Blood Apocalypse - 04 (22 page)

Bobby nodded his head. “Yeah. That’s my dad’s name, but everybody calls him Bob.”

“Yeah, that’s a pretty solid name, alright. That’s my name, too!” Rob said. “Except everybody calls me Rob.” He beamed at the little boy. “That makes us pretty special, don’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess it does.” Bobby climbed up into Barbara’s lap.

“I ain’t never had no kids of my own,” Rob prattled on. “My sister’s got a few though. I like them pretty good. I just hardly ever get to see ‘em. Always on the road.”

“How old are they?” Bobby asked.

Rob glanced over at Bobby and replied, “Oh, about your age, I reckon. Becky Sue is five and Cole is fixin’ to be seven. If I had to guess, I’d say you’re probably right in between there, ain’tcha?”

Bobby smiled at him and then at his mom. “He’s pretty good.”

Barbara smiled back at him, “Yes, he is.”

“Yeah, I can guess ages pretty good.” Rob smiled a toothy grin at him. “Why, I bet I can guess your mom’s age, too.” Barbara raised an eyebrow just as Rob spouted out, “She’s gotta be at least twenty, don’tcha think?”

Bobby giggled and shook his head. “Nope. Not even close!”

“No? Are you sure?” Rob teased. “Okay then, nineteen, but I can’t be off no more than that.”

“I was wrong, mom, he sucks as this game.”

“No he doesn’t dear,” Barbara replied with a smirk.

Rob just grinned at her and shot an innocent wink. “So how’d y’all find yourselves on the road like that? Are you hitc
hhiking or…”

Barbara thought quick and decided a mix of truth and…
bent truths
would be best. “We were going camping on some old family land and had some car problems,” she stated. “Rather than deal with the locals, we thought we’d take our chances on hitchin’ home and let my husband deal with the car when he gets back.”

“He travel a lot?” Rob’s eyes stayed on the road, but his demeanor didn’t change. Barbara’s sixth sense still wasn’t buz
zing.

“For work. He should be back shortly though,” she said, staring out the window and watching the road disappear behind them in the side mirror.

“Y’all don’t have any family you could have called?” Rob asked. “For help or…heck just to let them know you was okay.”

Barbara shook her head. “It’s just us,” she replied softly, wrapping her arms around Bobby a little tighter. “My cell phone battery died and the charger isn’t working.” She lied. All she had was the charger in the car, and she hadn’t thought to grab it.

Rob nodded. “I understand.” He drove on a bit more before suddenly shaking his head. “Why didn’t I think of it before? I’m such a dimwit.” He reached into the open console above him and pulled out his cellular phone. “You can call your husband if you need to. Let him know you’re on your way home and that you’re both safe.” He offered her the phone and without thinking she took it from him. She flipped the phone open and stared at the keypad a moment. Rob glanced at her and shook his head. “Don’t worry. It’s on a plan. It won’t cost me minutes or nothing.”

“It’s not that,” she replied. “It’s just…I’m not exactly sure where he is. If he can receive a call.”

“Never know ‘til you try, right?”

She smiled sheepishly at him, “Right.” She tapped in Bob’s cell number and waited. It rang and rang, then went to voicemail. She waited a moment and realized, he wouldn’t re
cognize the number. She went to text messages and sent him a short message that it was her, call her at that number and hit SEND.

She flipped the phone closed and waited. “He probably didn’t recognize the number. I texted him. Maybe he’ll call back.”

“That’s fine. You can hold on to it a bit. We got plenty of time before we get to Oklahoma anyway,” Rob said. “What part of Oklahoma are you going to?”

“Oklahoma City. Tinker Air Force base.”

Rob nodded. “Driven right past it many times. Not really going past it this trip, but I can get you close. Maybe when we get closer I can get on the C.B. and see if anybody else is going by there and we can get you another ride?”

Barbara sighed with relief and nodded. “I’d really appreciate that, Rob.”

Bobby yawned and stretched. He laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Rob noticed and offered his bunk in the back. “It may not look like much, but it is really comfy back there. I promise.”

Barbara glanced to the back of the truck and saw the sleeper with the double bed. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Naw, y’all go on back and take a nap. You look like you’re about whooped.”

Barbara ushered Bobby to the rear of the truck and they both got comfy in the little sleeper area. As she pulled the curtain shut, she felt the phone vibrate in her hand. She looked down at it to see Bob’s number on the screen.

*****

Mitchell was on the phone before Mueller finished telling him all the facts. He had the security commander from Tinker on the horn and filled him in as Bob finished trying to explain the details that Barbara had whispered to him on the phone from the rear sleeper of the moving semi.

They made arrangements to have her and Bobby moved into the junior officer’s quarters below the hangar and guards reactivated from the outside of the hangar and moved inside the facility. A squad SUV would be made available for her and an escort wherever they went while on base.

Bob sighed with relief and called Barbara back to let her know what Matt had come up with. They made arrangements for money to be transferred to an account for her to be able to pick up whatever she needed for her and Bobby until Bob and the others returned.

Matt slid the number for the security commander to Bob and he gave it to Babs. When she got close to Tinker, she was supposed to call him and they would arrange for secure escort from the gate to the hangar.

Bob asked to talk to Bobby but he was passed out asleep. “See if you can borrow the driver’s charger and get your phone charged. If he’s going to be handing you off to another trucker to get you there, I want you having a full charge so you can contact me if you need to.”

“What can you do from Nevada, Bob? It’s not like you can send in the Marines to rescue me.”

“I may not be able to send in the Marines, but I damned sure can send in the Air Force.” His voice almost cracked. “They got jets and can get there faster.”

She sighed into the phone and gripped it tighter. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too.” He gripped the phone so tight that the case cracked. “You’re going to be okay, baby. I promise. We’ll get through all of this and then we’ll do like you said. Run through the woods and chase rabbits and…whatever it is we need to do.”

She nodded and felt a hot tear run down her cheek. The exhaustion seeped all the way to her bones but she fought to keep her eyes open. She knew it was only a few more hours to safety and then she could rest. “We’ll do whatever it takes, Bob, and then we’ll be a family again.”

“Whatever it takes,” he promised.

*****

Damien stood in the darkness and listened to the stranger’s voice, trying to tell if he recognized it.

“Care to eat somebody else?” the dark figure asked. “There are plenty more of us just up the stairs.”

“Why don’t you step down here and I’ll start with you,” he challenged.

The figure laughed at him and he could finally tell it was a woman. She reached up and pulled the hood from her face, revealing herself; but he didn’t recognize her. She wasn’t one of the many women that Foster had often had in his chambers, and Damien didn’t think it was one of Foster’s many lovers. This vampire obviously had more power and station than to lower herself to allowing Foster to use her for his own hedonistic pleasures.

She stepped down into the darkness and dropped the robe that draped across her shoulders revealing a curvaceous figure and long curly hair. She walked with purpose as she stepped into the darkness.

Damien advanced slowly, as a predator would upon its prey, sizing her up as he approached her from the side. She ignored his movements until he started to strike. Her arm came up quicker than thought and caught him about the throat, slinging him about and into the wall. He felt the air escape his lungs with an ‘oof’ and more than a few joints dislocated as he impacted the solid steel reinforced concrete wall then slid to the muck below.

“Do not think me a fool, flesh-eater. I am not some simpl
eton to be fed upon,” she whispered. She slowly moved toward him as his body healed itself in the darkness and he planned his next move. He had the strength and power of a nearly two hundred year old vampire now. He just didn’t have the experience to go with it. This one hadn’t exposed herself to him yet, but he
so
wanted to taste her power. He had no doubts that her power would be
delicious
.

“I told you to step down and I’d start with you,” Damien r
eplied. “I thought you wanted me to eat you when you came into my darkness.”

“
Your
darkness?” she cooed. “Poor, simple-minded flesh-eater.” She tossed her head back and laughed. “The darkness belongs to ME.” Her voice lowered to a sultry purr.

“What gives you the right to claim the dark?”

“Because I was spawned by it. I am a part of it and it is a part of me.” Her words slid across him like silk. “We are one and the same.”

“Truly?”

“You think you can hide your actions in plain sight of me? I’ve been watching you this entire time…
Damien
.” She saw the shock in his eyes when she said his name. “Oh, that’s right, child. I know you. I know who you are. I know your maker. I know what you are. And I know what you’ve been doing,” she purred. “And I know
why
.”

Damien remained stoic, refusing to even breathe as he li
stened to her silky taunts. His eyes darted about in the darkness, his mind racing as he contemplated her intentions.

“You’re wondering now how I know and what I intend to do about it, aren’t you?” She lowered her voice to a whisper and slowly moved closer to him. His eyes were glued to her curvy hips as they swayed with her walk. He actually sucked in air as her form took shape in the darkness and his eyes focused on the shape of her body, the heart shape of her face, her almond eyes…she was eroticism personified.

“Those thoughts crossed my mind…yes. I’d be lying if I said otherwise.”

“Of course you were. Why wouldn’t you?” She pressed a fingernail under his chin and lifted his face. “I’ll tell you what I want, Damien. You may like it, or you may not. But you’ll soon find out, that you have no choice in the matter. Not if you still wish to remain…alive.”

“What’s to prevent me from simply snapping your neck and eating that luscious body of yours?” he purred back.

She chuckled at him as she ran her sharp fingernail across his chest, drawing goose bumps across his flesh. “Didn’t you already try that? What did that get you?” she asked. “Oh, yes. It got you introduced to the wall, that’s what.” She chuckled to herself. “And that was me playing nice. You don’t want me to NOT play nice, do you?”

Damien considered her words. “I suppose that depends on what it is you want.”

He could see her smile in the darkness and it made his groin react. A rather pleasant feeling. “I want
you
, Damien,” she purred in his ear causing his skin to rise with goose bumps again. “You are going to be
my
slave.” Her tongue flicked out and licked his earlobe.

He shivered and craned his neck, allowing her access to him. “What kind of slave are we talking about?”

She looked at him with feigned shock. “What other kinds are there?”

“Please tell me you mean sex slave.”

She smiled at him. “Maybe.” She turned around and took a few steps away. His eyes never left her ample bottom as it shifted side to side. “But I was thinking just your average, ordinary, everyday kind of slave.”

Damien’s eyes came back up to meet hers as she turned around. “You mean like, fetch your slippers, cook your meals, clean your house kind of slave?”

She laughed again, except this was a deep, hearty laugh. “I don’t wear slippers, I don’t eat cooked meals and I have people who clean my house. I mean someone to do my dirty work.”

Damien shot her a hate-filled look. “I think I’ll pick what’s behind door number two.”

Her eyes hardened. “And what would that be?”

His lips pulled into an evil smile. “Whatever it is you’ve got underneath those clothes…”

16

“Sicarii, it is time.” The little messenger stood above the sleeping vampire, one hand holding the lid to the crate, the other gently shaking him awake. “We are about to arrive.”

The dark vampire’s eyes flew open and he stared at the small intruder of his sleep. His first desire was to rip the flesh from his bones, but he fought the impulse. He inhaled deeply and filled his lungs with the salty sea air. “How soon, Puppet?”

“Mere hours, Master.”

The dark vampire stepped out of the shipping crate and the small messenger lowered the lid of the crate and began brushing the soil from the back of his master’s clothes. “The others are being roused now. They are preparing for the trip.”

“Preparing?”

The little vampire didn’t look up as he continued to brush the dark soil from his master’s back. “They are feasting on the humans that were brought along on the trip, Master…for this very purpose. They are preparing for the trip to the hunters. Once this battle is over and the human hunters are wiped from the earth, we will continue from there. They will spread in all directions and eviscerate the West.”

The dark vampire simply nodded. “Have my meal brought to me. And have my enforcers meet with me after they are finished. We have a few things to discuss before we disembark.”

“Very well, Master.” The little vampire finished sweeping up the loose soil from the floor and deposited it into the trash. “Is there anything else?”

“Check with the ship’s captain and make sure that our ground transports have been arranged for. Both the trucks and the trains. We need to make it to this…”

“Groom Lake.”

“This Groom Lake base before the full moon.”

The little vampire nodded. “Very well, Master.” He turned to leave, then turned back. “Master, is there a significance to us being there on the full moon?”

“Yes, Puppet, there is.” The little vampire waited a moment hoping his master would explain, but once he realized that none would be coming, he simply nodded and exited the cabin.

The dark vampire went to the circular window with its heavy curtain and slowly pulled the material back. The sun had just set outside. Licks of red could just be seen along the horizon and he allowed himself to relax. He unlocked the porthole-style window and pushed it open. The salty sea air blew in and he could taste the tang of the salt. The pungent smell of the briny water mixed with diesel exhaust and rotting sea vegetation helped cleanse his mind of the memories the soil always brought.

Before long, a knock at his door brought two young women. Half dazed from their drug induced sleep and barely clothed, they had obviously been abused by some of the crew during the trans-Atlantic crossing.

The Sicarii reached out with one hand and grasped the first girl gently by the jaw. She started at first by his cold touch, then calmed as he stared into her eyes. Slowly she smiled, her glassy eyes sparkling as he directed her to the side. He turned his atte
ntion to the other young lass and did the same. Once both girls were properly under his spell, he had to choose which to have as a meal and which for dessert. Brunette or blonde? Either way, he didn’t like the screaming or hysterics. It put too much adrenaline into the blood stream and it gave the blood a more acidic taste…something he simply didn’t have the stomach for after such a long trip.

He pulled the brunette to him and exposed her neck. She smiled up at him, her mind lost to some happy memory of her youth as he lowered his fangs and sank them deep into her jug
ular. She didn’t even wince as he began to drain her. She moaned and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. She began to dry hump his leg as he sucked her dry, his sensitive ears listening to her heart slow, even though her body had no idea it was dying.

She continued to moan and grind at his leg, increasing in i
ntensity until she finally came and went with her final breath.

As he lowered her slowly to the deck of the ship, the young blonde who had watched the entire thing with a dumb smile on her face and rubbing her breasts at the same time stepped fo
rward and tilted her head for him.

“Me next,” she moaned as he lowered his bloody mouth to her neck and repeated the process.

She came twice before he lowered her still body to the floor of his cabin.

*****

Tufo and Adolfo had just finished setting up the trainer for the Mk IV mod II Gyroscopic Personnel Operated Dual Canon – 50 Caliber, or POD gun as they had been nicknamed. An ingenious design, the weapon consisted of two .50 caliber machine guns, chain fed, water cooled and computer operated. The operator could input field coordinates so that should the operator point the thing in the direction of someplace they shouldn’t, the computer would shut down the trigger mechanism and disable it. The upside was, one POD gun operator couldn’t accidentally shoot another POD gun operator station. The down side was, should a POD station get overrun by vampires, they’d have to have their own defensive support on site to defend their position. Another POD gun station couldn’t shoot in the area to clear it.

Tufo felt that mounting three of these POD guns on the high ridges on either side of the dry lake bed would give the operators the best field of fire once the wave of blood suckers hit. They could shoot down into the low lands from high ground and with security personnel on site to reload the PODs, provide defensive security and maintain communications, each station would be its own little war machine to cause general mayhem and carve out huge numbers of the vampire army.

Captain Roberts
loved
the PODs and thought it was a hell of an idea. His men on the other hand, were simply excited that they would get to play with equipment that looked like something straight out of a video game. Many were playing rock-paper-scissors behind the captain’s back to see who would get to sit in the chair and actually pull the trigger.

Nicolo began the training exercises. His plan was simple. Whoever could master the machine became the gunner; whoever didn’t, provided support. Rock-paper-scissors be damned. Only the best would pilot his state of the art PODs. His life and the lives of his squad mates might well depend on the skills of the man behind the stick of these units and he wanted only the best sitting in the chairs.

As Nicolo went through the different capabilities of the PODs and the limitations, Tufo stood back and listened. Colonel Mitchell stepped in behind him and tapped his shoulder. “What’s going on?” he whispered to Mark.

Tufo pulled him back a bit so as not to interrupt Nicolo and his training and filled Matt in on the PODs. “When Nicky told me about his ‘oranges’ and what they could do, I really thought that this would be the best use of base security personnel. They could be put into a useful position without risking their lives any more than necessary and still provide a valuable…”

“And you did this without consulting with me?” Matt asked.

Mark looked at him blankly. He really had no good answer for this one. He avoided Matt’s gaze and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes.”

Matt’s expression was unreadable. He looked over at the PODs and at Robert’s men, then turned back to Tufo. “Good job, Major. Keep up the good work.”

Mark’s eyes widened a bit with surprise. “You’re not u
pset?”

“Nope. I’ve been trying to figure out how in the hell we could use Robert’s men and not get them killed since we got here. Looks to me like you figured it out for me.” He patted his shoulder with pride. “Excellent job.”

Matt started to go then paused, “I know that time isn’t a luxury we have, but next time bounce it off of me before you actually put it into action.” He gave him a slight shrug. “At least then I’ll know what’s going on.”

Mark shot him a sideways smile. “Yes, sir.”

“Carry on, XO.”

*****

The line of black SUV’s rolled up to the entrance of the underground shelter and stopped, waiting for the doors to open and allow them entrance. The guards escorting the vehicles knocked on the window of the driver’s door and when it cracked slightly, the Wackenhut officer stated, “Your people will have to disembark here. The vehicles park over there on the old airstrip.”

Immediately, the rear doors of the SUV opened and a co
ntingency of large, heavily muscled men got out, all surrounding a beautiful and obviously over-the-top woman. “Down boys,” she cooed. “Mommy will handle this.” She motioned for the security officer to step closer and did her best to put on a pouty face. “We really aren’t dressed for traveling over this kind of terrain, young man. Can’t you make an exception this one time and allow us to simply enter this…” she glanced around to steel doors of the facility, “well, whatever it is that this thing is? Ple-e-e-a-ase?”

The guard gave her an all-business stare. “No, ma’am. O
rders are orders. You can enter here, but the vehicles still have to be parked on the old air strip.”

And evil glint hit her eyes and a snarl curled her lips. “Fine. Be a little shit.” She snapped her fingers. “Eat him, boys,” she growled. The guard took a single step back and brought his weapon to bear on the advancing wolves who suddenly fell to their knees, along with the woman in the evening dress, the gravel biting into the soft flesh of their hands, tearing into the fine material of their expensive clothing.

“I think you and your people can stand down, Victoria,” Maxwell said softly as he stepped through the doorway. “And maybe learn to show a little respect to our hosts.”

The woman seemed to be choking on some invisible power that emanated from the bearded man as he approached her. All of the others in the train of black SUVs exited the vehicles and solemnly took a knee in reverence to him. Max shook his head in disgust at her before he released them and strode back to the doors and pushed them open. “Do as the man said. Everybody in here. Driver’s put the cars away,” he barked. “We have business to see to.”

The numerous wolves retrieved their belongings and marched as best they could into the cavernous facility already filled with thousands upon thousands of waiting wolves, all eager to see the ‘First Family’ of the pack. None more anxious than the son of the First Bitch, Viktor olim Verissimo nunc Veranus. With his eyes now open to what he believed to be the truth, he was ready to challenge the hierarchy and take his rightful place as the Master of the Pack.

The new wolves entered, taking in the new surroundings, most of them feeling their stomachs sink or their hearts drop as they absorbed the giant underground facility. The industrial feel of the place with only the barest of essentials provided made most feel as though they had been dropped into the wild, and a very deserted wild at that.

Max watched from the doorway as Viktor stared down the group from the center of the facility. Victoria had still not noticed him as she looked around, her bags hanging from each hand. When her head swung around and her eyes and nose caught Viktor’s presence, she froze in place, as did most of her entourage. Her eyes widened at first and Viktor’s brows creased with curiosity as he noted first pleasure and amazement cross her features, but only for a moment before she masked her face and her eyes narrowed on him.

“How are you here?” she asked quietly. “You have duties elsewhere.”

“I am fulfilling my duties,” Viktor stated matter-of-factly. “But I bring forth a formal challenge.” He stepped forward with purpose, his eyes never leaving hers. He studied her face as he approached and allowed his voice to rise so that ALL wolves within the facility could hear his challenge plainly. “I challenge for my birthright! For the position of Master of the Pack!”

A wolf from the rear of her entourage stated, “He cannot challenge, he has been outcast.”

She glared behind her then turned back to Viktor. “He is not outcast,” she announced plainly. “He and his were only…assigned extended duties
away
from the pack proper.” She turned her attentions to her husband. “That’s not outcast.”

Max ignored her, but his eyes showed disapproval of her a
ctions.

“Who leads MY pack?” Viktor asked.

“We’ve had a few…
changes
…in leadership, as of late, my son,” Victoria stated. “It seems our prior Pack Master fell into a string of bad luck and found himself challenged. Then the new Master appeared weak and he was challenged.”

“WHO LEADS?” Viktor yelled.

A very large and heavily muscled man stepped forward, pushing his way past the rest of the entourage. His neck was as thick as an oak tree and Viktor could have sworn that his knuckles actually dragged the ground. He assessed the man, looking for a weakness. The only immediate one
might
be that he was so heavily muscled that he couldn’t reach his ass to wipe it after taking a dump. The man thumped his chest loudly and exclaimed, “I LEAD!”

“Do you recognize my challenge?” Viktor asked.

Before the man could answer, Victoria stepped between them, “You cannot challenge, my son.” Viktor shot her an evil glare before she continued, “It is not the full moon.”

Max finally stepped forward. “As the Alpha of all Alphas, I waive that rule.” A small curve of his lip started to form. “If he wishes to challenge outside the full moon, so be it.” Max ge
stured to the walking tree who now lead the pack. “It is your choice to recognize the challenge.”