by ID Johnson
Elliott put his glass down on the counter with a little more force then he intended. "What?" he asked, finally looking at her. "When? Today?"
"No!" Cadence replied, leaning away from him a little. "No. The night I killed Henry." Under her breath she added, "No, not tonight. I wouldn't cheat on him."
"What?" Elliott said, not sure he heard her right. "The night you killed Henry? But that was weeks ago."
"I know."
"And you weren't even dating then. He broke up with you."
"I KNOW!" she agreed, shrugging.
"I don't understand..."Elliott said, shaking his head and taking another drink. "So, he found out that you kissed Christian a few weeks ago, and he broke up with you?"
"Yes!" she nodded.
"But... why?"
She let out a deep sigh. "He says I lied to him."
Elliott looked puzzled again. "Say what?"
"I mean, technically, I guess he's right, but I just didn't tell him because it didn't matter. It meant nothing. Christian is a nice guy, but I'm not interested in him, not like that."
There was a long pause while Elliott said nothing. Finally, he shook his head and said, "Dumbass."
Cadence was confused. "Me?" she said quietly, though she wouldn't disagree if he was talking about her.
"No," he replied emphatically. "It sounds to me like you didn't do anything wrong, kid. I mean, I should be hearing his side, too, I would think," he muttered, not sure why he hadn't actually heard his side yet, "but that seems like a pretty stupid reason to break up with someone."
"Thank you!" Cadence said, downing the rest of her drink, wishing it were something stronger. But she decided not to ask for any alcohol, even though this guy might serve her, since she was going on a hunt.
After another long silence, Elliott asked, "How did he find out?"
"Christian recorded it, apparently," Cadence explained.
"What? Psycho."
"Right? And then he showed it to Eliza for some disgusting reason."
"Eliza?" Elliott asked, a look of terror on his face.
Cadence nodded.
"Please tell me... Lord Jesus... he's not over there now is he?"
Though it was a bit hard to follow, Cadence was certain he meant Aaron, not Christian. "I have no idea. I went over there and confronted her, and she laughed in my face. I'm done with her," she replied, really wishing she had some alcohol now.
"For the love of all that's Holy..." Elliott muttered. He was very quiet for the next few moments and Cadence assumed he was on the IAC. Finally, he said quietly, "He's not answering."
"Guess that's your answer," she replied, reaching across him, grabbing his drink, and downing it.
***
Aaron wasn't exactly sure how he had ended up in Eliza's apartment. He was even less sure how he had ended up in Eliza's bed. After Cadence had left his office, he was so overcome with emotion; it had taken him some time to gain enough composure to even contemplate leaving. By then, Eliza had contacted him, crying, saying Cadence had threatened her life. The next thing he knew, he was at her door. And then she had somehow managed to work her magic, and here he was, listening to the sounds of her shallow breaths as she slept.
He had turned his IAC off almost two hours ago. He knew Elliott was getting ready to lead a hunt in the next few hours, and he needed to turn it back on. But somehow he knew that his best friend would know what he had done, and he simply didn't want to answer those questions--not right now. Nevertheless, every minute that he had the IAC off, catastrophe could strike, and he was compelled to at least turn the newsfeed back on and find out if he had missed anything.
After checking the headlines and seeing nothing major had gone wrong, he glanced down at Eliza, curled up beside him. The smile she had on her face looked more like a smirk than anything else, and he couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, it wasn't only the pleasure of being with him that had her grinning.
***
"You don't think..." Cadence asked, just a few seconds before she had confirmed for Elliott that Aaron must be with Eliza.
"Yes, I do," Elliott nodded, asking the bartender to refill his drink.
Though the thought had crossed her mind when Elliott had first said Aaron wasn't answering the IAC, she had said it out of snarkiness more than anything else. Now that he confirmed her initial reaction, she felt like she was going to be sick. "Surely not," she said. She was standing now and grabbed him rather forcefully by the arm.
"Kid, listen, Eliza has a little talent of her own," he explained.
Cadence's eyebrows furrowed, and she sat back down. "Please don't get too graphic," she replied, not sure where he was going with this.
He shook his head. "Like I would know that," he muttered. "No, she's a siren, of sorts. She's a temptress."
Cadence's eyes widened. "What?"
He was nodding. "Yep. Now, most of us who know her well are pretty much immune at this point. But that's how she got him in the first place. As upset as I assume he was, he probably couldn't fight her off."
The bartender brought Elliott's drink, and just as he was about to pick it up, Cadence grabbed it and gulped it down. "Why did I not know this?" she asked, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand, her shock perfuse enough that she didn't notice Elliott's dismay at having lost another drink to her.
As he ordered yet another drink, he said, "No reason for you to know, I guess. It wouldn't work on you."
"Still... this whole time I've been wondering how come Aaron dates such annoying women, wondering what that says about me, and it turns out he didn't have a choice."
"Oh, I wouldn't say he didn't have a choice. I mean, it's not like he doesn't know. The problem is, he's a loyal, standup guy. He wants to do what he thinks is right. So, once she got him where she wanted him, he didn't just want to walk away from her. He tried to make it work. But it did not work. Not even a little bit." This time, he snatched his drink out of the barkeeps hand and drank most of it before Cadence could steal it.
"So, do you think he'll stay together with her this time?" she asked.
"For the love of God, I hope not," Elliott replied, finishing his drink.
"Unbelievable," Cadence said, tossing her head back down on top of her folded arms.
"I'm so sorry, kid," Elliott said, patting her on the back. "It'll be all right. If the two of you are meant to be together, nothing can keep that from happening, not even that conniving little bitch."
"And what if we're not?" Cadence asked, the reality of what she was saying beginning to pull the tears loose from her eyes once again.
"I'll find a way, kid," he said, smoothing her hair and causing her to look at him. "I think you are meant to be together. It'll happen--if it's the last thing I do."
Cadence smiled. "While I appreciate the sentiment, considering you're going to live well beyond me, that's not much of an assurance."
He returned the smile. "I don't think it'll take that long. We'll figure it out. Now, come on, let's go kill some Vampires."
***
Being that it was Christmas Eve, there were not a lot of LIGHTS team members willing to go out. However, Cadence and Elliott were joined by another Hunter Cadence only vaguely knew from the gym by the name of Aurora, and Paxton and Smith, two Guardians she had worked with previously. She had not been impressed with either of them.
Nevertheless, the way she was feeling, she didn't need any help at all. Aurora was a super tall strawberry-blond muscular woman. She had a pretty face but did not remind Cadence of the princess from Sleeping Beauty. She seemed to be all business, and Cadence was excited to have the opportunity to work with her. Paxton was a short, scrawny Guardian with a spikey faux-hock and Smith looked like a reject from Space Camp, with his thick glasses and blemished complexion.
They were assembled across the street from a one-story brick bungalow, their black clothes about the only cover they could find except for some shrubbery in the lot across the street. There was a residence about 20 yards behind them
, but Elliott had scoped it out earlier and knew that the woman who lived there was old and hard-of-hearing. He was hopeful she wouldn't notice the small party taking refuge in her boxwoods.
"All right, the mark's name is Ray. He's a newbie, so young and stupid. He lives in the basement of his brother's house--that one there across the street, " he said pointing at the brick structure. "He lived there for years before he was Resurrected, which was only a few months ago. He's been warned several times and hasn't gotten his shit together, so we're taking him out."
They were in Blue Springs, a suburb of Kansas City, and this particular residential neighborhood was not that busy. Still, even as he was speaking, a car drove by, and they hunkered deeper down below the sight-line of the bushes. "Who else lives there?" Aurora asked, peering out across the top of the shrubs.
"Good question," Elliott replied. He had ran his fair share of jobs over the years, but it had been a while, so he was thankful for pertinent questions. "Ray's brother and his family occupy the main floor. He has two kids. There bedrooms are in the back of the house with what could potentially be called the master bedroom right there in the front," he said gesturing to the right side of the house.
"I suggest we gain entry via the basement windows. He should be fairly easy to take down, but I would prefer it if we could avoid gunfire. It would be much simpler if we were in and out without waking the neighborhood."
The rest of the team nodded in confirmation. "Where are you positioning us?" Cadence asked. She didn't know who he was planning to pair her with, but either way she knew she would be on her own. Neither Paxton nor Smith would be able to keep up with her.
"I want Aurora and Smith to go around to the right and see where you can get in. Cadence, you and Paxton can take the left. I'll call the shots from the roof of Mrs. Turquette's house over here," he said with a quick nod at the house behind them.
"Are we sure he's home?" Aurora asked. Since Ray lived in the basement, it wasn't as simple to gain visuals or pick up on a heat signature.
"I believe so," Elliott confirmed. "We had visual confirmation of him entering the residents at 9:30 PM, about two hours ago, and no word that he has left the premises."
"All right then, let's go," Cadence said, ready to get on with it.
"Any other questions?" Elliott asked. There were none, so the team started to move.
Cadence didn't wait for Paxton. She took off across the street and around to the left side of the house while he trailed her. She was carrying only a Glock this time, deciding to lighten her equipment. She was dressed in skin-tight leather in a deep purple. While it looked constraining, it was actually quite comfortable, and she could move in it unrestricted.
As she approached the house, she could see that the basement appeared to be the full-length of the house. There were four ground-level windows along the left side. She assumed that the right side would be the same. Judging the age of the house and the neighborhood, she was fairly certain she wouldn't need to worry about setting any alarms off.
She dropped to her knees to inspect the first window. Immediately, she was certain that the mark was home; a fluttering sensation in her stomach confirmed for her that he was nearby. She attempted to peer into the basement through the dirt-streaked second window, but there were no lights on, and she had to switch over to her night vision. While the basement was full-sized, it was also unfinished. Most of it seemed to be filled with boxes and other displaced household items. She could see a makeshift bed toward the back of the house, near a stairwell. A heat signature was coming from a small heater, which must have been the only source of heat for Ray, though, as a Vampire he wouldn't really need one. She could see a washer and dryer and a shower and toilet back in the corner. "Nice digs," she muttered actually beginning to feel a little sorry that anyone had to live here, whether he was actually alive or not.
There was still one small problem; she still didn't have a visual on Ray. He was clearly not in the bed. As she continued to stare into the darkness, she saw a small movement across the length of the house, just an instantaneous flutter, and realized he was standing in the far corner near the shower, a secondary brick wall hiding him from her line of sight. "Are you ready?" she asked Aurora.
"I'm still waiting on Smith," came the reply.
"Well, I see the mark. I'm going in," Cadence answered. Before Aurora had the opportunity to come back to her, Cadence lifted the flimsy glass panel and screen, tossed them behind her, grabbed the top of the window jam, and propelled her body through the narrow opening.
She landed silently, but she was sure he would know she was there. If nothing else, the change in room temperature from the now open window would be enough to give her away. He didn't move. He must not realize she knew where he was.
Her Glock was in her side holster. She quietly drew it out and cocked it. She wouldn't use it unless she had to, but some Vampires were unpredictable. There was also the small possibility that he was armed. She quietly began to cross the dirty concrete floor that led to his hiding place. She was within 20 yards of him and could hear his heavy breathing. Just as she was about to replace her weapon and pounce on him, a loud noise behind her got her attention. Using her IAC to see in the dark, she realized it was Paxton falling into the room via the window she had opened. The noise was enough to get Ray's attention, and hoping Cadence might be distracted, he sprung from his hiding place and rocketed across the room, crouching behind a pile of boxes and an old stove.
"Dammit!" Cadence exclaimed. "What the hell is the matter with you?"
"Sorry, I lost my balance."
She said nothing else but continued to ascertain precisely where Ray might have disappeared to. She realized she was exposed and decided to duck behind one of the concrete pillars that held up the main floor.
"Do you want me to make entry?" Aurora asked.
"Negative," Cadence replied. "He may spring out one of those windows so be ready."
"Got it," she replied.
"Paxton, hold your position," Elliott ordered. It was the first direction he had given. Cadence wished he had said it a few seconds earlier.
She could hear the breathing again and knew he was near panic. The idea of coaxing him out entered her mind, but that would be cruel. She would rather rip his head off without pretending to feign lenience. Just as she was determining her next move, she realized that Aaron was requesting visuals. With anyone else, he could have just forced his way in, but Cadence had a glitch that prevented him from controlling her remotely. While it was tempting to ignore him, she realized she needed to act professionally, and she granted access. Luckily, he knew better than to say anything.
After a few seconds that seemed to span an eternity, Cadence realized there was a space between the pile of boxes nearest the stove and the one leaning against the wall. Acting completely on instinct, she decided to make her move. She placed her Glock back in her holster. Turning to her right, she spun around, leaped over a table piled high with discarded toys, and dropped down near the stacks of boxes. Before he could even look up, she shot herself between the two towers of cardboard, landing squarely on top of the Vampire who was crouched down behind the castoff appliance.
For a split second, she saw a look of utter astonishment and terror flicker across his face. However, he didn't have time to react, or even bare his teeth before she grasped the top of his head in one hand, his shoulder in the other, and balancing herself on her knees against the side of the stove and the filthy concrete, she jerked his skull to the right sharply, twisting hard enough to tear his head completely off of his body. "Merry f-ing Christmas," she whispered as she watched the body turn to ash.
"Nice work!" Elliott said over the IAC. "Stand-by and I'll bring you the Extracto 9000, and let you suck that bloodsucker right out of there."
The Extracto 9000 was Elliott's ridiculous nickname for the device they used to get rid of the Vampire ashes. Cadence stood and crossed back over to the window where she had gained entry. She was sudden
ly aware that she had caught her leg on the edge of the stove and had torn the leg of her pants just above her knee. There was a small stinging sensation as well, but it was nothing major. As she walked past Paxton, she said nothing, only gave him a look that seemed to say, "Why the hell are you still on this team?"
As she approached the window, Elliott handed the small appliance through where the screen used to be. "Do you think the noise will wake up the family?" she asked.
"Possibly. Aurora, go ahead and open up that window over there so you can help extract Cadence if necessary," he continued.
Aurora opened up the window nearest to where the remains of Ray were scattered all over the floor, and Cadence climbed back behind the boxes to collect her prize. Meanwhile, Paxton clumsily exited through the same window that he had dropped through earlier.
From her location, Aurora could see all three of the bedrooms. If there was any movement, she should be able to get Cadence out before anyone could make it down the stairs.
Cadence scooped as much of Ray together as she could before turning on the vacuum, hoping to be as quick as possible. It only took a few seconds to get most of him before she received a message, "We've got movement," from Aurora. She quickly cut the device, tossed it through the window, and grabbed Aurora's hand, who pulled her through just as the light at the top of the stairs came on. Quickly, the LIGHTS team made their way into the shadows as a very-confused family member surveyed the basement looking for Ray and wondering what happened to the windows.
Cadence, Aurora, and Smith had broken one way while Paxton and Elliott had gone the other. They met up a few blocks away where they had parked the black Escalade that had brought them to the site. "Well done," Elliott said as Cadence approached. "Nice job, everybody," he said to the rest of the team.
"That was awesome," Aurora agreed. "I'd heard how amazing it is to work with you, but now I've seen it for myself," she continued.
Cadence thought she might be upset to have missed out on the action. "Thanks," she said, climbing aboard the vehicle. "I'm glad you were there to get me out."
"No problem," Aurora said, striking a pose that showed her rather large biceps. "Happy to be of service."