Retribution

by Charles Tillman

  The Were’s eyes went wide in shock and its expression froze as the fire went out in its eyes and it ceased to struggle.

  A volley of gunshots rang out from the doorway, and a heavy thump shook the floor as the other Pricolici went down under the steady barrage. Akio shoved the dead cat to the side and rolled to his feet.

  In the doorway, Inspector Yonai and three officers from his Special Investigations Unit stared over the sights of their weapons as the Pricolici pushed itself to its knees, blood pouring from multiple wounds.

  Yonai tensed his finger on the trigger, sending a stream of full-auto rounds into the tiger's head until it was nothing but a mangled mass of blood and fur. The beast slumped to the floor and was still.

  The inspector and his men swept into the room, each covering his sector with steely determination. Once satisfied that they had eliminated the threat, Yonai raised his weapon and nodded to Akio. “Looked like you could use a hand,” was all he said.

  Akio nodded and went to retrieve his gun.

  “Domo, inspector. They were becoming annoying.”

  Dabie Mountains, Outside of Sanhe, China

  The Pricolici grabbed Kenjii by the throat and lifted him, and he kicked out with an armored boot, catching the Were on his leg. The cat snarled and slammed Kenjii into the side of the mountain. Once, twice, three times, Kenjii’s body struck the unyielding stone.

  Pain wracked his body from the force of the blows. The tiger snarled in his face and savagely slammed him into the mountainside once more, and Kenjii’s eyes rolled back in his head as everything faded to black.

  “Kenjii,” Abel called over the communicator.

  “Kenjii, come in.”

  “Kenjii, we need to leave. Answer me.”

  “Kenjii, are you there?”

  Abel brought the Pod as far as he could into the narrow valley. The thick growth of tall pine trees and rock ledges prevented him from descending to the mouth of the cave.

  “Kenjii, do you copy?”

  Abel circled the Pod over the area several times. Kenjii’s communicator showed he was twenty meters below the tops of the trees. After several more attempts to contact him, the EI redirected a drone and sent it to the area. It hovered over the location where Kenjii’s communicator showed him without spotting him. Abel summoned drones that were spread throughout towns and villages in the area to search for him. That task completed, Abel took the Pod one kilometer above Kenjii’s last known location.

  Akio.

  Hai.

  I have lost contact with Kenjii.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Serenity Temple, Dabie Mountains, China

  “Master Kun?”

  Peng Kun looked up, his lips curled into a snarl at the interruption of his meditation. He’d been fantasizing about the defeated look Akio would wear when everyone he knew was dead. Kun pictured himself listing the gruesome details of how each of them had died while Akio was on his knees before him.

  “What is it?” he snapped.

  “A runner has come from the western entrance to the temple. He claims the guards have captured a Forsaken.”

  Kun jumped to his feet with a maniacal gleam in his eyes. “Where is it? Which one?”

  “The guards are taking him to the dungeons. He is subdued but not badly injured. The guard captain ordered them to restrain him and place him in one of the reinforced cells.”

  Kun shouldered the man out of the way when he rushed through the door. “I will see this in person.”

  The two made their way down several levels, the Master’s long strides making the acolyte jog to keep up. When he entered the dungeons, he saw the captain of the guard and five of his men standing over a prostrate form on the floor.

  “What do you have?” Kun demanded.

  The guards stiffened at the sound of his voice, unsure whether to prostrate themselves as he now demanded all do in his presence or keep watch over the dangerous vampire.

  The captain motioned for them to keep watch and turned to Kun. “The guards at the western entrance caught this leech coming out of the tunnel. Zhie Chang shifted to human form and beat him unconscious while the others pinned him.” He nodded to Chang.

  Kun elbowed through the men ringing the vampire. The guards had stripped him to his smallclothes and wrapped him in layers of heavy chain. They could restrain a Were in Pricolici form, so Kun knew they would hold the Forsaken.

  Kun’s lips curled into a smile, although his eyes were cold. “Welcome to Serenity Temple, leech. I’m sure I will enjoy your stay much more than you will.”

  Kenjii glared at him as he struggled against the heavy links that bound him. “Do you think I’m scared of a kitty cat?” he taunted.

  Kun’s smile turned into a grin that made him look like a madman. He leaned down and whispered, “This kitty has claws,” as he swiped his hand across Kenjii’s throat. The black eight-centimeter-long claw that emerged from his index finger sliced deep, and blood gushed out of the wound in spurts that splattered the filthy robe Kun wore.

  The Master raised the claw to his lips and slowly licked the blood from it as he stared into Kenjii’s eyes. “Hang him by his ankles and bleed him. Don’t kill him. Weaken him to the point he can’t resist. When Akio comes for him, I want to use his body for my footstool. All will see that no vampire can stand against the Sacred Clan. The Clan shall rise.”

  “The Clan rises,” the guards responded as Kun left, his head high while visions of the pain he would cause Akio ran through his mind.

  Lotus Towers Apartments, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan

  Akio stiffened at Abel's words. What happened? Where are you?

  The four who left the farm went into a cave in the next valley. Kenjii wanted to pursue them, but I refused. He then requested that I return him to the farm to search for information while I attempted to locate the Weres. I have the Pod stationary above his communicator, but I can’t get it close enough for a visual. Nothing shows on the sensors.

  I’ll be there soon. Is the Pod equipped with pucks?

  There is a basic loadout onboard: five half-kilo, five one-kilo, and two two-kilo pucks.

  “Inspector, I appreciate your timely intervention, but there is an issue that I need to address,” Akio explained.

  “Certainly, Akio-sama. My men and I will finish here. If we can be of any assistance, please call.”

  “Domo, Inspector. There is no indication that there are more of these people in the area, but your people need to remain vigilant. We know of a larger group near Miura. The military is working to contain them on the peninsula.”

  “They have requested our assistance there. I sent half of my unit before I met you here.”

  Akio nodded. “Be safe, Inspector.”

  “You, too.”

  Abel, dispatch a Black Eagle to my location. Have it pick me up in front of the building.

  A Black Eagle is landing now.

  Akio pursed his lips before inquiring, Abel, how did you know I would request a Black Eagle?

  I didn’t. I diverted the one I had activated to assist me in my search for Kenjii.

  What’s the loadout on it?

  Full. The area here is mountainous, so I anticipated the need to move some rock.

  Very good.

  The Black Eagle waited as he exited the building. As he boarded and it launched into the sky, the sun was peeking over the horizon.

  Yuko.

  Hai, Akio?

  Kenjii is missing. I’m going to China to look for him. I need you to work with the military in Miura until I get back.

  As soon as Horst is out of the Pod-doc, I will take them back to the Palace and go to Miura.

  How much longer?

  Another five minutes.

  Full armor, and take Eve with you. There are more tigers who can achieve the Pricolici form than I expected. I encountered two in the apartment, and one of them almost dodged a shot from my Jean Dukes. He was wounded but not out of the fight.

  Are you
injured?

  No. It was close, but your inspector and his men took one of them down.

  I’ll thank him when I see him. Be careful, this could be a trap.

  If it is, they’ll wish they’d never set it when I’m done.

  Hybrid Vessel Lylia, Miura, Japan

  “Cui, are you certain you want to be on this thing when the weapons fire?” Li Song looked askance at the three tubes bolted to the ship’s deck.

  “I’m certain I don’t, but I don’t want to face Kun if this doesn’t work. With me on the ship, he can’t accuse me of failing because I wasn’t here.”

  Li opened his mouth for a return quip when the satellite phone in his pocket rang. “Master?”

  “Who else would it be?” Peng Kun chuckled.

  Li’s eyes widened in surprise at the jovial tone in Kun’s voice. “Is everything okay, Master?”

  “Everything is better than okay. I have the leech Cui chased across China. He is now in the dungeon receiving instruction.”

  “That’s excellent news, Master. Well done.”

  “How are your operations against Akio proceeding?”

  “Wu and Jin haven’t reported yet.”

  “Notify me when they do. I have a plan to bring Akio to his knees before we kill him.”

  “I’ll contact you as soon as they check in,” Li assured him.

  “Has Cui departed yet?”

  “I’m with him now. He’s leaving within the half-hour.”

  “Excellent. This is all working out as I planned,” Kun stated as he cut the connection.

  “What was that about?” Cui asked from the gangway of the ship.

  “They caught the Forsaken you were after in China. Kun has him in the dungeons.”

  Cui grinned. “Receiving instruction, I hope.”

  “Some lessons are harder to survive than others. I don’t envy him.”

  “Better him than us. Do you have the defenses set up? I’m certain our presence here won’t be a secret for long. You need to be prepared for Akio and his people.”

  “The listening post and roving patrols are out. We’re as ready as we can be with the limited numbers we have.”

  “When this mission is done, I’m sure Kun will order the ship to pick up more warriors for us here.”

  “Probably. Try not to get blown up when they fire those antiques.”

  “Wasn’t planning on it. See you in a few hours.” Cui waved as he boarded Lylia.

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Dabie Mountains, Outside of Sanhe, China

  The Black Eagle slowed as it approached the peaks, which were glowing in the morning sun, while the valleys remained shrouded in twilight. Akio brought the craft down, hovering above the tops of the tall pines that stood like silent sentinels above the cave and Kenjii’s communicator signal.

  Abel, you have the Black Eagle, he announced as he opened the canopy and stepped out. He fell two meters, crashing feet first through the weak top limbs of a tree before he hit stronger limbs that slowed his descent. Once he was deep enough in the tree, he caught a thick branch and halted his controlled fall.

  The base of the tree was bare for the last three meters, and he dropped to the ground. His armored boots left deep imprints in the soft ground and pine needles near the entrance to the cave. He looked around, expecting to see Kenjii injured or dead, but there was no sign of him. He stepped into the entrance, his senses extended for threats.

  “Kenjii?”

  Akio’s head snapped around when he heard his own voice. He bent down and retrieved Kenjii’s communicator from the cave entrance. It wasn’t damaged, and the immediate area showed no sign that a fight had taken place.

  Abel, I found his communicator. It looks like he took it off and went inside the cave.

  Copy. Do you have any instructions for me?

  Take the Black Eagle up and monitor my progress. I’m going in.

  I have a drone carrier with fifty drones inbound. It will be here in eighteen-point-three minutes. If you wait, I can send the drones through and find him.

  No, if he’s in trouble, that could be too long.

  Understood. I will stand by for instructions.

  Akio cautiously stepped into the inky blackness of the cave, activating night vision and infrared on his armor when he closed the visor. With a Jean Dukes Special in each hand, he set out to bring Kenjii home.

  Japanese Defense Force Field HQ, Near Miura, Japan

  “General Kato, advise your troops we have friendlies inbound. They are not to fire on the two aircraft, and whatever they do, don’t piss off the people inside,” Commissioner-General Watabe advised his army counterpart.

  General Kato relayed the orders, and seconds later, a boxy black object descended out of the early morning sky. A sleek and deadly-looking craft followed, and both stopped centimeters above the ground.

  Are you ready for this, Yuko?

  I have no choice, Eve. Akio is searching for Kenjii, and this can’t wait. I will do what I must.

  The Pod opened, and Yuko stepped through the hatch. Her flat black Jean Dukes armor caused a Japanese Defense Force soldier standing guard to whistle softly. Her weapons made him take an unconscious step back.

  “Yuko-san. Eve-san,” Commissioner-General Watabe greeted them warmly.

  “Watabe-san. It’s good to see you’re well.” Yuko smiled.

  “This is General Kato of the Defense Force. General, Yuko. I suggest you listen to anything she tells you.” Watabe nodded to each.

  “Thank you for coming, Yuko-san. The Prime Minister spoke to me personally and told me to defer to your direction to handle this invasion.”

  “Do you have the area contained?”

  “Hai. I have one thousand troops, along with one hundred of Commissioner-General Watabe’s Special Investigations Team officers. They’re deployed in four-man teams, as Watabe-san instructed, across a little over two kilometers. Each team is in direct line of sight with at least three more.”

  “The Special Investigations officers have followed the training Inspector Yonai set up to deal with this kind of threat. They’re directing the military teams,” Watabe volunteered.

  “Good. I suggest you keep your troops in that formation. They will act as a blocking force for any who run,” Yuko suggested.

  “Run from what?” Kato asked.

  “Me.”

  General Kato gave Yuko side-eye. “If I might ask, why would they run from you? I mean no disrespect, but you’re a woman, and you don’t look like a warrior.”

  Watabe’s eyes widened in shock. He had seen firsthand what Akio was capable of, and Yonai had told him Yuko was just as deadly.

  Eve chuckled. “Pay up. I called it.”

  Yuko rolled her eyes. “I know. My fault for accepting the bet.”

  “Show him?” The AI shrugged.

  Watabe closed his mouth before he chastised the army man. He took a step back and moved behind the general.

  “Looks are deceiving, General,” Yuko said and looked at the ground. When she looked up at him, her eyes glowed bright red and fangs extended past her lower lip. Her voice was a feral growl. “I assure you, they will run.”

  Kato’s eyes went round in fright, but to his credit, he didn’t faint as Watabe expected. His legs only buckled from the shock. Watabe reached out and steadied the general until he got his knees under control.

  “Banpaia!” he croaked.

  “Calm yourself, Kato. This woman and her companions have done more for the people of Japan than you will ever have clearance to know. That is why the Prime Minister put her in charge of this operation. The Bitch Protocol is in effect.”

  “Bitch Protocol. I knew about Akio. Senior leadership briefed all command-level officers about how he dealt with the tiger men earlier this year. My apologies, Yuko-sama. I was unaware.”

  Yuko allowed her fangs to retract and her eyes to fade back to their normal dark brown. “My apologies for startling you. We don’t have the luxury of wasting ti
me.”

  “How do you wish to proceed?”

  Eve stepped forward and grinned. “I’m going to puck ‘em up.”

  “Excuse me? What was that?” Kato asked, his brow wrinkled in confusion. “What are you?”

  Yuko shook her head and cast a sideways glance at Eve. “Eve is an artificial intelligence housed in an android body. She scanned the area the invaders occupy on our way in, and there are no civilians left. We have weapons that will eliminate most of the invaders without risk to your people or us.”

  Kato nodded and motioned for her to continue.

  “When we begin, your troops will need to hold the line. If one of these people get into a populated area, the casualties could number in the hundreds before they’re stopped.”

  “How will we know when you start? We have remained here so as not to alert them.”

  “Oh, you’ll know. When the explosions start, expect to see the enemy at any second.” Eve chuckled.

  “They are faster than any human you have ever seen. Your soldiers need to stay alert and engage as soon as they are in sight,” Yuko advised.

  “My people have briefed their teams, and they’re as ready as they can be,” Watabe assured them.

  “Looks like I’m up. Let’s get this party started.” Eve rubbed her hands together and grinned.

  “I will observe from the Pod and try to head off any who seek to flee.” Yuko grimaced. “I wish these people would build instead of destroying. Such a waste.”

  “I’ll notify our people to be ready.” Kato nodded once and moved to the communications console in the corner.

  Dabie Mountains, Outside of Sanhe, China

  Akio, your signal is growing weak. You appear to be halfway through the mountain.

  That is my estimate too. Still no sign of Kenjii or any Clan activity. This cave has seen a lot of use, though.

  The drone carrier has arrived. Judging by the direction you are going, this cave might come out in the next valley over. I am deploying drones to recon it.

  Advise me if you see anything.

  Affirmative.

  Akio was working his way through the twisting cave. Kenjii’s scent was in the air, along with the heavy musk of the tigers who regularly used it. With each step he took, more dread invaded his mind. He fought an internal struggle to speed up, sacrificing stealth for speed, but he knew that getting himself injured would help no one. Still, the battle raged with each step he took without locating Kenjii.