Hunters

[Zoombie]

Zombies! Mansions! Love! Bigotry! Hitler! Idiocy! Things happening!


├óÔé¼┼ôBaby don't hurt me! Don't hurt me...no more├óÔé¼┬Ø May sang, her voice at least thee notes off key. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour out of time├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome muttered. Steve's left eyebrow twitched. As the song hit the courhos again and May started to sing along once more, Steve groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôMay├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. She kept singing. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay...MAY MAY!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. May kept singing, ignoring him. Steve pulled his revolver out and aimed it at her head, not turning away from the road ├óÔé¼┼ôStop singing before I riddle you with holes├óÔé¼┬Ø. May shut up and Jerome turned off the radio.

Tim had gotten to three thousand million, five thousand and sixty seconds counted before the Count walked back into the room. He was draped in the same overly stylish clothes as he had before, now sporting sunglasses. A woman followed him in the room. They both stood there, looking at Tim. Tim stared back at them, refusing to blink. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's a bit scrawny├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø The Count said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut his blood is as old as mine is. And he has no allies, no power so to speak of. Perfect for being bought├óÔé¼┬Ø. The woman sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure about this plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, looking at the Count.

The Count smiled wildly ├óÔé¼┼ôMy last plan├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWas an utter failure├óÔé¼┬Ø Tim piped up ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember how the dear doctor ruined it├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Count strode over to the chair ├óÔé¼┼ôSilence!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pressing his foot into Tim's neck. Tim couldn't breath, so he couldn't talk. He waited, trying to endure the discomfort as best he could. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was your last plan, Count?├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomething├óÔé¼┬Ø the Count said ├óÔé¼┼ôthat is no longer important├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Tim wheezed, managing to get a bit out over the Count's foot ├óÔé¼┼ôDid I ruin your chance to rewrite histo-├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Count pressed down harder, getting dangerously close to breaking Tim's neck.

Then he put his foot down ├óÔé¼┼ôShall we speak in a more...pleasant d├â┬®cor?├óÔé¼┬Ø the Count asked. The woman grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôYour bed room?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOho├óÔé¼┬Ø the Count said, baring his fangs ├óÔé¼┼ôYou want an early place in the bidding├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBidding?├óÔé¼┬Ø Tim asked, wishing he could probe his bruised neck with his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt starts at twenty million├óÔé¼┬Ø the Count said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I believe that Persephone and I have things to discuss├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Count and his woman walked back out of the room. Then the door shut with a clang. Tim leaned back against the chair and resumed counting the seconds. It was a way to pass the time.

The plane touched down in Germany at twelve o'clock in the afternoon, on the dot. Seeing as how they took off at twelve o'clock at night, Josh assumed they had made good time. He walked down the hall of the plane, enjoying the sensation of Sally leaning on his arm. They had had...fun...on the plane. And that was all Josh was going to say about it. They got to the door, where a Stewardess was letting people off. It was a human, as the night shift had ended six or so hours ago. The vampire Stewardess was probably in the cargo hold, using one of the vampire caskets they had stashed down there.

It was then that Josh remembered a stowaway was hanging on his arm. His heart pounded, his mind running through every horrible thing that could happen. Then he was off the plane and walking into the airport. The airport, surprisingly, was almost exactly like the last air port he had been in. The singes were in German, but the voice's that were around him were blended together so he couldn't tell what language that they were speaking in. Just like in America. Then they got to the check out point. Josh took out his passport. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't have a passport├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. It wasn't a question.

The guard at the passport station was staring ├óÔé¼┼ôDoes the woman have a passport?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked in heavily accented English. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats that, damn it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. Another person, wearing the uniforms of the air line, walked up to the guard and whispered into his ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou two, come with me├óÔé¼┬Ø the guard said. Josh looked at Sally, feeling very very worried. They were dragged through the pushing, shoving, clamoring crowds till they reached an empty hallway. At the end of the hallway was a door. The guard took them to the door, and opened it. They walked in.

The office they entered looked very...neat. All papers were filed in good order. The desk was clear. And the narrow man sitting behind the desk was playing with a pencil. He was so neatly pressed it almost looked as if he had been made at a factory. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Smith's├óÔé¼┬Ø. His English had only a touch of a German accent. He gestured to the chair's in front of the desk and said something in German to the guard. The guard nodded and walked out of the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, turning to Sally and Josh ├óÔé¼┼ôYou two have caused us a lot of trouble├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Josh wished he had a weapon with him ├óÔé¼┼ôHow so?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis air line does not take kindly to stowaways├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh relaxed slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought...never mind├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man eyed him as if he were crazy. Josh coughed ├óÔé¼┼ôI apologize for my fiancee's behavior├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, snapping a glance at Sally, who looked angrily at him ├óÔé¼┼ôShe apparently couldn't wait less then a week for me to come back to her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI would take that as a compliment├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said wryly ├óÔé¼┼ôbut we need to clear up the fines first├óÔé¼┬Ø.

'How much?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked. He had been given five or so hundred dollars in German marks. Sally had her twenty dollars for purchasing the ticket retroactively. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I buy my ticket after the fact?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. The man's face darkened ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy not?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause that is not how things are done├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut I was talking to your soon to be husband...not you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally glowered but remained silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow the fine comes to...one hundred twenty five marks├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. Josh blinked. He had more then enough. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut that is not the most important part of this little transaction├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is still the issue of your fiancee...race├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôAnd when did my race have anything to do with it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGermany wants to keep its citizenry safe. So we don't want unregistered lupines running around the country├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are only going to be here for three days, at max├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe full moon has already gone. She's just going to get weaker as time goes on├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø The Man said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have laws. We need to keep her in the airport detention facility├óÔé¼┬Ø. Both Sally and Josh started to talk at once. The man held up his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôQuiet!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôQuiet! Its the law. We'll keep your fiancee in the detention center, then when you come back to go to the states, you can both go├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Sally and Josh both started to talk again, both standing up. The man rubbed his temples. This might take a while.

The car slid to a halt. ├óÔé¼┼ôSteve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked. Steve lifted his head from the wheel ├óÔé¼┼ôI need sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø He gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll drive├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell no├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou nearly crashed us last time, so hell...no├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll drive├óÔé¼┬Ø May said. ├óÔé¼┼ôcan you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, but I am a quick study├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerome looked around the car, looking out of each of the windows. There were zombies in the distance, slowly walking towards the car. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to get to a ranch before you can sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll make it├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, gunning the car up. They drove a bit longer. ├óÔé¼┼ôCaffeine├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. May handed him the coffee. She had set up shop in the back of the car, using three presents as a way of creating coffee.

One espresso machine. One can of coffee beans. One power hook up, usable with any cigarette lighter on any dashboard. Infinite supples of coffee, as long as you have water. Steve took the coffee cup and drank it down as fast as he could. He shook himself and looked back at May ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôLOOK OUT!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome screamed. Steve looked forward. Then he saw the man in front of his car, a split second before he was smashed into the hood. The man rolled over the hood, over the windshield, over the top of the car and finally landed behind him. Steve slammed down the breaks and the car jerked to a halt.

They all piled out of the car. The man was wrapped in bandage's, like some kind of a mummy. He had landed on his back, and was picking him self up and started to brush himself off. The mummy, if that was what it were, stood up and started to feel around. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, fine├óÔé¼┬Ø the mummy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been through worse├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve blinked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are you wrapped in bandages?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked, walking over to mummy. ├óÔé¼┼ôSunlight├óÔé¼┬Ø the mummy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI needed to get over the Rockies, and no one has a car, so I'm just going to...walk├óÔé¼┬Ø. He then started to walk. Then he ran into the back of the car, tripped over it and fell over. The bandages came partly undone. The mummy started to scream, clawing at his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a little...on fire├óÔé¼┬Ø. The mummy screamed some more, smoke pouring out from his hands. Steve ran over and jerked open the trunk. Then he shoved the mummy into the trunk and slammed the door.

A moment passed. Then another. Then a muffled voice came out of the trunk ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked, leaning over the closed trunk door. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø the vampire said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell were you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome walked over to the trunk. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was trying to get to the Rockies├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôget over them, more accurately. Life in the Killing fields is bull├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs there a ranch somewhere near here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI really needed to sleep...a lot├óÔé¼┬Ø. The vampire paused ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's the ranch I left from├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôbout four miles that way├óÔé¼┬Ø was the response.

Steve closed his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't see which way you're pointing├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The vampire said ├óÔé¼┼ôer...the way that this car is facing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh good├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve yawned ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. They all piled into the car. Steve closed the door. Then he noticed the zombie standing next to the car. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, rolling the window up as fast as he could. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø May said, pulling out her Garand. The zombie pressed against the window, moaning. Steve looked around and saw that at least five other zombies were getting dangerously close to the rails around the highway. The rail really needed to be repaired.

May looked up. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is no sun roof in this car├óÔé¼┬Ø She commented ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll fix that├óÔé¼┬Ø. The zombie pounded on the window, slimy flesh smashing against the glass. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. May stood up and put her hand through the roof. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôcareful├óÔé¼┬Ø. May grabbed the hole she had ripped in the celling, then tore the roof open. Then she aimed her Garand and fired. The zombie fell backwards, brains and bloods splattering. May sat back down. Steve gibbered at her, staring at the large hole that she had ripped through the hole.

├óÔé¼┼ôCan we keep going?├óÔé¼┬Ø the vampire shouted through the trunk. There was a clang. Steve turned around. A zombie was hammering on the trunk. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm getting a little...banged├óÔé¼┬Ø the vampire said, voice muffled through the wall. May swung her Garand around and tried to aim it, but the back windshield prevented her from aiming the long barreled rifle. She punched the back windshield open and aimed the gun down the zombie's nose. She fired the gun and the zombie's brains splattered. By then another zombie was trying to break in through the side. May brought her Garand around, leaning backwards to aim the gun in her confined space. She fired, the gunshot almost deafeningly loud in car. The window shattered, with the zombie's head.

├óÔé¼┼ôDrive! DRIVE!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome shouted. Steve woke up enough to press the gas down and drove forward. They left the growing zombie hoard behind. May picked up a glass shard and threw it out the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôNever...touch...my fucking car again├óÔé¼┬Ø. May looked at him, looking hurt. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said, leaning over ├óÔé¼┼ôSteve just needs sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø. May smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI know what will cheer me up├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered, pulling out her photograph. ├óÔé¼┼ôAhh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôRingo Star├óÔé¼┬Ø. The car zipped into the distance.

Josh walked down the road. Germany was a deceptively familiar place. Right until you noticed that everyone spoke another language, it was fine. That and the fact he was lost. He pulled out the map and realized he had been holding upside down. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôthat's it├óÔé¼┬Ø. He oriented himself and started walking towards the prison. After ten or so minutes he arrived at the place. It was low security affair, with only two police men outside. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. ├óÔé¼┼ôhallo├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the guards said ├óÔé¼┼ôwie ist Ihr Tag?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh smiled ├óÔé¼┼ô...fine├óÔé¼┬Ø he said .The guard beamed at him ├óÔé¼┼ôI...can...English├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep up the good work├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said, holding up the letter Hendrix had given him.

The guards waved him in and Josh walked into the prison. A rather portly man with a mustache was inside, fidgeting slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am Hans, I am being your translator today├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is the prisoner?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho, Adolph?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans asked ├óÔé¼┼ôOh he's in his cell, writing his book as normal├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's a writer?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked as they walked down the hallway, moving past cell after cell after cell. ├óÔé¼┼ôYa ya├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe is most prolific├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHuh├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. They arrived at the last cell block. Hans opened the door.

Adolph looked up from his typewriter. His hair was starting to go gray, his mustache a little frazzled. His eyes were still alive. He said something in German. Hans responded. The only word that Josh caught was his own name, Josh. Hans looked at Josh ├óÔé¼┼ôHe has agreed to answer you're questions├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôThats nice├óÔé¼┬Ø he said walking into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you writing?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMein Kampf├óÔé¼┬Ø Adolph said, pulling off the first page in his novel. Josh looked it over for a bit ├óÔé¼┼ôNice├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, handing the paper back to Adolph.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need some questions answered. See your...organization has reappeared in America├óÔé¼┬Ø. He waited for Hans to translate. Adolph's eyes danced back and forth. Then he frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôI have none to do with that├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said, translating ├óÔé¼┼ôI am just here, writing my book├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want people to keep killing in your name?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Adolph laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't seem to understand├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow can one kill that is already dead?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hans looked at Josh ├óÔé¼┼ôApparently├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAdolph...Adolph has different views on Vampires and Werewolves├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are killing people...in America├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Adolph smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans translated. Josh's brows furrowed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI only hope they...finish what I started├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans looked at Josh. Josh looked at Hans. Then he grabbed Adolph, picking the old man out of his chair. ├óÔé¼┼ôMr Smith!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôUnhand him!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The chair clattered to the floor, Josh's hands still clinging to the prison uniform. Adolph looked untroubled. He said something in German. ├óÔé¼┼ôHans├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did he say├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI must ask you to let him go!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh let his hands relax and Adolph slid to the floor. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat...troubles...you├óÔé¼┬Ø Adolph said, voice stuttering over the foreign language ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is worse? The monsters or those who cling to them?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHans├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell him his book needs more zombies├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Hans looked at Hitler ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said in German ├óÔé¼┼ôI did not know he was such an excitable person├óÔé¼┬Ø. Adolph bushed off his shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôI must get back to my book├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it was a most interesting diversion├óÔé¼┬Ø. He sat down at his desk and started to write again. After a few seconds it was as if he didn't notice the world around him. It was, after all, all he had left. Hans opened the door and walked out of the cell.

├óÔé¼┼ôJoshua!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôHow DARE you pick up one of our prisoners├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry, I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said again. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said ├óÔé¼┼ôSee Adolph Hitler is our most famous prisoner. He was the man who killed over thirty werewolves and fifty vampires. His cult is alone responsible for killing more then a hundred, right until we finally got him. If we were to lose him, or even to have him damaged by a foreigner, then everyone would hear about it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's just...It's just...I thought we were PAST it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPast it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôPast the hatred├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean...why?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThat is the question├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going back to the airport. Unless you can think of anyway to get things out of this guy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you ask me├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhoever sent you to this country was a moron├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh stopped short ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean by that?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy would Adolph Hitler, who has been in prison for fifteen years, know anything about a spin of cult...in America, a country that he almost never mentions├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh stopped short ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Hendrix had suggested it. Did he? No wait. Josh had suggested it. Josh felt like an idiot. ├óÔé¼┼ôwell├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least I get a free visit to Germany├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you like our fine country?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I just saw the prison├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut it was pretty good├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger woke up and walked out of her coffin. She grabbed her pants and slid them on, stretching slightly. She cricked her neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø a man said behind her. She spun around. Vladimir was standing there. ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn't I tell you to NOT sneak into my house!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger snapped. Vladimir smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Alliance seems to have been irritated by us talking├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, I know├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why I want you to get the hell out of my house├óÔé¼┬Ø. Vladimir smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I know of something. Your sire, Timothy Blackhorse, I know where he is├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger grabbed him, but her hands went through his body as if it were smoke. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is he, you bastard├óÔé¼┬Ø she demanded. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said, stepping backwards and away from her. That ended up with him being half in and half out of the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is the question. I don't├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I know where he is. I don't hold him, but I do know where he is├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôA good friend of mind contacted me through the Invictus. Apparently an Ordo Dracul leader has started to spread out the word. It is worrying├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat Dracul leader├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat word!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôthe Dracul leader is a rather ominous figure by the name of The Count├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Count?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI was expecting something more original├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLike what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLike...I don't know...The Marshall sounds cool├óÔé¼┬Ø. Vladimir stared at her, eyes boggling at her ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is the worst name I've ever heard├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhatever├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat word is this man putting out?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDiablerie├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said, his voice soft. Ginger blinked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked.

Vladimir boggled at him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...don't know...what...IT is?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell is Diablerie?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDiablerie├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs this most deadly, most heinous thing a Nosferatu can do to another Nosferatu. Its nothing worse...then sucking out their soul├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôTheir soul?├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôTheir eternal, immortal soul? But...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes...vampires have souls├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôSome are twisted, others blackened, all damaged in some way. But they do exists. With the soul is the Blood, and through the blood is the way of the Soul├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôStop├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôStop speaking in riddles├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA vampire drains another vampire of their blood├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis makes the feeding vampire more powerful then most vampires could dream of. It is also the most incredibly evil thing a Vampire could do. Most consider the act of stealing a soul destroys your own. Diablerists are normally hunted down and exterminated├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo why is it that people still do it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôVampires want power. Some who hunt Diablerists are Diablerists themselves as well, a hypocrisy that only they don't notice├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôTim has been captured to be..Diablerized├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo, actually├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe has been captured to be sold to actual Diablerists├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôI was actually offered a chance to bid on the purchase of Timothy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger bristled ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me...everything├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôI would, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Vampire affairs are kept WITH VAMPIRES!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Vladimir actually shouted the last part. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôRight right. Just tell me where and when the bidding├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn four days├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt the mansion on thirtieth and fourth├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger started to say. But Vladimir stepped backwards into the wall and vanished.

[Guessmyname]

Marshall is a bit of stupid name, yes :P

[Zoombie]

Assasins! Vladimir! Swords! Knives! Zombies! Blood! Action! Showers?



├óÔé¼┼ôMathew!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, walking into the changing room. The man looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôHey...Ginger├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, remembering her name after a few moments ├óÔé¼┼ôHow is it going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean...how is your day├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe graveyard shift is always hell for people who hate coffee├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you like coffee?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôI just hate the taste├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said. Ginger opened her mouth ├óÔé¼┼ôWanttogooutfordinner?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said.

├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want to go out for dinner?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, forcing her self to go slower. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger blurted out ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean cool├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked over to him ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, dragging him out of the police station. They walked out of the station. Mathew looked completely exhausted. Ginger waved her hand to call a taxi. They drove past, not stopping for her. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on!├óÔé¼┬Ø she waved her hand harder and faster. One of the taxi's stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey man├óÔé¼┬Ø the taxi driver said ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on in!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger opened the door and shoved Mathew into the car. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry' He said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just so tired├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDrive us to Blackhorse manor├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight man, right├óÔé¼┬Ø The driver smiled, showing his fangs ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ômost drivers don't stop for a fine young vampire like yourself. See I'm open for the night, if you want to ditch the blood bag├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôNo thanks├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôDriving is enough for me├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man cackled ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The taxi drove off. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo whats for dinner?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew asked, rubbing his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhatever we can cook├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a bit strapped for cash├óÔé¼┬Ø.

They stopped at the manor and walked out of the taxi. ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice night├óÔé¼┬Ø the driver said ├óÔé¼┼ôand thanks for the tip├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. Mathew yawned, looking more and more tired every second. ├óÔé¼┼ôMathew├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is not all fun and games├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts not?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew asked. Ginger opened the door and lead Mathew into the house ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a bit of a problem├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, looking around the place ├óÔé¼┼ôEither I am completely exhausted or you are the most beautiful woman I've seen in three years├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just that your...beautiful├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said. Ginger smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYou must be exhausted├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôremember how I'm...dead├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mathew sat down on one of the sofas that littered the lounge. Then he started to snore. Ginger sighed, wishing that humans didn't need sleep so much. Then she realized that he had called her beautiful. Ginger grinned wildly at that. Mathew snored louder. Ginger grabbed a pencil and wrote up a note. Then she placed it in Mathew's pocket. Then she walked up stairs and into her bed room. She nestled against the inside of the coffin and imagined Mathew inside it with her. Why are you getting so lubed up over this man she asked herself. Cause he was the first one who was nice. That was it.

├óÔé¼┼ôFancy a lover?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. He stepped out of the wall and stood in front of the coffin. Ginger jerked herself out of her daydream. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are you doing here!├óÔé¼┬Ø she snapped, climbing out of the coffin and glaring at Vladimir. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am here saving your life, thats what├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôSee there is an assassin outside├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger shouted, running to the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôStay down├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said, shoving her head down. He himself kept standing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWho!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy is unclear├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is the Alliance. They seem to think that I being here is allying yourself with me├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo they sent a fucking assassin?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThat seems extreme├óÔé¼┬Ø. A knife flew into the window and shattered the glass. Vladimir moved his head to the side as the knife buried itself into celling. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, crawling out of the room. She got into the hallway and ran downstairs. She opened her police bag and pulled out her nine millimeter pistol and ran back up stairs. Vladimir was walking downstairs and looked at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing!├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that a gun?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone is trying to kill me├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôGuns is a good thing to have at the time├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThat...thats very tactless├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôBringing a gun to a knife fight├óÔé¼┬Ø. A knife flew down the stairs and almost buried itself in Vladimir's back. He turned around and pulled out...a sword. It flashed in the electric lights of the Blackhorse manor. It was a very strange sword. It was narrow, not like the only sword Ginger had ever seen, a European broad sword, but rather elegant, one edged sword that bent slightly. Vladimir backed slowly down the stairs. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir hissed ├óÔé¼┼ôshe's coming├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked.

Then a figure shot down the stairwell. A cloak trailed behind the figure. Two knives were in the figure's hands. The creature landed with both its feet on Vladimir. He fell backwards, sword slashing. Blood sprayed, but the vampire assassin struck back with both knives. Sparks flew as Vladimir blocked both knives with his sword. Then he pushed the assassin off with his sword. Then both vampires stood, facing each other. The assassin was bleeding from a cut across her chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour good├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. The vampire assassin grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôThey do pay me for that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger pressed her gun into the side of the assassins head ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut down the knives and no one gets hurt├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø the assassin asked ├óÔé¼┼ôis this my target!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she brought her knives around. Both landed on Ginger, hilts sticking out of her chest and stomach. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh! Ah! Ah!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger gibbered. The assassin jumped up and kicked Ginger in the head. Ginger flew backwards over the railing on the stair well and smashed into the table in front of the sofa. Mathew woke up with a jerk. Then he saw the knives sticking in her. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, reaching for a gun he didn't have. Then the vampire assassin landed on Ginger, two new knives in her hands. Then Vladimir landed on her back, sword flashing. He stabbed the vampire assassin through the back. His sword slid through the assassin and into Ginger.

They all stood in that pose, knives and swords stuck in a verity of places. Then Ginger smashed her pistol into the vampire assassin and fired. The back of the vampire assassin's head exploded outwards. She snarled, ignoring her suddenly missing eye. Then Ginger fired again and blew a chunk off the side of the assassin's skull. Then she fired again and blew another chunk of the vampire's skull. The vampire assassin, who no longer looked nearly as pretty, snarled at Ginger. Vladimir jerked his sword out of both woman and pulled the assassin off Ginger. The assist swung her knives around and slammed her knives into Vladimir.

Vladimir growled and kicked the assassin in the back. The assassin flew forward, staggering over Ginger and slammed into the wall. Ginger pulled both knives out of her body and dropped them to the floor. She checked her ammo counts and saw that she had at least five bullets left. She aimed it at the assassin. The assassin turned around and pulled out two more knives. She threw one and it slammed into Ginger's left arm, almost cutting it off. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger grunted. She fired. The assassin ignored the bullet slamming into her left side. Ginger fired again and again and again, till her gun clicked. Click click click.

The assassin ignored the bullets and started to stalk towards Ginger. Then Vladimir stepped in front of her, sword at the ready. The assassin ran forward and slashed with both knives. Vladimir dodged them and stabbed the vampire in the stomach with his sword. The vampire growled. Ginger limped away, reaching for her bag. Mathew rolled over the back of the sofa. Vladimir growled, fangs extending ├óÔé¼┼ôBitch├óÔé¼┬Ø he snarled. The assassin laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôHarsh language?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that the best you have?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mathew crawled towards Ginger. Ginger slid out her pistol clip and slipped in into the pistol. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot rightly sure├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, feeling her wounds. They were bleeding sluggishly. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm so hungry├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mathew stood up and pointed to the stairs ├óÔé¼┼ôLets hide├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood idea├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. They both started to run up the stairs. Then a knife slammed into the rail, between Ginger's fingers. She jerked her hand of the banister and looked down at the lounge. The assassin had thrown it over Vladimir's shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôRunning time├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said and started to run. They got to the upstairs. Then Ginger looked around and saw the window at the end of the hall. She started to walk down the hall, her body complaining with each step. ├óÔé¼┼ôShould we call police?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew asked. Ginger nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôthere's a phone over there├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mathew moved away from her to get to the phone, but Ginger almost fell over without his support. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh screw it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, grabbing her arm and starting to run ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get out of here first├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a smash downstairs and Vladimir swore. Ginger and Mathew got to the end of the hall. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm so hungry...├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger moaned. They got to the window ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said. Ginger smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôSure' She said, kissing him. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean out the window├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm really...hungry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She kissed him again, her lips pressing against his neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôNice' She giggled, fang's descending. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, pushing Ginger off him ├óÔé¼┼ôWindow!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger pulled the window open and crawled out. She tumbled out and smashed into the ground. She broke her neck. Mathew went feet first and landed next to her, almost breaking his ankle. ├óÔé¼┼ôOw├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger groaned, sitting up. Her head lolled around on her broken neck. Then she felt a pop and her neck fixed itself. ├óÔé¼┼ôOw ow ow ow ow ow├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, feeling his ankle ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I might have hurt this one a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger looked up and around and saw the ally around her was clear. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust wait a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôAbout the├óÔé¼┬Ø she stammered ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo one expects to get stabbed├óÔé¼┬Ø he counted the wounds ├óÔé¼┼ôfour or so times├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI could use a drink├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, looking at Mathew. She crawled over to him ├óÔé¼┼ôI think my ankle is better now├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger stood up and grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on, just a little drink├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, reaching for Mathew. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get out of here before├óÔé¼┬Ø. A hand jammed out of the wall and grabbed him around the neck. The arm pulled him into the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôAck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew gagged ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't breath├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø A muffled voice came through the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not Ginger├óÔé¼┬Ø. The arm let him go and the wall exploded outwards as the vampire assassin smashed into the ally way. Ginger threw Mathew behind her and faced assassin. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry, this isn't really personal. Just a job├óÔé¼┬Ø. She threw the knife. Ginger turned just enough to get the knife to cut through her right arm. The arm split open and blood started to pour out. The vampire assassin ran forward, knife at the ready.

Ginger backed up ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said to Mathew ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want you to die too├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Human can run├óÔé¼┬Ø The assassin said ├óÔé¼┼ôrun and hide├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôScrew that├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, pushing Ginger behind him ├óÔé¼┼ôThis girl├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs under my protection. To get through her you'll have to go through me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMathew├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats the stupidest, most brave thing I've ever heard├óÔé¼┬Ø. The assassin grinned, baring her teeth ├óÔé¼┼ôHow human├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. Then she stabbed Mathew in the gut. Mathew collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach. The assassin stepped over his body and grabbed Ginger by the neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôOnce again, its just business├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Then Vladimir shoved his sword through the assassin's neck. Then he stabbed her through the stomach, chest, left arm, and finally shoved his last sword through the left lung of the assassin. Then he stepped back. The assassin looked at the five swords jammed through her. Then she turned around and snarled at Vladimir. Vladimir smiled back at her and slid one of the assassin's knife out of her harness. Then he stabbed the assassin in the heart. The assassin fell backwards onto the ground. She shriveled up and twitched once or twice.

├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to get Mathew to the hospital├óÔé¼┬Ø she picked the man up. That made the wounds on her arms reopen. But she shouldered Mathew on her body. Blood, fresh human blood trickled down the front of her neck. Ginger paused, scenting the blood. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure you can get to the hospital in that state?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll stay here and├óÔé¼┬Ø he put his foot on hand of the vampire assassin ├óÔé¼┼ôget some...information out of this bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø. He leaned down and yanked the knife out of the assassins heart. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho hired you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLike I'll tell you├óÔé¼┬Ø the assassin said. Vladimir smiled a very deadly looking smile and pressed down with his foot. There was a snap. ├óÔé¼┼ôAHHHH!├óÔé¼┬Ø The assassin cried. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow lets start on the other one├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir smiled.

Ginger remembered Mathews body on her. He was still alive, as she could smell. She started to run down the alway. The hospital was somewhere near here. Or so she hoped. She started to run. Then she got to a bus station. Two old men were there. They looked at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI once carried a man like that├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, his voice foggy. Ginger walked past them to the map on the station. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf were here├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThe hospital would be here├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed, smearing blood on the plastic surface. ├óÔé¼┼ôWasn't that bloody myself├óÔé¼┬Ø The old man said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I did carry him back to the trenches I did├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger started to run again. After a few minutes she got to the hospital. She kicked the doors open and walked into the place. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've got wounded├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. The night clerk looked up from her desk. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet in line├óÔé¼┬Ø she coughed. Ginger looked at where the clerk had pointed. There was no one there. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's no one else there!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø the clerk looked over there ├óÔé¼┼ôGo on in├óÔé¼┬Ø. She waved Ginger in. Ginger walked in to the E.R and looked around. A nurse saw he and gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mathew├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know his last name, but he's been stabbed├óÔé¼┬Ø. The nurse stared at her, gaping at the wounds. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a vampire, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger bared her teeth ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp him!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The nurse nodded, running out of the room. She came back with a gurney and another nurse. Ginger laid Mathew down on the gurney and the two nurses wheeled him out. Ginger followed, walking as fast as the two nurses where running. They got to the operation room and Ginger stepped in front of the window that allowed people to look in the operation room. A doctor walked past her, not even paying heed to her.

After a few moments another doctor walked past her, about to walk into operation room. Then he stopped and looked at Ginger. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoly god├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should be dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am dead├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôVampire?├óÔé¼┬Ø The man asked ├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat! WHAT GOD DAMN IT!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger snapped, hunger making her snappy. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need blood├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôBefore you flip out and start killing people. I'm sorry if that offends you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôoh├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, surprised into near silence. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo down the hall and take a right and we have some emergency blood for starved vampires├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow I'll help you're boyfriend├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger nodded and started to walk down the hall. Her wounds dribbled, leaving a red trail down the perfectly white floor. She came to a door that said ├óÔé¼┼ôBlood here├óÔé¼┬Ø. She opened the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. The man working the station looked up and saw Ginger. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a vampire right? Cuase you don't need to donate your blood in that state├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, fangs descending ├óÔé¼┼ôNow give me some blood...or I'll take yourssse├óÔé¼┬Ø she reached for him, not caring what the consequences where. She was starving. The man pulled out a blood bag and handed it to Ginger. Ginger grabbed the bag and tore it in half, holding it above her mouth. The crimson liquid poured down her gullet. It was as if a sun had started in her mouth, heat bathing her throat. It might have been the starvation, but it was better, far better, then her first blood bag.

She took the plastic to her mouth and licked the last drops of blood out of it. Then she dropped the bag on the ground and breathed out slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI needed that├óÔé¼┬Ø. She ran her bloody hands through her hair. Blood was already streaked through the hair from where Mathew had bled all over it. She slowly rotated her head around and around, feeling out every crick in the neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôI broke my neck earlier today├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôNow I feel better then any day I did living├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBlood, man├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts always the same with starving vampires├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, looking at her arms. The wounds were closed. The wounds on her chest and stomach were closed, her skin fresh and clean. No blood.

├óÔé¼┼ôI need a new shirt├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan't have mine├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said. Ginger smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be going├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked out of the room and back to the operating room. She looked through the window. The one doctor was working on Mathew. The other was standing outside of the operation theater. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to ask you some questions├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôUh...okay├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat questions?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you two get injured?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMugging├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger lied. ├óÔé¼┼ôA mugger stabbed him in the stomach, then stabbed you a record number of five times├óÔé¼┬Ø the Doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they happened to have specially treated knives. Those were holy blades├óÔé¼┬Ø . ├óÔé¼┼ôHow could you tell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôBlessed blades leave wounds that don't close. You need blood to close them up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI noticed├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, flexing her arms. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø the doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm the vampire expert at this hospital, and I know that only two kinds of people know that. Vampire Hunters and Vampires├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAll I know was it was a mugger. They wanted my purse├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they happened to have blessed blades├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat man is a police officer. If he dies, call this house. I'm leaving├óÔé¼┬Ø. She handed him the number and walked out of the hospital.

The doctor sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôGet me the police station├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to one of the nurses ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd tell them we have a wounded officer and a mystery on our hands├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you...forget about me!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome sang ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't don't don't! Don't you...forget about me!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Steve turned off the radio. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø May and Jerome said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGuys├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm about to faint. There is the ranch. Drag me inside├óÔé¼┬Ø he said and then he fainted at the wheel. His head hit the horn and the horn started to blare. A man ran out of the ranch, two guns in his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôSHUT THE DAMN HORN OFF!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. May jerked Steve backwards off the horn. The man in the ranch ran over. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we stop here for a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked.

The man leered at her. May frowned at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could stop here├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I'm not so sure about your menfolk├óÔé¼┬Ø. May uncovered her Garand and kept looking at the man. ├óÔé¼┼ôHeh├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a good un. Come in├óÔé¼┬Ø. May opened the door and walked out. Jerome hauled Steve out and of the car. The rancher looked around. The pen was getting nosier. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll this noise is roiling them up├óÔé¼┬Ø the rancher said. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan someone get me out of here?├óÔé¼┬Ø the vampire said from the trunk. ├óÔé¼┼ôJess├óÔé¼┬Ø the rancher asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôyeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry about leaving you├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The ranch rolled his eyes and opened the trunk. The sun was behind the clouds at the moment, but Jess still ran straight for the house. Steve and Jerome were at the door. May was already looking around, her Garand ready. Then Jerome hauled Steve into the room and opened the door. Then he threw Steve into the room and kept the door open for May. May ran in. Then Jerome walked in. The Rancher walked in after that and closed the door. The zombies quieted down a bit. They no longer smashed their hands against the fence and moaned, trying to get at the food.

Steve woke up the next mourning. ├óÔé¼┼ôGah├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI feel like a ton of bricks hit me├óÔé¼┬Ø. May threw a pan of water in his face. Steve sat up, swearing. Then he looked around the room he was in. Mattresses were nailed to the walls, and blackout curtains surrounded the windows. The rancher sat at his chair, slowly rocking back and forth with a shotgun. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is he?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Billy├óÔé¼┬Ø the rancher said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you'd best remember that, seeing as how you have to stay here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said, standing up and yanking aside the blackout curtains ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve looked out of the window.

Zombies. That was the first thing he thought. Lots and lots of damned zombies. The zombies surrounded his car, slowly wandering around the car. They were all staring in random directions. Then they saw the lights from the window and looked at the house. Steve forced the curtains down. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey'll lose interest├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôStench's are pretty thick├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to leave...soon├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôUnfortunately the stench's are interested in the car. You'd need to be able to kill twenty zombies in under three minutes, before they overrun our house. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can do that├óÔé¼┬Ø May said. She felt herself over and pulled out three more clips of ammo. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets see├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôEight times three makes twenty four├óÔé¼┬Ø.

She walked over to the window and pressed her face against the blackout curtain. ├óÔé¼┼ôI count...twenty three...twenty four├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I can't miss├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you talking about?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked. May stepped away from the window and brought her Garand up. BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG. She slid the clip out of her rifle and slammed a new one in. Another eight rounds, one after the other after the other. The second clip landed on the floor and she slid her last clip into the rifle. Then she fired eight more times. The last corpse landed on its knees. Then it fell face forward on the pavement.

Billy walked over to his destroyed window and pulled the tattered blackout curtain aside. The car was splattered with blood, brains and bits of skull. The zombies were all dead...er. Steve blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn woman├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you weren't a...├óÔé¼┬Ø he stopped as May shot a deadly look at him ├óÔé¼┼ôWould you like to stay here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm no herder├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said, pulling his hat off ├óÔé¼┼ôThis place is going down hill├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked out one of his windows ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the herd is dying├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought that was the point├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, but look at em├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm here to keep these Stench's from getting to out of hand├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not doing such a good job├óÔé¼┬Ø May said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why I want to pick up and leave. And you have a fourth seat in that car├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSteve├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre we going to let everyone we run into into our car?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôApparently├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut for passage we need food, water, ammo, guns├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at Billy. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have all those in abundance. The things I really need are...friends├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry about leaving you├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess cut in. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôHell Martha left, Stewart left and finally you left. Now its time for me to leave├óÔé¼┬Ø.

He grabbed a can of gasoline. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you going to do with that?├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôfuel the car then light up the Stenches├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said. Steve lay down on the sofa and sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôHave fun with that├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said, walking out of the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôSteve├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a new hitchhiker├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut what can we do? The first one stowed away and the second one was on fire├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø May and Jess said at the same time. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo why not take a half crazy rancher?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve finished. Jerome sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is getting better and better every passing second├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, looking at his watch ├óÔé¼┼ôIts almost positive. We should be going soon├óÔé¼┬Ø. No one had the energy to ask what the hell that meant.

The car drove. The highway was bumpy, but the rails were at least semi functional. The zombies that weren't in herds were far off to the sides of the streets. The solitary figures were somewhat melancholy. They stood, wearing clothes from the fifties, forties and thirties. They were rotting, flies buzzing around their heads and arms. Some were wounded, bullets scouring their body's. Knives, axes, even fire had taken their toll. During the Great Panic, the Great Influenza and the Great Depression, millions of people had died. They had gotten up, because back then the dead weren't burned as they were now. So the people had used fire to herd them into the Midwest then just...left them.

May looked out of the window at the solitary zombies. They were all looking up at the sun. ├óÔé¼┼ôfor me├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's the fields. Endless planes, stretching everywhere. And the only thing breaking it up is those damn stenches├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can hear that├óÔé¼┬Ø May said, sighing ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy do they all look up like that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts the sun├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said, his voice scratchy ├óÔé¼┼ôwhen they have nothing else to look at, they look at the sun├óÔé¼┬Ø. May gulped and looked away from the window. They kept driving. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets listen to the radio├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, turning on the radio. Static came through. Jerome turned the radio off.

They kept driving. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen I need to sleep, Jess is driving├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy??├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can't drive├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't trust Jerome and Billy needs to keep the watch out for any stenches├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about me?├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI can watch for the stench's├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want two people watching├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. They kept driving. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôis it always this desolate out in the Great Plains?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey aren't great├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said gruffly. May sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn I need to go to the bathroom├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd sittin all day isn't wearing well├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll need a break soon. And seeing as how we need to put some more gas in the tank, lets pull over...here├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The car stopped and they all walked out. Billy got on the roof with his shot gun and started to look around. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have about...fifteen minutes├óÔé¼┬Ø he estimated ├óÔé¼┼ôbest hurry├óÔé¼┬Ø. May smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI will├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, running for the copse of trees. Steve and Jerome both started to pull out one of their fifteen gas cans. They started to fill the gas tank. May walked into the trees and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôFinally alone├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She waggled her tail in the air ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø she sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIts nice to work the kinks out├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she twitched her ears a bit. Then she pulled out her scratcher and slowly worked her ears. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAh yes...thats nice├óÔé¼┬Ø she moaned, scratching behind her ears.

Then she heard a crack behind her. May spun around, sliding her scratcher into her pocket. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIt doesn't take this long to go to the bathroom├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø May said, her cheeks burning. Steve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôOnly Jerome and I know what it is├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBilly and Jess don't and we promise to not talk├óÔé¼┬Ø. May shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, no no no├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve looked at her ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have five more minutes before we leave├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve walked out of the copse. May looked after him. Then she pulled out her scratcher and grinned.

Steve walked back into the car and opened the door. He sat down. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's May?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's taking her time├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't ask questions├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Jerome mouthed some words at him. Steve made a gesture, scratching behind his ears. Jerome nodded, mouth opened as an O. He looked away out the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are we stopped?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess's voice was muffled from the trunk. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo back to sleep Jess├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve shouted. May walked out of the copse, grinning her ears off. She walked to the car and opened the door ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, sitting down. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat took you so long?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôAbsolutely nothing. Lets go├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve nodded and gunned the car forward. The gas tank was full, and spirits were a bit high.

Sally looked up. Josh walked into the room. Sally stood up and ran to Josh. She hugged him, tight. Josh's eye bugged. Sally was stronger then she looked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSally├óÔé¼┬Ø He wheezed ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't breath├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're back at least two days early├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I die then we can never marry├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh wheezed. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could be a vampire├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd let you suck my blood├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to be a vampire├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh wheezed. Sally squeezed him a bit harder, then let him go. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow was Hitler?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA right bastard├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least as I've noticed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid he ridicule you for having a werewolf fiancee?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo, actually├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were never mentioned├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe didn't mention me? Did you have to beat him up?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, actually├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we're going back to America├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlready!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe knows nothing. He's been in prison for eleven years, and the cult is on a different country├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a good point├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo we get to go back home?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going home tomorrow morning├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo tonight is free?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked, smiling at him. Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôSally, remember-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat premarital sex is a sin├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally cut him off ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we should wait till we are married├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember how there is a security camera right there, but yes everything else you said is true├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally looked at the camera and stuck her tong out at it. There was a whirring sound as the camera zoomed in. ├óÔé¼┼ôIgnore them├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's still the covers├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you hated covers├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou said it covers your tail├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTrue├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut sometimes restraints can be fun├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not going to give up, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôNever before marriage, during marriage, after marriage├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDuring marriage?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHow are you going to manage that?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôIts going to a surprise├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, still looking up at him. Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Sally leaned up on her toes and kissed him on the nose. ├óÔé¼┼ôCool├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow there's a bathroom without a camera├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBathroom?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked, looking at the door Sally pointed at. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts got a shower├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd some real nice scrubbers. I love those things├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose we have no choice then├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe poor security guards will get embarrassed, listening to us go on so├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said. She stepped away from him and opened the door to the bathroom. Josh followed her, taking of his coat. He tossed it on the bed and smiled. Then there was a pounding on the door. 'Mr. Smith!├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice came through the door ├óÔé¼┼ôI have an urgent telephone call for you!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

[Zoombie]

├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere did you get these toys? These things actually hurt...├óÔé¼┬Ø. The assassin snarled at him. So Vladimir cut off another one of her fingers. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh! Ah! Ah!├óÔé¼┬Ø the vampire grabbed her wrist with her other hand ├óÔé¼┼ôI got it from Larry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôLarry the Snitch├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's still alive?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWith a name like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've told you all i know!├óÔé¼┬Ø the assassin said. ├óÔé¼┼ôExpect who hired you├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir pointed out. ├óÔé¼┼ôI told you├óÔé¼┬Ø the assassin said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have four more fingers left├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôno, no no!├óÔé¼┬Ø The assassin moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know who hired me. I never know who hires me├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger walked into the house. Then she gaped. The assassin had been tied down on the coffee table. Her left hand was a mangled wreck, each finger cut off. The right hand was missing a thumb, a very very blood knife still stuck in the wound. Vladimir was leaning over the assassin, his face almost touching her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell is going on!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm finding out who did what├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said, a look of aggrieved innocence on his face. Ginger ran to the table and jerked the knife out of the assassin's hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't tourcher people in this country├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, waving the knife at Vladimir. ├óÔé¼┼ôSense when?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I was captured by her she wouldn't stop at just cutting off my fingers├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôIt's true├óÔé¼┬Ø The assassin said. Then she snapped one of the ropes on the table and kicked Vladimir in the back of the head. Ginger stabbed her in the heart, the blade sticking through the assassin and into the table. The assassin shriveled up and landed with a plop back on the table ├óÔé¼┼ôNice work├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said, feeling the back of his head ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should leave the bitch out for the sun├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll turn her into the police├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid I can't let you do that├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt would reveal too much about what's going on to the humans├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger looked at him. Was he crazy? ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we need to give this assassin to someone in authority├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThe Invictus├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not screwing around with those vampires. Any vampires├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a vampire├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir pointed out. ├óÔé¼┼ôWitch is getting to be a larger and larger problem├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow lets take this woman too...my brother!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour brother?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have a brother?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHa!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôSomething you DONT know!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Vladimir looked cross ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't trouble myself with humans and their relations├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut my brother will be here in about├óÔé¼┬Ø She checked her watch ├óÔé¼┼ôA few hours, depending on whether his flight arrives or not├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is your brother?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir asked ├óÔé¼┼ôA warden?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôJoshua Smith├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. Vladimir's hand spasmed, his eyes widening. ├óÔé¼┼ôJoshua Smith...The Joshua Smith!?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot that I know of any other Joshua Smith├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you...Do...have...you...i...me...uh├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir blathered, at a complete loss for words. ├óÔé¼┼ôI believe├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the first time I've ever manged to have you at a complete loss for words├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI believe├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat either you have a very unfortunate taste in jokes or you know next to nothing about your brothers actions in the past decade├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did he do?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe never told you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHe never told you! This is funny. This is hilarious. This is a priceless...├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger grabbed his shirt cuffs ├óÔé¼┼ôSpit it out├óÔé¼┬Ø She snapped. Her hands went through the fabrics and the skin, muscle and bone beneath it as she fell through Vladimir. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd stop doing that!├óÔé¼┬Ø she turned around.

├óÔé¼┼ôI will├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. Ginger swung a right hook through his jaw. It passed through like smoke. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you stop trying to hurt me├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir finished. Ginger balled her hands up and sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are you talking about!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour brother, Joshua Smith, is only the most feared Vampire Hunter on this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. Ginger blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHe never talks about work├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust five years ago├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe took down the South American blood Cartel. A month before that, he pegged Prince Lacroix├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôPrince Lacroix controlled over half the US. In fifteen cities he coulden't be arrested. And Josh found him out and staked him. Staked him and baked him├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. She was genuinely surprised.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose he would be the greatest choice!├óÔé¼┬Ø .├óÔé¼┬ØReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked├óÔé¼┬Ø Yes├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôhe could probably kill the assassin with his pinky├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to go and spread the word. If the town knows that he's your brother, then no one would even look at you funny├óÔé¼┬Ø. He sank into the floor and vanished. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø. Vladimir's head reappeared, rising out of the floor. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you need to know now?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do I keep this assassin under wraps?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep the knife in her. Tie her up and throw her in the cellar would be a good next step├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. Then his head vanished again, sinking into the floor. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow where did I put my rope...├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah he knows nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was more interested in why your fiancee has stowed away on a plane├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd how you roughed up a highly visible, important prisoner. I mean Hitler is the mass murmurer from Germany. If he was inured or worse, it would be terrible for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôAside from the fact that he's a mass murderer├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's also incredibly...├óÔé¼┬Ø he sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôFrustrating, is the best word for it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFrustrating doesn't cause people to...├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix paused, reading the report ├óÔé¼┼ôthrow someone into a wall├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't quite throw him├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats not important, seeing as how there's been another two murder├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA rich bloke├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix said ├óÔé¼┼ôOne of the old vampire families, apparently. He was crucified, bisected and left for dead. He died of starvation about three hours later├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...painful├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôVery├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut whats worse...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan something be worse? It means that we haven't even dented their operations├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats not whats worse. The second murder...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked. Hendrix paused, running his lips over his teeth. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's Ginger├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was cut up pretty bad, but we identified her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôW...├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh trailed off. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix said.

Ginger tossed the tied up corpse into the basement. Then she closed the door and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to see if I can contact Josh├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered, picking up the phone. She dialed Josh's number. Then she remembered that he wasn't going to be home for about a day. She put the phone down and sat down in her chair. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow what to do├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. Then she heard a crash. Ginger looked up and around, trying to find where the sound had come from. Then there was a bang and the corner of the coffee table exploded. Ginger rolled backwards over the sofa and landed on her knee's, hands up. There was a man standing on the banister, holding a rather large rifle. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd what are you doing in my house!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The man laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a work of genius├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThe fact you got into my house, or the fact that you're shooting at me!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere was the problem of whoever kills Ginger Smith has to deal with Joshua Smith, and whoever hired the killer has to deal with him after he's cleaned off the guts of whoever kills you from his bayonets├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger, who was still crouching behind the sofa, looked around for a weapon. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôI just provided a bundle of ashes, a plausible story and five hundred dollars in bribes and volia, you're dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I'm not dead...well I am, but I'm not├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger objected. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour brother doesn't know that, your friends don't know that and once I'm done with you, you're not going to know it either├óÔé¼┬Ø.

He fired again and a massive hole was torn in the sofa. It clipped Ginger's arm, cutting his sleeve and the skin under that. Blood started to flow again. Ginger growled, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The man started to reload his gun ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough what?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't ask for this├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't ask to be a vampire, I didn't ask to pick the wrong friend, and I didn't ask to be fucking assassinated!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she picked up the sofa and threw it. The sofa was not the most accurate weapon, or even the most practical. It was just close at hand. It flew into the banister, smashed that apart, and then crushed the man against the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, kicking the sofa away and bringing his gun to bear.

He fired, the gun booming. Ginger saw the massive bullet zooming towards her face. She jerked her head backwards and the bullet went right over her nose. Then she jumped up and into the staircase, going right over the shattered banisters. She punched the assassin in the face. Blood and teeth flew. The man gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust...leave...me...the...fuck...alone!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger shouted, accenting each word with a punch. Then she stopped. Her hands were bloody, the knuckles split down the middle. Her fingernails had dug bleeding furrows in her palms. But it was far better then the man's head. It was completely caved in, brains and blood slowly oozing out and around the cracked skull. His foot twitched once, then twice, then stopped.

Ginger was breathing heavily, looking at her hands. She had just pummeled someone to death with her bare hands. Then she smelt the blood. Ginger grinned, bringing her bloody hand to her lips. She licked the assassins blood off her finger tips and smiled. She picked up the rifle and looked if over, trying to identify it. Then she heard sirens. Ginger's head snapped around as the police cars squealed to a stop. Two officers walked to the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø one of them said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe got reports of gunshots here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger blinked, realizing how this looked. She had just killed a human, and was holding the rifle. Now her finger prints were all over it. She thought about dropping the huge thing, but didn't want to leave it. She slid it over her back, shoving it down the back of her shirt. Then she ran up the stairs.

├óÔé¼┼ôOpen up!├óÔé¼┬Ø The second police officer shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets break the door down├óÔé¼┬Ø the other one said. Then Ginger ran out the ally way. The second police officer kicked the door in, but the first one saw the running woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter her!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, pointing. Ginger saw them. They both pulled out guns and aimed them at Ginger. ├óÔé¼┼ôFreeze!├óÔé¼┬Ø they shouted. Ginger looked around. Then she saw the apartment building across the rode from the Blackhorse manor. She jumped, legs pumping her into the air. Her arc got her about half way up the side of the apartment building. She threw her arm out and grabbed a windowsill. Then she vaulted up and over the building. Then she was gone.

├óÔé¼┼ôI can't believe it├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. Sally was sitting next to him on the bed, arm draped over his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't believe it├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh repeated ├óÔé¼┼ôShe can't be dead...again├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø she patted his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe can't be dead├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said, looking at Sally. ├óÔé¼┼ôOne of my sisters died├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was shot dead by some land pirates├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLand Pirates?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was ten├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they just shot her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry too├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut hell they're dead and probably having a far nicer time of it in the sky├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh laughed wetly, tears begging to flow. Sally ran her fingers through his hair ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou scratched me behind the ears once. Anything I can do for you?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Josh laughed and whispered something in Sally's ears. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh smiled at her ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I'll feel terrible about not feeling terrible on the day my sister died├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôwe can't have that├óÔé¼┬Ø. She snuggled closer to Josh. Josh snuggled closer to her and they enjoyed each others company. Then Josh started to snore. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI was looking forward to that├óÔé¼┬Ø. She lay him back on the bed and tucked him in. Then she looked at Josh for a bit longer. Then she crawled in the covers with him.

Josh woke up, feeling pretty good. Then he remembered that Ginger was dead. He didn't deserve to feel good, when his sister was dead. He rolled over under the covers. Sally's snoring face looked back at him. For a moment Josh was a transfixed by the way her nose perfectly complimented the rest of her face. She murmured softly, still dreaming. Josh thought about rolling out of the bed, waking her up, or just laying there and look at her. He settled on the last one. That suited him just fine. Then he saw a twitch under the covers. Then another. It was Sally's tail.

She wasn't wearing clothes. Josh thought about what to do now. Just to be certain, he lifted the covers slightly and looked down. She really wasn't wearing clothes. Josh thought about what to do now. Sally's left eye popped open ├óÔé¼┼ôEnjoying the show?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Josh rolled out of the bed and landed on the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine├óÔé¼┬Ø he said from there. Sally sat up on one arm ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôDo I smell or something?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just I'm fine down here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally moved over on the bed and leaned over to Josh. Josh looked down. Then up. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôlets just pretend we're married├óÔé¼┬Ø. She slid out of the bed and landed on Josh. He wheezed, seeing as how her left elbow was jammed in his right lung.

├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, moving her arm. Josh grabbed the sheets and draped it over Sally's nude body. The security camera made its normal focusing sound. ├óÔé¼┼ôNice├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, her tail twitching. Josh pushed himself out from under her arms, but he only got about halfway. Sally grinned up at him and started to crawl up to him. Josh pressed farther back into the nightstand he was fetched up against him. Sally grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing is getting you away from me this time├óÔé¼┬Ø. The camera made that focusing sound again. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot even the camera?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh let them enjoy the show├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôSometimes its fun with an audience├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh opened his mouth to argue, but Sally leaned in and kissed him.

The car continued to drive down the rode. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt seems like we've been going forever├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts always like this├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's right, you know!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess shouted from the trunk. ├óÔé¼┼ôShouldn't you be asleep?├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow can I sleep with someone as beautiful as you so close?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess mumbled, barely audible. May heard however and laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd crawl in there with you. Its a better view├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you hear that?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said louder. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe did├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to know the rest├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs there room in the trunk for two?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much clothes will you be wearing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked.

May, Jerome and Steve all shot him a look. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIts obvious to any and all├óÔé¼┬Ø. They were all silent for a bit. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we're coming up on another ranch├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow can you tell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe smoke├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, pointing. They drove right past the burning ranch. The skeletons and two swinging corpses told them no one was alive there. There were even no zombies. ├óÔé¼┼ôLand Pirates├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey always hang them after raping em├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a bit of information we really could do without├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôif we see Land Pirates treat them like very fast zombies with guns. Most are vampires, so we should be safe for the day├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen who are those?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked, pointing out the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said, crawling up to the front.

Four motorcycle were ripping down the highway. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe might need some firepower├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø May said, unbuckling her seatbelt and standing up, poking her head out of the makeshift sunroof. ├óÔé¼┼ôMagazines├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, sliding her M1 Garand onto the roof. Billy opened the trunk hatch, a small bit of the seat that could be pulled down. Jess, who was curled in a small ball in the trunk, as there was a ton of supplies jammed in there. He handed him two of the M1 Garand clips that they had back there. Billy handed those clips to May. May loaded them. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't kill them...yet├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The motorcycles formed around the car. Three of the riders were werewolves, their hair tied back in dreadlocks. The fourth was a human, just a very heavily armed human. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to need all your gas├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the fine wench on the roof├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYo-hoo!├óÔé¼┬Ø May said, waving her rifle at him. The man looked somewhat consternated. Then he reached for his gun. May shot him in the neck and he slumped forward onto his motorcycle. Then the motorcycle spun out of control and slammed into the side rail, exploding violently. May aimed her Garand at one of the werewolves. He had his revolver out and fired once, twice. Both shots hit the roof, bouncing off. May fired, hitting his front wheel, causing it to burst apart. His motorcycle went out of control and skidded onto its side.

The second werewolf jumped from his motorcycles onto the roof of the car. May swung her rifle barrel around, trying to knock the legs out from under him, but he jumped. Then Billy fired with his double barreled shot gun through the roof. The werewolves pants suddenly bloomed with red blood and he crabbed his crotch. He fell of the side of the car and rolled off into the distance. Steve clapped his hands to ears, wincing at the sound. The last werewolf gunned his motorcycles faster, but May shot him in the back of the head. Brains splattered and he fell off his bike.

May say back down in the chair, looking up at the millions of tiny holes poked in the celling by the shotgun blast. ├óÔé¼┼ôNice job├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, smiling at Billy. Billy threw the two spent shell casings out of the window and slid two more rounds into the chambers. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can use a smoke├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever fire that thing inside here again├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI was almost deafened├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPfft├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôif I hadn't we would have had a angry werewolf in this car. And that is not fun├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerome checked his watch ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts getting late. Jess you want to drive?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou bet!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, crawling through the impossibly small hole.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not tired yet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAww shucks├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said, crawling back into the trunk. May looked at the hole. ├óÔé¼┼ôI wonder├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, you can't├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need you here in case we're attacked again├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø May said. She bent over and shoved her head in the trunk. After a few moments she pulled her head out beaming. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to know├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy muttered. Jerome sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIs it just me├óÔé¼┬Ø He whispered to Steve ├óÔé¼┼ôor is everyone in this car certifiable?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust about├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm really beginning to question the wisdom of leaving Sandra. This trip is taking longer then I expected├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerome sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should be hitting the Demilitarized Zone in about...now├óÔé¼┬Ø. A singe zipped past the car.

It was scarred by many thousands of bullet holes. But it said New Mexico. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're making good time├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôNow we just need to find out what Albert meant by 'New Mexico'├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell if you ask me├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've always thought ghosts were terrible advice givers. They never give you the exact information├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôAlbert, whoever he is, is still alive. Just because I spoke to his spirit doesn't mean that He's dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThen...he might be here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a good point. Lets keep an eye out for him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the radio crackled. ├óÔé¼┼ôTesting, testing├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice came through ├óÔé¼┼ôOne, two, three. No one can hear this, but if you can, then it means that you are in danger...├óÔé¼┬Ø it staticed ├óÔé¼┼ôplease head to following coordinates if you want to live...├óÔé¼┬Ø static ├óÔé¼┼ôThis message will repeat until Thursday, July 27th . Then anyone within this...├óÔé¼┬Ø Static ├óÔé¼┼ôExtreme radiati├óÔé¼┬Ø static.

After a few more minuets the message came through again, with more static. But they caught the coordinates. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, turning the car.

[Maelstrom]

Hmmm, radiation is not good. Are they gonna nuke the Zombies? That would be fun. Nuking zombies does kill them, right?

[Zoombie]

If they get a brain tumor, yes.

If they don't, no.

And the brain tumor would take a while.

[Zoombie]

You'd better take these goggles for the next episode. That is if you like being able to see.



├óÔé¼┼ôSally, I├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh got that far. Then Sally kissed him again. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want you├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh finished the sentence, sliding under her again. Sally looked down at him, cocking an eyebrow suggestively. Then Josh kept sliding down. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally started to say. Then Josh got where he was going. ├óÔé¼┼ôJosh!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...thats... thats...├óÔé¼┬Ø she seemed stuck on 'that'. Her tail was sticking straight up, causing the sheet to tent up. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats just wrong├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, her face twisting ├óÔé¼┼ôBut it feels so right!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWant me to stop?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh's voice was muffled. Sally pressed her legs down ├óÔé¼┼ôHell no!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted.

Her tail drooped as her back flexed. She howled loudly, throwing her head backwards as she did so. Then her tail started to flap madly back and forth. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh Josh├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôA werewolf would never do that. I'm so glad I'm marrying a human├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked, using his feet to slid back up under Sally. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, a blush in her face ├óÔé¼┼ôI was always taught it was sinful to use your...tung...like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to lock the door and unplug the camera├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not arguing├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said. Josh stood up, whipping his face off, and walked over to the door. He locked it. Then he walked over to the camera. They designers hadn't expected someone as incredibly tall as him, so he simply reached up and jerked the power cable out.

When he turned around Sally was standing, the sheet draped over her shoulders. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do I look?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, throwing her head back, tail twitching. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn...in...in...nice├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. He was having trouble wrapping his head around anything less then Sally. Not her body, not her mind, not her soul, just her entirety. It was a hard thing to pin down. It wasn't her smile, her nose, her teeth, her hair or her ears. It was everything about her that was enticing, enrapturing and in general intoxicating. Josh wondered if every man thought his lover was as blindingly amazing or was he just an easy mark. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm in love├óÔé¼┬Ø He said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI never would have guessed├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat you did was so filthy you could only do it for love├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Josh took a step forward, a general haze of romance swarming his sense. So much that he tripped over the bed. Sally looked at him as he rolled on the bed, holding his knee pulled into his chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Sally leaned over him, the sheet sliding off her shoulders just so. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you all right?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh snapped. The pain had snapped him back into reality. For some reason physical pain made it harder to not focused on mental pain. Ginger was dead. ├óÔé¼┼ôSally├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger is dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally sat down ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said, a new emotion rising in his chest ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone killed Ginger. Someone I can find, someone I can touch├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJosh?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. Josh sat up ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone I can kill├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger looked at the crackling fire and sighed. The can had been filled with newspapers and lit up. Now a wooden and metal rifle was in there. The fire would certainly not destroy the rifle, but it would mar it enough to remove her finger prints. At least Ginger hoped so. She sure wasn't using the fire to stay warm. It seemed as if cold no longer affected her. Ginger closed her eyes and brought her knee's up to her chest, wrapping her arms around the shins. The fire crackled for a long time, with her just sitting there. She didn't know why people were trying to kill her, and at this point she didn't really care. She just wanted to rest. Then she heard a hissing noise. She looked up and saw a black cat slinking down the ally way. The cat hissed at her.

├óÔé¼┼ôHere kitty├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger held out her hand. The cat scratched at her, back arching. Ginger drew her hand back. The cat calmed down after a few moments, tail swishing back and forth slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, looking at the cat ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to go├óÔé¼┬Ø. She took one last look at the rifle. The wooden parts were burning merrily, the metal parts were blackening. Now she just needed to get as far away from it as possible. Ginger looked up at the buildings that created the alleyway. She knelt down, putting her hand on the floor as she looked up. She tensed for a jump. Then she leaped, zipping straight up and up until she cleared the roofs. Then she leaned forward, and as she fell, reached out her arms. She caught the edge of the roof and slammed into the wall that crated the corner.

Ginger wheezed. ├óÔé¼┼ôOw├óÔé¼┬Ø she moaned. She dragged herself onto the roof, getting to her feet. She felt her ribs up ├óÔé¼┼ôNext time├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm landing on my feet├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she started to run. She got to the edge of the building and vaulted up and over to the next side. She landed on her feet, skidding to a halt. Ginger grinned, the pain of her first landing fading. This was pretty fun. She checked her watch and saw that it was getting late. Or, more accurately, it was getting early. She needed a place to stay. She got to the end of the current building and started looking around the place. She had wandered out of Hollywood and into one of the more run down area's of LA.

She knelt at the corner and leaned over the edge, trying to see into the building. The window nearest to her was black, but she could still make out a ruined, mostly empty room. Ginger hooked her feet on the edge of the building and hung over the edge, reaching for the window. She yanked it up, harder the necessary. The glass shattered and fell to the ground. Ginger crawled into the building and started to walk around the place, looking through it. It was an old warehouse, filled with nothing but huge box's.

Ginger walked through the maze of boxes, looking around. The box's were all empty, as far as she could see. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. Her voice echoed off the walls, but nothing else came back. ├óÔé¼┼ôHuh├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered, walking around the place. She found a door to an inner office and opened it. The office had a desk, a rather large desk. She shoved the desk aside and lay beneath it. Then she yanked the desk back over her. That should be secure. After a few moments she was asleep.

The wrecking team went through the building, placing the explosives. Then one of the men screamed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it Mike!├óÔé¼┬Ø the foreman shouted. A very panicked construction worker ran into the main area of the warehouse ├óÔé¼┼ôSir! Sir├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôTheres a body back here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. He pointed at the office he had come running out of. The foreman rolled up his destruction plans and walked over to the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis here is a corpse. Call the police├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at his phone man. His phone man dialed the number. After ten or so minuets the people from the Morgue showed up. They slid the corpse into a body bag and rolled it out on a gurney.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the foreman asked one of the paramedics asked ├óÔé¼┼ôJust what is this copse?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø the paramedic said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's either a fifty year old woman who died over three years ago, or its a vampire who didn't have a place to sleep. Either way were not opening that body bag till we see its reaction to blood├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt could be a mosquito?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI should have left it├óÔé¼┬Ø. The paramedic shot him a nasty look. The foreman just shrugged ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get back to work├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted to his team. They started to place the rest of the explosives. Mike shrugged. He supposed it didn't really matter. It might just be a corpse, after all.

Everything was going fine until the front tires exploded. Steve swore loudly as his car began to swerve madly. He jammed on the breaks and the car skidded to a halt, spinning half way around. Then they all sat there, panting. Steve looked around. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs everyone okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø May said. Jerome looked at his watch ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm good├óÔé¼┬Ø he said after a few moments. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I was hurt, I'd tell you├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy muttered. Steve waited a bit. ├óÔé¼┼ôJess!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôYou okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a pause. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôRude awakening├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine too├óÔé¼┬Ø. They all sat there.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid to get out and find out├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll do it├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said, opening his door. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat explains it├óÔé¼┬Ø ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Everyone else asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôSee those severe tire damage spikes down the road?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve, May and Billy and craned their heads around, trying to see through the too small, broken back windshield. ├óÔé¼┼ôHuh├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. He turned on the radio and listened to the repeat message. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have about three hours to get about...├óÔé¼┬Ø he picked up his map and looked at the scrawled dots he and Jerome had put on it ├óÔé¼┼ôTen miles. Lets go├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôJess has to stay here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve looked up. It was high noon. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø He muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThats right├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis car will protect me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAgainst zombies, maybe, but not Land pirates!├óÔé¼┬Ø May said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have any blankets?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have five├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôJess had the right idea when we found him. Just he didn't have eyes├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet what you mean├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôMay, you ball him up. Billy, you and Jerome get the supplies reeady. I'm take look out├óÔé¼┬Ø. They all got to work.

May walked to the trunk and popped it open a crack. She then slid in, opening the door as little as possible. Then she closed the trunk door. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Jess├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, her eyes reflecting what little light filtered through the back seat cushions. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey...May├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said. His hand brushed her hair ├óÔé¼┼ôYou want me to...do that thing you like?├óÔé¼┬Ø. May grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust don't take too long├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess hands moved up to her ears and scratched at them. May sighed contentedly, wishing she could stretch out in the trunk. Her tail started to tap against the side of the trunk.

├óÔé¼┼ôHey! Lovebirds!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome's voice came through the trunk's walls ├óÔé¼┼ôHurry up in there!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess sighed, rolling his eyes. Then they got to work, rolling him up in blankets. When it was all done he looked even more like a mummy. He couldn't even move his arms and legs, like he could with his first bandage job. May hoisted him up on her shoulders and grunted. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're pretty light├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôLight for a guy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't get much food out here├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôBilly could only donate so much, with the others gone├óÔé¼┬Ø. May shrugged and started walking. Jerome and Billy followed her, hoisting food and ammo between them.

Steve followed last, holding his hand near his pistol. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, running up to the front ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd May, if we get attacked, just drop Jess and get your Garand├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve looked like a walking arms factory, as he was also carrying every single gun the party owned, witch amounted to an M1 Garand, a shotgun and two pistols. They all started to march. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo whats up with that...thing you like├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess murmured in May's ear. If she wasn't a werewolf, she wouldn't had been able to hear him through the cloth and sounds of walking. May grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôLets say how each race has its own customs. Thats one of ours├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôVampire's don't have a custom like that. We just do it like humans├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôSometimes I wish we did├óÔé¼┬Ø. May shrugged ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know, we actually get more then a few human tourists in our town, and the young men are actually more interested in the ears then the tail. But the tail is actually a far bigger physiological change then the ears, witch are just longer, wider and furred├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere did you learn the word physiological?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFrom this book├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôCalled 'Fun Facts about Werewolf Biology'├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess was silent for a bit longer ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you know what it means?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø May said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood, cause neither do I├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis entire thing is getting better and better every second├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow so?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was being sarcastic, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did I let you talk me into coming? If I were at home, I could be banging Sandra, rather then lugging around second hand weapons and babysitting two werewolves, a vampire and some old hick├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am not a hick!├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy objected, but Steve ignored them ├óÔé¼┼ôMy wife keeps telling me to retire, and I'm thinking that after this mission, she's right├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh come on├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôNice sun, the air. Zombies├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at the solitary figures standing amongst the plains.

Steve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôGood thing they only hear loud noises├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a muffled bang from the distance. ├óÔé¼┼ôLike that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLand Pirates?├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked, sweating from carrying Jess. ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone get their guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. May set Jess down as nicely as she could and grabbed her Garand. She looked in the distance ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't quite make out who it is├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was another bang, then a continuing drone. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats an engine!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a car!├óÔé¼┬Ø May shouted, her ears shooting straight up. Her tail wagged as fast as ever it had.

The car drove straight at them. ├óÔé¼┼ôSTOP!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve shouted, waving his hand ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need-├óÔé¼┬Ø. The car drove right past him. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp├óÔé¼┬Ø He finished. The car crested a hill, almost hit Steve's wrecked car, then swerved around a corner. Then it was gone. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø May muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø May said, handing the Garand back to Steve ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø she picked Jess up. They all started to walk again. Steve checked his watch. They needed to make better time, or they would be in dangerous. If the broadcast was to believed, but Steve thought anyone who was crazy enough to broadcast in this place was crazy enough to be trusted.

After another hour of mind numbing walking they had made slightly more then two thirds of the trek. But then May shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôLook!├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed. Steve looked at where she was pointing. In the middle of the plains there was something...shining. It was a metallic box, that was all Steve could tell. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a bunker├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôLike one of those on mars, in last month's issue of Amazing Tales...├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off as Steve looked at her ├óÔé¼┼ôYou like sci-fi?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't stand that stuff├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt could come in handy some day├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGuys├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome was looking at one of his watches. It was flashing red. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should get there in about...now, or we'll all die├óÔé¼┬Ø.

They started to run, going of the road. That worked for five or so minuets, until they realized that running with heavy supplies over rough terrain was not the greatest idea. So now they walked as fast as they could. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre we almost there?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. The bunker, for that was what it was, was now easy to see. It was really just a box, half buried in the ground, with a slit on one side. Then one side of the bunker opened. It was a door. ├óÔé¼┼ôSTOP!├óÔé¼┬Ø a man shouted. Steve stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't MOVE!├óÔé¼┬Ø the man shouted.

Dr. Mothman looked at his partner, whipping sweat of his brow ├óÔé¼┼ôThank god├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey've stopped├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI calculate that there was a thirty point zero chance of this happening├óÔé¼┬Ø Dr. Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey didn't hit a single mine! I said we should have put more out there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôStevenson!├óÔé¼┬Ø Dr. Mothman said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts lucky that they are alive! Now deactivate the minefield├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine, fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Dr. Stevenson muttered, flipping a switch. He looked at Mothman ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are they, anyway?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLooks to be...two humans, two werewolves and a bundle of cloth├óÔé¼┬Ø Mothman said, looking at the party. ├óÔé¼┼ôYOU CAN MOVE NOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWE'VE DEACTIVATED THE MINEFEILD!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

May looked at the ground, blanching ├óÔé¼┼ôMines!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose we're lucky none of us lost legs├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve muttered, looking around for the land mines as well. The shouting man walked over to them, waving madly ├óÔé¼┼ôHi├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Doctor Mothman├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSeven Smith├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, holding out his hand and grasping Mothman's. They shook. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a luck day for you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mothman said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou get to be the first people in the world to witness a new age├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome! Come!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mothman said, leading them to the bunker.

They all sat down inside. Stevenson was a bit surprised when the bundle of cloth turned out to be a vampire, but otherwise he wasn't surprised by any thing the party said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry about the tire traps├óÔé¼┬Ø Mothman said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe thought anyone coming here would be looking for us. So we wanted to keep you here till we can be sure that you don't affect national security├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's here that can affect national security?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mothman said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn three minuets the most glorious advance in human history is going to occur. New power sources, new weapons! Its a new age for mankind!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson, who was more practical, turned around and handed the group five pairs of glasses ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'd better put these on if you like being able to see├óÔé¼┬Ø.

[Guessmyname]

├óÔé¼┼ôThats fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis car will protect me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAgainst zombies, maybe, but not space pirates!├óÔé¼┬Ø

What the hell...?

Land pirates perhaps?

Yarr!

[Zoombie]

Did I write space?

I must be...SPACEing out.

Get it?


Anyone?

[Zoombie]

And this must be "Zoombie being an idiot day". not only did I mistype offer in Darkside: Extermination, but I also put space instead of land in this one.

Grrrrr... I need more coffee.

[Zoombie]

An end to a road trip! Some new room mates! A reference!

And Sally pays Josh back...


Father Anderson locked the doors of his Church and turned around, ready to walk home. It was a nice night after all. Then he saw a figure, standing in the shadows. ├óÔé¼┼ôFather?├óÔé¼┬Ø the figure asked ├óÔé¼┼ôFather Anderson?├óÔé¼┬Ø. After a moment Anderson recognized the voice ├óÔé¼┼ôAh! Ginger├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're up late tonight├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, still not stepping forward into the light ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to...talk├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can open the confessional├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned around to unlock the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo! No!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I do need to confess, but...I can't├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean, you can't?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI have the key right here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger seemed very very embarrassed by something ├óÔé¼┼ôI...can't...I can't go inside...the church├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson smiled. Ginger breathed in and slowly breathed out. Then she stepped forward into the light surrounding the front doors of the church. Anderson backed up a step, involuntarily. He had known Ginger, through her brother, for a decade. Her nice, happy face was the same. But her eyes, once a perfect hazel, were now blood red. Two fangs poked over her lips, barely visible. But Anderson had seen and fought enough vampires to be able to spot every symptom.

Red eyes, check. Fangs, check. Not breathing, check .That faint, unworldly beauty that turned simple 'pretty' into a more complex 'beautiful'. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're...a Nosferatu├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I need help├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said, pointing to a shadowed door next to the church ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a place set aside for people with...your condition. Its not holy, but it is a private place├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks Father├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, smiling. Anderson walked to the mostly unused door and unlocked it. It took a while, as the lock was rusting. But then the door sprang open and Anderson ushered Ginger into the room.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat did you need to talk about?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI was...turned just a few days ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did it happen?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWas it...against your will? Was the Nosferatu in question...apprehended├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIt wasn't his fault, as per say├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid he frenzy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe had just woken up after a long sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo your now a vampire. Do you need help adjusting? I have consulted the two other vampire catholics in the city├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôwell├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...its the blood├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you drink from nothing but donated blood?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...is it...isn't it wrong to drink blood at all?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôNot when you would die if you didn't, or cause harm to others. A vampire frenzying can kill more then any amount of donations├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, sighing ├óÔé¼┼ôIt still feels...wrong. Like I'm not human anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø. Anderson placed his hand on her shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôIf it didn't feel wrong, then it would be├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôand...your not human anymore. That doesn't mean your a bad person. Your can still be a good catholic and a vampire├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger paused ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay...but...Father i have sinned├óÔé¼┬Ø. Anderson sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôHow have you sinned?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôI have...I have killed a man├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. Anderson's eyes widened ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHow...did you kill a man├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was night, and I was in my house. He arrived and was trying to kill me├óÔé¼┬Ø. She told the story, but Anderson had to ask her to repeat several parts and go back to before the beginning. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen they fed me some blood and I woke up├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI had to hit the doctor. I just knocked him out. Then I ran here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Anderson sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is...this is a bit of a pickle├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I don't believe you sin if you kill in defense├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I just don't know what to do├óÔé¼┬Ø. She cupped her head in her hands and started to cry ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know what to do├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Anderson bit his lower lip ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need help, but...I don't have the resources needed for this. You need a detective, a warrior and a priest, all rolled into one. And I only fall under one of those characters├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger looked up at him, her eyes red ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...who can do all those?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour Brother├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôJoshua├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...he's just a Hunter, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour brother and I worked on the East Coast a decade ago. See...do you know how your father died?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger blinked, confused ├óÔé¼┼ôUm...he died in a car crash├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour mother told you that├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôshe thought that at that age...you couldn't handle it. But she died before she could tell you the truth, and your brother thought it was for the best...├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did my father died?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Anderson got up and walked to the window of the musty old room and looked out ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was killed├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôKilled by a vampire gang called the Cartel. They were into drug smuggling, prostitution and a verity of other crimes. They also had a perfected system for keeping their recruits loyal. They made them all vampires, everyone of them. But your father was making a dent in their operations, so much that he was worried they might go after your mother, or you...or your brothers. So while you moved to California, he stayed behind. Joshua, who was eighteen at the time, was still in NY├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôHe wanted to stay, to help. But your father said no. But Josh stayed anyway. So he was there when two vampires came to his father's house and killed him├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was...horrible. Josh came out of that...angry├óÔé¼┬Ø. Anderson looked at Ginger ├óÔé¼┼ôHe trained for five years, while your mother took care of you and Steven. Then he went after the same Cartel that killed your father. I met him in China├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat were you doing in China!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôI went as a missionary, but I stayed when your father told me his story. He wanted to learn a unique way of killing vampires, so that no one would be prepared for his attack. So he learned from the Chinese a very old style of fighting. I decided to help him on his quest├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôIt was over in a single blood night├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut in that time your brother and I not only exterminated the most powerful vampire crime syndicate in existence, but we also made ourselves famous. So famous I had to move all the way over here to get away form it. Josh, however, went on to kill more and more powerful vampires until he was about twenty five. It was then that he was thrown of a bridge, almost killed. He spent a month recovering, and in that time had had become...sane again. His abilities had been fueled by rage. Now he had none. He came to L.A to retire, but still work like me├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger breathed in ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd he never told me├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause he didn't want me to know...why?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe thought it would just...hurt your image of him├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Ginger closed her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we contact him?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she answered her own question ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's visiting Germany├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe is?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôLong story├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was a sound like swishing cloth. Then Vladimir dropped out of the celling, landing on his feet. He was wearing a new suit. It was a loose, very billowy red suit. He had a red hat strapped to his back. It looked more like a red parachute, it was so big. Ginger could see two sword sheaths on his hips and a hilt stuck out from over his shoulder, so she presumed another sword was slung over his back, under his hat. Vladimir looked at her with a disapproving glare. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have been very troublesome├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI believe you know me, Alexander├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said, not turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôVladimir!├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you have to do with Ginger!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEverything...and nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said, turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger, run├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThis guy-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care what he's done├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson cut her off ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's dangerous. He's deadly and he's up to no good!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger was frozen, struck by indecision. Anderson turned away from Vladimir for a second and tore a painting off the wall. Beneath it was a long broad sword and a shield. The shield was emblazoned with a silver cross.

Now armed, Anderson turned back to Vladimir. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger RUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. Ginger ran, kicking the door open and disappearing into the night. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have altered the landscape a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe'll never trust you if you kill me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe'll never trust me if you live, to spread word about me├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo its a lose lose situation. So I'll just kill you and salvage what I can├óÔé¼┬Ø. Anderson gnashed his teeth ├óÔé¼┼ôIn a day or so Joshua will be coming back to America, and he will be angry again if you hurt me...or Ginger├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôJoshua is certainly a good part of my plans├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour plans?├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow could...how does he fit into this, Nosferatu!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou would love to know that├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI would...Count!├óÔé¼┬Ø Anderson ran forward, swinging his sword. Vladimir drew his two handed katana from his back and blocked the blow. Then he spun around in the opposite direction. Anderson brought his shield up, but the sword smashed through it like it was paper. There was a wet snap and Anderson's arm broke. The blow also sent him flying into the far wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôNever call me that├óÔé¼┬Ø. He swung his sword up and around and Anderson's head flew off his shoulders.

The plane droned, people chattered and wind buffeted the sides of the plane, but Josh couldn't pay attention to anything other then his anger. He thought he had gotten over it. He thought he could be calm again, no matter what happened. He couldn't just continue to endanger himself, not anymore. But he didn't care about that now. Ginger was dead. Danny was dead. If things continued like this, who knows could be next. He looked at the sleeping form next to him. Sally's ears twitched slightly, almost in time with her tail, witch stuck under the chairs. Sally could be next. He imagined the silver cudgel that had been used to almost kill the werewolf just three days ago. He imagined that bashing Sally's head, like some watermelon.

├óÔé¼┼ôI won't├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, reaching over and scratching Sally's ear. She moaned softly in her sleep, one of her feet wiggling. ├óÔé¼┼ôI won't let it happen├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI won't├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked up, hand still scratching. Sally giggled ├óÔé¼┼ôBut its naughty├óÔé¼┬Ø she murmured, still dreaming. Josh smiled, feeling the anger recede slightly. It still simmered on the back of his mind. Sally giggled again as he scratched. Then one of her eyes opened ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been awake for the last two minutes├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. Josh felt like jerking his hand off. But he forced it to stay right where it was. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid I ask you to stop?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. Josh resumed scratching. Sally hissed and her foot started jerking again.

Josh sighed. He hope that he could finish his...quest. It felt odd to be on a quest again. Sally moved around on her chair. Then she slid off it, onto the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is really naughty, but its even pay back├óÔé¼┬Ø. She unzipped his fly. ├óÔé¼┼ôSally! Sally!├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said, almost standing up. Sally grabbed the blanket and draped it over Josh's knee's, covering her and him. Josh's eyes crossed and his head lolled back. He closed his eye, trying to not make anything obvious. Sally's head made a slight bulge over his crotch, but it wasn't too noticeable. Or so Josh hoped.

├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø a stewardess said, leaning over ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said, jerking his head up. Sally didn't stop. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou look a little sick├óÔé¼┬Ø the stewardess said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you need a bag?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be fine once this turbulence is over├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø the stewardess said. She handed him a bag anyway ├óÔé¼┼ôJust in case├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said, his voice rising in pitch half way through the word. The stewardess looked at him oddly, but walked away any way. ├óÔé¼┼ôSally├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh hissed. She redoubled her efforts. Then a moment later and Josh relaxed his hold on the arm rest. Sally moved out from under the blanket at say down on the chair next to Josh.

Then she grabbed the bag and spat into it. Then she balled up the bag and placed it on the fold down table. Josh gulped, whipping a trickle of sweat of his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôScratch my ears and I'll do it again├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said. She leaned her head against Josh's shoulder and he started to scratch. ├óÔé¼┼ôMmmmm├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally murmured ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're good at that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLook who's talking├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said faintly ├óÔé¼┼ôthat was...incredible├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was my first time├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMine too├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will be touching down in Los Angeles in about an hour and a half...in the mean time please enjoy our in flight movie├óÔé¼┬Ø the Capitan said over the P.A.

Sally snuggled closer to Josh ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure you can't...spend some time with me...before going after those bastards?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to finish this├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôI understand revenge├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know those Land Pirates who killed my sister?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter my father blew their legs off├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, snuggling closer to him ├óÔé¼┼ôThey let me cut their balls off├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh paused. He wasn't sure whether he was frightened of the savage look in Sally's eyes as she remembered that victory, or if he was aroused. His privates, settled on aroused. ├óÔé¼┼ôI love you├óÔé¼┬Ø He murmured as the in flight movie started, the actors talking with no sound to go with it. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôI had to work hard enough├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo what is going on here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Doctor Mothman said ├óÔé¼┼ôwe have been building a bomb. A big bomb├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA big one├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said slowly. May looked at him through her goggles at him while cleaning her Garand. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôyour car is about a mile that way, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know I walked it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd our bomb is about two miles that a way├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said, pointing. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow will we see the explosion?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess asked, shying away from the window. He didn't want to even get close to the sun light, even though only his face was uncovered.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mothman cut in ├óÔé¼┼ôLets say that in three seconds...your car and most of that highway will cease to exist├óÔé¼┬Ø. May, Billy, Steve, Jerome and Jess all stared at him, slack jawed. ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo...one├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôand...there├óÔé¼┬Ø. A second passed. Nothing happened. Another second. Nothing happened. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. Mothman sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy...why did it have to chose today to not work?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson tore off his goggles. Then there was a second sun. Stevenson smashed his goggles into his eyes to stop the light. For a few seconds there was silence. Then a thundering roar hit the bunker. Then the shock wave bowled them all over.

May got up first, whooping loudly. The massive, boiling cloud rose into the sky, creating the shape of a mushroom. Stevenson got his goggles on and stood up, face alight. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome shouted over the roar ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is it! THIS IS IT!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve was too busy wondering, looking at the explosion. It was like a second sun, a huge billowing rainbow of colors and sound. Then it was fading. The smoke remained long after the explosion. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh my god├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was an atom fissioning├óÔé¼┬Ø Dr. Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is we took the smallest bit of matter and split it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said, pulling a page out of his jacket. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe smallest shalt be split├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThis means...we've already failed one of the two chances we have├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Dr. Mothman asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJerome├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou explain├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerome opened his mouth. Then he stooped. Then he started again ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a bit of a long story├óÔé¼┬Ø. And so he talked for about an half hour. Once he was done everyone but Steve was gaping at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou came all the way out here...because of a cock and bull prophecy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôRound about. Now do you have transport?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTransport?├óÔé¼┬Ø Dr. Mothman said ├óÔé¼┼ôwe can get a helicopter here in...ten minutes to get the information of this test to a lab├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we come?├óÔé¼┬Ø May asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI've never flown in a helemagiger before├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Stevenson and Mothman looked at each other. ├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose that its okay to let them go...we're going to release this information to the public, so sure. You can blab your mouths off├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson picked up a phone and dialed a number. Ten minutes later and they were flying. Steve looked out of the window, at the zombies. Many were flaming and still standing, wandering around dumbly. Others had been boweled over by the blast, blackened and melted by the head. A massive crater was ripped in the ground, stretching from a blast point all the way to the street. It had vaporized part of the highway. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis had been a waste of time├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd money├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd bullets├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôby the way can I crash at your place, Steve?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Steve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a wife├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAs I've said over three hundred times├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just till me and Jess find a place├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jess nodded, covered by a blanket ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have some money from my ranching days├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I stay with you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Billy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø Jess said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean its the lest I can do├óÔé¼┬Ø. May's ears perked up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about Ringo Star?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. May thew the picture out of the helicopter. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, smiling sweetly. Steve groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you, Jess and Billy all need to crash at my place?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't even have as many rooms as you guys. I could set you up with your own apartment├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA what?├óÔé¼┬Ø They all asked.

The helicopter set down in the L.A air port, dropping them off. Steve and the others all walked into the air port terminal, sighing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø He said to May and Jess (Who was still draped with a blanket) ├óÔé¼┼ôthis is L.A├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at the people walking past them ├óÔé¼┼ôIts even got zombies├óÔé¼┬Ø. One of the walker's looked at him nastily, but he kept walking. Then he heard a shout. ├óÔé¼┼ôSTEVE!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a woman figure ran into him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked, pointing at the woman hugging Steve. Steve looked at the woman. She was a medium build, pretty in a 'town tomboy' look. She was also a werewolf. ├óÔé¼┼ôI really don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said.

Then Josh walked up to them ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSally, don't hug strangers├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he saw Steve. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod Steve├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôyou look like hell├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve blinked and realized that yes he probably did look like hell. ├óÔé¼┼ôI could tell he was Steve├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, looking at Josh. Then she looked back at Steve ├óÔé¼┼ôfrom his descriptions you are some lover├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI never said that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell he implied it├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo how was your road trip?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked, looking worn. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow was yours?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wasn't that bad├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh saw Steve's expression and shook his head ├óÔé¼┼ôNot like that!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe can do things with your tong you'd never believe, sister├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, leaning over to May. ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me later├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôBy the way are you getting married?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said. Steve, now that the two werewolves were standing next to each other, he noticed they were pretty much exact twins. Josh noticed that too ├óÔé¼┼ôUhh...Sally├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to May. ├óÔé¼┼ôNice guess├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I'm Sally├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe is a nice pick├óÔé¼┬Ø May said ├óÔé¼┼ôProbably big├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôHe is big├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh reddened. Steve looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat exactly were you doing on that trip?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll...some talking, some...stuff├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôStuff├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know I'd think that Ginger would be here too├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, looking around. Then he saw Josh's face.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. The sun slowly dipped below the horizon. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger...she's dead├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats one of the reasons I came back so quickly├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve felt like someone had jerked the rug out from under him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger was killed...by the same people who've been killing all those other vampires and werewolves├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god..├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, his vision blurring ├óÔé¼┼ôI talked to her just a week ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to go and get some things├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat things?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOld painless├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôcome on Sally├óÔé¼┬Ø. They walked off. Steve was suddenly hit by the news of Ginger's death. He sat down.

Ginger walked down the streets. Sleeping in a cardboard box was much worse then she would have thought possible, but she had survived. Ginger felt nothing. She was sure Anderson was dead. She had known the priest for her entire life. Now he was dead. Ginger didn't know what to think anymore. Josh and Steve were far far away and her only ally was an enemy, apparently. A car drove past and sprayed water as it hit a puddle. It splashed all over Ginger. ├óÔé¼┼ôFUCK YOU├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger screamed, shouting at the car. The car swerved, almost crashing into a lamp post. It stopped and a man jumped out. ├óÔé¼┼ôGINGER!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve shouted, his face alight.

He looked like hell. He had a few cuts on his face, a few bruises and a lot of dirt. And the skin around his eyes was lighter then the rest of his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôSteve your back?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger! Your alive!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo I'm not├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, not finding it funny anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean....we heard..that...you'd been killed!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. He grabbed Ginger and hugged her tight. Ginger felt the blood thrumming through his veins and wished she could just bite down. Then she banished the thought, realizing how horrible it was. This was her brother. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm alive├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôWell alive enough├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Steve pulled her into the car. ├óÔé¼┼ôthis isn't your car├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a rental├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ômy car was destroyed by a bomb├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA bomb?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. 'It was a big one├óÔé¼┬Ø a woman said from behind Ginger. Ginger turned around and saw a very odd collection of people. There was a young werewolf woman, a very old man and another vampire who was wearing a blanket and some bandages. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are they?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome guys├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to tell Josh you're okay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a knife shot through the window, right in front of Gingers face and buried itself in the dashboard. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôDRIVE!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She bowled out of the car and came up, hands raised.

The knife thrower was the same assassin Ginger had tossed in the cellar. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou got the knife out?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy boyfriend did it for me├óÔé¼┬Ø the assassin said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGreat├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôNow are you going to kill me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she looked over her shoulder and saw that Steve and his friends were walking out of the car, guns ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôRun!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis woman will...├óÔé¼┬Ø. Another knife shot through the air and buried itself in her thigh. Ginger collapsed to one knee and swore loudly ├óÔé¼┼ôAH!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, feeling the wound. The assassin jumped forward, knifes in her hand. Then a shotgun gutted her. She flew backwards and landed on the ground.

Billy reloaded his shot gun, slapping two new rounds into the chambers. ├óÔé¼┼ôMay├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. The vampire assassin leaped to her feet and tossed both knives. May kicked Steve in the leg. He tripped and the knives both slammed into the car hood, cutting long furrows. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a rental├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve moaned, aiming his gun. He fired. The bullets missed as the assassin was no longer where he had aimed, cartwheeling to the side. May aimed with her Garand and fired. The bullet clipped the assassins right arm, but she ignored it. Jess ran to the hood and yanked the knives out. He ran at the assassin.

The assassin deflected his rather poor blows and stabbed him in the guts. Then she hoisted him up onto her feet and kicked him off and over her. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger shouted. They stopped. Jess sat up and looked at her, seeming unconcerned by the two rather terrible wounds in his stomach. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is about me├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou guys don't have any part in it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTrue├óÔé¼┬Ø the assassin said, the buckshot slowly dribbling out of her body as the wounds closed up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I think├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. Then he shot the assassin. The silver bullet smashed into the assassins skull and brains splattered. She flew backwards and landed in an ally, twitching. ├óÔé¼┼ôRun!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve shouted.

[Maelstrom]

Bullet to the head. Ouch

And i forgot about the prophesy! I worked out the nuke and everything, but i forgot bout the prophecy totally. Damn it. Ah well, nuking zombies seems to work well. Why doesnt the military use the zombies as target practice? Makes sense to me.

[Zoombie]

Zombies (unlike wooden targets) bite back and there are litterally millions of them in the Killing Feilds. But they do make good test subjects on how nukes work on humain beings!

Witch is one of the reasons they set off the nuke in a bunch of them.

[Maelstrom]

Well, get some snipers going, with quick helecopter evacuations, and you have a firing range with moving targets! Simple. Plus it would eventually kill off all the zombies, so the plains would be safe again.

[Guessmyname]

alternatively: zombies can't break into tanks

[Zoombie]

Well see there are only two kinds of people in the Plains.

Land Pirates (they want those guys dead) and Ranchers. And Ranchers were mostly nessisary during the 'hord' stages of the Great Panic, where there were massive clumps of zombies. But now the zombies have started to drop from age and desise. Soon zombies will be an annoyence of the past, something that only kills idiots and fools who don't follow the normal precautions.

The only real threat is the closet zombies. Some familes and people have a huge reluctence to kill their relatives, even though they are fleash eating zombies. So these closet zombies last a long time (because they are acutally talken care of, after a fashion) and if they ever get out you have a situation such as in the beggining of the book. Its a bigger problem then many people like to admit, and is often glossed over in polite society.

[Zoombie]

My arms got tired halfway through writing this episode, so I ended it there.

So sue me.



Oasis sat up and felt her face. It was pretty much split down the middle. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered. Then she forced her body to mend itself. It took quite a bit of effort, but she forced the silver bullet out of her skull. Then she stood up and brushed off her shirt ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need a break├óÔé¼┬Ø she walked off, hands in her pockets ├óÔé¼┼ôI wonder if Mat is up for another roll in the hay├óÔé¼┬Ø. She rounded the corner and was gone.

Josh looked at it. It was Old Painless the device that Josh had concocted during his angry years. He slipped the brace's on and strapped on the harness. Then he took out the first of his two bayonets. They were not exactly normal bayonets. They had a balanced handle, so they could be tossed. They were also connected to his harness by stretching cable. Josh flipped the bayonet around and switched its position from pointing outwards to facing inwards. He then snapped his wrist and the blade buried itself in the wall. Up to the hilt. Josh grinned and snapped his wrist again, engaging the connecting wire. The bayonet flew back into his hand, hilt sliding into it as if it had never left. ├óÔé¼┼ôNice├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh murmured.

He took out his second bayonet and slipped it onto the harness. Then he took out the backups. All fifty three of them. Then he fasted his trench coat above that. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is just right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWow├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...a lot of bayonets├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. Then he swept his arms out and moved his wrists just...so. Five bayonets leaped into his left hand. Five into the right. He flipped them around and brought them to a guard position on his face. Sally grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôWow├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have no lack of male equipment├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh smiled at that. He slid his bayonets back into the harness. It took slightly more time then getting them out.

├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have any idea of where to stat?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI join them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe quickest was to the center of this organizations is from the inside├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow I'm going to call Hendrix and tell him what I'm going to do├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally sighed, laying back on Josh's bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo are we going to live here or in my apartment? Cause I really like this bed├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh shrugged ├óÔé¼┼ôI never thought that far ahead├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôTo tell to truth me getting married still feels rather surreal├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally got up and hugged him. Josh winced as one of his bayonets poked him. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome back in at least two pieces├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said.

Josh smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI will├óÔé¼┬Ø then he blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôI plan to come back in one piece, actually├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally squeezed him a bit tighter then let him go. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo how are you going to get yourself in their organization?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Josh smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's going to be a surprise├óÔé¼┬Ø he grabbed a phone and dialed Hendrix's number. ├óÔé¼┼ôHendrix├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts Josh...yes...uh hu. I have an idea about that. Yes I can swing by. In fact I wanted to anyway, so thats fine. I'll see you soon├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh hung up the phone and turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôSally├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf someone comes after you, call the police and run. These people are experts, or at least some of them are, and I don't...I can't lose you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm staying with my sister till you get back├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy sister can hit the eye of an ant at a mile away, so I think she could handle some krauts├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Josh looked at her ├óÔé¼┼ôThey aren't Germans├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe cult was started to Germany actually, but I think its one hundred percent American├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell...by├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said. He opened the door and walked out of the house. Sally sat on his bed and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood luck├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. Then she lay back on Josh's bed and tried to remember where May said she was going to be staying. Then there was a tap on the door. Sally got up and walked to the door ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you forget something?├óÔé¼┬Ø she called. She was about to open the door. Then she stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is it!├óÔé¼┬Ø she called. ├óÔé¼┼ôA delivery├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice said, muffled thought he door. Sally didn't believe him. She locked the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo away├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

There was a gun shot and a large chunk of the door exploded outwards, a shard of wood narrowly missing Sally's ear. She rolled to the side as her attacker kicked the door down. She ripped the leg of a chair and smashed it into his knee cap. He collapsed, his leg bending in the wrong direction. The moon was behind the clouds. Sally swore, feeling a bit weaker then she normally was. The second cultist ran into the place. He had two cuffs, both silver and glinting. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally said, pushing herself back with her feet. Then the cultist she had whacked grabbed her foot. She kicked him in the face and he fell backwards, a tooth flying. But then his partner snapped the cuffs on her legs. Sally swung her chair leg around, almost catching the second attacker in the jaw. But he ducked backwards just in time. Then there was a click, click and she was completely bound. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet me go, you bastards├óÔé¼┬Ø Sally shouted.

├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø the cultist said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're going to die, bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally snarled ├óÔé¼┼ôYour going to die...Joshua will take his time whipping you out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour sick boyfriend├óÔé¼┬Ø the cultist leered ├óÔé¼┼ôis already dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sally tried to bite him, but he backed up. They dragged her out. Sally wanted to struggle, but the silver was already sapping her strength. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...bastards├óÔé¼┬Ø She murmured. Then they threw her in the back of their car, slammed the trunk and drove off.

Josh walked into Hendrix office. ├óÔé¼┼ôJosh├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix was facing away from the door, looking at the window ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø he sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are getting to focused on this cult├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThey've killed five people...including my sister!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you really think your sister...was alive?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix asked, turning around ├óÔé¼┼ôShe didn't breath, her heart didn't beat. How could she still be alive?├óÔé¼┬Ø .├óÔé¼┬ØShe was walking and talking├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Hendrix...this cult is breaking the law. We have to stop them, no matter our feelings├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh's hackles were raising. The simmering anger in the back of his mind was riding up at Hendrix's words.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hendrix said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't let you continue on this case├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh shouted. Then a nasty suspicion began to rise in his mind ├óÔé¼┼ôHendrix├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy...why are you trying to hard to get me off this case├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hendrix looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're trying to get me off the case├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôHendrix, just who's side are you on!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hendrix's mouth turned down ├óÔé¼┼ôI've sided with the human race├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ônot with freaks├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFreaks?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou think that my sister, my fiancee are freaks!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hendrix sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI wish├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt didn't get to this point├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat point?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Then Hendrix pulled out his gun.

Josh dived to the side and snapped out his wrist. The gun discharged, the bullet slamming into the ground. Hendrix stood, a bayonet buried in his forehead. Josh landed, looking at Hendrix. They bayonet had sunk all the way into Hendrix's head and into the wall behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôBastard├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh muttered. Then he snapped his wrist and the wire dragged the bayonet back into his wrist holster. Hendrix slid down the wall and hit the ground, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Josh got up and searched Hendrix over. He found a card with the same symbol that they had found on the last attacks. The + with the bent edges. On the back was an address. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is too easy├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh murmured.

Steve drove to his house. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've got to face this down, head on├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want to├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, anger rising in her. She grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a lot of problems on my own, but I can give you a name├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA name?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's named Kraut. He's a arms dealer, but we keep him around cause he can get you enough guns to clear out the Killing fields├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I'll need an ally├óÔé¼┬Ø. She opened the door to Steven's house and walked in. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh Steve├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said, looking up from his book ├óÔé¼┼ôYour home early!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSandra!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, running to his wife. He kissed her. Then kissed her again, and again and again. May, Jerome, Billy and Jess all stood behind Ginger, looking at their feet. Ginger looked away, not wanting to watch her brother grope his wife. ├óÔé¼┼ôSteve├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôI take it the emergency was bigger then expected├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said in her ear ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was hell. But I'm back, with some new friends├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sandra looked over his shoulder at the motley collection of vampires and werewolves behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôoh├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we need to keep them here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to drive them to their apartment. But can you look after Ginger for a while├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust promise you come back soon├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI will├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said. He walked out, taking his passengers with him. The door slammed and left Ginger alone with Sandra.

Then Vladimir dropped through the celling. He landed, looking a bit worse for the wear. A single cut ran down his left arm. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnderson...was a trick target├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, feeling the wound. Ginger backed into the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra got up. Vladimir turned around and locked eyes with her. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo...to...sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, enunciating each line clearly. Sandra's eyes rolled into her head and she fell to the ground, snoring. Vladimir turned to Ginger, frowning ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid that I have been less the truthful with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wouldn't be surprised if you've been holding my sire├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôGot it in one├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am the one who captured Tim, I am the one who ordered the assassin to attack you, I am the one who let lose the zombies at the Blackhorse manor├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger growled ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the cult? And the werewolf profecy? Are you behind those too!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Vladimir looked taken aback ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI couldn't care less about humans and werewolves├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut...why? Why!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy am I doing this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy am I working for the Invictus and the Ordo Dracul? Why am I explaining everything?├óÔé¼┬Ø he smiled lopsidedly. Then he grabbed Ginger by the hair and placed his hand on the mirror behind her. They both fell backwards. Into the mirror.

They came out in a mansion. ├óÔé¼┼ôWelcome├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôTo my mansion├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger looked around. Then she backed away from Vladimir, feeling very afraid. Vladimir saw her back up and smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I wished I could do anything I wanted to you. You are completely in my power. Don't think distance would save you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you bring me here?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI wanted...to apologize. It could have been anyone, but It turned out to be you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you talking about?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger asked. Vladimir sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIt will be clear next night. I know that you are going to come. With what, and with who will show how this ends. I just wanted to you see where we will fight and where one of us will die├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Vladimir looked very melancholy ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are such a good person├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou just don't know it yet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôVladimir├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't need to...fight├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI killed Alexander Anderson├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said. Ginger felt cold. She had thought that Anderson was dead, but now she knew. And knowing was worse then thinking. But the fact that Vladimir has admitted so easily, so quickly made her shiver. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...killed him!├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, incredulous. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôI did it with no remorse and no regret. I feel no guilt over disemboweling a priest. I would do it again a hundred times, if it served my proposes├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger felt angry. Then the anger mounted to fury ├óÔé¼┼ôYour mad├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Vladimir said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am...I am quite mad. Now prepare. You only have a night to get ready for this fight├óÔé¼┬Ø. He placed his hand on Ginger's shoulder. Then Ginger sank into the ground against her will.

Steve got home and sighed. Sandra was snoozing on the couch. He had wanted to get some fun in before sleep, but oh well. Then he realized Ginger was gone. ├óÔé¼┼ôSandra!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, walking to Sandra. She woke with a start ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's Ginger?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's...├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said, sitting up ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I can't remember!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, sitting down. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can just hope she's okay. Now I need to call Josh├óÔé¼┬Ø. He reached over and picked up the phone.

Jerome sat in his chair. He supposed that they would never figure out the last line. It made no sense what so ever. There was only one holy ground for Werewolves...and it was crazy to imagine humans, or anyone else for that matter, getting there. He got up and walked out of his shop. He stepped on a newspaper and looked down at it. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe paper├óÔé¼┬Ø. He picked it up and unfolded it. Then he dropped it, running into his shop. He picked up the phone and dialed Steve's number. ├óÔé¼┼ôSteve!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've figured it out! I've got it!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat? What? What!├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet your newspaper for today├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it will become clear├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said, looking at Sandra ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have todays Newspaper?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Sandra said. Then her face brightened ├óÔé¼┼ôOh! Its got a really cool article. Let me get it├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked to the dinner table and threw it to Steve. Steve caught it and unrolled it. The headline read ├óÔé¼┼ôPRESIDENT VOWS TO PUT MAN ON MOON IN THREE YEARS├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve blinked, picking up the phone. ├óÔé¼┼ôJerome├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you thinking what I'm thinking?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

[Maelstrom]

Yay, go me! I got the prophesys right. but talk about a cliff hanger... DONT LEAVE IT THERE!

[Zoombie]

Don't worry. My arms are now regenerated by a night of sleeping and breakfast.

TO THE WRITER MOBEIAL!

[Zoombie]

The doors opened. At least fifty people turned around, looking at the doors. The figure was backed by a streetlight, causing bright yellow light to pour into the darkened church. The man wore a long great coat, pulled up to cover his lower face. Eye glasses sat on the man's nose, and he looked straight forward. He started to walk forward, his boots making loud noises in the silent crowd. He got half way there and stopped. His eyes tracked slowly from side to side, looking at the face's around him. He even recognized a few of them from place's of work. That stopped him up slightly.

Then a single clap rang out. It was followed by another. ├óÔé¼┼ôBravo...Bravo├óÔé¼┬Ø a man said, stepping out of the shadows at the back of the church ├óÔé¼┼ôYou came├óÔé¼┬Ø. His voice had a very thick German accent ├óÔé¼┼ôI expected as much, but it still proves your character, Joshua├óÔé¼┬Ø. The crowd looked at the man and all raised their hands in salute ├óÔé¼┼ôHeil!├óÔé¼┬Ø they shouted. Josh felt a chill, looking at the raised hands. There was something terrifying in the mindless conformity behind the gesture. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you break out, Adolph?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour visit├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour visit actually brought one of my most loyal men to my side├óÔé¼┬Ø. He gestured and Hans, the translator, stepped out of the shadows.

Josh sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is Sally?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere...is...Sally├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler repeated ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is here, behind me actually. She is also next to a large chunk of silver. You have about one hour before the silver poisoning is lethal├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh's back stiffened ├óÔé¼┼ôAre we going to be able to finish this without killing each other?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou...encompass everything that is wrong with the world today├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI was about to say the same of you├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou actually wish to marry...a monster. How strange, for someone who has done great works├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôGreat works?├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was nothing more then revenge, a madness that almost killed me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGreatness, madness...its often hard to tell them apart some times├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said, waving his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôBut in this world what is mad is offering a hand to monsters that have bitten us so many times. Who has been stealing out people away, turning them to evil? Monsters. Werewolves, vampires...zombies all of these supernatural creatures have been corrupting man kind for too long!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh gulped. Hitler's voice was almost hypnotic.

├óÔé¼┼ôImagine├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said ├óÔé¼┼ôCamps for doing away with these creatures. I have been planing them for two decades. The two ingredients needed are this├óÔé¼┬Ø he held up a syringe. It was filled with what looked like cloudy gray water. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs filled with powdered silver, placed in water. You shake it up and inject it into a werewolf and they will die├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh imagined what that would do to a werewolf and felt his mouth go dry. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler raised his other hand witch held a bullet ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a white phosphoruses tipped round. If fired into a Nosferatu, the Nosferatu will die in a matter of seconds├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hitler placed these two items in his pockets ├óÔé¼┼ôImagen├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôA shot for every werewolf, a bullet in the back of the neck for ever vampire. And we can do it! We outnumber then ten to one, and we can herd them up, brand them...kill them! Free humankind form this constant struggle against the Other├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Josh grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I suppose you have a way of convincing people to go along. We wont stand for the cold blooded murder of-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have two senators in this Cult├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd many more sympathizers. Are you wondering why you haven't heard about the murders in the other cities? Hollywood and L.A are not alone in the purges!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hitler smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôThis country's free speech is quite useful├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn my homeland it is illegal to spread the truth about monsters. They call it a 'hate crime'├óÔé¼┬Ø. His face twisted ├óÔé¼┼ôHate crime!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose you want me to either join you or die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, actually├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could be a fine addition to our membership├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI would├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut when I arrived in L.A a decade ago, I was on a course to an early death. I was throwing myself into more and more dangerous cases. This eventually caused me to break my leg, and in the hospital I met a man named Danny. He was wise, very wise, a great poker player and was very kind. He proved that it doesn't matter if you drink water, blood or lemonade. Your still...human├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh's smiled a very cold smile ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you killed him...you killed my sister...you're going to kill my fiancee├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hitler blinked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet me return the favor!├óÔé¼┬Ø Josh shouted, snapping his hands out.

Two bayonets flew into his arms. He tossed one to the left, slashing through an enemy's throat. The cultist fell, even as the others reached for their guns. The second bayonet slipped into an enemy's eye socket and he died. Josh discarded those bayonets, rolling forward. Two men ran forward, brandishing swords. Josh snapped three bayonets into his left hand and spun about, throwing them. One enemy fell, two bayonets slamming into his chest. The third bayonet hit the second enemy in the hand, impaling it against the wall. Then Josh rolled behind a pew as more cultists opened fire. Bullets smashed into the ground as Hitler ran for cover.

Josh popped up and threw a flurry of bayonets. They shot out, five of them, and hit five cultists, two in the legs, three in the stomach. They fell, guns clattering to the floor. Josh stood up, sliding two bayonets into his hands. He jumped up on the pew and leaped forward, tackling two cultists, who were reaching for their guns. He punched one, using the bayonet handle like a brass knuckle. The other one got up, but Josh pivoted on his heel and slashed across the man's neck, spraying blood. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôSTOP!├óÔé¼┬Ø. They all froze. Josh had already killed more cultists then he could count on two hands, but he stopped as well.

Then he looked at Hitler. He was holding Sally, the syringe on her neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you move, this...thing gets it in the neck├óÔé¼┬Ø Hitler said, his accent coming back strong under stress. He looked to the side and shouted stuff in German at Hans. Hans pulled out his gun and aimed it at Josh. ├óÔé¼┼ôDrop your weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôor we will kill your fiancee├óÔé¼┬Ø. Josh snarled, standing up. Then he opened his jacket, revealing the thirty or so bayonets remaining in his harness. He unhooked the harness and dropped it to the floor. Cultists surrounded him, all their faces furious. ├óÔé¼┼ôThrow him in the cell├óÔé¼┬Ø Hans said. One of the cultists whacked Josh on the back of the head and he was out.

Mathew sighed, looking at his unlit cigarette. He walked down the street, wishing he had a lighter. Then a lighter appeared in front of him, held out by a slender arm. He followed the arm to Ginger. Ginger grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Mathew├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNeed a light├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, leaning forward. Ginger started up the lighter and lit the cigarettes. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter a fashion├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI just...I wanted to tell you I might not be alive after tonight├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. Mathew stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI just need to pick some guns up, and then I'll be heading to a mansion. Its there that my sire is being held├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said again, still not sure what to think. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wish I had more time...I would have loved to take you out for dinner├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mathew sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen are you going to this mansion?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn about an hour and a half├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said softly. Mathew looked at her. She was leaning against the wall of an alleyway. She slipped the lighter into her pocket and sighed. Mathew stepped past her. Then he stopped. Then he reached in and kissed her. Ginger made a muffled protest, but Mathew stepped closed and they both walked back into the alleyway. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger hissed. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't want to die a virgin, do you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew asked, smiling. Ginger was about to snap that she already had. But what came out of her mouth was ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mathew kissed her again, then again. His hands worked up her shirt, undoing the buttons. Ginger wriggled her shoulders and let the shirt fall away. If it bothered Mathew that her shoulders were cold when he placed his hands on them, he didn't show it. ├óÔé¼┼ôMathew├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is crazy. I need to...to...├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off ├óÔé¼┼ôOh fuck it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was my plan├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, kissing her again. Ginger's hands ran down his front, finding the zipper on his fly. She undid it quickly. For a moment she wondered about premarital sex, or more importantly a condom. Then she forgot about it and wrapped her legs around his hips.

Ginger buttoned up her shirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôGinger├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm coming with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said, snarling ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is my fight, my battle...my problem├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a load of crap├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôI got stabbed helping you. I have a stake in this├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger looked at him as if he were crazy. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, smiling ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need someone to watch your back. At least I can do it and enjoy the watching for watching sake├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôfine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôjust don't expect to survive├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said ├óÔé¼┼ôI put my life on the line every night and day, working for the police. Well...I suppose this is pretty much the same├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, smiling. Ginger smiled too. They both smiled. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go get the guns├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said. They walked out of the alleyway.

The Kraut was a wheelchair bound little man. His left hand was covered by a black glove, and he constantly wore a very nice suit. ├óÔé¼┼ôAhhh... hello fraulein├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour oder is ready├óÔé¼┬Ø. He spun his wheelchair around ├óÔé¼┼ôDick! DICK!├óÔé¼┬Ø. His assistant groaned and walked through his shop. Then he came out, dragging a huge huge box. Ginger raised her eyebrows, looking at the box. Dick took out a knife and cut open the box. Mathew gaped at the contents.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe have four Balkof correctors├óÔé¼┬Ø Kraut said ├óÔé¼┼ôtwo Thompson sub-machine guns, ten grenades, two luger, two silver knives, some incendiary powder and finally two M1 Garands├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ginger picked the guns up and looked at them ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a lot of guns├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can also mount your MG-42 on the car roof├óÔé¼┬Ø the Kraut said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I expect to be paid back eventually. I'll give you at least a year, because you are such a fine young fraulein├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMount it up├óÔé¼┬Ø Ginger said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'll need a harness...├óÔé¼┬Ø

Steve looked at Jerome. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to stop a government run project all by our lonesome?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot necessarily!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a plan. We just need to have the first person on the moon be a werewolf. Do we know any werewolf astronauts├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve sighed. Then he remembered something. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remember...a few months ago there was a man I knew. A werewolf. He was a nice guy, but his wolfsbane was bad, so he needed some new stuff, so I was brought in to administer it. He talked my ear off about how he wanted to be a astronaut├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was his name?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNeil├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôHis name was Neil...Armthing. Neil Armstrong!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was it, Neil Armstrong├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever heard of him├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I can find him in the lexicon and see if I can contact him, see how following his dream is going├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerome sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could all be kidding ourselves├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean landing on the moon? Its like something out of science fiction├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we can't take any chances. Now hand me that phone├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Neil picked up the phone. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Steven Smith, werewolf hunter, and I need to ask you a few questions├óÔé¼┬Ø. Neil gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, officer├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't be interviewed tomorrow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy not?├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Neil said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm doing some centrifuge tests all day tomorrow, just to see if I can take it when we launch├óÔé¼┬Ø. Steve perked up ├óÔé¼┼ôForgive my ignorance, but could you explain that a bit better├óÔé¼┬Ø. Neil smiled. He loved talking about work ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all because of this new moon landing...├óÔé¼┬Ø.

An hour and a half later and Steve hung up the phone. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose all we can do is hope that he actually lands on the moon├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo it was him├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôand he can still talk my ear off├óÔé¼┬Ø. They both sat in the store, surrounded by occult items and books. ├óÔé¼┼ôwell├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was easy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Jerome said ├óÔé¼┼ôToo easy, now that I think about it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was an explosion in the distance. Steve sat up ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, running to the window. A mansion had just exploded. He heard gun shots. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Steve said ├óÔé¼┼ôJerome, you're with me├óÔé¼┬Ø. They started to run.