Blood Harvest (40 page)

“I’ve left the LAPD. They wouldn’t grant me the leave I requested, so I resigned. Alpha, I need to finish what Chris and I started. I am going to track down Dr. Whelan and everything he stole from our people. I figure that while that man is still out there our secret and our people will never be completely safe.”

Alpha was wide-eyed in what appeared to be amazement before he said. “Yes, I think you will be a terrific leader of our people some day.”

“We’ll see; Lei has agreed to accompany me in this as well.”

Alpha nodded. “Not that you need it, but the two of you have my full support. Anything you require will be provided to you if you but ask.”

Steve looked guardedly at Alpha. “I’m not making any promises that when this is over I will return to the fold and become this leader or whatever you are describing.”

Alpha shrugged his shoulders. “I offer my support with no conditions attached or implied. Your success is incentive enough for me to stand with you on this.”

Steve nodded. “Thank you.”

Then breaking the serious mood the room seemed to have fallen into Alpha said, “Oh, I have something for you Tracker!” Alpha reached into his jacket and pulled out two long brown cylindrical objects Steve recognized were cigars.

“What’s this?” Steve asked.

“Where I am from originally, we honor new beginnings with a toast and exchange of gifts.” Alpha said with a smile. “These are special,” Alpha indicated to the cigars with a flourish, “as they predate the American embargo of Cuba. They have been kept in pristine condition by a vendor I happen to be very fond of.”

Steve had only heard of such cigars still existing in America; he had always been keen to try one. He was also well aware of the value placed on these cigars and knew this was a really rare treat.

“Alpha, I’m honored. Let me go upstairs, I believe I have a good bottle of…”

Alpha pulled out a flask of the exact make and model as the one’s Steve used to hold his emergency blood and wine mixture. “I think you will be hard pressed to find anything superior to this.”

Alpha unscrewed the top and held the flask out at arms length, “To new beginnings!”

Alpha drank from the flask and smiled contentedly at the flask afterward, then handed it to Steve.

Steve took the flask from Alpha’s hand; he wanted desperately to check the contents of the flask before drinking. Alpha watched him intently. Steve considered the flask for a moment more before saying.

“To old, very old, friends and family!” With that Steve drank from the flask without hesitation. The scotch inside was well-aged with far more flavor than burn as it sparked his palate and rendered a feeling of warmth all over.

“That was delicious,” Steve said, impressed by the fine liquor.

“I agree, very satisfying.” Alpha nodded and handed one of the two cigars to Steve. Steve held the cigar with reverence, then said,

“I’m afraid I have no gift for you.”

“In this case it is not necessary. “

“All right, so what happens to you now?” Steve asked.

“In what regard do you mean?”

“Will you be moving our people again? Or are you going to try to rebuild the mine?”


No, the mine has been compromised. We will be moving, but not very far.” Alpha smiled. “No, I think I am going to buy one of those giant casinos. Have you ever taken a tour through one of those behemoths? There is an entire city working under what you see on the surface. The spaces are even larger than what we had in the silver mine. Of course, I will have to change out all of the lighting…still.”

Steve laughed, “You’re going to buy a casino?”

Alpha looked dead serious and Steve stopped laughing.

“You’re serious? Alpha, where are you going to get that kind of money? We’re talking hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars.”

“In a way, our very dead friend Alex Daniels has provided a viable, twenty first century solution to our housing issues. The creation of the anti-viral drug he coveted has opened up a possibility I had never before considered.”

“And that would be?”

“We are going to create the medicines ourselves and sell it to the pharmaceutical companies. From the research records we found at Pharmanetics we learned that, if every one of our people were to donate one pint of blood, then we would have more than enough to stockpile the medications and vaccinations for years to come. Pretty soon we will have more money than we know what to do with. Purchasing a casino will enable us to ‘hide’ all of our people in plain sight.”

Steve could only laugh in amazement at the brilliance of Alpha’s plan.

“Sometimes things just work out for the best don’t they?”

“Indeed they do Tracker. Indeed they do.”

The two talked for several more hours into the morning until the first signs of sunrise began to lighten the sky.

“It would seem as though it is time for me to leave.” Alpha said as he rose from his chair.

“Why don’t you stay? I know Lei would love to see you.”

“Unfortunately, I have business back in Las Vegas and if I am going to be in time I will need to leave now.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Steve climbed out of his chair as well.

“Thank you. Oh! Let’s enjoy those wonderful cigars before I leave.”

Steve looked at the cigar Alpha had given him. “I’ll save it for when you return.”

“Thank you, but no. I’m afraid they don’t last long when taken out of storage.”

As Alpha and Steve made their way out of the basement Steve picked up a long stick lighter from the fireplace. “You know, I’ve always wanted to try one of these. It’s a real gift, thanks Alpha.”

As they exited the basement, Alpha turned to Steve, “You should know that being…what I am…what we are…does have some rather…well...” Alpha didn’t seem to know how to say his next words.

“What is it?”

Alpha looked Steve right in the eye, “Just know that, the things we can do…It isn’t good or evil. It’s just something we can do, okay?”

Steve had no idea what Alpha was talking about, but said, “Okay.”

“I know it’s painful for you to think about your friend, but you are going to have to face it and sooner than you think. Here, let me light that for you.” Alpha flicked the flint on the lighter as Steve bit the tip off the cigar then held the other end under the flame. Once the tip glowed Steve raised the tube to his lips and pulled. The flavor was astounding and not harsh in any way.

“It is satisfactory?”

Steve smiled, “As I said, it’s a real gift.” Steve watched the smoke rise as the two men moved out of the house and into the front yard. Steve could hear the ocean break against the shore at the bottom of the hill and turned to look into the horizon.

Alpha nodded, “I’m glad you like it. However, you should know the cigar may be my gift to you; however, it is not from me.”

“What?” Steve turned to Alpha, but to his surprise he found himself standing alone.

Steve raised the cigar back to his lips and pulled on the end for another wonderful drag.

“Never the easy way; always so cryptic.” Steve blew out the smoke again and looked up to the stars, “And if it’s not from you, Alpha, then who?”

Steve took another long drag of the cigar…

“BANG!!!”

The end of the cigar exploded in a high-pitch concussion that sent Steve reeling and dropping to the ground for cover. He scanned the area looking for the source of the explosion only to see the cigar lying on the ground next to him with the lit end burst apart. The cigar had been rigged for the old “exploding cigar” trick.

Steve was beside himself. He loved a good prank and this was right up his alley; however, he couldn’t see Alpha doing anything of the sort and it was such a waste of an amazing…

Then he saw the label on the cigar.

“Montecristo.”

The label jarred a memory and Steve realized the only person who could and would do something like this to him.

He picked up the cigar gently, stared at the label and said out loud without even realizing he was speaking,

“Chris?”

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