The team was not able to kill every vampire before they came into close range. Those that were not killed from further away were killed by the blades of the hunter or the big man, or they were dispatched with a short-range shot by Bill. In scant minutes, the fight was over, and the silence was overwhelming. Blood and ichor soaked the grass all around the center of camp, and the small yard looked like a charnel house. After making sure that there were no more vampires in the vicinity, the team stopped to take stock of their condition.
Six wearily said, "Before we clear the remaining buildings, let's refresh our ammo and bandage up any wounds. Anyone get hurt?"
Heavy muttered a soft, "Damn." The big man looked at his team leader. "Looks like you caught a little piece yourself, boss," he said.
The team leader looked down at his shredded armor carrier and saw a small wound in his stomach. Shaking his head, he muttered a few curses.
"Well. Looks like I get to play the waiting game with Boomer and Heavy," Six reported. "Anyone else?"
Everyone else shook their head.
"Alright then, let's clear this place out," Six continued. "Non-vampires are screened for scratches. Vampires are killed. Questions?"
A deep, smooth voice emanated from around the corner of the staff office building. "I have one."
A monstrous figure, with its face obscured by the sunlight, presented itself to the team. Drawing closer, the figure inquired, "What will you do when you have to fight a real vampire?"
30
SHOWDOWN
BLUE MOUNTAIN RANCH, FLORISSANT, COLORADO
Six did as best as he could to look unimpressed.
"Zachariah, I presume?" Six said to the creature.
The monster chuckled, his voice deep. "I am. And you must be Smith's latest team? How is Agent Smith getting along?" he asked. "I assume he told you that this was somewhat personal for him?"
The team leader nodded and said, "Yes. And that's why it ends today."
The vampire shook his head with an amused smile on his face. "Many before you have tried, and they have all failed," the monster said. "What makes you so special?"
Anticipating a fight, the team took their positions. God stayed perched on the War Wagon for his vantage point, but the rest of the DHS team spread out around the vampire. Boomer fanned out to the vampire's left and raised her shotgun. Ghost moved with her, making sure to stay in between the explosives expert and Six. The monster hunter held his now glowing sword at ready. Do-Right split off to the creature's right, and he raised his rifle and centered the sights on the vampire's forehead. After abandoning his shotgun for the green-glowing khukuri blades, Heavy positioned himself to the left of the former deputy. Doc stepped up next to Six and stood in the middle of the group as her vestments glowed blue.
"How are you out in the sunlight?" Ghost questioned. "You're a vampire."
The monster looked at the monster hunter. "So, the hunter speaks. You are the last of your line, correct? Too bad your line ends with you here.
"Alas, I was a proper vampire before the good Doctor Kaine was able to cure me of my terrible allergy. His virus made it possible for me to stand before you today. And I cannot wait to share this with my brethren."
Zachariah looked at the team spread around him. Raising his hands in mock surrender, he smiled. His fangs glistened with saliva in hungry anticipation.
"Now is the last chance that I will give to let you walk away from here," he said. "I have killed every team that dear Agent Smith has ever sent, and you will follow in their footsteps. It is your choice."
Even as Six pulled the trigger on his rifle to take his first shot, the vampire moved. Faster than any other vampire they had engaged, the creature danced to the side away from the reach of the team leader's rifle. Moving fluidly, and almost faster than the eye could follow, Zachariah struck at Boomer, knocking the shotgun from her grasp and spinning her around. She collapsed to the ground with a groan and cradled her arm.
Ghost was ready for the attack and struck, scoring a line across the vampire's chest. Howling in agony, the creature struck back at the hunter. The blow landed solidly on Ghost's ribs. Even through the protection of the blessed duster, Ghost felt a rib break as he flew backwards. The hunter landed hard on his back; he landed so hard that he felt as of the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. Ghost lay in agony, gasping as he tried to breath.
As Six shifted the aim of his rifle, he aimed at the vampire. He pulled the trigger and fired off another three-round burst. One of the rounds struck the vampire in the shoulder, spinning him slightly and it caused the creature to howl and swear. The monster leapt past Six and Doc and ducked under the blades in Heavy's hands. The vampire caught the big man's wrists in his hands and threw the machine gunner over his shoulder. The big man tumbled in the air until he crashed into one of the parked cars near them. Heavy dropped to the ground and lay still.
Do-Right stepped backwards as the vampire lunged at him. The creature grabbed the rifle and yanked, pulling the deputy off balance and whipping him around. Do-Right pulled the trigger on his rifle and sent a round through the hand of the vampire. The impact of the shot caused the vampire to let go. The deputy's momentum carried him toward the side of the War Wagon, and he bounced off the side of the truck and tumbled to the ground. Do-Right shook his head and tried to stand up.
A three-round burst hit Zachariah in the chest as he turned toward Six and Doc. The vampire looked up and seemed to notice God on the roof of the truck. The creature growled as he leapt for the sniper. In the same moment the creature left the ground, Six snapped his rifle up and pulled the trigger, sending another burst into the master vampire's torso.
The creature landed on the truck, and a thick black ichor dripped from the gunshot wounds on its chest and shoulder. Before the sniper could shoot again, the vampire grabbed the rifle barrel and dragged it and the agent off the roof and threw them to the ground. God felt a snap as his right leg hit the ground, and pure agony blackened his vision. He passed out.
With bloodlust in its eyes, the vampire turned and looked straight at Six and Doc.
"I'm going to enjoy killing you, priest," the vamp said in a harsh growl.
Doc closed her eyes and pulled her hands together. Chanting a high Latin liturgy, her hands began to glow with a blue light. Hoping to get to her before she finished her prayer, the vampire sprang at the priest.
Six leapt in front of the vampire. The agent collided with the monster and grabbed on, knocking it away from Doc as she finished her incantation. The two crashed to the ground, with Six hanging on in an attempt to keep the vampire busy. Six hoped his mangled armor would protect him.
Zachariah shoved Six with all of his might and broke the hold that the DHS agent had on the creature. Incensed that this human would dare physically attack him, the vampire quickly leaned down and opened his jaws. The razor sharp fangs pierced the throat of the team leader. Six went stiff when he felt the teeth take hold, but then all he felt was pain. Zachariah lifted his head, taking a large chunk of Six's throat in his mouth. Blood surrounded the vampire's mouth and dripped down his chin as the agent's life spilled out onto the ground. Zachariah grinned as the light left Six's eyes.
When the vampire looked up, his growled threat died in his throat as Doc opened her eyes and pointed at the vampire. Her eyes glowed with a blue light as she thundered, "Creatura autem nox. Tu exterminantur. REVERTERE AD INFERNUM!"
A blinding light seemed to envelope the master vampire. His screams and howls of agony reverberated throughout the camp. The vampire felt his body burning, and he looked down. Zachariah felt the heat rising from his body as flames appeared across his body. His skin began to blacken and peel away with flames filling the cracks.
Zachariah stood and took a desperate step toward the priest, but his agony drove him back to his knees. He stretched out a hand toward Doc as he tried desperately to reach her. The priest's hand was still outstretched, and she still glowed with righteous power. He gave one las
t effort to stand but collapsed back to his knees. The flames were rising faster now, and his agony burned brighter.
The monster looked in horror as a red, scaled claw reached out of the ground around him and grabbed him by the throat. Zachariah's screams were cut off abruptly as the massive hand wrapped around the vampire's throat and head and dragged the creature down into the earth. The last of the vampire's battered frame passed through the earth, and a small charred spot was the only evidence that it had been there.
The former camp archery instructor had watched the whole fight in horror. When the vampire had been dragged into the ground, he had watched as the priest let her hand drop and as the glow left her eyes and vestments. She sank wearily to the ground, once more looking like the middle-aged woman she was. The archery instructor rushed to Doc's side.
As Bill reached her side, he heard moans and groans from the rest of the team. He knelt down and asked if she was ok. She looked back up at him and offered a weary smile.
"That was worse than I thought. I'm ok," Doc responded. "I need to check on the rest of the team. We also need to make sure that we got them all. And check for other human survivors."
Bill looked at her with a no-nonsense look upon his face. "First things, first," he said. "I've got first aid training. I'll help you check on the others."
Doc nodded and stood to her feet.
The medic went to check on Six first. As soon as she saw that his throat had been ripped out, she blinked back tears and gave him last rites. Stepping back, she next walked over to Heavy who was unconscious and in a heap against a crumpled car. With the help of Doc's smelling salts, he woke with a start and groggily shook his head. Quickly checking him over, Doc realized the big man was probably lucky enough to walk away with a few simple bruises. Although he'd be sore for a while, he'd recover.
Next, she went to check on the former deputy that had joined their party in Trinidad. As she knelt next to him, she realized that he was groggy and that he couldn't focus on what she was saying. A few more field tests showed that he was possibly suffering a concussion and would certainly need medical care.
She then went to check on the sniper. By this time, Bill had already gotten around to him and was splinting his lower leg with supplies from the truck. As Doc checked the former camp staffer's work, she was impressed by the efficiency and scope of his work. The leg would be set temporarily—long enough to get him to a decent hospital in Colorado Springs.
Doc also checked over Bill's work on the other two team members. Bill had correctly diagnosed a fractured arm for Boomer and had applied another splint to the injured limb. He had also checked a possibly broken rib on Ghost and told the hunter that he would need to have it checked out at the hospital. As Doc examined Ghost, she told him the somber news about Six.
After resting for several minutes, Heavy was fully recovered and offered to check the rest of camp to make sure that there weren't any other survivors. Bill volunteered to go with him, just in case they came across a frightened camper. The two went south to start with the girls' cabins and work their way north.
As they walked off, Ghost pulled out his SSP and dialed Agent Smith's office. When Timothy answered, Ghost said in a flat, weary voice, "Timothy, it's Ghost. Is Smith in? I need to talk to him ASAP."
"Wait one," Timothy said as he placed the agent's call on hold.
"Agent Smith."
Ghost began, "Agent Smith, it's Ghost. This was a complete cluster. Zachariah is dead, but so is Six. There were at least eighty of the new vampires at the camp. It was an ugly battle. Only two known camp survivors, although Heavy is looking for more." Ghost paused to catch his breath.
The pause lasted a few seconds as Agent Smith absorbed the news. The supervising agent finally spoke, "Mr. Holstein was killed in action?"
Ghost nodded subconsciously. "Yes, sir. He sacrificed himself so that Doc had enough time to do her thing. She was the one who finally put the master down."
Agent Smith thought through the rest of the initial statement. "Was anyone else hurt? Does anyone need medical attention?"
Ghost began to run down the list of the wounded. "It looks like Boomer has a broken arm. God broke his leg. Doc thinks Do-Right has a concussion, and I probably have at least one broken rib. Heavy's going to be sore in the morning, but he seems to be ok."
"The best hospital for you guys is Evans Army Hospital just off base at Cheyenne Mountain Air Station. They'll be able to handle your wounds, and your ranks and credentials should keep them from asking too many questions. I'll have Timothy clear the way for you." Agent Smith paused some more as he looked at his notes.
"You found over eighty new vampires? Is there any chance that any got away?" Smith questioned.
Ghost thought for a moment. "It's not likely, sir," he responded. "They all seemed to have come to attack us. But Heavy is sweeping the camp with the help of the camp's former archery instructor."
"Who is this 'instructor,' Agent Vanhof?" asked Agent Smith.
Ghost backtracked a little. "Sir, I found him on our initial sweep. He seemed to be the only surviving adult staff that was not turned. He was hiding in the woods, but Spooky directed me to him. According to Spooky, he's a former world-class archer, almost made the last Olympics. He has an older, carved bow. And he took out several of the vampires during the final attack. I'll have Spooky forward his dossier."
Agent Smith paused and then said, "I'll trust your judgement. You said there was one other survivor. Who is it?"
Ghost recalled Boomer's tagalong. "Teen girl, fifteen or sixteen. She was not infected. Boomer found her and got her to us before the vamps attacked. I don't know if there are any other survivors yet, but I doubt it. These vamps were systematically slaughtering and eating those who weren't infected."
Agent Smith suddenly asked a very poignant question. "Has anyone on the team been infected?"
Ghost closed his eyes. He was wondering when that question would pop up. "Possibly, sir. Boomer and Heavy were both scratched in the silo. According to the doctor's paperwork, they each have a one-in-five chance of turning from the contact. The change takes several days, three to five, according to the doctor's notes."
Ghost heard a soft, "Damn," come from his boss. Ghost couldn't agree more.
The monster hunter asked his own question next. "Sir. What's next? As much ruckus as we raised, we're bound to get law enforcement out here eventually. And at some point, parents are going to want to come get their kids. These are new vamps. They don't dissolve in smoke. DHS just mowed down over eighty unarmed kids and adults. How do we cover this one up?"
Agent Smith was already thinking about the problem. He pulled up satellite maps of the area and saw that the camp area was actually a fairly small area. He made a snap decision.
"Agent Vanhof, your team has thirty minutes to vacate the camp. I'll have Timothy send the local law enforcement to the other end of the county. You are to get everyone clear. In precisely thirty minutes, an Air Force fuel tanker will crash into the hillside, precisely where you are currently sitting. It will, of course, have help from us. DHS will investigate. And the Air Force will compensate the families. There is nothing else we can do. Thirty minutes. Time starts now."
Ghost looked at his watch as he broke the connection. He keyed his mic and said, "Heavy, Ghost. We are leaving in twenty-five minutes. That is two-five minutes. No exceptions. Move your butt."
As each team member heard those words, they looked to the hunter for an explanation. They realized that no explanation was forthcoming.
Ghost quickly organized the team. Doc found a body bag in the truck's supplies, and she and Ghost carefully placed Six's body inside. They strapped the body to the roof of the truck so that it was mostly flat and would not show while they were driving. They cleared out other boxes and stacked them on the top of the MRAP as well, hiding the body even more.
Despite the pain, Boomer sat down to talk to the teenager that she had rescued.
"I don't know wh
at's going to happen," she confided. "I can't have you talk to your parents right now, not until my boss gives me permission. Confidentially, I don't think he knows what to do with you. Until then, I'll keep you safe. I promise."
The teenager hugged Boomer, and slowly her tears dried up. After a few minutes, she wiped her eyes and thanked Boomer.
Boomer smiled and kept her arm around the girl's shoulder. "I don't think I ever caught your name, hon. Mine is Rebekah, but everyone calls me 'Boomer.'"
The girl smiled and replied, "Boomer? I like that. My name is Hannah."
After twenty-three minutes, Heavy and Bill jogged up to the truck.
"Nothing living out there, sir," Heavy reported to Ghost. "No other survivors. It looks like they slaughtered those who weren't infected before they came after us. Each cabin is a slaughterhouse. We checked out the old lodge, and it looks like Zachariah was living there. Found all kinds of crap from him... I grabbed a few journals and items and tossed them in my pack."
"Thanks, Heavy," Ghost said. "Bill," Heavy continued, "our thanks for helping. Unfortunately, it looks like you might be with us for a little while. At least until we can sort it out with our boss. You need to come with us. Anything you need to get from your office, or bunk?"
Bill shook his head and raised the bow still gripped tightly in his hand. "Honestly, this is the only thing I want to take with me. My grandfather was a Navajo Shaman. He carved it for me."
"Alright. Everyone mount up," Ghost said. "We're going to sit at the end of the camp driveway for a couple minutes and then we are leaving. This area won't exist in about three minutes."
A pained look crossed Boomer's face as she climbed into the passenger's chair—pained that she was too hurt to drive the Wagon. Ghost climbed up into the driver's seat and fired up the engine. He slowly moved the truck to the end of the drive, making sure to block any entrance to the camp. After two minutes, with just under a minute to spare, he put the truck in gear and drove back out toward town. As they were pulling around a curve, they all heard a very low roar and watched as a large Air Force jet trailing smoke dropped below the tree line. Moments later, the ground shook the truck violently, and a wave of wind and heat rocked the War Wagon.
INCURSION: Knightmare (Knight's Bane Trilogy Book 1) Page 29