Of Man and Monster

by Saje Williams

  "What happened?” she asked, feeling extremely thick-headed. It was so hard to remember.

  "You're at Redburn General,” he told her. “You were infected with some sort of virus. Someone stabbed you with a hypo. At least, that's what we think happened."

  "Can you confirm or deny that, Rachel?” She had to turn her head to see Bigby looming over her from behind the doctor.

  "Big Bean looms over everyone,” she giggled suddenly.

  "What did you give her, Boone?” the Chief asked the doctor. “She sounds like she's high as a kite."

  Dr. Boone shrugged. “Side effect of the high spiking fever, I would guess."

  "Is that odd?"

  "Not particularly. That sort of thing could send the brain into shock, make it short-circuit temporarily. If not permanently."

  Rachel grinned up at them. “I feel great!” She tried to sit up.

  Dr. Boone pushed her back down by pressing gently on her shoulder. She didn't fight. Laying down felt good.

  "So she could be like this for good?"

  "It's possible,” the doctor replied with a sigh. “No way to tell yet. Her temperature has leveled off at around a hundred degrees, which definitely takes her out of the woods. I'd say she'd beaten it, but it's possible she simply reached an accommodation with the bug. That's how it works, after all."

  "Huh? What are you saying?"

  "I'm not sure, but the sudden onset of this thing makes me think it's a metavirus. I can see if I can isolate it, send a sample off to the University of Washington."

  Bigby nodded.

  "Look,” Rachel cackled, pointing at him. “A Big Bean bobble-head doll."

  "Do what you have to,” Bigby told Boone. “If she survives, it means she's a Meta, doesn't it?"

  "Yes. With powers to be determined later."

  "Can you send for a specialist?"

  "Who's going to pay for it?"

  Bigby's lip twitched into the barest hint of a smile. “I will."

  Ten

  Monday Evening.

  The big nurse stepped in his way as if she planned on stopping him. Cory pulled up, holding back Jason and Ben while Gina stood back, expressionless but for a single raised brow.

  "I can't let you go in there,” she told him.

  "Sure you can,” he answered. “She's my mother."

  "I'm going to have to see some ID."

  "Is she kidding?” Ben asked, voice dropping to a threatening growl.

  "Down, boy,” Jason murmured.

  Ben threw him a slashing glare.

  "I'm fifteen. I don't have any ID,” Cory told her.

  "It's okay. I know him.” Bigby stood—no, stooped—in the doorway between the waiting area and the ER proper. “It's her kid."

  The nurse crossed her arms over her ample bosom and offered them a sneering once-over. “Looks like a bunch of punks to me."

  "Nice bedside manner,” Gina observed dryly from her position in the back. “I hope you don't include me in that."

  "Oh. Did I forget their pet slut?"

  Shocked, Gina glanced over at her son, who grinned at her. “Taken a look in the mirror lately, Mom? You look our age now."

  "Oh. Okay."

  "It's good to see you, boy,” Bigby said, looking down at Cory. “Your mom was worried sick."

  "I know. Couldn't be helped."

  "Huh. I'll take your word for it. I think she'd like to see you now, but I'll warn you, she's a bit ... loopy."

  "Loopy how?"

  "Someone gave her a metavirus,” Bigby explained. “She's not quite all here right now."

  "I'll keep that in mind,” Cory replied. “She in there?” He pointed past the Chief.

  "She is."

  "Then I'll go say hi."

  Cory started to squeeze past him as the others fanned out behind him like an honor guard. Bigby's huge hand came down on his shoulder. “You act right, boy."

  Cory's head swiveled around and he met the big man's gaze. “I don't need advice from you, Chief. I'm doing okay."

  "I know what you are,” Bigby murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. “Watch your step."

  Cory reached up and peeled the hand away. “I understand. Now back off."

  He pushed past and sought her out by scent. He walked into the room as she was giggling wildly at something on TV. He craned his head, saw the program, and shook his head. I Dream of Jeannie? Reliving your childhood, Mom?"

  "Cory! My little nibbler!"

  Little Nibbler? What the hell? He walked over and looked into her eyes. “What are you on?"

  "High on life!” she replied brightly, craning her head to watch more of Jeanie's antics.

  "Christ."

  A harried looking man with a mustache and silver hair at the temples rushed in. “You! Who are you? Where's Chief Bigby?"

  "Out there,” Cory replied with a jerk of his head. “You the doctor?"

  "You still haven't answered my question. Who are you?” He pulled himself up straight and drew his age, experience, and authority around himself like a cloak.

  Cory liked him. “I'm her kid,” he said. “Right, Mom?"

  "Yep,” she announced proudly. “My kid. My own ‘Child of the Night'."

  "Waxing poetic, are you, Mom?” He stuck out his hand. “Cory Flynn."

  "Geoffrey Boone,” the doctor replied, taking his hand. “Nice to meet you. I need to talk to Bigby."

  "Right here,” the Chief said from the doorway. “What do you got?"

  "According to the U of Dub, it's not a metavirus at all. According to them it looks like the flu. The flu—can you believe it?"

  "No.” Bigby said calmly. “I can't. It's one of those super-viruses. I know it. I can smell it,” he said. “Get the specialist down here."

  "She won't come,” Boone said. “Says it's a waste of time."

  "Shit!” Bigby's fists clenched so tight they turned white. He glared down at the doctor. “She better survive,” he told him. “That's all I gotta say.” He whirled and stalked from the room. The effect was somewhat ruined by the fact he had to duck so low to get out, but Cory had to admire his style.

  "You take care of her, Doc.” Cory patted Rachel's hand comfortingly. “Love you, Mom. Get well."

  Having said all he needed to, he turned and walked out. He had a killer to find.

  * * * *

  As they stepped outside Ben whirled, snatching Jason up by the front of his tee shirt and slamming him into the cold concrete wall. “Don't ever talk to me like that again,” he snarled, his face mere centimeter's away from the older boy's. “I'm not his dog, and I damn sure ain't yours."

  Jason tried to pry Ben's hands away with the strength of his arms alone. Ben flashed a gritted-teeth smile and shook his head. “Don't even try. I'm probably as strong as you are."

  "Let him down, Ben,” Cory said, sighing. This was exactly the sort of thing he was afraid would happen. “And you—don't talk to him like that."

  Ben dropped Jason and threw him along the wall. He stumbled and fell to one knee, then surged back to his feet. He took a single step toward Ben only to crash into Cory, who'd interposed himself between them.

  "Knock it the fuck off!” Cory aimed a fiery glare at Jason, then shot one just like it at the blond werewolf.

  Gina watched from a few yards away, a slight smile touching her cherry red lips. “Looks like you have your hands full,” she commented.

  "You could help, you know?"

  "Sure I could, but what would be the fun in that?"

  "Fun?” Cory whirled, planting his fist directly in Jason's chest. The force of the blow lifted him off the ground and carried him a good thirty feet before stopped short by a convenient pillar. “I don't see how pissing contests are any fun at all."

  He spun on Ben, who held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “I'm serious, Cor. I'm sick of his attitude."

  "I get that."

  Jason picked himself up off the ground, rubbing his chest and wincing. “Shit, man, did you ha
ve to hit me so hard?"

  "Apparently,” Cory said angrily. “Or didn't you hear me say ‘knock it off'?"

  "What? I'm supposed to hop to when you snap your fingers?"

  "Shit. We don't have time for this. In case you haven't noticed, stupid, there's something seriously twisted in this town. Our town. You want to play petty little power games, that's fine. But this is not the time.

  "We're going to do a little recon. I'll take Ben with me ... you and your mother go the opposite direction. Got a problem with that?"

  "No,” Jason said carefully.

  "Good. I don't have time for this bullshit right now. Half the cops in town are missing and God only knows how many regular cits are still around. If we're going to take this fight to the bitch, we need to know what we're up against. It's night. Her time. Our time. Let's take advantage of it and learn what we can. Got it?"

  Jason nodded.

  He shot a glance at Gina. He'd actually been expecting more trouble out of her than her son, but life was full of surprises. Ever since Mom put her gun to her head, she's been sweet as pie. He still wasn't sure how much he trusted Gina, but—considering that they were all blood-drinking predators—trust probably wasn't particularly prudent. He knew he had no intention of becoming a monster, but he had no such guarantees on their part.

  She smiled back but the expression didn't reach her eyes. Yeah, she still hates my guts. Great. “Work for you?” he asked her.

  "Are we going to stand around all night jawing? I've got a cell phone, you got a cell phone—"

  "Actually, I don't. Probably should do something about that sooner or later. In the meantime—let's just set up a rendezvous. Say ... three hours from now.” He glanced at his watch. “Make it at eleven-thirty. Try to stay unobtrusive, will you?"

  Gina continued smiling. “Whatever you say, boss."

  That made him feel so much better. “No biting anyone unless you can't restrain yourself. If either of you has to take a bite, the other one stay on top of it and pull them away before it goes too far. If you drain a person near to death, they will turn. We don't need that kind of headache right now. And under no circumstances are you to use the bitch's method of dealing with the problem. I don't want any more corpses either."

  "Picky, picky.” Like a ghost in a black leather jumpsuit, she vanished into the night.

  Jason offered up the tiniest shrug and followed.

  Christ. When did my life get so damned complicated? Oh, yeah. When I died.

  "Please don't tell me you trust them."

  "Do I look stupid? Hell, Ben, I don't trust you, and I barely trust myself."

  He started off across the parking lot and stopped when he realized Ben hadn't fallen in step. He turned around and lifted his arms questioningly. “What?"

  Ben stood on the edge of the curb in front of the ER entrance. “I'm sorry I tried to kill you,” he murmured.

  Someone standing five feet away wouldn't have been able to hear it. Cory could. “I've already forgiven you,” he replied. “Let's not make a big deal out of it, okay?"

  A wave of emotion, a mix of pain, fear, anger, and guilt swept out from Ben and washed over Cory, who staggered under the unexpected assault. “I tried to kill you and, in return, you made me into what I am. Fuck, Cory, I almost ate someone!” His voice rose, echoing off the building and across the parking lot.

  "Christ—why don't you just take out a radio ad?"

  Ben shook his head and stepped off the curb. “You made me into a monster!"

  "Screw you. It was an accident. It was an accident you caused. You came to kill me and ran into the teeth of my guardian. I didn't cause that."

  Ben drew closer, face flushed, hands clenched into fists by his side. “Oh, so it's not your fault? God, that makes me feel so much better. Maybe now I won't turn into a man-eating beast."

  Cory bit back another angry response. “Don't do this, Ben."

  The blond kid let out a shuddering breath. A few stray tears leaked slowly down his cheeks. “I don't want to be a monster, Cory."

  "I don't either. And I'm not going to be. That's my choice. You can make the same choice."

  "What about the Thirst?” Ben's fists uncurled as he stepped up close. “How do you plan on beating it the next time it comes?"

  "I don't know. But I'm not going to give into it again."

  "Brave words."

  "We're more than a bundle of instincts,” Cory told him. “Even now. We've got human minds, right?"

  "I don't know..."

  "Do you remember what you did? Taking that bite out of the guy?"

  "Yeah,” Ben admitted reluctantly.

  "That means the animal isn't in control. If you don't maintain your sense of what—of who—you are, it can get away from you."

  Ben responded with a skeptical look. “Great, in theory. In practice—"

  "Are we good for now? I don't want to stand out here all night."

  "Okay. Don't get your panties in a bunch."

  "Where did that phrase come from?” Cory started walking and Ben fell in beside him.

  "My grandpa used it all the time. He was a character, let me tell you."

  "Your grandkids will probably say the same of you,” Cory said with a soft chuckle.

  "You think so?"

  * * * *

  Both sides of Main Street were lined with pickup trucks. Not cars. Pickup trucks. For nearly three blocks. “What the hell?” Ben shot a quizzical glance at Cory, who could only shrug. They crouched together on the roof of Redburn Drugs, staring down at the silent street in amazement.

  "Now that's just weird, isn't it?"

  "Uh ... yeah?"

  "Notice something else weird?"

  "What?"

  "Donny's Bar is closed."

  "Huh. Now that is weird."

  "So's the Chinese place across the street."

  "Yep. Strange."

  "Not as strange as that.” Ben pointed down the street toward the hardware store. A line of people were coming down the sidewalk pushing wheelbarrows filled with an assortment of tools.

  Cory made a quick count and frowned. “Quite a crowd."

  The forty-four men and women, ranging in age from their late teens to their mid-sixties, or older, began loading the tools and wheelbarrows into the pickup beds. No one spoke a word.

  "Okay. That's just freaky."

  "I think we already said that."

  "Night of the Living Dead Gardener? They look like zombies. Hey—you don't think?"

  "Nah. They're still breathing. I can hear their heartbeats, smell their sweat. They're still alive, but..."

  "But nobody's home?"

  Cory closed his eyes and reached out with his other senses—the ones he'd gained since becoming a vampire, the ones he'd barely learned to tap, much less control. “Their minds are damn near shut down ... like they're on automatic pilot."

  "Mind control?"

  "More like some kind of hypnosis. I think. Their personalities have been subdued, shoved deep down inside. All that's on the surface are simple commands, like you'd give a robot. ‘Get these things—put them in the vehicles. Drive the vehicles to this place.’”

  "What place?"

  "I don't know. For some reason that information is being blacked out."

  "So they're like ... pre-programmed?"

  "Yeah, except they're...” He paused a second. “...receiving detailed instructions on-scene from someone nearby. That's why they don't know where they're heading."

  "How ‘bout we track down that someone and ... persuade him to talk?"

  "Her."

  "Her?"

  "One of the bitch's Get. A vampire. I think she's only turning women."

  "Sexist, is she?"

  "Looks that way. Let's see...” He stood suddenly and launched himself off the roof, dropping the one and a half stories and landing lightly on the sidewalk. He rose out of a crouch and swept the street with his gaze.

  The human robots didn't seem to notice him. H
e breathed a sigh of relief. He'd been worried about that. He didn't want to have to hurt people controlled by someone else.

  Ben stood on the rooftop above, hesitating. Cory grinned up at him and motioned for him to jump down. With a tight smile Ben bent his knees and made the leap of faith. Unlike Cory, who'd struck without a sound, he hit like a ton of bricks. The earth seemed to shudder beneath him as he landed, his knees bending to absorb the shock. The sidewalk cracked in a spider-web pattern under his feet.

  He straightened as Cory regarded him amazedly. “Wow. I would never have expected that."

  "Tell me about it.” Ben ran a shuddering hand through his hair. “What's really weird is that it didn't hurt at all."

  "Surprised? I'm not. You're as tough as we are, by the look of things. The game had that right, at least."

  Ben snorted. “The game? You're still comparing our real life to that fucking game? You're kidding me, right?"

  "We could make comparisons to any myths and it would still fall short. This isn't like anything I ever imagined it would be."

  "How nice for you,” Ben growled. “Where's our target?"

  Cory swept the area with his enhanced senses, as well as with the extras he didn't quite understand. “She's nearby. And she knows we're here as well."

  "Oh, that's just great news,” Ben muttered. “What do you plan to do about her?"

  "I don't know. Incapacitate her, I'm hoping. She might be as innocent as those poor puppets over there."

  "What? She works for the Big Bad Bitch. You telling me it's not a deliberate choice?"

  "Not from what Dave told me."

  "Dave?"

  "My maker. He said that the bitch stumbled on a technique that turns her Get into slaves. They can't disobey her, or even act against her best interests."

  "Do you know how to do this?"

  "He told me."

  "You didn't use it when you turned Jason or Gina?"

  "I wouldn't. It's disgusting."

  "Would have saved you a lot of trouble."

  "Yeah, it would have, wouldn't it?” He motioned down the street, toward the old abandoned theater. “She's that-a-way."

  "The theater?"

  "That would be my guess."