Chapter 6
John/Henry
Outside Midland Police Department
July 31, 1994 7:48pm
“It’s about damn time!” John said, as 'Agent' Ben Morris led him out of the police station still in handcuffs. “That damn Ranger has been grilling me for hours!”
“Yeah, it’s nice to see you too, John,” Ben opened the backdoor to his blue sedan letting him in. “By the way, nice job nearly getting yourself shot in there. What the hell were you thinking?”
John climbed into the backseat still in handcuffs. “It’s just been one hellacious day and I haven’t slept in nearly thirty six hours. Besides, he needed to be knocked down a peg or two.”
Ben scrunched his brow looking John over. His skin was pale and covered in sweat. Ben stretched out his hand touching John’s forehead. John angrily jerked away. “Damn it John, you’re burning up with fever,” Ben pulled his hand away. “Son of a bitch . . . You got scratched didn’t you?”
“I’m fine,” John, scratched his wounded arm against the back of the seat. “They took me to the ER before booking me. Pam slipped me some powerful antibiotics. I'll be fine in a day or two.”
Angrily Ben slammed the door behind him then climbed into the driver’s seat tossing the evidence bags with John’s weapons and belongings onto the passenger seat. “You know better than to hunt when you’re injured, John. You need to get some rest.” Starting the engine, he shoved the car in gear and pulled away from the police station parking lot, his eyes glancing at the image of his friend in the rear view mirror.
“Look Ben I don’t need this shit. I have enough on my plate without you telling me how to be a hunter. If that’s all you came here for, you can just drop me off at the next corner.”
Ben let out a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened to you. It’s just . . . it’s been a long time John. You know, Terry’s death wasn’t easy on any of us, and you just skipping town didn’t make things any better.”
“Pull the car over,” John said, angrily. “Get these damn cuffs off!” he said, kicking the seat.
“You can’t do this alone, John! You know that!”
“Screw you, Morris! I haven’t seen you in seven years and the first thing you do is bring up Terry? Screw you, man! I was there remember? I had the man’s blood all over me! Besides, who the hell are you to lecture me? I carried your sorry ass for years! Who pulled that grunt off your back in ‘81? The Maker outside Denver in ’82? Me that’s who! If it weren't for me, you wouldn’t be sitting here today. You’d be some vampire’s little bitch boy! So don’t you dare lecture me!”
“Screw me? Screw me! Screw you Bishop! You left us!” Ben said, pulling the car to the side of the road and turning in his seat. “It was bad enough losing, Terry! But for you to just throw it all away because you were just too damn scared! We were your family, John! Seven years and not one phone call, a letter, nothing! You just picked up your wife and your kid and left!”
“Don’t you think I’ve paid the price?!” John yelled back at him. “My wife is probably dead right now! I barely got my son out before they killed him!”
Ben took a deep calming breath, gripping the steering wheel tight in a white-knuckle grip. “Look . . . I’m sorry John. I didn't mean to start in on you like that. For what it’s worth, whatever you need I’m here for you. You’re still my friend John. Hell, you’re like my brother.”
“Thanks,” John said, quietly. “Look, I’m sorry I left the way I did. But I had to get my family to safety. I had to get them away from that world. Terry was the last straw. I couldn’t watch what happened to him happen to Jake or Julia.”
“I understand why you did it; I just don’t understand how you did it. How could you just cut us out of your life like that?”
“Benny . . .”John sighed, lowering his head. “You know me. If I was anywhere around you, or Billy, or Talon, or even Pop, it would just be a matter of time before I was sucked back in. God, Ben, you have no idea how many times I’ve thought about coming back. But Jake deserved a shot at a normal life. A life away from all this . . . this . . . soul sucking shit! But I made a mistake. I got too comfortable, too relaxed. This never would have happened to me five years ago, hell this never would have happened three years ago! But somewhere along the line, I just thought . . . I thought I was finally safe.”
Ben nodded. "But there is no safe." he quoted the elder Bishop, Cort. "John, I'll tell you what, let’s focus on what we’ve got in front of us and then you and I can settle up later. Deal?”
“I'd like that.” John nodded thoughtfully. “For what’s it’s worth, it’s damn good to see you again.”
“Same here.” Ben pulled back onto the street. “I just wish it was under different circumstances.”
The two rode in silence for the next five minutes before John broke it with a laugh in the backseat. “How the hell did you become a fed anyway?”
Ben chuckled. “I’m not. Just a little favor from The Judge.”
“What judge is going to help us out? Someone Billy knows?”
Ben shook his head. “Buddy, you’ve been out of the game a long, long time. I’m talking about Colonel Frank Judge. He’s our government contact now. A few years back they started doing a lot more than offering bounties on fangs. Believe it or not they actually put a team on the ground. Bunch of Special Forces guys, Marines, Navy Seals, Army Rangers, even a few guys from Delta. The whole nine yards. They picked Judge to run it. The guy really knows his shit.”
John shook his head. “Things really have changed. You’ll have to fill me in on all that I’ve missed.”
“Will do. By the way, how is Jake doing? I mean, how’s he coping with all this? It’s got to be a shock to his system.”
“Yeah that’s an understatement." John sighed. "I honestly don’t know. To tell you the truth I’ve tried not to think about it too much. Once I get Julia back, I’ll deal with Jake. For now he’s with Pop.”
“That’s good.” Ben nodded. “Cort will take good care of him.”
“How’s Cat and . . . damn I’m sorry Ben I can’t remember your son’s name.”
“That’s okay; you’ve got a lot on your mind. It’s Chris. They’re doing pretty good. Cat is beautiful as ever and Chris . . . Chris is like his old man. Nerdy, small, the poor kid even got stuck with glasses.”
“Ah hell, Ben. That’s the worst news I’ve heard all day!” John said, sarcastically. “Might as well do the kid a favor and smother him in his sleep.”
“Smart ass.” Ben said, under his breath. “I can’t help it John. You know how hard it was for me when we were growing up. You, Terry, and Wes were athletic and strong. I never stood a chance against you guys. You all breezed through Cort and Billy’s training. I barely survived!”
“I wouldn’t say we breezed through it. As I remember it, I spent more than a few occasions getting my ass chewed out. But you survived. Your skills may lie in other areas but your one hell of a hunter. Until you came along contact with the authorities was spotty at best. Chris will be okay. He has Cat as a mom after all. She’ll make sure he turns out alright”
“Thanks John.” Ben chuckled. “That means a lot.”
Twenty minutes later Ben’s car came to a stop near a cotton field off Interstate twenty. Julia’s car was gone. Talon’s truck was parked on the side of the road, a jack under it with one of the tires off.
“That’s the spot.” Ben said, pulling the sedan to a stop.
“Good. Now maybe you can get these damn cuffs off of me.” John answered.
“Yeah it should be safe now.”
Ben climbed out of the car and opened John’s door then unlocked the handcuffs. Big red circles encompassed his wrists where they’d cut into his flesh.
“Man, that’s much better.” John said, rubbing at his wrists. “So this is the spot?”
“This is it. Talon
got to it about fifteen minutes before the cops found it.”
Talon Parker came walking seemingly out of nowhere. As if he had just appeared in the middle of the large cotton field.
“Hello, John.” He said when he was within arm’s reach. “Glad you finally got yourself out of jail. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you earlier. I saw them coming but by then it was too late. I figured it wouldn’t do any of us much good to get myself locked up as well.”
John waved it away, “You did the right thing. I’m just glad you got here before the cops did. Talon, did she make it out alive?”
“Her tracks lead away from the car into the field. She was followed by two other sets. They caught up with her about twenty yards out.”
“Damn . . .” John knelt down and looked at the tracks. He couldn’t make out anything but a bunch of tossed around dirt. “You’re sure it was her?”
“I’m sure.” Talon said, sticking a piece of grass between his teeth.
“Alright.” John stood up and tossed a rock into the field. “Where did they take her?”
“John I know you probably won't want to hear this.” Ben spoke up before Talon could answer. “But there were at least eight missing persons last night in the Midland/Odessa area.”
“Yeah. And?” John crossed his arms. “What’s your point?”
“One meal for each Maker? That’s a lot of Makers John. And in case you haven’t noticed, there are only three of us. Not to mention the sun will be down in just a couple of hours.”
"What about Holloway?" John asked looking from Talon to Ben.
"His team is taking out a nest near Oklahoma City.” Ben answered. “They won't be back this way for several days."
“Turner is in the area.” Talon kicked a rock with his foot.
“Oh no. No, no, no.” Ben held up his hands, shaking his head. “I’m not working with that lunatic.”
John gave him a questioning look. “What’s wrong with Wes? We used to work with him in the old days.”
“He’s changed John. There are a lot of rumors going around about him.” Ben answered. “Really twisted things. Killing civilians, torturing vamps, things like that.”
“But nothing has been confirmed.” Talon said, “Like Ben said, they are only rumors.”
“Ben, make the call. We can’t take that many Makers on our own.” John laid his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Please Benny; she doesn’t have much time left.”
“Damn it Bishop, you owe me for this. Okay,” He nodded. “Let’s get to a pay phone and I’ll make the call to Billy. See how many other Hunters we can get into the area. Tomorrow, though, I’m not doing anything until you get rested up.”
“Don’t worry, John.” Talon patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll find them tonight. Tomorrow morning we’ll have us a nice vampire barbecue.”
“Good. Until then, we need to gear up.” John said, “I had two Grunt teeth we could cash in for the funds. Did they leave that in the evidence bag?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Ben pulled the evidence bag out of the car and dug through it. “I know just the place.” He said, holding the two teeth in the palm of his hand.
Chronicles of the Vampire Hunters: Creation Page 7