by Jeff Seats
The line of sunlight had advanced to the point where the bright spot of the sun was becoming visible over the top of the hill.
Vladimir smiled. “Now we must be off. Come, my family, we are headed to a new life.”
With that the vampires who were fleeing Vamp Town dissolved into black wisps and headed west, away from the rising sun.
Vladimir turned back and held out his hand to Steph.
“Come.”
Steph took his hand, and he wrapped his arms around her body. Then Vladimir dissolved into wispy, black tendrils that engulfed her and they too were off heading into the big, wide world.
—— END OF AN ERA ——
ALEXEI HUNG HIS head in defeat. After such an extended number of years keeping his people, his family, safe and alive his failure to continue doing so stabbed him in the heart as though a stake had been driven into it. What would happen to those who had left to follow Vladimir on his mad quest to reunite the disparate elements of the vampire houses? Would the hunters return and resume their relentless pursuit of vampires, killing all they found? Would the CSC become that group? No doubt some variation of that would occur.
But what had Vladimir and his followers done other than seeking freedom to be what nature drove them to be? Of course, that was a crazy thought. Was it nature that turned people into vampires? What human, given the option, would choose to become a blood drinking pariah?
Did he, himself, not have the same feelings as the rogues? Were those that fled so very wrong?
Did he, Alexei Rurik, Khan of the vampires, “Mayor” of Vamp Town, do some one thing wrong or not do another that would lead to the inevitable destruction of those beings he had known and loved for centuries? The fact that they fled meant, most certainly, that they would be hunted and killed. Was this his fault?
And what of those who stayed here in Vamp Town? What would happen to them? Would he be coerced into cooperating with the government so that they would be safe? Would the CSC hold their lives over his head as a tool to get his cooperation? Were they not now all, definitely, hostages and was he the quisling who had sold them down the river?
Many more questions flooded Alexei's mind as he watched the blazing light move unrelentingly towards him. The group of vampires that had remained in Vamp Town had, at this point, dissolved into thin, vaporous black wisps and retreated into their dark places to escape the treacherous sun. Alexei watched them flee destruction and yet he could not find the strength to save himself. Perhaps it would be better for the sun to end this for him now and leave the whole mess to everyone else. He was so very weary of immortality.
The burning ball of light became completely visible in the sky. The shadow of the eastern mountains quickly vanished, and the line of light demarcating Alexei's continued existence or his death drew threateningly close. Wisps of vapor began to rise from the exposed portions of his body.
Craig rushed up with a thick thermal blanket and wrapped it around Alexei. “You can’t let yourself go like this Alex. You can’t give up. Not now after all these years.”
Alexei tried to wriggle out of the blanket but sighed as he realized the truth.
Craig continued, “You would be letting your friend, Theodore, down as well as your remaining people. They need you.”
While Craig argued for Alexei to come to his senses, the O’Neil girl, Cindra, emerged from behind a tree. She stood in a trance, lost, oblivious to all that had transpired. She was still in the safety of the tree’s shadow but not for very much longer. Ellie ran up to Craig and Liz. “That girl was a passenger. Where are her parents?”
Paul rushed over to her. “Cindra. Is that your name? Wher...” His question cut short when Cindra flashed the beginnings of a new set of fangs with a cat-like hiss. Paul hopped back alarmed.
Craig looked at her. He shook his head and pulled a silver knife from the sheath on his belt and started to walk over to Cindra ready to put her down. Alexei reached for Craig’s arm; his hand sizzled in the sunlight as he did so. “Stop my friend. This is not how to resolve this horrible tragedy.”
Craig stopped.
“I made a promise to Theodore that the killing would end. I can’t take back what has been done to this child but I can teach her that there is a way to live without hurting others.”
Liz's mind was still swimming from all that she had experienced in the past twenty-four hours and couldn't hold in her feelings. “What next? Are you going to...what? Become her what? Does she become your personal puppet like Steph with Vlad? This is sick!”
“I will be her guardian...unless you want to end things for her right now? At this point it matters not if you put a silver bullet through her heart, let the sun destroy her or hold her back from the change that is already advancing through her body. Death will be the result for her no matter which path you choose.”
Liz looked first to the Action Team members who were standing around them and then to Craig. No one moved. “All right, I'll do it myself.” Liz picked her gun up off the ground, chambered a round and headed for Cindra. Cindra flashed her fangs like an angry cat, letting out a hissing sound. When Liz got within arms-length, she took aim at the little girl's heart and paused. She remained motionless pointing the gun at the girl, but she didn’t pull the trigger.
It became clear that Liz was having difficulty. The look on her face showed the determination to shoot, but an internal struggle was moving her to inaction. Liz had never actually killed anyone; any human. (Was Timmons still a human when she pulled the trigger ending his suffering?) And this little girl was still mostly human. Right? Liz's hand shook as she tried to pull the trigger with all her might but she could not.
Craig had moved behind her and put a hand gently on Liz's shoulder. He stepped around to face her. Liz held the gun out pointing towards Cindra gripping it in frustration. Craig placed a hand on the weapon and slowly pushed the barrel towards the ground.
“Seriously? You think this is a good idea?” Liz asked in a voice drained of emotion.
“I’m not sure what to think. But what I do know is that this situation is... Shall I say, a bit fucked up.” Craig replied.
“I haven't been on this job for very long, and there are still a lot of things I have to learn but aren't we supposed to keep the vampires contained? And wouldn't that mean keeping their numbers from growing? Not to mention condemning this poor girl to the life of a blood sucking monster!”
“I will admit that this scenario is not one that I had seen coming. I'm not sure the CSC higher-ups had thought any of this through either. And, I’m sure that after all that has just happened my position within the Center will be terminated. However, what I can tell you is that I trust Alex. He's no monster. If he says that he can help this girl then he will.”
The sunlight had reached Cindra. Threads of vapor began to rise from the girl's body. The exposed skin on her hands and face started sizzling like meat on a griddle.
From under the protective blanket, Alexei called out, "Please!"
Liz exhaled releasing all her pent up tension. “Yes. Yes!”
Alexei rushed to Cindra just as the sun was about to wash over her. He scooped her up, turned into wisps of darkness and vanished.
The morning sun now filled the valley bathing Vamp Town in its warmth. It was a glorious high desert morning; the sky a brilliant cerulean blue with a few fluffy white clouds.
Liz's legs became weak, and she all but collapsed onto the curb experiencing the let-down after the insane adrenaline rush of the past twenty-four hours. For the first time, she could look at the little town around her. I wonder if I could live here for even a month let alone for a lifetime? She thought.
Craig turned and walked over to Paul and Ellie. Action Team members had gradually positioned themselves behind them. Craig nodded, and the Action Team began to handcuff the two remaining bus passengers.
Paul turned in surprise trying to resist. “What the fu...!”
Ellie struggled furiously as she too was restraine
d. “Hey!”
All night there had been one surprise after the other for Liz and now this. She jumped up from the curb not sure what to do, but she was every bit as shocked as Paul and Ellie at this turn of events.
Craig shook his head apologetically. “Look, I’m sorry about this. The sad irony is that your lives have been saved but because you survived you cannot be allowed to tell anyone about what you have been through.”
“What? What are you going to do to us?” Paul asked as he successfully twisted his body out of Okada's grip.
Eyes wide with this new threat Ellie looked to Craig. “You aren’t going to kill us? You can’t. Not after we saved your lives!”
Liz didn't know what was going on, but she did know that a massive injustice was about to happen and she wanted no part of it. Liz elevated her gun and looked threateningly at Craig. The Action Team raised their weapons at this aggressive move prepared to act if needed. With venom in her voice, she asked, “Yes, Agent Wright. Just what are you going to do?”
Craig stepped directly into Liz's line of fire and stared into her eyes. “The same thing that I would have to do with you if you ever thought you would quit. The same thing that will more than likely happen to me after letting Vlad go.” Pausing to let that sink in he continued, “Remember yesterday, in the lecture hall? You are the property of the Federal Government. We all are.” Indicating the Action Team. “And now so are they.”
Things had kept getting weirder for Liz. What she believed was black and white had become a lava lamp of ebbing and flowing blobs of color that morphed and changed. Thirty-six hours ago she thought vampires were ingredients for scary movies or overly sexed teen-focused TV shows. Learning about them and the CSC and discovering that her job was to contain vampires and now to participate in exterminating witnesses...
“Unless you would like to join them...?”
Liz gave a deep sigh and dropped her head in defeat. Reluctantly she holstered her gun and walked over to a parked car and leaned against it for support. Drained, Liz stood and stared blankly out into the bleak landscape.
“Now for you two.” Craig took a deep breath. “This arrangement is not just with vampires.” He waved his hand across the town before them. “The country...the world cannot be allowed to discover that these beings truly exist. The instability it would create is unfathomable. And, beyond what you have just experienced, there are other ‘beings’ that we also 'supervise' and monitor and in some cases imprison.”
Ellie was even more confused than Liz. “I’m not sure I understand what you are...”
“We are members of the CSC, the Center for Specter Control. The short story is that we contain and monitor the monsters that live on this planet. Monsters you have heard about since the day you first saw Dracula on late night TV.”
Paul shook his head trying to understand. “But why?”
“How safe would you have felt growing up knowing that bloodsuckers really existed, that on full moons there were werewolves running through the streets?”
Fear read in their faces as the answer to the question.
“Exactly, modern society would cease to function. Look, unless you had the knowledge and the training and the complete understanding of what is actually going on, then you will have to be quarantined. Kept away from society.”
Liz had turned back to Craig and the two prisoners when she realized that no one was going to be killed here. “Like in a Federal prison?” She asked.
“Agent Adams, I wonder if you even read any of the material you were given? I mean beyond the Catholic church part?”
Liz fidgeted. “Well, I was...and then you got the call...and...”
“Right.” Now he continued with Paul and Ellie. “There is a 'town,' like Vamp Town here, for those who cannot be allowed out in the world with the knowledge that they have learned. In that you can never leave without escort does make it a prison of sorts. I’ll give Vlad that.”
The roar of an Osprey’s engines could be heard as it approached and prepared to land.
Craig spoke a bit louder to be heard over the approaching plane. “Okay. You do have an option. You two showed a considerable amount of ability and courage in this messed up situation. The CSC is in constant need of new members, especially field agents. We seem to lose one or two a year due to...” He paused. For an instant, his former partner Kathie, red hair ablaze in the morning sun, was standing next to him as if conjured up by the swirling dust from the landing Osprey. He blinked; Kathie's face faded away with the settling dust, and he was looking at Liz. “...extenuating circumstances.”
Liz did not know how to read the unsettling look on Craig's face as he stopped in mid-sentence and looked directly at her but not at her, at someone else. She saw his Adam's apple move up and down as he seemed to be swallowing back some strong emotions. When he blinked, it was as though he had returned from a mental journey into an uncomfortable past. Self-conscious, Craig quickly looked back to Ellie and Paul when he realized that he had been staring at her. Then she remembered back in the locker room and she fingered the vest that he said was his former partner’s. Was he seeing her just now? Did she die in the field? Did he have to end her life like I just…?
Craig had clear his throat before he continued speaking to them. “Last night was a particularly bad loss.” Now he was fully back in the present. “You, sir, look like a vet? Iraq? Afghanistan?” Craig asked Paul.
“Afghanistan. Active duty. On an extended leave to visit my folks and heal my knee.”
“And maybe to work out in your head why it was you who survived and not your men?”
“Sort of, except that the question is why I got hurt and everyone else walked away.”
"You said your knee needed healing? So it's not a permanent thing."
"Had the surgery. All good. It's just that I was supposed to stay off it for a while. Yesterday kind of set me back a bit in that department." He said lowering himself to the curb finally giving into the pain that had returned with a vengeance.
Craig nodded to Paul accepting his answer then he turned to Ellie. “And you? What's your story?”
Ellie thought for a moment. “I learned tonight that I am stronger than I allowed myself to believe.”
“I'll vouch for that. You should have seen her take out that Samoan running back.” Paul said.
Ellie smiled, a little embarrassed by the praise.
Craig took a moment to formulate what he was going to say next. “So, depending on being formally interviewed and passing a few tests and getting through basic training...either of you interested in joining a super-secret organization that deals with monsters and other scary shit, that has no retirement program, and could send you across the country at a moment's notice?”
“Don't forget the dangerous part boss.” Ellingson chimed in.
Craig looked around at the battlefield. “I think that one goes without saying.”
Paul closed his eyes as he thought about the offer. “You're asking us to join with the C...”
“CSC.”
“So joining this CSC is really no different than being locked up in some fake town for the rest of our lives, except that we'd have something interesting to do and we can get out into the world?” Paul asked. “Okay. I'd rather protect the country from vampires than what I have been doing.”
Ellie hesitated. “Would we be together?” She smiled at Paul.
Ortega rolled his eyes.
Ellingson smiled.
“At this point, I can't promise you anything. Agents are in thin supply. But if you work hard and show your value to the organization there's no telling how things could work out. And I'll be the first to request the both of you to be posted with our little family."
Ellie looked to Paul.
“I can't emphasize enough how much your lives will change. This job is not an easy one, and it comes with significant risks and few rewards.” Craig looked at Ellie and Paul making sure they understood what he was saying. He could see a bit of
apprehension in Paul's face and just a touch of fear in Ellie's eyes, but they both nodded their understanding.
“Count me in. I'm ready to take on new challenges.” Ellie said.
"Let's see, house arrest or protector of humanity? Tough choice. I'm in too." Paul added.
Craig gave a nod to release Paul and Ellie. “I’m going to let you out of those restraints. I think you both are what we need in agents. It will be a bit before we get this mess sorted out and cleaned up so in the meantime get some rest and a bite to eat. Adams, please escort our guests to the Osprey, introduce them to the crew and get yourself back here ASAP. We have a lot of work to do today.”
“Copy Sir.”
Paul turned back to Craig, “If I don’t show up in Tacoma on Sunday I’m AWOL. The MPs will be out looking for me.”
“If we can create a place like Vamp Town I think we make a few adjustments to your record. Now, if you’ll excuse me?”
Craig turned to the other team members, and together they headed over to the carnage in the park. A clean-up unit was disembarking the second Osprey and was beginning the gruesome task of cleaning the aftermath of the battle. Team members donned hazmat gear and started scooping up vamp remains into buckets and pouring them onto a pile where flame throwers were used to burn the lot of it. What couldn't be easily shoveled up was burned where it stained the earth. No vampire remains would be allowed to exist beyond ashes.
Other members of the CSC separated out the remains of their fallen comrades and laid them out away from the vamp fires. Liz somberly crossed to the grassy spot where the fallen team members had been placed. Craig silently joined her. The first body had the name Timmons on a patch above his left breast pocket. Liz turned to Craig with a question on her face.
“James. They liked to call him Jimmy to piss him off.”
Sergeant St. Jean quietly added, “And boy, did it ever.”
“He got us back more than a few times, though. Rest well my friend.” Ellingson said.
At the next teammate's body, Craig identified her as Susan Todd. “Not going to like telling her husband about this. He’s a good guy. But it’s the lie about how she died that’s the hardest.”