FicWad

Chapter 33



It was about 9 A.M. when the plane landed in Paris, the Cleric Team using connections to gain both landing clearance and a secluded spot from which to debark. A-team was in the spare armor, save for Hondo, and every vampire was nervous. They were not sure what was going to happen, or if the armor would have any effect on stopping the sun. With some trepidation, they stepped off the plane. The front panels were well tinted, and were indeed providing protection. They still felt some warmth, but they were able to endure. The armor indeed was protecting them from the sunlight, and so the all made their way into the truck awaiting them-so far so good. In the meantime, the Clan, with the twins, was camped out at the most distant entrances, with the vampires inside, and the humans outside. The twins slept in the arm of Chiyuki, and they were also forced to sedate Ai to keep her from acting before the time. At this point, Jean-Claude was on the hunt, looking for the remainder of the Inquisition. The Inquisition had no idea that they-the predators-had become the prey.



While all this was going on, Leo decided to send LeFleur down to the freezer to see how the monster was doing. When he arrived, he was horrified by what he saw. The door was wide open and the floor on which he had been bound was torn up. He instantly started to sweat, and his hart started to race out of control. The fact that this happened, and knowing he was on the loose, made him the most scared that he had ever been in his life. All he knew now was to find Leo and get the troops to kill him. Once he overcame the paralysis of fear and got his legs going, he tore down the hall, and ran right into Jean-Claude. His vampire side was open and clear! He screamed like a woman, but only for a couple of seconds before Jean-Claude had him off the ground by the throat. He got the look in his eyes like he wanted to bite him, but he then said, "You'd probably taste terrible!"

He then used every ounce of vampire strength to choke slam him to the floor. The floor literally cracked below LeFleur, his head hit with a sickening thud, and internally, his body reacted as if he had fallen from the top of the Empire State Building. "One down, two to go," said Jean-Claude, with a saunter that would have frightened the Undertaker.



"All right," said Yuuna, "Everyone get into your squads, split up into groups, and take at least one vampire with you. They are trained to fight vampires, and, although the resistance has been light up to this point, you have to think that we are dealing with the elites at this point. The group of you should be able to compensate for this. Normally, we like to take them prisoners. However, as much as this eats at me, we are going to have to use deadly force, considering the skill level of what we fight. Besides all that, considering our company, I don't think they even want to take prisoners to begin with. You have your assignments. Let's make this quick and go home!"

Karin had never felt like this before. Kenta kept trying to console her, but she was not in the mood. He had never seen her like this, nor could she ever remember being this angry without being vamped out. She then removed a glove and her helmet, being shaded from the sun, cut her wrist some, and held it to Kenta. She then said in a businesslike manner, "Drink-you're going to need it."

The look on her face was fixed like a flint. Anjou also sat similarly still, holding the saber. She was going to insure that either she would give it to Big Brother once she saw him, or if he were indeed dead, she would use it for him, and keep it forever. Vincent saw this, and then said, "Darling, are you ready for this?"

She just said blankly, "This is for Francois, for Ryuu, for you, and all of our kind. A dinosaur has to be made extinct. To me, they are all already dead, we just have to introduce them to that state."

"What then?" asked Vincent.

"Yes, I shall marry you," said Anjou, and she removed her helmet long enough to plant a kiss on his visor. That energized him to the point where he felt like he could take on the world. The truck pulled up to a point a half mile from the inner entrances, and the team, much to the amazement of the Parisians, charged out and began to take their positions. All they knew was that 50 of the most elite Inquisitors awaited them, and who knows what kind of ordinance.



Meanwhile, as Jean-Claude was searching for his foe, he came across the armory. He ripped off the door and found all kinds of weaponry, including chemical weapons. This, he could not allow them to use. He was trying to figure out how he could do this when he saw the main support beam in the middle of the room. He wrapped himself around it, and pulled with all he had. As soon as he heard a few cracks, he rushed out of the room, leaned on the wall opposite the door, and gave a huge force push, and ripped out the beam. He then used his speed to leave the area, as the roof collapsed, and some of the dirt spilled into the hall. The sound echoed throughout the facility, and caught the attention of the Clan. Mickey simply said, "Father is awake. Let's go Sheila."

They both got up and they started to head down the hall. Chiyuki tried to stop them, but Sheila told them, "Prevent their escape. No one gets out of here alive...if we can help it."

They had not gone far when five men in battle gear almost tripped over them. Once they regained themselves, they swung around and shouted, "Hey, who are you!"

Once the twins read their auras, all five men instantly burst into flames. They did not even have time to scream. They fell to the floor, and the twins just continued to walk, without as much as a backwards glance.



Jean-Claude made it to the dining facility, and found Pierre there. "Well, this is a surprise," Pierre said sarcastically. "You know, we did become concerned when the cameras showed your escape. You're smarter than we figured. Oh, don't worry, I do plan to resist. It is sad that you trapped most of the heavy ordinance. However you did not get it all, and right now, fifteen men are looking down the barrels of their rifles at you. You do not honestly plan to stop them do you?"

However, as he was saying that, Jean-Claude had already scanned the room for their auras, and knew where each man hid. In the blink of an eye, he was out of sight, and in a matter of seconds, he was at one of the walls destroying each rifle just as fast. Pierre began to sweat profusely. His men had been trained to fight the average vampire, but he had never seen anything like this. "Now, come and get me," growled out Jean-Claude as he approached Pierre. However, the men started to file in. These indeed were not the average Inquisitor. These were some of the elites. Yet, Jean-Claude already knew their tactics and began to compensate. He had long ago learned how to be the best in fighting outside of his abilities. Mixing this with them, he was virtually unstoppable. When he had said that he was walking death to vampires, he was not bragging, or speaking idle words. In other words, these fifteen did not stand a chance. They moved quickly, but he was already on the move, using his Pankration and Ninjitsu to cause them to stumble into one another, which made him able to take on one or two at a time. Men were being thrown like rag dolls, having arms and backs alike broken. He would snap a limb, and then ahead. None of the men were going to survive the fight, as Jean-Claude even stomped on, and crushed, a few heads in the process. Within 30 seconds, they were all dead. However, once Pierre assessed how the fight was going, he was already trying to get out of there. He ran right into Jean-Claude, who grabbed Pierre, and said, "I need a recharge."

With that, he bit Pierre, drank deeply, and just before he lost consciousness, he turned Pierre's head completely around, and Jean-Claude let him drop like asack of wet rags. Now it was time for Leo.



By this time, Cleric Team and A-team were already on the move. 20 of the Inquisition were already on the move preparing to meet them. Regan and Yuuna began to activate the contract, saying the proper incantations, and Regan drew the armor card-what they had been aiming for. She instantly began to feel the empowerment as everyone around here was amazed at the spectacle erupting around them as Regan prepared to make her now quite empowered blade to sing. The Inquisition may have had their best there, but they were not prepared to take on a quite powerful paramilitary unit, backed up by vampires. They were definitely not prepared to face Regan in this state. At her location, she made short work out of the men before her, slicing them to ribbons before they, or even her comrades had a chance to react. Regan hollered, "Follow me!" the universal infantry call of a unit on the advance against the enemy, which is normally a sign of victory to come. The group roared in approval and they advanced. Even though there may be only one left to get by the time they all met together-Leo Genoble-just coming in with that much show of force was hammering on the principle of the thing: beware any thinks he stand, lest he fall. Anjou and Karin were both separated, but they were nonetheless determined to find Jean-Claude if they could. Those with each one dispatched one or two, but Anjou and Karin pulled out their swords-Jean-Claude's saber and Karin's Toledo Salamanca-disarmed both men, and then removed their heads from their neck. There was to be no prisoners today! However, one tried to come out and ambush Karin, but before she knew it, the man began to glow up and down with electricity, crackling all over. When he dropped to the floor, standing behind him was her niece and nephew. "Mickey! Sheila! What are you two doing here?"

"What we have been called to do," said Mickey, "So, let us find father, and put an end to this."



Within a matter of minutes, the battle was a rout. The defenders of the Alamo looked like a conquering army compared with what they faced here. The enemy proved that overconfidence would be one's undoing, as they only prepared for the average vampire, and not what they faced. The five remaining outside of Leo read the handwriting on the wall, and indeed it did seem to say MENE, MENE, TENKEL, UPHARSHAN, (you are counted, counted, weighed, and divided.) Thus, they tried to make a run for it down one of the distant entrances. However, the old saying of "when it rains, it pours" came into play here, as they ran smack into Ren, Chiyuki, and Ai guarding that particular exit. Ai saw them, and she went postal. However, instead of just finishing them, they made it as slow and painful as possible, with Ai being the most sadistic. "This is for Ryuu, you disgusting slug!" she screamed as she finally pinned him down, cut open his belly, and slowly disemboweled him, knowing he would feel every painful moment for a while before he died. Yet, before he did, she said, "And now I am going to do to you what he would have had he caught you!"

She sunk in her fangs and drank with the relish of a vampire that had gone feral. Sadly, she looked like what it was that the Inquisition thought vampires were. However, in this case, it did have a sense of ironic justice about it. Thus, the others just let it go, figuring that it may just be what she needed to get back to normal.



Leo was in the chapel, on his knees, attempting to summon the power of the Almighty to help him. He already knew it was going badly, but he also felt that God would have to chime in. There was no way that God was going to let the gates of Hell prevail against his righteous cause. However, outside, Jean-Claude was getting ready to burst open the door. Both teams Cleric and Awere doing a systematic search of the rooms just in case, and Regan soon caught up to him at about the time Karin and Anjou arrived. "BIG BROTHER!" shouted Anjou, and she jumped up and gave him a bear hug as Karin embraced him from behind. She then gave him his saber, and he said, "I knew you would have kept it. Now, let's end this!"

He kicked down the door, just as both teams were arriving, and beginning to flood the place. "PRAYING TO SATAN, EH?" thundered Jean-Claude and he said,"IN THE NAME OF, AND BY THE POWER OF THE TRUE BODY OF CHRIST, YOU ARE FINISHED!"

Leo could not believe it. How could he have lost? This could not be happening. He got up, and started to try to go out the other door, but that was filled with the twins, Chiyuki, Ren, and a very bloody Ai. Before they could move on him, he pushed a button, and a panel opened up under the crucifix. It slammed shut. "NO!" shouted Ai, but Jean-Claude was on it, smashed it down, and he said, "What door?"

Quickly, everyone plowed down the hall. They arrived just in time to see Leo jump into an X-series, high powered Jaguar. He was staring the car and taking off before anyone could get a bead on him. However, it was a garage filled with collector's cars, all sporty, and all very fast. Hartley then said,"Cleric Team, everyone pick a car! A-team, if that armor is working for you, then join us!"

Vincent said, "It works great in sunlight! You need to get a set for the rest of the Clan!"

Karin, however, said, "Wait, we don't have the keys."

The twins said, "That's no problem!" and extended their hands. Every car started up, and it sounded like the start of the Daytona 500. Anjou found ahigh powered Lotus, and told Karin to sit. Sheila joined them, though it was atwo-seater, and she sat between Karin's legs. Karin said, "Can you drive this thing?"

All Anjou said was, "Sit down, strap in, shut up, and hold on!"

Karin then quickly buckled both her and Sheila in, and Anjou was leading the charge. While that was happening, Jean-Claude came across a 427 Shelby A.C. Cobra. "I'll give you one thing-he has great taste in cars! Hop in, son!"

As they were buckling in, Jean-Claude asked, "By the way: what are you doing here?"

"I'll tell you later," said Mickey, hinting that they should get going. Hartley found a GTO, while Yuuna and Regan both found a 1968 Mustang convertible, dual exhaust. They took each other's hand, pecked, and they were off.



Leo, instead of tearing off, tried to melt into the Paris traffic. Knowing how congested it could get, he thought he could just fade away. He had no idea that Le Mans was about to start that way, as his fleet of collector cars emerged from the secret exit, with a Lotus and Cobra leading the way. "Zut Alors!" he thundered, along with the French word for feces, and he began to accelerate. Anjou and Jean-Claude took off behind him. Driving in the streets of Paris is an experience. It is said one indeed can take his life into his hands driving in Paris. One either has to be insane, or a daredevil. The crew that followed Leo was a bit of both! It indeed did look like the start of the grand prix as all the cars thundered to life. Some may have thought this overkill, yet, with this many cars in pursuit, no matter where he turned, someone could be there to continue the chase. Since everyone was wearing the armor, they could then keep in close contact. The only exception was Jean-Claude, but Mickey kept him informed via Sheila as Karin and Anjou talked. However, despite the need, she still was terrified at the merry chase now starting. Cars thundered down the city streets, with the main traffic either pulling aside, or crashing into parked cars along the side as they tried to avoid the race they saw and heard approaching from behind. The police reported what they saw, but the dispatcher said, "We'll just keep a chopper on them, because there is no way we could stop something like this without causing more damage."

Yet, a call came in from Hartley, announcing that they were on official government business, and gave the name of the government official that gave the order, and he said they should check with him. Surprisingly, it checked out. Because of that, the police then started to cordon off the streets they were going down as reports came in on the direction of the chase. It was not always easy, however, because Leo was trying hard to shake the pack as if he was Dale Earnhardt at Talladega, and he was doing all he could to lose them. Anjou led the way, considering that she was familiar with Paris streets, and now even more so that she was driving on them in the daylight for the first time. He took hard turns, sharp cuts, taking roads that only angels feared to tread. He was surprised that the pack was keeping up. Karin was now as white as a sheet as Anjou drove with the skill of Mario Andretti. If she were that, then Jean-Claude was Richard Petty, drafting behind Anjou as she went. He then said, "Tell Anjou to draft behind him, and stay right on his bumper. If she can, have her rub his rear end without wrecking. I know, it's a waste of aclassic, but this has to stop."

He relayed this to Sheila, who then relayed it back to Anjou. She took the cue, and stared to close ground on Leo. Leo saw her trying to close on his tail, and had an idea of what she intended. He then remembered that the next right turn led to the Arch of Triumph, the dangerous traffic circle there, and then the Champs De Lysee. He then cut it hard and took off, with the Lotus and Cobra in hot pursuit, and the GTO and Mustang right behind. He then somehow merged into the traffic, and got a car between him and his pursuers. Soon, the whole pack was in the circle, and one would have thought a race was taking place right there. Leo spotted his chance and cut down the Champs. The only ones to break away initially were the Lotus, the Cobra, the GTO, and the Mustang. Yet, at the end of the road, the police set up a road block. Leo spotted this, was able to stop, slammed it into reverse, and pulled abootlegger's turn. The aforementioned cars had to peel out of the way to avoid being hit. Halfway down, there was a side road and he took it. The others managed to turn around and follow, just as the rest of the pack was freeing itself and coming down the road. He then managed to tear down the red light district. This was not what Jean-Claude wanted his children to see, but they were moving so fast, it was doubtful anyone saw anything! Because it was along stretch of road, Anjou and Jean-Claude were beginning to catch up. They were but three feet apart when Leo then found a street kitty cornered to it, and he took off. He still could not shake them. He was using every trick in the book, but nothing was working. Soon, he came to the on ramp to L'Autoroute-the major highway in France, and thought he stood a chance there. The pack roared right behind, but Leo going this way would prove to be his undoing. As they tore down the road, the police found a spot to lay a road block. Because of how quickly they set it up, Leo could not make the move he made earlier. He thus decided to cross the median and go the other way, knowing he might shake them. It would take too long for them to get over, that is, if all the cars could get over, and chase him. He might be long gone by that point. As he crossed however, he hit a spot of loose dirt and began to go out of control. He kept it on the ground, but slid across the road, and skidded into the ditch on the other side next to the woods. Somehow, he was not hurt, but he knew also that this was the end of the driving. He climbed out and headed for the woods. However, Anjou and Jean-Claude made it across, parked, and jumped out. The rest of the pack pulled over on the other side in the breakdown lanes, and began the foot chase. It must have been quite the sight as they saw the amount of people clad in futuristic military armor chasing behind.



Leo had his Lugar and rapier, with several clips, hoping to make a last stand. Using the trees to his advantage, he was moving in a serpentine fashion to try to shake off Karin, Anjou, and Jean-Claude. The twins were told to stay put, but they still followed. Knowing they could not stop them, they had to suffer it. Once he got some distance and good cover, he took aim and fired. Four shots ricocheted off the armor the women wore, but two rounds hit Jean-Claude square in the chest. It was just as good as a stake to the heart. The girls screamed, but the twins were right there, saying, "He'll be okay; we'll take care of it. Go get him!"

Sheila said, "You do this, I'm going to help them."

She took off, hoping to catch up. By this point, the girls were catching up, just as Leo was trying to reload. Yet, with the speed that Sheila could achieve, she looked like a blur as passed by and snatched away the gun. Anjou got to the other side, and drew her own tonto as Karin pulled her Toledo. Oddly enough, this was the fight he wanted, but not at this stage. However, if he were going to die, he would try to take them with him. They were wearing armor, but he knew that with his fencing skill, and knowledge of the operations of the vampire, he could find the chinks in the armor, wound them well enough, strip off the armor, and expose them to the sun. They had to be vampires; otherwise, they would not be able to move with that kind of speed. He had to figure the armor was protecting them, so he knew that had to go. Still, these were more skilled as fighters than he had ever faced. Hondo's training was coming to play now, but he seemed equal to the task as blades began to clash. Sheila wanted to act, but she also knew that family honor was at stake, and she needed to let them gain it back from him in their way. Besides, she knew her father, and the rest, would be along before long, and it was over. Thus, she sat back, and waited for the inevitable. Leo was using the trees as best he could, but he could not go fully on the attack. Thrust and parry, repost and thrust again, the struggle went on. Sheila could then hear the sound of footsteps coming, and she knew it was her father, brother, and the others in tow. "You cannot defeat me!" thundered Leo, "God is on my side!"

"Fat chance!" shouted both girls as Anjou disarmed him, Karin stood behind, and they were both about to thrust, when Jean-Claude said, "NO!"

Suddenly, the girls stood frozen as Mickey was holding out his hand, obviously being the one doing the holding. Jean-Claude then said, "In order to put an end to this, we have to make this as public as possible without exposing too much about the Clan, or any vampire for that matter. This way, it can never come back."

Jean-Claude was now restraining him from behind, Leo all the while continuing to spout off about how they were the Devil's children, how God was on his side, and so forth. This was too much for Anjou to take anymore, and she remembered what Ren had done to Mimoun over four years earlier. Karin held his mouth open as Anjou said, "Enough of your filth! The world shall cease to hear your lies!"

With that, she plucked out his tongue as she sealed off the wound. Leo struggled and squealed like a stuck pig, and now he was not pleased. He then said to his children, "Hasn't all this action made you two hungry?"

"We're starving!" they both said, taking the hint. With that, the twins bore fangs and approached. This was the last thing that Leo ever thought would happen to him, and he wanted to plead for this not to happen because he did not want to become a vampire. With no tongue, this was impossible. The twins then latched onto him and fed with relish. Soon, Leo relaxed his struggling, and he was then out. The twins were about to wipe his memory, but Jean-Claude said,"Leave it. With the way we are going to do this, they would never believe him!"

Finally, everyone plopped down onto their buttocks, tired but relieved. It was over at last. One of the oldest foes of the vampire, and more than likely the last obstacle to coexistence, was both literally and figuratively silenced forever. They wanted to celebrate, but there would be time for that. At that moment, they felt the peace of a great burden lifting off them. For the first time, they felt a peace they had never felt-a peace that meant that, outside a few foolish humans or renegade vampires, they would never again have to worry about being harassed or persecuted. It felt good.