Promethean

by P. S. Power

  Liam nodded.

  “This is a lead, isn’t it? I don’t know these names, so if they’re right, we can take it as at least me being told about it from some other source. What do we do with this?” Brenner had already mentioned the idea that whoever had killed her people wouldn’t be getting their day in court.

  Really, he could see that. Whoever had done it, probably the four names on the list, who were bad men, or in one case a bad woman, had tried to bring the vampires into things already. They weren’t just killers, they were people who knew that hidden things existed. If they had the ability to speak openly, they might well be able to get that to the public.

  A thing that the FBI was trying to prevent.

  Simpson grimaced then.

  “Is it the whole team, do you think?” She spoke directly to Liam, her eyes tight. Angry seeming. Even if Brenner wasn’t having it, Kim seemed to be fine with the idea that ghosts had hung around to give them a hint as to who had killed them.

  Why they’d vanished directly after doing that, Liam didn't know.

  He shook his head though.

  “No. Ridley gave us only these names. She had time for more, so it’s probably just these. I would have thought that Simpson would have been involved. Which might be what he wants to speak to me about. We… Probably need to hide this. Bring in people carefully.” He didn’t know if that was the best way to do things. Really it was outside of his experience, totally.

  Brenner took a deep breath then, her face moving into angry as well.

  “Agreed. I’ll handle that. We shouldn’t jump on this too soon. You... You’re good meeting with Rich on this, Liam? We could get someone else to handle it.” She, for some reason, looked at Kim, as if it would be the dark-haired woman’s role, having once been married to the man.

  From the small portions of things that Liam had read on the matter, having once been married would make it harder for her, instead of simpler. Given that, it was probably the best plan to have Mitchel deal with the man, or possibly Agent Sanchez.

  “I can do it. I should take Sanchez in with me. How do we clear him?” The idea that Sanchez might be in on something like the murder of their own people wasn’t one that seemed likely at all. If it had been, the ghosts would have probably mentioned it. At least if they understood it was happening at all.

  That here were more people involved than just four made sense to him as well, even though he’d said that there were only the four names. There would be at least three more people involved. They’d been attacking Brenner’s house at the same time that the office was being taken. Liam had seen at least three people there, if not an indication of there being four.

  Sanchez couldn’t be one of them, since he’d been in the house for part of it and the office for the earlier portion.

  That didn't mean that he, or anyone else, couldn’t have been involved in some other way. Agent Brenner was very resistant to believing the ghosts as well, it seemed. At least that had been her first move. Kim Simpson had been married to Rich Simpson at one point, which could link them together that way, in a plot of some sort. The problem there was that none of them seemed like they would attack and kill their own like that.

  Richard had come for him though, without reason.

  There were too many questions and he didn't know who was in on what. If anyone was at all. It could have been that the three who had been in the truck at Brenner’s were totally unrelated to the SAU. People hired or recruited to throw them off, perhaps.

  Agent Brenner narrowed her eyes.

  “Right. We can’t really trust anyone, until we clear them. I’ll handle that.”

  Simpson nodded, as did Mitchel.

  Liam let his face close down a bit, going still. That got the others to look at him then.

  “I understand. How do we clear you though, Tiffany?”

  No one had an answer for that. Not a good one. From their expressions, it was pretty clear that no one was angry with him for mentioning it as a factor.

  Chapter nine

  Mitchel didn’t have a huge place, it was true. For the first time in his life, Liam realized that having a lot of people in a tight area could be kind of oppressive. He’d thought that was the case the last time he’d been around more than ten people at one time. Now he knew it to be a fact. On the good side, other than Agent Carlisle, everyone else that packed the tiny house wasn’t human or didn’t have any trouble being around him, personally. To save on problems, Liam moved outside.

  After all, the place needed to be guarded, even if only as a show, since several group leaders had come to the meeting that had sprung up. No one particularly needed him to be there, however. So, standing outside in the fresh evening air, a gentle rain starting to fall as it had threatened earlier, he waited and watched. Inside there were some loud voices from time to time. No sounds of fighting or screaming in particular, which meant he didn’t have to go in to break anything up.

  Not that it was his job to do that kind of thing. Indeed, it was good he wasn’t needed for that work. It left him time to do something, almost anything, else. Meaning he moved all around the house, watching and waiting. Expecting nothing much at all to happen. Which, for the first few hours, was correct. It wasn’t until nearly three in the morning, as things broke up, that anyone came to find him. That, as it turned out, was Sondra. The the attractive blonde vampire woman.

  “Mr. Frankenstein! I just heard that you’re twenty now. That’s far more interesting than five months, don’t you think?” She was flirting with him, in a playful and overdone fashion. He got the joke though, so smiled at her.

  Then he ignored what she was doing, being polite instead.

  “Good evening. Did the meeting go well?”

  She nodded.

  “I can’t say that any of my kind is pleased with the events of the other day. Still, it seems that Agent Brenner and her people aren’t particularly aimed in our direction as for who perpetrated the crime. Which is strange, don’t you believe? If I were the human, the whole thing would seem to point at vampires rather directly. Is it a trick, do you think? A way to placate us while we passively wait for them to come for us during the daylight?”

  Any way he answered could have been a trap for him, if Liam was working for the human’s, which he wasn’t. As far as he could tell, he wasn’t beholden to anyone except for himself and possibly Oaks. Mary came to mind, but he hadn’t seen her in months. Not due to her own fault. It was important for him to distance himself there, however, since she was, potentially, in danger for knowing him.

  Even if his father thought that wasn’t going to happen in real life.

  “No. I know enough of the investigation to say that they aren’t looking at you or yours at all, yet. That could change, if the facts do. So far, the data isn’t telling anyone that at all. So, other than the ordinary things you have to worry over, this seems to be coming from the humans or beings that can fake being them fairly well.” It still hid facts, without doing it to anywhere near the level that Brenner would probably ask of him, if she knew the conversation was taking place at all.

  Sondra, her pale skin shining in the scant moon light that came through the silver clouds above, just stood there in the soft mist, watching him for several moment. Finally, she moved in and touched his arm.

  “We need only worry that one of our kind is clouding the minds of the humans taking action then? That wasn’t mentioned at all inside… I think I take your meaning then.” She moved back, letting her fingers linger as she did it, until she was far enough away. “Now, we should meet soon? You aren’t involved in this situation, are you?”

  He had to think for a moment.

  “Only in that I’m close to some of the agents working on it. Brenner and to a lesser fashion Sanchez. Close physically, I mean. I’ve gathered some information, but mainly due to happenstance, not hard work or effort. I’m not being included in this. Nor should I be, of course. Right now, I’m attempting to learn enough dentistry so that
I can adapt the skills to the other groups in the community. My plan is to also make shoes and learn more of medicine to aid that way. I don’t think I can go to school for it, but shouldn’t need to. The information isn’t being hidden for those things.”

  Interestingly, the woman lit up then, suddenly.

  “Dentistry? Let me know when you’re prepared to do that, then. I can make appointments for about half the vampires in the world, if you have the time. There are several thousand of us that need such work. How long to you think it will take to be able to start on such things?”

  He didn't have an exact estimate for that, but could make a guess based on what he’d read earlier.

  “I’ll need supplies and a work space, which can be set up at Brenner’s. I have permission for that, so she can continue to watch me. The legal ability to do that has faded with my adult identity papers. At least if she doesn’t want to fight with me over the legality of those new identification papers. Not that it would be violent, but her current plan is better that way. Simply focusing where I have to be most of the time.”

  There was a grin from the woman then. Her teeth seemed to be nice and white at least. Nothing in the front seemed to be damaged or broken off, in the dim light, at a distance. They weren’t perfectly straight, but were good enough that way. She leaned in a bit, and whispered back to him.

  “Brilliant of her, of course. So you’re staying with her for now, for some reason? That’s different, isn’t it? I mean, as a young man, one legally so now, you might well leave to seek your own way, might you not?”

  “Yeah. I could. I have…” He looked around, and was already listening. “I was asked to watch her and the others at the FBI for a bit. Also Mr. Warner. So far Brenner and Mitchel are both fine. It isn’t expected that they won’t be, but I was asked, so plan to stick with Tiffany for a while.” He winked then. “There, now you know most of my secrets. That probably means I’m boring, doesn’t it?” He understood that about himself. It was, more than anything, a lack of experience that left him that way.

  Still, Sondra, being nice, leaned in again, as if they were going to kiss. Instead she let her arms go around him, gently and whispered.

  “I see. Agent Brenner is trusted by us. Watch the others.” Then she stood up and moved back, smiling as if she’d been saying something other than a warning to him.

  Liam simply smiled at her, thought for half a second, then whispered to her, since that was all he could do.

  “We should see about that date soon? A talk, at least…”

  Her eyes lit up as Brenner walked out, along with Narran and Nicodemus. She nodded, almost excitedly.

  “That would be lovely, Mr. Frankenstein. Perhaps next week, if this current issue isn’t in the way?”

  He simply nodded, since everyone else was walking over toward them, even if they were away from the cars, off to the side. The short woman, who was actually less tall than he was, if only by four inches, making her about five feet tall, moved toward him then, stopping about five feet away.

  “Sondra, you have a friend?” Her voice was cultured sounding. Regal, after a fashion Liam couldn’t understand. Crisp, without being upset about it.

  “I do, Queen Narran. This is Mr. Liam Frankenstein. Named after the story, if I understand it correctly? He was our guard tonight, while we retired inside in safety.”

  It was true, though he didn’t understand how she knew that. He hadn’t told anyone about it and could have been pacing around for other reasons. Such as simply not being welcome with the others. They, those who had been inside, all came out, following hard on the heels of the vampires, it seemed. Most of them waved at him, or nodded, meaning he did that back as he spoke.

  “Nice to meet you, Queen Narran. I hope the meeting was fruitful for you, this evening?”

  The woman, who wasn’t particularly attractive, even compared to the others in sight, being a bit strange seeming around the edges, smiled at him then. Her teeth could definitely use some work, he decided. She had nice fang teeth, at least. The rest were rather worn and seemed dingy, compared to the others there. It probably indicated she was extremely old.

  “You know, it was informative. For once it seems that my people aren’t to be blamed first thing, at the merest hint of accusation.” She sneered a bit then let the look fade into nothing. A bland mask. “Which probably means that at the end I’ll be executing yet another of my own in this. I hope that isn’t the case. Things have been… Well, no one claimed that vampires were the easiest beings to get along with. Now, Sondra managed to get an invitation to see you again? That’s friendly. I’d heard that you were too youthful for such things as of yet. Seven years old, was it? Or did I get that wrong? Seventy?” She seemed confused by the idea, though Brenner actually just smiled at her, off to the side, as almost everyone else got into various cars and in two cases rented vans and left.

  Only the FBI agents, Mitchel and the vampires were left.

  “He’s seven months old. Though his I.D. does say he’s twenty now.”

  The small lady smiled at him then.

  “Ah? That’s not old at all, then. Rare, to see one such as yourself walking about unattended, in fact. Is there trouble that way? Or perhaps your type of being simply advances faster than the rest of us?”

  Liam thought for a second, tilting his head.

  “From what I know, it’s that later one. I’ve only met one other like myself. I need to find some of the others and talk to them soon. If they want to be bothered with one such as myself, that is.” It was a real enough worry, though not one that he’d bothered to even think about testing yet.

  Narran, rather politely, closed her eyes, her face seeming pleased.

  “That shouldn’t worry you in the slightest. You’re most charming, Mr. Frankenstein. Thank you for seeing to our safety while we spoke and listened. May we call on you for such duties again? We can pay you for the effort, perhaps?” She looked at the others, which got a rather servile Sondra to speak.

  “I’m sure that would be useful. He’s a most powerful individual. He was shot the other day and barely seems to have noticed it. He’s also learning to work on teeth, as the humans do, in order to aid those of other kinds who cannot seek such treatment, directly.”

  Nicodemus laughed then, bowing as he did it.

  “That would win over many. We should, perhaps, be away, Queen Narran? It is a trip of several hours to get to safe harbor and late enough that we will need to be most speedy, if we are to make it to cover in time.”

  The tiny woman clapped then.

  “Indeed. We will speak again soon then, Agent Brenner. Mr. Warner… Mr. Frankenstein.”

  Then, as if it was a simple truth that there was need for haste, the dead people fled to their rather nice vehicle, a black car which was long and fancy looking. They pulled out under good control, but the driver sent them speeding away after that, into the night.

  Giving a real sense of urgency to the idea that vampires didn’t want to risk being out during daylight. Catching on fire seemed a good thing to avoid, even to Liam. Even if it wasn’t going to kill him, it would probably hurt a lot. Pain wasn’t impossible to beat, just unpleasant until you did.

  As soon as everyone else was gone, Agent Carlisle came over, his face going hard as soon as he got within fifteen feet of Liam.

  “I need to get out of here as well. After… We need to talk.” He seemed grudging on the matter, saying the words while looking at Liam specifically. Seeming ready to start hitting, it seemed. Really, his right hand kept moving toward where the bulge under his jacket showed he had a firearm.

  On the good side, he also kept stopping himself and moving away from it. That meant he was standing there, grimacing, waving his right hand in the air about twice per second.

  Liam appreciated the effort, not wanting to have more holes in his clothing, if at all possible.

  “Inside, or…”

  There was a head shake from the angry man.

  “
No, over here. It won’t take long, then I need to leave.” There was a sharp bit of pointing then, a single finger directing Liam to march away from the house. It was upset enough that he nearly didn’t go. The only reason he did was because Mitchel nodded once, while looking in his direction. That and the fact he wasn’t going to be killed if the man lost control of his composure.

  Once they were to the side, Carlisle, bent toward him.

  “Damn this is hard. I’m a lot different when you aren’t around. Anyway, Agent Simpson told me that you have a meeting with the other Agent Simpson behind the Piggly Wiggly in town at seven in the morning. Try not to be seen getting there. No one told me what this is about, which I don’t love. I’m freaking in charge, even if it’s a temporary appointment.”

  Liam didn't know why that would be a problem. Except that you couldn’t lead anyone if you didn't know what was going on.

  “I don’t know any more than that. Really, less, since you had to tell me about it. I can send a report with Agent Brenner, if you want?” He didn’t really want to be directly with the man in front of him again, if he could help it. A phone call could be tracked and would be, he thought. At least people online said that the NSA listened to everything, all the time. That might not be a problem. The issue was that Liam had no clue whose side that sort of person would be on.

  Probably the FBI. That wasn’t assured, so he needed to pass information in a different fashion.

  “Fine. Try not to get killed or kill him. If you can. What that asshole is thinking right now. He’s always been a bit of a pain in the behind. A cowboy in a job that doesn’t have cows. The last few months he’s been acting like… Well, I need to get away from you.” The man almost ran away from him then.

  Storming, his hands held in tight fists. He hadn’t been hit though, which showed a certain amount of control over himself. Instead of going back inside, the man, his brown suit blending with the night, got into his dark blue car and drove off. With a lot less control than anyone else had that night.