“What are you?” the woman muttered before closing her eyes and dropping to the ground.
Rebecca turned to the man behind her next. The way he was holding his chest meant she had hurt him more than she'd meant. She had forgotten her strength when she had kicked him back. “Are you all right?” she asked him, sounding genuinely concerned.
“You broke my ribs!” the man gasped.
"I'm sorry."
The soldier used her moment of weakness to attack. He tried to take her down with a tackle, but was surprised by Rebecca's endurance. The vampire gave a few steps back, but stopped his attack with ease. The soldier looked heavier and bigger, yet he had no idea who he was fighting against. Releasing herself from him, Rebecca took his shoulders to force him to the floor. The soldiers cried in pain again.
"I’m going to tie you down," she announced. "Don’t move, please." The soldier was clearly in pain, but he still resisted and tried to get up. "Would you like me to put you to sleep?" she asked him. "It may be easier for you that way."
The soldier shook his head and did his best to relax. Rebecca was sitting on his legs as she tied his wrists behind him. Once that was done she moved to his legs, doing to him what he had meant to do to her.
The man turned to look at his fallen comrade lying unconscious close to him, “What will you do with her?” Rebecca didn’t answer his question. The watch she had stolen marked almost four o’clock. It hadn’t even been twelve hours yet, and she had beaten the three hunters.
Leaving the leader secured, she walked back to the woman. Kneeling over her, she searched her for weapons just as she had done with Francis and just as she would do with their leader, she dug holes to bury anything she thought would be a threat to her, keeping only the darts and a small pocket knife to herself.
Deciding to leave the woman untied, she found the rope the soldiers had used to climb down. She would use it to get out. “I promise I’ll try not to hurt you,” she told the bound man.
“What?” The soldier covered his face with his tied hands thinking the worst, but all Rebecca did was to take him up in her arms. She was going to get him out. The man yelped in pain, yet he still wondered: “Are you on steroids?”
Rebecca smiled and shook her head, “No.” If only he knew.
With the man now over her shoulder, she climbed up the rope and out of the hole.
The second small shed looked very similar to the one where the first soldier was locked up; it was just as small, made out of old wood and with only one door on one side.
“What are you going to do with me?” the soldier asked as he let her drag him over her shoulder without resisting.
Rebecca could only imagine the pain on his ribs was enough to keep him docile. The thought of having hurt somebody like that for the first time plagued her, but not so much as the scent of his fresh human blood so close to her. Once she had the two remaining soldiers locked up, she would need to hunt again. The scent was becoming too distracting for her – soon it would be unbearable.
“Who are you?” asked the man.
Rebecca didn’t answer at first; she felt she shouldn’t. But the soldier kept asking his questions. “I’m not going to hurt you,” she reassured him, instead.
“You broke my ribs,” the soldier said calmly, “I can tell you are a dangerous person. Who are you? Who trained you?”
“It was self-defense,” she ignored the latter purposefully, “I didn’t mean to hurt you. This is just a test, after all.”
By then she had entered the shed. As she expected, a cage identical to the first one awaited. When she stepped inside, the same type of metallic wall rose out of the ground. She wasn’t worried. She knew how to get out. Besides, she now knew the code and if it was the same code for all walls, it would be even easier.
“What are you going to do?” the soldier groaned once he realized she meant to lock him up.
“I’m locking you up,” Rebecca stated. “At first I thought this was where you were supposed to lock me in.” The soldier said nothing. After having carefully placed him on the ground, she continued, “But, then I thought: three cages for three soldiers.” She eyed him with amusement. “The cages were meant for you, don’t you think?” The soldier didn’t answer, she wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t know or if it was all making sense to him now. Rebecca closed the door and it automatically locked, the red light on top of it lit up. “Once I make sure you’re all inside, then the test is over. All I have to do is wait until tomorrow morning.”
With a triumphant smile, Rebecca took one last look at her wounded prey.
“Who are you?” the soldier insisted one last time.
Rebecca stopped and turned around to meet his eyes, eyes that told her how frightened the man was. The scent of human sweat and blood filled every part of her being. “Even if I could tell you,” she said quietly, “you wouldn’t believe it.”
She stepped out the door, found the keypad hidden on the wall that had sprouted and successfully unlocked the door with the same combination the other soldier had used before.
She gave one last glance back.
That was the last time she ever saw that man again.
Rebecca took her time going back for the female soldier after she had left the leader safely locked in his cage. The remaining soldier was unconscious in a hole with no way out. Rebecca knew she wasn't going anywhere, so she decided to use a few minutes to hunt for small animals trying to satisfy both her thirst and hunger. In her mind, she could almost taste the fish she would soon catch, cook, and eat once all three soldiers were locked up.
For now, she made sure she was full enough to go back for the last soldier. It would have been inconvenient to fail the test when she was so close to winning because of a little blood craving.
Even if she didn't remember the trap's location, all she had to do was follow the scent of blood back to the hole in the ground. It was amazing how her body was beginning to do things like these naturally and how she was getting used to her abilities. Soon, she wouldn't be able to remember how it felt like to be human.
She took her time disabling traps on her way back. The fewer active traps, the better. Now that she wasn't that pressed for time, locating them was easier. Perhaps that would be a good way to pass the time once all three soldiers were in their cages, disabling traps. It didn't sound like fun at all.
Besides, the cloudy skies were turning darker, which meant it would rain soon. The caves were looking like the best place to stay dry, build a fire, have a feast, and rest while morning came. That sounded like an excellent plan.
She knew she still had to go get the woman, but she couldn't help imagining Dylan's expression when he found out how quickly she had finished the test. She wondered if she had broken a record. She wondered if she had done better than Jon. Apart from hurting one of the soldiers, she had done a great job. And who could blame her? Accidents happened.
She almost reached the female soldier. On the way she imagined how a hot shower would feel; clean, dry clothes were a luxury. Back home she used to have a tub, her apartment at the agency didn't have one. A warm bath would have been a nice thing to look forward to. Perhaps she could persuade Dylan to get a tub for her. How hard could it be?
It had been an interesting day, but she was ready for it to be done and over with.
In front of her, the sun had already begun to set.
She wasn't surprised to find Heller struggling to climb out of the hole, but she knew if it had been hard for her, it would have been impossible for a human. She watched her effort with amusement before the soldier realized she was there.
Now aware of her presence, Heller stopped climbing to stare back at her. Rebecca could see hatred in her eyes.
“Hello,” she offered in a friendly tone. “I'm ready to get out of there.”
The soldier looked around as if she still hoped to escape somehow; Rebecca couldn't see how she could.
“What did you do with the others?” Heller demand
ed.
“They’re safe,” Rebecca told her. “You’re next, so I suggest you cooperate when I pull you out. It will make both our lives easier.”
“And if I don’t?” the soldier dared her.
Pursing her lips, Rebecca felt sorry for her. If only there was a way to explain why she was in such a great disadvantage against her. “Well, I still have darts, and you’re unarmed and unprotected.” She had removed her helmet, vest, and other equipment, which were buried under the woman's feet, leaving her with the basics: pants, shirt, jacket, and boots. “My plan,” Rebecca continued, “is to throw the rope back down, you climb up and do as I say.” Smiling, the vampire shared another idea, “Or, I can shoot you with my tranquilizer gun and take you out myself.”
The woman smirked at the suggestion “I doubt you can pull me out, you-”
“I'll pull you out the same way I took your friend out,” Rebecca did not hesitate to interrupt.
Heller narrowed her eyes, no doubt thinking about what could have happened to her leader.
Standing up, Rebecca sighed, "All right, I’m throwing the rope down. I’ll give you ten minutes to get out or I’ll shoot you and take you out myself." She gave a quick glance at her watch. "I have time."
In frustration, the soldier began climbing out on her own. Rebecca watched her, her rifle always pointed in the woman's direction. She was in total control. Nothing could stop her now. For the first time, she was grateful Dylan had found her. She had been lucky. She owed him everything. Whatever he had seen in her had to be a good reason to hand her all this power. Did it matter why he had chosen her? Nobody would tell her what to do from now on.
Nobody.
With the tip of the rifle on her back, the soldier walked in front of Rebecca. Their destination: the third and last shed. New sounds coming from nighttime animals soon replaced the silence. The sun behind the dark clouds had set, and the wind smelled like rain.
“Did you set up all the traps yourselves?” Rebecca thought to ask.
The soldier didn’t answer. From behind her, she could see her short blond hair sticking out of her helmet. It was getting too late to see now that the light of day was disappearing. If she wasn't careful, she would activate her night vision, making her red eyes glimmer in the darkness. That would reveal her true nature to a human being, which was forbidden. More reason to get the woman inside her cage as soon as possible.
“Who trained you?” the soldier asked her. Rebecca knew they were curious to know how she could do the things she did.
Rebecca ignored her and continued with her own questions. “There are a lot of traps in this place. It must’ve taken you a while to set them up.” No answer. “I’ve disarmed a few and avoided plenty, but I can still spot many more. It's impressive.”
They could have been conversing with a different person, because when the soldier spoke she said, “You have no real combat skill. It’s like a mixture of several techniques, all sloppy. And you don’t hold a weapon like you’ve been in contact with them all your life, and yet... you are familiar with them.” Then, she asked again: “Which agency trained you?”
The question was almost irresistible. Somehow, all Rebecca wanted to do was tell her. She wanted to let the soldier know what the secret was. I’m a vampire, she would say. Yes. Then, what? What would this woman do? Would she feel afraid of her? Would she respect her? Or would she try to kill her? Not that she could do it even if she tried, but the thought of someone wanting to hurt her because of what she was didn’t seem fair.
The rest of the way they walked in silence. Without protest, the woman entered the shed; the walls came up just like they had with the other two sheds. Without saying a word, the soldier got inside the cage and waited to be locked in. Her eyes went to the red light that signaled it had activated.
“Are you going to leave me here?” the army woman asked.
“Yes.” Rebecca turned around and left.
It was dark when she finished fishing. Holding two small fish in a branch, she thought back to the three soldiers locked in their cages. She was about to have a feast while they were trapped with nothing to eat and nothing to protect them from the cold. At least they were safe from the rain. It had already begun to sprinkle and she could tell it would pour in a few minutes. Then she wondered why no one called the test to be over; if they did, they would rescue the soldiers and she could get out of there.
Whatever they decided to do, it was over. For her, it was. She was safe, they were safe, and once she reached the caves and she had her feast, she would fall asleep until morning came.
With a full canteen and her fresh fish, Rebecca headed for the caves.
It was hard to find dry leaves and sticks anywhere. The rain was picking up, and she had to run to find shelter. She was lucky to find what she needed inside the cave she entered. The wind had blown many leaves into the corners and that was all she needed. With two rocks she started a spark and the small fire began. It didn't matter how often she had to feed it to keep it going. After a few minutes, the fish started to change color.
With a full stomach, she put the fire out and laid down on the rock, wondering what Dylan could be doing. Wondering if he was thinking about her. Wondering if he was worried. Knowing him he had gone back to work on some mission or was shooting at the range. Dylan was one of the worst workaholics she had ever met. Thinking about him made her smile.
How she wished he could be with her. She missed him.
Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.
She was asleep when she heard someone clapping. Except it wasn't clapping she heard, but the sound of rotating blades. She opened her eyes to recognize the approaching helicopter. Rebecca came back to her senses, standing up and walking to the edge of the cave’s protection, inches away from the falling rain. The rain was constant but subtle, falling like a blanket on the trees. Above, the clouds had released part of the full moon, letting it shine on top of the horizon.
Taking a glance at her watch, she knew the sun was close to making an appearance. Only a few more hours. That also meant that, in about five hours, the test would be over. Unless that helicopter was her ride home.
Rebecca could see the helicopter hovering over the tip of the trees close enough for her to see its pilot in the cockpit. She followed it move towards the lake area. Rebecca wondered if it planned to land there. It wouldn't be the best landing spot; she had seen a field to the opposite side, to the west, where the trees ended on her map there had to be a field.
It was time to use her night vision. Willing her eyes to change, her surroundings adjusted to a dark red, allowing her to see clearly. She walked out of the cave, letting the rain fall on her face, trying to see what the helicopter planned to do. Then, from it, a rope appeared, and out came the figure of a man sliding down from it and to the lake. The trees didn't let her see him land. She had no idea what was going on. She didn't know who that person was or why he had come. Deep down she hoped it was Dylan, but she had a feeling it was someone she was yet to meet. Part of the rescue party? Somehow she doubted it. Part of the test? Maybe.
No doubt they had sent a more challenging soldier after she had beaten the first team so fast. Although, if that were the case, why hadn't they sent an army to fight her, instead? Why just one person? There was only one way to find out. Taking the tranquilizer rifle and the army knife she had taken from Heller, she climbed out of the cave in the direction of the lake. Anxiety filled her as she got nearer to her destination, wondering who the agency had dropped in an enclosed field with her, knowing what she was. Whoever they had sent, she didn't think she could lock him up as easily as she had the three soldiers. If there was a fourth cage, she had no idea how to find it. Her sixth sense told her there was danger up ahead. With the rain, her sense of smell was rather useless; the falling water washed away every scent.
Maybe it was a werewolf. No, she doubted that. From what she had heard about werewolves, they wouldn't be able to get one in a helicopter willingly. If they
did, it would either put up a fight or be unconscious, and whoever had jumped out of that chopper looked like he wanted to be there.
Once next to the shore, she moved swiftly to avoid being detected, dropping from the last tree trunk she had been clinging to. Soon, she had a clear view of the water before her, it's calmness gone by the constant fall of raindrops. Right next to the water's edge, standing on top of a slippery rock, stood the silhouette of a man. The man was giving her his back and seemed to be studying the lake in front of him. He didn't seem to notice Rebecca watching him from the safety of the forest.
The mystery man, who waited motionless by the lake, wasn't a soldier. He wore a dark suit and looked a lot like Dylan - except it wasn't Dylan. This stranger was different in many ways. He was taller, for one, and his hair was longer and lighter. His hands were tucked in his pockets and from such a close distance, regardless of the rain, Rebecca could not catch the scent of human blood coming from him. This man was a vampire.
But, who was he? Why was he here now? What was his purpose?
She needed to know and there was only one way to find out.
The light from the moon above them illuminated the scene enough to allow Rebecca to turn off her night vision. If this was still part of the test, she couldn't reveal what she was, not even to this stranger. It was harder to see with her human sight, but it was enough.
“Rebecca Sawyer.” She stopped, her heart skipped a beat as the man spoke her name, savoring each word. Rebecca could only see his back, but she had heard him loud and clear. At last, the stranger turned around to face her, the glimmer in his red eyes shone in the darkness, showing a hint of recognition. He knew her. He was a vampire, a real vampire, and he knew her.
To Rebecca, this creature was what a vampire was supposed to look like. He fit the description of every book she had read and every movie she had seen: Tall, elegant, perfect. His skin was so fair it glimmered in the darkness like porcelain. His hair, wet from standing under the rain, looked perfectly groomed.
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