Chapter 62
The Council
Author's Note: A big thank you to those who posted a review. You have no idea how motivating that is, esp when FanFiction's stats on viewing chapters doesn't always work!
Intro Song: Policy of Truth, Depeche Mode
"So, this is your... witness," Nina Stewart said drily, with a hard look at Victoria. The council she chaired had convened only moments before Victoria Silver swept in, trailed by John Spector and Gabrielle Sinclair, who dragged their star witness behind her.
Now, standing just behind the chair holding the battered human in question, Gabby shifted uneasily. She worried that their prisoner was too traumatized - or too drugged - to be of much good to them. Her mentor had not been kind to the young man and it was questionable as to whether he would hold up under questioning.
Engel's damaged hands, the fingers splinted and heavily-wrapped by Dr. Spector, rested quietly in his lap, his bleary gaze on them. Indeed, he had not lifted his head since he was led out of the room he had been held in. Regardless of whether or not a witness told the truth, he had to be, first of all, credible. What reason would the Council have to believe this shell of a man? Would she if she were sitting on the other side of the table? I don't know...
It was perhaps just as well that he was sedated. The room in which they found themselves was crammed with vampires, most of them senior members of the New York City community. Victoria had commandeered the largest meeting room in her office building for the gathering - a room that could accommodate one hundred bodies easily - and it was standing room only.
A huge flat screen TV dominated the wall on one end of the long room and a motorized screen for presentations, currently retracted into its spot in the ceiling, was at the other. The grey silk walls were covered with expensive artwork and an exquisite Remington bronze sculpture sat on a long credenza along one side. Right now, that bronze was surrounded by glasses and carafes of blood. Gabby noticed that element and shook her head - even in this circumstance, Victoria was the consummate host.
The room was purposefully windowless and had been swept for any electronic surveillance prior to the start of the meeting - Victoria's standard operating procedure for any meeting involving vampires. "You don't ever want to take a chance that some sort of business espionage would accidentally uncover our existence," she had told Gabrielle when queried about that practice early in their relationship. Victoria's paranoia had a certain practical bend, Gabby had to admit.
The tasteful decorating elements were lost on those present, however. All eyes were trained on the seven members of the Eastern Vampire Council, seated at the head of a polished, mahogany U-shaped table that dominated the room.
Victoria strode authoritatively to the center of the U, halting in front of the group. She knew them well; older than all but one, she had mentored several. That history, however, would not help her now. In point of fact, some of the stories she had shared about the persecutions of the past might actually hinder her case. There existed a prejudice among younger vampires against their elders - a suspicion that, somehow, the conditions under which they had been sired and survived, centuries ago, made them slightly unstable and paranoid, always looking over their shoulders for a torch-bearing lynch mob.
In return, older vampires, like she and Josef, found the cavalier attitude of many of the young vampires irritating and irresponsible. Just because there had been no wholesale persecutions during their relatively short life spans... that they know of... most acted as if those threats no longer existed., or perhaps never had at all. They seemed to believe that, with the advent of electric lights, cars, and computers, the rational, scientific part of man's nature had trumped the superstitious, fearful aspects. She knew that was a pipe dream, born of a these youngsters' desire to believe that they lived in a romantic, modern world where vampires and humans could peacefully coexist. Just like in the movies... In her experience, life was seldom like that - for anyone. Now, it was up to her to convince these key leaders of the vampire community that the unthinkable was again upon them. She tossed her heavy, black hair out of her eyes, those blazing blue eyes that looked defiantly at her peers, sitting in judgment of her. Stay calm.
"Nina, I was not aware that the condition of the witness was a factor. I thought only the content of his information would be relevant." Her red lips twitched slightly as she added, "Had I known, I'd have paid more attention to his outfit." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. Sarcasm would not serve her well here.
Nina Stewart said nothing but, next to her, Marie Santiago's dark eyes flashed with anger. The only Council member older than Victoria, she knew well what Silver was thinking. She had survived many of the same horrific experiences in Europe that vampires like Victoria and Josef had suffered through, and was secretly sympathetic to the vampire leader's efforts to convince the Council of the threat she felt existed. This is not the way to get it done, Victoria.
Icily, Santiago said, "Perhaps you could refrain from such comments and get on with this."
Behind the prisoner, Gabrielle winced. What was Victoria thinking? It wasn't like her to miscalculate like this. Her sense of dread deepened.
The vampire leader swallowed her pride. "I apologize. That was uncalled for." She hesitated, for once unsure of herself. Just be honest. "I- I am just very concerned. For all of us. I feel - no, I know - that we are about to face the most significant threat that many of us have ever seen and I'm... frightened. Frightened for this community and for the vampire nation as a whole."
Gabrielle relaxed slightly. From the concerned glances of the council members, she saw...hoped...that V's words were beginning to make an impact.
Victoria began again, a trim, elegant figure, as always, standing in front of the Council in her tailored, red Versace suit. "You are all aware – or you should be - that several prominent members of our community here in New York City have disappeared over the past few months. Disappeared without warning or sharing their plans with anyone."
She pulled a folded sheet of stiff, linen paper from the set-in pocket of her pencil skirt. "Richard Everett, John Gymer, Beverly Duchene..." Consulting the sheet in her hand, Victoria continued until ten names of prominent, leading vampires had been read off. She looked up to make eye contact with each Council member in turn. "I hope that - like me - when you hear this list of names, it will strike you that it is highly unusual to have so many notable individuals from our community missing. For several months now. These..." She raised the paper with its neatly printed list of names, "...are some of our wealthiest, most powerful, and well-connected vampires. They wouldn't just vanish without warning."
There was a slight, uneasy shifting of position by several of the Council members. Gabrielle caught George Cundiff exchange looks with William Roosevelt, but she had difficulty reading them. Were they worried - or just feeling uncomfortable for Victoria? She couldn't tell.
Victoria resumed her recitation. " Eli _ has also reported several missing persons in the Chicago area that have similar profiles. You are also all aware that several vampires here in New York have been murdered on the streets by what I can only describe as vigilante groups, wielding lethal doses of liquid silver in syringes. I, myself, was attacked this way - and had it not been for the quick action of Mick St. John and Dr. Spector here," she paused long enough to throw the physician a brilliant smile, "I would also be dead."
George interrupted in his broad Australian accent. "Victoria, love, we are all familiar with this... history. I bloody well hope you have something new to tell us." He smiled, but his eyes, underneath a shock of sandy hair, were cold.
The vampire angrily responded. "I do - if you will let me tell it, George. I'm simply trying to be sure that I have level set everyone so that you all look at this in the total context of what has occurred."
"Well, my dear, it comes across as more of a lecture." Cundiff's tone was a clear warning despite his polite words.
One of the vampires standing against a wall in the spacious boardroom, snickered and Victoria shot him a look of pure hatred before continuing. "More recently, Durin Scanlin was attacked on the streets by a gang. Without Gabrielle's help, he would not have survived."
"Crickey, I'll bet you hated that, Gabby!" George broke in. Several Council members laughed outright. The rift between Gabrielle and her sire was well-known among the East Coast community.
Gabby permitted herself a small smile. You don't know the half of it. She was startled out of her reverie by Victoria beckoning to her.
"Gabrielle, I would like for you to describe what happened that night."
Shit.
Taking a deep breath, the Asian woman stepped forward, in front of their prisoner. Dispassionately, she recited the events leading up to the capture of Connor Engles - and the death of his companions.
Nina seemed to pay particular attention to Gabrielle's testimony, leaning forward in her chair to fix her gaze intently on her as she spoke. When Gabby finished her recitation with a description of chasing down the lone survivor of the attack, Nina asked, "Do you think this attack was part of an organized effort against us, Gabrielle?" She seemed to be genuinely interested in her opinion
Gabby didn't hesitate. "Yes, I do. I see no other explanation for the number of attacks and disappearances - and the type of weapons being used."
"Then, if that is indeed the case," Nina observed dryly, "it would also appear that we have a traitor in our midst. Someone who divulged your plans and whereabouts. Someone you and Victoria trust. I see no other explanation for that. I'm sure you've thought about this. Do you concur?"
Gabby reluctantly agreed. She could feel Victoria's eyes bore into her back.
"Thank you for your candor, Gabrielle." Nina sat back with a satisfied nod.
"Well, I'll be gobsmacked," George muttered.
I want to rip her damn head off, the self-righteous bitch, Victoria thought, inwardly seething at the council head. Outwardly, she was the picture of elegant calm. "I believe our... witness... can shed some light on this as well. She gestured to Gabrielle, who hauled the young man to his feet, where he stood, weaving, looking at the floor.
Victoria walked over to him and raised his head with a fingertip under his chin. When his eyes met hers, he flinched, shrinking back against his chair.
"I can see you still have a way with humans, Victoria," George drawled. "He looks like a stunned mullet!" Laughter again erupted from the audience.
The vampire leader ignored him - and the laughter - focusing in on the prisoner. "Mr. Engels, you shared some very interesting information with me earlier today. I would like for you to repeat it for the Council here. You will not be hurt further if you do."
Until I kill him. Gabby was shocked at the flash of rage that hit her, causing her to tremble, her blood lust rising as she thought about what this man - and his organization - were responsible for. With a Herculean effort, she dragged her attention back to the proceedings.
"Mr. Engels?" Victoria asked softly. The silence in the room was heavy as the collection of vampires held their collective breaths, waiting for a response.
Connor Engel's bloodshot eyes filled with tears as one thought filled his foggy brain. I'm a dead man. If he didn't talk, the vampires would kill him. Hell, they probably would anyway. But, if they didn't - and released him as promised - he had no illusions about his fate with Crucis. Christophe Durand would surely execute him.
His mouth worked as he struggled to get words out, the thought that his short life was at an end, clogging his throat and preventing speech. Fuck them. Take the honorable way out, Connor. Don't give these monsters anything. Swallowing hard, his tongue clicking against the roof of his dry mouth, he blurted, "You are all monsters. Abominations in the eyes of God. You deserve to die a horrible death... and you will. We-"
He got no further.
Gabrielle, enraged, could stand no more and leapt on him, sinking her fangs into his neck and tearing his throat out with one swift move. The young man's body dropped to the floor at her feet, his blood running out in rivulets from his ruined throat, as the room erupted, vampires alternately cheering or groaning, depending on their allegiances.
Immediately appalled at her loss of control, Gabby turned to Victoria. The look of rage and disapproval on her mentor's face, cut at her heart. "I'm so sorry V," she whispered, swiping at her bloody mouth as she stepped back. Her fangs disappeared and her eyes reverted to their normal black color. The look of remorse in them was unmistakable
"Well, Victoria, I believe that concludes the testimony from your witness." Nina made no attempt to hide her amusement. "You might want to keep Gabrielle on a tighter leash in the future." There were snickers from several of the vampires on the Council. She gestured to a short, stocky black man standing against one side wall. "Cleaner, could you please dispose of this garbage?"
The room fell silent as the Cleaner hoisted the body effortless over one shoulder and left the room. Spector put a comforting hand on Gabby's shoulder, but she shook it off, never taking her eyes off Victoria, who had turned back to face the Council.
She tried to regain control of the situation. "That was... unfortunate." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "I can tell you that our witness confirmed that Crucis has regained momentum, focusing on this country. There is a master plan for the eradication of vampires here, but he did not know the details. Apparently, that has only been shared with senior members of the organization. I think-"
"Victoria," Marie interrupted. "Without your witness - and in the absence of hard proof - this is just more conjecture on your part, unfortunately. If you have nothing else..." She shrugged dismissively.
"There is more," Victoria stated as matter-of-factly as possible, focusing on her old friend and ally, William Roosevelt. Damn you, Gabby! "Earlier this week, Mick St. John was attacked and very nearly killed in the desert outside San Diego."
"Bloody hell, Victoria!" George exclaimed. "What do you expect? A vampire goes into the desert and almost dies. Big conspiracy there!" He chortled, several of the those in the room joining in, as he had hoped they might.
"I'm not finished!" Victoria snapped, her calm destroyed by the laughter. The tips of her fangs appeared on her full lower lip and she bared them in anger and frustration.
"He was shot with some type of special munitions that contained silver. Gabrielle and John Spector went out to California to offer their assistance. I would like to have Dr. Spector offer his first-hand report himself."
"A human, Victoria?" Craig Germaine spoke for the first time since the meeting had started. He bore a striking resemblance to his great-great-grandson, a CNN news reporter - he had the same lean face, white hair, and piercingly intelligent blue eyes. He had been known to joke that he was just waiting for the right moment to reveal himself to Anderson Cooper and make him the world's most famous newsman.
He had no such intention, of course. His family had believed he had perished in the famous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City in 1911. Fortunately for him, in a city the size of New York, even a hundred years ago, avoiding one's own relatives had been fairly easy.
"No, Craig, a trusted human. A friend who has saved the lives of several of us," Victoria emphasized.
"How better to secure one's position in the community," Germaine sneered unpleasantly. "Save a few. Murder many?" He shot a malevolent look at the physician, who had risen in response to Victoria's summons and stood uncertainly next to Gabrielle.
Spector flushed angrily at the words and opened his mouth to respond.
Gabrielle put a warning hand on his arm. "Don't, John," she said quietly, ducking her head so that her long black hair shielded her. She never took her eyes off the Council members. An angry demonstration by a human might be the excuse the Council would need to dismiss Victoria's claims - and react aggressively toward the physician. She had sworn to protect John and she took that promise seriously - but even she couldn't do much against a room full of older vampires.
Victoria appealed to her ally on the council. "William, I believe John's observations of the situation in California will be very relevant or I would not have asked him to attend."
Roosevelt sighed heavily. He had hoped Victoria would not drag him into the middle of this...but now, here he was. Running his broad hand through his white hair, he glanced around the table, and then nodded at Victoria. "Go ahead."
"Be careful, John," Gabby whispered as the balding physician stepped forward.
Clearing his throat nervously, Spector began, using his best lecture voice. Don't screw this up, John. "Thank you for agreeing to hear me. What I saw when I treated Mick St. John gave me great cause for concern. His injuries were unlike any I've seen before, even including vampires like Mr. Scanlin, who had been shot with silver alloy bullets. This ammunition had to have a much higher silver content, and it included fine dust. They exploded on contact."
"Hollow points?" George interrupted with a frown.
"I'm not a munitions expert, unfortunately, so I really cannot say for sure." Spector answered evenly, meeting the vampire's blue stare. "I am only able to report on the physical results. There was very extensive, serious tissue and organ damage and silver shards and dust were scattered throughout his chest and abdomen. The silver poisoning was so extensive that he couldn't heal."
"But, he is going to survive." Germaine's words dropped into the silence after Spector's comments. "So, it was apparently not that bad." The look on the vampire's face clearly said that he did not take the physician's testimony seriously.
Gabby's hand tightened involuntarily on the empty chair where her prisoner had sat, as she pictured Mick on the table as she had first seen him. Not that bad?! It couldn't have been any worse! She reminded herself again of the need for calm.
John seemed to be also giving himself that lecture, for he responded calmly, without reacting to the vampire's sarcasm. "Thankfully, Mr. St. John is going to survive. But, I need to be sure everyone here understands the extreme measures that were needed to save him. May I proceed?"
He looked at the Council for approval, resuming when Marie nodded. "I operated on Mick - Mr. St. John – for over eight hours to remove silver. This after another vampire with some medical training had also worked on him for several hours prior to my arrival. At last count, he had received over thirty bags of blood, most by the IV apparatus I have developed for use on vampires. It took three days in a freezer while receiving that blood for him to regain consciousness. He's healing very slowly – more like a human than a vampire. He's still not even close to well – and I can't say for sure whether he will ever fully recover because I don't know if we'll ever be able to get rid of all the silver."
John could see that his words were having an effect on some of the vampires crowded into the room to observe the proceedings. Most of the Council members, however, appeared not to react to his description of Mick's injuries. Idiots, he thought. You just don't - or won't -understand.
The physician tried one more time. "Quite honestly, I'm more surprised than anyone that Mr. St. John survived, given the extent of his injuries. I believe I don't have to point out that there is no way that this type of extreme intervention could be accomplished for more than a small handful of vampires at a time - if that. If this ammunition were to be used on a wide-spread basis... well..." He spread his hands wide with a shrug, not finishing his sentence.
The murmur in the back of the room rose as vampires conferred worriedly with each other.
"That's enough!" Marie Santiago rose to her feet, her black eyes flashing a warning. "If you want to discuss this among yourselves, please do us the courtesy of leaving the room!" The room fell silent. "Thank you. And, thank you, Dr. Spector - both for your testimony and for your efforts in saving not only Victoria, but Mick St. John. I'm sure Josef Kostan will be in your debt. Never a bad thing," she added with a slight smile, sinking back into her chair.
Germaine spoke up. "In your opinion then, Dr. Spector, Mr. St. John would not have survived without these rather... heroic... interventions." His lips curled into a snarl on the words.
"That is correct. It was uncertain that he would survive even after all our efforts. As I said, he was unresponsive for three days." Spector refused to react to the vampire's dismissive tone, keeping his comments professional and dispassionate. The only evidence of his anger was his curled fists, hanging at his sides.
"But you don't know that."
"Excuse me?" The physician was puzzled by the comment.
"You stepped in to intervene with the vampire's normal healing process - you don't really know if he would have healed on his own because you didn't give him the chance!" Germaine's voice rose on the last word.
Gabby, who had shrunk back behind the now-empty chair that Engels had occupied, raised her head defiantly at that, sputtering angrily, "You didn't see him!"
"Gabrielle, that's enough!" Victoria, furious, turned on her assistant. "You need to escort John out. Now!"
Fuck all of you. "I'll leave - but I'm telling you this first...all of you!" Gabby raised her voice as she glared around the room. "I was there. I saw Mick St. John blown wide open with this ammunition. He was dying. Horribly! In terrible pain! If his human girlfriend had not sliced her arm open to feed him her blood, he would have died before Dr. Spector could even begin to work on him. John was heroic in his efforts to save him - and that is why Mick is still alive. If you don't understand the threat, you are either blind... or stupid!" She spat the last word in the direction of the Council.
"Come on, John." Gabby grabbed the physician's arm and escorted him out, the vampires huddled in front of the door parting silently to allow them to leave.
John Spector felt as if he were staring death in the face as he passed by.
Damn, damn, damn. Victoria knew that her cause was now lost, but she was too stubborn - and worried - to give up.
"I apologize to everyone for that outburst - and for the premature execution of our prisoner. I believe many of you know Gabrielle well enough to know that this loss of control is not typical for her. I hope that it points out the seriousness of the threat we are facing."
"What it points out is that you do not have control over your subordinates," Nina lectured sternly. "I am, quite frankly, surprised at this, Victoria. I think we have heard enough. Does the Council concur?"
With a sinking heart, Victoria watched the Council members nod. William Roosevelt hesitated for a moment before acquiescing with a shrug toward the vampire leader standing before them.
"I believe we are all in agreement that the attacks on various vampires on both coasts, while concerning, is not sufficient evidence of a large-scale conspiracy against the entire tribe. Vampires should continue to monitor their own communities and we would, perhaps, entertain the idea of a more organized approach to keeping track of the whereabouts of-"
"If I could say a word..."
The voice coming from the door caused Nina to pause and jump to her feet as all heads swiveled to view the newcomer. There were several audible gasps and murmurs as Josef Kostan stepped into the room and smiled mischievously at the assemblage. "I saw the body going down the hall – your meetings here are very exciting, I must say. I like it!"
As the laughter died away, he moved into the center of the crucible formed by the mahogany table, coming to stop next to an astonished Victoria. His dark brown eyes twinkling, he murmured, "You might want to close your mouth, my dear, before one of these 'associates' of yours tries to dump silver down it." In a louder voice, he asked, "Do I have permission to address the Council?"
"Okay, now I look like a stunned mullet!" George Cundiff announced to the room. "We're just a little shocked to see you slumming on the East Coast. By all means, Josef, proceed!"
Kostan's eyes lost their amused look, turning hard and cold in an instant. He had not come to play and he intended to make that clear. He made eye contact with each Council member in turn as he began to speak, starting with the description of the murder of Sara Whitley. The story came as a surprise to most vampires present as he had kept her existence a closely guarded secret from all but his most trusted allies.
Once she had recovered from the shock of seeing Kostan there, Victoria concentrated on his words. She, alone, knew what it must be costing him to share this information regarding Sara and was touched by his sacrifice. I misjudged you, Josef.
As the elder vampire spoke, he paced, first back and forth in front of the Council, then around the room, drawing in the assemblage. After outlining the ongoing investigation into Sara's murder, and what Mick and Gabrielle had uncovered so far, Josef moved on to a detailed description of the events at Campo and the subsequent fight to save Mick St. John at Temecula, taking care to praise John Spector for his yeoman efforts to help his best friend.
He wove a persuasive story of the connecting thread between all the events that had occurred - but the most compelling evidence of all was his presence. All the vampires in the room knew of Josef Kostan, but few had ever met him - and it was unheard of for him to participate in an Eastern Council meeting. Kostan's presence spoke to the gravity of the situation far more powerfully than any words Victoria, Gabrielle or Spector had uttered.
The Council members seemed to agree. After Josef appealed to the council to consider the most vulnerable members of their communities - those less well-off, as well as newly-turned vampires - he finished with a summation statement as if he were a lawyer, trying an important case.
"Some of you know me well enough to be aware that I don't meddle in the affairs of vampires unless absolutely necessary - even in L.A. Victoria has done all our communities a great service by being willing to risk her reputation to bring this threat to our attention. I would not be here unless I thought the situation was extremely dangerous. For all of us. I believe that the step of taking this before the North American Council would be prudent and I will be willing to participate in that discussion - if Victoria wants me to, that is." He shot his old friend a swift smile that was immediately returned.
Nina, finally recovering from the shock of seeing Kostan in their midst, took over the meeting. "Josef, I think I speak for the Council when I say how appreciative we are of your willingness to take the time to come here and share your experience and perceptions. You have been very... persuasive. I would agree with your assessment and would like to put this to a vote of the Council members present."
One by one, the members voted their approval. The only dissenting vote came from Craig Germaine, who sneered disdainfully, "This is a classic case of Chicken Little if ever I've seen one. You old vamps are so paranoid, you see Van Helsing everywhere. I cannot support this."
Equally amused and irritated, Josef walked closer into the table until he was within striking distance of the lone holdout, an action that only a vampire of his standing would have dared do uninvited. Kostan leaned in, cocking an eyebrow at the mouthy upstart. "Exactly WHO are you calling OLD, junior?" he inquired, smiling just enough to bare his fangs, daring Germaine to respond.
Unlike her younger counterpart, Marie Santiago was experienced enough to recognize the inherent danger of an annoyed older vamp, and stepped in to diffuse the situation. "I believe we have the necessary majority without you," she interjected mildly, adding, "You know, perhaps a little paranoia would be helpful for yoursurvival, Craig."
Germaine stiffened and pushed back from the table, the desired effect of his bravado destroyed by the scent of fear that rolled off him under the ice of Kostan's stare. "I think this meeting is over, Marie. I'll take your advice under consideration." Without another word or acknowledgment to the vampires present, he stormed from the room.
"What a drongo!" George exclaimed, shaking his head. "Josef and Victoria, thank you."
Marie smiled. "George, my dear, you are going to have to distribute an Aussie dictionary to explain these terms - but I'm guessing that was not a compliment, in which case, I agree. And yes, thanks to both of you. Now, I think it's time we called it a night."
The members of the Council filed out, trailed by the audience of vampires that had crowded into the room, leaving Josef and Victoria alone.
"Come on, my dear. You owe me a drink!" Josef said.
"Several, in fact," she responded with a smile, taking his arm. "I don't know how to thank you Josef. You stood by me when no one else was willing to. You single-handedly turned that Council's view of all this."
"I don't know about that. You are pretty damn persuasive all on your own. Always have been," he added, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I mean, I remember that time in Marseilles..."
"Don't remind me!" Victoria interrupted, shaking her head at the memory. "And you, my old friend, are incorrigible. Always have been," she finished with a smile, deliberately mimicking his words.
"True," Josef acknowledged drily. "As for thanking me...you already did. Mick is alive, which likely wouldn't have been the case without John Spector." He kissed her cheek, and then turned serious. "You do know that the hard work is just beginning..."
Victoria sighed as they left the room, arm in arm. "I know. I'm just glad I have you with me in this fight."
End song: Stand By Me, Tracy Chapman