Night School Book 2: Vampire Legion Page 12

  “Although to support you may be so as well,” said the Alpha. “I can only muster a fraction of our kind to you. It will have to do.”

  “Thank you, Alpha,” replied Norman.

  “Our order is in shambles. There is no pack to be Alpha of. Until there is, I insist you call me Richard.”

  Norman nodded.

  “That goes for all of you,” said Richard. “We have a lot of work to do and not much time. Let us move with haste.”

  12

  Allies and Enemies

  Matt Barnes placed a blueprint on top of the coffee table in the condo.

  Norman looked over the plans for the storage building that contained the mutating Corps V and pointed to a door. “This is where we got in before.”

  “It won’t be as easy this time,” said Elijah. “At least one of them has come out of metamorphosis. Cornelius, I believe, was his name?”

  “True,” admitted Norman.

  A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

  “You expecting company, Mr. Bernard?” said Matt Barnes.

  Judah sniffed the air several times. “It’s okay.” He walked to the door and opened it. Richard strode into the room followed by two of Juda’s brothers. He and Judah exchanged a nod.

  “You’re late,” said Norman. “What news?”

  “I’ve got thirty of us from nearby packs. I’ve sent another thirty to spread the word.” The old wolf breathed a sigh of disappointment. “It’s not what I’d hoped. Even that wasn’t easy.”

  “Thirty,” whispered Elijah deep in mental calculations. Snapping out of it, he added, “It will have to do.” He looked back at the blueprints. “The only way this works is if we get the bomb inside the self-storage building. It’ll go up like a bonfire.”

  “If it goes off with any of us in there,” said Norman, “we’ll be ash before anything else catches.”

  “That’s why you’re not going to bring the bomb inside,” said Matt.

  “Then who?”

  Matt just looked back at him without answering.

  He can't seriously think he can do it himself.

  “Not a good idea, Matt,” said Norman. “Cornelius or Skeete will rip you to shreds the second you step inside.”

  “That’s where you come in,” said Elijah looking over at Richard. “Matt will go in with a group of werewolves to protect him. We figure, even if they’re invincible, you can at least hold off one of them for a while.”

  Richard nodded. “How many of us?”

  “Five,” replied Elijah. “The rest stay outside in reserve.” Elijah tapped his finger on the map indicating the alley one building over.

  “I’ll take Judah, Roberto, and Miguel,” said Adrian.

  “Count me in, too,” announced Kara from the corner of the room.

  Adrian looked to Richard. “There’s your five.”

  “What do we do?” asked Felicia.

  Elijah took a deep breath. “Nothing.” He exhaled. “We hope.”

  “We’re strong. We have training. And we have the weapons you gave us. We can help.”

  “I know that,” replied Elijah. “We’re just hoping you won’t have to. We’re fighting them with light.” He looked at Felicia to see if she gleaned his meaning. “It’s an equal opportunity vampire destroyer. I’d rather keep you out of the fray. You’ll be needed…after. If we win.” Elijah looked to Norman. “You, Rufus, the Nymphs, and the others will remain here.” He placed his finger on an alley at the opposite side of the building from the werewolves position. “If they need to, the wolves will drive any surviving super-vamps toward you. You can then go to town on them with your weapons.”

  “Let’s hope they can kill them,” said Norman.

  “Let’s hope,” replied Elijah.

  “Sounds like a lot of if’s to me,” said Tyreese, his face betraying no hint of emotion. “Why don’t we just go in there and take care of them while they sleep. I got all the werewolf I need right here.” Tyreese displayed his wolf-tooth tipped spear.

  “Where did you get that?” snapped Richard. He followed his words with a growl.

  Tyreese moved back an inch, apparently surprised by that reaction.

  Elijah rose and put a hand on Richard’s shoulder. “It’s a long story. Let it go for now. I’ll explain later. I promise.”

  Richard relaxed his snarl. However, Norman could see that the anger and disgust in his eyes showed no sign of receding.

  Elijah looked down at his watch. “The sun sets in thirty minutes. Richard, can you get your people into position? Matt will come with you. I’ll stay here with Adrian and the others. Rufus and his crew will come up from the sewers as soon as the light permits. We rendezvous in one hour.”

  Richard nodded and left the condo with Matt.

  “Adrian,” said Elijah. “Come with me. We’ve got a few minutes. Let’s get oriented with the area. Mr. Bernard, you know where and when?”

  “We’ll be there,” replied Norman.

  Adrian nodded at Judah before he exited the condo with Elijah.

  The room settled into a heavy quiet. Felicia broke through it with a question. “Here’s what I don’t understand. I get why Elijah and his group gave us these weapons.” She placed a hand on the sheathed knife at her belt. “But I don’t understand why they have them in the first place? Why do they seem to be so well equipped to kill vampires? To kill us?”

  The heaviness descended on the room again.

  “I’ve been wondering that for some time,” replied Norman. “However, I haven’t had the opportunity to push the subject.”

  Tyreese piped in. “They’ve got more they didn’t show us.” He had all their attention. “Weapons are for killing enemies.” The group waited for Tyreese to finish his thought. He looked around, thinking he’d finished it. “We’re vampires, yo! We’re the enemies these things kill. They’re not gonna give their best weapons to their enemies.”

  “We’re not their enemies,” replied Felicia.

  Frustration with a taint of anger carried Tyreese’s words. “Then why they got so many ways to kill vampires?”

  Norman wasn’t sure if Tyreese was done or he just paused to let the words sink in.

  “For sure they’ve got a plan B for us, ‘just in case,’” said the youth.

  Tyreese’s cynicism had been a valuable weapon as he survived his early years on the streets of the city. Their experiences together had allowed Norman to cut though it. He was glad Tyreese no longer directed it at him.

  “I’m down with this plan, cuz like you said, Mr. Bernard, we got no choice.” Tyreese crossed his arms. “But if we win, I’m gonna be watchin’ my back. Yours too, Mr. Bernard. You’re a good teacher and all. But you trust people too much.” He nodded at Norman. “Don’t worry, though. I got you.”

  Norman wanted to trust Elijah and Nebulous. However, Tyreese had a point. They seemed to have gone to a lot of trouble to have many very effective ways to kill vampires. He wondered, if push came to shove, what would become of the Nymphs and himself. After all, he was about to do battle with a vastly superior enemy and his allies were a mysterious group that seemed well equipped to kill him, and with werewolves, who have apparently been his unknown foes for centuries. A hollowness opened up inside him as his hopeless situation somehow seemed worse now. In the end, he’d keep the Nymphs safe above all else. He’d failed them for the last time.

  Norman reflected on the irony of this thought moments before he brought them into the middle of the worst possible scenario. “We leave in a few minutes, everyone. Drink up.” He went to the freezer, withdrew several bags of blood and placed them in the microwave. “O neg. Should agree with everyone’s stomach.”

  Norman and a group of fifteen vampires waited in the alley near the Corps. V storage facility in case the worst should happen.

  “I don’t like this,” said Rufus.

  “Me, either,” agreed Norman. “I want to know what’s going on.”

  “I want to be in
the fight.”

  “We fought one of them. We barely survived,” Norman said.

  “No shame in that, Teacher,” said Rufus.

  Norman peeked around the corner. Two buildings down he saw the door to the self-storage warehouse. When Norman was last here, it had been deserted outside the building. However, now, Norman could make out a uniformed guard leaning back against the wall next to the door. “He’s not supposed to be there.”

  Rufus glanced around the corner. “It’s just one guy. Take him out and get on with the plan. What’s the delay?”

  “Maybe he’s got a radio,” said Norman. “I can’t tell. We need to play this carefully.” Norman looked to where the ‘assault team’ had gathered in an alley across from the self-storage building. Elijah peeked around the corner with binoculars, checking out the guard. “I can take care of this. You’ve got these guys?”

  Rufus nodded.

  Bronte chimed in. “How come he gets to fight?”

  Rufus replied, “He’s not going to fight.”

  Bronte returned a perplexed look.

  “He can just be very, very convincing,” said Rufus. “It’s a special…talent.”

  Norman dashed off in a blur across the street to join Elijah, Matt and the team of vampires. “What’s the hold-up?”

  “There’s a guard,” replied Elijah. “We weren’t expecting him.”

  “And here I thought you guys knew everything,” Norman joked before turning to Adrian.

  “Smell anything?”

  “Nothing. We’re upwind,” replied the werewolf.

  “I’ll take care of this,” concluded Norman.

  “Wait you can’t…” said Elijah.

  Then Norman zoomed his focus into Elijah. He saw the tendrils of his arcing will, which Norman easily gripped with his smooth flowing tentacles. Just as he felt the connection, he released.

  “Ah,” said Elijah. “I get your drift. Good idea. Judah, go with him.”

  “I’ll go,” said Adrian.

  “No,” replied Norman. “You’re too big. Threatening. I’ll take Judah. He’s just a kid. And I’m…well…a teacher.” Norman knew he looked the part.

  He and Juda ran quietly to the back of the alley and around the next building so they could appear to just be walking down the street and also, to avoid giving away Elijah and the wolves’ position.

  They approached the self-storage place as casually as possible. As they got close enough, Norman looked down at Judah. “Ready?”

  Judah nodded.

  “Let me do the talking. I can take care of this in a few seconds,” Norman said.

  Then Norman looked up and called out. “Excuse me. Excuse me, sir, can you help us?”

  The guard lifted his head and looked around. When he saw the approaching duo, he leaned forward away from the wall and shifted his weight over his feet. He was a slender man in a crisp ironed shirt and dark grey pants with a black stripe down the side. He wore a visored police-type cap on his head that shaded his face from the light post above him and the light of the near-full moon. Clearly a rent-a-cop. Norman wondered if he should have let the man sleep.

  “Excuse me,” Norman repeated. As he said this, he felt the subtle breeze shift on his face. He welcomed its coolness. Norman approached the guard and extended his hand to appear as non-threatening as possible. In three more seconds, he’d work his magic.

  As Norman closed the distance between them, the man’s lack of reciprocation struck Norman as odd. Norman kept his hand up none-the-less. Just two more seconds and it would all be over.

  Norman’s vampire hearing detected a subtle growl and shuffling of feet from Elijah’s post across the street. The guard’s head jerked ever-so-slightly in that direction. How could he possibly have heard that?

  As Norman entered ideal glamoring range, the sound became louder. He looked into the shadow under the guard’s cap and noticed a lock of silvery-white hair drop from underneath it.

  “Hello Norman,” came the female voice from under the cap.

  A shout belted out from across the street. It was Adrian. “Stop! It’s a trap. It’s a vampire!”

  The warning came too late. The guard removed her hat and with it the shade that had obscured her face. Her long-white hair tumbled down her back as the hat lifted off her head. “I was wondering when I was going to see you again.” She reached out and grasped Norman’s still outstretched hand. Then she noticed Judah. “You!”

  She twisted Norman’s arm. He felt his tibia crack under the torque. He winced as a spike of pain shot down his arm. He pushed a grunt through his grinding teeth. At least he’d just fed.

  Judah growled and shifted into a grey wolf barking wildly. A black wolf bounded out from the opposite side of the street leaping when he was half way across.

  Skeete released Norman’s hand as he fell to his knees in pain. Apparently, she’d fed recently as well, for Norman had seldom seen her move so fast. In a flash, she grabbed Judah and lifted him over her head. An instant later, he saw Judah flying through the air on an intercept trajectory with Adrian.

  Norman fell back onto the ground. He grasped his arm as he felt the bone fuse itself back together. By the time he looked up, Rufus stood beside him. He charged into Skeete and grabbed at her arms. Norman heard two snaps as both her wrists broke. Rufus pinned her down on the ground.

  Standing up, Norman looked over to Elijah for direction. Elijah pointed at the door. Norman rose to his feet and gave it a swift kick. It exploded inward. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw Adrian lifting his unconscious brother off the middle of the road.

  Matt Barnes ran out from the shadows in the alley with three wolves. The light bomb dangled from the makeshift straps over Matt’s shoulders. He met Matt at the door. Norman looked down at Rufus, who held Skeete down, subdued.

  When Norman looked back up, the door had been replaced by the massive form of Cornelius. Cornelius batted at him with his arm and sent he and Matt sprawling into the street. He then grasped Rufus around the waist and hurled him at them. They rolled out of the way as Rufus’ massive form crashed down in the spot where they had lain.

  The three wolves leapt onto Cornelius. One landed on his back and bit into his shoulder. Cornelius batted the second away. The third latched onto his arm with its razor teeth. Mucus and spittle sprayed from Cornelius’ mouth as he growled in pain. He shook and grabbed wildly to free himself from the wolves. Fresh wounds formed and healed quickly.

  Skeete stood up. Her arms protruded behind her at unnatural angles. Norman could hear the bones cracking as they realigned and healed.

  Norman looked back at Elijah. Adrian was already returning to the fray in his wolf form. He raced toward Skeete.

  Elijah pointed at the door and shouted, “Get it done!”

  “Send in some reinforcements.” Norman lifted Matt off the street. “You okay?”

  “No,” responded Matt.

  “Good, let’s get in there.” He led the way through the broken door into a dark hall that ran along the outer wall of the building. The wall in front of him was lined with doors every five feet. He knew from his previous visit, that behind those doors was the vast space containing the incubating vampires.

  Behind him, Norman heard the barking of several more wolves dashing into the skirmish outside. He hoped they could keep Cornelius and Skeete occupied while Matt set off the bomb. He also hoped he managed to get out before it went off.

  Norman heard the yelping of a wounded dog behind him.

  Matt looked at him with a questioning face. He heard it, too.

  “Don’t look back.” Norman questioned the words as soon as he said them. His friends might be fighting a losing battle. If Norman and Matt failed, they'd all lose. They'd all be dead. Norman seemed to drown in his jumbled thoughts.

  Norman jerked and pulled at the handle of the door in front of him. Locked. He stepped back and gave it two spastic kicks. Pieces of wallboard crumbled and wood splintered from the door. One more kick and t
he door split apart, allowing them access to the large room within.

  Norman and Matt stepped through the remnants of the portal into the incubation room. He saw the rows of glass tubes and their glowing control panels emitting the only light in the dark expanse. The tubes were covered with condensation, obscuring their contents.

  They quickly strode to the center of the large open room stopping between two tubes.

  “You know how to activate that thing?” asked Norman.

  “I should hope so,” replied Matt. “It’ll take just a couple of minutes.”

  Matt took the bomb off his back and placed it on the floor.

  Norman stepped to one of the tubes and wiped the condensation off. Within the transparent tube, Norman saw nothing. It was empty. “Something’s wrong.”

  “Just a second,” said Matt. “Let me get this going.”

  Then a voice startled them from above. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  As the voice trailed off, the lights of the large room came on. Matt shielded his eyes from the sudden brightness.

  However, Norman saw everything quite clearly. Terror pierced his black heart. He spun completely around to see the entire ledge that surrounded the perimeter one floor above occupied by the former inhabitants of the incubation tubes. The one who’d interrupted their plans spoke again. “I guess it’s clean-up time. Always best to start with your own house.”

  Mustering all his strength and speed, Norman grasped Matt by his trench coat and hurled him at the opening in the door they’d climbed through. He saw Matt crash through and tumble out the main door into the street.

  Before his tumbling stopped, the large vampire who’d spoken leapt down to block Norman’s escape. Norman’s body began to shake with fear. He had been afraid of Cornelius. Now he faced three hundred soldiers just like him. His fear grew to terror he could barely contain in his body.

  “Allow me to introduce myself,” said the vampire soldier. “I am Alexander. I am the vampire that’s going to kill you.” In a whir, he then flitted out two little wooden assassins knives from his belt: the weapon of a trained vampire killer. He sliced them through the air in symmetric patterns in a show of his fighting prowess. Then he stood still. His smile drained from his face. He was getting down to business.