Thursday, May 09, 2019

Take a Bite Outta Crime Part 29 by Dellani Oakes




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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