~*~*~
No one came in to see me right away. Instead I spent the morning emailing my clients, letting them know we would have to reschedule my meetings for the week. I tried to ignore the gauges in my filing cabinet. The mystery man had made no secret of his activity. Maybe he didn't expect me to last the day.
It looked like he'd gone after the lock with a screwdriver. My mom had tried that trick to get into my locked hope chest when I was a teenager. It hadn't worked then and it hadn't worked now. If Angie's pursuers wanted it, they could ask politely.
I opened the filing cabinet. The Angie file was missing. Okay, I told myself. I hid her papers. I opened the V file I thought I'd shoved them in. Nothing in there with her name on it. I tore through the files. Nothing. Nothing. Sweet baby Jesus, nothing! Papers flew around the office as I searched. They were here yesterday! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I cursed myself. I was stupid to think the file was safe.
“Miss Dunmore?” A man about my height, perhaps thirty-ish, with black gelled up hair and a black suit came in. If he spent time working from a desk he supplemented that by working out all the time. I could tell he was ripped even through his clothes. “I'm Stevenson Dhaliwal.” His voice was melodic. The same voice I'd heard yesterday while hiding under the desk. I couldn't say I was surprised. “Is there a problem, Miss Dunmore?”
He smirked. I had a handful of notaries in my hand, clutching them like I’d die if I let them go. He closed the door, putting us alone in the office. I bunched up the paper.
“Where are they?” I thought I'd scream. My voice came out as a harsh whisper.
He took the seat across from me. I saw a flash of gauze on his wrist. Vampires bit there if they wanted an easier place to conceal the wound. Thighs were pretty popular too. He caught me staring and covered his wrist with his other hand.
“That's against regulations,” I said.
He pulled his jacket sleeve down over the gauze. “Don't worry about the file and the notaries.” Oh God. He'd given them to Simon. All those innocent people. I should have trashed it yesterday. “I got a locksmith in here bright and early. That lock of yours was impervious to normal lock picking methods. I put them in my car.” His expression was triumph.
I let out a stream of air. Simon didn't have information on Angie's donors yet. The notaries had phone numbers and names. It'd be easy to get addresses from that. I had to get that file back.
“You and that stupid witch broke your agreement with Simon.”
“Ha! I saw you rooting around here yesterday before Fernando's liberation. I'm pretty sure your vampire master broke his word first,” I growled. “I'm going to report you!” I pointed a finger at Stevenson. I'd be calling Balicki and Hill posthaste.
“You had a chance to avoid this mess. You never should have allied yourself with Angie.” I looked at his now covered wrist. At least I didn’t bind myself to a vampire who slit wrists and wrote suicide notes.
“Get the fuck out of my office!”
“Call your BSB agents. I outrank them.” He moved like liquid out of the chair. “I think I might do some light reading at lunch. I've got some good reads in the car.”
I watched him leave. My fingers dug into my armrests. My jaw clenched. I fought against my instinct to jump on his back and slam his head into the wall. I sat, waiting for the urge to pass. As I sat there in anger Sean walked by.
He backtracked and came into my office. He wore a gray suit with a gray striped tie and a white shirt. “Samantha?”
“Close the door, please,” I said through gritted teeth.
I loosened my jaw. Sean closed the door. I got out of my chair. I wrapped my fingers into the lapels of his jacket. I pulled him in for kiss. I even slipped him a little tongue before moving back.
“I'm about to lose my job. Wish me luck.” I gave him another kiss.
“Where are you going?” Sean held my arm.
“Never you mind.”
I broke away and opened the door. I made for the stairs and hurried down to the parking lot. A few smokers, Brent among them, stood outside enjoying a quick cigarette break.
“Hey Dunmore, what's up?” Brent asked, offering me a smoke from his pack.
“I'm on a mission, but thanks.” I waved the offer away.
I strode to the Rav. A tan Chevy Malibu was parked next to it. I recognized it as the one from yesterday. I peered into the passenger side window. Angie's file lay on the seat. This nonsense needed to end. I opened the Rav. My bat lay on the floor behind the driver's seat. I grabbed it.
“What are you doing, Dunmore?” Brent called from the door. His voice filled with laughter.
I looked at the Malibu. Side or front? Side or front? Front. It’d be harder to drive it this way. I took a few warm up swings, and then made contact with his windshield.
The glass spider webbed after my first swing. One more solid hit ought to finish the job. Stevenson’s car alarm went off, screeching in my ear. I refused to be deterred.
“Dunmore! Christ!” Brent screamed. “Have you lost your damn mind?!”
I swung the bat again. This time glass flew at me. I’d have to shake down my clothes to get all the little glass bits out. I shoved the bat through the hole I made. I cleared away enough glass so half my body could fit in. I brushed the glass away and climbed up on the hood. I reached in and grabbed the file. I crawled back down. For good measure I marched around the back and broke the taillights. Bits of red glass littered the parking lot.
I climbed into the Rav, turned the key, and put the car into drive. At the front door Stevenson and Carl had come out. I could make out Sean's figure behind them. I blew Stevenson a kiss and peeled out of the parking lot.
Seventeen
“You did some serious damage to private property,” Balicki shouted over the phone. “I don’t care if Stevenson Dhaliwal is Dracula himself! You can’t just go around busting open windows.”
I sat on the countertop at Sláinte. Bridget had her head down. She couldn't hide her laughs. Her entire body shook with them.
“I told you I needed to get those files. Please, come get them before Stevenson tries to reclaim them.”
I had driven around for a while. I eventually went home and changed into jeans and a White Sox t-shirt. I parked the Rav at a grocery store, took the bus to Bridget's, and had been with her ever since. Angie wanted us at the bar, so that's where we were. I still planned to give the file up for safekeeping.
“Please come get the file. I can explain everything.” My phone had been off for hours. I had a lot of texts and voicemails, but I refused to listen. I didn't want to hear from anyone, but the BSB agents who were supposed to be helping.
“I can't promise you won't be taken to the police station for this. And you better have a damn good reason for all this if you hope to ever find work again. Right now we're at the office downtown. Stay where you are. We'll get there as soon as possible.” The connection clicked.
“So?” Bridget looked up. Her face was red from laughter.
“They'll be here when they get here. How are we on time?”
“Sun just set. I don't know where Angie's coffin is, but she must be close. She'd want to beat Simon here.”
Bridget closed the bar. She’d also locked the file in her safe in the back. She wore jeans and a long sleeved green shirt. Her short hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She poured out two tumblers of her vampire repellent. If Simon broke my neck he at least wouldn't get my blood.
I pulled my hair up into a ponytail as well. I fidgeted nervously. I didn't like this. Any of it. I should have just turned the file over right away. I'd been stupid to let Jessica pick on me, not saying more. Now I had broken a windshield, brained a couple of vampires, and made out with my boss. Boy, I must be the envy of every little girl.
Half an hour later Angie waltzed in. “Where is it?” Was all Angie said by way of greeting.
“Locked away. I'm handing it over to the BSB. I had to steal it ba
ck from Simon's stooge. But I faked some notaries in case Simon turns up before the BSB. I figure Dolly Madison and Bea Arthur would want you to bite them. We made copies at a print shop.”
“Clever.” Angie pulled a little vial from her pocket. She placed it on the bar next to where I sat. It looked nothing like the one I saw in my dream. It was a little jar, like the ones I saw at the beach that held little shells. There was a red wax stopper plugging it up. Dingy liquid filled it.
“Did Christ cry muddy water?” Bridget picked it up to inspect.
“Haha. I filled it up in a puddle. Simon will grab it and run. Give him the fake file too as a show of good faith.”
“Where's the original?”
“Don't worry about it. I'll make sure Simon leaves you alone after this.”
“How?” I raised an eyebrow.
“I said not to worry.”
I slurped down the repellant. I had to trust that Angie would solve this. And if she didn't Balicki and Hill would.
The three of us chatted quietly. At eight Jessica, Stevenson, and Melvin came in. Simon came in last, pulling the strings on his three puppets. Angie growled, Bridget reached for her pistol, and I dug out the stake. Finally I had it when I needed it.
“Miss Dunmore,” Stevenson's voice was a cold knife in my brain.
“Your collateral walked off,” Simon replied coolly.
“Back off, Simon. Dunmore and O'Malley had nothing to do with any of this. Call off the dogs. I've got the Tears.” She held up the fake vial and gave it a shake. “If you want it, you deal with me. Or are you afraid I'll break your collarbone again?”
Simon showed all his teeth. “What do you want, Agacia?” Apparently picking on me was easy. He picked on me and got away with it, but when mama bear stepped up he suddenly lost his nerve. She'd come to me scared of Simon, now he was scared of her. Vampires. What idiots.
“Samantha.” I looked up. Even from across the room Simon's eyes had power over me. “Give me the vial.”
I blinked and turned away. My hand tightened around the stake. I felt safer having it in my grip. I was a fool not to have it earlier.
“Aw,” Jessica taunted. “Look at the kitten with the dog's bone.” I looked at the stake.
I was sick to death of this. I don't have vampire reflexes, but this didn't stop me from grabbing Bridget's ashtray and throwing it. It smacked into Stevenson's forehead, ash flying everywhere. His weaselly vampire buddies didn't even try to stop it. Small victories.
No one did anything at first. Like a flash Jessica and her brother lunged. Angie punched Melvin in the throat and close lined Jessica. With them dropped she jumped at Simon. The two elder vampires grappled.
Jessica recovered first and tried to launch over the bar. She ripped the pistol out of Bridget’s grip and flung it across the room. Bridget caught her in the arm with a corkscrew. She landed atop the bar, trying to stop the bleeding. Bridget proceeded to bludgeon Jessica in the face with a bottle of rum. Melvin stayed down. Good. He at least was keeping his meek self out of the fray.
That left Stevenson, who had decided to bum rush me. I wasn't cool enough to throat punch or use a cork screw attack so I bent my body down at the last second. I sent my shoulder and elbow into his solar plexus and groin respectively. He staggered back. I was blind to everything, but him. My ears were fully aware of the fights going on around us, but I saw nothing.
Again Stevenson rushed me. This time when I turned to block with my elbow he took hold of the waist of my t-shirt, yanking me hard and to the side. I stumbled, trying to keep my balance. The shirt ripped from the strain. With a firm hold on the back of my shirt he forced my head down and toward his raised knee. I managed to turn my head so my cheek took the most impact. I spared myself a broken nose, but the jolt still shook my teeth. I took the butt of the stake and slammed it into his knee.
“Christ!” It was enough to force him to release me.
I backed up into the bar. Jessica had her hands on Bridget's throat. Bridget's eyes bulged out and she clawed at Jessica's fingers. I slammed the stake into Jessica's shoulder.
She screamed and released Bridget. I missed her heart on purpose. I couldn't kill someone. Even this someone. Jessica used both hands trying to pull the stake out. Blood poured out and she turned white. Bridget lay where she was, gasping for air.
From behind something cracked on my skull. My world flashed white. I blindly swung around, pulling the stake free of Jessica's shoulder. I hit Stevenson in the head with the blunt end. He staggered back. Blood covered my hand and stake.
I touched my head, it was wet. Pulling back my fingers they were a bright red. My stomach was mostly empty, but what was inside surged upwards. I vomited all over the bar. I grabbed the counter, leaving a bloody smear as I tried to keep my balance. I was briefly aware Stevenson had me by my shoulders. I suddenly flew backwards into a table. From the flat of my back the ceiling spun. I tried to sit up.
Stevenson and Jessica were coming toward me. Angie had Simon on the ground while she repeatedly slammed his head into the floor. Simon kicked her off. He threw himself at her. The two crashed through the glass on the door.
Stevenson pulled me up. I punched him in the face. My aim was off and my arm weak. I connected with his shoulder. He tossed me backwards into the rubble of table and chairs.
Bridget jumped onto the bar. “Leave my friend alone!” She screamed.
The ground shook like an earthquake, running up through my bones. My vision was already unsteady, but I could see an aura of light green around Bridget. It flashed black, then back to green. I thought it was my head wound causing me to imagine things, but Stevenson's mouth hung open too.
“Don't let that witch draw in anymore!” Stevenson said.
“Get out of here!” She screamed again. A shockwave ran through the floor, cracking a few chairs and the wood over the already broken door. She jumped off the bar and tried to reach my side.
Stevenson made to grab her. I grabbed his ankle and yanked. He went face first into the floor. With her vampire reflexes Jessica was on me. She touched my blood and drew her hand back with a scream. Bits of ash fell into my open wound. She took my left arm and there was a crack. The screaming wouldn't stop. Why wouldn't it stop? I had a small idea that I was the one making the noise. I still had my stake. I slammed it into Jessica's thigh. I became mildly aware she was no longer in my reach.
Warm hands were on me. “Give me a minute and you'll be safe,” Bridget whispered. Was that salt in her hand?
She circled us and shouted a word into the madness. A green sheet surrounded us. A limping Stevenson threw himself into it, but the green only rippled at his effort. Jessica, Stevenson, and Melvin stood outside, away from us.
“Where's Angie?”
“The cops and the BSB will be here soon. That shock wave will have everyone on the block calling for help.” Bridget knelt beside me.
“You're bleeding,” I said. I reached for her cheek. Someone had cut her face. I laughed. I don't know why. I couldn't help it.
“Samantha, you probably have a concussion. I need you to stay awake for me, okay?” The sheet rippled again. The puppets looked for weaknesses. My vision was fading. I could feel a warm liquid running down my temple. Bridget ripped part of my shirt apart, I think. There was a distinct ripping of fabric. The green shook again. Something pressed against my head.
What happened next was so fast my eyes couldn't adjust to it. Stevenson and company put their hands up. Four uniformed cops and two suits, Balicki and Hill, came at them, guns drawn. They were handcuffed and dragged out. The paramedics came next.
“Samantha, I want you to break the circle I made. Just run your fingers in the salt and break it. Show me you are still lucid.”
I couldn't feel any more pain. I could taste the vomit. It was probably all over me. I wanted to reach my good arm out and break the salt, but I couldn't. If I moved I might die. My left arm hung uselessly against my stomach. I'd be bruised
all over tomorrow. If I broke the circle I could get medical help. Why couldn't I break the circle?
“You!” Hill growled. Why hadn't he and his partner been here to protect me? “Let her out of the circle!” He roared.
“Break the circle, Samantha.” Her hand rested on my cheek. “Please, stay awake for me. Show me you’re awake.”
“Goddamn you!” Hill was closer now. “What are you doing?”
I walked my fingers across the floor. My fingertips brushed the salt. I made one line through it. The sheet fell down around us. “Good girl,” she whispered to me.
“Miss,” a paramedic said in my ear as he knelt to me. “I'm going to need you to step back.” I felt Bridget leave my side. I wanted her to stay. In all this confusion and in my fear and disorientation my friend was the only thing that felt real.
I forced my eyes upwards. Balicki and Hill had Stevenson in cuffs, handling him roughly. I smiled. Small victories indeed.