Damage Control

by Eric Alan Williams

  Xairin started sipping on the bag of blood she offered him. His eyes grew wider. "This tastes different."

  "It is laced with two hundred milligrams of epinephrine. Should help perk you up quickly."

  That one bag didn't take long until Xairin was feeling hyper, refreshed, and ready for what awaited. "Feeling better already?" She asked.

  "Yeah, I am." Deep down every cell, from his blood to his skin, was vibrating. She could feel it radiating off of him.

  "Good, now your blades and your weapons are with Griffin. I expect your nest mate will be a bit overly anxious to see you and yes before you ask. He knows that I know all about you."

  She stood up and smiled. "I will say this; your little bat cry did help accomplish the mission objective. But in the future. Try to reign in your blood until you have a better grasp of your powers."

  Xairin nodded.

  He was curious. "Why don't they ever really go over what powers we have at the Academy? I mean, it would be useful?"

  She tipped her head forward. "That is for the more advanced classes. Now that you have graduated to the team, you will have your chance. I will probably try to train you myself, or someone else from House Dracul, or possibly even House Ninlil. Your secret will be known to both houses Xairin. My sister will be obliged to contact them."

  Xairin smirked. "Ethan said that my grandmother didn't trust House Ninlil, why is that?"

  Helena didn't know how to respond. "That I cannot say. Finish your second bag of blood, you're going to need it. We are only two hours out from our next mission."

  Xairin sat there, finishing the second bag as he was told to do. While sitting there, he reflected on what she said about his mother and grandmother. If his mom really was alive, it stung knowing it. He wondered if she was alive, why didn't she come for him?

  Thirty minutes after Xairin had recovered, he was sitting in the holding area. Griffin had been pretty quiet as he sat across from the now combat suited young vampire. Xairin wasn't equipped with a laser rifle this time, just his laser pistols and his blades. Griffin wasn't sure what to say, which only added to the silence between the two.

  Feeling like someone needed to break the ice, their new teammate, Joanie spoke up. "Xairin, where did you learn how to perform a bat cry? I didn't think deltas could do that?"

  Xairin looked over, he shrugged. "They think from where I was a sensitive and bitten by a bat, it may have accelerated the development of a few abilities."

  "That's what Commander Dolenigan said. Pretty nifty."

  Alex Fifer wasn't as convinced. He had seen Xairin's shoulder and initially brushed that crescent moon shaped birthmark off as a fluke. Now the wolf was wondering if there was more to the red-eyed vampire. He knew Xairin had been bitten by a bat, that much he knew was factual, but now, experiencing a bat cry like that, it had the werewolf wondering. He felt like something was off.

  Alex let out a sigh. "Next time you let out a bat cry like that, can you make sure all of us thropes are at least a hundred yards or more away? You could have killed us."

  Xairin looked at his previous protector. He truly felt sorry about the pain he had caused and the fact that he almost killed Alex and the other teammates. There were no words to convey or express that could mention how sorry he was. He didn't know he could even do that, which had Xairin wondering what other powers lay dormant within him or what his blood could do when he was in trouble. All Xairin could say was, "I'm very sorry Alex. I honestly didn't know I could do that. I guess the sensitive genes modified by that bat's bite, gave me some abilities that I need to work on controlling."

  Alex was insistent. "Make sure you get that one under your wing dude. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful we caught that thylacine fucker, but you could have killed the rest of us with that bat cry."

  "Alex, I am truly sorry. I honestly didn't know I could do that."

  He huffed. "Well, Commander Dolenigan has already made it clear you were different, just keep your differences away from the rest of us when you try to tap into some overkill power, got it?"

  Xairin felt horrible. He could see the look in the blond werewolf's face. He was the first real Immortium friend he had made and knowing that he almost killed him, made Xairin feel like shit. He hung his head low and closed his eyes.

  Griffin finally spoke up. "Are you okay?"

  Xairin could only shrug his shoulders while keeping his eyes glued to the textured black metal flooring.

  Right now, Xairin wished he had his cell phone on him so he could either call or text Topher or Rory. He felt alone.

  _____

  Lacarsis Prison.

  Lacarsis Prison had been abandoned for the past twenty years mostly in part due to radiation from the fallout nearby. A nuclear warhead had contaminated the area almost three decades ago, which forced the Global Alliance to relocate the staff and the prisoners due to the cancer rate, not to mention a mutation issue.

  Most of the trees and vegetation had grown back around the site, though eating anything here could have dire consequences if you lacked the immortal genes to fortify your digestion. Most of the deer and other vegetarian life had open sores, loss of hair or feathers, as well as unusual growths. The same was for the creatures that fed on them. Some of the other wildlife, however, had adapted somewhat, mostly becoming more aggressive. Aside from that, there were a few accounts of other things lurking about, mutants.

  As for the facility, radiation didn't effect Immortium or Aeonians. The Conclave had acquired the facility shortly after the humans left it for nature to claim. Over the years they had added a few upgrades to the facility, but underneath it was where the real magic happened. A fully functional underground lair had been built off the backs of Thralls, modified to withstand the fallout from what prisoners that had been left behind. Xairin's team had been sent to investigate.

  The Betty wasted no time in landing just outside the perimeter walls, which were still fully intact. The complex itself was built near a mountainside, making securing the structure with the tall iron fencing easier. Xairin was one of the first to exit the Betty and took a gander at the barb wire fence surrounding the old concrete building. He could still see lighting coming from searchlights still active. Looking at his armband, he pressed a key which displayed a map of the structure, the above structure that is. The building was drawing power from a waterfall nearby in which the turbines were obviously still active given the amount of light being put off.

  "The only thing missing is guards patrolling and barking dogs," Xairin said.

  Griffin and Alex took the lead, while Joanie had the middle. Xairin was standing with Hammond.

  Two other teams split off. Marylou went with Cullen Pattinson. Xairin watched as the vampire with the bald shaven head was preparing his laser rifle, while Marylou was doing the same.

  The other team had Richard Adams paired with Parker Roark. Xairin locked eyes with the other red-eyed vamp right as Richard pointed the direction, he wanted the pair to explore.

  "Why is our team the largest?" He asked.

  Alex scoffed. "You, Joanie, and Hammond are all new recruits. That's why."

  "Oh." Xairin could still feel the animosity growing in Alex.

  Griffin pointed to a guard tower. "Alex, keep your eyes open while I check out the guard tower."

  "On it!"

  Griffin leaped over the twenty feet tall barb wire fence as if it were nothing. He then went into a sprint, jumping at the guard tower. Xairin watched Griffin climb like a tree frog clinging to the concrete wall as if it were nothing. It took him two seconds to make it to the top.

  The next thing Xairin knew was the light inside went out. Griffin leaped through an open window, doing a flip before landing on his feet at the bottom in the high unkempt grass.

  Alex turned to the others. "Stay behind me, got it?" He looked at Xairin, "and no bat cries…"

  "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

  "Likely not." The werewolf said right as he lea
ped the fence.

  Joanie went next, landing with one hand pressed against the ground and her legs planted. Xairin took a slight run, clearing the fence and landing on both feet, while Hammond ripped the back of his pants, not bad, but enough to cause him to catch his footing awkwardly when his feet found the ground.

  "Didn't do so hot on those hurdles at the academy, huh?" Joanie teased.

  Hammond frowned.

  Griffin was a hundred yards away, spider climbing walls, and checking out the other two guard towers. Xairin heard a thud, a loud noise, followed by a body being tossed off the top of the third guard tower. His vampiric eyes focused in like slow motion cameras. A thrall had been thrown headfirst. Xairin watched as the man's body went lifeless as his head met with the concrete walkway below.

  Over the commlinks built into the new armbands, Griffin spoke calmly. "I just encountered a thrall, a werewolf thrall. Be watchful."

  A moment later, Marylou spoke over the commlink. "Two thralls dead on my end, both werewolf thralls by the smell."

  Parker was next. "We just took out a werewolf just a few hundred yards from The Betty. It looked like was wearing some sort of guard uniform."

  Xairin looked at Alex. "I thought we were meeting another team here?"

  Alex gave him a snarky glare. "We were, orders change like the wind Xairin. This OP, we are on our own."

  "But I thought we were here to rescue Lilith and Lord Winters?" He asked.

  "They may be here, they may not. A new lead came in, so the teams were split up. We are attacking nine locations at once Xairin. Keep your senses sharp, understood?"

  Xairin nodded.

  _____

  Hawaii

  Sara had arrived in Hawaii with her daughter Cecilia. The two had come in a red airvan, landing just outside an older building nestled in a back alley. The front of the building had Jordan's Antiques on the front of it displayed on the old white lit up sign barely hanging from the bolts above sunk into the grey brick. It was dusk here.

  Sara was the first to get out. She had dressed down into a business suit with a blue skirt, while her daughter was wearing a white suit contrasting her mother. The two went up to the door, used an old copper colored key, and turned the handle.

  Right as the door opened, a red sign lit up in the window reading the words. "WE BUY SILVER."

  Inside a man in his late fifties sat behind a desk looking at silver watches, silver rings, and several other types of silver jewelry.

  "I see you're busy at work, Isac.' Sara said.

  "Did you get your target?" The man asked while looking up and taking his glasses off.

  "Dead as a crow that swallowed a firecracker," Cecilia said chuckling.

  Sara looked at the silver on the table. It wasn't much. By the time they would smelt it down, they might be lucky enough to end up with enough ammo to fill to mags, that would have been it. "Slow week on silver acquisitions?" She asked.

  The salt and pepper haired man nodded. "Silver is getting harder to come by. I'm afraid we may have to start buying it outright. By the bar."

  Sara shook her head. "That's far too risky Isac, and you know it. No, we're going to have to figure out another means of getting silver if we're going to keep up our work."

  Isac stood up. He was a tall man, six foot, wearing a business suit. His clothes made him look like an expert antique dealer, which he was, but for Isac, he had to look the part, and keep up appearances. "I have some bad news, aside from the silver…"

  Sara put both hands on her hips. "As do I, but you go first."

  He gave her a smug look. "While you two have been playing vigilante, two alarms went off at the crypt, the crypt…"

  Cecilia walked up to him with a forlorn look. "My crypt? As in.."

  He caught her before she could finish. "All of our silver traps have been activated. Two separate dates, meaning two separate individuals. I checked the log yesterday to confirm. In a week, either the same person or two different individuals have paid a visit to the Thunder Crypt."

  Cecilia looked around the antique shop. She closed her eyes, grimaced for a moment, then looked at her mother. "We have to go check it out, mom."

  Sara had other ideas. "We will, but first." She looked at her aging mortal husband. "Lilith has been captured by The Conclave."

  Isac sat back down and leaned back in his chair. "Fuck."

  Cecilia smirked. "Yeah, you and I found that out, big deal." Clearly, they hadn't spoken much about it on the way back.

  Sara looked at her daughter, who seemed like the ages were reversed. Sara looked like she was barely eighteen, while Cecilia looked mid-forties. "It means that this Society of Night that is trying to keep the peace will be at each other's throats until a new leader is elected."

  Isac interrupted. "Not so…"

  Sara turned around quickly, her red curls barely taking the brunt of the turn. "What do you mean? How so?"

  "Our friend Jackson Hale has informed me that The Society elected an Adjudicator, taking the mantel until Lilith can be rescued."

  "Are you serious?" Sara asked with a unique flair to her voice.

  "I am Sara. The Society is trying to do the right thing, I suppose."

  Sara leaned up against a large marble desk adorned with golden trinkets they were appraising. She sighed.

  A young blond man came down the steps just off of the main counter where the cash register was. He was as tall as Isac, snarky looking, yawning. "It is about time you woke up Vaughn, I need you to run the shop today," Isac informed.

  Vaughn looked at his father, then the stern look of his youthful mother glaring at him. "I have plans to meet up with Trina later. We have a date."

  Cecilia scoffed. "Dhampirs and mortals don't mix, trust me. I tried it."

  Vaughn shot his older sister a dastardly look. "Just because your man and kids are on a shelf, does not mean the same thing will happen with me and who I end up with. So, stop being a bitch, sis!"

  Cecilia's eyes changed; her pupils went solid black. She lacked fangs but hissed anyways. Vaughn didn't have any eye changes like his sister, but the young dhampir could grow fangs from his lateral incisors and let out a hiss at her.

  "Cecilia, act your age, and as for you young man, stop being an asshole and help your father run the antique store…" Sara demanded.

  "For fuck's sake, mom, I'm twenty-three years old. Don't you think I should start having a life by now instead of hiding in this dusty old pawn store?"

  Isac was offended. "This is not a pawn shop; we are dealing in antiquities."

  Vaughn pointed at the flat screen TV, a set of computers, and some cell phones on another table. "Pawn store… We run… A Glorified, pawn store…"

  Sara walked over to her son and gave him a slight push. "You will help your father Vaughn, end of discussion. Hell, even if you did go out on a date, you're not a fighter like your sister, and I will not risk losing anyone else because of our family heritage, especially now with the Society about to be in an uproar."

  Vaughn looked at his mother tilting his head. "What's going on with The Society of Night?"

  Sara sighed. "My mother, she was taken."

  Vaughn got all excited. "Mom, that means you're the new queen. If Grandma Lilith is dead, or whatever, Immortal law..."

  She interrupted him. "I don't care about the laws Vaughn, I never have. All I have ever wanted was to have a family, one that didn't have targets on their backs at all times, and here we are, hiding until I can kill every single one of those bastards that could link who I am, to me still being alive."

  Vaughn was insistent. "But you're the heir mom. You. I mean for crying out loud, you have so many powers mom, you could tear that council apart if they disagreed with what you wanted. Wouldn't that be the better place to hide? By ruling?"

  Sara scoffed. "We have been over this a thousand times Vaughn; I don't want the throne. It would put each of you in danger."

  Vaughn smirked. "We're half breeds, we can't be an heir, remember?
" He then smirked again. "Unless someone changed the laws, ahem…" He pointed at her.

  "Vaughn, being an heir to that throne is like asking to be hunted down like a rabid fox. I will not lose anyone else to this madness, I just won't do it." She pointed at her daughter. "Look at your sister Vaughn, look what she has given up keeping her only living child safe. If we came out, it would be a bloodbath. Sure, you can't claim the throne, but that wouldn't stop some crazy immortal with a hardon for using my family as leverage to get me to step down. I won't risk it!" She said.

  Cecilia hadn't checked on Xairin in ages. Hearing that conversation caused the redheaded woman to sob and walked off to the back room.