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Suddenly, her exhaustion was forgotten as she started to run. Sinunu stumbled behind her, but de Vries caught and supported her as they followed close behind.
Rachel reached the loading dock, and Julius flashed her a tight grin, full of pain. Biggs looked exhausted beyond comprehension as he and Julius laid Warren on the floor. “Killian!” Julius yelled. “Killian! Where the frag is that mage?”
“Here, sir,” came his voice.
“Heal him.” Julius said.
As the mage spoke in low tones, Rachel walked over to Warren, feeling a sense of apprehension she couldn’t quite place. Kneeling down, she put her hands on his face, which was hot and sweaty. “Honey?”
Warren’s head lolled for a moment, then slowly his eyes opened. Rachel felt a huge weight fall from her shoulders as she saw the light of sanity in his eyes. She wasn’t sure what Warren had been subjected to here, and she feared the worst.
“Rach?” Warren’s voice was slurred.
“Yeah, baby. I’m here.” Rachel felt his hand on her shoulder.
“Had a bad dream,” said Warren.
“Go back to sleep.”
Killian finished his enchantment as de Vries walked up with Sinunu. “He’ll be all right,” he said. “Just needs rest.”
Behind them, de Vries held Sinunu, keeping her from collapsing to floor.
In front of Rachel Biggs looked up. “She gonna make it?” Rachel turned and looked at Sinunu, her white skin positively blue from blood loss.
“She’s about had it,” de Vries said. “Massive internal injuries, enough broken bones to make a combat biker blush, but she’ll pull through. I can help her, as long as we can get her some place where her wounds won’t come in contact with all the blood on the ground. Some of the virus might still be viable, and… He didn’t finish his sentence, but Rachel could tell by the look in his eyes that even the famed vampire hunter would have a hard time putting a stake in Sin if she were infected.
Julius nodded. “Take her inside. My men have cleared the first six levels, and haven’t met with any resistance whatsoever, so I’m assuming the man behind this committed all his forces to the defense. It should be safe.”
With Warren in tow, they moved Sinunu inside the entrance, which looked as if some giant had reached down and punched his way through. They gently laid her down on the glass-strewn carpet.
Suddenly. Rachel’s vision swam. Two of her closest friends were nearly dead. Warren, her love, and Sinunu-her new chummer and a woman who had put her life on the line for Rachel. The feelings that washed over her, seeing Warren barely alive and Sin almost dead, were more than she could stand. They both stood on the terminus line, pushing against the pale veil. Waiting to step beyond, or step back.
One of the Fratellanza men appeared from the stairwell. “We came across one of the docs trying to get away,” he said. We tagged him twice, but he managed to lock himself into some sort of tunnel. I figure he’ll bleed himself out before he gets too far, but I’ve sent a couple of men to try and track the tunnel above ground.”
Julius turned to him, nodding.
“What did he look like?” It was de Vries, and his tone was worried.
The man shrugged, his broad shoulders jumping. “I dunno, kinda small, dark-skinned.”
“Damn” said de Vries, standing.
Julius turned to the vampire, and knew in an instant. “Your mysterious insider?”
De Vries didn’t look at him, but nodded. “Doctor Pakow. I should have warned you about him, but I didn’t want to give him up-Just in case tonight turned out differently.”
Julius turned to Biggs. “Tell the men to find him, but not to hurt him. They are to render whatever aid they can to make sure he stays alive.”
Biggs nodded and left by the front door, speaking quickly into his commlink.
When Rachel turned back, however, she saw that Sinunu was breathing regularly, though her eyes still had that glossy, faraway stare to them, She was going to be okay.
And with that thought, the fatigue crashed in on Rachel. She rested her head on Warren’s chest and closed her eyes. Just for a moment.
37
Some people say the nasty art of cybermancy doesn’t even exist. But anyone who’s been following our recent posts knows better. I got curious enough-and scared enough-that I went digging for more info. What I learned is that this is some major, major mojo-heavy-duty magic with bad consequences. You got to be aware of it if you want to live to tell the tale. My advice? If you’re looking for it, don’t. And if you’ve got to deal with someone who’s got it, run. Fast. And don’t look back.
–
Posted to Shadowland BBS by Captain Chaos, New Magic e-doc, 10 January 2057
At first, Marco couldn’t believe his ears. He had taken refuge in the building, knowing that if he joined the battle between the Fratellanza troops and Wake’s vampires, he might be taken out in the confusion. He had stayed just out of sight, willing to let his little brother take down the enemy, but, now, right there was his brother. Talking with the man who had killed Derek.
Marco shook his head, which had begun to ring, a warning sign of another seizure.
Filled with rage, he willed his body to float, and pressed himself forward, in mist form. His pain faded, and his rage grew focused.
The vampire, the one known as Martin de Vries, had his back to him, and Marco concentrated himself toward that point. A meter from the hated vampire’s back, he let his form solidify, bringing his hands into being before the rest of him. Curling his fingers into stiff claws, he jabbed forward with all his strength and speed, set to rip de Vries’ heart from his chest and devour it before the vampires dying eyes.
Except de Vries wasn’t there any more, and Marco’s hands thrust through empty air.
His momentum carried him forward, and he stumbled painfully. With an effort, he kept his footing.
“Clumsy,” came de Vries’ mocking voice from behind him. “Did you honestly think that a deformed thing such as yourself could challenge a true vampire?”
Marco turned slowly, letting his rage build. “You are an abomination, not me. You are a self-hating freak who can’t even bring himself to commit suicide, but instead takes out his self-loathing on his own kind.”
Marco smiled as he saw his words hit home, but De Vries’ voice was calm as he replied. “You are not my own kind. You are nothing more than a rabid beast that needs to he put out of its misery.”
Marco felt a tightness in his stomach as he raised his hands. “Talk, talk. If I’m so beneath you, then have at it. Maybe I’ll teach you what I’ve learned in such a short amount of time.”
De Vries smiled and stepped forward.
“No!” It was Julius, from just to Marco’s left.
Marco didn’t turn. “I’ll deal with you soon enough, little brother. You have a lot to learn about family.”
De Vries, however, had stopped moving forward, and was looking over Marco’s shoulder. With a small bow, the other vampire stepped back.
Marco glanced back quickly, to see Julius standing with a flamethrower pointing directly at him. Behind his brother, Marco caught sight of Warren lying on the floor. Warren looked absolutely normal, and it made Marco’s heart sink to see it. Wake had lied to him. Pakow had lied to him. Warren hadn’t undergone the procedure.
“It’s over, Marco,” Julius said. “You’ve caused enough pain. Both to the people I love, and to the people who served you. It ends now.”
Marco cast one glance back at de Vries, who said, “I’ll not interfere. Sometimes it is best for family to straighten itself out.”