Chapter 11: "Fear"
A young woman with flawlessly white skin and long black hair, stepped out of the train on the platform. She shouldered apparently easily a full-packed backpack and briefly orientated herself by the street signs, before she took the way down to one of the nearest underground shafts.
She went away from the centre, and got out in a little visited busstop where she crossed the street and slipped behind the grid infront of a abandoned platform.
A few homeless lay in the empty underground shaft, however, they were too drunk to note the woman who climbed silently like a shade past them, and down on the rails.
The woman disappeared in the depth of the underground tunnel.
By an insignificant metal door she stopped, put down the backpack, and pushed with all strength against the heavy gate.
She could push it open just far enough to slip through and drag the unwieldy backpack behind her.
Then the door closed itself again, and the tunnel sank back into darkness and silence.
Gillian looked at the cold and bald concrete walls.
This was the entrance to the bunker of the Vampaneze.
Flickering neon light illuminated the corridor here and there, while the way led slightly sloping into the depth.
Well, thought Gillian. It´s time to pay my debts.
She shouldered the backpack and got on the way, down in the catacombs of the undead under the city.
From time to time other tunnels and doors crossed her way, however, Gillian went on unflustered.
Even when the first creatures appeared in the niches and corners, and they stared from glowing red eyes, Gillian did not deviate from the way.
Whispering and murmuring started around her, and a few creatures started to follow her, shuffling, but nobody appealed to her, or tried to stop her.
A smell of mold ruled in the tunnel and Gillian wrinkled her nose.
When Gillian reached the vault, nearly twenty Vampaneze followed her already curiously.
The vault was emptier than the last time, the platform and the stairs which went up had become orphaned.
Some bald-headed men jumped up with her sight, and ran to the steps to cut her the way.
Gillian stopped and looked around.
She discovered a familiar face in the crowd.
„Bargen!", Gillian snapped with her fingers, and the ugly Vampaneze with the burnt scar winced and ducked as if he expects blows.
„Come!", she ordered gruffly.
Anxiously Bargen looked around for bystanders, however, nobody seemed to want to stand by him. Ducked, on all fours, he hopped carefully closer, and, besides, did not dare to look at Gillian.
When he crouched down to her feet, like a dog, Gillian looked down snooty on him.
She did not do this with pleasure. Even if Bargen was a revolting creature which hardly had human in itself, he had not earned such a treatment. However, unfortunately, it was necessary that Gillian made clear to the Vampaneze with whom they dealt.
The ones who had seen her shadowdance, and how she had burnt Bargen, were still afraid of her. And this should stay so.
„Go, and tell Gannen Harst that I am back."
The Vampaneze crept backward away from her, seemingly relieved to get away unshorn. „Yes, mistress", he panted. „Immediately, mistress."
He crept up the platform and hit with his fist against the gigantic steel gate at the upper end.
The last time, even if a heavy fireproof door, still quite a normal one had been there. But now a round bulkhead which reminded of a passable safe deposit door was resplendent there.
Apparently there was an intercom, in which Bargen keenly whispered, before he jumped down the steps again.
For a moment nothing happened, then it clicked, and the immense safe deposit door swung itself open inwards.
Gillian went up the steps without appreciating Bargen of one more look.
She entered the space behind it, and a bald-headed man, with red-bordered eyes pushed the heavy gate closed behind her.
Gillian saw how thick bolts slided into the concrete walls.
The man nodded to her silently and indicated at a direction.
The former armchairs and the desk had disappeared, instead, corridors led further in the depth.
Gillian followed the shown direction and stood in an dead end which ended before a simple door.
She knocked.
Her knocking sounded subdued as it came from heavy thick, or even armoured doors.
Because no answer came, Gillian laid the hand on the handle and pressed the door open.
The room behind it had a black carpet, a modern desk with glass top and massive red leather armchairs.
Because this was so deeply underground there were no windows, but the lighting was right cleverly, so that an indirect cosy light illuminated the room as if daylight came from somewhere.
A slender, highly rising person stood in the room.
Gannen Harst turned round to her.
The Vampaneze carried, as usual, a long black cape, and his hook nose and grey temples gave him a strict appearance.
He lifted an eyebrow. „Ah, Gillian. You are back."
„Yes. I am back", she answered weakly. „Had you doubted this?"
The old Vampaneze looked at her carefully. „By no means. You stand to your word, how I to mine."
Gillian sighed. „Yes. You have held word."
Harst laid his fingertips onto each other. „Then you have found the grave? Was it where I have told you?"
Gillian nodded.
He stepped forward: "And? Was it …. untouched?"
Gillian looked at him. "Yes".
Now Gannen Harst seemed very much excited: "Have you entered it?"
Gillian tightened her eyes. She was keen on his reaction: "Yes. I have."
The Vampaneze laid the folded hands to his lips, like in a silent prayer, the eyes far torn open. He looked at Gillian carefully from sharp falcon's eyes.
Gillian stood firm to his gaze.
Like two cats both confronted and stared at each other.
He cannot know what I have done, thought Gillian defiantly.
Harst looked away first.
He inhaled, and proceeded to the door. "I think, it is time to pay what is demanded."
Gillian answered nothing.
She took the heavy backpack of the shoulder and dropped it down on the carpet.
Gannen Harst left the room to get Steve Leonard, called "leopard".
The time had come.
Steve would tell Gillian what he required of her as a payback.
She swallowed her fear.