“But we wouldn’t need to have the numbers they do. We rely... “ Jacques sat back in his chair, his mouth dropping open. “Shit, I’d forgotten that.”
“What?” Sacha asked.
“I remember something Graham said. He was talking about technology.”
“Technology?”
“Yes, and our reliance on it. Everything runs on technology, and technology runs on electricity. What would happen if our electrical grid went down? How long do you think civilization would remain intact without any power? Without the lights on?”
“Especially if vampires, or a certain a sect of vampires, knew it was going to happen and were prepared.” Sacha sat back in his chair, a look of horror crossing his face. “All they would have to do is sit back and wait while the humans and vampires they didn’t want, vampires who weren’t good enough, killed each other in a bid to stay alive.”
“It sounds preposterous when you say out loud, doesn’t it?”
“But why endanger those you consider above the others, certain vampires say, when you can get them to do it themselves? With no power, no electricity, civilization would crash in a matter of weeks.”
“And say you knew when that was happening and have prepared your army in advance...”
Sacha shook his head again. “No, it’s just so stupid, so outlandish.”
They both sat facing each other, Sacha drumming his fingers on the table.
“Nah,” Jacques muttered.
“It was stupid even thinking it,” Sacha agreed.
They fell into silence and stared across the table at each other again.
“But what if—”
“We’re right?” Sacha finished.
Again, they fell into silence, and Jacques glanced over all the paperwork in front of them. “I’m a little bit worried here, Sacha.”
“Worried?” Sacha’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m shitting it.”
“What has Jared said?” Jacques had been aware of Sacha talking to Jared. He always got a distant look in his eyes when he spoke telepathically to him.
“He’s gonna run it by the others. He said we could be on to something and that scares me more. Jared is too level-headed to believe in a theory like this.”
“But he does?”
“Yes, it looks like he does.” Sacha looked away then back again. “He’s worried, and so is Donnie. Chester hasn’t said anything yet.”
“He hasn’t?”
“No, he’s just staring at him.” Sacha looked away again, then grimaced. “Chester wants us to keep looking. He’s going to talk to Silas and Hunter. Jared says he’s concerned.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, shit.”
They both stared at each other and Jacques looked down at the paperwork in front of him. Inhaling deeply, he said, “We need to keep looking. The answers are here, we just need to find them.”
In a small voice, Sacha said, “God, I hope we’re wrong.”
Jacques nodded. “Me too.”
His footsteps echoed along the corridor towards the room that lay ahead. Spencer panted harshly as he approached the room. He didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news, and he knew how his master would react.
He knocked before entering, waiting for his master to allow him admittance.
“Come.”
Opening the door, Spencer stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Walking over, he stopped in front of his master and said, “Sir, I have news.”
“And?”
“We have a spy, Sir.”
“How can we have a spy, Spencer? You assured me no one would be able to access out data. You said everyone had been vetted. That we had the best security available.”
Spencer swallowed, noticing the glimmer of red appearing in his master’s eyes. “They have been, Sir. I don’t know how it’s happened. Everyone involved is a member of one of the ruling families. All are above reproach.”
“Clearly not. Find out who it is and punish them and their family. We need to send out a message that no one is above our laws and we will punish the guilty. I don’t need to remind you of the time and effort we have put into this plan. Decades of increasing our numbers, removing the bad elements, and keeping those we will need to build a new world.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Find out who it is, or you and your family will take their place.”
Spencer swallowed again, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. “I will, Sir.”
“Dismissed, Spencer.”
Spencer glanced up and leaned forward to kiss the gold ring that graced the hand being held out to him. “Yes, your Majesty.”
Hurrying from the room, Spencer closed the door and leaned back against it. He needed to find out who the traitor was. He wasn’t going to die.
Chapter Fourteen
The dry, dusty land spread out all around. There were a few shrubs here and there, dotted around the landscape, but it was mainly a barren area. A few animals lived here, those adapted to survive like lizards, snakes and spiders, but also wolves, coyotes and birds of prey.
The sun beat down, the heat intense, and Miguel wiped at the sweat rolling down the sides of his face. He rolled his shoulders, his back itching at the layer of sweat covering it. He couldn’t wait to be out of this relentless heat.
Missing teenagers. Miguel sighed remembering the report. They’d gone ghost hunting in the old abandoned mines and were now missing. Shit, the last place Miguel wanted to go was the mines. Cold, damp, dark, and small. That last one was the one that freaked him out.
Small places and him didn’t mix well.
I’ll be here with you. You won’t be alone. All you have to do is say my name and I’ll be there with you.
Jacques. I don’t know if I can.
I know you can. You won’t rest until you get them home. You can do this.
Miguel snorted, causing Donnie to glance over at him. He pointed to his head and Donnie grinned, slapping him on the back.
You have way too much faith in me.
You have too little in yourself, Miguel. You waited for me. It didn’t matter how long it would take, you were determined to give me what I needed, be there for me when I needed you. I know you can do this and I’ll be there with you.
Miguel gave a small smile which quickly fell off his face when he saw one of the mine entrances ahead of him.
“Shit,” he muttered, rubbing a hand over his wet face.
“You can do this,” Donnie said. “And you’ll have Jacques with you as well.”
“Yeah, he just said the same thing.”
“Did I tell you what I was like after Patrick?”
“Patrick? The guy who tried to-”
“Yeah, him,” Donnie muttered grimly. “Every hour of every night I would wake up and have to check that Jeremy was still next to me. I had to check every lock in the house and then the alarm before I could go back to sleep. It went on for months until Jeremy stepped in and had me speak to someone.”
“No, I didn’t know about it. No one’s said a word.”
“I haven’t told anyone until now.”
“Donnie.” Miguel struggled to say something.
“I get it, the fear. Yeah, it’s different, but it’s still fear. We’re a team, M. I’ve got your back.”
“I... thanks, Donnie.”
“Whatever.” Donnie waved his thanks away. “You’re going in first.”
“What!”
Donnie grinned. “Don’t like these places too much myself.”
“You bastard.” Miguel grinned.
“Face your fear and all that shit, yeah. I’ll hold your hand too, if you need it.”
“Fuck off.”
“When you two are ready,” Chester shouted, hands on his hips. “We’re not here to look at the scenery.”
“Sure thing, C.”
Chester was quick to split them up into teams. There would be four teams, with three in each. Chester spoke to Ale, who confirmed the other units had reached th
eir designated areas and were preparing to enter.
Miguel checked he had all the equipment he’d need. He double checked the three flashlights he had all worked, then with a deep breath walked over to the entrance. He could feel the cold draft caress his hot skin, and it pebbled in the chilly air.
He closed his eyes and listened, but he heard no sounds emanating from inside. Donnie’s hand gripped his shoulder, and he stepped around Miguel and slowly walked in.
“Want to go in the middle?”
Miguel glanced over his shoulder at Hunter, who was the third in his team. “Does everyone know?”
Hunter shrugged. “They don’t bother me, but I can see how tense you are. Go in the middle until you feel okay.”
“Thanks, man.”
Hunter nodded and with a final glance at the desert behind him, Miguel walked in.
I’m going in.
I’m here.
The darkness grew, the light from outside dimming until it was all but gone. Miguel’s heart pounded in his chest, the blood pumping hard around his body. He swallowed, breathing harshly and jumped when he felt a hand grip his shoulders.
“Deep breaths, Miguel,” Hunter told him.
He felt someone step up in front of him and knew Donnie was there.
“We stay here until you’re ready, M.”
Miguel nodded, touched by the concern Donnie and Hunter were showing him. It took a good couple of minutes, but he managed to get his heart rate under control and his breathing steadied.
He opened his eyes and nodded. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Donnie turned and walked away, and Miguel stumbled. “Shit.”
“Vampire eyes, M. I can see where we’re going. Put your flashlight on but keep it low. I don’t want it to interfere with my night vision.”
“Okay, thanks, Donnie.”
“How are you holding up, Hunter?”
“I’m good, D. Do this on my downtime.”
Miguel stopped, spun around, and stared at Hunter. “You really do this shit for fun?”
Hunter shrugged. “Sure. I like rock climbing, caving, diving.”
“I like rock climbing. Which style do you prefer?”
They started walking again as Hunter answered Miguel’s question. “Free style. I prefer to rely on my body.”
“Me too.” Turning back to Donnie, he asked, “So, Donnie, how far does this mine go?”
“According to the map, it branches off not far ahead. We’ll check each branch in turn. One goes to what would have been the elevator down, but it’s been boarded up. The other branch has less information. It just shows that it continues on.”
Hunter grunted. “Shit maps.”
“It’s been closed for years now. Don’t know how those kids found them.”
“It’s all over YouTube, isn’t it? People searching abandoned locations, filming it and uploading it for others to watch.”
“My niece wants to be a YouTuber when she grows up.”
Both Miguel and Donnie laughed. “Seriously, H. A YouTuber?”
“Yeah, you can make a shit load of money doing it now.”
“Huh. I’m in the wrong line of work,” Donnie mused.
“So, there’s two of you?” Miguel asked. Every vampire he knew, other than Jacques, was an only child, yet Hunter had a sibling.
“I was a surprise. My sister is fifteen years older than me. All the other vampire families I know of only have one child.” Hunter shrugged.
“So, tell me what I need to do to be a YouTuber,” Donnie asked.
The banter helped Miguel to keep his mind off where he was and before long they reached the split Donnie had mentioned. By now, it was pitch black, the only light coming from Miguel’s flashlight. They waited in silence, scanning the area, and Miguel listened to the drops of water around them. It was cold now, the heat from the sun having faded a while ago.
Miguel shivered and his heart rate spiked, the realization of exactly where he was sinking in. He could hear his labored panting in the air, his heartbeat pulsing through his body, and he dropped down, crouching on the ground.
Both Hunter and Donnie squatted next to him, trying to help, but he was losing it.
Mate. I’ve got you. Listen to my voice. Close your eyes and listen to me.
Jacques. I’ve gotta get out. Fuck, I can’t do it! I need to get out. Oh god, I’m gonna die. Fuck!
Shh. Miguel. Stop. Take deep breaths and close your eyes. Focus on my voice. Listen to me. You’re safe. Tell me who you’re with.
Donnie and Hunter. Both here talking to me.
Good. You’re not alone, my mate. I have you and they do too. You’re safe. Nothing can hurt you. They won’t let anything happen to you.
What if the walls cave in, or the roof? I’ll be crushed, I’ll suffocate! I’m gonna die!
No. You. Won’t. Stop this, Miguel. Breathe for me, listen to me. Feel me.
Miguel squeezed his eyes and took deep breaths, ignoring everything and only focusing on his mate.
Jacques continued to talk to him, telling him what plans he had for when he came back, places he wanted to go, things he wanted to do to Miguel.
Miguel didn’t know how much time had passed before he felt some semblance of control and he opened his eyes and found Donnie right in front of him, a look of concern on his face.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay.” Miguel swallowed and quickly scanned the area, feeling the panic begin again.
No, Miguel. Don’t give in to it. Face it. I’m here with you. I know you can do this.
Jacques.
I know you can do this.
“I’m good. I can carry on.”
“We can head back out if you need to leave. No one is forcing you to go on.” Hunter gripped his shoulders. “I can take you back.”
Miguel shook his head. He wasn’t going to give in to it. He wouldn’t let this fear rule his life. “I can do it, but thanks, Hunter.”
“Tell us next time you feel it building.”
He nodded again and slowly stood up, his legs barely holding him. He felt drained, and he rubbed his face with his hands.
“Give it another minute until you feel like you can continue. It takes a while for the body to recover.”
“You know about this, H?”
“My mom had them for years.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Miguel muttered.
“She refused to let them control her. Flying, before you ask. She couldn’t even go inside the airport they were that bad. One day, she said she’d had enough and drove to the airport and spent the day sat inside. After that, she forced herself to do a little more each time, and before she died, my parents went to Venice. A second honeymoon.”
“I’m glad she conquered it.”
“Me too. When the cancer came back, we knew she didn’t have long, so Venice was their last chance to be together before she got too ill. Happy memories, she said.”
“Shit, I’m sorry, Hunter.”
“She did it and that’s what I remember. The happiness she felt when they returned. Don’t remember the bad stuff, it only drags you down.” Hunter bent and put his pack back on. “Ready to go on?”
Miguel nodded, and Donnie led them to the right. “This one leads to the old elevator shaft. We’ll check it out, make sure it’s still intact and not tampered with and then will go search the other branch.”
Miguel followed, knowing Hunter was behind. He could still feel the fear around the edges, but whenever it started to rise, Jacques was there comforting him. He knew without a shadow of a doubt if it wasn’t for his mate he’d have ran out screaming by now.
They reached the shaft and Hunter quickly checked the area. “Nothing’s been disturbed.”
“Let’s go back and check the other branch.”
The three of them headed back and walked down the other tunnel, and suddenly Donnie stopped, holding a fist up in the air. Both Miguel and Hunter froze
, and he watched Donnie tilt his head, listening to something beyond Miguel’s hearing.
Donnie sniffed the air, a frown covering his face. “I thought I heard something,” he muttered, more to himself than to Miguel and Hunter. “Hunter?”
Hunter listened, then shook his head. “Nothing now.”
They walked further along the tunnel until Donnie stopped them again. “Yes, there. A voice. Low. Quiet.”
Hunter nodded. “It’s faint, but I can hear it.”
Donnie continued forward, walking at a faster pace now, and they rounded a bend in the tunnel and all three stopped when they heard a faint voice.
“I think we’ve found them. Let’s approach carefully. We haven’t seen any reason why they wouldn’t have left, so there must be something further in.”
A good ten minutes later they found the reason why. The roof had collapsed, cutting the tunnel off. Donnie stepped closer and turned his head, listening to any sounds. He nodded and shouted, “Hello. Is anyone there?”
Seconds later, the air filled with the sounds of people shouting back.
“Stop, please. I need to know how everyone is. How many of you are trapped? Are any of you injured?”
A muffled voice answered. “There’s four of us. I think Brick’s leg is broken and Gray took a bang to the head when the ceiling fell.”
“And the others?”
“Okay. I want to go home.”
“We’ve got you now. What’s your name?” Donnie asked.
“Griff, and Emerson is here as well.”
“Thanks, Griff. I’m going to send one of my team back up top and they’ll radio in. We’ll need to have more people here to clear the cave-in. Can you manage?”
“We’re thirsty. We ran out of water.”
“As soon as we safely can, I’ll get some water to you. Brick and Gray can only have sips. Was Gray knocked out?”
“Yeah. I was scared he wouldn’t wake up.”
“Do you know how long he was unconscious for?”
“I timed it. Five hours.”
“That’s great thinking, Griff. Hunter, one of my team, is going up top now, but Miguel and I will stay.” Facing Miguel, Donnie asked, “Are you okay with that or do you want to go up top?”
Rescue Inc Collection Vol 3 Page 9