FicWad

Chapter 7
“Come on guys, rise and shine, it’s your big day.” Bob’s cheery voice rouses me and Mikey from our day dreams.
“We are awake.” We both mutter to the hidden microphones. We’re answered simply by Bob’s laughing.
“Is he always like this before a hit?” Mikey asks me with a worried expression on his face.
“Yeah. Nerves aren’t kind to him.” I explain. “He goes kind of loopy then he freaks out making sure that everyone knows exactly what they’re doing and getting really worried.”
“Great.” Mikey sighs. Nerves just seem to make him even moodier. Me? I don’t suffer from nerves. Although I have a blinding headache right now that is leaving me wishing I’d smuggled some pain killers in with me. Yeah a vampire hunter that still needs to take headache tablets. Laugh all you like. It’s painful.

“You think we should go and free our little helpers now? We could run everything through with them and give them a little while to practise…” I trail off. I’m not used to having to look after so many other people. I don’t really know how Bob manages to keep track of us all. I can barely remember their names.
“Yeah that would probably be a good idea.” Mikey half heartedly agrees. He unlocks himself and sets off around the room gathering our small army. I unlock myself and stay sat on my bed, waiting for the room to stop spinning. I close my eyes as Mikey approaches.

As close as we’d become during our stay here together it had all been ripped apart in the small hours of this morning. He’d returned to his old ways as we talked about the final plans for tonight. When I’d argued against one of his more elaborate ideas he had flipped on me. Calling me stupid and a time waster. Threatening me and undermining everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve. I wanted to slap him, I wanted to tear him limb from limb but instead I’d rolled over and went to sleep.

“Kat?” Pete calls over to me. Looking concerned for a second until I fix a determined smile onto my lips and walk over to them.
“Ok so is there anything any one needs to go over before tonight?” I ask the small group gathered around me and Mikey.
“How are we going to get the really doped up ones out?” The big built man asks.
“They won’t be doped up. We haven’t told you this because we didn’t want you to relax too much but the vampire who has been coming in with food and new captives is on our side. He’s been intentionally leaving drugs out of our meals and as of yesterday everyone else’s too. By tonight they should be awake enough to get themselves out of here. All you have to do is unlock them and guide them across to the road. There will be vans waiting there to take you to either family or hostels if you’d prefer.”

They all look slightly alarmed at the knowledge that one of the bad guys was working for us. I suppose they were also annoyed that we kept this from them but we didn’t want to risk anything. It was safer for everyone if they knew the bare minimum right until the very end. “Anyone else got anymore questions?” I ask them. They all shake their heads in unison.
“So everyone is one hundred percent sure of what they’re doing? No queries or last minute problems?” Mikey asks the crowd of brave people assembled around us.
“This is your moment to shine.” I smile at them reassuringly. “This is your chance to show everyone who ever doubted you what you can do. It’s your chance to get your own back on those pricks who have kept you here against your will.” I smile at them again and I’m surprised but happy when they all send me back small genuine smiles of their own.
“Let’s get this show on the road.”

Mikey spends the rest of the day light hours going over tactics and fighting techniques. I spend the last hours talking to Bob via the wire.
“How are they holding up?” He asks me, referring to our unorthodox recruits.
“Really well. We were really lucky. You’ll have to thank Ray for getting us some good ones.”
“I will. How are you and Mikey?”
“Fine.” I answer a bit too quickly.
“What’s happened?” He asks. The disapproving tone of his voice makes me cringe.
“We had a bit of an argument last night. It’s fine now though.” I promise.
“You can’t let your emotions get in the way of this Kat. I can’t stress how much trouble you’ll be putting yourself in if you go out there with hate in your veins.”
“He infuriates me so much.” I confess. “He’s all sugar and spice and then 12 hours before the crunch he goes back to ‘you’re so shit at everything and I am always right.’”
“Kat.” Bob says warningly.
“I know. I know.” I assure him. “I’ll forgive and I’ll forget. Just find him somewhere else to live when we get out?” I ask. Closing my eyes against the harsh lights that have just clicked on over head.
“Things that bad?”
“Yeah. He hates me Bob. I don’t why, God knows I’ve tried to make things Ok between us, but the boy hates me.”
“I don’t hate you Kat.” A sudden voice says from beside me. I jump and open my eyes quickly to see Mikey stood next to me with 5 other people. “But we do need to start moving things along now. Ray should be down in about 10 minutes and then we can start unlocking everyone. Is he still going to make a hole in the window and take the bars down for us??”
“Yes Mikey. It’s all been planned.” I say quietly, holding my hands up to my temples and resting my elbows on my knees.
“What the hell is wrong with you? I said I don’t hate you. I was just checking the plan that’s all. Something you’ve been failing to do all afternoon.”
“Just drop it Mikey. I’m not in the mood.” I say, slipping off the bed. “Bob things are going into motion now, Ray’s just approaching, I can hear him whistling.”
“Good one. I’ll send the boys.”
“Remember to hold back for a while. Ray said guests will be still arriving for an hour yet.”
“Ok. See you soon.”
“See you soon Bob. Good luck.”
“You too Kat.” He replies and I hear him click the microphone off.

I take a look at Ray who is winding his way between the beds to get to the window then look at Mikey. “Make a start on freeing these people. I’m going to help Ray.”

I vaguely hear him shout something like ‘I’m sure he doesn’t need much help cutting through glass with his fingernails’ but I ignore it. Instead I hand my pick wire to Pete ensuring him that Mikey will tell him what to do with it and go to stand with the only person I liked right now.

“How are things upstairs?” I ask Ray as he slowly draws his finger round the perimeter of the glass.
“Good. Nearly everyone’s here. Seems they couldn’t wait for the sun to fully set before coming. They’re really excited.”
“Great so we’re battling excited sun burnt vampires?”
“Don’t forget blood deprived. Which is an advantage and a disadvantage.” He reminds me. Most vampires will fast for a few days before a blood feast meaning their senses are dampened and their powers weakened. Their blood lust however makes them nothing but savages. A team of humans waltzing into their lair with toothpicks are going to do nothing but make them thirsty.
“I hope this goes well.” I sigh leaning on the wall.
“Me too.” He grunts as he wrenches the bars away from the window and throws them out onto the surrounding grass. We watch a white van pull up a little way down the road. “Now what?” He asks me.
“Now you run, before they realise you just set us free.” I prompt and he climbs gracefully out of the window and runs to the awaiting van faster than any human could dream.
“Now it’s our turn.” Mikey says into my ear, making me jump.
“Yep.” I sigh, nervous for the first time ever. “Now it’s our turn.”

*

“Ok so all of you are fine with what you have to do?” I ask the group of people gathered around me and Mikey by the window.
“All we have to do is jiggle a piece of wire around and escort drugged people across a field.” Rick reminds me. “It’s hardly rocket science.”
“I’m just scared for you that’s all.” I confess and sigh deeply. I didn’t feel right. This whole thing didn’t feel right. It was going too well. Everything was going to plan. We’d already half emptied the room and no one had gotten caught. None of them had had to fight. All good things so why did it all feel so bad?

“Kat what’s up?” Mikey asks me as the others all return to their jobs.
“Nothing I just, my head hurts, a lot.” I confess, leaning on the wall just beside the window.
“Well, are you ok to carry on?”
“Of course I’m Ok to carry on.” I bite back. “I’m sorry.”
“Sure you are. Maybe I’ll go all weepy on your ass now and go crying to Bob that you hate me. Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on staying here with you once this is over.”
“I’m glad to know that. It makes me feel a whole lot better. Please tell me you were planning on throwing yourself off a cliff instead?”
“Oh very funny you’re full of wit you are. I just can’t contain my- Kat? Are you alright?”

As me and Mikey had been arguing we’d failed to notice the door to the basement opening and closing quickly and the blur that had streaked from the far end of the basement and over to us and then stopped.

Stood right behind Mikey is Gerard. I’d recognise that face anywhere. Everyone in the basement freezes, Mikey looks behind him and moves quickly to my side. “No need to be afraid pussy Kat.” Gerard says quietly. “This won’t hurt much.” I feel something dig into my arm and I look down to see that he’s stuck a needle into me and is slowly pushing the plunger. I slide down the wall as the drug takes hold of me.
“Kat? What have you done to her?” Mikey screams.
“I have a little offer for you Mikey. I think it would be in your best interests to accept.”

There’s a pause and I can feel my eyelids trying to flutter closed but I hold them open, praying that Bob was receiving this. “Quite an organisation you’ve got going here.” He says to Mikey as reaches down to me and picks me up.
“You drugged her?” Is all Mikey says in reply, obviously dumb struck.
“Yep. Here’s the deal. I’ll give you twenty more minutes to clear this lot out before I raise the alarm, if you allow me to take her out.” I nod my sleepy head to show Mikey that he has to accept this. Even if he doesn’t want to. Even though we don’t know what he’s going to do to me. Even though the only noise I’m receiving through my headset is static rather than Bob’s comforting words.

The last thing I’m aware of is being carried up the steps over Gerard’s shoulder. Then it all goes swampy black.

*

“The killer in me is the killer in you, my love.” Gerard sings as he circles me.
“We are not the same.” I slur, trying to make my drugged mind concentrate on finding an escape.

The room I’m being held in is much like one of our interrogation rooms. There are no windows and the door looks heavy and solid. The only difference is that the walls and ceiling seem to be made out of solid concrete rather than panelled in wood and the door is made of a sturdy metal rather than thick oak.

I glare at Gerard. “Where have you taken me?”
“Oh not far at all.” He smiles, obviously enjoying this, then begins to sing. “There’s a worm at the bottom of my garden…”
“You’re fucking crazy!” I cry out, scared now for what might happen to me here.
“Crazy? Or sneaky?” He smiles again and I realise that it isn’t the crazy smile I’d seen before but a conspirational one. “You asked me a question and I answered you, then I sung a little song. You see… ‘We are never alone.’” He sings again and several things click in place. One is that I’m still on the grounds of the warehouse, at the bottom of the garden in fact. And another one is that I had no idea what was going on.
“Whose side are you on?” I ask in confusion. He was the enemy, he had to be the enemy.
“I was always on your side.” He sings and I laugh outwardly. He looks shocked and comes closer to crouch down before me.
“You took Frank. You stole him from me. Yet you say you’re on my side? I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”
“He didn’t love you Kat.” He says imploring, staring into my eyes with his blazing hazel ones. “He was going to leave you for some whore, surely it was better that he left you for immortality instead?”
“I don’t believe you.” I argue shaking my head. What ever mind games he was trying to play they weren’t fair.
“Believe all you like.” He whispers harshly and something about the tone makes me listen to him, “But you’ll see truth eventually. I loved you Kat, I still do, even though you insist on hunting my kind. You’re the best, you know that? I admire you, but I thought you were intelligent enough to see through Frank’s lies. All that bull about investigating some new lead on rumoured vampire sightings up north? It was a load of bull Kat. I saved you the pain of him leaving you for someone else.”
“Who? Who was he leaving me for?” I ask before I can stop myself.
“‘Well here’s the twisted part.’” He sings with a sad smile. “Your, erm, your… your hunter friend…”

“Mikey?” I ask in wonder. I cannot believe this is happening. Everything in me wants to believe that this is just some tactic to fuck up my mental state and get me to spill everything about the mission, but I can’t, I can’t believe it. I believe Gerard. I know that he’s telling me the truth.
“Mikey didn’t know Frank was with you. So don’t kill him when I let you go.”
“I won’t.” I promise. Then the strength of that statement hits me. “You’re going to let me go?”
“You think I could kill you? Or even condemn you to death?”
“Well, yes.” I reply, “Me and Mikey did sneak in here and plan to kill you and all your little blood sucking friends.” The fact that I even say this is a sign as to how screwed up the drugs have made my brain. He’s just told me he’s going to free me and here I am pointing out why he shouldn’t do just that. I hope the others are Ok.

Gerard laughs, the sort laugh that’s slightly patronising but still it doesn’t feel like he’s laughing at you. He has a nice laugh. “I love you Kat. I know you find it hard to believe because, well, this is the first time we’ve even spoken. You remind me of someone though, some one who used to love me. You remind me of myself.” I stop myself from jumping down his throat when he compares the two of us this time. After all we are both just killers doing what we need to do to help our species survive. His methods of showing his ‘love’ for me are a little unorthodox but he’s going against his own clan to save me. In his own way I think he does love me. Just a little.

“So, how are you planning on letting me go?” I ask when he fails to say anything else.
“Well you see what I’ll do is unlock those chains, open the doors…” He gives me an odd look.
“You’re just going to leave me to run back up to the warehouse by myself when I’m in this state?” I ask incredulously. There I was thinking he was trying to save me.
“The drugs will have worn off by the time you have to run.” He explains to me slowly as if I’m mentally challenged. “The serum I injected you with doesn’t last long. We’ll have a nice chat about our old friend and then you can go.”


I pause for a second trying to take all this in. I keep waiting for a pink elephant to appear out of no where and start flying around the room. Then I’d know that this is just some stupid drug induced dream dream. Then I can wake up and be tortured and it would be easier to deal with than all of this .
“You’re not dreaming.” Gerard says softly. “Yes I can read your mind, well, pick up on your thought patterns actually.”
I make a conscious effort to stop thinking but there’s too much going on. “Why did you let Mikey go? I’m not complaining but… why are you helping us?”
“I’ve already told you that. I could never hurt somebody I love. You love those people so I can’t hurt them either.”
“This doesn’t make any sense.” I sigh. I’m sure it’s not just the drugs that are affecting my brain. I just, I just can’t believe what is happening right here.

There’s a knock at the door and Gerard rises to go and speak to whoever it is. He nods and motions for them to leave then returns to me. “You had more people?” I nod slowly. “Still going to free me?” I ask with a mocking smile.
“Of course. I just didn’t realise how equipped you were. Everyone assumed you worked alone.”
“Well now you know.” I reply. “I thought you wanted to talk about ‘our old friend’?” I ask him to get him away from the subject of the group. I wasn’t going to sell them out to anyone, whether they ‘loved’ me or not.
“Oh yes. Dear Frank.”
“So, talk.” I prompt.
“There’s a few things you need to know about him.”
“That he’s a much more evolved race of vampire than you could ever dream to be? That he has nearly full control over his new powers? That he can move things, including people, without touching them? That he’s faster and fitter than you?”

Gerard just stares at me with his mouth hanging slightly open. It’s kind of comic and I start to laugh but I stop suddenly when I remember where I am.
“How… How on earth do you know all that?”
“We do our research Mr Way. You don’t think I get through as many of you as I do by chance do you?”
“Fine. But you missed out one crucial fact.”
“What?” I ask him, knowing it could prove vital to the people battling him right this instant.
“Well, he’s a bit like you really. His body healed but his heart, it never quite manages it. When you broke up he fell to pieces. Once he got used to being one of us he was ok I suppose, he learnt to use his powers for reasons we’d never dreamt of. His heart though, he was constantly thinking of you, and Mikey, and how he’d never see either of you again. He was heart broken.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I ask angrily. “You think if you tell me he’s still broken hearted then I’ll just throw my arms up in the air and call off this whole thing. Tell every one that we all live together in harmony? You know that that could never happen. Will never happen.”
“And there was me thinking you were smart.” He chides me again. “I tried to help you Kat. All you had to do was open your heart up a little.”

He reaches out and cuts through the binds on my wrists. Then he does the same for my feet and pulls me up into a standing position. “I think I over estimated you.” He says as he unlocks the door. “I’ll always love you though, just maybe not so much.”

For some reason this hurts me. I stand and look him in the eye, wanting to try and hurt him back, or at least threaten him. “They won’t listen to me if I tell them not to go after you.”
“Are you even going to try?” He asks with an eye brow raised. I look to my feet, unsure of what it is I’m planning on doing. “Then I suppose I’ll just look forward to seeing you again.” He grins then pushes the door open wide.
“Run Kat, run like your life depends on it.”

EDIT - Ok so there’s the bit where Gerard uses some song quotes? Well here are the quotes, the song titles and the artists who originally wrote the lyrics before I stole them. Some are missing because they are just silly little kids rhymes. Next update should be along shortly.

‘The killer in me is the killer in you, my love.” - ‘Disarm’ by The Smashing Pumpkins
“We are never alone.” – ‘Okay I believe you but my tommy gun don’t’ by Brand New
“I was always on your side” – ‘You’re a shiver’ by Rescue The Astronauts
“Well here’s the twisted part.” – Chameleon Boy by Blue October