36 - Vampire the Masquerade
Checkmate
LaCroix"s enforcer charged, swinging the meat cleaver like a scythe. Wesley and I separated, grabbed our shotguns, and began to look for an opening. The problem was this guy was about seven feet tall and stocky. We couldn"t get close. And he was moving fast. We couldn"t get a clean shot.
We kept dodging, and he kept swinging. All he was doing was smashing a lot of furniture. We were basically at a stalemate. Then Wesley ran up a flight of steps to the balcony.
"Hit him with one of your powers!" he shouted. I did. I hit him with vomit. The enforcer paused, and Wesley put a round from his shotgun into the enforcer"s head.
"Again!" Wesley shouted. I hit him again. And again. Wesley jumped from the balcony, landed behind the enforcer, jumped again, and buried his katana in the guy"s neck. It was my turn. I rushed in with my stake. Below the sternum, hard, and then up. The guy swayed a bit, and dropped to the floor.
"Here," Wesley said, tossing me two blood packs. "Feed. He didn"t vomit, but you slowed him just enough."
"You feed too," I said. "I"ve never seen a vampire move that fast. If that is Brujah speed, I never want to get in a fight with one."
We both walked up to the balcony and wandered around, trying doors. Most were locked. Finally, we found one that was open. We entered, and found ourselves in LaCroix"s office. It was the same office I had been in so many times. We were behind the desk, and on the other side of the room I could see the elevator doors. LaCroix was sitting at his desk, his back to us. When we entered, he stood, turned, and looked at us. Next he smiled. He looked as though he had won.
"Well," he said, "you two have done all of my work for me. You have eliminated the Sabbat, placed the Anarchs in jeopardy, destroyed Ming Jaio, and acquired the Ankaran Sarcophagus and its key. Now, go and bring it to me." Sebastian actually looked insane.
Wesley began walking to the elevator. He had succumbed to LaCroix"s will.
"Wesley!" I shouted. "Where in the hell are you going?"
Wesley stopped and turned. "Ummmmm," he said. "Jesus! I almost did what he said!"
"LaCroix," I said, "you"ve messed up big time. And you are insane. Tonight you suffer Final Death."
"You fools!" he shouted. "Don"t you realize the power you could have? Open the sarcophagus! Feed on the ancient that slumbers within! Take its power! You could rule all!"
LaCroix continued his rant. I grabbed a stake and used it. We dragged him to a window where the sunlight would hit him in the morning. Then the elevator bell dinged. The door opened, and three male vampires walked in with shotguns. Following them was Maxmillian Strauss.
"The both of you have done far better than expected," Maxmillian said. "Far, far better."
"Well, Camarilla Prince," I said, "you ready to take command?"
Maxmillian laughed. "Yes, Childer, I am," he said. "And I would like the two of you to be my enforcers. That is the only way I will accept the post."
"You going to call off the Blood Hunt on Nines?" I asked.
"Immediately," he said. "Now, you have the sarcophagus, and its key. Is it safe?"
"Yes," Wesley said. "But whatever was inside, is now outside. Jack filled it with C-4 and wired it."
"The fact that the ancient is out worries me," Maxmillian said. "None of us are a match for it. However, in a few nights I will contact you. I have a very, very safe place for the sarcophagus and its key."
"Fair enough," Wesley said.
"Please leave now," Maxmillian said. "My people will dispose of Sebastian LaCroix and his enforcer. You two have done far, far more than any Childer, whose sires are dead, should have had to do. Rest for a bit."
"Maxmillian," I asked, "may I use your library to research the sarcophagus? I think both Beckett and I, working together, may be able to come up with something."
"Yes, of course, Randy, you and Beckett may make use of my library for research if you wish." Strauss had opened up his doors for us.
Wesley and I entered the elevator and rode it down. We left the building and headed for our cab. A bunch of Anarchs were standing around, looking at us. One of them said something. I showed him the middle finger of my left hand.
Comments