The
vampires, with the two police officers, have circled the castle,
ready to attack. Kirk recognizes the sophisticated surveillance
system—something Andres had invented and marketed.
"You
really don't want to know. It's up to Heinrich to disable them. When
the light turns green, we can cross."
"Won't
they notice if their perimeter goes down?" Scott asked, watching
the light.
"Not
if he does it right," Kirk said.
The
light changed and the cars shot forward. Moments later, the light
went back to red, catching the last car's fender. An electronic zap
filled the air and the smell of ozone became almost overpowering.
Part of the car fell on the ground, leaving a trail of smoke in their
wake.
"That
can't be good," Scott said.
"That
might have eliminated our surprise factor," Kirk replied. "Going
hot," he told the men in the car, then broadcast the
information, in code, to the others.
Something
under the car clanked loudly. Slamming on the breaks, the driver
ordered everyone out. Not waiting to ask questions, they jumped from
the car as it shuddered to a halt.
"Down!"
Kirk commanded, shielding Scott's body with his own.
Suddenly,
the world turned into a loud, explosive place. Pieces of the car flew
past them, much of it airborne. The rest buried itself, burning and
smoking, in the turf beside them.
"Report!"
the driver bellowed.
They
reported by numbers instead of names. Kirk answered for Scott.
Unfamiliar with the system and stunned by the blast, he lay still.
"We
all have a number. You're number six."
"Six,"
Scott wheezed. "Got it."
"You're
not hit?" the driver asked anxiously.
"No.
I'm fine. What was that?"
"Magnetic
mine. There goes the element of surprise," Kirk said with a
frown.
"Now
what?" Scott asked.
"We
walk," the driver said. Tipping his head toward the house, he
took off at a trot that put Scott to shame.
"On
foot? Really?" one of the others said. "Crap. These are new
shoes."
His
friend laughed at him. "You wore new shoes to a firefight? Are
you crazy?"
"Unprepared."
"Do
I call them by number?" Scott asked Kirk as they followed the
others.
"I
didn't think to introduce you. Hold up," he said into a wrist
microphone.
Scott
forgot he'd been equipped with that and an earpiece. The others
slowed. Kirk made the introductions.
"The
driver is Nero. He's ersatz leader, Number One."
Scott
nodded. Nero touched his brow with a smile.
"Number
Two and Three," Kirk pointed to the men from the front seat.
"Dietrich and Clovis. Our backseat companion, Oded. This is
Scott, my human. We protect him as our own."
The
other vampires gave a curt nod. Nero looked alert. Using hand
signals, he guided them off the road and into the brush. There wasn't
much cover, but there was enough to keep a sniper from a clear shot
if they stayed low.
"Are
we rushing them?" Scott whispered.
"We'll
have orders in a second," Nero replied. "Heinrich and
Phillida are conferring."
"Shh!"
Kirk had heard a murmur of something. He didn't think it was from his
companions. Curious, he held up his hand for silence.
There
it was again. Voices under their feet? What the hell? The earth
shifted beneath them. Clovis fell to his knees. Dietrich dropped into
a hole with a muffled grunt. One hand scrabbled at the dirt before
jerking down once more. A gurgle echoed in their ear pieces.
"They're
under us!" Nero yelled into his microphone.
The
ground at their feet erupted as a dozen well armed vampires leaped
out. Kirk pushed Scott behind him, protecting the human with his
body.
"Bleeder!"
one of the rival vampires growled. He charged Scott, apparently
unaware of Kirk.
Scott
dodged, doing a midair somersault before landing in a crouch. Kirk
clothslined the charging vamp, knocking him on his back. With a roar,
he stabbed the other vampire in his unprotected throat, severing the
spine. Another swipe of his blade took off the head.
Already
engaged by another vampire, Scott paid little attention to his
friend's actions. Following Kirk's example, he went for the neck. For
some reason, these vampires didn't protect themselves as carefully as
his friends. They left themselves vulnerable to attack. Either
carelessness, stupidity or arrogance, who could say? They fell easily
to their weapons, but Kirk and his friends were missing one of their
own.
"Do
we follow in the tunnels?" Scott asked.
"Not
unless you want to die," Kirk replied, wiping his blade on a
dead vamp's corpse before it disintegrated.
"Report,"
Nero said as he straightened from his last victim. The other
vampire's blood streaked his chin and white shirt, disappearing as
the body did.
They
checked in by numbers. This time, Scott knew what to do.
"Do
you think there are more down there?" Scott asked Kirk.
©
2019 Dellani Oakes
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