by Blackwulf and Grimm
Jerry's Food Mart, Main Street, Puerta Mibela, La Perdita, 1997:
"Man, I hate this stinking job!" Wes said to himself. "But it pays the bills," he replied to himself as he grabbed the broom and headed for the door. "Clean the lot, and clean the pumps, and clean this, and make sure my shoes are cleaned. Damn wicked stepmother shit's gotta go!"
"Can you help me?" a voice came from the corner of the building.
"Is there someone there?" Wes responded.
"Yes, I need something that only you can give me!" The pale and gaunt young woman speaking turned to reveal that she was wearing nothing under her long coat.
"I see. Umm... And what is it that only I can give you?" Wes said as he moved to the back corner of the building where the young women was.
"You can keep me warm on this cold and lonely night, can't you? Or are you just cold inside?" she asked in a tone that was almost hypnotic.
"Look, I gotta watch the store, but if you want, I can meet you somewhere when I get off."
"That won't do. If you can't keep me warm now, then I might freeze to death, and that wouldn't look good for you, now would it?" The young woman pushed the coat back to show her breasts. "Are they not worthy of keeping WARM?"
"You know what? Fuck the store. Yeah, let's go," Wes said.
The next morning, the headline of the La Perdita Times read: "Clerk found in cooler dead of hypothermia."
Now:
"Lieutenant Roberson, are you ready for the assignment?" the captain asked.
"Yes, sir! I am prepped for the assignment and ready to leave," Wes replied.
"Your orders come straight from Commander Stein, and are for your eyes only. You have been given this unlife for a purpose. Now you will give that unlife for the cause," the captain spat.
"Yes, sir! I will fight until the Harbringer is dead and so are all of the others. They are the enemy, and my orders are clear. Thank you, sir! We shall shed no blood and draw only pain, sir," Wes retorted.
A warehouse on the docks:
"Jarvis, is he ready yet?" Stein said.
"He should be, Master Stein," Jarvis said.
"Wake him and make it ready. Either the Harbringer will die this night, or you will."
"But, Master, the storm is going to make it hard--" Jarvis was cut off in mid-sentence.
"The storm is of a grand scheme, and greater design than you know. The others will be here in just a few minutes. Make him ready. I will return to the mainland and await your progress report," Stein said as he left the room.
"Yes, Master. Your will is my command." With that, Jarvis set about waking the sleeping Shawn and setting the preparations for the timer.
"There, you have three hours, and then your time is over, so make the most of it," Jarvis said to Shawn.
In the apartment complex, Grimm turned toward his teammates. "Get inside, now."
"What's going on?" Tayden asked.
"Greem, thees is not going to be good," Blackwulf said as the three made their way back inside. As they got inside, they shut and barred the door and made their way down the basement level.
"We've got trouble," Grimm said, not pausing.
"Yes, we know, the storm--" Dr. Henry Quantos started before being cut off by Grimm.
"No, not the storm. We've got more pressing problems. Where's Euro?"
"I believe he's still out there in his ship, looking for stragglers," Quantos replied.
"Can you get in touch with him?"
"Yes, he seems to be able to pick up radio signals, though we're not sure how."
"Contact him. Tell him to round up the rest of the team and get back here ASAP. We're going to need a secondary line of defense. If worse comes to worst, we'll need that ship to evacuate these people."
Quantos made his way over to the to the radio and began attempting to contact Edulcore Cicciotto, the former Eurostar.
"What about the rest of us, mate?" Grissom Montag asked walking up, followed by Priest.
"You're Montag, right, the security expert?" Grimm asked.
"I am," he answered.
"Can you jury rig some defenses in case they get past us?"
"You mind telling me exactly who and what they are?"
"They are being vampires, Comrade Montag," Blackwulf answered without a trace of the usual mirth in his voice.
Montag's eyes went wide at the notion of this. "You're having me on."
"Nyet, comrade. I have had many dealings with these beings, most recently at a bar here in town. I am thinking they are now seeking revenge for what happened there."
Grimm turned to Priest. "You, you're with me and Wulf. We're going to be the first line of defense against these things. If we go down, it'll be up to the to the others to get these people out of here."
Priest pulled out a large, futuristic rifle. "I'm ready."
"What about me?" Tayden asked.
"We need you in here keeping these people calm, like you did on the bus. You'll have to aid in evacuation if we can't stop them."
And with that, Grimm, Priest, and Blackwulf strode out the door and shut it behind them. They looked at each other in silence for a moment before turning their attention toward the large gathering several yards ahead of them.
Dark figures moved about, salivating in the cool air, winds whipping past them, seemingly unnoticed.
Grimm pulled his axe from out of his scabbard and turned it in his hands. It tingled lightly with a blue glow. Blackwulf cracked his knuckles on both hands and glared at the horde. Priest cocked his rifle and and readied another futuristic weapon.
A figure stood at the front of the crowd and began to speak. "So! This is what stands against us! Three humans. Cattle! Barely worth the effort it will take to kill you all. Well, then, step right up, gentlemen." There was a sarcastic lilt to his voice. It was the former Jerry's Food Mart clerk, now an agent of Stein.
"Who will be the first to pay in blood?" Wes screamed at the top of his lungs.
Suddenly, a shout rang out. Wes screamed in pain and anger as a bullet flew past his face and shattered his left ear. "Who dares?" he hissed.
"I'm your huckleberry," came a voice from off to the side.
He turned in the direction of the voice and saw Dirk Bell, guns drawn, one smoking. The PSI-Unit member Devlin was standing behind him.
And at that moment, all hell broke loose.
Continued in Chapter 27: Don't Forget to Activate the Lasers