FicWad

Chapter 24

They were fortunate that they were able to find a Laundromat only three miles from the hotel in which they were staying. When they entered, no one seemed to pay them any mind, for this was a place frequented by those of ethnic descent, thus, they seemed to fit in. They were then loading all the uniforms and game clothes into the front loaders and preparing the right amount of soap for the job. They knew it may take two washes to get them all out, so the kids had their homework for that Tuesday, and their portable chess set, as Yuriya had her book. However, as they were sitting, four men entered the facility, and began to watch them. This made them a bit nervous, but they did their best to ignore them. Then, one of them produced a bag of clothes, and looked like he was about to start his clothes, so that took the edge of the thing. Yet, Yuriya could not help but see the slight uneasy way that the twins were shifting in their seats. After they put their clothes in, they moved over to the lounge area and sat themselves. For some reason the twins moved over to sit opposite from them, but the men paid that no mind. Yuriya eventually went up to start the second round, but she found it odd that the twins came with her. When they sat again, they sat close to her, and continued their schoolwork. The men seemed to mind their business well enough, but, at the same time, took the occasional glance at them. At this point, Anjou surprised all of them, and entered. Yuriya smiled and said, “Hello, what brings you here?”
“It’s a nice evening,” she said, “I went for a walk, and found the car outside. I thought you might like some company.”
The four men then took a moment of interest in her, looked at each other, and nodded. One of them then went and put the clothes into the dryer, but the twins looked at Anjou with a serious look, and Sheila turned her eyes towards the men. Anjou caught the hint, and she then waxed bold by sitting by them. She took up a fashion magazine and began to read. The men made occasional glances at her, but what they did not realize was that she was taking moments to glance at them, especially at what they wore about their necks.

The time came to put the clothes into the dryers, and all four Markers went to do this. As they did this, the men were taking out their clothes, and Anjou took a moment to reach out and take the amulet in her hand that one of them wore as he bent over. “Interesting medallion,” she said, “I’m not sure I have ever seen one like this.”
She let it go as he looked up and smiled. “It’s something Catholic,” he said, “This is Boston, and with all the Irish around here, you’ll find that quite a bit in these parts!”
Anjou nodded, and went over to the others. She said nothing as she fed the clothes into the dryer, and watched the men leave. As soon as they did, Anjou went out, just outside the entrance. The men were approaching the Firebird, but they saw her, and just went to their own car. They drove off, but Anjou waited until they were out of eyeshot, and leapt to the rooftop. Anjou then went to where they had turned, just in time to see them bring the car about and park at the mouth of the alley, and shut off their lights. They also looked like they were getting weaponry ready. They also sat in the direction of the hotel, so they must have known something. She then went back, and found the family sitting again, and she approached them. Yuriya was suspicious of her now, and said, “It wasn’t just a walk, was it?”
“But yes, it was,” she said, “and indeed I found it pleasant to find you. Then I saw the men, and their auras were not quite right.”
“You saw it too, Auntie-san?” said Mickey.
“Not only was it that,” answered Anjou, “but the medallion was one that Jean-Claude made sure that I knew on sight. They are Inquisitors.”
Yuriya’s eyes went wide, and she said, “I didn’t know they had anything here!”
“It’s possible that one of the bases we were watching had moved here,” reasoned Anjou.
“Then we have to tell Jean-Claude!” said Yuriya, all surprised.
“That would be hard,” retorted Anjou, “considering they are planning an ambush just down the road from here, before you could ever reach the hotel.”
“Well, we can just go back another way,” reasoned Yuriya.
“No,” said Anjou, “We must take them, and get the information. We may not have numbers here, but we may be able to do something about this now.”
“What about the twins?” asked Yuriya.
“What about them?” answered Anjou, “Even if I had not shown, they may have been able to handle it. Knowing what is coming gives us the opportunity to deal with them in the way they least expected.”
“What do we do?” asked Yuriya, now nervous.
“Put the clothes into the car, and then we go to the rooftops,” said Anjou.

They approached the car, and they saw the men keeping their vigil. Yuriya was not sure about this, wishing that her husband was there with them. She then also said, “How is it that they took any interest in us, anyway?”
“Remember that we have been concealed, right?” answered Anjou.
“Like how could I forget that!” exclaimed Yuriya.
“The only reason that was done is that they must have already known who we were,” responded Anjou, “That means that they must have pictures of us, and look for the chances they can get. They still don’t know where we are hiding, but we cannot let that happen. Therefore, we must take them out and this whole base here in Boston. We must capture them, and then force them to lead us there.”
The twins looked at one another, and Sheila said, “Fear not, mother, we’re going to give them a scare they shall not soon forget!”
“What do I do?” asked Yuriya.
“Go to the hotel from here, over them, and then on foot, and tell Jean-Claude what is up,” said Anjou.
“I won’t leave the twins!” protested Anjou.
“Mother, how many times do we have to tell you that we can take care of ourselves in this regard?” reassured Sheila.
Yuriya now looked sad, thinking that she had said that they did not need her, and the twins picked up on this, and hugged her. “Mother, we will always need you,” said Sheila, “but in these things, we have the ability. Please, trust us.”
She kissed both on the head as she shed tears, and said, “Please, don’t do anything foolish. I could not stand to lose you!”
With that, she left, and the remaining three huddled and made their plans.

Jean-Claude was preparing to settle in when Yuriya returned. When he saw that the twins were not with her, as well as the laundry, he knew something was wrong. She saw the look in his eyes, and she told him everything. Now he was livid. He was there, unprepared, and he said, “I’d better catch up with them, because we are going to have to do some fast improvising. Stay put, because this is going to get hairy!”

Meanwhile, the four hunters sat in their car, keeping their vigil for the Firebird, not knowing their targets stood just above them. Stealthily, the three descended behind them, and prepared. Mickey remembered what he did to the van, and he knew he could do it again. They used their diminutive size to creep up on the car, and they awaited their chance. In the meantime, they both reached out and pulled all the sparkplugs cables from the engine and cast them far away, and then Anjou moved in. She strolled by the car, bold as you please, saying, “Good evening, gentlemen—are you looking for something?”
The four nearly crawled out of their skin, and tried to bring their weapons on her. However she used her superior speed, combined with her training, to be back at the Firebird. She got into the driver’s seat, and remembered that she did not have the keys. Yet, it was a stick, and she had free space before her. Using her strength, she ripped out the keyhole, and then removed the security lock. She then put it back in and started the car. The other men were trying to regroup when they saw the car approach. Quickly, they tried to start the car, but it would not catch. Moreover, they heard the occasional spark under the hood that they did not know was coming from the unhooked cables touching metal parts. They were further surprised when the car pulled up and parked right in front of the alley where they sat, and when Anjou emerged. All four were out of the car in a flash, but they then found themselves flying over the Firebird and landing hard on the street. They were on their feet grabbing their rifles, and then watched as they flew out of their hands at the feet of Anjou, who was standing there with her hands extended. They all pulled knives and tried to charge just as Jean-Claude who was running up. He was ready to pounce, but bolts of blue electricity came from just above Anjou who had maneuvered in front of the car. All four men screamed, shook as the bolts of lightning grounded themselves through them, and they passed out. Anjou and Jean-Claude were shocked to see the twins standing on the car, hands extended. “How did you two do that?” asked Jean-Claude, “I could not do that until I was at least 13.”
“Remember, father,” said Sheila, “we are awakened, and we have been practicing when we go out to play in the woods.”
“Speak softly and carry a big stick, that’s what you said,” reasoned Mickey, “That is what we have done.”
“You know, I should not be surprised,” said Jean-Claude, “I always knew you two were gifted, but you two never cease to amaze me. You did well, and I am proud of you!”
The twins smiled with joy, hearing words from their father—words that every child should hear from their parents. “What do we do with them, Big Brother?” asked Anjou.
“Move the Firebird,” said Jean-Claude, “and then we move theirs back out of the light, restrain them, and get the information from them that we need.”

Jean-Claude went back briefly to the hotel and retrieved some smelling salts from the team first aid kit and returned. The four hunters had been made fast and set in their own car. Then Jean-Claude warned everyone else to stand clear, because what he was about to do would knock them for a loop. He knew it would be just as rough for him, but he had to withstand it. He broke the small sack, about the size of a jelly bean, and then winced from the scent. Even though the others were clear from the car, they still reacted a bit to the smell. Jean-Claude then held it at arms length and waived it underneath the noses of the hunters. They all shook and lurched, but the smell brought them around. Once that was done, Jean-Claude heaved the thing as far away as he could, and then took a second to let things clear a bit. He then went back and said, “So, what brings you four to Boston? It certainly is not for the sightseeing this late, is it?”
One of the four recognized his face from the pictures they had been issued, and he said, “It’s you, the freak abomination!”
“Well, I’ve heard worse than that, but, if you mean I am the dhampir that has been mucking up your lives, yep, that’s me!” said Jean-Claude, who let a toothy grin, allowing them to see his retracted fangs. Their stomachs turned, and they wondered what would happen next. Jean-Claude got a bit more serious, and said, “Um, I asked you four a question, do you have an answer?”
Three of them defiantly cursed at them, and told them where they should go. One of them said, “Well never tell you,” but he was all nervous. Quick as a wink, the three who had cursed found themselves slapped with a stern warning from Jean-Claude to curb their tongues, because his children were there. Sheila looked at the one nervous man, and realized that his resolve was not strong. She then opened the door, slipped into his lap as if he were Santa Clause, and smiled at him. She then said, “I think you can tell us something!”
He was about to laugh at the thought of this child doing anything, but he quickly learned otherwise as she reached out and put a hand on his forehead. He stiffened, and she closed her eyes to concentrate. The other three were screaming and yelling, telling her to get off him, but there was nothing they could do. He suddenly began to speak, and said, “We are underground, in a base inside the Boston Commons. It is an old subway line that is no longer used.”
The other three screamed at him to shut up, but he was being manipulated by Sheila, and none had any ability to stop it. Jean-Claude then asked, “Who is there? What are the armaments?”
Again, the others begged that he be silent, but to no avail. With a blank face, he said, “There are seven others. We had to flee when the other bases were hit. The others went to Quebec. We only have rifles, but they are automatics.”
“Do you have any intelligence there?” asked Jean-Claude, while Anjou wanted to comment, “That’s hard to say, considering what is here,” but she stifled it.
“Yes,” he said, “It’s what we brought from Pennsylvania.”
Sheila broke contact, and the man passed out. She looked pale, and Jean-Claude said, “Was it too much too quickly?”
She nodded, and he said, “Well, you have your choice here…”
She then looked up and said, “He’ll do fine.”
The other three screamed when they saw her fangs extend, and they said, “You monsters! Are you going to kill him, or turn him into a vampire?”
Jean-Claude turned a disgusted look at them, and said, “You naïve fools—you know absolutely nothing about our world! We are not monsters or murderers. We just have unique needs, and we do nothing more than take just a little from them, as if they had donated blood, and she won’t even need a pint! You four have listened to too many legends!”
The one at the wheel then asked as Sheila finished, “What are you going to do with us?”
“That depends on you,” answered Jean-Claude. He saw that Sheila was about to wipe his memory, but he said, “Not yet, what you did may come in handy.”
With that, he shoved aside the man at the wheel, and he was about to start the car when Mickey informed him of what he had done. Thus, he got out, opened the hood, found the firing order inside the hood, reconnected the cables, and told Anjou to take the twins and follow him.

In time, they were at a boat launch on the Charles River, which was running a bit faster due to the recent rains. It was deserted, for which he was thankful, and then he said to the men, “Let me share with you four a story.”
He then proceeded to tell the complete truth about vampires, the Clan, and his own story. He then said, “Now, if you were what we are, what would you have done?”
The one that had both had his mind picked, and had been fed upon hung his head, while the other three looked straight ahead, saying nothing. Jean-Claude said, “I am going to make an offer I seldom make. It is hard to do this with renegade vampires because they are normally so far gone that I cannot reason with them. Some revert, but it is hard. With you, however, these offers are easier, because you humans tend not to be so far gone that common sense and logic can get in. However, what I am about to ask you is going to determine your mindsets, and where we go next. If any of you want to change their ways, knowing the truth and join us, here is your chance to reform your ways.”
The one looked at Jean-Claude with a tear in his eye, realizing how evil he had become. He had been told all this time that he was a true Catholic for standing against vampires, whereas others were not, but now he had to rethink this. However, the other three said, “All of that is lies! It’s just what we would expect from children of the Devil—the father of lies! You’re just trying to save yourselves so you can continue to prey on us, killing us, or turning us into abominations! You can NEVER be trusted!”
“Guys, that cannot be right,” he said, “I mean, look at the kids! They had to have been born, because they look so much like him, and look a bit oriental. That fits his story!”
One in the front said, “Don’t listen to him! The girl bewitched him when she bit him! He’s probably turning into a vampire right now! They weren’t born! These monsters vamped them out!”
Now both Anjou and Jean-Claude were becoming angry. Jean-Claude then told Anjou, “Pull him out, and set him there, on the ramp wall.”
As that was happening, Jean-Claude then rolled down the windows on the car, and said, “Well, gentlemen, you have one more chance.”
“You are a spawn of Satan himself!” screamed the one that seemed to be in charge.
“Oh, am I?” said Jean-Claude, “Well, if you are so right with God in your cause, and we are so evil, then we will put that to the test. If God is so much on your side, then let us see if he can deliver you from this.”
Jean-Claude knew that, with the combined strength of the four of them, they could heave it into the middle of the river. If things worked out, they would be deposited into harbor or close to it by the river flow before they hit bottom. He signaled for each one to take a corner, when the man sitting on the wall said, “Wait, what are you doing?”
Jean-Claude then stood up, and said, “This is a trial by fire, or by water in this case. If they are truly as righteous as they claim, God shall save them. If not, well, you have to realize that they have proven themselves reprobate. You should know by my story that people of this mindset cannot be changed. If we let them live, they would go back, warn them, and either roll up operations, or come back in force and hunt us down. These men are murderers, and have earned this. Too many lives are at stake. You have to realize that this is war, and we cannot take chances. Yet, if they live, then we will know.”
The four men in the car now looked horrified, knowing what was about to happen. They begged and pleaded now, stating they had no right to do this. “Do we not have that?” asked Jean-Claude, “Did you ask that of yourselves for the people you drown, burned at the stake, pressed or stretched, hung, or otherwise slaughtered because you felt they did not live up to your human ideals? From the first moment the Inquisition took on this face to now, you have not acted in God’s will, but you have tried to reshape the form of man into your image. WHAT MADE YOU THINK YOU COULD ACT IN GOD’S STEAD LIKE THAT? YOU GAVE THEM NO FAIR TRIAL, NO MERCY, NEVER ONCE CHECKING GOD’S WORD ITSELF TO SEE IF YOU WERE RIGHT! You just took another’s word for it, and that was that! Who follows the father of lies now? Now, you receive exactly what you did to others, thinking that what you did was righteous, when, in truth, you are no better than Hitler! You sowed the seeds, now, prepare for the harvest.”
Anjou looked at the man on the wall and said, “If this is too much, please, look away!”
After hearing Jean-Claude’s words, he realized that his so-called friends were truly wrong. They fed his head with garbage, and he realized that little of it truly fit anything he had learned in his catechisms, or in the Bible that he had read. They way they spoke; they had no care for spreading God’s word. They wanted converts, but he now knew that their rendition of conversion had little to do with the salvation of the souls of the converts. They did not sound like Catholics, they sounded like the Gestapo. In that, he deducted that Jean-Claude was correct. He now knew who the real monsters were, and he also realized that he might have ended up one of them. He then turned his back, which caused the other three to start to yell at him, calling him a traitor, a monster, and scum. This made him even more convinced, because these men had told him that he was their brother, and that they would never abandon him. Now they were calling him everything but a child of God. At that, the four then tapped their blood, and picked up the car. When this happened, the reality of the situation began to hit them hard, and the realized that the end of their lives lay only moments away. They then begged for them to stop, now suddenly willing to repent. However, Anjou and Jean-Claude were well aware of their thinking, and the twins now understood what their father had told them about people who are caught red-handed in their sin, and how they then wanted to bargain out of paying the piper for dancing to the tune of sin. They thus all knew that the only reason they now wanted to change was to escape their fate, and that they would then try to kill them having thought that they got away. This compelled Jean-Claude to say, “Gentlemen, I just don’t think your hearts are in what you say, for I do not think you really want to change. Thus, we leave you to God’s hands, and I hope you are as righteous as you claim, because he is the only one who can save you now.”
With that, and a couple of swings, the car flew out over the water about twenty feet and landed with a splash. The river then began to take them away as the car began to sink. They could then hear them pleading with the four, begging forgiveness, saying they were sorry, and one even was cursing God instead of invoking His help. Just as they were moving out of earshot, they heard Jean-Claude holler, “I know you thee are sorry; I didn’t ask for a character analysis.”
They in the car watched as the water filled the cab, and the bottom of the windows sank below the water line. The Anjou and the twins walked away as Jean-Claude watched. The pleading turned into screams as the three began to watch the car head for the harbor, and the waterline creep up to their chins. They were now squirming against their restraints frantically, even trying to get out the window, but Jean-Claude made sure to seat belt them into their seats. They were too panicked to try to undue the restraints and try to swim out. In fact, they began to either urinate or defecate in their pants as the water moved over their heads. After some struggle, they soon began to relax as they began to feel the peace that some say one has when one drowns.

Jean-Claude watched as the car slipped below the water, and he went back to the others. He saw the remaining man, and said, “Sir, you know what would have happened if things had been the other way. Look at these kids’ faces—could you really have hammered stakes into them? I don’t think you are a monster, because I don’t think you would have had it in you to do it.”
“I should be enraged,” he said, “because that did seem a bit cruel an end.”
“It was no crueler than what they have done for centuries, and would have done to us, and my friends,” said Jean-Claude, “I think they call that ‘poetic justice.’ Trust me, we are your friends, and we have no intention of hurting you. Hey, did you turn into a vampire?”
“No, I didn’t,” he answered.
“How did it feel?” asked Jean-Claude.
“The prick hurt at first, but then, it actually felt good, almost pleasant,” he then said.
“You see,” said Jean-Claude, “If we really were killers, would not we have done so to all of you back there, and drained you all dry?”
“That’s true,” he then reasoned.
“Yet now, you see that our story has been proven,” reasoned Anjou, “and now you have a better chance at life than what you had. Didn’t you hear what they shouted before they went? Didn’t you hear one even curse God? Did you not hear what they called you? If they felt for one instant you were stepping out of line, they would have killed you just as much as us. If they thought you were going to expose them, they would have hunted you down, and your family, and make an example of them. Is that a truly righteous group? It sounds more like organized crime.”
“Some could say that your group is no different,” he said, wanting to be sure that he had truly made the right choice.
“What they do not understand,” responded Jean-Claude, “is that we do not seek out hunters, renegades, or anyone else for that matter unless they have earned our wrath, or seek to harm innocent people. They are actively engaged, and we want to leave well enough alone if we can, unless they have done what I have said. Right now, the Inquisition has earned our wrath, and now they will pay the price. If they had just faded away, none of this would be happening. However, they have acted outside the bounds of justice, thinking that they are so right that they can act outside the bounds of common sense. Do you remember that film a few years back about the battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam, and how that little girl asked her father what war was.”
“I think so,” he said, “What did he say?”
“He told her, ‘It’s when a bunch of people try to hurt a bunch of people that had done no wrong,’” answered Jean-Claude, “’and then I—we—go to stop them.’
I grant you, what he said was a bit simplistic, but the essence of what I think he was trying to say was that, if you think that you have the backing of God to act violently in God’s stead, you had better be certain that this is the case, otherwise, be prepared to face God raising up someone to stop you.”
“That sounds so medieval,” he said.
Jean-Claude rubbed his neck, wanting to be sure that the man understood just what happened, and then said, “I know we live in modern times, but there is something that still has existed since the beginning of warfare, and this is the right of conquest: might makes right, might for right. In other words, no matter how sophisticated we think we have become, the bottom line is the fact that God raises up and tears down as He sees fit, but never without good reason. In truth, war is God’s last resort to get someone’s attention, in that, if one is not thankful to Him, and benevolent with what power He allows, but continues to defy Him no matter how much He tries to get them to change before He has to judge, then war is His last ditch effort to change them before He has to judge.”
The man stared at him, thinking he was getting it, but he was not sure he fully understood. Jean-Claude decided to clarify. “You know, I almost feel like I am trying to justify to myself my actions,” reasoned Jean-Claude, “because, believe it or not, I do not take the taking of a life lightly. Sometimes it bugs me, knowing that those men will never see home, family, loved ones, and so forth. However, when I think about how they did not care if who they have killed would never have that again, or even showed an ounce of emotion towards that, then I realize that they have earned what they got. You see, when God wants to get a nation or group of people’s attention, history has even shown that He takes three steps. First, He hits them economically. If that doesn’t work, He hits their ecology—crops, water, what they need to sustain life. If that doesn’t work, then he brings war. Now, let me ask you, does any of that apply?”
The man thought for a few, and he said, “You know, it’s odd. It seems that we—they—had vast resources, but I have heard rumors that the leaders have been stealing and embezzling money to get what they have.”
“Do you think the rumors are true,” asked Mickey.
“I kind of have to now,” he answered.
Sheila then said, “How has it been in sustaining yourselves?”
He though again, and then said, “You know, there were issues about that until the rumors about the money, and how we got it, started to circulate. Then it was no problem.”
“Sounds to me that the Inquisition has struck out in two of those areas,” said Anjou, “Instead of catching the hint, they decided to hurt more people by trying to fund a self-righteous crusade.”
“In short,” continued Jean-Claude, “they think that they are superior, and that they are more righteous than anyone else, even the Catholic Church of which they claim to be a part. That begs the question: if they ever ran out of vampires to kill, would they stand down, or go further? In other words, who would be next? If they ever got the power of a government, what do you think would have happened? Think about the history of the Inquisition, how they started, and contrast that to what they became, and what they are now. Were they really concerned about doing God’s will, or power?”
The man was silent, knowing the answer. Jean-Claude then said, “Thus, you have the difference between them and us. They want to divide and hate. We want to unify and love. They want to reshape the world into what they think it should be. We want to accept people for who and what they are, and allow change to come naturally. They believe that their ‘rights’ supersede all others, whereas we don’t. Even the ninth amendment to the Constitution of the United States says that any rights in that document cannot deny or disparage any others retained by the people. In other words, I have rights and you have rights. When one violates the other, we have to then find a way that both can coincide without violating one another, or harming others. Even Franklin Roosevelt said that all humans—and I extend that to vampires—have four basic rights, no matter what country they come from: the freedom of speech, of religion, from want, and from fear. The Clan has pledged themselves to upholding those four basic rights no matter what. We fight to keep the peace, not to seek to make war when we can. That, my friend, is the major difference. Peace is not the lack of conflict. Peace is having the might to insure that no one wants to have a war. That is what we hope to achieve.”
At this, Anjou was loosing the restraints, and Jean-Claude extended a hand, and said, “Join us.”
The man, who they later learned was named Patrick, took that hand, and Jean-Claude pulled him in to embrace him. Pat then said, “Thank you: you helped me avoid a great evil, and worse, kept me from becoming evil.”
“What about the others?” asked Jean-Claude, trying to be sure.
“Oddly enough, I feel bad about what happened,” Pat answered, “Yet, thinking about it, in the end of all things, I guess we all get what we deserve.”
“And if I have been wrong all these years,” responded Jean-Claude, “I know that the same may happen to me. This is why I always try to be sure that I am right before I act. I have not always been successful, for no one’s perfect, but I am glad that I still have a conscious enough to make things right if I have been wrong, and fortunately, I have had a conscious enough to try to truly think things out before I make that mistake.”
“How do you do that,” asked Patrick.
“That is why I believe in God the way I do,” answered Jean-Claude, “because it keeps me humble: there is someone that is always more powerful than me who will act against me if I am wrong, so I always try to consult Him as to what He wants, then I go.”
“You sound like the centurion that asked Jesus for help,” stated Pat.
“I think you have it,” said Jean-Claude, “Let’s get out of here. You can stay with us for now, and then we can give you safe haven away from retribution. Just tell us where all your things are, and then we can retrieve them for you when we deal with the crew here.”
They all left, and Jean-Claude now felt good that justice had been done, and they had made a new ally. Now the Inquisition in Boston was going to reap the harvest of their sins.