Created (Book 1 of the Created) (37 page)

Darby began crying.
"Why are we
killing those poor people!?
They are not the enemy!"

Veronica squatted down in front of Darby's chair allowing
her hand to rest upon Darby's head as she brought the two together. "There
is a price to be paid for this mistake. Unfortunately, the innocents are the
ones paying. Chadron and the U.S cannot risk the virus escaping the rural area
to which it is believed to be isolated. If the virus was to escape, it could
possibly reach epidemic proportions. The costs seem high at the moment, but
they could only get higher if the virus is not stopped. Do you
understand?"

Darby sobbed, "I do, but it is so sad.
So sad."

I asked, "So a wolf is the carrier then?"

Veronica took a seat in the floor in front of Darby's chair.
"A new model GW17.
It is stronger, faster and
deadlier than anything Chadron has ever created. The wolf represents the next
step on the evolutionary chain. It is only a matter of time before we become
obsolete ourselves."

We all seemed to be pondering what Veronica had said.

"How many people have died, and how are we covering it
all up?" I queried.

"There have been thirty-six potential infections within
the first six hours. Some never showed the signs of infection. Others, I think
about four, had already developed the ability to shape shift into a wolf, but
were unable to understand what was happening. Many of the thirty-six were
others who were infected by the newbies. The original infected was only a small
few," She said.

"How do we know that we haven't captured or killed the
GW17? This could all be over now." Darby pleaded.

"Genetically, we will always be dissimilar to any
beings that would be created from a progenitor. We are unique. The virus is a
mutation. We also carry nanites which make us glow under special cameras that
Chadron invented as another measure of safety."

"How are we covering up all of the deaths?" I
moved to the kitchen to get me some blood.

"A wild fire is now consuming parts of the country side
ten miles out from the base. The military is helping the forest service, police
and fire departments maintain the perimeter under the guise of keeping
onlookers, home owners who were evacuated and possible looters away. This
allows us to ensnarl the wolf as long as the beast stays within the ring of
fire."

I drank a bit before I returned to my seat. "What about
school?"

"Chadron exerted its muscle to have the local school
boards to close all of the local schools with thirty miles for the duration of
the fire. The boards were convinced that the fire may spread which could cause
toxic fumes if the fuels were detonated."

"Convincing," I quipped.

Veronica hopped from the floor and looked herself over.
"I need to get cleaned up and you two need to get fed and well rested
because tonight we will hunt. The transport will be here at eight pm."

The man that Veronica had identified as Leslie Smith stood
in the middle of the street surrounded by human soldiers and the two vampire
teams used to integrate into the schools. The group was full of whispers and
worry.

A few hours earlier, a currier had delivered black military
fatigues that matched those worn by the soldiers on the base. I assumed that
the others had received the same until we had arrived to receive our orders.
The males were all wearing similar military garb, but the females, with the
exception of Veronica, were dressed in their normal attire. Veronica wore a
full body suit of a shiny black material that displayed every amazing curve.
Upon her hip was a holster and ammunition belt. Inside the holster was a custom
designed military grade prototype of a semi-automatic pistol. She was in her
element and fit the role she was trying to cultivate. Veronica looked powerful
and ready for anything.

The group hushed when Leslie began to talk. "As most of
you know by now, we have a threat to our role as caretakers of the American
dream. There is a rouge wolf. A new generation different than those with which
you are familiar. This wolf is twice as fast and when shifted from human into
canine form, he is stronger than any of the GV16 who will go out with us
tonight. Bravo and Charlie teams will be joined tonight with three of the Vs.
No one should take on the wolf alone. Report any contact and wait for help.
Remember, no one tries to be a hero and good luck."

I had listened to him detail what was planned, but my eyes
never left Veronica. I hated her, but I also admired her. There was no one I
would rather go into battle with than her. Now that he was finished and our
detail was waiting for transport, I thought I might be able to get an
opportunity to talk to her alone. The opportunity never came.

After Leslie dismissed us to our duties, we were grouped
together with human soldiers to wait for the APCs. The soldiers were jovial and
bantering with each other as well as the GVs. It was refreshing that the
soldiers who were traveling with us treated the GVs as just another soldier. I
wanted to believe that the elevated stress levels were because of our
assignment and not because they feared us. It could have been the
professionalism of each that allowed them to mask any hatred for our kind, or
it could have been that our human contingent was heavily armed. The humans were
wearing from head to toe a newly commissioned organic body armor that was ten
times stronger and flexible than Kevlar. The squad was twenty-one strong before
the addition of Veronica, Liam and I. Each vampire was to search with a smaller
group of seven as backup. Tonight would not be the night for a private
conversation.

The APCs arrived and Veronica led the way. She stood at the
entrance ushering the men inside. It was then that I noticed the blackened
silver eagle upon her chest. As the men loaded, I tried to figure out if there
was a reason for the design. Searching my mind for meaning, it registered when
Sergeant Hayes saluted her.
“Everyone except the GVs aboard
and ready for the mission Colonel."

She was firm in her reply. "Thank you Sergeant. Let's
go Logan and
Ethan,
we have a wolf to find."

It was surprising to see her ranked and treated as a high
ranking military official. She smiled at me as I loaded the armored personnel
carrier. Pushing Logan in, I stopped. "Colonel, do Logan and I not get a
weapon?"
Pointing at the one adorning her hip.

She looked down, then back to me. "Last I was informed
by your group leader, neither of you had received proper instruction on how to
fire and maintain your weapon." Veronica smiled at me.

I frowned and headed inside to find a seat, taking the last
one available at the front end of the vehicle.

Veronica entered and shut the door behind her. "Let's
go driver to the designated location for drop off one."

The APC fired up, and we were on our way to hunt down the
rogue wolf. "We will be at drop number one, Colonel, in thirty."

The ride was smooth and quiet. Every one of the soldiers was
trying to stay loose for the mission. There were multitudes of ways the humans
occupied themselves. For the three vampires on the mission, it was nervously
watching the preparations. Ten minutes into the journey, I closed my eyes and
thought of seeing
Sunnie
again. I wanted to see her
in the worst way for a lot of reasons. The most bothersome of which was the
worry if I should tell her about what transpired with Veronica. Quickly, I
brushed away the thoughts of Veronica and concentrated on the details of
Sunnie's
face. Fondly, I thought of our last precious
moments together. The memories of the moments all were shattered when the sad
reality hit me that those could have been the last I would ever spend with her.
There was a real possibility that all of the members of the squad being sent
into the field could die, including me. Worse still, the prospects that I could
survive and the beast escape our trap to infect or kill
Sunnie
.
The countless combinations bounced around in my head until it began to hurt.

I wasn't sure if vampires could get headaches, but mine was
being to throb intensely. There was a sharp pain in my side that made me
partially rise from my seat. I clutched at my side as secretly as possible.
Fighting back the urge to cry out, I tried to discretely double over. I hid my
discomfort under the ruse of checking the lacing on my combat boots. The pain
did not subside. My blood felt as if it was on fire. The blood inside of me was
screaming out. I knew what was happening, but there was no way I could quench
my thirst for fresh blood at that moment. Desperately, I sought Veronica's
attention without giving away that I was fighting back the desire to rip open
the man's throat that was sitting next to me to taste the sweetness of his
coppery flow.

At the other end of the APC sat Veronica who turned to me.
"Just hold on," She mouthed. I nodded that I understood in response.

Closing my eyes, I initially fought the hunger by
concentrating on thoughts of
Sunnie
, but those became
nightmarish, twisted visions of my murdering her and her family. The mental
images horrified me as time and time again I envisioned tearing out her tender
throat. I was awakened from my hell by the stopping of the APC.

The corporal that was driving called, "First drop
Colonel." Sergeant Hayes was already up and opening the door. His six
troops and Logan exited silently. When Logan bugged out, Hayes followed. I
could hear the group dispersing throughout the woods.

Veronica moved into position at the door, pulling it closed.
She addressed the remaining troops. "Working on our recent intelligence
information, there has been a heat signature detected at the next drop in the
past hour. We lost contact with the Rangers in the area soon after. The plan is
to deploy the last two groups at the next location. We will spread out in
groups of two. Ethan and I will drive down the middle. Hayes and his guys will
push from the South. We hope to squeeze the wolf into a kill zone past the
woods in the open field on the other side.
Any
questions?"

She waited then said, "Be careful out there."

The driver said, "Five minutes."

The time was filled with a flurry of activity. Weapons were
primed and sensing equipment checked. The group became tense. All the men sat
at the ready with a minute to spare.

Veronica opened the door and evacuated the APC before the
driver had stopped fully. The soldiers did not care. They were trained for
combat though this enemy was vastly different that any they would encounter.
When the last man exited the vehicle, Veronica reentered and locked the rear
entrance.

The driver and auxiliary driver were dead within seconds.
The scene was ghastly. Arterial spray coated the driver's compartment from the
gapping wounds that had been their throats. Veronica tore the driver loose and
laid him in my lap, "Drink! We will need the fresh to survive." She
fed on the auxiliary driver who was still seated.

"Dammit, they were our people. These were good men who
were following your orders. Why did you do this Veronica? These soldiers didn't
have to die." The driver was still twitching in my lap. The smell of his
blood had already caused me to phase, but I fought the want to feed upon his
flesh, even though my body was wrecked with pain.

Veronica turned to me her face awash in blood; small wet
streams were running down her chin. "Drink the fucking blood Ethan. If you
were concerned about their deaths, then you would be sure not to let them die
in vain. Their blood is our strength. Now drink!" She scooped at the
driver's throat that was across my lap, coating her hand in his blood then
smearing it upon my lips.

I started lapping at her fingers which I held in place
savoring every morsel of the blood. She growled as she returned to feeding upon
her human meal. Letting go of her hand, I brought the broken flesh of the
driver to my mouth. His blood was strong with a twinge of iron aftertaste. I
drank my fill in seconds. His body now a dried husk, I discarded him. Veronica
was finishing her meal as well.

Disgusted with myself, I looked away from the driver lying
at my feet as I asked, "What about the bodies? This is evidently a vampire
attack and not the work of a wolf."

She produced moist towels from a compartment within her
clothes. Veronica gave me a handful as she proceeded to clean her face and
hands of blood. I copied her actions, cleaned myself and tossed the blood
covered wipes upon the floor.

She checked herself then inspected my face for signs of
blood, allowing her finger tips to linger a little too long across my face.
There were a few remnants along her neck. Instead of cleaning them from her, I
motioned to her.

"Did I get all of it?" She asked.

I responded, "Yeah. Did I?" Veronica moved in
close to inspect my face again. This time I stood and removed her hand.
"We need to get going."

She reached into a compartment running along the wall of the
APC producing two gray spherical objects. Veronica ran her thumbs over the top
of the devices simultaneously. A digital countdown began inside each object
which would have been inaudible for the human ear. I knew that this must have
been her plan to get rid of the evidence of what we had done, though how would
she explain away the destruction of the APC. "Run!" She yelled as she
pitched the two bombs into the driver's compartment.

We burst through the door and into the woods putting
distance between us and the APC which was destined for destruction. The ticking
of the device was loud in my ears as we fled deep into the forest. At the last
click, I could hear two seconds transpired then the APC erupted in a huge ball
of fire that knocked Veronica and me both to the ground, even though we were
seventy yards away.