There were several other crewmembers at the various watch stations, busy beginning to make the required preparations for entering port. He heard several of the low-key conversations going on, which consisted of the usual banter of returning home. As was the usual custom, the crew was anxious to get home again to see family and loved ones. Reese slowly approached the lieutenant.
"Almost home?” Reese asked.
"Yes, sir,” he answered. “Less then two hours. The current is with us, so we should—"
"What the—” screamed one of the petty officers on watch.
Both men turned in the direction of the petty officer, just in time to see three dark figures exploding onto the bridge, brandishing weapons. They knocked down anyone who approached them. The boatswain mate on watch dove for the ship's announcing system to call a security alert; however, one of the men took him out with the butt of a weapon before the he could get to the microphone.
Reese stared in disbelief at Dimitri and his two men as they quickly took control of the bridge.
"What are you doing?” Reese shouted. “You will die for this!"
"Only if you are alive to press that button on the device you carry on your belt,” Dimitri said, as he held up another similar device in his hand.
"Where did you get that?” Reese asked, his voice both questioning and nervous in its tone. “It won't do you any good—"
"The two guards guarding us below had a slight accident,” Dimitri said calmly. “If you do not wish to have the same fate, I suggest you do as I say."
Reese did not answer, but his hand slowly moved toward the device on his belt.
"I didn't think so,” Dimitri said as he moved forward in a blur of movement and removed the device from Reese's belt. In the same instant, Dimitri reached up toward Reese's head and grabbed a handful of hair. Removing a knife from its sheath, he sliced the handful of hair from Reese's head. He then wrapped the hair around the sensing device of the remote control.
"DNA is a wonderful thing,” Dimitri said. “It's everywhere on the human body, even in hair. The remote control device is happy, see,” he said, as he held up the device taken from the guards below. It too had hair wrapped around the sensor area, just like the one taken from Reese.
"Son of a bitch!” Reese exclaimed. “It doesn't matter. Where will you go? You can't hide from us! You filth—"
Dimitri backhanded Reese, knocking him off his feet and sending him sliding across the floor of the bridge.
"That was for capturing us. I won't kill you because that would be too easy. We want you to keep looking over your shoulder for us, because we will come for you later. You just won't know when."
Dimitri then turned toward the other two figures. “Put the raft in the water,” he said. The two moved silently off the bridge and headed aft to do so.
"Your crew is unharmed,” Dimitri said to the lieutenant. “We did not kill anyone ... yet. We will leave peaceful as long as you do not interfere with us."
"And where will you go?” Reese asked. He still sat on the floor, the lieutenant alongside him, trying to assist him to stand. Reese wiped at the blood that flowed from his lip where Dimitri had hit him.
"That is none of your concern,” Dimitri said.
"You will be hunted down and killed."
"Maybe, but I don't think so. What is General Stone going to tell everyone? That there are vampires on the loose?” he laughed. “I don't think so."
"But you...” Reese started.
"I'd love to talk some more, but I really must be going now.” Dimitri walked over to the communications console and slammed his hand into the equipment several times, watching the sparks from bursting CRT screens erupt, ensuring that it was unworkable. He turned toward the lieutenant. “If anyone follows us, we will kill them.” Then he turned toward Reese. “Until we meet again, Commander.” Dimitri smiled and then disappeared from the bridge.
"Help me up,” Reese said. “I have to get to my quarters!” The lieutenant helped Reese up to his feet.
"What do you want us to do?” he asked.
"Nothing. Do not do anything until I get back!"
"But they are getting away!"
"Do nothing, Lieutenant!” Reese screamed. “I am in operational control of these creatures! Just track their movement."
"Yes, sir!” the lieutenant acknowledged, his voice sounding unwilling to Reese's order.
Reese dashed off the bridge. Less then a minute later, he returned to the bridge. In his hand, he held another remote control device, similar to the one on his belt that Dimitri had removed from him.
"Where are they?” Reese asked.
The lieutenant standing next to the radar screen spoke. “About 200 yards to the east.” Turning away from the screen, the lieutenant saw the device in Reese's hand. “What's that?” he asked.
Reese smiled. “It's another device that Dimitri did not know about. We had it made just in case—in the event something like this would happen. I need all of this recorded in the ship's log,” Reese said. “There will no doubt be an investigation into this and we have to make sure of all of the facts."
"Yes, sir,” the lieutenant answered. “Boatswain's mate!"
"Sir,” the petty officer answered.
"Ensure this is all logged with appropriate times."
"Yes, sir."
"Lieutenant,” Reese said. “Do you agree that we have lost positive control of the members of my team?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you agree that there is no other recourse but to eradicate them?"
The lieutenant hesitated.
Reese said firmly, “The longer we wait, the more we risk them getting out of range of this device."
"Yes, sir, I agree that there is no other recourse,” the lieutenant answered. “Logged and noted in the ship's log."
Reese pressed the illuminated button on the device. The small LED bulb flashed from green to red.
"That's it,” Reese said, as he tossed the device on the floor. “As soon as some of your crew is revived, we can collect the raft."
"And bodies?” the lieutenant asked.
"There won't be any bodies,” Reese said calmly. “Just a raft with some ash remains."
"Sir?"
"Never mind, Lieutenant. The less you know the better. I'm going to my quarters.” Reese turned to leave the bridge, but stopped and looked back at the confused lieutenant. “If I were you, I would start preparing for the debriefing from hell. There is going to be one pissed-off four-star general that's going to want someone's ass, probably mine. You won't want to piss him off, so make sure that the log reflects everything."
"Yes, sir."
Chapter Fifty-nine
"Such a waste,” Stone said to Reese, Barkley and Scott as they sat around the conference table at the facility in Little Creek. Everyone had a copy of the ship's log, which delineated in excruciating detail the events that had transpired on the bridge of the USS Cyclone hours ago.
"What I can't understand is why?” Scott asked. “Why did they do it if they knew it would be their deaths?"
"They didn't know about the third device on board the ship,” Reese said. “They assumed that two was all there was and that they had eliminated that threat by using the hair to maintain the DNA integrity of the device."
"But wasn't there an anti-tampering device built into the collars?” Stone asked.
"Yes, sir, there was,” Reese answered. “I believe they knew that if they were out of range long enough, the elixir would lose effectiveness and when it did, it wouldn't matter anymore if they were injected or not."
"It's over,” Stone said. “Damn it, here we had the perfect opportunity to change the world, and now it's gone.” He turned toward Reese. “Any chance of finding any more of these creatures?"
"Who knows?” Reese said. “There are probably more out there, but they are very good at not being found. You would have to devote a lot of assets to trying to locate others—if they exist."
"No. We
can't afford to attract any more attention,” Stone said. “I already have a lot of explaining to do as it is. But at least two missions were accomplished.” He looked at Reese and Barkley and said, “You will be returned to your original units with a reminder that all of this is top secret and not to be discussed with anyone until it is, if ever, declassified."
They nodded in understanding.
"Then that's it, gentleman, “Stone said as he rose. “You are dismissed.
As they walked out of the room, Reese couldn't help feeling uneasy. The ease by which Stone had accepted the loss of the creatures was not as he had expected. Perhaps he had become more rational about them and his ideas for the future. Reese had a hard time swallowing that line of thinking, but for the moment, there was no reason to think anything else. It was over.
* * * *
As Reese and Barkley closed the door behind them, Stone turned to Scott. “Is the backup plan proceeding?"
Scott's demeanor became cautious. “We're not sure, sir. The two bodies you had me bring back from Kosovo have remained in some sort of coma or sleep."
"What does that mean?” Stone said, with an edge to his voice. “I'm not in a very good mood right now, Commander. More bad news is not what I am in the mood for."
"Sir, we can't explain—"
"Commander,” Stone said, raising his hand to silence Scott. “When I told you to bring back the bodies of Idriz Laupki's two dead daughters when this all began, I gave specific orders on what I wanted done with them. Didn't I give you a list of things?"
"Yes, sir, you did,” Scott replied.
"Was not one of the things you were supposed to learn was how to revive them?"
"Yes, sir, it was. However, in all the recorded conversations we have of Dimitri and Reese, the subject was not addressed."
"Why not?” Stone asked, the anger clearly evident in his voice.
"We don't know, sir. For some reason, this subject was clearly avoided."
"They probably knew their conversations were being recorded and didn't want to give away details that we could use,” Stone said in disgust. “That damn Reese, he thought he was above all this with his moralistic bullshit."
"Sir, perhaps we should bring him in on this—"
"Hell, no!” Stone shouted. “That's the last thing we want to do. You saw the way he reacted with using grown men. How do you think he would feel if he knew we had two small girls? He would bounce off the bulkheads screaming how inhuman what we are doing is!"
"But sir, he may be the only one who can assist us,” Stone offered.
"That might be true, but there must be other types we can go to. He can't be the only vampire authority. Christ, can't our own people tell us anything?"
"They're not sure what is happening to them, but we do know what is not happening."
"Scott,” Stone said. “Stop talking like a fucking idiot. What the hell do you mean?"
"The doctors we have on this can't tell specifically what is happening to the two bodies, but what they do know is that their bodies are not decaying either. So something is or has happened to cause this."
"Don't they have any idea on how to bring them to consciousness?” Stone asked.
"They are pursuing many different approaches, but none have been successful. They think that perhaps the process was not completed and—"
"I don't care what they think!” Stone shouted. “All I want is results. I have a mission I am going to finish and I will have them. Do you hear me? I will have them alive and conscious."
"But, sir—"
"Shut up and listen! These doctors are probably too smart for their own good. How have they tried to revive them?"
"They have used drugs to try and restart their bodily functions. Then they tried to stimulate their hearts with electricity to—"
"They look to modern medicine for answers to century-old questions. These dumb asses can't stop thinking in terms of a normal living being. These two girls are no longer living beings so the traditional approach does not apply. Tell them to give them a transfusion."
"A transfusion?” Scott asked. “But if they aren't—"
"Yes, a goddamned fucking blood transfusion!” Stone screamed.
"No, sir, I don't believe they have tried that."
"Idiots! Then get them to do it now. These creatures live on blood they ingest—even I know that. Theses doctors are wasting time in trying to restart organs that they no longer require. Of course, it's not going to work. Tell them not to give them that frozen shit either. I want them to give them blood directly from a living human being."
"But who—"
"I don't give a rat's ass where or who they get if from,” Stone said. “Just do it!"
"Yes, sir. I'll see to it."
"If it works, get them moved to the secure compound at the amphibious base. We might as well get our money's worth out of it."
"Sir, with this congressional attention, do you think that this is a good idea—"
"I don't give a shit about the pencil neck assholes—just do it!"
"Yes, sir. But there is one thing you should be aware of."
"What's that?"
"We've been getting some inquiries through the Joint Chiefs from some of the spooks."
That piqued Stone's interest. “Which one was it? CIA?” he asked.
"JCS wouldn't say,” Scott answered.
"Wouldn't say or didn't know?” Stone asked.
"I don't know."
"What are they aware of?” Stone asked.
"We had to get spook involvement when we had the shipment back to the States of the two bodies. Apparently whichever agency was involved, traced them to SOCOM, and it raised a lot of eyebrows and now the questions are flying of why we brought back non-US citizen bodies at such a priority."
"Then they don't know shit. Just more overpaid civil servants who don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. Don't worry about it. If they have any questions, they can come to me and I will deal with them."
* * * *
Reese and Barkley gathered their things from their quarters and were awaiting the duty van to take them back to their vehicles. As they waited, they talked of different things to pass the time.
"Back to Kosovo for you?” Reese asked.
"No, the general was able to get me orders back stateside. I guess it was a form of payback. You?” he asked Reese.
"Back to my desk job right here, business as usual. I'll finish out the last couple months of my tour and then retire. Time to move on to something new."
"That's great,” Barkley said cheerfully. “Congratulations. What a note to end a career on. Wasn't this whole thing bizarre? Right down to the cliffhanging ending. Yeah, interesting..."
Reese heard the hesitancy in Barkley's voice.
"What's wrong, Sam?” Reese asked.
"Something's bugging me."
"What's that?"
Barkley looked at Reese and said in a serious tone, “Don't get me wrong, I'm not insinuating anything, John, but when did you have the extra remote device made—the one that you used to activate the collars? I thought I had all the spares with me in medical."
"You must have missed that one,” Reese said. “I have been known to have sticky fingers at times."
Barkley looked at Reese with a questioning look, but then smiled. “You Navy guys are all the same, aren't you?"
"How's that?” Reese asked.
"Thieves at heart,” he said and laughed. Reese laughed along with him.
"Damn, you figured me out,” Reese said and clapped him on the back. He then turned away from Barkley and let out a sigh of relief.
Chapter Sixty
Several months later, John Reese, recently retired commander from the U.S. Navy, was looking through the evening addition of the Virginian Pilot and stopped when he read the heading of an article: Abrupt Decline of Crime in the Norfolk Ocean View Area. As he read further, the article explained that the once crime-ridden areas of Ocean View had become devoid
of hardened criminal elements that had used the area as a source for numerous criminal activities. Tourism was on a healthy recovery not seen for the past twenty years. Developers were lining up to invest in the area once considered the armpit of Virginia.
This amazing turnaround of one of the most notorious areas of Norfolk was directly accredited to the police force, who commented, “The hard work of the vice branch has made significant contributions to the dramatic change. The dedicated men and women of the police force have taken back their city."
Further in the article, buried at the very end, there was an anonymous comment from a member of the force that claimed that the reduction of the crime was a result of a mysterious disappearance of the crime element and not from the direct actions of the police force.
There was no comment from the police force on the remarks and they were attributed to a disgruntled employee looking to make trouble by insinuating something else had caused the decline.
Reese put down the paper as he glanced toward the window. It was almost sunset and he thought he should probably get some rest. It was going to be a long night as he planned to go out and search for the nightmare of his own dreams that he had unleashed upon the city of Norfolk.
* * * *
It was close to midnight as Reese sat at a table in the bar called The Mad Sailor, the fourth bar he had been in this evening. It was one of several bars along the strip, an area adjacent to the Naval Station, which made it an opportune environment for drug dealers, prostitutes and assorted others to attempt to make sales to the thousands of sailors that claimed Norfolk as their home.
"What can I get you?” the waitress asked, as she placed the napkin on the table.
"How about a beer?” Reese said.
"What kind?"
"Whatever you have on tap will be fine."
The waitress hurried off to fill his order. Reese scanned the small crowd of people. He assumed it would have been more crowded for a Friday night, but not having been here before, he wasn't really sure what to expect.
"Here you go,” the waitress said, placing the beer on napkin. “Two bucks."
Operation: Immortal Servitude From Declassified Files of Team of Darkness Page 30