Reunion

by Sean Stone

  “I’ve told you what I think. The only reason you accomplished what you did was because you listened to the instructions of a seer and you were foolish enough to go to bed with the enemy. A more competent officer would never have ended up in either situation. The only skill you showed was that you can follow instructions and frankly following instructions from somebody outside this team is not a good quality,” Phil said bluntly. He could have softened the blow somewhat and the fact that he didn’t only irked Clara. How dare he sit there and speak to her in that way. If it wasn’t for her then SIT would never have beaten Nick and his disciples. How could he not see that?

  “It wasn’t incompetence that led me to Katrina. It was good detective work,” she replied tartly. “And my answer is yes. I will accept the promotion.”

  Phil made a small hissing noise and the side of his face that wasn’t scarred turned red. Sidney beamed widely and extended his hand which Clara shook. “Well then, congratulations, Deputy Director Winters. I imagine it won’t be long until you’re director.” There was no joke in his words. Clara could tell that he really meant it and she understood why Phil was so bitter this morning. Sidney had no doubt let him know that his days as director were numbered. “Now, there are some investigations that need to be taken care of.”

  “Alistair,” Clara blurted out.

  “I beg your pardon?” said Sidney.

  “Before Katrina died she was going to tell me something about Alistair. Since then he hasn’t been seen. His shop has been shut. Something is going on there,” she explained, deciding not to mention her dream.

  “That isn’t important,” Phil said harshly.

  “I am in agreement with Director Gatling. Alistair has likely left town and is no concern of ours.”

  “I think he might be trying to free Nick,” she said quietly.

  “Blackwood?” Sidney asked. Both his and Phil’s eyes narrowed and the colour vanished from their faces. Mentioning Nick’s name was enough to frighten anyone who knew of him.

  “What intel do you have?” Phil asked hoarsely.

  “None, just a feeling,” she said.

  “Oh, for goodness sake,” Phil muttered. “He’s the bottom of the sodding ocean. No-one’s going to find him.”

  “I agree,” said Sidney in a kinder tone. “We need to discuss our prisoners and what we are to do about them.”

  Katrina would not have mentioned Alistair if it wasn’t important. But at the same time Clara did agree that the Thirteen needed dealing with. Clara decided to keep to herself the fact that her other subordinate had been watching Alistair’s shop for the last week. She got the impression they would put a stop to it.

  “Execution is the only safe action,” Phil said plainly.

  “Without a trial?” Clara said foolishly. Obviously, they could not be given a trial. What judge would preside over a supernatural case? Besides, there was no doubt in anybodies mind that they were guilty of heinous crimes. But the truth was that Clara didn’t want Jamal dead. She was angry with him, hated him even, and she certainly didn’t want him in her life. But she wasn’t ready to lose him completely. She felt more for him than she would ever admit.

  “A trial?” Phil repeated icily.

  “There will be no trial,” said Sidney. “There will be no execution either. Not yet. My instructions are to get as much intelligence out of them as possible before terminating them,” Sidney said without a trace of emotion. So they were to be executed after all.

  “Intelligence?” Phil asked.

  “Those twelve people have lived for centuries. Maybe more. Who knows what they have witnessed? The information in their brains is invaluable. We need to extract it in one way or another.”

  “Only eleven of them are useful. James Tenson is newly recruited remember,” Phil said.

  “He’s been with them for weeks. He might have knowledge we can use in some way,” Sidney replied. “Deputy Winters, I would like you to lead the interrogations.”

  “Now, hang on,” Phil said.

  “Be quiet,” Sidney said without even looking at him. “We want to know how they became immortal, what their full range of abilities are and how to kill Nickolas Blackwood. We’d also like information about other races. Anything you can get. Of particular interest to MI5 is information on ancients and jinn.”

  “They’ll never tell me any of that,” Clara protested.

  “This is your assignment. If you can’t do it then maybe Agent Bingwell would be more suited for the role. Do what you must to get the intelligence.”

  “Do what I must? You mean torture?” Clara said. She wasn’t up for that. She didn’t care for any member of the Thirteen but she didn’t have torture in her. At least she didn’t think she did.

  “Whatever it takes. Remember, you have a vast array of supernatural weaponry at your disposal. You are dismissed.”

  Clara left the office on uncertain legs. She wasn’t really bothered about the almost certainty of her failing her task. She wasn’t even that upset about being told to torture them if necessary. She was just scared of sitting in the same room as any of them. Twelve sadistic immortal psychopaths. And she was pretty sure that she was in love with one of them. And there was no way she was ready to face him again.

  2

  Victor had been in his chambers reading when the text message came through on his mobile phone. He glanced at the screen and saw it was from Isabella. He wanted to ignore it but Isabella knew how much he hated text messages and for that reason she only sent them to him in the case of emergencies. He picked it up wondering what trouble she’d managed to cause this time. The message read:

  I fucked up. Richie’s going to kill me.

  Victor sighed in tired frustration. She was such a dramatic girl. There was nothing she could have done to make Richie angry enough to kill her. They were as good as family and Richie would never lift a finger against her. He tried calling his daughter but she didn’t answer. He sent a text but she didn’t reply. Then Victor realised there was one thing she could have done to infuriate Richie so. But even she wouldn’t be so foolish as to do that. They’d all noticed Richie and Lydia Aramaya growing closer. Richie’s affections for her were clear. Richie had also made it clear quite recently that he was not interested in Isabella. Victor had spent hours trying to console his daughter after that incident. Victor knew what she had done. But she wouldn’t. Not that. She was impulsive and foolhardy but not cruel.

  Victor got up and headed straight for Richie’s chambers. It was almost silent when he arrived but for the quiet sobbing of someone within. His fears were coming true. Victor held his breath as he edged inside and headed for the sitting room. He could smell vampire blood at once. He could hear a single heartbeat. The evidence was there and still he would not believe it. His daughter was not a monster. He knew what he was going to find but he refused to accept it. He pushed open the door leading to Richie’s sitting room and took in the sight before him. It confirmed his fear. Richie was kneeling on the rug sobbing, hunched over the stoney remains of Lydia Aramaya. The stake used to murder her was discarded on the rug.

  “Richie…” Victor said but he had no other words to offer. He couldn’t believe that Isabella had done this but he knew that she had. No other suspect came to mind. He’d never thought she would murder someone out of jealousy. He’d seen her kill people before but there had always been a justification. This time there was none. No good one anyway.

  Richie’s head turned slowly and his puffy red eyes found Victor. “She did this,” he murmured under his breath.

  “Richie,” Victor wanted to say something in his daughter’s defence but there was nothing to say. He knew that she’d done it. Her text confirmed the fact. Even he a man trained in the law could think of no way to defend his daughter’s actions.

  “She did this!” Richie screamed. He let go of Lydia and flew to his feet.

  “How can you be sure?” Victor asked, even though Isabella had all but confessed.

 
“I saw her. She was standing right there over Lydia’s body,” Richie hissed, pointing to the place next to Lydia.

  “I’m sure there’s an explanation,” Victor said feebly. He knew the explanation and it wasn’t justifiable.

  “Of course there is! The explanation is your daughter is a murdering fucking cunt!” Richie yelled. He’d never spoken about her in such a way before. It was clear that any love he once had for Isabella was now gone.

  “I understand you’re upset—”

  “You understand nothing! Nothing! She murdered her! Out of spite! Out of jealousy! She will pay for this, Victor!” Richie fumed. Victor had never seen him so angry before. His eyes were like two fiery orbs trying to ignite his face.

  “Yes, there must be justice,” Victor said, trying to be selective with his words. “A fair trial.” If there was a trial he could save her from execution, though Richie would never allow her her freedom. Locked away was better than dead, though.

  “You and your trials, Victor. No. No trial. Not for this. She will be found and she will be executed.”

  “Richie, please,” Victor said. “You need time to calm down and think this through.”

  “She will be found and she will be executed,” he repeated. He walked towards the door and then stopped next to Victor. “I will not be so cold as to ask you to choose sides. I would hate for you to be torn between myself and your daughter. I will instead just warn you to stay out of the way,” he said and then stalked from the room.

  Victor knew where Isabella had gone. When they’d first come to Cedarstone they’d moved into a modest house on the outskirts of town. They’d always kept the house in their name in case they should ever need it, and to remind them of how their lives had begun in Cedarstone. Victor hadn’t been there in decades but he was sure that Isabella had gone there now. He made sure Richie hadn’t put a tail on him and then headed straight there. He needn’t have worried about the tail; Richie was still too distraught to be thinking clearly enough to have Victor followed. Victor only hoped he didn’t do anything too rash before he calmed down. Although, what could be more rash than sentencing Isabella to death?

  He was pleased to see that the house was guarded by Isabella’s best men. She’d always managed to keep a particular group of vampires loyal to her and she used that group whenever she had a task to carry out. The group had once been bigger, but half of their number had been killed when Isabella led them into Winters Research to rescue Richie from the council. That seemed like an age ago now and yet it had only been a few months. Now they were risking their lives to protect her against their own high elder. Victor wondered if they knew why she was hiding here and if they would remain loyal if they did.

  As he approached the garden gate the burly guy guarding it stepped into his path. “Isabella told us not to let anyone pass,” he said with an apologetic look. He knew who Victor was and did not like opposing him. Victor was pleased that he did so, however. It showed loyalty. She would need that if Richie did not rethink things.

  “Even her own father?” he asked.

  “Yes, Sir,” came the reply. At least he was respectful.

  “What’s your name?” Victor asked.

  “Mason.”

  “How old are you, Mason?” Victor enquired politely.

  “I was turned 167 years ago,” he replied.

  “I am almost twice your age. Do you understand what that means?” Victor made sure that his questions did not sound threatening even if a threat was implied. Mason had shown him respect and he would return the courtesy.

  “Yes, Sir. You’re stronger than I am. I am not the only person here, though. There are others guarding the house,” he said. He didn’t say it in a threatening manner either. Even though he was loyal to Isabella he would not outrightly disrespect another elder. Technically Victor and Isabella were the same rank so he was breaking no rules by barring Victor’s access. Until Richie stripped Isabella of her elder status nobody defending her was in the wrong.

  “I am also faster than you and them. Do you think they can get here fast enough to save you from death?”

  “Would you really kill me for defending your daughter?” he said. A good question.

  “Has she told you why she needs defending and from whom?” Victor would wager she had not. Mason shook his head. “She killed Richie’s lover and now he wants her dead.” The shock was apparent on Mason’s face. He no longer looked so eager to stand guard. “I have come to help her but I cannot do that if you refuse me entry.”

  “Alright. Go on in, Sir,” he said and stepped aside.

  “Thank you, Mason. Call loudly if anybody else arrives,” Victor said as he carried on up the garden path. Nobody else intercepted him and he entered the house easily. Isabella was in the living room laying on the sofa with her hands over her face. She was tapping the arm of the sofa furiously with one foot. When she heard him enter the room she peeked out from beneath one hand and her face crumpled at the sight of her father.

  “Father,” she said sitting up. Fresh tears on her cheeks.

  “Izzy,” he said, sitting down next to her and pulling her into his arms. She didn’t fight him. She hadn’t let him hold her like this since she was human. The older she got the less she wanted comfort from her father. Now, though, all that independence she’d built up had been washed away and she needed her father again. “Why? Why did you do it?” he asked.

  “I didn’t mean it,” she sobbed.

  “How could you not mean to kill her?” He spoke gently. She was upset enough without him adding to it.

  “I went to talk to Richie. I thought I could convince him to give us a chance. But when I got there she was there. Naked on the floor. I could smell that they’d been fucking. I didn’t think.” She buried her face in his chest as she broke into another wave of tears.

  “If you didn’t plan it then why did you take a stake?” Victor asked.

  “I’ve been carrying a stake in my boot ever since Cain Aramaya kidnapped me. For my own protection,” she explained.

  “Very wise,” Victor whispered. “However, coming here was not wise. If I found you then Richie will too and believe me he is angry. You need to get out of town.”

  She shook her head. “No,” she said pulling away so she could face him. “I’m not running. I can talk him round. I just need to wait for him to calm down.” Considering she had lived for over three centuries she was exceptionally naive.

  “Isabella, do not be so stupid. He will not forgive you. I have seen it in his eyes. He wants you dead.” He didn’t want to tell her that, knowing how much it would hurt, but she needed to hear it.

  “I saved him from the council. He would not turn on me so easily.” She was so sure of herself. Victor knew differently. Isabella may have saved Richie from the human council who had tortured him for decades, but that was outweighed by what she had done now.

  “He has turned on you. Please, listen to me,” he implored her.

  “No. He needs time. That’s all.”

  “For goodness sake, Isabella!” Victor snapped. “Will you hear yourself! The stupidity coming out of your mouth. He will never forgive you for this. Never!”

  She stood up and walked away from him, shaking her head the whole time. She wasn’t bothered at all by his outburst. “He will forgive me. He just needs time.”

  “You need time to realise your folly. Get out of this house. Go somewhere safe. Somewhere you’ve never been before. Don’t tell me where. Don’t tell anyone except the people you take with you. Will you at least do that for me?” Maybe a few more days would be enough to make her see reason.

  “Yes. But I will not leave Cedarstone. And I will not give up on Richie.”

  “We’ll see,” Victor muttered.

  That had been a week ago. Victor hadn’t seen Isabella since. He hadn’t seen Richie either. Richie had kept Victor at a distance. His top people made sure Victor could not get near him. He was making plans and ensuring that Victor could not interfere. Th
ere were still those who were loyal to Victor but Richie knew who most of them were and they too had been barred from getting near him or knowing his plans. The events of one night had changed everything. The whole clan was about to tear itself in two if Richie would not sit down and listen to reason. Victor had a backup plan ready to be enacted if it was needed, but he was hoping with all his heart that Richie would not force him to do so. This had been Victor’s life for centuries. He could not imagine starting over.

  There was an urgent knock at his study door and when he opened it Mason came tumbling in. It was clear from his panic-stricken expression that something was wrong. The fact that he was no longer protecting Isabella meant that for one reason or another he no longer needed to. Victor hoped it wasn’t for the worst of the possible reasons.

  “Isabella?” he asked.

  “Taken,” Mason replied. Victor squeezed his eyes shut. Taken was not dead at least, he told himself.

  “When?”

  “An hour ago. Richie has her here at the manor. I can’t get near her. The rest of our group is dead. I’m the only one who survived,” Mason said. He spoke in a hurried jumble of words which Victor could only just decipher. “Word is, Richie plans to give her a trial tonight.”

  “A trial?” Victor reported. If there was a trial then maybe Richie had listened to his advice. If there was a trial then maybe Victor could get her off. He had been a barrister in his human life after all.

  He raced for Richie’s chambers but once again was unable to get near him. He convinced one of the guards to take a message to Richie asking if he could defend his daughter at the trial. Richie’s reply was disheartening. Isabella was being forced to defend herself.

  Victor walked away with his head hung low. What Richie had planned was no real trial. It was a joke. Isabella had no hope of living. Victor clenched his fists at his sides. Richie might not want Victor to take sides but he’d left him few options. He pulled out his phone and began to initiate his backup plan. He would do whatever it took to save his daughter.