chairs and a mettle desk. Liam grabbed a folding chair for himself and let her find one too. They sat together. Sam looked at her watch, it was three PM.
"I'm sorry about Christopher," Liam spoke suddenly. Sam looked up then remembered the boy that she had barley even known. He had put some effort into explaining things to her. Suddenly he was gone, just like that. Maybe he could have become a friend.
"I didn't get a chance to know him that well." Sam said. "But he was a nice guy."
"Yes he was," Liam agreed. "Kim made the report on behalf of the crew and they all backed it up. You did well for your first time out."
"Well!" Sam snapped, anger came out of nowhere. "Well, we lost a boy out there. There was damage to everything, people could have been hurt and you think that went well. What is wrong with all of you? They are kids, just kids?"
Liam didn't rise or show any sign of emotion. "Yes, that went well," He answered. "The police arrived a little while after you left. Most of the Ghoul and vampires had dissolved by then. The sun took care of the rest."
"What about the officers' reports, eye witnesses, someone had to have seen something?" Sam said.
"Any reports will not be filed and all the witnesses that come forward will leave remembering nothing important." Liam said. "And those that don't will convince themselves it wasn't what they thought; gang warfare or something most likely."
"How can you be so calm?" Sam said. "How do people ignore this?" Sam felt sick. How had she ignored this for all her life? It was maddening. This was common?
"Fledgling," Liam said. "Kim reported that you took leadership of the group when it got critical. You made the plan that saved them. Well done."
Sam didn't say anything. It was just so wrong and she was apart of it. She wished, it was all a bad dream, just a nightmare she could wake up from.
"You should drink of more blood and get some rest. You will head out tonight."
Sam looked up at Liam stunned. "Why?"
"Someone has to. The Sabbat will send another pack out and we can't let them go unchallenged."
Sam put her head in her hands. "What about the others, they just go along as before?"
"Yes, and you will stay with them for now." Liam said. "When I think you get the gravity of the situation we can talk about you going back to the SGC."
"What do you mean talk about me going back? I have to go back."
Liam shook his head. "You could die tonight, we set up something just incase that happened. It can also work if it is decided you aren't useful in the SGC." Liam stood up. "I'll let you get some sleep." He then walked away.
That idea had never occurred to her. That the Camarilla might not let her go back to the SGC. She shook with range and fear. It was impossible and…and so outside her control. Sam didn't know what to do.
"Are you alright?" Sam looked up, Mango came around from the other side of the cubical. "I was listening."
Sam sat up straighter. "I'm fine. I just am not used to this."
Mango sat down where Liam had been sitting and stared at Sam. Carter's pride wouldn't let her fall apart in front of someone so young. If anything she should be trying to help Mango instead of thinking about her own situation. "How are you doing, with Chris' death and all?"
Mango shrugged, "As well as I can. I don't get close anymore…hurts too much." She said it so easily that Carter felt bad for the girl. Mango had been embraced six months ago. According to the others that was the longest out of any of them. Six months of what she saw last night, Sam, couldn't imagine trying to be normal after that.
"What's keeping you up?" Sam asked just to fill the void.
Mango flexed her writs and cracked her knuckles. Sam's eyes widend realizing for the first time that Mango had all ten of her fingers back. "Thinking about the ghoul," Mango said. "Wondering who it used to be…thankful it wasn't me. Kind of puts me off."
"What?" Sam said shocked.
Mango looked at Sam confused. "You don't know? Ghouls are…were people."
"That thing was a person?" Sam said disbelieving. "No, it couldn't be."
Mango's face looked hard. "What do you think the Tzimisce use to make War Ghouls? They use humans for raw material. That thing used to be just like you or me." She said harshly. She stared at Sam as if accusing her of her own ignorance. "What, did you think it was just some dumb animal?"
Sam couldn't answer. The idea was so unbelievable that...Suddenly she recalled what the Ori did the Jaffa of the Sodan, they had infected one of the warriors making him go insane killing off all of his tribe. Was it so absurd that the vampires could make people into monsters. The idea was horrible. But then what was a vampire; a human turned into something else.
Mango started talking again though her voice was softer. "I'm sorry, I get a little touchy on the subject. I don't like seeing so many victims and…I really hate what the Tzimisce do."
Sam numbly replied that she could guess why. Then they sat in companionable silence for a while.
Sam checked her watch and saw it was now 4:00. "You know I better go try to get some rest." She was getting up.
"Sam," Mango said suddenly, "Do you think that if you make things more difficult for yourself that you're somehow saving your humanity?"
Sam sat back down. What kind of question was that? She didn't answer right away. Mango waited but when no answer came she started talking again. "I've seen other vampires try to fight but they can't win. They don't last very long. The Camarilla kills them, or they just let themselves die. But if you are trying to keep yourself feeling human you're going about it the wrong way."
Sam paid careful attention to the girl. Something in the way she spoke made Sam believe she was telling the truth. "You can't keep yourself human, it's too late for that."
Sam got angry all of a sudden. How dare she tell her to give up? What could she know? "Then what do you suggest I do then?" Sam planted her hands on the desk. "What the hell am I supposed to do? Be like you?"
Mango's eyes flashed amber but melted back to brown. "No," she said through clinched teeth. "but it's how you act that keeps your humanity." She breathed out and closed her eyes. When she spoke it sounded like she was remembering what someone else told her. "Your humanity can only be saved by acts of charity, grace, humility and compassion. Only then can you keep the Beast at bay from divowering you body and soul."
Sam sat back down. "Where did you hear that from?" she asked.
Mango opened her eyes and looked sad. "My sire. She was trying to warn me. Sam, there is a monster inside all of us. I know you are really smart so you probably don't put much faith in superstition. But trust me. Brujah know about the Beast. Its real and if there is anything that is threatening your soul its that. So if you plan on surviving you got to accept that you're not human anymore. But you can keep the important part if you want to."
Mango was staring hard at Sam. Then suddenly she sat back and leaned the chair back on its hind legs. "I'm sorry, its non of my business. I get like this when I'm in a funk. You can do as you want."
"No, no," Sam said thinking over what she just said. "I appreciate it." They sat like before not talking. Finally as if thinking the same thoughts they both got up. It was when Mango used her hands to push off the desk and caught Sam looking at them.
Looked down at her hands and flexed them. "Oh, my fingers…yeah they grow back. It takes time to grow stuff back after they've been cut off but my fingers were already well on the way and they're small."
"Amazing," Sam said. She could think of half a dozen doctors and scientists who would kill to study regeneration of that magnitude in a human body. Well almost a human body. Sam let those thoughts run through her head relaxing her a bit while she headed for the basement. Mango said she wanted to check on the car's repairs.
Sam nodded and got up to go back down stairs. Someone had taken her cot so she made a space on the floor. It was cold but she was too tired to care. As she closed her eyes Mango's advise came back circulating through her head. Its how you act that keeps your humanity. But how can you have humanity without being human? But then Sam thought of all her friends Teal'c and the Asguard, or the Tok'Ra. None of them were human, at least not fully but to her they were the most human. Maybe, maybe Mango was right, at least in part.
Mango waited at the top of the stairs to the basement. No one was coming back up. She really wanted to go down herself and get some more sleep but that had to be put off for now. She walked back to the desk and two chairs. Liam was sitting silently back in his chair. He had slipped past both of them without either seeing him. Mango stood offensively towards him. He took off his glasses and smiled at her.
"I said what you wanted me to say. We done here?" Mango growled.
The man in black stopped smiling but still looked pleased. "For now. Nicely done. You went off my script with the War Ghoul. I didn't want to trouble Samantha with that particular bit of information just yet."
"Why didn't you teach her any of this? You're her master aren't you?" Mango accused.
Liam shrugged. "Some fledglings are harder to break than others. Samantha's Will is strong and anything I say would be misconstrued and looked on as instruction from her masters; a means of control. From you its friendly advice from a comrade in arms; something she should think on."
Mango snorted. "Camarilla games. No wonder we're all killing each other. And if you care so much about one of Hadrian's precious Ventrue than why did you send her out with us? You knew we would get heat. That's one of the most dangerous zones to patrol."
Liam smiled again. "You're learning." He appraised her for a moment. "You like Samantha don't you?" He ignored her question.
"She's a Venture," the girl dismissed. "I'm just Cannon Fodder."
Liam tiled his head to one side. "The Brujah were once the Ventrue's rivals. It's a shame you don't have any strong Clan mates to mentor you and your brothers and sisters."
Mango shrugged not caring. "Are you done with me?"
Liam nodded dismissal. "Sleep well, Rachel. You did well tonight. You saved Sam's life in more ways than one." The young Brujah didn't stop to respond.
Sam woke up when a ghoul came down into the basement and started banging a metal can against all the hard surfaces. "WAKE UP FLEDGLINGS! TIME TO GO TO WORK! YOU'VE BEEN SLEEPING ALL DAY GET UP!"
"I'm going to kill you!" someone shouted.
"Sure, Junior, when your undead balls drop, we'll talk." The man said. He smiled at Sam who was rolling up from the cold floor where she had been sleeping. "Come on, Pressious, up and at'em."
Sam glared at him. He blinked and backed up, "Sorry, Miss, beakfest is up stairs." He turned and herrassed some of the other vampires waking up and then went up stairs.
Sam was confused for a bit. John bumbed her trying to get through. Seeing someone she recognized in the now crowded basement she followed him up. This seemed to be something normal for everyone so she just followed along. They went upstairs where several coolers were out and bags of blood were shown. Everyone grabbed one then started breaking off into groups. Sam and John went to what might have once been the building's rec'room. John tossed his blood into a microwave then ripping the bag with his teeth drank it down.
Sam still held hers and left it on a nearby table. Someone grabbed it later. The smell of copper was so strong by now that Sam was starting to imagine she was feeling ill. Mango and Kim showed up. Everyone was wiping sleep from their eyes. A man was muscling his way through the crowd. Out of all the pale faces his stood out being tanned. He saw their group and handed a piece of paper over to them. Kim was the one to take it. The man left doing the same with other groups. Looking at it Kim shrugged. "Looks like we are going north this time. Easy night."
Sam didn't know the whole rutine yet so she just followed along. It took a little less than an hour for all the vampires, most of whom were young from what Sam could see, to disperse. Like before someone grabbed a car and they all piled in. Pun was absent but no one seemed to question it. There was also a lot more room in the car without either Punk or Chris.
Carter felt a keen absence. Looking to both Kim and John she saw no hint that they were morning their friend's loss. Mango drove and Sam couldn't see her face. Sam kept quiet.
They drove to the armory again. Punk was waiting with a bag and several shotguns. Everyone armed up and loaded back into the car. This time they went north instead of south. So Sam figured out that that man had been handing out assignments. When the car parked and everyone got out.
"This should be a bit easier," Kim said to Sam as they got out. "Attacks north side aren't as common because they have to get past Denver." She didn't offer anymore than that.
Everyone separated and went along their own way. Carter was impressed from a military commander's stand point. These young kids were cool and in control despite the incredible danger that they had survived just hours ago. But as a person she was horrified by the cold and silent manor they all seemed to have. No tears shed, or even a mention of Chris' name. Was that how they dealt with death? Just forget about the people you fought alongside. It was horrible and Sam found herself hating whatever power it was that did this to children.
Once she was alone, Carter, found that she was very anxious. After last night and maybe because she hadn't eaten, she was turning her head at every sound and every smell. Even the things that smelled like garbage or the sqeeks of rats made her acutly aware of where she was. Hightened senses sounded all well and good but Sam was now having to try and block them out because the continuous shocks that every noise or sound was another monster trying to get her was starting to become too much.
Sam stuck to the shadows often for minutes at a time just trying to identify what was making the small sounds always around her. As a result her progress was slow. In an hour she was just finishing up one block. Sam knew she had to get a hold of herself. This is crazy, she told herself. I've been a part of near suicidal missions before but never have I been this scared. Of course not all my missions were running around in the dark with only a shotgun and a few shells. Or battling monsters and vampires.
Something metal scraped behind Sam! She spun around gun ready, finger on the trigger – Mango's forearm blocked the gun and she pressed in on Sam. Sam pushed back reaching around and sliping her leg behind then pushing forward. The other woman went down before Sam realized what she had just done. Before she could apologize Mango was up and punched Sam in the chest. Sam went up off her feet and hit the wall.
It took several seconds for Sam to realize that she was in one piece. She could have sworn she had been shot. Looking up she saw Mango staring down at her eyes glowing with the same lightless glow. She closed her eyes and then opened them again. Normal. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Sam said her chest hurting. "What…what was that?"
Mango offered her hand, "Protence". Sam took her hand and let the girl pull her up. "Super strength." Mango clarified. "Ventrue get the mind control powers and unbreakable bones. Brujah get super strength and speed."
Disciplines. Mango was talking about the powers their clans have. "I didn't know the clans were that different," Sam said. Liam had told her about the powers but had mainly tried to teach her about Camarilla society more than how to use them. 'Fortitude' was the main one she knew of mostly because it was what let her go out in the day. And she remembered she had 'Dominate' which was supposed to be the mind control one. Wasn't there a third? "What's super speed?"
"Celerity," Mango said looking around. She turned back to Sam. "Why don't we go together the rest of the night."
Sam realized what the offer really was. Mango could tell Sam was jumpy and was offering to help. This kid would have made a great officer, Sam thought. Not for the first time Sam felt sorry for the girl. All those options that came with growing up weren't there for this girl. And judging just from what Carter could see, Sam figured Mango had some amazing gifts that could have taken the girl far. "Thanks," Sam said. Mango took point and Sam the rear, looking back regularly.
The rest of the night went without incident. Mango led the way back to the car and everyone checked in fine. Getting back in they started the drive back.
About half way back Punk pulled off into a Gas Station. "We need to refill."
"I'll pay," Sam offered reaching for her wallet. And trying to find it when it wasn't in her hip pocket.
"Don't sweat it," Kim said pulling a 20. "Cards leave a trail. Any way." She went to go pay for the pump. Sam continued to search for her wallet.
Note: Sorry this took so long. it was longer in the first draft but I had to go through and change the chat between characters also some parts didn't make sense or help the story move along. I liked how it worked out over all. I know there should be more stargate in this story and there will be but its taking me time to get there. Trying to figure the best way to bring Daniel and Vala back so any idea please shoot them my way.
If you can't guess what is going on I'll break it down. Liam is playing Sam at this point, by puting her into a stressful situation he is binding her to the vampires and getting a stronger control over her. At the same time We get a look at the Brujah and Sam. Mango I think is developing as a strong character and friend to Sam. But Brujah are known to be rough around the edges and I think enough of that got through.
I wanted to show some Vampire combat and I think I got the point accross that these guys are not unbeatable. They have cool powers but there is a reason they carry guns...they work. I also wanted to show that the vampires don't work well together. This small group Sam was with split up quickly and depended on individual strength. it was a military leader that made them work together. Just think what would have happened if this crew went against a SG team...who would win. I think it could be a close fight if the Kindred knew what they were doing.
One of the downsides of VTM crossover is that most of us know Stargate but the terms from VTM are kind of hard if you are not up on them. So I spend a lot of time trying to explain a lot in this story. if you are a reader and are getting sick of it let me know and I'll see what I can do.
One more thing. Someone wrote that they liked all the Venture, especialy Liam. Well I hate to break the news early but he isn't ventrue. I was trying to buld suspence but did not want that message getting out there. He is not the same clan as Sam.
Again, any ideas or opinions are always welcome. If you think I need to bring someone back or show more of someone already here please let me know.