Dominant Species (19 page)

As
Karick was being arrested, two resistance teams approached the city from the disused subway tunnels to the South East of the City. As the resistance emerged into the City in Lower Manhattan the two teams split up. The first team, which consisted only of Jake, Megan and Father Matthew, headed north up Broadway, before cutting right and up towards the Lower East Side. The second team, which consisted of the twenty best fighters they had was headed up by Trent and Lano, they headed straight across to West Street and 12
th
Avenue, towards the area known as the meat packing district.

Although it was only an hour’s walk, they knew they were entering extremely dangerous territory, so
they had allowed two hours in total for their journey, enough time for Jake to see whether the offer was for real. In addition to his shotgun, Jake carried an old World War Two Very pistol and two flares. If it was a trap he was to fire the flare as a warning, Trent was still to rescue any men and women that they could but was to head straight back to the resistance stronghold and then on out into the outlands where they would find another, safer place to start the community again. This had been the plan that they’d agreed together, just the four of them, Jake, Megan, Trent and Father Matthew. These were the thoughts that ran through Trent’s mind as he led his team up through the old City.

For Jake and the others it was
a careful hour and thirty minutes later when they arrived at their destination. Father Matthew took the binoculars from Jake, checked ahead, and then handed them back to him, pointing towards an old, red brick building. Jake peered through them in the general direction indicated. There were a line of buildings; some clearly occupied, but with what, Jake didn’t want to know, whilst others lay abandoned.

‘
You see that row of buildings, Jake, well look to the derelict one, third in from the red brick, got it?’

‘Yes.’

‘Go to the left, ten, maybe fifteen yards.’

‘Okay.’

‘Do you see it?’

‘
No... Wait… yes… near the pile of rubble?’

Father Matthew nodded, ‘That’s our way in.’

Jake and the others
slipped down between the broken brickwork and scattered debris, their hearts pounding in their chests. Sprinting across the open space toward the derelict building, they pressed themselves against the wall, breathing hard.
Father Matthew pulled aside some rough boards, then crouched down and grabbed the end of a concrete block. He nodded to Jake to take the other end and together they heaved it to one side revealing a small hole, just big enough for a person, in the side of the building. All the time, Megan kept watch.

With one last glance around Father Matthew slid into the hole.

Jake watched the Priest disappear. A minute later Jake heard the whispered all clear and quickly helped Megan through, before slipping in behind them, pulling a piece of board over the entrance. Inside Jake and Megan paused allowing their eyes to become accustomed to the darkness. Ahead of them Father Matthew’s white dog collar almost glowed in the dark as he crossed toward them in the darkness.

‘Wait here. I’ll be back soon.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Father Matthew hesitated. ‘To make sure the coast is clear. I’m going to meet Drameer and arrange for him to meet us shortly
. He hesitated again, looked at the shotgun Jake had across his back.

‘Would you mind if I took the gun…Although I don’t feel that comfortable with
it, I…’

Jake nodded and slipped the shotgun off his
shoulder.

‘It’s loaded with six rounds, the safety is on,’ he showed the Priest how to disengage this, ‘When it’s off, just pull the trigger,
you re-load the next round by pulling this hard,’ he then re-set the safety and handed the shotgun to Father Matthew.

‘Thank you.’

‘Father?’

‘Mmm?’

‘What’s she like…my Sister?’

The Priest opened his eyes
and hesitated for a second.’

‘She is a joy and very beautiful.’

‘How did she cope with..?’

‘She made the best of it.’

‘Does she blame me?’

Father Matthew
sighed and shook his head. ‘Just like a true Catholic. Why must you carry so much guilt?’

Jake
stood back and stared at the ground.

‘No, Jake; she doesn’t blame you. You did what you needed to do, she understood that. Look, I didn’t tell you before,
I didn’t want to raise any hope, but when I told Drameer of my plan, told him where I was going and what I was going to do, I asked him a favour. He promised to find your sister and bring her to the meet too. Now, try and get some rest, I won’t be long.

Jake felt the tears
pricking at his eyes and he looked away.

‘Really?’

‘Yes, Jake, you’ll see her soon, too. Now, please stay here and make yourselves comfortable.’ Without another word Father Matthew turned and disappeared through the same hole they had entered through.

After the Priest had gone, Jake threw Megan a glance. They both scanned the derelict room.

‘Comfortable?’ Raising an eyebrow Jake took his coat off and placed it on the floor for Megan.

Trent and Lano had found the streets emptier than they had
expected and had therefore made far better progress. An hour in, they were now moving through the remains of Union Square and West village on their last leg towards the meat packing district and their target; the warehouses where the human slaves were kept.

Father Matthew moved the board away from the hole and slipped
once again into the derelict building. The sound woke Jake who had fallen asleep against Megan. She smiled at him and gently stroked his face, moving a piece of stray hair away from his eyes.

Father Matthew check
ed his watch, an automatic timepiece, and simply said. ‘It’s time.’

Jake
sat up and stroked Megan’s hair as she rested her head on his shoulder.

‘
Are you both ready?’ Asked Father Matthew, his tone subdued.

J
ake and Megan nodded in unison. Father Matthew handed Jake back his shotgun and turned to lead the way, the others followed the Priest across the floor to the boarded up hole, where Jake worked away the pins and needles that had crept into his legs.

Karick and Voltan stood before the Queen, beside her, was Rodan unable, or unwilling, to hide the sanctimonious look on his face.

‘
My lady, may I ask the meaning of this? On what grounds do you consider you can arrest me?’ asked Karick.

‘I
have grown unhappy with your governance, Lord Karick and have decided therefore to appoint a new Overlord.’

Voltan thr
ew Karick a sideways glance and Karick couldn’t help but think there might have been a ‘told you so’ somewhere in it.

‘
With the greatest of respect, I’m not sure it is within your gift to do so. Vampire governance is split between the Royal House and the Vampire Council and, as you will be well aware, I answer to the Council.’

The Queen raise
d an eyebrow.

‘
Not any more Lord Karick. You will kneel here, now, and pledge your allegiance to the new Overlord.

‘
To Rodan?’ roared Voltan, ‘Never!’

Karick sp
an, already having sensed the danger behind, Voltan a split second behind him. Six female guards fanned out towards them.

‘
Disappointing, now you will both stand trial for treason. Seize them,’ ordered the Queen.

She waved
a dismissive hand as four of the vampires moved to Karick and Voltan’s right, whilst the other two stepped smartly to their left. All wore the official body armour of the Queen’s own guard.

Karick and Voltan
stood back to back, hopelessly outnumbered, their teeth bared, growling low as the female guards closed with a sneer, hissing their disapproval.

The six female guards attack
ed together. Their speed was immense. Voltan struck out blindly, missed and was driven quickly to the ground by two of the guards. Karick was quicker. He caught an imperial guard by surprise, his fist smashing into her jaw with a satisfying crunch. But he knew it was futile. Already another was on him, hitting him from the side. He roared throwing her across the room, but the next was already on him and the next. Their bodies locked as they wrestled for an advantage.

Held
down by two guards Voltan struggled to look up. His eyes closed as three of the Queen’s own Guards slowly pushed Karick to the ground in front of their Captain. Her face contorted and her teeth lengthened as she kicked Karick hard in the face. He dropped like a stone.

Half unconscious, Karick
watched as Rodan stepped toward his friend

‘Will you yield to me
now?’ He asked.

Voltan
managed to spit on Rodan’s boots. The thin blade sliced from nowhere like a scalpel, stabbing Voltan through his side and into his heart.

‘You bastard’ roared Karick, struggling against his captor
’s grip.

Rodan
turned, a smile forming on his lips, the blade thick with Voltan’s blood. Karick watched as Voltan’s body slumped forward, dead.

‘And what about you?’ He asked as he waved the blade
in Karick’s face.

‘Stop!’ Hissed the Queen.

Rodan froze at the chill that was unmistakable in her voice. He glanced across and saw the Queen talking with the messenger that had entered the room.

‘
Captain, take Karick away. Rodan, would you join me in my chambers please? Lord Shallock has just returned, and begs your presence.’

Rodan followed the Queen as she headed for her chamber, two of the Queen’s guards walked uncomfortably closed to him, pinning him between them.

He could sense that something was not right, and he racked his brain to try and think which part of his masterly plan
might have failed.

By the time he’d reached the Queen’s chamber, he was visibly sweating. As the heavy door was pushed back and they entered the room, he spoke, trying with all his will to keep his voice easy and steady.

‘Your majest…’ he began. But the word remained unspoken as his eyes fell on the terrible sight in the corner of the chamber. It was a sight sufficient to rock even him. Hanging from the wall was a contorted figure with a pale face. Through his chest a foot of steel protruded, like a grotesque, additional limb. It was Shallock. His clothes were torn, his armour dented and cuts crisscrossed his face, like a lattice work.

‘
It appears to me that your plan might have failed.’

‘
My Queen,’ stuttered Rodan, his mind working overtime, ‘It is but a minor setback.’

‘
Really? Try telling that to Lord Shallock.’

‘Your Majesty,
I shall assemble a new attack party personally and…’

The Queen raise
d her hand, demanding silence. ‘I think not. Your failure has displeased me, Rodan. Now leave me. I'll deal with you later.’

As
an incredulous Rodan was unceremoniously dragged from the room, his eyes were once more drawn toward the distorted and pale figure of Shallock. No sooner had the door clicked shut than a figure appeared from out of the shadows. It was Keermit.

‘
You were right to come to me with your concerns, my child. Is everything ready?’

‘
Yes my lady, as I promised. Now we just have to wait.’

The Queen stroked Keermit’s arm, sending a shiver through her body ‘never send a man to do a woman’s work,’ she smiled.

In Brooklyn, just under fifteen miles away, twenty horses in two groups of ten and ridden by the Queen’s own Guard under Keermit’s instructions closed on the unsuspecting resistance. Half from the North and half from the West. In stark contrast to the pageantry of Shallock’s army that had marched on the resistance only the day before, the all-female guard moved unseen through the streets in absolute silence.

Trent and the team checked their weapons again and crossed the road, guns ready. Lano ran off to the right. He crouched at the back of a warehouse where he set the ring of explosives. Once ready he looked to Trent and nodded.

The
explosion rocked the vast warehouse. As the smoke cleared a six foot hole in the wall was revealed. Lano was in, his men close behind.

On the other side of the City, Father Matthew, Jake and Megan heard
the explosion, white light flares across the sky outside, the glare reflected against the window.