Reining In (The Network) (17 page)

I was desperate to find the rest. I had ways of finding my people, and did what I could. Those I was capable of finding would come to me, and I would keep them safe. I would have to hope the others were better at disappearing than the men Vyktor had already found. When I was satisfied that I found as many of my people as I could, I instructed Mike to take us to the New Orleans airport.

With the cockpit as crowded as it was, I decided it was best that we move everyone back into the cabin and let Mike do his thing. Darren nudged the man up off the floor, and I lead the way back through the door. I expected to see Mack and Marlene sitting there, waiting for us. What I saw instead sent panic through my whole body.

“Mack?” My voice was shaking as I approached him, falling to my knees before I got there. I ran my fingers over Marlene’s dark curls and looked up at Mack. I searched his eyes for answers and found none. His eyes were dark and distant. I looked back down at Marlene. Her lifeless body lay limp in Mack’s arms. Tears welled up in my eyes and I fought them back. I couldn’t understand why Marlene was not up and walking around. Why had he let her die?

“Mack?” This time my voice was stronger, and this time he looked up at me. I could see he was a broken man. He wasn’t crying. He couldn’t. There was nothing left. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I reached up to touch his face, my hand shaking. He let out a long, low moan. I closed my eyes as the tears ran down my face. He didn’t have to say it. I knew. I had been there before. She had made her decision. He honored her wishes.

I stood back up, and walked back over to Darren, helping him secure our guest. The rest of the ride to New Orleans was quiet, and uneventful. I spent a long majority of it thinking quietly to myself, while staring at the pool of blood where Marlene had fallen. I had come to a decision. This would all end, one way or another. I just hoped I was making the right decision.

Chapter Twenty

Our little friend had given us what we needed to find Vyktor and Jake. He had verified that Vyktor did in fact have Jake and was holding him for a “very special reunion” with me. I wanted nothing more than to rush right to Jake and rescue him, but I knew we needed a good plan of attack first. That, and I had to take care of Mack and Marlene. Mack was hurting, and I needed to help him.

I didn’t know what to do, but I knew I had to be there for him. He had been my rock through so many things. He had been there for me and had taken care of me when I needed it most. I owed it to him.

I stood there waiting while he said his goodbyes. He had decided to leave Marlene’s body on the plane for the authorities to find. I tried talking him out of it, but he thought it would be better for all of us if we didn’t talk to the authorities ourselves. He made an anonymous call to the local police, insinuating a hi-jacking gone wrong.

I sent Darren and Mike on ahead of us while Mack and I watched to see that the authorities took proper care of Marlene’s body. I stood behind Mack, as he watched them carry her out of the plane and into the ambulance. I kept my distance. I was feeling guilty. I knew what the life of a vampire was. Wanting to fit in, wanting to be human, but always there, on the outside, looking in.

I had condemned Mack to that life. He had spared Marlene from that life. I had tried to argue my decision in my head many times, but the fact of the matter was that I had not given him that choice. I chose it for him. And now he would watch the people he loved die, just like I had so many times before. I knew it would not get easier. We waited for the ambulance to leave. Mack turned back towards me, his eyes dull and lifeless. He was a beaten man.

“Khallie, don’t do this. Just go. Go far from here and never look back.”

“What?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“What about Jake? What about the others?”

“You can’t help them, Khallie. It’s too late.” Mack’s gaze penetrated mine, and I wasn’t sure what to say. He reached up and held my face in his hands resting his forehead on mine.

“It has to stop, now, Khallie. If you stay, he will keep trying to hurt you. He will keep hurting the people you love. Just leave. Let’s just leave.” I felt a sharp pain and I gasped as he reached down and pulled the broken blade from my side.

“Look at this Khallie. You can’t just go on living like this. It will always be like this if you stay.”

“Mack, I can’t just leave Jake. You know that.”

“You can’t save him. Go with me Khallie.”

A look of shock spread across Mack’s face; that, and something else. I didn’t know what it was.

“Then you will have to do this alone. I can’t come with you. I can’t watch you die too. I can’t watch Jake die too.” And then he was gone.

I stood there for the longest time. I wasn’t sure if I was really standing there or if this was some horrible dream. For a fleeting moment, I thought about leaving; about running, like he had said. But I knew I couldn’t do it. I had brought those people here. I was responsible for whatever happened to them next. I was responsible for Jake. I had promised him I would come back. I had promised to marry him. I wouldn’t leave him. I couldn’t leave him. I turned and started walking towards the small warehouse on the edge of the city. My entire life had led up to this moment. It was time to clean up the mess I had made.

I walked slowly, my mind still trying to comprehend what had happened. Mack was gone. He was gone! How could this happen? By the time I finally made it to the warehouse, the sun had already started to come up, and I was exhausted. I could see the tire tracks coming in and out of the front gate. They were there, waiting for me. The Network. My people; my family. I stepped up my pace and made it to the door in a matter of seconds. A hush came over the small crowd as I walked in the door. All eyes were on me, waiting my command. They would do whatever I told them. Of that, I had no doubt. But I couldn’t give them this order. It was not my decision to make.

I stayed all day. If I was going to save Jake, I needed to at least try to get some rest. Everyone from the Network stayed there with me. I had hoped they would all decide to leave, to never look back, and go on living happy lives. I had hoped, being given the opportunity, they would decide to cut all ties with me. I had underestimated them all, however. We were a team, a family, a force to be reckoned with. I wasn’t the only one who lost friends. But I couldn’t let them fight my battle.

So when the sun started to set once more, I snuck out of the warehouse. I still felt tired and drained, but I had to make this part of the journey alone. I had to face Vyktor alone. I knew he would be returning soon. I now knew where he was keeping Jake. I decided to travel on foot. I needed to feed, to build up my strength, and I needed to come in, undetected. I headed South, towards the gulf. The saltwater would mask my scent from Vyktor. I took a deep breath and plunged forward into the cool night.

Chapter Twenty-One

A light breeze drifted in from the gulf, carrying the scent of the salty water with it. There was something else in the air; a storm. Clouds blocked out any hint of moonlight leaving the sandy beach in an inky darkness. I moved quickly and quietly, avoiding the occasional obstacle here and there.

As I neared the spot where Vyktor’s pilot had told me Jake was being held, I leapt up the embankment and ran towards the fence of the compound. I slowed as I approached the fence. Vyktor’s men would be expecting me, I was sure, but there was no need to alert them to my arrival. I wanted as much advantage as I could get. I crept around the perimeter of the fence, noting that there seemed to be minimal security, except near the front entrance.

Circling back around, I approached cautiously. I was well aware that this could all be a trap. Vyktor knew I would come for Jake. Perhaps this was exactly what he wanted me to do. I considered my options, but decided to head in. Whatever he had planned, I wouldn’t go down without a fight. Vyktor was the only one who had a chance against me. He was the only vampire. His inability to turn humans was probably the one thing that kept me alive all this time. Had he been able to create his own vampire army, he would have, and our little war would have ended long ago.

Jake was my biggest concern, though. He was vulnerable. If I wasn’t careful, my actions could get him killed. I couldn’t allow it. Vyktor could have me. He could do what he wanted with me. But I wouldn’t let him have Jake. Stepping through overgrowth, I noticed a high window in the back of the compound. There were others, larger and closer to the ground, but they would expect me there. I chose the smaller window.

Quickly and quietly, I pulled the grappling hook out of the bag of tools I had brought with me. I swung it around and threw it up, catching it on the lip of the building. Pausing first, to make sure no one had heard me, I started climbing.

When I was level with the small window, I swung back and forth until I caught the edge of the window with my fingers. Chips of dried cracked paint crumbled into my fingers as I wrapped them around the window pane. I quickly pried the window open, peeking inside. Sitting, perched in the small window sill, I looked around.

It seemed that the room I had chosen to enter was some kind of auditorium or gym. It was about 40 feet to the floor beneath me. I bundled the rope up into a ball and leaned back on the window, giving it a toss. I didn’t want to leave it out where someone could see it, alerting them to my presence, and I wasn’t going to need it later. I was walking out the front door, or I wasn’t leaving at all.

I turned back and leaned into the window, jumping. I landed softly, barely making a noise. Slowly, I stood up paused, listening for any sign of life. Muffled voices trickled in from several rooms away. I headed towards the nearest door, cracking it open slowly, ready for anything. The hallway was empty and dark, except for the red light coming from the exit sign down at the end of the hall.

I crept forward, towards the voices. When I reached the end of the hall, I met with a T, and turned left towards the sounds. Light streamed through an open doorway a few doors down. The voices were louder now, and I could now make out what the men were saying.

My Russian was a little rusty, but I understood enough to realize that Vyktor was still gone. Egypt. No explanation as to why, but at this point I no longer cared. Whatever he had planned, I would deal with it when he returned. I heard something else, under the voices. It was a labored, broken breathing. Jake. He was in that room. And he was injured.

I crept towards the doorway, pressing myself to the wall as I went. The sound of heavy boots moving towards the doorway reached me, and I crouched down, waiting for their owner. The man exited the room, turning not towards me, but away from me, and headed down the hallway. I was about to move forward again, when he suddenly turned around and started heading back my way.

He couldn’t see me where I was, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before he could. I pushed myself against the wall as much as I could. He stopped at the door and poked his head in, yelling something to the men inside.

Having been given a reprieve, I took the opportunity to slide back to the hallway I had just came from. I could hear him as he started back down the hallway towards me. I waited in anticipation. As he rounded the corner, I caught him off guard, punching him in the throat, collapsing his windpipe. He struggled for a moment, but couldn’t manage to yell for help. I reached down, grabbing his head between my hands and twisted until I heard his neck snap. He immediately stopped struggling and I let go. I turned and crept back to the doorway he had come out of.

I poked my head in and took in the scene before me. It was a large room, every bit as large as the one I had just left. There were only three men, all armed with AR 15s. Jake was at the end of the room. He was between two beams, his arms strung up between them.

His head hung down and I could hear him moaning. I could see he had been beaten badly. Blood and bruises covered his body, which hung limply beneath him. Anger pulsed through me as I continued to stare at Jake. I hesitated, though. I didn’t want to make a costly mistake by charging in.

To the left of me, there were stacks of boxes and tables that spanned the length of the room. I crept through the doorway and made my way behind the boxes. If I could get around the men and to Jake, I would have a better chance of getting him out of here. Getting through the men was not the problem. Getting through them without getting Jake killed, that was another thing. I needed to get to him, to get him safe before I dealt with the men between him and his freedom.

As I neared the wall, a noise behind me made me freeze. My heart raced as I turned my head back. Explosive pain shot through my head as I fell backwards, hitting my head on the wall. Blood gushed out of the gash in my forehead. My shirt was quickly saturated as the blood dripped down my face. I opened my eyes right before another bolt of pain shot through my head. Then the world went black.

I don’t know how long I laid there. My head was spinning. I didn’t move for what seemed like hours. Shards of pain shot through my head every time I moved, so I just stayed still as possible until the pain subsided. After what seemed like hours, I finally reached up to touch the gash on my head.

The blood had long since dried, and the wound had already started to heal. I opened my eyes. I was lying directly in front of Jake, in the middle of the room. Without moving, I looked around the best I could. There were a lot more than three men in the room now. In fact, there were dozens, all armed.

A shuffling of feet and muffled murmurs behind me caused me to turn my head so I could see what was going on. When I saw him, it was as though time had stood still. Vyktor hadn’t changed at all. His dark hair was tousled, but a neatly trimmed line followed his jaw line where it met with an equally trimmed goatee.

Despite the warm climate, he wore a long dark trench coat over his tank top and dark jeans. As I continued to look him over his dark eyes met mine and he smiled. It was the kind of smile that would make most people shrink back in terror. I can’t say that I was exactly brave at that moment. I was wounded and surrounded by people Vyktor had trained personally.